Evening star., 1947-12-03
Witnessing the Birth of Nation
Initial Strife Seen Merely Painful Incident in the
Creation of an Independent India
By WIliam Stuart Nelson
Dean of the School Of Religion. Howard University
(SecOnd of T1U0 ArticleS.)

members Of the Constituent Assembly. declared
1t fitting that at that solemn moment they dedi-
cate themselves, not only to the service of the
people of India, but also to the still larger
cause Of humanity. He saw the achievement of
that hour as only the opportunity for greater
accomplishments. He admitted to the heavi-
ness of their hearts with the memory Of the
pains that had preceded this birth of freedom
and which continued even in that moment.
Nevertheless" he said, 'the past is over and
it is the future that beckons to us now The
service of India to which he was pledged meant
for him the ending of poverty, ignorance,
disease and inequality of opportunity. Refer
ring to his spiritual father and friend, Mahatma
Gandhi, he said: "The ambition of the greatest
man of our generation has been to wipe every
tear from every eye. That may be beyond U.s.
but as long as there are tears and suffering,
so long our work will not be over"
India's Trials Are Not Unique
As sat looking upon that scene I thought
Of the selfessness which had prompted Mr..
Gandhi to leave that center few days before
where he was then being acclaimed father OF
the country, the architect of the new freedom
and plunge into one of the most difficult peace
missions of his life. Now the friends OF India
everywhere think Of the other millions VINO
were far removed from that scene with the
hope that they will realize the eloquent asplra-
, ton expressed by their Prime Minister to oullo
the noble mansion of free India where all her
children may dwell"
Judgment of such incidents as the STRIFE
in the Punjab should be tempered by the
memory of the internal conflicts which many
other people have suffered long after their
birth as nations and under conditions in
fnitely more favorable to peace than those IN
India. We can recall that our own Nation
after IS years of independence became engaged
In civil strife which lasted four years. There
is France there is SPAIN there are the coun-
tries of South America. Their threats OF con-
fiict which now confront us in Palestine and
elsewhere in the world suggest that the strife
in the Punjab sets that province and Indians
In no wise apart from the rest OF mankind
There are two questions on which the world
does have right to pass Judgment on Indla
today: The first is whether the governments
of India and Pakistan made every possible
effort to bring the Punjab situation unoer
control In view of the loss OF lie, loss OF
property, damage to crops, and the effect OF
all these upon the total economy Of the coun-
try, it is inconceivable that the governments
did not do their utmost to bring the disorders
to an end.
Before leaving India was deeply impressed
bv press reports and my own knowledge OF the
feyerish efforts to marshal every available
resource to stop rioting and relieve suffering.
The most recent reports from India indicate
that these efforts are now bearing fruit. The
second question is whether the Indians will
prove able to govern themselves. The ancient
history of India and the quality of leadership
she has produced in our own day should leave
no doubt but that, given time, the Indians
will prove themselves capable Of achieving
the highest type of nationhood. 1t need not
be added that their many great gifts to man
kind entitle them in their present struggle
to the full-hearted support Of the people
throughout the world.