Evening star., 1948-08-16
Indies First Yeor

Just year ago the state of India was
formally added to the roster of the worlds
nations Technically, it was and still is
member of the British Commonwealth.
But that does not derogate from its SOW
ereignty, because the Commonwealth is
voluntary association of nations, bound
together only by the semi-mystic tie of
allegiance to a common Crown. India is
free to quit the Commonwealth whenever
it.wishes. The significant thing is that as
yet 1t shows no desire so to do.
The outstanding fact about this India
is that it does not comprise the whole of
the vast subcontinent formerly under
British authority. The traditional gulf be-
tween HinduS and MoSlems was so deep
that 1t could not be politically bridged. So
the predominantly Moslem regions formed
another nation, Pakistan, likewise electing
schism was dolorous and bloody, involving
the mutual transfer of millions who con-
stitute refugee problem of resettlement
and intensity Moslem- Hindu antagonism
on both sides. Despite the fact that India
and Pakistan are economically interde-
pendent, the relations of the two states re-
main tense and unsettled. Two. violent
irritants persist over the allegiance of
two princely domains-Kashmir and Hy-
derabad, either of which could be q cause
of war between India and Pakistan. Fortu-
nately, the good Offices of the United Ma
tions and the restraining influence of
British diplomacy have averted armed
conflict and give promise of a peaceful
solution. But so long as those burning
issues are unsettled, the danger persists
Internally, India's record for It's first
year is highly creditable one An i'm
mense and complex process of transforma-
ton has been resolutely tackled. With the
exceptions OF Hyderabad and Kashmir, the
intricate mosaic of princely domains,
great and small, which broke the pattern
OF British India, have been absorbed into
the new nation. Political associations and
private armies formed on religious lines
have been dissolved. The age-old blight
OF caste, with its manifold social injustices
and determinations within the Hindu fold,
Is being ameliorated. The outlines of
true national unity begin to appear.
Yet, as ancient wrongs and handicaps
are thus being remedied new problems
arise These lie chiefly in the economic
and social fields. India's very progress in
modernization and industrialization on
Western lines has engendered the same
difficulties with which we are familiar.
The common man" in India is feeling and
voicing unwonted discontents growing
industrial proletariat clamors for q bet
ter life. The same is true of an impov-
erished peasantry held down by feudal
land tenures. The ignorance and back
wardneSs of both urban and rural masses
render them susceptible to Communist
agitators preaching a violent political and
social revolution. And behind these spe-
cif1c ills lies the relentless pressure of
overpopulation which can be relaxed
only by combination of scientific de-
velopment of natural resources and popu-
lar education leading to enhanced eff
cheney and rising living standards.
India thus stands on the threshold of a
long and difficult national evolution. But
good beginning has been made, while
the leaders who control the country's
destiny seem to have a clear and states
manlike concept Of the path which should
be followed. The balance sheet for India's
first year of self-rule yields an encourag-
ing net surplus.