SIR STAFFORD COMES TO INDIA By H. RAMIAH

During the Last few weeks, which saw a temporary cessation of ,(arge'scale fighting. the politicaL interest of the world centered around India. The fate oj more than 350 million Indians hung in the baLance. In spito of the conflicting news. tho facts about tho present slrllggle in India are clear: India, 11.71 dc,' B'dtish ruLe again8t her will a1ld hence forced to participate indirectly i,~ the war, wants independllnce today more urgentLy tha1. ever, not only for its own sake but aLBa in -Drder to ucape from being drawn directly into the war. Great Britain, 011 the other hand, has the grEatest intllrest in keeping this nwst 1>recious jewel in the British crown. Site is ready to promise much for the future if only she can have the support of India's men and mater'ials ,in her desperate struDoLll today. Finally, the Axis nat'ions are out to .destroy the military pO'wer of the British ElIIp-ire wheTever they find it - even in India, as 10110 as it remains there. Hence, while Britain .wants a British Ind-ia, the Indians as well as the Azis powers want an I/ldia free from British domination. London has PostlJOned the facing of the Indian issue to the last 1JOssibie moment. Only afl,er Rangoon, the gateway to India, had fallen into the hands of Japan, d'id the British GoveTnment decide that some­ thing had to be done. Sir Stalfo'rd Cripps was sent to India 1lJith a'll olfe'r which 10as, as usual, "toc> little and too late." He has lost the first round: he declared in the beginning that the Indians .would have to -accept or reject the British plan as a whole. The Ind-ians did not accept it. Yet Sir Stafford remained for further neDotiations. The purllose of the following articLe is not to save our readers the trouble of reading their dally papers and of stlldy'ino Sir Stafford's platl and the Indian answers. Its purpose is rather to analyze India's 1Josit-ion, from which her decisions and actions are grcrwing. The autho'r is the Far Eastllrn correspondent of many Indian newspapers, incLuding "The Bomba-II Chronicle," "The Hindu," "The Natiotlal HeraLd," "The Hindustan Standard," and a man who is personally fam'iliar with the lteading figures of India toda7l. His article is WTitte1l from the point of v-iew of an Indian nat-ionaList.-K. M.

'WHAT the British have been calling FRONTIER WITHOUT DEFENSE the outposts of the Indian Empire, There are four military commands namely, Egypt, Burma, and Malaya, are in India, known as the North, South, all either seriously menaced or in their East, and West Commands, but all opponents' hands. The fall of Malaya stationed in the Northwest or in re­ and Rangoon occurred in such quick gions close to the Northwest of India. succession that the British hardly have The reason for this was that the Brit­ time to prepare even an improvised de­ ish always feared an attack on India fense of India. Strange as it must from that direction, either by the seem today, until recently they never Russians or by mountain tribes. Hence expected a threat to India from the an area covering the larger part of India East. They never took Japan into and situated to the southeast of the serious account. As a result, the de­ line Delhi/Bombay has practically no fense of the eastern half of India defense arrangements. The 60,000 Brit­ depends upon a small, semi-expedi­ ish and 150,000 Indian troops (besides tionary force coupled with some mobile about 35,000 reservists) constituting the units. peace-time army of India were meant SIR STAFFORD COMES TO INDIA 253 to be a field army and a first·line India, this is a myth. An assembly defense to cover the general mobiliza­ plant for parts imported from America tion in the case of an emergency. As has been opened. But can America a reason for this strategy the British supply planes to all parts of the world? pointed to the 72 expeditions they bad If so, why were the British short of been forced to make against tribesmen planes for the defense of Malaya '/ between 1850 and 1922, and they main­ And the one manufacturing center that tained that the defense of the North. was inaugurated last year in Bangalore west means the defense of India. This is still in an embryonic state. calculation was a serious mistake. TWO FORGES Jlnother factor of great influence in the War of Greater East Asia is the With this threatening situation obtain­ steady pounding to which the British ing to the east of India, it is of great have been subjected by the Germans interest to study the events taking place since the autumn of 1939, by which the inside India, especially as the Axis main military strength of the British has powers have declared that they are been weakened beyond immediate re­ willing to help India achieve her inde­ pair. The British have been putting pendence. up a bluff in our part of the world, There are two main forces to be making more of Singapore than it ever considered within India. On the one was. The Indian troops stationed in hand are the British, who are making Singapore, except for a small section, every effort to survive this war as an were not a well-trained army. Most empire and to retain India in their of them did not know the meaning of hands, even at the cost of every other artillery, since it is the policy of the possession they hold in the East. For British to train only a limited part of it was India through which they got the Indian Army in the use of artillery. Burma, Malaya, Hongkong l etc.) and That limited artillery-trained part was could stabilize their hold on South serving in Egypt, Iran, etc., and the Africa. From Aden to Capetown, from freshly recruited men brought to Singa­ Karachi to Hongkong, it was the Indian pore were trained only as drivers of sepoy who guarded the British interests, military lorries and trucks. Moreover, and it was the money of the Indian the propaganda of the Indian National taxpayer which financed the expeditions Congress, to which these recruits had that conquered all those territories. If been subjected while they were still England can manage to retain India in villagers, had already had its share in the present crisis, her future may not demoralizing them against aiding the be so hopeless. With this in mind, the British. British are applying all their skill to It is no wonder that, when the well­ line up the Indian people with the trained, well-equipped, and enthusiastic British cause and for the defense of Japanese forces attacked Singapore, India. the British defense fell to pieces in no The other force are the Indian na­ time. This is what is likely to happen tionalists, who for years have been in the defense of India also. It has yearning to free their country from already been the case in Burma. the British and have been patiently The British assertions that there are working toward that purpose. Gandhi's large defense arrangements along the leadership of the Indian National Indian border arc propaganda. Sup­ Congress in its fight against the British plies of arms from the British Isles dates back to 1920. The intensity and cannot reach India, and the Indian fervor with which he has been fighting armament factories cannot produce any­ have never waned during the last thing beyond rifles and simple machine twenty-two years. The fact that he guns. Even the precision parts of the started a CiviI Disobedience movement latter have to be imported from Britain. in India in October 1940, in the midst As for the manufacture of airplanes in of Britain's entanglement in the present 254 THE XXth CENTURY war, should be enough to show his a Britain that bas been defeated again determination and the aim he has in and again in all her battles. view. NEHRU'S ATTITUDE HOW WILL INDIA'S During the last fourteen months LEADERS ACT? many thousands of Indians under the There bas been much speculation banner of Gandhi were jailed because recently about the possibility of the they have made it impossible for the Indian national leaders now throwing British to mobilize a sufficiently big their weight on the side of the British army in India. And thirty-two mem­ in order to fight Japan. This is an bers of provincial governments went idea that may seem natural to those to jail for the same reason, having who have the one desire of seeing Japan spoilt all British hopes .for their war beaten in the War of Greater East efforts. Since the very beginning of Asia. But to a serious student of Indian the war in 1939, Indian nationalists affairs it is an idea that is, to say the have declared that they have nothing least, amazing. to do with British wars and that they The actions of the Indian national should be left alone. leaders are influenced by one main Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, declaring consideration, that of India's advantage. the non-eo-operation of the National What are the benefits to be derived for Congress in British wars, and especially India by their joining the British side? in the present war of huge arma­ And what are her prospects if the ments, said in a statement in June Indian nationalists do not throw in 1940: "I should personally like to say their lot with the British? By weighing that this war and the events that the answers to these questions we shall preceded it have impressed me more discover the likely attitude of the than ever with the futility of violence. Indian leaders. And we should bear in And in India, as her circumstances mind that these leaders are no children are today, the idea of our organizing in British politics, to be cajoled with violence for defense against external sweet promises. Their attitude will be aggression of a major power is futile. governed by the consideration, whether We cannot do so effectively, at least Britain is at all in a position to carry in this present crisis, and in any out her possible offers and to maintain event we are not going to do so in whatever would be the new position. order to help an empire that dominates This is perhaps the place to mention over us." that the demands of the Indian na­ Nehru's statement clearly brings out tionalists were not born out of the two points: that the Indian nationalists present circumstances, and that the do not think in terms of defending nationalists have no intention of making India by means of the British army political bargains. In 1929, when the in India, but, having no organized Indian National Congress first passed force of their own, would rather not a resolution demanding immediate fight at all against any major power; recognition of India's independence, the and secondly that under no circum­ British were not involved in any war stances will they fight for British or internal troubles. And as for imperialism. political bargains, there were many A further quotation from that same offers made by the British of late which statement would seem to indicate that have been entirely disregarded by the in an indirect way Nehru expresses Indian nationalists. Since it is clear his hopes of India being treated as a that the most opportune time has neutral by other powers. He said: arrived for India to gain complete "I do not think there is the slightest independence, there is no reason for likelihood of a major invasion of the Congress leaders to go back to the India." That Nehru, in the midst of l)oint making of political bargains with war, should say this can only mean SIR STAFFORD COMES TO INDIA 255 that he would rather choose to be national leaders is another move by the friendly with the outside powers than British to instill fear of Britain's op­ be an ally of the British. One should ponents into the Indians. However, it bear in mind that Gandhi, Nehru, and seems this scheme fell through, as we the other nationalist leaders must act assume that the Generalissimo found a and speak under the noses of British great lack of statesmanship on the guns, which naturally calls for very part of the British, quite aside from careful tactics and language. There there being neither strategy nor solidity is much to indicate that the great in the British defenses. The silence powers have understood the attitude that the Generalissimo has maintained of the Indian leaders. ever since he returned from India ARE THEY ANTI-JAPANESE? shows that he must have grave doubts as to British methods and practices Yet there are still many people who there. believe that the Indian National Con­ gress and Nehru are anti-Japanese. Moreover, Indian leaders will not be The origin of this misunderstanding induced to sacrifice the interests of lies several years back, in the early India's cause of freedom for the con­ days of the Sino-Japanese confHct. At venience of other individuals or the that time not only Jehru but educated British. The Indians know from bitter Indians in general thought that Japan experience how great a mistake it was and Britain would come to terms over to help Britain during the Great War. the partition of Asia, so that Britain's The problems of Chiang Kai-shek are imperialist policy would be allowed to rather beyond aid on the part of India, continue undisturbed in India in ex­ which is a subject country fighting for change for Japan's annexation of its independence without any army or China. This view was strengthened weapons whatever. Furthermore, the when it b'ecame known that the British Indian National Congress would not seemed willing to accede to the Japa­ think of making India an enemy of the nese demand for closure of the Burma Axis powers, which have declared their Road (which was later actually closed sympathy with India's aim of becoming for three months). The Indians, who a nation free of all domination. So it had been fighting the British so long was quite natural for the Indian national for the independence of their country, leaders to have honored and feted were alarmed at the thought that the Generalissimo as a distinguished Japan was going to be an imperialistic guest but to have taken leave of partner of Britain and hence expressed him without further commitments. open sympathy with China. This, as well as the fact that the Indians have always felt antagonistic Indian national leaders did not ask towards any power that became the Indian troops in Malaya to resist friendly with Britain. That is why the Japanese, should demonstrate clearly the Indians today are looking with enough that they wish to remain aloof suspicion toward the USSR, the ally from British entanglements. of Britain. So the apparent friend­ OTHER POWERS TO RULE INDIA? ship between Britain and Japan was looked upon with disfavor. India Does this mean, as some critics desired a break between Britain and interpret it, that the Indians would Japan, which indeed occurred later welcome any other power to rule India when the Burma Road was opened in place of Britain? No Indian of again. Britain's switch resulted in the the present generation would seriously so-called ABCD encirclement directed consider this possibility. The powers at Japan. who appear to be gaining the upper hand in this war have assured CHIANG KAI·SHEK'S VISIT India that she will be allowed to The British invitation to Generalissimo assume her rightful position and that Chiang Kai-shek to meet the Indian there will be an "India for the Indians."

--:- 256 THE XXth CENTURY

And no matter how things turn out in the case of Generalissimo Chiang on the Russian front, the USSR will Kai-shek, Prime Minister Churchill is not have sufficient strength left to trying ostentatiously to work through annex other countries. personalities who are reputed to be British and American propaganda friends of Nehru, so that a false im­ has done its best to raise fears in the pression may arise in the camp of hearts of the Indians that either Japan Britain's opponents. or Germany will try to dominate India, IMPERIAL COMMUNIST should the British be defeated. Though Sir Stafford Cripps, a British apprehension on this account caused Socialist (or rather Communist), is at anxiety among the Indians for some heart an Imperialist. If he were a time, it is hardly suitable that these true socialist or communist he would apprehensions be raised by the British, never have accepted this mission to the very ones to have exerted domination India, since it means an effort to over India. As early as the end of preserve the British Empire, a thing 1!l40, Gandhi reacted to this propaganda contrary to the tenets of his professed in his own peculiar way. Addressing creed. That he is an Imperialist be­ the Indians, he said: "You will invite came clear to the Indians during his Herr Hitler and Signor Mussolini to last visit there in December 1939, take what they want. If these gen­ shortly after the outbreak of the tlemen desire to occupy your homes, present war. He came as a so-called you will vacate them. If they do not friend of Indian support for the give you free passage out, you will British war effort. allow yourselves - men, women, and children-to be slaughtered." From that He failed to convince the Indian day onwards the British ceased direct leaders that he was free of the propaganda. and adopted other methods. psychology of British Imperialism, and there was a general sentiment in BRITISH STATESMEN W AXE UP Congress circles against accepting Sir Recent utterances by Premier Tojo Stafford's professions and offers of of Japan as well as Berlin press friendship towards India, as he was dispatches regarding India have stirred obviously interested in the Empire British statesmen out of their usual first and last. His socialism was recog­ complacency. They have finally at this nized as nothing but a reaction against late hour become alive to the realities the ruling political clique in England of the Indian situation. In consterna­ and its grasp upon the riches of the tion and haste they are making new Empire. Thus his true aim was a proposals to India every day. They more equitable distribution of Empire thought first of dispatching Sir Archibald spoils among Britons rather than the Sinclair, the British Liberal, to India to abolishment of British Imperialism. try his Liberal balm on the Indians, PROMISES, PROMISES! although on many previous occasions, I had an opportunity to interview including that of Sir John Simon's Sir Stafford at Allahabad in 1939. At visit in 1928, the British Liberals had the time he said that the greatest failed to make any impression on interest in Indian affairs was being nationalist India. taken by Parliamentarians in England, In the end Prime Minister Churchill and that an influential group favorable must have been made to see the to Indian aspirations was growing in uselessness of sending a Liberal to the House of Commons. He also said India, whereupon another delegate was that representatives of different poli­ chosen in the person of Sir Stafford tical groups in Parliament would visit Cripps. But again it would be er­ India in the course of the following roneous to assume that Sir Stafford months. That was two years ago, and is able to make any deep impres­ nothing took place to substantiate his sion on the Congress leaders. As words until the recent Japanese military SIR STAFFORD COMES TO INDIA 257 successes made tile British Government will not be enough to have planned tremble for their country's hold upon economy for the benefit of the common India. The Indian leaders are well people of the world, but there should aware that Sir Stafford's promises can be a large degree of democratic free­ mean little as long as Churchill is at dom also for the common people in the the head of the British Government. new scheme of things. There should They have not forgotten that Churchill be no personal or sectional interest." refused to see Gandhi when the latter In the two years that have passed went to England to attend the Round there has been no sign that the Table Conference. British people have any inclination to On the occasion of Sir Stafford accept Sir Stafford's high ideals. Why. Cripps' visit to Allahabad, he addressed then, should the people of India give the students of the University of much heed to any future promises Allahabad, saying: "In this world it and fine words from him '1 GLOSSARY OF INDIAN POLITICAL NAMES AND TERMS All India Hindu Mahasabha-A political Chandra Bose. Striving for complete in­ organization having as its object the protec­ dependence of India without compromise with tion of the interests of Hindus. Inclined to the British. co-operate with the British with the ultimate Gandhi, Mohandas Karamchad-Known as goal of achieving independence for India. Mahatma Gandhi. Founder of the Civil AU India Moslem League-A llolitical organi­ Disobedience Movement. Has resigned from the zation having as its object the protection of Congress Party, but retains great influence. the Moseem interests in India. Favors the Harijan Movement-Created by Gandhi for Pakistan Scheme. the uplift of the depressed classes of the Hindu All India National Congress Party-A poli­ community known as the" Untouchables." tical organization comprising representatives Jayakar, V. D.-A liberal Indian leader and of different religious groups striving for India's colleague of Sir Tej Bahadur Sapru. independence. Founded in Bombay in 1886. Jinnab, M.A.-President of tlle All India Ambedkar~Leader of the depressed classes Moslem League. Promoter of the Pakistan of the Hindu community. Scheme. Former member of the Congress Party. Amritsar Massacre-Took place on April Johnson, Louls- pecial representutive of 13, 1919, when General Dyer of the British President Roosevelt in India. forces ordered his men to fire into an unarmed Linlitbgow, Lord- Brilish Viceroy of India. assembly of Indians in Amritsar. 379 people Native States-British term for those Indian were killed and 1,200 wounded. states nominally independent and ruled by Azad, Maulana AbuJ Kalam-President of the Indian princes but actually vassal states under All India Congress Party, a great Moham­ British tutelage. They number over 700 and medan religious leader. are of varying sizes. And Moslem League-A political party of Nehru, Pandit Jawaharlal-The most in­ Moslems opposed to the Moslem League but fluential member of the Congress Party nnd also striving for India's independence. all intellectual with leanings toward the Bose, Subhas Chandra-President of the For­ Soviet Union. ward Block. At present in Germany. New Delhi-Winter capital of India nnd Bose, Sarat Chandra-Brother of Subhas seat of the British Government in India. Chandra Bose. At'dent member of the For­ Pakistan-Literally "the country of the ward Block; now imprisoned by the British. pure." It comprises those territories of India Bose, Ras Behari-FollowerofSubhasChandra which are inhabited predominantly by Mo­ Bose. j ·ow liVing in Japan and heading the hammedans, i.e., the Punjab, Bengal, Aasam, Indian Freedom Associations operating out­ Sind, Baluchistan. The Pakistan Scheme side of India in Japan, China, Indo-China, urges the formation of a separate Moslem Thailand, Mala~'a, and the Philippines. territory within India as distinguished from Civil Disobedlence-A movement started by Hindu territories. Mahatma Gandhi for non-co-operation with the Sapru, Sir Tej Bahador-Formerly a member British laws in India. of the Congress Party. An Indian nation­ Communal Question-Includes all problems, alist leader of the moderate class leaning political and otherwise, arising from the toward co-operation with Britain. different interests. of the various religioua groups. Stressed by Britain as an explanation Savarkar, V.D.-A great Indian nationalist, for the necessity of British rule in India. president of the All India Hindu Mahasabba. CODEress-AII India National Congress Party. Swaraj-Properly "Purna Swaraj," meaning Forward Block-Radical wing of the All "absolute independence." India National Congress Party, from which Wanll, Sir Archibald-Commander in Crud it seceded under the leadership of Subhas of the AIlied forces in India and Burma.