Of Time and the Measure

One day in August 1917, after Indian troops had fought long and loyally in Mesopotamia against the Turks--Mohammedans against Mohammedans--and in France against the Germans--Aryans against "Aryans"--British Secretary of State for India Edwin S. Montagu announced in Parliament that His Majesty's grateful Government was in favor of the "development of self-governing institutions ... in India." But there was a catch: Britain herself must judge "the time and the measure" of each step towards dominion status.

The time has been long, the measure small. India is still an Empire, with Britain's King its Emperor. Eight weeks ago His Excellency the Marquess of Linlithgow, Viceroy and Governor General of India, committed India to a new war. Silently, without overt enthusiasm but also without complaint, India fell in line. It looked as though India's leaders would rally their followers to defend the one thing they have wanted to see ended for over two decades, Britain's Empire; to maintain something they themselves do not have, democracy. But last week Britain clumsily chipped the biggest jewel in her crown.

Lord Linlithgow issued a statement in Delhi. It was in answer to demands from Mahatma Gandhi's Indian National Congress Party as to what was going to happen to India during the war. Was India's dominion status a war aim? Dominion status, replied Lord Linlithgow, was certainly an aim of His Majesty's Government--after the war. In London, the Marquess of Zetland, Secretary of State for India, bade Indians meanwhile to "strive after that agreement among themselves without which they will surely fail to achieve that unity which is an essential of the nationhood of which those with vision among her leaders have long dreamed."

Said Bombay Independent Dr. B. R. Ambedkar, leader of India's untouchables : "What else could the Viceroy have done under the circumstances?"

Democratic Swarajist N. C. Kelkar: "The declaration is most unsatisfactory."

Moslem Nawab Sir Muhammad Yusuf: "The declaration seemed highly satisfactory."

Hindu L. B. Bhopatkar: "It is mere eyewash."

Onetime Finance Minister of the United Provinces Sir Jwala P. Srivastava: "The declaration shows a genuine appreciation of India's aspirations and gives the right lead to the country, which sorely needed it.."

But the declaration made the comparatively unified and politically entrenched Congress hot as chutney. Mahatma Gandhi, who had lately been Britain's friend, observed bitterly that "the old policy to divide and rule is to continue." The Congress's left wingers, whom Gandhi had purged for the sake of compromise with the Viceroy, vociferously demanded a civil-disobedience campaign.

Main political instrument of the Congress consists of the eleven provincial governments. In eight of them the party has a majority, in one other a strong minority. First move would be for those nine to get a vote of censure of Lord Linlithgow's statement from their respective legislatures ; then resign. After that would begin widespread civil disobedience which might cut off Britain's supply of Indian raw materials. This week, Congress orders went out to the nine strong governments to set machinery moving which might do as much to dislocate Britain's Empire as Herr Hitler's war machine.

This file is automatically generated by a robot program, so reader's discretion is required.