The Auckland Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News and The Echo.
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 1930. THE NORTH-WEST FRONTIER.
For the cause that lacks assistance, , For the wrong th<zt needs resistance, For the future in the distance t And the good that tee can do.
Fifty or sixty years ago it was impossible to open a book dealing with India, especially in relation to international affairs, Avithout coming upon some reference to the disturbed condition of the North-West Frontier. In those days, .as now, the hill country beyond the Indian border was continually in a ferment, seething with violence and disorder. It has always been recognised that, as the hill tribes of this broken and precipitous region live largely on plunder, and that tribal wars are a permanent feature of their social existence, therefore it would be futile optimism to expect permanent peace there. For this reason, from time to time spasmodic efforts were made by the military authorities to organise expeditions beyond the frontier and to drive back and break up the huge bands of marauders that so constantly menaced "the peace of the border line."
But at that time much of this chronic unrest among the hill men on the North-West frontier was attributed to a specific cause — the machinations of Russia. Throughout the nineteenth century Englishmen were taught to\ regard Russia as "the enemy" and "Russia's advance upon India" was a stock phrase in all discussions of Britain's position in the East. Because of this persistent and haunting dread of Russia's malign influence, it became the established conviction of a large school of military and political experts that the best way of defending India against this everpresent danger was to occupy the mountainous lands beyond the border. This "forward" policy was never followed out consistently, but it was put into operation from time ,to time, involving great expenditure and often the sacrifice of many valuable lives; and it produced no tangible or permanent result. After Russia became reconciled to Britain, and eventually disappeared from the scene as a potential rival, the "forward" policy lapsed altogether. But now, as a consequence of Bolshevik intrigues without and Nationalist agitation within, the tribes on the. Indian border have once more been stirred up to organise the raids and forays which make up. the best part of their lives. The old danger has thus asserted itself in a new form, and the old remedy of a "forward" movement on a great scale against the indomitable and irreconcilable hill tribes is again under consideration. It is very doubtful if such operations would produce any permanent effect. But happily the enormous expense that they would involve —the minimum estimate is over £20,000,000 —puts the scheme outside the range of practical politics for the time.'
Permanent link to this item
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/AS19300911.2.26
Bibliographic details
Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 215, 11 September 1930, Page 6
Word Count
464The Auckland Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News and The Echo. THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 1930. THE NORTH-WEST FRONTIER. Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 215, 11 September 1930, Page 6
Using This Item
Stuff Ltd is the copyright owner for the Auckland Star. You can reproduce in-copyright material from this newspaper for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 3.0 New Zealand licence. This newspaper is not available for commercial use without the consent of Stuff Ltd. For advice on reproduction of out-of-copyright material from this newspaper, please refer to the Copyright guide.
Acknowledgements
This newspaper was digitised in partnership with Auckland Libraries.