PAKISTAN AND INDIA

Press, Volume LXXXVI, Issue 26030, 6 February 1950, Page 6

PAKISTAN AND INDIA

ARTIFICIAL DIVISION DEPLORED VIEWS OF SIR ROBERT HOLLAND “In every sense —defence, geographically, and economically—lndia is , a single country and it is an artificial arrangement that divides it into two,” said Sir Robert Holland, who had a distinguished career in the Indian Civil Service, in an interview in Christ--church yesterday. “Some day I hope that Pakistan and India will find it necessary to sink their differences and come together to make one great nation, which would be a bulwark in the Orient against evil philosophy, such as Communism.

• “Communism is an anti-God philosophy,” said Sir Robert Holland, "though it indeed pretends to be religious. Both India and Pakistan are essentially religious in character. Pandit Nehru said not very long ago that the Indian people believed that civilisation was rooted in religion, and Dr. Sarvapalli Radhakrishnan, a member of a committee of UNESCO, endeavouring to find ground for understanding between diverse philosophies and religions, said: 'lndian tradition gives the first place to spiritual experience and illumination. Any . philosophical view that contradicts the testimony, of religious experience is held to be unsound.’

“That is a hopeful sign for the future. India is not likely to yield to the infection of Communism, and Pakistan is certainly not likely to do so. They are believers in Islam and are convinced believers in one God. Withdrawal Was Premature

“People now see that the withdrawal of the British from India was premature,’’.said Sir Robert Holland. “India had obtained quite a degree 6i independence and was on the road to establishing a new nation, which might have come into existence in a few years’ time. If Indians had been more patient and some other nations, whom I don’t wish to specify, had been more far-seeing, we might have seen one country instead of two. Of course it is easy to be sure after the event.”

Sir Robert Holland paid a tribute to the work that had been done by Pandit Nehru and ■ his colleagues. They had done magnificent work in creating a new country and a flew spirit of loyalty to its constitution, which had at one time seemed impossible because of racial strife.

For some years Sir Robert Holland was judicial adviser to the Government of Siam, and in that position he came into contact with Japanese leaders and visited that country. “I think it is important that a peace treaty should be made with Japan by those powers willing to do so. so that she may regain self-respect and reorganise herself,” said Sir Robert Holland. “Russia stands out to-jday against it and it does nut look at all likely that the United States will be able to withdraw from her responsibilities for stable conditions in Japan. America is in a position much like that in which Britain was in India. Whether we like the idea or not of one country taking control of another, it is inevitable that it should happen where the peace of the world is at stake.” Sir Robert Holland, who is now living in retirement in Victoria. British Columbia, Canada, is at present on a three and a half months’ visit to New Zealand. Among many responsible positions he held in India were political secretary to the Government of India and a member of the India Council.