INDIA'S LOYALTY & NEEDS

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 40, 10 November 1917, Page 9

INDIA'S LOYALTY & NEEDS

HELPING THE HELPLESS. India is .a wonderful land, with a wonderful people. The total population of tho United States of America, plus the I>opulnflon of Canada, plus the population of South America, plus tho population of tho Continent of Africa, plus Australia's population—all these about mako up tho sum total of the people of 6ur Indian Empire, about 320,000,000. Tho Kaiser thought that if Britain were engaged in war in Europe, India would try and gain freedom for herself, but his mistake soon became evident, for immediately on the outbreak of war the native rulers declared their loyalty, though it hardly needed declaring, and the people of all parts of the land, as well as the rulors, have given liberally, saved heroically, and suffered cheerfully for tho great causo in which we ate engaged. . There has been no dissentient volco, and political quarrels, racial animosities, and religious strife have been almost entirely put on ono side that the whole strength of tho people,might ho given to prosecuting the war. ' 1 How magnificently the native troops have served in France, in Egypt, in Gallipoli, and in Mesopotamia, is known to all, and New Zealand owes India a debt of gratitude, for her sons have fought side by side with our boys. The war lias brought out §ome of the best traita in Indian character, complex as it is, but India had to pay the price of taking hor part and dmi* her duty. How many Indian lives have been lost thus far in the great war is not known —but it rims into many thousands. At home India is suffering because of tho war, and ono class of people is suffer, ing acutely—they, are tho outcast lepers of tho land. There aro .250,000 of and thousands and thousands bog for their daily bread. Food prices are up, which means that the leper cannot buy as much as usual with what hn does get; on the other hand it means that he receives less in alms, because food prices are up. So ho Buffers doubly. Homeless, l\eiplcss, suffering, lepers are coming in largo numbers to tho more than sixty asylums and homes kept up, or aided, by the Missions to Lepers, and it is only right Hint they should be sheltered, clothed, and fed.

This splendid undenominaVional Mission is doing excellent work for India, for it segregates the lepers, and thus prevents them from giving the disoaso to others, whilo. it ministers to their neorh nnd aTloviatcs tlioir sufferings. The Rev. Prank Oldrievo, who lived at a Leper Asylum in India, will five a TecEifre on "India and Somo of her Peopk" oti Tiii>stlny night. Mr. Oldrieve speaks from actual contact with tho people. .and those who wish first-hnnd information nkrat India should licnr him.