INDIA TO-DAY

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 56, 4 September 1923, Page 10

INDIA TO-DAY

AN INTERESTING SURVEY

ADDHESS BY DB. 9. X DATTA.

An interesting survey of conditions as they exist in India'to-day was given at the Concert Chamber of the Town, Hall last evening by Dr. S. K. Datta, of the Indian V.M.C. A., who is at-present visiting New Zealand. The title of his address was "The New Conditions in India." The Mayor (Mr. R. A. Wright, M.P.) presided. ■ ■-,

Dr. Datta,. after tracing the gtrucU!\e of Indian society, said that he desired to examine the changes that had taken place- in Indian village life, and the influences which gava rise to that phenomenon,^ unrest. First he dealt with the agricultural clasß. His association was responsible for welfare work among 13,000. cotton workers. All those workers belonged to one class, and belonged to a class that was landless, people who would b 6 the serfs of the soil under other conditions. These were the peopla who were going to the cities to work in factories. Others emigrated to lands <icross the sea, where the opportunities were greater. The woikers in the mills were organising themselves into unions and although the movement was in its infancy, it was gaming in strength all the time. There had been some criticism levelled at the movement by' the Press, but why was it that there were «o few strikes in India last year? Another, cause of unrest in the villagers was the fact that those who held land were not-making a profitable living, and th*» took up what were considered to be r* spectable occupations—joining the Army or joining, the Police Force. Wherever in India it was found that political propaganda went best there was landlordism, plus incidence of famine. That might be a very sweeping statement, but he made it knowing that there were good grounds for it. One other factor of unrest was a corrupt police. He had not had actual experience of that, but almost invariably those .who came from the country included a corrupt police amongst their grievances. It was to the agriculturists that Mr. Gandhi devoted his attention, and it was dim to (Jandhi that those in the countryside name under the notice of what wera called the,educated classes. Then, there wu the community of merchants. The attitude of that community had been completely changed since the war, and the merchants were now stepping in and taking an interest in political matter* That interest was duo in a large measure to the taxes, .which, had beeo greatly increased. ; They said: "They say there has been a great victory, but how is that victory going to help u»J" Gandhi also had a* great influence over the merchants, -despite the fact that sojm of his doctrines were diametrically opnosed to theirs. Unrest began amongrt the educated "classes as far back as 1880. when it was found that most of the'nosi tions in the Civil Service were filled. Men who had taken their degree found that they could climb to a certain height in their profession, and there they had to »top. That was the thing that sailed In India-to-day there was a spirit that nothing- foreign would be accepted until there had'been a close examination.^ Th» educated ';Indian had.' become almo»t hypercritical, and it was really littla wonder. incidents „,between Indian* andj- British /(people twere* be'con> ing very rare, and he paid'tribute tr. the manner in which the British Army treated the Indian. Another reason for the.unrest,was the attitude of the .Do' minion and thVCrown Colonies: He had no fear'l thatjithe 'Dominions "would not? carry out the understanding arrived at with Mr. Sastri,'but he was not so. suro of the .Crbivn Colonies, and this fact was giving rise ■to -some irritation amongst the educated classes. Referring to the question of trades', unionism, Dr Datta said .that the establishment of the unions had been carried out in the right lines. ! The officials were not workers themselves, but' were obtained from the educated classes. The speaker'traced the political history of India during the last year, and stated that although the spirit of co-operation had passed away the spirit of revolt was still alive. Freedom was the great<; desire;';, of the Indian^ people. A system of rural education was essential if progress was to be made; what was needed'was a spirit-of goodwill towards the Indian. '

.-•A vote of thanks was accorded the speaker. ■ . , , '.. '