WIDENED OUTLOOK

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

WIDENED OUTLOOK

INDIA AT THE CROSS-ROADS

A MISSIONARY'S .VIEWS,

Over twenty-three years' experisncs in India as a representative of the London Missionary Society should entitle the Rev. A. W. M'Millan, who ia now visiting New Zealand, to speak with some- authority. #" A.s regards emigration," he said in an interview to-day, " India has travelled during the war, and has seen that the world is a large and beautiful place; and now she is asking: 'Is there no place within the British Empire where, we may have a part where we may .settle?' Last Monday a general hartal or strike was observed throughout the whole of India as a protest against the. policy to exclude Indians from Kenya, Mn East Africa. India, feels indignant if she is. to be excluded from East Africa,. where she has had the immemorial right of entry, and certainly on the coast was there before the British. She feels, and-she says, that the British have . more land in tha world than they can populate and occupy, and undoubtedly one of the greatest and gravest Empire ' problems we • have to face is whether it would not be better in the long run to allocate some hot portion of the Empire to India, and be magnanimous: thus maintaining her friendly and loyal co-opera-tion. Any such scheme should insist upon whole families ' or communities emigrating and settling, rather than the present unnatural and undesirable system under which Indians niU3t travel abroad without. their families. India's record during the war has been such thatshe should be given a sympathetic hearing, and her desires be dealt with on the Easis. of justice and fair play. " India," remarked Mr. M'Millan, "is at the .cross-roads," and he expressed the conviction that 95 per cent, of the people are at present favourable to remaining within, the British Empire. Wise statesmanship, and a sympathetic handling' of India's claims' will ' retain her friendly co-operation. '** I do feel that India as a stewardship," said Mr M'Millan, .'•' is- worth the, very best that wo can do for her. No empire has ever had a imore solemn and splendid ■ responsibility as pur own Empire has to-day." / i