PROBLEMS OF INDIA

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 29, 3 August 1926, Page 3

PROBLEMS OF INDIA

—♦ — AN OPTIMISTIC SURVEY ADDRESS BY MISSIONARY THE AGITATOR AND THE PEASANT. (By Telegraph.) (Special to "The Evening Post") AUCKLAND, 2nd August. "In speaking to you on India aa part of the British Empire, I am speaking from the standpoint o£ one who is immensely proud of the Empire," said the Rev. .Dr. Thomas Carter, general secretary of the Zenana Bible and Medical Mission of India, in a speech at the Auckland Rotary Crub to-day. "We must not lose sight of the fact that India is a part of this Empire and a very important part." It had a huge population of 320 millions, from men of the highest intellect down to people little better than barbarians. Indeed, it was rumoured that in some parts cannabilism was still rife. As an example of the astounding difference between two isolated sections of this huge population, he contrasted the characteristics of the Pathan and the Bengali. "The Pathan is a hillman and a fighter^" he said. "He will go all over the world looking for a fight. He loves it and it is only the restraining influence of British rule that keeps him in hand The Bengali is great intellectually. Ho can pass any examination without the slightest trouble, but he is mortally afraid for his skin. He would run all over'the world to escape a fight. Between these two extremes

there is a wide range of classes, and each of these has naturally to be treated differently. FINEST IN THE WOBLD. "I am proud to say that India is administered by the finest Civil Service in the world," Dr. Carter proceeded. "In the hands of the members of this service has been placed a great trust, and they are fully aware of its importance." It had to be remembered that with the spread of education and the enlightening of the people there would be born a desire for democracy. Much was heard to-day of the turmoil and internal strife in India, but these were only the "growing pains" of the people. Then, again, allowance had to be made for the Bolshevikl emissaries , and those distorted persons who were j against the British Empire and all its noble ideals. These men naturally drifted into; the country and were greatly '. responsible for the present disorder. A danger was presented •by over-educa-tion. '' The Indian has not the same love of scholarship as is possessed by the Englishman," said Dr. Carter. "He will pass examinations, not out of love for his studies, but in order to gain a post in the Government. Even if he failshe will probably print'on his card, 'Tailed 8.A., Bombay University.' But some of these men who fail cause trouble. They do not go back to their homes, but hang around universities and finally drift into writing for "revolutionary journals. However, this type of man, although dangerous is really nothing. to worry about.'' THE PULSE OF INDIA. "I am a believer in the future intellectual growth of India,"' continued the Doctor, "and I look forward to the day when India can govern itself; but I hope that even then Britain's hand will be near the wheel. The- reason why I am so sanguine js that I know that the pulse of India beats not in the cities, with their educated propagandists, but in the villages. Here live the men who cultivate tho land and who want a fair return from their labours. Naturally, they are inclined to be conservative, and I am confident that the peasantry will aways act as a stabilising force." Tho chief difficulties in India were, however, * religious The two principal religious sects were the Mohammedans and the Hindus. The Mohamnyedan despised the Hindu as an idolater who worshipped many gods. The Hindu despised the Mohammedan because he worshipped only one god, and also because he was a slayer of beasts. The Hindu religion regarded beasts as temporary resting places for the souls on their upward path. This idea was not without its beautyy although it might seem ludicrous to us. They believed that the good Hindu woman in. her next incarnation would become a cow, the sacred animal of the Hindu, and would then rise higher and higher until finally she became a man. LIGHT OF CIVILISATION. India was. a land steeped in ancient mysteries, he said, and was a home of tragedies, many of which were religious. He referred to the Zenanas, portions of the Hindu households in which the husbands selfishly guarded all their wives. No man could penetrate behind the curtain'that cut off this part of the house, but slowly the curtain was being drawn aside in order to allow the light of civilisation and Christianity to enter. Woman was secluded and. shut out from the world, and yet it was woman who held in her hand the kernel of the civilisation of the whole world. She held the strings of destiny. Sho was tho moulder and the teacher of character. Religious tragedies were at the very heart of India's troubles, and only the Gospel could touch them. India was at present a' difficult problem, but it was also a great hope.