INDIA'S PROBLEMS

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 22, 27 January 1931, Page 10

INDIA'S PROBLEMS

TOO HASTY ACTION

AN OFFICER'S VIEWS

That India's problems cannot be solved off-hand by the Round Table Conference is the opinion of Colonel A. B. Fry, C.8., C.1.E., D.5.0., who has Acentl/ retired after thirty years' service in ■ the Indian Medical Service. Colonel Fry is a visitor to Wellington at present, preparing for a three months' fishing holiday in the Dominion. To a representative of "The Post" to-day he chatted about the position in India as he saw it, remarking that as he had now retired he was no longer barred from an expression of opinion. Ever since the idea of self-govern-ment for India was mooted, ho said, the question as to who would be top dog when the English went out had been paramount, and communal differences had accentuated it from day to day. A big factor was that of the Ruling Princes, some 200, who controlled twofifths of India. They had been content hitherto to acknowledge the British Sovereign, but their position under any new dispensation was going to be the cause of much possible trouble. Delegates to the Round Table Conference might agree on many points, but when they got back to India those whom they represented would very likely take a lot of convincing and would possibly repudiate all that had been done on their behalf. REVOLUTIONARY STUDENTS. The revolutionary party in India, remarked Colonel Fry, was chiefly composed of half-baked students, and was only in evidence in the towns. They were doing the cause of self-govern-ment infinite harm by their activities, whereas the huge majority of peasant folk were law-abiding and quite content with things as they were. But in the meantime British trade in India was being very adversely affected, and the development of the country was at astandstill owing to lack of money. "The trouble is that we have been, too hasty," said Colonel Fry. "The natural association ,of Indians with the Government \ was proceeding steadily. If things had been left as they were India for the Indians would have come about naturally in the course of time, and the British would have faded away. It should be remembered that the Romans were in occupation of Britain for 400 years before they faded away. We have been in India for barely one hundred years, and • now, by precipitate action, have turned it into a seething hotpot. What the future is going to be no one dare prophesy." THE SIMON COMMISSION. Touching on the question of the Simon Commission, Colonel Fry said that nothing could make the Indians realise that it was solely a Parliamentary Commission to report to the British Parliament. The Indians got it into their heads that it had been sent out to formulate a scheme of selfgovernment for India, and that therefore Indiana should bo on it. No amount of, oratory was able to dispel this idea. ■ " ; Colonel Fry was retailing some anecdotes showing some of the good traits in the characters of the country people, and the power of the white man when he had to break off to formulate plans for his fishing trip. "If the reports that I hear about your/ trout fishing are true," he laughingly remarked, "before my three months is up it looks as if I am likely to be tir<sd of catching fish." His itinerary embraces the Southern lakes and rivers, as well as Taupo and other North Island fishing meccas, and he has as companions some other keen fishermen who, having visited the Dominion for several years in succession for the fishing season, thoroughly know the ropes.