“MIXING THE RACES"

Evening Star, Issue 22596, 13 March 1937, Page 21

“MIXING THE RACES"

WORK Of TOC H IN INDIA CANON PEARSON INTERVIEWED Canon Pearson, of Calcutta Gather dral, India, is at present in Dunedin, and this morning granted an interview to a ‘ Star ’ representative in which he outlined the work that Toe H was carrying out in that country, as well as briefly touching on the political situation there. Canon Pearson is the Too H padre at Calcutta, and is at present on his way to take up a position in its overseas office in London, and • is seeing something of the overseas work while on his way. ■ “The whole basis of society .and religion in India is caste,” said Canon Pearson, and people who had not been • to India could have little idea of the force exerted by it. “It is quite the most snobbish country in the world, and every grade of society has its own caste. 1 The main task of Toe H is .to break down these watertight compartments and form groups in which-Euro- ' peans, Anglo-Indians (half-castes), and Indians can meet as ordinary human beings and discuss matters of mutual interest.” India is still very predominantly. European (he explained) as far: as the non-native population is concerned, and one-third of the European population is military# oh account of the large'gar- , risohs which are maintairied at various centres. Consequently the work of Too H in India falls into one group which is predominantly civilian, or another % group which is predominantly military. The eviilian group carries out much’ the same work as in other countries, and makes special efforts to mix tho races. Night shelters are also conducted, in addition to visiting Europeans in prison and lepers. The soldiers lead a very circumscribed life, and about one-half of them are on.duty oh the. frontier behind barbed wire, where the main problem they have to contend with is boredom. With these men Too H is carrying out good work in getting the men” of the different units to'mix on a common footing. Ordinarily the members of the different arms of the service, and even different units, live a life unto themselves,’ but with the help of Toe H they are now mixing more freely. In h whole chain of hospitals the organisation has undertaken, the distribution of books in the hospital libraries, while in another centre an amateur,- veterinary hospital -is maintained by the members of Toe H. In this way Toe H is serving to keep up the spirits of the people and encouraging them to mix together more,, which is wanted in India more than in’any other country in the world. One of the main difficulties which have to be contended with is the_ constant change which goes - on. Military units are- , drafted »to other centres, and even in the civilian population the business men are transferred from , time to time, which makes the continuity of the work a difficult problem. INDIA’S BIG DAY. “April 1 will be the big day for India,” said the canon when referring to political matters.. “On that day home rule will be granted in the provinces subject to the veto of the governors. Delhi will remain under Britain, however, until the native princes-can be brought into a federation.” It was not commonly known that about one-third of India was not under British rule, but under that of the rajahs; >and until they could be brought, into a federation Delhi would remain the centre of the sphere of’ British in- - fluence. . . v Explaining the position. Canon Pearson said that the King was represented by the Viceroy, who was also GovernorGeneral. The native rajahs, rulers in their own provinces, dealt only with the King, or his representative (the Viceroy) , while the Governor-General administered the portions of the country which were under British rule. Though it was not known when the federation would be effected, it was expected to be about the beginning of 1939. Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, who is the leader of the Indian National Congress, claims to represent, the whole of the population, but actually it is only the Hindus that he represents. They claim that the constitution is ah insult, .as on© country cannot draw up a constitution for another. That point of view,however, is merely a refusal to face the fact that India was, conquered ’ by Britain. Gandhi, formerly a most' * active worker for the Indians, is now. almost a spent man, declared Canon Pearson, but he has very courageously come'out into the open on behalf of the outcasts. _ These were the original people of India, but were conquered by the Aryans centuries ago, and as a result of his action the whole fores of religion and aristocracy is against him-