QUIETER TONE

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 20861, 13 August 1942, Page 3

QUIETER TONE

INDIAN SITUATION MOST AREAS CALM SPORADIC”DISORDERS HOOLIGANS & STUDENTS (By Telegraph—Press Assn. —Copyright.) (Noon) LONDON, Aug. 12. The latest official information from India leaves no doubt as to the sporadic and limited character of the demonstrations that so far have oc- < curred. The authorities have the situation completely in hand. There is no indication of any widespread mass movement and the countryside is not affected. There have been no repercussions to the arrests of the Congress Party leaders. The few shops in Calcutta which were closed have reopened. It is reported that the closing of some jute mills has no political significance and is attributable to trade factors. No reports! of disturbances come from outlying districts of Bengal. The disturbances are confined to a few cities such as Bombay and Ahmedabad, Jwhich are Congress Party strongholds and contain hooligan elements, which are easily provoked, and hot-, headed students. No Unusual Enthusiasm Messages from India show - that • the rioting has been restricted to some three or four places during the daytime and there is no apprehension in London of mass disorder on the scale of previous outbreaks. The stern measures threatened by the Governnor of Bombay apparently have not yet_had to be taken. The campaign, for which there seems to be no universal enthusiasm, even on the part of Congress Party supporters, is entirely unsupported by any other sections or parties, whether Hindu or Moslem, and is expressly denounced by organised labour. The possibility is recognised that racial and communal disorders not connected with the original campaign may break out, but the Indian Government is known to be capable of dealing with sucij trouble. The fact that thd distinguished Indians who form a majority of the Viceroy’s Executive Council have readily shared the responsibility for the action taken is regarded as a valuable sign of a sense of responsibility and of recognition by the Indians of the necessity for-solidarity. Responsible opinion in London continues to welcome constructive Indian aspiration for more active participation in the war. The attainment of such co-operation is the essential object of the Cripps’ plan, which the British Government has just declared remains the basis of its policy. The folly of the Congress Party leaders is, indeed, regarded as making even more urgent the need to associate representative leaders of India with the defence of their country in its hour of danger. , Stretcher Parties Active Congress Party speakers at a big meeting in New Delhi appealed for the strict observance of non-violence. The Hindustan Times, which is edited by Gandhi’s son, condemns, violence and says that the Congress Party will not escape disgrace if vio-i lence continues. j The British United Press correspon-, dent in Bombay says that the trouble is spreading from north Bombay to more fashionable areas. - Stretcher parties were active throughout the day. The casualties,- yesterday were; 16 killed and over 30 injured. Armoured cars and lorries carrying troops armed with Tommy-guns are patrolling the streets. Several hundred police were brought in to reinforce the city police, which normally numbers 7000. ’Scores of unescorted women are calmly shopping in the European centre only a few miles away. Students and workers roam the streets shrieking defiance of the British. A violent mob broke into six police posts at Poona last evening, smashing furniture and burning documents. The New Delhi correspondent of the Daily Express says that most of the shops are barred, but many are trading from the back door. Officials do not think the trouble will become really serious. Police Officer Killed It is officially reported that an angry crowd killed a Moslem police subinspector near a railway clearing accounts office which was burned out. The situation became ugly owing to the activities of a large crowd of mill workers. The Town Hall was practically destroyed by fire, the income-tax office was burned down, and many pillar boxes uprooted. The police and troops were frequently forced to open fire and numerous mill workers and students were arrested. Strong military reinforcements have arrived and troops are patrolling the streets. Further authoritative information received in London to-night indicates that while reports from the provinces are not complete, the initial measures taken have not had serious results. Only in Delhi, Bombay and the United Provinces have any serious clashes with the authorities been reported. Even there the trouble has been localised in a few centres like Bombay, Ahmedabad, Poona, Delhi, Lucknow and CaWnpore. There is no trouble in many centres where disturbances were expected. Even in Bombay, such centres of potential disorder as Bardoli and Sholapur are reported to be quiet. It will be some time before the situation can be judged definitely, but official information from Delhi to-night .is that wherever disturbances have occurred the situation is well in hand.