A QUIET WEEK

Southland Times, Issue 21197, 25 September 1930, Page 7

A QUIET WEEK

SITUATION IN INDIA THE CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE MOVEMENT FAILURE INEVITABLE (British Official Wireless.) Rugby, September 23. The Government of India’s appreciation of the situation up to September 20states; There is little to report from the NorthWest Frontier province, and so far as specific incidents are concerned, the week in internal India has been comparatively quiet. A recent report received from the Bombay Government, relating to the efforts made by Congress during the latter half of last month to capture labour in Bombay City, shows that these met with very moderate success, and there are diverse influences at work likely to prevent anything in the nature of a serious labour movement in favour of Congress. The number of unemployed mill hands continues to increase, although, perhaps, not so rapidly as was apprehended. Elsewhere the labour situation .is generally satisfactory. During the week elections were held in Bombay City, and the methods adopted by volunteers brought them into collision with the police on several occasions, but no serious incident occurred in spite of various devices adopted by Congress, and it may now be assumed that apart from the absence of Congress representation the. constitution of the various legislative bodies will be little affected.

The civil disobedience movement has conspicuously failed to impair the working of the Legislative Councils or the administration by the Ministers of the transferred departments except insofar as it has weakened the financial resources of the provincial governments both by a reduction of revenue and an increase of > expenditure, the unfortunate consequences of which have been to seriously curtail the beneficent activities of the local governments to the grave injury of the public. The prospects that public opinion will play an effective part in the disruption of the civil disobedience movement are now better than at any time since the movement began, and there are unmistakable signs that popular resentment is increasing in various directions.

The intransigeant attitude of Congress leaders during the peace conversation and their disregard for the sufferings of others have strengthened the position of the Government supporters and have shaken the confidence of many Congress followers. The methods of domination which have been an outstanding feature of the Congress programme have aroused the apprehensions of minority communities and have stiffened their opposition. The attempted boycott of the educational institutions has created a reaction among parents, and the students’ boycott of foreign goods and the widespread loss it has caused to Indians are gradually but surely alienating from Congress the sympathy of an important section of the Hindu middle classes on whose support the Congress programme largely depends. Lastly the impression produced by ths propaganda disseminated by Congress agents claiming assured success for their programme and their early accession to power is rapidly evaporating. It may still have an ephemeral effect on some of the rural areas, but it is not a factor which will seriously postpone the inevitable collapse of the movement. Similarly the latest reports from the North-West Frontier province record a general improvement in the situation, due largely to the fact that the people are now convinced by hard facts that the stories of the collapse of British power are mythical. At the same time the influence is increasing of the supporters of law and order.

Broadly speaking, the public are now in no doubt as to the ultimate issue, and the psychological advantage which this gives to the Government is a factor of great and growing importance. One natural effect is to direct greater attention towards constitutional methods, which it has been the consistent policy of the Government to encourage all parties and communities to adopt. It is not, however, to be assumed that Congress has exhausted its capacity for mischief. There are already signs of a recrudescence of the salt campaign, and efforts will doubtless be made to stir up the rural areas, where the conditions are favourable, to the non-payment of Government dues, and sporadic trouble may occur in consequence. Endeavours will also be made to ’maintain and even tighten the boycott of foreign goods. On the whole, while there is good reason to take a sanguine view of the future, there is no justification for any relaxation of effort. FIFTH BOMB OUTRAGE TWO POLICE OFFICIALS WOUNDED. (Rec. 9.30 p.m.) Delhi, September 24. The fifth bomb outrage in Bengal occurred yesterday when a bomb was thrown at the Khulna police station. The head constable and the sub-inspector were wounded, the former seriously.