Unrest in India.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIIC, Issue 13715, 3 October 1908, Page 7

Unrest in India.

+ HOW THi: !>O.M» MAKKKS WORK. ,Sj»ceial Coriespond-nl ••London Itaily l'hrun:ele."j It wits in the Lall ISi/ur poll..- eoiiit, tltat rath-r gloumy ami dilapidated Mrur tur»- of It.ilhuusie txpiart. that 1 made my lirst acquaintatue tutli th« Cahntla bom'li manufaeturepf. Ther.: were t-\x of them ID the dock, none of ,» order of intelligence, and at least two uin, gave one the impression of i,mle iulerior mntalirv. It was the day of th- expert wituttvs, and 'ln- iJovernmeut author He- on explosive* w-rc describing the results of their inves tipiiions, and ear iiuiktiii; the .xlnbits. of whiih. nn-Iy tirkfi-,1 •„,,] niiuibeiel. • here w.-r- enough tan-cd alon- the wall of th- cmirt lo form th- nuel-ut> "f .1 .-111.1 M museum. For the m.»>t part they weie th- ordinary one*--sly,- rine. tnerrurv, ami so forth, tarious salts. n«nc r.f which in fbeir i-norance they had purchased amj found u-b->; |„ lt 1,..,,. .„„; ,),,.,,, ucl . | . the tin-shed products, „,,| ;illl| -hiuih,, . but clumsy lie von. I word- 1».i,,1,.. \I 1 lie cvid-n. «• dron-.l on these nix voting 11, en occc-ionally smiled, but tor the* unt-t pari t-howtd a wry |.tli. lr .„. mu- r ,-1 in the priM-eedin--. and. the hearing ..\.t. back they went, unperturbed, and almost iiidilfi'iciit on- mis-lit ,;iv. i,> jjanl. N-VI day I happeiie.l t.. >... 11,.. ~t|ier 1.1t.1l of ... ...lispilaloi . :|| Alipill- C,.|) !1.,l Caol they wotkel together. I,„t w-i- .itie-tcd in diff-rcut p..|n - j,ins.lc • ;oii- Tin I- n.-re h-ie al-... ~„ i.-manil. in .ells which -tion-lv su--e-le.l I h- hm-i.l'-es it th- '/...... but which, ill an e\ • e-,iin-lv well m.m.i-cd pi..«,n. w.,- ~,,, bably ..." -...h1 a- ~,„|d be pr.-w.|..1. ?h- ~b-ii.- of any tvnlil.iliou. i,\ t)„. ■ loot, inn-? i,.\. 1.,-n ■,.!• tivin- il.ll, hiirh. 1 older "t titelli-. n< • . |..i h. |, ~| passed •!,- Ctd S.IU,, . Mtnit1,,!..,,, ~,„| ll.d l-e„ p|oi lk -h..| fo, bad Md'tl- , ~, 1 her in-p' p.-0...,1iii- on.- would i],,,ik V 1,.- 1 he e..-e!.„m- |:...-jl- ~..|t 1, . ~ be -li .af,.!y trn-trd to fnltil Ins ,|,|(|.s by otiie, iinaiv- of to. ..mo'loll tilall his own |. ». I [|. s- ~,,-n. _.,.„„ ~|, 1, ~„] 1V ,,„ ed ...n..|.1,.,•.,;. ..-he;, win. ~!r...i 111,0 ..|'e „.,,. no"- >ll- CI ~0,„a,|. !\,. ... p10t,.,. ... f,r a .platan.. „,„t \ ..„ ■ll .t h.lll.Sl'ds .iilh ill (he .1..-.1, ..; .. In mot.- Ms. liMi.linn itpe .il |...,i, ~,- I-.:i, phat. :- 111 I ll.i a .oufe.,..| i . ~( pr;...n.th ji,. 1..- |.-;:i.it'..i !.. be ~.r . | ~, )H ,|„ ~ ~v , ■b li' ■ 1 •■ -lull, an - Sril.ul.. to Ihe -in t--iii'•!■...!•. which ~.„• .„„. .■mpt.ei.-.i ~', '-"It (!"•>•' '-It !i,e % ~,.. ,„„„. ,!,.. 1,. .. '•' !, »| ■•>".' t.n ..ft,-,,. ,tid 01, ii„- ,„, -• -■•-•' I h.w ,eoi ■....„,„.,„. [.,. 11.-be t by -„„;. „.- ;'.. ~<,,,,;> u t.„i. ~.,. of «iii-nl.i.- human ,ri!.-r.-r; j !,. v v j„,,, ihi". iii-.t.-niaj s' u ' :l _, o _f ltl eh/,,. n!.,:v

kind—partly European, and deluding, of course, Carlyle, and partly Indian—had stimulated this nascent movement towards revolution; they prove, if word*, mean anything, (hat a tens* of an oppressed motherland was irresistibly impelling them to strike a blow for her freedom from British rule. THE MAKING OF BOMBS. So they met together, bought the wellknown literature on the manufacture of bonib?—the work employed by them and seized by the police was in great part » translator! from the Russian—*ent emistanu, to -Paris to .study- on the spot the | manufacture of explosives, and (hen proceeded to found all over India schools 01 revolutionary propaganda, whose object Jo (he sole one of bomb manufacture and «!*■ It is the Calcutta school which ha.', alone distinguished itself hitherto by —inter alia—the attempts on tlie teiiant-Uoveiiior of Bengal* house, the -Uuzatferpure murdeit,; and the i care outrage on the French Mayor ol L'buiideinagoie. .Still among the prisoner;, is, -t can be .stated, not- the brain of the movement nor have t|„j pol.ee ascertained as jet. now the June's are provided, or where the other habitats of the newly-established provincial schools exactly are. ± u „ y have, though, certain strong suspicions Sow, , 3 the break up of.this particular Anarchist, school in Calcutta—an organisation which the police claim to J.aveknown about and to have been watching for some time—which ha* produced •so powerful an impression all over India. I is no use denying that this is the 1 found it evwywnere the topic of convention, particularly where the whites are fewest, and even in centres, such a* t>jna, where one would think the backwash of this universal uneasiness—aiiure-' Iwimuu if you like-would hardly be noticeable. I v *.ry 50,,,,, found out why. Jills ,» the era hi India of anonymous tetters of denunciation and warning Every man who has in any way incurred native rebutment, anyone: who "is highly placed enough 4„ frighten, receives them As a. rule, b» wisely tfays nothing—publicly encourage tl, 0 sehdors of SU ch missive*. But he does.receive them, and a* a Kftulf, the Viceroy is more closely guarded. Lord Kitchener's movements, parti cularly by train, arc specially watcher, and so on in gradation downwards, until one reaches the magistracy, whose position in many rases, is not. remarkably enviable. ',""'■ ''* •" 'J'e future of this particular branch of agitation, J believe, in all sincerity, and I think 1. have the boslitifonned ojiiuion at my back, that the recent outrage* arc merely the forerunnets of other similar ones, which not. even drastic repression will entirely ■•heck, and I further consider that (bese outrages will be personal i.e.. aimed at individual* and not against buildings and used ,n crowds, and that they will, in th» future, a.* in the past-, be carried out ui district* remote from cities where supervision is j-oant and detection unlikely. And, further, experience, shows that very soon the wealthy .man will l, : > blackmailed to obtain the ririews- of war f»r arsa.--.Miiating the powerful individual; I'm' rich landowiierii and merchants are l*rfc<tly well aware <if this probable development, and they arc showing trepidation accordingly. Or the bomb ,„ av be iis.-.I for private vengeance or in connection with labour matters, ,-is would seem to Ik- tho care at Kanikara, near Calcutta.

UITUACKS AND ItKFOR.MS.

Now «hat has impressed hid v-iy for-i-ibly i.« that," while thero is m, <."ne to ]Killiatc tills form. 01 triita-, there ii»s plenty of Hump-aiis to re ogni>e Mint, w hat. v. r may !„■ ur«ed ;i",."ljti.-t tli.ff mi> jjuided men. cowardice i-aiuml. faith- be laid fo tbeir aecount. \'ott "aiiiiot fiyle a man .1 Coward who is willing to saciifirr his own Jif,; for an ideal, and Ih-re are many Mich t-veji in the pr..srnt bat eh of j.n.-omtN, and 1. hide d. xh.iie th- view that- on,, of th-nio-t powerful factors in tb-sn ynuiije i»eoph- to action i.s J«at--their of iinnour. At- th- Muno time the bomb outrages •■an easily \ m nvtr-exaggeratrd. ami I am nut in tho 1.-.irst dis|iuseil to m.ikan attempt, to chill anyone's blood with an att-mpte'.l prophetic ra-it.,il of tn medics yot to come. Ind.s d. I think many people in India absurdly apprehensive and n-rvous. and while the rest of Ih/- country thai no one would kirk .1 riK-ri.-inul in Calcutta for fear it may le- a Imuiili. and that, a -«|iiib mal«v evrivone jump into th- air, my tnvn im pressjon j« 1 |,at. Calcutta itself is far cooler than many olh-r towns- The r-.i<oii : >. of coiitM-, i>b\imis ■■■•there a I'" nmrv whit.ts. Tim -parser th- Kuto|»aii pnpiilatinn. the "'-realer the appreh-nsioti, and I think it onlv natural. I'.li: the iW,!. 0u11..-.-« have |,ad "lie M.i.ce.i.le .|f. el -],. } hue k -ncn -Late, piom'm. dm- :•> the mot .'mm nl foi ' ti<- < on • id'r.ilioti of the ipi'M on of i.fotiii.--N-t.t mote 'hail at pie. lit v,a- th- Kllto p. all 'mind 111 In hi di«po-.ei| dispar.-ion a.elt t.. „,.,.,*. the -I- p- Wlll-I, ..11, blake,, '" Ct'v ,h- liallte what he de 11. ~1 , n-h: a «,|.r p.l.|e ; p.t.o„ ~, in. all.lll-. lit of Ih- a11..11.-< "I b - ■oUll 111 I'. ople If' 111 Hit spill" of !;m|.|lit -h'ow ~ I ill. of fann'e... and an lea- It "f 1"«* I -I'"'' -■"■" •x--p'>o„a!lt ;;-.!. (tin- lit 1 ■ . ■.„•■ and .11 pf -np|--• ■!..- ina.ni.n.l ■ Mli-o-h snt...-11,0, ~..1 ptf.iiiionnl. ». Ct.t, Ih- ...hn.-if-d Cm ,-al. foillt' ..i1,,.'. Ih,' til- I .otll-e • p.... i.|. Unit a !■ m . x'ii -mi ■• - .if "oil. Ilia a -.1111.1 lh:s pi.lll.lt aid lilt :o| .bl- , oil ■ Inioti Su.ii t, ...-kin- ..>!•■ onlt ! ,k- !..:,!, ■Ji .11 -tpei of r-.I kn. -., !.-.i-. md in!"iii,i«."H. .ict I, will .»■ i 111 • - 'hi' lli'i- •"' • im-. and 111111 tnnlioti Jut.- ticen screti-. Illip-.lt. d nil-. In b.i, pit-,;,,,aid, . ilthou -li

! it is imbbsrifte to speak with certainly on i th» p&iiil. at quiet unwatched parts of the ! iniian 'coastline, and through French territorr, notablr Pondicherry. That mere are such stretches of coast,, a brief glance at the atlas.will show. It is. too, significant that many natives of knowledge will admit the existence of this contraband of war. but up (o the present the police hare not succeeded in tracing or seizing any large consignment. It :s. however, .a matter which is naturally seriously preoccupying them. I doubt, indeed. If I am hotbbmhiitting an indiscretion when I assert that there are officials of high standing who believe in the relatively near possibility of an erneute, of some small disorder if you wm, where the native rioters will use firearms, and the bloodshed may in consequence be- more serious, although the political significance of even such a development would.be very sight. THE AKMYThere. will of course be no serious t.roui ble in India of any sort, no graver incidents which heed perturb the home mind, so long as the Indian Army remains firm and preserves its traditional loyalty to the Britiib Raj. And what is the attitude of the Native Army towards the unrest in India? Has it. in the past, inspired some uneasiness, and does it now demand the. most careful watchings on the part of tbe British authorities? The agitator hue never overlooked the Indian as a factor in the present situation. One or two of the bolder and best known have openly and in public affirmed 'be docirrte ■ hat the Indian soldier must be won over before the national cause can ever hope to achieve any measure of success. These sentiments cannot of course be preached " urbi et orbi," but they can be sedulously fostered by methods more or less secret and direct. The native Press—particular ly the extreme plays up" to the native military man. It loses no opportunity of impressing upon Irs mind that ht is a paladin—an unappreciated paladin, it may be, but a warrior who is as good as bis white colleague in arms, and yet one who never receives the meed of his qualities. The native writer watches seduluusly for grievances, which he airs and exaggerates. He is a prolific inventor of complaints against the military authorities. J is here unfortunately that this self-consti-tuted champion of the "poor native eol-, dierman " comes to grief. The native wddicr has now; really few complaints, ano he knows and appreciates the fact. *..«iic«when the native paper crammed trill.'; strange .tales of military woes arrivts iii the barracks arid is eagerly devoured the soldier knows they are inventions, and treats them as such, branding the guilt; editor as a liar. And this hardly help*' forward the editor's cause.

But there are other ways of influencing Ihe soldiers mind.' Fly-leaves are conotaiilly being mysteriously thrown into re ' ginivtital liik.6. TbeY make fervent* ap peals to the soldier to realise and right uis country's wrongs. Their authors are unknown. The regimental police seize and destroy them. Another form of suasion is the "man-toman" talk. Whatever he the truth ,of this, * am conv need that the. native soldier, away from'camp.' is much looked after by the agitator, ant," last, year there was unquestionably mort' secret unreel in the Native Army than .the authoritite liked to believe. It. even' af-, fected some, of the- uoii-eotnmissioned nieu. who were unusually secretive, fcstilJ it is believed the general situation is now more satisfactory, and there are 'at any rale two interesting- facts, viz., that recruiting wa.s never better lor all ranks, and :.'o.i the agitator left the- Goorkiia seveiely alone. The better feeling in the -Aimy ib of course due to Lord .Kitchener, v, ho has made to liiuuy concessions to the men m the xha'pe of special privileges, and who has already acquired very great- popularity anion gthem—a. popularity not at one 'tune' anticipated. The Army, however-, juugeu by the rates of wages and payment, now current in India, rates which have, 'risen; enormously in-recent yews, is still invented from (he point of the. work i< .* actu-. ally called on to do, and the tini-e r C.iiHiot he far distant when itti pay must 5 be increased. The curious feature of this matter is that no such Improvement can be as yet introduced, as .. would unquestionably bo attributed to motives 61 poncy, ami would do more harm than good. As to military policy, there hi u, steady det.-rmination to keep Uie Army, ;,iid "particularly the British section. Well ine background. The onus til suppressing any disturbancco will fall on tuo ponce-, which in quite; capable of coping u.. a ~. The Indian police hi corrupt and not too intelligent—although 1 believe 'iiai .... the new increase, of pay aud (shortening nt hours, w hith are scandalously long »i.i come Mjnie improvement in morals—out :i is must couragviiiLH. ' (J. \V.