INDIA TO-DAY

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 90, Issue 120, 27 May 1946, Page 3

INDIA TO-DAY

Sir, —-Mr. Ram seems to have taken to heart, the lawyers maxim, "When you have a bad case abuse the opposite side’s counsel.” So I am told, I vilify. I have done absurdly, what I wrote served no purpose, I repeat grotesque tales in childish manners. VVhat I have written about people drinking polluted water, and throwing themselves before the car of Juggernaut illustrates nothing by my ignorance.” I did not say that people were throwing themselves down under the wheels of Juggernaut s car now, but they had done so some years ago by thousands. I can say also that I have never written about Mr. Ram as he has written about me. In my last letter, at the end I spoke as kindly as I could, though in his letter he had quoted from a paper which spoke in scathing terms of my countrymen. Yet I only said ho was misinformed, and I did not believe the paper. I ask why Mr. Ram came to New Zealand seeing we are so bad. Why .did he not go to Russia, China or Japan? In spite of all the tyranny which he says my countrymen inflict on Hindoos he chose to come here. Was it to get more illtreatment? or was it to make more money?

As to his facts, 1 should like to know when I wrote that Chandragupta lived 3000 B.C. Apparently his prejudice got the better of exactness. I notice he never argues about suttee or asks me when it was put down. I wanted to know and I still want to know who are going to be the kings, shahs and presidents of these countries that are to be set up. He tells me that is a seperate question and not for me to discuss. In spite of this snub I am still curious.

If it had not been for our Empire, India would have been ravaged by the Japs, and suffered horribly. A new race would have been added to the races, Hindoos, Mongolian, and Persian who have ruled over the Dravidians, the original inhabitants. We have saved them from that and are now exporting rood to them to save them from starvation. According to the Indian Year Book, "Excluding the Gurkhas, 66 per cent of the Indian Army come from the Punjab and the North West Provinces, 11 per cent from the United Provinces and 23 per cent from the whole of the rest of India. These men are not conscripted.” So the rest of India does not. raise one third of India’s army. What booty there would be for the men of the North West and the Punjab: if we left Tnlia! According to the Year Book there is one white soldier to every 6,666 natives in India. Does this look like oppression? In the year 1872 the population of India was 206,160,000. Mr. Ram says if is now, bv oppression probably 400,000.000! Mr. Ram will probably say I repeat grotesque tales in childish manners, but I am quoting from the Indian Year Book. Another thing I should like to know is, what is going to become of Portuguese and French India!— t am etc., M. W. SMITH.