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(A  Monthly  Review  and  Miscellany) 


FOUNDER 

RAMANANDA  CHATTERJEE 


£DIT£D  BY 

KEDAR  NATH  CHATTERJI 


VOL.  LXXXXUI.   NUMBERS  1  TO  6 

JANUARY  TO  JUNE 

1953 


THE  MODERN  REVIEW  OFFICE 

120-2.  UPPER  CIRCULAR  ROAD 
CALCUTTA 


Aanaal  Subscrtptton  in  India  Rs.   t2S        Foteign  Us.  10. 


fi. 


>• 


INDEX  OF  ARTICLES 


iltural   Marketing  in  West  Bengal    (iUust.) 

irmoy  Roy  311 

iia  Economic  Conference  at  Trivandrum 

^sh  Prasad  Niyogi  230 

It  House-Planning 

D.  Sharma  487 

J  the  Werie$t  Village  in  the  World 

•Cherapun ji   ( illust . ) 

C.   Dixit  388 

Fournuls     in     India,     A  Summary  Survey  of 

ndinya  133,  216,  403,  482 

bleii  India 

>uddha   N.    Chatterjee  357 

?ito  Croce — His  Philosophy 

iC.   Nandi  294 

in  the  Days  of  Kar  Talab  Khan, 

Picture  of 
tis  C.  Sarkar  320 

Sarkar    in    Bengali    Literature,    The    Place 

iillust.) 
das  Mukherji  149 

Education  for   Democracy 

lodh  Chandra  Goswami  443 

Ke^ifws  69,  153,  237,  32J,  405,  489 

IC    lndepf»ntl»*nce    and    After 

m^u  Bimal  Mookcrji  47 

Wealth  in  India 
).   M^mr»ria  281,  365 

of  Pakistan,  On  the 
idra   Molian   Datta  452 

inial  Corn   Dan<*e  of  Aiiicrioan  Indians 
7a5f . » 

Norton  Jonrs  309 

pat  hi      Fdut.'atitm    in    India,   Su{ig<>tions   for 
:*   Improvement  of 

L   Chaudhuri  50 

itration   in  the  Land-Structure 

ilchandra  Sinha  108 

•jtional  I&sues,  A  Couple  nf 
M.   Shall 

jution   of  Th.    StrhtTliattky    to    Indian 
liiosophy 

mendra   \alli   Sha^tri  115 

tion   Service   Link  up  Whole  of  Briti&h 
story 

e  G.    Pine  4C1 

*  Indu^trierii 

^.  Ilukku  120 

of  the  Desert,  The 

\' .   Rrishnamurthv  2^)7 

il   Basi?^  of  Wt)rld  Hroth'-riiooti 
i  Chandra   Chaltrij.e  220 

Society  of  Caleutta,  The 

das  Mukherjtjc  399 

'  Mini>ters  ni  a  State  in  India 
V.  Banerjec  2'K\ 

da  and  the  Pandya<v  oi'  thi*  SouMi 
:e  Chatler>ee  2i'> 

Lawrcnci^ 
C.  Peter  6^i 

vcs  of  State  Policy 
1  Narain  105 


202 
112 
195 
291 
442 


454 


Pag9 

Disintegration  of  the  Middle  Claat 

Bimalchandra  Sinha 
Dollar  Tangle,  The 

Arun  Coomar  Ghosh 
Ea>t  Bengal  Tragedy,  The 

C.   L.   R.  Sastri 
Economies  of  'Bhoomidan  Yagna* 

S.  N.  Agarwal 
Economies  of  Linguistic  States 

S.    N.    Agarwal 
Federalism  in  the  New  Constitution 

Iqbal  Xarain  Sri\astava 
Five- Year  Plan  and   Village  Industries 

Mankumar  Sen 
Food  Problem,  The 

P.  C.  Bansil 

Foreign  Periodicals  81,  164,  247,  331,  405,  501 

Hindu  Reincarnation  Theory,  More  About  the 

Amulyaprasad  Chanda  136 

Humanity   on   the  March 

SuilhauMi   Bimal   Mookherji  873 

India  and  the  Moslem  World 

Chandika]>rasad  Banerji  44 

India  and  Tibet 

N.  B.  Roy  205 

Indian  Parliament,  Rise  of  the 

Rajani   Kanta   Das  &  Simya  Ruth   Das  272 

Indian  Periodicals  74,  159.  242,  326,  411    494 

IndiaV  Fuel   Problem 

Sukumar  Merh 
John    D'wey-   •Faniou'^    American    Blucator    and 
Philosopher    ( illust.) 

rsis 

Kalaehuri   Relatione  with  Bengal,  The 

Puspa  Niyt»i;i 
Kashmir    Problem    The   Ccmstitutional   Aspect 

\.    K.   (rlio-al 
Last   (Jcneral   tilection  in  Wc»sl  Bengal,  The 

I).    N.    Banerjee 
Madra-    Tin-  City   of  the  First   English  Church  in 
[n»lia   (ilfitst.) 

K.    N.    Merliotra 
Manniiini:    \^en«y  Sy^tem  in  India,  Th« 

••('ranu:i" 
Mi-nlKint-  in   \«tiir  anil   Heroir  Tn<iia 

Sup  ^h  JVo^ad  \i>t»iri 
Miil'il*    K.i-I  an-!  fli"  (\M  War.  The 

Kiir  I    l.oiv^;. 
Mv    K\|ii  rinnr  •iii  the  Indo-Uuriiia  Bonh-r   U'Hust.) 

^aiikar   (..irii'ioli 
\oies  1.  «"».  WK  2:kV  3:37,  421 

.\afi«'ikil   I.li-i an,   A    Sin. it    Ili-foTy   of   the 

Baiii  lloM.  12Ji,  207 

•  \»     Mm  tMiifh    (iin'.uij     \|.'rr-.ii.«'    in    NoiiIp'tu 
I  lb  I  i. I     'Ifh-st .  I 
ll.noaiu   ^\\\A\  (K) 

(M.|    \1' iin'rii--.  «■!    I?i:'«i\\.':i    '    ''u^f.) 

N'riiiaJ  Sinh.i  ■■»W> 

(•rn.iruenial    Po'l'i'v    and    <.  ■.'<>    ^I  ••.!  lila-.''    liv  Vav^x 
l*iad«-H\v    »ifiM>r.> 
11.    <7.    V.   SnN.vs\dN;\  ^•' 


362 

395 

300 

41 

37 

53 

302 
479 

361 


INDEX  OF  ARTICLES 


Pai9 

Faiteurising  Milk,  A  New  Method  of 

J.  Sircar  SX8 

Philadelphia  (iUust.) 

Roger  Butterfield  58 

(A)  Pilgrimage  to  DarkneM  (illust.) 

Ajit  Kumar  Dutta  383 

(A)  Political  Crime  of  1856,  A  Note  on 

'   S.  B.  Chaudhuri  03 

Population  Planning  in  India 

C.  B.  Mamoria  21 
Position  of  Women  in  Medieval  India 

Roma  Chaudhuri  457 

^re-Historic  Rock  Pictures  in  Bellary  (iUust.) 

Richard  Chinnathambi  474 

Pijrchology  in  Industry 

Santasil  Biswas  483 

Ramakrishna  Mission     Tuberculosis     Sanatorium : 
Ranch!,  The   iillust.) 

Suprabha  Choudhury  224 

(A)   Rebel  Magistrate  of  Bihar 

P.  C.   Roychoudhury  460 

Review  of  the  Academy  Exhibition  :   Calcutta 

0.  C.  Gangoly  211 

(A)   Sanskrit  University  for  West  Bengal 

Jatindra  Bimal  Chaudhuri  896 

Sarvodaya  and  Marxism 

S.  N.  Agarwal  441 

Share  Rent 

D.  C.  Biswas  197 
Sinclair  Lewis  {illust.) 

USIS  228 

Slump  in  Textiles,  The 

D.  M.  Singh  126 

Song  (poem) 

F.  H.  Stanley  236 
South  Africa — Land  of  Gold  and  Discord 

John  Nevin  Sayre  64 

Spain  To-day 

Madan  Gopal  Gupta  377 

Statues  of  Foreigners 

Jadunath  Sarkar  124 

Study  of  Sanskrit 

Chintaharan  Chakravarti  397 

(A)    Successful  University  Summer  Session 

Alfred  S.   Schenckman  464 

Sudhir  Khastgir— An  Artist  of  the  People  {illust.) 

Ratnamberdutt  Chandola  305 

Surgery  in  South  Pole 

P.  K.   Bancrjce  488 

Tanjore  Temple,  The  {illust) 

V.   R.   Ramani  221 

Teaching  Industrial     Arts  to     Elementary     School 
Pupils  {illust, ) 

Claude  E.  Nihart  145 

Thakkar  Bapa  and  His  Accounts    {illust,) 

K.  S.  Shriram  381 

T.  S.   Eliot  and  the  O^niempoian-  World 

P.  S.  Sastri  233 

Universities  of  Europe,  The 

Alfred  S.   Schtnkiiian  286 

U.X.O. — A  BctttT  L'-acrue  of  Nations? 

G.  P.   J^riva*la\a  449 

West   BoncalV   Economic   Decay.   Two   Roccnt 
ln(lic'atinn<  of 
Bimalchandra  Sinha  33 

U't*/m'n  j'n   //j*/ia'^   Fn-tthtm   .Mo>«-iUfnt    (illusit.) 
Jofft\-/i  C.    Bueul  457 

^itijta   \MJJvy   (i//uif.)  226 


INDIAN  PERIODICAIiS 


Pofe 


f 

413 
161 


Britain's  National  Dailies 

Christians  in  the  Naga  Hills 

Croce's  Philosophy 

George  Santayana  328 

Impact  of  Western  Culture  on  the  Civilization  of 

India  and  China  245 

Indians  in  Malaya  411 

Jain  Studies  in  Italy  329 

literature  and  Freedom  497 

Nivedita,  The  Sister  494 

Re-writing  of  Indian  History  in  Free  India  74 
Roger  Bacon  and  His  Search  for  a  Universal  Science    76 

Science,  Society  and  Health  159 

Unity  and  Harmony  in  Sanskrit  Literature  78 

War  and  Peace  242 

Why  Linguistic  Provinces?  326 

FOREIGN  PERIODICALS 

Centenary  of  a  World  Faith  334 
China's  Achievements  in  Education  in  Past  Three 

Years  83 

China's  First  Five-Year  Plan  of  Construction  419 

Civil  Disobedience  in  South  Africa  501 

Full  Employment  to  be  Achieved  in  China  81 

I.  L.  0.  Session,  1954  504 

India's  Cotton  Textile  Industxy  247 

Indo-China  can  Affect  all  East  Asia  251 

(Mrs.)    Pandit  to  Receive  'One  World'  Award  252 

Plague  Death  now  Avoidable  252 

Rene  Grousset  82 

Sociological  Issues  in  Israel  164 

South  Africa — Land  of  Gold  and  Discord  415 

Unicef  417 

Unique  Economic  System  of  Yugoslavia,  The  333 

Volga-Don  :  A  Great  Economic  Factor  331 

White  nous?*,  The  167 

World  Health  Day  420 

Yugoslavia  420 

NOTES 

Abolition  of  First  Class  in  Railways  352 

Acharv-a   Vinoha   Bhave's    Mis<iion  17 

Acute  Water  Scarcity  in   Madhya  Pradesh  263 

Agrarian  Reform  in  Viel-\am  271 

AlMndia  I/*pro-y  Workers*'  Conference  263 

American  Criticism  of  Nehru  434 

Andhra  State  9 

Anti-Ahmrdiya   Disturbances  in  Lahore  266 

Arab  ColU'divr  Srcurily  429 

Arab  Refujivc!*,  Thr  18 

At  Home  ami  Abroad  253 

Ay\'anpar.  Oopalajwaniy  188 

Bengal  Budjiet  177 

Big  Bui^ines?  in  the  U.S.A.  187 

Bihar  Can»'-gro\v«»rs  and  Sugar  Policy  262 

Bihar  M.L.A.   Pr«»po*c>  Car  Advance  354 

Britain  nn«l  Burma  104 

Briti-h  llou-.  -  of  I'arliamint.  The  188 

Burma  ami  \a!ionj!i-l  (Ihina  426 

Burmi">t»  Ci.xt.    ('.on.liiion«i  for  F»»r<ii:n  Capital  169 

<.al<-utta  and  Sao  I'aulo  42S 

(^anjliojia   imi^t   l»"  ;;iMri   Kri'-iloiM  343 

<:anal  Wal.r   Piulil.  •:;.    111.-  181 

('aiiappa.   1{«  tin-nuii!    ••!'  (i»ii«ial  90 

('.han«lil  SarN«ala\a  C'l.nf*  rtiio«.»  355 

Chaniies  in  \l  .  V    V«ivi;i  VvA\v:>i                         ..  951 


INDEX  OF  ATICLES 


r 


$ 


Page 

Awealth  Devebprnent  Financo 

346 

nity  Life  in  Rural  Bengal 

261 

ins  lor  Progrew  of  Carnatic  Muiio 

102 

18  Defeat  at  Calcutta 

425 

»  Session  at  Hyderabad,  The 

85 

18  of  the  Desert 

101 

tion  of  the  British  Queen,  The 

421 

1,  The 

42S 

in  Exports  of  Asian  Countries 

184 

ation   Commission   Recommendations 

438 

>ments  in  Pakistan  and  India 

266 

of  Indian  Art  in  U.S.A. 

436 

Dulles'  Tour,  Significance  of 

432 

Visit.  The 

431 

lake  Protection 

181 

dc  Co-operation  in   the   E.    European 

untries 

183 

>wcr  on  Foreign  Aid 

434 

iwer's  Inaugural  Address 

91 

si  Law  for  Cliina 

268 

Duty  Bill 

427 

Black  Urges  Change  of  Policy 

184 

in  Tunisia 

435 

ing  I.M.Ps  Facilities 

346 

liture  Habits 

353 

ation  of  the  Unemployed 

440 

of  Congress-P.S.P.    Talks 

254 

U.P.'s  Wheat  and  Rice  Production 

179 

• 

437 

:  in  Maharashtra 

97 

's  Relatives  Make  Best  of  It 

185 

1  in  Action  on  India  Soil 

436 

Bazar  Stopped 

19 

:ion  of  Educational  Associations 

181 

3  Commission's  Recommendations 

173 

idustry  in  Madras 

179 

iar  Plan,  The 

2 

lar  Han,  Opinions  on  the 

5 

nd  Population 

437 

I  Capital  in  f^gypt 

432 

a,  Decentralisation  of 

173 

Session  of  Chinese  P.P.C.C. 

169 

Exchange  Market 

430 

Settlements  in  India 

265 

an  Outlook  and  World  Tension,  The 

19 

Barrage  at  Farakka 

6 

1  Naguib*s  Problems 

19 

es  of  the  Hirakud  Scandal 

178 

Part  of  India 

182 

'rice  Controversy 

13 

mcnt  Inertia 

341 

1  Mediation,  The 

171 

g  Unemployment 

171 

VIore  Food 

c  Holds  up  Salary 

263 

d  Scandal,  The 

258 

d  Scandal,  Glimpses  of  the 

178 

and  Water 

20 

.bad,  Future  of 

439 

ice  of  Candidates 

440 

md  the  Soviet  Bloc 

426 

Railways  and  tht.;  Fivr-Year  Plan 

3,51 

lejecls  Anpio-U.S.  Rfsolution 

10 

Adverse  Trade  Balance  in  1952 

348 

Case  for  WatiT  Dispute 

345 

First   Mercury  Mine  Discovered 

439 

lina 

4;u 

ilustan   Trade   Pact 

259 

ial  Finance  Corporation 

15 

Im)  Policy  of  the  Plaaaing,  Tho 

349 

Industrial  Revolution  in  Reverie 

Italy  Blocks  Left  by  Electoral  Stunt 

Jamnu  Agitation,  The 

Jammu  IVaja  Parishad,  The 

Japan's  Dilemma :  Rearmament  or  Relief  ? 

Kashmir 

Kenyatta  Trial  Judgment 

Labour  Victory  in  Local  Elections  in  U.K. 

Land  Reforms  in  Burma 

Land  Reforms  in  Hyderabad 

Levy  Anomalies 

Linguistic  States 

"Little  Europe  at  Loggerheads*' 

Lucknow  Hospital  Affairs 

Madras  Congress  Assembly  Party,  Conflict  in 

Malaya 

Malayan  Situation.  The 

Man-days  Contributed  in  Banaras 

Mau  Mau  Answer  to  No  No 

M.    P.    Government  Drops  the  Security  Act 

Medical  Aid  for  Famine  Areas 

Measures  to  Improve  Slums  in  Madras 

Nationalisation  of  Air  Transport 

Nazimuddin  on  Indo-Pak  Amity 

Nepal,  Unrest  in 

Nepali  Congress  Session 

New  Masters  in  the  Kremlin 

New  Oil  Refinery  at  Bisakhapatnam 

New  U.S.  Ambassador  to  India 

New  Wine  in  Old  Pots  ? 

New  Year,  The 

'•Open  or  Quit" 

Pakistan  Affairs 

Pakistan  Facing  Famine 

Peace  Congress  Address 

Peace  or  War  ? 

Peace   Prospects  Brighten  up 

People's  Congress  for  Peace 

Piracy  Conviction  Highlights  Anachronism 

Planning  Reconsidered 

liaise  a  Fair  Day  at  Night 

Praja  Parishad  Questionnaire 

Preservation  of   Wild-life 

FVess  Council  for  Britain 

Prices  of  Raw  Jute 

Prisoners  Employed  in  Constructive  Work 

Racial  Discrimination  in  South  Africa 

Rajasthan,  Ferment  in 

Railway  Budget 

Rail>\ay  Fuel  Economy  Committee  ReiK>rt 

Railway  Fuel  Economy  Enquiry  Committee 

Rare   Earth   Processing  Factory 

Real  Danger  Facing  Hindi 

Recommendations  of  the  Bar  Committee 

Relief  Measures  in  East  U.P. 

••Rethinking  Our  Future" 

••Revive  the  Spirit  of  Swadeshi" 

Riddles  of  Figures 

Rising  Income  of  Soviet  Peasants 

Sarker,  Nalini   Ranjan 

Scarcity  in  Madhya  Pradesh 

Science  Congress,  The 

Self-Help  Projects  in  Karnataka 

Settlement  of  the  Sudan  Issue  ? 

Shah,  Prof.  K.  T. 

Sheikh  Abdullah  and  the  Pari>had 

16.500-Acre  Farm  in  U.P. 

Sonar  pur  Scheme 

Stale  Control  on  Tea 

Sterling  Area!%  TmV 


Pag9 

8 

184 

172 

12 

185 

U,  94 

844 

436 

42S 

263 

171 

339.422 

266 


the 


354 
3S3 

104 

IB 

180 

102 

178 

180 

180 

260 

93 

18 

201 

267 

853 

265 

171 

1 

178 

338 

181 

90 

183 

341 

16 

186 

86 

429 


439 
272 
430 
180 

354 

176 

428 

350 

98 

265 

438 

97 

348 

99 

96 

27 

104 

178 

99 

20 

187 

272 

94 

179 


\]1 


1 


CONTRIBUTORS  AND  THEIR  CONTRIBUTIONS 


Strange  Invitation 

Survey  of  Middle  Class  Economy 

Tea  Bill,  The 

Tilaiya  and  Bokaro 

'*To  Members  of  Public  Services" 

To  Rob  Peter  to  Pay  Paul 

Trade  Between  India  and  Denmark  in  1932 

Union  Budget,  The 

U.  N.  Secretary-General 

U.   S.   Agricultural  Extension  Service,  The 

U.  S.  Air  Bases  in  Pakistan 


Page 

183  I'.  S.  and  Underdeveloped  Coontriet 

437  U.S.A.  and  Kashmir 

427  U.S.A.    l^esidentiaJ   Election,  The 

170  U.S.  Foreign  Trade 

88  U.S.  Trade  Policy 

347  U.S.S.R.  Breaks  with  Israel 

Wages  of  Factory  Workers 

256  Welfare  State,  The 

265  Why  the  Army 

185  World  Industrial  Production 

434  Yehudi  Menuhin  on  Indian  Music 


:0:« 


CONTRIBUTORS  AND  THEIR  CONTRIBUTIONS 


Page 

Agarwal,  S.  N. 

Economics   of   'Bhoomidan   Yagna'  195 

Economics  of  Linguistic  States  291 

Sar\'odaya  and  Marxism  441 

Bagal,  J.  C. 

Women  in  India's  Fn^edoni  Movement   iUlust)       467 
Banerji,  Chandikaprasad 

India  and  the  Moslem  World  44 

Banerjee,  D.  N. 

Deputy  Ministers  in  a  State  293 

The  IjiPt  Gfnoral  Election  in  West  Bengal  37 

Banerjee,  P.   K. 

Surjjery  in  South  Pole  488 

Bansil,  P.  C. 

The  Food  Problem  454 

Biswa-s,  D.  C. 

Share  Rrnt  :   A  Prohlom  in  Acrirultural  Co^t  197 

Biswas,  Sanla^<il  48.'? 

Ppyrholojiy  in  Industry  483 

Bose,  Bani 

A  Short   f!i*tory  of  th<"   N^alional   Library  128.  207 

Butterfi«='ld,  Roger 

Philadelphia    Hlhist.)  58 

Chsmla.  .\!ii'.ilyipra<<'«i 

More   About   the   Hindu   Rtinrarnatii^i   Theory  136 

Chuiidlmri.  JalI:i»Ira  Bininl 

Tnipro\rnii'nl   of   riiatii-pathi    FMuratinn    in   India         50 

A   Sanskrit    rni\»T-it\    for  Wot   B«-nj:al  3% 

Cbaiidhiiri.   Bonia 

The    Po-Ition   of  W<»ni«n    in   Me«lie\al    Tnilia  '1."7 

Cha^idhiiri.  S.    B. 

.\  Nnlr  «»n    I   Political  Crimt-  of  1R.V)  63 

CbaNf.ivai rl.  n>!iii;di:«:an 

Sliidv  of  S.'ipvl;rit  307 

riiandola.    [{.iMKnilicidutr 

Sudliir      Kli:i-tc'ir      \u       \r'\>*      of      !■••• 

C!u.t}»Tr«M'.    A-OAt* 

I)r\ jp.'il;!     jnd    «''••    [*'ri-r   »-    of    !]|i-    ?o;irli 
(j\Mt?fr;.r..    P.rl,u.l«'!i    \. 

Cbin'iMt'*  •»:•'.!.    IJi-  ^  •.■■«! 

Pr-  III-  .-  :.     ir...  •.    !»:.••....-    ir,    P.-H.-rv 

T?..«-    K  ;••■  ■'.  J  '  •»•»     \Ti--t..T>    'rnb'T«ML>  i« 


F*«'opl< 


^♦i 


3o:> 
21 :: 


0-— 


4:-4 


'TP. .: 


Rn*.!: 


o^.l 


O*"? 


Dixit,  S.  ۥ 

Around  the  Weitcs-t  Village  in  the  World 
iillust. ) 
Datta,  Jatindra  Mohan 

On  the  CenrjUs  of  Pakistan 
Dulta,  Ajit  Kumar 

A   Pi Igi image   to   Darkness    Wlust,) 


C/unca 


The  Managing  Agency  System  in  India 
Cangoly.  O.   C. 

Review  of  the  Aoa»lemy  Exhibition 

Ganpiooli.  Sankar 

Mv  Exptrienee  on  the  Indo-Burma  Border 
'{ifhistj 
Chosal.   \.   K. 

Ka-!»nir  Pmbb-m  -The  Constitutional  Aspect 
Clio-h,   A  run  O^oniar 

The  Dollar  Tant:!*' 
Go^waini.   IVabinlh  Chandra 

has-ie  Kihiralion  for  Deuiocraey 
Gupta,  Madan  Gupal 

Spain  Tti-dnv 
Hnkku.  V.    N. 

Cotta;!!'  Indu*trie^ 
jtfbal  Narayan 

I)iin:i\«'^  of  Stat*'   Policy 
j-rn  -i.   W.    \ori.  n  jr. 

Ori'iiionial    (.'orn    Dance    of    American    Indians 

Kniiniiiiya 

A   Su'»irn;.T\    *^Il!•\^^    of    \rt  .loiiinals  in 
l.i.!i.!  133.  2K  403 

K' i-lMiMirur;li\.  K.    \'. 
'I  !:••  (  r.'ii  of  lie-  D"-.if 

!■.  '\!id!h-  r.  •  i-.i.i  \\xr  r:..:a  War 
M..-..';i.  c.  i;. 

r,!  ;•■   W'.  .-I-   JM    !•:•!:..  281 

I'-i:  -ri  .I"'!    Pi  Miriiri-    iu    hnlla 

M«  I r::.    K.    \. 

\i!.  =  .  •>      :!•<;•..•!    \'..    Vh-'    niii;.li   in   India 

I  '•    ^ ' .  t 
'^  •     I       •   • 

\     «    !     '.        V.iU    .     1    .... 

»  .  •      •  I  III  I    • 

•ii      I  -    r  •!•      !  •■•    •!  ::*. 
.'••  .    !    "^r  ■    .1"  ■•  .     iiii'-  M 


I  •  •• 


•  •       •    .* 


•.     •••1     !  :  •        t    .'.'• 


CONTRIBUTORS  AND  THEIR  CONTRIBUTIONS 


1 


Mtikherjee  Haridaft 

The  Dawn  Society  of  Calcutta 

The  Place  of  Benoy  Sarkar  in  Bengali 
Literature  (iUust.) 
M    R 

Yosemite  Valley  lillust.) 
Nandi,  S.  K. 

Benedetto  Croce^His  Philosophy 
Nihart,  Claude  £. 

Teaching  Industrial   ArU   to    Elemen'ary   School 
Pupils  Sillust,) 
Niyogi,  Puspa 

The  Kalachuri  Relation!?  with  Bengal 
Niyogi,  Suresh  l^osad 

All-India    Economic    Confcrenre    at    Trivandrum 

Merchants  in  Vedic  and  IltToic  India 
Peter,  K.  C. 

D.  H.  Lawrence 
Ptne»  Leslie  G. 

How     Coronation     Ser\'ic'e     Links  up     Whole  of 
British  History 
Ramani.  V.  R. 

The  Tanjore  Temple  iillust.) 
Roy»  Jyotirmoy 

Agricultural  Marketing  in  West  Bengal   (illust.) 
Roy,  N.  B. 

India  and  Tibet 
Roy  Choudhury,  P.  C. 

A  Rebel  Magistrate  of  Bihar 
Sarkar»  Jadunath 

Statues  of  Foreigners 

Why  linguistic  Provinces 
Sirkar,  KshiUsh  C. 

A  Picture  of  Bengal  in  the  Days  of  Kar  Talab 
Khan 
Ststri,  C.  L.  R. 

The  East  Bengal  Tragedy 
Sastri,  P.  S. 

T.  S.  Eliot  and  the  Contemporar>'  World 
Sayre,  John  Nevin 

South  Africa— Land  of  Gold  and  Discord 


Pag$ 

399 

226 
294 

147 

300 

233 
479 

66 

481 

221 

311 

203 

460 

124 
326 

320 

112 

233 

61 


Scbenkman,  Alfred  S. 
A  Successful  University  Summer  Session 

The  Universities  of  Europe 
Sen,  Mankumar 

Five- Year  Plan  and  Village  Industries 
Shah,  G.  M. 

A  Couple  of  Constitutional  Issues 
Sharma,  Y.  D. 

Ancient  House-Planning 
Shrirani,  K..   S. 

Thakkar  Bapa  and  Hid  Accountji  {Ufust,) 
Shustri,  Dhaniiriulra  Nath 

Cuntiibution    of   'J'li.    Slcberbatsky    to    Indian 
Pbilotfo];liy 

Singh,  D.   B. 

The  Sluiiii)  in  Textiles 
Singii,  ilarbans 

A    Ninfteeuth    Ccntur>'    -Marriage    in       Northern 
India   {illust. ) 
Sinha,   Bimalchandra 

Concentration  in  tlit'  Laml-Stnicture 

Dibintegration   of   tlic   Middle   Cla:-s 

Two   Recent  Indications  of  West  Bengal's 
Economic  Decay 
Sinha,  Nirmal 

Old  Memories  of  Burdwan   {illust,) 
Sircar,  J. 

A  New  Method  of  Pasteurising  Milk 

Srivastava,  G.  P. 

The  U.  N.  0.  :  A  Better  League  of  Nations? 
Sri\astava,  H.  G.  P. 

Ornamental  Pottery  and  Clay  Modelling  in  Uttar 
Pradesh   (illust.) 
^riva^tava.  Iqbal  Narayan 

Federalism  in  the  New  Gnntitution 

John    Dewey— American    Educator    and 
Pbiloropher   {illust,) 

Sinclair  Lewis   {illust,) 


Page 

464 

286 


485 

487 
381 

115 
126 

60 

108 
189 

dS 

386 

318 

449 
142 


394 
228 


UST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS 


Page 
Africans    in     Nairobi,    Kenya,    arrested     by    the 

British  Troops  and  herded  into  trucks  and  driven 

to  prison  37 

Around    the     Wettest     Village    in     the     World-- 

Cherrapunji 

(9  illustrations)  388-393 

Artisan  Workshop  at  the  Machine-Tool  Proto-type 

Factory  at  Ambamath  near  Bombay,  A  class  of 
trainees  in  the  205 

Burdwan,  Old  Memories  of 

(3  illustrations)  386-387 

Ceremonial    Corn    Dance    of    American     Indians 

(8  illustrations)  309-310 

Chatterjee,  Ramananda  421 

Chitrangada  and     Madan      (Cupid)    {in  colours) 

Niharranjan  Sen  Gupta 
C>ver   ipata)   Paintings  in  the  oldest  MS.   of  the 

Buddha     Charita     found  in     Nepal   {Circa  9th 
Centory)    {in  colours)  337 

Crippled  Children's  Clinic  in  Tucson,  Arizona  37 

(President)   Eisenhower  with  his  Cabinet  members 
•nd  other  top  aides  205 

Dewey,  John  395 

(Sister)  Elizabeth  Kenny,  the  Renowned  Australian 

Nurse  121 

(A)    Flight  of  Six  Hindustan  Trainers  Air-craft 

to    Celebrate   Republic   Day   in   New   Delhi   on 
January  26  1^ 

Fuel  Research  Institute.  Dhanbad  253 

Gandhiji   {cement  concrete) 

S.  Khastgir  289 

Gwalior    Lancers    Marching    past    the    President, 

Dr.  Rajendra  Prasad  204 

Indian  School  of     Mines  and     Applied     Geology, 

Dhanbad  372 

Jawaharlal  Nehru  in   conversation  with  a  Deputa- 
tion from  Lushai  Chiefs  at  Raj  Bhavan.  Shillong 
Jawaharlal  Nehru  inspecting  a   Guard   of  Honour 

provided  by  a  Contingent  of  Burmese  troops  at 
Singkaling,  Burma  337 

Jawaharlal      Nehru      performing      the      Opening 

Ceremony  of  Aijal-limgleh  Road  337 

Jawaharlal  visited  the  Exhibition  of  Tripura  State 

Tribal  Cottage  Industries  during  his  recent  visit 
to  Agartala  1 

Kach  and  Debjani  {in  colours) 

Maya  Das  85 

Krishna  Menon,  V.  K.   chats  with 

Shamaldharee  Lall  373 

Lac  Research  Institute,  Namkum.  near  Ranch!  120 

Life  of  Budha   (Udayshankar).  Buddha*s 

Temptation  36 

Life  of  Buddha    (Uday«ankar) .      On  the  Eve  of 

Renunciation  36 

Ornamental  Pottery  and  Clay  MviclUng  in  V.P. 

(5  illustrations) 
Philadrlphia  143116 


(J  illustrations) 
(A)  Pilgrimage  to  Darkness 
{4  illustrations) 


58^9 
384^85 


Portable   Radar   and  other   modern   signals   equip- 
ment on  wheels  u«<cd  by  the  f runt-line 
I.A.F.    Units 

Pre-Historic  Rock  Pictures  in  Bellary 

(21  illustrations)  474 

Madras -The     City  of  the     First  English   Church 
in  India 
V2J  illustrations)  5 

Men  of  a  Territorial  Army  Unit  at  a  shooting  range 
My  Experience  on  the  Indo  Burma  Border 

{15  illustrations)  137 

(Kanwar)    Nau  Nihal  Singh,  grand-son   of  Ranjil 

Singh 
Rabindranath 

Ranjit  Singh,   Maharaja 
Republic  Day  Parade  in  Delhi 
Rest   (in  colours) 

Sudhir  Khastgir 
R.    K,    Mission   Tuberculosis  Sanatorium,   Ranchi 

{5  illustrations)  22 

Sakuntala  for  the  King's  Palace   {in  colours) 

Satindranath  Laha 

Sanchi  Stupa  No.  3,  Sanchi,  Bhopal 

Sarkar,  Benoy  Kumar 

Signalling  Systems  at  the  Central  Cabin  at  Ondal 

Siliguri  Station  Building 

Sinclair  Lewis 

Study  in  Oils   (1951) 

Sudhir  Khastgir 
Sudhir  Khastgir— An  Artist  of  the  People 

iU  illustrations)  305 

Tan  lore  Temple,  Tlie 

iH  illustrations)   "  222 

Tagore  Birthday     C«.*Iebration  by     Rabichakra     at 

Kalibari   Hall.  Simla 
Teaching    Iwdustrial    Arts    to    Elementary    School 

Pupils 

{2  illustrations)  147 

(A)    Territorial    Army    Contingent    is    undergoing 

Training 
Thakkar  Bapa 

Turkish  Parliamentary  Delegation  in  Delhi 
(Mrs. )    Vijayalaksbmi    Pandit    chats    with    Kabir 

Ludin 
(Sm.)      Vijayalaksbmi      Pandit     with     President 

Eisenhower  and  Secretar>'  of  State  Dulles 
Village  Singers,  The   {in  colours) 

Satindranath  Laha 
Vi&hakhai)attan  Ship -building  Yard 
Wakcman.    Dr.    Sehnan    A."  won    ihr    l%2    Noble 

Prize  in  Phy«*ii»liiny  and  Medicinu 
Women   in  India's  Freedom  Movement 

Kaduniini  Ganiiuli 

Swarnakiimaii   D«'vi 
Sara  la  Dfvi 
Si'ttfT  Nivi'dita 
Lilabati  Mitra 
Baspnti  De\'i 
Urmila  Devi 


Jawahukl   Nehru   visited   the   Exhibition   of   Pioducti-  of    Tripura    State   Tribd    Cottage    Industrie) 
hift  recent  viiii  to  Aeartala 


Jawahariaf  Nehru  in  conversation  with  a,  deputation  from  Lustiai  Cliicfs  at  Ruj  Bliuvan,  Sliillong.  during! 
hia  recent  visit  to  the  city 


CHITRANGADA  AND   MADAN    (CUPID) 
PrikHi  ram.  Untu  By  Niharmnjan  Sea  Gupta 


3531 

2>    '  y<i' 


THE  MODERN  REVIEW 


/;  *." 


JANUARY 


1955 


Voft. 


»>:^ii 


No.  1 


Whou  No.  553 


NOTES 


The  New  Year 

The  Old  Year  has  gone  and  the  New  Year  is  on 
the  threshold.  And  this  is  the  sixth  New  Year  of 
Preedom. 

life  have  to  take  stock  now.  But  the  stock-taking 
imiat  be  done  in  the  terms  of  intangibles  and  not  in 
that  of  mathematical  digits  or  s3nnbols.  We  have 
plenty  where  numbers  or  quantities  are  concerned,  as 
per  witness  the  census,  the  elections  or  the  Plans  and 
projecta  ad  infinitum.  Our  poverty  and  inadequacy 
in  potentials  become  extremely  prominent  when  the 
intangibles  are  assessed.  Inadequacy  and  poverty  that 
is,  if  shibboleths,  slogans,  obsessions,  and  such  like  be 
«^ezcepted.  There  again  we  have  plenty,  indeed  enough 
^lo  stock  the  whole  world  and  more.  There  is  no 
:Aipentition,  taboo  or  inhibition  known  that  does  not 
hold  sway  in  this  land  of  ours  in  some  form  or  other, 
:ftnd  no  prejudice  or  social  scourge  known  but  has  its 
counterpart  here.  As  for  obsessions,  phobias  and 
complexes,  wc  doubt  whether  such  an  Eldorado  for 
psychologists  exists  elsewhere.  And  that  is  why  wc 
alwa3/9  relegate  first  things  to  the  ultimate  last  place, 
invariably  fail  to  perceive  the  concrete,  absolute, 
obvious,  award  honour,  prestige  and  largesse  where 
punishmelit  is  called  for  and  ignore  with  contempt  the 
faithful,  trusty  and  industrious. 

And  therein  lie  the  germs  of  all  our  failures  and 
'all  our  shortcomings,  and  unless  those  be  remedied  our 
much   vaunted   and   much   publicised   Five-Year   Plan 
will  end  in  disaster. 

How  to  remedy  these  ?  Let  us  take  a  lesson  from 
(nif  millennium-old  friends  the  Chinese.  There  is  going 
to  be  a  Five-Year  Plan  for  China  too,  as  we  find  from 
the  following  news-item   that  appeared  in  the  daily 


press  of  December  29.  Let  us  take  particular  note  of 
the  last  paragraph  of  that  news  : 

"Chinese  Prime  Minister  Chou  En  Lai  has  called 
for  the  election  by  popular  vote  next  year  of  an 
All-Cliina  Peoples  Congress  (Parliament)  and  an- 
nounced that  1953  will  see  the  start  of  the  country's 
first  Five-Year  Plan. 

"Peking  Radio  reported  that  Mr.  Chou  made  this 
statement  at  a  meeting  in  Peking  of  the  Standing 
National  Committee  of  the  Peoples  Consultative  Con- 
ference, the  chief  political  body  pending  convocation 
of  the  Congress. 

"^fr.  Chou  said  that  the  campaigns  against  cor^ 
rapt  elements  and  the  country's  thought  reform  'brain- 
washin{f  campaign  had  strengthened  the  leadership  of 
the  working  class!* 

Who  is  there  in  our  country  that  can  deny  the 
urgency  of  "thought  reform"  and  "brain  washing"  in  our 
nation  ?  From  the  highest  to  the  lowest  we  need  it, 
and  we  need  it  more  than  anything  else. 

Tliis  lack  of  brain-washing  has  caused  the  omission 
of  the  Ganga  Barrage  from  the  Five-Year  Plan.  The 
wiseacres  that  represent  West  Bengal  in  the  House  of 
People  were  the  only  ones  that  protested  against  that 
omission  in  a  half-hearted  and  muddled  fashion  and 
the  West  Bengal  P.C.C.  has  added  its  lugubrations 
to  that.  But  what  is  surprising  is  that  no  one  from 
Bihar,  no  one  from  Uttar  Pradesh,  added  a  word.  Does 
the  Ganga  not  concern  them  at  all  ?  What  an  exhibi- 
tion of  befuddled  brains  1 

We  make  bold  to  state  that  in  no  other  country 
that  calls  itself  progressive,  such  a  magnificent  asset 
in  the  matter  of  transport,  as  our  Ganga,  could  have 
been  ignored  in  this  i^OT^\i\>  ^tA  ^'ds^^siN.  ^^bs^^-^. 

Water  ttanspoyl  \a  \)ci^  Oafe^'^^'a^.    «£^   NH^^   ^^^^'^ 


2 


THE  MODERN  REVIEW  FOR  JANUARY,  1963 


dependable  method  of  conveyance  for  heavy  or  bulky 
goods,  where  speed  is  not  very  essential.  A  river-route 
cannot  be  destroyed  or  disorganised,  even  by  an  atom 
bomb  attack,  lor  any  but  the  minimum  of  time.  And 
besides  the  barrage  would  simplify  the  transport  of 
goods  from  North  Bihar  and  Astom  and  substantially 
lower  the  cost  of  transport  of  tea — one  of  our  prime 
exports.  The  cost  of  transport  of  coal  and  steel  and 
cement  and  of  a  hundred  other  bulky  items,  including 
imported  food-grains,  would  be  halved  at  least  up  to 
Mirzapur,  if  not  to  Banares  and  Allahabad  in  U.  P. 
and  oil-j3eeds,  cotton,  hemp,  etc.,  could  be  transported 
down  to  Calcutta  Port  for  processing  and  export  at 
substantially  lower  costs.  And  yet  there  was  no  one  in 
the  Planning  Committee  who  could  see  the  obvious 
facts,  although  himdreds  of  crores  have  been  allocated 
un^r  the  heads  of  Transport  and  Communications. 
Were  they  all  blinded  by  parochial  considerations  ? 

Then  comes  the  question  of  corruptioQ  and  recog- 
nition of  merit.  Government  officials  are  no  more 
corrupt  or  lazy  than  any  section  of  our  nationals — and 
no  less  either.  But  if  it  is  the  boot-licking  sycophant 
that  gets  recognition  from  our  Tin-gods,  then  what 
incentive  is  there  for  the  trusty  and  the  industrious 
to  give  of  his  best  ?  And  who  but  the  corrupt  and 
the  inefficient  is  a  sycophant  or  a  yes-man  ? 

Two  years  out  of  the  Five-Year's  span  are  almost 
over.  If  the  brain-washing  and  eye-opening  campaign 
is  not  initiated  even  now,  then  the  Five-Year  Plan 
should  have  an  allowance  of  an  additional  sum  of 
at  least  one  thousand  crores,  for  theft,  for  waste  and 
for  errors  of  omission  and  commission. 

The  most  vitally  essential  element  in  all  nation- 
building  plans  is  the  human  material,  and  success  or 
failure  depends  primarily  on  its  quality,  not  quantum. 
A  nation  may  progress  even  though  financially  feeble, 
ill-equipped  in  modem  mechanical  appliances  and 
poor  in  natural  resources,  if  only  it  has  adequacy  in 
stout-hearted  and  staunch  workers  guided  by  men  of 
integrity  and  ability.  Modem  Turkey's  rise  from  the 
abysmal  degeneration  of  the  Sultanate  is  an  outstand- 
ing  example.  On  the  other  hand,  the  collapse  of  K.M.T. 
China,  helped  though  it  was  with  American  billions, 
in  money  and  in  material,  and  inexhaustible  though 
was  its  man-power  and  natural  resources,  is  the  example 
of  the  reverse. 

The  intangible  elements  that  produce  staunchness, 
integrity,  discipline  and  the  will  to  work,  they  are  of 
the  es^nce.  Our  nation  will  stand  or  fall  as  we  can 
show  sufficiency  or  lack  of  it.  Mere  verbose  platitudes 
count  for  less  than  nothing.  Perhaps,  Pandit  Nehm 
may  yet  realize  that  in  time. 

Failure  is  inevitable  otherwise.  The  Bharat  Sewak 
Samaj,  the  Community  Projects  and  all  such  ancillary 
formations  and  schemes  would  be  powerless  if  the 
Coii^ess  remains  a  festering  mass  of  corruption. 

-^ji^  ^/t^'Fear  Plan 

The   fiaal   Five-Year    Flan    baa  been  presented  to 


Parliament  on  Bth  December  1952.  UnJUke  the  draft 
outline,  published  last  year,  the  Plan  in  its  final  form  is 
a  single,  indivisible  national  plan,  welcoming,  but  not 
dependent  on,  foreign  assistance.  While  the  outline 
anticipated  expenditure  of  Rs.  1493  crores  during  the 
planned  period,  the  final  outlay  has  now  in^creased 
Rs.  2,069  crores.  The  plan  envisages  that  in  27  years 
India's  per  capita  income  will  be  doubled.  The  increas- 
ed estimated  expenditure  is  due  both  to  inclasion  of 
new  projects  and  expansion  of  the  scope  of  schemed 
already  under  way. 

The  increased  emphasis  on  agriculture  and  rural 
development  schemes  since  lasV  year  is  proved  by  the 
striking  rise  in  the  allocation  for  agriculture,  community 
development  projects  and  irrigation  and  power.  Id)  the 
original  draft,  the  proposed  expenditure  on  these  items 
amounted  to  Rs.  6421  crores.  Now  the  allotment  has 
risen  to  about  Rs.  922  crores. 

A  proportionate  increase  has  of  necessity  been  made 
in  transport  and  communications  on  which  about  Rs.  497 
crores  will  be  spent  as  commpared  to  Rs.  388  cn^es  in  the 
original  draft.  Likewise,  industry  secures  an  allocatioD 
of  Rs.  173  crores  againsli  Rs.  101  crores  in  the  draft 
The  increase  in  expenjditure  on  social  services  amounts 
to  about  Rs.,  86  crores,  the  original  allocation  being 
Rs.  254  crores.  The  Plan  accords  the  highest  priority 
to  agriculture  oi^  which  direct  and  indirect  expenditure 
appears  to  exceed  half  the  outlay  on  the  Plan.  In  view 
of  the  anxiety  to  reach  the  planned  targets  of  agricultural 
production,  a  sum  of  Rs.  90  crores  has  been  sanctioned 
for  the  community  devebpment  projects  and  an  addi- 
tional Rs.  30  crores  for  minor  irrigation  programmes  and 
the  scheme  for  establishment  of  a  Nation^  Extension 
Organisation.  The  problem  of  agriculture  remains  pri- 
marily one  of  providing  irrigation,  fertilizers  and  manure, 
better  seeds  and,  to  the  farmer,  knowledge  of  improved 
methods  of  agriculture.  Important  among  agricultural 
targets  is  foodgrain^s  whose  production  is  expected  to 
increase  from  52.7  million  tons  in  1950-51  to  61.6  million 
tons  in  1955^.  The  corresp<)nding  increase  in  cotton 
wiU  be  from  2.97  miIlion{  bales  to  4.22  million  bales ; 
jute  from  33  million  bales  to  5.39  million  bales  ;  sugar- 
cane from  5.6  million  tons  to  6.3  milUon  tons,  and  oil- 
seeds from  5.1  million  tons  to  6.5  milHon  tons. 

The  targets  for  irrigation  and  power  are  also  impres- 
sive. New  irrigation  projects  will  increase  the  irrigated 
area  from  50  milUon  acres  to  09.7  million  acres  by  1955- 
56.  The  installed  capacity  of  electrical  energy  will  rise 
from  2.3  million  Kws.  to  3.5  million  Kws.  The  Five-Year 
Plan  aims  mainly  at  completion  of  irrigation  and  power 
projects  already  unjder  construction.  These  are  estimated 
to  cost,  on  completion,  Rs.  765  crores.  During  the 
t>lanned  period,  it  is  proposed  to  spend  in  all  a  sum  oi 
Rs.  558  crores  on  them.  The  projects  have  been  so 
phased  that  progressive  benefit  will  accrue  both  to  frri- 
gation  and  power.  Extensioi^  of  minor  irrigation  schemes 
is  an  impotlanl  iealuxt  ol  ^<&  ^oal  ?\3uu 


NOTES 


ESTDCAns 

Outlay  during    Percentage  of 

1951-56.  total  outlay 
(In  crores  of 
rupees). 
Iture  and  Community 

nrelopment                            360.45  17.^ 

km   and   Power                   561.41  27u2 

ort   and   G>mmunication8  497.10  24.0 

T                                          173.04  8.4 

Services                                339^1  16.4 

litation                                  8SJ0O  4.1 

aneous                                  51.99  2.5 


Total       2068.78  100.0  * 

alizing    that    Improvement    in    agriculture    cannot 

unless  the  surplus  working  force  Is  progressively 
1    to    industries    and     services,    the    Plan    lays 
da  on  the  need  to  expand  industrial  production, 
on  of  Rs.  94  crores  on,  industrial  projects  under 
ntral  and  State  Governments  is,  therefore,  made. 
t>ject8  under  implementation  in  the  public  sector 
t  completed.     The  most  important  new  provision 
I  sum  of  Rs.  30  crores  for  the  new  proposed  iron 
«1  project  on  which  Rs.  80  crores  is  likely  to  be 
ver  a  period  of  six  years.    In    addition    to    the 
ture  of  Rs.  94  croreai  on  industries,     thq     Plan 
i  a  sum  of  Rs.  50  crores  for  development  of  basic 
es   including   ancillary   transport.      Responsibility 
iring  the  necessary  expansion  over  the  bulk  of  the 
industry  will     devolve  on  private     enterprise, 
mmission  has  worked  out  detailed  expansion  pro- 
s  for  42  organised  industries.     The  total  capital 
ml  necessary  for  expansion  in  the  private  sector 
atcd  at  Rs.  233  crores.    About  80%  of  this  faivest- 
ill  be  in  the  sector  of  capital     goods     and  pro- 
oods  industries,  the   most  important  being   iron 
51,  petroleum  refinery,  cement,  aluminium,  fertili- 
vry  chemicals  and  power  alcohoL 
the  sphere  of  consumer  goods  emphasis     during 
od  of  the  Five-Year  Flan  is  mainly  on  increased 
on   through  fuller   utilization      of  the      existing 
.     Considerable  investment  is,  however,  envisaged 
in  new  lines.     In  the  programme  for  expansion 
[)ort  and  communications,  a  little  more  than  four- 
)f  the  total     outlay  is  on     railways  whose  most 
problem  is  the  task  of  rehabilitation  and  provi- 
adequate  equipment.     An  average  expenditure  of 
Jrores  Ifor  five  years,  it  is  expected,  will  enable 
rays  to  handle  efficiently     passenger  and  goods 

present  levels.    A  substantial  part  of  the  Rs.  50 
noted  to  basic  industries,  will  also  be  spent  on 

Plan  will  be  finanoed  to  the  extent  of  Rs.  1,258 
om  the  mNrmal  bud^tairy  resources  of  the 
and  State  Covenunents.  The  savings  oat  of 
revenues  are  expected  to  amount  to  Rs.  738 
Private  savings,  likely  to  be  available  to  the 
ctor  thzougfa  loans,  small  savings,  deposits  and 
i  other  miscellanaoii^  cbanneb  are  estimated  at 
w/wft    In  addition  to  these  normal    budgetary 


resources,  totalling  Rs.  1,258  crores,  credit  is  taken  for 
external   asdsCance  already   received      from   the  Inter- 
national     Bank,  thie  i  USA,     Canada,     Australia,     New 
Zealand,  etc,  amounting  to  date  to  Rs.  156  crores.    This 
leaves  a  gap  of  Rs.  655  crores  to  be  covered  to  the  extent 
of  Rs.  290  crores  by  deficit  financing.    The  balance  will 
be  drawn  from  furthei«  externa]  resources,  or,  if  neces- 
sary, horn  additional  measures  oif  internal  taxation  and 
borrovring.     The  first  Five-Year  Plan  will  only  mee%  the 
most  urgent  needs  of     national  economy.    It  has  to  bo 
viewed,  it  is  stated,  primarily  as  a  plan  of  preparation 
for  more  rapid  rates  6i  increase  in  investment,  income 
employmenjt  and  consumption  in  the  future. 

The  Government's  policy  in  regard  to  foreign  capital 
already  contains  assurances  as  to  non-discrimination, 
reasonable  facilities  for  transfer  of  profits  and  zepAtria- 
tion  of  capital  an4  of  fair  and  equitable  compensation  in 
the  evenjt  of  nationalization.  The  foreign  investm^t 
coming  into  the  country  will  be  channelled  into  field  of 
high  priority.  The  broad  principle  to  be  followed  is  that 
foreign  investment  should  be  permitted  in  spheres  whtee 
new  lines  of  production  are  to  be  developed,  or  where 
ispecial  type  ol  experience  and  technical  skill  are  required 
or  where  the  volume  of  domestic  production  is  small  ini 
relation  to  demand,  and  there  is  no  resonable  e]q>ectation 
of  the  indigenous  industry  being  able  to  expand  at  the 
desired  rate. 

As  regai:ds  capital  formation,  the  Plan  envisage^ 
that  it  will  rise  by  about  20%  of  the  additbnal  national 
income  each  year.  The  internal  resources  thus  available 
will,  to  some  extent,  be  supplemented  by  external  resour- 
ces. By  1955-56,  national  income  will  have  gone  up  to 
about  Rs.  lOflOO  crores,  Le^  by  about  11  per  cent.  If 
from  1956-57  onwards,  investment  is  stepped  up  each 
year  by  about  50  per  centi  of  the  additional  output,  it 
would  be  pos8U>le  to  double  the  per  capita  income  in 
about  27  years  Le^  by  1977. 

Land  Pouct 
The  future  of  land     ownership  and     cultivation  is 
perhaps  the  most  fundamental  issue  of  national  develop- 
ment.    The  patten  of  economic  and  social  organisation 
will  depend  upon  the  manner  in  which  the  land  problem 
is  resolved!.      It  is     necessary,     oa  the  one     hand,  to 
achieve  agricultural  targets  in  the  Plan  and  on  the  other, 
the  land  policy  should  be  such  as  will  reduce  disparities 
in  wealth  and  income,  eliminate     exploitation,     provide 
security  for  tenant  and  worker,  and     finally,     pi^mise 
equality  of  status  and  opportunity  to  diflPerent  secu'ond 
of  the  rural  population.      Proposals  for  land  reform  in 
the  Plan  are     made  with     reiference  to  the     principal 
interests  invohed,  namely,  (1)  intermediaries;   (2)  large 
owners;  (3)  small  and  middle  owners;  (4)  tenants-at-will; 
and    (5)    landless   workers.       Intermediary   rights   fiave 
been  abolished  or  are  in  the  process  of  abolition  in 
States      in      which!      they      existed.       Admmistrative 
arrangements  for  areas  formerly  under  aamindary     inAd 
iipecial  attention  and,  m  i»«x^t»i!in,  'm  ^D«»fc  v^jtM^  ^ 
Sood  system  of  ^nOage  xmoc&s  taiMs\j\\  \^  tst^yo&asu^. 
On    the .  qoe^ldoii    ot    oifiMS^^    ^\    \kgAs    "^^ 


THE  MODERN  REVIEW  FOR  JANUARY,  1953 


Planning  G)nimi8fiion  has  made  very  some  important 
recommendations.  These  aim  primarily  at  (aX  the 
fixation  of  an  upper  limit  to  land  holdings;  (b) 
provision  of  facilities  to  large  owners  who  cultivate 
themselves;  (c)  enactment  of  legislation  to  maintain 
cultivation  at  a  certain  level  of  efficiency;  amt  (d) 
enccNiragement  of  co-operative  methods  for  cultivation 
hy  small  and  middle  owners.  These  recommendations 
are  intended  first,  to  reduce  the  existing  disparity  in 
land  holdings  and  secondly,  to  ensure  that  necessary 
Vx>nditions  are  created  for  efficient  agricultural 
production.  The  G>mmission  has  suggested  that  there 
should  be  an  upper  limit  to  the  amount  of  land  that 
an  individual  may  hold.  The  ui^r  limits  suggested 
by  the  Commission  should  apply  to  resumption  of  land 
for  po^nal  cultivation  as  well  as  for  future  acquisition. 
The  Commission  observes  that  in  relation  to  land  (as 
also  in  other  sectors  of  economy),  individual  prosperity 
in  excess  of  any  form  that  may  be  proposed  has  to  be 
justified  in  terms  of  public  interest  and  not  merely  on 
grounds  of  individual  rights  oi*  claims. 

The  criteria  .which  should  determine  this  limit  may 
be  various,  including  the  valuation  of  land)  revenue,  of 
the  gross  or  the  net  produce  of  the  land  or  the  lease 
value  of  the  land.  One  of  the  methods  suggested  is  to 
consider  multiples  of  a  family  holding  as  a  determining 
factor.  A  family  holding  may  be  determined  briefly  act 
being  equivalent,  according  to  the  local  conditions  either 
to  a  plough  unit  or  to  a  work  unit  for  a  family  of 
average  size  working  with  such  assistance  as  is  customary 
in  agricultural  operations.  While  the  limit  which  may 
be  appropriate  has  to  be  determined  by  each  State  in 
the  light  of  its  own  circumstances,  broadly  speaking,  three 
times  the  family  holding  would  appear  to  be  a  '*fair 
limit."  The  Commission  has  made  s<iparate 
recommendations  regarding  land  holdings  by  substantial 
owners  and  small  and  middle  owners.  In  regard  to 
substantial  owners,  that  is,  those  who  own  large  areas  of 
land,  the  Commission's  suggestions  are  that  where  land 
belonging  to  a  substantial  owner  is  cultivated  by  tenants- 
at-wiD  the  general  policy  should  be  that  in  areas  in  excess 
of  this  limit  the  tenant  should  be  encouraged  to  become 
owners.  While  land  is  managed  directly  by  substantial 
owners,  two  broad  principles  should  be  followed :  (1) 
There  should  be  an  absolute  limit  to  the  amount  of  land 
which  any  individual  may  hold.  This  limit  should  be 
fixed  by  each  State  in  the  light  of  its  own  agrarian  his- 
tory and  present  problems.  The  census  of  land  hold- 
ings and)  cultivation  proposed  to  be  held  during  19S3 
will  furnish  data  relevant  to  this  decision.  (2)  The 
cultivation  and  management  of  land  held  by  any  indivi- 
dual owner  should  conform  to  standards  of  efficiency 
determined  by  law.  .  Each  State  should  enact  suitable 
land  management  legislation,  laying  down  standards  of 
Cultivation  and  management  and  imposing  specific  obliga- 
tions. 

T:bc      r/ght      to      resume      hnd      for      personal 


cultivation  should  be  given  only  to  those  owners  whc 
to  cultivate  either  themselves  or  through  memb 
their  families.  A  period  may  be  prescribed — ^five 
for  instance — during  which  an  owner  may  resun 
personal  cultivation.  Failing  this,  the  tenant  shonh 
the  right  to  buy  the  land  he  cultivates  on  terms  c 
to  those  suggested  foir  the  tenants  of  the  larger 
holders.  Tenants-at-will  should  ordinarily  hold  tea 
for  periods  varying  from  five  to  ten  years  and  ten 
should  be  renewable,  resumption  being  permitted  < 
the  owner  himself  wishes  to  cultivate.  In  fixing  tl 
of  land  the  main  consideration  is  that,  having  reg 
the  expenses  of  cultivation  and  other  risks  a  fair 
remains  for  the  cultivator.  Rents  have  been  a 
reduced  in  a  number  of  States  to  as  much  as  on* 
or  one-fourth  of  the  produce.  It  is  suggested  tha 
the  great  part  of  the  country  a  rate  of  rent  exc 
one-foiuth  or  one-fifth  of  the  produce  could  we 
regarded  as  requiring  special  justification. 

The  Plan  is  rather  medieval  in  outlook  in  so 
it  gives  emphasis  on  agricultural  development  ig 
industial  prosperity.     In  modem  times  the  enrichnc 
a  country  depends  on  its  industrial  posperity  and 
much    on  agricultural  prosperity.     Not  that  agricultu 
be  relegated  to  a  secondary  position,  but  what  is  re 
is    a    balance    development    between    agriculture 
industry.  The  Five-Year  Plan  has  left  the  responi 
for  the  industrial  development  of  the  country  aln 
the  private  capitalists.     India  is  overwhelmingly  ax 
cultural  country  with  seventy  per  cent  of  the  popi 
engaged  in  agriculture.     Milk  and  honey  is  no 
flowing  through  our  land«.       Instead,     hunger,, 
tion,  disease,  pestilence  and  famine  are  rmgning  si 
here  with  Malthuslan  equanimity.  Capital  is  prove 
shy  in  India  and  to  leave  the  charge  of  India's  ind 
development  to  the  private  sector  is  to     evade  th 
issue.     In    modem    times    too    much    dependent 
agriculture  iai  being  viewed  as  a  sign  of  poverty 
was  the  policy  of  our  erstwhile  Imperial  rulers 
down  India  to  an  agricultural  economy  so  that  sh 
ever  steep  in  poverty  and  disease  and  can  never  i 
a  first  class  political  power.    The  Flve-Year  Plan  is 
the  hallucination     that  agriculture     alone  would 
prosperity  to  India.     In  America  6  to  10  per  cent 
population  are  engaged  in  agriculture  and  70|80  pc 
are  engaged  in  industry.  It  is  just  the  opposite  in 
and  no  wonder  our     economy  is  the  reverse  of 
obtains  in  the  U.S.A.  Russia  is  so  great  today  only  b 
she  has  developed     her  industries     to  the  fullest  * 
Agricultural  predominance  is  a  pattern  of  colonial  ec 
and  the  Plan  indicates  that  the  British  heritage  stil 
in  our  economic  outlook. 

India  saves  only  4  to  5  per  cent  of  her  n^ 
income  and  it  is  a  bold  claim  that  she  would  si 
high  as  20  per  cent  of  her  national  income.  A  c 
where  per  capita  income  is  only  Rs.  245  a  year  wi 
it  difficult  to  mobilise  private  savings  to  the  t 
nearly  104  ctOTe%  ttonuallY  during  the   planned 


NOTES 


<^  five  years.  Government  with  their  manifold  resouicea 
ahoold  have  undertaken  to  create  hurger  national  savings, 
as  distinsQiahed  from  private  savings,  with  a  view  to 
pVwlg^^ng  the  same  to  new  capital  formation  in  the 
public  sector* 

India  at  present  produces  little  or  no  capital  gosds. 
The  measure  of  a  country's  industrial  prosperity  depends 
to  a  large  extent  on  its  abifity  to  produce  diverse  types 
of  piodncers'  goods.  The  Flan  makes  little  contemplation 
in  that  direction  and  India  shall  have  to  plod  the  weary 
and  dearer  path  of  producing  consumer  goods  only. 

The  river  valley  projects  are  a  bit  ahead  of  the  time 
and  the  spate  of  such  projectsL  has  for  the  time  being 
blocked  India's  resources  which  could  have  been 
eoQttomically  and  fruitfully  employed  for  the  development 
of  oa]MtaI  goods  industries.  The  Plan  does  not  state 
how  it  would  solve  the  problem  of  mobility  of  labour 
from  primary  sector  to  secondary  and  tertiary  sectors. 
India  today  stands  in  the  imperative  need  of  progressive 
withdrawal  of  agricultural  labour  for  greater  employment 
in  industrial  expansion.  To  tie  down  the  huge  man- 
power to  agricultural  occupation  following  primitive 
methods  as  were  followed  in  the  days  of  Manu  is  a 
colossal  wastage  of  national  resources.  Reorganisation  of 
man*power  securing  free  mobility  is  an  essential  pre- 
requisite for  any  planned  economy  and  to  this  aspect 
the  operation  of  the  Plan  should  not  keep  its  eyes  shut. 
Mechanised  farming  on  collective  or  co-operative  basis  oni 
cooaolidated  holdings  would  release  extra  labour  from 
land. 

Planned  economy  is  the  order  of  the  day  and  with' 
all  its  defects  we  should  however  view  that  it  is  a  happy 
augury  that  India  has  jumped  into  planning  in  her  mixed 
economy.  It  is  with  interest  the  progress  of  the  Plani 
win  be  watched  and  the  achievement  it  makes.  It  may 
however  be  pointed  out  that  some  of  the  targets  of 
production  are  too  modest  to  require  planning.  To  cite 
a  few  instances :  raw  jute  has  already  reached  a 
production  figure  of  46  lakh  bales  in  1951  and  the  target 
to  be  achieved  is  only  53.9  lakh  bales  by  1955-56.  In 
196CV51,  the  production  was  33  laldi  bales  and  in  a  year 
it  has  increased  by  13  lakh  bales.  The  production  of 
miU-made  cbth  was  3,718  million  yards  in'  1950-51  and 
the  production  target  to  be  achieved  by  1955-56  is  placed 
at  4,706  million  yards.  But  in  195)1,  the  production  of 
miU-made  cloth  stood  at  4,076.40  million  yards.  These 
indicate  that  in  some  respects  planning  is  either 
inadequate  or  superfluous. 

Opinions  on  THe  Five-Year  Plan 

Writing  in  the  Statesman  Prof.  C.  N.  Vakil  says 
about  the  Five-Year  Plan  that  it  does  not  stand  for 
a  given  ideology  and  formulates  lines  of  improvement 
in  keeping  with  what  is  practicable  in  the  given 
eondition&  Another  feature  of  the  Plan  is  that  already 
nearly  two  years  have  gone  out  of  the  five-year  period 
for  which  the  Plan  is  made.  The  Plan  is  what  Prof. 
Vakil  prefers  to  call  "a  plan  of  preparation  of  the 
future."  The  Plan  takes  mto  consideration  the  pressure 


of  ever-increasing  population  on  the  resources  of  the 
country.  If  after  five  years  there  is  no  appreciable 
improvement  in  the  standard  of  living  of  the  people, 
"it  is  nobody^  fault,  because  it  is  merely  a  reflection 
of  the  magnitude  of  the  problem  and  of  the  limitations 
of  our  resources." 

Investment  of  resources  is  an  essential  prerequisite 
of  any  planned  development.  He  wants  this  to  .be 
remembered  before  judging  the  relative  amounts 
allotted  for  different  objects.  In  an  agricultural  country 
like  India  where  the  majority  of  the  people  live  on  the 
margin  of  subsistence  only  a  comparatively  small 
number  of  people  can  save  anything.  This  limit  on  the 
availavility  of  the  resources  in  turn  restricts  the  scope 
of  the  development  schemes.  Prof.  Vakil  estimates 
that  considering  the  receipts  from  taxes  and  loans 
as  well  as  from  external  assistance  there  will  be  a  net 
deficit  of  Rs.  665  crores  out  of  which  Rs.  200  crores 
could  be  made  up  by  deficit  financing  without  difficulty. 
But  part  of  the  sterling  balances  are  sure  to  be  utilised 
for  the  import  of  capital  goods  and  to  this  extent  the 
inflationary  pressure  will  be  felt.  But  still  then  there 
will  remain  a  deficit  of  Rs.  365  crores  and  the  Plan  is 
silent  about  how  this  will  be  made  up.  Again,  receipts 
from  taxation  and  loans  also  may  fall  short  of  the 
estimates.  Foreign  aid  may  also  prove  illusory  ;  the 
estimates  for  expenditure  may  also  be  exceeded  in 
practice.  All  this  will  confront  us  with  a  situation  in 
which  still  more  doses  of  deficit  financing  will  have 
to  be  resorted  to. 

And  that  is  bound  to  lead  to  inflation  which 
imposes  an  uneven  burden  on  different  classes  of 
people  which  takes  the  form  of  a  rise  in  the  general 
price  level.  "The  only  way",  suggests  Prof.  Vakil,  "in 
which  the  effects  of  such  burden  can  be  minimized  is 
to  have  adequate  price  controls  and  a  system  of  equit- 
able  distribution  of  essential  commodities." 

Prof.  Vakil  emphasises  that  the  success  of  planning 
in  a  democratic  country  is  conditional  upon  the 
"voluntary  and  effective  co-operation  of  all  classes  of 
people"  inasmuch  as  unlike  totalitarian  rountries  it  is 
neither  possible  nor  desirable  "to  mobilize  the  neces- 
sary resources  and  services  by  regimentation  from  the 
top." 

He  recommends  the  creation  of  an  Economic 
Service  for  maintaining  "efficient  administrative  capa- 
city in  the  economic  sphere'*  and  deprecates  "the 
present  tendency  to  trust  the  civil  service  with  the 
control  and  management  of  complex  economic  pro- 
blems." 

Even  if  the  private  sector  fulfils  its  obligations, 
the  Plan  cannot  succeed  without  a  given  level  of 
administrative  efficiency  which  the  planners  seem  to 
take  for  granted. 

He  deplores  the  tendency  on  the  part  of  the 
Government  to  discourage  non-official  probes  and 
enquiries  and  urges  the  Government  to  gjive  up  thla 
attitude  and  \uV\\ft  Vn&^v^xA^xiX.  ^t«aKW^  ^^^^ws«»  «sA 


6 


THE  MODERN  REVIEW  FOR  JANUARY,  1953 


university  professors  to  look  into  the  work  of  the 
State  enterprises  and  offer  criticisms.  He  says  that  the 
present  tendency  of  '^frowning  upon  any  criticism  and 
aasuming  monopoly  of  knowledge  and  wisdom  on  the 
part  of  those  in  power  must  cease  in  the  interests  of 
our  infant  democracy."  The  Government  should  also 
arrange  to  publish  periodical  reports  on  the  working 
of  State  enterprises. 

in  his  opinion  the  planners'  assumptions  might  not 
prove  correct  as  regards  the  degree  of  reality  and 
consistency  in  their  estimates.  Because  "there  is  a 
limit  beyond  which  one  cannot  press  taxation  too  far. 
Several  of  the  tax  measures  suggested  by  the  Planning 
Commission  impinge  upon  the  standard  of  Uving  of  the 
low  income  groups."  As  a  possible  inducement  to  the 
poorer  sections  for  .contributing  more  Prof.  Vakil 
suggests  the  raising  of  the  rate  of  interest  on  small 
savings.*  The  Government  might  also  consider  the  issue 
of  lotteries  of  prize  bonds.  So  far  as  the  high  income 
groups  are  concerned,  it  is  his  view  that  "it  is  time 
that  the  Government  thought  of  increasing  the  volume 
of  borrowing  rather  than  depending  too  much  on 
taxes."  t 

Lastly,  "the  most  important  assumption  on  which 
the  whole  Plan  might  be  upset  is  in  regard  to  the 
price  level."  The  Planning  Commission's  assumption 
that  the  price  level  will  remain  steady  is  bound  to 
prove  wrong  on  account  of  the  inevitable  rise  in  prices 
consequent  on  the  relaxation  of  the  control  on  food- 
grains.  There  will  be  blackmarketing  and  hoarding 
leading  to  still  higher  prices.  Workers  will  demand 
higher  wages  and  the  whole  cost  complex  will  €Aiift 
upwards  and  the  whole  economy  will  be  affected  by  it. 
The  decision  of  the  Government  regarding  the  relaxa* 
tion  of  control  on  food-grains  has  been  motivated  by 
political  considerations  rather  than  by  economic  facts 
and  arguments.  Therefore,  the  ultimate  success  of  the 
Plan  'Vill  depend  upon  the  outcome  of  the  battle 
between  politics  and  economics,"  concludes  Prof.  Vakil. 

Considering  the  Five-Year  Plan,  Sri  Nalini  Ranjan 
Sarkar  writes  in  the  Statesman  that  if  it  is 
remembered  that  the  Centre  and  State  Governments, 
between  themselves,  are  spending  about  Rs.  1,000  crores 
every  year  taking  revenue  and  capital  accounts 
together,  the  total  estimated  cost  of  the  Plan  of 
Rs.  2,009  crores  need  not  ordinarily  appear  too  hi^. 
The  money  could  be  available  if  all  the  assumptions 
of  the  Commission  prove  correct.  There  should  be  no 
fear  of  the  Plan  engendering  an  inflationary  condition 
either.  But  unfortunately  the  budgetary  trends  at  the 
Centre  and  in  the  States  during  the  last  two  years 
show  fairly  heavy  deficits  and  do  not  corroborate  the 
Commission's  optimistic  calculations  about  revenue. 
The  total  deficit  on  revenue  account  of  Part  A  and 
Part  B  States  during  1951-63  will  be  about  Rs.  36 
crores.  Though  State  revenues  have  expanded,  normal 
non-developmental  expenditure  has  increased  even 
^aranp.  The  surplus  in  the  Central  Budget  at  the  end  of 


the  current  year  is  expected  to  be  only  Rs.  3.73  crores. 

The  Plan  envisages  that  the  Central  and  State 
Governments  and  the  Railways  should  spend  Rs.  250 
crores  every  year  for  development  purposes.  Assuming 
that  Rs.  160  crores  "could  be  provided  out  of  revexme 
and  capital  budgets  at  rates  of  taxation  and  standard 
of  effort  before  the  date  of  the  Plan,  a  further  sum  of 
Rs.  100  crores  would  be  necessary  out  of  increased 
taxes  or  loans  in  the  subsequent  years.  This  additional 
revenue  of  Rs.  100  crores  is  a  net  sum,  representing 
net  increases  in  receipts  under  public  loans,  small 
savings,  etc.,  assuming  no  further  increase  in  non- 
developmental  expenditure." 

He  shows  that  the  Central  and  State  Governments 
could  not  provide  out  of  current  revenue  the  total  sum 
allocated  for  1951-53  in  the  Plan  and  there  were 
deficits  and  "that  on  a  fairly  large  scale,  in  fact,  on  a 
larger  scale  than  the  Commission  had  assumed  in  their 
estimates."  A  deficit  of  Rs.  200  crores  during  this 
period  could  be  covered  only  by  drawing  on  cash 
balances  and  various  reserve  funds. 

The  writer  thus  reaches  the  conclusion  that  the 
revenue  possibilities  were  rather  overestimated  by  the 
Planning  Commission. 

Ganga  Barrage  at  Farakka 

Sri  Lai  Bahadur  Shastri,  India's  Minister  for  Railways 
and  Transport,  discbsed  in  a  recent  Frese  Conference 
in  New  Delhi  ,that  the  Expert  Committee,  which  was 
reviewing  the  progress  of  experiments  on  the  Hooghly 
river  models  at  Poona  in  regard  to  its  dredging  problems 
and  improvement  of  the  regime  of  the  river,  had  recom- 
mended the  immediate  construction  of  the  Ganga  barrage 
scheme.  However,  he  added,  the  scheme  had  not  beei^ 
included  in  the  Five-year  Plan. 

Anxieties  have  repeatedly  been  expressed  for  the 
last  hundred  years  regarding  the  future  of  the  Calcutta 
Port  following  the  diminishing  head-water  supply  in  the 
HoofiMr*  Researches  were  being  made  on  two  models 
of  the  river  at  the  Central  Water  and  Power  Commis- 
sion's research  station  at  Poona.  The  Expert  Committee 
was  appointed  in  July,  1952  under  the  Chairmanshop  of 
Sardar  Man  Singh  to  review  the  work  done  and  suggest 
measures  for  the  improvement  of  the  regime  of  the 
Hooghly,  particularly  within  the  limits  of  the  Cakntta 
Port.  The  Commission  was  also  to  report  on  the  efiFect 
of  the  Damodar  Valley  F^ject  on  thei  water-supply  in 
the  Hoog}i]y. 

The  weekly  West  Bengal  reports  that  "Sri  Shastri 
said  that  the  Committee  had  come  to  the  conclusion  that 
the  Ganga  barrage  scheme  was  the  only  scheme  which 
would  ensure  permanent  head-water  supplies  required 
for  the  conservation  of  the  river  in  an  efficient  condition. 
If  the  scheme  was  implemented,  losses  from  other  sources 
could  also  be  compensated."  In  the  opinion  of  the 
Committee  the  effect  of  the  Damodar  Valley  Project 
would  definitely  be  to  reduce  the  inflow  from  the 
Damodar  Va&ey  into  the  river  Hooghly,  but  no  material 
change  was  likely  lo  lake  place  in  the  region. 


NOTES 


Tlie  dying  and  dead  rivers  of  soutluwest  Bengal 
Junro  been  a  matter  of  deep  concern  in  West  Bengal  for 
a  long  time.  In  fact,  moat  of  the  woes  of  thb  portion 
of  Benpd  are  attributable  to  this  cause.  The  gradual 
rfkiBg  of  lifer  ehannela  has  been  responsible  for  lack 
ol  inigatioa  and  flushing,  for  malaria  and  ill-health.  £or 
dBoBiie  in  food  production*  lor  water-logging,  for  diffi- 
indlies  for  the  CalcutU  Port  and  aoi  on.  The  problem 
of  resuscitating  these  rivers  has,  therefore,  been  steadily 
■turning  greater  urgency.  Partition  accentuated  the 
diflficiillies  specially  in  the  matter  of  inland  river 
navigation. 

Gmaideiing  all  these  i^estions,  the  West  Bengal 
Goveminent  requested  the  Central  Government  in  1948 
to  investigate  the  possibility  of  a  Barrage  across  the 
Gaga.    ]U  was  /fek  that  the  Ganga  Barrage  will^ 

(1)  supply  water  to  resusciate  the  moribund  rivers 
in  Weal  Bengal  and  also  improve  the  Sunderbans  rivers ; 

(2)  ptovido  for  irrigation  and  flushing  on  a  vast 
teafe; 

(3)  improve  the  Calcutta  Port ; 

(4)  provide  a  direct  railway  and  road  link  between 
the  aorthem  and  sonthem  parts  of  the  State ; 

(5)  provide  an  inland  water  route  entirely  through 
the  Indian  Union  starting  from  Calcutta  and  going  up 
to  Bihar  and  UP.  and  ultimately  to  Assam  ;   and 

(6)  improve  the  basio  economy  of  the  State  by 
increasing  food  production,  providing  better  transport 
fidlitiw^  efficient  maintenance  of  the  Calcutta  Port, 
raising  die  standard  of  public  health  and  sanitation  in 
the  floath-weateni  regions  and  so  on. 

The  Central  Transport  Board  accordingly  ordered 
investigations  in  1948  and  the  cost  (28  lakhs)  was  shared 
on  a  50:50  basis  by  the  Central  Government  and  the 
Govemment  of  West  Bengal 

Investigations  went  on  for  four  years  by  the  Central 
Water  and  Power  Commission!  and  the  main  results  are 
u  foBows: 

(I)  Tlie  Barrage  across  the  Ganga  is  a  technically 
ieasible  project. 

UO  Two  alternative  sites  were  investigated  intp. 
h  W9M  found  that  the  balance  of  favour  lies  vrith  Farakka 
as  against  R^jmahaL  The  length  of  the  Barrage  would 
be  abont  13^000  feet  at  Rajmahal,  practically  double  the 
length  of  what  it  would  be  af|  Farakka.  Secondly,  aH 
Rajmahal  there  is  a  loop  of  the  river  which  may  change 
its  course  and  cut  across  this  loop.  Thirdly,  the  length 
<rf  the  canal  connecting  the  Ganga  and  the  Bhagirathi  will 
be  17  miles  shorter  at  Farakka.  Fourthly,  it  will  not  be 
nsee^ary  to  cross  the  Gumani  river  if  the  canal  taketf 
off  all  Faxikkia.  Lastly,  there  are  also  some  otheit 
technical  reasons  which  go  in  favour  of  Farakka,  and  the 
coat  of  oonstmction  at  Farakka  will  be  Rs.  7j6  crore  lesA 
thaiT  what  it  wiU  be  if  the  ;  Barrage  is  constructed  at 
KajmahaL 

The  yiwni»ilia»A  programme  is  to  construct  a  Barrage 
aoQw  the  Gonfa  at  Farakka  and  to  take  down  the 
required  goantiitf  of  waier  by  a  canal  connecting  the 


Bhagirathi  at  a  point  near  Jangipur.  There  will  also 
jbe  al  small  second  Barrage  (about  400  feet  long)  at 
Jangipur  for  controlling  and  regulating  the  water  and 
epQcluding  a  large  portion  of  the  silt  carried  down  from 
the  Ganga. 

The  following  benefits  will  accrue  from  this  part  of 
the  project  alone: 

(a)  The  Bhagirathi  will  be  resuscitated. 

(b)  A,  perennial. depth  of  a  mininuim  of  9  feet  will 
be  maintained  in  the  Bhagirathi  thus  enabling  steamers 
and  barges  to  use  this  as  a  water  route  for  North  Bengal, 
Bihar  and  UP.  all  through  the  year. 

(c)  It  will  provide  direct  road  and  rail  communica* 
tioa  between  the  north  and  south  Bengal  which  is 
necessary  not  only  for  ordinary  administrative  purposes 
but  also  for  Defence  and  emergency  purposes. 

(d)  It  win  irrigate  in  the  first  stage  one  milBon 
acres  of  land. 

(e)  It  will  improve  the  Calcutta  Port  by  pushing 
back  silt  and  improving  the  channeL 

(/)  It  will  reduce  the  salinity?  of  the  water  in  the 
Calcutta  area  which  has  become  a  probl^n  ior  the 
Calcutta  Corporation. 

(g)  It  will  improve  the  health  and  economic  condi- 
ditions  of  the  area. 

The  cost  of  this  scheme  is  expected  to  be  about 
Rs.  36.6  crore,  out  of  which  the  cost  involved  on  exclu- 
sive rail  and  road  items  is  Rs.  33  crores. 

Finanqjal  forecasts  prepared  for  this  projects  show 
that  the  returns  will  be  of  the  order  of  4.92  per  cent, 
even  if  a  constfvative  tonnage  of  Rs.  5  per  ton  is  levied  otk 
a  length  of  247  miles.  The  project  is  thus  a  sound  one 
•even  financially.  In  the  next  stage,  it  it  proposed  to 
cut  across  channels  from  the  Bhagirathi  to  the  Jalangi, 
the  Mathabhanga  and  the  water-courses  of  the  24- 
Parganas  which  will  lead  to  greater  irrigation  and 
flushing  facilities  and  improve  the  entire  river  system  of 
the  region  and  thus  contribute  to  a  permanent  solutioiv 
of  the  chronic  disabilities  afflicting  the  Sunderbans. 

This  will  lead  to  rastly  increased  food  production 
and  will  not  only  improve  the  efficiency  of  the  Calcutta) 
Port  but  will  also  result  in  the  development  of  the  whole 
of  West  Bengal  with  direct]  beneHt  to  the  contiguousi 
States  of  Bihar  and  Assam  and  even  Uttar  Pradesh. 

That  the  importance  of  this  scheme  regarding  inlandj 
navigation  and  transport  and  the  resuscitation  of  the  Port 
of  Calcutta  cannot  be  over-emphasised  is  proved  by  the 
f oUovring  reports : 

Problems  relating  to  navigation  in  the  Brahmaputra 
and  the  Ganga,  with  particular  reference  to  headwater 
supply  to  the  Hoogly  and  Calcutta  Port,  were  considered 
at  a  meeting  of  the  Ganga-Brahmaputra  Water  Transport 
Board  held  in  New  Delhi,  Mr.  S.  jChakrararti,  Joint 
Secretary  to  the  Ministry  of  Transp<»t,  presided. 

The  Board  is  said  to  have  considered  the  Man  Singh 
Committee's     leij^n  qh    V)bn    YLoo^  ^^»«  vsb^    "^q*^ 
improvemenl  oi  its  YiieaAireXet  itav^* 


8 


THE  MODERN  REVIEW  FOR  JANUARY,  ld53 


The  committee  is  understood  to  have  reoommended 
that  the  Ganga  barrage,  which  was  the  only  measure  to 
ensure  perennial  headwater  supplies  to  the  Hooghly, 
was  also  necessary  to  maintain  the  river  iq|  an  efficient 
condition.  The  effects  of  the  D.V.C.  would  result  defi- 
nitely in  reducing  the  inflow  from^  that  valley  into  the 
river. 

The  Ganga-Brahmaputra  Board,  at  itsi  meeting, 
is  said  to  have  approved  an  experimental  scheme  of 
towing  country  craft  with  motor  launches  between  Buxar 
and  Patna  at  an  estimated  cost  of  Rs.   45,000. 

The  Board  also  considered  the  report  of  a  Dutch, 
expert  on  inland!  navigation,  Mr.  J.  J.  Surie,  who  had 
been  deputed  by  the  U.N.  to  have  aa  on-the-spot  study 
of  the  Ganga-Brahmaputra  river  schemes.  He  is  reported, 
to  have  maintained  that  it  was  technically  possible  to  use 
shallow  draft  tugs  for  towing  barges  inland  in  these 
rivers  to  a  considerable  distance. 

Mr.  Surie  has  taken  pains  in  his  practical  method  of 
surveying  as  the  following  report  and  cautious  statement 
show : 

"On  the  10th  November  Mr.  Johannes  J.  Surie, 
United  Nations  expert  for  inland  water  transport, 
who  is  studying  the  practicability  of  introducing  river 
transport  on  the  Ganga  between  Allahabad  and 
Buxar  went  downstream  in  a  bo&t,  to  see  for  himself 
the  river  conditions  near  Banaras. 

"Mr.  Surie  has  visited  Buxar,  Allahabad,  Mirazpur 
and  Ghazipur  and  during  the  course  of  his  study  of 
the  Ganga  he  will  also  go  up  the  Ghagra  and  the 
Brahmaputra.  River  transport  on  the  Ganga  by 
country  barges  flourished  till  about  100  years  ago, 
when  it  gave  way  in  the  face  of  keen  competition 
from  mechanised  transport  especially  the  railways. 
Asked  whether  mechanised  river  transport  could 
stand  the  competition  with  the  railway,  Mr.  Surie 
said  it  was  difficult  for  him  to  express  any  opinion  on 
the  subject  till  his  study  was  complete.  He  said  as 
the  strength  of  a  chain  is  determined  by  its  weakest 
link,  so  is  the  navigability  of  a  river  decided  by  the 
difficult  spots  on  its  course.  These  determine  the  type 
of  vessels  that  can  be  used." 

We  would  point  out  in  this  context  that  the 
E.  Indian  Railway  line  was  built  with  material  trans- 
ported on  the  Ganges  and  the  Jumna.  The  jetty  for 
unloading  very  heavy  bridge  girders,  etc.,  was  in  exis- 
tence— ^and  perhaps  still  is — in  1923,  at  a  up  river 
point  on  the  Jumna  just  beyond  the  railway  bridge  at 
Allahabad. 

The  importance  of  the  Port  of  Calcutta  to  India 
can  he  gauged  from  the  Report  of  the  Sea  and  Foreign 
AjrbfHiie  Tarde  of  West  Bengal  for  1951-52  where  it  is 
staled  duit  ^'the  shares  of  the  Port  of  Calcutta  in  the 
kopbtts  and  exports  of  India  were  about  25%  and  61% 
respectirefy  and  abowed  a  surplus  balance  of  about 
-«st  av  crores,  aJthougb  the  aU-India  totals  of  trade  in 


1951-52  shewed  an  unftavourable  balance  of  Rs.  154 
crores." 

**The  total  foreign  trade  of  West  Bengal  advanced 
from  Rs.  402.29  crores  in  1950-51  to  Rs.  660.95  crere^ 
In  1951-52.  i.e.  an  increase  of  64%  over  the  correspond- 
ing figures  ef  1950-51.  There  was  maiked  improvement 
both  in  imports  and  exports,  the  (former  rising  from 
136.43  crores  to  Rs.  224.76  crores  and  the  latter  from 
Rs.  265.86  crores  to  Rs.  436.19  crores. 

''Of  the  total  exports,  jute  manufactures  headed 
the  list  and  ccmstituted  62%   of  the  trade  followed  by 

tea    (18%) The  principal  recipients  of  our  exports 

were  the  United  Kingdom  with  her  share  at  abont  27%, 
the  United  Sutea   (19%),  Australia   (8%)...." 

'"Grain  pulse  and  flour'  constituting  33%  was  the 
major  item  under  imports.  The  next  in  importanoe  was 
machinery  and  mill  work  (14%).  Metals  and  ores  and 
oils  (mostly  mineral)  with  10%  eachf  were  the  other 
chief  items  followed  by  chemicals  and  instruments  (3%) 
....The  leading  supplier  was  the  United  States  oi 
America  sharing  33%  of  our  imports  and  the  second 
biggest  suppher  was  the  United  Kingdom  with  23%, 
AustraUa  (5%),  Iraiv,  Singapore.  Canada  and  Burma 
(4%  each) " 

'The  total  coasting  trade  rose  from  Rs.  58  crores 
in  1950^1  to  Rs.  77  crores  in  1951-52  of  which  importo 
amounted  to  Rs.  39  crores  and  exports,  to  Rs.  38  crores. 
Madras  predominated  with  her  share  of  52%  while 
Bombay  occupied  the  next  place  with  25%  of  the  total 
coasting  trade."  ^ 

*'The  total  number  of  aircraft  which  arrived  at  and 
left  from  Dum  Dum      Airport  increased  from  6^62  in 

1950-51   to  6,814  in      1951-52 Thei  total     imports  of 

merchandise  suffered  a  decline  from  Rs.  115  lakhs  is 
1950^1  to  Rs.  96  lakhs  in  1951-52  and  Re-exporU  from 
Rs.  19  lakhs  to  Rs.  17  lakhs.  Exports,  however,  rose 
from  Rs.  46  kkhs  to  Rs.   121  kkhs  in  1951-52.'' 

Industrial  Revolution  in  Reverse 

Mr.  Wilfred  Wellock  is  one  of  our  oldest  oontnbn- 
tors.  Under  the  above  caption  he  writes  in  the  Htriit» 
of  December  13  that  the  present  world  is  passing  tfarooi^ 
a  major  crisis.  "Superficially  the  crisis  ia  eeoponiio 
and  political,  but  its  roots  are  spiritual,"  says  he.  /^Ov 
ideological  conflicts,''  continues  Mr.  Wellock,  *%nre 
siHnmg  from  the  economic  conflicts  born  of  capitalist 
industrialism,  which  arose  and  flourished  in  a  pciiod 
when  culture  and  religion  were  in  decline,  whence  far 
nearly  two  centuries  a  tidal  wave  of  materialitB  Imi^ 
swept  acro^  the  Western  world." 

The  Industrial  Revolution  created  madiinea  mA 
thereby  ''revolutionized  much  more  than  industry,  indeed 
our  entire  civiUzation, — ^personal  and  social  life,  aH^oaf 
valuations,  our  principles,  faiths  and  hopes,  oar  outlook 
and  way  of  hfe."  With  the  rise  in  importance  and  power 
of  machine  "the  importance  and  value  of  nen  dflefiMd: 
The  ancient  Yi^^  ixaxl  became  the  modoQi 


NOTES 


9 


16  intematioiial  field  the  benefits  of  the 
Rerohition  were  monopolised  by  eome  half  a 
It  European  powers  and  the  United  States. 
*jed  her  way  among  them  at  the  close  of  the 

centory.      These     countries     'forced     their 
ade  goods  upon  country  after  country,  thereby 
numerous  home  and      vUlage  industries  and 
the  balanjce  of  their  national  economy  ;  there- 
pinned  them  down  to  primary  production,  and 
Qe  the  Imperial  Powers  of  the  modem  world." 
monopolist    imperial  powers  ''sold   dear  and 
eap,  while  their  victims  ivere  doomed  to  buy 
sell  cheap."  The  Second  World  War  reversed 
m.      The  *'once  mighty  Colonial  Fowers  are 
m     bankruptcy     and     becoming     increasingly 
on  American  dollars.    The  necessities  of  Hotal' 
ided  that  all  those  who  took  part  in  it  should 
aid  of  every  country  willing  to  render  it,  evei^ 
t  supplying  them  with  machinery  ia  order  that 
t  do  so.     As  a  result,  nearly  all  the  pre-war^ 
reducing  countries  are  now  on  the  industrial 
doing  their  utmost. to  achieve  s  weU-balanoed 
trial  economy  and  their  financial  and  economid 
ice.      Thus  have  the  tables  turned  and  one 
the  Industrial  Revolution  been  put  in  reverse." 
world  economy      created  by  the      Industrial 
L  has  been  passing  through  a  crisis  since  1914i. 
intervention  of  two  world  wars  and  the  present 
have  prevented  its  complete  collapse.     Apart 

problem  of  the  market  tot  the  increaring 
products,  a  new  problem  has  arisen,  that  of  a 
ining  world  shortage  of  food  and  raw  materials, 
to  the  writer,  •'This  new  problem  has  four 
auses:  a  new  high  rate  di  world  population 
;  the  industrialisation  of  the  primary  produc- 
rxes  ;  the  enormous  demands  of  highly  mecha- 
trfare  in  the  era  of  pennanent  war,  hot 
and  a  world-wide  movement  for  maximum 
iving  standards." 

^ear,  Middle  and  Far  East  are  in  a  revolution- 
Se.  "A  bitter  conflict  looms  ahead  between  the 
nds  of  an  impoverished  East  lor  a  substantial 
ring  standards,  and  the  irrational  demands  of 
West  for  soaring  standards  of  material  living, 
hol^  Gospel  reaches  its  maximum  intensity  in 
whose  demands  upon  the  earth's  resources  are 
scorning  a  world  problem.*' 
-reachinc^     change  in    the  terms     of  trade  la 

FVom  now  oq  the  advantages  of  trade  wil] 

the  industrial  to  the  agricultural     producers. 

I  and  raw  materials  are  in  short  supply.     'It 

le  turn  of  the  primary  producers  to  sell  dear 

cheap,"  concludes  the  author. 

State 

Lll-India  Conference  was  held     in     Amraoti 
!  chairmanship  ol  the    Independent  Member 


of  Fariiament,  Dr.  Lanka  Sundaram.  Prior  to  that, 
in  the  South,  the  movement  was  gaining  strength  and 
in  the  midst  of  such  a  situation  on  October  19,  Sri 
Potti  Sriramulu  a  veteran  Congressman  resorted  to 
fast  tmto  death  on  t^e  issue  of  the  formation  of  the 
Andhra  State. 

llie  struggle  for  an  Andhra  State  had  reached  its 
climax  with  the  death  of  Potti  Sriramulu.  The  Govern- 
ment of  India  have  specifically  agreed  to  the  formation 
of  a  separate  Andhra  State  and  have  appointed  a 
commission  under  Justice  Wanchoo  to  report  on  the 
matter  by  the  end  of  Jantiary,  this  year. 

On  December  3,  Pandit  Nehru  told  the  Council 
of  States  that  Government  of  India  was  willing  to 
take  immediate  steps  for  the  formation  of  a  separate 
Andhra  State.  But  the  State  would  be  constituted  only 
with  the  Telugu-speaking  areas  of  the  present  Madras 
State  and  the  City  of  Madras  would  in  no  case  ^ 
included  in  the  new  State.  He  emphasised  Uiis  condi- 
tion and  wanted  an  assurance  from  the  sponsors  of  the 
movement  that  there  would  be  no  more  agitation  on 
this  issue.  He  also  revealed  that  the  Government  was 
ready  to  appoint  a  committee  for  the  formation  of  axi 
Andhra  State.  Similar  sentiments  were  expressed  by 
the  Chief  Minister  of  Madras,  Sri  Rajagopalacharia. 

The  matter  rested  there  until  the  death  of  Sri- 
ramulu on  December  15  after  58  days'  fasting.  There 
were  wide-spread  disturbances  in  Vijayawada,  Nellore 
and  several  other  places. 

In  a  statement  before  the  House  of  tiie  People  on 
the  same  day  Pandit  Nehru  regretted  the  "ultimate 
consummation  in  death  of  the  fast  undertaken  by 
Sriramulu,"  and  said  that  the  Government  of  India 
was  ^'earnest  and  serious"  about  the  formation  of  the 
Andhra  State  and  would  proceed  on  as  recommended 
by  the  J  V  P  ( Jawaharlal,  Vallabhbhai,  Pattavi)  report. 
He  said  that  ''the  most  essential  feature  of  that  report 
is  that  an  Andhra  State  should  be  constituted  and  steps 
should  be  taken  to  constitute  an  Andhra  State  in 
regard  to  the  unchallenged  and  uncontested  Telugu 
areas  of  Madras  State,  it  being  dearly  understood  that 
the  City  of  Madras  is  not  included  in  this.  If  we  leave 
a  matter  of  acute  controversy  out  even  in  the  begin- 
ning then  we  cannot  go  far  wrong  in  the  settlement  of 
the  question.  Some  other  suggestions  have  also  been 
made  vaguely  about  Madras  City  being  separated 
entirely  from  either  major  State  and  constituted  into 
a  separate  small  State  to  be  called  a  Chief  Commis- 
sioner's State." 

On  December  19,  the  Prime  Minister  announcing 
the  Government's  decision  to  establish  an  Andhra  State 
said  : 

*1n  furtherance  of    the     statement  the  Prime 
Minister  made  in  the  Council  of  States  on  Decem- 
ber 9,  1952,  and  in  termrof  that  statement,  the 
Government  of  India  have  deeldftd  \ft  ^^s&J^^  «^ 
Andhra  State  cwisv«^\iyR    ol    >(Jdl^   '\'^^-''?'?^*^. 
areas  of  the  pieaeiiV.  lAtitoiJR  «<»i\fe>\svsX  v^X.  \Sis2sss^ 


rlO 


THE  MODERN  RBVJPWFOR  JANUARY,  1963 


ing  the  City  of  Madras,  ftnd  intend  to  take  early 
steps  to  this  end  in  accordance  with  Article  3  of  the 
Constitution. 

! '*The  Government  are  appointing  Mr.  Justice 
K,  N.  Wanchoo,  Chief  Justice  of  the  Rajasthan 
High  Court;  to  coufider  and  report  on  -the  financial 
and  other  implications  of  this  decision,  and  the 
questions  to  be  considered  in  implementing  it. 

**Mr.  Justice  Wanchoo  will  report  by  the  end 
of  January  1053.  On  receipt  of  this  report,  the 
Government  will  take  other  necessary  steps.  They 
,  are  anxious  to  avoid  all  possible  delay  in  esta- 
blishing the  new  State.  They  hope  that  the  esta- 
'  bllBhment:of  this  State  will  i>e  brought  about  with 
the  friendly  co-operation  of  all  the  people  con- 
cemedj'  . 

The  terms  of  reference  of  Mr.  Wanchoo,  according 
to  Dr.  Katju,  would  include  questions  relating  to  the 
appointment  of  a  Governor,  establishment  of  a  High 
Court,  buildings,  hou^s,  hospitals,  universities  and 
other  public  institutoins.    . 

'  In  Madras  Sri  BajagopaUdiari  assured  aU  co- 
-operation to  further  the  Prime  Minister's  decision. 

And  thus,  with  a  tragic  interlude,  the  drama  goes 
on  to  itfli  euhnination.  But  it  seems  that  neither  Pandit 
tiehm  nor  the  blind  and  selfish  protagonists  of  *^e 
hold  what  we  have"  policy  in  the  Congress  have  learnt 
their  lessons.  Indeed  what  more  could  be  eiqpected 
when  the  rag<?tag  and  bobtail  of  the  Congress-thatrwas, 
havfr  assunjed  control.  And  thu^  we  liave  the  following 
news  from  Delhi  on  December  28  : 

When  the  Congress  Working  Committee  meets  here 
on  Xue8<Jay,  it. will  h^ve  cjiusei  to  discuss  not  only  the 
concessiorf  tb  Aiiihra  but  the  sequel  to  it  now  that  many 
otficr  regional  are  reviving  their,  dormant  sentiment  for 
sc;|)arate  linguistic  States; 

The  complex  problem  of  Imgnistic  provinces  is 
Jikely  to  fealare  prominently  at  the  meeting  of  the  Work- 
feg-  Committee,  as  weH  as  at  the  Hyderabad  session 
of  the  Gjngress.  The  main  pmrpose  of  the  Working 
Committee  meeting  is  to  draft  resolutions  for  the  Con- 
gress session. 

How  to  resist  fresh  demands  for  separate  States  after 
the  Central  relaxation  in  favour  of  Andhra  now  occupied 
Congress  leaders'  minds  more  than  any  other  question. 
Fear  of  its  possible  centrifugal  effect  on  the  young  fede- 
ration is  often  expressed. 

There  is  kinship  betvreen  these  fears  and  those  of 
the  Dhar  Committee  report  which  states  :  '^f  in  a 
linguistic  province,   the   majority  language  group  eome^ 

to  regard     the     territory     of     the     entire     province  as 

•  •  -    .   .  . 

exclusively  its  own,  the  time  cannot-  be  far  distant  wnefl 
it  will  come  to  regard  the  minority  living  in  thai 
province  and  people  living  -outside  it  aa  not  their  own. 
An4  once  that  stage  is  reached,  it  will  only  be  a 
question  of  time  for  that  sub-nation  to  consider  'itoelf 
a  full  nation;.'' 

Discussions  are  likely   to  arise  from      apprehension 
that  -recognition  of  linguistic  groups  may  pave  the  way 
Axr  other  group  govemnHmeBta  on  racial,     geographical, 
caAajBuna/  and  casie  bama. 


I  A^refeX^enoe^  te  the  questlion  of  redistribution  of 
West  Bengara  boundarieii  with  Bihar  was  madcf.bgr  tbe 
PreadeAt^  speaking  at  a  civic  recepftion  given  him  by 
the  Caksutta  Corporation  on  27th  Decemb^. 

Dr.  Prasad  said  that  readjustment  of  boandaneB 
wtia  a  poli<dcal  question  which  should  be  seitkM} 
through  mutual  consultations.  He  advised  people 
agaitistr  mixing  up  the  qutetaon  with  ihie  pvoblem  <rf 
teeetitlemeiit  of  dis|>laced  pera<^. 

'.  He  suggested  that  the  two  questions— rehabilita^ 
tlon  of  displaced  persons  and  redistjribulion  of  State 
boQndarie8-4)6  kept  apart  and  treiated  sepaittieljff. 
Mixing  them  tip  would  not  serve  any  useful  purpose. 

It  had'  be6k&  suggested  in  some  quarters  thai,  unto 
a  portion  of  Bihar  was  merged  in  West  Bengal,  the 
problem  of  resettlement  of  refugees  from  East  Faki? 
ttaa  would  never  be  solved.  Linking  up -of  ^faese  t«« 
issues.  Dr.  Prasad  thought,  would,  on  the  other  hand, 
impede  the  work  of  rehabilitation. 

Rajendra' Babu  wa$  right.  -He'was'Tig^'t  iki:poiintiBS 
but  that  this  plea  of  rehabilitation  will  not  wadi;. 
Indeed  this  plea  was  bom  of  the  asinine  'fh&&amak  of 
those  who  oontrol  the  West  Bengal  State  that  the'tena 
Bengidi  means  the  inhabitants  of  '  Calcutta '  and  East 
Bengal.  This  matter  of  readjustment  of  boundaries 
should  have  been  claimed  as  a  matter  of  bijrth-right. 

India  Rejects  Anglo-US^  Resolution 

,.  The  Security  Council  as  was  quite  expected,  ap« 
proved  on  December  23,  ld52,  the  Anglo-UjS.  resolution 
on  Kashmir  which  was  introduced  on  November  6  by 
Sir  Gladwin  Jebb,  the  British  delegate.  India  had 
earlier  indicated  her  disapproval  of  the  resolution  but 
Pakistan  announced  on  December  16  its  willingness  to 
accept  it.  .  •■   I 

The  resolution  urged  the  Governments  of  India 
and  Pakistan  to  enter  into  immediaite  negotiaUona 
under  .the  aucfpices  of  Dr.  Graham,  U.  N.  representative 
iu  Eaedimir,  in  order  to  reach  an  agreemeoet  'en  the 
specific  number  of  forces  to  remain  on  each  side  of  the 
Qea3e-fire  line  at  the  end  of  the  priod  of  demilitari- 
ijation.  This  number  would  be  between  3,000  and  6/100 
armed  forces  remaining  on  the  Pakistan  aido  ol  the 
cease-fire  line  and  between  12,000  and  ISfM '  armed 
forcea  remaining  on  the  Indian  side  ol  the  cease-fire 
line. 

The  resolution  recorded  the  Council's  gratitude  to 
Dr.  Graham's  efforts  towards  achieving  -a  settlement  of 
tijte  iive-year-old  dilute  and  requested  him  to  continue 
to  make  his -services  Available  tof  the  Governments  of 
India  ^md  Pakistan.  Under  the  terma  of  the  te^olution 
Qrifli^DaUy  proposed  by  Britain  and  '  the  U.&.A.  the 
talks  were  to  be  held  in  U.  N.  headquarters  in 
New  York.  This  was  changed  at  the  suggestion  of  the 
Netherlands  representative  and  the  -UJB.A.  dgreed^ 
that  the  site  of  any  renewed  talks  might  be  Geneva. 

.The  vote  was  taken  at  the  end  of  a  day-long 
debate.  Dunng  Vt,  "M..  Tiotm,  o\  ^>assfta.,  ^^xSK^,  the 


TSCfSHSB 


■/  '.'!!•/ 


11 


uid  Sritain  with  delaying  %  solution  of  the 
qnedUoa  ai^d  seeking  to'  tum  :the :  disputed 
I  a  'military  springboard'  by  having  neutral 
;it  there. 

TQBOlution  a9  it  stood  was  approved  by  the 
Oouneil  by  nine  votes  to  nope,  with  one 
a. : (Russia). 

Pandit/  leader  of  the  Indian  delegation,  told 
i«il  that  India  would  not  enter  into  any  ialM 
iatan  on  the  basis  of  the  resolution, 
lealt  al  length  with  the  history  o£  iibe  qu^tioti 
fing  some  'more  basic  points'  raised  by  Sit 
Khan,  Pakistaoi  Foreign  Minitser,  at  the 
last  meeting. 

BaidSifZalmlla  had  sbui;ht  ISd  penSuade  the 
iiat  the  'invasion'  of  Jammu  and  Kashmir  by 
i  and'  Pakistani  nationals  wa^  a.  i^nCaneous 
tVok  against  the  Maharaja's  government  by 
a -had  the  right- to  feri  concerned;"^  •  -''^h 
Piandit  said  it  was  even  suggested  that  the 
10  by  Vay  of  protest  against  tfie  MalinrBJa^ 
U>  accede  ta  Ikulial  " 

qtie^on  of  validity  of  the  accession  of 
to  Ilidia  had  also  been  raised  iiials,  gaiA  Mrs; 
Ihe  said  legal  requisites  of  the  accession  as 
i  law  had  been  fully  completed  and  tMil  ih» 
-General,  Lord  Mountbatten,  had  accepted 
he  Govemor-Genend  had  espretted  the  wk^. 
ioon  as  law  and  order  had  been  restored,  the 
of  the  accession  be  settled  by  axelerenoe  to. 
le.-  '■   ■■    i-  '  \ 

soil  of  Kashmir  has  unfortunately  not  yet 
jred  of  the  invader  and  subversive  forces  and 
/continue  to  function  in  the  territory  occupied 
/  Mrs.  Pandit  said.  This  id  the  real  reason 
refereiice  to  t^e  people  of  Kashmir  was  being 

JIadwyn  Jebb,  Britain,  said  he  did  not  need 
^sise  *the  great  importance  which  the  British 
ent  attached  to  a  settlement  of  the  question.' 
old  be  few  better,  beginnings  fpr  1953.  than  an. 
t  between  the  .two  Governments  on  the 
8  which  had  .so  far  prevented  demilitarisation. 
I^olding.  of  the  plebiscite.  Sir  Gladwyn  adced 
t  .i^ould  help  tQwards  a  solution ''to  iun^  aside 
r^  to  bring  about  a  plebiscite  in  order  to  sift 
^te  facts  and  apportion  responsibility  for  the 
ading  up  to  the     outbreak,    of    fighting  in 

U.  K.  .Government  believe  that  it  would  not, . 
this  reason  hope  most  earnestly  that  the 
kud  the  parties  will  focus  ibeir  efforts*  on.  g^v- 
.to.iheir  agreement,  set  out  in  some  detail  in 
'esolutions  of  the  XJ.  N.  CSommisdion,*  to  allow 
le  of  Kashmir  to  decide  the  future  accession 
ite  thioai^  a  U.  N.  plebiscite.' 
U.  8.  representatirf^^  Mr.  John  C.  Robb,  said 
^esimble,  uonecess&ry  and  imcoifatructive'  to 


go  ,'baok  iBito  the  history  of  rthe  Kaibmlr  eas^  and  x^ 
examined  the  basis  of  the  U.  N.  Coaunissiwi  sesoia- 
tfcens*?  ,..;•■•■.  J.-  '/'■■ 

'To  my  Government/  he  said,  -Uie  important 
political  fact  for  us  is  that  .the  parties  have  agreed 
that,  the  aceesaion  of  Kashmir  will  be  decided  through 
a  free  and  impartial  plebiscite  conducted  undisc  the 
ausptceaof  the  U.  N.  That  is  the  agreement  and  the 
pmioipki  which  we  ak«  attempting  to  help  the  parties 
to  turn  into  a  reality.  In  the  bpiniba.ofcKiyfG^vttm- 
ment,  the  draft  resolution  i  before  the  Seeuritgr  Council 
reste  fourTsqusM  Oft  this  agreement  embodied  in  those 
reaoihfttioui'.'^  :     »    f. 

While  accepting  the  resolution,  Sir  Zafftmlla  Khan 
waited  the  talks  to  be  held  under  theau4>ioe8  of  Dr. 
Frank  Graham,  the  U.  N.  rept^esetitative  in  Kashmir, 
fie  also  l^reed  to  28,000  Indian  {troops  being  left:  in 
Ka^Hnir^at  the  end  of  demilitarisatioii  pedod  if  .the 
'Asad  Kashmir'  forces  were  left  intact  on  thb  i^aldstan 
eidfi  jol!  the  beatei-fire  Une.  Pakistai^  ^n  her  par&'t^ould 
agnee  to  evacuate  all  her.  troops  from  Kashmir^- .  HlB 
said:  ■.  »  •     ■  ' , .  r'  , 

*  *We  have  on  every  occasion  given 'a  practical 
dCEiODBtratibn  of  our  peaoeful*  intentions  by  accept- 
^ig '.proposal  after  proposal  so  that  on  «k  peac^ul 

.,    settleojent.xn;^  eventually  he.  jyAltsed.,    We    are 
sCgaih  prepared  to  go  forward  oh  tiie  basis*  of  this 

'-    rS^ltition^alfe.^-  --■     ■  -     ^  .  ;'  '  '" 

Pandit  Nehru  in  a  statement  before  the  fiouse^ol-tlie 

People  Slated  that  the  sua|cstipn.  made  by  Sir  Zafar- 

ulla  Khan  was  "far  worse  uan  most  of  the  suggestions 

India  ^  far  has  had  to.  consider.'*  The  suggestioa  was 

^'yeiy  ingenious  and  ean  only  take  in  the  unwary  and 

those  who  do  not  know  the  facts  of  ihe  case."    ^ 

aclded  :         .    .  .   ' 

"Sir  Zafarulla  iPian  says  that  he  will  withdraw 
the>  Pakistani  Arxny  but  the  so-called  'Aza4 
Kadbmir*  forces,  which  are  100  per  cent  part  of  the 
Pakistam  Army,  well^trained  and  well-equipped, 
-wiU-remain  there,  This  means  that,  while  .Dr. 
Graham  is  discussing  reduction  of  forces  and  also 
the  suggestion  that  Pakistan  might  retain  a  few 
thousand  troops,  aeoording  to  Sir  Zafarulla  Khan, 
Pakistan  should   retaiit  30,000     to     30,000     troops 

,;  becpuase  he  calls  them^  not  Pakistasii  troops,  but 
"   'Asad'  troops" 

Kashmir 

Later,  at  a  meeting  at  Trivandrum  on  28th  Decem- 
ber Pandit  Nehru  said  : 

"It  :  has  Buzprised  •  me  greatly  how  the  Secnrity 
Council  consistent^  ayoids  oonsidering  the  basic  proUem 
ia  regard  to  the  Kashmir  issue,  i^^  the  pn44em  raised 
by  utifi  our  originsi  complaint.  It  has  never  been 
touched  by  the  Security  CouiobL 

> /^directly  and  ie  a  sUi^      extent  and  to  some 
extent^  the  Uif .  Kashmir  Conunisaion  referred  to  it  wfaea 
they  hinted  at  Pakistan  being  the  aggreaeor  in  Kaahmk. 
But  the  iSecurity     CnuncaX  \i»a  %^sn!b  ^»^  ^^a«w&%  "^^ 
issue  w^nt  jekxeaqK  \o  <ba%  '^jajaa  v^sSktoi^ -ti*^^ 
rise  to  tbe     is*e,     u^  ^.  :0b«^  \Ni9^\  Wf^^M.-  «»• 


■^SV-- 


12 


THE  MODERN  REVIEW  FOR  JANUARY,  1963 


its  memben  clearly  stated  that  thef  will  oonaider  nothr 
ing  abont  the  past  and  how  these  difficulties  arose. 

'"That  seems  to  me  an  extraordinary  attitude  to  take 
up  for  a  responsible  organization  or  a  responsible  repre- 
sentative of  any  country.. 

"We  have  always  taken  our  stand  in  regard  to» 
Kashmir  oi^  certain  basic  prinoiples  and  certain  assur- 
ances which  we  gave  right  at  the  beginning  to  the  peopk 
of  Kashmir  as  well  as  to  the  world  at  large.  If  we  are 
aaked  to  give  up  those  basic  principles  and  to  go  against 
our  pledge,  we  cannot  do  so.  ,  , 

This  is  not  a  question  of  territc^  for  us  or  of  any 
other  advantage  to  us.  It  is  a  question  of  foUowing  a 
certain  policy  not  only  in  regard  to  Kashmir  but  in 
regard  to  thd  idiole  of  India.  To  give  up  that  policy 
will  a£Fect  the  whole  of  India  and  will  have  disastrous 
consequences.  To  betray  those  who  relied  upon  us 
would  be  baseless  which  no  country  with  any  self-respect 
ought  to  do. 

''We  have  loyally  co-operated  with  the  Security 
Council  and  U.N.  in  this  matter  and  we  regret  very 
greatly  that,  in  spite  of  this  co-operation,  we  have  been 
treated  in  a  cavalier  vray  which  has  no  regard  for  facta 
or  reality.  It  passes  my  comprehension  how  any  person 
can  justify  parts  of  the  Anglo-American  resolution,  now 
passed  by  the  Security  Council  As  we  have  stated,  *we 
do  nolt  accept  it,  we  are  not  g<ring  to  act  under  its 
compulsion.'* 

Kashmiri  opinion  on  Zafanilla  Khan's  gambit  iB 
very  clearly  expressed  in  the  following  news-item  : 

''Only  a  mad  man,  in  view  of  the  continued  raids 
on  our  territory,  will  believe  Sir  Zafrulla  Khan's  talk  of 
a  peaceful  settlement  of  the  Kashmir  problem,"  said, 
the  Revenue  Minister,  Mirza  Mohammad  Afzal  Beg  on 
December  27  last.  He  was  addressing  a  public  meeting  at 
the  border  village  of  Ramgarh,  25  miles  from  Jammu, 
where  three  persons  were  killed  and  one  wounded  by 
about  35  armed  raiders  from  across  the  cease-fire  line 
last  wedc. 

He  asked  with  what  face  could  Pakistan  asE  fon 
withdrawal  of  the  Idian  Army  which  had  a  legal  and 
moral  responsibility  to  protect  Kashmiris  and  their 
homeland  from  aggression.  'To  withdraw  the  Indian 
forces  is  to  throw  the  peace-loving  people  of  the  state  at! 
the  mercy  of  murderers,"  he  said. 

The  Jammu  Praja  Purishad 

The  People  of  December  20,  has  the  following 
editorial  on  the  Praja  Fsrishad. 

'The  so-called     satyagraha  has    ceased  to  be    non- 
violent, and  we  have  the  authority  of  the  FVime  Minister 
for  the     statement  that    Jammu  has  become  a  base  of 
operations  for  certain  reactionary  elements  in  India    who 
want  to  create  and    encourage  subversive  and    disruptive 
forces.     The  fact  that  Pakistan  is  calling  these  evil  men  of 
Jamma  ^ftetvjW  figbtera  tor  heedom  ought  to  open  their 
^,^^^  folly.      Phdse  horn  a  bastih     quarter  is 
^wAc^  nB^aire  and  implied  cmmm. 


*The  Parishad's  demands  are  four :  Complete  accea- 
aion  of  Kashmir  to  India ;  application  of  the  Constitu- 
tion of  India  ;  fundamental  rights  as  Indians  eojoy ;  die 
Supreme  Court  of  India  to  be  the  highest  court  in  the 
state  and  the  hightest  tribunal  for  the  viadicatioii  of 
the  citizens'  basic  rights.  Answers  to  these  demands  are 
clear  as  daylight.  The  demands  are  not  new;  they  were 
discussed  thoroughly  at  the  recent  conferences  in  Delhi. 
Some  xeeervationa  with  regard  to  the  accession  of  Kash- 
mir to  India  were  accepted  as  necessary  and  inevitable  ia 
the  droumstances  of  the  day.  The  Kashmir  Constituent 
Assembly  demanded  them  and  we,  in  our  wisdom  and 
with  a  lively  awareness  of  the  c<mditions  facing  ua,  had 
to  accept  them.  The  Parishad  must  not  try  to  open 
themj  again.  If  it  had  contented  itself  with  protesting 
against  the  alleged  non-imfdementation  of  the  arrange- 
ments between  the  Prime  Minister  of  India  and  Sheikh 
Abdullaah  in  so  far  as  they  were  intended  to 'secure  ^ 
rights  of  India  as  well  as  of  certain  elements  in  Kashmir, 
it  would  have  been  within  its  rights.  But  it  has  gone 
&r  and  too  far.  Its  satyagraha  has  degenerated  into 
collection  of  arms  and  use  of  vl<^ence.  It  is  not  snppoit^ 
ed  by  the  people.  The  charge  that  the  Abdullah  Govern- 
ment has  established  a  rdgn  of  terror  is  difficult  to 
believe.  There  is  not  much  to  scream  about  four  hundred 
and  odd  airesta. 

"Dr.  Mookerjee,  the  patron-saint  of  the  Parishad, 
has  not  improved  the  case  for  it  by  his  advocacy.  In  fact 
it  only  proves  too  demonstrably  the  Prime  Minister's 
charge  that  the  Jan  Sangh,  the  R.S.S.  and  the  Akalis 
are  behind  the  Parishad,  composed  as  it  is  of  rank  com- 
munaHsts,  dispossessed  landlords,  and  disinherited 
dynasty-worshippers. 

,  "Finally,  let  us  assume  that  Sheikh  Abdullah,  as  the 
Parishad  says,  is  preparing  for  an  independent  state,  as 
witness  the  separate  flag  and  the  "Sadar-i-Riyasat."  The 
fact  of  the  matter  is  that  the  accession  is  irrevocable 
and  the  reservations  are  temporary.  India  will  be  strong 
enough  at  any  time  to  make  separation  imposdble,  and 
on  perfectly  constitutional  grounds  too.  It  is  exactly  for 
this  reason  that  the  Parishad  should  do  nothing  to  justify 
action  of  a  hostile  character  by  any  of  the  political  de- 
ment in  the  state,  including  the  Parishad  itseli 

"We  do  not  know  what  right  the  Parishad  has  to 
speak  for  Ladakh,  which  knows  that  it  must  first  remaini 
in  and  with  Kashmir  both  for  political  and  geographical 
reasons,  not  to  speak  of  sentimental  reasons,  if  it  is  to 
remain  in  and  with  India  at  alL  We  are  not  sure  Uiat 
the  majority  of  the  people  of  Jammu  will  be  with  the 
Parishad  in  the  matter  of  breaking  up  the  state.  It  is 
plain  as  pikestaff  that  Jammu  can  never  go  out 
even  if  the  wont  happens,  if  only  for  the  xeason  of 
sheer  and  uq/amailable  geographical  Contiguity  and 
India's  defence.*' 

It  is  evident  that  charge  and  counter-charge  is 
doing  no  good  to  anyone's  cause.  Can  there  be  no 
independenl  and  \mb\«k8Bied  mvoiEitv^Uon  of  root-cauaes 
of  the  \inrei(t  T 


NOTES 


13 


Price  Controversy 

3WS  about  a  possible  increase  in  the  dollar  price 
1  has  waxed  and  waned  throughout  the  post-war 
m\h  almost  monotonous  regularity.  It  is  reported 
he  Commonwealth  Prime  Ministers'  Conference 
icided  to  make  a  joint  approach  to  the  United 

Government  for  a  rise  in  the  dollar  price  of 
No  conference  that  was  attended  by  a  South 
a  delegate  could  avoid  some  discussion  of  the 
•rice  and  on  this  occasion  South  Africa's  Finance 
«r,  Mr.  Havenga  received  support  from  most  ol 
.her  delegations  at  the  conference.  Some  of  the 
gold-producing  countries  of  the  Commonwealth 

aa  Aus^tralia,  Canada  and  Southern  Rhodesia — 
emand  for  an  increase  in  gold  price.  At  present 
erling  area  derives  an  annual  income  of  $500 
1  from  gold  production  and  a  rise  in  gold  price 

considerably  raise  the  income  on  this  account, 
ttitude  of  the  British  Covernment  is  rather 
itic  on  the  point.  At  the  IMF  meetings  she  did 
pport  the  demand  for  a  higher  official  price  of 
md  neither  Britain  has  openly  deprecated  the 
d  for  a  higher  gold  price.  That  ako  seems  to  be 
titude  of  the  Indian  Government,  for,  according 

Press  reports,  the  Indian  delegation  did  not  list 
Id  price  question  in  its  suggestions  for  enabling 
^ling  area  to  bridge  the  gap  in  its  balance  of 
nts  position.  Among  the  several  arguments  put 
d  by  the  protagonists  of  higher  gold  price,  one 
k1  on  the  cost  of  production  of  gold  and  on  the 
e  in  the  price  of  other  commodities.  It  is  stated 
le  cost  of  mining  gold  has  increased  and  that  the 
of  all  other  commodities  have  risen  several 
as  compared  with  their  pre-war  levels.  Had  the 
3f  gold  gone  up  in  line  with  other  American 
)dity  prices,  the  sterling  area  which  accounts  for 
cent  of  the  world's  gold  output  and  which  earned 
1500  million  a  year  from  sales  of  newly  mined 
1  the  post-war  years  would  have  enjoyed  a  net 
ie  in  its  dollar  reserves. 

is  however  pointed  out  that  the  above  argument 
ctive.  The  point  about  higher  costs  is  imconvinc- 
cause  the  gold  producers  have  only  been  tapping 
of  poor  ore  content,  reserving  the  high  gold- 
l  deposits  for  the  rainy  day.  And  since  the 
Eition  in  1949,  the  miners  have  been  getting  a 
price  for  their  gold  in  their  local  currency, 
r,  the  comparison  between  gold  price  and  com- 
'  price  is  not  proper.  Gold  is  not  a  commodity 
monetary  metal.  Commodity  prices  have  moved 
ause  in  recent  years,  the  demand  for  com- 
59  has  invariably  exceeded  supply  and  until 
y  there  was  a  sellers'  market  where  ^n  view  of 
npeting  buyers,  the  supply  could  dictate  the 
ji  the  case  of  gold,  however,  except  the  U.S.A., 
1 2K>  other  coimtiy  in  the  world  to  buy  and  seU 
\  a  fixed  price.  Moreover,  for  the  P&st  two 
I,  the  U.S.A*  gold  holdiogs  have  far  exceeded 


its  requirements.  In  such  Ah  eVellt,  there  is  no  readon 
why  the  U.S.A.  should  agree  to  pay  a  higher  price 
for  gold. 

Gold  is  still  a  monetary  metal  and  the  standard  by 
which  values  are  measured.  If  the  principal  countries 
of  the  world  move  the  currency  price  of  gold  up  and 
down  with  the  general  level  of  commodity  prices,  why, 
it  may  be  asked,  me  gold  aa  a  standard  at  all?  Why  in 
these  circumstances  place  on  the  Central  Bank  or  any 
other  monetary  authority,  the  obligation  to  buy  gold 
at  stated  prices  ?  About  a  year  ago,  when  gold 
could  be  sold  at  over  S  39  an  ounce  on  the  free  markets, 
it  seemed  possible  that  the  official  price  of  $35  an 
ounce  was  well  below  the  price  that  the  world  was 
willing  to  pay  for  gold.  It  is  now  however  clear  that 
the  high  prices  that  ruled  in  the  free  gold  markets  in 
1951  and  earlier  years  were  due  to  the  artificial  restric- 
tions on  the  supply  of  gold  to  that  market  that  were 
imposed  by  the  International  Monetary  Fund.  As  a 
result  of  the  relaxation  of  those  restrictions  by  the 
end  of  1951,  "the  price  of  "free"  gold  has  recently  come 
down  below  $37  an  ounce. 

The  free  market  prices  of  gold  all  over  the  world 
now  stand  in  the  neighbourhood  of  $36.50  an  oimce, 
that  is,  at  a  premium  of  $1.50,  which  is  hardly  sufli- 
cient  to  cover  the  cost  of  formalities  which  are  still 
required,  imder  the  IMF  rules,  to  prove  that  the  gold 
which  the  producing  countries  sell  in  the  free  markets 
is  non-monetary.  The  higher  prices  of  gold  in  the 
other  markets  of  the  world,  especially  in  India  and  the 
Far  East,  do  not  constitute  a  proper  criteria  for  deter- 
mining the  real  value  of  gold,  because  they  reflect 
mainly  transportation  costs,  local  currency  exchange 
risks,  taxes,  supply-demand  relationship  in  local 
markets,  etc.  In  Bombay,  the  dollar  equivalent  of  the 
price  for  spot  gold  is  $45  an  ounce,  as  compared  with 
$67  touched  in  May,  1950.  The  Bombay  market  being 
insulated  from  outside  markets  by  import  controls,  the 
prices  ruling  in  such  markets  also  include  the  cost  of 
smuggling,  a  hazardous  job.  The  difference  in  prices  in 
the  various  free  markets  would  be  negligible,  if  there 
were  to  be  free  movement  of  gold. 

The  basic  fact  remains  that  if  international  trade 
is  to  be  expanded,  then  international  liquidity  needs 
to  be  increased.  There  are  better  ways  of  increasing 
that  liquidity  than  by  raising  the  price  of  gold,  and 
it  is  true  that  any  rise  in  that  price  would  not  solve 
the  problem.  The  rise  in  gold  prices  would  help  only 
the  gold-producing  countries  like  South  Africa, 
Australia,  Canada  and  Southern  Bhodesia.  It  will  not 
benefit  poor  countries  like  India,  Pakistan,  Ceylon, 
Malaya,  etc.,  all  of  which  produce  far  more  valuable 
dollar-earners  than  gold  and  all  of  which  need  stable 
and  economic  prices  for  their  products. 

Sterling  Areas  Task 

The    ten-day   coniet^si^   cil  \ic^  C^\s!csfifs^i^«iS^S^ 
Prime  MiniSteiB,  7itofi\x  ^^wa  \kR\i  ^Mfvsi^  '^•^  Ns^A*  ^^^^ 


u 


THE  MODERN"  review;  FOR  JANUARY,  ld53 


of  Kovember  and  first  week  of  December,  ended,  as 
was  expected,  without  achieving  anything.  The  con- 
ference was  convened  with  the  aim  of  concerting 
measures  for  increasing  the  economic  strength  of  the 
Ck)mmonwealth  ooimtries,  incUiding  t(ie  colonial 
territories,  and  creating  conditions  in  which  their 
peoples  can  play  their  part  in  securing  prosperity 
and  contentment  for  themselves  and  for  the  world. 
In  recent  years  the  sterling  area  has  been  faced  with 
recurrent  economic  crisis  which  has  forced  its  mem- 
bers to  take  emergency  measures  of  trade  and  ex- 
change restrictions.  These  measures  were  necessary, 
but  they  have  inevitably  tended  to  frustrate  the 
long-term  economic  expansion  which  was  the  ultimate 
aim  of  the  Commonwealth  countries.  This  was  recog- 
nised at  the  January  meeting  of  Ck)mmonwealth 
Finance  Ministers.  The  measures  taken  in  accordance 
with  Jiie  conclusions  of  that  meeting  have,  however, 
enabled  the  present  conference  to  decide  that  a  more 
positive  policy  can  now  be  adopted,  both  by  the 
Commonwealth  coimtries  themselves  and  in  concert 
with  other  friendly  countries  to  promote  the  expan- 
fidon  of  world  production  and  trade.  The  conference 
agreed  that  Commonwealth  countries  would  work 
together  to  achieve  certain  broad  common  objectives. 
They  have  no  intention  of  seeking  the  creation  of  a 
discriminatoiy  economic  block  :  rather  their  object  is 
by  strengthening  themselves,  to  benefit  the  world 
economy  generally.  Accordingly,  the  following 
principles  were  agreed  upon  aq  governing  the  approach 
to  the  whole  range  of  subjects  imder  discussion  : 

(1)  Internal  economic  policies  designed  to  curb 
inflation  and  rises  in  the  coat  of  living 
should   be   steadily  followed. 

(2)  Sound  economic  development  should  be 
encouraged  with  the  object  of  increasing 
production  strength  and  competitive  power, 
providing  employment  and  raising  the 
standards  of  life. 

(3)  A  multilateral  trade  payment  system  should 
be  extended  over  the  widest  passible  area. 

(4)  The  application  of  these  principles  will 
require  individual  action  by  Commonwealth 
Governments,  co-operation  among  them 
and  international  action  with  other  trading 
nations  and  existing  international  orga- 
nisations. 

Commonwealth  Governments  have  agreed  to 
preserve  in  their  efforts  to  ciurb  inflation.  Inflationary 
conditions  frustrate  the  progress  of  sound  development, 
both  by  increasing  its  cost  and  by  destroying  the  sav- 
ings necessary  to  finance  it.  Moreover,  they  damage 
the  external  balance  of  pa3rments  by  stimulating  ex- 
cessive imports  and  by  diverting  to  internal  use  goods 
which  would  otherwise  be  available  for  export.  An 
adequate  and  stable  external  balance  must  be  a  first 
objective  for  all  Governments.  Failure  to  achieve  this 
means  repeated  crisis,  a  continuously  rising  cost  of 
Jivij^^  A  constant  threat  to  employment  and  failure  to 
a^reJop  reacmrces  effectively. 


The  sterling  area  is  being  viewed  by  liie  USA  M 
a  trading  block  of  discrimination  mainly  directed 
against  the  US  interests.  The  USA  has  been  insisting 
since  the  end  of  the  war  for  the  liquidation  of  the 
sterling  area  as  it  is  the  greatest  impediment  to  the 
free  and  multilateral  convertibility  which  has  been  set 
out  in  the  Havana  Charter  as  the  ultimate  goal  to  be 
achieved  by  the  trading  countries  of  the  world.  Ever 
since  the  end  of  the  war,  the  idea  of  free  trade  as  it 
did  obtain  in  the  nineteenth  century  under  conditi(Mis 
of  pure  gold  standard,  has  been  haunting  the  imagina- 
tion of  nations  and  still  it  remains  elusive.  In  the 
Anglo-American  Loan  Agreement  of  1945,  there  was  a 
stipulation  that  Britain,  being  the  banker  of  the  ster- 
ling area,  would  allow  multilateral  convertibility  of 
sterling.  But  Britain  failed  to  do  so.  Trade  in  post-war 
years  is  being  hedged  with  tariffs  and  controls  and 
bilateralism. 

The  sterling  area's  dollar  shortage  has  become 
persistently  chronic.  Not  today,  but  since  the  thirties. 
The  war  merely  suppressed  it,  and  did  not  cure  it.  The 
problem  is  a  deep-seated  one  and  manifold  factors  are 
responsible  for  the  dollar  gap.  In  the  nineteenth 
century  and  early  years  of  this  century,  the  UK  was 
the  traditional  source  of  external  capital  for  Common- 
wealth investment.  The  two  wars  shattered  British 
economy  and  she  is  no  longer  in  a  position  to  play 
that  role.  After  the  second  World  War,  Germany 
having  been  economically  destroyed,  a  vacuum  haa 
been  created  in  the  economic  balance  of  the  world. 
The  main  problem  is  that  the  USA  hokls  the  bulk  of 
world's  gold  and  the  goods  as  well,  that  is,  the  seller 
has  both  the  commodities  and  purchasing  power,  and 
the  buyer  has  neither  the  goods  nor  the  money  to 
purchase  them.  But  the  buyer  must  purchase  the  goods 
from  the  USA  for  his  post-war  industrial  developments. 
This  is  the  main  crux  of  the  dollar  problem.  Devalua- 
tion has  been  a  mere  palliative,  it  did  not  solve  the 
problem  of  dollar  shortage. 

The  United  Kingdom  deficit  with  the  dollar  area 
during  the  lajst  five  years  was  S5S0  million  and  that 
against  this  the  colonies  earned  a  dollar  surplus  of 
$820  million.  A  section  among  the  Briti^  people 
observes  that  if  the  UK  had  run  its  external  finances 
in  a  closed  group  with 'the  Colonies  and  not  with  the 
Dominions,  then  its  gold  and  dollar  reserves  wouki 
have  increased  substantially  during  these  years.  Over 
this  period  the  United  Kingdom  was  given  aid  by  the 
USA  for  ^,000  million.  Of  this  sum,  $2,500  milliim  k 
said  to  have  financed  the  deficit  of  the  Dominioii8> 
and  the  balance  went  to  liquidate  part  of  the  sterling 
balance  of  non-«terling  area  countries.  But  this  is  one 
side  of  the  picture,  and  to  place  the  responsibility  of 
deficit  on  the  Dominions  is  to  ignore  the  basis  of  the 
sterling  area.  Had  the  Dominions  been  outside  the 
sterling  area,  they  would  have    been    compelled    tQ 


NOTES 


16 


mtintain  their  balance  of  payments  straight  year  by 
year  and  would  have  undoubtedly  slashed  imports  from 
tbe  UK.  With  Dominions  out  of  the  sterling  area,  the 
United  Kingdom  would  have  to  spend  large  dollars 
for  buying  her  essential  foods  and  raw  materials. 

Suggestions  are  being  made  that  Dominions  should 
reduce  their  industrial  investment.  But  it  is  a  sugges- 
tion of  despair.  That  way  lies  the  economic  sterility 
and  the  Commonwealth  countries  would  remain  back- 
ward in  industrial  development.  Canada  is  out  of  the 
sterling  area.  If  India  goes  out  of  it,  she  will  not  lose 
much.  In  recent  years  India's  trade  is  developing  with 
the  USA  and  the  latter  is  gradually  increasing  her 
imports  from  India.  If  India  receives  back  her  sterling 
balances,  then  India  can  go  out  of  the  sterling  area. 
To  be  in  this  area  is  rather  a  liability  for  this  country 
and  the  devaluation  which  is  the  result  of  such  liability 
hafl  done  India  harms  and  no  good.  Further,  the  United 
Kingdom's  dollar  gap  is  sometimes  manipulated  and 
this  is  done  so  only  to  put  forward  the  plea  before  the 
member-countries  that  this  pulling  system  of  foreign 
exchange  is  ultimately  beneficial  to  all.  If  one  goes  out, 
she  will  be  in  dollar  deficit.  Another  point  is  that  by 
holding  out  the  plea  of  dollar  shortage,  Britain  is 
deferring  the  repayment  of  the  sterling  balancea  and 
consequently  she  is  forcing  member-countries  to  pur- 
chase from  her  against  the  sterling  balances.  That  is  a 
way  of  preserving  the  markets  of  the  Commonwealth 
countries  for  Briti^  goods.  The  sterling  area  with  its 
imperial  preferences  is  to  a  certain  extent  a  block  of 
discrimination  against  other  countries  and  if  any 
country  is  benefited  most  from  this  area  it  is  Britain. 
With  the  liquidation  of  the  sterling  area  British  goods 
would  be  hard  hit  in  the  world  market  in  competition 
with  American  and  German  goods.  It  is  a  happy 
feature  that  Germany  is  progressively  recovering  her 
industrial  production  and  the  rise  of  Germany  is 
another  threat  to  BritLsdi  exports.  The  sterling  area's 
dollar  shortage  ia  thus  to  be  viewed  from  various 
angles. 

Industrial  Finance  Corporation 

The  Industrial  Finance  Corporation  came  in  foil 
much  criticismi  in  the  past  session  of  the  P^liament. 
Grare  charges  of  corruption  and  nepotism  were  levelled 
against  the  administration  and  the  Opposition  pressed 
the  Government  to  disclose  the  names  of  the  recipients 
of  loans  from  the  Corporation.  The  Government  was  at 
fint  unwilling  to  do  so  but)  later  conceded  to  the 
demands  of  the  Opposition.  The  Government  have  also 
agreed  to  appoint  a  Committee  representing  both  Houses 
of  Parliament  and  outside  experts  to  investigate  the 
charges  brooght  against  the  Industrial  Finance  Corpo- 
zatioiL  Acconfing  to  the  statement  of  the  Finance 
Minister  before  the  House  of  the  People  on  December 
17,  up  to  then  a  total  amount  of  Rs.  14,03,46,000  had  been 
fiwcff4?f|^  SB  loan  to  various  concerns  imder  19  heads 
of  indiifti7« 


The  Finance  Minister,  Mr.  Deshmnkh,  announced 
in  the  House  of  the  People  on  the  17th  Dec.  the  Govern- 
ment'fl  decision  to  appoint  a  committee  representing  bothi 
Houses  of  Parliament  and  outside  experts  to  investigate 
the  charges  made  by  private  members  against  the  Indus- 
trial Finance  Corporation. 

Mr.  Deshmukh  also  met  the  demand  made  for  dis- 
closure of  the  names  of  those  who  had  taken  loans  from 
the  I.F.C.  He  laid  on  the  table  a  sUtement  giving  the 
names  of  individuals  concerned  under  each  category  of 
industry  and  the  amount  of  loan  sanctioned  to  each. 

He  said :  "Various  allegations  were  made  about  the 
IJ.C. 

'*0n  the  question^  of  divulging  the  names  (of  con* 
cems  to  which  loans  were  made),  the  Prime  Ministei< 
made  a  statement  in  which  he  mentioned  the  practice  so 
far  followed  and  pointed  out  the  considerations  whicb 
influenced  us  in  adhering  to  that  policy.  At  the  same 
time,  he  recognized  the  force  of  some  of  the  grounds  on 
which  the  information  was  .  sought  and  undertook  to; 
have  the  matter  re-examined  on  my  return. 

"The  maintenance  of  secrecy  by  a  leading  institud<ni 
regarding  its  transactions  with  its  clients  is  a  weU- 
recognized  practice  based  on  sOund  business  principlea 
and  should  not  be  lightly  discarded  while  circumstances 
are  normal  and  there  is  no  reason  foi\  doubt  and 
apprehension  regarding  the  transactions.  While,  there- 
fore, I  consider  that  the  stand  taken  by  the  Govenunent 
so  far,  idiich  was  not  diallenged  in  the  past  in  this 
House,  was  jiustified,  I  have  to  take  account  of  the 
doubts  that  have  arisen  and  of  the  desire  of  Parliament 
to  be  furnished  with  the  names  of  concerns  to  whicU 
loans,  for  which  the  Government  had  given  guarantees, 
have  been  advanced  by  the  LF.C. 

The  refusal  to  disclose  names,  even  though  it  may 
be  based  on|  a  healthy  convention,  would  create  an 
entirely  unijustified  suspicion  against  the  LF.C.  and  the 
borrovring  concerns,  which  it  is  essential  to  dispeL 

'Healizingl  this,  the  LF.C.  has  itself  written  to  me 
that  it  is  desirous  of  submitting  to  Parliament  a  list  of 
loanees  and  the  amounts  given  to  them.  I  am  accordingly 
laying  on  the  table  o(f  the  House  a  statement  showing 
the  names  of  the  individual  concerns  under  each  cate- 
gory of  industry  and  the  amount  of  loan  sanctioned  to 
each  concern.** 

The  statement  includes  the  names  of  84  concemil 
who  have  been  sanctioned  loans  and  advances  by  the 
IJ*.C.  The  total  amount  sancdoned  under  19  heads  of 
industry  is  Rs.  14,03,45.000. 

Sri  Bimal  C.  Ghose,  M.P^  in  an  article  in  the 
Vigil  of  December  13,  examines  certain  important  issues 
bearing  upon  the  working  of  the  Industrial  Finance 
Corporation  since  it  started  functioning  in  1948.  He 
notes  the  fact  that  long-term.  Hnanoe  is  still  difficult  to 
obtain.  Certain  actions  of  the  Reserve  Bank  of  India, 
restricting  the  Commercial  Banks  from  providing  long- 
period  finance  to  iivdu^trf,  Vvi^  vcxA<&^  Vc^  %5x«ti»3&ai^ 
the  situadon.  atill  moT^, 


16 


THE  MODERN  REVIEW  FOR  JANUARY,  1953 


The  preamble  to  the  Industrial  Finance  Corporation 
Act  of  1948,  he  writes^  "appear  to  indicate  that  more 
attention  was  desired  to  be  paid  to  small  and|  medium- 
aized  industries'*  but  *'the  rules  which  govern  the  grant- 
ing of  loans  and  advances  by  the  Corporation  operate 
against  small  and  medium-sized  industries  and  new 
entrepreneurs.  In  so  fiu*  as  this  has  beei^  the  actual 
result  of  the  working  of  the  Corporation,  the  purpose 
for  which  it  was  set  up  has  been  partially  defeated." 

Secondly,  the  Corporation  **has  in  all  probability 
also  further  accentuated  the  unequal  development  of 
(U£Qerent  regions  in  India.  It  is  well  knovm  that  our 
industries  are  primarily  concentrated  in  a  few  areas, 
particularly  in  West  Bengal  and  Bombay.  The 
Corporation's  activities  would  seem  to  indicate  that  these 
concentrations  have  been  futher  aggravated.  Out  of 
Bjb.  14  crores  sanctioned  by  the  Corporation  as  loan  upto 
the  30th  June,  1952  53%  has  gone  to  Bombay  and  17% 
to  West  Bengal  and  the  rest  of  India  received  the 
remaining  50%. 

He  deprecates  the  practice  of  having  directors  of 
Corporation  who  are  also  interested  in  companies  whichj 
apply  for  and  receive  loans  from  it  and  suggests  it  would 
be  best  "if  it  were  specifically  laid  down  that  no  person 
who  18  directly  or  indirectly  interested  in  any  ban. 
sanctioned  the  Corporation  should  be  its  director." 

He  then  goes  on  to  urge  for  the  nationalisation  of 
the  Corporation.  He  writes  that  ''whatever  it  may  be 
technically,  the  Corporation  is  virtually  a  State-owned 
institution.  Its  shares  are  guaranteed  by  Government 
as  to  repayment  of  principal  as  also  payment  of  a^ 
minimum  dividend.  Further  bonds  and  debentures  which 
it  might  issue  to  raise  working  capital  are  also  guaranteed' 
by  Government  in  respect  of  repayment  of  principal  andl 
payment  of  interest.  Government  also  sometimes  guaran- 
tees loans  sanctioned  by  the  Corporation  and  has  also  to 
guarantee  any  loans  that  it  may  have  from  international 
financial  institutions  like  the  international  Bank  for 
Reconstruction    and    Development." 

People  s  Congress  for  Peace 

The  following  news-item  appeared  in  the  press 
recently  : 

Dr.  Saifuddin  Kitchlew,  President  of  the  All-India 
Peace  Council,  has  been  awarded  the  International 
Stalin  Prize  for  Peace. 

Dr.  Kitchlew  is  a  prominent  Congressman  and  was 
formerly  President  of  the  undivided  Punjab  Provincial 
Congress  Committee.  He  ia  now  in  Vienna  attending 
the  People's   Peace  Congress. 

The  prize  consists  of  a  sum  of  about  Rs.  1,25,000,  a 
medal  and  a  diploma  for  peace. 

Dr.  Kitchlew  has  been)  invited  to  visit  Moscow  any 

time  convenient  to  him   to     receive  the  award.      If  he 

could  not  go  to  Moscow,  the  prize  would  be  delivered 

to  him     in     India  by    a  special    representative     of  the 

Adjudication  Committee. 

The  Stalin  FVize  is  the  highest  award  in  the  Soviet 
tMon, 


This  year's  winners  of  the  Stalin  Peace  PHaetv 
instituted  three  years  ago  "for  the  strengthening  of  peace 
among  the  peoples*'  are,  besides  Dr.  Kitchlew,  Mr.  Paul 
Robeson,  the  negro  singer,  the  ReV  James  Endioott.  a 
Canadian  delegate  to  the  Vienna  Peace  Conference; 
M.  Ilya  £hrenburg«  the  Russian,  writer;  Mme  ESise 
Branco,  a  member  of  the  Federation  of  Brazilian  women ; 
Mr.  Johannes  R.  Beeher,  author  pf  the  East  Germas 
National  Anthem  ;  and  M.  Yves  Farce,  former  Freocb 
Minister  of  Food. 

Regarding  the  People's  Peace  Congress  in  Vienna, 
the  following  reports  have  come.  Firstly,  '  the  Soviet 
New8  and  Viewa  reporte  : 

The  delegate  from  Egypt  emphasized  that  the 
Egyptian  people  do  not  feel  any  animosity  towards  any  one 
people  of  the  world.  He  noted  that  contrary  to  the 
United  Nations  Charter  and  against  its  will  the  t^ritory 
of  his  country,  which  officially  is  independent,  is  occupied 
by  British  troops. 

J.  Abdulla,  representative  of  Morocco,  stated  that 
the  Moroccan  people  are  convinced  from  their  own  bitto 
experience  of  the  hypocritical  talks  of  the  imperialists 
about  the  ^civilizing  mission"  and  **defence  of  a  tree 
world."  On  our  territory,  he  said,  the  Americans  buib 
seven  air  bases.  The  French  imperialists  are  tramplini 
upon  the  culture  and  national  dignity  of  the  Moroccan 
people.  Imperialist  domination  completely  ruined  ths 
rich  country  capable  of  existing  and  developing.  Famine 
is  systematically  raging  in  Morocco  as  a  result  of  which 
a  million  people  died  from  1937  to  1945.  The  Moroccan 
people,  the  speaker  said,  is  stubbornly  fighting  against 
foreign  imperialist  rule,  for  the  freedom  and  independ* 
ence  of  their  country. 

Met  with  stormy  applause  Dr.  S.  Kitchlew,  head  oi 
the  Indian  delegation.  Chairman  of  the  Indian  Peace 
Council,  submitted  a  proposal  for  the  consideration  of 
the  Congress  on  the  immediate  termination  of  hostilities 
in  Korea. 

An  interesting  speech  was  delivered  by  Han  Ser  Ya, 
Korean  representative.  "Our  peoples,  who  have  made  un- 
Iprecedented  sacrifices,"  said  Hani  Ser  Ya,  "showed  the 
whole  world  their  courage  and  their  will  to  peace.  We 
do  not  ask  and  do  not  intend  to  ask  for  mercy.  But  we 
do  demand  peace  in  the  name  of  defending  the  principles 
of  humanity,  in  the  name  of  defending  women  and 
children,  in  the  name  of  terminating  the  barbarous  ex- 
termination of  civilians,  in  the  name  of  the  interests  ol 
our  country  and  at  the  same  time  in  the  interest  of  all 
mankind  who  are  threatened  with  the  dame  conflagration 
of  the  merciless  war  that  is  raging  in  our  country.*' 

On  behalf  of  the  British  delegation  Monica  Felton, 
recipient  of  the  International  Stalin  Prize  "for  the 
Promotion  of  Peace  Among  Nations,*'  submitted  a  drafi 
resolution  demanding  an  "immediate  cease  fire  in( 
Korea  as  a  preliminary  condition  for  negotiations  on  the 
other  unsettled  questions." 

The  gaze  of  hundreds  of  millions  of  people  of  good- 
will are  today  directed  towards  Vienna  where  the  Peace 


NOTES 


17 


Coofrett  of  the  Peoples  hag  been  working  for  several 
da]rt.  The  Congress  delegates  taking  part  in  the 
discoBsion  speak  about  various  problems.  But  no  matter 
what  question  is  discussed  the  subject  of  peace  is  the 
BOliTe  of  all  the  speeches. 

With  particular  force,  writes  Izvestia  in  con- 
coiichiiyon»  sound  the  speeches  made  at  the  G)ngress  by 
tha  xepresentatives  of  the  great  Soviet  people. 
Remembering  the  mandatef  of  the  Fourth  USSR 
Conference  for  Peace  the  Soviet  delegates  again  and; 
■gain  declare  from  the  Congress  rostrum  the  unshakable 
will  of  the  Soviet  people  to  defend  peace  and  international 
secnrity  together  with  all  the  peace-loving  peoples. 

The  other  side  of  the  medal  is  shown  in  the 
following  comments  : 

"Hjrpocrisy  is  not  having  it  all  its  own  say  at  the 
People's  Peace  Congress  in  Vienna,"  writes  the 
Yorkshire  Post,  "Truth  and  sincerity  have  made  an 
entry  into  the  discussions,  with  results  highly  embar- 
laasing  for  the  Communists  and  their  smooth-tongued 
allies. 

**rhe  Indian  delegation,  representing  all  parties  in 
their  country,  happen  to  be  genuinely  concerned  to 
serve  the  cause  of  peace.  They  have  a  sound  and  honest 
plan  for  securing  a  truce  in  the  terrible  Korean  war. 
The  Russians  must  have  judged  that  this  compromise 
solution  was  safely  buried  by  this  time  under  the 
abu0e  M.  Vyshindcy  has  heaped  upon  it.  M  Vienna 
they  have  discovered  otherwise. 

''Instead  of  merely  adding  to  the  pious  platitudes 
Toieed  by  the  other  delegaites  at  this  new  Moscow- 
sponsored  demonstration,  the  Indian  delegates  came 
forward  and  said  in  effect  :  *Now  here  is  something 
practical  we  can  do  to  end  the  cruel  bloodshed  that 
haa  been  going  on  in  Korea.  Let  us  consider  this  plan 
and  see  whether  it  does  not  offer  a  way  out  of  the 
bitter  quarrel  that  is  causing  such  a  tragic  loss  of  life'." 

The  newspaper  proceeds  :  "Many  of  the  Congress 
delegates  responded  warmly  to  this  suggestion.  They 
applauded  the  proposals  of  Dr.  Kitchlew,  the  Indian 
spokesman.  They  were  quickly  reminded  tha/t  this 
would  not  do.  Yet  why  will  it  not  do  ?  This  offers  a 
reasonable  means  of  settling  the  only  question  that 
stands  in  the  way  of  agreement  on  truce  terms. 

''If  the  fighters  for  peace  at  this  new  Congresfe  of 
Vienna  were  sinceriely  devoted  to  peace  and  not  simply 
to  Soviet  propaganda,  they  would  press  this  Indian 
solution  upon  the  Russian  and  Chinese  Communist 
Govemmente  as  a  shining  opportunity  to  bring  the 
prospect  of  peace  to  tortured  Korea  this  Christmas.  If 
they  fail  to  do  this  their  professions  of  longing  to 
bring  the  Christmas  spirit  to  a  troubled  earth  will 
have  a  hollow  ring,  however  many  handshakes  and 
presents  they  exchange." 

The  Daily  Mail  and  the  News  Chronicle  criticise 
the  "People's  Congress  for  Peace"  in  Vienna  contrasting 
its  ostensible  motives  with  the  actualities  of  Soviet  policy. 

The  Ddfy  Mail     Bays*     "Czechoslovakia,     Poland, 


Hungary,  Rumania  and  Bulgaria  have  all  been  robbed 
of  their  independence  by  Russia.  The  wars  now  raging 
in  Indo-China,  Korea  and  Malaya  have  all  been  instigated 
by  Russia.  Thd  cold  wax  has  crept  from  Europe  to 
Persia  and  Iraq,  Tunis  and  AJgeria.  It  is  being  waged 
with  greater  intensity  than|  ever." 

RecalUng  that  the  Communists  themselves  destroyed 
all  hopes  of  a  truce  in  Korea  when  they  rejected 
contemptuously  India's  peace  plan,  subsequently  approve- 
ed  by  the  United  Nations,  the  newspaper  asks  :  "Was 
this  the  way  to  ease  tension?  The  facile  hypocrisy  of 
the  programme  drafted  at  Vienna  would  be  incredible 
coming  from   any   but   the   Communists.*' 

The  News  Chronicle  remarks  :  "Mr.  Aneurin  Bevan 
summed  up  the  general  reaction  neatly  the  other  day 
when  he  described  the  meeting  as  *a  fake,  a  clay  pigeon, 
a  decoy.... an  attempt  to  divert  the  attention  of  the 
working  class  from  what  is  really  happening'. 

"A  recent  dispatch  from  the  Manchester  Guardian's 
correspondent  in  Vienna,  G.E.R.  Gebye,  has  given  details 
of  the  hate  campaign  that  is  now  being  whipped  up  by 
Russia  and  her  satellites.  The  word  hate,  says  Gedye, 
'is  constantly  in  thb  mouths  of  those  who  work  beneath 
the  banner  of  the  miUtant  dove  of  peace'.  He  support^ 
this  statement  with  an  imposing  number  of  quotations." 

The  Chronicle  adds :  "Peace  may  have  her  victories 
no  less  renowned  than  war,  but  amid  the  atmosphere  of 
hate  engendered  by  Communist  propaganda  in  Europe 
today,  the  People's  Peace  Congress  will  not  be  one  of 
them.  Too  much  of  the  poision  gas  of  hatred  is  being 
generated  outside  for  the  meeting  within  to  be  anything 
but  a  massacre  of  the  innocents." 

"Not  content  with  condemning  to  death  eight  Jews 
in  the  Prague  trials,  the  Czech  Communists  are  now 
quarreUing  with  Israel,"  vrrites  the  Daily  Herald. 
'The  Israel  Government  is  asked  to  withdraw  its 
Minister  on  the  ground  that  he  overstepped  diplomatic 
limits  by  helping   Zionist  organisations. 

"So  the  international  Communist  conspiracy  is  now 
using  anti-Semitism  as  one  of  its  poHtical  weapons. 
The  word  'Zionist'  takes  its(  place  among  official 
Commuinst  terms  of  abuse  alongside  'warmonger,' 
'imperialist'  and  'Titoist.' 

"How  grotesquely  similar  are  the  antics  of  modem 
police  states.  The  Communists  imitate  Hitler  not  only 
in  the  barbarous  injustices  of  framed-up  trials,  but 
even  in  the  propagranda  tricks  designed  to  excuse 
them.* 

Acharya  Vinoba  Bhave^s  Mission 

The  Bombay  Chronicle  of  November  17  had  the 
following  editorial.  Our  contemporary  has  caught  the 
real  significance  of  Vinobaji'a  work.  And,  we  are 
sure,  that  it  will  change  the  country  both  materially 
and  intellectually. 

"The  phenomenal  success  of  his  land-gift  mission 
has  no  doubt   encouraged   Achary^w  V\xi<iVi'^  "^i^jaN^  \5i 
explore  new  way  a  and  me^T^  ^.o  \eN^  ^^'wcl  ^^^rposs^^ 


18 


THE  MODERN  REVIEW  FOR  JANUARY,  1963 


and  social  inequalities.  More  equitable  redistribution 
of  wealth  is  a  logical  sequel  to  the  redistribution  of 
land.  Some  time  ago  he  suggested  sharing  of  know- 
ledge with  the  less  educated  which  he  called  Budhi 
Dan  Yagna.  Addressing  the  people  of  Gaya  he 
appealed  to  them  to  make  a  success  of  Sampatti  Dan 
Yagna,  He  said  that  the  whole  idea  was  based  on 
faith  in  human  integrity.  Apparently,  Vinobaji  wants 
to  confine  the  money  collected  by  the  wealth  gift 
mission  as  a  supplement  to  the  Bhoodan  movement. 
The  amount  collected  is  to  be  used  for  providing 
bullocks  and  agricultural  implements  to  the 
recipients  of  land  and,  Secondly,  in  providing  sub- 
sistence allowance  to  poor  Bhoo-dan  workers.  The 
idea  is  excellent  and  money  gifts  may  come  with 
more  abundance  than  those  of  land  if  Achatya 
Bhave  demands  the  same  liberality  which  he  expects 
from  makers  of  land-gifts.  This  will  also  provide  an 
opportunity  to  those  who  do  not  even  have  an  acre 
of  land  to  participate  in  the  sacrifice.  If  the  amount 
collected  \a  sufficient,  part  of  it  can  even  be  utilised 
for  buying  land  at  concession  rat«s  and  distributing 
it  to  landless  peasants.  Acharya  Shave's  scheme  of 
Jand  and  wealth  redistribution  has  immense  possi- 
bilities. If  the  enthusiastic  response  of  the  public  to 
his  yagnoB  continues,  he  will  have  to  his  credit  a 
silent  revolution  spreading  all  over  the  country, 
achieving  objects  which  have  been  possible  only 
through  violent  upheavals  and  that  too  without  the 
suffering  and  evil  effects  which  have  been  their  in- 
evitable corollariee.** 

Unrest  in  Nepal 

The  affairs  m  Nepal  have  again  taken  a  turn  for 
the  worse. 

The  controversy  between  Koirala  brothcral  in  Nepal 
has  once  again  let  loose  a  wave  a  political  unrest  inude 
that  mountainous  State. 

According  to  reports  reaching  New  Delhi  the  Gorkha 
Rakshak  Dal,  a  political  body,  is  said  to  be  opposed  to  the 
present  advisory  regime  and  wants,  as  early  as  possible, 
a  popular  ^democratic   government. 

Adopting  methods  bordering  on  terrorism,  the 
leaders  of  the  Dal,  it  is  stated,  have  taken  over 
temporarily  the  administration  of  some  important  stations 
in  Western  Nepal. 

Reports  also  add  that  Government  treasuries  have 
been  looted  and  imprisoned  officials  are  being  tortured 
ahd  starved.  Among  the  arrested  and  detained  is 
mentioned  no  less  a  person  than  the  Governor  of  Pachi- 
manchal  Baitar,  who,  it  is  said,  has  been  taken  to  an 
unknown  destination. 

In   Garhi,   insurgents,   believed   to   be   the   foUowtrs 

of  the  rebel  leader  at  large,  Dr.   K.  I.  Singh,  are  said 

to   have   taken   into   custody   the   GovemiDr   of      North- 

West  NepaL     Garl4     is  only  six     miles  north-west  of 

^a/aghat  in   Almora   district   in    India, 

TAe  political  sHvuttion    in    Nepal    Teral,    according 


to  a  report      from      Kalimpong,  is      understood 
rapidly  worsening.      Scarcely  a  day      g[>asses 
dacoity,  looting  or  forcible  occupation  of  propei 
some  fracas  between  landlords  and  cultivators! 

The  Kisan  movements  which  were  hitherto 
the  Communists  are  now  believed  to  be  directed 
Nepal   Congress,    following    a   recent    decision    ta 
Birganj   by  the  Nepal  Congress  Executive. 

King   Tribhuvan's   argent   visit .  to    Delhi    to 
consultations      with   the      Indian   Prime      Minif 
matters   relating   to  law   and  order   and   other   I 
reforms  gains  added  importance   in  the  Kc^  o 
disturbing    reports. 

Our  information  is  that  certain  persons  in 
with  considerable  political  pull  have  been  foe 
trouble  in  Nepal,  for  ulterior  motives.  No  sett 
can  be  achieved  between  the  Koirala  brothers 
and  until  this  evil  influence  is  removed. 

The  Malayan  Situation 

The  following  extract  is  typical  of  the  reac 
the  British  Conservative  press  to  General  Te 
report : 

The  Evening  News,  writing  under  the  head 
Good  Report,"  comments  on  General  Templer'9  gU 
on  the  Malayan  situation. 

The    newspaper    says :    "General    Templer*s 
as  a  soldier-statesman  is  npw  generally  admitted 
public  statement  yesterday,  and  the  frank  vigoro 
in   which  he  dealt   with  questions  on  the   situai 
Malaya  will  increase  the  esteem  in  which  he  sti 

'"At  long  last,'  he  said,  'we  are  beginnha^g 
the  shooting  war  under  controL'  Improveme 
security  and  public  order,  the  diminishing  casual 
among  planters  and  security  forces,  and  the  inc 
casualty  rate  among  the  enemy  all  go  to  show 
not  an  idle  claim. 

''firm  handling  of  terrorism  is  combined,  as  ( 
Templer  pointed  out,  with  constant  attention  to  th 
term  aims  of  promoting  the     welfare  and  unity 
people  of  Malaya.      A  stiff  job  is  being  tackled 
energy  and  courage." 

No  one  in  this  world  of  today  desires  that 
or  violence  should  prevail  in  any  part  of  the  wc 
so  far  as  that  is  concerned  General  Templer's  wc 
be  appreciated.  But  the  Evening  News  and  otJ 
that  ilk  are  very  much  mistaken  if  they  thini 
peace  and  tranquillity  can  be  established  anywl 
Asia  by  mere  dragonades.  Malay  is  what  it  is 
due  to  the  labours  of  the  Chinese  and  the  Indian 
form  52  per  cent  of  the  population.  They  cam 
dispossessed,  politically,  with  impunity. 

The  Ardh  Refugees 

The  Manchester  Guardian  writes  of  the  outlc 
Arab  refugees  from  Palestine  under  the  heading 
for  Refugees." 

The  newspaper  says  :  'There  seems  to  be  j 
more  hope  oi  motive  ^TaicXical     ^ep«  to  Kft  the 


■^(m& 


4d 


I  from  Palestine  out  of  the  Slough  of  Despond 
ch   they    have   lain   so    long.    Cblonel   Shishakli, 

Premier,  declared  in  Damascus  yesterday  that 
wemment  would  collaborate  frith  the  United. 
I  Relief  an4  Worka  Agency  to  improve  the 
>na  of  refugees  now  living  in  Syria.  This  is 
ring  muchy  on  the  face  of  it,  especially  as  ho 
a  to  reject  any  solution  of  the  Palestine  problem 

did  noc  guarantee  the  refugees'  eventual 
ition.  But  it  is  more  than  any  Arab  leader 
bave  said  a  year  ago. 

he  United  Natioiv»  agency  bas  for  years  found 
docked  in  its  efforts  to  do  more  than  keep  the 
a  alive  by  the  refusal  of  the  Ajrab  states  to  joint 

plan  of  *resettlement*  which  might  be  taken! 
[y  waiving  the  claim  to  repatriation.  It  hafl( 
ir  tried  to  work  on  a  new  formula  :  'improvement 
ogee  hyinfi  conditions.'  If  the  Govemmentif 
ted  agree,  a  good  deal  more  than  of  ephemeral 
mn.  be  done  under  this  head.  Anything  which 
Mxmomic  stimulus  to  the  country  may  help  to 
I  the  c(mditions  for  refugees  without  necessarily 
ting  them  to  a  perman^ent  settlement."* 
»  are  glad  that  there  is  a  glimmer  of  hope  for 
oor  sufferers.  The  Arab  States  have  not  viewed 
(  from  a  realistic  view,  considered  from  humanic 
>int,  where  these  unfortunate  flotsam  of  the 
J  maelstrom  of  the  Near  East  are  concerned. 

al  Naguib*s  Problems 

e  Economist  (Dec.  6),  writing  on  Egypt,  says: 
four  months  of  ruling  Egypt,  General  Mohammed 

looks,  and  is,  a  tired  man.  The  dimensions  of 
•  that  confronts  him  are  enough  to  warrant 
as.    Wheni  he  came  to  power,  most      Egyptians/ 

IsfihA  that  an     luMi|Bst     man  with  a     sense  of 
I  was  ready  to  tell  them  what  to  do.  Since  then 
proved  intelligent  as  weU  as  honest, 
et,  as  months  go  by,  time  is  revealing  how  great 

odds  against  which  he  is  working— the  heaviest 

the  dreadful  economic  legacy  left  by  hia 
isor,  the  Wafd,  and  the  eternal  difficulty  of 
;  the  population  peessure  in  a  country  with  its 
»le  land  already  overcrowded.  The  moment  has 
>  weigh  his  chances  of  proving  to  Egypt  that  he 
Bcent  and  desoves  to  be  given  time  to  carry  on." 
5  Economist  goes  on  :  ''The  Wafd  had  squandered 
its  of  profitable  cotton  seasons;  the  army  there- 
>k  over  without  sterling  in  its  coffers  and  with 

world  demand  for  cotton  to  prevent  its  earning 
^Bck  of  sterling  (and  other  foreign  currencies) 
ed  the  Finance  Minister  to  restrict  imports^  and, 
swer  imports,  there  is  less  of  customs  revenue 
liould  provide  about  40  per  cent  of  the  budgetary 

# 

(yptians  tend  to  cite  the  current  failure  to  buy 
otton  as  the  main  source  of  their  economio 
bnl  fifuiti  for  the  first  14  weeks  of  the  season) 


show  that  they  sold  71,000  bales^  as  against  73,000  in, 
the  same  pmod  of  1951  and  81,000  in  that  of  1950. 
They  cannot  expect  annually  to  achieve  the  bumper 
sales  of  1949;  India,  as  well  as  the  U.K;.,  tends  to  be 
a  variable  buyer.  The  main  di£^ence  between  thig 
year  and  previous  years  is  that  they  have  sold  far  less 
than  usual  to  thq  chief  buyers  who  pay  in  sterling. 
Failure  to  produce  a  quick  change  at  honie  would  be 
mitigated  if  the  regime  were  able  lo  show  some 
H^ectacular  result  for  its  foreign  policy." 

The  Wafd^s  record  in  Egypt  might  yet  be  sur- 
passed in  India  by  that  of  Pandit  Nehru's  (Ik)ngress, 

unless  sanity  returns  in  time. 

« 

The  Gandhian  Outlook  and  World 
Tension 

A  seminar  on  the  "Contribution  of  the  Gandhian 
outlook  and  techniques  to  the  solution  of  tensions  within 
and  between  nations**  wiU  be  held  in  New  Delhi  from 
Jan.  5  to  Jan.  17  next.  Mr.  Nehru  will  inaugurate  the 
seminar  which  is  being  organized  by  the  Indian  National 
Commission  for  Co-operation  with  Unesco. 

Foreign  participants  in  the  seminar  are  Lord  Boyd 
Qrr  (the  UJC)  ;  Dr.  Ralph  Bunche  (the  U.S.A.)  ; 
Professor  G.  Tucci,  the  well  known  Italian  orientalist ; 
Madame  (Cecilia  Merieles,  Brazilian  poetess  and  educa- 
tionist whose  poem  on  the  assassination  of  Gandhiji  waa 
widely  published  ;  Professor  Massingnon,  of  the  College 
de  France;  Dr.  Mohammad  Hussein  Haikal,  former 
President  of  the  Egyptian  Senate,  and  winner  of  the 
Fuad  I  prize  in  Arabiq  literature ;  and  Mr.  Yusuke 
Tsurumiy  the  well-known  jwcifist  of  Japan  who  has 
written  several  pamphlets  on  C^dhian  techniques  of 
non-violenco. 

The  participants  from  India  are  Dr.  S.  Radha- 
krishnan,  Acharya  Narendra  Deva,  Dr.  Zakir  Hussain, 
and  Acharya  Kripalani.  Professor  Humayun  Kabir  will 
piarticipate  as  a  representative  of  the   Government. 

The  idea  of  holding  the  seminar  arose  out  of  a 
decision  of  the  first  conieroice  of  the  Indian  National 
Commission  for  Ce-operation  with  Unesco. 

We  have  no  doubt  the  seminar  will  serve  a  useful 
purpose.  But  the  choice  of  the  Government  representa- 
tive is  unhappy.  But  perhaps  the  Nehru-Azad  Govern- 
ment wishes  to  confess  that  its  outlook  is  totally 
divorced  from  that  of  the  Mahatma. 

Fatka  Bazar  Stopped 

The  following  Preab  Note  was  issued  by  the 
West  Bengal  Government : 

Reports  from  various  quarters  have  been  reaching 
(k>vemment  during  the  past  few  weeks,  of  the  unsatis- 
factory position  of  jnte  trade  in  the  country.  Govern- 
ment have  been  considering,  for  some  time  past, 
this  present  uncertain  outlodL  and  have  noted  with 
particular  concern  the  present  low  prices  of  raw  jute 
received  by  the  growers,  says  a  Press-Note  issued  by 
(k>vemment.  Government  have  under  considecatiooL  ^hi^ 
queslioA  oi  unyc<fiVQ%  \)eu«  ^(3ctiieQX  ^oaMwi^NA^r^wii  ^^fii^l^i 


20 


THE  MODERN  REVIEW  f  OR  JANUARY,  1663 


of  the  trade.  It  appears  that  there  has  been  such  a 
tremendous  amount  of  speculative  tradmg  as  to  cause 
rapid  fluctuations  of  jute  prices.  Futures  trading  in  jute 
is  regarded  as  one  of  the  causes  of  such  fluctuations.  It 
was,  therefore,  found  necessary  to  prohibit  futures 
trading  in  jute  goods  with  immediate  effect  in  West 
Bengal,  with  a  view  to  checking  speculation  and  promot- 
ing stabihty  in  prices.  The  following  notification  to 
that  efiEect  was  issued  on  December  18  : 

In  exercise  of  the  power  conferred  by  sub-section 
(1)  of  section  3  of  the  West  Bengal  Jute  Goods  Act, 
1950  (West  Bengal  Act  V  of  1950),  the  Governor  is 
pleased  hereby  to  prohibit  the  making  of  contracts  relating 
jto  jute  good^  on  and  from  the  date  of  pubUcation  of  this 
notification  in  the  Calcutta  Gazette. 

People  are  saying  uncharitable  things  with  regard 
to  this  notiflcation.  They  do  not  consider  the  order 
bad.  But  the  motive  in  suddenly  issuing  thia  order 
after  tens  of  thousands  have  been  ruined  in  this 
province  in  the  last  three  decades,  is  rather  curiously 
construed.  It  is  said  that  certain  big  fish,  who  have  in 
the  past  swallowed  thousands  of  little  fish,  have  got 
entangled,  and  that  this  move  is  to  grant  them  a 
virtually  tmlimited  moratorium. 

Grow  More  Food 

Sri  Chandra  Kanto  Chak^avaity  of  Bhattagram 
village  in  Midnapore  District  has  won  the  State's 
first  pciiip  of  Rs.  5,000  in  the  potato  crop^ 
competition  for  the  yeax  1951-52  by  raising)  662  maunda 
of  potato  per  acre.  The  next  best  potato  farmer  in  the 
State,  Sri  Girindra  Nath  Saha  of  Dipa  village  in  Hooghly 
District  has  been  awarded  the  isecond  prize  of  Rs.  3,000 
for  growing  563|  mds  4  srs.,  per  acre.  The  third  prize 
of  Rs.  2/XX)  has  gone  to  Sri  Dukari  Ghose  of  village 
Banamalipur,  in  Hooghly  District,  who  produced  511 
maunds  of  potato  per  acre. 

The  State 'a  best  wheat  grower  is  Haji  Mokbul 
Hossain  of  Malda  District  who  has  won  the  first  prize 
of  Rs.  1,000  by  producing)  56  maunds-12  srs.,  of  wheat 
per  acre.  The  second  prize  of  Rs.  700  and  the  third 
prize  of  Rs.  300  in  the  wheat  crop  competition  have  been 
won/  respectively  by  Jonab  Nuruddin,  who  produced  51 
maunds  per  acr6  and/  Sri  Joytish  Chandra  Das  who 
produced  50  maunds  per  acre.,  both  in  Malda  District. 

Horses  and  Water 

The  following  Press  Note  from  the  West  Bengal 
Government,  is  illustrative  of  the  old  saw,  "You  may 
lead  a  horse  to  water  but  you  cannot  make  it  drink." 

The  Anderson  Weir  on  the  Damodar  river  at 
Rhondia  has  a  canal  system  which  can  irrigate  about 
30X)00  acres  of  land  in  the  district  of  Burdwan.  At 
present  owners  of  only  about  2,700  acress  of  land  are  taking 
water  from  the  various  canals  in  the  thanas  of  Mante- 
swar,  Galsi,  Burdvran  and  Ghushkara.  Although  water 
is  available,  many  cultivators  are  not  taking  advantage 
4?/  ihese  canah  for  raising  rain  crops. 
.XR^Rff  ii»  Koaar  Dam  bet^$  to  irork  jud  theBokaro 


Power  Station^  releases  water  from  that  Afea,  Wflter  wi& 
flow  down  the  Damodar  river  to  the  canal  system  bow 
being  operated  from  the  Anderson  Weir.  Additional  water 
for  irrigating  about  35,000  acres  of  mpre  land  in  the 
district  of  Burdwan  wiU  be  available.  About  232  cusecs 
of  water  will  be  released  from  the  various  canal  systemi 
in  the  Damodar  region  of  Burdwan  District  for  cultiva- 
tion of  rM  crops.  It  is  very  necessary  that  the  farmers 
of  the  Burdwan  district  should  try  to  '  raise  an  early 
variety  of  Kharif  crop,  which  can  be  harvested  by 
October  so  that  rabi  crops  may  be  sown  in  an  extensive 
scale  during  the  winter  season.  Double  cropping  in  the 
'  area  will  be  possible  if  the  farmers  alter  the  preseofi 
system  of  cropping  to  suit  the  changed   conditions. 

Self 'Help  Projects^  in  KamakiJca 

What  a  solid  contribution  voluntary  cifforts  can 
do  in  the  execution  of  development  projects  haa  been 
amply  shown  by  the  people  of  Shahade  Taluka  in  the 
West  Khandesh  district.  The  villagers  with  their  ' 
own  efforts  have  launched  half  a  dozen  irrigation 
schemes  that  can  irrigate  nearly  ^teen  thouaand 
acres  of  land. 

Here  &re  a  few  details  of  the  minor  irrigation 
projects  started  on  voluntary  aid  by  the  village-people 
themselves  : 

(1)  A  co-operative  water  supply  association  has 
been  established  and  it  has  built  a  dam  at  Panchs- 
mukhi  Vakadambar  at  the  cost  of  Ra.  22,000.  The 
scheme  will  irrigate  nearly  600  acres  of  land. 

(2)  Another  small  irrigation  scheme  was  pro- 
jected, financed  and  is  being  completed  by  the  vil- 
lagers at  Parivardhe-Kodali.  Its  estimated  cost  is 
Rs.  twenty-five  thousand.  In  its  first  stage  of  com- 
pletion it  will  irrigate  225  acres. 

(3)  A  co-operation  association  has  spent  Ra. 
15,000  on  an  irrigation-scheme  at  Padalade-Aurangpur. 
It  will  supply  water  for  400  acres.  It  is  expected 
that  with  a  good  rainfall  in  the  catchment-area  of 
this  dam,  it  will  be  able  to  irrigate  even  two  thou- 
sand acres. 

(4)  Another  co-operative,  effort  at  Sultanpur  ia 
responsible  for  an  irrigation  scheme  that  will  irrigate 
600  acres  of  land  for  the  total  cost  of  Ks.  fifteen 
thousand.  [ 

(5)  Villagers  have  collected  on  a  voluntary 
basis  of  Rs.  60,000  within  a  month,  for  the  Susan  dam 
project.  Its  total  cost,  is  estimated  at  Rs.  1^80,000 
and  when  completed  it  will  make  water  available 
for  five  thousand  acres. 

(6)  The  work  of  Hole  dam  is  abo  undertaken 
at  an  estimated  cost  of  Rs.  63,000  and  having  a  capa- 
city of  irrigating  600  acres. 

In  the  nearby  Shindakhed  Taluka  an  important 
irrigation  project  has  been  laimched,  which  will  ulti- 
mately cost  rupees  three  lakhs. 

It  is  noteworthy  that  the  villagers  are  doing  this 
good  work  on  a  co-operative  basis  and  without  ask- 
ing lor  any  fLuaBcial  aid  from  the  State  Government. 


POPtLAllON  PLANNING  IN  INdU 


Br  Pbof.  C.  B.  MAMOEIA,  m.a.  (Geog.),  M.oom. 


Charactebistics  of  Indian  Population 
occupies  a  unique  position  as  regards  the  size  and 
itude  of  her  contribution  tOx  world  population 
h.  She  has  got  (l,138y814  sq.  miles)  3.7  per  cent 
e  world's  total  land  area  but  she  maintains 
dl,624)  over  1/5  of  the  world's  population.  Leav- 
ida  China  she  claims  to  be  one  of  the  most  popu- 
countries  of  the  world.  It  is  to  be  noted  that  in 
1/11  of  the  area  maintains  %  of  the  total  popula- 
Lnd  I  of  the  total  area  only  1/5  of  th^  population, 
trength  of  population  in  India  is  staggering  in  ita 
mass.  Its  rate  of  growth  has  fluctuated  widely 
g  the  last  70  years  and  the  percentage  growth 
I  these  years  has  varied  from  .9  to  15  per  cent.* 
:otal  addition  to  population  has  been  large.  The 
ation  increased  from  203,415,000  in  1871  '  to 
•1,000  in  1951.  According  to  Mr.  Ghosh,  we  ar6 
I  1031-41)  adding  roughly  14.5  million  new  lives 
ir  population  every  year  whereaa  about  11 
^ns  are  annually  being  aiatched  away  by  the  cruel 
,  of  death.*  The  chief  characteristic  of  our 
ation  lies  in  its  spatial  distribution.  While  there 
sme  areas  in  India,  especially  the  deltaic  regions 
Jie  Gangetic  Valley  which  are  over-populated, 
are  vast  territories  in  Rajasthan,  Madhya 
sh  and  even  in  the  Deccan  where  the  density  is 
re.  Besides  this,  the  population,  or  a  very  large 
itage  of  it,  is  "young"  and  the  potentialities  of 
jr  growth  are  large.  On  the  whole  its  movement 
[  to  be  dominated  by  mortaUty  rather  than  by 
ty  conditions.  Mortality  no  doubt  is  on  decline 
ertility  appears  to  be  unchanging  since  the  turn 
e  century.*  The  social  and  cultural  mores  of  the 
mass  of  the  population  are  adjusted  to  high 
ty.  The  family  system  is  intact  and  the  Social 
3  of  a  large  mass  of  the  population  cluster  round 
is  a  caste-ridden  society  and  lacks  individualist 
ions.  It  is  largely  an  illiterate  agricultural  popu- 
and  is  overwhelmingly  poor.  Larger  sections'  of 

Dr.  S.  Clundrasekhar  :  Demographic  Disarmament  for  India 
treaidential  address  delivered  at  the  first  AlMndia  Conferonce 
lily   Planning   Association    of    India,    1951),    pp.    3-4.  , 

D.  Cfaosli  :  Prauure  of  Population  and  Economic  Efficiency  te 

p.        18.  N 

Tlie  following  table  gives  the  Death  and  Birth  rates  for  last 
cades  x 

Death  rate  Birthrate    Year       Death  rate    Birdi  lato 

(per  1000)  (per  1000) 

)                                26  36.  1921*31               26               ftS 

I                             '31  34  1931*41               24              85 

1                             34  38  1949                   16.4          27.6 

1                             14  87 


the  people  are  under-fed  and  under-nourished.  Eventll6 
per  capita  availability  is  meagre.  One  example  quoted 
here  would  su£&ce  to  prove  how  low  our  living  and 
dietary  standard  is.  The  major  part  of  the  teeming 
millions  of  this  country  is  hardly  able  to  procure  even 
the  bare  necessities  of  life  so  as  to  eke  out  their> 
animal  existence.  There  are  few  civiliaed  countries 
with  such  a  low  standard  of  living.*  In  fact,  in  Indi» 
as  a  whole,  only  39  per  cent  of  the  population  can 
afford  adequate  diet,  41  per  cent  are  poorly  nourished 
and  20  per  cent  badly  nourished.*  The  poor  state  of 
health  and  high  illiteracy — 85  per  cent  (in  comparifloa 
with  the  percentages  of  literacy  in  countries  like  UJC^ 
U.S.A.,  and  U.S.S.R,) — leads  any  one  to  form  a 
concrete  idea  about  the  deplorable  economic  condition 
of  the  land.  Poverty  along  with  unemployment,  re- 
flected in  the  very  low  standard  of  living  of  Indian 
massed,  has  been  for  a  long  time  a  typical  problem  of 
India.  On  a  comparative  basis,  India  has  a  very  low. 
annual  income  per  capita,  Rs..255  (in  1048-49)  which 
is  only  1/18  of  that  of  an  American,  and  1/6  of  thk^t 
of  an  Englishman,  an  Australian,  a  Dane  or  a  Cana- 
dian." This  per  capita  income  is  far  from  being 
uniform.  There  is  a  wide  range  of  variation  in  the 
income  of  different  classes  of  people  in  India.  A 
microscopic  section  comprising  very  nearly  2  per  cent 
of  the  population  has  superabimdance  commanding 
one-third  of  our  total  wealth,  and  the  remaining  two* 
thirds  of  the  wealth  that  is  left  for  98  per  cent  of  the 
population  ie  hardly  adequate  to  permit  a  large  section 
of  the  Indian  masses  even  to  keep  their  body  and  soul 
together.^  Thus  the  average  income  is  just  enough 
either  to  feed  two  men  in  every  three  of  the  popula- 
tion or  give  them  all  two  in  place  of  every  three  meal» 
they  need,  on  condition  that  all  consent  to  go  naked, 
live  out  of  doors  all  the  year  round,  have  no  amude- 
ment  or  recreation  and  want  nothing  else  but  food, 
and  that  too  of  the  lowest,  the  coarsest  and  the  leadt 
nutritious  type.'  The  table  given  below  shows  soma 
of  the  interesting  facts  about  the  Indian  population.:* 


4.  Dr.  J.  M.  Kumarappa  :  The  Economic  Background  (O.U.P. 
Pamphlet),    pp.    19-20. 

5.  J.  Megaw  :  An  Enquiry  into  Certain  Pubtte  Health  Aspect*  of 
yUlage  Ufa  in  India,  pp.   8-11. 

6.  The  comparatiTe  figurea  are  :  (for  1947)— Auatralia,  Ra.  3100) 
Denmark.  Ra.  2647;  Canada.  Ra.  2826;  U.K.,  Ra.  2356;  U.S.A., 
Ra.  4643;  Ceylon.  Ra.  300;  Pakiat^n,  Ra.  225;  and  PhillppinM, 
Ra.  213.    (Vide  Commerce  Annual,   1948,  p.   IIBS). 

7.  S.   N.   Aganval  :    Tha  GandkSan  Plan.  ' 

8.  Shah  A  Khunhatu  :  W^mlth  and  Taxable  Capacity  of  Imik^ 
p.  307.  . 

9.  Vlds  £«IUrA  Economui  AwmmX^  V9RI^  \  U«A;iK«  \f^.  ViKVX. 


23 


THE  MODERN  REVIEW  FOR  JANTARY,  lfl63 


Calories  consumed 

Prot 

Per  day 

Per  cent 
from  cereals,  etc. 

2^ 

40-^50 

81 

3,030 

30-40 

90 

3430 

30—40 

90 

3,160 

30—40 

95 

2300 

fi0-«) 

100 

3,109 

30-40 

•  • 

2,268 

70-« 

•  • 

2,500 

••••.. 

75 

2^ 

60-60 

74 

1,620 

60—70 

42 

Country 

Germany 

U.  A.  •  •  •  ■ 

\J  ^0^  A  .  •    •  •    • 

Australia 

France 

Canada  • • 

Japan 

Egypt 

China  •  • 

India 

Thus  it  will  readily  be  realised  that  low  and  in* 
adequate  per  capita  consumption  of  food  is  indicative 
of  a  general  low  standard  of  living  and  the  consequent 
riiort  span  of  life.  Poverty,  disease  and  starvation 
0talk  the  land  ;  nearly  two-thirds  of  the  population 
are  chronically  under-nourished  and  disease-ridden. 
About  a  hutidred  million  suffer  annually  from  malaria 
ak>ne.  Nearly  ten  million  people  die  every  year, 
mostly  from  preventible  diseases,  diseases  of  mal- 
nutrition bom  of  poverty.  The  basic  reason  for  this 
appalling  condition  is  the  nature  of  the  existing 
economy  which  is  characterised  by  an  extreme  over- 
pressure on  agriculture  and  the  lack  of  planned  indus- 
trialisation. So  long  as  this  fundamental  imbalance 
between  agriculture  and  industry  is  not  corrected  and 
ao  long  as  the  problem  of  poverty  is  not  tackled  at  its 
very  root,  the  question  of  raising  the  standard  of 
living  and  the  question  of  improved  nutritional  and 
health  standard  for  India  will  remain  largely  an 
academic  one.  To  preach  the  gospel  of  good  food,  good 
health  and  good  living  to  the  people  of  India  without 
first  securing  for  them  the  means  for  even  a  bare  £Ub- 
aistence,  is  as  meaningless  as  advising  the  starving 
crowd  to  eat  cakes  when  they  cannot  afford  even 
bread. 

PoPtJLATION    POUCY    NeGLBCTBD    So    FaR 

The  population  problem  of  India  may  be  in  a 
nutshell  stated  to  be  simply  the  problem  of  too  many 
births  and  too  many  deaths,  resulting  in  a  low  survival 
rate,  the  surviving  population  subsisting  on  a  miser- 
able standard  of  living  due  to  abject  poverty.  In  some 
regions  like  the  Indo-Gangetic  plain,  Madhya  Bharat, 
and  the  Indian  plateau  the  problem  of  poverty  and 
population  is  more  acute  while  in  some  other  regions 
like  Travancore,  etc,  it  is  less  acute  though  their  exis- 
tence in  these  parts  can  hardly  be  denied.  Neither  the 
Government  nor  the  political  leaders  have  gathered- 
enough  courage  even  to  face  it.  The  problem  is  deep 
and  wide  and  it  touches  on  many  a  ^re  spot  of  the 
Indian  socio-economic-religious  order.  Clearly  what  we 
require  is  a  population  policy  which  will  take  into 
consideration  the  problems  of  spatial  distribution  and 
adjustment  and  a  long-period  programme  in  respect  of 
food  production.  Although  the  inexorable  logic  of  facts 
like  the  shortage  of  food  resources  and  increase  in 
population,  etc.,  has  forced  the  Goyenmient  to  take 
MI  Mad  a  eomprehenaye  policy    with    regard  to  lA&d 


Rate  per 
1000 
Birth     Death 

16.2  12.3 

16.3  12.2 
17.2       10.6 

0.9 


•  •  •  • 
15.9 

•  •  •  • 

26.7 
43.4 


15.3 

9.a 

14.0 
27.2 


MortaUty 

Sxpeota- 

Infant  Maternal    tion 

ofUje 

63 

5.1 

•  • 

56 

4 

62 

46 

8.3 

68 

38 

5.5 

67 

91 

2.5 

t7 

56 

•  • 

60 

144 

2.8 

43 

165 


26  22  150      24.05         27 

and  production,  yet  curiously  enough  the  related  pro- 
blem of  a  population  policy,  without  which  we  cannot . 
succeed,  seems  to  have  been  lost  sight  of  altogether. 

''A  population  policy  can  be  nothing  less  than 
a  social  policy  at  large  ...  If  practical  social 
science  is  not  on  the  watch,  there  is  a  palpable 
danger  that  population  policy  will  be  irrationally 
narrowed  down  and  forced  into  remedial  quackery. 
A  population  programme  must  work  itself  into  the 
whole  fabric  of  social  life  and  must  inter-penetrate 
and  be  inter-penetrated  tyy  all  other  measures  of 
social  change.  The  population  crisis  must,  if  we  cure 
to  react  rationally,  make  us  re-think  all  sodal 
objectives  and  progranunes.'*** 
Genbbal  Objbctivbs  of  Social  and  Economic 

PoLiar 
Before  proceeding  to  discuss  the  ends  and  means 
of  a  population  policy  in  India  it  b  necessary  to  set 
down  as  a  background  some  general  objectives  of 
social  and  economic  policy  that  have  been  evolved  and 
accepted  by  the  major  political  parties  in  India.  These 
can  be  enumerated  a&: 

(t)  To  develop  industries  rapidly  with  an  eye 
to  their  proper  location  and  adequate  provision  for 
labour  welfare  ; 

(u)  To  raise  the  general  standard  of  living 
and  to  abolish  under-feeding  and  mal-nutrition  ; 

iiii)  To  combat  illiteracy  and  make  education 
widespread  ; 

(tt^)  To  extend  public  health  facilities  and  to 
combat  and  prevent  diseases  and  epidemics  ; 

iv)    To     reduce     improvident     expenditure  on 
social  customs  like  dowry,  etc. 
These  are  accepted  objectives  and  the  population 

policy  has  to  "accommodate  itself  within  their  frame- 
work. 

Population  Poucies  in  Foreign  Oountbus 
Several  coimtries  especially  Germany,  France, 
Italy  and  Japan  gave  in  the  past  and  are  giving  even 
in  the  present  time  much  attention  to  increasing 
the  number  and  improving  the  quality  of  the 
inhabitants  of  their  country.  For  this  purpose  effective 
measures  were  put  to  stimulate  marriages,  lessen  the 
use  of  contraceptive  appliances,  ban  abortion  and 
encourage  large  families  by  providing  family  allow- 
ances, free  travelling,  free  education  and  other  financial 
assistance  and  awarding  medals  to  mothers  having 
more  than  a  certain  number  of  children.  Taxes  were 
imposed  on  bachelors  and  in  some  cases  there  was  dras- 


10.    A.  Mjrrdal  :  Natiw  md  FamUy,  p.  lOU 


POPULATION  PLANNING  IN  INDIA 


23 


tic  Aippression  of  the  means  formerly  used  to  prevent 
births.  Consequently,  the  declining  birth  rate  was 
reversed.  Other  countries  like  Russia,  U.S.A.,  Sweden, 
Belgium,  etc.,  have  taken  various  steps  to  achieve 
quantitative  stabilisation,  qualitative  improvement  and 
maintenance  of  its  population  strength  through 
various  social  schemes.  Even  the  U.  K.  is  also  pursuing 
a  policy  of  increasing  her  stationary  (rather  declining) 
population  by  increasing  the  annual  number  of  births 
through  the  enlarging  of  the  average  proportion  of 
women  who  many  and  the  lowering  of  the  over*  all 
age  at  which  the  women,  on  the  average  marry.  The 
recent  Royal  Commission  of  Population  recommends 
that  Britain's  goal  should  be  2.4  children  per  married 
6>aple  instead  of  2.2  as  this  would  be  fully  sufficient 
replacement. 

What  is  Best  for  the  Indun  Population  ? 

The  need  for  a  positive  policy  for  India  based  on 
what  is  best  for  the  Indian  p^ple,  both  from  the 
laritbmic  and  eugenic  point  of  view,  cannot  be  over- 
emphasized. And  what  would  be  best  for  India  could 
be  viewed  from  the  demands — of  the  army  for  soldiers 
of  industry  and  agriculture  for  workers  and  so  on. 
India  is  not  in  the  position  of  some  Western  countries 
which  face  the  problem  of  stationary  or  declining 
population,  and  which  consiequently  have  to  embark 
on  policies  of  increasing  the  birth  rate.  Our  pro- 
blem is  quite  a  different  one.  In  quantitative  terms 
the  goals  of  population  planning  can  be  either  to 
increase,  diminish  or  maintain  at  the  present  level  the 
existing  population.  Almost  everywhere  in  the  world 
up  to  now  the  economic  criterion  has  been  used  to 
determine  the  quantitative  goals  for  population 
policy.  But  in  the  case  of  India,  it  is  already  over- 
populated  and  hence  the  economic  expansion  cannot  for 
ever  compensate  for  a  constant  increase  of  population, 
becausie  economic  potentialities  are  affected  by  popu- 
lation. The  p^ple  have  apparently  already  reached 
the  point  where  density  and  rapid  growth  are  impeding 
eeonomic  development.  Therefore,  it  seems  somewhat 
unrealistic  to  attempt  to  do  something  on  the 
economic  side  alone  and  yet  to  do  nothing  on  the 
population  side.    As  Notestein  has  said  : 

"It  is  not  the  problem  of  doublin^r  or  perhaps 
even  trebling  the  product  of  backward  regions  that 
staggers  the  imagination  ;  it  is  the  need  for  an 
indefinite  continuation  of  suc^  an  expansion  in 
order  to  keep  with  an  unending  growth.  The  demo- 
graphic problem  is  not  that  of  putting  an  imme- 
diate end  to  growth,  but  of  checking  growth  before 
the  population  become  unmanageably  large,  e.g.^ 
before  the  present  numbers  are  doubled."" 

Hence,  any  attempt  to  compensate  indefinitely  on 
the  economic  side  for  population  increase  is  bound  to 
fail,  because  hiunan  beings  live  in  a  finite  world.  No 
doubt  various  scientific    devices  like     controlling  the 

11.    F.   W.   NotMtelii  :  "Problems  of  Policy  in   Relation   to  Atom 
ol  Httvf   Popolatioa   PrMinra**   ia   Dtmographic   ^fu^ief   of   S9ltct€4 

Arm  H  lUMd  Or^mh,  p,  V9, 


rains  from  clouds,  harnessing  sun's  energy  or  the  tided 
may  all  enormously  increase  the  food  supply  but  they 
cannot  for  ever  take  care  of  an  ever-increasing 
population.  Therefore,  the  quantitative  goal  for 
the  population  policy  in  India  should  be  that 
of  diminishing  the  present  population  and/or 
(if  the  former  is  not  possible),  that  of  slowing 
down  the  rate  of  growth.  In  regard  to  the 
quality  of  population  the  goal  obviously  should  be 
the  highest  possible  improvement  of  quality  of  the 
population.  This  goal  does  not  conflict  with  the  quanti- 
tative goal.  Besides  these  two  goals,  the  third  goal 
(the  major  though  by  no  means  the  exclusive  goal) 
should  be  a  higher  per  capita  income  ;  the  question 
of  population  policy  is  thus  oriented  towards  the 
problem  of  mitigating  Indian  poverty. 

As  such  the  social  optimum  population  for  India 
must  be  one  which  effectively  safeguards  the  nation 
against  alien  aggression  and  penetration  and  at  the 
same  time  does  not  give  rise  to  imperialist  or  chau- 
vinist claims  for  expansion  and  colonies.  The  most 
desirable  quantity  of  population  is  also  one  that  at- 
tains the  maximum  level  of  living,  political  stability 
and  economic  security,  along  with  ad^uate  freedom 
and  leisure  for  the  pursuit  of  cultural  values. 

No  country  or  nation  need  lament  that  its  popu- 
lation is  too  large  or  too  small,  as  long  as  it  can 
balance  the  twin  basic  physical  activities  of  man, 
those  of  production  and  reproduction,  for  the  problem 
arises  when  there  is  a  striking  mal-adjustment  between 
the  existing  population  and  the  available  resources  for 
its  support.  The  quantitative  aspect  of  population  is 
no  doubt  of  great  significance  but  only  as  a  means,  only 
as  a  foundation  for  quality.  One  need  not  fear  that 
India's  population  is  too  large  or  too  small  so  long  as 
it  is  healthy,  well-fed,  well-clothed,  adequately  employed 
and  with  enough  leisure  for  healthy  cultural  pursuits. 
The  question  is  :^  when  are  India's  teeming  millions 
going  to  have  these  basic  needs  satisfied  7" 
Dr.  Gyanohand  has  rightly  observed  that 

**The     population     problem     in  India  is     the 

remaking  of  derelict  people.  Its  solutioii  depends  on 

a  complete  and  radical  reconstruction  of  our  entire 

national  life,  but  the  point  which  is  important  is 

that  the  recoastruction  required  by  the  needs     of 

the  situation  cannot  be  carried  on  without  making 

the  control  of  population  an  integral  part  of    the 

whole  schetnc  of  reproduction.'*" 

Thus  production  as  well  as  reproduction  must  be 

rationalised.  As  Prof.  L.  Hogben  puts  it :  "A  society. 

must  be  biolpgically  as  well  as  economically  superior 

and  a  going  concern."** 


12.  The  net  reproduction  rate  of  India  ia  1.30  (1941), 
it  waa  1.44  in  Egypt  (1937);  1.72  in  U.S.S.R.  (1939);  1.44  in  Japan 
(1938);  1.29  in  Canada  (1941-42);  1.19  in  U.S.A.  (1942);  0.9  ia 
EnffUnd  and  Wale*  (1943);  .94  in  Germany  (1938);  0.87  in  Fnneo 
(1939);   0.85   in    Belfiam    (1942)    and   0.7«   ia    Sweden    (1997). 

{rid9  E.   M.   Hubback  :  Population.  FacU  and  Policies,  PP.  4546 1 
Wi    K.    Davia  :   Population   of   India   and   ?4fcU(«i«  ^.  ^"VN^ 

IS.    Gyi&ckuAd  t   IndWi   TmhOai  MVUWm^  ^.  ifi^* 

li.   L.  Hoilbn  \  Ktuwl  \tvwk  1,%U^%  ^«  ^ 


24 


THE  MODERN  REVIEWi  FOR  JANUARY,  1953 


The  limitation  of  numbers  fonna  a  more  perma- 
nent and  an  important  part  in  any  scheme  of  national 
or     regional     reconstruction.     Prof.     Goldscheid     has 

remarked  : 

"A  deep-seated  connexion  exi^  between  the 
economics  of  pr6du(?tion  and  those  of  reproduction. 
Production  can  only  be  rationalised  if  one  under- 
takes to  rationalise  reproduction,  just  as  intensively 
and  intelligently.  Economics  consists  of  economics 
■  of  merchandise  and  of  people.  It  is  not  until  we 
consciously  develop  economics  with  reference  to 
human  beings  and  when  we  learn  to  put  capital 
that  lies  in  humanity  to  an  economic  use  thatjve 
shall  obtain  at  the  same  time  the  optimum  density 
for  a  definite  period,  and  according  to  the  culture 
in  question,  »o  that  economics  of  reproduction  will 
thus  be  the  basis  of  economics  generally.**" 
It  is  interesting  to  recall  here  what  Dr.  Bonar  has 

ftaid  regarding  the  essence  of  Malthus's  teaching.    He 

writes  ! 

'There '  might  even  be  a  summary  in  one 
phrase  :  he  desired  economy  in  human  lives.  A  man 
who  secured  that  would  be  the  greatest  of 
economists.** 

How  TO  Reach  thb  Desibed  Goal? 
We  now  proceed  to  discuss  the  means  of  achieving 
our  desired  goals.  A  decrease  in  the  existing  population 
can  be  brought  about  through  increase  in  mortality 
and/or  increased  net  emigration.  The  former  might 
come  about  as  a  result  of  natural  calamities  like  floods 
And  famines  as  also  because  of  epidemics  and  diseases 
through  increased  mal-nutrition  and  under-feeding, 
increased  deficiency  of  medical  fiid  and  increased 
infanticide.  Not  only  are  health  and  longevity  ends  in 
themselves,  but  they  are  a  part  of  a  high  standard 
of  living.  Therefore,  it  would  be  self-contradictory  to 
say  that  death-rate  should  be  increased  in  order  to 
improve  the  standard  of  living.  It  is  precisely  a  high 
death-rate  that  a  population  policy  is  designed  to 
avoid.  If  people  get  poorer  and  poorer,  they  will  in- 
evitably begin  dying  off  faster  and  faster  .until  their 
number  fails  to  grow.  At  that  point  the  problem  of 
population  growth  will  have  been  solved,  but  not  the 
problem  of  poverty.  A  country  like  India  is  faced  with 
the  question  of  how  to  stop  population  growth  before 
a  rise  in  mortality  automatically  stops,  and  also  hol¥ 
to  lower  mortality  still  more  without  defeating  this 
aim  by  a  corresponding  rise  in  numbers.  Yet  low 
mortality  is  not  the  only  element  in  a  high  standard 
of  living.  There  are  other  elements  having  little  or 
nothing  to  do  with  longevity.  Therefore,  a  temporary 
rise  in  mortality  would  not  necessarily  represent 
regression  in  the  total  standard  of  living.  Its  effect 
would  depend  largely  on  the  duration,  causes  and  cir- 
cumstances of  rise,  e.g.,  a  sudden  epidemic  that  quickly 
sweeps  over  50  million  people  in  India  would  greatly 
increase  the  average  real  income  of  the  remaining 
population,  specially  if  its  incidence  were  highest  in  the 


JS.    J>>'0ceeding$    »f    the    World    Populmtion      Conference      (1927), 


non-productive  ages.  Such  a  sudden  increase  in  deaths 
would  only  temporarily  disrupt  ^  the  economy,  and  it 
would  just  in  one  stroke  eliminate  a  huge  portion  of 
the  surplus  population.  Conceivably  it  might  open  the 
way  to  social  reforms  that  would  otherwise  be  more 
difficult  and  thus  help  to  break  the  vicious  circle  of 
poverty.  In  this  connexion  Notestein  has  remarked  : 

'ToHcies  designed  to  yield  (a  rising  death  rate) 
are  occasionally  suggested  as  a  temporary  expedient 
to  obtain  release  from  pressure,  pendinnr  a  decline 
in  fertility.  However,  the  suggestion  is  based  on  a 
misconception  of  the  factors  governing  growth.    A 
period  of     increasing     mortality     would,     in  fact, 
impede  the   developments  essential   to     induce     a 
decline  in  fertihty.  Rising  mortality  in  areas  under 
consideration  means  in     reality     rising  .population 
pre^re,  and  not  a  solution  of  that  pressure.'*"* 
This  implies  that  a  heightened  deatli  rate  is    re- 
jected as  a  policy  because  it  lowers  down  the  economic 
efficiency  and  a  further  deterioration  in  the  health  of 
the  coimtry.  But  increased  mortality  may  not  have  a 
net  adverse  economic  effect.  Whether  it  does  or  not 
depends  on  how  long  it    is    sustained    and  what  its 
causes  are.  If  it  is  eusfcaii^ed  or  rises  over  a  long  period, 
it  is  a  sign  that  conditions  are  getting  worse.  If  it  ii 
sudden  but  temporary  it  may  bring  unusual  prosperity 
through  relief  from  excess  numbers  until  the  popula- 
tion builds  up  again  to  its    former  level.    Even    the 
immediate  bad  effects  of  a  civil  war  may  be  compen- 
sated for  by  a  subsequent  period  of  lessened  population 
pressure.    This  being  true,  the  rejection  of  increased 
mortality  as  a  policy  does  not  rest    on  its    economic 
effects.  It  rests  on  the  fact  that  human    life,    excepi 
under  extreme  group  necessity,  is  viewed  as  an  end  in 
itself  and  not  as  a  means  to  an  end.  This  reason  ex«f 
plains  why  official   domestic  policy  with  Teference  to 
death  is  nearly  always  in  one  direction,  namely,  limi- 
tPtion.  Therefore,  it  is  quite  clear  that  a  reduction  of 
the  net  reproduction  rate  cannot  be  attempted  from 
the  side  of  increasing  the  mortality. 

Is  Labge-bcale  Emigration  Possible  T 
Let  us  now  turn  up  to  another  alternative.  Large- 
fpcale  emigration  can  bring  about  a  decrease  in  the 
existing  population.  A  government  might  encourage  it 
as  a  part  of  its  population  policy.  In  India's  case, 
emigration  outlets  on  any  sizeable  scale  are  not  avail- 
able due  to  the  restrictions  provided  by  various  coim- 
tries.  Though  there  are  available  vast  areas  in  Austra- 
lia, Western  North  America,  Africa  and  South  America 
which  are  virgin  from  the  habitation  point  of  view 
where  tractors,  sheep  and  cattle  luxuriate  on  the  open 
spaces  and  man's  artificially  bolstered-up  standard  of 
living  is  protected  by  government  tariffs,  subsidies 
and  bans  on  foreign  immigration,  there  are  areas 
which  are  compact  and  fully  compressed  witli  the  bulk 
of  humanity  and  where  people  actually  live  on  sub- 
•  nutritional  and  sub-physiological  standards.  Such  an 
economic  and  social  contrast  is  entirely  incompatible 

16.    Noteitein  :   Op.   ctf.,   pp.    148-49. 


POPULATION  PLANNING  IN  INDIA 


25 


world  peace.*^  If  Indians  are  allowed  to  settle  in 
parts  of  the  world,  through  the  atrkt  passage  of 
Dtemational  Immigration  Act  they  would  with 
traditioanl  skill  and  method  of  culture  may 
duce  an  era  of  .prosperity  in  these  lands  resulting 
high  standard  of  living  until  the  usual  Indian 
lation  pressure  develops.  Hence,  it  is  highly 
3d  that  immigration  laws  must  be  revised  by  a 
Qon  consent,  for  imless  a  worldwide  movement  is 
ted  to  redistribute  and  adjust  by  concerted  ac^on 
intire  population  of  the  globe  with  a  view  to 
t  man-power  to  the  material  resources  in  every 
of  the  globe,  the  population  problem  is  not  likely 
i  adequately  solved.  But  this  thing  seems  to  be 
icticable  for  some  time  to  come  and  hence  the 
ts  of  the  excess  that  will  appreciably  affect  tlTe 
lation  situation  are  not  likely  to  be  available    to 

0 
• 

>ULD  Reduction  m  Febtiutt  be  Kgsobted  to  7 
another  alternative   for  reducing  the  growth     of 
ation  is  by  effecting  a  reduction  in  fertility.  Let 
3  how  far  the  problem  of  growing  population  can 
ckled  from  the  side  of  fertility.  Fertility  is  basi- 
determined  by  fecundity.    The    spread  between 
lity  and  fertility  is  determined  directly  by  social 
biological     and     partly     by     economic     factors. 
a  well-known  fact  that  marriages  in  India    are 
rsal  and  that  early  marriages  in  India  are  quite 
5nt  resulting  in  early   child-birth.     Therefore,  if 
revailipg  marriage  rate  is  somehow  reduced,  it  is 
le  to  check  high  fertility  to"  a  great  extent.  This 
iling  marriage  rate  can  be  reduced  by  preventing 
larriages  of  males  and  females  below  some  pres- 
age limits,  by  employing  women  in  industries 
mig^t  lead  to  postponement  of  marriage^and 
anging  the  sex-habits  of  the  people  through  pro- 
:  other  means  of  recreation. 

Marriaob  Aob  should  be  Raised 
et  us  see  how  far  are  these  methods  applicable 
lian  conditions.  So  far  as  the  raising  of  the  age 
irriage  is  concerned  it  might  be  remarked  that 
imber  of  children  per  fwnily  depends  to  a  large 
on  the  age  of  the  wife  at  the  time  of  marriage. 
L  experience  shows  that  the  higher  the  age  the 
.is  the  fertility  rate."  Similar  conclusions  were 
cached  by  Kuczynski.  According  to  him  : 

"Below  age  20,  the  chance  of  a  married  woman 
nng  a  child  within  a  year  is  shown  to  be  nearly 
between  age  25-29,  the  chances  have  diminished 

50  per  cent'  to  approximately  i,  ten  years  later 
s  little  more  than  one-eighth,  while  in  the  oldest 

R.  K.  Mukerjce  :  Races,  Latui$  and  Food,  p.  7  and  p.  39. 
AccordiBf  to  1941  Census,  if  the  wife  belongs  to  the  sffs 
5*20,  the  arersge  number  of  children  bom  per  family  it 
5.4  in  the  age-group  20-2S  and  4.9  in  the  25-30  age>gronp 
on.  Thus  it  is  evident  that  the  first  period  ia  most  fertile. 
I  period  20-30  is  also  fertile  thoai^  less  than  the  prerioiu 
t  once  women  are  past  that  age,  their  reprodnctlTO  power 
•  rapidly  until  it  eshasata  itself,  generally  at  the  age  of  45. 


age  group  (40^)  it  is  but  3  per  cent  or  about  i  of 
that  shown  for  the  yoimgest  age  group  when  a 
change  in  th.e  proportion  of  married  women  in  one 
group  may  thus  have  an  effect  upon  ensuing  ferti- 
pty  fourteen  times  as  great  as  an  identical  change 
in  another  group,  the  importance  of  the  age  distri- 
bution of  the  potential  mothers  is  at  once  mani- 
fest.''" ^ 
Hence,  the  effective  fertile  period  of  woman  wiU 

increase  or  decrease  according  to  the  s^e  at  which 
marriage  takes  place.  If  the  age  at  marriage  is  in- 
creased the  effective  fertile  period  will  be  reduced  and 
the  chances  of  a  married  woman  bearing  all  the  children 
she  is  capable  of  bearing,  if  the  total  and  the  effective 
fertile  periods  coincide  exactly,  -will  be  reduced  and 
total  fertihty  may  also  be  expected  to  decline.  There- 
fore an  increase  in  the  age  of  marriage  from  14  or  18 
to  20  or  over,  enforced  by  suitable,  effective  and  viola- 
tion-proof legislation  such  as  Early  Marriage  Restraint 
Act  might  be  expected  to  reduce  fertility  to  a  great 
extent.  It  is  expected  that  'delayed  and  mature  mar- 
riage with  some  fundamental  education  in  the  interval 
could  contribute  to  the  lowering  of  the  birth  rate**  and 
also  result  in  a  better  appraisal  of  the  role  that  the 
girl  in  particular  has  to  play  in  life  as  a  wife,  a  mother 
and  a  citisen 
Only  RAPm  Industrialisation  is  Not  Advisablb 
It  has  been  pointed  out  that  the  reproduction  of 
human  community  is  greatly  affected  by  the  status  of 
women  in  that  society.  Experiences  in  other  countriefl 
Suggest  that  feminine  advancement  in  general  is  likely 
to  be  associated  ^th  a  falling  birth  rate.  As  regards 
the  employment  of  woman  in  gainful  occupations  it 
may  be  pointed  out  that  increasing  employment  of 
women  in  industries  in  the  West  has  no  doubt  resulted 
in  a  fall  in  the  number  of  marriages  and  conse- 
quently in  fertility.  The  growth  of  industry  affects 
population  growth  through  urbanisation.  Industrial- 
isation will  no  doubt  increase  the  productivity  of 
labour  and  create  an  abundance  of  badly  needed  com- 
modities and  services  but  at  the  same  time  it  would 
encourage  the  development  of  new  patterns  of  living, 
Rapid  industrialisation  as  a  population  policy  is 
really  a  means  of  reducing  fertility,  not  directly 
through  officially  diffusing  contraceptive  material  and 
information,  but  indirectly  through  changing  the 
conditions  of  life  and  thus  forcing  people  in  their 
private  capacity  to  seek  the  means  of  family  limita- 

19.  Knciynski  :    Mtaturement    of   Population    Group,    p.    147. 

20.  In  Ireland,  the  growth  of  population  b  held  in  check  by  e 
remarlcahle  late  arerage  age  of  marriage.  Similarly  in  Germany  too 
(where  the  age  of  marriage  ia  seldom  below  20).  marriages  at  20  art 
mose  fertile  (2. 25  children)  than  late  marriages,  vix.,  at  2S  it  is 
1.69,  at  30  it  is  1.83  and  at  35  only  0.78.  Similar  concloaion  I9 
reached  by  Dnnken.  According  to  him,  "A  year's  delay  when  the 
woman  is  aged  from  25  to  30  averages  of  0.45  of  a  child  ;  0.37  when 
•he  is  aged  from  25  to  30;  0.32  when  ahe  b  aged  between  30  to  35} 
0.29  when  she  is  aged  from  30  to  40  and  0.19  when  she  b  aged  from 
40  to  45.'*  He  thinks  that  it  wonld  take  a  delay  of  10  years  on  th« 
part  of  a  man  to  reduce  a  family  by  one  child.  {Vid4  Donkaa  v  R«a* 
and  PopiUatioii  Problem,  ^^.  ¥!(I>V^. 


26 


THE  MODERN  REVIEW  FOR  JANUARY,  1953 


tion.  As  a  population  policy  industrialisation  obviously 
means  something  more  than  merely  allowing  •  social 
evolution  to  take  its  course  ;  if  this  were  all  that  were 
implied,  it  would  represent  no  policy  at  all.  It  implies 
rather  an  attempt  to  speed  industrialisation  beyond 
what  it  would  otherwise  be  and  to  emphasuse  in  the 
process  those  elements  of  modernization  that  will  most 
likply  depress  fertility,  such  as  education,  urbanisation, 
geographical  and  class  mobility,  multi-family  dwell- 
ings, commercial  recreation  and  conspicuous  consump- 
tion. An  industrial  revolution  b  so  enormous  in 
complexity  and  ia  instrumental  to  so  many  ends, 
that  its  feasibility  and  character  are  likely  to  be 
determined  on  grounds  other  than  population  alone. 
But  the  main  disadvantages  of  quick  industrial- 
isation as  compared  to  direct  birth-control  policy 
are  two-fold  :  first,  it  is  more  difiicult  and  second, 
it  is  slower.  Although  economic  changes  seem  to  be 
more  acceptable  than  birth-control  measures  because 
they  interfere  less  with  the  mores,  the  truth  is  that 
any  policy  that  will  rapidly  industrialise  India  would 
be  a  far  greater  shock  to  the  basic  social  institutions 
than  would  any  policy  that  attacked  fertility  directly. 
Fast  industrialisation  would  sweep  both  the  ryot  and 
the  samindar  from  their  moorings,  transforming  them 
into  workers  in  a  collectivised  mechanized  agricul- 
ture. The  existing  industrial  and  commercial  system 
of  India  would  have  also  to  be  completely  overhauled 
and  subjected  to  strong  controls.  Production  schedules, 
prices,  profits,  wages,  supply  of  raw  materials,  location 
of  industries,  flow  of  capital,  mobility  of  labour — ^all 
would  have  to  be  minutely  planned  and  rigidly 
administered  by  a  Central  Government.  But  at  the 
same  time  powerful  businessmen  would,  not  necessarily 
submit  willingly  to  this  extreme  governmental  control. 
Besides,  this  rapid  industrialisation  would  make  us 
incur  a  very  heavy  cost.  The  second  disadvantage  of 
forced  industrialisation  as  a  population  policy  is  its 
slowness.  Even  granting  that  industrialisation  can  be 
greatly  accelerated,  the  time  required  would  neverthe- 
less permit  a  huge  interim  growth  in  numbers.  The 
death  rate  would  for  some  time  continue  to  fall  faster 
than  the  birth  rate.  But  how  fast  the  modernization 
process  can  be  speeded  up  depends  on  the  role  of  India 
in  world  economy,  on  the  ruthlessness  with  which 
industrialisation  is  pushed,  and  on  the  absence  of 
chronic  internal  strife;  but  it  seems  hard  to  believe 
that  it  can  be  done  rapidly  to  avoid  an  enormous 
growth.  Should  industrialisation  be  relied  on  as  the 
sole  means  of  reducing  fertility,  it  could  not  be  suc- 
cessful in  time  to  achieve  a  marked  rise  in  the  standard 
.of  living.  Of  course,  it  can  be  argued  that  if  India 
is  industrialised  this  will  automatically  raise  the 
standard  of  living;  but  it  is  equally  true  tliat  the  rise 
will  be  far  below  what  it  would  have  been  had  the 
fertility  been  lowered  at  an  earlier  time.  For  this 
jjMfion  jt  Beemsf  unwjBe  to  rely  on  a  rapid  and  apeedy 
fodustriaJmUou,  It  mwt    be    rememherti    that  the 


solution  of  the  problem  of  India's  poverty  lies  not  flO 
much  in  an  all-out  industrialisation  as  in  striking  the 
correct  balance  between  agriculture  and  industry,  so 
that  each  may  grow  with  the  aid  of,  and  not  at  the 
expense  of,  another. 

Impeovement  and  Extension  of  Aqsicttltube  is 

HlQHLT   DeSIBABLB 

In  the  nature  of  things,  especially  in  view  of  the 
vast  proportion  of  India's  rural  population,  agriculture 
will  probably  remain,  in  any  forseeable  future,  the  main 
stay  of  India's  economy  as  the  majority  of  people  will 
still  continue  to  be  dependent  on  it.  In  any  plan  of 
economic  development,  therefore,  the  first  and  fore- 
most emphasis  must  be  placed  on  the  improvement 
and  extension  of  agriculture.  More  land,  i.e.,  all  the 
tillable  land  must  be  brought  under  the  plough  and  t&6 
cultivated  land  must  be  made  ta  yield  enough,  ifi^ 
considerably  more  than  the  present  yield  not  only  to 
feed  the  whole  country  but  with  enough  margin  to 
provide  necessary  amenities  for  those  who  will  remain 
directly  dependent  on  it.  The  chief  measures  to  be 
adopted  should  include  : 

(»)  The  ending  of  the  existing  system  of  un- 
economic holdingps  by  the  introduction  of  co-opera- 
tive farming  ; 

(u)  Reclamation  of  all  available  culturable 
waste  land  ; 

(m)  Introduction  of  extensive  zonal  system  oi 
irrigation  by  harnessing  all  available  sources  ol 
water  supply  ; 

{iv)  Production  and  distribution  on  the  widest 
possible  scale  of  ^natural  and  artificial  fertilizers  ; 

Kv)  8oil  conservation  and  conservation  oi 
moisture  by  dry-farming  methods  and  the  develop- 
ment of  drought-resisting  and  fast-maturing  crops; 

{vi)  Afforestation  of  all  desert  and  unfertile 
areas  ; 

(tnt)  Universal  institution  of  co-operative 
credit ; 

(vivi)  Establishment  of  model  farms  all  o\& 
the  countnr ; 

(ix)  Improvement  of  livestock  bv  elimination 
of  surplus  cattle,  selective  breeding  and  propez 
feeding  and  care  ; 

(xT  Establishment  of  co-operative  dairy, 
poultry,  fruit  and  vegetable  gardening  on  the  widest 
possible  scale  ; 

ixi)  Abolition  of  the  present  land  S3^tem ; 
and 

*   ixii)    Creation   of   a     nation-wide     machinery 
for  agricultural  marketing. 
Only  after  this    fundamental    reorganisation    has 

been  achieved  would  it  be  possible  to  embark  on  a 
constructive  programme  of  improvement  and  extension. 
It  is  contended  that  the  measures  outlined  above  will 
no  doubt  lead  to  a  slackness  in  the  Inrth  late  for  it 
has  been  well  said  that 

''The  tendency  of  multiplication  is  greatest 
where  men  have  no  stake  in  existence,  where  thqr 
have  no  prospect  of  improving  their  conditions  (the 
standard  of  living)  and  where  children  if  bora 
would  not  be  miserable  than  the  parents.  Pover^ 
accentuates  the  process  of  multiplication  and  multi- 
plication intensifies  poverty.*^  But  when  soms 
cliaixcQ  gl  b^Xl^x  ^wi\Xv^isA  U  vinblet  when  a  bettei 


i»of tutioN  f laknii^g  m  tmtA 


» 


Upation,  education,  some  savings  and  son^e  accu- 
dation  appear  witnin  reach  (as  a  result  of  higher 
ndard  of  living),  when  it  is  seen  that  more 
rutha  to  feed  mean  a  lessening  possibility  of 
lising  such  an  opportunity — then  ihB  propensity 
multiplication  is  more  and  more  held  in 
ick.'"* 

Provision  of  H^gbeation  FACiunES  is 
Uboentlt  Needed 
he  sex-habits  of  the  population  directly  affect 
by.  The  frequency  of  intercourse  varies  with  such 
lal  factors  as  health,  vigour  and  mental  make-up 
!  people  as  well  as  is  determined  by  some  external 
8.  Man  is  a  gregarious  animal.  Sexual  activity  is 
portant  outlet  for  nervous  energy  and  when  there 

>  other  outlets  available  to  it,  it  naturally  intensi- 
!X  activity.  An  increase  in  the  outlets  of  nervous 
f  afforded  by  urban  areas  is  supposed  to     have 

>  a  slackening  of  sex  activities  in  the  West    and 

las  resulted  in  reduced  fertility.    But  it  should 

membered  that  even  in  the  West  this  was  only 

f  the  minor  and  subsidiary  causes  of  the. decline 

th  rate.  As  Prof.  Carr-fiaimders  observes  : 

"It  has  been  suggested  that  the  increased 
portunities  of  enjoyment  which  have  been  shared 
'  all  classes  may  have  been  accompanied  by  & 
duction  in  frequency  of  intercourse.  But  for  this 
iuctlon  was  also  due  to  some  other  factors."* 

.  population  policy  that  merely  provides  food, 
ng,  shelter  and  economic  security  is  not  sufficient, 
leed  for  enjoyment  and  recreation  is  also  impor- 
X)  divert  one's  attention  towards  better  amenities 
B  than  towards  sexual  activity  only.  To  simply 
house  and  maintain  the  health  of  the  masses  will 
*  better  than  the  treatment  meted  out  to  the  in- 
;  of  the  Zoo.  Hence,  a  sound  population  policy 
assure  the  imder-privileged  mothers  especially  and 
ublic  in  general  a  chance  to  participate  in  extra- 
>U8  activities.  There  must  also  be  some  forms  of 
•tion  where  the  whole  family  may  participate 
frhere  there  is  no  segregation  between  men  and 
n.  An  enlightened  government  may,  therefore,  do 
to  explore  the  pofibibilities  in  this  direction  and 
a  little  happiness  in  the  otherwise  dull,  drab  and 
f  lives  of  India's  work-a-day  millions. 

Delibqiatb  Contbol  op  Bibth 
>e|iberate  control  of  birth  might  be  divided  into 
!lasses,  pre-  and  post-  conception  control.  The 
includes  the  control  of  conception  by  birth  con- 
artificial  or  otherwise,  while  the  second  comprises 
fforts  at  ending     conceptions,    after     they  have 

Tlie  oft*qaot«d.  •tatement  of  Adam  Smith,  **VafttXj  is  faTOur. 
»  generation,**  b  applicable  to  India  in  procreation  of  life.  The 
o  which  the  poor  are  subjected  to  in  India  and  to  which  they 
m  succumb,  make  them  prudence-proof  and  are  favourable  to 
irth  rate.  Aceordingly,  the  half-starved  women  bear  roaay 
B    while   a    'pampered    fine    lady*    b    so    often   not    capable     of 

Tamsif  :   Principhs   of   Economics,   Vol.    11,   p.   231. 
Cur-SMwdas  i    World   FopukOw,   p.    101. 


occurred,  by  artificial  means.    The    latter    might  be 
considered  first. 

The  practice  of  artifycial  or  induced  abortions  has 
played  a  significant  part  in  the  decline  of  fertility  in 
the  West.  In  India,  artificial  or  induced  abortion  is  not 
practised  on  any  large  scale.  Social  attitudes  are  against 
it  and  there  is  no  reason  to  expect  any  increase  in  the  • 
number  of  abortions  in  the  future.  There  is  no  pros- 
pect of  any  relaxation  of  legal  restrictions  in  this  re- 
gard. From  another  point  of  view,  viz.,  the  health  of 
the  woman,  it  would  not  be  desirable  to  practise  abor- 
tion. 

Fertility  in  India,  therefore,  cannot  be  expected  to 
be  reduced  by  an  increase  in  the  abortion  rate.  No 
doubt,  there  are  certain  pathological  conditions  that 
lead  to  premature  termination  of  pregnancies.  The 
deficiency  of  vitamin  E,  for  instance,  leads  to  increased 
abortions  among  women.  In  India,  diet  surveys  did 
not  reveal  deficiency  of  vitamin  E  and  such  a  defi- 
ciency is  not  likely  to  develop  in  near  future  as  efforts 
will  be  made  to  combat  mahiutrition  all  round.  In  any 
case  vitamin  E  is  so  widely  distributed  among  different 
types  of  food  that  there  should  be  Uttle  likelihood  of 
its  being  a  'limiting  factor'  in  human  beings. 

Control  of  births  without  artificial  means  might  be 
brought  about  by  increased  continence  and  the  so- 
called  method  of  *^safe  period."  The  extent  of  conti- 
nence required  for  affecting  fertility  in  any  significant 
manner  will  have  to  be  very  large  but  the  proportion 
of  those  who  can  follow  successfully  this  method  of 
family  limitation  is  infinitesimally  small.  It  is  said 
that  every  act  of  aelf-restraint  strengthens  our  moral 
fibre  and  elevates  our  nature.  Nobody  will  contradict 
this  general  proposition.  The  sex-instinct  in  the  normal 
man  is  immensely  strong  and  deep>rooted.  Eyen  a 
single  act  of  sexual  congress  in  a  year  may  fertilise  the 
ovum  land  keep  up  an  yearly  flow  of  births.*  Besides, 
abstinence  is  harder  in  normally  sexed  men  and  women 
than  in  men  and  women  of  frigid,  ascetic  or  intellec- 
tual type.  Dr.  Stopes  thinks  that 

"The  man  of  sex  vitality  below  par  or  the  nian 
engaged  on  very  absorbing  and  strenuous  intellec- 
tual work  is,  on  the  whole,  Hkely  to  achieve  this 
enforced  celebacy  within  marriage  without  any 
material  disturbance  of  his  physiological  functions 
but  with  the  probable  result  that  if  it  is  extended 
over  for  many  years  his  potential  fertility  may  be 
reduced  or  totally  lost.  And  even  with  the  best  will 

24.  The  civilized  man  has  excessive  fecundity  and  abondaat 
fertility.  The  fecundity  of  man  is  at  least  12  hundred  times  as  great 
as  it  b  needed  to  keep  up  population.  Of  woman  it  is  four  tiioiea  as 
great   as  it   Is   needed.    (Vide   Duncan  :   Op.    Cit.,   p.    272). 

It  has  been  estimated  that  the  normal  ejaculation  of  a  man 
contains  226.000.000  spcrmatosoa  and  the  ovaries  of  a  woman  contain 
about  75,000,000.  Not  more  than  500  of  these  ova  develop  to  maturity 
during  the  fertile  period  of  a  woman's  life,  and  not  more  than  20  oi 
SO  can  possibly  be  used  for  reproduction.  One  ovum  matures  each 
lunar  month  between  puberty  and  menopause,  and  for  each  matured 
ovum  the  male  develops  at  least  850.000,000  spermatoaoa.  Since  ooly 
one  owm  aod  one  tpennatoaoft  are  needed  in  each  reproduction,  wv 
(M  plo  MiBf  idei  o(  th*  U.\«a\  i«9i^'^«de«%  ^v«^  ^\\sMMBwVto«!« 


a 


•fttfi  mbiskn  ftfivttiw!  foil  jAiWAfty,  im 


in  the  world  he  will  hardly  prevent  himself  getting 
at  leaat  a  little  ''queer''  and  fidgety  if  not  actually 
irritable  and  the  woman  will  develop  eome  form  of 
aleeplessnesBy  digestive  complaint,  nervousness, 
hysteria,  ovarian  congestion,  thyroid  and  endocrine 
disturbances,  sexual  neurasthenia,  anxiety  neurosis 
and  fully  developed  psychoses/'* 

In  men  continued  abstinence  causes  debility,  im- 
potence, congested  glands  and  insomnia  besides  which 
a  permanent  barrier  is  established  between  husband 
and  wife  destro3ring  the  self-confidence  and  spon- 
taneity which  is  so  essential  to  a  man's  normal  func- 
tioning. In  the  face  of  these  facts  continence  (absti- 
nence within  marriage)  would  seem  to  be  an  extremely 
imperfect  means  of  restricting  population  growth; 
though  abstinence  is  necessary  during  days  when  mens- 
truation would  be  due  for  the  second  and  third  time, 
during  the  period  when  spontaneous  abortion  is  modt 
likely  to  occur  and  during  the  later  months  of  the 
pregnancy. 

Another  method  of  birth  control  is  the  "safe 
period"  or  rhythmic  method.  Every  woman  has  a  "safe 
period"  or  a  sterile  period  in  her  monthly  cycle  during 
which,  investigations  have  shown,  conception  cannot 
take  place.  1|he  existence  of  a  "safe  period"  in  a 
woman's  menstural  cycle  is  itself  doubtful*  for  it 
cannot  be  easily  determined  for  women  whofle  cycles 
are  irregular  or  not  of  four-weekly  type,  for  variations 
of  8  or  10  days  are  not  imcommon  between  one  period 
and  the  next  in  normal  women  showing  regular  cycles. 
The  woman's  rhythm  is  usually  upset  by  "unusual 
physical  exercise,  a  change  of  climate,  nursing,  chronic 
afflictions  or  anemia."  Dr.  Dickison  says  : 

^'Although  every  woman  has  a  long  series    of 
infertile  days  in  her  monthly  cycle,  there  is  enough 
variation  between  different  women  so  that  no  gene- 
ral rule  can  be  formulated  that  will  safeguard     all 
women.  It  can  be  stated  with  a  definite  certainty 
that  during  the     week     preceding     the   menstrual 
period'  the  chance  of  pregnancy  is  one-fifth  as  great 
as  during  either  of  the  first  two  weeks." 
Thus  if  pregnancy  is  to  be  avoided  the  coitus  can 
be  had  during  the  "safe  period."    Though  the  recent 
researches  on  the  "safe  period"  do  not  at  presQ^t  afford 
a  fool-proof  solution  to  the  birth  control  problem,  they 
are  of  very  great  importance.  If  the  sterile  period  can 
be  definitely  delimited  so  that    any    woman  can    be 
sure  of  when  it  exists  for  her,  the  need  for  contracep- 
tive precautions  will  be     eliminated    during  half  the 
month. 

It  will  therefore  at  once  be  realised  that  both 
continence  and  safe-period  practices  are  matters  of 
such  private  decision  and  concern  that  they  can  hardly 


35.  Dr.    M.    Slopes  :    ContracaptUmt, 

36.  Dr.  K.  Ogino  (a  Gjrnocologbt  of  Japan)  and  Dr.  Knaoa  (of 
Anstria),  after  studyinf  the  qoieacence  of  tin  vtema  that  follows 
omlation,  hare  reached  the  conclusion  that  ''Fertilisation  can  only 
occur  between  the  11th  and  the  19th  day  continuing  from  the  onset 
of  menstraation,  among  women  with  regular  28  days  cycles  ;   and  that 

Mnrmn0fy  the  £nt  20  Aay»  and  th«     kft     10  daTt     coostit«t«  Um 
«r  teiSr  jmiod'." 


be  touched  upon  by  the  activities  of  a  public  authori^ 
and  planners.  Apart  from  their  doubtful  effects  on 
fertility  they  are  not  an  efficient  weapon  in  the  armouiy 
of  population  planners.  In  India,  no  aignificant  result! 
are  likely  to  flow  from  this  direction. 

We,  therefore,  need  something  more  effective  and 
calling  for  less  heroic  sacrifice  on  the  part  of  the 
normal  man  than  almost  complete  abstinence,  and 
that  is  supplied  by  modem  methods  of  birth  control. 
It  is  hardly  disputed  today  that  the  use  of  contracep* 
tives  is  the  most  powerful  and  direct  means  of  controll- 
ing fertility.  The  fall  of  birth  rate  and  the  substantial 
reduction  in  the  net  reproduction  rates  of  populations 
in  the  West  have  been  primarily  the  result  of  the 
spread  and  increasing  use  of  contraception.  But  many 
people  in  India  are  still  violently  opposed  to  these 
methods,  partly  on  medical  but  mainly  on  moral 
grounds.  They  consider  artificial  interference  with  the 
natural  process  of  sexual  union  as  extremely  harmful 
to  health.  In  answer  to  xmproven  views  of  this  type,  it 
will  suflSce  to  quote  the  following  passage  of  Dr.  C.  V. 
Drysdale  : 

''Nothing  can  do  away  with  the  fact  that  birth 
rates  have  declined  (in  the  West),  the  longevity  of 
both  men  and  women  has  enormously  increased 
from  the  figure  of  35  to  45  years  before  birth  con- 
trol commenced  to  60  to  65  years  today,  and  that 
it  is  still  rapidly  increasing.  Moreover,  recent  figures 
have  shown  that  the  improvement  in  the  death 
rates  has  taken  place  to  most  remarkable  extent, 
especially  during  the  productive  period,  both  in 
men  and  women." 

Birth  control  offers  a  simple  solution  to  the  con- 
flict between  the  desire  for  mating  and  the  desire  for 
offspring.  But  in  India  objections  have  been  raised  for 
the  use  of  birth  control  measures  mainly  on  moral 
grounds.  It  has  been  contended  that  the  use  of  contnr 
ceptivea  interfering  with  Nature  cheata  her  of  her  end. 
people  using  them  gratify  their  passion  and  yet  avoid 
conception  which  is  its  natural  consequence.  On  this 
view  of  things,  it  may  be  pointed  out  that  every  act 
of  human  intelligence  should  be  considered  unnatural 
and  immoral.  It  must  be  remembered  that  morals  are 
man-made.  Practices  and  institutions  which  have  the 
moral  sanction  of  the  society  today  were  at  one  time 
or  another  considered  immoral  and  vice-versa.  Those 
who  are  opposed  to  birth  control  maintain  that  it 
promotes  immorality  through  excessive  sex-indulgence 
in  and  out  of  marriage.  But  the  evil  does  not  seem  to 
be  as  serious  as  it  is  made  out.  Hosts  of  normal  me& 
and  women  in  U.K.  and  U.S.A.  have  been  using 
birth  control  appliances,  but  to  assume  that  they  have 
indulged  excessively  and  to  their  undoing  b  in  accord- 
ance neither  with  everyday  experience  nor  with  the 
Registrar-Generars  statistics."  Every  socially  necessary 
device  or  institution  is  bound  to  be  abused  by  a 
microscopic  minority  but  that  is  no  argument  against 
the  device,  We  do  not  close  up  tanks  and  wells  because 
some  people  are  drowned  in  them. 

27.    r.  W,  Whit*  t  Birth  Comrol  §iuL  Its  Oppommu,  p.  Mt« 


POPULATIOK  PLANNIKO  IN  OmiA 


^garding  the  atgument  that  birth  control  is  un- 
l,  it  may  be  said  that  our  modern  civilisation 
J  summed  up  as  a  bold  and  daring  interference 
Mature.  We  are  constantly  controlling,  directing 
iwarting  Nature  to  aerve  our  purposes  rather 
er  own.  And  users  of  contraceptives  cheat  Natu^ 
s  than  she  can  cheat  herself;  for,  out  of  every  5 
I  sperms  ejected  at  each  orgasm,  only  one  finds 
y  to  the  ovum  to  fertilise  it  and  the  rest  die 
I  fruitless  existence. 

?garding  the  religious  objectidns  raised  by  cer- 
:t)ups,  as  the  Catholics,  it  may  be  added  that  no 
pt  is  being  made  to  compel  them  (t.e.,  those 
0  not  wish  to  use  them)  and  we  do  not  see  why 
»cople  should  attempt  to  force  their  views  upon 

In  no  country  of  the  world  has  religious  oppoai- 
ccn  able  to  stop  the  diffusion  of  birth  control 
lorc  than  it  has  been  able  to  stop  the  use  of 
0  or  alcohol.  The  practice  will  eventually  come 
ia  fa  spite  of  opposition.  In  spite  of  all  these 
ons  it  may  be  said  that  there  is  an  equally  good 
or  the  use  of  contraceptives  to  regulate  the 
5  of  births.  Social  customs  are  such  that  many 

eugenically  fit  persons  cannot  have  families 
e  of  low  salaries.  Without  doubt  thousands  of 
^oung  men  and  women,  physically  and  morally 

would  gladly  like  to  produce  children  if  they 
:hat  they  could  restrict  their  family  so  as  to  rear 

children  well."  But  their  fear  of  large  families 
I,  and  often  prevents,  their  happiness  and 
icto  the  procreation  of  a  better  and  stronger 
od  and  womanhood.  Even  if  they  marry, 
n  often  come  too  early  after  marriage,  rendering 

The    following    table    reproduced    here    shows    to    what    extent 
:raception   been   adopted  ; 

AitempUd    Desir9d  bui    No  dtsiro      Tot^ 
contraception    no  atttmpt  womom 

(per  ceni)     (per  cent)     (per*cent) 
ectlon  0.3  4.0  93.7  1.459 

liddU  Clasa— 

um    (Mnalim)  3.3  0.3  96.4  1.499 

area    (Hiada)  13.2  7.0  80.0  1.26S 

Uaa— 

area    (Hindu)  38.0  1.0  60.3  1,452 

w   returns   sncgest   that   there  is   only   a   alight   desire   for  birth 
ia   rural    areas,   but    that    the   higher   claaaes   in    the   large   city 

ones    who    have    definitely    adopted    the    practice.    As    for    the 

used,    the    following    figures    are    instructiTO  : 
t  Continence    Safe     Coitus    Hiuhond    Wifo    Total 

period  interruptus  u»a$        u$e$       ca$a 
lection  4  ••  ••  ••  ••  4 

fiddle   dam— 

I     (Muslim)  11  22  10  24  4  SO    . 

I    (Hindu)  56  17  32  100  7         167 

fiddle  Claaa— 

t     (Hindu)  130  237  235  251  37         S51 

>iialy  a  number  of  couples   used   more   than   one   method.   The 

;>ular    methods    were    those    used    by    the    husband       (possibly 

:     in     importance     were     "Coitus     Interruptus"       and       **Safe 

Among  the  reasons  giTen  for  family  limitation,  inability  to 
r  more  children  was  slightly  in  the  lead,  with  woman's  health 
ecood  and  the  economic  reasons  a  close  thifd.  The  age«gr<rop 
MMed  to  the  practice  of  coouaceptioa  in  the  two  Hiadn  *reet  of 
«■•  tfM  OM  75-39,— ^otad  b/  X  Dnii  t  Op,  CU.,  ]fp*  n7-38. 


the  complex  business  of  mutuftl  adjustiiieiit;  of  the 
newly-wedded  difficult.  .They  also  follow  one  another 
in  quick  succession,  damaging  the  health  and  happiness 
of  the  mother  and  encroaching  upon  the  care  and 
attention  which  each  child  should  properly  receire 
from  its  parents.  In  such  cases  there  is  evidently  a 
large  field  for  the  use  of  contraceptives  so  that  the 
married  couple  is  relieved  of  the  haunting  fear  of  un- 
wanted children  and  gets  an  opportimity  to  culti- 
vate beauty  and  delicacy  in  sex  life.  And  with  this 
freedom  will  come  a  new  feeling  of  responsibility  both 
in  respect  of  sex  association  and  of  the  children  who 
may  be  born  of  it.  Used  within  the  context  of  a  posi- 
tive sex  morality,  contraceptives  shovM  eUvate  and  not 
degrade  hujnan  nature. 

The  low  standard  of  living  in  India,  the  ignorance 
and  illiteracy  of  men  and  women,  the  lack  of  privacy, 
which  is  essential  to  the  unobstructive  use  of  contra- 
ceptives,  due  to  over-crowding  in  towns,  the  absence 
of  any  organisation,  social  or  administrative,  which  can 
be  u^ed  to  propagate  ideas  and  instruments  of  control 
thereby  changing  the  mental  and  social  atmosphere 
(which  is  generally  hostile  to  the  spread  of  contracep- 
tion), the  necessity  for  taking  the  message  of  birth 
control  in  the  villages,  the  costliness  and  ineffective- 
ness of  the  available  contraceptives  are  some  of  the 
formidable  obstacles  to  the  widespread  use  of  birth- 
control  appliancea  in  the  country.  Theste  can  be 
removed  by  raising  the  standard  of  living  of  the 
masses,  by  developing  the  mental  and  psychologIc!il 
background  through  appropriate  social  and  educational 
policy,  by  inventing  cheaper  and  more  fool-proof 
contraceptives  and  by  supplying  these  requisites  free 
of  cost  by  the  Government  to  the  necessitoiis  women 
when  the  practice  is  advocated  on  the  grounds  of 
health.  The  Government  ishould  also  have  a  control 
over  the  manufacture  and  sale  of  contraceptives  as  in 
the  case  of  food  afid  drugs.  Lastly,  a  rational  family 
planning  and  education  of  the  masses  in  the  use  of 
contraceptives  must  be  accepted  as  the  most  effective 
means  of  combating  population  increase.  The  openmg 
of  the  clinics  throughout  the  country  would  help  a 
great  deal  towards  the  solution  of  this  urgent  problem. 

Birth  control  when  practised  can  help  provide 
the  best  for  the  children  within  a  limited  family^ 
budget,  safeguard  the  health  of  the  mother,  improve 
the  race  by  eugenic  control,  prevent  population  pressure 
and  thereby  remove  a  cause  of  war  and  guarantee 
every  woman  the  right  to  say  how  many  children  she 
should  bear.  In  a  word,  birth-control  will  reduce  the 
death  rate  not  only  because  it  will  reduce  the  number 
of  unwanted  children  but  also  because  it  will  prevent 
the  birth  of  babies  who  have  no  reasonable  chance  of 
survival. 

.The  Goal  op  Impbovembnt  of  the  QuAurr 

OP  Population 
Let  us  now  relet  tx>  \i\fc  oXJcvet  %ji^  ^A  ^^w^'^JSa^iJss^^ 
policy,  vi».,  tlie  'uaptoveoi^X,  'm  ^iij^  ce»Jto:3  ^^^  ^\F^»»' 


ao 


THE  AlOpERN  REVIEW  FOR  JANUARY.  IflSS 


Uon.  Quality  in  this  connection  might  be  divided  into 
two  categories,  namely,  £rst,  the  quality  of  the  exist- 
ing population,  such  as  iia  health,  efiBciency,  vigour, 
etc.,  and  secondly,  the  inherited  quality  or  the  bio- 
logical quality  of  the  population. 

An  attempt  should  be  made  to  achieve  the  first 
type  of  quality  by  the  development  of  health  services 
throughout  the  country  and  by  concerted  efforts  at 
combating  mahiutrition  and  underfeeding.  It  has 
been  definitely  known  that  majority  of  deaths  in  India 
occur  due  to  causes  whiqh  have  their  origin  in  our  en- 
vironmental conditions.  It,  therefore,  implies  that  if 
tMt  environment  is  controlled  and  improved,  a  steep 
liae  in  our  death  rate  is  sure  to  be  checked.  For  this 
purpose  the  first  objective  should  be  to  increase  the 
income  of  the  masses  per  head  so  that  they  may  be 
able  to  improve  their  diets  and  spend  more  on  healthy 
living  and  thereby  resist  diseases  to  which  they  are  at 
present  a  great  prey. 

**No  preventive  campaign  against  malaria, 
against  tuberculosis  or  against  leprosy,  no  maternity 
relief  or  child  welfare  activities  are  hkely  to 
achieve  any  great  success  unless  those  responsible 
recognise  the  vital  importance  of  the  factor  of 
defective  nutrition  and  from  the  very  start  give  it 

■  tHeir  most  serious  attention.  Abundant  supplies  of 
quinine  and  the  multiplication  of  tuberculosis  hos- 
pitals, sanatoriums,  leprosy  colonies,  maternity  and 
child-welfare  centres  are  no  doubt  desirable,  if  not 
essehtial,  but  none  of  these  go  to  the  root  of  the 
matter.  The  first  essentials  for  the  prevention  of 
diseases  are  a  high  standard  of  health,  a  better 
physique  and  a  greater  power  pf  resistance  to  in- 
fection. These  can  only  be  attained  if  the  food  of 
the  people  is  such  (both  energy-giving  and  protec- 

'  live)  as  will  give  all  the  physiological  and  nutri- 
tional requirements  of  the  human  frame."* 

Similar  views  have  been  expressed  by  Dr.  Megaw  : 

"If  the  people  of  India  were  properly  nourished, 
if  they  avoided  living  in  the  same  room  with  per- 
sons who  sneeze  and  cough,  and  if  they  took  pre- 
cautions to  avoid  swallowing  infections  with  their 
food  and  drin!:,  their  average  duration 'of  life  would 
be  doubled."* 

NuTBmoxAL  Pbooramme 

The  nutritional  reformers  in  India  are,  therefore, 
faced  with  a  four-fold  task,  viz: 

it)  To  raise  the  purchasing  power  of  the 
average  Indian,  or  plan  a  balanced  and  nutritive 
diet  within  the  reach  of  his  purse  ; 

(»)  To  enlighten  the  supposedly  educated 
and  well-to-do  who  can  afford  a  balanced  diet  but 
who  do  not  consume  such  a  diet  at  present ; 

(m)  To  educate  the  public  against  religious 
and  social  dietary  prejudices  which  are  now  serious 
obstacles  in  the  nourishment  of  healthy  men, 
women  and  children  ;  and 

iiv)  To  produce  more  and  make  the  nation 
as  a  whole  self-sufficient  with  regard  to  her  Staple 
food  requirements. 

29.    Report  of   tht  Public  Hoolth   ComwUuUmtr  with   tko   Govern' 
Mr  £,  auai  /  SiKi0d  S0rpfc0  i»  ImUs,  p,  229, 


Any  attempt  to  reach  these  'objectives  must  be, 
to  begin  with,  within  the  reach  of  the  average  family. 

Besides  improving  and  providing  nutritious  diet 
to  the  people  it  is  also  essential  that  the  existing 
medical  facilities  should  be  increased.  An  efifective 
sjBtem  of  modem  health  service  is  impossible  without 
adequate  profesmonal  personnel,  institutional  equip- 
ments and  research  institutions.  It  must  keiep  personnel 
and  institutions  abreast  of  scientific  changes  and  pro- 
gress achieved  in  other  parts  of  the  world.  Health 
development  programme  must  include  modem,  up-to- 
date  and  large  special  clinics  on  a  national  scale,  such 
as  national  leprosaria,  tuberculosis  sanatoria,  mental 
asylums,  orthopedic  clinics  and  psychiatric  depart- 
ments. Mothers*  and  children's  health  centres  on 
nation-wide  scale  should  be  organised  and  access  to 
such  centres  must  be  made  available  to  expectant 
mothers,  mothers  and  infants  of  all  social  and  econo- 
mic classes.  Hgalth  inspection  and  advice  should  be 
extended  free  of  cost  to  those  mothers  and  infants 
who  are  unable  to  visit  the  centres.  If  in  addition  to 
this  work,  medical  inspection,  diagnosis  and  treatment 
are  offered  to  children  in  urban  and  mral  schools  a 
remarkable  reduction  in  the  high  infant  mortality  rate 
can  be  effected. 

Nbqativb  Euocnics 
The  improvement  in  the  second  type  of  quality 
can  be  promoted  tb  a  great  extent.  It  is  now  settled 
that  it  is  possible  to  direct  the  process  of  reproduction 
so  as  to  bring  out  the  best  hereditary  qualities  that  wd 
have.  Such  scientific  control  of  human  breeding  is 
known  as  Eugenics.  There  are  two  lines  of  approach — 
one  negative  and  the  other  positive.  Negative  eugenics 
would  prevent  the  increase  in  numbers  among  those 
classes  of  population  that  are  clearly  defective.  There 
are  defectives,  infirms  and  socially  inadequate  per- 
sons in  every  country,  but  in  India  these  rise  to  mil- 
lions. Most  civilised  countries  adopt  in  this  regard 
systematic  programmes  of  prevention  and  treatment, 
and  some  have  taken  measures  to  prevent  the  birth 
of  individuals  doomed  by  their  inner  nature  to  suffer 
from  handicaps  that  make  a  happy  and  useful  life 
impossible.  While  treatment  of  organic  defects  and 
infirmities  are  essential  in  order  that  eocial  inadequates 
may  prove  useful  and  be  not  an  excessive  burden  to  a 
society  handicapped  by  food  shortage,  a  programme  of 
compulsory  segregation  and  sterilization  of  the  feeble- 
.minded,  imbeciles,  idiots,  deformed  or  other  markedly 
defective  persons  should  also  be  considered  in  our 
country..  Children  of  parents  either  or  both  of  whom 
are  mentally  defective,  are  on  the  average,  subnormal. 
It  is  necessary  that  measures  should  be  passed  by 
legislation  for  the  sterilization  of  persons  showing  one 
or  more  of  these  conditions — insanity,  feeble-minded- 
ness,  epilepsy,  criminality,  venereal  diseases,  etc.  If  all 
the  feeble-minded  persons  were  prevented  from  pro- 
creating the  problem  of  illegitimacy  and  prostitution 
could  be  more  easily  tackled.    Jliere  is  ample  justi* 


POPDLAtlON  PLANNING  IN  INDIA 


•         m      n 


Sk 


on  for  selectively  sierilinng  the  entire  group  of 
litary  defectives,  for  it  is  found  that  duo  to  both 
ed  heredity  and  maintenance  of  inferior  environ- 
JB  among  the  mental  defectives — a  trail  of  crime, 
ler,  pauperism,  prostitution  and  illegitimacy  is  the 
squence  :  these  are  characteristic  of  the  history  of 
iefective  people.  In  India,  we  arc  adding  every  year 
ke  millions  of  unemployed  and  semi-unemployed 
tie  a  considerable  portion  of  these  social  inadequates 
mental  defectives.  Hence,  selective  sterilization  of 
ite  tjrpes— vagabonds,  criminals,  prostitutes, 
dicants,  etc. — ^would  not  only  decrease  the  present 
society  incurs  for  these  unfortunates  but  also 
nish  the  economic  handicaps  of  social  normals 
les  reducing  the  number  of  undesirables  very 
lly.  Hence  it  is  highly  desirable  that  India  must 
itigate  the  possibility  of  eugenical  sterilization."* 
rican  and  English  examples  may  be  of  some  help 
ndia.  In  U.S.A.,  laws  have  been  in  existence  for 
icting  the  reproduction  of  the  unfit  by  steriliza- 
In  England,  the  approach  towards  this  pro- 
.  has  been  much  more  cautious.  The  Departmental 
mittee  on  Sterilisation  (1933)  recommended  that 
lation  should  be  introduced  to  make  legal  the 
ntary  sterilisation  of  persons  with  a  definite  here- 
y  ^diseases  or  defects  and  they  also  considered 
with  very  strict  safeguard  this  legislation  should 
xtended  to  "carriers  of  these  diseases."  But  in 
a  so  little  is  known  about  the  distribution  of 
m  defects  in  the  population  that  no  such  legal 
5ures  are  going  to  be  attempted  for  the  present. 

PosrnvB  EucRNios 
As  contrasted  to  this,  positive  eugenics  'aims  to 
aote  the  reproduction  of  our  best  stocks  but  it  is 
*  difiBicult,  rather  definitely  impossible  for  India, 
it  concerns  the  cultivation  of  desirable  human 
s,  and  no  agreement  can  be  reached  on  what 
titutes  the  most  desirable  or  ideal  human  quali- 
Nevertheless  the  society  has  to  set  up  certain 
entions  and  standards  on  social,  religious  or  racial 
I,  which  do  influence  marriage;  such  conventions 
biological  lines  may  be  established.  Hence,  we  sug- 
that  the  policy  for  India  should  be  this  :  it  should 
e  such  legal,  social     and     economic     adjustments 


(1)  A   larger  proportion  of     superior  person? 
rill   have  children  than '.at  present: 

(2)  The  average  number  of  offspring  of    each 
upcrior  person  will  bo  greater  than  at  present  ;  * 

(3)  The  most  inferior  persons  will  have     i^o 
hildren  pnd  lastly 

(4)  Other     inferior    persons  will  have     fewer 
hildren  than  now. 

Iliese  measures  will  lead  to  selective  fertility. 


I.  *  St^iUtatlon  wonld  also  be  jnstified  where  ■  conple  here 
ly  «  fair-eised  ftmllT*  where  there  le  bad  heredity,  or  dani^er  of 
■ad  childrm,  or  where  the  hniband  and  wife  are  tafferinf  ttfua 
raale    diiordcr   m   wher*    the   permtfffi)^    PPq^ltiQny    of   ]Jf«   fod 


'•If  the  birth-control  exercised  by  individual 
parents,"  writes  Prof.  Irving  Fisher,  "could  itself  be 
controlled  by  a  Eugenic  committee  it  could  un- 
doubtedly become  the  surest  and  most  supremely 
important  means  of  improving  the  human  race  ^ 
that  we  could  breed  out  the  unfit  and  breed  in  t^ 
fit.**" 

And  then  and  then  only  j^e  could  in  a  few  genera- 
tions conquer  degeneracy,  dependency  and  delin- 
quency and  develop  a  far  superior  race  than  at 
present. 

Provision  of  Educational  Faciutibs 
No  doubt. the  above  measures  when  put  into 
practice  would  prove  highly  useful  to  society  but^ 
with  an  overwhelmingly  illiterate  population  attempts 
at  nation-wide  medical  or  social  reforms  are  bound  to 
be  fruitless.  Hence,  it  is  increasingly  felt  that  a  national 
educational  policy  should  be  formulated  to  cover 
(0  the  education  of  every  child  of- school-going  age; 
({{)  the  .  education  of  adult  illitecates  and  (ui)  the 
maintenance  of  the  literacy  standards  thus  attained. 

The  contribution  of  education  in  solving  the  popiu 
lation  problem  would  work  in  more  than  one  way. 
Education  of  an  individual  may  increase  his  earning 
Capacity  and  lower  the  birth  rate.  All  available 
evidence  shows  that  the  higher  the  educational  and 
social  status  of  the  individual  and  the  family  the  lower 
is  the  fertility.  Prolonged  education  usually  means 
postponed  marriages."  Compulsory  education  will 
emancipate  women  and  make  them  economically  in- 
dependent and  raise  their  standard  of  living. 

The  nation-wide  educational  policy  should  aim  at 
the  following  principles  : 

(1)  Equal  educational  opportunities  should  be 
guaranteed  to  all  children.  A  certain  minimum  of 
education  for  all  boys  and  girls  and  higher  educa- 
tion of  various  types  for  those  who  have  the  apti- 
tude for  it  have  to  be  provided. 

(2)  The  State  shouki  bear  a  complete  respon- 
sibility of  providing  free  and  compulsory  education 
to  all  children  from  the  age  of  6  to  14. 

(3)*  Higher  university,  technical  and  vocational 
education  should  be  made  available  for  those  who 
have  aptitude  for  it  but  who  cannot  afford  it  by 
granting  scholarships  and  maintenance  grants. 

(4)  Provision  should  also  be  made  for  impart- 
ing education  to  illiterate  adult  masses  as  well  as 
physically  and  mentally  handicapped  children 
besides  providing  for  recreation  and  social  ameni- 
ties, free  medical  service  and  an  employment 
bureau. 

(5)  To  implement  the  above  measures  a  large 
number  of  teachers  should  be  given  requisite  train- 
ing within  a  stipulated  time. 

(6)  An     efficient       administrative     machinery 

32.  Quoted   by  Dnncan  :  Op,  CU;  p.  352. 

33.  The  Ceiuns  Commiwioner  (or  1931  remarks  ;  **lt  ■eeuif 
definitely  eetabliihed  that  intellectual  activity  acta  aa  a  clieck  vpoa 
fertility.  In  order  that  a  higher  standard  of  liring  may  affect  the 
rate  of  reproduction  it  is  apparent  that  not  only  is  an  increase  ia 
education  and  culture  iuTolTod.  since  it  seems  definitely  established 
that  intellectual  ^tirity  acts  aa  a  check  u^oti  l«tv5&S»?i«  Vox  ifi»A  "ds^ 
psycholo^caV  appTetUUou  ol  %  \^|^«x  ^T^^^Wix^  ^  wxiPsw^i*'-^^^ 
gtfMm  0/  India,  W\,  >io\.  \,  ^x.  \.  ^,  ^\, 


82 


THE  MODERN  REVIEWi  FOR  JANUARY,  1953   * 


must  be  brought  into  existence  to  administer  the 
national  scheme  with  vision,  courage  and  faith. 
It  should  be  remembered  that  the  question  of 
education  of  the  individual  is  to  be  treated  as  a  neces- 
fiaiy  minimum  preparation  for  citizenship  and  not 
necessarily  as  a  contribution  towards  the  solution  of 
the  Indian  population  problem.  This  scheme  of  educa- 
tion should  be  adopted  not  just  in  a  few  representative 
districts  but  in  the  country  as  a  whole  and  then  and 
then  only  a  great  step  in  the  right  direction  would 
have  been  taken. 

Imfbovebcent  in  ADMiNisnUTiVB  Machineet 

So  much  about  reaching  different  goals,  but  some- 
thing has  also  to  be  done  in  the  administrative  machi- 
nery. As  is  well  known  qualitatively  and  quantitatively 
Indian  official  and  non-official  statistics  are  very  in- 
accurate and  defective,  as  the  whole  task  of  collecting 
statistics  is  entrusted  to  the  untrained  and  impaid  enu- 
merators and  villa^  Patwaris.  It  is  therefore  suggested 
that  while  the  collection  of  data  on  particular  and 
localised  problems  by  private  agencies  like  in^rance 
companies,  industrial  organisations,  universities  and 
unofficial  academic  bodies  interested  in  economic 
analysis  should  be  encouraged,  the  task  of  gathering 
basic  data  should  rest  with  a  public,  tax-supported 
agency  with  no  special  interest  or  bias  like  that  of  the 
government.  The  Census  operations  in  India  should 
not  be  a  temporary  one  but  there  should  be  a  perma- 
nent Bureau  of  Census,  like  the  Bureau  of  Census  in 
Washington,  at  the  centre  with  provincial  and  state 
branches  having  a  large  measure  of  administrative 
autonomy.  Then  there  is  a  vital  need  for  the  integra- 
tion of  the  census  data  and  vital  statistics  with  the 
ordinary  work-a-day  life  and  administration  of  the 
country,  and  it  is  necessary  to  make  this  integration 
organic  rather  than,  as  it  is  today,  sporadic.  At  the 
same  time  the  Government  should  appoint  a  Popula- 
tion Commission  composed  of  demographers,  econo. 
mists,  sociologists,  anthropologists,  statisticians,  medi- 
cal authorities  and  social  reformers  with  wide  terms 
of  reference  to  enquire  into  various  aspects  of  this 
question  and  recommend  a  policy  £»r  governmental 
adoption."* 


34.  The  information  must  bo  collected  on  theee  aspect*  : 
(1)  Total  population.  (2)  Sex.  (3)  Age  (in  terms  of  completed  years 
at  the  last  birthday),  (4)  DaU  on  marital  sutns  should  be  collected 
for  married,  widowed,  dirorced  and  aingle  persons.  (S)  Place  of  birth, 
(6)  Citizenship,  (7)  Mother  tonfue,  (8)  Educational  characteristics, 
{9)         Fertility,         (10)  Economic       chiuictoriv  cs,        (11)        Ictnl 

economically  active         and        inactive       po->iiuit.on.       This     should 

include  (a)  persons  engaged  only  in  housework  at  home,  students,  in- 
mates of  female,  mental  and  charitable  institutions  and  persons  not 
employed  in  economic  activities  such  as  retired  and  disabled  persons 
and    those    who   dervr^    tlieir   income    from    rents,    roy«lties,    dividendSi 


CONCLUaiON 

The  conclusion  emerges  that  idealiy,  in  onk 
maximise  real  income,  the  population  policy  of  1 
should  include  at  least  three  measures  :  a  progra 
of  strategic  emigration,  a  sustained  and  vigorous  t 
control  campaign,  and  a  scheme  for  rapid  indua 
isation,  because  no  one  of  theae  complex  measures  & 
a  substitute  for  other  measures  or  promise  the  nuadb 
effect  if  pursued  alone.  Emi^pration  should  be  encoui 
with  a  view  to  losing  as  littje  as  possible  in  terms  oi 
and  capital  and  gaining  as  much  as  possible  in  t 
of  remittances.  Birth  control  should  be  diffused 
the  help  of  films,  radio,  ambulatory  clinics,  and 
services  and  materials;  aided  by  research  qn  botl 
techniques  of  contraception  and  the  methods  of 
persuasion  ;  and  linked  clearly  to  the  public  healtli 
child^welfare  movements.  Industrialisation  shoul 
pushed  up  by  central  planning  and  control,  by  f( 
capital  formation,  by  intensive  training  pfogran 
by  sweeping  agricultural  reforms,  and  by  subsidii 
heavy  industry.  The  skilful  and  vigorous  pursu 
such  a  broad  policy  would  probably  shorten  the  : 
growth.  It  will  mean  that  control  has  been  deliber 
extended  to  fertility  as  well  as  to  mortality  thai 
demographic  transition  has  quickly  achieved  by  ; 
ning.  It  would  also  mean  a  higher  standard  of  1 
and  a  more  abundant  life  for  future  generations. 
there  is  little  likelihood  that  such  a  comprehei 
policy  will  be  adopted,  for  our  means  are  limited 
the  family  behaviour  is  too  intertwined  with  lel 
and  mores  to  be  manipulated  in  a  purely  instnim< 
way.  The  one  measure  that  has  the  best  chance  of  I 
pushed  tjirough  is  rapid  industrialisation  but  not 
demographic  reasons.  But  rapid  industrialisation  ^ 
not  result  in  slackening  the  population  pressure  u 
the  conditions  for  the  individual  should  be  of  su 
t3T?e  as  to  give  a  powerful  personal  incentive  f or  1 
ing  births.  The  birth  rate  should  then  drop  ao 
modem  demographic  balance  be  achieved.  To  c 
this  birth  rate,  we  must  necessarily  incorporate  pla 
parenthood  as  an  e^^ential  element  in  any  progra 
that  actually  raises  the  standard  of  living  to  the  > 
mum  possible  limit  and  gives  us  the  greatest  nat 
strength.  Our  unwillingness  to  do  it  will  necea 
result  in  perpetual  poverty"  or  in  *  absolute  cati 
phes.  In  short,  the  alternative  to  thb  method  is 
poverty,  more  misery,^  more  mortality,  more  dis 
more  epidemics  and  more  scarcities;  in  a  word 
wretched  living. 


pensions,    etc;        (6)     occupation,    industrf    and       iaduatrial 

(c)  population    dependent    on    various    typea      of      eoooomie    m 

(d)  agricultural    population,    (11)     ttd>ai|    ftQ4    runl    popvUtk 
(12)    houHe|ioIdf. 


TWO  RECENT  INDICATIONS  OF  WEST  BENGAL'S  ECONOMIC  DECAY 

,  By  BIMALCHANDRA  SINHA,  m.a. 


SuxNB  of  Bengal's  ecanomic  decay  are  apparent  even 
to  a  casual  observer.  The  cultivators  are  steadily 
facing  economic  deterioration.  This  is  evident  from  all 
recent  enquiries  which  confirm  the  fact  that  owner- 
eultivators  are  gradually  becoming  cultivating  labour- 
ers, while  cultivating  labourers  are  becoming  landless 
\  share-croppers.  The  share-croppers  in  their  turn  are 
*  either  facing  extinction  or  trying  to  shift  to  some 
other  occupation,  though  not  with  much  success.  Then 
there  are  the  middle  classes,  whose  tale  of  woe  needs 
no  repetition.  There  is  also  evidence  to  show  that 
concentration  of  capital,  whether  in  the  shape  of  land 
or  otherwise,  id  increasing  at  a  fatser  rate  than  before 
—an  inevitable  result  of  the  process  of  decay.  In  fact, 
it  has  been  statistically  proved  that  such  concentra- 
tion is  greater  in  Bengal  than  elsewhere  in  India,  Add 
to  these  broad  and  fairly  long-term  trends  the  effects 
cf  War,  Famine  and  Partition.  The  result  can  be 
easily  imagined.  In  fact,  it  is  not  difficult  to  feel,  even 
as  a  la3nnan,  the  tremendous  strain  on  our  economy 
which  has  almost  reached  the  breaking  point.  A 
complete  scientific  analysis  of  the.  problem  is  much 
beiyond  the  compass  of  an  article.  We  shall,  on  the 
present  occasion,  confine  ourselves  to  a  very  limited 
cross-section  of  the  problem  and  examine  only  two' 
recent  indications  of  Bengal's  economic  decay. 

I 
Rural  Indebtednbss  Enquqit  in  We^t  Bengal 

,  During  the  years  1946-47,  an  enquiry  was  under- 

taken, at  the  instance  of  the  then  Government  of 
Bengal,  by  the  Indian  Statistical  Institute  into  the 
state  of  rural  indebtedness  in  Bengal.  The  final  report 
of  this  enquiry  has  just  been  published.  This  report 
xeveals  some  significant  facts  about  the  changing 
condition  of  our  agricultural  classes.  The  Land  Revenue 
Commisaion  Report  revealed  the  fundamental  weakness 
of  the  basic  patten^.  The  Report  on  Agricultural 
SlatUties  by  Plot  to  Plot  Enumeration  Survey  (popu- 
larly called  the  Ishaque  Report)  undertaken  during 
the  closing  years  of  the  second  World  War  disclosed 
pointedly  the  sharp  deterioration  in  the  economic 
status  of  the  agriculturists  during  the  quinquennium. 
The  Survey  of  the  After-effects  of  the  Bengal  Famine 
1943  undertaken  by  Professor  P.  C.  Mahalanobis  and 
others  also  underlined  the  effects  of  the  Bengal  Famine 
on  our  already  disintegrating  economy.  The  extent  of 
change  can  be  measured  in  various  ways  ;  we  produce 
below  only  two  short  tablea  about  land-ownership  and 
metiiod  of  cultivation  which  will  indicate  how  fast  the 
prooMS  of  decay  is  m  operation : 


Tablb  I 

Land-^wnerahip  according  to  the  L.  R.  Commimofi 

Report  and  the  lahaque  Report  (Undivided  Bengal) 

Land  Revenue       Ishaque 
Commission  Report    Report 

1.  Percentage  of  families 
having  up  to  3  acres  of 
land  to  total  number 

of  families  57.2%  76.1% 

2.  Percentage  of  families 
having  more  than.  3  acres 
of  land  to  total  number 

of  famiUcs  42.8%  23.9% 


100.0% 


100.0% 

Table  II 

Manner  of  Cultivation 
(Percentage  to  total  land  cultivated) 

Land  Revenue       Ishaque 
Commiasion  Report    Report 

1.  Land  cultivated  by  family 
members  of  the  owner 
plus  land  cultivated  by 

labourers  79.0%  56.4% 

2.  •  Land  let  out  to 

hargadara  21.1%  24.9% 


81.3% 


100.0% 

(Note  :  The  Ishaque     Report    is    silent    about    the 
remaining  18.7  per  cent) 
The  Rural  Indebtedness  Survey,  while  confirming 
these  broad  trends,  nevertheless  reveals  some  unusual 
facts.  They  may  be  briefly  enumerated  as  follows  : 

(1)  There  has. been  an  over-all  improvement 
in  the  debt  position  of  the  rural  families.  In  the 
province  as  a  whole  (t.e..  West  Bengal)  50  per  cent 
of  the  families  were  in  debt  in  1946,  but  the  corres- 
ponding figure  for  1947  is  31.7  per  cent  indicating 
a  reduction  of  18.3  per  cent. 

(2)  But  while  the  percentage  of  the  number 
of  families  involved  in  debt  has  come  down,  the 
average  level  of  debt  has  gone  up  during  the 
period.  For  West  Bengal,  the  estimate  of  average 
debt  per  family  stands  at  Rs.  127  and  Rs.  131  in 
1946  and  1947  respectively.  This  is  a  very  cdgni- 
ficant  fact,  the  implications  of  which  will  be  dis- 
cussed later. 

(3)  Breaking  down  the  over-all  figures  about 
the  size  of  debt  and  examining  the  distribution  of 
families  according  to  the  size  of  interest-bearing 
cash  debt,  we  find  that  for  about  71.5  per  cent  of 
the  indebted  families  the  amount  of  debt  in 
February  1946  was  below  Bs.  ^00  and  for  onlv  2.7 
per  cent  the  debt  was  above  Rs.  500.  In  March, 
1947,  the  amount  of  debt  was  below  Rs.  100  for 
65  per  cent  of  the  indebted  families  and  only  for 
3.6  per  cent  the  debt  exceeded  Rs.  500.  The  reduc- 
tion of  the  percentage  of  families  below  the  debt- 
level  of  Rs.  100  from  71.5  per  cent  to  65  per  cent 
mtiy  be  taken  %.\.  ^^  toX.  «s5&i\.  Vi  'V^  ^s^  ykss?^'^^ 


84 


THE  MODERN  REVIEW  FOR  JANUARY,  1963 


di^nous  families.  But  as  we  shall  show  later  on, 
this  is  not  the  case.  The  real  picture  is  rather  just 
the  reverse. 

(4)  If  we  now  relate  the  figures  of  indebted- 
ness to  the  average  size  of  holding  of  the  indebted 
family,  we  find  fioiother  very  significant  fact.  The 
following  table  gives  the  extent  and  volume  of 
indebtedness  by  the  size  of  the  holdiJig  : 

Table  III 

(i)  Indebtedness  by  the  size  of  land  owned— 1947 
Percentage  q]  jarniUes  indebted 

Interest-bearing  Interest-free      Crob 
cash  loans      cash  loans      (paddy) 

loan 
Below  2  acres  28.87%         18.60%         12-23% 

From  2  to  5  acres       34.79%         20.00%         11.67% 
5    to    10  „  39.46%  17.30%  7.42% 


» 


10  and  above 
Total 


29.52%         18.10% 


3.61% 


30.91%         18.75%         11.06% 


(t)  Indebtedness  by  the  size  of  land  owned 
Average  loan  per  family 
Interest4)earing  Interest-free      Crop 
cash  loans      cash  loans      (paddy) 

loan 

Rs.  Bs.  Mds. 

Below  2  acres                 82.87  55.48  8.77 

2  to  5  acres                   128.99  100.05  10.93 

5  to  10  acres                 231.82  104.92  18.95 

10  and^  above                404.92  137.73  40.83 


Total 


131.17 


74.08 


10.58 


It  will  be  seen  from  the  above  tables  that,  gene- 
rally speaking,  both  the  extent  and  volume  'of  indeb- 
tedness increase  with  the  increase  in  the  size  of  the 
liolding,  a  fact  contrary  to  usual  expectations.  Thus, 
in  the  group  with  less  than  2  acres  of  land,  the  per- 
centage of  families  involved  in  interest-bearing  cash 
loan  is  28.87  ;  the  corresponding  figure  for  the  next 
higher  group  (2  to  5  acres)  is  higher,  i.e.,  S4.79  percent! 
The  figure  for  the  next  group  fa  still  higher,  i.e.,  39.46 
per  cent  I  We  notice  a  decline  only  in  the  "group,  10 
acres  and  above."  Similarly,  the  average  loan  per 
family  in  the  lowest  group  is  Rs.  82.87  (interest- 
bearing  cash  loan)  ;  the  figure  for  the  next  group  is 
Rs.  128.99;  the  figure  for  the  third  group  is  Rs.  231.82 
while  the  figure  for  the  highest  group  is  as  high  as 
Rs.  404.92  I 

Now,  what  does  this  phenomena  signify  ?  A  facile 
way  of  explaining  it  would  be  to  say  that  higher  the 
level  of  income  still  higher  is  the  level  of  reckless 
expendijture,  this  leading  to  a  higher  level  of  debt 
amongst  the  upper-income-groups.  But  this  theory  has 
been  long  refuted.  Even  the  Bengal  Provincial  Bank- 
ing Enquiry  Committee  remarked  that 

"An  examination  of  the  sources  of  indebtedness 
shows  that  litigations  and  social  and  religious  cere- 
monies contribute,  but  little,  to  rural  indebtedness." 

The  figures  collected  during  the    preseot   Survey 
A^IiF  put9  »tt  end  to  that  theory  : 

.(Seff  TMe  JV) 


Taking  the  province  as  a  whole,  about  SO  per  ceni 
of  the  debt  is  incurred  for  meeting  the  expenditure  on 
food  1  In  the  case  of  share-croppers,  the  figure  is  higher 
than  the  average  (55.98  p.c.)  and  in  the  case  of  agri- 
cultural labourers  it  is  as  high  as  71.7  per  cent.  This 
reveals,  if  anything  does,  the  grim  reality  of  the 
situation.  It  is  very  highly  sub-marginal  living  on  any 
showing. 

All  these  facta  permit  only  one  conclusion  to  be 
drawn  from  the  apparently  imuaual  trends  referred  to 
above.  It  is  this  that  in  this  sub-marginal  sphere,  the 
incidence  of  indebtedness  does  not  vary  inversely  with 
the  level  of  income'  Hence  the  usual  expectation  of 
debts  falling  off  with  increase  in  income  cannot  be 
fouad  here.  Variations  in  the  incidence  of  indebted- 
ness in  these  sub-marginal  cases  depend  more  on  the 
possibiHty  of  getting  loans  than  on  the  necessity  for 
loans.  In  other  words,  the  needs  of  the  lower  income 
groups  may  be  comparatively  higher,  but  the  incidence 
is  still  low  because  of  their  low  creditworthiness.  Ai 
creditworthiness  increases  without  being  accompanied 
by  a  corresponding  fall  in  the  necessity  for  loan»— on 
inevitable,  feature  of  the  sub-marginal  level— the 
volume  of  indebtedness  also  grows.  All  the  fact^ 
which  appear  unusual  at  the  first  sight,  will  have  to 
be  interpreted  on  this  basis.  The  slight  fall  in  tha 
percentage  of  families  involved  in  the  group  "10  acree 
and  above"  indicates  that  this  group,  though  still  fer 
off  from  the  margin,  has,  none-the-less,  patted  the 
lowest  point  of  the*  curve,  though  the  extent  of  in- 
debtedness however  does  not  indicate  any  such  trend 
even  for  this  group. 

This  conclusion  is  fully  confirmed  by  other  facta 
brought  out  by  the  Surv'ey.  It  has  been  disclosed  that 
the  activities  of  professional  money-lenders,  proprie- 
tors and  Co-operative  Societies  have  steadily  declined, 
with  the  result  that  the  most  important  source  of  rural 
credit  now  is  a  class  of  rich  cultivators  who  are  lucky 
enoiigh  to  be  able  to  combine  agriculture  with  money* 
lending.  To  quote  the  words  of  the  Report : 

"Another  fact  (besides  B.A.D.  Act  and 
'Money-lenders  Act)  responsible  for  the  decrease  in 
the  volume  of  loan  is  l^at,  in  many  cases,  the 
village  Mahajans  gave  up  the  profession  of  money- 
lending  due  to  legal  difiScultitfs  in  recovering  loans, 
and  rural  families  had  to  acquire  money  by  selling 
assets." 
The  number  of  mortgages  expressed  as  percental 

of  number  of  sales  stood  at  24  per  cent  in  1940    but 

came  down  to  10  per  cent  in  1943,  this  indicating  the 

increase  in  the  number  of  outright  sales.  The  RfJport 

concludes  with  t^e  words  that 

"Both  the  extent  of  volume  of  debts  today  is 
definitely  smaller  than  in  the  thirties,  notable 
changes  having  appeared  during  the  war  years. 
This  cannot  however  be  interpreted  as  a  sign  of 
prosperity.  The  poorer  sections  of  the  population 
have  failed  to  reduce  their  debts  ;  only  the  richer 
sections  have  done  so.    A    tendency    towards  out- 


two  tLtcmt  mbtckftom  of  w.  BfiNGAite . . .  DficAV, 


t& 


Tabus  IV 

miage  distribution  c 

)f  the  amoiant  of  loan  by    causes  of  incurrence  and  occupation  of 

debtor  families 

Food 

House           Social  ft       Litigations               Arrear      Cultivation    Repayment 

Othcro 

Total 

• 

repair           religious                                        rent                            of  old  ddit 

tors           •  •         •  • 

54.00 

22.17           ....             9.96       12.97 

•  «  •  • 

100.00 

8 

^.38 

8.43       17.92          0.47             8.78         2.46         1.41 

25.15 

100.00 

tOIB 

44.01 

0.60       10.27          0.40             8.41        12.07         0.21 

24.03 

100.00 

roppers 

l»5.98 

1.96        17.78           ....              1.04         5.34 

17.90 

100.00 

tural  labourers 

71.70 

5.71         5.^2          0.27             4.18         3.15         0.88    ' 

8.29 

100.00 

len 

53.58 

10.91        17.04           ....             2.73         3.9» 

11.79 

100.00 

profession 

60.56 

4.73         5.08           ....              2.57         6.86         0.19 

20.01 

100.00 

men            . .          . . 

42.92 

2.55         6.47          5.54           17.61         3.15 

21.76 

100.00 

•  •          •  • 

53.89 

2.78         8.78           ....            10.96         4.86         0.43 

0 

18.80 

100.00 

Total 


2.81        10.71 


48.86 

de  or  so.     Further,  generally  speaking,  credit 
ot  so  readily  available  in  the  village  us  in  the 


0.75 


7.99 


8.02 


0.39       20.47      100.00 


»» 


it  is  the  reason  why  there  has  been  some 
iment  in  the  over-all  debt  position  or  the 
ige  of  total  number  of  families  involved  in 
ks  come  down ;  that  is  also  the  reason  why 
as  been  some  reduction  in  the  percentage  of 
icome-groups  involved  in  debt ;  that  is  finally 
ton  why  the  extent  and  volume  of  debt  increa£|p 
ly  increase  in  income.  Thus  while  the  com- 
.'ly  higher  income  groups  are  getting  more  and 
ivolved  in  debt,  the  lower  income  groups  ars 
orced  to  part  with  foF,  ever  the  meagre  assets 
id  and    thus    plunge    headlong    into    abysmal 

n 

rasa  in  the  Occupation  Pattern  :  Vabutions 

IN  THE  DfiGBEE  OF  DePBNDIENCB 

the  concluding  paragraph  of  the  brilliant  book 
ograpky  of  Hunger,  the  author  asserts  that 

"'Himger  and  misery  are  not  caused  by  the 
2nce  of  too  many  people  in  the  world,  but, 
Br,  by  hiCving  too  few  to  produce  and  too  many 
Bed.'* 

is,  of  course,  true  that  expansion  has  its  limits 
iTe  is  ultimately  a  ceiling  up  to  which  any 
on  of  life,  at  a  given  technological  level,  can 
a  given  population,  ^one-the-less,  the  above 
n  is  essentially  correct.  When  the  number  of 
ints  vastly  outrun  the  number  of  workers  in 
d  of  economic  activity,  the  inevitable  result  is 
hunger  and  miseiy.  A  study  of  the  changes  in 
:upation  pattern  and  of  the  variations  in  the 
of  dependence  during  the  period  1931  to  1951 
the  correctness  of  the  above  sajring  in  the  case 
gal— particularly  West  Bengal. 
;  1931  Census  Report  gives  the  percentages  of 
in  different  occupational  groups  to  the  total 
of  workers  in  all  groups.  The  Statistical  Abs- 
»r  West  Bengal  (2nd  issue)  breaks  down  those 
^1  figures  on  the  basis  of  1931  Census  for 
engal  only.  The  1961  Census  Report*  takes  into 


accoimt  workers  plus  dependents  {i.e,,  total  population 
in  each  occupational  group)  and  gives  their  propor- 
tions to  total  population.  But  the  proportion  of 
workers,  fi^y  dependents  and  earning  dependents  has 
been  given  in  the  Press  Handout  issued  by  the  Census 
Superintendent,  West  Bengal,  and  it  is  possible  to  find 
out  the  number  of  workers,  fully  dependents  and 
earning  dependents  on  the  basis  of  those  percentages. 
On  the  other  hand,  the  proportion  of  workers  to 
dependents  on  an  all-India  basis  in  1931  has  been  given 
in  the  Census  Report,  Vol.  I,  Part  I,  p  275.  It  is  not 
veiy  correct  to  apply  all-India  averages  to  Bengal,  and 
particularly  to  West  Bengal,  but  if  in  the  absence  of 
other  figures  we  proceed  on  that  basis  we  can  calculate 
the  percentage  of  total  population  (that  is,  workers 
<md  dependents)  in  each  group  'to  total  population 
within  a  reasonable  margin  of  error. 

It  is  possible,  in  this  way,  to  get  three  flets  of 
figures,  namely,  (1)  Proportion  of  total  population  in 
each  group  to  total  population  ;  (2)  Percentage  of 
workers  only  in  each  group  to  total  population  ;  and 
(3)  Percentage  of  workers  only  in  each  group  to  the 
total  number  of  workers.  The  three  sets  of  figures  are 
presented  below  for  the  important  occupational 
groups  : 

Table  V 

Percentage  of  total  Population  in  each  group 
to  total  Population 


1931 

1931 

1951 

Undivided 

West  Bengal 

West 

• 

Bengal 

only 

Bengal 

Agnculture  and 

minerals 

49.06% 

51.4% 

57.21% 

Industry 

6.1% 

10.4% 

15.36% 

Trade 

5.1% 

6.6% 

9.32% 

Transport 

1.4% 

2.5% 

3.05% 

Mv   of  imHof  Pmp9r  No,   I,   1952,   t   GoTtrnmaat   of   Xndlt 


It  will  be  seen  that  the  groups  'Industry,'  'Trade* 
and  'Commerce'  have  recorded  some  advance  even  in 
the  case  of  over-all  vov>3i^^^tL«  "^S^^s^  ^^  Nms^  \ft  "^s^ 

Other  two  «eta  Qi  fi^mft  \. 


u 


THE  MOD JJRN  REVMW.  POk  iAiJtJAflY,  1Q6A 


Table  VI 
Proportion  of  Workers  in  each  class  to  total 

Population 
(Number  of  workers  per  100  o/  total  population) 

im  1931  1951  . 

Undivided      West  Bengal       Wept 

only 


All  occupations 
Agriculture  and 

minerab 
Industry 
Trade 
Transport 


Bengal 
28.78 

19.83 
2.51 
1.84 
0.56 


22.7 
4.7 
2.9 
1.04 


Bengal 
31.5 

14.89 
6.71 
ZAZ 
1.31 


This  table  relates  the  total  number  of  workers  in 
each  group  to  the  total  population  and  not  to  the  total 
number  of  workers  in  all  occupations.  But  the  elimina- 
tion of  dependents  only  at  one  end  at  once  tnaked  its 
effects  felt.  These  effects  are  brought  out  more  forcibly 
in  the  next  table  which  relates  the  number  K)f  workers 
in  each  group  to  the  total  number  of  workers  only  : 

Table  VII 
Percentage  of  Workers  in  each  group  to  total 

Workers 
1921  1931  1931         1951 

Undivided    Undivided      West      West 
Bengal         Bengal  Bengal  only  Bengal 


Agriculture  and 

minerals  72.33% 

Industry  10.00% 

Trade  6.43% 

Transport  2.22% 


68.63%  57.97%  47.7%- 

8.80%  12.04%.  21.5% 

5.91%  7.14%  10.0% 

1.987o  2.68%  4.27o 

It  id  true  that  any  broad  and  general  comparison 
of  West  Bengal  with  xmdivided  Bengal  will  be  vitiate<jl 
by  the  peculiar  features  of  comparatively  heavier 
industrialisation  and  urbanisation  in  West .  Bengal, 
Nevertheless,  the  above  tables  clearly  disclose  certain 
broad  trends.  i 

(1)  Taking,  in  the  first  place^  the  total  population 
supported  by  agriculture  and  minerals,  we  find  that 
the  percentage  stood  at  49.05  per  cent  in  undivided 
Bengal  in  1931.  For  West  Bengal  only,  that  figure 
stood  at  51.4  per  cent.  The  present  Census  reveals 
that  the  figure  has  now  gone  up  to  57.21  per  cent.  It 
the  figures  are  correct,  that  is,  if  they  are  not  vitiated 
by  changes  in  definition,  etc.,  this  clearly  means  that 
the  expanding  population  is  not  primarily  being 
absorbed  in  other  sectors,  but  is  being  compelled  to 
fall  back  upon  agriculture.  This  is  regression  in  any 
sense.  ^     i  .   I     .   |  j 

(2)  Similarly,  the  percentage  of  workers  in  that 
group  is  showing  a  decline.  The  number  of  workers  in 
the  said  group  per  100  of  total  population  stood  at 
19.83  in  undivided  Bengal  in  1931.  The  corresponding 
figure  for  West  Bengal  only  in  1931  was  22.7— not  an 
unnatural  phenomenon  if  we  leave  out  EaBt  Bengal 
with  its  comparatively  heavier  pressure  of  population 
on  land.  But  that  figure,  according  to  the  present 
Census,  has  come  down  to  14.89  !  This  is  indeed  &n 
alarming  trend.  While  the  over-all  population  depen- 
dent on  agriculture  has  been  increasing,  the  proportion 

^Z*  monkery  huftead  of  registering  a  corresponding  in« 
cmaae,  ig  going  down.  The  uundeace  of  dependence  is 


thus  increasing  with  double  force.    If    we    WO 
absolute  numbers  on  the  basis  of  th0  above  paree 
^e  get  the  following  figures  :     In  1931,  West 
only,  -total  population  supported  by  the  group 
culture  and  Minerals'  was  5JL.4  per  cent  of  total 
lation,  or,  in  absolute  numbers  8,790,194.    Of  thi 
of  87.9  lakhs,  38.63  lakhs  were  workers     lUid 
lakhs  dependents.  Now  the  total  population  dep 
on  agriculture  is  57.21  per  c.ent  of  the  total  popi 
or  in  absolute  numbera,  14,195,161..    Of  tltis,  y 
constitute  14.89  per  cent  or  36.96  lakhs^  fully 
dents  39.93  per  cent  or  98.99  lakhs  and  earning 
dents  2.39  per  cent  or  5.99  lakhs.    The     cont 
obvious.     While   previously  38.63  lakh  worker 
ported  49.26  lakhs  dependents,  now  36.96  lakh  \f 
(or  42.05  lakhs  if  we  take  earning  dependents  w 
have  to  support  96.99  lakhs  or  roughly  1  crore 
4ents.    T&at  means,  while  the  number  of  work< 
not  changed  veiy  muoh,  the  number  of'dependei 
increased  by  at  least  50  lakhs.    This  is  indeed  a 
trous' process. 

(3)    It  is  true  that  the  group  'Industries'  i 
an  advance  on  any  showing.    If  we  take  the  c 
population  figures,  we  find  that  the  percentage  o 
population  supported  by  ^Industry'  has  advances 
10.4:per  cent  in  1931  West  Bengal  to  15.36  pc 
in  the  present  Census.  The  proportion  of  worlu 
total  population  also  has  increased  from  4.7  tc 
The  proportion  of  workers  to  total  workers  sh< 
still  more  remarkable    rise    from     12.04  per  c 
21.5  per  cent.  But  in  spite  of  this  increase,  the 
of  dependence  has  not    declined  even  in  this 
where  the  percentage  of  workers  ia  generally  hifi 
absolute  numbers,  West  Bengal    in    1931     had 
17.83  lakh  persons  dependent    on    industry,  of 
8.02  lakhs  were  workers  and    9.8  lakhs     depei 
The   proportion   between   the   two  was  43\:66. 
'Industiy'  occupies  3^11^00  persons  or  15.36  pc 
of  total  population,  of  whom  6.7  per  cent  or 
16.62  lakhs  are  workers,  8.32  per  cent  or  about 
lakhs  are  fully  dependents  and  0.33  per  cent 
lakhs  are  earning  dependents.    The  degree  of 
dence  has  remained  practically  stationary,  thoug 
a  normal  expectation  that    at    leafit    in    the 
'Industries,'  it  would  decline. 

All  these  facts  prove  the  relatively  slow  sp 
expansion  with    consequential    overcrowding  of 
dents  in  every  occupation  and  ultimately  a  reg 
towards  agriculture. 

ni 

The  two  questions  we  have  discussed  here  a 
two  small  facets  of  the  changing  processes  ii 
structural  economy.  But  they  bring  out  forcib 
trends  which  a  broader  analysis  will  fully  c( 
They  indicate  clearly  the  direction  we  are  goini 
obvious  that  we  have  now  reached  the  limit 
pressure  on  the  existing  resources  is  increasing 
much  iaaitet  i8k\A  tihasi  the  ceaources  themselvee 


Life    of   Buddha     ([Jdo.v.*hftnkar).    Buddha'B  Te^\pV^\"\ow. 


AMcaat.   in  Nairobi,   Kenya,  after  being  •rreeted   by    ihe  BnluK  lrt>ops  in  October   lat.!. 
rrucLg  and  dnvrn  to  pnson 


THE  LAST  GENERAL 


37 


^  our  existing  resources    were    inadequate    enough    to     aynonymoua  with  extinction.  What  is  necessary  is    a 

I  permit  only  a  highly  sub-marginal    living.    If  in  this     complete  reorientation  of  our  structural  economy  and 

•  situation  the  above  trends  are  allowed  to  continue,  our     a  release  of  expansionist  forces,  which,  incidentally,  is 

*  population  will   be   constantly  forced  down  more  and     absolutely  beyond  the  capacity  of  Community  Projects, 
'  more  below   the   8ub-maiginal  level,  which  is  perhaps     the  latest  mechanism  invented  for  that  purpose. 

I  :0: 


THE  LAST  GENERAL  ELECTION  IN  WEST  BENGAL 

A  Note 

By  D.  N.  BANERJEE, 
Univernty  Professor  and  Head  of  the  Department  o/  Political  Science,  Calcutta  Univetsity 


In  this  Note^  I  shall  briefly  state,  as  far  as  possible  in 
&  spirit  of  detachment  and  in  an  objective  manner,  my 
own  impreseioxis  about  the  last    General  Election  in 
West  Beogal    to   the  local  Legislative  Assembly,  and 
also  to  the  House  of  the  People  at  New  Delhi.  I  may 
meniion   here   incidentally .  that     I     attended,     as     a 
etudeat  of  Political  Science,  practically  all  important 
public  meetings  held  at  Calcutta  by  different  political 
parties,  in  connexion  with  the  General  Election.    My 
object   in   attending  these   meetings   was  not  merely 
to  listen  to  the  aiguments     advanced    by     different 
political   parties  in  support  of  their  respective  ideo- 
logies, but  also  to  study    their     reactions  upon  the 
audience.  One  general     impression     I     formed  about 
these  meetings  was  that    while     the    leaders  of  the 
Congress   Party   generally   avoided   in   their   speeches 
any  yilificatioa  of  the  non-Congress    political  parties 
or  their  leaden,  the  <MDe  thing    in    which  the  latter 
9SDanSty  agreed,  in  spite  of  all  ideological  differences 
amongst '  themselves,   was   in   their   condemnation   of 
the  CtongresB  as  a     political     organization     and   the 
condemnation   of  the  Congress  Government  both  at 
the  Genftn  and  in  the  States  of  India.  Indeed,  there 
was  henUy  any  word  of  condemnation  which  was  not 
used,  in  the   meetings  organised     by     nonX)ongrea9 
politieal  parties,  against  the  policies .  and     measures 
idopted  hj   the  Congress   Governments     ever   since 
they  had  been  installed  in  power.  The  partition  of 
bdia  and  IndJi.'s  acceptance  of  the  membership    oi 
th|  Commonwealth   of  Nations     were  severely  con- 
demned, and  demands  were  made  for  the  annulment 
of  the  partition,   for  the     immediate     severance   of 
Indian     comiexion     with     the     Commonwealth     of 
NatiODit  and  also  for  the    abolition     of  zemindaries 
vithont  any  compensation.  None  of  these  'Very  desir- 
able  things"  could,  it  was  urged,  be  brought  about  if 
the  OODgreas  Party  continued  to  remain  in  power  in 
India.  It  was    also  pointed    put    by     non-Congress 
politiad  parties  that  under  "the  Congress  rule"    or 
"mis-nile'  sinee  the  attainment  of  independence  by 


Vttll    ili 


t*   dM   IndUn  Political   Science  AMociatlon  ia   cob- 
ywpwrf  plui  for  as     eaiSjtical  ttndx  of  tlie  last 

la 


India,  "the  few  rich  had  become  richer  and  the  poor 
had  become  poorer";  the  Congress  was  "now  ridden 
by  blackmarketers  and  profiteers";  that  the  conti- 
nuance of  the  Congress  in  office  would  mean  a 
"perpetuation  of  hunger,  nakedness,  black-marketing, 
and  corruption" — ^in  a  word,  a  grave  deterioration  of 
the  condition  of  the  people  at  large.  Perhaps,  truth, 
humility,  charity,  and  tolerance  are  inevitable 
casualties  in  electoral  contests  as  in  an  actual  war. 
At  any  rate,  in  view  of  all  this  it  was  really  surpris- 
ing  to  find  that,  out  of  238  elective  scats  in  the  West 
Bengal  Legislative  Assembly,  the  Congress  ''cap- 
tured"  as  many  as  150  seats  (excluding  one  seat  first 
won  by  an  "Independent"  candidate  who  later  on 
joined  the  Congress  Party).  The  corresponding 
numbers  in  the  case  of  other  parties  were  as  follows: 

K.M.P.P.  15 

Socialist  ..  ..  ..         nil 

Jana  Sangha  ..  ..  ..  9 

Hindu    Mahasabha    ..  ..  ..  4 

Communist  ..  ..  ..         28 

Other   Leftist   Parties  ..  ..  16 

Independents    and    others      ..  16 

The  ^al  results  of  elections  to  the  West  Bengal 
Legislative  Assembly  as  collected  by  the  P.TJ,  (and 
published  in  the  Amrita  Bazar  Patrika,  Calcutta,  of 
14th  February,  1952)  were  as  follows  : 

Table  I 

238       Electorate  1^,00,000 

238       Votes  polled       TS^SOlfilH 

Seats     Seats    Total  votes 
contested    won 
236 


Beats 

Results    declared 
Party 


Congress  236  150  2S,98;>26 

Compiunists  79  28  8.38,438 

Socialists  60  nil  2^1.103 

K.M.P.P.  126  16  6^,963 

Jana  Sangha  85  9  4,28^ 

Hindu    Mahsfiabha  30  4  ^J^^ 

Ram  Rajya  Parishad  11  nil  3,912 

Forward    Bloc    (Marxist)  50  10  3,92.004 

Forward    Bloc    (Ruikar)  30  1  95,289 

R.S.P.  13  nil  61336 

R.    C.    P.    I.  10  nil  32,106 

Other    parties  25  8  1.46,684 

Independents  201  13  15,26380 

Invalid  votes  ...  76309 

(Other   parties    include  :    United    Socialist   Orga* 
nisation  4,  Gurkha  Lea^oe  Zy  v^  \^t^s^j^  ^^^5^ 

greoAYe  Bloc  \^«  . 


38 


THE  MODERN  REVIEW  FOR  JANUARY,  1963 


Total  seats 
Electorate 
Party 


So  far  as  the  House  of  the  People  was  concerned, 
the  Congress  won  24  out  of  34  seats  allocated  to 
West  Bengal.  The  corresponding  seats  won  by  other 
parties  were  as  fololws  : 

Communist  ..  ..  ..         Si 

Jana  Sangha  . .  . .  . -         ^ 

Hindu   Mahasabha        ..  ..  ..  1 

•JIv  •CJl«  ••  ••  ••  * 

United  Socialist  Organization  ••  1 

The  following  table  published  in  the  Amrita 
Bazar  Patrika  of  14th  February,  1952,  gives  details  in 
regard  to  the  results  of  the  elections  to  the  House  of 
the  People  at  New  Delhi  from  West  Bengal : 

Tabud  n 

34       Results  declared  S4 

1,28,00,000       Votes  poUed  77,73,354 

Seats     Seats  Total  votes 
contested    won 

Congress                                      34           24  ^fi^*^ 

Communists                                 9            5  7/0,3(H 

Jana  Sangha                                7            2  4,57,148 

Hindu   MahaaeOAa  6  1  ^'^«S9 

ESP-  3  1  1,08)881 

Other   Parties  '(U.S.O.)  10  1  2,^i3t» 

K.  M.  P.  10  0  6,79,14ft 

Forward  Bloc    (M)  6  0  ^M^ 

Socialists  7  0  1^^ 

Ramrajya  Parishad  2  0  13,110 

K    C    P    I  1  0  ^!^ 

Forward   Bloc    (R)  2  0  ,,55»7» 

Independents  28  0  ^l^^ 

Invalid  votes  ••  ••  2,04,4« 

Several  factors  contributed  to  this  phenomenal 
success  of  the  Congress  at  the  General  Election  in 
West  Bengal.  In  the  first  place,  there  was  the  prestige 
of  the  Congress  as  the  oldest  all-India  political  orga- 
nisation. Its  age,  its  record  of  service  in  the  P&st,  its 
contribution  to  India's  struggle  for  independence,  the 
sufferings  and  sacrifices  of  Congressmen  during  this 
struggle,  and  the  fact  that  the  Congress  waa  in  posBea- 
don  of  political  power  in  the  country — all  these  im- 
parted to  it  a  special  position  of  pre-eminence  among 
the  political  parties  of  India.  Moreover,  many  people 
honestly  believed,  in  spite  of  all  that  was  said  against 
it,  that  the  Congress  alone  really  stood  for  both  pro- 
gress and  order  and  stability  in  the  country,  and  that 
the  Party  which  had  done  so  much  to  win  political 
freedom,  should  be  placed  in  power  once  more,  at 
least,  to  consolidate  that  freedom  and  put  through  its 
programme  of  reconstruction.  Moreover,  we  must  not 
forget  that  the  human  mind  is  ordinarily  averse  to 
cHange,  particularly  when  that  change  might  mean 
some  imcertamty  and  even  a  state  of  chaos'  &nd 
disorder. 

"People,"  says  John  Locke  in  his  Second 
Treatise  of  Oovemmeni,  *'are  not  so  easily  got  out 
of  their  old  forms  as  some  are  apt  to  suggest.  They 
are  hardly  to  be  prevailed  with  to  amend  the 
acknowledged  faults  in  the  frame  they  have  been 
accustomea  to.  And  it  there  be  any  original  defects, 
^r  adventitious  ones  introduced  by  time  or  comip- 
traoj,  j't  13  not  an  easy  thing  to  get  them  changed, 


even  when  all  the  world  sees  there    is    an  oppor^ 

tunity  for  it." 

Secondly,  the  Congress  had  a  fairly  well-knit  and 
well-disciplined  organization  with  wide  ramifications, 
and  had  command  over  resources  both  in  man-power 
and  in  money.  This  enabled  the  Congress  to  conduct 
its  electioneering  campaign  effectively  and  even  to 
neutralise,  to  a  large  extent,  the  prejudice  and  passion 
that  had  been  created  against  it  by  the  persistent 
propaganda  of  non-Congress  political  parties.  It  may, 
however,  be  ailded  here  that  in  point  of  discipline  and 
organiaational  eflBciency,  perhaps  the  Communist 
Party  of  India  was  only  a  match  for  it — ^if  not,  more 
than  a  match  for  it, — although  the  Communist  Party 
could  not  command  its  resources  in  man^power  and 
money-power. 

A.  third  factor  which  contributed  to  the  success  of 
the  Congress  in  the  General  Election— and  this  also 
applied,  more  or  less,  to  the  success  of  some  other 
parties  in  this  Election — was  the  bewildering  multi- 
plicity of  Parties  and  also  the  multiplicity  of  candi- 
dates in  it.  A  glance  at  the  tables  given  above  will 
indicate  the  number  of  Parties  which  contested  in  the 
Election.  In  the  City  of  Calcutta  alone,  for  example, 
with  an  electorate  of  about  15  lakhs,  there  were  u 
many  as  231  (23&  according  to  one  report)  candidates 
for  26  seats  allotted  to  it  in  the  West  Bengal  Legist 
lative  Assembly.  The  parties  contesting  the  election 
were  the  Congress,  the  Krishak-Ma«ioor-Praja  Party,  ^ 
the  Jana  Sangha,  the  Socialist  Party,  the  Communist 
Party,  the  Forward  Bloc  (Marxist),  the  Forward  Bloc 
(Subhasist),  the  Hindu  Mahasabha,  the  Ram  Rajya 
Parisad,  the  Revolutionary  Socialist  Party,  the  United 
Socialist  Organization,  the  Socialist  Republican  Party, 
the  Bolshevik  Party,  the  Revolutionary  Communist 
Party,  the  United  Progreabive  Bloc,  the  National 
83mthesis  Party,  and  the  Democratic  Vanguard.  Be- 
sides, there  were  also  119  "Independent"  candidates 
who  did  not  belong  to  any  political  party.  Each  poli- 
tical party  had  its  own  peculiar  programme  and  the 
''Independent"  candidates  also  had  their  own  pro- 
gramme. And  generally  speaking,  there  were  several 
candidates,  including  the  "Independent^  ones,  for 
almost  every  seat  either  in  the  West  Bengal  L^^ 
lative  Asfiiembly  or  the  House  of  the  People.  For 
instance,  there  were  as  many  as  sixteen  candidates  in 
the  single-member  constituency  of  Muchipara  (Cal- 
cutta) for  the  West  Bengal  Legislative  Assembly.  As 
it  generally  happens  in  a  multi-cornered  electoral  con- 
test in  which  only  a  relative  majority  of  votes  is 
required  to  win  a  seat,  as  in  the  English  and  American 
systems,  that  is  to  say,  whatever  be  the  number  of 
candidates,  the  one  at  the  top  is  elected,  in  the  General 
Election  in  West  Bengal  also,  as,  I  believe,  must  have 
been  the  case  in  many  other  parts  of  India,  often  a 
candidate  would  win  a  seat  in  a  single-member 
constituency  with  a  minority  af  votes  actually  polled^ 
This  applied  «a  much    to    Congress  candidates  aa  tQ 


LAST  GENERAL  ELECTION  IN  WEST  BENGAL 


39 


3  belon^ng  to  other    political  parties.    For 
I  know  of  a  single-member    constituency  in 
Lgal  in  which  while  the  Congress,  Jana  Sangha 
i  other  candidates  fought  against  one  another, 
unist   candidate  slipped  through  them  trium- 
19  not,  therefore,  surprizing  that  although  the 
Party  won  150  deats  out  of  238  elective  seats 
V'est  Bengal  Legislative  Assembly,  it  obtained 
mi  29  lakhs  of  votes  out  of  a  total  of  a  little 
lakhs  of  votes  actually  polled   (See  Table  I 
In  the  General  Election  of  1935  in  England, 
jovemment  parties''  won  as  many  as  405  seats 
596  actually     contested  by  different     political 
they  secured  only  11.79  millions  of  votes  out 
tal  of  21.99  milUons  of  votes  actually  polled 
Theory  and  Practice  of  Modem  Government, 
552),  Such  electoral  vagaries  or  anomalies  are 
le  in  multi-comered  contests  in  which  only  a 
majority  of  votes  is  required  to  win  a  seat, 
nay  be  noted  here  that  attempts  were  made  to 
>  the  non-Congress  political  x)arties,  and  parti- 
the  -'lieftist"  ones,  with  a  view  to  fighting  the 
Election  against  the  Congress.  These  attempts 
3r  one  reason  or  another,  although  some  **Le{' 
irties  agreed  upon  some  working  arrangements 
the  Congress  unitedly.    For  example,  one  sutrh 
;"  wad  known  as  the  People's  United  Socialist 
comprising    the    Socialist  Party,  the    Revolu- 
Communist  Party,  the  Forward  Bloc   (Subha- 
iud    the    Revolutionary  Socialist    Party,    and 
was  composed  of  the     Communist  Party  of 
Qd  the  United  Socialist  Organization  of  which 
wrard  Bloc  (Marxist),  the  Bolshevik  Party,  the 
.   Republican  Party  and  several   other   groups 
instituent      members.     In  the      single-member 
IT  constituency  for  the  West  Bengal  Assembly, 
,  there  was  a  straight  fight  between  the  Con- 
adidate,  Dr.  B.  C.  Roy,  Chief  Minister  of  "West 
and  Sri  Satyapriya  Banerjee,   a  nominee  of 
ward  Bloc   (Marxist),  who  was  supported  by 
.icftist"  Parties.    Dr.  Roy  won  this  election  by 
g  Sri  Banerjee  by  a  fairly  good  majority. 
tly,  Muslim  voters  and     voters    belonging  to 
iiDority  groups     in  the  population     of  West 
generally  voted   for  the  Congress   nominees. 
ou^t  that  their  interests  would  be  better  pro- 
f  the  Congress  came  back  to  power  in  West 
rather  than  any  other  political  Party.    Some- 
other,  the  Congress  inspired  more  confidence 
minds  than  any  other  poHtical  party  in     the 

n 

all  now  refer  to  one  or  two  other  aspects  of 
eral  Election  in  West  Bengal, 
be  first  place,  there  was  in  many  constituencies 
enthusiasm  in  this  General  Election.  Apart 
iblic  meeting!!,  poster  campaigns,  demonstra- 
id  fltreet  parades,  there  was  m  almost    every 


constituency  a  house-to-house  canvassing  by  candidates 
or  by  their  supporters.  Women  also  played  in  many* 
places  an  important  part  in  this  canvassing  business, 
not  only  in  the  interest  of  women  candidates  but  also 
in  the  interest  of  male  candidates. 

Secondly,  the  "percentage  of  voting,"  to  use  * 
familiar  expression,  varied  from  place  to  place.  In 
some  areas  the  percentage  was  between  25  and  30,  and 
in  some  areas  it  was  over  70.  It  will  not  be  wrong  to 
say  that  the  average  "percentage  of  voting"  in  West 
Bengal  was  some  figure  between  40  and  45,  both  for 
elections  to  the  West  Bengal  Legislative  Assembly  and 
for  elections  to  the  House  of  the  People  at  Delhi.  It 
may  be  interesting  to  note  in  this  connexion  that  the 
rural  voters,  generally  speaking,  took  a  greater  interest 
in  the  elections  than  the  urban  voters;  that  women 
\roters  in  many  constituencies  showed  a  great  interest 
in  the  elections;  that  in  one  constituency  an  old 
viroman,  aged  about  90,  has  been  reported  by  the  Press 
te  have  walked  several  miles  to  cast  her  vote;  and 
that  a  large  number  of  Muslims  who  had  previously 
been  registered  as  voters  in  India  and  had  then 
migrated  to  Pakistan,  crossed  the  Pakistan  l^order  to 
cast  their  votes  in  some  constituencies  which  had 
already  had  a  large  Muslim  population. 

Thirdly,  there  were  cases  of  corruption  in  the. 
form  of  bribery  and  also  cases  of  false  personation  in 
«ome  urban  areas.  Elections  in  rural  areas,  however, 
were  free  from  these  evils.  I  niay,  however,  mention 
•  here  on  the  authority  of  some  District  Officers  that  no 
Mndue  influence  was  brought  to  bear  upon  them  either 
by  a  Minister  or  by  any  other  person  in  authority  over 
them,  in  connection  with  the  elections. 

Fourthly,  elections  were  not  altogether  free  from 
the  influences  of  caste-ism,  communalism,  and  provin- 
cialism *  In  many  places  candidates  were  given  nomi- 
nation by  different  political  parties  chiefly  in  consi- 
deration of  their  caste,  religion,  or  place  of  birth.  For 
instance,  if  in  any  constituency  voters  belonging  to  a 
particular  caste  predominated,  then  a  person  belonging 
to  that  caste  was  given  nomination.  Again,  if  in  any 
constituency  voters  belonging  to  a  particular  religion 
predominated,  then  a  person  professing  that  religion 
was  given  nomination.  Or  again,  if  in  any  constituency 
there  were  a  large  number  of  people  from  East  Bengal, 
'then  a  nomination  was  given  to  a  person  who  had 
migrated  to  West  Bengal  from  East  Bengal.  The 
reason  for  nomination  in  each  case  was  obvious,  how- 
ever much  we  might  deplore  it.  It  may  also  be  noted 
here  that,  generally  speaking,  although  there  might  be 
exceptions  here  .^d  there,  the  principle  of  residence  in 
a  particular    constituency,  or    of     material    interest 


*  It  tukj  be  interMtinc  to  note  here'^'dut  the  CongreM  President, 
ICr.    Nehni,   Jum   been   reported    by    the    Preee    to   have   declared    at  a 
ftdierinff  of.  CongreM  worker*  In  Bombay  on  <hh  December,  19S2,  that 
"Commonal   and    Caste   cooaiderations   pbyed   a.  domianax  tsNA  Naok  "^^ 
last  oUctioaa,  paiUcmUxVY  Va  lSb5  'HorC^**  *t^&ft  «i&e|  c^nLVRw^  wet 
finding  in  the  malUK* 


{ 


40 


THE  MODERN  REVIEW,  FOR  JANUARY,  1963 


therein,  was  a  governing  factor  in  the  nomination    of 
candidates  by  different  political  parties. 

Fifthly,  people  may  be  interested  to  know  why 
and  how  the  Communist  Party  of  India  won  as  many 
as  28  seats  (see  Table  I  above)  in  the  West  Bengal 
Legislative  Assembly  whereas  the  Socialist  Party  of 
India  failed  to  secure  a  single  seat  therein.  As  far  as 
I  have  been  able  to  gather,  this  success  of  the  Com- 
munist Party  was  not  so  much  due  to  any  love  for  the 
Party  or  its  ideology  as  to  the  hatred  of  the  Congress 
Party  and  the  Congress  Governments  both  at  the 
Centre  and  in  some  States  of  India  including  We^ 
Bengal.  As  indicated  before,  this  hatred  had  been 
generated  by  very  skilfully-conducted  propaganda 
against  the  Congress,  carried  on,  for  months  together, 
by  non-Congress  political  parties.  They  exploited  the 
high  prices  of  the  necessaries  of  life  and  the  refugee 
problem  to  their  full  advantage.  They  attributed  these 
high  prices  to  the  "Congress  policy  of  exploitation"  of 
the  "masses"  for  the  advantage  of  a  few  rich  black- 
marketers  and  profiteers  who  "secretly  contributed,**  in 
return,  enormous  sums  of  money  to  the  funds'  of  the 
Congress  Party.  Even  a  section  of  the  Press  in  West 
Bengal  materially  contributed  by  its  writings  to  the 
creation  of  a  feeling  of  hatred  against  the  Congress. 
The  problems  of  the  Hindus  in  East  Bengal  and  the 
refugees  from  East  Bengal  were  fully  exploited  for 
attacking  the  Congress.  At  the  initial  stage,  there  was 
no  effective  counter-propaganda  from  the  Congress 
side.  As  a  result,  many  people  believed  what  had  been 
said  against  the  Congress.  It  ipay  be  interesting  to 
note  here — and  this  was  practically  admitted  by  the 
political  parties  concerned —  that  many  non-Congress 
political  parties  carried  on  propaganda  against  the 
Congress  in  their  own  interest,  but  that  the  Commu- 
nist Party  took  a  full  advantage  of  the  prejudice  thus 
created  against  the  Congress  Party  and  the  candidates 
set  up  by  it.  Many  persons  argued  that  if  the  Congress 
was  to  be  at  all  replaced  from  power,  then  its  place 
should  be  taken  not  by  any  moderate,  or  middle-of-the 
way,  or  conservative,  Party,  but  by  an  extremist  party 
like  the  Communist  Party  of  India.  Thus  many  non- 
Congress  political  parties  sowed  the  seeds  and  the 
Commimist  Party  reaped  the  harvest.  And  thus  I 
would  explain  the  unexpected  success  of  the 
Communist  Party  in  the  General  Election  in  West 
Bengal. 

Finally,  I  must  say  that  the  General  Election  was, 
on  the  whole,  free  from  violence  and  rowdyism  even 
though  there  was  adult  suffrage.  In  the  early  stage  of 
the  electioneering  campaign,  there  was  some  trouble  in 
one  or  two  places.  But  public  opinion  in  West  Bengal 
strongly  condemned  this,  and  thereafter  the  election 
propaganda  was  carried  on  peacefully  by  all  political 
parties.  This  is  certainly  a  tribute  to  the  innate  good 
ADd  the  law-abiding  instinct  of  the  people. 
ne  OcDeml  Election  was  not  without  its  humo- 
«o5?.  TJfe  Jmportwwe  of  buUocka  in  the  economy 


of  West  Bengal  is  well-known  and  the  s3rmbol  <Jf 
yoked  bullocks  adopted  by  the  Congress  attracted  a 
large  number  of  voters  in  rural  areas.  On  the  other 
hand,  the  symbol  of  sickle  and  the  ear  of  com  adopted 
by  the  Communist  Party  of  India  particularly  appealed 
to  many  Hindu  women  voters  in  those  areas.  The 
ear  of  com,  they  said,  represented  Lakskmi,  the 
goddess  of  wealth.  Some  of  these  women  voters  would 
first  bow  with  folded  hands  before  the  ballot  box  of 
the  Communist  Party  and  then  cast  their  vote  in 
favour  of  a  Communist  candidate.  There  were  other 
interesting  incidents.  Into  a  polling  booth  in  the 
district  of  21-Parganas  walked  a  village  farmer  whose 
bulls  and  cart  had  long  served  him  well.  He,  therefore, 
wanted  "to  vote  for  candidates  who  have  bulls 
(Congress)  and  a  cart  (Independent)  as  their  symbols." 
When  he  was  told  that  he  could  vote  for  only  one 
candidate,  he  replied  :  "Then  I  shall  vote  for  none,"  and 
then  left  the  polling  station  in  disgust  "to  the  applause 
of  other  voters."  In  another  polling  booth  a  male 
voter  insisted  that  his  wife  "must  vote  for  a  particular 
candidate.  "  His  wife,  however,  wanted  to' vote  for  a 
candidate  of  her  own  choice.  The  couple  quarrelled  in 
front  of  the  polling  booth  to  the  amusement  of  a 
large  number  of  other  voters  and  then  returned  home 
without  casting  tiieir  votes.  In  another  polling  centre 
a  middle-aged  "upooimtry"  voter  insisted  on  having 
an  additional  vote  recorded  on  behalf  of  his  wife  who 
could  not  come  to  the  polling  booth.  The  Presiding  ^ 
Officer  "had  to  argue  with  him  for  about  fifteen  minutes 
to  convince  him  that  it  was  a  strictly  personal  right 
and  could  not  be  transferred  in  any  way."  There  were 
also  many  victims  of  "the  Printer's  Devil"  among  the 
electorate.  According  to  a  Pre*  report,  the  wrong 
recording  of  "sex"  deprived  about  a  do«en  South 
Indian  voters  of  their  right  to  exercise  their  franchise 
in  a  polling  centre  in  the  Titaghar  (Constituency  in  the 
Sub-Division  of  Barrackpore.  These  voters — male  and 
female  labourers  from  a  local  paper  mill,  speaking 
Telugu — ^**8tood  in  a  long  queue  in  the  pooling  booth, 
and  when  their  turn  came,  they  were  told  that  their 
sex  differed  from  that  recorded  in  the  voters*  list." 
Thereupon  they  entreated  the  Polling  Officers  to  per- 
mit them  to  exercise  their  right  of  franchise  in  the 
First  General  Election  in  the  country.  The  Polling 
Officers,  however,  did  not  alk)w  them  to  vote,  obviou^ 
on  technical  grounds.  With  adult  suffrage  and  in  the 
present  state  of  literacy  in  our  country,  such  things 
^as  have  been  referred  to  above,  are  inevitable.  Yet  it 
has  to  be  admitted  that,  on  the  whole,  the  first  experi- 
ment in  democracy  in  the  country  has  been  successful. 
Things  are  expected  to  be  much  better  at  the  next 
General  Election.  As  Mr.  Montagu  and  Lord  Chelms- 
ford said  in  their  Report  on  Indian  Conatitutional 
RefomiB  (1918),  the  character  of  political  institutions 
will  react  upon  the  character  of  the  people  and  the 
exercise  of  rpHponsibility  will  call  forth  the  capacity 
for  it. 


KASHMIR  PROBLEM— THE  CONSTITUTIONAL  ASPECT 

By  Dr.  A.  K.  GHOSAL,  m-A.,  ph. d.  (London) 


EvBBYONB  iirill  admit  that  the  much  discussed  and  debated 
pDoUem  of  the  State  of  Jammu  and  Kashmir  or  shortly 
Kaahmir  is  a  very  complicated  one  and  with  different 
facets.  In  this  paper  we  shall  confine  ourselves  to  only 
one  of  them,  viz^  the  constitutional  aspect. 

As  is  well  known  the  State  of  Jammu  and  Kashmir 
])efore  her  accession  to  India  in  October,  1947  was 
one  of  the  turo  bigge^st  'Indian  States/' — Hyderabad 
and  Kashmir.  Now  in  order  to  understand  the  nature 
ol  the  present  position  of  the  Indian  States,  as  they 
were  known  before  and  now  transformed  into  part  B 
States,  of  which  Kashmir  is  one,  it  is  essential  to 
make  a  brief  review  of  the  story  of  their  origin  and 
efoIntioDi  as  distinct  political  entities,  their  iMist 
wJationship  with  India  (or  to  be  more  precise,  British 
India)  and  their  transformation  after  the  attainment 
id  Indian  independence  into  full-fledged  constitutent 
parts  of  the  Indian  Dominion.  We  may  begin  the  story 
hj  pointing  out  that  Geography  and  Economics  made 
]khe  subcontinent  that  was  undivided  India  one,  but 
IGstory  and  Politics  have  froni  time  to  time  made  her 
more  than  one.  At  the  advent  of  British  rule  History 
hrought  into  existence  two  Indias  (British  India  and 
&e  Indian  India)  and  it  is  one  of  the  many  ironies  of 
History  that  at  the  end  of  British  rule  that  self-same 
History  brought  together  these  two  Indias  but  divided* 
British  India  into  two  separate  states.  We  shall  be 
Concerned  here  with  the  first  part  of  the  process.  The 
''Lidian  India*'  just  referred  to  consisted  of  about  600 
IHincely  orders  with  immense  diversity  among  them- 
Behes  in  various  points,  such  as  area,  population 
economic  resources,  political  status,  political  advancement 
and  so  on.  The  line  between  the  two  Indias  did  not 
corresp<md  to  either  ethnic,  linguistic  or  cultural  divisions. 
Their  main  difference  lay  in  their  respective  relationship 
with  the  British  Crown  and!  continuance  or  not  of 
indigenonsl  rules  and  institutions.  The  territories  of 
Indian  States  were  not  formally  annexed  by  the  Crovm 
and  were  not  therefore  British  territories  like 
Indian  territory,  although  subject  to  the  suzerainty 
of  the  British  Qrown,'  implying  wide  control  in 
internal  and  external  affairs.  In  British  India  wasT 
established  the  direct  government  of  the  Crown  carried 
on  through  the  Government  of  India  and  a  number  of 
Provincial  (^vemments. 

The  relationship  of  the  States  with  the  Crown  rested 
on  (a)  Treaties  (b)  Engagements  and  Sanads  or  (c) 
some  form  of  recognition  of  statug[  by  the  Crown,  but 
were  not*  exhausted  in  terms  of  these  rights,  and 
obligations  flowing  from  these  treaties,  etc.,  were 
supplemented  by  usages,  practices  and  sufferance  and  by 
decisions  taken  in  particular  matters  from  time  to  time 
and  embodied  in  political  practices.  To  this  complex 
relationship  was  given  the  compendious  title  of 
pKnmorwtcy—ia  very  ehutie  c<mcept  not     amenable     to 


precise  definition  but  something  ever  adjusting  itself  to 
new  situations.  As  the  Indian  States  Enquiry  Committee 
(1928-29)  observed  :  "Paramountcy  must  remain  para- 
mount ;  it  must  fulfil  its  obligations,  defining  or  adapting 
itself  according  to  the  shifting  necessities  of  the  time  and 
the  progressive  development  of  the  states.  But  some 
implications  of  paramountcy  were  beyond  dispute,  eSn 
the  states  had  no  international  status  having  no  commu- 
nication with  outside  powers  except  through  the 
Paramount  power,  their  defence  from  outside  attack  was 
the  responsibility  of  the  Paramount  power  and  they 
enjoyed  a  very  wide  internal  autonomy  subject  to  an 
undefined  right  of  intervention  of  the  Paramount  power 
which  ultimately  meant  the  Political  Department  and 
this  rendered  the  so-H;alled  internal  sovereignty  of  the 
States  practically  illusory  and  \mreal.  The  machinery 
through  which  this  paramountcy  operated  was  the  Viceroy 
acting  throu^  the  Political  Department.  As  between 
British  India  and  the  Indian  States  there  was  no  organicl 
and  constitutional  relationship  and  the  Crown  zA 
represented  by  the  Viceroy  acting  through  the  Political 
Department  provided  the  only  visible  nexus  between  the 
Indian  States  and  the  Central  and  Provincial  Govemmenta 
of  India,  though  the  economies  of  the  two  Indias  being 
\closely  linked  up  there  were  thousand  and  one  tiea 
between  the  two  by  means  of  agreemants  through  the 
Paramount  power  to  regulate  matters  of  common  interest 
like  Railways,  Post  and  Telegraph,  etc.  W^en  the  British 
decided  to  quit  in  the  snnmier  of  1947  they  gave  notice 
to  the  Indian  Princes  that  Paramountcy  with  all  the 
rights  and  privileges  and  obligations  on  either  side 
flowing  therefrom  would  lapse  with  effect  from  Aug.  15, 
1947,  the  proposed  date  of  transfer  of  power,  as  it  would 
(become  physically  impostible  (for  them  to  fulfil  the 
obligations  in  the  absence  of  machinery  through  which  iti 
was  operated.  As  that  vrould  snap  the  links  thut  bound  them 
to  British  India  through  the  British  Crown  and  would 
create  a  political  and  administrative  vacuum  which  could 
not,  in  mutual  interests  of  a  vital  character,  be  left  unfilled^ 
the  princes  were  advised  strongly  both  by  the  thex^ 
Viceroy  and  the  Cabinet  Mission  to  fill  the  void  by 
entering  into  federal  relationship  with  tlie  Successor 
(^vernment  or  (^vemments  as  the  case  might  be  and 
also  to  form  sizeable  administrative  imits  by!  means  of 
integration  of  physically  contiguous  states  so  as  to  fit 
into  the  new  constitutional  structure  as  convenient  units. 
This  advice  was  heeded  to  by  overwhelming  majority  of 
the  Princes  partly  from  a  sense  of  compulsion  of  sheer 
necessity,  as  most  of  them  lacked  the  resources  to 
stand  as  independent  statesi,  and  partly  also  from  a 
sense  of  patriotism — aroused  by  the  prospect  of  independ- 
ence of  India.  A  period  of  hectic  consultations  and 
negotiations  followed  leading  to  the  accession  to  the  one 
or  the  othei)  DomvoioTi  ^"CJCwt^YTk^  Vi  ^'ox  ^gfcw^*^^^ 
po»U<m»  ol  itt    \Id«k  %\«Xft%^    cxwK^x  ^«b>  xia.^^'fcj^^sssia 


42 


THE  MODERN  REVIEWj  FOR  JANUARY,  1953 


Hyderabad  and  Jimagadh  before  the  date  of  transfer  of 
power  ;  that  is,  after  hundreds  of  years  India  came  to 
be  welded  into  an  organic  and  constitutional  unity, 
ending  the  existence  of  the  states  as  separate  political 
entities.  Then  followed  the  twofold  process  of  integra- 
tion extending  from  1948  to  1950-^the  great  achievement 
of  Sardar  Patel — ^integration,  both  external  and  internal, 
external  integration  meaning  consolidation  of  small  states 
into  sizeable  administrative  units  by  a  threefold  process 
of  (a)  merger  of  small  states  in  the  nearby  Provinces 
(now  described  as  Part  A  states)  (b)  grouping  into 
unions  of  states  (Part  B  states)  and  (c)  conversion 
into  Clentrally  administered  areas  (Part  C  states)  and 
fiide  by  side  went  on  internal  integration  inside  the 
states,  i.e^  the  replacement  of  feudal  and  autocratic  form 
of  government  by  responsible  government  and  democra- 
tio  institutions.  By  the  time  that  the  constitution  of 
the  Indian  republic  came  into  force  ^he  three  states  that 
had  originally  held  back,  Hyderabad,  Junagadh  and 
Kashmir,  also  became  part  of  and  had  acceded  to  Indian 
Union  at  di£Ferent  dates  and  under  different  circumstances. 
Besides  the  five  States  Union-s,  the  three  big  states  of 
Hyderabad,  Kashmir  and  Mysore  which  detained  theii 
individually  became  Part  B  states  of  the  Indian  Union 
at  the  commencement  of  the  new  constitution  as  distinct 
from  the  British  Indian  Provinces  which  became  Part  A 
states.  Originally  some  differenco  was  proposed  to  be 
made  between  the  position  of  Part  A  and  Part  B  States. 
But  eventually  in  the  constitution  as  it  emerged  in  its 
final  shape  the  position  of  the  Part  B  States  was  practi- 
cally assimilated  to  that  of  the  Part  A  States  and  the 
provisions  of  the  constitution  in  part  VI  (Arts.  152-236) 
applying  to  the  Part  A  states  were  made  applicable  to 
Part  B  states  with  some  adaptations  under  Art  238.  The 
principal  modification  related  to  the  head  of  the  execu- 
tive who  in  the  case  of  Parti  B  States  was  to  be  titled 
the  "Rajpramukh"  in  place  of  the  Governor  in  Part  A 
states  with  slightly  different  provisions  as  to  nomination 
and  conditions  of  service,  etc.  Another  difference  from 
the  position  of  the  Part  A  states  is  that  for  a  period  of 
first  ten  years  of  the  commencement  of  the  constitution 
or  a  longer  or  shorter  period  Part  B  States  would  be  under 
the  general  control  and  particular  directions,  if  any,  of  the 
President,  Le^  the  Union  Government,  unless  President 
specially  exempts  any  state  from  this  request  by  a 
Governor. 

At  the  commencement  of  the  constitution  the  state 
of  Jammu  and  Kashmir  however,  although  put  in  the  list 
of  Part  B  States  as  scheduled  in  the  constitution,  was 
accorded  a  special  position  and  not  quite  assimilated 
to  the  other  Part  B  States  and  therefore  Part  A  states 
as  well.  This  was  accorded,  of  course,  for  the  time 
being  subject  to  stabilisation  later  because  of  the  special 
political  situation  of  that  state  and  the  circumstances 
attending  its  accession  into  which  we  need  not  go  here. 
The  postition  of  the  state  is  at  present  governed  by 
Articles  1  and  370.  Under  Article  (1)  of  the  constitution 
JCashaur  Jfecomea,  perwanently   and   irrevocsbly   A    ptft 


and  a  constituent  unit  of  the  Union  of  India  along  witl^ 
other  Stateal  of  all  the  difijerent  categories.  This  basio 
fact  should  never  be  lost  sight  of.  But  Art.  370  which 
by  the  way  is  one  of  the  temporary  and  transitional  pro- 
visions of  the  constitution  exempts  the  State  from  the 
operation  of  Art.  238  that  is,  from  the  obligationa 
binding  on  other  Part  B  or  for  the  matter  of  that,  even 
Part  A  states.  It  has  the  effect  of  limiting  the  Jurisdic- 
tion of  the  Union  Parliament  to  matters  specified  in  the 
original  instrument  of  Accession,  Le^  Defence,  Foreign 
Affairs  and  Communications,  which  initially  formed  the 
quantum  of  accession  of  other  Part  B  states  also  and 
such  other  matter  as  may  be  voluntarily  surrendered  by 
the  Government  of  the  States  subject  to  ratification  by 
the  Consembly.  In  the  case  of  the  other  Part  B  States 
the  area  was  subsequently  enlarged  to  cover  the  entire 
Union  List  and  Concurrent  List  In  the  case  of  Kashmir 
however  the  position  still  remains  as  at  the  beginning, 
although  provision  ia  made  under  the  temporary  arrange' 
ment  under  Art.  370  for  its  modification  if  necessary  by 
order  of  the  President  subject  ultimately  to  the  approval 
of  the  people.  Provisions  of  the  constitution  other  thant 
Art.  1  may  be  made  applicable  to  the  State  subject  to 
exceptions  and  modification  specified  by  order  of  the 
President  to  be  made  only  in  consultation  with  or  witlv 
the  concurrence  of  the  Government  of  Kashmir  respec- 
tively according  as  the  order  relates  to  matters  specified 
in  the  Instrument  of  Accession  or  other  matters  ;  the 
concurrence  of  the  Government  in  these  matters  is  also 
•to  be  subject  to  review  of  the  Constituent  Assembly  of 
Kashmir  when  convened.  The  abrogation  of  this  provi- 
sional and  temporary  arrangement  with  regard  to  the 
State  will  only  be  made  by  a  public  notification  by  the 
President  subject  to  prior  recommendation  of  the 
Constituent  Assembly.  In  other  words^  it  boils  down  to 
this  that  any  increase  in  the  scope  of  the  quantum  of 
accession  of  the  States  or  termination  of  the  provision 
in  constitution  conceding  the  special  status  to  the  state 
will  be  possible  only  with  the  goodwill  of  the  Constituent 
Assembly  envisaged  ia  the  constitution  for  the  purpose 
of  framing  the  constitution  of  the  state  and  which  has 
been  functioning  now  ior  some  time  past. 

Now  the  controversy  that  has  been  raging  centres 
round  some  decision  taken  by  the  Constituent  Assembly 
relating  to  matters  like  abolition  of  hereditary  headship, 
a  separate  state  flag,  confiscation  of  lands  without  com- 
pensation, etc.  It  is  not  for  us  here  to  go  into  detailed 
discussion  of  the  merits  of  these  issues.  The  basic  issue 
that  all  of  them  raises  is  that  of  the  exact  nature  of  the 
telationship  that  should  subsist  between  Kashmir  as  a 
constituent  unit  of  the  Indian  Union  and  the  Union  itself 
not  during  the  transitional  period  only  but  on  a  per- 
manent basis  so  for  as  the  transitional  arrangement  which 
has  been  just  discussed  is  concerned.  There  is  no  doubt 
that  it  concedes  a  special  and  unique  place  in.  the  federal 
system  to  Kashmir  alone  of  all  the  units.  Why  was 
it  accorded  and  whether  it  was  justified  are 
matters      irrelevant      to      our      enquiry,      but      |t      ia 


KASHMIR  PROBLEM— THE  CONS'WTUTIO^JaL  ASPECT 


4d 


quite  clear  that  the  special  status  so  fai 
enjoyed  for  whatever  the  reasons  has  been  per- 
fectly constitutional  and  further  that  it  was  meant  to 
be  purely  temporary  and  transitional  pending  final 
stabilisation  of  the  relationship  with  the  Union  with  the 
consenQ  of  the  people  of  Kashmir  voiced  through  the 
Constituent  Assembly.  That  G>nstituent  Assembly  isnovr 
in  session  thrashing  out  a  framework  of  the  internal 
administration  for  the  State  as  also  the  relation  in  which 
it  should  stand  to  the  Indian  Union,  This  is  the  time 
and  occasion  for  exercise  of  calm  deliberation,  sound 
judgment,  patience  and  restraint,  for  tactful  and 
judicious  handling  of  delicate  problems  in  full  realisation 
of  the  basic  issues.  One  false  step,  careless  or  hasty 
utterances,  intemperence  in  the  use  of  language  may 
result  in  endless  harm  to  the  cause  that  is  dear  both  to 
the  people  of  Kashmir  and  the  rest  of  India.  Sheikh 
Abdullah  has  rightly  laid  stress  on  the  common'  ideals 
and  objectives  of  the  peoples  of  Kashmir  and  India,  the 
identity  of  the  democratic  secular  aspirations  which 
have  guided  them  in  their  struggles  for  freedom  as  the 
real  and  supreme  guarantee  of  the  close  relationship 
between  Kashmir  and  India.  He  observed  :  'This  abiding 
kinship  (b^ween  Kashmir  and  the  rest  of  India)  would 
not  subsist  merely  on  territorial  or  commercial  conside- 
rations but  on  unswerving  faith  in  the  ideals  for  which 
we  here  and  the  millions  of  the  people  of  India  have 
struggled  for  over  three  decades."  That  is  quite  true, 
but  that  bond  oi  psychological  afiBnity  should  also  be 
reinforced  by  political  and  constitutional  airangements 
calculated  to  keep  alive  a  sense  of  unity  amidst  diversity. 
If  too  much  stress  be  laid  on  the  special  position  of  the 
State,  its  separate  culture  and  individuality,  eventually  a 
feeling  of  separatism  is  likely  to  get  the  better  of  the 
feeling  of  affinity  ¥rith  the  rest  of  India.  That  possibility 
the  present  leadership  of  Kashmir  will  certainly  not  view 
with  equanimity.  Then  again  nobody  on  either  side  in 
the  controversy  as  to  what  should  be  the  future  position 
of  Kashmir  in  relation  to  the  Union  has  disputed)  the 
basic  fact  that  Kashmir's  accession  to  the  Union  has 
been  full  and  irrevocable  and  Kashmir  is  a  constituent 
unit  of  the  Indian  Republic  and  part  of  the  territory  ol 
India.  Where  there  is  such  a  community  of  ideals,  out- 
look and  objectives  and  a  realisation  of  the  basic  issue, 
there  should  be  no  difficulty  in  coming  to  an  agreed 
•ettlement  on  not  only  the  particular  issues,  such  as  the 
form  of  the  leadership^  the  state  flag,  etc.,  over  which 
controversy  has  raged  but  on  the  more  fundamental  one 
regarding  the  nature  of  the  relationship  between  Kashmir 
and  the  Indian  Union,  given  goodwill  on  both  sides  and 
an  objective  and  at  the  same  time  partriotic  approach. 

It  is  not  possible  here  to  describe  in  detail  the  sort 
of  relationship  that  should  prevail  in  future  between! 
y»«limtr  and  the  Indian  Union,  but  only  the  broad 
]Rrincipka  that  should  govern  that  relationship  may  be 
JirieAy  staled.  Here  we  may  perhaps  start  with  some 
pujor  premiaes  which  have  been  universally  accepted, 
t>gy  (i)  that  there  ja  sn  identity  oi  outlook^  objecdyes 


an4  ideals  and  also  of  interests  between  the  peoples  of 
Kashmir  and  the  rest  of  India  as  well  as  long-standing 
ties  between  them,  (2)  that  there  is  imperative  need  of 
keeping  up  a  close  bond  of  union  between  the  two 
peoples,  not  on  the  basis  of  domination,  but  of  partner- 
ship and  fellowship,  (3)  that  Kashmir  has  akeady 
willingly  cast  in  her  lot  with  India  and  is  legally  and 
constitutionally  a  constituent  unit  of  the  Indian  Union. 
When  these  major  premises  of  fundamentals  are  granted 
there  should  be  no  difficulty  in  working  out  the  details 
of  the  relationship  in  accordance  with  the  well-recognised 
principles  of  federalisation  as  their  acceptance  indicates 
that  the  psychological  basis  of  federalism  is  there.  The 
principles  that  should  be  particularly  remembered  and 
sought  to  be  applied  in  the  present  context  are  : 

(1)  Federalism  implies  sovereignty  of  the  Union 
as  a  whole  and  n6  division  of  sovereignty  among  the 
units. 

(2)  Federalism  implies  division  of  powers  of  the 
state  between  a  centre  and  the  units  in  such  a  way 
as  to  satisfy  and  reconcile  at  the  same  time  a  feeling 
of  organic  unity  of  the  nation  and  a  feeling  of 
local  patriotism  and  individuality.  It  thus  rests  on  a 
delicate  balance  of  powers  which  should  not  be 
allowed  to  be  disturbed  by  over-emphasis  on  one  of 
the  two  forces  at  work  in  a  Federal  Union.  It  is  also 
desirable  that  the  scheme  of  distribution  ol  powers 
should  follow  a  uniform  pattern  throughout  the  Union. 
Thus  the  allocation  of  the  unenumerated  residue  either 
to  thet  centre  or  units  should  follow  the  same  line 
everywhere.  | 

(3)  Federalism  implies  recognition  of  a  fairly 
equal  status  as  between  the  constituent  units  of  the 
Union  Irrespective  of  disparity  in  areas,  population, 
wealth,  etc. 

It  rests  on  a  common  feeling  akin  to  that  inspiring 
the  members  of  a  family. 

(4)  Lastly,  Federalism  implies  the  supremacy  of 
the  constitution  or  recognition  of  the  Union 
constitution  as  the  Supreme  Law  of  the  land.  This  is 
extremely  necessary  for  maintaining  the  delicate 
balance  of  powers  between  the  centre  and  units  and 
prevent  either  from  exceeding  its  lawful  authority  and 
making  unauthorised  inroad  on  the  legitimate  sphere  of 
the  other.  The  Supreme  Court  is  to  stand  guard  over 
this  arrangement.  Besides  these,  it  is  necessary  to 
guard  against  an  Incipient  danger  in  all  schemes  of 
Federal  Union.  It  involves  a  two-fold  loyalty  or 
allegiance  in  the  people — a  loyalty  to  the  Union  and 
to  the  unit.  This  should  not  be  allowed  to  create  a 
divided  loyalty.  Loyalty  to  the  unit  need  not  and  should 
not  undermine  the  loyalty  to  the  Union.  That  way  lies 
the  danger  to  the  stability  of  the  Union. 

To  apply  these  principles  to  only  one  of  the  issues 
of  the  Kashmir  controversy,  viz^  that  of  a  separate  state 
flag  side  by  side  with  the  National  flag  of  the  Republic. 
There  need|  not  be  any  objection  to  a  separate  flag  of 
the  state  symbolising  the  popular  movement  In  Kashmir 
against  autocratic  rule  if  that  does  not  supplant  the 
National  flag,  but  exists  side  by  side  with  it  and  if  due 
respect  be  shown  to  it  as  the  emblem  of  national  ^isl^ 
and  national  «tn&%%\e  iox  Ic^^^^m.  '^cn  \Aid^]csiNK.  T^»ans^ 
the  peopk  oi  IfjuilKnux  \kw^  ^«sf2to\fc^  ^  Vpi^te^  v* 


« 


THE  MODERN  REVIEWi  FOR  JANUARY,  1963 


visHi^vis  Moslem  Atatei*  Had  the  conference  reilly 
taken  place  under  Pakistanji  auspices  that  would  certainly 
have  rebounded  to  the  diplomatic  disadvantage  of  India, 
This  has  led  to  a  cruel  realisation!  in  Pakistan  of  the 
utter  hoUowness  and  impracticability  of  Pakistan's  stancl 
in  foreign  policy.  "Fie  on  unjsrateful  Iran  and  Egypt 
whose  cause  Pakistan  backed  vrith  all  it«  resources  ei?en 
at  the  cost  of  losing  the  support  of  the  West  on  Kashmir 
issue" — thus  wrote  Daum  in  one  of  ^ts  editorials. 

The  pricking  of  the  pan-Islamic  bubble  was  no  lesQ 
due  to  the  attitude  of  two  other  Moslem  states,  namley, 
Afghanistan^  and  Indonesia.  India's  relati<Hiship  with 
Afghanistan  has  been  continuously  close  and  cordial  and 
Afghan  ambassador  in  India  Sardar  NajibuUa  is  the  doyen 
of  our  diplomatic  corps.  The  two  neighbouring  Muslim 
countries  Afghanistan  and  Pakistan  are  at  loggerheads 
over  the  Pathanbtan  issue.  Afghanistan  thinks  that 
Pathanistan  constitutes  the  ''Afghana  irredenta"  and 
for  this  she  expects  India's  moral  backing.  The  long 
incarceration  of  the  Pakhtoon  leaders,  Badshah  Khan  and 
Khan  Sahib,  who  are  highly  respected  throughout  India 
is  viewed  with  equal  disapproval  by  the  Afghan  and 
Indian  Governments.  India  has  reason  to  be  grateful  to 
A^hanistan  foi\  the  latter^  open  condemnation  of 
Pakistan's  aggression  on  Kashmir.  Though  all  of  the 
Moslem  states  have  shown  a  refreshingly  neutral  attitude 
to  the  Indo-Pakistan  dispute  over  Kashmir,  Afghanisthan 
is  the  only  one  which  has  gone  to  the  extent  of  charg- 
ing Pakistan  with  aggression.  Considering  the  strate- 
gic importance  of  Afghanistan  in  Central  Asia  her 
friendship  for  India  has  an  inestimable  advantage  to  us. 
PakistaQ  is  clearly  envious  of  Indo-Afghan  amity  and 
that  is  why  she  has  banned  Delhi-Kabul  air  service  over 
her  territory. 

Indonesia  is  another  state  which  though  predomi- 
nantly Moslem  has  remained  true  to  the  ideal  of 
secular  democracy.  Indonesians  are  ever  ready  to 
acknowledge  the  great  moral  and  diplomatic  support 
they  have  invariably  received,  from  the  government  and 
people  of  India  during  their  long  and  heroic  struggle 
against  Dutch  imperialism.  She  too  has  so  far  refused 
to  be  a  party  to  the  potentially  anti-Indian  pan-Islamio 
Union,  so  dear  to  Pakistan.  Oi^y  the  other  day,  a 
mission  from  Indonesia  toured  the  whole  of  India,  studying 
the  general  elections  that  were  being  held.  This  shows 
that  the  leadiers  of  the  vigorous  and  young  natioi^  look 
rather  to  India  than  to  Pakistan  for  friendly  guidance. 

Two  other  Moslem  countries  came  recently  in  the 
limelight.  They  are  Libya  and  Tunisia.  Libya  took 
its  place  as  an  indepen^dent  state,  after  forty  years  of 
Italian  domination.  India  was  prompt  in  sending  her 
felicitations  and  according  her  diplomatic  recognition. 

The  Tunisians'  struggle  for  complete  autonomy  has 


systematiqally  received  India's  friendly  interest.  The 
recent  Franco-Tunisian  crisis  which  began  with  repretufe 
measures  on  the  part  of  the  French  drew  forth  India's 
sharp  condemnation.  India  enthusiastically  supported  the 
Asian  counltries  move  in  the  U.N.O.  to  raise  the  Tuni- 
sian issue  in  the  Security  Council  and  thereby  sained 
the  Tunisian   gratitude. 

Thus  India  has  been  eminently  successful  in  cukl- 
vating  and  preserviqjg  the  friendship  and  goodwill  of 
the  Moslem  countries.  Her  success  is  all  the  more  io> 
markable  because  her  relationship  with  her  immediate 
Moslem  neighbour,  Pakistan,  has  been  chronicaUy  un- 
satisfactory. That  pan-Islamism  has  not  assumed  a  con- 
crete shape,  as  Pakistan  desires,  should  be  ascribed  to  the 
credit  of  her  diplomatic  representatives  in  these  countries 
some  of  whom  are  Moslems. 

The  only  Moslem  people  who  are  still  groaning 
under  colonial  rule  and  to  yrhom  India  has  perhaps  not 
been  able  to  pay  sufficient  attention  are  the  Malayans. 
The  Malayan  policy  of  India  has  lacked  the  nsual 
vigorous  and  unstinted  support  so  characteristic  of  her. 
India  has  not  declared  openly  for  Malayan  indepen- 
dence as  against  British  colonial  domination.  The  xeik 
son,  is  perhaps  that  the  Malayan  struggle  against  Britain 
like  that  of  the  Indo-Chinese  is  terroristic  in  nature  and 
that  it  is  being  led  by  Chinese  communists.  This  is 
however  not  a  convincing  argument  and  one  hopes  that 
India  will  accord  to  the  Malayans  adequate  diplomatic 
and  moral  support  in|  order  to  enable  them  to  achieve 
their  complete  independence. 

The  success  of  India's  foreign  policy  with  regard 
to  the  Moslem  countries  of  Asia  and  Africa  should  not 
however  be  regarded  in  an  exaggerated  lic^t.  Besides 
collaborating  for  preserving  peace  of  the  world*  India 
has  another  supreme  task — that  of  preserving  herself  from 
foreign  aggression.  In  order  to  keep  war  beyond  our 
frontiers,  it  is  necessary  that  all  our  neighbours  should 
be  favourably  disposed  towards  us.  While  taking  care  to 
cultivate  the  friendship  of  the  Moslem  countries  in  the 
west,  India  should  not  lose  sight  of  the  importance  of 
our  eastern  neighbours  as  well.  The  recognition  of  the 
People's  Government  of  China  is  a  step  in  the  ri^t 
direction^  The  goodwill  of  this  mighty  nation  should 
be  the  sheet-anchor  of  our  foreign  policy.  Burma's  posi- 
tion in  the  east  is  corresponding  to  that  of  Afghanistai^ 
in  the  west  and  there  is  every  reason  to  hope  that  the 
close  political  and  cultural  connection  with  that  coun- 
try will  conjtinue  to  be  strengthened.  Another  very  wise 
step  taken  by  India  is  her  refusal  to  sign  the  Japanese 
Peace  Treaty  concluded  at  San  Francisco.  She  has  how- 
ever arrived  at  a  bilateral  agreement  with  that  country 
by  signing  a  treaty  of  friendship  which  determines  mutual 
trade  relations. 


BURMESE   INDEPENDENCE  AND  AFTE 


Bt  Prof.  SUDHANSU  BIMAL  MOOKHERJI,  m.a. 


Thb  whole  of  South-East  Ana  is  in  fennent  today. 
Unless  peace  and  stability  in  the  region  are  restored 
within  a  reasonable  time,  the  regional  conflicts  may 
develop  into  a  global  conflagration. 

South-East  Asia  with  the  exception  of  Ceylon  was 
overrun  by  Japan  during  the  last  war.  The  Japanese 
occupation  did  at  least  one  good  to  the  countries 
'liberated'.  It  intensified  the  urge  for  independence  in 
the  countries  overrun  by  Japan.  The  'imagined  and 
involuntary"  acceptance  of  white  superiority  received 
"an  almost  mortal  blow."  The  defeats  sustained  by 
the  Western  nations  at  the  hands  of  Japan  in  1942 
''dealt  a  final  blow  to  any  concept  of  white  superiority 
which  atill  remained." 

The  post-war  independence  of  Burma,  Indonesia, 
and  the  Philippines  is  to  be  attributed,  partially  at 
least,  to  Japanese  occupation  (1942-45).  But  none  of 
them  has  been  able  as  yet  to  set  its  own  house  in 
order.  Lamentable  as  this  failure  is,  it  is  perhaps  un- 
avoidable in  the  formative  years  of  the  life  of  a  newly 
bom  nation.  Alien  masters  of  a  country  do  never 
eradicate  the  seeds  of  discord  and  disharmony  in  the 
countries  dominated  by  them.  What  is  more  dangerous, 
they  actually  sow  the  seeds  of  dissension  in  many  a 
case.  They  take  care  however,  in  their  own  interest 
no  doubt,  to*  preserve  peace  and  order  in  the  coun^ 
tries  ruled  by  them.  The  causes  of  disunity  go  into 
hibernation,  as  it  were.  The  rulers  on  occasions 
lengthen  the  rope  to  give  a  freer  scope  to  disrup- 
tive tendencies,  again  in  their  own  interest,  to  frus- 
trate movements  of  national  unity  and  indepen- 
dence. But  when  the  foreign  ruler  withdraws,  the 
disruptive  tendencies  take  full  advantage  of  the  weak- 
ness of  the  successor  national  Government.  Herein 
lies  the  real  cause  of  the  prevailing  disorder  in  Burma, 
in  Indonesia  and  in  the  Philippines.  There  are  con- 
tributory factors  besides. 

Burma  declared  herself  a  sovereign  SociaHst 
Republic  on  January  4,  1948.  Independence  gave 
the  signal,  as  it  were,  of  a  country-wide  convulsion, 
which  is  no  nearer  the  end  today  than  it  was  four 
years  ago  when  it  started. 

The  Communists  took  up  arms  against  the  Govern- 
ment in  February-March.  They  however  avoided 
pitched  battles  at  the  beginning.  On  the  contrary, 
they  selected  weak  spots  in  the  Government  defence 
and  concentrated  their  attention  on  them.  They  con- 
fined their  activities  to  sabotage.  Their  policy  at 
this  stage  may  be  summed  up  as  "EEit  and  Run." 
Government  circles  were  of  opinion  that  the  ri^ng 
would  soon  peter  out.  A  Burma  Civil  Surgeon  told 
the  present  reviewer  in  July,  1948,  that  the  Commu. 
nists  would  be  wiped  out  before  the  end  of  the  mon- 
soons. Far  from  being  exterminated  they  are  much 
stronger  to-day  and  are  firmly  entrenched  in  some 
parts  of  the  counUy.      They  have     a  more  or  less 


trained  army  which  two  years  ago  numbered  about 
10,000.  A  Red  Government  was  once  actually  set 
up  at  Prome  about  100  miles  to  the  north-west  of 
Rangoon. 

'Rie  Burma  Communists  are  divided  into  two 
not  very  friendly  groups.  The  more  numerous  and 
influential  White  Flag  Commimists  take  their  stand 
on  Stalinism  and  believe  in  Socialism  in  one  State. 
They  are  led  by  Thakin  Thou  Tun.  His  right-hand 
man  Shri  Ghosal  is  a  Bengali  graduate  of  the  Univer- 
sity of  Rangoon.  It  is  reported  that  there  are  seve- 
ral other  Bengalis  in  the  Party.  The  Red  Flag 
Communists  led  by  Thaldn  Soe  are  no  believers  in 
Socialism  in  one  state  and  take  their  cue  from 
Trotskyism.  It  has  been  reported  in  the  press  from 
time  to  time  that  the  Burmese  Reds  are  being  aided 
by  their  fellow-travellers  across  the  borders.  Help 
or  no  help,  the  Communist  victory  and  its  consolida- 
tion in  China  must  have  put  new  heart  into  the 
Burmese  Reds. 

The  K.  N.  D.  O.  (Karen  National  Defence 
Organisation)  constitutes  the  most  formidable  of  the 
insurgent  groups  in  Burma.  The  Karens,  the  most 
important  and  numerous  minority  of  Burma,  number 
twenty  lacs,  more  or  less.  Wrongs  at  the  hands  of 
the  majority — the  Burmese — ^in  the  paat  rankles  in 
their  heart  and  they  demand  a  sovereign  homeland 
of  their  own.  Knowledgeable  circles  hold  that  the 
Karens  are  aided  and  abetted  by  important,  groups 
of  foreigners.  The  activities  of  Major  Tulloch,  Mr. 
Campbell  and  Dr.  Seagrare  strengthen  the  suspi- 
cion. 

The  K.  N.  D.  O.  rose  up  in  open  revolt  against 
the  Government  towards  the  end  of  1948  and  overran 
the  greater  part  of  the  country  within  an  incredibly 
short  time.  The  K.  N.  D.  0.  revolt  was,  and  is,  a  very 
real  menace — ^positive  as  well  as  negative,  direct  as 
well  as  indirect — ^to  the  Government  of  U  Nu.  The 
Karens  are  among  the  best  fighters  of  Bunna.  Non- 
Karen  contingents — composed  mostly  cf  tac  Bumese 
— are,  more  often  than  not,  no  match  for  the  in.  Then 
again,  many  of  the  ICaren  regiments  were  disirniod 
when  the  K.  N.  D.  O.  struck.  The  fighting  calibr^j  of 
the  Government  army  has  been  considerably  dimiuisKsd 
in  consequence.  The  K.NJD.O.  revolt  at  the  same  time* 
encouraged  the  common  lawless  and  antisocial 
elements  and  also  the  diverse  anti-Government  groups 
in  the  country.  The  Nu  Government  was  thu5  con- 
fronted with  a  crisis  of  stupendous  magnitude.  In 
March-April,  1949,  the  writs  of  the  Government  did 
not  run  over  even  one-tenth  of  the  country. 

The  situation  has  no  doubt  improved  today.  But 
the  Karen  intransigence  has  yet  to  be  crushed.    They 
still  hold  out  in  the  thickly  forested  country,  north 
of  Thaton  and  east  of  MowVmeoi,     "^xXicL    Sksa'^^jsi^ 
frontier  belhiTid  l\i^m,  \Jjie^  ^^wx    vt^'J?^^    «^^^  ^^ 


SUGGESTIONS  FOR  THE  IMPROVEMENT  OF  CHATUSPATHI 

EDUCATION  IN  INDIA 

By  Dr.  J.   B.   CHAUDHURY,  Ph.  D.    (London),  Kavyatirtha, 
Secretary,  GovemmerU   Vangiya     Sanskrita     Siksha  Parishat,  Calcutta 


Introduction 
With  the  advent  of  Freedbm  in      India  it  has  become 
necessary  to  review  the  whole  question  of  the  propaga- 
tion of  Sanskrit  learning  in  the  country  and  outside. 

It  is  a  matter  of  great  regret  that  the  family-mem- 
bers of  even  very  venerable  Pandits  who  are  the  tradi- 
tional inheritors  of  the  best  heritage  of  India  do  not 
read  Sanskrit  even  in  Colleges  and  Universities,  far 
from  taking  up  traditional  Sanskritic  studies  in  Sans- 
krit Pathsalas.  This  is  mainly  due  to  the  fact  that 
even  in  Free  India  the  study  of  Sanskrit  does  not  seem 
to  have  any  economic  value  whatsoever  and  naturally, 
they  are  reluctant  to  face  the  same  kind  of  ordeal  their 
fathers  and  grandfathers  hadj  to  undergo  in  spite  of 
their  vast  learning  in  Sanskrit  and     allied  subjects. 

The  result  has  been  that  the  best  talents  of  the 
country  are  floating  adrift  into  other  channels — ^to  the 
eternal  injury  of  the  invaluable  cultural  heritage  of  the 
country.  If  immediate  steps  be  not  taken  for  the 
preservation  of  the  Sanskrit  Pathsalas  training  students 
in  traditional  methods  of  Sanskrit  learning,  the  whole 
structure  of  the  ancient  modes  of  Sanskrit  education  is 
sure  to  be  undermined  within  a  short  time. 

Though  many  are  aware  of  the  excellence  of  Sans- 
krit studies — ^its  vast  store  and  intrinsic  beauty  that  are 
really  unparalleled  in  the  world,  even  then  they  do  not 
encourage  their  wards  to  take  up  Sanskrit  studies, 
particularly  in  traditional  methods.  The  vital  question, 
therefore,  is  how  to  revive  Sanskrit  studies  in  traditional 
methods  in  the  present  age  as  in  the  days  of  yore  and 
thos,  help  the  propagation  of  Sanskrit  studies  in  the 
worid  in  modem)  times. 

Thus,  thoni^  the  problem  is  main^  economic, 
ignorance  of  a  colossal  type  about  the  real  nature  of 
Sanskrit  studies  is  also  responsible  for  the  neglect  of 
these  studies.  Still,  as  soon  as  the  economic  aspect  of 
it  is  to  a  certain  extent  settled,  the  other  difficulties 
win  not  be  insurmountable. 

In  order  to  bring  about  a  rejuvenation  in  Chatus- 
pathi  Education  in  India,  there  must  be  reforms  from  both 
within  and  without  that  will,  in  near  future,  help  the 
growth  of  a  strong  mass-consciousness  about  the  utili- 
ties of  the  Sanskritic  studies  as  well  as  the  indispensable 
nsimv  o/  the  aame  lor  Indians  whose  norm  is  Religion, 
wsfew?  nsrr  exJatence  ia  Bpiiitual 


Rbfobms 

Examinations :   Syllabus  and  Curriculum 

1.  The  method  of  teaching  in  Sanskrit  Pathsalfti 
should  also  be  improved,  and  the  modem  direct  methods 
of  literary  appreciation,  and  scientific  investigations 
introduced  more  widely.  As  for  example,  Sanskrit 
teachers  are  generally  apt  to  over-emphasise  the  niceties 
and  subtleties  of  gramatical  rules  even  when  teaddng 
literary  ani  philosophical  subjects.  The  result  is  Aat 
not  infrequently  students  fail  to  appreciate  die  inherent 
literary  merits  of  those  great  literary  gems.  This  ii 
often  one  of  the  causes  which  detract  many  stndenti 
away  from  Chatuspathi  education.  Sanskrit  Grammar 
is,  of  course,  ai^  important  part  of  Sanskrit  Education. 
But  as  many  Pandits  naturally  feel,  over-emphasis  on 
Grammatical   portion   makes  literary   subjects   dry. 

2.  For  forming}  a  common  background  along  with 
other  courses  of  studies  prevalent  in  the  country.  To! 
ediucation  should  also  include  courses  in  other  essential 
subjects  besides  purely  Sanskritic  ones,  tniL,  History. 
Geography  and  Mathematics  in  the  Adya  or  preliminary 
stage.  In  the  Madhya  and  Upadhi  there  should  be  special 
paperR  in  the  History  of  Sanskrit  Literature,  Political 
History  of  India,  English  and  Modem  Indian  Vena- 
culars,  particularly,  the  Mother  tongue. 

3.  For  non-Sanakritic  subjects  in  the  Adya  ezand- 
nations  there  should  be  two  papers,  viz.,  (1)  Histoty, 
Geography  and  (2)  Mathematics.  The  standard  should 
be  for  the  first  stage,  the  same  as  for  the  School  Final 
Examination.  With  this  common  background,  the  average 
Tol  student  will  have  no  occasion  to  sufiBer  in  practical 
life,  in  the  field  of  employment  or  elsewhere. 

4.  All  examining  Bodies  should  lay  great  etresB 
npon  such  practical  subjects,  as  (a)  Ayurveda ;  (b) 
Paurohitya  :  .(c)  Music  and  Dramaturgy  ;  (d)  Sanskrit 
Teachers'  Training ;  (e)  Sculpture  and  Painting ;  and 
(f)   last  but  not  least.  Astronomy  and  Astrology.  ' 

5.  Sanskrit  Education  should  be  co-ordinated  in 
Colleges  and  Chatuspathis  so  that  University  students  id 
Sanskrit  and  Chatuspathi  students  may  proceed  for 
Research  Degrees  after  their  appearing  respectively  in 
M.A.   and   Upadhi   examinations  creditably. 

6.  ITie  status,  dignity  and  value  of  Sanskrit  Exami- 
nations should  be  raised  immediately  so  that  the  First, 
Intermediate  and  Degree  Examinations  of  Sanskrit 
Examining  Bodies  may  become  equivalent  to  the  School 
Unal,  Inlermedialb  and  BA.  Gxaminations  of  Univer- 


SUGGESTIONS  .  .  .  CHATUSPATHI  EDUCATION  IN  INDIA 


61 


Sties  respectively.  For  thuj  purpose,  as  stated  above, 
diese  three  courses  should  be  suitably  revised  and  ¥riden- 
ed  so  as  to  include  some  essential  subjects,  such  as 
languages.   Mathematics,  History,  Geography,  etc. 

7.  Special  attention  of  .  the  Sanskrit  Eclucation 
inthoiities  should  be  drawn  to  mass  propagation  o£ 
Sanskrit  learning  through  the  time-honoured  customs 
of  Kathakata,  Yatra-gana,  Panchali-patha,  etc. 


I      I 


Wealth  of  Sanskrit — Its  Increase 
L  It  is  now  high  time  that  the  Government  should 
take  all  possible  steps  for  enriching  the  already  invalu- 
aUe  store  of  Sanskrit  Language  and  Literature  by  means 
tl  translations  of  the  best  foreign  works  into  Sanskrit 
and  sjmilar  other  methods.  ]9^P^^^<^  ^  shown  that 
in  India  no  treasure  is  preserved  except  through  the 
mediiim  d  the  Devabhasa.  The  temporary  glitter  of 
Yanacnlar  wealth  fades  away  in  course  of  time  and 
alsBg  with  the  changes  of  literary  iorms  and  pattern, 
the  ti^le  Vernacular  work  becomes  lost  in  the  long 
ran.  But  Sanskrit  b  the  only  universal  and  immortal 
Ingnage  of  India  and  unless  preserved  in  this  permanent 
store,  no  Indian  work  can  ever  survive  the  ravages  of 
time.  India,  in  fact,  with  her  traditional  sense  oi 
magnanimity  and  broad-mindedness,  never  refused  to 
fife  an  honoured  place,  in  her  all-embracing  bosom,  to 
tbe  hterary  treasures  of  all  other  nations  of  the  world 
Tlnis,  it  is  befitting  to  the  cultural  heritage  of  India 
diat  all  that  is  great  and  good — ^in  the  literatures  of 
the  world,  should  be  collected  in  Sanskrit,  the 
National  Language  of  India,  and  the  vehicle  of  its 
ecemal  enltore. 

2.  Students  shonld  be  encouraged  to  take  up 
Sanskrit  studies  at  an  earlier  tstage  in  life  than  at 
presoit.  Now-a-days,  even  Adya  students  are  generally 
above  the  age  of  fifteen  or  sixteen.  According  to  the 
decision  of  the  Government,  students  will  have  to 
undergo  a  compulsory  training  up  to  the  age  of  11  or 
12  in  the  Basic  stage.  As  the  students  in  general  line 
will  begin  their  secondary  stage  at  the  age  of  12  as  a 
mle,  Chatospathi  students  also  should  begin  their 
sindies  at  the  same  time. 

During  the  foreign  regime  Sanskrit  Pathasalas 
received  particularly  no  encouragement  from  the  Govern- 
ment,  either  monetary  or  otherwise.  For  example,  only 
a  petty  sum  of  Rs.  40,000  was  sanctioned  for  more  than, 
IflOO  Ghatnspathis  in  Bengal.  It  means  that  Rs.  40  only 
was  the  quota  for  each  Chatuspathi  annually.  Further, 
Ghatospathi  stnd^ts,  mostly  not  knowing  English,  were 
iaoe^  with  grave  difficulties  i^actically  in  all  fields.  The 
time  has  now  come  to  impcHre  this  regrettable  state  of 

3.  Economic  condition  of  Chatuspathis  should  l>e 
improved  immediately.  Government  should  undertake  to 
sanction  a  suflicient  number  of  grants  of  sufficient  amounts 
to  a  far  larger  number  of  Ghatuspathis  than  before, 
llieae  grants  should  be  distributed  according  to  some 
wdUaid  principles  of  quality  ()>.,  academic  qualifications 


of  teachers  and  hic^ier  subjects  taught,  etc.)  and 
quantity  (number  of  teachers  and  students  and  subjects 
taught). 

Well-known  Pandits  with  at  least  5  students  should 
be  given  a  monthly  grant-in-aid  of  Rs.  100.  Some  other 
Chatuspathis  should  be  given  Rs.  75  and  Rs.  50  and 
in  rural  areas  in  particular,  good  Pandits,  even  without 
a  sufficient  number  of  students  should  be  awarded  Govern- 
ment grants.  Backward  districts  should  not  be  lost  sight 
pf;  there  should  be  at  least  a  few  Ghatuspathis  with 
Government    Grants-in-aid  in  each  district. 

4.  Well-known  Pandits,  even  without  Tol,  should 
be  awarded  some  annual  honorarium  for  their  deep  learn- 
ing—«  sum  of  at  least  Rs.  200  pte  annum. 

5.  Each  State  Government  should  award  literary 
pension  to  all  aged  venerable  Pandits,  specially,  who  are 
in  great  need  of  monetary  help,  as  a  mark  of  appreciation 
of  their  vast  erudition. 

6.  The  rates  of  payment  to  Examiners,  Paper-setters, 
Moderators,  Tabulators,  ije,  all  persons  connected  with 
Sanskrit  Examinations  must  be  in  no  way  less  than 
those  in  the  School  Final,  Intermediate  and  BA. 
Examinations. 

POBUCAfnON 

1.  It  is  a  matter  of  great  regret  that  even  two-thirds 
of  the  Text-Books  of  difiEerent  Sanskrit  Examining 
Bodies  of  India  are  not  available  in  print,  and  students 
at  times  appear  in  examinations  without  ever  reading 
these  Text-Books  at  all.  So,  the  Government  both 
Central  and  State  should  extend  their  ungrudging  help 
for  publication  of  our  valuable  Sanskrit  Texts  at  once. 
Nor  will  this  be  a  losing  concern  for  the  Government  aa 
in  the  long  run  Sanskrit  w^Hks  of  worth  are  sure  to 
find  a  ready  market  among  scholars  and  students  all  over 
the  world.  Chatuspathi  Ekiucation  cannot  flourish 
without  the  removal  of  this  very  great  handicap  as 
early  ag  possible. 

2.  At  present,  there  is  really  no  children's  literature 
in  Sanskrit.  We  must  publish  this  literature  without 
further  delay,  as  without  this,  it  will  not  be  possible  to 
create  any  interest  in  the  minds  of  children  for  taking 
up  Sanskrit  studies  very  early  in  Hfe.  This  literature 
should  be  mostly  pictorial,  multicoloured  and  beauti- 
fully printed.  As  Devanagri  script  is  being  made 
compulsory  now-a-days  throughout  India,  children  will 
be  able  to  read  for  themselves  the  Sanskrit  primers  on 
their  own  initiative  even  without  the  help  of  others. 

3.  Venerable  Pandits  all  over  the  country  have  to 
their  credit  many  works  which  they  have  not  been  able 
to  publish  for  want  of  adequate  funds.  Many  of  these 
works  are  worth  publishing  and  some,  I  can  assert  on 
personal  knowledge,  are  works  of  exceptionally  high 
merit.  The  State  Governments  in  particular  should  pay 
special  attention  to  the  publication  of  those  works  by 
these  great  and  learned  Pandits,  particularly^  the 
translations  and  competii&i^L  m  ^h&^^scx  h^sc^^»qSks%« 


52 


THE  MODERN  REVIEW  FOR  JANJUaRY,  186S 


Employment  of  Sanskrit  Studenth 

The  most  important  question  of  getting  suitable 
provision  for  the  successful  students  of  Sanskrit  should 
be  immediately  tackled  on  a  Government  level.  The  most 
formidable  difficulty  of  the  spread  of  Sanskrit  Exlucation 
to-day  is  the  dearth  of  Sanskrit  students,  particularly, 
in  Chatuspathis.  The  abject  poverty  of  the  venerable 
Pandits,  even  of  the  Mahamahopadhyayas,  frightens 
their  family  members  and  to-day  students  with  an 
average  meiit  decline  to  face  this  ordeal  in  spite  of  their 
inherent  love  for  Sanskrit  learning.  However  much  we 
may  argue  that  Sanskrit  Education  is  meant  for  those 
who  are  prepared  to  dedicate  themselves  to  the  sacred 
cause  of  Sanskrit  learning  and  culture,  we  cannot 
allow  them  to  starve  after  they  have  passed  their 
examinations  creditably.  They  must  be  suitably  employed 
and  settled  in  life  in  order  that  they  may  take  the 
propagation  of  Sanskrit  learning  without  being  hampered 
by  chill  penury.  They  must  be  placed,  economically  and 
in  all  other  respects,  in  the  same  footing  as  there 
brethem  coming  out  successful  in  University  examinations. 
The  solution  of  bread-butter  question  will  solve  many 
problems  automatically  and  all  our  plans  will  be  successful 
if  we  may  suitably  provide  our  students  in  different 
walks  of  life — in  law-courts.  Government  offices  and 
ebewhere.  Only,  the  best  brains  should  remain  for  the 
.feTiiing  Hue. 


'i^...  idi^i  '.^J.^ 


Administration 


i .: 


1.  Each  District  should  have  one  Government  Sans- 
krit G>llege  which  will  serve  also  as  a  nerve  centre  of  all 
the  Pathsalas  in^  the  whole  district  supplying  books^ 
lefefant  papers,  important  inf(»rination  and  so  on.  The 
Chatuspathis  and  District  Government  Colleges  should  be 
under  the  direct  control  of  a  Central  Goyemment 
Organization,  which  should  again  be  under  the  control 
oi  the  Education  Directorate  of  the  State.  Monthly 
meetings  of  all  the  Pandits  of  the  same  district  should 
be  held  in  the  Government  District  Sanskrit  College. 

2.  There  should  be  one  Sanskrit  Research 
Institute  in  each  State,  directly  under  the  control  of  the 
Centarl  Organization. 

3.  Each  State  should  maintain  an  Oriental  Library 
under  the  direct  supervision  of  Central  Organization  ioi 
Chatnspathi  Education — for  use  by  all  the  Pandits  and 
other  lovers  of  Sanskrit  Learning,  with  a  lending  depart- 
ment. Pandits  vrith  their  proverbial  poverty  are  greatly 
handicapped  in  their  literary  pursuits  for  want  of  books  ; 
this  difficulty  must  be  removed  as  far  as  possible.  All 
manuscripts  procurable  from  individuals  should  be 
collected  in  the  Central  Organization  of  each  State  to 
facilitate  dissemination  of  Sanskrit  Learning. 


4  There  should  be  an  AD^India  Committee  ior  tbe 
coK>rdination  of  Sanskrit  studies  all  over  the  country.  It 
should  also  be  equipped  with  an  official  organ  for  voicing 
its  opinion  in  official  quarters  in  particular.  The 
Committee  should  also  be  responsible  for  devising  ways 
and  means  for  simplifying  Sanskrit  Language,  when- 
ever necessary,  for  the  understanding  of  the  people  at 
large. 

5^  The  standardisation  oi  San^it  Examinations 
all  over  India  is  another  long-felt  desideratum.  The 
jimportance  of  this  can  no  longer  be  ignored.  No 
examining  body  stands  to  lose  by  this  ;  on  the  other 
hand,  if  a  common  standard  be  determined,  the  Govdji- 
ment  and  other  employing  bodies  will  be  able  to 
provision  for  the  successful  candidates  on  a 
suitable  basis. 

CONCLUSIOlf 

The  reforms  on  the  above  lines  have  alvsttdf  htm 
effected  by  the  Government  of  West  Bengal  threwgh  Its 
Central  Organization;  for  Sanskrit  education,  viz,, 
Vangiya  Sanskrita  Siksha  Parisat,  with  excellent 
results.  So  we  have  no  doubts  that  similar  attempts  ia 
other  parts  of  the  country  will  also  produce  the  same 
results. 

Attempts  should  now  be  made  to  establish  lour 
regional  universities  for  the  North,  South,  Ebpt  and  West 
of  India.  India  is  a  continental  country  and  lour 
universities  should  not  be  considered  a  big  demand,  if 
we  remember  that  in  a  small  country  like  Japan  there 
are  twelve  Sanskrit  Universities  excluuvelly  conferriag 
Sanskritic  degrees  upon  successful  candidates.  In  course 
of  time,  the  Central  Sanskrit  Organizations  ol  different 
States  should  be  affiliated  to  these  universities  on  a 
territorial  basis.  Undoubtedly,  the  Central  Government 
should  provide  funds  for  advancing  the  Schemes  ol  Stitfe 
Governments,  particularly,  for  the  establishment  of  these 
Sanskrit  Universities. 

Right-thinking  persons  will  see  easily  that  Sanskrit 
is  the  de  facto  National  Language  of  India.  A  common 
stock  of  eighty  per  cent  Sanskrit  words  is  used  by  all 
literary  persons  throughout  India.  If  the  Devanagri 
script  be  made  compulsory  by  the  Government  of  India, 
a  common  platform  for  propagating  Sanskrit  learning 
on  a  much  wider  scale  will  soon  emerge.  People  will 
then  see  for  themselves  that  they  can  understand  simple 
Sanskrit  very  easily  and  it  iaf  the  only  real  connective 
link  of  the  whole  of  India,  and  but  for  this  Tory  great 
bond  of  common  love,  India  would  soon  be  shattered 
to  pieces.  Shorn  of  the  light  of  Sanskrit,  India  i%  all 
dark ;  illumined  with  this  bright  lamp,  as  the  dm-  fmcU 
National  language  she  fills  up  the  whole  world  with 
lustre  and  will  ever  continue  to  do  po. 


HADfiAS 

The  City  ot  the  Rmt  EngUah  Chnrch  in  India 

:-■::    ...  Bt  K.  N.  MEHHOTRA 

tocAtfl)  on  the  CoramEtndal  Coaat  at  k  Btrategic  point  Vijayanagar,  Shri  Ranga  Raja,  Rajah  of  Chandrag^, 

in  the  sub-continent  of  India  with  a  veil-developed  a  grant  of  a  site  of  land  on  which  now  stands  the  Fort 

and  up-to-date  harbour,  with  fine  butldingg    odomiDg  St,  George,  and  this  was  the  beginning  of  the  farma^ 

its  beautiful  thorout^fareS,  Madras  ia  the  connecting  tion  of  the  Madras  State.     Later  on,  the  district  of 


Tort  St.  Ccoi^,   Madras,   with  St.   Mary's 
Church  in  the  background 

link  between  the  Northern  and  Southern  part  ot  India. 
It  i«  the  seat  of  the  Government  of  the  State  of  that 
name,  and  is  the  third  largest  city  of  India. 


Chingalpat  was  obtained  from  the  Nawab  of  Caroatio 
in  1763.  The  Norlhem  Circars  were  ceded  by  Shah 
Alam  in  1705.  The  districts  of  Madras,  Salem  and 
Malabar  were  obtained  from  Tippu  Sultan  after  the 
Third  Myaore  War  of  1792.  Kanara,  Coimbatore  and 
the  Niigirig  were  obtained  after  the  Fourth  Mysore 
War  in  1799.  The  dblncls  of  Bclary,  Cuddapah, 
Kamul  and  Aoantpur  were  ceded  by  the  Niiam  in 
1800  and  tlic  remaining  portion  of  the  Camatic  Domi- 
nion was  oblained  in  1901.  Thus  the  Madras  Slate  ot 
which  the  city  of  Madras  is  the  capital,  was  formed. 
The  State  includes  that  part  of  India  which  was  one  of 
the  first  to  be  settled  by  the  English  and  other 
foreign  nations.  ' 


Fr&Qcis  Day  of  the  East  India  Company  obtained 


Madras  ia  famous  for  having  an  observatory  which 
keeps  the  time  for  our  coimtry.  The  chief  product,  ot 


.ia,  U38  fma  the  rapredentative  the  Hindu  power  of    Madiu  ^liA  ia  Vibu^w,  "Coft  <^(^  «t:!y;s^&  vt^  x*^ 


u 


'ttlfi  MOCfiftN  ftfiVlfiW  f  Oft  JAtftJAftV,  1M9 


teB,  cotton,  Indigo  &nd  oil-Eccds.  People  here  are  of  the  Court  and  Lav  College,  housed  in  a  bandEfltlie  IHi 
Dravidion  race  and  the  language  Bpokeii  are  Tamil,  exte&iive  group  of  buildlogi.  OppOitte  to  At  Bl^  GoOtt 
IVlUgu   aod  Molayalam.  and  across  the  China  Baiar  Street,  is  an  imponng  atiue* 

ture  of  the  Intentational  Y.  M.  C.  A.  buildinc 


'Madras  is  the  city  of  numerous  beautiful  aH'J 
historical  buildings.  The  Marina  or  the  drive  along  tb'j 
sea-front  is  the  resort  of  Madras  in  the  afternoon. 
Along  it  are  several  fine  buildings,  such  as  the  Fort, 


The  old  fort  now  contains  most  of  the  Government 
offices  and  in  it  is  St.  Mary's  Church,  tha  first  English 
Church  in  India.  The  arsenal  contains  many  curious 
trophies  of  the  wars  in  which   the   Madras  foment 


Madras  Harbour,  a  view  from  the  Lighthouse  People's   Park 

the  Senate  Hall,  the  famous   Madras  University  and  „ere  engaged.  About  one  mile  from   the  Fort  in  an 

also  the  Aquarium,  which  although  a,  smaU  one,  is  well  extensive  part  stands  the  Government  Hcuao. 
worth  a  visit.  At  the  other  end  will  be  fouod  the  High  The  Madra«    Central    Station,    tenninua  of  tU 


MADRAS  tfS 

nd  South  Marbatta  Railway,  is  a  beautiful  right  up  to  Royapuram.    The  Imperial  Bank  of  India, 

with  a  tall  clock  tower.  It  is  a  very  busy  the  Reserve  Bank  ot  iDoia,  the  General  Post  Office, as 

trains  arrive  and  depart  c^'cry  few  minutes,  well   as   the   offices   of   the      Madras   Collectoratc,   the 

north  ot  it  lies  the     extensive     Marshalling  Customs  and  the  Port  Commissioners  are  on  this  road. 


The  Zoological  Gftrdens 


the  above  railway.  The  big  workshojis  of  the 
ire  in  Perambur,  four  miles  north  of  tho 
tion.  The  Headquarters  OfScea  of  the  M.  and 
lilway  <now  Southern  Railways)  are  to  the 
!   east   of   the   Central   Station,   one   of 


The  Ripon  Building  housing  the  office  of  tho 

Madras  Corporation 


There  is  a  big  and  beautifully  constructed  Light  Houm 
,    ., ,.  ,  .,  J        ,^      >      ,  J     r  ;,       in  the  High  Court  buildings  and  one  can  have  a  clear 

buildings  of  Madras.  Constructed  ot  granite    ^.  ,,         *  .         ,  ^,       -,       ,  ,,  j  .    „„j  ,i,„  m..i«iii 
'^  ...  .  ,,  ,-.,    .      ,     bird's-eye  view  ot  the  city  ot  Madras  and  the  Madras 

.mg  IS  a  recent  addition  to  the  architectural    ^^^^^^^   ^^^  ^^.^^  ^^^  ^^^^  ^  ^j,^  ^j^^j  ^„„jj^ 


lephant  while  saluting  in  the  Madras  Zoo 


The  statue  ot  the  apo-n 


1  the  Madras  Zoo 


road  leading  to  the  harbour  is  known  as  the    centre  of  the  city  and  contains  many  of  the 
■ach  Road  and  runs  from  tie  Parrys'  Corner    bouses  of  the  city. 


M- 


THE  MODEKN  REVIEW  FOR  JANUARY,  1653 


'  "OlJposhc  to  the  Central  Sution  are  tho    Gcneml  the  Zoo  which  seems  quil«  natural,  'flic  statue  remindi 

fiospitii!  and  the  Medical  College.     The  has-piUl     is  you  of  the  Apcman'a  era  whea  Man    waa    liTiug  an 

reputed  to  be  one  of  the  best  in  lajia,  and  eonlaina  animal's  life, 
lip-to-date  equipment  in  all  branches  of  medicine.  The  civic  administration  of  the  city  is  carried  oii 


The  Madras  Museum 

The  Coovum  river  divides  the  General  Hoapital 
and  the  Central  Station  on  the  one  side  and  the 
Moora   Market  and     Ripon  Buildings 


The  electric  train  of  the  South  Indian  S&ilwoy 


'The  Madras  beach  nith  fishermen  at  work 

The  Moore  Market  of  Madras  is  somewhat  like  the 
Craford  Market  in  Bombay  and  New  Market  in 
Calcutta,     and  one  can  get  anything     here,    new  or 


by  the  Madras  Corporation  with  an  elected  body  of 
the  other.     n,ej„i^^  The  offices  of  the  Corporation  are  housed.in 
another  beautiful   building   of   the   city   known   (U   ti» 
Kipon  Bpildings  near  the  Central  Station. 

The  next  place  to  be  ^'isitGd  ia  the  Museum,  which 
is  reputed  to  be  one  of  the  best  in  Asia.  A  huge  collec- 
tion of  sculptures,  images,  archttologieol  Kmsins, 
stuffed  birds,  mammals  and  many  other  varietiei  ue 
exhibited  here. 


The  Moust  Road,  like  Choiiringhee  in  CUeatU. 

is  the  fashionable  shopping  centre  of  Madras.  In  tlua 
locality  are  to  be  found  the  offices  of  the  famOin 
new3jiapera  like  the  Hindu,  the  Madras  MaU,  the 
Indian  Express  and   the  Sv-'adesamilran. 


The  Law  College,  Madras 
The  Senate  House  and  the  University  of  Madras 

From  the  Mount  Road  one  moves  to  Tripticane, 
second-hand,  from  pin  to  an  elephant.  Behind  the  where  are  located  the  offices  of  the  Board  of  Revenue 
Moore  Market  is  the  People's  Park  and  the  Zoo.  The  and  many  other  Heads  of  Departments  under  the 
park  contains  rare  trees  and  plants,  whereas  in  the  Government  of  Madras.  These  buildings  were  formerly 
.^»*  there  is  a  rare  collection  of  snimab,  birds  and  the  place  of  the  Nawabs  of  Arcot.  Triplicane  Marina 
npix/ea.    One  is  attracted  by  as   apeouo's  statue  in     Beach  is  eaid  \tt^c  l\v«  st'ii^i^KsS-Vwib.  in  tika  worllj 


MADRAS 


Id  tho  nortli  of  these  buildings  is  the  Senate  Houbr    at  \ 


of  the  Madraa  University,  which  ia  one  of  the  largest 
of  the  Indian  Universities. 


!  with  ntiture.  The  colourful  scenery,  the  c 


The  General  Post  Office,  M^tdras 

From  Triplicanc,  we  proceed  to  Adyar,  the  head- 
quarters  of  the  Theoaophical  Society  of  India.  In  tlie 
eitwaive  grounds  of  the  Socii^tj's  premises  one  f«ls 


tury-old  huge  banyan  tree  peniitrating  Uie  earth  with 
its  hundreds  of  roots,  like  a  huge  umbrella  spread  in 
the  sky  arc  all  grand. 

About  a  few  miles  away  from  Madras,  and  at 
Mahabalipuram  there  arc  five  monolithic  temples  heWn 
out  of  granite  rack  by  the  Dravidians  (who  inhabited 
parU  of  India  long  before  the  Aryan  invasion),  in 
about  the  6th  century.  Besides  the  fifth  temple,  there 
stands  a  l.irge  granite  elephant,  which  was  formerly 
buried  in  a  mound.  These  temples  are  reputed  to  be 
one  of  the  oldest  examples  of  the  Dravidian  rock 
hewn  temples. 


Building  of  the  International  Y.  M.  C.  A. 

The  temple  of  Shri  Parthasarathi  Swami  here  is 
said  to  be  one  of  the  richest  temples  of  the  South. 
Devotees  gather  here  in  thousands  on  festival  days 
like  Vaikuntha  Ekadasi. 


The  city  of  Madras  contains  an  excellent  bus 
service  to  various  parts  of  the  city.  The  South  Indian 
Railway  rund  the  Electric  Train  Services  from  Madras 
Beach  to  Tambaram  railway  station  touL'hing  impor- 
tant places  in  and  around  the  city  of  Madras.  Other 
means  of  transport  in  the  city  are  the  electric  tram- 
ways, talis  and  man-driven  rickshaws.  With  all  these 
modem  developments,  Madias  is  fast  becoming  one  of 
the  well-planned  and  most  modem  cities  of  South 
fndia. 

(PkologTapha  by  the  vrriter) 


PHILADELPHIA 

A  Shrine  of  American  Freedom 

Bt  ROGER   BUTTERFIELD 


The  starting  point  of  the  history  of  the  United  States 
as  a  nation  is  in  Philadelphia,  the  shrine  of  national 
fteedom,  in  the  Atlantic  Coast  State  ol  Pennsylvania. 
Many  of  the  beginnings  of  the  Dal  Ion  are  still  there 
Vid  available  for  inspection.  History  is  a  casual  part 
of  the  city's  everyday  landscape.  It  is  seen  in  a  modest 
red  brick  building,  a  street  lamp,  a  grave  e  few  feel 
off  the   sidewalk,  a   house   still  being   lived   in. 

In  the  heart  of  this  modem  city — where  the 
American  Declaration  of  Independence  and  the 
Ginstilutioa  of  the  United  Stales  were  written — are 
tnany   treasured  relics   of   the   nation's   past. 

In  1776,  the  delegates  of  the  13  EngUsh  North 
American  colonies,  crowding  into  a  ground-floor  room 
in  downtown  Philadelphia,  debated  the  question  of 
becoming  a  free  and  independent  people.  They  voted 
to  do  so  in  July  of  that  year,  and  Americans  have  never 
Bsked  for   a  recount   of   tbeir   balloting. 

At  Independence  Hall,  which  Philadelphians  call 
the  Stale  House,  anyone  can  open  a  door  and  walk  into 
the  room  where  the  American  Declaration  of  Indepeudence 
was  adopted  and  signed.  It  is  not  a  large  room — it 
probably  wou1d.be  inadequate  for  a  modem  Congresuona) 
committee  bearing.  But  it  is  a  beautiful  roam,  and  in  its 
day  it  was  big  enough  lu  give  birth  to  the  idea  that  all 
mta  are  creaied  equal,  and  are  endowed  with  the  ri^ta 
of  life,  liberty,  and  the  pursuit  of  happiness.  In  ibis  room, 
George  Washington,  then  a  43-year-old  planter  in  the 
Bouthern  colony  of  Virginia,  the  only  Congresaman  in 
uniform,  look  bis  seat  in  ihe  Second  Continenlal 
Congress.  He  said  nothing  day  after  day,  but  his  presence 
and  his  uniform  ex  pressed  clearly  his  conviction  that 
freedom  must  Ik  fought  lor.  When  the  lime  came  to 
appoint  the  first  American  commander-in-chief,  the 
Congress  turned  almost  inevitably  to  him. 

In  this  same  room  anoiher  Virginian.  Thomas  Jefierson, 
33  then,  wailed  unhappily  while  his  fellow- Congressmen, 
picked  apart  the  words  and  phrases  he  had  put  into  the 
Declaration  of  Independence  "the  historic  expression  of 
the  American  mind."  Jefferson  was  a  slender  man  with 
curly  red  hair  and  a  sensitive  disposition.  When  the 
Declaration  of  Independence  was  finally  approved  it  was 
mostly  Jel^son's  work. 

L'ieven  years  after  the  Declaration,  in  the  same 
FUladelphia  room,  the  Constitution  of  the  United  States 
was  written.  Some  amendments  have  been  made  to  it 
since,  but  it  retains  the  same  basic  principles.  Over  the 
years  it  has  offered  evidence  that  men  can  pursue  their 
individual  happiness  and  yet  govern  themselves  without 
the  aid  of  kings  or  dictators,  or  the  rule  of  any  particular 
class.  The  men  who  met  in  Philadelphia  to  write  this 
Constitution  were  up  against  the  problem  which  now 
p&S'ies  the  whoie  world— bow  to  combine  majority  rule,- 
•aiaority  rigbta,    and  security   for   everybody.    Aggreaeive 


young  thinkers  like  James  Madison  and  Akxander 
Hamilton  took  the  lead  in  solving  this  problem,  to  fat 
ss  the  disunited  13  Stales  were  concerned.  (James 
Madison  was  elected  fourth  President  o£  the  United 
States,  I809-18IT.  Alexander  Hamilton  was  appointed 
in  1789  the  £rst  U.S.  Secretary  of  the  Treaniry). 
Madison  drew  the  original  plan  for  a  government  frith 
three  equal  and  balancing  branches  :  executive,  judidaTy, 
and  a  legislature  of  two  honses,  both  elected  <ni  a  ba^ 
of  population;  Hamilton  proposed  a  lifetime  Preaideot 
who  would  have  almost  as  much  power  as  a  King. 
Delegates  from  the  smaller  States  insisted  thtU  aaoh 
State  must  have  an  equal  voice  in 
that    the   President's   term   must   be   limited. 


The  compromise  which  was  reachedi  with  one 
Clhamber  of  Congress  elected  on  ibe  ba^s  of  populatioa 
(House  of  Representatives)  and  the  other  on  the  bans 
of  equality  among  the  States  (Senate),  did  not  fully 
satisfy  anybody  al  the  lime.  But  it  has  long  eince  passed 
the  main  lest — it  has  worked.  For  flexibihtj  and  endur- 
ance no  compact  has  ever  quite  matched  the  Cotistitntiim 
of  the  United  States. 

In  Independence  Hall  is  American's  favorite  luetorio 
relic,  the  Liberty  Bell.  On  July  8,  1776,  it  summoned 
tbe~  citizens  of  Philadelphia  to  an  open-air  mass  meeting 
for  the  lirst  puWc     lesdui^  of  the      Declaration     «I 


PflttAftfiLPflU 


W 


toii^wndellcfl.  tliel'etjtet  It  tl&|  on  all  patriotic 
oeouiona  until  It  cricked  In  183S.  It  will  apier  rins 
■gain  ia  tbe  old  dear  tonei  bnt  the  ircrd*  anund  it* 
top— ^Avcintm  Jdberty  tkrouShout  all  tht  Land  unto 
til  At  Mabitmu  Thtreof'—m  itUl  the  keiglit  of 
•loqiicaico  to  Americuu.  Tben  la  no  change 
to  aee  the  Libetty  Bell.  Nor  ii  it  a  i^t  for  American 
egret  akioe.  People  from  any  land  can  puah  thiough  the 
■winging  dtwii  without  asking  anybody's  leave,  look  at 
the  Bell,  put  their  hand*  on  its  bruiaed  aurface,  or  take 


pre-eminent.  TrttAaA  Hettlt  {unJculaily  at  etia  then, 
and  welcomei  callen, 

Independence  Hall  and  the  group  o(  buildingi  wbtch 
lumund  it  are  part  of  the  workday  tcene  in  a  city  of 
more  than  2,000,000  people.  Every  mOTniog,  noon,  and 
It  5  o'clock  Mcb  evening  tbey  are  bniibed  by  the  itream 
of  humanity  flowing  to  and  from  nearby  ahopa  and  office 
buildinKB. 

Along  any  atreet  that  leads  away  bom  Independence 
Hall  there  is  some  fraement  of  American  liislcry.  A  few 
doon  east  on  Cliestaut  Street  is  the  gilded  weatherrane 
of  Carpenters'  Hall,  wtuch  started  life  as  a  meeting  place 
builders  and   became,   for   a  while,   the   first 


a  lAotograpb  of  it.  The  Liberty  Bell  hangs  from  its  200- 
yeai-oid  yoke  of  Engbsh  oak,  which  has  been  skilfully 
teinforcct^  by  concealed  steet  beams,  and  ■  set  ol  iron 
books,  which  grips  the  bronze  shell  from  the  inside  to 
prevent  fmtber  cracking.  Around  the  base  o£  its  plalfonn 
are  four  mahogany  panels  which  enclose  a  kind  of  band 
truck  on  wlieeli.  In  case  of  fire  or  other  emeigency  two 
moda'ately  mntcnlar  guards  could  strip  off  ihe  panels  and 
push  the  2,080-pound  Bell  outdoors  in  about  two  minutes. 

The  tides  of  politics  which  made  Hiiladelphia,  under 
the  Gntinental  Congress,  the  first  seat  of  the  new  nation 
bsTB  long  since  shifted  to  Washington,  D.C.,  and  the 
leadership  in  bnaineas  and  finance  it  once  enjoyed  was 
lost  to  New  Yoik  City  more  than  a  century  ago.  But  in 
^   irt   «f   IMsf   with   hi^or^   PbUadelpbia   ranainf 


of  Benjamin   Franklin  in   the  Franklin 
Institute,  Pliiladelphia,  founded  in  1824 

capitoI  of  the  unbuilt  nation.  The  First  Continental 
Congress  met  there,  in  1774,  to  consider  what  should  be 
done  about  the  British  navy  blockade  of  Boston.  On 
Second  Street  are  ihe  graceful  spire  end  white  boxed 
pews  of  Old  Christ  Church  (Protestant  Episcopal), 
which  still  has  prayer  books  from  which  King  George's 
name  was  erased  in  1776.  Farther  north  is  the  house 
where,  American  tradition  says,  the  first  American  flag 
was  stitciied   together  by  Betsy   Ross.  ^ 

Up  Market  Street  ftom  ihef  Delaware  River  is  the 
route  that  young  Benjamin  Franklin  took  on  hia  first 
arrival  in  the  city,  with  a  "great  puffy  roll"  under  each 
arm,  and  his  mouth  stuffed  with  warm  Philadelphia  bread. 
He  was  [be  first  Ameikan  Vo  ^ittomt  i  -«ci^S&.  ^«m*.   ■^^. 

irai  ia  Plulade\pUai  i^i  ^laxif&a  ais'w^  "iub  'is«.  "^^^ 


60 


THE  MODfiftN  REVIEW  FOR  JANUARY,  1063 


con^MUiy  and  first  t^ublic  library  in  America,  introduced 
paved  streets  and  non-smoking  chimneys,  invented  bifocals 
and  the  lightning  rod.  The  four-sided  gas  lamps  which 
illuminate  Independence  iSquare  at  night  were  designed 
l>y  him.  He  organized  the  American  Philosophical  Society, 
onb  of  the  oldest  and  most  distinguished  of  American 
learned  bodies. 

Philadelphia  is  57  years  younger  than  New  York  Gty 
and  52  years  younger  than  Boston,  Massachusetts,  both  of 
which  played  such  important  roles  in  the  early  history  of 
the  United  States.  But  at  the  time  of  the  American  Wax 
for  Independence  it  was  the  second-largest  English- 
speaking  city  in  the  world,  and  because  of  its  central 
location  on  the  seaboard,  it  seemed  the  logical  choice  for 
the  first  capital  of  the  new  nation.  The  source  of  its  early 
jirosperity  was  the  unique  Quaker  (Society  of  Friends) 
policy  of  religious  liberty  for  all,  and  .considerable  political 
liberty  for  many.  In  the  eighteenth  century,  Philadelphia 
became  the  main  stop  for  the  flow  of  European  enlighten- 
ment to  America,  and  for  inunigration  and  commerce  as 
welL  To  it  went  teachers  and!  soldiers,  painters  and 
doctors^  silversmiths  and  clockmakers,  solid  merchants 
and  penniless  exiles,  pamphleteers  like  Tom  Paine  and 
freethinking  scientists  like  Joseph  Priestley,  the  discoverer 


of  oxygen  and  founder  of  the  first  Unitarian  cbtlfch  In 
America. 

Several  of  the  old  mansions  along  tJhe  Schuylkill 
River  in  Fairmount  Park  (now  city:Owned)  yrett  the 
scenes  of  fighting  during  the  Am^ican  War  ][or  Ii^diBpen- 
dence.  However,  since  the  summer  of  1777,  I^iiliidelphik 
has  not  known  the  sounds  of  battle. 

Today  a  great  program  of  restoration  and  conserva- 
tion is  going  forward  in  the  historic  areas  of  Pfiiladelphia. 
New  approaches  and  vistas  are  being  opened  up  aroumi 
the  more  important  buildings.  Northward  from  Indepen- 
dence Hall,  the  State  of  Pennsylvania  is  cutting  a  wide 
nmlL  The  Federal  Government  is  providing  another  mall 
eastward  and  southward  toward  the  Delaware  River.  On 
January  2,  1951,  the  city  of  Philadelphia  turned  over  the 
keys  of  Independence  Hall  to  the  United  States  Depart- 
ment of  the  Interior,  after  keeping  them  for  I^  years. 
The  National  Park  Service  has  taken  permanent  charge. 

Those  who  visit  Philadelphia  will  find  there  some- 
thing unique.  They  will  find  the  original  setting  for  a 
nation's  dream,  which  is  that  freedom  belongs  to  ''aU 
men,"  with  an  equal  chance  for  happiness.  The  city  that 
gave  that  thought  to  the  world  vrill  always  be  worth 
knowing. — From  Holiday,  i 


:0 


A  NINETEENTH  CENTURY   MARRUGE  IN  NORTHERN  INDIA 

Bt  PhOF.  HARBANS  SINGH,  m.a. 


RANjrr  Singh's  reign  in  the  Punjab  is  famous  for  his 
victories  in  battle  and  glowing  acts  of  generosity  and 
heroism.  It  is  no  less  remarkable  for  colourful  events 
like  the  Maharaja's  meeting  with  Lord  William  Bentinck 
and  the  marriage  of  his  grandson.  Prince  Nau  Nihal 
Singh.  This  marriage  was  celebrated  with  unique  pomp 
and  eclat.  No  other  event  in  India  witnessed  such 
profuse  shower  of  gold  and  silver  and  such  gay 
festivity.  No  marriage  in  the  world  perhaps  cost  so 
much  money  and  was  attended  by  so  many  people. 
Ranjit  Singh  had  half  a  million  people  as  his  guests  for 
the  occasion.  He  gave  away  in  one  day  twenty  lakhs  of 
rupees  in  charity. 

Prince  Nau  Nihal  Singh  was  then  sixteen  years  old. 
He  had  already  shown  his  ability  as  warrior.  He  had 
been  sent  on  various  campaigns  and  had  more  than, 
fuffiUed  his  proud  grandfather's  expectations.  In  the 
midst  of  one  such  campaign  his  marriage  was  arranged 
with!  the  daughter  of  Sardar  Sham  Singh  Attariwala, 
one  of  Ranjit  Singh's  principal  noblemen. 

Ranjit  Singh  sent  invitations  to  the  Governor-General, 

the     Commander-in-Chief      Sir     Henry  Fane,     his  old 

Inend  Sir  Charles  Metcalfe,     Governor  of  Agra,  and  a 

pftmfier    oi  ladian     ciudfs.     The  ruler$     oi    Faridkot| 


Patiala,  Nabha,  Jind,  Malerkotla,  Kalsia,  (ECapurthala, 
Naraingarh,  Mandi  and  Suket  responded  to  the  invita- 
tion. Sir  Henry  Fane,  the  Commandtfr-in-Chief,  with 
Lady  Fane  and  staff,  attended  on  behalf  of  the  Governor- 
General.  Ranjit  Singh  received  the  guests  at  Amritsar 
with  usual  ceremony  and  lavishness. 

As  Sir  Henry  Fane  crossed  the  Sutlej  at  Harike  on 
March  3,  1837,  he  was  met  by  Prince  Sher  Singh,  Ranjit 
Singh's  second  son.  The  Prince,  in  his  beautiful  tiara 
of  diamonds,  emeralds  and  rubies  and  followed  by  a 
large  number  of  attendants,  looked  most  elegant.  The 
guests  were  impressed  by  his  good  nature  and  quiet  ami 
dignified  manner.  He  at  once  made  friends  with  Sir 
Henry  Fane,  who  came  to  see  him  in  his  tent  on  the 
following  day.  The  Prince  had  brought  with  him  an. 
artist,  who,  standing  in  front  of  the  two  chiefs,  made 
a  likeness  of  Sir  Henry  Fane.  The  guests  admired^ 
the  furnishings  of  the  Prince's  camp,  especially  the 
dressing  room  which  was  filled  with  looking  glasses  and 
French  scent  bottles  and  other  European  luxuries  of 
toilet. 

The  Commander-in-Chief,  accompanied  by  F^rinoe 
Sher  Singh  and  his  train,  left  for  Amritsar.  Two  mika 
fxom  the  city«  they  were  met  by  Prince  Kho^al^  Sin|)iif 


A  ISTH  CENTURY  MARRIAGE  IN  NORTHERN  INDIA 


61 


r-appsrent  and  father  of  the  bridgeroom.  Sir 
ms  presented  with  a  letafut  of  five  thousand 
He  entered  the  city  under  a  salute  of  guns 
Dm  the  fort  of  Cobindgarh.  Upon  reaching  hisi 
le  also  fired  a  ealule  of  twenty-one  guns  in  honoun 

Maharaja.  Then  he  came  lo  pay  his  vigit  to 
haraja,  who  was  staying  in  bis  garden-house,  the 
Rgh.  Ranjit  Singh  was  dressed  very  plainly  for 
■sion.      He  was  io  a  greeo  Kashmir  turban  and 

single   row      of   pearls  round      hia   neck.       The 

under  which  he  sal  was  made  of  l>eauliful  Kash- 
iwls,  inlaid  with  gold  and  silver.  It  was  sup- 
□n   silver  poles.       The   ground   was   spread      with 

and  carpets.  The  jewels  and  dresfes  of  the 
ja's  conrt  were  of  the  richest  desaiplion.  Hira 
Eon  of  Dhian  Singh,  the  Prime  Minister,  looked 
w  of  jewels — he  had  bo  many  on  his  breast,  arms 
».  Ranjit  Singh  received  Sir  Henry  Fane 
f  and  talked  to  him  in  a  friendly  and  graceful 
Some  of  the  many  questions  he  asked  him 
e   site   of  the  East  India   Company's      amiy,   the 

of     battles  he  bad     been  in  and  the     way  the 

cast  their  guns. 

the  evening  was  held  the  ceremony  of  presenting 
I  to  the  bridegroom.  Sir  Henry  Fane  presented 
thousand  rupees,  Dhian  Singh  one  lakh  and 
five  thousand,  and  Gulah  Singh,  founder  of  the 
louse  of  Kashmir,  his  brother  Suchet  Singh,  Misar 
land  and  other  Sardars  fifty-one  thousand  each, 
hiefs  and  guests  made  offerings  according  to  their 
id  position.     The  presents  altogether  were  valued 

lakha  of  rupees. 

)  marriage  party  started  for  the  bride's  place  oi^ 
la    richly   caparisoned    and   decorated.       Passing 

the  streets  of  Amiilsar,  the  procession  reached 
rbar  Sahib,  whae  blessings  were  sought  for  the 
lom.  The  Maharaja  put  the  bridal  crown 
rarest  pearls,  hung  on  gold  threads,  on  the  fore- 
Prince  Nau  Nihal  Singh. 
!  party  formed  a  brilliant  cavalcade  composed 
rb-looking  men,  mounted  upon  stately  elephants. 

was  the  splendour  and  bustle  of  the  occasion. 
Is  of  thousands  of  spectators,  who  had  come  from 
s  of  the  country,  lined  up  on  both  sides  of  the 
jm  Amritsar  to  Attari,  the  bride's  village.  For 
round  there  were  crowds  of  men  cheering  the 
on  as  it  passed  along.  Ranjit  Singh  had,  ordered 
niaining  coins  worth  two  thousand  rupees  each  to 
ed  at  the  disposal  of  the  guests.  The  money 
ng  showered  to  the  people  at  each  step.  Ranjit 
the  members  of  the  royal  family  and  the  more 
nt  guests  cast  gold  nohurs  to  the  crowds.  At 
d  of  the  procession  was  a  moving  throne,  decked 
a  most  splen<rid  style,  on  which  dancing  and 
nntinued  all  the  way. 

dar  Sbam  SSa^  bad  made  equally  elaborate 
nents  for  the  reception  of  the  marriage  party, 
issage  to  his  HaveU  was  spread  wtth  relvet     and 


brocade.  The  guns  and  fireworks  were  let  off  as  the 
party  arrived.  The  Maharaja  was  received  with  an 
offering  of  one  hundre4  and  one  mohurs  and  five  horses, 
Prince  Kharak  Singh  with  fifty-one  mohurs  and  one 
horse  and  the  other  Princes  with  eleven  mohurs  and  a 
horse  each.  The  gueats  were  then  conducted  to  the 
top  floor  of  Sardar  Sfaam  Singh's  castle.  The  bride- 
groom sat  between  the  Maharaja  and  the  Commander- 
in-Chief  under  a  canopy  embroidered  with  silver  and 
gold.  Ranjit  Singh  wore  on  his  arm  the  famous 
Koh-i-Nur. 


Maharaja  Ranjit   Singh 

After  9  o'clock  began  the  marriage  ceremony.  The 
air  became  thick  with  the  holy  chants  and  the  felicita- 
tions to  the  Maharaja  from  all  sides.  A  display  of 
fireworks  was  held  in  the  centre  of  the  large  enclosure 
where  camps  had  been  laid  out  for  the  Maharaja,  Sir 
Henry  Fane  and  orher  guests.  The  entertainment  and 
gaieries  went  on  far  into  the  night. 

Ranjit  Singh  nurpassed  himself  for  bounty  at  the 
lime  of  the  distribution  of  alms.  The  large  number  of 
poor  people  who  bad  come  for  alms,  and  the  spectators 
were  driven  into  a  space  of  about  five  miles  in  cicum- 
ference,  entirely  surrounded  by  soldiers.  No  one  was 
allowed  to  coine  out  except  at  the  eighty  outlets,  where 
officers  were  stationed  to  distribute  the  money.  Bhch 
one  was  given  a  bulki,  worth  five  rupees.  As  a  person 
received  his  buttd,  he  was  sent  out  of  the  circle  and  not 
allowed  to  come  in  again.  A  sum  of  twenty  lakhs  of 
rupees  ivas  distributed  in  this  manner.  It  is  raid 
that  a  man  came  carrying  a  pot  on  his  head.  He  com- 
plained to  the  Maharaja  that  he  and  the  members  of 
his  family  had  not  received  tfaeii(  share  of  the  alms. 
The  Maharaja  asked  him  whae  the  rest  of  his  family 
was.  The  maiK  uncovoed  the  pot  he  bad  been  carry- 
ing. It  was  full  of  ants.  ^n^lt  Sv&^  W.  <s>!:ib  vi:^ 
"Tfon  count  tlit  mcnibcn    iV  tw«  Vwo&i  ».^\w«i    * 


THE  MODERN  REVIEW  FOR  JANUARY,  1953 


hulld  fot  etch.  Ebe,  you  have  your  pol  filled  wilh 
bulkis.  Tha  man  had  to  chooae  the  latter  course. 
Ranjit  Singh  gladly  fulfilled  his  word. 

The  Maharaja  and  the  guests  witnessed  the  sports 
St  which  wrestUng  bouU  look  place  between  the  famous 
wreatlera  of  the  country.  Uleph  an  I- fighting  and  con- 
tests in  lancing  and  swordsmanship  were  also  held.  In 
the  afternoon  tlie  bride's  dowry  was  displayed.  It  con- 
sisted of  eleven  elephants,  101  horses  101  cows,  101 
buffaloes,  101  camels,  hundreds  of  gold  and  silver  uten- 
^Is,  five  hundred  pairs  of  shawls,  and  ornaments,  jewels 
and  silk  and  brocade  dresses  worth  lakhs  of  rupees. 
Ssrdar  Sham  Singh  also  made  presents  to  the  Mabara.'a 
ud  the  goeats. 


After  two  days  of  feasting  a 
party  left  for  Lahore.  Since  the  festival  of  Holi  was 
near,  Ranjit  Singh  did  not  let  his  guests  depart.  Hi 
warned  to  give  a  banquet  at  the  Shalamar  Gardens  in 
the  evening.  But  the  water  from  the  Ravi  had  not 
yet  come  sufficiently  far  down  t'le  canal  which  brought 
ft  to  the  garden.  The  water  was  required  for  the 
founiains.  The  entertainment  was  postponed  until  the 
following    evening. 

The  Shalamar  Gardens  were  brilliantly  illuminated 
with  lowa  of  small  earthen  lamps,  placed  at  regular 
intervale  on  the  buildings  and  down  the  sides  of  the 
Walls  and  the  tanks.  At  every  ten  or  twelve  yaroa 
were  placed  coloured  lamps.  The  fountains  playing  in 
the  fight  of  these  lamps  looked  magnificent.  The  whole 
•caie  seemed  an  imitation  of  fairyland.  Special 
arT-^BgemenlB  were  made  for  the  English  ladies  to  wit- 
««»  eie  £rewori^.      A  teat  wu  erected  for  them     on 


the  top  of  a,  house.  The  Maharaja  looked  after  the 
guests  personally.  He  won  their  hearts  by  his  moat 
amiable  and  genial  manner.  The  festive  eve  wag  pro- 
longed to  the  small  hours  ol  the   morning. 

On  the  third  day,  Ranjit  Singh  visited  Sir  Henry 
in  his  camp.  The  Commander-in-Chief  and  his  staff 
came  out  half  way  to  receive  him.  While  passing 
tliiough  the  (toops  which  had  been  i^awn  up  in  fais 
honour,  he  looked  minutely  at  the  King's  16tb  Lancers. 
He  had  seen  these  troops  at  Rupar  at  the  time  of  hia 
meeting  with  Lord  William  Bentinck. 

Ranjit  Singh  turned  the  formal  occasion  into  a 
pleasant  function  by  his  natural  and  easy  ways  and  his 
acute  and  well-informed  questions  and  converaatioD. 
He  asked  the  t^mni an der-in- Chief  if  the  Russian  intaest 
was  doing  the  English  much  harm  in  Per»a  and  whether 
Persia  could  giie  Russia  any  useful  aid  in  the  event  of 
their  coming  towards  In<tia.  Many  more  questions 
which  showed  Ranjit  Singh's  intellectual  equipment 
and  curiousity  were  asked.  Sir  Henry  then  took  him 
into  another  camp  where  the  presents  had  been  laid 
out.  An  elephant,  eight  horses,  a  double-barrelled  gun, 
a  rifle  and  a  brace  of  pistols  were  among  the  presents. 
The  Commander-in-Chief  apologized  that  the  preients 
were  not  belter,  saying  that  he  had  not  had  sufficieni 
warning  of  the  visit. 

Sir  Henry  Fane  saw  a  review  o[  Ranjit  Singli'!i 
troops  on  the  banks  of  the  river  Ravi.  They  were  all 
very  well  turned  out  and  armed  in  the  European  fashion. 
The  Commander-in-Chief  praised  their  skill  an  I  i 
(Uscipline.  Ranjit  Singh  was  present  at  a  similar 
review  of  tlie  f^ommander-in-Chief'a  escort.  He  was 
ireatly  impressed  by  the  movements  of  the  English 
soldiers.  At  the  end.  he  sent  to  the  soldiers  eleven 
thousanj   rupees  at  a  tziaik   of  hi.s  bounty. 

One  day  the  guests  were  invited  to  see  the  court 
jewels.  Some  of  them  were  the  finest  in  the  world. 
The  Kob-i-Nur  was,  of  course,  the  most  attractive. 
There  were  jewels  in  swords,  armlets,  bangles  and 
neckleces  and  one  was  costlier  than  the  other.  Thtu 
tho  Bficsts  went  to  a  grand  entertainment  given  by 
Ranjit  Singh  at  his  palace  in  honour  of  the  Engbsii 
ladies.  The  ladies  also  went  in  to  see  the  Maharaja's 
wives.  Mai  Nakain,  mother  of  the  heir-apparent.  Prince 
Kharak  Singh,  received  them.  Mrs.  Ventura,  wife  of 
Ranjit  Singh's  general,  Ventura,  and  Mrs.  Allard, 
wife  of  General  Allard,  acted  as  interpreters. 

At  last  the  festival  of  Holi,  for  which  the  guests  had 
been  detained,  arrived.  The  Maharaja  invited  them  all 
to  bis  camp.  They  were  provided  with  baskets  full  of 
led  powder  balls,  large  bowls  of  yellow  sa&on  and 
gold  squirts.  As  soon  as  the  guests  were  seated,  the 
Maharaja  poured  colour  on  Sir  Henry's  bald  beail  while 
Dhian  Singh  rubbed  him  all  over  with  red  powder. 
This  was  a  signal  for  general  colour  splashing  and  ball 
throwing.  The  worst  sufferer  in  the  rejoicing  wias  an 
Afghan  ambassador  who  had  just  then  arrived  at' 
Ranjit  Singh's   court  from  Kandahar. 


A  NOTE  ON  A  POLITICAL  CRIME  OF  1856 


63 


After  hsving  been  in  Lahore  for  a  fortnight.  Sir 
Henry  asked  his  leave.  A  farewell  Durbar  was  held  and 
presents  were  brought  for  him  and  his  party.  Ran  jit 
Sinc^  shook  each  of  the  guests  by  the  hand  and  wished 
him  good-bye.  Eyeryone  felt  Kncerd  sorrow  at 
^artmg  from  such  a  kind  and  generous  friend.  Prince 
Sher  ^ngh  came  as  far  as  the  Sutlej  to  see  the  party  off. 
On  die  way,  a  soldier  of  the  Ejaglish  escort  died. 
Sher  Singh  placed  a  wreath  on  his  grave  and  ordered  a 
guard  to  be  placed  over  it  until  a  wall  was  built  round. 
The  Fkiglishmen  greatly  appreciated  this  act  of  courtesy. 
On  the  banks  of  the  river  Sir  Henry  Fane  held  a  Durbar 

^  in  honour  of  Prince  Sher  Sing  and  presented  him  with  a 
baggy  and  hor^. 

1 1  Ib  honour  of  Prince  Nau  Nihal  Singh's  marriage, 

Ran  jit  Singh     started  an  Order  of     Merit,     which  waii 


known  as  Kaukab-i-Iqbal-i-Punjab,  Star  of  the  Prosperity 
of  the  Punjabj^  The  Grand  Master  of  the  order  was 
Prince  Nau  Nihal  Singh.  The  order  had  three  grades, 
each  having  its  own  medal.  The  medals  bore  the  effigy 
of  Ranjit  Singh  on  one  side  and  had  silk  ribands  of 
gold  and  scarlet  colour.  They  were  in  the  shape  of  a 
star  and  were  meant  to  be  worn  round  the  neck.  The 
first-grade  medal  was  ornamented  with  one  diamond.  It 
was  meant  for  the  members  of  the  royal  family  and 
those  chiefs  who  showed  great  devotion  to  the  person  of 
the  Maharaja  and  his  family.  The  second>grade  medal 
had  a  diamond  and  an  emerald  set  in  it.  It  vracf 
bestowed  on  loyal  courtiers  and  Sardars.  The  third 
contained  a  single  emerald  and  was  open  to  the  civil  and 
military  officers  who  rendered  some  special  service  to 
ihe  country. 

:0: 


A  NOTE  ON  A  POUTICAL  CRIME  OF  1856 

Bt  S.  B.  CHAUDHURI,  M.A., 
Presidency  College,  Calcutta 


On  ihe  22nd  of  January  1856,  at  about  5-30  P.M.  one 
Bisheshur,  a  sepoy  of  the  Calcutta  militia  on  guard  at 
the  jail,  made  an  attempt  on  the  life  of  Mr.  Money,  the 
District  Judge  of  the  24  Pergunnahs  in  the  jail  com- 
pound. The  facts  of  the  case  as  recorded  in  a  report 
(hitherto  unpublished) '^  submitted  by  the  District  Magis- 
trate to  the  Commissioner  of  circuit  Nuddea  Division 
are  given  beknr : 

To 

The  Commissioner  of  circuit,  Nuddea  Division 

18th  February  1856 

Sir, 

In  my  letter  dated,  2Sth  ultimo,  I  reported  that  an 
attempt  ha4  been  made  to  shoot  the  judge  of  the  dis^ 
irict. 

As  the  prisoner  has  been  committed  by  me  I  have 
the  honoar  to  annex  a  copy  of  my  reasons  for  the  com- 
mitment, which  give  full     particulars  in  the     following 

voids: 

About  SaO  P3L  of  the  22nd  January  1856  I  wa^ 
riding  past  the  ''Allipore  jail,*'  when  I  observed  the 
Judge  Hr.  Money  was  there,  on  an  official  visit.  As  this, 
vas  Kr.  Money's  first  visit  to  the  jail,  I  went  there  to 
see  if  he  required  assistance  or  information  from  me— 
my  yimt  was  wliolly  unpermitted. 

I  mnained  a  dhort  time  with  the  judge  in  the  jail, 
and  afteil  coming  out,  we  were  in  the  act  of  stepping 
into  Us  carriage  yrhen  the  report  of  a  guard  (?)  was 
heazd— glmost  immeditely  it  was  discovered  that  a  shot 
had  been  fired  at  one  of  us  by  the  prisoner  Bisheshur, 


a  sepoy  of  the  Calcutta  militia,  on  guard  at  the  jaiL 
He  was  forthwith  secured.  On  counting  his  ammunition 
one  cartridge  and  one  guncap  were  missing.  The  mark 
of  a  musket  ball  was  soon  after  found  at  the  north-east 
comer  of  the  jail  wall.  .  .  The  ball  itself  was  then 
picked  up  by  Mr.  Flodjunior  (witness  No.  16). 

The  Prisoner  was  secured  for  the  night  in  the  Hajat 
ward  of  the  jail  and  next  day  I  proceeded  in  the  case. 
The  prisoner  freely  confessed  that  he  had  fifed  at  the 
judge  with  inteit  to  murder,  I  then  made  every  enquiry 
in  order  to  discover  whether  there  has  been  an  investiga- 
tion of  this  crime,  but  it  is  not  prudent  for  me  to  record 
what  were  mere  suspicions.  It  is  sufficient  for  me  to 
state  that  I  am  fully  satisfied  that  no  one  besides  the 
prisoner  is  concerned. 

It  is  no  doubt  a  suspicious  circumstance  that  shortly 
after  the  judge's  arrival  at  the  jail,  one  sepoy  (the  pri- 
soner) left  the  guard  of  honor  (?)  posted  within  the 
jail,  pleading  sickness  and  that  just  before  my  arrival, 
another  sepoy  Dookee  (witness  No.  4)  left  the  same 
guard  on  a  similar  plea.  Both  these  men  were  togethez 
in  the  picket  guard  house  where  the  shot  was  fired 
from  that  house — still  I  feel  convinced  in  my  own  mind 
that  Dookee  was  not  aware  of  what  was  going  to  happen. 
I  feel  certain  of  this  because  the  moment  after  the  shot 
was  fired,  I  noticed  Dookee  rushing  from  the  picket 
guard  house,  with  an  expression  of  horror  and  conster- 
nation on  his  face  which  I  conceive  it  utterly  impossible 
he  could  feign.  Again  it  does  not  take  two  men  to  fire 
one  musket.    Had  DooVee  i^bSe^  Vsnsft^  ^  -^x  ^w^  '^s» 


64 


THE  MODERN  REVIEW  FOR  JANUARY,  1953 


prisoner     he  would   either  have   fired  another      musket, 
etc  .    .    .  or  he  could  have  remained  quiet. 

The  difficulty  no  doubt  is  to  account  for  the  prisoner'^ 
motive  on  any  other  supposition  than  that  he  has  been 
instigated  or  bribed.  He  says  himself  that  he  has  long 
hated  Europeans  and  wished  to  fall  them.  But  this  ia 
not  consistent  with  the  fact  of  his  having  been  for  14 
years  a  well-behaved  soldier  who  must  in  that  time  have 
had  many  previous  opportunitities  of  shooting  Europeans 
had  he  actually  wished  to  do  so.  He  was  in  the  habit 
of  reading  some  books  which  have  been  examined  but 
without  throwing  any  light  on  the  point,  the  prisoner 
appears  to  be  perfectly  sound. 

From  hia  appearance  and  conduct  when  arrested  it 
struck  me  that  he  was  under  the  influence  of  bhang  or  a 
similar  drug — ^This  may  account  for  the?  crime, 

I  commit  the  prisoner  for  trial  this  30th  day  of 
January  1856  corresponding  with  the  18th  of  Maug 
1262  B.S. 

Fergusson 
District  Magistrate. 

The  incident  described  above,  though  isolated  in  a 
way  has  considerable  significance  which  cannot  be 
missed.  The  mutiny  which  broke  out  a  year  after  witli( 
its  orgy  of  murder  and  arson  was  not  a  sudden  outburst 
of  frenzy  against  European  element  in  the  country,  but 
was  the  resultant  maelsttbm  of  a  long  chain  of  grievances 
and  discontent  of 'the  sepoys  against  British  rule  inj 
India.  Judged  in  that  light,  the  attempt  on  the  life  of 
Mr.  Money  which  was  motivated  by  a  spirit  of 
hatred  against  the  Europeans  bears  all  the  appearances 
of  a  link  in  the  fateful  chain/  of  events  leading  to  the 
general  conflagration  of  1857. 

:0 


The  District  Magistrate  did  not  believe  that  the 
prisoner  Bisheshur  had  long  hated  the  Europeans  audi 
wished  to  kill  them  because  he  had  been  for  fourteen 
years  a  well-behaved  soldier.  This  view  certainly  stands 
discredited  in  the  light  of  subsequent  events  which 
showed  the  attitude  of  the  disaffected  sepoys  who  were 
living  in  the  most  cordial  relationship  with  their  superior 
officers  in  the  past  and  made  the  regiment  their  'home'. 
Fergusson's  analysis  was  perhaps  typical  of  the  civil 
service  which  refused  to  believe  that  the  company's  rule 
was  leading  towards  a  crisis — ^a  manner  of  viewing 
things  so  ridiculously  exposed  in  the  famous  'Red 
Pamphlet*.  It  is  quite  probable  that  Bisheshur's  hatred 
of  the  Europeans  may  not  have  been  acute  in  the  early 
part  of  his  career  and  only  grew  with  the  social  and 
political  distemper  of  the  age  rising  like  a  crescendo  in 
the  50's  of  the  nineteenth  century.  It  was  a  cool,  calcu- 
lated and  deliberate  attempt  made  with  the  full 
knowledge  of  risks  involved;  and  though  Bisheshur 
alone  was  the  assassin,  Dookee's  complicity,  though  the 
magistrate  held  different  views,  was  not  above  question. 
Moreover,  as  the  later  practice  showed  the  Sepoy's 
invariably  took  bhang  before  committing  a  crime  of  this 
nature.  Bisheshur  who  thus  acted  under  the  influence  of 
bhang  in  many  ways  anticipated  the  behaviour  of  the 
mutineers. 

It  was  no;  d^ubi  sheer  madness  on  the  part  of 
Bisheshur  to  take  recourse  to  this  step  for  destroying  the 
power  of  the  foreigners  whom  he  hated  most  but  terror- 
ism serves  its  own  purpose  of  advertising  discontent  and 
the  diabolical  method  he  adopted  showed  the  temper  and 
mood  of  the  sepoy  or  should'  we  say  of  the  whole  Bengal 
militia  in  general  in  1856  lying  sullen  and  sulky  and 
ready  to  burst  forth. 


SOUTH  AFRICA— LAND  OF  GOLD  AND     DISCORD 

By  JOHN  NEVIN  SAYRE* 


Discord  was  not  lacking  in  South  African  before  the 
finding  ojf  gold  and  diamonds  there,  but  the  discovery 
of  such  riches  has  multiplied  the  friction  and  vastly 
complicated  the  count;ry's  jproblems.  Had  the  new 
wealth  been  controlled,  and  exploited  for  the  improve- 
ment of  living  standards,  education  and  the  betterment 
of  all  sections  otf  the  people,  it  might  have  lessened 
the  discord.  And  if  al^o  there  could  have  been  a 
spiritual  perception  of  basic  human  justice,  and  a  full 
use  of  love  and  human  understanding,  South  Africa 
Knight  today  be  leading  the  world  in  the  glory  of  a 
multi-racial   Qiristian    society. 

Today,  South  Africans)  are  keenly      aware  of     the 
arxsis  throagb   which   their  nation   is  going.      Although 


they  tend  to  resent  outside  criticism  and  the  myth  that 
only  one  race  can  be  to  blame  for  the  sorry  state  of 
race  relations,  they  are  not  complacent.  Indeed,  fear 
of  trouble  that  may  come  upon  the  country  pervades 
all  groups.  Most  of  those  we  ^  interviewed  declared  that 
conditions  were  getting  worse,  and  some  of  them  fell 
that  they  were  at  a  desperate  stage.  As  one  man 
said :   **We  are  living  on   two  volcanoes,  either  one   of 


*  Mr.  Sayre  is  a  well-known  Christian  minister  and  internation- 
alist. Chairman  of  the  Fellowship  of  Reconciliation.  The  recent  years 
he  has  travelled  all  over  the  globe,  and  hb  latest  trip,  to  South 
Africa,  afforded  him  opportunities  for  first-hand  obsenrations  which 
he  has  embodied   in   this   article.   His   report    is  released   by    Worldover 


SOUTH  AFRICA— LAND  OF  GOLD  AND  DISCORD 


65 


ould  soon  explode/'  One  was  the  growing 
between  whites  and  non-whiles;  the  other  was 
?er  of  civil  war  between  the  two  principal 
roups. 

Old  Boer-British  Confuct  Alive 

fBs  surprising  to  find  that  on  the  psychological 
tpaganda   front   the  old   war   between   the   Boers 

British  is  still  going  on  and  being  {anned  to 
tensity,  especially  by  the  Malan  government, 
uld  have  thought  that  the  divisions  caused  by 
r  had  long  ago  been  healed  by  generous  acts 
tain's  Campbell-Bannerman  government,  the 
ip  of  the  federal  Union  of  South  Africa,  and 
;  years  of  service  to  the  Union  by  General  Jan 

But  this  is  not  the  case.  There  was  a  section 
Joers  who  in  their  hearts  never  accepted  defeat, 
;arded  Smuts  as  a  "Quisling,"  who  bided  their 
t  were  busy  nourishing  Boer  aspirations.  It  is 
o  have  taken  the  lead  in  "apartheid,''  who  cling 
Afrikaans  language,  and  who  got  control  of  the 
ent   in   1948   after      Smuu'      death.     This      has 

a  split  not  only  between  British  and  Dutch 
Africans,  but   insido  the  Afrikaner  group  itself. 

Malan  and  the  Nationalist  Party  propose  to 
n  Afrikaner  country  and  possibly  an  independent 
parate    from   the    British    G)mmonwealth.     They 

trust  the  British,  are  hostile  to  the  United 
and  fean  the  Communists  whose  South 
Parly  they  have  outlawed.  They  have 
Uy  annexed  South  West  Africa  and  seem  to 
ill  more  territory.  They  mean  to  build  up  a 
race  and  a  master  language,  and;  keep  non- 
ihabitants  "ia  their  place."     They  are  tightening 

old    controls    of    segregation,    and    promulgating 
is.     They  do  not  intend  that  members  of  dark- 
races   and   nations   shall    ever   be    admitted    to 
alleges  of  citizenship. 

i  natives  are  to  have  a  homeland  in  separate 
;s,  somewhat  like  American  Indian  reservations, 
iiey  are  to  live  under  tribal  discipline,  which, 
f  is  finally  subject  to  white  control.  Some  of 
ill  work  the  farms  of  white  South  Africans, 
who  labor  in  the  mines  and  the  big  cities  are 
[loused  in  adjacent  segregated  "locations." 
;    Malan    government    appears    quite    willing    to 

the  decisions  of  the  coimtry's  judges  and  the 
\irican  constitution  if  these  stand  in  the  way. 
h  the  present  government  was  not  voted  into 
f  a  majority  of  the  nation's  white  electorate,  it 
to  win  a  majority  at  the  next  election.  The 
lists  know  what  they  want,  believe  that  they  are 
dy  and!  patriotically  right,  do  not  care  for  civil 
f  and  are  ruling  by  dictatorial  methods. 

United  Party  Has  Mixed  ProcraIm 
5  United  Party  was  the  party  of  General  SmuU. 
imposed  to  a  number,  but  not  all,  oi  the  above 


measures.  About  70  per  cent  of  its  members  are  white 
Afrikaners  (not  Africans)  and  the  rest  are  white  South 
Africans  largely  of  British  extraction.  It  wishes  to 
uphold  the  courts  and  constitution,  and  demands  an 
immediate  general  election.  It  wants  to  stay  within 
the  Commonwealth.  It  is  willing  to  have  South  Africat 
a  bilingual  country,  but  fears  that  English  may  be 
crowded  out  of  the  schools,  universities  and  government 
by  the  Afrikaans  language,  pushed  by  Afrikaner 
Nationalism . 

This  party  opposes  the  abrogation  of  civil  liberaties 
and  the  withdrawal  of  the  limited  franchise  rights  for 
the  "Colored"  people  which  have  been  in  existence  for 
a  number  of  years  in  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope  Colony. 
It  fears  the  encroachment  of  Nationalist  dictatorship, 
and  in  the  present  crisis  has  been  building  up  a  group 
known  as  the  "Torch  Commandos."  headed  by  "Sailor" 
Malan,  a  cousin  of  the  Prime  Minster.  The  government 
charges  this  group  with  being  "subversive,"  and  there 
are  ominous  clashes  between  it  and  the  police  which 
are   played  up  in  the  papers  almost  daily. 

But  the  United  Party  would  be  split  wide  open  if 
the  issue  of  assimilation  between  races  and  the 
extension  of  votes  to  all  racial  groups — ^whether  outright 
or  by  a  gradual  method — should  be  pressed  upon  it. 
Consequently,  on  this  question  it  is  in  a  weak  position 
as  compared  to  the  Nationalists*  firm  policy  of 
segregation. 

Magnitude  of  the  Race  Problem 
Those  who  are  familiar  with  race  questions  in  the 
southern  United  States  should  realize  that  South 
Africa's  race  problem  is  far  more  acute.  The  estimated 
total  population  of  South  Africa  is  12,000,000,  and  there 
are  only  2«500,0O0  whites.  Granted  that  the  9,500,000 
non-whites  are  not  united,  that  they  are  without  arms 
and  unorganized,  and  for  the  most  part  amazingly 
patient,  the  whites  know  what  a  disaster  it  would  be 
if  these  millions  were  to  withdraw  their  labor.  Such 
a  fear,  played  upon  by  frequent  news  stories  of  crimed 
against  whites,  makes  the  white  groups  jittery.  It 
intensifies  the  bitterness  when  the  whites  oppose  each 
other. 

If  now  the  white  parties  should  fly  at  each  others' 
throats  in  exasperation,  it  would  be  madness.  But  wheii 
emotionsi  get  to  the  boiling-point,  madness  can  happen. 
It  hardly  looks  as  if  such  an  extremity  will  be  reached. 
If,  however,  the  United  Party  were  to  be  victorious  in 
the  next  election,  it  would  constitute  an  important 
gain.  Its  belieif  in  law  and  constitutional  procedure 
would  leave  the  way  open  for  peaceful  methods  of 
change. 

The  campaign  of  civil  disobedience,  along  the  lines 
of  the  crusades  led  formerly  by  Mahatma  Gandhi  in 
India  and  South  Africa,  has  been  dramatic  and  thus 
far  singularly  unaccompanied  by  outbreaks  of  violence 
against  the  white  regime.  Upwards  ^1  ^$fi^ 
demonslralOTS,     iia.\\N^     KItvc«&:&     «oA    ^^^«dx   "^w^ 


66 


THE  MODERN  REVIEW  FOR  JANUARY,  1953 


Indians,  have  violated  segregation  laws  in  a  spirit  of 
non-violence,  and  have  suffered  arrest.  The  campaign 
is  led  both  by  the  African  National  Congress  and  the 
South  African  Indian  Congress.  For  once  the  non-whites 
have  come  together  ia  strong,  challenging  action  to 
show  their  unwillingness  to  accept  a  second-class 
citizenship.  The  movement  has  been  a  great  welling 
up  of  protest,  and  in  the  main  non-violent,  though  there 
have  been  violent  outbreaks  between  whites  and  native 
Africans,  as  at  Port  Elizabeth  in  October.  Thes€ 
exceptions  do  not  necessarily  indicate  a  breakdown  in  the 
non-violent  campaign,  for  they  have  happened  before, 
and  are  not  as  a  rule  connected  with  the  present  non- 
violent demonstrations.  It  is  too  early,  however,  foi 
final  judgments  on  the  campaign's  ultimate  value.  Yet 
when  Mohandas  Gandhi  began  in  South  Africa,  on  his 
campaign  a  third  of  a  century  ago,  it  looked  like  a 
forlorn  hope.  God  has  often  used  the  weak  of  this 
world  to  confound  the  strong. 

Enlightened  Whites 
There  are  white  minority  groups  and  individuals 
who  are  trying  to  build  a  multi-racial  society  that  will 
move  in  the  direction  of  gradual  extension  of  democracy 
and  civil  rights  for  all.  These  are  the  leaven.  They 
are  few,  they  are  separated  from  each  other  by  vast 
distances,  and  they  contend  against  terrific  odds.  But 
they  are  valiant  for  truth.  These  groups  have  nurtured 
such    persons    as    Alan    Paton,    Michael    Scott,    Senator 


E.  H.  Brooks,  Hon.  Margaret  BalHnger,  Mrs.  A.  V. 
Hoernle,  Rev.  A.  W.  BlaxalL  Rev.  H.  P.  Jmiod,  Bm. 
Ray  E.  Phillips,  Dr.  W.  J.  G.  Mean,  Dr.  EUea  H^n«, 
Principal  R.H.W.  Shepherd,  Dr.  J.  Muir  Grieiib 
Dr.  F.  W.  Fox,  Maurice  Webb,  Dr.  AUn  TayH 
Bishop  Wilfred  Parker,  Manilal  Gandhi  and  Prindpd 
Mtimkulu.  There  are  various  others  scattered  aborit 
the  country  whom  it  was  not  possible  to  meet,  and  dMM 
who  are  named  represent  just  a  sample  of  nat&ooaDf* 
known  South  Africans  who  are  conspicuoos  for  disk 
service  to  a  multi-racial  state.  There  is  a  still  wider 
circle  whose  names  are  written  in  heaven. 

In  the  forefront  of  the  voluntary  organizatioiis  thft 
have  turned  the  light  on  race  relations  and  striven  for 
their  betterment,  is  the  South  African  Institute  of  Race 
Relations,  now  in  its  23rd  year.  In  a  recent  stateneat 
to  the  government,  it  expressed  its  basic  positioo,  aad 
set  a  standard  for  future  work  and  hope.  Said  tlie 
Institute,  the  true  basis  for  a  settlement  of  Uie  nee 
question  is  wrapped  up  in  these  principles  : 

1.  Belief  in  the  value  of  the  individual  himiaa 
being  and  his  right,  by  virtue  of  his  being,  to  the  faSMt 
expression  and  development  compatible  with  dmiki 
rights  of  other  individuals  within  the  pattern  of  a 
democratic  state. 

2.  Belief  in  the  values  of  democratic^  society  witk 
its  accepted  freedoms,  rights  and  duties. 

3.  Acceptance  of  the  brotherhood  of  man  in  iti 
Christian   interpretation. 

:0: 


D.  H.  LAWRENCE 


Pr,of.  K.  C.  PETER 


D.  H.  Lawrence  is  a  genius.  Much  more  than  that.  He 
is  a  revolutionary  in  the  realm  of  literature.  He  isn't 
sexy,  sex-soaked,  or  sexually  hyper-sensitive  as  made 
out  by  certain  critics.  To  say  that  his  novels  do  not  rise 
above  the  pelvis  is  as  untrue  as  stupid.  One  has  to 
size  him  up — Lawrence  the  man — to  know  the  truth. 
Not  only  a  poet  is  he,  but  also  a  novelist  belonging  to 
a  diflFerent  class,  a  class  by  himself.  His  poetry  in  its 
force  of  expression  and  forthright  statement  rivals  only 
T.  S.  Eliot's.  He  is  intensely  individualistic,  sensitive 
and  feeling.  Style  is  sincerity,  says  Joad.  Style  is  the 
man  himself. 

ChaWce  th£  World 
Having  seen  and  experienced  life  first-hand,  D.   H. 
Lawrence  wants  to  change  it.     He  cared  to  rub  his  up- 
right shoulders  against  the  coarse  realities  of  life.      As 
ji  woM'shakeT,    Lawrence  is     classed  with    Balzac,  Zola 


and  Hugo.  He  shook  the  world  to  rouse  it  from  the 
stupor  in  which  it  fell.  like  Aldous  Huxley  and  Eliot, 
he  did  his  best  to  rouse  the  world  to  a  new  awareness 
of  the  strange  heart-beats  of  Hfe. 

D.  H.  Lawrence  gave  four-square  opposition  to 
humbug  and  sham  with  which  the  world  is  fulL  He 
took  infinite  delight  in  tearing  to  pieces  all  customary 
and  conventional  insincerity  and  hypocrisy.  In  litera- 
ture, as  in  art,  these  contagions  of  life  have  penetrated. 
As  misfortune  will  have  it,  life  today  has  been  reduced 
to  routine.  Life,  its  vitality  lost,  becomes  dull  and 
meaningless. 

Lawrenjce  found  fault  with  estn  Shakespeare  for 
being  untrue  to  himself. 

"And  Hamlet  how  boring,  how  boring  to  live  with 
So  mean  and  self-conscious,  blowing  and  snoring 
His  wonderful  speeches,   full  of  other  folk's 

whoring." 


D,  H.  LAWRENCE 


.« 


rence  is  iM>t  against  Shakespeare  the  playwright, 
nst  the  circumstances  th&t  made  him  what  he 
s    is     self-evident    from   what   he     wrote   of   his 


"My  mother  was  a  superior  soul 
A   superior   soul  was   she 
cut  out  to  play  a  superior  role 
In    the    God-damn   bourgeoisie." 

age     thd     world      he     must,     though     he     haa 

labour     under     serious     limitations — change  the 

I   order  to   make   it   a  belter  place   for  humans 

in. 

Not  Monkey^,  But  Men 

pecialist  branch  of  unimaginative  literary  critics 
wrence  a  'decadent/  which  he  isl  not.  James 
Ulysses  knocked  the  bottom  out  of  pretentious^ 
>rary  life,  exposing  the  lifelessness  of  exis- 
id  high-sounding  emptiness  of  art.  In  reality, 
;rs  and  novelists  do  not  stand  to  blame,  but  the 
3n  they  were  destined  to  live  in  does.  In  this 
ng  modem  civilisation^  poets  and  novelists  can- 
far  from  the  madding  crowd,  even  if  they  try. 
version  and  distortion  of  values  in  present-day 
is  the  villain  of  the  piece.  With  hopeless  bar- 
all  around  ond  nothing  else  to  hold  on,  with 
lith  in  himself  lost  and  self-confidience  destroyed, 

• 

f  is  left  adrift  anchorless  on  the  deep  stormy 
:  modern  thought.     The  poets  and  novelists  just 

the    world,    painted    it    in    their    own    heart's 
eld  out   lessons  for  the  readers  to   diraw. 

'thing  civilisation'  that  envelops  us  is  skin- 
ip-shod  and  stupid.  Dollar  Almighty  has  stoleA 
;art.  Greed  is  on  the  throne.  The  unscrupulous 
avaricious  fatten  on  the  poverty  of  slum-dwellers, 
atten  on  filth.  Morality  has  lost  its  charm,  culture 
;rity,  life  its  soul.  Man,  the  highest  of  God's 
has  fallen  on  evil  days  and  evil  ways. 
Lawrence,  Jesus  is  a  hot-headed  revolutionary, 
gainst  the  exploiters  on  behalf  of  the  exploited, 
i  millions.  And  Lawrence's  intense  spirited 
ilism  led  him  to  bring  out  the  pure  artist  in 
The  sufferings  and  emotions,  the  miseries  and 
of  men  and  women  form  the  subject-matter  of 
ght  and  intense  study.  He  is  down  on  all  the 
ith  clay  feet  with  all  the  thunderbolts  he  can 
supercharged  with   emotion;,  he   wrote  : 

"For  God's  sake,  let  us  be  men 

Not  monkeys  winding   machines 

Or  sitting  with  our  tails  curled 

While  the  machine  amuses  us 

Radio,   film    andl  gramophone 

Monkeys  the  bland  grim  on  our  faces." 

dedly,  he  is  no  decadent.  The  machine 
on  of  ours  is  at  fault.  It  de-humanised  ud. 
i's  works  do  cover  the  facts  and  forces  of  today 
(tographic  realism.  His  accent  is  not  on  man, 
Ley,  but  on  man,  the  man. 


BiiF¥lSS> 

Despite  the  guaranjtees  doled  out  by  UNO  and  the 
various  charters,  freedom  from  want  is  yet  to  be 
accomplished.  Collective  security  is  not  yet  translated 
from  a  slogan  into  a  reaHty.  Political  stability  is  torpedoed 
straightaway  by  social  insecurity.  And  social  security 
cannot  be  had  until  psychical  maturity  is  achieved. 
Psychic  maturity  in  its  turn  depends  upon  social  happiness 
and  ease.  The  vicious  coil  is  thus  unwinding  and  winding 
itself.  Natural  then  that  the  observant  artist  feels  tlie 
impact  of  conflicting]  forces.  And  through  the  sieve  of 
his  mind  those  impressions  gain  form  and  shape.  No 
wonder  then  Lawrence  is  "consistent  with  inconsistencies." 
To  expose  the  world  in  its  true  colours,  he  has  trespassed 
not  only  the  forbidden  but  even  the  dangerous.  Not 
UK  vain  Paguy  said,  "A  living  disorder  is  far  better  than 
a  dead  order." 

Symbol  of  the  Modern  Ace 

In  more  respects  than  one,  Lawrence  symbolises  the 
modern  age — the  age  of  clashes  and  contradictions. 
Machine-civilisation,  he  realised,  has  made  robots  of  us. 
The  automaticity  of  machines  has  entered  humai^  mind 
too.  Today,  man  runs  down  his  routine  just  like  a 
machine  does.  If  a  man  parts  from  the  beaten  track,  he 
is  ridiculed  and  laughed  at.  To  be  human  has  become 
difficult.  D.  H.  Lawrence  found  himself  at  a  loss,  being 
a  misfit  in  modem  complex  and  multiplex  society,  ^ 
square  peg  in  a  round  hole.  No  doubt,  he  did  his  best 
to  change  the  hole  in  order  to  fit  the  square  peg  in. 
Partially  he  succeeded,  though  it  was  realised  only  20 
years  after  Tuberculosis  dug  his  grave.  While  the  parcels 
of  other  novelists  and  artists  refuse  to  be  unpacked, 
Lawrence  stands  bolt  upright  in  the  hostile  world  with 
his  cards  open  on,  the  table.  Blame  him,  praise  him, 
he  holds  his  own. 

Face  the  Music 

Lawrei^ce^s  is  a  mind  definitely  sensitive  to  every 
gust  of  passing  wind.  The  most  fleeting  passions,  the 
subtlest  shades  of  emotions,  the  tenderest  rustles  of  feel- 
ings are  caught  in  his  mind's  camera-eye.  He  can 
recapture  them  with  gusto  at  will.  Through  observation 
and  experience,  he  got  down  to  the  roots  of  life's  problems. 

Well-equipped  with  weapons  of  offence  and  defence 
ready,  he  took  sides  in  what  Nietzsche  calls  *Var  without 
mercy.'*  Thus  the  scribe  and  pen-pusher  in  him  turned 
out  to  be  the  heroic  crusader,  ruthless  in  attack.  His 
fortitude  was  amazing,  for  his  was  a  lone  fight  against 
the  whole  world  of  evil,  make-believe  and  prudery.  His 
was  a  fight  that  knew  no  retreat.  Eliot  found  life's  sheet- 
anchor  in  the  philosophy  of  the  cross  and  Aldous  Huxley 
in  the  fount  of  perennial  philosophy  of  the  East,  bjit 
D.  H.  Lawrence  went  in  search  of  truth,  went  on  find- 
ing it  and  telling}  it.  He  was  angry  wliVi  l^  ^«cs^&^ 
threatened  it,  dwncA  \\,  d\^\m!^  \v  ^^  Vi  ^^^ask^  \k^^ 


THE  MODERN  REVIEW  FOR  JANUARY,  1953 


to  it  at  last.  He  never  beJieved  in  leaving  the  vforld  [o 
stew  in  its  own  juice,  to  perish  in  its  owd  poison.  He 
was  out  to  change  it.  Hence  the  emergence  of  the  many 
Lawrences,  one  not  knowing  the  other,  to  right  the  wrongs 
of  bfe,  to  mould  and  remould  the  mulliiaceled  world. 
In  that  shady,  dim,  yel  clear  light,  we  have  lo  assess  the 
worth  of  Lawrence's  attainments. 

I«vE*s  Labolhis 
Life  wasn't  kind  to  Lawrence.  He  hore  the  full  bruni 
of  hfe's  worst.  So  hyper-sensitive  was  his  heart  that  often 
his  head  gave  way.  His  soul  went  out  to  the  suffering 
and  poverty-stricken.  Psychical  suffering  touched  the 
cords  of  his  heart,  more  than  physical  EufFering  did.  His 
works  reflect  in  djetail  the  conflict  of  emotions  Id  which 
often  Eensilive  human  souls  are  Eubjeci.  Critics  with 
the  solitary  exception  -^f  Richard  Aldington  never  knew 
him  well.  They  can't  help  a  (nan  by  sitting  tight  on  his 
neck.  But  Lawrence  was  to  live  and  actually  lived  in 
the  Lght  of  his  invisible  eun.  He  discovered  the  guilty 
secret  of  everybody's  life,  the  guilty  secret  without  the 
guih.  Time  and  again,  his  emotions  have  surged  up  in 
a  great  tidal  wave  of  revolt.  That  we  are  lodged  up  in 
our  own  private  grief,  he  makes  us  feel.   And  factually 

Lawrence  wasn't  weak-kneed  and  powerless.  The 
many  Lawrences  ii^  him,  individually  taken,  are  strong 
willed  men  themselves.  He  is  Bert  lo  his  mother, 
Crislo  to  Mexicans,  Lawrence  lo  bit)  wife.  In  every  one 
of  his  works,  there  is  he  denouncing  the  world,  condemn- 
ing it  in  order  to  reform  it.  He  wants  the  world  to  find 
its  creative  self. 

Oscar  VUde  sang  : 

'".    .    .    .To   have  known   Love, 

How  bitter  a  thing  it  is?  " 
Ella   Wheeler  Wilcox   wrote  : 

"Love  is  a  mood  no  more  to  man 

And  love  to  a  woman  is  life  or  death." 
Knowing  it  more  intensely,  Lawrence  filled  in  the 
blanks.  He  portrayed  vividly,  brother-sister  affection, 
BOik-mother  attachment  and  true  "phallic  tenderness." 
Yet,  all  of  ibem  have  relation  to  reahty  and  are  tied 
down  to  naked  earth.  If  at  all  D.  H.  Lawrence  attempted 
lo  settle  accounts  with  bis  dark  Cod  in  the  last  december 
of  life  or  lo  pray  for  ihe  emergence  of  supermen,  it 
is  to  throw  into  high  rebef  the  sharp  iborns  of  life  on 
which  men  fall  and  bleed.  Only  by  way  of  eacape,  he 
did  so — escape  from  the  trap  of  embittered  violently 
painful  life — escape  from  the  agony  of  Ufe. 


Am  Imtenseh  Woioo 
Often   his   own   opinions   collide   with   < 
His  romantic  poetry  and  fiery  crilicisma  of  bfe  had  IH      i 
emphasis  on  challenge  to  evil.   Obscene  novels  ar«  Bke     j 
giviQE   'te  hungry   man  the  description  of   a   EumptnoM     | 
dinner.  But  the  works  ol  Lawrence  were  far  from  beis( 
pornographic.    With  choice   words,   apt   phraseokgy,  and 
powerful        diction,        Lawrence         easily        heightened 
emotions.   In  bfe,  emotions  reach  the  zenith,  whipped  up 
by    the   cruelties   and    injustices   that    individuals    suBer,     | 
and   Ijwrence    simply       depicted    them.       G.B.S.    bad      | 
once  to   portray  an   emotional   summit   thus  ;      "When  1 
loved    you,    %    gave    you    eternity    in  a   single    moment, 
strength   of   the   mountains   in   one   clasp   of   your   arms, 
and  the  volume  of  all   the  seas  in  one  impulse  of  your 
soul."    Can   we    call   it    pornographic?         If   we   do,   it 
means  that  we  lack  the   sense  of   realism.    Modem  life 
demands  that  we  shall  take  courage  by  the  forelock. 
A  Genius  MtstiNDERSToOD 
Aldoua    Huxley    after    studying    Lawrence    at    close 
quarters  writes  ; 

"To  be  with  Lawrence  was  a  kind  of  aiJventnre, 
a  voyage  of  discovery  into  the  newness  and  olheraesa. 
For  being  himself  of  a  differnent  order,  he  inhabited 
a  universe,  different  from  that  of  commod  men — ■ 
brighter  and  intenser  world  of  which,  while  he  spoke, 
he  could  make  you  free.  He  looked  at  things,  with 
the  eyes,  so  it  seemedl,  of  a  man  who  had  been  at 
the  brink  of  death  and  to  whom  as  he  emerges  from 
the  darkness,  the  world  reveals  itself  as  uniatbomably 
beautiful  and  mysterious." 

Do  Not  be  Sad 
D.     H.     Lawrence    died    in   bis    43th    year    at     10 
o'clok  on  the  night  of  2nd  March,  1930.  Just  before  hia 
dfeath,   suffering   from   the    pangs   of   TB,   he   wrote   to 
Katherine  Masefield  : 

".    .    .    .And  it  is  lime  to  go,  to  bid 
Farewell  to  one's  own  self  and  fiod 
An    exit    from    the    fallen   self." 
And  he  went. 
Ellsewhere,    he    writes : 

"Do  not  be  sad.  It  is  one  life  which  is  nastine 
away  from  us,  one  T  i^  dying;  but  there  is  another 
coming  inlo  bcit)£  which  is  the  happy  creative  yon." 

Can  we  can  him  who  wrote  those  lines  'a  coward,' 
'a  decadent'?  Nothing  can  be  farther  from  truth. 
Standing  firm  on  the  hard -shelled  idealism,  easily  he 
unmasks  his  ant i- bourgeoisie  battery.  He  fought  untruth 
and  hypocrisy,  tooth  and  nail.  By  all  means,  he  was 
an  enfant  terrible.  He  had  defects.  But  they  count  no 
moro   than   spota  on   the   sun. 


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;iliMvn>a.      X.i   il-hi'.i-::;.   fif   I'oolc-n  vjiws   :i(ni   Tintins   is   [Hiblislii-,!. 

KiilToii.   Th.  M'xl,,;.    R. '■/.  (P. 
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lE    IIOYSAH    VAM.SA:      Hv      WillUtm      (,W//„..      'I!  .',','':'!"":   "l"  '',','■„'"!  f  i"''..',",''' tI';'  l,?."L-'''!',1,'ri''fiiVLi 
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'■,:  P,;c,    ,-«i  ^toUii.  ,!.',ii,ii'i|-  i'li'ilV '-.'.'linn' u]-  M'u"i.':il''ln--i'i-ii[ii.-i'.'i-.  Arms. 

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mi(Mi>iii.;ilc.!    f,i-':i    .■i.i«ni]>i.i,-    iii;iHii'il    ■ 

•     -III'I     IIIC    1I1-II>1\     nl     .11'.        Ill,'     ll<.\  ..1I.I-.       mill  ,       (    /.,,,„      11,,      /,,  .      1.    ■  ,       IJ,       ,_.[ 

till'   Mv-or.'   |.liii.-.ir    fnim     .■.    lUM)    l.TH)    A.D-  •■!  i ■■'<•■•.  1 1'.  !••■•.  i  -i--   J« .  I--'. 

.-  iin  l»)m.iiriil.l,-  ].h-r  :,;i:(iim  ili-  :ii,.i..ii(  Iiidi-.it  -'.    'I'lIK     INDIAN     rUNSI'ITl  I  ION  :     H:i     J. 

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iliiu-isbim  Willi   >l>r   itnir    Vij:,y,inM-.v  kitiudo!,,  A.    l-:vj:[lVMAN"S  CDNSII  ITTluN  OF  INDIA: 

«-:.•.  i!ic  li.'ir  li.  ili.'i.-  ionmi.-,  Wii.il    i.-  nmiv,  ««  /',■./.'-■...'(  .■■.  L.  it-ihl.      fui-li^l-.i  h.,  ih.-  ■•hII,,,/. 

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1.    iH"H  C.'ONSTriTTluV  1   WUh  <•  y.to  «->.,il  bu 

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Willi  l.i-  vi.li  '-i.linMi.li.i-  ^iikI  ;,iv1<:,....1.>ui..>l  ;,M 
III  lif  -Imtt-  --..im.l  lii.|f.i„,  ill  i;,  lii-  rv.  .uiifi,, 


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l.'!-.      Ili^      ivoik      ■!-■ 

•  1..    '■nuHlM- 
I,-   l.l-o.';..i]-.v 

1-=      1;llliril'.l,.      [inli.-i.. 

i.T'iii.'i'llv.ii'i- 

'-■■m,"\n  Vli.'"l'lny-"! 

lit-   nhii'li   .li-Mm,'.-   v 

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■111-    Wfinl     of   1..:.!-    :m- 

i„  1„.  d,-|.|.-:-l. 

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I.oiii-riiii;  :iiiii   ('■^'■''  - 

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If  Hn.l  r'oiii|-.-iii.i:. 

.1  IriKtniiii.-ii'-.  W.  ■■■ 

Cosiitmis.    rii,  - 

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■nnt   illiiMraiiiiii-   .1.  ■: 

'■■.[•■•l  : 

70 


THE  MODERN  REVIEW  FOR  JANUARY,  1953 


tion.  Then  follow  three  chaplerd  offering  critical  coui- 
mentaiy  on  certain  u-^pects  of  tho  (Jon-tilulion,  such  u' 
how  far  it  is  Parliamentary  i»r  Pro-^idontial,  Uuiiar^-  or 
federal,  and  ili»j  churufier  of  ch.anoorary  enN  i-sag^.d  in 
it.  The  la-t  two  di'i liters  iigain  are  analj'iical,  r'-laiing 
to  tho  judiciary  and  aineminu-nt  of  the  Con-iiiistion. 
Tho  Chapter  on  Unitary  or  F«;deral  chara'.tcT  of  ihe 
Conistituiion  i.s  v^ry  iiiU-rL'^liu?  and  in-mnNive.  Tiiv 
coinpariijon  made  l>i.'tween  (lie  pn-v-uL  Con.-iiiiili«»n 
and  the  lli35  ('ou>tituli«»n  in  n  ^ptw-L  nt  c<:tain  i«  atiin'- 
in  thiai  ciiupt.  r  a-  w«  11  as  in  Appimlix  H  wiien?  the 
three  li.-it;;  of  Mil»jt"ts  an:  ((imi-'arfd  will  prove  very 
helpful.  Apjundix  C  aUo  .iriv«  -  umi'uI  niformanon 
setting  loiih  tlie  c-tiniatrd  i-i>i.ula;iij!i  uii  t/iu;  l)a-i-  of 
the  la.«t  ct.nft'is  and  a!I«»<;uioii  ,,,{  m.-iis  iii  Parliament, 
and  State  Li.iii<latnri'-  of  *!ii:  I'liinn.  Tlii»  l'«^ok,  how- 
ever, has  hei  n  n-nd'^rd  t.xln:n«.  ly  un-tirac-Jivf-  and 
uninviting  by  vi.ry  li.ul  j 'riming  and  the  u-«.'  of  imo 
biiiall  typo  iti  i)rintmg — wlii«*Ii  makr-?  it  almost  ini- 
posj-ible  to  nad  the  voluna-.  AvKjtliir  pe-.-uliariiy  that 
de.»«erv(s  mention  i-  thf  al»-«:ir«  of  any  (>)n!«iit-j.  To 
make  the  book  readable  if  i^  ry-rniiil  to  ju' nd  i.hr-r 
defect'^  at  the  earlit  -t   opiifrl'inity. 

Principal  Bah  I'-  b.)ok  in  di-'-u->irig  lii,.  ]r«;vi>i')iis 
of  the  Con-tituiion  i'oiI')w.-  cxai-tly  iln-  oimI.  r  in  w'li'h 
they  occur  in  the  t'-xr.  Tji«-  tli-' ii--!on  iue^  bcrn  ron-.'h*  d 
in  plain,  .-iimph'  .tiid  noii-t(  rhni-'al  lanun  iiie  -o  a<  t'>  br 
easily  uuilers't.od  by  (.cimmon  nnii  an.!  wonii  n  Tin- 
authors  att»'!itiun  is  diawn  to  a  >'ri«»>;.s  nii-'iakc  in  ti.e 
li*«t  of  Part  *Ji'  a:.d  P:.rt  '("  >;at»N  civ  n  im  pages  o^ 
and  31.  Vindh\a  Pr.idi-h  i-  -l.own  uiid«  r  Pait  *IV 
Stale?  in-tead'of  Part  'C*  an.l  Coo..h-Bih:ir  'n«)\v 
merged  in  \V< -i  15»ii;rd)  wiii"!i  >h<Mdd  hav,.  bei  n 
omitted  from  tluj  !.i-i  <»f  3*arl  ('  .*^iaii>'  Im-  bi"  u  •♦hown 
there.  Obvion>ly  the  h^t^  have  Iki-m  tak'-n  f»v»;ii  th'* 
text  of  the  Con-ti:iilion  a-  iiriiiinally  ]  5ib!i<]u'il.  but 
it  should  not  h:»\<  brt-n  •»«)  in  a  book  pubh^hi'd  a-  late 
u.*?  May.  10r>2.  Tlv  book-  may  }i,.  foinim  luh-d  to  t)je 
public  as  u^<*ful   handbook-!  on   the  >ubjiTi, 

A.    K.    (ilTOSAL 

LANDMARKS  IN  INDIAN  ('()NSTlTr- 
TIOXAL  AND  NATIONAL  DKVKl.i  )PMF.NT 
(Volun-.e  L-Ui(H)  to  1*»10)  :  lit  (r>  *n:l''  M'-fJ  .s7'.///l 
Publiiln'l    l)ii   Atn''i   Ji'ftn    nmi   >o/,.c.    /v'i/.-/;'.vi  .y    (!i'l>\ 

Tho  book  wa-  har^d-ojinl*'  Ti'»'i-«1  in  'ii:-;  H'.iiic 
after  ji«  fir-i  jiu'.-i: -asit.!!  in  HKW.  'J'l  i^  i<  ii*  .-••.••mi'I 
<*dition.  Tlic"  volisriif.  a-  i'^  u-w.i-  i"d:''.i'. .-.  d'd.-  \vi<h 
<i:ff''"n.'nt  asprf*-  of  "ur  !:.i'i»!il  Kf,  -in"'-  w-  ''.m'.' 
into  co!ita«'t  uiih  'h.-  I'.'i\-!..  Tii.  t'lio,!  -p^ad-  o\.i' 
moic  tliaii  l!"*'«-  l::'.-.h«tl  y.  r-.-.  T'n-  •ir'.or  nrr.iri-. 
in  the  lir-*  pai.  *.]'.>  i'l'..'n  ,.f  i\.,.  l',-;';-'..  i'..-  |j«^"ii- 
ninir--  of  t!-..-  B'-n-!,  lIi'-  nd  '!.-  L-^'  D-.v-  ..f  •!.  i:.-.-- 
India    ('onj;- iny.     Tii-     -•••i.d    i    r    h:-    !.'m    «lvid--l 

int«)  tl-!er-  ir-ii!-.'  ,.,-;..|...  :i  !i;.|v.  (■■  Ivil  IMVi. 
(ji)  1V.J2-  I!!'')  i'.i  '■■  «  l'«'>  ]•.■•!!»  Tl  .  !i:-*  V'i'-d 
i(\U  i'>  of  •!.  ••:.  ]^  u'-  •!!!:•  •'•  Ir  :  !■• -•  :;•  :'iv:- 
ln>tltM'i"I'-,     i'J^    (  "•.  i:::l-  ••  :      \  ::i  H--*:  •■:•■.  •■    :i'-'\     Pr'ii'- 

«':tt.    Hi-,   ('..ii^'r  ■\i   •     '    l>.  \." ••'      -   ':-n.-v' -T-'i:.  !,f 

(1)   t'  .     i;-     ..:■   ••       !•.  i--  !.    N  •    ■    .     M  ■'.'•   .  "i-.   •  :.'l 

(r,)  '.].  I;..:..-  (•  ••- .  .••  \   .  1-:  2  V  ■:..••  w  \.   ..  .  ■  i 


».v     fh.      f<.!:'-' 


..••.'      .I-  i       I;    .•   :      •-•   "..      '  !•       H-    ••  --:••■.    •■'.  ! 
o     '•      M-  •■   ^•.M":       .    \l    "...        Tl  .•    ••  •:  i    :.  :\,.\    :. 

/:*''■.'     ".■■■'>'    :•■'• .'  ■••     •  vl     '*)    '!  '• 


1'hc  background  of  our  freedom  struggle  is  to  be 
found  in  the  uge-long  efforts  both  const itutoinal  and 
extra-co!!-titutionaI.  Before  the  transfer  of  India  from 
the  hands  of  the  Ea^t  India  Company  to  the  Britisii 
C^rown,  both  tho  enligha^ned  Indians  and  Europeans 
joined  hands  in  wresting  power  from  the  unwilling 
hand.":  of  tlie  liritish  autocrats.  But  after  the  transfer, 
ihe  >i  niggle  was  to  be  carrieil  on  by  the  Indians  alone. 
Tiu'  LnrjwTh  and  development  of  political  associatiooa 
and  ho(ie;ii.>-  in  dilTenut  provinces  of  India,  culminat- 
ing in  the  i^iabli^hment  of  the  Indian  National  Con- 
gie>s.  wa-;  no  le.s^  due  to  tho  estrangement  of  the 
isNo  from  a  l'«.'ling  of  superior  race-consriousness 
gencr.it«d  amongM  tlic  Britishers  here  and  abroad  after 
th«-  tMti.s»Vr.  Our  ip-edom  movement  henceforward 
]»a>H.d  'hrouiili  a  zig-zag  eoiir?^?,  sometimes  conatitu- 
lion.d.  >oi!i,!ime<  ex'ra-«;on<iitiitional.  The  hitter  course 
!«» »k  a  <-onii!f..  <h:ij-."  in  liie  Kevolutionary  movement 
of  the  .Swatl- -hi  day<  in  Bengal  and  Maharashtra. 
Tl.i-  movf  nicnt  si>read  all  over  India  during  the 
W'M'ld  War  L  Th"  idt  a  behind  it  was  the  establish- 
iiM  ni  of  a  fuil-fi'dged  indet^mdent  India,  The  volume 
nndi-r  ii\itw  trires  all  tiiev.-  aspects  of  our  freedom 
sirp.sri:!"'.  \\  will  M.rve  as  a  jrnide  to  tlio-e  wh(»  wish  to 
>V\y\y  ihr  siibji'-:   elabora»ely  ill  all  its  bearing^*. 

Joe.ESii  C.  Bagal 

TOWARDS  PLANMNC;  :  Ihj  \.  Vifhnl  Babu, 
M.A.  Piihhslm!  hu  Aln\,\  Rooi  *n\d  *)fu<y  Ka}<hmvTe 
(hih  ,  D'li'..  rric:  U.<.  15. 

K»rnti.iU-   (i\    an   e'^onomii:     planning     havo   been 

li-eii— d   in  tlii*;  book  wiili  fomph  t(»  masti.iT  on  the 

>'.!b.i..t.    Iti    dialing    with    planning,     the     author   has 

tak«n   into  a'founf    all   a>peei.-  of  it. — liort   and  long 

:«iiii-.  porntidiiii -i  in  ivery  direction,  fiscal,  tinancial 

and    physi'-al.  Snau^   iw   ]>lanning     that     may     emerge 

I'ltiin  a  defji'tive  p'»licy  making  and  an  un co-ordinated 

iinpl*  nKiKation    of    poii.-y    Ii.ive    also    been    di.*«cussed. 

The  bo(»k   i-;  rirli   in  hi-*t»ric'al  details     of     plans  that 

ia\e   *.»)    far  been    put      forward     before     the     i»COpIc. 

inpo't.sTi!    f«a'ii!e-!   of     P»oinbay    Plan,     Vi^vesvaraya 

.M;;n.   riindhiin    Plan.     Xrog\'    U<'i»ort,     ("iyan   Chand 

H- |•e.r^    Naiioi-al     PI  inning     Committee's  Plan     have 

b< .  n   iii'hi'lid   in   tlw  be-uk   whiih   will  provide   u   very 

ii-i  ful  baikuror.iid  in  the  <t5nlv  of  the  Five-Year  Plan 

tiiat   i-  now   iieiniT  ii.!iali-'«-d,  ("liajitf-rs  on     tli«»     Fiscal 

Poliey   and    Plir.ning  ih  alii'u   with    import    and   export 

).  .•'•••!i «:.  l;alo-Paki-i  III  Trad«-  ptlation-i.  India's  balance 

"f  I'av!)'.' !i'<.   St,:,    t^adintr.     ."^oeial     rf-distribution   of 

i!i'i>"i!r -•  .-.III   •  \!i '.iljiiiri-.  p  form>     in     taxation,  and 

1  '''i'liiih.    0      . ! -pter  o'l   -:!iac-  in  ]»lanning  will  be 

'.••V  • .  1:  fii'  1(1  !.:•«-<.  wlio  n'(d  a  tjioroinrh  knowledge 

!"   =■'.-:•   Ml  ••':•:-.  T'-.    .!n*!-»'"   fivovn"-  mixetl   eronomy 

"111    bi.-iU   i>  :,    \.ii-!«!.l.    addiiioii   to   tlie  literature  on 

Ii» 'i  .!i   < '  o'..,i:;i  •-.   ( )".,    d»  ff.'t    of  siieh   books   i<   that 

til  \    '.']•']  ii  LM  Mi;"   III"  ti..:a  in  a  f  •  w  yr-ars  beeau«e  the 

-•'  :'i".-  •■'-'  1  '•  •••■•II-   •»!•!.  Adli'inn  of  :i  -hort  appendix 

<vi.\    \  'I   [J. :.•.•.•■■'/.•.  will  mMiiitiin  the  iis»fuln«*s  of 

''  :-  '  ••    i;    :->i'  a    !«»iin   ;i:{i»    {o  •'••ine. 

D.  B. 

(«'!.«  \l\l.    WD   cnidl-HFD   PK.OPLES:   Bv 
\     (!.   /.'         .   /?    /  ••     .'/•....>.     r:}>l\A\vd     hv  Hind 


ha\ 

I 

1 


\\ 


.\-'  I  '  \:'-  ■•  :..i-. •  '«•  !i  i!ie  hapv»y  hunting- 
...  I  •'  .'•  '"..il-  .  '-I!:-  ill  b.-iiji-nins:  of  modern 
••:\-  T-,  .>•.'•.•■!.  M  .:"  i'.,  Ivi-t  l)v  the  West  is 
■!.!••■.•:  :  -.  :   '     :  1  i::'.-.ini.'.Me.  Thr-ro  has  been 

•   '•:.■•     '  ^-  v.-   :i-'   :•'  :'••    i- I'.t ion-lnp  between  the 

...   !    •;   .    •  ..••.\^'l.i^•. 
I  'i. 


".    I-:    •       I. 
:       ;,'       ...         !.       ,..•      I   . 


I 


.t>       >     '  I 


• ..  •     •  I 


T"  .i-  -.v  !":oiu  the  ].en  of  Shri  N. 
I'r..;".  IJiTigi.  i-j  an  eloquent 
"f   iVi  Mu-  coloured  peoples 


BOOK  REVIEWS 


71 


s  world.  A  powerful  indictment  of  imperialism,  it 
es  the  hollownoss  of  all  tall  talks  regarding  the 
led  *whitcman*8  burden'  and  his  'civilizing' 
m.  Mr.-*.  Pearl  Buck  rightly  pointed  out  long  ago 
the  *whiteinan*s  bunion'  means  in  reaUty  tlio 
n  of  the  wliitoman  ou  tho  shoulder-!  of  the  nou- 
.  Mr.  Haiifi^a  points  out  how  coloniali^ni  h:i3 
lod  th<»  progress!  of  huiniinity.  Iln  dcscribo.-i 
\s  sKmii-  of  the  :ittrmpt<  made  by  tho  coloured 
PS  to  win  intl(']U'mk'm'c. 

»  learned  auilior  points  ou(  and  ntfliily  at  that  that 
'olonial  powrr.s  must  quit  \hr  colonips  in  thrir 
inten\*t.  The  iotin*  r  thfv  do  it,  lh«'  bolter  it  '\< 
um.  AVliat  i.<  ha]»p<'Uim;  in  Africa  and  South-Kar^t 
loday  r^liould  uwakon  ihcso  powers  to  Iho  roalitios 
-.'  situaticm.  It  is:  no  u-o  condemning:  thi«  Kremlin 
in  liHppc  niuirs  there.  Tliey  r«pr«-ent  attempts  by 
isinheritod  -'i«i*tinn  of  our  speei(  s  to  reji:»in  its 
orilMije  jind  would  h«Vf  iakeu  i»l'ieo  evin  if  there 
i<;ver  b(.'en  a  Soviet  Union. 

A'  IXTRODT'CI^JON  TO  TlIK  STTTDV  OF 
')riSM  :      /?//    Ji' njn    {*}unuh(t   rnl.   P'/WW//,/    hu 

(tn  n.  Pp.  2(iU.  Prlrr    /?.s\  .{-5. 

'he  author  was  a  i»oweri'ul  orator  and  a  popuhir 
:  of  Indian  nationalism.  Tn  1SS7  when  he  was 
ith  of  thirty  he  leap*  intn  f-nnf  by  .a  nnii-rkablo 
m  for  thp  repeal  of  t'le  Inrlian  Arms  A<"t  in  the 

Indian  National  Tonjires^.  Toward--  the  end  of 
•i.<\  rent  my  he  visited  England  and  U.S.A.  on  a 
imr  mission.  Alonir  wiih  K  dmulramth  aud 
:»indo   ho     ]»arti.'ii>ai<<l     in   the     National   Move- 

anrl  remained  in   tln^  fonfron*   of  publi,-  hfr  for 

half  a    eentury.     He   ^\:i<  senlcTired   for   refnsinff 

•ar  witne«^^^  a>rain-t   Sri   Auroliiiulo  and  impri-nacd 

ix   months.     Duriiijr   hi-s  ronlinemenj    in   Mic   d\- 

rre<ideney   avd      H-ix.jr   r<nfr»l    i.iHs   th«'   book 

•  review  was  writtm  and  fir<1  pnbli-h'<l.  It  i*^ 
ited  asain  after  1)5  yi\ar-?. 

'pin  Chandra  Pal  i.-  t'je  a'i!li'»r  dI  -»  ycral  l^ni^ali 

Engli.^h   books  on    religion   and    polilirs.     liightly 

lUrobindo      ob-.  rv«  s      ihat      he   wa-.  on.:      oi   the 

ic!?t    prophets   of   nation.di-nj.  Tin*   i.-ri  *' nl   !)(»ok, 

rd    into    live    uhapur--,    -Uidi'--    IlniduiMii    in    the 

of    comparative    reliiiion.      In    ih.j    ii->t    •.•hajjter 

.uiller's     iiresenta»i«»n    ol    Ilindii'-ni    i-   (.•'•n-ithred 

;riticize<l.     lf(;  abo  nrdcs  <  bnM   lo  i-oia}    mr    iho 

.tion.s  of     tho   vi»ws  h'M   by     Joni-s.   ('nlebr'»(»k. 

■n.    Moore   and   uihir   W«-<:rn   -.ho!;!!-.     In    one 

he  aptly     obHivi-  iha:    th.-  iioiiiy   -Ji'   ili*-   IJ15- 

indecd    defies    ll«t:t.r-'      «1  •.— iliraiinii    :iiu[    >t  ii.  l-> 

rolf  as  a  di>tini't  cla^-  o;-  ivp".    T!i«-  bi..»'..  'iriiiuh 

vhat    antiquat(.d.    i..n-«iit-    an    i.'pi-.rJuiii- v        10 

what  a  Hindu  onh'r  nnl  Jiaion  .li.-l    :.  icl  to  .-ay 

the  jrro'vfh  and  d'.N ;  l-i-nr  ni    oi   JlindiiMi!. 

.S W A  M !     .1a«  ;  \'}l>.  W  AHA  \  \  M>  \ 

T  THE  THRKSIbHJ)  oL'  J.in:  :  /.'j/  >'.  .-'/'/rf- 

i,       jUin    Pnhlihn'ii    Ih>i.<\    y>o/'. '»•:•;.       /*;>.    •'—''"• 
/?«.  5-5. 

1  India  this  form  of  lit'ri'i'ii-  in  Knu'i-'-  h«>  l-itn 
popular  by  Pandit  J  iv.v!' ::!  •'  V.  1:;!.  11:.-  leiifr-* 
?  daiu;htr-r  Indira  (•..•••.v  Mi-",  bv!!.  i  (I-i.d.hh 
?d  a  wider  .-woep  of  -u ■.-,'•  •'•:•:.  .^Ty.'nim:-:!.  v.-it- 
•om  a  siek-bod  at  Cirii".«'  lb-;  i  J.  M"iri^-. 
941,  spoke  of  the  pi-fall-  a*  t'.r-  aL'-.-  w-jj  :i  boys 
;irl!3 — the  latter  more  e.irly— b::co:iu;     C'l'.'V'Urj  <-*.' 

•  sweetness  in  life. 


There  is  nothing  particularly  new  in  this  topic  to 
be  dwelt  on,  and  Sat\-amurthi  aid  not  attempt  it.  Id 
simi>lo  language — a  contrast  to  his  speeches — ^he  offers 
advir(;  that  i.»arents  do,  however,  ignorant  they  be,  tho 
mot}nr  specially,  (.'arefulne-ss  in  the  choiee  of  friends 
i<  <p«-i'iiilly  in<i^•ted  on. 

From  ihe  tenor  of  tho  letters,  the  girl  Lakshmi  ap- 
pi.ir^  to  havf  ehon-n  (dncation  a.s  her  vocation  in  life. 
iVditie.s  S»<iar*-iii  and  Conununism— arc  referred  to 
<p.  ir»n.  'i'hf  p:»iblrms  rai<«al  by  "untoiu'hability", 
"un-ei  ibihty".  ramr-unt  in  .'^outh  India,  cannot  be 
iirnored.  Sinn-  (iantlhiji  vnnw  to  the  leadership  of 
Iii'ii.in  Vttiunali-m,  it  ha<  lidnod  a  new  meaning.  And 
evi  u  thf  unj<\  or!ho<lox  of  Hindu-' have  had  to  re-think 
in  ihf  iTittrr  .md  n-adiusr  their  conduct   thereto. 

In  pi».  ISO-lSl.  Tamilian--  are  complimented  for 
I:  fir  kfi-nn.--.  hum  nvn' .--.  charily  and  other  manly 
\inn«-!.  Thnir  >hr('.vdrie>s  and  worldly  wi.«dom  are 
topic-:  that  an-  rii-hrineri  in  j-opnlar  sayings  which 
S.'jy:imnriiii  hop'-d  to  cojlcff  an<l  annotate.  Death  cut 
<\\nv]  thi<  wi^h.  Cicikva-.  jii  I'ajajropalaehari  ha«  been 
tloinjr  s»)me!hinir  in   t'  '••  line. 

Salyamrrihi  plavcd  -.  jireal  part  in  the  Home  Rule 
airitiiii-n  1m1  by  Mr<.  IV-ant.  And  when  the  latter 
•  •nii.>  to  >e.ppon  the  Montairu-rhelmsfcn'd  scheme  of 
Oianhv  hi'  tnrn'd  hi-  wrath  on  her  and  poured  words 
ihal  w«r«  noj  deiwnt.  H<»  ouilincd  all  thi.s  and  came 
to  be  :i  tfrcjt  parliam'Milarian  becoming:  Deputy. 
l»;id«r  of  tin-  (.'onirre-«<  with  Bhul.abhai  pe.««ai  as  his 
••hi«  f.  Ii    !-•   !i    rriiii.l   of  which    the  Tamilian.?   can  bo 

pTs'lld. 

St  I'li^H   r^H ANDR.\  Deb 

THE  NEW  ('ZE(TTOSLOV\KIA  :  Bv  Ram- 
hnshnfi  M:ilh<r)ic.  Puhli^h,,]  hii  Ci'vrcnt  Booh  Home, 

Bntnhft,,    /.    Pi>,    in.'..    Pncc    /?.'.    2-',. 

P'M.f.  K.  p.  (;}iittM.,',dhyav  (if  the  ralcutta 
Ui!!\«M-itv  his  wiiif'ii  a  Eon  won!  to  this  publication. 
Ti.  Miilc:r'-''T.  i»»  -ix  c.hM|»ter-',  tv'r..  Cze'cho-'lnvakia 
ivA  '\\,.  AV.  '.Ml  WoiM.  A  b.tn.l  of  Popular  Demo- 
.  1.- •"-.  A  Lo:d  of  l^r. .  '.i:i!  avd  Pro-i-rity.  A  I/and  of 
Pi'»i.M« -•-!.     A   Li!:d   of   P»a-.'  md  PiiO.l- hn  of  Cz'cho- 


.'•>\:iiia.  h"-*  iiiv  n  .,  \riv  ii-lero-linir  acc«Mmt  of  the 
p.r«-ir!c-^  <>i  ]]\'A\  («»imi'\'  v.lii"  ti  !ia^  very  r»'C»nt|y  (20th 
l".  Ivii  ii-x'  \{\is)  sdnpic.!  a  n.'w  sv-t«m  of  (b>v(rnmciit 
on  I'll-  <{'\'i''  p:i'!«i:i.  .\-cn». linir  to  tlic-  autlior.  "it  i*? 
b'.n'i  li!iir -="•  iahi-ni  in  is.  r  own -p.-i-ii]  way."  Li  tdncation. 
.•e.'ii''i|riirt'.  ii:.!n-tri' -  and  in  ,--  I'.iaiiv!'  moth.Otls.or 
f'vv  t''.-.  iiuiiiiT  nf  th.it.  in  al'  ^phero<  of  national  uplift, 
ihv  f 'z:  ••]'-  h.iv.'  mieli  triiiM  Tnhni-  prj.iiEn -<  in  the  ilrst 
tv.i.  y.  ir*'  plan  .'-ince  t'.e  "libr-rafion."  and  tho  socond 
•  !.••••■  vj-i:-^*  p' "I  i-  »<-v  \  i '.•."'.  ■'!  h*  pai-lud  tln'Oiurh.  Dr. 
Af;:'.h«i'ir-  W!ij'<  f!»:ii  hi-  fir-!-h;'n.l  ]-er.ionnl  oxpr- 
t:  i''«  '11.1  1-  -"'li  lii-  ••■;"!':i"  '-f  'lu-  ••■>n»iirv  i<5  cor'^ect 
tr:d  ii]':"!>li  -n  .-)i'i-  '-f  -h'*  i'.«"i«'Mi  iin:*.  »n  *\>:\\  r«n  iron 
1:1;!  I'v  li"iL'-  »■••»■■!•  m'I  1  T"')--  mth^' ••  S<«\  !,••  t  infl^onre. 
T'  \->  v.'i»  *\r-ul  •'■•••I  1':..  S'ivji  ♦  ji  nv-ri-  MihvM-i'ional 
!'..i!i   i'i.  '•iiii'iid  • '»e»ii .-ii.-    ,|'\-,"'n   :V.in}  Dr.  ^IiilTbor- 

•|  .•*>.     ]  ••  10!r-     !•!*     vr  \v     (  *'■  -.-t  n>l(iV»ki-'      *]:'\      '•      l-      ^'cM'O 

Ti  ■ '  ifii;-.!  liiih  JM  i*--  «••••!»<.•♦«•:.•  'imI  •"•n"':-  '1  rr'".r!* '■.!:niP 
!'...n  iefi  ni  *:  •n*-.  T!:r-  l.^ink  I'rjiw-.-  v- w  '!...  •  •  ::  a 
•i.'o'  •.'•vn'- '»'   'Mid   d'-'*'vi"-   '.'!■!••  ••i;''''Ui'i<»o. 

A.  Vk  Dprr.\ 

V.  J.-. I  7,v  S7...'7..'.-  K.:-.  '•'■  .  ■/».  .V/.'./.-a-r   V..  Prcc  7?.*.  )?. 

rr.EAS  AM)  .\b:Hri\^;T.ES  :  /;,  C.  h\  Mnr.dy. 
r..J'!:j'.,!  o./   Th'trl:,r  'mA   (V.   /.'•'.,   Uombcu^^  Price 


72 


THE  MODERN  REVIEW  FOR  JANUARY,  1953 


TALES  AND  PARABLES  OF  SRI  RAMA- 
KRISHXA  :  Puhlishal  by  .SVf  Ramokrishna  Math, 
Ml/hporr,  Mmlma.  Pria    JRs.  S-,"^. 

Talrs  and  parnbK>  h:ivc  bcon  rJK-  niOf=T  conimon 
inc<liuni  for  m;is-  ciluifiiion  in  nligi'  us  rlliirj;  and 
I»hilCNO]»liy.  From  flu:  ♦■•j»iM)di<  «>1  tin.'  Upanishi^ils 
down  to  tin*  \f\y  i.opul.ir  t«'II-talf  «ioiirs.  \\\i'\v\i  Sri 
Ranuikrislina.  an  unli-ltin-l  ni:«u  so  t. •  njv,  n-cd  in 
tho  lasi  c<"n?ury  ti.i  draw  I'uMir  aiu-niion  to  ilu-  hiu:liO"?i 
roncopts  nf  pliil'-vophy,  omm-  ce^nturir^  tslc-  J^nd 
p.!ral)U>>  liavi*  >«  i  up  a  tnuli: iunnl  inip»»r'an«'i.  of  Ui  mi 
\vn.  li  i";  a  niis'akon  idci  lh:il  i  di-i  aif  nu-ant  cxolii- 
•-ivf'ly  10  i'K:i-i'  ili«»  yuunir  'loys  md  uirls.  Tho  •  il^'rly 
pooplc  may  a!.-i>  rt^.i!**  ilir:n*<  l\«"^  with  tlir-..  >!t(»'i<-J, 
ar.d  may  r\fn  (iirich  «]j«»:r  mi'^i-  with  tlic  -pirklin'4 
irf"m>  of  thoimhr  f«»i!''l  ;«i:ain<>  'ho-'  -imios.  How- 
many  lalos  :irr«  tlirn-  wi-.ii-h  w-  haVr  wi  h  nl;-h  IpMid 
fr  m  our  !ir"iudmoth»'r<  or  .-u- ii  proph-  vJm  wiir  h  irdly 
Ijirrcito  ?  How  nnn*h  ilo  v. ••  liUr-  tt»  imm)*!'  fto:ii  ihi»  mi- 
]»K*:i>:int  !ifo  'iia:  \\»-  daily  li\r-  and  to  !>.•  pla.M-d  in  tlir 
cnvironnK-nr^s  ih-a  thr-  i»'»puhir  ^:«>ri<'-«  ittatc  ?  Shri 
Isvaran  ha>  jriv  n  p«iMi.in(.H!  -Iripc-:  to  *om\c  11  .-toric* 
fhat  will  l.r<\i:h.-  air  t»i  niauir  and  dn  asn  in». »  our 
minds  ]»anfinji  for  jrljif  iiom  tin-  'hnx-^  nf  s':«rk 
rrulism. 

FItoy  nth'  A'/'f, /'/'"'//•.  ''•.  :i<  :\\r-  hook  i"  named  after, 
or'.'  >o  mii«  :i  <  hai  iiO-ri>li-  of  the  Kn.-t.  The  KM>t  i«s  so 
«-nudid  and  >|'l».-nilid.  -o  p«\*ii!in*  and  poctir.  Mr. 
^landy  ha-  iakm  il  -lir--  i*iom  liir  in  tin-  Ka>'.  wi'h 
ir>  p' ruli  ir  »-n-i<»m<  :Mid  !••  Ii<f-.  and  ha\(-  jiainwd 
14  word-i'i'iUH"'.  miniatiin-  :  >  -ay.  wiih  vari«f;ai«'d 
Hliad«<  and  t«.»nf-  .  f  (ulmn-.  A-  thj-  li'li-  of  thr  book 
>u.sigi'^t;5  thcrt-  arr  alw.jy--  -onii-  undr'.iniu'c  of  .-.nui;' -• 
tion.  riihr-r  poiii.-  (n  pr-iilriiija!,  in  t-Mvy  Ov-!:-!). 
ThcM"  nmli  rJono-.  in  whatrvi  r  way  -ujiin's'ivc,  mak** 
ihc  >lori»'.-  .di\c  wi";i  :lii  pii!-:M'.ns  of  'ii«»  bi(  .iti.i'iL* 
lif.ot  of  \hf  ar'i-:  .-'.  ry-srihr. 

nvixd  tdiiit>n     of     77-.    p.'.'ihi,  y  nj  S-/   limn'^'il-^li"'. 
fir-i    p'.ioli-hMl  in  U>I.I.  'I'hr-  fhaiij:*-  (»f  ih     til*-  .'f     !-»•' 
l)0oic  Jri"-  lin-n  n»  •' >-:\\\\   i--  «iii-  jissli'i-h*  :-  -•■n'.  ]»-(mji— 
mM«'h   r.'.'W    m.-r''!'   !.  i-   :mi  n    ii."  i*  .!.•!.*•  d       Ti-.i^     n«  w 
m  ittrr   "«.»ns:  ri- -    ,ii«-    ••!!•-    v.':'.-'-    :'•!•     M  i-'tv   r  1,1   i'l 

•  «idrr  'o   i:»!p:»--   ':!"ij    :  'AAu-   n.ijvl    •••.i-   i^j-t    .;,i    •  vry 
-in-li    laji;. 

Tau-  .i.i-  I  .  .-d  •  !i  ••  '-.  .Ai- •!•  U'-i  .i  ill  h,*' .  wiMi 
which  di..-  ••  !!•  •  '  ;j.-  i  '.•  -v  !•:•,-  ■■•.•.  i:;'M:i.  V.'ii" :  .!■: 
;.ar.d>'«-    .:•     .  ••.•i'   •    -■:.'!■-    :"i'>-.'  i.i-   ni"   hiuli    m -rd 

•  'I'l'lii'.'ii'*    '"     •  .J       -  I  ;•    •       '•  •. 


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SANSKRIT-ENGU5H 

THE    XATYA-SASTRA.      a   Treatise   on   Hindu 


Tho  author  iv  wcdl-known  a?  an  rxi>crt  iu  the 
domain  of  San-krii  .ind  Prakiit  litt'ratnrc,  but.  over  and 
:d.»ovf-   the   philoloiiival   tompi-ienro     ho     >howj>  in  his 


.ii.it>  \  I-       1  III         |'4i  i  it./|i '^j;!-.  .1 1       \  t^iii|/«    1 1  tiv  I  -  lit;  •Tll\^n3      111      '' 

r.njili-li  vt  rsirm  "1  tho  diiUcult    i.brran.-rc  corrupt)  to 
of  ih«-  Na'vasi-ira.  Dr.  fihosh  reveals  in  many  bafflii 

*  **  4*<l  t  I*  *  a  A* 


text 
- ly  baffling 

j«.i>-a.i'e^  a  raic  intnitiou  of  tho  <iramatic  intentions 
and  ju-iiiii'aiit»n.  We  rememlier  how  ho  prepared  him- 
-'If  for  till'  oner<.»u-'     ta-k  by     working    on     <liffcrent 


ill-. I'  i« '11.      I.»\       :1I«*      .*i;;-M'I-l   ".MM  ,      5.11  iin*         m\«'»s      XUUliUX 

ii;«dition<  ai  diama.  daiicinii  and  nui^ic.  Dr.  Ghosh 
hopr  ^  to  compleo.  hi>5  ira!i.-laiion  of  tlie  Natyasastra 
after  ei)lliiiin«r  ni.al-iiids  on  the*  nio-1  Tiiutilated  fhap* 
K  r-i  on  M'l-'ii .  But  he  deserve*.-  the  warme>t  congra- 
fulaiion-  tuit  tndy  of  .-eho-ar-  bu»  of  all  those  who  are 
Iryuiu  »o  r.  viv»^  the  art  of  dramaturgy  in  India  with 
reft'p.nei-  !o  i.ur  .iiie-dhl  national  tradition.-a  incorporated 
by  '].(•  -a2e  Bli.o.itannuji  in  Id-  Natya-a-ira.  Its  actual 
dati-  m.iv  be  .-li'l  a  matter  of  di-pute  but  Iho  author 
iia>  I  o!d!\  fixi  d  it-  latly  eompilaiion — no  doubt  £1*001 
moil'  .01  w  nf  m:ii<'.i  d-  about  tlu«  begmning  of  the 
l.'iin-iiin  e  i.  Thii<  India  ean  t:ik«*  l''t:iiimate  pride  in 
'  ••II-.  ^^  :i8^  lit:-  'l.ia.e  and  dramiitie  traditions  through 
\\\r,  fsiouvOid  yeai-.  In  hi>  exliati-ti\t.  Tutroduetion  of 
i'ver  7.')  j:m<-.  In-  h;i-  siiven  in  lucid  .-tyle  the  hidtoiy 
••f  in.i'iii  Indi  iM  I")r:>:iii.  TL  ha^  aNo  piven  a  very 
<  rtlnl  and  -<i«ntifi.-  .m.-ilyn-  of  the  firj^t  27  chapters 
of  the  Xatya.-i-'t  .i.  wlneh  neatly  summari-e.«  the  entire 
njMiJoty  of  Biilian  Diama  .mil  Dancing  in  their 
ih  ••ri:ici'  .i^  wrji  a-  ip]»lied  a-pect..;.  The  book  should 
iln.l  i'-  pla.*.-  in  :\V  the  importan:    public  and  colleirc 

1 : !         .  •  ••i.i:  _.    I        1     .  _       1 


jib:..!  •'.■.-    of    I'idi.i     snd    .abiOjd 


Kalidas  Nao 


SANSKRIT 

\\<r.(\\  \-(in\TAM  \NI       OF       DAMODARA 
Uli  VlTArifAKVA       «M:.dri^     (iovnntnent^  Oriental 
X  •.   l.X.W.'  :    r.'i'" '•    'lif'u   hilrwhtrtittu   by  S^. 


:t     «:i 


1' "',•,    >''."f»w.'.    .t;,"-' .';''/->''.'Om/;/</,       PfOf^ii^Or    O/ 

M-    ■■■■•      !    -/.    /•  ....     /,'-.    •», 

Vv  •.  i:i\i  h- :•,.  .Ill  iditi'"':!  of  a  lii'le-known  work 
oil  Iiidi.iii  nn  lii 'ih' .  Tie  -di'L-.n  \^.  bi.-.«<l,  as  i^lated  by 
■■■••  < '•  ii'  '  -1  d-'M  II  ;  •  -  ::<  .  uii  a  4Kiper  manu-script 
|!'-i«-i  '«.•  ::i'  (i'-.'  -sieni  <>:ienial  Manuscript 
Ii' •  !•.  .  i  -  .:  •  •  ii-  .i.-...-  ::!.iiin-'<-ript  wa.s  available 
'"  =:•  '.  :•. 'I  •  i!  «  .  '••  .i  no  i.'sd:. -isitMi  i-  given  as  to 
•  ~  I  :••'.••,••!.  I  :-  i:  '-{o-..  not  known  if  the 
■  '•'i  ■•  •'  ••■.•  :•; ''liU'i:-  to  :.lic  Taujorc  State 
1  •' •   !•■   !  • '-  ;  .:  K-c     i!i     iliis  connection. 

\    :•         •.■!••■•-    '  .    !.■:!••!  in  t'.s    fooi-notcs  wiUiout 

•'      '■':•::.!.  Thi    wMjrk  consists  of 

••.'.'■'•■   ■••  •■*!    .  .=.•-  .rul  -ix.  iu'duding  three 

'.    ■  a  •:    '  '::•  '•  :•    '!  =  •  •«  irmd  editor  suspcds 

;•.•    V  ••:.•.   ;'..  ]  nblidad  hero  is  not 

V..'.   :•    ~  '  :::     '•. •     :*•    n«  t    rpiiic  .sn*e  about 

•.  *o     i-.    1.  V.    ..'.jhi'ji-  m«.'Utioning  the 

i.V»    ..•!}.!  12  io  it  as  Ayurveda' 

•    '    I  !•     •)■''.     i*«'*     lot.    172)  as  ArogyO' 

-       •        ••■'■•'•    v.o   'i;..  KW.  240)  as  ilrof/ya- 

':   •      ••;.'«:  infortnation  about  itfl 


1 1  •  I ,  .  1 1 


I  •>    • 


■       t 


BOOK  REVIEWS  73 


S8ih  year  !  58th  year !.' 

PRABUDDHA     BHARATA 

OR 

AWAKENED    INDIA 

(Founded  by  SwAMi  Vivekananda  in  ISDG) 

A  High   Class    En^liyh    Monthly    tlovoted    to    l"nivor?al    Religion,    Comparative    Philosophy, 
Education,  Art,  and  other  topics  of  national  and  international  interest. 

Suhscribcrs  arc  mlUtnl  from  .hn'furtj. 
A/ihukI  buhsiripiiou  :  Inland  Rs.  5  ;  Forcijjn  14  sh. ;  U.S.  S  4  00 

CONTENTS  OF  JANUARY  1953  SPECIAL  NUMBER 

The  Eternal  Quest— /iy  Dr,  Ammrsh  Dntia  ^ 

Vedanta  and  the  Problem  of  Human  Relations— />//  thr  Editor, 

The  Voice  of  India—/)*//  Sn:runi  Tfjasanamht 

8ri  Ramakri^hna  Temple  at  the  Belur  Math  (llhi%trnte'l)—Bu  (\  i<ivnra7namurti,  M,A, 

Karma-Samadhi— i?//  JL  R   Diira/:ar,  fforer)n,r  of  Ilihar 

The  Conc'ption  of  History  in  Ancient  India— Zy//  I)r,  Xan'kihtl  Chalierji^  M.A.,  Ph.D.,  DJAlL 

New  Hopes— %  Am'rrmt. 

Bamakrishna  Vedanta  and  the  Unity  of  RiAio'ions— i!/f  f\  1\  K,  Chan,  MA. 

A  Pilerrimage  throuerh  the  Himalayas  {Ulif^trntedj—Bii  Sirar/it  Apnrraufmda, 

The  Tantric  Cults:  T.  Shiikta  Tanlra— ////  />/.  T,  M.P.  Mahadfran,  M.A.,  Ph.D. 

A  Comparative  Study  of  the  Commentaries  on  tho  Brahma-Sutrab    B'/  Strmnl  Vircsnuraimndfi 

Literature  anfl  World  IV.i.!e— Z?v  1>.^  A    V.  Uio,  J/. /I..  Ph.Il 

Some  Positive  Aspects  of  Advaita  Vedanta—//?/  Siraw  G'lrtihhiranandu. 

Religion  and  Science—/?//  1>r,  Mohan  Lai  FcHii,  iKSr,      Etc.,  Ktc.,  Et^-. 

Beautifully  printed  and  excellently  got-up.— Price  As.  12. 
ADVAITA     ASHRAMA.   4.  Wdlinjjton  Lane,  CALCUTTA  13 


iithor.  >niin«  {.)\   \\u-  iMi'nphu!--   ':•!».  o7.   \'-\\.   172.  -Ui)  ('ii,.'  ••    ijn  «  .   -li -i-K    v.»i  t,  •••    •*«n-     tin-     yecaiir.     The 

eiVr  ^c»   him     -imply     ;i>     T.iivl:'.i    I)  ni;'»t.n  t.   -.'U    oi  m.h p     ;   .:^,-   .■,  .  ..f  ,,.  .      ,.;   \\^^^  "\\\.\\n\'<.'    r.'.ii-idf; 

'i?-n'l    Iih:i11:i.  <>ii    l!t»-   )»i-l^   "l"   irr-r.:-.'    •  •.  i«!>  i!-«-.      \' '■  •    ••    !Ii'..|:    •  hm  -ii. ::,:•;•.    >     'i-'W.^.r.   .»    viiion^    cin<'.     A 
i'.'iin('<l   (diior  i-  ^^i   '\\'    'Ji-.u'-*.'!    jI.-.-i    ''I..     ».i'    "r   ^'^'.i-         -  ■  .•      ••'     ■    i    -:•.■.•:.•-•-•...•:   -'Pi-    I'-l  l.oy-. 
loithorviY  aTxirmnnr     Mv  M. ......     .,.:•!..••;■.    w:,^  VIHIVA    VATII  \  •    /^   S../..,.//^  .....//.  A'.  Sr/r/</. 

.ot   u   rf-idaiJ    ot    Nv..-:!'    In.ln.  /..;,;    •    ,..    ,,      >•..;,,../,.;   ;>  /,/.,,'•.,..,.•    J.,./u;//,,   i\i'.,toii- 

HENCAM  Ti.i*  ••  "I-    'i  •■>  I'!!'  .:t  I:.    •••(•!.  '1:  ,1  -.  •:•  ••  .!«Mlins 

RT'PAKATHX:    />  /    A.-.-    '.'.',;...    (;..:■      r  h-  ■..;•      \\ .    i,!'!j!-.-i    .?:•!        ••..•.i.-I\    uif  m-    p..-   <.-Jinnl 

\farhrt,'(\d''*:thi.  P.i",    U\.   \  i.y.  -     l.ii   ••     .;.,  i   Ai"-.    C...:-.  Sikkun.     Fioii   Cjip.- 

lodf-rn    <rl,n1,r.   J^.rm.:.-..!   V^      i-.-     ni^i.=  i^..    ir  .:r->  .,''"''■    ••-•'••;••-    !•:•:•  •=:..•  -m    ..1.,h    ..i    tc-rmni: 

bey   n'i»ri-«»-nt.   \\\    ww    i:!i-':i\«;ci"i  ••    v.  s;. .    I--    -i'.m!'  '•   *^" 

»iul<»-!0|»^v   of  !ii'i  .  T'":-    ri' :••    •'.■'••!;:.'    ••:     ■    !i"   '■•     !••■•■  (»l  J  \KAil 

ban  a  himafdl  v^'i^<,  ."i.  .-ii^  iUr    '^;.  •  =!  ••    i"  l'-v;'«  ,,     ^:AII  \<\!ill  \N  \       ri!  \KaV.»  :      /;.,      V/'/'Wr///.- 

y    ^OnU•    CX<'cr|»U    iVfnn    '.'i-    -r-   '•••'      :l!!»;       •.«•••      M  .'.'     .  /.  ••  •'         .     /'.•..•    •  ,  .     ,'.•..      (,    ^.:.  ir     \  •>' ifO- 

Ti.'«on.   Thai    t]:<     jmik'".    •»•..:'-!.•.••.•.••.    •..    •     :.mm.  i-iiii.  •. ."       .'.•.    .•    .  ■-.  •      .•'.:;;       ■  ..        '••'•■".      I':*.    'i:>. 

iMr*  M   ViTV  ri<ii.  ••i'l':r.i   ]    !i!;:i.!     ■•  .1    .      '    *..  ..i:-.-    'n- ;  ."    •■ 

*  ?nip1y  bur'.ii'  om    '.•\    •■  ■   ••'.:•      *      '      ■.••'!-  "■"  *...  .  ..•!     .  .-■•   !    ■•    ;".    i;:!-   -.1.     .. -^-.i.!!*.- 

nd   5cienrr   ami    t)iU  <o!'«-«;ii,»i    .i!"    !• '.i-n.-.       \    lularn'*'         *  •    .     i     •    .     \    •  ■       '   (    .«,.;  .  ,.   ■.,  .      ••     i/.- .:  •:••■:«   :rt 

n*r\vo<'n  i!Jtpl!ortn.«i    :.  i::v.' *■      .1     .   '■..".•  -    •.  ■•  •.•   ':  •'  i"*"*'*  •'.      •     ..       «•':'!",■  •»..-.-    i  ■!•  -   i.        •  •:.     .    :  v.' i''l 

M.    \      M''»''' • !",  *  •'     ".'.  •     .    '■       <      i  •  ••       .*.•  :.      '•      ■  •'•        •■..■•••■.      ;i:«l 

;  :•  :     •.        •       -i    •    i     •  •      »     .    ■  -     ^.    •  •  •     •"      i     i\  •  ,•  •.  i :  i 

I !      '  .  "       "  ■     '       '  "         ■  ■■■•'••'.*.        i»  <   '  H   • !  -* 

4.,.'..';        {•.     '/,'.!-  '■••:.■        1  •!   .      •.;    .       •  .'•■       •-•,  ••'I'J.'IIm 

'  •  111*.  •  •  !  .  •  .        .f 

.   • '      ••  ■              I  '        |-.         •    .  i      :  •  •  .  -  •  ■"■         '•    !H' 
I •.•  •• '       I          .1 


\\\\W\ 
BHARAT   KK    VIIIM  Vr\  • 

hibl'Ahfd    hit    ^nhr.d'  '    7^  •'  ".     .'    . 


», 


> .    •) 


I        ' 


II'    P.;V     ll" 


Fifioon  ii\\()v\  l»i«\u:.ii  :••  -.1   •':•  :       •    ■  "    '<        .,..;   .. ;       ;     |>« .,  .-.     .•    '      }.  ;      i.'-       r     -  .\   .  \     I):!l«- 

naker^  of  Mod»in   lu'iij    in   i  .■•   -s  ' i  i  .;    ^    .i      ]■  *.-.    j  ...   ;..,•      n-  :,     ,  .j'    ^  ,j;„. 

awaharlal     Xchni.     H  ■'.:!.•!■.•  i-j.         !'..•.•.  .1  -'li-'-  Vv,>\.>. 


INDIAN  PEI^ICDICALS 


Ke-wrilin^  of  liidiuii  History  in 
Free  India 

Dr.     Xaiul.'ilal     (!liat.Urji     writes  in     The 
Indian  Review  : 

Now  lliar  fr«'r«loin  Isa-  ha  n  iichicv.Ml  tlnif  \<  n  •ii'iiiand 
from  ull  quartiT'i  iluu  Jnilian  lli:-tni>  .-liouM  bt*  un- 
written ainJ  ihal  flifp-  .-.Imi'iIii  1i<-  a  m  '.v  itpproaili  to 
historical  slu<lirs.  'Wu-  <l>'man(.l  ib  iii<!»«*tl  a-  naliiral  a-  it 
is  intelligiblt'.  But  th«'  iiiii-liraf^nn-.  i.i-  ihi.  il«!ijaiul  n»«!l 
clarification  Ic-t  iluy  >houlii  be  niiMiiLlti-iool  oi' 
exaggerated.  It  it.  iheifior".  nc<o>'^ary  tti  titui  out  in 
what   iliriTlion.*   a   nvv/   aj^piodrh   is-  talird    for. 

Historiography  has  so  tar  b«.Tn  *'U  •  <»f  ihe  most 
neglected  biumhc*^  of  Ifarnin^j  in  India  ov. in;:  mainly 
10  circunij-tancr >  p.-ruliinj.'  lii>m  aiirn  rulf.  lb-*  only 
approach  to  our  countrvV  lii.-lc»ry  llial  w;;-;  rfcnjiai/d 
or  encourajit'd  by  the  foie-ijin  ruUr?  \\a>  [Uv  nn»-  tliat 
suited  th«-ir  inten-»ts.  and  !lii>  was  dnidi: !»■-:•  viliatfd 
by  the  iisiual  racial  and  im}HT.ali*-l  bia**  thai  ( liararicii/.rs 
the  average  Kiiropran  whin  b»*  l.it»k.  rt  ('''irnlat 
hi'jtory  and  civili-'ili«»n.  M«"*t  ''f  \\u-  hnlian  scbulars 
v/ho  were  nnrlnrtrd  in  tin*  m  b«»oI  uf  hi -lory  ilial,  fi»r 
want  of  a  bclhr  nomrnilalui''.  nsay  b.-  cjli«.d  "Arrj.!"- 
Indian",  echorii  mn'^'ioii-ly  or  at  aii>  !».!••  inh'ii-«I(»'.s-ly 
what  their  foreign  |»rotrit\p»'>  Wf.rt;  fi»iid  ul  n  poaliiii.'. 
T.'ndier  tbetc  circunisiancc-,  a  n-ally  nb;»rii\i'  bi».Jory 
of  In<lia  coubl  m-l  baM-  b"in  all«.Mn;:i.d  -in  i « *.-fnlly. 
Criticism  w.i?  not  inv,  and  Indian  iii-f"i\in-  vin-  fil'v 
aw^are  that  linn*  y\'d'-  a  b<ily  oi  i;riiiis  ui.'-'dc  tb«-'r  own 
circle  of  feliow-wnrkvi*-.  \\at<iiin^:  rai^I'dlN  and  a-  al'-rl 
and  a*i  nady  \n  la!^l•  ••ibm.*',  a*-  ai.»  o|*  tlnir  o'Afi 
countr>nifn  conld  b**.  I'liis  mn- 'iii.-:;!---  of  mi  mr 
«eeinjj,  r\'ii  inqni-ins-n-.d  a'ld  ••ti«  ••  »M»i-lil;it«'l  a  kin  I 
of  invi>ibli*,  yi*t  pottiii.  <  ••nvm-blp  ».liiil|  i-a-t  an 
unheahhy  inlbunri-  <in  tb.*  pn.-!«  —  .i|  bi-Miiiral 
icsrarch  in   hnlia. 

W'bilj*  llx-  Indi.'n  -''..Kir  \mi-  c  i*«:r  ••-»  r  f»i- I  |.v  ib  • 
manifold  biiridliao-  arvl  !i"  •;  ''-ii,-.  'jj.-  .r  •:..•.•«•  io.-'iijii 
hi.storian.  uitb  li'i*";".'!  !•  •  s- •;•'!•  j;.-.  !»•  i.o.*.i  a 
p*y<'li«i|(i!iv   v.bi'b    \^   I  I  ."'a' f«' i-i'«    ••    ;i    •'•!ii5-    •  I-    .    !]• 


v.ffs    inturaMx    i»n»i«'    int'i* 


.n    ! 


•'«  ]'\"\-  !■  ii:f-    o\ 


•-.:•. I     1^  |J.._  ll  i>  •  III'-'-  ill'  •••i« 


British  rub*  in   b'-i'a  I'san   i'l   'I"-  M'jin—   '.'f  li->    l.n  "i;.n 

achir'V«-?'.»r-nt>^  nf  r.-.-'  .iJ-  -.  ''••  i:M':I  •.••••..i  .y-  -v- 
tbin.i:  fr«i!i  tb-  V'-l-uj  i-.  Pri-  -li  -•..:;•';"  "ii:.  .m;  I  j.i., 
•  »j)ini«Mn  Wfi.  •.■''W''!  •■«n.'  i.i  I.--  i.v  •!..■  I'.ur.  ui. 
notion-i  of  i.":;- r'.:l'  •.  .  ^!- ••  nl-n  M-m:  •.!••.  '••  !mI 
VtTV  llilii!  d  •  *■  ••••'••  •:■"•:;  .'I.  i  t  <  .•  r  •  hi'i.in 
Ianjiua;.'>  an. I  i '•',•!-••  ';'!:••  m  ii'>  .•••:>.,  ♦.,  ti,,. 
matf'iaU    in    pri'.  .'•• 

tbini:-  ■•:!■.!   ••••m*     -n    il"    l-.i-'-   ••!    I!mii'| 
r#*«Trrd>. 

I 

T»  i-   n«-\\'  '-I'  t«»  :''••  Ti:  ^i:!'!  -•]!.•!!>-  •••.  ?  "•  •<•  i 

fi«  :i«    all    kind-    "d    »1   '  i    a    tns  •  if!..  1    « '•■"   ■     • 

tin-    Indi.-a    p  «•{'!••.    v.r.I    'b  • '.  '!   •    (••■'    i ••  •'   : 
A/'A  'V  /''.•'••  J-    '»•.')•;••  :«»   i>: 


,H  '      '.I'll  -     l«i 


I  I -1 1   I       \«   •»  ■  I 


II 

I 

:     il 
III    •  .  .  ••* 


re- writing  of  Indian  bibtor>'  culls  for  an  enterprise  which 
is  lM><mtl  thi*  liowcr.s  of  any  bin^^le  man  or  organisation 
or  e\rn  a  generation.  It  is  this  fact  ^hich  is  being 
ov'-iliioked  by  tbo**e  who  arc  impatient  to  have  a  new 
hi-loiy  ot  India  vsritten  on  right  linesj^.  It  must  be 
n  nu.inb  ii'd  that  the  ta^k  will  take  a  long  time,  and 
will  in\id\c  an  (/xprn^^e  whiih  i<»  also  beyond  the  reach 
of  lis.-  tda->  to  wbii-h  our  hi^torian.s  generally  belong. 
'1  hi^  gri'at  Avork  will  baw  to  be  achieved  in  planned 
••lajirs  and  by  (X|"ri  <o-«»pii alive  fflort.  There  is  ample 
-e(i|it>  for  individual  cnti-rprisif.  but,  what  we  should 
now  IrjiikK  nMiognr-t/.  there  will  have  to  be  more  and 
UMue   mn joint   efbnt    in    thi>   din-etion. 

So  tar  a*'  ln«lia'>  anrimt  history  i*  concerned,  the 
oM  ap|>roacb  wa*-  usually  oni.-^idcd  and  superficial. 
Tin*  liurs»p(an  -<b.olar-  wen?  more  cimcerned  with  political 
ev(  nN  than  with  thing*:  ,if  ciilluial  and  sociological 
inrtr»'-t.  'liny  rarcd  mon;  f<»r  foreign  evidences  than 
for  loral  lr;idili<:ns  or  Ui  counts  which  did  not 
corioboratf  tin-  liuropean  standpoint.  Ibcy  were  eager 
r'oii-  to  drt«'<*i  fi»iiign  influences  >ueli  as  Sumerian, 
P.  r-ian.  (Ireek.  Chin*  •»•'  or  Aiab  than  to  study  local 
fv<dnli<in   or  indi«j«. nti'.i-   devtdopmenls. 

A-  i«>r  nu'dji'val  Indian  bi*!ory,  the  older  school  of 
lr'-!or:an-  gave  jin  equally  di.-proporiionaic  attention  to 
politiial  fail-,  and  military  (-vents.  We  were  tobl  more 
id.'ont  war*.  inva-i"n«.  religion.-  perserntions  or  acts  of 
r«na!  barbari-ni  and  mi-eonduet  than  about  the  unique 
s-vntbr-i-  that  e;nerge<l  in  all  a-peets  of  medieval  life  and 
( i\ili-i«riiin.       The    nulural   con«seijuence    of   this   pervert- 

•  il  v'l'v.  of  Miedi.val  Indian  bi-Iorx-  has  been  the  growth 
«.f  ( i'«inini.t'   ba'red   in   modern  times. 

Tb.i*  oM  appn»aeb  to  tbt'  moib*rn  period  of  Indian 
'  I' ••.;».  \\.\"  r-k'v.  i-i-  iMi-^Je-a'iin^  and  al-o  biass4?d.  The 
Ku!op»;!n  ^•(•boklr..  n-ually  started  with  the  presumption 
ih:!  fbiti-b  ru!'-  in  Tinlia  wa-  a  bb— ing  f«»r  the  countxy, 
ai.d  ibit  i;  w!-  lie  p.rili-b  v\bo  had  rescued  Indian  from 
;»•.'••  old   r-nun  bv   and   eon'u<ii»n.      They   depended   mainly 

•  n  die  Kiijli  b  rMo|.',  alone,  and  had  little  inclination 
!«•  n:!'"-'  .dl  iln'  r.vjii. .!.»,.  i\ideni'(s  on  the  Indian  side. 
'M-.--  V  nl.-,5  '\\r\-\  lb..  i',»!i(]n< -'-  (d  a  W'elb'fley  or  a 
1  :••.'' .  M.;,.  ;..:  at-  «if  -Jate-roan-lsip.  whib-  llnfv  dismissed 
*.'.  '  -•    •  1   i:e    \-'  kj  Of  an    \sb'.!r  a*;  in-!ances  of  cupidity 

■  •••  '      ^l.-!      f'»r     «  ono'le-!. 

In  tip*  v\{->  of  ilu'  Enrt»pc?an  srlmlars,  the 
I'm-.:  •••I!  r-rifM  ,b.  p.,  v.inT'ir.  nr  did  so  only  under 
rM;ejd!«»]i:il   :iiis|  fully  cxleniialinir  <  ircumMances. 

1;  .'-.  \>\s.\'r  ri- 1 .- -.jry  t-  reii'einber  that  the  re- 
:•■'■•"  .1-  'I  =  !li'  «''d  jri|".'at.b  should  not  lead  us  to 
!'••        !•"  .M!,i-.-,       lit       ( b::!ivini-ni.       -eclarianism 

i«  '  !• 'Ml  'I- e.  »•.•.•••:.•:  txv  p'-Mvin*  iidi^in.  The  new-bom 
b     i.  ■    •••    i«  :'••••.■!    ]'t'"'-     :••    Irj-iij    may   givi-   rise   to  an 

'  "  :. •  !•••        'i     I    •  :"    l.oiiin    bi^Tory    which    in    the 

'• '• .  :!■!!  :•  '■  !»■'.'•  •••  ?  •  .-.  'iM-i'Miid  and  unhistorical 
...   !i      oi  .    V.    1..  •;..:;.. I    ..••    ..!   j.f   liUtc»ry   used  to   be. 

'■  i.i";  ••  i-  r  ••»  'I'l".'.  f.-r  .ibeady  there  are 
•' .  •'  -  ••  :  I '•■  '!•'.  /•;•.!  J»  id"d"/e  ih«»  past  and 
'■I  •  •.•  t-  •'.:!••  ♦'.•:!.  indi;in«»U'i.  The  truth 
':.•••:••  !•••  :;^'Sil.i.  yi  t  tbe  Indian  historiaoi 
'  ■  '•  V-  '  -••''.  •  •••  •  *:-''u'.  tju-  truth.  Let  us  not 
f'!j?   »':.:    •.!!-»•.'>   i-  .'.  ^•it.n«e  *^t  has  to  be  one,  and 


INDIAN  PERIODICALS 


it  cniinot  be  Itcatrd  as  cirhur  puliliciiy  or 
■nda.  No  cxira'Bi'auciiiir  (.'(insirlraaiiont  $tioul<l 
the  hUtorian  in  InJia  inlu  fiii-or-iualiiii;  the 
of  our  ttutiunul  liUloTy  (or  lliv  &ali>tu<;iioii  of 
jc   spirit   ur  rai-laL  runrc-it. 

Iiere  arc  variou*  pil'alU  in  l)if  palti  of  llic  Imlian 
an  of  loHuy.  First,  thrri-  is  ihi-  ilatiiiiT  ol  nuti'iniiL 
'hich  may  lurn  \\\e  Iriflurian  iiilo  a  iKTu-wuinhii'ifr 
blind  apDJotiibl.  S^oiul,  llic  liisluriuii  iiiuy  ili'ioUii 
miniuiat  ouliook.  Imlia'^  iiailiiiou  ha-^  ali<'''i<iy 
talk  going  on  alMiut  lli<-  Mi-callvil  "filmrulh'i' 
uatctl  thi^  clangi-r.  for  lln-ri'  is  alrcaJy  t-umi; 
'l*alditan"     ^iluioU     of      imliuii      hi-loir.      Ih:rd, 


al  ( 


iul     iLS'lil 


111.- 


k,   for   liavi^    wp 
Mahmaihtrlfan   inijut  ol   ik-w.   lln-  Hil.h   [Hiiut   oI 

tlie  Raiimi  point  uf  view,  ihc  Ili-ngnli  [w-nl  of 
thu  Drariiian  puint  of  \i<-n.  aiiiL  mi  tta't  toiiith. 
iMorian  may  align  hiiiiM'lf  witli  a  (■arlic.ilaT  i-u.-li- 
;ial  e''>'"P'  and  llR-nrliy  giti;  a  Hrntii:  liiin  In  tliu 
itatinn  of  hit-lory.  Wo  iiiu«(  ln-uar.^  uf  t-iii-ii 
a»  ibe  brahmin  |H>iiit  o[  \ii.'V(  <-r  \\w.  noii-Hiuliiiiin 

uf  Tirw  in  maltt-rs  hislurical.  Fifth,  tlic  bi^inriun. 
let  B>^rialrd   »ilh      wmig      |H'iitiiai      iii.-o|i.->    or 

"ijiH."*  The  Eiruttiiij!  ir.-iiii.-iu-)  Ui  juiijji-  rv.-ry- 
in  the  light  of  ihi-  >u-l  I<'nri,  aii.l  IkiiiiiiI^-.  <.<r 
cbool  of  llioitgiht  will  liijki\  hi'-t'itiml  n-iuri-li  ;i 
of  ideologiral  pr[ipa;:miila.  Luslly.  riiir  hi~l-iMjns 
lie  rixk  of  lH:ing  intlin-iii'Ml  liy  |iuny  lovulLit':.. 
d  (layit,  court  bitlorian^  miou-  in  il.-d  r> m ,-  il. 
hims  of  ihKir  ruyal  ma^li-r.-.  It  ulll  Iv  an  ivll  d^iy 
J,  if  the  hi>-loriaii->  of  mir  rmii  tiiiir^  turn 
ers  lo  thi-  rjjint:  imny  of  lh<'  day. 

The   new    Q]>prua<'li    to    IiuIkiii    Iiit'tury    \<.\\\ 
fore  be    enlirely    S'icnlifii;,    ami    wilt    iioL  hi- 
ited    I)y    any    cxtiuiLroiiri    mulivi-j,    liov*siiuviT 
able  or  desirable, 
"he  liinlurimi 


apiirt 


lii. 


oducc    a    inori^    iittiprj)    im 

fe  of  the  nimiiiiin  ii 

at.  ih«n 

ution^.      cultural   it 

..tlirt 

rd  not  in  i^'oli.tion. 

a.  hiih 

d  link*  in  Ihr-  Hmin 

..(  n»li 

inter-rx:lalion    of   lii~ 

havr    lo    he   <:larsi(i.;. 

in    dv 

low   the  entire   truth 

'1  h.< 

vpoUigy.    Ci-0((ta|>hy 

K 

a     the      purvii-w      i. 

the 

amalice,     Kpitrai-liy 

una 

ert-'aicr      atn-jili'ii 

tlun 

red. 

iilhcrl.i.    Indian    III. 

and  royal  ityiia-lii- 

atiil    1 

idaK-'l 


Ih- 


rill    I 


(leoplc  and  ihcir  life  and  culture.  The  hisiorian  o£  the 
futufi-  wiH  liavf  lo  i-oiifi-ru  him'plf  more  vfith  social 
i'['Oiii>tn]i:  aniL'  oullur^i  u-iH-rts  than  with  wars  and 
jiikU.-ii>tH  aii>l  riijal  <'i>nt{iii.>i^  I'ulilical  i-vi'nls  will  of 
ci.iirsc  ioni\  till!  -Ill  1-f  IHI  111-  uf  lii^lur)-,  but  sociobgical 
iliii-liipmuils  ulll  n<-i<'->arily  attract  gnaler  atlenlion 
ill  futur-.  Ill''  L'r>iiiiiii.n  man  ha-  «o  far  bci-n  almoit 
K't^ill)  i^noiv'l  or  ur  j:li-i:lt'd  liy  ihi-  Inilian  hirloriaa. 
till'  li'i-  Ol  ihi;  coiiiiuiin  iicji'lr  will  now  liavc  to  be 
siii.li'd  »ti  ihi^  Ui-U  lit  iill  aiaihibh-  and  hitherto 
iiiiaiviiivcn-J  miirii--,  liiii'iiiiirntary  or  ollitrwiBc 
Ai'li.M"<  >ii  an  |viH>>  ulll  havi-  lo  b>>  rari'fully  expkned 
'jiiil  m[Ii-.I.  I)<>|<ii.<  ill.-  luiidalili-  rlTiurlM  of  Ihc  Indian 
Ili-iiuKal  l(..'i<,U  ('.>i::iiii-ii>Li  miil  the  Indian  Uistory 
The  Hcgional 


I-  Ihd 


dillLuli. 


■I  til  rhi\  J 


•l)>  l.ir  ail>an>'<-il  iH-jond  the  frinse 
ploraii.-ii.  rill-  i.-ry  iminrnfvly  ol 
our  di-iio-al  niaki-<>  our  lafk  indeed 
III  of  tiii-lr-^  wi'.rkcTA  U  ni<eded  lo 
ivplor-  r>'-ry  tiiMjk  and  i-.'rn<-r  nf  ihU  field  before  we 
i-un  n-arh  a  --la;:--  whin  tin-  iv-writin-i  of  Indian  history 
v.il|   he   pra'-lirubk-  or  dL-siiable. 

.ItovF  llUloiy  ha-*  Ih-l-ii.  or  may  bi^  nii-<!iM'd  is  toe 
vi-ll  kiiiiwii  ii.  ii^vd  a  dHaihil  recap ilulalion.  The 
lii.foriat...  of  In-.-  India  will  liav.-  to  rr>i«  the 
ii'N!|'iali'-ii  of  tirri'iiniin!!  |iHni-j:>r;-(<.  or  pro|>ai;andistB. 
II,.-  irHiiiii:  for  umriiii-iil  ai:|ilaii-H'  will  have  lo  be 
i.-::aili.>.l.  an.l.  .'I>.n.-  all.  ).r.>jmli.-.-s  <.[  all  kinds  will 
|i{:ii'  l.i  Ih-  ['.Ml  ri.t  of,  Oiilv  ili'-n  will  ihi:  Hlandard  o! 
.May     the 


of  1 


tl»-ii 


.   ^iid   I 


V  Kit  by     of     the 


:   ol 


DIABETES 

at  an-tiiuiut/iaiaiiuu. 

L:SCRI?TIVE  UTEI!>TU!!EFI!l!!riOM 

IH^ALAVA  DRUG  Co. 

aii.  HORNBY  HQiD.BaHBAV.   *  I' 


AMRUTANJAN 

THE  ATOM  BOrylB'PAIN  BALM/ 


RINGWORM  OINTMENT 

THE 'COSMIC  RAY'FOR  ALL  SKIN  DISEASES' 
AMRUTANJAN  LTD.,PO.BOXK0.6BZ5.CAL.7 


EsId-1893 


76 


THE  MODERN  REVIEW  FOR  JANrARY,  igsS 


Roger  Bacon  and  His  Seardi 
for  a  Universal  Science 

S.  IN.  Sen  writes  in  Science  and  Culture  : 

In  the  hislon  of  m-icmu-c  ami  of  scitiililic  thought, 
Roger  Bacon,  the  thirtrouth  rrntur>  Kiiglish  FranciK-an 
friar,  represvnt**  a  unique  chariU'ter,  with  hardly  any 
paralh'l,  aliout  whom  scholar.^  ha\o  hoKl  and  ^lill  hold 
iliviTgrnt  and  conflicting  \ii\\>.  In  the  lf»th  ccntun, 
Roger  Bacon  was  usually  rejiardcd  a~  a  n<*cn.iinanci'r.  i)lack 
magician  and  alchemist  intfri'^tcd  in  nuniy  secret  art^ 
and  sciences,  of  which  a  ianiiliar  ixanijije  i«  found  in 
ihc  play  Robert  (inene  eriiupo>ed  aln»ut  1392.  Acrnrd- 
ing  lo  Thorndike.  Gabriel  i\aud«r  wa*  perhaps  the  lii>» 
to  draw  atlentinn  tn  the  M'ientific  originality  of  Bacon'» 
WTiling!4  and  thouiEhts.  in  162.').  .Icbb.  in  publishinp:  in 
1733  the  complete  rdition  r»f  Opus  Majus.  Baron's 
magnum  opus,  aKo  tried  to  e^tabli^h  flacon  a>  a  H-ii'nti-ri 
of  great  genius.  KlTorls  of  ihe-t-  earh  «?.lioJai-  n«ii  nul\ 
buecet'ded  in  disjcv.\erinj!  ihr  ^cit-iiii-l  in  Ha«ou  and 
restoring  him  to  the  world  ot  intellectuaU  to  wliieh  ht* 
pioperly  belongs,  but  >taMed  an  fntirdy  npp<•^itt>  (iirn.nt 
of  thought  even  depleting  him  a.-^  a  harbinuer  of  moil«.*rn 
experimental  .scien***.  'I he  researches  of  J.  .S.  Brewvi. 
J.  H.  Bridge.*  and  olh«'i*i  during  tiw  ninctrcnth  ci-nturv 
and  of  Emil  (.harlc>.  Boberl  Sterl.  \.  <;.  l.itt'.i-.  L>nn 
Thorndike.  G.  B.  \andeiwalle  and  (»tiur  iiaconian 
student<%  in  the  pr«'senl  ha\e  t  hi  own  a  flood  of  light  on 
Bacon,  making  il  po-?ible  to  form  a  far  moio  rornet 
eMimate  of  hi**  life  and  character,  hi--  writin?*'  and 
contribution-*  unil  hi*  pla«  c  in  tin*  lii^tit'iv  ot  -ci»'nliii«^ 
thought. 

Even  lo-day  Baton  has  nMiiaiiird  a  r(mtrt»\or- 
sial  figure  that  he  ha**  al\\a\.s  been,  some  hi>loi  ian- 
regarding  hitn  as  an  lUilsUindiiiii  nKMlerni'^l  and  a 
'martyr  of  seienre'  and  idhei'*  holding  a  ni«»tt* 
reserved  and  le:>s  entiuisiia>lic  view. 

But  all  ha>e  niaintainincd  tin-  i/xeeptioiiat 
nature  of  hi-f  writing>  and  thought.*^  whieh  ca^il>  mui:!'- 
him    out    from    hi^    thiitceuth    c<ntLir>     cimtrinpoiaiie-. 

That  int^•re^l  in  Baton  ha>  !»■>  no  iiuju-j  abated  hi 
exidenl  in  Dr.  F^a^tonV  new  -tud\  {Ritfirr  linmn  at,. I  jli.^ 
Starch  lor  a  Initii^ffl  >'7« •/;««'  !i\  l)i.  '*»l'\\a!l  *. 
LVton,  I'ublished  b>  Ba-il  Bla.kvN.IK  ()xf..nl.  pji.22r). 
Price  23  >-li.  nt-t.J  in  '.\hi«'b  an  aliiiiiiil  ha-*  b'*  ii  !:ia«i»' 
to  undfi-^tand  lb*-  !•  ran<  i*^«an  Irlai  "»ii  ilw-  lliibi  t.r  .;iii-i 
re>earihc?.  *  \y  a  tbinkrj-  In-  ni.iv  iia\e  b««  u  oiijiiiuil. 
but  he  \\a->  onl\  uni<pic  in  thf  -<  ii-i-  iliat  a'l  ihiiikii^ 
are  uuiqu**.'  NlorinMj-.  Baniu  l,,i-  !••  b«*  undiT-lo'."! 
again?!  tin-  inttllt-riual  Im«  U-:niiii!  i  ..{  iln-  tl;:rt'«'nlh 
centuiv  Lunopc  aii«l  ag:nn^i  lo*  i\i\\  -i  i  up  oi  ilu-  tailim  - 
and  iiWvfT—* "  iif  111-?  o\\ii  pi-i.-«in;il  «mh«i  .,-  a  -iU(s»iii. 
a-?  J  t«'aclnr  an<l  a-  a  liiar  in  shf  C^i«l-r  he  «  h««-i\  \Ii\« 
t«»  tin*  n»*i  ••*-rii\.  ilii-  .MJtli.T  b.i  •  \'!\  *U'*«  i>-f'iliy  k«-pl 
tin-  bat  kgrnuiiii  b*.  *••?<■  ih«  !«\:'i«t-.  i!i-«  ur-ini  the  srtale 
ol  uni\t  r-i'\  •  d'l' ahoi!  .•:  Ov.'-iii'  aip.  (".iiii|iii«l'.'f.  i||.. 
infiui'DC'*  ot  t'.i'l!-i-  .}!.'  :.n!'. !.  ^o  iIi.-m;  placxs  imnie- 
iliatrK  b.'inri-  ;  r-i:  ••!  •'•..•••n  -  'J!  ••■.  i!;i'  int'-ii-i  in 
.\ri-f«iN-  ii,.i  till-  •':.••.■  ..I  III-  I  iii\ii''ih  :r.r  b- •»''*.•  ; 
•J'aji-i    t"'.\;!ri     ••  i- !   ••.;  c:..    \ii*'.i!.*-    »*.«.rk-. 

r.  !■  ;s  .:ir:  J^i  >  •.«  ''.«•.  -Ji  >\U-  j'l  jh.il  b<  \».\-  b«.>rn  iii 
laiuij.'"'  iir.i  ••'.!.  41  ".iib-iM.,  .•:  Iirl:i.;,|  "iji  ***..-!.....: 
•  i  iioiji  ':' !.  •'.  c"  Li'!''.  ii«b  ai--i  j-o-.-il-Iv  i.nb!--  .■'•:'l'.. 
•«ijiii«  '  ;•'  .'••  I:  •.•i-:!^  .1  n\}i  r.l.  i-.'i-.l',.'  M-  }',...  \.. 
Iriuial  'M  -.';  >  •■-  ip.'I  l.i-  «!«•!.:«'  ••  A!-.-',  f  .»  '.{!.-:  i:: 
i;bonl  i\o  •..!•  Ji  I:!-  Mjt  tiii:  is:  !•••  i'.f- *  Im':.;;  j».-i-.:.'M  I'l  ati'i 
2^'.  M..i:f:  l.'H»  If  \.-..-  iii-.i*  I  :«.  \\.' -.  '•  :..i-::  .ii 
//7-A//-V      /'//',;     ;.;•••:;.    12.)0  I.-     .i.:--'l  ?.•     I.  a-ii     i-?    the 


Ilib  inleres-t  in,  natural  .^cienccsf  roughly  coincides  with 
the  end  of  his  Paris  lectures  on  Aristotle  and  appears  to 
have  been  aroused  by  his  reading  of  the  pseudo* 
Arisiolelean  work  Secret  of  Secrets.  From  this  time 
onward  till  1267  wh'*n  he  coni|)o»ed  his  Opus  Majus,  a 
p(;riod  of  20  year>  or  le-s,  he  nia!>tered  all  branches  of 
M:ience,  wrote  work-^  on  medicine,  alchemy,  ac^tronomy 
•Mu\  astrology,  physiological  psychology.  mathematics, 
opiio.  ph\>ir-*.  t'xperimental  rcienee  and  his  great 
•ixnilielic  work;,  (fpus  Ma  jus.  Opus  Minus  and  i)pu» 
'hrfinni.  The  three  la^t  named  w<-re  prompted  by  the 
tiKiufJatev.  ot  (»uy  de  roukpie.^,  as  a  Cardinal  and  as 
Tope  Cil-.MUrnl  1\ .  rer-fiveil  bclw«ren  the  years  1264-67. 
I'aeon  ditd  in  12':'2.  po-<^ibly  on  the  traditional  date  of 
June  11. 

Th''-  activity  of  a  long  life  spread  over  almost  the 
full  bngth  (•!  a  century  and  much  neglected  and  un- 
uoiict'd  b\  contemporarjcx.  and  chronicles  for  a  consider- 
<".i)li>  length  of  time  after  him.  and  the  poor  state  of  most 
bJ.H  MSS.  have  pre-enicd  a  formidable  task  for  historians 
aiixiou-  to  build  up  a  eoherent  biography  and  under* 
s'iind  hi-  p->eholugieai  make-up  and  the  evolution  of 
hi-»   thoughts. 

Th«;  inll:anc-«'  ot  Roberl  (iror^eleMc,  Bi»hop  of 
l.in«'o|iL  and  Adam  Mar^li  en  Bacon  whose  admiration 
i«>r  buth  wa->  juofound  ha-*  bren  admitt<'d  on  all  hands. 
Baion  pt-r^onally  knew  Atlam.  but  it  is  doubtful  if  he 
ever   n»i*t    (iro-Htt-sie. 

Bui  the  v\ork  which  influenced  Bacon  mobt  and 
lai-ed  liopt>-  in  his  mind  about  the  possibility  of  dis- 
covt-ring  a  univer-al  .science  wa«  the  book  Secret  of 
Scrrris  bv  ?ln-  p-'.utlo-Aii>lolIe.  but  erroneously  ascribed. 
to   real    Aii-totle   b>    Bacon  and    Albertus   Magnus. 

Bacon  wasi  led  to  ihink  ihat  there  vas  a 
philosoph)    which   inclinhMl  all  sciences. 

\nd  ihi*  *pbilo..«»pt|\*.  a-  he  is  ni*ver  tired  of  telliiig 
U-.  i>  not  iinl\  ubal  in  hi*  time  wa«»  called  philosophy. 
l!:«-  sch«da*iir  di*<  ipliiw*  ineluding  *ph>«*ic5.'  and  *mela* 
[•.li\-i<*.'  but  all  -ri«-iiei"»  which  have  Hince  been  called 
tii.pni.  a'.  All  h.'iv.-  ihrir  rontril.ution  to  make  to  the 
:r;iijiu:?  id   what  In-  eall««l  intc;:rit(is  saptentiae."' 

Tbi-  b."li»'t  ill  a  iinivt-r^-al  '-«i»*ne»'  or  in  *the  unity 
of  knowli  ilm-*.  a-  T'ri»\.  Sarton  put-^  it,  grew  htronger  in 
him  wi'h  \«ar-.  Ill-  I  d«our<  of  about  20  years,  from 
lie-  «nd  of  hi-  <aiefr  at  tin*  rnivfi^sily  of  Paris  lo  his 
{ p.-'iHciii.-n  of  tlif  'OptTa'  lo  thi*  Pope,  during  which 
bf  rn;c|M.«.id  Mio-i  of  hi*  ii!ip(»rtant  works,  were  dSrccted 
III  lb.  -."I"  i.iij.i  ti\i«  id  r-iabli-hing  bis  belief  into  a 
iiMt'..  Ill  -!H  II  -i!i  :!t'i-i)ipt  no  liraneh  of  study  can  be 
•  •.!n  ••'(•d.  \l|  niii't  b«  fidly  tak' n  into  account  and  fitted 
in.  In  .jitdirini*.  I'«-  rtnnp-<»ed  Mrtficaf  Opuscula  (1250- 
nn,  i;i  !iialli»-ma!i<*  />e  hiii.Hhus  mathematicae  (1257), 
I).'    it^rtniro    I*n\- hii'!     'I2r»0).    Communis    mathcmalica 


BA^K  OF  BA.\KURA  LTD. 

:^3.  SlicinJ  Ro^d,  CALCUTTA 

I  I'or-sl  on  S.Trjj*:?  Dsposii  S*^'.!  Per  Annum 

l:i:.*rcv.  .::i  FixeJ  Deposil  3-'/n  Per  Annum 
f.>r  I   fes^r  vS;  vv.er  i  vear  4^/0  Per  Annum 


•;   '•'  f--i   ..'!  5   ."•••'I'lv- 


hh:h\ 


I  1 


»•  '    . 


C~  t  !  f  * 


V    '.  i  .  , 


Cfiairman  t 

jAGANNATH  KOLAY 

M.P. 


K0IAX  PtBIOMCALS 


M. 


,  Computus  (1263-6$),  in  optica  Ptrtpectiva 
I,  Treatise  on  Jiaiabow  U^3),  in  phyiici  De 
iicatioae  6pecierum  (1262^  ;  and  also  a  nuoiliei 
rlu  on  alcliemy  snd  phyiioluBii:a]  psychology, 
be  Papal  mundaic  was  the  must  EigiiificaDt  event 
cod's  life  and  all  eiudcnt*  of  Bacon  pay  conaidur- 
ittentiuD  to  this.  Dr.  Eactoii  bos  deputed  a  full 
a  on  il.  boiuetiiiii.'  in  i-'JH  or  1:264  Guy  de 
uci,  Carilinal-Bibliup  ol  ^.iliina,  prusumaLly  on 
initiatiie  ol  llucnn,  rc^ui'stud  him  tu  send  liit 
lia   and   ^uisecsled   runiL-iiii-«   lor   cuirt'ni   evil  rondi- 

adviaing  al  llir  same  liiiii:  lo  prsccvd  in  utmost 
y.  In  iLHio  fouliiui-s  hixatiK:  I'uih'  Clcmiiil  IV 
ibout  a  >i.-iir  laliT  in  Juiii.'  Ubb  In-  ti.-]>i'aii-d  liifl 
>l    10   liai'iin    lo    »iia    liiiii    111-   ui 


the   t 


injui 


'•1 


Mill. 


llaco 


'lertiiim  ai.il  <'iiiiitil)>-d  Kiib  iIm-  l'o|N''it  niiuust 
;Ddin£  thr  lirnl,  and.  ui'i'<>rdini;  in  miiiic  s-iliolars, 
he  61-Cund  unil  tin-  third.  'I'he  I*ii|k''i>  rcavlii'ns  un 
ig  then;  works  art-  ni>l  known — jirnhalily  lii'  did 
Bve  much  liiiw  lu  luriii  any.  u>  hi-  died  in  I26t). 
>pai  Minus  and  Opaa  Ivriium  ili.arly  ri'Scct 
1,'t  anxiety  lu  iiiijirute  ujimi  and  supplement  the 
nation  haslil)  tpvi-u  in  U,iiis  Maiui.  Dr.  t'J^nIun 
t  thai  ViiHS  Mains  and  O/ias  1/inus  wi-re  sent  to 
'ope.  bul  niil  the  Opus  Irrtiun.  tt'iiile  mure  or 
complete  copie*  uf  llu'  first  Iwu  liave  been  found 
e  \'atiL'an  lihiar>.  «•>  .MS.  i.f  t'le  Opus  Tetlium  has 
leen  found  there  di>|>Jie  iuii-ii=i\e  ^I'srcli. 
:hapter  IX  bai.  btin  ityl-.d  Tbe  I  ni\ei«il  Scii-ui^ 
i£er  Bacon',  wliich  is  uiidubtcdly  the  inu»t  iinpurlant 
e  wliote  book  iuamiuch  at  it  Mvk-  to  expbin 
\'i  liew  ef  bcicnce  and  his  method  ol  arriving  at 
knowledge.  I  ihink  it  ^iioulil  \ux\f  Itcea  niuri> 
iirialely  called  'Buion's  I'liilnsupby  of  Scii-nce  and 
lethoduloiiy'.  .Any  form  of  iini'siinatinn  pretupiKisea 
xistrni-e  uf  u  bL-li<-I  ;if  a  ii-rlain  kind. 
For  a  natural  siunitist  it  is  Cf^i'iilial  to  liavi; 
belirf  (hat  tutiirc  is  kiitiualdc  utiil  tliut  there 
possibility  uf  fiiuliii^  uul  tin;  ttuth  abnut  a 
till  range  of  phcdDiiiuiia. 
tlodern      ^eii-me     »iih      tli<'    •.i~f\-.       iitiptuved 


lation  on  authority  alone  ;  aiace,  t*  Bacon  realiied,  we 
can  never  be  really  certain  until  a  thing  is  demonstrated 
to  be  true  by  tlie  evidence  oi  our  senses. '  In  other  words 
Bacuu'e  acceptance  o[  revealed  knovrledge  wss  pcovitionol ; 
it  depended  on  empirical  verificalion  of  the  data  of  reve- 

Bacon  recognizca  three  stages  or  digniiiei  oE  hii 
seicnice  u(  experience.  The  [lurpuse  of  the  first  is  to  pro- 
vide veritiealion  ;  llie  liccund  is  coueeiucU  with  dlscoverini 
the  inler.ielatiousliip  of  ihc  various  sciences  end  ihiu 
devekijunj;  u  s)nlhe>is  of  all  H'ientirii'  knowledge,  the 
need  lor  which  Itaioii  tell  very  di-epl)  ;  tlie  third  is  con- 
cerned wilb  ilie  ii~e  Bn>l  applicaliou  of  leiences,  a  task 
wlilcli     iIi'vuIvcf     on    lliu      praL-lical      scientii-l      and   tlw 

Uii^iT  rjcmi  vtj-  [jriinarily  u  thinker,  'one  of  tho 
> ,  and  a  Visionary. 
T  mure  coireclly  uk 
eJiipii'ii  al  kiiowl'-(l|!t'  derivi  d  from  exiierii-nce,  he  wn 
a  |Hjur  I'Xpr-riiuenlulisI  him-u-lf.  He  did  i-ixnid  a  part  of 
his  two  tliiiuronil  (■<''-in>I>  on  exiKTiuH'oi^  vj'ectuUir  in 
i-ptios.  uliire  he  uniloulitiilly  nia'k-  tome  oliwrvalioos. 
Ill-  also  ohx-Tveil  the  -larii,  cludhtl  the  rainbuw  and 
rilUtion  and  nfrai-lion  o.'  li^iti  from  hexueonal  slones 
iinil  <.t!^:b1'  protluelni!  brl^du  colnuri.  He  was  acauajnted 
with  ilie  lioini;)-  i>l  alchimisi-.  \Miai  apprars  tu  be  tme, 
he  intimal'-ly  kti'^'  lb«  I'Kpi-ri mental  work  uf  Peier  of 
Marit-uun  dud  others  iit  bin  tinie,  unil  luuk  full  advantage 
(if  ihi-ir  work.  U'hiln  be  lived,  ihere  were  great  dia- 
eovereri,  fx  peri  men  talisi.'t.  unit  men  «f  seit-nee  ol  whom 
Alherlus  Mapnui  wai  thi^  grealrsi.  ''But  bis  gTcale«t  work 
slill  Ktand'-  lo-day  with  the  halbnark  of  fenius  upon  it; 
with  all  the  faults  uf  his  brilliant  ai^l  erratic  nattire 
imprea.-4'd  ujion  it  lur  all  tu  see  ;  but  still,  wilbout  any 
iluubt,  a  ijiasteipiece," 


:>i-ih<>., 


.■.-In., 


U-Uilllv 


.<-U  1..  find 


low'  eerluin  lliins- 

liu] 

,,„„  ui 

lid    il.    >llu«     -bow- 

CI '[lain 

unena  can   b.-  mui 

:1>.    1 

;-al    ..b..-,.,Li,-|y   a.) 

lywhere 

It  any  lime.     KroJ 

»    tl 

.i,  d.J 

iioiiHraLiim  uf  'In 

>»-s,'  it 

tu  build  up  a  bi..l 

expla- 

n    of   -vthj^-    and 

■vsb 

als     » 

■  iiieb    it    b.-lieve,. 

to  be 

ly  unkniiwable. 

rbe    medieval   altit 

ude 

■luite      liie      iilh'N 

r     vay 

;.     In  the  ab-.-i...- 

iiimi.l. 

-    .Il.lbnd-    nl'ob-" 

ex|ii-rimem».    i"i>l' 

l.liui..-.-.    ill.,    mi 

■dii'iaU 

birgely  unable  L. 

di: 

i..-t  til 

i.ir     -mluirie,  lo 

■bow- 

8  happen  and  in-l' 

■.,d 

l.iv.n  1M  ULluii.-. 

by  Ibe 

ilalive    and    i-yllu^iii 

melhi 

id*,   -wb}"    ibev   1 

iu|ipen. 

»o   when    iliet>-   wa 

..   a.l,. 

n-iali-   m.-.m^   uf 

liudini; 

ledp-    by    diiiet    . 

lb-."' 

and    ..M".im.Nl 

.    such 

ledge   mu^t   l.r  1... 

1.    i 

]i   ibi- 

mind-   id   -aimbl 

ied  to  the  cnai   - 

\-s    lb. 

if   Uud. 

mcdietaU    aecepti 

.U."'h       1 

i-..jkd    ku..w!.-.l 

tie    lur 

ed. 

Bacon,  too.  pinnni 

hi' 

bi'li 

|..      I.vial.d   kn. 

l.h-,!i!« 

an  imputlani  tari.i 

III.-     V 

J-   ipmIii    !,.  «    :iii. 

md  which  >Hi;ile- 

■t  Tci-ealed  know!'" 

il;;.' 

it  does  so  only  <1 

lib  !h.' 

.      "If  roralrd      kl 

"'Z\ 

rmed  by  observation.  i> 

L   lb.'   V 

.  uoubl 

to  confirm     faith 

ttU  r.-v 

I'hiiion,     iiii  ludiiiu     the 

«  of  reUiioD.    It  V 

ra  ; 

001  en 

ouisb  ty  a^eejil  the  ICTC- 

78 


THE  MODERN  REVIEW  FOR  JaXUARY,  1933 


Unity  and  Harmony  in  Sanskrit 
Literature 

The  following  is  an  address,  as  published 
in  The  Aryan  Path,  delivered  on  August  25,  1952, 
by  K.  Balasubramania  Aiyar  at  the  Indian  Institute 
of  Culture,  Uasavangudi,  Bangalore  : 

In  one  »cuie.  Sliakf.*|)»'arf  ^hll^v>»  u^  llanilot,  the 
Prince  of  Denmark,  walking',  i railing  a  book.  Polonius 
mvHs  him  ami  a-yk*,  "What  ilo  >«'U  r«-a«l,  my  lord  T' 
Ami   llanilei  ans\\rr>  :      *'\Vun!s,      v\nr«U,      words." 

Evidently  not  tati^-fwd  with  this  an^-wt-r,  Polonius 
further  a-«ki»,  "What  i>  thr  mailrr.    .    .    .that  >ou  read?" 

Now  it  may  b<'  tru<*  tiiat  s<>im*  honks  %ve  rraii  are 
"wordi*,  wordn,  >\oid>."  Kul  n<»  gn;at  literature  i*  merely 
iv'urds. 

The  English  wt»rd  "litt-rdture**  i?  deiivrd  from  the 
Latin  Uwra  H«'ttrr».  Bu-^  thir  word  for  liifralure  in  Sans- 
krit is  much  more  <*xpn>^ivc  ami  significant.  It  is 
Sahif^ya  or  the  >tate  of  union. 

Bhamaha,  the  {ireat  Indian  rheiorit'ian,  oxiiands  thia 
as  the  union  of  !^aljdu  antl  Artha^  nam»-ly.  wtird  ami 
seu^e  united  loj;«lhi*r,  when-  the  harmony  e»»nM-t»  in 
eniiancin;;  tlie  b»'aut>  of  the  rasa  or  leflhctic  sentiment 
of  the  eompoxition.  It  is  a  complete  harmony  and 
connnfn*uratnnc?">  bclwein  the  <\pre."ir*ion  and  that  which 
is  cxprcsMMl,  betwei  II   i«»rm  and  content. 

-\nolher  great  Indian  Altmhirika,  Kunthaka.  ha* 
described  it  thu!> :  'Sahitya  is  the  harmony  between 
one  word  and  anolhfr  in  the  e.xpre-^ion  and  between 
one   idea   and    another   in    the   ».xprc-se<l.*' 

The  jireal  Vai.-hnaviti-  -^ainl.  Para-arabhatta, 
similarly  speaks  of  the  Souuhatra  <brotherline??) 
between  the  words  and.  the  brotlnrlirif.-*.  between  the 
ideas  and  pi  ays  io  I^kshmi  to  vouchsafe  to  him  this 
boon  of  literature.  Hin<e  tht*  linc>t  pueii\  eon^iits  in 
the  perfect  union  or  complete  undcr>tandin«;  that  sub- 
srisls  het^x'in  the  \\ord  an^i  the  '•••n-c .  Metaphoiically. 
this  has  be«n  .-omeiliiu*^  drM:iibed  a^  lh«*  niairia;;«*  of 
word  and  Mn-e.  \Vilfr«d  Mevnoll.  in  hi-^  biographical 
not«;  to  F!'anei>  '1  i>o!:.|'oon''-  iM»eii!«.,  write.*:  "Sisti'i\ 
Simt::i  is  a  iio..i!i  t«.  I»e  i.-ad  aioud,  fm  -«ijnd  anil  >•  n»«e 
herein    ceji-brate    thiir    i:i\ine    nut»tial-." 

Kahda^a  liki  n>  ilic  iininii  of  .shiv.i  and  I'.irvjti  in 
the  Artlhanutismni  i«ii.n  to  tin-  iim- ii  of  \  nL  and  Artha 
word  and  ^-t.Mi  >t  .  in  /r/f  h.mrr.sti  » I .  n  i  i  i  <  *a  i  d .  "  Fo  r 
the  correct  liii.l'-r-t.-iiidiiij  t.f  >M»r»U  aiiii  tii«ir  irn'.uiin:: 
1  bow  to  Par-»ali  and  ParaJin -wiira,  v,ji«.  an-  ih*-  parent- 
of  th«*  iinivi  r-»'  liin!  a'*  a--ni-.  ni  li  h»j«  fl;i-r  Iski*  woni-* 
and  their  sen.-i*.*  It  i>  ii«»i  tin  '■:  ilriarv  un. 'ii  oi  >-iiund 
and  hen-^e.  which  ri.rii.'  n  a  .•  s-l  «..:«inu  a  rri'.-.Milni; 
iiud  «l»*nufi!i«r   i!.    !:    i-    i   'inioh   fi:r   r .  • ;/.  •.•  r.   \i\   wl;!ih. 

I.I  !!e  'Ni'id-  .iriii 
a    -Ui  ■•  -lii'U    of  a 


!ii'-     !•:.  111:11 


1; 


apart     from 
M  riit-nit  K  <•[     I    ir*  1. 1.  * 
noidi-  fincfiiin   01    i.">  i    •. 
<  t.-mpwiiit  II    ar.i    «  .:  .•  ••■« 
l.tv.n   <•!    tl   ■  '  •     :•:•■•■• 
l.)hri:is':    :u    "n  .j.-i, ••..    II- 
lik'-   \'\\"-    ..  .    \  .  .:  . 

nafi;-  !> .    •  •  •  •. 

-.•:»•!•,      I  :•       "    •  :  ■! 

s  .1.   .  I  • 

1:.'      .  .•  •   • 


:}!•  i. 
I    •  III..;!" 
i:i>'  •  .1.  ! 


..."  '!' 


:  III- 
ilii!- 


<■     b  Mii'v    «»'    jll*^ 
Vt      iiiv    ill    the 

•  d     jTJeat    pO"'t» 


!  •  I : : 


i:i 


Ji.:-    I)} 


•/.' 


■n.. 


il 


!..:■    :li« 


•  Hi 


.1 


I:.- 


[• 


•  ri 


:e.  .•! 


*     I  * 


is  not  merely  tl.e  sweetness  of  the  sound  but  is  also 
the  outward  expre.'fsion  of  the  beauty  of  the  soul.  Thus : 
**Wheu  she  of  sweet  voice  »pake,  radiating  nectar,  as 
it  were,  evi.-n  the  notes  of  the  cuekoo  appeared  harsh  to 
the  listener,  like  the  sound  of  a  harp  untuned-.*'  Many 
more  example-s  can  be  <;i\en  from  Sanskrit  literature 
but    I   shall   re«>i>t   that   temptation    lor    want    of   time. 

There  are     three  aspects  of     unity  and  har- 
monv  in  Sanskrit  literature  : 

<lj  Unity  and  harmony  of  word  and  sense.  (2) 
unitx  and  har:i:onv  betw<eu  .Man  and  Mature.  l3.'  unity 
a!iit   hai'ii.ciiv    luiwit-n    [Nature   and   (iod. 

luviian  poets  have  tdti'U  pictured  to  us,  by  their 
beautiful  description^,  the  unity  and  harmony  of  feeling, 
emotion  and  ^cn^atjon  that  cxirt<>  bctwctru  man  and 
objiMi^  of  Nature  >u»h  as  HowtT.^.  creepers,  plants,  trces^ 
animaN,  anri  even  inanimate  things  like  clouds,  rivers^ 
n.ouniaiii%  -tc.  'Itie  poet  W  ori|«»wort}i  "•avs  : 

Thanks  to  the  human  heait  by  which  we  live, 
'llianks  to  its  tenderne?>,  it>  joy.*.,  and  fear». 
To  uw  the  jiiean(*st  flower  that  blows  can  {live 
Thoughts  that  do  tdtcn  lie  t'><i  deep  f.ir  tears. 
The  finest  de^ciLjition  and  nali/afion  oi  lhi^  unity 
of  human  beiiij:.>-  with  Nalun  will  be  found  in  kaUdaf^a^A 
Safi'un'ulti.  The  heroine  S.ikimJala  i-  a  child  **{  Nature, 
rcaretl  in»m  her  infamy,  a<  Inr  \ri\  nam**  implies,  by 
the  beauiiiul  bird>  of  the  fore>t.  Sin-,  the  abandoned 
child  of  an  apsara  of  heaven,  ir-  picked  up  by  the  great 
sage  kanva  and  bruuglit  up  bv  him  in  the  atmosphere 
of  his  ttiiwranti.  She  live,  and  nuives  and  ha:»  her  being 
amongst  the  ereeper>.  plant>  and  trcrs  «»f  the  forest  and 
grow>  a-*  a  comjianion  oi  the  ^<iii|e  deer  and  of  the 
lamb.  Sh«-  luvf-^  ilie  ereepirs  and  «leiight>  in  tcmlintf 
the  plant"-  and  waleiinji  tln*in  and  revels  in  the  enjoynieni 
of  tin'  forcM  .-cenerv .  \X'ln  n  .-he  g«n  >  to  j(»in  her  husband, 
Dushyanta.  oerythin^;  in  the  lu-imitage  js  moved  with 
the  grief  of  >eparatinn  iiom  Inr.  I  he  *aae  Kanva  calls 
on  the  tret",  lit  the  herniUaL'e  to  bi«i  iaiewell  to  Sakuntala 
wh«i  is  ;'oiiig  awav  to  join  her  husband  in  the  *'ity,  and 
he  utters  a  bi-auiiful  \»r*.'  d«  *«  riliiim  the  affection  and 
fiiiiid  hip  that  suliNl-t  beiwc,  a  SakuiVaki  and  the 
<t«-.  I't-.  pliiiif--  ami  ii'<-N  of  ili»'  !"nn'rt.  It  seems  that 
.Sakhniala  w«uiii!  ifit  dunk  »\at''i  bi-tdp-  *lu»  had  watered 
the  plant*.  Km  n  tho.j;:h  f«»rid  i:f  •nnament'*.  on  account 
of  Ini  allection  f«>r  ili«*  •  ir.jur-  -hi.'  would  not  pluck 
th»'  i|iwi  r-  fiiini  iln-m  and  -hr  <  :■!•  ii;  at'-d  iur  te,vn  f«-ii>al 
vvlif  II  tin  ir.-  -  «.|.«>w*d  ih.'ir  li;-!  ^proii!^  in  the  ^prin$:. 
.S>irh  i-  III'-  atlumminf  oi"  In  ait  witti  Nature,  that 
Ka'::.-a  -pl^•l^-  i>i  !!:••  urr-  Iraviim  .:iiven  her  presents  on 
til-  i.i-.:i-i.ii  •■•  l'..i  1. .•:,.',  {.I  J:,  r  i'li-baiid,  in  th^•  shape 
o!    !"  !:}!i!'il    {i..-..,iv    •,i!.'i    !..i    :•„:•:.    lor    hie  ilve    for    her 


It « 


CAN  IE  TREATED  WtTN 


PILEX 


P  I  JL  L  I 
OWTKfiNT 


fOlJO  ty    LEAOiNC    CliEHISTf* 


HIMCO  LABOflAtOmES 


&M,  MOftM9V  AOAA.  VOeT,«0««ftAV. 


Vi 


INDIAN  PERIODICALS 


79 


Kanva  likes  to  call  the  trees  the  nearest  and  dearest 
latiyes  of  Sakuntala  and  to  fani:y  that  the  trees 
)]ied  to  him  in  tli<;  hcauiifiil  M.iund  of  th*'  cuckoo, 
fore  parlinp:  from  the  li«*rmitage,  Kalidasa  says,  she 
ces  leave  of  the  vanajyotsna  creeper,  wliich  lias  just 
ined  it^df  on   the  branch  (»f   tlie  mango   tree.  Kanva 

moved  with  the  same  feeling  of  t>atisfac.tiou  at  Sa- 
nta la's  joining  her  husband  a-j  at  the  crcep'-r  approach- 
I  x\\f  mango  tree.  This  po<'fi<^  fani'v  of  the  oneni?.<s  of 
in  witli  Nature  i^  >u^iained  by  the  ctmviction  of  the 
n«krit  pixels  of  the  truth  of  tin;  one  Sprit  \\'hich 
rvadef  all  en-alion,  an»l  exisi-^  as  much  in  the  objects 

Nature  a-^  in  t)ie  human  mind. 
John  Ruskin,  in  his  Modern  hiintcrs.  Vol.  IH.  refers 

this  as  th»*  "Paflu^lie   fallacy."   lie   sa>s  : 

•*This  falIu«->  i^  of  two  piincipal  kind*. 
.    .    .it   i»<  the   falla«y  o{   wilful   fancy,  whirh   involves 

real   txpeeialion   that    it    will    be   lnd'eved;    or   el-e   it 

a  fallacy  r«au-ed  b>  an  r\fiii*d  v.iaie  of  ih*'  feelings, 
:king   u-^.   for   lh«*  time,   more  oif   h^**   irrational." 

By  way  of  illi:>irraiion.  he  quotes  the>e  line-t  from 
ton  Lock*'  : 

They    rowed   ht-r   in   acn»ss    the    ndling    foam — 
The  cruel,  crawling  foam. 
*"The   foam   i-   n«»t   cnirj.  neither  does  ii   crawl.    The 
te  of   mind   which   alirilmtr-  to  it   the<.«'  characters  of 
living  creature  i^  ine  in  whifh  the  n'a<on  is  unhinged 
grief.       .Ml    violent    feelings    have    tht?    same    effect. 
ley    produce    in    u*    a    fiiNeiif>«.   in    all   our    inipres-ion 
external   things.  %\liich   1    would   grnerally  characterize 
the  *r^athetlc   fallacy'." 
Indian  poets  have  taken  a  different  view. 

Indian  ports  sre  no  fallar-y  nor  anything: 
ithetic  in  the  attrihulion  of  human  frelinirs  to 
jjects  of  Nature  atid  in  the  realization  (»f  the 
litv  and  hannonv  (d'  the  jnentient  and  the  non- 
ntient . 

Tliey  feel  a>  Wordsworth  f«li   when  he  wrote  of  : 
.    .    .    .that    .srrene   and   blessed   mood 
In    which    thtr    aff«Miion*    gently    l»-ad    us    on.-  - 
I  ntil     the     hr-'alh     ol     ih..-     corponal     franu* 
And    e>en    the    motion    of    our    human       blood 
Almost    &u^ptn^l^•^l,    \\v    iivr    laid    a-^hep 
In    IkkIv,   and    1"  come   a    livini:    soul: 
While    with    an    ry    w.i\t\f    qii'wl    by    th«'    pi»wer 
Of    harmony,   and    tli.-    dtrp    pow»r   ot    ioy. 
We  sre  into   the   lif«*  of   things. 
And  ai;ain,  when   h«'  '-a>s  ; 

And    I      hnxe    ff|i 

A    ju'i-^enif    ill, If    •ii-^i'irli-    n\«-    uiih    tli'-        i<»y 
Of    eh'\atfd    thoiJi'lit^:    a    *«'nv«'    -iihii':'!- 
Of    sometliing    tar    nniri-    dn  pK    in!«  rfss-il. 
WhoH^    ilweliiii;:     i-    ih**     liiihi     of     ■I'tliui:     -mii^. 
And    the    touTi!i    oci  an    and    th<     li\in'Ji    ail 
And    tin*    lilu«*    '•ky.    .irnl    in    *.\\v    i/-n  I    of    iisjn: 
A    motion   an«l    a    -piii-.    liuii    inip-.'U 
All    thinking    ihin>:.-,   .lii    nlii.-.t-   o|    ,;li    ili'tu'.dii, 
An«l   ndU  tliPiigJ!   I'll   ihiii'.:-.    .    .    . 
In   the      .U«%//r/\///'./f  •//.      K   I'<'.!;i      iiii-    ihl-    miv 
e«tion   and    an-v.ir^    ihai    th-    l«..«   '.!ii'ri    -..-.l    v. i!|    ..<-i- 
diff«'renr<*    ImMw  >  n    -i-i.t'iil    aJn!    cn-i  niii  n*    ImIii;;-^ 
d    he    therefon*    laktv.    ;,-    •\].-    \-\\    ,.f    hj^    [firu    th-- 
irling  of  a  m«  ^-atii-  uiih  .«  <•:«•..«;  :!\    ji.-   N..!,|i-  'i!!!'.!!: 
.»    iH*rin*l   of   hi*    -:-|i.!i...»:     ••..      I-  .    }i.|-\...    •  ..•    lis- 
mp(»rary    residfm* :    «>n     \i- ii:i-     l»   •:•.«.!.     -u     <  .!»!    •, 
dia,    to   the   di^fan*    cIjv    d     \Ii'-.l    •!•    ■.'•!      li;  •• -..i'. j-. 
lere  hi^  belov»'il  f -i  It-.      • '•     ;•«•  :     !•   .s   ?'■    ••  -•    ••m'-. 
exquisite  poetie  t:in<  '• .  ii)  v  ■  ■  !■  :!.  •  u*:.  :•  •••  I    •!  :••  •.•  .  i-  •• 
the    lover    is    fin«  l>        ':•  !    •        ' .  '  *  •  .  -ii'"  i.  • '::••. 

Lk«>ha,  in   thr  }irr.f"ini'i  ••  "••  '•/     '  ••  •;.■':  'j.  .  i;. 

a  long  tirautt   nut       "/»::  '••''      •■■'.'.  ..-^  ...    ,.;.;■  in-.'    to 


Ruskin,  and  describes  the  delights  which  the  cloud  will 
enjoy  among  the  rivers  and  the  mountains,  the  trees  andi 
the  creepers.  t 

As  already  pointtcl  out,  Indian  poets  have  never 
doubted  this  truth  of  unity  and  harmany:  and  Vyasa  in 
the  Srimad  Bhapaiata  r«.fer«*  to  a  clear  outward  expression 
of  this  unity.  l)escribin.';  the  cosmic  nature  of  the  heart 
of  that  .*eli-realiz«'d  Soul,  Suka,  the  s-on  of  Vyasa,  it  is 
.-aid  that,  wh<n  in  his  grief  at.  separation  from  Suka^ 
who  was  of  the  t«iidcr  age  of  five.  Vyasa  followed  the 
nmning  boy  calliniJ  aloud.  'M)  son  !  My  s«)n  !'*  the  whole 
fon^-t  ri-soundi'd  a>  if  in  respon-^e  :  **Son  !  Son  !  Son  !" 
\\asa  explains  it  as  one  to  ih»'  Sarrabhuta-hnJuya  of 
Suka.     Truly  has  Shakf*-peare  said  : 

The  poet's  e\c,  in  a  fine  frenzy  ndling, 
VotU  glam.e   fionj   heaven   to   i-arth.   from  earth  to 

heaven, 

And.   as  imagination   bodi«>   forth 

The    f<»rms  of   thing--    unknown,      the   poets      pen 

Turns  thrm   to   shap«'s,   and   gi\es  to  airy  nothing 

A  local  habitation  and  a  name. 

.    Similarly,  San-krit   literature  .-peaks  of  the  unity  ana' 

harmony   of   Nature   with    th»'   Godhead.      The      Sanskrit 

wriitr-  .-ee  the  powrr  of  (mmI  in  the  awful  silence  of  the 

mountain  peaks,  in  the  wondrrfyl  glow  of  the  d^^wn  and 

in   the  «:lorious  eoh»iir*.  of  the  sun.-''t .    Inilian  eivilizatioa 

ha-  reaieil   hifty  tiinplt's  which  reach  the  «kies  as  houses 

of  Gotl.  and  t-n-cted  them  on  the  tops  of  hills  and  in  the 

ilales.    1  he  Ri>hi  of  a  Vedic  hymn  in  praise  of  thr  Dawif 

picture^  the  Dawn  in  this  manner  i  Inilian  Wi$dom  by  M. 

Williams)  : 

Hail,  ruddy   I '-has,  gohien   goddess  borne 
IlMin   thy  shining  car,  thou  coni«*M   like 
\   lovelv   niaidfu   by   hrr   miitlur   dcckcii, 
Pi'^clo^'ing   coyly   all  thy  hidden   graces 
To  onr  ailmiring  rye^;  r»r  like  a  wife 
1  n\eiling  to  h«T  lord,  with  conscious  pride, 
H»'auti."i  which  as  he  gazes  lovingly 
.Sc  i»'n    fr.'sh'T,   faiier   ea<'h    -u<'''»M'.linj:   morn. 
Tluough    \ra:s   «»n   >ear?»   tluiu   hast    li\en   on 

and  yet 
Thou    arl    rver    voun^. 

Kalida?a      lefers      to      the      llitnalayas      as 
Devntma, 

In  ."iiet.  tin  torm  <if  Siii\a  luir.  hnw  conjiiP'd  up  from 
the  ^r»  Ut'  of  rhf  i:r«'.it  n  ountain  iM-arinj:  th»-  dark  clouds 
r«*.-«'n»bliiii:  ^nix.i'.-  nial'ftl  Km  k-  on  its  prak.s.  white  with 
•-now  re-iii'ld  iii  ih-  4i*!5--iiJ<'aird  bo(l\  nf  .Shiva,  with 
the  CJaoLM  lolling  ilov\n  W^  ^lop^•s,  jt-  p«ak-  teaching  up 
!o  tlie  -ki« -.  v.i:b  tin*  ?-un  aii'l  the  m-.on  -hining  on  them. 

In  till*  l.'Jth  vf.'/AV/  <»f  Htrjhinii'iisti.  IJain.i  .M-es  tin.*  blue 
oi'inn  a''  ri  ^.jiilipn*!  tli»'  bhi*"  f«nn  ol  \i-hnu.  'Hic  great 
^w.ni.i  \  i\#-k;n».iTid:i  orn*'.  v.li«ri  a-k«'d  li\  an  American 
h:«l\  whs  \  !-hnii  v.:i-  i.-.'.'iii'il  Mn- .  aM^'.\fn"<l.  "Blue  is 
»lu-  <nIiiMr  ;/  intir!it\  :  !.io\  ..:  'I:--  lt''i'-  -k;.  jMid  the  blue 
M  I'iin." 

\;;jip..  Kill. I.I- «  !k-?i-.  !'•••  •iie.'.')  iii:  of  t^'i-  white 
vx;. !••:-.  i»l  llj'  (iit--..i  with  lb-  'I.'ik  l»'ii-  wMrr-  i-f  the 
^  urMiina  t"  ih--  If-.i''  !•'•  «-'  •!  '^•■i\;i  .•!'  •.'.'"'•'i  'li--  •.{  iik- 
co|o'i:e«l     -rviS-        r.»«vi,!     uij':     !'*••    w'.''.^      .:-!     -       •    rM"-il 

I  n    I'is    Im»'Iv. 

In       till        A.  i'/ .•./// '/v/./'. /./•,.•. /; 

pl:it:it!!l.  ijun 


I  .  I 


ir;     ■ !  !• 


1,1     ,    ■ 


'.  ''i    iioiirj 


|>    . .   ..:     .1. 


]*i  :i:!i'«''-   <  i'    'h  '    ■••»'  .  !•'     'I      "■•'  ■'    -.    ■*■  "•  I.    ■  :•'   dropi 

•  •I     r,i"«i     {.«'■     M-  ••:     !•••  •  '       I  •  •  •     ■    •!    '\''  !i» ' .      Tht* 

j|  -rr  Ijiiin    «?    \\\"   :.«'    ■'  •     •■!...  !j    ..     ;;  .•    '•. .  •  ••    iv.r.n   her 

,\.  !,i  .«...*.    {,,    fi.i     |...   I  "i  -T-.l    •'••'!•••:     .l-'.Mi    to    !j«r    ib.iiihs 

•   .'      .     •••.      «  ••:•,'■   ••  .■••      '       •         •  .       •  j!;.-      •i'Ili» 

I'l'                                         !  .'                                              •'II* 


••      '         \v\         \\\\     "'VS 


•••     K.ll'idiiSA. 


80 


THE  MODERN  REVIEW  FOR  JANUARY,  1953 


OUTSTANDING 

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HERI.NG    &    KENT 

ROYAL  OONIM  :  Super  TitiUting  Tonic  for  Mxv 
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00!^[M[:  General  all-round  tonic  for  men  &  women. 
Bb.  7-8  for  one  week  ;  Rs.  22-S  for  3  weeks ;  Rs.  90 
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BIOSTIL  HORMONE  CREAM:  Genuine  hormone 
treatm«>nt  for  restoriDg  the  freshness  aud  fiimnrss 
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Sfrcni^th  to  SfrcniHli 


From  height  to  height  and  from 
strength  to  strength  the  Hindasthan  is 
making  a  record  of  outstanding  progress 
every  year.  It  is  an  arresting  landmark 
in  the  onward  march  of  Indian  Life 
Insarance.  The  45th  Annual  Report 
for  1931  once  again  reflects  the  sound* 
ness,  integrity  and  distinction  which 
always  have  been  so  characteristic  of 
th    Society 


THE  FIGURES  THAT  TELL 


Assurances  in  Force 
Total  Assets 
Life  Fund 
Premium  Income 
Claims  Paid 


Rs.  81,02,36,164 
Rs.  19,98,13,853 
Rs.  I7,66,J9,628 
Rs.  3,72,27.528 
Rs.      83,57,978 


NEM^  BUSINESS 
16,28.8x800 


HINDUSTHAN  CO-OPERATIVE 

INSURANCE     SOCIETY,     LIMITED. 

IllNDUSTIIAN   BUILDINGS, 
4,  Chiltaranjan  Avenue,  CALCUTTA 


FOREIGN  PERIODICALS 


Fnll  Employment  to  be  Achieved  in  China 

Full  cTnploj-ment  will  be  achieved  in  China  step 
by  step  in  the  eoniinR  yciirs.  The  GoviTninnnt  hao 
derided  to  assi::t  tlip  Brp"'''st  po.^sihlc  nunilirr  i)f  urlwin 
dwellers  to  take  vnil  in  th''  ferthe-' minf!;  Iarp>srale 
«onomif  const nii-t inn,  under  n  rerrnt  derii^ion  of  the 
Govemmnnt   Afiminislrr-tinn   Cnundl. 

Over  two  million  two  liundred  lliou^^nd  iin- 
fmployed  found  iobs  in  Ih"  past  llir^e  yriirs  !\«  ^  prf- 
portion  of  iniliTs'ria!  production  pxiianrtrrl  from  'en  to 
nearly  thirty  per  cent  of  nnfinn.il  er-on^my.  There  is 
■till  an  n''ute  ?hortape  of  iskilled  worker-',  (eehnifian". 
Behool  teaeher?.  ele..  in  the  ePimtr>'.  LTt^"  mimVier  •>( 
pob'-technieal  institntps  and  vocnijona!  school*  have 
been  act  up  to  train  skilled  wrkers  for  all  fields, 
To«n?f  (tovemment  worker"  and  middle  school  ura- 
duates  hove  been  enrolled  to  meet  the  nation's  ex- 
panding newb.  Short-term  training  classes  will  be 
opened  in  factories  to  raise  technical  and  educational 
Wei  of  worker*  in  preparntion  for  more  mechanised 
production.  Job  trainina  will  be  (riven  lo  a  number  of 
tcfanol  praduaten,  including  many  housewives,  who  were 
unable  to  find  work  because  they  had  learned  no  trade 
before  liberation,  Afler  traininp,  ihcy  ran  cnpape  in 
teaching,  work  in  public  hcalih,  co-operalivc".  etc. 

With  the  decline  of  some  tridiv  that  served  para- 
ntic  demand  of  ve:'teil  inferests  in   the    ">td     society, 


incliidinK  oiduni  den--,  icamlilint;    hoii^e' 
who  m;idc  IhHr  livinji  in  lln-a-  plii.'es  w 
job  trsininn  so  that  ihey  can  lake  jKirf  ii 
tivR  work.  Special  (- mmiltee^       ■'  ' 
out   the  eoimtrj-   lo  ;:olve   lh,. 
eation  *f  man-power.  All  Iho- 
employment  will  be  fiiviii  opin 
the   doveminent.      Ritumed 


^■1   up  thri 
of  rrO|HT 


li>n1:on  by   the  gOM-rnmi.-nt  to  help 


Commenting  on  the  gorcmment  decision,  the 
Peking  Peof/le's  Daily  has  pointed  out,  "The  condi- 
tions now  k'T  solving  the  pixiblcm  of  unemployment 
are  far  njre  favourable  than  bofore  because  China's 
national  economy  h:is  iilreajy  adv!in'-ed  from  the  stage 
of  revi\-al  lo  exjiansi^n.  Lirse-scal..  construction  work 
Noon  lo  beitin  will  require  a  vast  labour  force.  It  is 
obvious  ifaai  efeater  the  manpowertlie  belter  as  China  under- 
takes new  denf-'craiic  eouKlxuction  and  advances  to 
Socialism.'"  '" Capitalism,"'  the  pajier  added,  "cannot 
srilve  the  problem  of  uuemidoynient,  Under  that  sya- 
tein,  iineniploymcnt  has,  on  the  contrary,  become  an 
exi'use  for  monopoly  capitalists  to  extort  superprofit* 
and  to  carrj-  out  imperialist  niitcre^ion  abroad.  Their 
absurd  theory  of  'overpoiiulatiou'  is  shown  to  be  utter 
nonsense."— Bu/(fiin     of     Ike   People's     Jfcpublte     of 


NOTICE! 

Purchasers  &  Local  agents  of  the 
Modern  Review  of  Delhi  and  New 
Delhi  area  are  hereby  requested  ;to 
contact  with  our  Sole  Selling  Agents  : 

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BARNAPORE  •  CAICUTH 


THE  MODERN  REVIEW  FOR  JANUARY,  1053 


Rene  GrouSBet 

Death  of  a  Great  Humanist 
Jean  A.  Keiro  writes  in  A'cms  from  France  : 

When  ihv  pn-at  Frpnch  orU-nUUi>l  Fuuoher.  now  87 
vnra  of  ape,  Iramt  of  ihr  death  of  Rene  GnuiSfCt  who 
was  20  years  hi*  junior,  before  r\en  thinkJni;  of  the 
pergonal  Mirrow  hr  expcrii'ni.'ed  in  the  \o*r  uf  a  pu|ul 
and  frirnd,  he  (ledarcil   ns  a  scholar  : 

"Hi;  would  have  wriltcn  many  more  great  work*  had 
he  lived  to  be  a*  old  as  tno,"' 

Rene  Crou»iiet  still  had  inil<'rd  many  more  plans  in 
oiiml,  but  even  *n  tlie  work  hp  ha«  left  Iwliiml  hiiu  is 
extraordinarily  pxtem-ivi'.  Fmm  the  lime  Iw  took  a 
deftree  in  hintor}-  al  the  aee  ii(  18,  in  I'XtH.  lo  lil»  death 
on  thr  12th  of  S.-pliinber  lasi.  hi'  w.irkr-d  uneca-intrly. 
fn  Vn2.  he  enirr.-d  tin-  a.hiiinisrration  ni  ilic  Heau\- 
Artx:  afler  t)i<-  lOU  \l'ar.  in  wliiih  he  wa*  badly 
wowndi^l.  he  was  iip[u>lnied  jninl-ciir:iior  of  ibi-  Guimel 
Musoiun  with  Jo>(|ili  llackin.  In  10.11  In-  wa-^  appnimeit 
direrlor  i<r  the  CiriiU'^-hi  Mus<-utn.  Tn  1014  h<:  b<-<'aiiie 
chief  curalnr  of  tin-  G-J^nul  Mu-eum  wlii.h  lu-  irnd.- 
Into  the  great  Fntieh  Mn^^^um  nf  ,\siatie  Art.  Tn  1046 
he  wa«  elected  to  the  Fn<neh  Academy.  Meanwhile,  he 
carried  nut  cultural  mi!i«ina«  in  Eyria,  Iran,  Japan  and 
Canada  a  prcai  Amliasfadcr  nf  France  for  whom  he 
eminently    reprewnted    the    pTal    fonnsi    nf    humani-m. 

When  a  journalifl  one  day  a^^kid  him  for  hii 
biography,  bo  replied  with  thai  »weel  and  mlwhievous 
imile  mi  wcll-ktiown  lo  ilu.,-.f  who  were  (orlunalc  enough 
tp  l)t  }ii«  friends  ; 


''My  biography  U  my  bibliography." 

Rene  Grouvtiet  wrote  niueli.  and  none  of  hia  work, 
etcn  a  prefaire  to  a  bonk  iir  an  exhibition  catalogue,  ia 
of  indifferent  merit.  l\e  has  managed  to  redtale 
certain  problems  and  present  them  in  a  form  that  ia 
aiore  practical  and  »iuiplcr  lo  underitand.  His  first 
Rieat  work  wb4  a  Hiflory  of  A.iia.  And  since  then 
he  has  examined  in  all  its  lormn  the  hi'lnry  of  tbia 
Aeia  that  for  mi  many  people  has  loucbed  only  the  brink 
of  world  history.  lie  inanted  Ui  give  this  continent 
the  place  that  it  merited,  anJ  thus  modify  tbe 
traditional  viewpoint  that  had  been  handed  on  to  ua 
in  our  edueatii)n.  With  the  History  nf  ikc  CruMiJts  end 
ihe  fruiikis  Kingdom  o/  Jtrusaltm.  GrouMU't  ga^o  iheee 
(xpedltion~  a  new  pohtieal  explanation,  by  showing  up 
ilic  earrfully  e<>n>idered  work  "f  the  Papacy.  He  wrote 
a  llisiury  of  Armenia  :  "}\r  *iudi.il  the  Kmpire  of  tbe 
Levant.  Iran,  ihe  Empire  of  the  Steppi^F.  Ccngis  Khaa 
and  (Jhina. "  ' 

But  for  him.  history  va*  not  limited  lo  politiea. 
Me  Ixgan  by  Mudyiii;^  lli-  "Iniliun  I1iili»(iptiir/'  :  tlieu 
he  pulilirhed  fine  illnslrated  alliums  '^liowinii  the  great 
moiemento  of  art  in  A>ia.  n<i|  lo  menlinti  lEie  two  book* 
that  are  ^al'Jable  to  schi.larv  f'T  their  documenlalion 
and  lo  other  reaikT>  for  the  n»ieh>  of  ihe  subject  and 
the  clarity  and  prei.'i>ion  iif  ihe  yl>le,  iniUa  and  itt 
Art,  and   CAi'ntr  and  its  Art. 


When   Rene 

Crou*-!'!   enlerw!    the    Fr-nch   Aeademv, 

.    Henri    Bord. 

ail  I    weleiiniecl    his    new   <'idteague   and 

perilled   him  a» 

bis  luggago." 

Quality  toilet  products  are  real  aids  to  beauty 
culture.  Our  toiletries  are  humble  tribute  to 
Beauty. 

MAKGO  SOAP         (^ 
mM  TOOTH  PASTE 
SHRmOl  ~"S1S 

lABomy  sf-v" 

KAf/TA  '"%%'!... 


Wf^'^^W^^^W^^M 


POHEIGK  PEHIODICAIS 


Bene  Cniucet  s  RDditioR  Wa*  eitii 
Dfdmary  Th  hi  an  wbo  nev 
pat  d  WD  a  numb  a  nam  o  a  da 
vuhmi    be  ng         tain  posar      d 

BB  mfallib       m  m  T)      he  nunmo 
tttdtxrcaiii     ha    man    ha  e  a     bu  e<l 
to  him  d  01 


f  u 


lOk   B 


*ha  *    brd       il  -4.u> 


contn    T  a 

u 

It 

ihMLhP   « 

»    d 

of       no  f^B 

n  n 

n 

sh 

h 

Ibcxw  fn     bouk     «h    h 

brunn    an 

hfl 

ab 

bam        ha 

b-uUon«« 

to   h«  M  d   Mran  an    o 

UOD 

The  *ok 

iwpu 

M 

„ 

b 

nuui         n 

b 

Crou  h:       n 

d<l 

UOQ     o 

loU           u 

"i 

iheh      ry 

a     h 

h 

Cnuad        h 

hi   on 

L 

aa 

« 

iitw  ld-4  »  k-s  h.  rtiM 
hid(>n'  »>  A:>iu  tu  ihc  lu- 
world  :  lie  Iriiil  in  «anic  v. 
a  »vnlhf-i»  iif  hi'-  work  a^ 
and  lu  |!i><-  it  ii  i'>indu-iiii 
*A»-tf     "/     Ili\tor\-     yw-     from 


/(«/«« 


Sti!;.-j 


fill]  ■ 


1,.  ih- 


nd  u(  hi>  . 


t'  r-.r  111.' 


ii£rm%  in  riiilc  uf  all.  hi--  o| 
Uudyinp  I'hiti-atiiini.  hi'  inc 
fifurr-h.-nJi.  oi  (iir-  jmiI  |'I:. 
natnpEi--  arr  drawn  h-> 
intiquily  as  frum  lar>-r  [htIih 
ciinquiTocs   uf   an    Asia    that 

A  grral  hutnuni-1.  an  h'>ii 
pirHinal  U-rlmf   liu^  p.n.'nii'i 
■      ,«l-dEr 


,'   1...I 


OPPOSIT 


I  DOWBAZAB  STREET.CALCUrfA.lAHHEBST  SI.  &  HDHBiWH  STJUMCN, 

E   OUR  OLD   SHOW    BOOM  li,....- A\1M  L  ITi.i  -  Crim  . 


1 


^slli'.ll  h-     Ciiiiia't  At'lii<-vfru<-nli«  in   Kiliicuiioii  in  Past 


.   M.I   \\-uWm. 


bad  % 


■I-,,  hod  I 


\'i' 


SiaNri^'.  In 
ird  vidiimr  i 
Ar  r,rlJ.  II.-  had  hardiv 
*<«fc  when  death  cut  oil  in 
EnS(hiened  mind*  of  out  ag« 


Jnr   Lii't  nl  iV.-i  VAa\  nftxivj',;  "V  i.'>\.-i"    -v\\-«a 


84 


THE  MODEftJf  REVIEW  FOft  JAKUaRY,  1953 


term  compared  with  only  18.9  per  cent  in  1946.  The 
total  nubmer  of  students  in  teacher's  training  colleges 

this  term  will  be  90  i)er  cent  above  1946.  In  addition, 
large  number  of  secondary  technical  schools  have  been| 
set  up.  These  are  to  meet  the  demands  of  China's  forth- 
coming large-scale  economic  construction. 

Si>ecial  attention  is  paid  to  the  education  of  workers 
and  peasants  and  their  children.  Their  children  now 
constitute  over  80  per  cent  of  the  elementary  school  puiiils, 
and  they  and  their  youn^ister^.  60  i>er  cent  of  the  secondary 
schuol  btudentb  and  «»\er  20  per  trnt  of  the  college  students. 
A  wide  network  t»f  yhorl-term  elementary  and  secondary 
schools  has  been  ^et  up  for  adult  workers  and  peasants. 
They  get  jtpeeial  iiubsidies  from  the  government  in 
addition  to  the  usual  tood  subsidies  received  by  all 
students  in  eollei;es,  s<.>eondary  technical  bchools  and 
teachers'   training   sehool>.      No   school   fees   are   paid. 

Spare-time  education  has  developed  very  rapidly. 
Some  3,020,00i)  workers  are.  attending  spare-time  schools 
this  year.  Al)Out  1%  million  peabants  studied  in  spare- 
time  schools  in  1951.  It  h  expected  that  in  1952  the 
number  will  reach  2i  million.  Last  winter,  more  than 
42  million  jteasants  attended  winter  literacy  schools.  Some 
50  million  will  study  in  the  coming  winter. 

This  year,  the  widespread  adoption  of  a  quick 
method  of  learning  written  Chinese  initiated  by  Chi 
Chien-hua.  a  teacher  in  the  People's  liberation  Army, 
will  greatly  specfd  up  the  campaign  against  illiteracy. 
After  being  tested  in  the  People's  Liberation  Army,  Chi 
Chien-hua's  method  has  been  adopted  for  factories, 
villages  and  among  urban  illiterates.  It  is  expected  that 
illiteracy  will  be  wiped  out  among  more  than  10  milUon 
government  workers  coming  from  the  ranks  of  the 
workers  and  peaj>ants.  industrial  workers  and  adult 
peasants  by  next  spring.  I 

Under  the  new  school  system,  all  roads  lead  to 
higher  education.  Ktilry  into  institutions  of  higher 
learning  is  not  limited  to  students  from  regular  secondary 
schools,  but  is  aUo  thrown  open  t«»  tho>e  from  short- 
time,  spare-time  and  techiiiral  school?.  Thus,  all  schools, 
including  universities  and  coilejic'?,  are  open  to  the  vast 
majority  of  working  people. 

The  People's  Governnutnt  has  al??o  paid  special 
attention  to  the  e<lueation  of  minority  nationalitii^s.  Five 
institutes  for  natinnaiitit-^  have  hren  >et  up  with 
a  total  student  Ixuly  of  8AVM).  In  thr  Inner  Mon«iolian 
autonomous  region.  ch-iiH-ntary  M*hool»  have  been  trebled, 
compared  Mllh  th»*  hiuln-fct  l«'\rl  in  pre-libt-ration  days. 
The  peopl»*V  (Jov(  rriimnl  i^  helplnj:  M>rno  minority 
nationaliticis   to   csiabUsh    ih«-ir   own    writ  tin   scripts. 

In  New  China.  I«*a«.h»-r>  arr*  n*>pected  by  the  people 
and  the  P."iiplc\  (fOM.rnm«-nt.  Their  political  and 
economic  status  ha-^  b«'».*n  rai«»ed.  They  have  their  own 
ma*!s  oi;rani -at it'll  th«-  China  Kducational  Workers' 
Tra'h'  I  nion.  Tliry  lia\»«  their  repr<'sentativ»'s  both  in 
the  Pt-^tfilr*-  (Mi\»Tnrii«'Ht  and  p«'u]*lf*s  retirc^enlatives 
confennrt-^  at   all   l»v»«l>.      As  compared  with  last  year, 


the  average  salary  this  year  for  a  college  instructor  in* 
creased  by  18.6  per  cent,  secondary  school  teachers  fay 
25.5  per  cent  and  elementary  school  teachers  by  37.4 
per  cent. 

'*In  the  past  three  years,  we  have  transformed  the 
semi-colonial  and  semi-feudal  educational  situation  of 
old  China.  Now,  all  educational  institutions  and  the 
whole  of  educational  work  belong  to  the  people  and  are 
at  their  service,"  said  Ma  Hsu-lun.  ^'Millions  of 
illiterate  workers,  peasants  and  toiling  women  can  now 
read  newspapers  and  books  and  take  part  in  various 
social  activities.  Tens  of  thousands  of  cidlcge  graduates 
and  hundreds  of  thousands  of  technical  school  graduates 
have  lu^'n  given  "^ork  in  various  fields  «»f  con.>truetion. 
The  rich  creativfne>.s  of  the  liberated  Chinese:  people 
will  be  fully  devehipe*!.  The  days,  of  *poverly'  and 
•ignorance*  wroujiht  by  the  iniperialisjls  and  reactionary 
regimes  are  gone  for  ever."   -Peopii's  Republic  of  China, 


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Ancient  Indian  Culture 

by  Prof.  K.  C.  Chakravarty  Rs.  9-8 

A  manual  of  Ancient  Indian  History 

Company  Secretarial  Practice 

by  M.  Satyanarayana  Rs.  10-8 

A  complete  hand-book  for  the 
Company  Secretary  and  students  of 
Company  Law 

Planning  for  a  Shortage  Economy 
by  Prof.  C.  N.  Vakil 
Five  year  plan  fully  discussed 

Gandhian  Economic  Thought 
by  J.  C.  Kumarappa 
Gandhiji's     views    on    the  shape 
India's  Economy. 

Industrial  Peace 

by  S.  V.  Punekar 

A  frank  discussion  of    the    relations 

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Economic  Consequences  of  Divided  India 

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VinUrd  an'  ;'iI..Ii-lKil  b}    Njl.aran  Chaii»lru  Da.-.  Praia-.    J?--.  CaKutta 


Men  of  a  Territorial  Army  unit  at  a  shooting  rUDKe 


A    T<riitorial   Army   contingent   is  uadcrgoinR  tr'Ainivi^ 


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Stand,  howeV6f,  eoiisideraticiui  other  than  languap 
should  also  be  l^me  in  mind.  Thcs^  had  been  men*, 
tioned  in  the  resolution. 

"Maulana  Azad  repudiated  suggestions  that  the 
resolution  was  calculated  to  'shelve'  the  question.  Oa 
the  other  hand,  he  emphasised,  the  Steering  Commit- 
tee had  realized  that  the  issue  could  not  be  evaded. 
All  that  was  intended  was  to  avoid  haste  and  not  to 
ignore  considerations  other  than  language,  such  as 
finance. 

"Critics  of  the  resolution  fell  in  two  opposite 
categories — those  who  thought  it  was  dilatory  and 
those  who  regarded  it  as  unnecessary  encouragement 
to  separatism.  The  former  were  in  an  overwhelming 
majority." 

The  report  further  stated  that  Mr.  Rajagopala- 
chari,  "with  typical  frankness"  described  the  concept 
of  linguistic  States  as  "tribal."  Mr.  Rajagopalachari's 
forefathers,  with  th^  same  frankness,  had  termed 
milhons  oFunfortunates  as  "untouchables,''  and  with 
the  characteristic  behaviour,  that  usually  comes  as  a 
corollary  to  such  frankness,  had  deprived  leas  fortu- 
nate people  of  many  of  their  birthrights,  with  what 
results  all  students  of  social  and  political  history 
know.  Where  egotism  and  avarice  parade  as  Superior 
Knowledge,  we  do  not  know  whether  to  laugh  or  to 
get  angry.  Why  cannot  Sri  Rajagopalachari  profit  by 
his  own  experiences,  as  for  example,  those  of  his 
first  ministry  and  of  the  days  of  1942,  when  he  was 
advocating  Pakistan  in  collaboration  with  the  CP.I., 
and  let  the  brothers  who  believed  they  could  not  get 
justice  without  partition  depart  in  peace  and  amity 
without  indulging  in  such  a  display  of  spleen  7 

Linguistic  States  are  the  only  remedies  against 
discrimination  and  oppression  of  linguistic  minorities 
in  heterogeneous  States.  If  there  were  no  nepotism, 
no  misuse  of  power  as  in  Bihar,  and  no  attempt  to 
superimpose  one  language  over  another,  then  there 
would  be  no  call  for  partitions  or  new  demarcations 
of  boundaries.  Where  all  those  evils  are  on  the 
increase,  as  in  the  Indian  Union  under  Nehru,  there 
can  be  no  other  remedy,  be  it  "tribal"  or  be  it  divine. 

The  main  plank  of  Pandit  Nehru's  Congress 
platform,  indeed  the  principal  raison  d'etre  of  his 
government,  is  the  much  blazoned  Five-Year  Plan. 
The  official  resolution  went  as  follows  : 

'*The  most  important  and  urgent  task  before  the 
country  is  to  ensure  economic  advance  for  the  nation 
and  to  raise  the  living  standards  of  the  people  with  a 
view  to  ending  poverty  and  unemployment  by  greater 
production  and  equitable  distribution,  and  thus 
reaUzing  the  objective  of  social  justice  and  equality 
laid  down  in  the  Constitution.  To  this  end  all  resources 
of  the  nation  must  be  directed  in  a  planned  manner, 
aiming  more  particularly  at  providing  productive 
employment  for  all,  so  that  everyone  becomes  a 
jxartDer  in  the  Welfare  State,  sharing  in  its  burdens 
mi  beaeStg  alike. 


"The  Congress  welcomes  the  first  f  Ive^y^af  ^lafL 

"It  agrees  that  the  programme  for  rural  develop* 
ment  and  increase  in  agricultural  production  in  respect 
of  both  foodgrains  and  industrial  raw  materials  is  of 
the  first  importance  and  food  selfHSufficiency  must  be 
realized  at  the  earliest  possible  date.  The  Congress 
welcomes  the  recommendations  in  the  plan  in  regard 
to  land  policy  and  the  emphasis  laid  on  the  expansion 
and  strengthening  of  village  and  small-scale  industries, 
and  the  building  up  of  the  community  on  co-operative 
•lines. 

"The  Congress  views  the  plan  as  a  fi^st  plaimed 
and  important  step  designed  to  prepare  the  way  for 
much  more  rapid  advance  on  all  fronts  of  national 
activity  and  welcomes  it  as  the  promise  of  the  pro- 
gressive fulfilment  of  its  aims  and  objectives.  The  plan 
depends  for  its  success  on  the  co-operation  of  the 
people  in  the  largest  measure  in  every  phase  and  at 
every  stage  of  the  process  of  implementation.  It  is  a 
call  to  the  coimtry  and  an  invitation  for  leadership, 
at  all  levels,  to  mobilize  this  co-operation  and  volun- 
tary effort  of  the  people.  To  this  great  enterprise  and 
magnificent  adventure  of  building  up  new  India,  the 
Congress  invites  all  the  people  of  the  country." 

The  three  main  factors  on  which  depends  the 
materialization  and  successful  fruition  of  such  Plans 
are,  in  order  of  their  importance.  Personnel,  Resources 
and  Potentials,  taking  it  for  granted,  of  course,  that 
the  plan  itself  is  well-conceived. 

There  is  no  doubt  about  the  pot<)ntials  of  course, 
we  have  them  in  plenty  and  more.  The  question,  of 
resources  too  is  not  too  doubtful,  aj  we  can  profit 
from  the  examples  of  other  nations  who  have 
achieved  success  in  the  past  with  even  lower  poten- 
tials and  more  meagre  economic  resources. 

But  the  question  of  Personnel  is  vital,  indeed  it 
is  of  the  essence.  On  that  will  depend  success  or 
failure  and  that  only.  Such  plans  need  a  brain-trust 
at  the  top,  composed  of  experienced  men  of  dis- 
crimination, with  clear  foresight  and  keen  acumen, 
and  free  from  all  blemishes  of  greed,  bias,  nepotism 
or  hide-bound  party-consciousness.  Under  them  there 
should  be  a  cadre  of  supreme  executives,  devoted, 
capable  and  selfless,  who  can  rouse  a  spirit  of 
enthusiasm  amongst  all  workers,  high  or  low,  and 
imbue  them  with  a  spirit  of  service.  Where  and 
how  is  this  army  and  staff  going  to  be  formed? 

Planning  Reconsidered 

A  decade  ago  planning  in  mixed  economy  waS 
viewed  by  an  eminent  economist  as  just  like  putting 
square  pegs  in  round  holes,  planning  being  considered 
to  be  the  monopoly  of  socialist  and  totalitarian 
economies.  The  laissez  faire  economists  loathed  the 
idea  of  the  State  having  anjrthmg  to  do  with  activities 
which  were  the  province  of  the  business  community. 
The  high  priests  of  classical  economics    would  xefSDjI 


NOTES 


07 


this  State  interference  in  economic  fields  as  a  sacrilege 
on  the  sanctity  o{  private  property  and  Whig  cham- 
pions of  individual  liberty  would  shudder  in  their 
graves  to  know  that  in  a  Welfare  State  economic 
freedom  is  at  a  discount  as  against  the  overall  interests 
of  the  community.  Out  of  the  ruins  of  the  first  World 
War,  there  came  the  rebirth  of  the  'demos'  whom 
Burke  called  "swinish  multitude/'  and  he  emerged 
with  the  right  to  live — a  legal  right  as  distinguished 
from  a  moral  one.  In  India,  of  course,  the  right  to  live 
is  not  a  fundamental  right  and  consequently  not  a 
legal  right. 

The  Five-year  Flan  may  be  viewed  €ls  the  sheet 
anchor  of  the  Party-in-power  in  India  and  obviously 
it  now  forms  the  basis  of  all  economic  activities  in  this 
country.  Pandit  Nehru  in  his  Presidential  Address  to 
the  Hyderabad  session  of  the  Congress  states  :  "The 
major  and  most  urgent  problem  for  us  today  is  that  of 
economic  advance,  advance  not  only  for  the  nation 
as  a  whole  but  also  with  regard  to  the  conditions  of 
the  masses  of  the  people  who  live  in  it.  We  have  to 
fight  poverty  and  unemployment  and  improve  the 
conditions  of  life  of  our  people.  Our  resources  are 
limited,  oven  though  our  wish  to  progress  is 
great  .  .  .  This  plan  initiates  a  process  of  balanced 
economic  development  of  the  country  with  a  view  to 
raising  the  standard  of  living  and  bringing  about  an 
increasing  measure  of  economic  equality  and  opportu- 
nities for  employment  .  .  .  That  Plan  is  not  based 
on  any  d&ctrinaire  approach  and  is  not  rigid.  It  is 
modest  in  a  sense,' and  yet  it  has  far-reaching  conse- 
quences .  .  .  Although  there  is  a  private  sector,  our 
stress  is  laid  on  the  public  sector  which  should  pro- 
gressively expand.  Though  the  development  of 
industry  is  exceedingly  important,  special  stress  is 
laid  on  agriculture,  becaase  that  is  the  basis  of  our 
economy  .  ,  .  Our  subject  is  to  prcvient  monopoly 
control  and  to  limit  private  profit,  so  as  to  bring 
about  a  distribution  of  economic  power  .  .  .  We 
have  to  put  a  ceiling  on  land  and  we  have  to  en- 
courage co-operative  farming   ..." 

India  wants  economic  betterment,  higher  standard 
of  living,  employment  for  the  unemployed,  preven- 
tion of  the  excessive  concentration  of  wealth  in  the 
hands  of  the  few  and  harnessing  of  our  resources. 
The  achievement  of  self-sufficiency  in  food  pro- 
duction is  one  of  t^e  main  aims  of  the  Plan  and  the 
completion  of  the  river  valley  projects  is  a  pre- 
requisite factor  in  making  agricultural  production  a 
certainty.  Agriculture  is  still  a  gamble  on  the  rainfall 
and  until  irrigation  is  assured,  self-sufficiency  in  food 
production  will  remain  an  elusive  objective.  There 
are  so  many  *ifs*  in  the  completion  of  the  river 
valley  projects  that  years  may  pass  before  all  the 
"ifs*  are  fulfilled.  Fundamentally,  the  entire  basis  of 
tigricultural  planning  suffers  from  a  defective  vision 
in  so  far  as  it  envisages  the  uneconomic  wastage  oD 
bix0s  mtairpoweT  over  agriculture*    .Agricuitural  pre* 


ponderance  is  indicative  of  economic  backwardness.    •! 

No  data  on  population  are  provided  in  the 
Five-year  Plan  and  it  is  reasonably  certain  that  the 
Planning  Commission  was  unable  to  visualize  the 
number  of  people  who  would  have  to  engage  in  the 
achievement  of  the  scheduled  output  and  also  those 
who  will  consume  the  goods  and  take  up  the  services 
allotted.  No  stock  of  man-power  is  taken  and  no 
goal  for  labour  productivity  is  set  forth.  No  attempt 
has  been  made  to  estimate  the  total  number  of 
available  able-bodied  persons  and  to  distribute  this 
total  among  the  various  sectors — and  no  estimate  is 
made  of  the  balance  of  man-power  that  is  required 
to  constitute  the  co-operative  farming.  Even  the 
lumping  together  of  the  estimates  of  the  individual 
sectors  and  subsectors  of  their  labour  requirements 
for  the  scheduled  outputs  at  the  desired  levels  of 
labour  productivity,  would  have  been  helpful.  Plan- 
ning of  production  without  planning  of  available 
man-power  is  defective. 

Further,  the  Plan  lacks  provisions  regarding  the 
price  pattern  which  is  to  operate  in  the  1^51-56 
period. 

Regarding  national  income  the  Plan  is  almost  static 
in  outlook.  It  states  that  the  national  income  of  India 
in  1950-51  was  approximately  Rs.  9,000  crores.  At  the 
fourth  meeting  of  the  Consultative  Committee  for 
the  Colombo  Plan,  held  at  Karachi  in  March,  1952f, 
India's  estimated  gross  national  product  was  placed 
at  Rs.  10,400  crores.  In  1948  India's  national  income 
was  Rs.  8,730  crores.  Normally  thus  the  average  rate 
of  increase  in  national  income  may  be  placed  at  Rs. 
500  crores  a  year  and  under  planned  production  the 
rate  of  rise  must  be  expected  to  be  higher.  But  it  is 
just  the  contraiy.  After  a  planned  production  period 
of  five  years,  the  national  income  would  stand  at  Rs. 
10,000  crores  a  year.  Then  what  is  the  rate  of  increase 
in  national  income  ? 

In  some  respects,  the  Plan  is  either  superfluous, 
or  redundant  or  inadequate.  In  our  January  issue  we 
pointed  out  that  in  respect  of  rise  in  national  income, 
and  also  in  cotton  textile  and  jute  production,  the  Plan 
is  too  modest  to  require  any  planning  at  all.  Plan- 
ning presupposes  lack  of  competition  and  over- 
production, the  two  evils  of  capitalist  economy  which 
flourishes  on  private  competitive  production.  In  their 
eagerness  to  tame  the  Indian  rivers  and  harness  their 
resources,  the  Plan  has  overlooked  this  aspect  of 
competition  which  is  now  inevitably  creeping  into 
some  aspects  of  planned  economy,  as  for  example, 
the  electric  power  to  be  generated  by  the  Damodar 
Valley  Project  as  well  as  the  Hirakud  Project  will 
be  combinedly  a  surplus.  Who  will  consume  this 
great  volume  of  electric  power  ?  The  Damodar  Valley 
can  supply  electric  power  to  the  coal  belt,  the 
Chittaranjan  Locomotive  Works  and  other  great 
industries.  But  Hirakud'a  ^NR€t  "«^  %^  ^AaK^gesis^  ^^ 

the  marketr-^W^  \»  ^Jd*^  ^iotaws.^    Vs^  "^  €)»<^3t^ 


THE  MODERN  REVIEW  FOR  FEBRUARY.  1953 


supply  7  Other  industrica  are  to  be  developed  bo  at 
to  make  the  hj-dro-electricity  economically  paying. 
It  apjiear:?  Ibat  Sindri  Fertiliser  Factory  is  already 
facing  diffitulty  in  disposing  ot  its  1,000  tona 
of  daily  production  o£  ammonium  gulpliate.  These 
are  tbe  problems  i\-bicli  should  be  taken  into 
conj^idcration. 

The  Plan  envisages  additional  annual  employ- 
ment a?  follow* :  industry  inchiding  mnall-scato 
industries  (4  lakhs  annually),  major  irrigation  and 
power  projects  ("i  lakhs  annually),  agriculture 
(H+15+7i=23  lakhs  annualii).  building  and  con- 
.itrufiion  (1  lakh  annually),  roadf  (2  lakhs  annually), 
cotlagc  indu^Iiirn  (20  takh.^  annually  plus  36  lakhs  will 
b;  proviJcil  wl'h  fi;ller  em|iloyment),  tertiary  sector 
and  loc;il  works  i  iheie  will  be  more  employment  here, 
bill  i!  if  no(  [■csible  lo  estimate  it).  The  moat  dis- 
conccrUng  feature  of  this  planned  estimate  of  employ- 
ment h  that  the  means  of  production  being  not  fully 
in  the  hands  of  the  State,  it  seems  to  be  premature  to 
estimate  the  additional  rate  of  annual  employment. 
The  private  sector  will  raise,  to  its  convenience,  the 
periodical  plea  of  over-production  and  less  pro&t  and 
will  start  retrenching  labour.  What  remedy 
does  the  Govemmeat  contemplate  undertaking  in 
that  case  ? 

The  administrative  problems  need  not  be  under- 
rated. It  may  be  that  India  is  unique  in  Asia  in  Ua 
strength  of  its  administrative  structure.  The  Indian 
Civil  Sen-ice  have  many  devoted  officials  who  havs 
Hcomplished  miracles  in  the  last  five  years.  The 
resettlement  of  the  refugees,  the  negotiated  incor- 
poration of  over  £00  princely  States  in  the  Indian 
Union,  the  general  elections  and,  indeed  the  Kops 
and  detail  of  the  Plan  itself— aU  these  are  adminis- 
trative achievements  of  tbe  highest  order.  But  tha 
introduction  of  tbe  Welfare  State  must  mean  M 
enormous  multiplication  of  responsibilities.  Stata 
inten'cntion  in  industries  has  the  same  consequence; 
ond  at  the  most  vltul  kvel  of  all  for  tbe  Plan— in 
the  village — admini'tration  must  in  some  areas  be 
built  almost  from  scralcli.  In  the  princely  States  the 
structure  of  administration  was  always  alight  Bod 
land  reform  has  sbolished  the  old  inteimediaries— Iha 
Zamindars  and  the  Jogirdars— in  many  States.  Thft 
peasant  is  the  piAot  of  the  Plan.  But  in  many 
it  would  be  difficult  to  reach  him. 

The  Plan  is  aware  of  BUoh  problems  and 
its  main  aims  is  to  fill  the  vacuum 
loping   the  machinery-   of     government,    i^, 
furthering  the   activities   of   the  vill««ai»'.* 
Village    Councils— Panthayat*— are    bdi 
restored  ;  the  co-operative  movement 
a  widespread   degree   only   in 
to  be   fostered.   On   thy   ofBcii 
urged  to  assign  responsibilil 
d^trJct   oMccra   and    to    In' 
4P/iC7P  of  action  will  be  t 


new  approach  will  be  tried  out     in    the  Comntuni^ 
Development  Projects. 

As  regards  financing  the  Plan,     the     prospeet  of 
raising  capital  internally  is  rather  gloomy,  Durin(  tbe 
planning  period,  tbe   annual   rate   of     capital  iavsgU 
ment  will  be  about  Rs.  400  crores.  The  total  ItniinsM 
and  industrial  investments  in  bdift  during  the  pttiod 
of  about  five  yean  beginning  with  Uth  August,  1S47, 
have  been  of  the     order  of     Rs.  40D.    lltat  is,    Uw 
annual   rate  of   capital     formation     eomsi  to   obont 
Rs.  80  crores.  Including  inveatmente     in     the  public 
sector,  the  total  investments     may     come  to    setrtr 
R.-.  100  crores  a  year.  There  is  little  prospect  that  the 
rate  of  saving  wilt  go  up  five  times  hi^ier  oreni^ 
In  a  population  of  over  36S  million,  only  about  700^ 
are  in  a  position  to  pay  any  taxes.  In  lUl,  only  14J)00 
had  an  income  of  more  than  Rs.  40,000  a  year.  In  these 
conditions,  to  expect  a  higher  general  rate  of  savinc  i' 
to  ignore  the  reality.    The    Plan    envisages    that  ' 
1955-56,  the  rate  of  saving  would  have  gone  up  : 
per  cent  a  year.  Evidently,  there  is  the  admis.:! 
the  present  rate  of  nving  is  less  than  that 
couki  there  be  such  a  high  iat«  of  annual  - 
(Rs.  400  ctores)  by  normal  budgetary-  - 
and  voluntary  avinsi  T    The    taxatiot< 
reached  its  Twrimmn  point  and  to  !" 
further  may  be  diMitaniB.  Under  tl 
of  indirect  toxea,  th«  middle  class  i£ 
Mving  would  etune  on^  {rom  the 
increase  the  burden  of  taxation  i 
tbe  connmption  and  that  may  ri 
ment  and  employment  as  well 
or  nismg  loom  ii  not  very  proi 
of  Tohmtoiy  'nnnp  is  ver>-  - 
Flan  a  finoneiaUy  successful 
need  bava  to  rw)Tt  to  drf 
jHjole  than  tint  cantempi''' 
this  pncednrs  may  be  f' 
no  doubt,  in  the  aysten'   ' 

rOflds  BUd   Iherefi'i  "^^  "~ 

if  need  bo.  ^ 


emoluments.     Your  itii--. 
improv^J   since  Ind-^p- -":■  -. 
ol    eovemuirnt    iha:    ?.-   ■-^-. 
elected  to  change  i:i  ^■^■-7. 
if  it  reiaiiied  luosl  ol  ■;:-    :    =.. 
abmlulely  Bfit  men  is      :■_!  ■ 
order  to  earn'  out  niv  :  j   - 
A  eo^'ernmenl  wiih  :':■■    j-.--. 
have  made  heaiy  c-li  :i   ■.■;:- 

The  bureaucracy.  t»  i  ^  i 
know,  almcisi  a  ]-y^~.T..;  -.-rrz 
headed,'        'high-haLS^^L  j: 

'aiToeant,'  'impudtr.:.'   ■:.:.i.. 
irere  some  of  the  %;■,-:;   l    ■ 
you   by    ihf  viifi'>-j;    l  ^^■-- 
(he     m,-ir}>r-r=  ..f  :h-       _-    :■ 
purpi..-^f'.  Free  Ini.u  v^     .- . 
buri^aiiiTJlk   iu)p.     lifj-^. 
thai   thu  ;i.jncvr  t:-::.-j-.. 


I      lIllTC 


I      1>1- 


..xi,|..Ol 


But 


ical  rhar 


-  ic  : 


their  and  lli(-  peui-I-  ,-  d:-*:.-.! 
oreaoizatiou  »  ilial  Ui-;:  ^:.. 
elected  lo  cuntinue  tin-  ....  «-.-.-; 
auumjitloD  of  office.  li.^  r^je.  , 
aod  teaee  of  rtiipotuliiiijv  an.  _- 
irstem  as  it  urai.  Perta).^  -j^.  m, 
dicuouluiceF  in  whkb  t»Lur-  : 
about.  Perhapi  ihi*  Itatu-  y„ 
Tadical  ideoh>Eic«'  LoiL  u:  f--nt' 

been      wboMiearlnl);'     t-.tn-rr.    : 

Sn  tbav  waa  aot  iBct  iOmb 
and  the  tmliliaBi  wiMfc  ■»  «•.  j, 


n  llial  hind  u*.    This 

d    i«   no)    ihc   cxtiiii^tiun   of 

but  a      transfer maiiuii  of  the 

i.u   ihcm   and   the   masses  into 

rvd  with  calcliwtirds  and  iii:d'Ji:iivc 


I  the 


Have 


Are  wr  not  caiiablu  oE  find- 

■  i:ion  to   the    (lui'tlion    of    tj]ii1jl    and 

'■-,   tliD     bysti'm  of     rairia.\l'riwa      but  a 

ruiiung   the   Jilli'i'cnri-   bi'luL-Ln   lii^h   and 

.It   bctwL-<ii  capitu)   and   labour 'f     All   tJiut 

:[.(.-  W<'~t  i>n  ihU  »ul>jt'tl  i»  lamvl  »ii!i  the 

■  Iriicc.     I  ol.Jri-l   lo   it   li.-(aui-t-   1   liavr   si-i-n 

/r  liijl  lirs  at  the  end  of  tilia  road.    U'liy  nlnrc 

1  even  in  the  Wc.-t  t.Hijy  sund  i::iiiJ..|  at  lli.; 

whith   lh..ir   .5-lri,.   i.    liiMdii.-.     And    I   owe 

nlluencc   1  liave   il»   llli:   ft  .•>!   lo   my    n'aailes* 

to   find   a   sululioii   uhidi   jirii!iii;.s   an   cmjiic 


ih..-  1 


of   \ 


\'-vU  a  !.yniiiatlii.lit  ^ludrnt  of  llu-  WViHiii  sotial 
i'.r  and  I  have  dlscuvi-ri-d  that  utiiliTlj iiij;  llio  It-vur 
.;l  fills  Ihi^  soul  of  til.'  \\\-i  tlu  ro  h  a  r.=llc:s  s.arcU 
;  -1  truth.  I  value  that  sl'iril.  Li  t  u:;  ^lodJ'  our  Eafiti-rn 
..^liiuiioni'  in  ilijt  z-piiil  nl  <i.i.niilii'  ciKtiiir)'  and  »'l-  shall 
i^uivu  a  truer  toeiali^Ju  and  a  liuer  t■0II.1llulli^m  than  the 
Mvdd  has  yirt  drL-aiiird  of.  Il  i^  iur.'lj-  hion^  to  lircsume 
that  Wi'slcrn  siciali^iti  or  emuiiiunl^'U  is  tliL'  last  word 
1.11  tliL-  i|uof.tio!i  of   niafr   iX'ViTly.'' 


Liseithuivcr's  Inaugural  AdJrcsi 

In.  Ilir.,'  d:.j-  <.f  tt-.ui.i-v.i;;     ■.;i-.. 


.  lliit  thi.Ti'  i^  lio  riv.iifiratiiju 
K  UmI-  iLiiijIit  fidi'jw  liwiii.^'  of  llic  diLinge- 
rl.v  fdnlitil,  .Still  tlii-rc  ii  cuougli  m  it  to 
■  ..   [Li:t  to     make  it  worthy  of  rceord, 

,  .■^iiutital  fn  the  opening  words  of  his  historic  addrcM, 

.   [lenance     dent  Eisenhower  noted  ikc  cjWA^w.'^i  O^^lbsinv^ 


<an  U.  ,«,  A.  \i:ii  a  f\'vi 
■:  li^e  tralnre  of  it  is  il- li 
<   uiih     of  tho  i^^vu 


90 


THE  MODERN  REVIEW  FOR  FEBRUARY,  1988 


irlien  everything  it  ready  for  taking  fire,  a  little  apark 
it  quite  sufficient  to  set  it. 

My  appeal  to  you  is  to  give  a  place  to  God  in  your 
life  and  conduct.  In  your  desire  to  advance  your  material 
position  you  have  banished  Him  from  your,  homes  and 
offices,  calculating  that  money  is  a  better  friend  than 
God  in  adversity  and  old  age.  But  your  calculations  are 
false  and  will  mean  the  ruin  of  yourselves  and  the 
whole  country.  God  grant  you  wisdom  and  strength  to 
become  truer  and  better  servants  of  the  people." 

Retirement  of  General  Cnriappa 

Gen.  Cariappa,  the  retiring  C-in-C  of  the  Indian  Army, 
was  presented  with  the  robes  and  diploma  of  Doctor  of 
Science  (honoris  causa)  of  Agra  University.  The 
presentation  was  made  by  the  RegisUar  of  the  University, 
Dr.  L.  P.  Mathur,  at  a  ceremony  at  the  Central  Secre- 
tariat here. 

Gen.  Cariappa  was  admitted  to  the  degree  of  Doctor 
of  Science  (honoris  causa)  at  the  Silver  Jubilee  Con- 
vocation! of  Agra  University  in  December,  "in  token  of 
the  great  esteem  and  affection  the  National  Cadet  Corps 
of  the  university  has  for  him." 

Gen.  Cariappa  was  the  guest  of  honour  at  a  garden 
party  organized  by  Army  HQ  this  evening.  The  FVime 
Minister,  Mr.  Nehru,  the  Home  Minister,  Dr.  Katju,  and 
several  high-ranking  service  officers  were  present  at  the 
reception. 

A  foot-high  silver  infantryman  mounted  on  a  pedestal 
bearing  the  army  crest  and  the  formation  signs  of  Army 
HQ  and  the  three  Commands  was  presented  to  Gen. 
Cariappa  at  a  special  reception  held  at  the  Defence 
Service  Club.  Lt.^Gen.  Thakur  Nathu  Singh, 
GOC-in-C,  Elastern  Command,  presented ,  the  souvenir  onl 
behalf  of  Army  officers. 

Gen.  Cariappa  said  that  he  regarded  the  souvenir  as 
a  symbol  of  his  affection  for  the  jawan — the  backbone  of 
the  army. 

The  Agra  University  has  thus  rectified  to  a  certain 
extent  the  omissions  made  by  other  public  bodies,  the 
failure  to  acknowledge  and  acclaim  the  sterling 
services  rendered  by  this  gallant  son  of  India.  In 
these  troublous  times  that  we  are,  and  have  been, 
passing  through,  the  Army  has  been  a  bulwark  of  true 
steel  against  all  dangers.  That  it  has  lemained  staunch 
and  highly  efficient,  despite  the  flood  of  intrigue  and 
corruption  in  Nehru's  Government,  is  to  the  ever- 
lasting credit  of  the  soldier  and  gentleman  who  has 
been  its  C.-in-C.  for  so  long.  That  we  have  failed  to 
realize  that  fact  shows  how  blind  wo  are. 

Why  the  Army 

We  are  the  most  peace-loving  of  all  men,  but  we 

confess  we  are  getting  a  little  tired  of  the  bletherings 

about  Peace  and  Ahimsa,  in  season  and  out  of  season, 

wAenever  our  army  is  mentioned,     by     our  **Great" 

fiie».  The  army  and  the  Bghting  forces  are  vital  neces- 

^^/ee  /or  every  mUoa  that  wante  to  preserve  ita  free- 


dom and  keep  ita  homes  inviolate.  The  Oita  in  its  true 
concept  is  clear  on  the  duty  of  a  warrior.  To  those 
who  in  their  ignorance  refuse  to  believe  it,  we  present 
the  following  story  about  Abraham  Lincoln  : 

"An  eminent  theologian  called  on  the  President 
to  protest  against  the  desecration  of  the  Sabbatb, 
when  Union  armies  engaged  in  battle  on  the  Lord's 
Day.  Lincoln,  as  usual,  listened  respectfully.  When 
the  full  argument  had  been  stated,  he  glanced  up  with 
a  smile  and  observed  :  'Do  you  know  that  this  Ad- 
ministration is  in  entire  accord  with  those  sentiments?' 
''*!  am  more  than  gratified  to  hear  it/  answered  the 
clergyman. 

"Tea,  indeed;  and  there  is  only  one  other  in- 
fluence that  you  need  bring  to  bear  in  order  to  stop 
the  pernicious  practice  of  fighting  battles  on  Sunday.' 

"nVhat  is  that,  Mr.  President?' 

*"Why,  just  see  the  Confederate  generals,  and  get 
them  to  let  our  soldiers  alone*  I" 

Peace  Congress  Address 

The  Congress  of  the  Peoples  for  Peace  met  in 
Vienna  from  December  12  to  19,  19512.  It  was  attended 
by  1357  representatives  from  85  countries.  The  Indian 
delegation  numbering  30  was  headed  by  Dr.  Safiuddin 
Kitchlew.  The  three  items  on  the  agenda  were  :  1.  The 
independence  and  security  of  nations  ;  2.  Termination 
of  the  wars  now  raging,  above  all  the  war  in  Korea ; 
3.  Relaxation  of  international  tension. 

In  an  appeal  issued  after  the  conclusion  of  the 
Congress,  it  said  : 

"We  call  for  all  hostilities  in  Korea  to  cease 
immediately.  1 

**While  towns  are  shattered  and  bk>od  flows, 
agreement  becomes  impossible.  When  hostilities  have 
ceased,  the  parties  will  more  readily  reach  agreement 
on  the  questions  at  issue  between  them. 

"We  call  also  for  the  immediate  ending  of  hosti- 
lities in  Viet-Nam,  Laos,  Cambodia  and  Mala3ra,  with 
unqualified  respect  for  the  right  to  independence  of 
the  peoples  concerned. 

"We  call  for  an  end  to  the  violence  employed  to 
stifle  the  national  aspirations  of  peoples  to  indepen- 
dence, as  in  Tunisia  and  Morocco. 

"The  Congress  of  the  Peoples  for  Peace  proclaims 
the  right  of  all  peoples  to  selfndetermination  and  to 
choose  their  own  way  of  life  without  any  interference 
in  their  internal  affairs,  whatever  motive  be  invoked 
in  justification.  The  national  independence  of  every 
State  constitutes  the  essential  condition  of  peace. 

*The  ashes  of  the  last  war  risk  bursting  into  flame 
in  both  Europe  and  Asia.  However,  negotiation  can 
and  must  achieve  a  peaceful  solution  of  the  German 
problem  and  the  Japanese  problem.  We  consider  that 
a  peace  treaty,  excluding  its  participation  in  any 
military  alliance  directed  against  any  country  whatso- 
ever, must  be  concluded     at    the     earliest     pOflsible 

rnomeui  mi\i  tb   >m\^^   ^«QDi^^t«.tiQ    Qemiany,    a 


i^om 


k 


QetmAty  wfaefe  tiim  aliali  U  bA  torn,  lot  the  Nailflm 

and  xnilitariBm  that  have  brought  Buch  woe  to  Europe, 
We  propose  the  conclusion  of  a  peace  treaty  with 
Japan,  that  shall  end  its  occupation  and  allow  the 
Japanese  people  to  return  into  the  fellowship  of  peace- 
ful nations. 

'^e  demand  an  absolute  ban  on  atomic,  chemical 
and  all  other  means  of  exterminating  civil  populations. 

"We  criticize  the  shortsighted  who  claim  that  the 
arms  drive  is  capable  of  strengthening  a  country's 
security.  We  are  convinced  that  the  arms  drive 
strengthens,  on  the  contrary,  the  threat  to  all  coun- 
tries, great  and  small. 

"We  call  on  the  peoples  of  the  world  to  struggle 
for  the  spirit  of  negotiation  and  agreement,  for  the 
right  of  man  to  peace." 

In  the  "Address  to  the  Governments  of  the  Five 
Great  Powers,"  the  Congress  declared  : 

"The  Congress  of  the  Peoples  for  Peace,  meeting 
at  Vienna,  December  12,  1962,  expressing  the  will  of 
mankind,  solemnly  invites  the  Governments  of  the 
United  States  of  America,  of  the  Union  of  Soviet 
Socialist  Republics,  of  the  Peoples  Republic  of  China, 
and  of  Great  Britain  and  of  France  to  open  the  nego- 
tiations on  which  peace  depends. 

"Agreement  between  the  Five  Great  Powers,  the 
conclusion  of  a  Pact  of  Peace  will  put  an  end  to 
international  tension  and  will  save  the  world  from  the 
greatest  misfortune.  ,    ,    | 

"This  is  the  demand  of  all  the  peoples." 

Unfortimately,  after  this  appeal  was  broad<»st, 
came  the  news  of  the  Jew-hunt  in  the  domains  of  the 
Soviets.  The  details  of  that  coincide  so  nearly  with 
the  anti-Hebraic  methods  of  the  Hitler-Goebbels  era, 
tjhat  it  gives  a  severe  shock  to  all  right-thinking 
I>eoples.  The  noble  sentiments  set  forth  in  the  ^ppeal 
somehow  sound  very  hollow  after  that. 

Indeed  in  our  country  we  need  not  import  foreign 
appeals  either  for  peace  or  for  the  rights  of  Man.  We 
quote  hereunder  from  an  article  by  Gandhiji,  written 
for  the  Amrita  Bazar  Patrika,  in  1934  and  reproduced 
in  the  Harijan  for  January  24  : 

'^CUss  war  is  foreign  to  the  esseniial  genius  of  India, 
which  is  capable  of  evolving  communism  on  the  funda- 
mental rights  of  all  on  equal  justice.  Ramarajya  of  my 
dream  ensures  rights  alike  of  prince  and  pauper. 

Socialism  and  communism  of  the  West  are  based 
Oft  certain  conceptions  which  are  fundamentally  different 
liom  ours.  One  such  conception  is  their  belief  in  the 
essential  selfishness  of  human  nature.  I  do  not 
aobscribe  to  it,  for  I  know  that  the  essential  difference 
)l>etw€ea  man  and  the  brute  is  that  the  former  can 
tespond  to  the  call  of  the  spirit  in  him,  can  rise 
•apedor  to  the  passions  that  he  owns  in  common  with 
the  hrate  ondt  therefore,  superior  to  selfishness  and 
TiaJcpCflbi  which  belong  to  the  brute  nature  and  not  to 
the  immonal  Huxit  of  man.  Hut)  is  the  fundamental 
iPCT^piyiicil  of ,  Hipdnlini,  which  has  years  of  peoaaoe 


and  austerity  Ht  hack  ol  (iii(ioV«H^  tA  this  thtthi  That 
is  why,  whilst  we  have  had  saints  who  have  worn  out 
their  bodies  and  laid  down  their  lives  in  order  to  explore 
the  secrets  of  the  soul,  we  have  had  none,  as  in  the 
West,  who  laid  down  their  lives  in  exploring  the  remotest 
or  the  highest  regions  of  the  earth.  Our  socialism  or 
communism  should^  therefore,  be  based  on  non-violence 
and  on  harmonious  co-operation  of  labour  and  capital, 
landlord  and  tenant. 

Ryots  themselves  have  no  greater  ambition  than  to 
live  ini  peace  and  freedom  and  they  will  never  grudge 
your  possession  of  property  provided  you  use  it  for 
them. 

All  exploitation  is  based  on  co-operation,  willing  or 
forced,  of  the  exploited.  However  much  we  may  detest 
admitting  it,  the  fact  remains  that  there  would  be  no 
exploitation  if  people  refuse  to  obey  the  exploiter.  But 
self  comes  in  and  we  hug  the  chains  that  bind  us.  This 
must  cease.  What  is  needed  is  not  the  extinction  of 
landlords  and  capitalists,  but  a  transformation  of  the 
existing  relationship  between  them  and  the  masses  into 
something  healthier  and  purer. 

Let  us  not  be  obsessed  with  catchwords  and  seductive 
slogans  imported  from  the  West.  Have  we  not  our 
distinct  Eastern  tradition  ?  Are  we  not  capable  of  find- 
ing our  own  solution  to  the  question  of  capital  and 
labour  ?  What  is  the  system  of  varnashrama  but  a 
means  of  harmonizing  the  difference  between  high  and 
low,  as  well  as  between  capital  and  labour  ?  All  that 
comes  from  the  West  on  this  subject  is  tarred  with  the 
brush  of  violence.  I  object  to  it  because  I  have  seen 
the  wreckage  that  lies  at  the  end  of  this  road.  The  more 
thinking  set  even  in  the  West  today  stand  aghast  at  the 
abyss  for  which  their  system  is  heading.  And  I  owe 
whatever  influence  I  have  in  the  West  to  my  ceaseless 
endeavour  to  find  a  solution  which  promises  an  escape 
from  the  vicious  circle  of  violence  and  exploitation.  I 
have  been  a  sympathetic  studient  of  the  Western  social 
order  and  I  have  discovered  that  underlying  the  feveif 
that  fills  the  soul  of  the  West  there  is  a  restless  seardbj 
for  truth.  I  value  that  spirit.  Let  us  study  our  Eastern 
institutions  in  that  spirit  of  scientific  enquiry  and  we  shall 
evolve  a  truer  socialism  and  a  truer  communism  than  the 
world  has  yet  dreamed  of.  It  is  surely  wrong  to  presume 
that  Western  socialism  or  communism  is  the  last  word 
on  the  question  of  mass  poverty.** 

Eisenhower* s  Inaugural  Address 

In  these  days  of  world-wide  tension  and  suffering, 
the  inaugural  address  of  the  new  Piesident  of  the 
U.  S.  A.  has  a  special  significance.  One  commendable 
feature  of  it  is  its  brevity.  But  there  is  no  clarification 
of  the  issues  that  might  follow  becauae  of  the  change, 
over  in  party  control.  Still  there  is  enough  in  it  to 
make  it  worthy  of  record. 

In  the  opening  words  of  his  historic  address^  Presi- 
dent Eisenhower  noted.  \hft  ^tL\!fiDk'<o^&%  ^Qk«!i&dB^^  \^  "^ba 


01 


THfi  MOt»fillN  tlfiVlfiW  FOR  f  fifitltJAtlY,  1963 


world  today.  He  taid  the  forces  of  good  and  evil  are 
maMed,  armed  and  opposed  a«  rarely  before  in  history. 

He  summed  up  this  conflict  at  freedom  pitte<i 
against  slavery,  light  against  dark. 

"We  are  called,  as  a  people,  to  give  testimony,  in 
the  sight  of  the  world,  to  our  faith  that  the  future  shall 
belong  to  the  free,"  he  said. 

The  2,500-word  address  did  not  announce  any  speci- 
fic policies  or  actions  of  the  new  administration.  Rather, 
it  outlined  the  moral  and  ethical  principles  to  which  all 
Americans  can  adhere  regardless  of  political  party. 

President  Eisenhower  outlined  nine  fixed  principles 
by  which,  he  said,  he  hoped  the  United  States  would  be 
known  to  all  peoples. 

The  first  three  of  these  principles  call  for  the  deve- 
lopment of  strength  to  deter  aggression,  a  pledge  against 
appeasement,  and  recognition  that  American  strengtl^ 
is  a  trust  upon  which  rests  the  hope  of  free  men  every- 
where. 

The  second  three  principles  recognize  the  identity 
and  heritage  of  each  nation,  pledge  help  to  the  free 
nations  to  achieve  their  own  security  and  well-being,  and 
to  encourage  productivity  and  trade. 

The  seventh  principle  expresses  a  hope  for  the 
strengthening  of  special  regional  groupings  within  the 
United  Nations  to  meet  the  different  problems  of  different 
areasw 

The  eighth  principle  declares  that  the  United  Sutes 
considers  all  continents  and  people  in  equal  regard  and 
rejects  the  insinuation  that  any  race  or  people  is  inferior 
or  expendable. 

In  the  ninth  principle  President  Eisenhower  pledged 
respect  for  the  United  Nations  as  the  living  sign  of  the 
hope  for  peace.  He  declared  that  the  United  States 
will  strive  to  make  the  United  Nations  not  merely  an 
eloquent  symbol  but  an  effective  force. 

President  Dscnhower  said  that  these  basic  precepts 
are  not  lofty  abstractions  b^t  laws  of  spiritual  strength 
that  generate  and  define  the  material  strength  of  the 
United  States. 

"Patriotism  means  equipped  forces  and  a  prepared 
citizenry,"  he  said.  *^ Moral  stamina  means  more  energy 
and  more  productivity  on  the  farm  and  in  the  factory. 

"Love  of  liberty  means  the  guarding  of  every  re- 
source that  makes  freedom  possible." 

In  discussing  the  first  principle  for  the  development 
of  strength  to  deter  aggression.  President  Eisenhower 
said  that  the  United  States  was  ready  to  engage  in  Sk 
joint  effort  to  make  possible  a  drastic  reduction  of 
armaments. 

"The  sole  requisites  for  undertaking  such  effort," 
he  said,  *'are  that  in  their  purpose  they  be  aimed  logi- 
cally and  honestly  toward  secure  peace  for  all ;  and  that 
in  their  result  they  provide  methods  by  which  every 
participating  nation  will  prove  good  faith  in  carrying 
pat  its  pledge.** 

/if  Iu9  pledge  againat  appeMgexaent  Avtident  EIbco^ 


hower  said  that  the  United  States  will  never  try  tO 
placate  an  aggressor  by  trading  honour  for  security. 

"For  in  the  final  choice,"  he  said,  "a  soldier't  pack 
is  not  so  heavy  a  burden  as  a  prisoner's  chaini.** 

President  Eisenhower  said  that  the  faith  of  the 
United  States  is  "faith  in  the  deathless  dignity  of  nian« 
governed  by  eternal  moral  and  natural  laws.** 

This  faith,  he  said,  decrees  that  the  people  elect 
leaders  not  to  rule  but  to  serve.  It  asserts  the  right  of 
individuals  to  choose  their  work  and  the  right  to  a  re* 
ward  for  their  toil,  he  said.  This  faith.  President  Easen- 
bower  continued,  inspires  the  initiative  that  makes 
American   productivity  the  wonder  of  the  world. 

Because  of  these  principles,  he  said,  the  political 
changes  in  the  United  States  today  do  not  imply  turbu- 
lence,   upheaval   or   disorder. 

Rather,  he  said,  the  change  expresses  a  strengthen- 
ing of  dedication  and  devotion  to  the  precepts  on  which 
the  United  States  was  founded,  and  a  conscious  renewal 
of  faith  in  the  nation. 

"The  faith  we  hold,'*  he  said,*  "belongs  not  to  us 
alone  but  to  the  free  men  of  all  the  world.  This  com- 
mon bond  binds  the  grower  of  rice  in  Burma  and  the 
planter  of  wheat  in  Iowa,  the  shepherd  in  southern 
Italy  and  the  mountaineer  in  the  Andes." 

"It  confers  a  common  dignity  upon  the  French 
soldier  who  dies  in  Indo-China,  the  British  soldier 
killed  in  Malaya,  the  American  life  given  in  Korea.** 

President  Eisenhower  said  the  United  States  had 
been  persuaded  by  necessity  and  by  belief  that  the 
strength  of  all  free  peoples  lies  in  unity,  their  dangec 
in  discord. 

"To  produce  this  unity,  to  meet  the  challenge  of 
our  time,"  he  said,  "dei<tiny  has  laid  upon  our  country 
the  responsibility  of  the  free  world's  leadership." 

"So  it  is  proper  that  we  assure  our  friends  once 
again  that,  in  the  discharge  of  this  responsibility,  we 
Americans  know  and  observe  the  di£^rence  betweem 
world  leadership  and  imperialism  ;  between  firmness  and 
truculence  ;  between  a  thoughfuUy  calculated  goal  and 
spasmodic  reaction  to  the   stimulus  of  emergencies. 

"We  wish  our  friends  the  world  over  to  know  this 
above  all :  we  face  the  threat — not  with  dread  and  con- 
fusion— but  with   confidence   and   conviction.'' 

The  U.S.A.  Presidential  Election 

Tho  Presidential  election  in  the  U.  S.  A.  had 
more  than  usual  significance  to  the  world  outside  as 
all  of  us  understand.  There  are  different  views,  but  all 
the  same  the  following  summary  as  given  in  the 
World  Interpreter  of  November  21,  is  of  interest : 

"Why  the  Eisenhower  sweep,  and  what  arc  its  por- 
tents in  social,  economic,  inter-racial  and  international 
affairs  ?  '  - 

Most  explanations  of  the  landslide  are,  it  aeems  to 
this  writer,  far  too  simple.  To  be  sure,  it  was  a  perso- 
nal tritmiph  for*  Eisenhower.  But  it  goes  eonsider«bly 
deeper.  Look  back,  and  you'll  see.  In  spite  of  Root^ 
velt't  great  victories,  the  popular  vote  for  Democrallo 


NOTES  «3 

candidates  has  been  declining  proportionately  ever  since  positions.  If  Eisenhower  on  the  scene  should  learn  the 
1936.  Roosevelt's  plurality  in  that  year  was  11,000,000  ;  truth,  as  MacAjrlhur  on  the  scene  did  not,  that  Chiang  is 
in  1940,  5,000,000  ;  in  1^,  3,500,000.  Truman's  abhorred  generally  by  Asians,  what  can  he  do  ? 
pluraKly  in  1948  was  2,136.000.  For  16  years,  there  haa  On  Public  Affairs  in  general,  such  prehistoric 
been  a  alow  but  inexorable  Republican  trend.  Thi^  Senators  as  Cain  and  Kem  have  gone,  while  some  anti- 
year  it  caught  up.  isolationists  are  in.  Yet  Dixiecrats  who  backed  Eisenhower 

What     about     foreign     reactions  ?     With     the     sole  will  have  no  problem  about  joining  up  with  such  northern 

exception  of  the  West  German      government,      virtually  antediluvians  as  McCarthy,  Bridges,     Ferguson,     Butler, 

every   government   and   people   the   world  '    over   wanted  Capehart,  Hickenlooper  and  Jenner,  all  of  whom     seem 

Stevenson.     Many  Americans,      it   must  be   feared,   will  slated   for   top      committee      posts,   with   Jenner   in   the 

assume  that  all  these  prejudiced   foreigners  were   think-  "^ost  vital  of  all  as  head  of  the  rules  committee.     This 

ing  primarily  about  a  loss  in  U.S.  aid.     To  some  extent  "  not  to  say  that  some  good  things  may  not  be  expec- 

that   was   the   case.      But   concern   overseas   went   much  ^ed,     especially     on     questions     of     reorganizaUop     and 

further.     There   was   a   general   expectation   that,   if   the  elimination    of    waste.     But    on    issues    vital    to    world 

Republicans  won,  protective  tariffs  might  come  back  and  relations,    those    who    care    about    the    United    Nations, 

reciprocity  be  shelved.     The  world  bitterly  recalls      the  Po»n'    Four,    helping    allies    struggle    towards    self-help, 

SmootJHawley  (tariff  of   22   years   ago,   and    its   help   in  unifying   the  non-Communist  nations,  are  facing  a  fight, 

deepening  the  depression.  They  will  be  reminded  again  and  again  of  the  old  saying: 

It   wiU  be  a  miracle  if  the   neutralist   movement  in  "There   is   nothing   new   except   that   which   has   become 

Europe,  Asia,  and  Latin  America,  which  says  to  Russia  antiquated. 

and  the  U.S.  **a  plague  on  both  your  houses,"  is  not  Nazimuddin  on  ludo-Pak  Amity 
immensely  stimulated.  Ameriban  isolationism  will  be  As  the  solution  of  the  Kashmir  problem  is  mainly 
feared!  Perhaps  wrongly,  but  on  the  basis  of  the  cam-  dependent  on  the  mutual  agreement — or  otherwise — 
paign,  war  will  be  dreaded  as  a  greater  possibility,  between  India  and  Pakistan,  the  following  report  of 
Witness  what  happened  in  Japan  on  the  days  immediately  t^e  speech  by  Khwaja  Nazimuddin,  the  Prime  Minis- 
after  the  election  ;  there  was  a  tremendous  boost  in  t^r  of  Pakistan,  at  the  Republic  Day  reception  at  the 
munitions  stocks  and  the  prices  of  commodities  related  to  Indian  High  Commissioner's  house  at  Karachi,^  is  of 
war*  production.  In  Britain,  in  France,  and  to  some  «ome  import.  We  do  not  know  how  deep  lies  its  signi- 
degree  in  Germany,  there  is  likely  to  be  a  stronger  ficance,  but  still  it  should  be  considered  with  care. 
outspokenness  by  millions  of  people  against  signing  the  The  Prime  Minister  said,  "It  is  essential  for  India 
treaty  for  a  European  army,  and  against  accepting  Ameri-  and  Pakistan  to  blend  their  energies  for  prompt  and 
can  leadership  for  the  unification  of  Europe.  peaceful    elimination    of    all    causes    of    bitterness,"    and 

And    what    about    Korea  ?    Asian    people    were   kept  on   his  part,  he  added,  **it  has  been  and  shall  continue 

from   hostility   towards  the  American  role   there  only  by  lo   be   my   constant   endeavour   to   achieve    that   end." 
the  fact     that  it  was  a  United  Nations     defense  against  Recalling  the  joint  struggle  for  freedom,  the  Prime 

aggression  ;  the  talk  about  letting  Asians  fight  Asians  has;  Minister    said    that    he    could    not    see    any    conceivable 

embittered  millions.     The  President-elect's  trip  to  Korea  reason    why       India    and      Pakistan    should    not    live   in 

may  help  him  learn   some   things,  most   of  which  could  closest   co-operation.       He    assured    the   people   of   India 

be  found.  OUT  right  at  home:   that  Southl  Koreans  can't  ihat   "we  in   Pakistan  have  n>  other  wish  except   to  see 

protect   themselves,   by   themselves,   until   1956   and     pro-  India    happy    and    prosperous    and    as    a    good    friendly 

bably  never  ;  that  the  morale  of  Chinese  Red  troops  isi  neighbour." 

high    and    their   equipment    formidable  ;    that    the    South  Khwaja  Nazimuddin,  regretted  that  with  the  passage 

Korean     government  is  as     much  of  a  problem   as  anJy-  of  time  the  Indo-Pakistan  dispute  had  not  been  resolved 

thing   else.     And   here's  something   everybody   forgot  :   if  and  in   fact,  had  become   **more  difficult." 
the  defense  of  South  Korea  is  turned  over  to  the  South  He  said,  ''Mr.  High  Commissioner      (for  India)    you 

Koreans,  who  will  have  the  right  to  decide  policy  ?  They  were  quite  right   in  saying   that   these    (Indian   Republic 

will  !      And  Syngman  Rhee's  regime  says  bluntly  it  has'  Day   pelebratjons)    have   greater   significance   in    Pakistan 

no  faith  in  a  truce,  and  its  Foreign  Minister  says,     onj  than  in  any  other  country  for  ours  was  a  joint  struggle 

the    war   prisoner   question,    that   all    prisoners    are    **our  for  freedom. 

brethren,"  and  must  not  be  sent  to  any  neutral  country  !  **When    the    division    of    India    was    agreed    to    on    a 

This  means  that  the  more  the  South  Korean^  take  over  voluntary  basis  by  all  parties  concerned  it  was  said  that 

the  battle  Hne,  the  smaller  the  chance  for  a  peace.  it   would   be  a   parting  as"     between      two   brothers  who 

The   Chinese  nationalists  on   Formosa   are  sure   that  would   thenceforward    live   in   independent   homes  instead 

the    change    of    administration    at    Washington    signifieai  of   under  one      paternal      roof,   but   that   the   bonds   of 

greater  help  for  them,  and  even,  perhaps,  their  use     in  kinship  would  remain  to  bind  the  successive  generations* 

an    expanded    military    campaign    with    American    help,  in  amity  and  goodwill. 

They  may  be  wrong,  but  those  who  favor  using  Chiang  "It  was  aloivg  lYiese  \kiie%  >^^x  >N<i  va. '^iS^x^xaxw  V-a.^ 

Kai-flhek's  loreet     are  now  in  strategic      Congreswonal  hoped    that    out    leVaWoivs   Vo\i  \tA\«^   >«^nsN^   ^^s'^^^ 


mmm 


94 


THE  MODERN  REVIEW  FOR  FEBRUARY,  1953 


It  was,  therefore,  a  matter  of  great  regret  to  us  that 
difference  between  the  two  countries  developed  at  such 
an  early  stage  and  the  passage  of  time  has  not  only 
not  resolved  them  but  rendered  them  more  difficult.** 

Mr.  Nazimuddin  recalled  that  the  late  Prime 
Minister  Liaquat  Ali  Khan  offered  to  submit  all  dis- 
pMtes  between  the  two  countries  to  conciliation  or 
mediation  and  failing  that,  to  arbitration.  '*I  stand  by 
that  offer  and  I  shall  welcome  any  effective  measures  that 
lean  be  devised  to  give  a  concrete  shape  to  our  sincere 
desires  for  a  just  settlement  of  all  disputes  that 
unfortunately  exist  between  our  two  countries,"  he  said. 

'*I  do  not  wish  to  conceal  the  fact  that  the  prolonged 
stalemate  that  has  supervened  in  resolving  these  dis- 
putes has  caused  considerable  bitterness  among  our 
peoples.  I  would  be  the  last  person  to  minimise  the 
dangers  inherent  in  such   a  situation,"  he  said. 

The  Premier  deplored  "war  cries  from  whichever 
quarter  they  come.*' 

"Any  armed  conflict  between  Pakistan  and  India 
would,  I  consider,  be  a  disaster  of  the  first  magnitude 
and  would  plunge  the  whole  of  Asia  into  turmoil,"  he 
addod. 

Kashmir 

With  the  coming  of  Dr.  Graham  for  the  Kashmir 
parleys,  this  vexed  question  has  taken  a  fresh  turn. 
As  such  the  following  extract  from  the  report  of  the 
three  General  Secretaries  of  the  Congress  to  the 
A. -I.  C.  C.  is  very  cogent. 

Kashmir :  '*In  spite  of  the  fact  that  India  and 
Pakistan  have  arrived  at  agreements  on  some  issues,  the 
vital  issue  of  Kashmir  remains  unsolved.  It  is  here  that 
the  conflict  of  ideologies  between  the  two  countries 
comes  about.  India  is  secular.    Pakistan  theocratic. 

"During  the  period  under  report  the  U.N.  did  not 
move  anywhere  nearer  a  solution.  It  is  because  this 
august  body  shuts  its  eyes  to  the  vital  fact  that  Pakistan 
is  the  aggressor.  This  fact  was  established  by  the 
eminent  jurist.  Sir  Owen  Dixon,  the  U.N.  representative. 

'•Whatever  be  the  efforts  of  the  U.N.  or  its 
representatives  to  bring  about  a  settlement  on  this  issue 
between  India  and  Pakistan  it  is  deplorable  that  no  effort 
that  has  so  far  been  made  on  the  issue  of  demilitarisation 
cared  to  treat  thei  invader  and  the  defender  on  differ- 
ent footings.  Whoever  mediates  or  whatever  formulae 
are  brought  before  the  U.N.  assemblies,  it  is  idle  to 
think  that  India  will  ever  make  any  sort  of  compromise 
on  principles  for  the  sake  of  convenience.^ 

This  stand  has  been  re-iterated  in  the  Congress 
session  deliberations. 

Sheikh  Abdullah  and  the  Parishad 

But  quite   apart   from   the  Indo-Pak   dispute  over 

Kashmir,  there  is  a  new  and  extremely  queer  problem 

/ac/ns-  that  region.  This  is  the  Praje  Parishad  agitation. 

f^^  Jfave  to  understand  it  fully,  if  we  have  to  discuss 


it.  And  the  first  step  towards  that  understanding  is 
to  assess  the  leader  of  Kashmir's  ruling  party,  Sheikh 
Abdullah.  We  have  a  glimpse  into  his  personality 
through  his  own  speech  at  the  Hyderabad  Congress 
session. 

It  is  strange  and  significant  that  he  was  asked  to 
speak  not  on  Kashmir  but  on  communalism.  Here  are 
some  extracts  from  his  speech  : 

Sheikh  Abdullah,  who  was  specially  invited  to  speak 
on  the  resolution  on  communalism  by  the  Congress 
President,  said  amidest  loud  applause  :  **Therc  is  no 
need  to  get  upset  over  the  agiution  of  the  reactionary 
communal  forces  'm  Jammu.  We  faced  and  weathered 
many  storms  and  were  successful  and  we  shall  weather 
this  storm  as  well." 

He  explamed  the  situation  in  detail  in  Jammu  and 
Kashmir  and  the  ''complicated  problem"  the  Government 
had  to  face. 

Sheikh  Abdullah  said  that  he  was  not  so  much 
afraid  of  his  enemies  as  he  was  of  the  attitude  which 
sometimes  his  friends  and  supporters  in  India  had 
adopted  towards  him.  He  was  greatly  pained  when  a 
strange  question  was  every  now  and  then  raised  by  them, 
bamely,  "How  long  can  Sheikh  Abdullah  stay  with  us  ?" 
This  was  a  challenge  to  him  and  he  was  put  to  test 
every  time  it  was  asked.  This  question  of  confidence  in 
him  should  be  decided  once  and  for  all.  Other  the 
people  here  had  confidence  in  him  or  not. 

"If  you  feel  that  I  cannot  come  along  with  you  for 
ever,  then  there  is  no  use  carrying  me  with -you.  You 
must  decide  here  and  now  what  you  want  to  do  with 


me. 


79 


He  said!  that  such  questions  created  doubt  and 
suspicion  about  him  in  the  minds  of  the  people.  It 
was  not  for  him  to  do  anything  about  it.  It  was  for  the 
people  here  to  think  over  it.  There  was  no  compulsion 
about  it.  *'My  life  is  before  you.  -  My  work  is  before 
you.  Whatever  I  am,  I  stand  before  you.  It  is  now 
for  you  to  judge  about  me..'* 

The  people  in  India  must  understand  him  and  his 
position.  He  knew  that  he  had  not  been  able  to 
completely  reach  the  inner  recesses  of  their  mindfr.  But 
they  should  judge  the  Kashmir  problem  calmly,  try  to 
understand  it  and,  "if  you  think  that  we  are  following 
a  wrong  path,  you  tell  me  so  and  try  to  get  us  out 
of  the  difficulty." 

Sheikh  Abdullah  said  that  he  had  resolved  to  follow 
the  path  of  truth,  the  path  of  secularism  and  the  path 
of  communal  amity.  *'I  shall  continue  to  follow  this 
path  of  truth  even  if  I  have  to  lay  down  my  life  for  it. 
I  am  not  willing  to  swerve  from  this  path,  nor  am  I 
going  to  bow  before  any  threat.  Even  if  I  die  in 
following  the  path  of  truth  I  will  have  achieved  success. 

*'Gandhiji  did  not  swerve  from  the  path  of  truth  eve^ 
though  he  knew  his  life  was  in  danger.  It  is  the  path  of 
truth  for  which  a  man  should  live  and  die." 

WYiea  lYie  v^i^\«  ol  ^^sSon^x  b&d  met     suooesefuDy 


NOTES 


95 


the  challenge  of  the  Muslim  League  and  Muslim  National 
Guards  they  would  not  be  afraid  of  the  challenge  of  the 
Praja  Parishad  and  other  communalists,  who  were  really 
the  ''Muslim  national  guards  in  Hindu  garb." 

Referring  to  the  statements  of  Dr.  S.  P.  Mookerjee, 
the  Jan  Sangh  leader,  Mr.  N.  C.  Chatter ji.  President 
of  the  Hindu  Mahasabha,  and  Master  Tara  Singh,  the 
Akali  leader,  relating  to  Kashmir,  Sheikh  Abdullah  said 
that  their  utterances  were  devoid  of  logic.  They  had  be- 
come victims  of  narrow-mindedness.  While  he  had  all 
respect  for  these  elders,  he  strongly  disagreed  with 
their  political  views. 

Taking  Dr.  Mookerjee*s  statements  first.  Sheikh 
Abdullah  said  that  the  Jan  Sangh  leader  said,  at  a  Press 
Conference  recently,  that|  the  Kashmir  Constituent 
A8aeml>Iy  was  a  '*farce  and  an  unrepresentative  body,** 
but  he  (Dr.  Mookerjee)  was  vrilling  to  recognize  the 
same  Constituent  Assembly  if  it  passed  a  resolution 
affirming  complete  accession  to  India. 

Mir.  Chatteiji  said,  at  the  last  annual  session  of  the 
Hindu  Mahasabha,  that  they  wanted  to  ''revise"  the 
Constitution  of  India  to  bring  it  in  conformity  with 
Hindu  ideals.  Mr.  Chatterji  had  a  right  to  say  it,  but 
he  (Sheikh  Abdullah)  could  not  agree  to  it.  ''I  have 
fought  MusHm  communalism  and  I  would  fight  Hindu 
commonaliam  also,^  he  added. 

Master  Tara  Singh  had  said  in  a  speech  in  Luck- 
now,  that  "Pakistan  will  face  permanent  unrest  if  she 
smrender  Kashmir  to  India.*'  Master  Tara  Singh,  it  wasi 
apparent,  did  not  want  permanent  unrest  in  Pakistan. 
When  Indian  leaders  said  such  things,  then  the  other 
interested  parties  in  the  world  would  certainly  say  the 
same  things.  Pakistan  had  thus  found  in  Master  Tara 
Singh  a  very  great  advocate  of  their  stand. 

SheiUf  AbduUah  reiterated  that  the  citizens  of  Kash- 
mir hod  the  same  respect  for  the  Indian  flag  as  the 
real  of  the  people  of  India. 

Speaking  at  a  Republic  Day  party  at  Jammu  on 
26th  January,  the  Sheikh  further  clarified  his  stand 
as  the  following  report  indicates  : 

Sh^kh  Mohammed  Abdullah,  called  upon  the  people  of 
Jammn  "not  to  be  just  silent  spectators  of  what  ig 
Im^pening  in  your  midst  but  to  play  a  positive  role  ixk 
weaning  away  our  misguided  Jammu  brothers  from  the 
path  of  self-destruction.*' 

Sheikh  AbduUah  said  there  was  no  question  of  his 
having  any  talks  with  the  leaders  of  Jammu  agitation. 
It  was  ''impossible"  for  him  to  have  any  kind  of  relation- 
ship with  those  who  differed  from  him  fundamentally 
and  who  were  trying  to  "wreck  the  very  basis  of  the 
secular  foundation'  on  which  the  union  of  Kashmir  and 
India  has  been  forged." 

The  Kashmir  FVemier  said  that  he  and  his  colleagues 
did  not  wish  to  deceivQ  India  by  using  the  Indian  Flag 
or  by 'any  other  means.  His  whole  life  was  an  open 
book.  Kashmir  had  joined  India  of  its  oym  free  will 
It  4  time  when  darkness  enshrouded  the  whole  sub- 
oonthiettt.    '^Da^gen  aad  perils  were  not  lacking  at  that 


time.  If  still  we  joined  India  it  was  because  we  saw 
in  India  the  fulfilment  of  our  cherished  hopes  and 
aspirations. 

"On  the  other  hand  we  saw  only  doom  in  Pakistan. 
So,  there  is  no  need  for  me  to  deceive  the  Indian  people. 
It  is  for  the  people  of  Jammu  to  search  their  hearts  and 
find  out  who  is  deceiving  India  and  who  is  true  to  the 
ideab  o^  secular  democracy  and  to  the  memory  of 
Gandhiji." 

Referring  to  the  demand  for  separation  of  Jammu 
Province  from  Kashmir,  Sheikh  Abdullah  said,  "Before 
putting  forth  this  demand,  please,  find  out  how  you  vrili 
benefit.  If  the  people  of  Jammu  demand  separation  then 
they  are  only  seeking  their  own  self-destruction.  But  I 
want  to  prevent  this  tragedy.** 

Praja  Parishad  Questionnaire 

The  Praja  Parishad  has  no  publicity  media  at  its 
command.  They  have  sent  leaflets  and  pamphlets  to 
all  newspapers.  We  would  be  failing  in  our  duty  if 
we  consigned  all  that  to  the  waste-paper  basket  with- 
out any  consideration,  as  has  been  done  by  almost  all 
newspapers.  The  questionnaire  given  below  is  taken 
from  one  such  pamphlet.  It  is  addressed  to  the 
"Nominees  of  Sheikh  Abdullah  in  the  Indian  Parlia- 
ment." We  present  those  questions  of  which  we  would 
like  to  get  the  answers.  Why  is  there  no  impartial  ' 
enquiry  ? 

1.  Do  they  represent  the  people  of  Jammu  ? 

2.  Has  National  Conference  any  following  worth  the 
name  in  Jammu  ? 

3.  Are  they  prepared  to  advise  their  Government  to 
hold  a  referendum  en  the  policies  of  separation  from 
India  against  which  Rraja  Parishad  has  launched 
its  Satyagraha  ? 

6.  What  steps  have  the  State  Government  so  far  taken 
towards  extending  ^the  jurisdiction  of  the  Indian 
Supreme  Court  to  the  State  ? 

7.  Why  are  the  fundamental  rights  guaranteed  by  the 
Indian  Constitution,  not  given'  to  the  citizens  of  the 
State? 

8.  Why  are  the  custom  barriers  between  the  State  and 
India  which  are  hitting  the  people  of  the  State  hard 
economically  not  removed  in  spite  of  the  persistent 
demand  of  the  people  ? 

Can  They  Deny  ? 

1.  The  Praja  Parishad  is  the  most  popular  mass  organi- 
sation of   the  people  of  Jammu. 

2.  That  so  far  more  than  600  people  have  courted 
arrest. 

3.  That  they  include  prominent  Muslims  like  Khwoja 
Abdur  Rehman  of  Bhadarwah  and  Maulvi  Miran 
Baksh  of  Jammu. 

5.    That  the  number  of  wounded  an'^  \Xk\^t^\  «&  ^  t«»^ 
of  firing  and  \a\!ku-e\\«xfs&«  av  '^JcA^wnnJ^,  X^^^jB^va- 
Jammu  and  Saislba  T\i3Ck&  VdAa  \»asL<^^^3&* 


96 


THE  MODERN  REVIEW  FOR  FEBRUARY.  1953 


6.  That  SatyagraluB  are  being  beaten  and  caned  in  jails. 

7.  That  Pt.  FVemnath  Dogra  who  is  now  in  his  70th 
year  is  being  given  hard  labour  ii^  jail. 

8.  True  news  of  the  movement  are  being  suppressed 
by  the  creation  of  an  iron  curtain  and  false  and 
fictitious  news  are  being  circulated  in  India  to  malign 
the  Parishad. 

• 

We  are  frankly  suspicious  of  this  cry  of  ■commu- 
nalism.  It  has  been  used  as  a  red-herring  too  often.  We 
have  suflfcrcd  from  it  and  have  risked  life  and  property 
time  and  again  in  suppressing  it  and  relieving  its 
victims,  Hindu  and  Moslem  alike.  And  that  is  more 
than  Pandit  Nehru  or  any  of  his  previous  satelUtes 
can  say.  , 

Riddles  of  Figures 

While  food  deficits  continue  to  be  chronic  in  India, 
food  statistics  continue  to  be  enigmatic.  The  Sphinx 
dies  hard  and  the  riddle  of  figures  does  not  only  con- 
found the  issue,  but  makes  the  remedy  elusive.  It  is 
indeed  surprising  that  the  States  Food  Ministers' 
Conference,  held  at  New  Delhi  on  8th  and  9th  January, 
could  not  reach  a  definite  conclusion  as  to  the  real 
needs  of  the  country  for  food.  While  the  deficit  States 
continued  to  pitch  their  demand  for  supplies  at  high 
level*?,  the  surplus  States  were  reluctant  to  disclose  the 
true  position  of  their  surpluses.  Pandit  Nehru  and  Mr. 
Kidwai,  however,  observed  that  the  food  position  now 
was  not  so  bad  as  that  of  last  year.  The  confusion 
regarding  food  position  has  been  worse  confounded 
with  the  publication  of  the  conclusions  of  the  National 
Sample  Survey  conducted  by  the  Indian  Statistical 
Institute.  The  N.  S.  S.  has  reached  the  startling  con- 
clusion that  in  the  official  estimates  of  internal  pro- 
duction of  food-grains,  there  is  a  discrepancy  of  any- 
thing between  12  and  16  million  ton^.  The  discrepancy 
figure  is  three  or  four  times  higher  than  the  food  which 
is  generally  imported  by  India.  In  1951,  India  imported 
4.7  million  tons  of  food-grains  and  in  1952,  up  to 
September,  she  imported  3.7  million  tons  and  16,0U0 
tons  were  due  to  be  imported  in  the  same  year.  The 
official  figures  estimated  the  domestic  output  for 
1949-50  at  44  to  48  million  tons,  whereas  the  N.S.S. 
places  it  as  high  as  60  million  tons.  The  work  of  verify- 
ing food  statistics  was  entrusted  to  the  I.S.I.,  at  the 
head  of  which  there  is  an  acknowledged  authority  on 
statistics.  It  is  reported  that  the  Planning  Commission 
as  well  as  the  Finance  Minister  did  not  support  the 
conclusion.  It  is  unpleasant  enough  that  after  expending 
on  this  work  large  sums,  time  and  energy,  we  are  told 
that  its  findings  arc  not  reliable  and  no  better  than 
official  estimates.  At  the  States  Food  Ministers'  Con- 
ference, the  abr^urdity  of  some  of  the  States  Ministers' 
csffJmatcs  oi  surplus  and  deficit  were  exposed  by  Mr. 
K/dwai  and  Mr.  Punjubrno  Dcshniukh,  Minister  for 
Agriculture.  Although  At^mm  and  Bihar  have  a  good 
r/ce  crop,  they  demnnd  higher  supply  of  rice  from  the 


Centre.  In  1952,  Assam  imported  only  18,000  tons, 
but  in  1953,  she  wants  30,000  tons.  Bihar  imported  last 
year  12,000  tons,  but  for  1953  she  wants  an  allocation 
of  47,000  tons.  In  1952,  Bombay  distributod  2.74  lakh 
tons  of  rice,  of  which  1.55  lakh  tons  were  locally  pro- 
cured. In  1953,  Bombay  expects  to  procure  1.25  lakh 
tons  and  it  has  a  stock  of  1.1  lakh  tons.  Its  require- 
ments  should  not  be  more  than  60,000  tons  this  year 
But  it  has  demanded  two  lakh  tons.  It  may  be  pointed 
out  that  last  year,  forward  promises  of  grain  by 
surplus  States  to  the  Centre  amounted  to  3.7  ''.kn 
tons,  but  the  actual  offers  were  5.5  lakh  tons.  Deficit 
States  demanded  last  year  7.1  million  tons  but  got  on 
well  with  an  allocation  of  3.9  million  tons.  This  large 
difference  between  the  a^ituals  and  the  estimated 
requirements  indicates  that,  while  preparing  their  esti- 
mates, the  States  were  completely  ignoring  the  actuals 
of  the  previous  years. 

Presumably,  the  States  exaggerate  their  require- 
ments because  of  the  apprehension  that  if  they  dig- 
close  to  the  Centre  their  real  position,  they  may  be 
in  difficulties  subsequently,  if  something  were  to  happen 
to  upset  their  earier  estimates.  But  they  should 
remember  that  such  exaggerated  estimates  conce&l  ( 
the  real  nature  of  food  deficits  in  the  country  and 
unnecessarily  cause  larger  quantity  of  grain  to  oe 
imported.  The  Centre  is  always  ready  to  help  the 
deficit  States  whenever  they  are  in  real  difficulty  and 
it  is  quite  proper  that  the  States  should  give  up  the  * 
practice  of  exaggerating  their  estimates. 

Now  coming  to  the  National  Sample  Survey,  we 
must  state  that  it  must  be  regarded  as  the  first  seriovs 
attempt  at  providing  an  accurate  picture  of  the  living 
standards  in  this  country.  The  scheme  r^ers  to  the 
period  October  1950  to  March  1951.  It  is  perhaps  the 
biggest  and  the  most  ^comprehensive  enquiry  under- 
taken in  any  country  in  the  world  and  it  was  approved 
by  the  Government  of  India  early  in  1950.  The  results 
have  been  obtained  by  the  adoption  of  the  sampling 
method  which  is  simple  and  accurate  provided,  of 
course,  the  workers  are  conscientious  and  diligent.  The 
Survey  makes  a  comprehensive  investigation  of  six 
regions  in  India,  namely,  North  India,  East  India, 
South  India,  West  India,  Central  India,  and  North-west 
India. 

The  reported  discountenance  of  the  National 
Sample  Survey's  conclusion  as  to  the  surplus  output  of 
food-grains,  by  the  Planning  Commission  and  the 
Finance  Minister,  will  make  the  people  in  this  countr/ 
ask — where  lies  the  truth  ?  Mere  conjecture  is  noi 
helpful  and  one  may  reasonably  enquire  about  tho 
data  and  the  facts  relying  on  which  the  Plannmg 
Commission  rejects  the  conclusidns  of  the  N.S.S.  In  a 
matter  of  applied  economics,  such  as  this,  the  Com. 
mission  must   prove     satisfactorily    that  its  data  are 

superior  lo  \.\\oefe  qI  V\\^  ^.  S.  S.  and  its  method  ol 

invcsl\saV\oB.  *\a  mox^  x^^Xv^Na^. 


NOTES 


97 


Relief  Measures  in  East  UJP. 

The  eastern  districts  of  U.P.  were  ravaged  by 
floods  in  1948  and  1950  which  were  followed  by  a  long 
spell  of  drought  from  September  to  December,  1950. 
In  1951  also  rainfall  was  abnormally  low  resulting  in 
widespread  damage  to  kharij  crop  and  paddy. 
The  districts  affected  w^ere  Basti,  Gonda,  Bahraich, 
Mirzapur,  Banaras,  Deoria,  Gorakhpur  and  Azamgarh. 

The  Leader  of  January  5  writes  that  the  U.  P. 
Government  undertook  varied  and  numerous  relief 
measures  to  alleviate  the  suflferings  of  the  people. 

From  May,  1951  to  November  15,  1952,  more  than 
45  lakh  mauhds  of  food-grains  were  distributed  at 
subsidised  rates  under  the  Austerity  Provisioning 
scheme.  The  total  expenditure  on  this  account  was  one 
crore  of  rupees  and  the  number  of  people  benefited 
93,71,688.  Government  sanctioned  remi*sions  in  rent  to 
the  extent  of  Rs.  90,49,000  and  Rs.  26,16,000  in  revenue. 
A  sum  of  Rs.  81,59,300  was  distributed  as  takavi  for 
kachcha  wells,  purchase  of  bullocks  and  seed,  etc.,  and, 
in  addition,  a  sum  of  Rs.  19,30,000  was  also  sanctioned 
for  advances  to  relieve  distress  and  enable  people  to 
live  up  till  the  harvesting  of  the  kharij  crops.  Rupees 
66  lakhs  were  sanctioned  for  test  and  relief  works. 
Government  also  sanctioned  amounts  totalling 
Rs.  11,00,000  for  distribution  of  gratuitous  relief  in 
cash  or  in  the  form  of  food-grains  to  old  and  infiim 
people  and  destitutes,  who  were  unable  to  work  and 
who  bad  no  relations  able  to  help  or  support  them. 
Government  also  arranged  for  glazing  and  supply  of 
hay  from  Government  forests  for  the  well-being  of 
the  cattle  of  the  affected  area.  In  some  cases  of  cxtieme 
scarcity  Government  threw  open  their  forests  for  free 
grating  of  cattle  and  facilities  were  granted  in  respect 
of  use  of  certain  forest  produce  for  bonafidc  domestic 
use. 

Other  relief  measures  included  free  distribution  of 
ibout  92  bales  of  cloth  and  fee  concessions  in  schools 
on  an  increased  scale.  Supplementary  food  aid  in  the 
form  of  skimmed  milk  powder  and  vitamin  tablets 
was  also  given  from  the  stock?  provided  by  the  .State 
Government  and  Red  Cross. 

Famine  in  Maharashtra 

The  situation  in  Maharashtra  is  very  grave.  The 
Bombay  Chronicle  of  January  1,  quotes  Prof.  D.  R. 
Gadgil,  Chairman  of  the  Maharashtra  Central  Famine 
Relief  Committee,  as  saying  that  both  the  kharij  and 
rahi  crops  in  the  affected  areas  have  been  almost  Ipst. 
Owing  to  acute  shortage  of  drinking  water  at  many 
places,  a  large  number  of  people  have  deserted  their 
villages.  The  paper  reported  on  December  31,  1952, 
that  it  was  officially  conceded  that  the  rabi  crop  had 
been  practically  a  total  failure  in  seven  out  of  eleven 
Tahikas  in  Sholapur  district.  It  has  been  estimated 
70/)00  cattle  had  either  migrated  from  this  area  or  are 
dead.       The     Maharashtra    Central     Famine     Relief 


Committee  demanded  on  January  11  that  the  Govern- 
ment should  declare  famine  in  the  distressed  areas  of 
Maharashtra.  "Prof.  Gadgil  stated  that  so  far  the 
Government  had  declared  scarcity  in  about  three 
thousand  villages  with  a  population  of  about  30  lakh.<. 
Under  the  Famine  Code,  the  Government  would  have 
to  provide  employment  to  15  per  cent  of  these  people." 

Sri  S.  V.  Ramamurthi,  Chairman  of  the  Central 
Commission,  investigating  famine  conditions  in  the 
Bombay-Deccan  said  on  December  30,  at  Poona  that 
during  the  last  thirty  years,  Sholapur  had  been  visited 
by  famine  on  ten  occasions,  Bijapur  and  Panchmahals 
on  eight  occasions  and  Ahmednagar  and  Poona  five 
times.  He  expressed  the  opinion  that  implementation 
of  irrigation  works  including  tanks  and  weirs  and 
contour-bunding  were  the  only  remedies  to  prevent 
chronic  famine  conditions  in  Maharashtra. 

According  to  the  Poona  corresjiondent  of  the 
Bombay  Chrcmiclc,  the  relief  measures  started  by  the 
Government  are  inadequate  to  cope  with  the  serious 
situation.  He  reported  that  the  grave  situation  in 
Maharashtra  dominated  the  proceedings  of  the  first 
general  meeting  of  the  newly  constituted  Maharashtra 
Pradesh  Congress  Committee.  The  debate  on  the 
resolution  moved  by  Sri  N.  V.  Gadgil,  regarding  the 
famine  conditions,  writes  the  correspondent,  "showed 
the  deep  feeling  of  dissatisfaction  of  a  large  majority 
in  the  Maharashtra  Congress,  against  the  inadequate 
relief  measures  so  far  undertaken  by  the  State  Govern- 
ment. Even  Mr.  Gadgil  had  to  concede  that  there  was 
an  impressisn  that  more  could  havo  been  done  and 
that  too  earlier,  by  the  State  Government." 

"Mr.  L.  M.  Patil,  a  former  Minister  in  the  State 
Cabinet,  complained "  that  the  famine  situation  in 
Maharashtra  was  not  being  handled  with  the  prompt- 
ness with  which  a  similar  situation  in  Gujarat  was  met 
last  year." 

The  correspondent  adds  that  "the  tour  of  the 
Union  Agriculture  Minister,  Dr.  Punjabrao  Desh- 
mukh,  in  the  famine-affected  areas  of  Maha- 
rashtra, has  had  a  sort  of  reassuring  effect  on  the 
otherwise  exasperated  public  feeling  in  the  province. 
It  seems  that  the  visit  of  the  Central  Famine  Inquiry 
Committee  to  inquire  into  the  conditions  of  the 
famine  areas  in  Maharashtra  is  also  responsible  for  a 
feeling  of  thankfulness  towards  the  Centre.  Dr.  Punjab- 
rao Deshmukh  has  given  a  public  assurance  that  the 
Central  aid  would  be  o*  the  lines  and  to  the  extent, 
that  it  was  given  in  Rayalaseema."  {Bombay  Chronicle, 
January  1,  1953). 

State  Control  on  Tea 

In  recent  years  the  Indian  tea  industry  has  been 
facing  a  crisis  due  to  growing  competition  from  outside, 
for  deteriorating  quality,  and  for  higher  prices.  With 
a  view  to  controlling  the  tea  industry,  the  Govern- 
ment ©f  India  xecenW^  \tlVcq^^i^  va.  'Ow^  ^w^sr.  ^  *^^ 


98 


THE  MODERN  REVIEW  FOR  FEBRUARY,  1953 


People  the  Tea  Bill.  The  Bill  provides  for  the  control 
by  the  UbIoii  Government  of  the  tea  industry,  and 
for  that  purpose  to  establish  a  Tea  Board  and  levy  a 
customs  duty  on  tea  exported  from  India.  The  Bill 
seeks  to  broaden  the  basis  of  representation  on  the 
Tea  Board  and  to  widen  its  functions.  The  enlarged 
scope  of  the  new  Board's  activities  will,  in  terms  of 
the  Bill,  include  :  (1)  Regulation  and  Control  of  the 
sale  of  tea  for  internal  consumption  or  export,  whether 
by  auctions  or  otherwise  ;  (2)  Control  over  the  quality, 
of  tea  and  the  issue  of  licences  to  engage  in  blending 
and  (3)  Promotion  of  the  adoption  of  measures  for 
increasing  the  productivity  of  labour,  includihg 
measures  for  securing  safer  and  better  working  condi- 
tions and  the  provision  and  improvement  of  amenities 
and  incentive  to  workere.  The  details  relating  lo  the 
basis  on  which  export  rights  will  accrue  to  the  tea 
estates,  are,  however,  left  to  be  prescribed  bj'  rules 
under  the  proposed  statute. 

While  introducing  the  Bill  in  the  House  of  the 
People,  the  Union  Commerce  Minister  discussed  the 
need  for  effective  propaganda  for  Indian  tea.  He  said 
that  the  ''Government  are  not  satisfied  with  the  propa- 
ganda that  is  carried  on  for  tea,  either  internally  or 
abroad."  Since  India  has  withdrawn  from  the  Inter- 
national Tea  Market  Expansion  Board,  it  is  now 
necessary  for  the  Indian  tea  organizations  to  organise 
and  direct  international  propaganda.  The  new  Tea 
Board  wiil  be  expected  to  undertake  this  responsibility 
and  build  up  an  efficient  pubUcity  organisation.  The 
essential  defect  in  the  present  propaganda  arrange- 
ments, according  to  the  Commerce  Minister,  is  that 
they  liave  *'no  relation  to  the  sale  of  tea  in  the  inter- 
nal market  and  the  propaganda  organisation."  This 
defect  should  certainly  be  remedietl.  Though  there  is 
no  specific  mention  in  the  new  Bill  that  the  Board  will 
be  taking  over  the  contnol  of  internal  sales,  the  Board 
may  be  invested  with  powers  to  control  internal 
marketing  of  tea.  As  regards  the  possible  powers  of 
the  Board  to  contnol  the  internal  market,  there  might 
be  some  opposition  from  the  trading  concerns.  Some 
fiuch  ena-ctment  is  long  over-due  and  v;ill  be  a  step  in 
the  right  direction. 

Anotlier  important  function  of  the  Board  will  be 
to  control  the  quality  of  tea  and  to  license  blending. 
It  will  also  fix  grade  standards  and  provide  training 
in  tea  testing.  Registration  and  licensing  of  manu- 
facturers, brokers  and  tea-waste  dealers  and  regulation 
of  sales  and  auctions  are  parf  of  the  functions  of  the 
Board.  Under  the  proposed  Act,  no  one  will  be  per- 
mitted to  plant  tea  on  any  land  not  planted  with  tea 
on  the  date  of  commencement  of  this  enactment, 
without  the  permission  of  the  Tea  Board  in  writing. 

Rare  Earth  Processing  Factory 

"Sublime   (power)  is  in  a  graia  oi  dust,"  says  tho 

JCa/hqponishad.  And  science  proves  that  the  mightiest 

jpc^rrer  lies  hidden  in     the  sand.     On  2Ath  December, 


1952,  the  Rare  Earth's  Factory  at  Alwaye,  ^  Wi3 
formally  inaugurated  by  India's  Prime  Minister, 
Pandit  Jawaharlal  Nehru.  The  Rare  Earths,  Ltd^ 
Alwaye,  was  formed  in  September  1960,  foilowiqg  the 
deliberationjs  of  a  committee  set  up  by  the  Govern- 
ment of  India  in  July,  1949,  "for  administering  a  com- 
pany to  be  formed  for  processing  certain  minerals." 
The  subscribed  capital  of  the  Company,  originally 
fixed  at  Rs.  50  lakhs,  has  now  been  raised  to  Us.  80 
lakhs.  This  capital  has  been  subscribed  by  the  Govern- 
ment of  India  and  the  Travancore-Cochin  Govern- 
ment in  the  propgrtion  of  55  :45.  The  factory  started 
production  in  July  1952.  Monazite  is  a  valuable  radio- 
active mineral  found  extensively  in  the  coastal  sands 
of  Travancore-Cochin.  It  is  the  source  of  thorium. 
Thorium,  a  radio-active  element  and  possible  source  of 
atomic  energy,  will  be  the  main  product  of  monazite 
processing.  The  mineral  is  separated  from  the  sands 
in  Chevara,  near  Quilon  and  then  brought  to  Alwaye 
for  extraction  of  many  rare  elements. 

The  monazite  products  and  bye-products  are  used 
in  manufacture  of  gas  mantles,  misch  metal,  cigarette 
lighter  flints,  special  optical  glasses,  aerial  camera 
lenses,  cinema  projector,  carbou  arcs,  special  alloys  for 
jet  engines  and  nodular  cast  iron,  in  the  enamelling 
of  steel  and  iron,  in  polishing  of  optical  glasses,  for 
Kier  boiling  in  textile  mills  ;  for  internal  cleaning  of 
boilers  ;  and  for  general  cleaning  purposes  in  factories, 
workshops,  hospitals  and  hotels.  Its  bye-product, 
caustic  lye,  is  used  in  soap  manufacture. 

The  factor3''s  capacity  is  for  processing  1,500  tons 
of  monazite  sand  or  1,150  tons  of  carbonates.  Normally, 
it  will  produce  1,000  tons  of  chlorides  and  450  tons  of 
carbonates.  The  bye-products  of  the  factory  will  be 
between  1,500  tons  and  1,800  tons  of  cr>'sta!line  tri- 
sodium  phosphate  and  900,000  gallons  of  caustic  soda 
lye  in  10  to  12  per  cent  solution.  The  residue  will  be 
treated  by  a  factory  being  set  up  by  the  Atomic 
Energy  Commission  for  the  production  of  uranium  and 
thorium  compounds.  The  residue,  when  suitably 
treated  is  expected  to  yield  205  to  228  tons  of  thorium 
nitrate,  provided  all  the  thorium  is  converted  into 
nitrate. 

The  Indian  Atomic  Energy  Commission  had  drawn 
up  a  plan  for  the  development  of  atomic  energy 
during  the  next  four  years  and  the  Government  of 
India  had  approved  the  plan.  The  Atomic  Energy  Act, 
recently  passed  by  the  Indian  Parliament,  is  designed 
to  control  the  development  of  rare  earths  and  the 
minerals,  etc.,  connected  with  it.  It  would  be  quite 
impossible  for  the  Atomic  Energ>'  Commission  to 
function  if  private  or  sectional  interests  were  free  to 
do  what  they  liked  with  these  valuable  materials. 

The  Indian  Rare  Earths  Limited  Company  is 
managed  by  a  Board  of  DirectOQs  consisting  of  three 
nominees  of  the  Government  of  India,  two  nominees 
of  the  Government  of  Travancore-Cochin,  an  indua- 
trialist  and  a  leading  scientist. 


NOTES 


99 


onazite  is  a  valuable  mineral  sand  formed  by  a 
3f  erosion  and  disintegration  of  the  rocks  in 
irdmon  and  Nilgiri  Hills  ;  fragments  of  these 
get  broken,  disintegrated  and  converted  into 
B  types  of  sand  which  are  washed  out  into  the 
r  the  rains.  Due  to  the  peculiar  force  of  seR 
ts  along  this  coast  some  of  these  sands  are  swept 
ind  deposited  on  the  beaches  at  high  monsoon. 
i;  this  process  of  deposition  the  sea  sepapates  «>nti 
f  sand  from  the  other. 

le  occurrence  of  monazite  in  these  coastal  sands 
rst  discovered  by  a  German  chemist,  Mr.  C.  W. 
berg,  in  1909  and  was  later  investigated  by  the 
peal  Survey  of  India.  About  50,000  tons  of 
ites  were  separated  and  exported  to  various 
ies  of  Europe  and  also  to  the  United  States  of 
3a  between  1910  and  1948  when  the  Government 
lia  banned  its  export  in  view  of  its  importance 
3urce  of  atomic  energy. 


Z9> 


ive  the  Spirit  of  Swadeshi 

indit  Sundarlal  writes  in  the  Harijan  of 
y  10  : 

hir  country  is  passing  through  no  less  a  crisis 
t  did  in  the  latter  days  of  the  East  India  Com- 
In  some  ways  the  crisis  today  is  even  greater, 
w  we  are  much  weaker  after  a  century  of  foreign 
,  .  .  Industries  which  successfully  stood  the 
of  foreign  rule  for  over  a  century  are  now  in 
•  of  becoming  extinct." 

le  handloom     industry     supports     very     nearly 
5S  of  our  country's  population.  But  the  situation 
ing  in  that  industry  is  very  grave.  About  fifty 
of  people  connected     with     the   industry     were 
imemployment  and  starv^ation  in   Madras.     In 
similarly,  three  hundred  thousand  weavers  sup- 
;  a  population  of  not  less  than  four  million  of 
R^omen  and  children  were  facing  starvation. 
'or  two  thousand  years,  t.e.,  since  the  days     of 
Banaras  has  been  famous    for     its  silk  indus- 
.    .   Banafas    gold    work    is  a    synonym     for 
y.  .    .    .   Even  during  the  150  years  of  British 
bis  industry  of  Banaras  remained  a  flourishing 
-y  all  through.  But  now  out  of  the  5,000  hand- 
employed  in  this  work  very  nearly  4,000  are 
idle."  Some  of  the  skilled     artisans    have  been 
to  take  to  other  occupations,  such  as  rickshaw- 
;,     while  others  have  migrated     to     cities  like 
ly.    Those  still  living  in  Banaras  can  have  food 
uee  in  two  or  three  days, 
the  writer's  opinion,  the  Government  of  India's 
has  been  at  least  partly  responsible  for    the 
)n.  "While  the  Government  permitted  free  entry 
lis  country  of  ''silk  saris  or  silk  or  silk-like  cloth 
ictored     in    U.  S.  A.    which    can    be     easily 
ted  into  saris,  quite  resembling  Banaras  saris" 
ave  imposed  heavy  import  duti€s  on  the  import 


of  silk  yam  which  the  weavers  of  Banaras  used  in 
their  trade,  from  China  and  Japan.  The  Government 
have  actually  banned  the  import  during  the  latter 
half  of  1952.  Ck)nsequently,  the  cost  of  production  of 
Banaras  silk  saris  has  greatly  gone  up  enabling  the 
American  manufacturer  easily  to  undersell  the 
indigenous  handloom  weaver  in  the  open  market.  'The 
result  is,"  the  writer  says,  "the  utter  collapse  of  our 
ancient  Banaras  silk  industry." 

"The  Government,"  continues  Pandit  Sundarlal, 
"have  neither  accepted  Rajaji's  reasonable  suggestion 
that  'the  tettile  mills  should  be  asked  not  to  weave 
dhotis  and  saris  of  yarn  up  to  a  particular  count  and 
that  this  work  should  be  reserved  for  handlooras', 
presumably  because  acceptance  of  Rajaji's  suggestion 
may  have  meant  some  fall  in  the,  already  by  no  means 
low,  profits  of  some  of  our  textile  mills." 

As  remedy  he  suggests  that  "the  Government 
should  give  full  protection  to  the  country's  handloom 
and  other  cottage  industries  as  against  mill  industries 
both  Indian  and  foreign,  to  remove  all  obstacles  from 
the  path  of  their  development  like  duties  or  restric- 
tions on  the  entry  of  silk  yam,  and  to  ban  the  entry 
into  this  country  of  all  competing  consumer  goods 
from  foreign  countries." 

The  Bombay  Chronicle  reported  on  December  31, 
1952,  that  a  permanent  organisation  called  "The 
Swadeshi  League"  had  been  formed  on .  December  28 
at  the  office  of  the  Indian  Merchants'  Chamber. 

The  Science  Congress 

The  presidential  address  of  Dr.  D.  M.  Bose, 
Director  of  the  Bose  Institute,  Calcutta,  before  the 
40th  Session  of  the  Indian  Science  Congress  at 
Lucknow,  was  not  only  remarkable  for  its  erudition 
but  also  for  the  wide  scope  of  its  survey.  Scientists 
these  days,  in  their  single-minded  specialization,  tend 
more  and  more  to  lose  sight  of  the  sources.  The  old 
term  "Natural  Philosophy"  signified  a  good  deal  more 
than  what  the  average  scientist  comprehends  to  be  the 
scope  of  his  labours  and  thoughts.  It  meant  a  catho- 
licity of  vision  and  a  discipline  that  embraced  all  the 
basic  concrete  tmths  of  life,  and  civilization. 

Dr.  Bose  did  well  to  focus  the  light  on  the  human 
problems  of  today  in  the  first  part  of  his  speech.  We 
have  pleasure  in  presenting  the  following  extracts  from 
the  same  : 

"We  are  passing  through  a  critical  period  of 
transition  in  Asia.  The  two  ancient  civilizations  of 
China  and  India  have  during  the  period  of  the  last 
three  thousand  years  or  more  of  their  chequered 
histories,  maintained  their  own  highly  individualistic 
forms  of  civilization.  These  two  countries  which  had 
in  the  past  extensive  cultural  contacts,  are  now,  under 
the  impact  of  Western  political  ideas,  science  and 
technology  rapidly  passing  through  stages  of  itw^s^v- 
tlons,  whose  outcome  V\YL  \i^  ^\^\&  ^\  ^^^'^  Ss^r.^^'^ 


100 


THE  MODERN  REVIEW  FOR  FEBRUARY,  1953 


to  the  gtudents  of  civilization.  Each  civilization  deve- 
lops ita  own  cultural  pattern  or  overall  design  which  is 
peculiarly  its  own.  Innumberable  cultural  traits  aud 
techniques  are  the  outward  expressions  of  the  overall 
plan  of  this  civilization.  They  are  the  bricks  with 
which  the  latter  is  built  up.  For  example,  the  civiliza- 
tion which  is  specifically  characteristic  of  western 
Europe  and  North  America  has  found  expression  in 
certain  religious  forms,  ethical  beliefs,  liberal  demo- 
cracy and  system  of  education.  In  addition,  certain 
technical  inventions  like  rail  roads,  automobiles,  tele- 
graphs, radio,  etc.,  have  been  developed.  These  inven- 
tions, scientific  method,  parliamentary  Government 
and  other  social  institution,  etc.,  have  been  adopted 
by  other  cultural  groups.  The  question  arises  whether 
by  such  adaptations  the  specific  cultural  pattern  of  the 
bonowing  civilization  is'  altered.  According. to  Spengler, 
this  is  not  possible,  as  each  civilization  is  like  an 
individual  organism,  with  a  soul  hke  a  nomad  im- 
I)enneftblc  to  other  cultural  influences,  and  also  like 
an  individual,  a  civilization  is  subject  to  fixed  laws  of 
development  and  decay.  An  alternative  and  more 
reasonable  interpretation  would  be  that  a  civilization 
Is  like  a  species  consisting  of  a  constantly  renewed 
population  of  individuals,  each  of  which  passes  through 
its  own  phase  of  development  and  decay.  Some  of  the 
species  i>ossess  enough  potentiality  for  variation  that 
it  can  adjust  itself  to  altered  environmental  conditions. 
The  mechanism  of  social  genetics  by  which  continuity 
and  changes  are  secured  in  social  groups  have  consider- 
able advantage  over  the  mechanism  of  biological 
genetics.  It  can  utilize  foresight  and  planning,  and 
will  thus  on  the  whole  have  adaptive  bias.  Thus  a 
civilization  can,  if  it  possess  latent  powers,  adapt  itself 
more  quickly  to  changes  of  environment  than  a  bio- 
logical species. 

"The  question  which  is  of  intense  interest  to  us  at 
present  is,  whether  under  the  compulsion  of  increasing 
internal  economic  difliiculties  and  threats  of  external 
competition  and  possibility  of  foreign  interference,  the 
ad  hoc  adaptation  by  us  of  western  scientific  methods 
and  technology  and  political  institutions,  will  enable 
us  to  break  up  the  accumulated  crust  of  inhibiting 
social  customs  and  traditions,  and  to  reshape  our 
civilization  to  a  form  better  suited  to  find  its  place 
in  a  world  situation  of  increasing  difficulty  and 
complexity. 

"In  this  connection  it  is  interesting  to  study  the 
various  stages  in  the  development  of  the  Western 
civilization,  particularly  of  its  scientific  thought  and 
technology  from  its  Graeco-Roman  origins,  and  to 
discover  at  what  analogous  stage  of  development  th 
Indian  civilization  finds  itself  at  present.  Such  com- 
parative study  may  be  useful  to  us  in  consciously 
liirecting   our   cultural   activities." 

After  giving  a  survey  of  the  development  of    the 

West  em  rJyJhMtioD,  he  turned  to  the     Indian  scene, 

dram'ngr  parallels  as  regards  similarities  between  the  twv>. 


He  ended  up  with  the  British  period  and  in  conclusion 
described  the  following  three  of  the  legacies  of  British 
rule  : 

"(t)  The  introduction  of  English  as  medium  of 
instruction,  its  use  in  law  courts,  and  in  the  legis- 
laturqp.  English  has  become  a  medium  of  commu- 
nication amongst  the  rapidly  growing  section  of 
educated  people  in  this  country,  as  well  as  a  channel 
for  the  reception  and  communication  of  ideas  with  the 
external  world.  Use  of  a  foreign  language  for  such  pur- 
poses is  not  a  new  innovation.  I  have  mentioned  the 
growth  of  a  bilingual  Graeco-Roman  culture  in  the 
Mediterranean  basin  during  the  first  three  centuries  of 
the  Christian  era.  The  use  of  Latin  in  medieval  Europe 
as  well  as  in  post-Renaissance  Europe  became  a 
common  medium  for  interchange  of  ideas  amongst  the 
multilingual  peoples  of  the  West.  In  the  17th  century, 
I>oscartcs,  Huyghen,  Newton,  Leibnitz  all  wrote  their 
treatises  in  Latin.  Scientists  in  this  country  view  with 
some  apprehension  all  premature  attempts  to  replace 
English  as  a  medium  for  teaching  of  advanced  sciences 
and  for  communication  of  results  of  scientific  investi- 
gations, by  one  of  the  Indian  languages.  There  i3 
enough  scope  for  the  popularisation  of  science  and  the 
writing  of  science  text -books  suited  for  schools.  In 
Bengal,  we  have  a  record  of  good  science  writing  by 
men  like  Akshoy  Kumar  Dutt,  Ramendra  Sundar 
Trivedi,  Jagadish  Chandra  Bose,  Profulla  Chandra 
Roy,  Rabindranath  Tagore.  All  of  them  were  not 
scientists  by  profession,  but  they  were  all  masters  of 
Bengali  prose.  Flexibility  in  the  expression  of  fine 
shades  of  meaning,  and  precision*  of  expression  are 
matters  of  slow  growth  in  a  language.  Scientists  in 
India  should  not  be  hampered  in  the  commimication 
of  the  results  of  their  investigations  by  having  to 
make  additional  efforts  to  express  them  in  a  language 
not  fully  equipped  for  such  purposes. 

"The  second  legacy  we  received  through  the 
British,  was  the  Western  belief  in  the  possibility  of 
the  human  intellect  to  unravel  the  secrets  of  nature 
and  to  utilize  such  knowledge  for  the  amelioration  of 
human  beings.  This  is  the  Baconian  attitude,  that 
science  is  not  only  knowledge  of  nature,  but  also 
power  over  nature.  This  knowledge  of  nature  is  based 
upon  a  vehement  and  passionate  interest  in  the  rela- 
tion of  general  principles  to  irreducible  and  stubborn 
facts.  The  Government  and  people  of  this  country  are 
engaged  since  1947  in  a  stniggle  to  tackle  such  ir- 
reducible and  stubborn  facts  of  our  existence,  resulting 
from  an  increasing  rate  of  population  growth  which 
threaten  to  outstrip  our  rate  of  food  production,  and 
of  capital  and  consumer  goods.  Our  Prime  Minister 
is  a  firm  believer  in  the  utility  of  application  of 
science  and  technology  for  solving  the  problems  facing 
us.  This  attitude  towards  nature  represents  a  decisive 
break  away  from  that  prevailing  during  our  early 
Middle  ages,  that  the  golden  age  has  passed  and  in 
the  Ka\\yw^  all  we  can  do  is  to  admire  the  past  and 


\ 


NOTES 


101 


bear  resignedly  the  misfortunes,  fate  ha?  decreed 
for  U8.  1 

"We  all  realize  the  dilemma  of  science  which  was 
the  topic  of  Prof.  A.  V.  Hill's  address  before  the  last 
Belfast  meeting  of  the  British  Association.  But  as  has 
been  remarked,  we  can  do  only  one  thing  at  a  time, 
and  our  present  problem  is  to  narrow  the  gap  between 
rate  of  increase  of  population  and  that  of  production 
of  consumer  goods.  That  the  problem  of  population 
control  is  engaging  the  serious  attention  of  the  Union 
Government  is  shown  by  the  speech  delivered  by  the 
Vice-President  of  the  Indian  Union  before  a  recent 
conference  in  Bombay. 

'The  third  legacy  of  the  British  rule  is  our  initia- 
tion into  the  principles  of  democratic  government,  of 
the  variety  known  as. liberal  or  empirical  democracy. 
Our  political  leaders  have  been  nurtuied  in  the  writ- 
ings of  Bentham,  Burke,  John  Stuart  Mill  and  of  the 
pioneers  of  the  idea  of  Welfare  State,  like  the  Webbs, 
Pigou,  Keynes  and  Beveridge.  These  liberal  demo- 
cratic principles  of  a  Welfare  State  have  been  in- 
corporated in  our  constitution.  But  as  has  been  pointed 
by  President  Connant  of  the  Harvard  University, 
that  democracy  can  only  be  successful  when  it  is 
based  on  a  hard  core  of  common  agreements,  super-' 
posed  on  which  a  large  degree  of  individual  differences 
of  opinion  may  exist.  We  have  to  ask  ourselves 
whether,  in  the  midst  of  a  welter  of  political  parties, 
with  their  slogans,  this  hard  core  of  common  agree- 
ments has  been  found  and  given  adherence  to." 

Conquest  of  the  Desert 

We  have  received  the  following  reclame  from  Jndid 
and  Israel. 

**Onc  of  the  most  crucial  problems  facing  the  worl^ 
^-ill  be  dramatized  when  the  first  international  fair  to  be 
held  in  Israel  opens  next  July  in  Jerusalem. 

The  problem  :  hunger.  "To  feed  the  world^s  popula- 
tion properly,*'  Lord  Boyd  Orr,  former  Director  of  the 
United  Nations  World  Food  Organisation,  has  said,  "we 
shall  have  to  double  our  food  production  by  1965."  The 
problem  has  been  stated  in  even  grimmer  terms  by  Dr. 
Walter  Clay  Lowdermilk,  noted  American  soil  conserva- 
tion expert  who  said  :  "Civilization  is  running  a  race  with 
famine  and  the  outcome  is  still  in  doubt." 

The  area  of  cultivated  land  in  the  world 
is  static  or  receding.  Productivity  is  declining  and  in 
many  countries  there  has  been  a  drift  of  population  from 
the  farms  to  the  cities.  With  no  new  continents  to  absorb 
the  world's  expanding  population,  the  nations  must  revive 
soil  long  dead. 

Therefore,  the  Government  of  Israel,  one  of  the  few 
countries  in  the  world  whose  farm  productivity  is  increas- 
ing rapidly,  has  scheduled  an  international  fair  and 
exhibition  entitled  "The  Conquest  of  the  Desert"  for 
Joljr  16ch  through  August  17th. 

Tile  first  international      exhibition     devoted  to  the 


problems  of  reclaiming  neglected,  semi-arid  and  arid 
regions  for  civilization,  the  fair  will  show  the  achieve- 
ments of  various  countries  in  their  struggles  with  the 
desert,  enable  the  foremost  scientists  in  the  field  of  soil 
conservation  to  exchange  views  and  give  governments  and 
private  firms  the  opportunity  to  demonstrate  new  methods 
of  irrigation,  rationalized  agricultural  production  and 
processing  and  farm  colonization. 

Thus  far  thirty  nations  and  hundreds  of  private  firms 
have  responded  affirmatively  to  Israel's  invitation  to 
participate  in  the  unique  undertaking,  which  will  take 
place  in  the  new  94  ft.  high  Binyaney  Haooma  conven- 
tion centre,  a  few  minutes  ride  from  the  centre  of  Jeru- 
salem. Among  the  participating  nations  arc  Belgium, 
Britain,  France,  Finland,  Italy,  the  Netherlands,  Norway, 
Sweden,  Switzerland,  a  number  of  Latin-American 
states  and  through  various  governmental  departments, 
the  United  States. 

Exhibits  will  include  everything  from  huge  irriga- 
tion trench  digging  machinery  through  prize  cattle  to 
prefabricated  homes  especially  designed  for  farm 
pioneers.  Reclamation  efforts  in  vastly  differing  areas, 
ranging  from  irrigation  projects  to  the  Anglo-Egyptian 
Sudan  through  afforestation  work  in  Cyprus  to  the 
Dutch  accomplishments  in  wresting  land  from  the  sea, 
will  also  be  shown. 

Israel,  in  the  past,  present  and  future  will  be 
depicted  in  one  of  the  Israeli  Elxhibits.  On  the  basis  of 
archaeological  excavations  as  well  as  Biblical  references, 
the  exhibit  will  reproduce  the  culture,  economy  and  daily 
life  of  the  Hebrew  kingdom  in  the  era  of  David;  and 
Solomon  some  three  thousand  years  ago.  It  will  also 
show  what  happened  to  the  soil  of  Israel  over  long  cen- 
turies of  neglect,  will  illustrate  the  reclamation!  of  the 
land  during  th0  past  fifty  years  of  pioneering  and  will 
disclose  further  plane  for  agricultural  development  of 
land  which  is  now  barren. 

An  equally  unusual  exhibit  will  be  that  of  the  Army 
of  Israel  whose  conscripts  must  spend  nine  months  out 
of  their  2V2  years  of  compulsory  service  in  agricultural 
training.  The  accomplishments  of  Armymaintainedi 
settlements  on  rocky,  neglected  land  along  Israel's 
borders  will   be   displayed. 

Each  of  the  participating  nations  has  been  asked 
to  submit  the  best  of  its  documentary  films  on  reclama- 
tion for  use  in  an  international  film  festival  to  *be  held 
simultaneously  with  the  fair.  In  addition,  a  conference 
of  scientists  or  the  engineering  and  sciological  aspects  of 
the  land  reclamation  will  be  held. 

In  addition  to  UNESCO,  the  following  United  Nations 
agencies  have  also  decided  to  participate  in  the  Exhibi- 
tion :  The  Fbod  and  Agricultural  Organisation,  the 
World  Health  Organisation  and  the  International  Laboui! 
Office." 

We  have  a  very  serious  desert  problem  of  our  0¥m. 
Why  then  do  we  not  find  the  name  of  India  on  the  U&t 
of  participaxL\&? 


402 


THE  .MODERN  REVIEW  FOR  FEBRUARY,  1953 


We  are  sending  abroad  whole  hosts  of  ofiEcially 
sponsored  excursionists  who  get  free  holidays  at  the  cost  of 
the  taxpayer.  G)uld  we  not  send  just  one  or  two  officials  to 
this  exhibition  ? 

Conditions  for  Progress  of  Carnatic 
Mmic 

Sri  M.  Patanjali  Shastri,  Chief  Justice  of  India, 
made  a  few  remarks  upon  what  he  conceived  to  be 
shortcomings  in  the  musical  performances  given  from 
time  to  time.  He  was  presiding  over  a  meeting  of  the 
Indian  Fine  Arts  Society  at  Madras.  Sri  Shastri  told 
the  gathering  that  sometimes  it  was  insisted  that  the 
ancient  Gunikula  traditions  and  standards  set  by  the 
well-known  trio  (Tyagaraja,  Dikshitsar  and  Siiyama 
Shastri)  of  the  musical  world  should  be  maint\'nod  in 
all  their  pristine  puritj'.  In  his  view,  "While  it  was 
desirable  to  maintain  standards  it  must  also  be  recog- 
nised that  music  had  to  subserve  the  needs  of  public 
enjoyment.  Music  was  no  longer  a  privilege  to  be 
enjoyed  by  a  few  sitting  in  their  drawing  rooms  oi  a 
king  in  his  court ;  music  had  to  come  down  from  i^« 
ivory  tower  and  must  attempt  to  cater  to  the  wide 
public"  (Hindu,  Jan.  4).  He  lu^ed,  seme  modification 
of  the  old  standards  and  traditions  should  also  bo 
attempted  to  make  music  enjoyable  to  the  public  at 
lai^e.  He  added,  "This  is  not  to  say  musical 
standards  should  be  debased;  but  I  think  it  is  by  no 
means  inexcusable  to  add  a  little  alloy  to  pure  mota' 
so  as  to  make  it  circulate  among  the  more  numerous 
devotees  of  our  new  public," 

He  deprecated  the  tendency  of  most  of  the  Vidwans 
who  **did  not  travel  beyond  a  dosen  of  the  known 
raffas  and  that  the  repertoire  was  the  same  consisting 
of  Todi,  Sankharabharanam,  Kalyani,  etc.,  so  much  so 
that  there  was  a  danger  of  these  concerts  becoming 
stale.  Our  Vidwans  should  also  attempt  to  invent  new 
patterns  and  new  forms  of  musical  expressions.  Out  of 
the  72  Mela  Karta  ragas,  innumerable  combinations 
were  possible  and  it  was  not  in  the  interest  of  music, 
both  as  an  art  and  as  a  science,  to  regard  what  Ty*" 
garaja  or  Dikshitsar  or  Shyama  Sastri  had  said  as  the 
last  word  .  .  ."  As  a  further  measure  of  development 
Sri  Patanjali  Shastri  suggested  a  synthesis  between 
the  Hindusthani  and  Carnatic  systems  of  music.  The 
musicians  should  also  try  to  understand  correctly  the 
meaning  of  the  songs  the>'  rendered.  Unless  the  Sahitya 
was  understood,  it  was  not  possible  to  get  the  best  out 
of  a  musician.  Lastly,  he  stressed  upon  the  musicians 
the  need  for  a  proper  voice-culture.  The  musicians  of 
the  South  had  much  to  learn  from  their  counterpart 
in  the  North  in  this  respect. 

But  the  North  and  the  West,  in  our  opinion,    is 

taking  a  course  which  in  its  turn  is  bound  to  debase 

and  destroy  the  very  foundations    of    Indian  mu^c. 

Tbare  is  an  widespread  attempt  to  introduce  not  only 

"jiisr"  rhythm  and  mchdios  in  our  Diimc  but  also  the 


basic  motif  of  animal  passions  which  is  a  characteristid 
of  cheap  and  vulgar  varieties  of  Western  "craitf** 
music.  This  has  been  rightly  condemned  by  the  Nawab 
of  Rampur. 

Mau  Mau — Answer  to  No  No 

The  World  Interpreter  summarises  the  Kenya  situation 
as  follows:      /  ^ 

'Terrorism  by  the  native  Mau  Mau  secret  society  in 
Kenya  Colony,  directed  not  only  against  whites  but  non- 
co-operating  Africans,  has  a  twofold  cause.  First  :  ever 
since  whites  or  ''Europeans''  began  to  settle  at  the  turn 
of  the  century,  the  colony  has  experienced  the  worst 
kind  of  raw  imperialism.  Second :  the  honest,  if 
blundering,  efforts  to  remedy  wrongs  and  give  the 
natives  a  better  life  have  been  ''too  little  and  too  late.'' 

In  1900,  Kenya  had  few  white  settlers.  The  while 
population  has  mushroomed  until  today  it  numbers  nearly 
38,000,  as  compared  to  123,000  Indians,  24,000  Arabs^ 
and  5,450,000  native  Africans.  Many  white  settlers  came 
because  they  were  poor,  and  by  no  means  have  all  waxed 
rich.  The  2,000  white  farmers  live  well,  even  luxuriously 
according  to  native  standards,  but  are  hampered  by  bad 
roads  and  poor  communications  which  make  them  ner- 
vous amid  so  many  blacks — a  fact  which  has  led  them 
to  retain  power  by  coercion  rather  than  by  winning  the 
native  population. 

Crux  of  the  Kenya  crisis  is  land.  Until  the  settlers 
came,  the  native  tribes  held  much  of  their  land  in  com- 
mon. The  whites,  under  the  Protectorate  established  in 
1895,  declared  the  land  government-owned.  They  paid 
the  natives  nothing  for  it,  except  in  some  cases  for 
buildings  and  standing  crops.  In  this  way,  the  whites 
gradually  got  control  of  16,700  square  miles — an  area 
as  large  as  Massachusetts  and  New  Hampshire  com- 
bined. In  this  vast  region,  natives  are  not  allowed  to 
own  any  land,  although  they  can  barely  sustain  them- 
selves   on  the  poorer  soil  which  has  been  left  to  them.    • 

Pohticalhr,  the  Africans  have  no  po¥rer.  There  is 
a  L^islative  Council,  conaisting  of  42  Europeans,  eix 
Africans,  six  Indians,  and  two  Arabs.  Not  even  the 
educated  and  property-owning  native  Africans  are 
allowed  to  vote  ;  their  representatives  on  the  Council 
are  selected  by  the  Europeans  through  the  British  gover- 
nor. Offenses  by  blacks  against  whites  are  far  more 
drastically  punished  than  those  by  whites  against  blacks, 
^rced  labor  existed  until  1946.  Kenya  Africans  foogjit 
during  World  War  II  in  Burma,  but  the  returning 
soldiers*  pleas  for  a  better  status  were  ignorsd. 

However,  a  10-year  development  plan  was  ontHiied 
in  1946,  but  so  inadequate  and  halting  was  it  that  The 
Economist  said  of  it  on  August  24th  of  that  year  :  **If 
this  plan  is  carried  out  as  it  stands  there  is  little  pros- 
pect for  the  Africans  of  a  reasonable  ration  of  that  most 
essential  of  all  commodities — hope."  The  -British  Colo- 
nial Office  did  start  a  long-tenn  scheme  for  improved 
native  education,  with  plans  for  three  training  centres 
for  African  women  teachers.  To  be  effective  fast  enough, 
all  such  efloHs  should  have  been  made  25  yens  before. 


NOTES 


103 


A  curious  race  for  the  spreading  of  two  contradic- 
tory methods  in  Kenya  took  place  during  1950  and  1951. 
Even  previously,  Russia  had  invited  Kenya  "witchcraft 
doctors"  (not  invariably  as  primitive  as  might  be  sup- 
posed) to  Moscow  for  indoctrination,  returning  them  on 
satellite  ships.  The  U.S.S.R,  also,  issued  a  dictipnary 
of  the  SwahiH  language,  widely  spoken  by  natives  from 
the  Red  Sea  southward  in  East  Africa.  In  contrast,  Shri 
Kaka  Kalelkar,  a  Gandhi  disciple,  visited  Kenya  native 
tribes,  urged  then^  to  non-violence  as  a  means  of 
struggle,  and  helped  publish  a  life  of  Gandhi  in  the 
Luganda  tongue,  for  neighboring  Uganda,  with  a  hope 
of  a  Swahili  edition  later.  An  Indo-A£rican  Society 
was  established  at  Nairobi,  Kenya,  to  publish  books  by 
Indian  leaders  in  African  languages. 

Thefe  are  fine  people  in  Kenya,  oa  both  sides  of  the 
color  barrier.  Some  of  them  have  held  inter-racial  meet- 
ings to  planj  for  closer  friendship  and  equahzation  of 
social  conditions.  Missionaries  in  the  native  Reserve 
have  built  schools  and  set  a  model  for  the  abandonment 
of  white  aupremacy.  The  Kenya  African  Congress  has 
been  petitioning  the  British  Government,  with  much  help 
fxt>m  white  Ehglishmen,  for  an  orderly  redress  of 
grievances.  But  when  Congress  leaders  at  London 
finally  got  through  to  Minister  of  State  iot  Colonial 
Affairs  Lennox-Boyd,  they  received  a  negative  rebuff. 
The  Mau  Mau  outbreaks  followed. 

Thousands  of  suspected  Mau  Mau  members  have 
been  arrested,  native  informers  have  been  sought  (with- 
out much  success)  and  the  primitive,  hungry  natives,  of 
the  Kikuyu  tribe  in  particular,  know  only  that  the 
white  masters  are  powerful,  but  can  be  frightened.  The 
segregated  African  in  the  cities,  in  his  tin- walled,  mud- 
roofed  hut,  fears  violence,  even  on  his  own  behalf,  but 
progress  comes  at  a  snaiFs  pace. 

The  man  most  feared  by  frightened  whites  appears 
to  be  the  Kikuyu  chief,  Jomo  Kenyatta,  adored  by  his 
oym^  people,  less  popular  with  other  tribes.  Kenyatt£^ 
spent  time  in  England,  was  befriended  by  the  late  C.  F. 
Andrews,  stayed  for  a  while  at  a  (^aker  school.  He 
is  a  mixture  of  idealism  and  ostentatiousness.  And  he 
is  now  in  jail.  A  friend  of  Worldover  Press  who  inter- 
viewed him  in  Kenya  before  his  arrest,  writes  that  he 
resembles  both  a  swashbuckling  pirate  and  a  Tolstoi. 
That  combination  is  not  confined  to  Jomo  Kenyatta  of 
the  Kikuyus  ;  it  uncomfortably  symbolizes  the  ideas  and 
poHcies  of  the  Kenya  whites." 

It  is  against  this  back-ground  that  we  have  to  judge 
the  following  bit  of  news  that  came  through  on  Jan.  26  : 

Jomo  Kenyatta  told  the  court  trying  him  for  manag- 
ing the  Maa  Mau  society  :  *'I  have  no  room  in  my  heart 
for  Tiolence.'^ 

British  lawyer  D.  N.  Pritt  had  suggested  there  was 
no  case  and  the  Magistrate  said  last  week  that  the  trial 
of  Kenyatta  and  five  others  must  continue  and  the 
defence   submission    "wholly   fails.'' 

Mr.   Thtidker  ruled  that  the  prosecution  had  made 


out  a  case  against  all  the  accused  on  each  of  the  charge^ 
sufficient  to  require  them  to  make  a  defence. 

Kenyatta  and  the  other  accused,  who  listened  intently 
to  Mr.  Thacker's  ruling,  were  then  ordered  to  stand  in, 
the  dock — for  the  first  time  since  they  were  originally 
charged  before  the  Magistrate  two  and  a  half  months  ago. 

To  each  in  turn,  Mr.  Thacker  read  out  the  charges 
anew — ^Kenyatta  with  "managing"  and  being  a  member 
of  the  Mau  Mau  society,  and  the  others  with  ''assisting  iu 
the  management*'  of  the   society  and  membership. 

Kenyatta — ^who,  it  is  said,  is  revered  as  a  God  by 
thousands  of  his  Kikuyu  tribesmen — tilted  his  bearded 
chin  forward  and  stared  intently  at  the  Magistrate  as  he 
heard  the  charges. 

Then  speaking  in  his  defence  Kenyatta  gave  the 
story  of  his  poUtical  life,  and  some  of  his  beliefs  and 
ideas  of  what  is  bad  and  evil  in  the  British  colony  today. 

On  two  separate  occasions  Mr.  Thacker  cut  off  the 
flow  of  Kenyatta*s  words  and  announced  he  considered 
the  African  leader  was  making  a  speech  and  not  merely 
replying  to  questions. 

Kenyatta  waved  his  arm,  bowed  his  massive  head, 
apologised  and  said  :  "'Please  stop  me.  Sometimes  I  do 
not  realise  I  am  doing  it." 

Kenyatta  told  the  court  that  many  White  settlers  ia 
Kenya  believed  him  to  be  a  ''horrible  man"  who  went 
round  with  a  ^pistol  in  his  pocket  and  an  assegai 
(African  spear)   in  his  hand. 

,  Sweeping  the  crowded  pubhc  part  of  the  court 
with  his  eyes  and  with  a  half  smile  on  his  lips,  Kenyatta 
added  ;  'T  am  just  an  ordinary  man  fighting  for  my 
people  without  necessarily  hating  anybody  at  all". 

Kenyatta  gave  a  detaile<l  explanation  of  the  consti- 
tution ami  aims  of  the  Kenya  African  Union,  of  which 
he  is  President. 

The  Crown  has  alleged  that  Mau  Mau  is  a  military 
wing  of  the  Union.  But  Kenyatta  said  the  Union  was  a 
democratic  body  which  did   not  believe  in.  violence. 

*'We  beheve  in  negotiatioa  by  constitutional  means 
through  discussions  and  representation  to  convince  other 
I.eople  and  the  Government  if  there  is  injustice,"  he 
declared. 

With  his  voice  rising  slightly,  Kenyatta  explained  : 
"We  believe  the  racial  barrier  is  one  of  the  most  diaboli- 
cal things  we  have  in  this  colony  because  we  see  no 
reason  why  all  races  in  this  country  should  not  work 
harmoniously  together  without  any  discrimination. 

"We  believe  that  people  of  good-will  should  woi;K 
together,  and  they  can  eliminate  that  evil. 

*'We  think  racial  discrimination  is  evil  because  God 
did  not  discriminate  when  he  put  people  in  this  world — 
he  put  us  in  this  world  to  be  happy  and  enjoy  the  gifts 
of  Nature." 

And,  likewise,  this  outburst  from  a  British  paper 
should  be  viewed  in  the  same  perspective. 

Titne  and  Tide,  January  10,  writes  of  eveaU  va. 
Kenya  : 

"No  one  can  yo^clt^  VW  l^^xi^^     «^>a5iN:\csrG.    hC^Js^ 


104 


THE  MODERN  REMEW  FOR  FEBRUARY,  1953 


coroplttc^ney.  The  attack  on  two  women  in  the  git  ting- 
room  of  their  farm  which  was  defeated  by  their  cool- 
nena  and  valour  was  symptomatic  of  the  violence  and 
treachery  which  all  the  high-sounding  claims  for 
political  emancipation  and  economic  advancement 
cannot  mask.  So,  too,  was  the  murder  of  a  loyal 
Kikuyu  chief  in  hospital. 

"It  is  as  well  to  realize  that  half-measures  are 
unlikely  to  defeat  the  Mau  Mau  and  restore  law  and 
order  and  civilian  security.  It  was  salutary  in  this 
connection  to  note  the  firm  and  sensible  remarks 
made  by  Mr.  Attlec  in  Delhi." 

Malaya 

The  Spectator  (January  9),  commenting  on  the  war 
in  M&laya,  says  that  for  General  Templer  in  the  campaign 
against  Communist  terrorism  "the  shooting  war  is  only 
the  fiTtfi  round,  aii^  while  he  fights  with  a  growing 
■  measure  of  success,  he  and  his  colleagues  press  on  with 
the  battle  for  the  hearts  and  the  minds  of  the  people. 

*This,  too,  is  going  well ;  it  is  not  only  in  the  field 
that  the  Communists  are  being  worsted.  Problems  ol 
resettlement,  health  and  education  are  getting  the  priority 
they  deserve,  and  the  task  of  bringing  peace  and  unity 
back  to  Malaya,  which  once  looked  hopeless,  is  now  no 
longer  even  in  the  thankless  category.'* 

But  the  basic  problem  is  the  discontentment  and 
resentment  of  the  Chinese  and  the  Indians,  who  form 
62  per  cent  of  the  population.  They  built  the  Malay.i 
of  today  and  they  are  denied  all  rights.  • 

Britain  and  Burma 

The  following  communique  was^  issued  on  Satur- 
day, January  10,  by  the  British  Government  in  London 
and  by  the  Burmese  Government  in  Rangoon  : 

"The  defence  agreement  between  the  Govern- 
mcts  of  the  Union  of  Burma  and  the  United  Kingdom 
generally  known  as  the  Let  Ya-Freeman  Agreement 
which  was  signed  in  Rangoon  on  August  29,  1947, 
provides  that  after  the  initial  period  of  three  years 
from  the  date  of  the  independence  of  Burma  it  will 
be  subject  to  Icrminntion  by  12  months'  notice  on 
cither  side. 

"As  a  result  of  experience  gained  by  both  Govern- 
ments concerned  from  the  operation  of  the  Agreement 
during  the  i)ast  five  years,  negotiations  are  being 
undertaken  by  the  two  Governments  for  the  purpose 
of  entering  into  a  fresh  agreement. 

"The  existing  Agreement  will,  therefore,  run  for  a 
further  maximum  period  of  12  months  from  January  4, 
1953,  well  before  the  end  of  which  it  is  hoped  that  the 
negotiations  will  be  completed." 

The  details  of  the  fresh  agrcemeoit,  when  that  's 
ready,  should  provo  of  great  interest  to  India  and 
Pakistan. 

Nalini  Ranjan  Sarker 

On  Sunday,  January  25,  the  political  and  economic 
amna  of  West  Bengal  lout  one  of  its  foremost  figures, 
-^//i//  Hanjan  Sarker  was  a  self-made  man  in    the 


fullest  sense  of  the  term.  The  history  of  his  life,  if  ever 
written  in  full  detail,  would  show  how  a  grim  deter- 
mination to  advance  in  life  enabled  him  to  overcome 
handicaps  that  would  have  been  considered  insuperable 
by  most.  Poverty,  a  very  modest  education,  a  total 
absence  of  favourable  circiunstances,  these  were  a  few 
of  them.  Indeed  he  met  with  vicissitudes  at  the  very 
start  of  his  life  that  would  have  broken  the  spirit  of  a 
less  indomitable  person.  But  nothing  deterred  him 
because  he  was  not  wiUing  to  let  any  consideration  to 
stand  in  the  way  of  his  ambition. 

He  entered  the  Hindusthan  Co-operative  Insurance 
Society,  of  which  he  was  President  up  to  1947,  as  a  very 
minor  employee,  on  the  first  step  on  his  ascent  to 
position  of  eminence  in  the  sphere  of  economics  and 
politics.  Tireless  perseverence  and  a  capacity  for  hard 
work,  coupled  with  a  razor-keen  acumen  enabled  him  to 
rise  above  all  barriers.  Nothing  deterred  him  and 
nothing  was  of  any  account  with  him  excepting  what 
was  an  asset  in  his  battle  for  advancement. 

His  political  career  began  as  a  lieutenant  of  the 
late  Deshabandhu  Das,  in  whose  party  he  became  the 
chief  whip.  After  the  untimely  demise  of  his  leader,  -he 
became  one  of  the  most  powerful  political  figures  in 
the  Bengal  Congress  group. 

He  became  the  General  Manager  of  tlie  Hindu- 
sthan Co-operative  Insurance  Society  in  1932,  which 
post  he  held  till  1937,  when  he  joined  the  Bengal 
Ministry  as  a  Finance  Minister.  After  coming  out  of 
the  ministry  he  became  its  president.  In  1934,  he  was 
elected  President  of  the  Federation  of  Indian  Cham- 
bers of  Commerce  and  Industry. 

His  connection  with  the  Bengal  Congress  group 
was  broken  by  his  acceptance  of  oflice  under  Mr. 
Fazlul  Huq  in  the  Bengal  Ministry  of  1937.  He  resigned 
from  that  through  the  War  Resolution  in  December, 
1939.  But  later  he  became  Member  of  Education, 
Health  and  Lands  in  the  Viceroy's  Executive  Council 
in  1941.  Later  he  became  the  Commerce  and  Food 
Member,  resigning  in  connection  with  Mahatmaji's 
fust  in  February,  1943. 

He  became  the  Finance  Minister  under  Dr.  B.  C. 
Roy  in  the  West  Bengal  Cabinet  in  January  1948.  He 
did  not  contest  any  seat  in  the  1951-52  elections  and 
gave  up  his  portfolio  when  Dr.  Roy  formed  the  new 
Ministry  in  June  1952. 

As  is  usual  in  men  of  such  exceptional  calibre  and 
endless  ambition,  his  personal  life  was  full  of  contrary 
traits.  But  essentially  he  was  humble  in  spirit,  with 
a  readineas  to  learn  and  to  correct  himself  at  the 
instance  of  even  his  juniors.  Ruthless  in  his  ambition, 
he  was  yet  very  loyal  to  all  from  whom  he  hfcd 
benefited  and  his  consideration  to  his  assistants  and 
helpers  was  remarkable. 

He  was  always  willing  to  learn  and  was  well  aware 
of  his  faiUngs  and  shortcomings.  In  that  respect  be 
was  immensely  superior  to  those  who  have  climbed 
Vi*\g,V\et  Vu  \.W  po\\V\cal  firmament  of  the  India  of  today. 


blRCCtlVES  OF  STATE  POtlCV 


Bt  Ptof.  IQBAL  NARAIN,  mji. 

'Virective  principled  are  not  such  settled  and  eternal  principtes  which  do  not  change  froiil 
country  to  country  or  from  age  to  age.  It  almost  reads  as  if  the  Directive  principles  are  embodied 
in  the  Constitution  just  to  give  cheap  satisfaction  to  the  gullible  and  the  credulous.  Can  it  be 
said  ^that  the  list  includes  all  the  Directive  principles  for  all  time  or  that  all  the  principles 
are  unquestionably  sound  and  sensible  from  the   practical   point     of     view  ?"— N.   R.   Raghav- 

ACHABIAB. 


Thb  New  Constitution  of  India  provides  for  a  Welfare 
State  that  is  expected  to  look  after,  like  an  impartial 
mother,  to  the  welfare  of  all  its  people  without  dis- 
crimination. To  emphasize  this  role  of  our  infant 
polity,  the  Constitution  provides  for  an  instrument  of 
instructions  in  the  form  of  the  Directives  of  State 
Policy.  It  is  intended  to  direct  the  energy  of  our  infant 
democracy  into  progressive  and  national  channels.  The 
inclusion  of  the  Directives  has  been  a  unique  feature 
in  our  Constitution.  The  only  parallel  to  it  can  be 
found  in  the  Constitution  of  the  Irish  Free  State. 

Meaning  and  Nature  of  Dibbctives 
Directives  of  State  Policy,  as  formulated  in  the 
Indian  Constitution,  set  forth  a  code  of  ideals  before 
the  Indian  State  to  pursye.  These  ideals  deal  with 
socio-economic  as  well  as  ethical  welfare  of  the  people 
of  India,  a  welfare  which  they  so  badly  need  at  the 
moment.  Directives  thus  incorporate  the  real  needs  of 
India  as  ideals  of  State  policy.  These  ideals,  be  it  also 
noted,  are  such  as  everywhere  form  the  sum  and 
gubstance  of  a  real  democracy. 

DnmcnvES  and  Fundamental  Rights 
Directives  come  as  an  emphatic  re-assertion  of  oiur 
Fundamental  Rights.  They  demand  a  realistic  approach 
from  our  national  State  to  materialize  the  sum  and 
substance  of  Fundamental  Rights  in  the  actual  life  of 
eitisens  as  early  as  possible.  The  preamble  with  which 
our  charter  of  freedom  opens  as  well  as  the  chapter 
on  the  Fundamental  Rights  in  our  Constitution 
recognise  people's  rights  to  liberty,  equality,  fraternity 
and  justice.  Directives  of  State  Policy  make  this  the 
moral  duty  of  the  State  to  establish  a  social  order  in 
which  equality,  liberty  and  justice  in  all  spheres  of 
life,  social,  economic  and  political,  may  be  possible. 
The  chapter  on  Fundamei^tal  Rights  is  an  exposition 
of  ends,  the  chapter  of  Directives,  a  study  of  means. 
If  one  is  the  philosophy  of  good  life,  the  other  is  its 
practice. 

Scope  of  Dirbctives 

Directives  are  intended  to  govern  the  policies  of 
the  Union  Government  as  well  as  State  Governments, 
including  even  the  activities  of  such  local  bodies  as 
the    Village    Pancbayatf,     Municipal     and    District 


The  term  "State'^  as  the  opening  article  of  this 
part  suggests,  has  a  dual  meaning.  In  a  collective  sense 
it  represents  the  Union  Government  €ind  the  Union 
Parliament  together  with  the  Government  and  Legis- 
lature of  each  State.  And  in  a  more  distributive  sensle 
it  imphes  even  the  Village  Panchayats,  District  and 
Municipal  Boards  and  other  local  bodies. 

Directives  thus  emphasize  that  the  Government  of 
India  as  a  whole,  Union,  State  and  local  bodies  all 
combined,  are  to  make  a  sustained  effort  to  secure  the 
welfare  of  the  people.  Institutions,  if  they  want  to 
survive  in  Free  India,  must  serve.  This  is  the  ideal 
that  the  Directives  set  before  us. 

EnFCACBMBNT   of    DlRBCnVEfi 

Article  37  of  our  Constitution  makes  it  clear,  at 
the  very  outset,  that  the  Directive  principles,  though 
fundamental  in  the  governance  of  the  country,  shall 
not  be  enforoeable  by  any  law^ourt  in  India.  It  is 
only  a  moral  duty  of  the  people's  representatives 
forming  the  Government  to  abide  by  the  rules  of 
conduct  as  set  forth  in  the  Directives  of  State  Policy. 

A  SUBVET  OP  DlREXTTIVES 

Article  88  sums  up  in  a  comprehensive  way  the 
essence  of  the  Directives  in  the  words  : 

"The  State  shall  strive  to  promote  the  welfare 
of  the  people  by  securing  and  protecting,  as  effec- 
tively as  it  may,  a  social  order  in  which  justice, 
social,  economic  and  political,  shall  inform  all  the 
institutions  of  the  national  life." 

Directives  thus  aim  to  secure  the  welfare  of  the 
people  through  State  action.  They  intend  to  establish 
all  sorts  of  democracy,  political,  social  and  economic 
in  India,  presiunably  on  the  principles  of  "one  man, 
one  value." 

Directives  of  State  Policy  as  incorporated  in  our 

Constitution  may  be     grouped     under     the  following 

heads  :  , 

(a)    Directives  for  economic  security 

(6)    Directives  for  social  welfare 

(c)    Directives     for     justice,     education     and 

democracy 
((f)    Directives  for  preserving  ancient  relics 
(e)    Directives  for  international  affairs 

These  can  be  ana]3rsed  as  follows  : 

(a)    Dir€Cti\)e%     ^ot     Ec^iwwtvVfc    tl»e»«r^Vi\    '"^ 

authors  ol  oui  C«Da\»Ai\;vwi  «iN\s»%^  "\s^  '^'tseC\^s^»^ '' 


iOd 


THE  MODERN  REVIEW  f  OR  EEBRtAfiV.  Id63 


democratic  economic  structure.  This  is  in  keeping  with 
the  aocialistic  trend  of  our  times.  Articles  39,  41,  42,  43, 
46,  47  and  48  chiefly  aim  to  secure  economic  welftire 
of  the  Indian  people.  They  seek  to  secure  in  the 
interests  of  the  common  good  : 

"(1)  Adequate  means  of  livelihood,  (2)  Fair 
distributions  of  thj&  ownership  and  control  of  the 
material  resources  of  the  community,  (3)  Preven- 
tion of  the  concentration  of  wealth  find  means  of 
production  that  may  be  detrimental  to  the  commou 
interest,  (4)  Equal  pay  for  equal  work,  both  for 
men  and  women,  (5)  Protection  of  the  health  and 
strength  of  men,  women,  and  children  by  prevent- 
ing them  from  being  forced  into  vocations  unsuit- 
able to  their  age,  (6)  Employment,  (7)  Public 
apsistanne  in  the  event  of  unemployment,  old  age, 
sicknesfl.  disability  and  other  cases  of  undeserved 
want,  (8)  Living  wage  to  secure  a  decent  standard 
of  life,  (9)  Promotion  of  cottage  industries, 
(10)  Protection  of  the  educational,  social  and 
economic  interests  of  the  scheduled  castes  and 
scheduled  tribes,  and  (11)  Prohibition  of  cow 
slaughter,  preserving  and  improving  the  breeds  and 
organizing  animal  and  agricultural  husbandry  on 
modern  scientific  lines." 

(b)  Directives  for  Social  Welfare  :  Apart  from 
the  above  economic  welfare  provisions,  the  State,  as 
envisaged  in  the  Directives,  shall  also  endeavour  to 
accomplish  what  is  known  as  social  welfare. 

For  this,  the  Directives  contemplate  : 

(»)    Raising  the  nutrition  and  the  standard  of 

living  to  improve  public  health, 
(tt)    JMaternity  relief,  and 
(m)    Prohibition   of     intoxicating     drinks     and 
drugs,  except  for  medicinal  purpose. 

(c)  Directives  for  Justice,  Education  and  Demo^ 

cracy  :  Directives  also  make  provision  for  securing 
justice,  for  spreading  education  and  for  breeding 
democratic  sense  in  the  people  of  India. 

For  a  better  securing  of  justice  the  Directives 
contemplate  a  imiform  civil  code  for  the  citizens. 
Separation  of  judiciary  from  executive  is  also  stressed. 

For  quick  spreading  of  education  the  Directives 
emphasize  in  Article  45  of  the  Constitution  that 

"The  State  shall  endeavour  to  provide,  within  a 
period  of  ten  years  from  the  commencement  of  this 
Constitution,  for  free  and  compulsory  education  for 
all  children  until  they  complete  the  age  of  fourteen 
years." 

For  breeding  democratic  sense  the  Directives  insist 
upon  the  organizing  of  Village  Panchayats  as  units  of 
aelf^ovemment.  Article  40  of  the  Act  lays  down  : 

"The  State  shall  take  steps  to  organize  Village 
Panchayats  and  endow  them  with  such  powers  and 
authority  as  may  be  necessary  to  enable  them  to 
function  as  units  of  self-government." 

(d)  Directives  far  Preserving  Ancient  Relics  : 
Directives  also  contemplate  the  protection,  preserva- 
tion and  maintenance  of  monuments,  places  and 
objects  of  artistic  and  historical  importance.    In  this 

—^v^b/i  Ar^/c/e  49   of  the    CoDStltutiovL  reads  as 


"It  shall  be  the  obligation  of  the  State  to 
protect  every  monument  or  place  or  object  of 
artistic  or  historic  interest,  declared  by  Parliament 
by  Law  to  be  of  national  importance  from  spolia- 
tion, disfigurement,  destruction,  removal,  disposal, 
or  export  as  the  case  may  be." 

(e)  Direciivee  for  International  Affaira :  The 
closing  Article  of  the  chapter  of  Directives  reads  as 
follows :  I 

Article  51,  "The  State  shall  endeavour  to— 

(a)    promote  international  peace  and  security; 
(6)     maintain    just  and     honourable     relations 

between  nations  ; 
(c)     foster  respect  for  international     law     and 
treaty  obligations  in  the  dealings  of  orga- 
nized peoples  with  one  another  ;  and 
id)    £iicourage     settlement      of     international 
disputes  by  arbitration." 
This  Article  is  of  fundamental  importance.  It  is  in 
tune  with  the  high  moral  traditions  of  the  country,  its 
desire  for  peace,  and  desistance  from  power  conflict.  It 
is  very  significant  that  the  principles  of  international 
goodwill  and  world  peace  have  found  incorporation  in 
the  very  text  of  our  Constitution.  India  thus  shall  ever 
disdain  imperialism.  She  shall  thus  be  free  to  lead  the 
world  on  the  path  of  peace. 

CluncisM  OF  DmecnvtB 
The  Directives  of  State  Policy  as  provided  in  our 
CJonstitution,  have     been     bitterly     criticised     on  the 
following  grounds  : 

1.  It  looks  so  unnatural  that  a  sovereign  nation 
should  address  to  itself  these  principles.  One  can  under- 
stand Directive  principles  being  issued  by  a  Superior 
Government  to  an  inferior  one  in  the  form  of  ideals  to 
be  pursued  but  it  is  difficult  to  see  the  advisability  for 
a  sovereign  nation  giving  directions  to  itself  as  this  is 
likely  to  hinder  the  free  exercise  of  its  Sovereign 
Rights.  I    I 

The  critics,  however,  here  ignore  that  Directive 
Principles  shall  in  no  way  damage  the  concept  of 
national  sovereignty,  as  they  are  not  in  the  nature  of 
commands.  The  State  is  not  bound  by  law  to  adhere 
to  them.  If  the  State  does  not  follow  them,  no  court 
can  compel  it  to  do  so.  The  Indian  State  thus  remains 
free  for  the  exercise  of  its  sovereign  rights  in  spite  of 
these  Directives. 

2.  The  chapter  on  Directives  implies  that  it 
embodies  in  itself  some  settled  and  eternal  principles 
which  are  not  likely  to  change  from  age  to  age.  But 
no  principles  and  directions  can  be  regarded  as  ever 
useful  in  thie  ever-moving  wheel  of  tinie.  In  the 
chapter  of  Directives  there  is  no  room  for  adjustment 
to  the  progressive  march  of  human  nature  and  to  the 
ever-doveloping  needs,  aspirations  and  ideals.  More- 
over the  principles  adumbrated  as  Directives  are  not 
unquestionably  sound  and  sensible  from  the  practical 
point  of  view.  For  instance,  the  Directives  regarding 
prohibition  is  only  a  mixed  evil.  The  income  lost  by 
the  \mcexl&ia  «xp«nm«u.\.  qI  VK^i^\\^Qi^  mv|]3LV  well  bf 


DIRECTIVES  OF  STATE  POUCY 


107 


utilised  with  greater  advantage  for  the  more  imperative 
and  urgent  worka  of  public  utility.  Prohibition  policy, 
advocated  in  our  Directives,  can  at  best  be  a  costly 
failure,  which  will  deprive  the  Government  of  a 
source  of  bumper  income  on  the  one  hand  and  will 
increase  the  crimes  of  illicit  distillation  and  out  of  the 
shore  smuggling  on  the  other.  Thus  the  critics  conclude 
in  the  words  of  Sri  N.  R.  Raghavachari : 

"One  is,  therefore,  disposed  to  characterise 
these  principles  as  more  political  philosophy  than 
practical  politics  and  except  as  a  parade  of  high 
sounding  sentiments,  couched  in  vain-glorious  ver- 
biage, they  have  little  or  do  appeal  to  a  constitu- 
tional critic  or  a  critical  constitutionalist." 

There  is  much  truth  and  weight  in  this  criticism. 
But  the  Directives  are  not  as  useless  as  the?  critics  of 
the  above  school  suggest.  This  will  be  borne  out  by 
the  succeeding  evaluation  of  the  Directives  made 
under  the  heading  "In  Defence  of  Directives." 

3.  Critics  also  contend  that  the  Directive  Prin- 
ciples only  embody  a  number  of  pious  wishes  or  un- 
realisablc  dreams.  Sampson,  for  example,  writes  : 

"Some  of  the  goals  enumerated  bear  little  rela- 
tion to  the  realities  of  possible  achievement.  The 
most  abandoned  optimist  would  have  to  admit  that 
India  has  a  long  and  hard  road  to  travel  before  fihe 
can,  for  example,  hope  to  ensure  for  her  people  a 
decent  standard  of  life  with  full  enjoyment  of 
leisure  and  social  and  cultural  opportunities." 

The  critic  here  ignores  that  an  ideal  alone  can 
inspire  tho  realUation  of  an  ideal.  One  can  ask  tlKi 
critic,  "Is  progress  ever  attained  by  those  who  fear  the 
challenge  of  an  ideal  ?"  The  bare  truth  is  that  every 
political  society  requires  for  its  progre's's  the  objective 
of  a  high  ideal  to  attain  which  it  must  work  and 
endeavour  with  youthful  vigour.  The  more  alluring 
and  attractive  the  horizon  of  human  ambitions  and 
ideals  and  the  more  difl&cult  it  is  to  achieve,  the 
greater  the  incentive  to  work  for  it.  The  enunciation 
of  ideals  in  the  chapter  of  Directives  has  thus  been  a 
salutary  means  for  preparing  the  Indian  State  for  an 
onward  march. 

4.  Besides,  there  are  tJiinkers  who  say.  that  the 
provisions  enumerated  in  the  chapter  on  Directives 
should  have  been  enforceable  by  the  Courts  ;  other- 
wise, their  incorporation  is  useless  as  they  would  be 
honoured  more  in  breach  than  in  adherance.  Here 
again  the  critics  forget  that  the  makers  of  our  Consti- 
tution did  not  ignore  the  fctct  that  the  dynamic  forc^ 
of  time  and  environment  do  have  a  share  in  the 
making  of  State  policies.  They  also  recognised  that  a 
Government  is  run  more  by  good  faith  than  by  legal 
maxims.  What  they  intended  was  to  set  a  pattern  of 
those  ideals  which  were  the  cry  of  the  hour  in  India, 
being  warranted  both  by  time  and  necessity.  The 
Directives  were  to  serve  as  a  standing  reminder  to  the 
people's  representatives  of  the  needs,  aspirations  and 
hopes  of  their  own  country  and  countrymen.  The 
GoYcnim^lit^  beii^  ^    custodian    and    trustee  of  the 


interest  of  the  people  and  the  first  servant  of  the 
nation,  is  expected  to  approximate  to  these  ideals 
through  their  sincere  efforts.  The  aim  is  not  to  chain 
the  hands  and  the  feet  of  the  future  rulers  of  India 
but  to  guide  and  inspire  thctn  for  a  forward  march. 

5.  Lastly,  there  are  thinkers  who  regard  the 
insertion  of  Directives  as  a  superfluous  incorpomtion 
because  the  principles  enumerated  in  the  Directive  are 
implicit  in  the  policy  of  a  modem  democratic  Stat^ 
which  exists  to  secure  what  Aristotle  termed  as  'good 
life'  to  its  citizens. 

This  criticism  is  in  fact  more  in  favour  than 
against  the  Directives.  If  Directives  embody,  and' 
certainly  they  do  so,  a  programme  of  action  implicit 
in  the  very  life  of  a  modern  democratic  State,  they 
do  not  impose  something  foreign  but  only  make 
explicit  the  implicit  essence  of  democracy  and  they 
thus  certainly  emphasise  the  .democratic  role  which  our 
infant  polity  is  expected  to  play.  One  thing  more 
follows  from  this  critici.-m  that  if  these  principles  are 
natural  to  democracy,  there  is  nothing  unnatural  in 
the  hope  of  their  realisation  in  our  democratic  State. 
Sooner  or  later  India  can  hope  to  achieve  what  Direc- 
tives today  suggest. 

In  *DiyENCE  OF  DniEJCnvES 

Directives  are  in  fact  meant  to  safeguard  the 
interest  of  the  Nation  which  the  people's  representa- 
ti\ef  may  forget  in  the  swing  and  heat  of  party 
politics.  The  real  reason  and  justification  for  the  in- 
corporation of  Directives  is  the  fear  that  in  the  chang- 
ing fortunes  of  party  Govemmtiit,  which  we  can 
envisage  in  the  parliamentary  set-up  of  our  country, 
the  party  in  power  may  ignore,  swayed  by  some 
selfish  influences,  the  real  needs  and  aspirations  of  the 
Mother  Country.  But  since  the  Directives  are  there, 
the  party  in  power  both  in  the  Legislature  and  forming 
the  Executive  shall  have  to  respect  the  Directive 
principles.  It  cannot  ignore  them  for  the  simple  reason 
that  it  may  not  have  to  answer  in  a  court  of  law  for 
their  breach  but  certainly  before  the  electorate, 
people's  great  tribunal  of  punishment  and  reward.  A 
deliberate  violation  of  and  contempt  for  the  Directive 
principles  by  a  party  shall  have  a  heavy  toll.  The 
representatives  of  the  party  who  show  such  an  attitude 
cannot  hope  to  be  returned  by  the  electorate  to  power. 
Thus  Directives  are  designed  as  a  fetter  on  the  rough- 
shod riding  of  a  party  over  the  real  needs  and  aspira- 
tions of  the  people. 

Besides,  Directives  are  also  intended  to  secure  the 
flow  of  our  national  energy  in  progressive  channels 
even  against  the  whims  smd  caprices  of  the  conservative 
elements  in  our  society.  Even  Sampson,  a  hostile 
critic  of  the  Directives,  has  had  to  admit  : 

"While  the  wisdom   of  including     what  is  tanta- 
mount to  a  political     manifesto     in  a     constitutional 
instrument  may  be  open  to  question,  it  should  at  any 
rate  diminish  the    poasibUvtv     ^^    ^\!^'^'^  N*^  ^   tns^^ 
couatiVuUoiv  aa  Ui  ny^Wka  ol  \i>d«w^  ^^^\^  ^\^'«ssa.''^ 


CONCENTRATION  IN  THE    lAND-STRUCTURE 

Another  Indication  of  Weft  Bengalis    Economic  Decay 

By  BIMALCHANDRA  SINHA 


Signs  of  decay  in  the  structure  of  land  and  agriculture 
are  varied  and  manifold.  The  most  apparent  and 
direct  evidence  of  such  decay  is,  of  course,  an  overall 
decline  in  agricultural  yield  and  non-utilisation  of 
cultivable  lands.  But  there  are  other  deeper  signs  too. 
For  instance,  the  relative  importance  of  agriculture  i& 
the  country's  occupation  structure  is  another  sign.  In 
all  progressive  countries  of  the  world,  where  the 
secondary  and  tertiary  sectors  of  the  country's  economy 
are  vastly  developed,  agriculture  supports  an  ever- 
decreasing  proportion  of  the  population.  If,  however, 
it  is  found  in  a  country  that  the  secondary  and 
tertiaiy  sectors,  while  supporting  more  persons  in 
absolute  numbers,  are  proportionately  supporting  an 
increasingly  smaller  percentage  and  consequently  the 
primary  sector  has  to  support  an  ever-increasing  pro- 
portion, that'  is  surely  a  sign  of  economic  regression. 
Thirdly,  the  degree  of  dependence  in  the  occupational 
structure  is  another  test.  But  there  is  also  another 
test.  In  an  expansive  and  healthy  economy,  we  find 
that  there  is  a  constant  tendency  for  each  economic 
group  to  improve  their  position.  But  if,  on  the  con- 
trary, it  is  foimd  that  the  majority  of  the  economic 
groups  is  facing  continuous  economic  deterioration 
while  only  a  small  portion  is  improving  their  position, 
that  is  surely  a  sign  of  economic  decay  and  disintegra- 
tion. The  inevitable  result  of  such  a  process  is  gradual 
pauperisation  at  one  end  and  gradual  concentration  of 
capital  at  the  other.  This  concentration  of  capital  may 
either  be  in  the  shape  of  liquid  capital  and |or  in  land 
ownership.  This  process  is  not  always  apparent  to  a 
casual  observer,  but  this  is  none  the  less  a  sure  test. 
Judged  by  all  these  tests.  West  Bengal  is  showing  signs 
of  economic  decay.  It  is  however  not  possible,  without 
writing  anything  short  of  a  full-fledged  book,  to  dis- 
cuss elaborately  all  these  aspects.  We  shall  therefore 
confine  ourselves  in  the  present  essay  only  to  the  last 
aspect  and  here  too  lack  of  space  will  permit  us  to 
discuss  very  briefly  the  bare  points  only. 

Certain  Genebal  Indication  or 
Concentration 

Before  we  proceed  to  analyse  the  direct  evidence 
of  land-ownership,  it  is  necessary  to  examine  certain 
general  indications  : 

(1)  Before  examining  the  trends  in  agricultural 
income,  let  us  first  examine  the  trend  in  over-all 
income.  In  the  Calcutta  Statistical  Association  Bulletin 
Vol.  3  No.  10,  pp  77-«2,  Shri  S.  Sengupta,  formerly 
Deputy  Director,  Provincial  Statistical  Bureau,  Govern- 
ment of  West  Bengal,  has  studied  the  distribution  of 
Income  in  India  and  Bengal  from  1922-23  to  1046-47 
mith  the  help  of  Pareto  Curves.  The  figures  he 
^-yjyey  at  indicate  that  the  disparity  of  income  baa 
«a«fiwe/  a/ter  1938-39  both  in  the  csLSe  of  India  and 


Bengal,  but  to  a  greater  extent  in  Bengal  than  in  the 
rest  of  India.  The  usual  value  of  the  Pareto  constant 
a  is  1.5,  which  is  the  slope  of  the  straight  line  fitted 
in  the  logarithms  of  the  incomes  (x)  and  the  number  of 
incomes  above  x  (y).  The  steeper  the  slope  of  the 
line,  the  more  equally  is  the  income  distributed  and 
vicC'Versa.  Thus  a  high  or  a  low  value  of  a  indicates 
more  equal  or  less  equal  distribution  of  incomes  res- 
pectively. In  the  case  of  India,  the*  values  have  be- 
come gradually  lower  and  lower  ;  in  the  case  of  Bengal 
they  are  still  lower,  thus  indicating  greater  and  greater 
inequality  in  incomes.  The  values  are  given  below  : 

TABLE  I 


Year 
1923-24 
1937-38 

India 
1.47 
1.05 

Bengal 
159 
1.58 

194M6 

1.21 

1.06 

(2)  Aricultural  Income  Tax  figures  also  confirm 
the  same  trend.  General  income  and  agricultural 
income,  it  is  true,  depend  on  various  extraneous  factors 
and  variations  in  them  are  possible  through  sudden 
and  temporary  causes.  Unless,  therefore,  a  fairly  long 
period  is  considered,  variations  during  a  short  period 
should  not  be  ordinarily  taken  as  indications  of  a  basic 
long-term  trend.  For  instance,  during  the  three  years 
following  partition,  agricultural  conditions  in  West 
Bengal  were  disturbed  because  of  natural  calamities 
and  other  extraneous  factors,  these  resulting  in  substan-^ 
tial  variations  in  the  income  accruing  to  different 
groups.  But  if  these  figures  do  not  indicate  the  growing 
trend,  i.e.,  dynamic  process,  they  reveal  at  least  the 
basic  picture.  The  following  figures  are  therejore  given 
as  indications  of  a  static  picture,  though  there  are 
reasons  to  believe  that  t^e  changing  process  also  is 
essentially  towards  gradually  greater  concentration  : 

Table  II 
Agricultural  Income-tax  in  West  Bengal 

1949^ 


(Compiled  from  the  Administration 
Directorate  of  Agricultural  Income 


Report  of  the 
-tax  1949-50) 


Toul 


income 


Grades  of 
income 

Up  to  Rs.  5000 

Rs.  5000  to  Rs.  10000 

Rs.  10001  to  Rs.  15000 

Rs.  15001  to  Rs.  20000 

Rs.  20001  to  Rs.  30000 

Rs.  30001  to  Rs.  40000 

Rs.  40001  to  Rs.  50000 

Rs.  60001  to  Rs.  75000 

Rs.  75001  to  Rs.  100000 

Rs.  100001  to  Rs.  150000 

Rs.  150001  to  Rs.  250000 

Rs.  250001  to  Rs.  500000    ,  . 

Rs.  500001  to  Rs.  1000000  50,00^ 

Rs.  IQOOQOl  lo  'Ra.  V^QQOQO  21,13754 

Rs.  150W»1  and  ovex     ^X^^l  ?a^ 


75.72;»1 
1,02,63.347 
47.13.622 
28,81,798 
27,87,173 
13,91,153 
19,04.604 
20,33,881 
21,69,801 
33,24,449 
55,54358 
97,96,237 


.c.  to  No.  of 
total  aaaeases 

11.6  1908 

15.7  1496 
7.2.  363 


4.3 
4.2 
2.1 
2.9 
3.1 
3.3 
5.1 
8.5 
14.9 
7.6 
3.2 


135 

106 

51 

58 

36 

23 

27 

28 

27 

7 

2 


P.c,  t« 
total 

44.7 
35.0 
8.5 
3.1 
2.5 
1.0 
1.1 
0.8 
0.5 
0.6 
0.7 
0.6 
0.1 
0.05 
Q.06 


OONCS^TRAIf^i^N-  IN  t&B  U^UDSfT&OdtlRR 


m 


picture  is  dear  enough.*  fhe  two  lowest 
)nstitute  together  79.7  or  nearly  80  per  cent 
tal  number  of  assesses,  whereas  they  do  not 
htr  27.3  per  cent  of  the  total  income.  If  we 
four  lowest  groups  we  find  that  while  they 
!  91.3  per  cent  of  the  total  number  of  asses- 
share  of  the  total  income  comes  to  only 
cent.  At  the  other  end,  the  four  highest 
'oups  constitute  only  8  per  cent  of  the  total 
f  assesses,  but  they  own  together  29.0  per  cent 
»tal  income.  This  indicates  a  high  degree  of 
tion. 

HE  Basic  Pattern  or  Land-ownebship 

Agricultuml  Income-tax     however     does  not 

i  huge  majority  of  all  our  agricultural  popu- 

II  incomes    up  to    Rs.  3,500  per  year    being 

from  taxation,  the  tax  touches  the     upper 

ily.  In  order  to  get  a  clearer  picture,  we  must 

examine  the  direct  evidence  of  land-owner- 

Land  Revenue  Commission  gave  the  follow- 

is  about  the  pattern  of    land-ownership     in 

i  Bengal  : 

Table  III 
em  of  Land-ownership  according  to  the 

Land  Revenue  Commwtion,  1940 
age  of  tJndivided    Calculated  for  West 

8  with   .  Bengal  Bengal  only 

1  2  acres  46.0  p.c.  41.1  p.c. 

10.7  „ 
9.6  ,, 
8.8    „ 


3res 

ii::s 

$t 

5res 

9.4 

it 

teres 

8.0 

it 

cres 

17.0 

it 

1  acres 

8.4 

a 

19.7 
10.1 


Total         100.0  p.c. 


100.0  p.c. 


above  figures  may  be  conveniently  compared 
figures  for  undivided  Bengal  given  in  1946  in 
to  Plot  AgriciUtural  Enumeration  Survey, 
Jmown  as  the  Ishaqne  Report.  These  figures 
;ct  the  impact  of  the  War,  Famine,  Desti- 
d  Inflation  and  indicate  a  higher  degree  of 
tion.  For  facility  of  comparison,  the  two  Beta 
;  as  given  in  the  Land  Revenue  Commission 
ad  the  Ishaque  Report,  are  given  together  : 

Table  IV 
%d  ownership  according  to  the  L.  R,  C, 
Report  and  Ishaque  Report 

L.R.C.  Report    Ishaque  Report 
(Undivided  Bengal)       (Undivided 

Bengal) 
;e  of  families 
up  to  3  acres 
to  total  num- 
families  57.2  76.1 

je  of  families 
more  than  2 
[  land  to  total 

•  of  families 


Total 


42.8 
100,0 


23.9 
100.0 


•  -The  inopd  detailed  figures  given  in  the-  Ish'aqne 
Report  reveal  a  high  degree  of  conceiitrafion.  Accord- 
ing to  those  figures,  the  group  of  landless  families  and 
families  having  only  homesteads  constitutes  36.4 
per  cent  of  the  total  number  of  families,  but  it  owns 
only  1.8  per  cent  of  the  total  acreage  of  lands.  Thej 
next  group,  in  families  holding  land  below  one  acre 
comes  up  to  17.7  per  cent  of  the  total  number  of 
families  and  it  owns  4.2  per  cent  of  the  total  acreage. 
The  third  group,  t.e.,  families  holding  land  above  one 
and  not  more  than  three  acres  is  22.0  per  cent  of  the 
total  number  of  families  and  it  owns  10.9  per  cent  of 
the  total  acreage.  The  next  class,  i.e.,  families  holding 
land  above  3  acres  but  not  more  than  5  acres,  consti-' 
tutes  9.6  per  cent  of  the  total  number  of  families  and 
it  owns  14.7  per  cent  of  the  total  acreage.  The  corres- 
ponding figures  for  the  highest  group  having  more 
than  5  acres  per  family  are  14.3  per  cent  and  62.4 
per  cent.  The  difference  between  the  highest  and  the 
lowest  group  is  indeed  very  high  and  there  is  a  very 
high  degree  of  concentration  at  the  total  level. 

» 

Some  Rbcsnt  Developments  :  Evidencb  op 
fuhthbr  concentbation 

It  will  be  observed  that  the  Ishaque  Report 
reveals  a  greater  degree  of  concentration  in  comparison 
with  the  Land  Reveneue  (Commission  Report.  Though 
the  magnitude  of  the  survey  made  by  the  former  10 
not  60  big  as  that  of  the  latter,  still  it  reflecits  dufiS^ 
ciently  the  progress  of  differentiation.  In  fact,  this 
process  is  not  a  new  thing.  Decay  has  set  in  long  ago 
in  our  economic  system  and  has  been  most  strongly 
reflected  in  the  primary  sector.  In  the  Survey  of  the 
After-effects  of  tJie  Bengal  Famine  oj  1943,  made  by 
Professor  Mahalanobis  and  others,  it  was  remarked  : 
"There  is  clear  evidence  to  show  that  economic  deterio- 
ration on  the  whole  had  set  in;  even  in  the  pre-f amine 
period  a  comparatively  small  number  of  families  were 
improving  their  eoonomic  position  while  a  far  larger 
niunber  were  suffering  from  economic  deterioration 
or  destitution.  During  the  Famine  period  the  whole 
process  was  greatly  accelerated,  but  the  general  nature 
of  changes  remained  much  the  same.  A  smaller  num- 
ber of  families  improved  their  position  while  a  much 
larger  number  were  impoverished  or  rendered  destitute. 
The  famine  of  1943  was  thus  not  an  accident  like  an 
earthquake  but  the  culmination  of  economic  changes 
which  were  going  on  even  in  normal  times.'' 

We  may  now  proceed  to  examine  some  recent 
developments  in  the  matter  : 

(1)  Findings  of  the  Survey  of  the  After-Effects 
f^i  the  Bengal  Famine  of  1943  :  The  Survey  foimd 
that  before  the  famine,  i.e.,  in  April  1934,  36  per  cent 
of  all  rural  families  did  not  possess  any  paddy  land, 
41  per  cent  had  only  up  to  2  acres,  15  per  cent  ba/1 
between  2  and  5  wiiea,  wsA  otX^  %i  -^x  ^T!L\.\sa^  ^"^-^^ 
6  acres  oi  paddy  Iwid.  Tti€t^  -w^  ^tjfwsAjec^ic^^  ^^i^xv^ 


Hindnt  Ground  Down  Between  Two  Millstonei 

Br  C.  L.  R.  S^ntt 
^  HeVer  Wdhdef  to  see  men  widced,  but  I  often   wonder  not  to  eee  them  arfiamed."— 5ttrf/t 


.• 


A  word  to  fellow«»HinduB  ae  well  ae  to  thdr 
Anointed  leader,  Pandit  Nehru,  may  not,  I  feel,  be 
quite  out  of  place  at  the  present  juncture.  My  study  of 
politics  has  taught  me  that  idolatry  has  seldom  payed 
handsome  dividends  an3rwhere — and  much  less  so  in  our 
own  hapless  country.  Here,  far  from  being  helpful,  it 
has  been  re^osible  for  incalculable  mischief.  To  put  it 
succinctly,  if  we  had  no  idols  there  would  have  been 
no  partition  :  there  would,  in  the  first  place,  have  been 
no  cry,  no  clamour,  for  that  drastic  surgical  operation. 
It  was  our  idols — and  none  other  than  our  idols—who, 
by  their  incessanty  kow-towing  to  the  ever-increasing 
demands  of  that  most  intransigent  minority  in  our 
midst  (to  wit,  the  Muslim),  paved  the  way  for  that 
ultiinaie  demand  of  theirs.  It  was,  without  question, 
that  primrose  path  of  dalliance  of  theirs  that  has, 
brought  us  to  this*  \mhappy  predicament. 

Warnings  go  Unhbedd 
Some  clear-eyed  ones  amongst  us  had  foreseen 
the  shape  of  things  to  come  long  ago  and  warned  itiiem 
accordingly.  But,  needless  to  say,  our  well-meant 
prognostications  wont  imheeded.  It  was  not  only  the 
idols  that  spumed  them  with  ill-concealed  contumely  : 
the  vast  rabble  of  idolaters  that  constituted  the  popu- 
lation were  no  whit  behind  them  in  laughing  them  to 
soom.  It  is  true  that  without  idolaters  there  can  be 
no  idols  and  the  responsibility  of  treating  those  timely 
warnings  with  such  lofty  contempt  must  be  shared 
equally  by  both.  The  idols  were  fortified  in  their  folly 
by  the  sure  knowledge  that  they  would  meet  with  full 
support  from  their  followers  in  whatever  they  did  or 
failed  to  do.  It  was  this  indiscrimioate  support  of  the 
masses  that  encouraged  those  idols  to  play  to  the  top 
of  their  bent  with  the  destinies  of  their  thrice-hallow- 
ed land.  .    , 

A    DiFFEBENCE 

There  was,  it  must  be  pointed  out,  a  noticeable 
difference  between  our  High  Command  and  that  of 
the  Muslims.  The  latter  fought  for  the  greater  glory 
of  their  religion  and  their  people  and  got  a  tremendous 
kick  out  of  what  they  considered  rto  be  a  truly  national 
crusade.  The  former,  on  the  other  hand,  seemed  to  be 
buoyed  up  wonderfully  by  the  conviction  that  they 
were  fighting  a  rearguard  action  throughout  and  that, 
too,  on  no  more  nourishing  a  diet  than  that  of  the 
weak  tea  and  thin  bread  and  butter  of  vague,  inchoate 
slogans  that  came  in  two  in  your  hands  when  you 
tried  to  examine  them  for  yourself  in  a  calm  and  dis- 
jDaasionate  manner  and  without  undue  reverence  for 
V  ilJustrioiw  authors.  The  more  they  "caved  in"  to 
afuMlias  the  more  (mirabik  (fioH$  f)  tbqr  iom  ill 


moral  stature  in  the  eyes  of  their  unthinking  adheN 
ents  ;  and  thus  it  transpired  that  what  mattered  most 
on  oiar  side  was  the  moral  atature — real  or  spurioua— 
of  the  authors  of  these  milk-and-water  slogans,  not 
the  precious  ground  that  they  tfteadily  yielded  to  the 
enemy,  resulting  eventually  in  an  entirely  ''separate 
homeland"  for  them  wherefrom  to  queer  the  pitch  for 
us  all  the  more. 

Tbib  Sobby  State  of  AFFAma 

I  have  never  ceased  to  groan  in  spirit  over  this 
sorry  state  of  affairs.  Our  so-called  leaders  should  not 
have  been  so  woefully  lacking  in  the  historical  sense, 
even  if  they  were  incapable  temperamentally  of  bear- 
ing a  modicum  of  love,  of  affection,  for  their  own 
people.  Just  for  once  they  could  have  screwed  their 
courage  to  the  sticking  place  and  stood  up  manfully 
to  the  rampant  Muslim  hordes :  there  had  been 
enough,  in  all  conscience,  of  planned  withdrawals  to 
prepared  positions,  of  "stooping  to  conquer,"  and 
so  forth.  Down  the  ages  we  have  been  doing  nothing 
else— except  on  some  glorious  occasions  when  the 
hour,  so  to  speak,  produced  the  man  and  we  contrived 
to  give  a  Roland  for  their  Oliver.  But  they  chose  the 
easier  way  and  the  era  of  ignominious  retreats  before 
the  onslaughts  of  the  enemy  began  :  only,  this  time 
their  inherent  cowardice  was  covered  up  with  an  in- 
credibly garish  cloak  of  moral  splendour.  The  more 
concessions  that  were  wrung  from  them  by  the  ''true 
believers"  the  more  they  seemed  to  put  on  wings  and 
Etoar  to  wha/t  the  poet  has  called  "the  illimitable  inane." 
They  became  saintly  in  proportion  to  the  valuable 
ground  they  lost  to  the  Muslims.  Thus  the  snowball  of 
our  reverses  on  the  communal  front  gathered  mass : 
the  Muslim  leaders,  on  the  contrary,  were  quite  con- 
tent to  be  of  the  earth  earthy.  Both  they  and  their 
followers  were  clear-eyed  from  the  beginning  ;  and  I 
have  ever  had  more  respect  and  regard  for  these  than 
for  their  Hindu  counterparts. 

CoNGBBSS  Lbadebs'  Inobniiousness 

This  defeatist  mentality  of  ours  ultimately  led  to 
the  merciless  vivisection  of  our  beloved  Motherland  ; 
and  it  was  generally  conjectured  that  the  rot  would 
end  there.  The  Congress  leaders  themselves  repeated 
expression  to  the  view  that  it  was  a  case  of  "thus  far 
and  no  further";  and  in  their  innocence  imagined  that 
the  Muslims,  having,  in  sundry  devious  ways,  realised 
their  cherished  dream  of  a  ''Stan*'  of  their  own,  would 
call  it  a  day  and  cease  henceforth  to  be  a  thorn  in  our 
flesh.  Even  that  man  of  sterling  commonsense,  our  one 
and  only  ''aaxdas^'  V^tdk^  \Aa  ii^\\  tw^  yq^  v^ao^  »«  bad 


THE  East  bfiMoAL  tragepV 


ii3 


been  firmly  convinced  that,  having,  in  a  iiianner  of 
speaking,  got  their  pound  of  flesh,  they  would  let  Ua 
live  in  peace  thenceforward,  pursuing  each  his  lawful 
avocation,  and  forgetting  recent  histoiy.  But,  as  usual, 
he  and  his  colleagues  nuscalculated  grievously  :  our 
neighbours  are  on  the  war-path  again  1 

That,  however,  is  not  the  wonder  :  the  wonder  is 
that  our  "high-ups"  have  not  deemed  it  necessaiy  to 
adopt  a  bolder  policy  than  heretofore,  a  policy  more 
in  consonance  with  the  changed  conditions  that  obtain 
to-day.  The  mere  instinct  of  self-preservation,  if 
nothing  ekie,  should  have  impelled  them  to  revise 
their  strategy  in  the  light  of  past  experience.  Even  a 
worm  is  said  to  turn  and  one  had  not  reckoned  with 
the  possibility  that  our  valiant  Congressmen  would, 
when  put  to  the  crucial  test,  display  a  cravenness 
considered  unworthy  of  that  base  creature  iteelf. 

pARnnoN  Has  Not  Solved  Oxtr  Problems 

The  partition,  then,  as  events  have  abundantly 
proved,  has  not  solved  any  of  our  problems  :  it  has, 
on  the  contrary,  created  new  ones  that  are,  im  some 
respects,  decidedly  worse  than  the  old.  Yet,  the 
Congress  leaders'  policy,  via-a-vis  Pakistan,  remains 
the  same  as  before — a  spineless  policy  which  age  does 
not  seem  to  wither  nor  custom  to  stale.  It  does  not 
appear  to  have  occurred  to  them,  in  their  insane 
scramble  for  auras  and  haloes,  that  one  cannot  stop 
the  onrush  of  ^  mad  bull  by  simply  sitting  on  a  stile 
and  continuing  to  smile  :  the  bull  may  have  other 
plans  and  may  presently  wipe  the  smile  from  off  one's 
mouth  and  bash  the  mouth  itself  from  its  parent  face. 
Pandit  Nehru,  from  his  stratospheric  eminence,  loves, 
like  the  Fat  Boy  in  Pickxffick,  to  make  our  flesh  creep 
by  telling  us,  at  not  infrequent  intervals,  that  even  the 
successful  conclusion  of  Armageddons  has  never  been 
known  to  bring  any  tangible  peace  in  train.  It  will, 
I  think,  be  only  civil  for  someone  to  step  on  the  plat- 
form and  remind  him  that  that  pregnant  apopthegm 
of  his  is  not  less  true  of  partitions,  successful  or  other- 
wise. Peace  does  not  follow  partitions  as  night  the  day: 
like  Macbeth  murdering  sleep  partitions  but  rend  and 
deracinate  the  unity  and  married  calm  of  States. 

A  "Mature  Govbbnment's"  Pouct 

Blind  are  those  who  w%U  not  see,  and  the  grava- 
men of  my  charge  against  Panditji  is  that  he  has  been 
wilfully  blind  to  the  none  too  inconsiderable  tergiver- 
sations of  our  "sister  dominion,"  though,  ordinarily,  he 
can  be  relied  upon  to  distinguish  "a  hawk  from  a 
handsaw."  The  head  of  a  "mature"  Government,  as  he 
conceives  himself  to  be,  ought  (one  must  be  excused 
for  thioldng)  to  have  a  more  robust  political  sense 
than  to  fuiey  that  he  is  being  "secular''  when  he  is 
onty  plA5ri]^  into  the  hands  of  his  enemies  and  estrang- 
ing his  frieaids.  The  word,  "secular,"  we  laiow,  has 
come  to  hare  a  peculiar  (not  to  say^  a  preposterous) 


connotation  in  the  poBt-i>artition  era  that  our  Premier- 
cum-Rashtrapati  was  primarily  responsible  for  usher- 
ing in  five  years  ago  as  a  sort  of  quasi-millennium,  the 
far-off  divine  event  to  which  the  whole  creation  is  so 
evidently  moving.  Still,  it  passes  my  comprehension 
how  he  can  square  even  his  conception  of  "secularism" 
with*  this  perpetual  submission  of  his  to  the  steadily- 
mounting  Pakistani  intransigence. 

Sparing  the  Rod  and  Spou^nq  the  Chiu) 
Besides,  as  someone  has  noted  profoundly,  the 
world  is  full  of  a  number  of  things,  and  there  are  other 
concepts  aide  by  side  with  this  hag-ridden  concept  of 
"secularism."  There  are  such  concepts  as  honour  and 
self-respect,  courage  and  fortitude,  and  these,  I  feel 
convinced,  take  precedence  any  day  over  the  one  that 
he  has  so  vociferously  and  belligerently  made  his  own. 
A  "mature"  politician  does  not  tie  himself  down  to 
just  one  policy,  to  just  one  programme,  irrespective  of 
the  hour  and  the  season.  Like  a  seasoned  tennis-player 
he  varies  his  strokes,  now  sending  over  an  express  to 
the  base-line  and,  anon,  a  drop-shot  that  hits  his 
opponent  between  wind  and  water.  If  he  retains  it  at 
all  in  his  repertoire  it  will  be  only  one  of  his  policies 
and  will  not  be  permitted  to  function  like  a  multi-^ 
purpose  project  or  maid-of-all-work.  If  the  politician 
in  question  has  really  any  pretensions  to  "maturity" 
he  will  not  even  dream  of  taking  it  out  of  his  bag  in 
his  relations  with  a  truculent  neighbour  that  sustains 
itself  almost  wholly  on  a  diet  of  inexpressible  hatred 
towards  his  own  country.  No  "mature"  Jiead  of  a 
**mature'*  Government  wiU  ever  want  to  waste  his 
"secularism"  on  Pakistan,  for  instance  :  so  to  waste  it 
partakes  perilously  of  the  TUiture  of  sparing  the  rod 
and  spoiling  the  child. 

Old  Person  of  Baziko 
In  his  major  foreign  policy  speech  on    April  Id, 
1&51,  the  United  States  Secretary  of  State,  Mr.  Dean 
Acheson,  was  pleased  to  deliver  himself  of  this  historic 
dictum  : 

"Aggression  cannot  be  allowed  to  succeed.  It 
cannot  be  appeased,  rewarded  or  ignored.  To  meet 
it  squarely  is  the  price  of  peace." 

A  week  earlier — on  April  11,  in  fact — the  United 
States  President,  Mr.  Harry  Truman,  had  said  much 
the  same  thing  in  his  Radio  Address  on  U.  S.  policy  in 
the  Far  East  : 

"If  history  has  taught  us  anything,  it  is  that 
aggression  anywhere  in  the  world  is  a  threat  to 
peace  anywhere  in  the  world." 

It  is  evident,  then,  that  some  great  minds  do 
believe  that  the  way  to  meet  aggression  is  not  precisely 
that  of  Old  Person  of  Basing  in  Edward  Lear's  rhyme 
who 

"purchased  a  steed 
Which  Vie  ToA^  %^  IvsSl  ^s^k^ 
To  escape  icotn  ^e  '^^s^  tA 


V  . 


114 


THE  EAST  BENGAL  TRAGEDY 


A  CONIRADlOnON 

th  other  words,  you  do  not  meet  aggression  by 
tiying  to  run  away  from  it.  It  is  not  true  that  what 
you  do  not  want  to  see  is  not  there.  It  is  a  remarkable 
state  of  affairs  that  is  prevailing  in  the  country  today. 
It  looks  as  though  nothing  that  our  truculent  neighbour 
sees  fit  to  do  by  way  of  queering  the  pitch  for  us  will 
ever  prompt  the  "mature**  head  of  our  "mature" 
Government  to  take  retaliatory  measures  against  it. 
Probably  he  has  forgotten  that,  notwithstanding  India's 
oft-repeated  '^neutrality"  (static,  dynamic,  or  ansemic 
as  the  case  may  be)  as  between  the  two  "blocs",  he 
expressed  his  full-throated  agreement  with  the  U.  N. 
resolution  on  Korea  naming  North  Korea  (and, 
impliedly,  Russia)  as  the  aggressor  and,  to  show  his 
unity  with  the  West  in  the  matter,  sent  a  medical  unit 
to  South  Korea  which  is  still  functioning  there.  It 
follows  that  he  subscribes  to  the  view  expressed  by 
Messrs.  TVuman  and  Acheson  above  that  agression  must 
be  met  squarely.  Nor  has  he  had  the  hardihood  to 
deny  that  Pakistan  has  recently  been  guilty  of  no  little 
aggression  against  the  minority  community  in  her 
eastern  province.  How,  then,  does  he  propose  to 
justify  his  "do-nothing"  policy  in  face  of  that 
agreasiotf? 

This  Picture  and  That 

Not  merely  does  he  not  move  his  little  finger  to 
protect  the  Hindus  of  East  Bengal :  even  his  protests 
to  Pakistan  are,  like  angels'  visits,  few  and  far  between 
and,  when  they  do  occur,  are  couched  in  terms  the 
reverse  of  admonitory.  They  remind  us  of  Uriah 
Heep's  immortal  "'umble  we  are,  'umble  we  have 
been,  'umble  we  shall  ever  be".  They  can  be  regarded 
as  protests  "only  north-north-west''.  They  are  just  a 
sort  of  face-saving  device,  conscience-money,  as  it 
were.  Bismarck  said  of  Lord  Salisbury  that  he  was 
"a  lat^  painted  to  look  like  iron".  In  his  relations  with 
Pakistan  our  beloved  Panditji  is  not  even  that  :  he  is 
a  lath  painted  to  look  like  a  lath— no  more,  often  much 
less.  But  look  at  the  storms  that  the  Pakistan  Govern- 
ment, the  Pakistan  papers,  and  the  Pakistan  people  are 
in  the  habit  of  raising  in  mere  tea-cups  1  Dacca's  Morn- 
ing News,  for  instance,  which,  incidentally,  calls  itself 
"The  Voice  of  the  Nation,"  carries  in  its  issue  of 
October  31  two  stories  under  the  screaming  headlines  : 
"Mass  attacks  on  Muslims  in  Malda  villages"  and 
''Terror  and  loot  let  loose  on  imarmed  Muslim  passen* 
gers".  The  Times  o]  India  (a  not  too  pro-Hindu  paper, 
let  me  remark  in  passing)  comments  on  this  in  its 
issue  of  November  5  as  follows  : 

"Has  the  Pakistan  press  not  yet  learned  that 
such  reports  can  no  more  deceive  either  the  Pakis- 
tanis or  the  world  ?  Perhaps  it  has  and  the  real 
purpose  in  publishing  such  untruths  is  to  encourage 
hooligans  to  persist  in  their  persecution  of  the 
minority  community.  If  Pakistani  authorities  want 
^o  be  taken  seriously  in  their  protestations  regard- 
-w  ^e  protection  of  ttie  mioorities,  the  least  they 
sbould  do  is  to  discourage  0uch  falsb  propaganda". 


TSB  OPFOSffiD  SxtttBMl 

Our  newspapers,  far  from  indulging  in  such 
screaming  headlineas  and  in  putting  across  such  blatant 
propaganda,  do  not,  on  occasion,  feature  the  news  of 
Pakistani  atrocities  at  all,  presumably  to  safeguard 
their  "secularism"  and  to  be  awarded  good-conduct 
prises  by  our  "mature  Grovemment."  Sometimes  they 
go  to  the  opposite  extreme  of  high-lighting  our  mis- 
deeds (real  or  imaginary)  while  keeping  a  discreet 
silence  over  Pakistani  affairs—  in  this  modelling  them- 
selves, doubtless,  on  the  precept  and  example  of  that 
(in  a  purely  political  sense)  "glass  of  fashion  and 
mould  of  form",  our  Premier-cum-Rashtrapati. 

This  is  the  kind  of  talk  that  "this  ^ass  of  fashion 
and  mould  of  form"  habitually  indulges  in  when  com- 
pelled by  the  Opposition  to  "<«and  and  deliver".  In 
the  debate  in  the  House  of  the  People  on  November 
15  on  the  East  Bengal  tragedy  he  cleverly  sidetracked 
the  issue  by  carrying  the  war,  so  to  speak,  into  the 
enemy's  camp.    He  said  : 

"Let  us  not  think  that  we  have  created  perfect 
conditions  in  our  country.  There  can  be  no  perfect 
conditions  in  this  country  so  long  as  communal 
cries  are  raised.  The  problem  cannot  be  solved  by 
becoming  cheap  imitators  of  Pakistan  and  their 
methods,  ideologies,  and  approaches.  It  can  only 
be  solved  by  the  touch  of  healing  being  applied  to 
both  the  coimtries". 

DlB^Tfi    WAS    ON    Ea6T    ^INGAL,    NOT   OS    We8T 

We  can  only  ejaculate  :  "In  form  and  moving 
how  express  and  admirable  I"  As  I  wrote  in  my  last 
article  in  these  columns  Pandit  Nehru  is  a  very  Rupert 
of  debate  and  can  turn  the  tables  upon  his  opponents 
in  a  most  astute  manner  when  his  faculties  are  at 
concert-pitch,. as  they  invariably  are.  But  there  is  such 
a  thing  as  being  too  clever  by  half,  which  partly 
comes  of  being  too  certain  of  the  way  the  votes  will 
be  cast.  The  debate,  in  the  first  place,  was  on  East 
Bengal,  not  on  West  Bengal.  Nor  should  the  Pandit 
always  be  allowed  to  point  the  finger  of  scorn  at  his 
own  country  and  at  his  own  community.  Hindu- 
baiting  has  grown  on  him.  It  is  ever  a  case  of  Hindus 
being  in  the  wrong,  Hindus  cannot  be  branded  as 
"commimal"  merely  because  they  wish  to  uphold  the 
rights  of  fellow-Hindus  and  to  protest  against  the 
wrongs  done  to  them  either  by  an  out-and-out  Muslim 
raj  in  Pakistan  or  by  their  own  "secular"  raj  .whicl^ 
in  practice,  can  hardly  be  differentiated  from  a  pro- 
Muslim  and  an  anti-Hindu  raj.  In  saying  what  he  did 
in  the  House  of  the  People  on  November  15,  the 
Pandit  has  but  repeated  what  lie  has  been  saying  til 
along  whenever  the  same  issue  has  confronted  him. 

Absttbd  Aboumsnt 

Apart  from  the  fact  that  at    no    time,  from  the 

memorable  August  16,  1946  (known  to  history  as  the 

Muslim  "D-day"),    when    tihe    Muslims  inaugurated 

their  "Operation  Blood-baths"  in  united  Bengal's  diief 

city,  have  the  poor  Hindus  ever  laimched  a  reprehen- 


CONTRIBUTION  OF  TH.  STCHERBATSKY 


IAS 


minimal  affray  on  their  own  account ;  and  but 
Ave  they  even  retaliated.  Both  the  late 
d  Mahatma  and  (God  be  praiaed  !)  the  still 
^andit,  however,  have  started  this  new  theory 
tics  that  retaliation  is  as  reprehensible  as 
inal  act  of  aggression  to  wlhich  it  is  but  a  reply. 
\  the  Pandit  realised  to  what  an  absurd  oon- 
this  argument  will  lead  him  7  I  have  already 
lotations  from  Mr.  Truman  and  from  Mr. 
.  to  the  effect  that  aggression  must  be  met 
'.  It  was,  one  must  supjysie,  on  this  basis  that 
N.  resolution  on  Korea  was  passed  some  years 
,  the  North  Koreans  having  been  duly  branded 
)riginal  aggressors,  the  world  organisation  gave 
clear  for  a  full-«cale  inilitary  action  in  Korea 
!m  the  pledges  of  the  "free**  peoples  to  rush  to 
lue  of  the  weak  and  the  oppresBed.  Palidit 
hrew  the  weight  of  his  none  too  inconsiderable 
on  the  side  of  the  TJ.  N.— as  I  have  related 
-and,  suiting  his  action  to  his  word,  despatched 
al  unit  to  South  Korea.  Are  we,  then,  to  under- 
lat  the  U.  N.  retaliation  in  Korea  against  the 
nists  should  be  branded  as  an  act  fully  as 
>le  as  the  original  North  Korean  aggression? 
B  •'mature"  head  of  a  "mature"  government 
well  to  practise  '^mature"  political  thinking. 

All  PANACBAa  Babbd 
I  upshot  of  all  this  is  that  the  Hindus  have 
o  their  utter  dismay,  that  whatever  else  he  may 
9  certainly  not  their  friend  and  that  to  go  to 
redress  of  their  grievances  against  Muslima-r 
Pakistani,  or  Kashmiri-^is  tantamount  to 
on  a  broken  reed.  He  rules  out  all  the  panaceas 

:0 


suggested  by  the  Opposition  :  war,  economic  BanctioDS, 
cession  of  one-third  of  East  Bengal  territory  to  re^ 
habilitate  the  Hindus  driven  out  from  there  (it  was 
the  late  fiardar  Vallabhbhai  Patel  who  first  mooted  this 
proposal  in  a  vehement  speech  in  Calcutta),  et  hoc 
genus  omne.  He  now  asbures  us  that  the  exodus  of 
Hindus  from  the  east  has  stopped  and  that  all  is  well 
in  this  best  of  all  worlds.  The  fact  is  that  they  are 
trapped  and  cannot  get  out. 

BbTWEBN    Two    MlLLSTONQS 

Speaking  at  Nagpur  on  October  31,  Panditji  said  : 
"We  will  not  tolerate  any  humiliation  to  our  country." 
At  the  same  time  he  characterised  the  Opporition's 
suggestions  in  regard  to  meeting  the  Pakistani  aggres- 
sion against  the  Hindus  as  "childish  and  irresponsible." 
Either  that  aggression— which  he  has  not  deniedr— is  a 
humiliation  to  our  country  or  it  is  not.  If  it  is  not,  it 
ceases  to  be  aggreftoion.  If  it  is,  we  have  his  word  for 
it  that  "we  will  not  tolerate  humiliation  to  our  coun- 
try." But  is  he  not,  m  pracUee,  toleratini^  it  ?  llie 
truth  is  that  the  partition  chickens  are  gradually 
coming  home  to  roost.  At  the  time  of  partitkm,  the 
Congress  Government  guaranteed  to  protect  the  Hindu 
minority  in  Pakistan.  The  Hindus  accepted  partition 
(mly  on  that  condition.  Oan  the  Pandit  honestly  ijay 
that  he  has  implemented  that  promise  7  If  he  cannot, 
why  does  he  fall  foul  of  the  Opposition  so  oft^? 

Is  it  not  true  that  he  is  more  irate  at  those  who 
accuse  him  of  endless  appeasement  of  Pakistan  than 
at  Pakistan  itself  for  it*  endless  acts  of  aggreadon? 
Are  not  the  poor  Hindus  being  ground  down  between 
the  upper  and  the  nether  millstones  of  Pakistani 
aggression  and  Nehruian  appeasement  7 


nuBunoN  OF  th.  st 


m;kh:i; 


\A  TSKY  TO   INDIAN   PHILOSOPHY 


Bt  Pbof.  DHARMENDRA  NATH  SHASTRI,   MJi.,  M.0X. 


IB  in  the  fifth  centuiy  A.D.  there  appeared 
Lrmament!  of  Indian  philosophy  a  brilliant  star 
>eiBon  of  Dinnaga,  the  founder  of  the  Buddhist 
d  epistemology.  Regarded  by  the  Tibetans  as 
unent  of  Jambudvipa*^,  he  was  one  of  the 
thinkers  India  has  ever  produced.  The  subse- 
hilosophical  thought  in  India,  for  six  long 
B,  was  dominated  by  him  directly  or  indirectly, 
ilutionized  Indian  epistemology  by  introducing 
iiy  of  radical  distinction  between  two  mutually 
8  sources  of  knowledge,  grahana  and  adhya- 
which  may  be  compared  to  sensibiUty  and 
mding  of  the  Kantian  epistemology.  His  new 
WB8  a  challenge  to  the  orthodox  schools  which 


m  tiio  Nafaijoiu,  Arjradera  and  AMBga,  togvAer  with  tke 
Maudlin,  DimMga  and  Dbarmakirti  an  ragarded  by  tha 
m  *tha  aix  ornamentt  of  JambiidTipa*  (India)  .—Winteraits  : 
sarafwa,  YoL  n,  p.  863,  fji.3. 


maintained  a  number  of  'means  of  knowledge' 
ipramanas)  running  into  one  another's  sphere.' 
On  the  ontological  side  he  took  his  stand  against 
the  static  conception  of  the  realist  sohobls 
which  held  the  universe  as  made  of  stationary 
and  isolated  objects,  and  posited  against  them 
his  kinetic  conception  of  the  universe  as  a  con- 
stant forward  movement  of  interlinked  and  inter- 
related point-instants  of  reality  (kshanas).  Thus, 
while  on  the  epistemological  side  he  anticipated,  at 
least  in  broad  outlines,  t^e  great  Oerman  phik)80pher 
Immanuel  Kant  who  came  thirteen  hundred  years 
Jater,  on  the  ontological  side  he  nearly  fore- 
shadowed, in  one  of  its  aspects,  the  modem  Marxian 
theory  which  holds  that  everything  is  interlinked  and 
inter-related  and  is  "in  a  constant  state  of  coming  into 


S.    TUa   ia  called 
vUeh  la  oaIl«d 


fnmamatmmpUom  aa  agaiaat   tha   BaddkUv  ^iWa 


ii6 


THE  MODERN  REVIEW  FOR  FEBRUARY,  1»53 


being  and  going  out  of  being,  in  a  constant  flux,  in  a 
ceaseless  state  of  movement  and  change.'" 

In  his  foundation  work,  the  Pramcnasamuchchaya, 
in  which  Dinnaga  propounded  his  new     doctrine,  he 
severely  criticixed  the   •  Nyaya-Vaisesika      realism  aa 
expounded  in  the  Nyayasutra  and  its  commentary  of 
Vatsjrayana.     For  a  time  the  orthodox  realism  reeled 
before  the  onslaught  of  Dinnaga  and  his  school.  IJdyo- 
takara  Bharadvaja,  about  the  close  of  the  sixth  cen- 
tury, took  up  the  gauntlet  on  behalf  of  the  Nyaya- 
Vaiaesika  school,  and  wrote  his  famous  Nyayavartika 
with  the  ''object  of  dispelling  the  darkness  caused  by 
the   pseudo-philosophers"*   of   the   Dinnaga  school.   A 
right  royal  battle  raged  between  the  Buddhists  of  the 
Dinnaga  school  on  the  one  side,     and     the     Nyaya- 
Vaisesika  and  the  Purvamimansa  schools  of  the  ortho- 
dox realism  on  the  other,  and  it  lasted  up  to     the 
eleventh  century  about  which  time  the  Buddhists  were 
driven  out  of  this  country.     Dharmakirti,     the    great 
successor  of  Dinnaga,  also  one  of  the  'six  ornaments 
of  Jambudvipa',  who     came  in  the  first  half  of  the 
seventh  century,  continued  the  work  of  Dinnaga,  and 
incidentally     answered     Udyotakara^   also.       In     the 
Buddhist  camp  Dharmakirti  was  followed  by  his  com- 
mentator Dharmottara,  and  later  on  by  Santarakfibita, 
Kamalasila,  and  a  host  of  others.  The  Nyaya  school, 
however,  produced  its  greatest  exponent,  Vachaspati- 
misra  roughly  250  years  after     Udyotakara.     In  the 
intermeuo  the  crusade  against  the  heterodox  Buddhist 
school  WBB  carried  on  by  the  Purvamimansa  school, 
on  ally  of  the  Nyaya-Vaisesika  school  in  the  battle 
against  the  Buddhist.  The  Purvamimansa  school  pro- 
duced two  of  the  greatest  luminaries  of  Indian  philo- 
sophy, namely,  Rumania  smd  Prabhakara.  This  school, 
concerned  with  sacrificial  matters,  had  not  much  to  do 
with  metaphysics  or  epistemblogyy  and    its     lealirtic 
philosophy  was  more  or  less  the  same  as  that  of  the 
Nyaya-Vaisesika  school     from     which  it  was  adopted. 
Kumarila  and  Prabhakara,  however,  while   defending 
realism  against  the  Buddhist  school,     evolved  certain 
epistemological  theories  which  are  strikingly  bold  and 
original  in  their  conception.  During  the  ninth  and  tenth 
centuries    the   Nyaya-Vaisesika    school    produced    four 
or  five  eminent  scholiasts.  The  greatest  and  the  fore- 
most of  them  is  Vachaspatimisra  who  laid  the  Nyaya- 
Vaisesika  realism  on  a  firm  foundation.  Jayanta  whose 
priority  or  posteriority  to  Vachaspatimisra  is  uncertain, 
is  marked,  more  than  any  other  ancient  Indian  writer  of 
philosophy,  for  his  rare  wit,  sharp  repartee  and  delight- 
ful lucidity.    Next    to  them  come  two  great  masters, 
Udayaoa  and  Sridhara,  both  commentators  of  Prasasta- 
pada—ihe  former  also  the  author  of  several  independ- 
ent treatise*— who  belong  to  the    close    of    the  tenth 
century.     These  thinkers  are  among  the  luminaries  of 


Jt    F,    Ei^eU  :    IHmUctt    of   Nmimrt   m    qvoted    in    DiaUctieai   md 
JSnfftfrArs/  Mfa^erialism       by    Stslin,    p.    5. 

^'     "JCitfsrA$Am/nanmnivritikttuh"—Nymym9WtUft      opening     ftU^i^ 


the  brightest  period  of  Indian  Philowphy  whieb 
covers  some  six  hundred  years,  %j&,,  from  the  fifth  to 
the  tenth  centm^*  During  this  period,  as  a  result  of 
the  protracted  conflict  between  the  two  camps  of  phi- 
lo6ophy,  the  Buddhists  and  the  orthodox  realiiti, 
Indian  genius  reaches  its  hii^est  waternnark  in  the 
sphere  of  metaphysics  and  epistemology.  As  far  as  the 
problem  of  reaViwi  versus  idealism  is  concerned,  theee 
masters  left  no  possible  avenue  of  thought  unexplored. 
It  is,  however,  seldom  realized  that  this  greit 
philosophical  heritage  of  India  is  in  the  proceas  d 
being  forgotten  and  if  something  is  not  done  in  time, 
it  may  irretrievably  be  lost.  It  appears  that  these  great 
masterpieces  began  to  be  neglected  from  Che  twelfth 
century  onward.  There  were  two  reasons  for  it,  the 
one  was  the  exodus  of  the  Buddhists  from  this  countiy, 
and  the  other  was  the  advent  of  Gangesa,  the  founder 
of  the  Navyanyaya.  People  turned  from  real  metaphy- 
sics 1o  logical  subtleties  which  provided  them  with  a 
sort  of  intellectual  gymnastics.  It  seems  however  that 
some  interest  was  kept  up  in  the  old  works  up  to  the 
seventeenth  century.  Samkaramisra  wrote  a  commen- 
tary on  the  Vaisesikasutras  in  the  fifteenth  century,  and 
Visvanatha,  on  the  Nyayasutras  in  the  seventeenth 
century.  In  the  eighteenth  century,  however,  all  the 
works  of  the  pre-Gangesa  period  seem  to  have  been 
forgotten  as  evidenced  by  the  despatches  sent  during 
that  period  by  the  Portuguese  Jesuits  who  were  coUee- 
ing  manuscripts  for  the  King's  library-  at  Ffeik* 
Excepting  the  works  of  the  Navyanyaya  school,  moei 
of  the  ancient  works  of  Indian  philosophy  and  ^eei- 
ally  of  the  Nyaya-Vaisesika  school  were  not  esaljr 
available,  so  much  so  that  even  the  Njrayasutra  of 
Gotama  could  not  be  traced  in  that  period.  In  the 
second  part  of  the  nineteenth  century  and  the  fint^ 
part  of  the  twentieth  century,  however,  as  a  result  of 
the  interest  taken  by  the  Western  Sanskrit  scho]ar8» 
these  works  were  brought  to  light.  But  even  after  their 
publication  their  study  has  not  come  into  vogue.  They 
have  not  been  properly  edited,  and  their  interpreta- 
tion, already  dificult  on  account  of  break  in  tradition, 
is  rendered  all  the  more  difficult  on  account  of  th^ 
mistakes  which  abound  in  every  page  of  the  printed 
text.  They  continue  to  be  outside  the  scope  of  Sans- 
krit studies  at  the  orthodox  centres  of  learning  like 
Banaras  and  others.  As  for  the  Purvamimansa  school, 
there  are  some  scholars  of  that  i^ystem,  specially  in 
South  India,  but  the  philosophical  portions  of  tiw 
fvx)rks  of  Kumarila  and  Prabhakara  have  suffered  the 
siEune  fate  as  the  masterpieces  of  the  Nyaya-Vaisesika 
school. 

These  works  of  the  Nyaya-Vaisesika  and.  the 
Purvamimansa  are  replete  with  philosophical  techni- 
calities, and  their  understanding  requires  acquaintance 
with  the  Buddhist  Philosophy,  specially    that  of    the 


CONTRIBUTION  OF  TH.  STCHERBATSKY 


117 


;a  school.  Besidee,  for  the  proper  and  critical 
ation  of  these  works,  a  real  philosophical  in- 
I  needed  which  can  be  acquired  by  an  orthodox 
f  student  only  through  the  study  of  modem 
phical  thought.  It  is  so  because  in  the  later 
»n  of  the  Navyanyaya  school  emphasis  has  been 
on  the  dialectical  aspect  than  on  the  metaphysi- 
rhe  minimum  requirements,  therefore,  for  im- 
ng  a  critical  study  of  these  works  are  :  (t)  a 
jh  knowledge  of  the  Nyaya-Vaisesika  technique, 
quaintance  with  the  Dinnaga  school,  and  (m) 
into  the  problems  of  metaphysics.  These  condi. 
re  seldom  fulfilled  by  a  student  of  the  orthodox 
1  type  or  of  the  modem  Western  type.  Year 
ear  theses  purported  to  be  original  pieces  of 
h  on  Indian  philosophy  are  submitted  to  the 
ities  for  the  doctorate  degrees,  but  little  has  it 
;alised  that  no  research  in  the  real  sense  is  pos- 
ithout  exploiting  the  vast  material  contained  in 
tatises  in  question.     And  yet  they  continue  to 

imexplored  and  neglected. 

this  situation  of  gloom  and  despair  for  Indian 

phy  a     welcome  ray  of  hope     comes  from  an 

cted  quarter.     Buddhist     Logic    by     the     late 

fh.  Stcherbatsky     of    Leningrad*    is  a     monu- 

work  which  not  only  reveals  the  hidden 
es  of  the  Dinnaga  school  but  alsb  gives  an 
>e  of  a  critical  study  of  the  original  works  of 
ksters  referred  to  above,  mt.,  Udjrotakara, 
patimisra,  Jayanta,  Sridhara,  Udayana 
aers.  The  number  of  works  in  English  and  other 
I  languages  purporting  to  give  an  exposition  of 
jraya-Vaisesika  system  is  by  no  means  small, 
lat  they  usually  do  is  to  render  in  a  mechanical 
digested  way  what  is  given  in  Sanskrit  manuals, 
from  the  traditional  and  hackneyed  comparisons 
'  contained  in  the  original  works,  they  usually 
ly  critical  appreciation  of  the  Nyaya-Vaisesika 
in  comparison  with  allied  doctrines  of  other 
.    There  is  no  effort  t<5  presePt  the  old  theories 

light  of  the  problems  of  modem  metaphysics, 
18  very  essential  for  the  real  understanding  of  an 
.  system  by  a  modem  student  of  philosophy, 
n  works  aiming  at  special  study  of  the  Nyaya- 
ka  system,  the  presentation  is  mostly  superficial 
es  not  touch  the  core  of  the  real  problems  of 
lool.'  In  fact  a  proper  appreciation  of  the 
•Vaiaesika  school,  as  developed  by  the  great 
I  referred  to  above,  is  impossible  without  an 
ending  of  its  counterpart,  viz.,  the  .school  of 
a.    When    however,    one    reads    the  works    of 


luddhist  Logic  in  two  volumei  by  Th.  Stcherbatsky.  pab- 
.  tbe  Bibliotheca  Buddhica  teries  of  Leningrad  (No.  XXVI). 
'or  inaUBce,  Faddegon  in  hit  work,  the  VaUtsika  SysUm, 
>pt0d  a  deuiled  atady  of  the  development  of  the  Vaisealka 
■ad  has  translated  some  important  portions  of  Sridhara** 
into  EagUdi.  Bat  there  is  nothing  there  which  ia  abore  th« 
aad  which  goes  to  th«  cnu  of  the  probJcnw. 


Stcherbatsky,  one  is  at  once  struck  by  his  philosophi- 
cal insight,  critical  acumen  and  deep  understanding  of 
Indian  philosophical  systems.  It  may  be  claimed  th«t 
his  Buddhiai  Logic  is,  perhaps,  the  greatest  work  of 
Indian  philosophy  of  the  last  250  years  or  so,  not  only 
as  giving  a  lucid  exposition  of  logic  and  epistemology 
of  the  Dinnaga  school,  but  also  as  throwing  illuminat- 
ing and  critical  side-light  on  the  Nyaya-Vaisesika 
system. 

This  view  may  appear  somewhat  far-fetched  and 
exaggerated.  The  fact  is  that  the  Buddhist  Logic  of 
Btcherbatsky  has  not  as  yet  received  the  attention  it 
deserves  from  the  students  of  Indian  philosophy.  As 
a  matter  of  fact  only  a  few  libradee  in  India  posseils 
a  cop3^  of  it,'  although  fortimately  it  is  in  English.  I 
have  seldom  come  across  a  reference  to  this  work  in 
books,  theses  or  articles  on  Indian  philosophy.  Here 
is  an  instance  in  point.  In  1943  on  the  occasion  of 
celebrating  its  Silver  Jubilee,  the  Bhandarkar  Oriental 
Research  Institute  published  ao  account  of  the  pro- 
gress of  Indie  studies  during  the  preceding  quarter 
of  ai  century.*  In  the  section  dealing  with  Indian 
philosophy  many  books  good  and  bad — some  of  them 
not  even  worth  the  ink  with  which  tiiey  are  printed 

have  been     noticed.     Some     of     the    books    of 

Stcherbatsky  are  also  mentioned.  But  his  principal 
work,  Buddhist  Logic,  which  will  have  to  be  regarded 
even  at  the  most  conservative  estimate,  as  at  leart, 
one  of  the  greatest  works  on  Indian  philosophy,  is 
not  mentioned  even  by  name,  although  it  appeared 
during  the  period  under  reference.  Can  there  be  a 
more  flagrant  instance   of  our  colossal   ignorance  ? 

Stcherbatsky  had  an  orthodox  type  of  command 
over  Sanskrit  language  and  over  logical  and  metaphy- 
sical technicalities  of  the  Nyaya-Vwsesika  system. 
This  command  together  with  his  deep  knowledge  of 
the  system  of  Dinnaga  school  enabled  him  to  acquire 
mastery  over  the  works  of  Udyotakara,  Vachaspati- 
misra  and  others  of  the  Nyaya-Vaisesika  school.  It 
is  also  trae  that  his  mastery  of  the  Nyaya-Vaisesika 
works  helped  him  in  unravelling  the  knotty  problems 
of  the  Dinnaga  school.*    The    works  of  Udyotakara, 

8.  In  all  probability  the  book  ia  not  oat  of  stock,  acill  it  ii 
not  aTailable.  The  one  reaaon  may  be  tho  difienltiea  of  oxehange 
obtaining  between  India  and  Rnaaia.  When  Dr.  S.  Radhakrishnan 
waa  Indian  ambaasador  at  Moscow,  I  wroto  to  him  aboat  Stcherbatsky 
and  hia  books.  He  did  send  me  a  reply  on  some  points,  but  unforta- 
nately  no  definite  information  could  be  supplied  regavding  the  avail* 
abiUty  of  BuddkUt  Ugtc. 

9.  Progreu  of  indie  ScnJJM  (1917-194a).  Corernment  Ortentol 
Seriea,  Claaa  B.  No.  8,  Bhandarkar  OrienUl  Research  InaUtute,  Poona. 

10.  Mm.  Pt.  Gopinath  Kaviraja,  hlmaell  an  encyclopaedic 
scholar  of  Indian  philosophy,  told  me  that  Stcherbataky  once  had 
come  to  Banaraa.  He  spoke  Bnent  Sanskrit,  and  carried  on  diacna* 
siooa  in  Sanskrit  for  many  days  on  the  Nyaya-Vaiaeaika  topics  with 
the  late  Pt.  Ramacharana  BhatUcharya  iriio  waa  charmed  by  hia 
mastery  of  the  ancient  Nyaya-Vaiaesika  testa.  It  is,  however,  sot 
known  whwo  and  widi  whom  Stcherbataky  atndied  the  worka  of  the 
Nyaya-Vaiaeaika  school.  It  ia  aaid  that  ho  had  with  Um  a  S«B|«dba 
Pandit  of  Nyaya  (a  dIaclpU  <A  ^M^h^SbiL  I^»  'i^  -e^BBk^towen.  ^^W 
•choUr  of  MithSU)  iAi«a  ^  iI^ki^  V«  %  V^W^I  V»%  ^S'^^  ^  " 


118 


THE  MODERN  REVIEW  FOR  FEBRUARY,  1853 


Vachaspatimisra,  Jayanta,  Sridhara  and  Udayana 
are  an  important  source  of  information  regarding  the 
school  of  Dinnaga.  Although  the  work  done  by  the 
.Western  scholars  on  the  religious  aspect  of  Buddhism 
and  its  Pali  literature  is  stupendous,  and  on  the 
Buddhist  metaphysics  also  scholars  like  de  la  VaUee 
Poussin,  Sylvain  Levi,  Professor  and  Mrs.  Bhys 
Davids  have  made  valuable  contributions,  yet  the 
position  of  Stcherbatsky  is  unique  not  only  as  the 
foremost  exponent  of  the  Dinnaga  school  but  also  as 
as  expounder  of  other  branches  of  the  Buddhist 
metaph3r8ics.  The  obvious  reason  is  that  no  other 
scholar  in  the  West,  and,  for  the  matter  of  that  also 
in  India,  acquired  the  knowledge  of  the  Nyaya- 
Vaisesika  school  as  Stcherbatsky  did. 

Nobody  can  do  full  justice  to  any  branch  of 
Sanskrit  learning  without  having  a  fair  knowledge  of 
the  grammatical  structure  of  Sanskrit  words.  Stcher- 
batsky's  treatment  of  many  technical  terms  shows  that 
he  was  fully  conversant  with  Sanskrit  grammar  X)f 
Panini.  Discussing  the  meaning  of  the  term  Yoga  in 
the  typical  style  of  ancient  Indian  commeatators,  he 
points  out  how  the  'hridanta*  afiBbc  of  the  term  can 
express  three  different  meanings."  In  the  same  way 
by  analysing  the  two  meanings  of  the  affix  in  the 
term  'Samtkan^,  he  brings  out  two  different  senses 
in  which  it  has  been  used  in  the  Buddhist  philosophy." 
Sometimes  he  expresses  a  Western  idea  in  Sanskrit, 
so  that  it  may  be  fully  equated  and  compaiied  with 
an  Indian  idea.  Comparing  the  Buddhist  theory  of 
point-instants  ikshanncui)  with  the  views  of  Bergson,  he 
sasrs : 

M.  H.  Bergson  asserts  that  the  whole  world  of 
mathematicians  is  indeed  an  instantaneous  world, 
it  is  also  kBhamka  as  the  world  of  the  Buddhist. 
He  says  {Cr,  Ev,  pp.  23-24)  :  "The  world  the 
mathematician  deals  with  is  a  world  that  dies  and 
IS  reborn  at  every  instant,  the  world  which  Deft- 
cartes  was  thinking  of  when  he  spoke  of  continu- 
ous creation."  This  idea  is  indeed  quite  Buddhistic, 
it  sounds  as  if  it  were  put  in  Sanskrit :  **Ye 
bhaiva  nirantaram  arabhyanta  iti  mahapaodite— 
Sri-Dhekaratena  (Dhekarata=De8cartes)  vikalpi- 
tas  te  sarve  jyotirvidya-nrasiddhah  pratiksanamut- 
padyante  vinasyanti  cha."  This  beine  the  precise 
rendering  of  Bergson 's  words  sounds  like  a  quota- 
tion from  an  Indian   text.** 

Stcherbatsk^s   contribution  to  Indian  philosophy 

covers  all  the  three     principal     phases  of    Buddhist 

thoiight.    He  divides  the  history  of  Buddhist  thought 

into  three  broad  periods  which  is  in  accord  with  the 

Buddhist  tradition  of  "the  three  swingings  of  the  wheel 

of  Law"   {trichakra).  The  Buddhist  history  in  India 

covers  some   1500  years,  t.e.,  from  500  B.C.  to   the 

11.    '"Yajjattt   eud   iti   yogah,      yvJrat*   aneiu   l|i  yofah,   ynJTate 
•smin   111   yofih.**— Stfllunfcatakf  t   Conetption   «/   Nirvmtm,   p.    7. 

13.    The    word      SaindEam      "•iAor      m«aas    a    iorce,    §mmdtHf*te 
4MJBM— Saliakari,   Saabhnyakari,   or  it   meana  an  elmiMit,   SamakrIfU 
'^>''*-^S!tomM*rAim^Amrm^..iMd,    iM,    No,    1. 
XC    A^Utjbf  Ziigte,    Yd   J,   p.   m. 


close  of  the  tenth  century  when  the  BuddhisU  were 
driven  out  of  this  cyountry,  and  this  duration  is 
almost  equally  distributed  in  three  periods  of  about 
500  years  each.  Of  course,  the  assignment  of  500  yean 
to  each  period  is  far  from  being  exact,  and  should  be 
understood  only  in  a  general  way. 

The  first  period  which  extends  from  500  B.C.  to 
the  beginning  of  the  Christian  era,  covers  the  Hina- 
yana  Buddhism  of  which  there  are  two  principal 
aspects  :  (t)  Theravada  which  has  the  Pali  Tripitaka 
as  its  scripture,  and  has  other  vast  Pali  literature  in 
the  form  of  commentaries  and  manuals,  and  (») 
Sarvastivada  which  adopted  Sanskrit  as  its  language 
and  which,  according  to  tradition,  had  the  full  Tripi- 
taka in  Sanskrit.  It  would  appear  that  the  popular 
idea  that  Hinayana  had  its  literature  in  Pali,  and 
Mahayana  in  Sanskrit,  is  erroneous,  for  Sarvastiva- 
dins,  having  their  literature  mostly  in  Sanskrit, 
definitely  belong  to  the  Hinayana  fold.  Our  principal 
source  of  information  for  the  doctrines  of  the  Sarvas- 
tivada is  Vasubandhu's  famous  work  Ahhidharmakon 
which  was  recovered  from  Tibetan  and  Ohinesfr 
sources.  It  was  translated  into  French,  and  ^partly 
reconstructed  in  Sanskrit  by  the  Belgian  scholar  de 
la  Vallee  Poussin.  The  contents  of  Ahhidharmakom 
are  so  diffused  on  accoimt  of  technical  details  ithat 
it  is  not  possible  for  ao  uninitiated  layman  to  gnsp 
them.  Stcherbatsky  has  compressed  the  quintessence 
of  the  same  in  a  small  book,  The  Central  Conception 
a}  BiMhiem/*  The  book  which  covers  only  107 
pages  is  a  model  of  brervity  and  precision,  every 
sentence  being  pregnant  with  meaning.  It  is  an 
introduction  and  a  perfect  guide  to  the  complicated 
doctrine  of  the  San^tivada.  What  NyayaMdhania' 
muktavaU  or  Tarka-9€angraha  is  for  the  understand- 
ing of  the  Nya3ra-Vaisesika,  or  Vedanta-^ribhaaa  ie 
for  the  Vedanta,  this  book  is  for  the  Sarvastivada. 
But  it  is  not  a  mere  statement  of  the  theories,  it  is 
also  a  critical  and  comparative  study. 

The  second  period  of  the  Buddhist  thought  com- 
mences somewhere  in  the  first  century  AD.  with  the 
advent  of  the  Mahayana  Buddhism.  On  the  philoso- 
phical side,  the  Madh3ramika  school  of  Nagarjuna, 
variously  designated  as  nihilism  or  relativism  (Sunya- 
vada)  is  the  dominant  note  of  the  Mahayana  sect 
In  his  work,  The  Conception  of  Buddhiet  Nirvana^ 
Stcherbatsky  deals  with  this  school.  The  book  was 
written  as  a  review  and  critisism  of  another  book  on 
the  same  subject  by  Professor  de  la  Vallee  Poussin 
who  represented  the  Buddhist  nirvana  in  its  earliest 
phase  as  a  simple  faith  in  the  soul's  immortality^  its 
blissful  condition  being  attainable  through  the  prao- 

14.  Tfc.  Stchorbataky  :  Tht  Central  Conetption  of  Bmddkitm  mi 
the  Ueaaing  of  tha  word  *Dharma\  pnblialied  by  Royal  AaiaUe  Soci«tJ, 
London   in  1923. 

15b  Hi.  Stcharbatakj  :  The  ConoepOon  of  BmddkUt  Ninma, 
pnbliahed  hj  tha  Aeademj  of  Sciencea  of  dM  V.SJS^  Lcaliipai 
in  l«7.  .    ^ 


CC»maBUTION  of  TH.  STCHia»AT»Y 


119 


yoffja  which  was  described  as  nothing  but 
magic  and  thaumaturgy.  Stcherbatsky,  while 
cally  criticiauig  these  views,  traces  the  mean- 
drvana  from  the  earliest  period  to  its  develop- 
L  the  system  of  Nagarjuna.  Nirvana  or  mokaha, 
%e,  as  conceived  in  Indian  monistic     sjrstems, 

of  Nagarjuna  or  of  the  Vedanta,  does  not 

merely  a  state  of  9ufnmum  bonum  attainable 
iiman  soul,  but  is  tantamount  to  and  synony- 
ith  the  Absolute  Reality.  The  work  in  ques- 
lerefore,  deals  with  the  absolute  monism  of 
ma's  system  ;  it  is  a  brief  exposition  of  his 
»hy.      Stcherbatsky  himself  says  that  another 

the  work  may  be  The  Central  Conception  4ft/ 
na.  The  author  has  also  added  as  an  appen- 
letrical  tranalation  of  two  of  the  most  import- 
pters,  the  first  and  the  twenty-fifth,  of  the 
itnikashaaira  of  Nagarjuna,  and  also  an  English 
ion  of  Chandrakirti's  Prasannapada  commen- 
.  the  same.     This  is  Stscherbatsky's  contribu- 

the  second  period  of  the  Buddhist  tjiought; 

book  is  perhaps  the  best  and  most  authorita- 
roduction  to  the  system  of  Nagarjuna.^  One 
numerous  indices  appended  to  the  book  ez- 
he  technical  terms  of  the  Buddhist  philosophy 
nil  be  found  most  useful  to  all  the  students 

subject. 
i  third  and  the  last  period  of  the     Buddhist 

which  commences  from  the  fifth  or  rather 
le  fourth  century,  covers  (»*)  the  idealiBhn  of 
achara  school  of  Asanga  fuid  Vasubandhu,  and 
stemology  and  logic  of  Dinnaga  and  his 
•a  Dharmakirti  and  others.  I  have  alredy 
to  Stcherbatsky's  monumental  work, 
ft  Logic,  dealing  with  the  latter  of  the  two 
of  the  third  period.  The  word  'logic'  in  the 
sludes  logic,  epistemology,  in  fact,  the  com- 
^stem  of  Dinnaga  school.  As  the  latter  was 
as  a  school  of  logicians  (Nyayavadinah) ,  the 
>gic'  has  advisedly  been  used  to  distinguish  the 
»hy  of  Dinnaga  school  from  that  of  the  other 
1;  schools.  .  Buddhist  Logic  comprises  two 
).  The  second  volume,  which  appeared  earlier 
e  first,  was  published  in  1980.    It  contains  an 

translation  of  Dharmakirti's  Nyayahindu  and 
ittara's  commentary  thereon  with  copious 
tory  and  critical  notes.  Besides,  there  are 
LIS  appendices  two  of  which  give  English 
ion  with  explanatory  and  critical  notes  of 
f  the  most  difficult  and  important  discourses 
Nyayavartikatatparyatika  of     Vachaspatimisra. 

in  the  appendix  IV  {iii),  he  has  translated 
;ruse  discourse  of  a     remarkable     but     little 


known  work  of  the  Purvamimansa  school,  Nyayaka^ 
fdka,  by  the  same  author.  There  is  no  evidence  of 
any  other  modem  scholar  having  ever  touched  this 
work.^^  The  second  volume  covers  some  460  pages. 
The  first  volume  of  Buddhist  Logic  which  appeared 
later,  oovering  some  560  pages,  is  a  comprehensive 
exposition  of  all  the  aspects  of  Dinnaga's  school,  its 
metaphysics,  epistemology,  and  logic  together  with  an 
intiToductCMy  portion  which  gives  in  brief,  as  the  back- 
ground of  the  system  of  Dinnaga,  a  breif  critical  and 
comparative  survey  of  all  the  important  schools  of 
Indian  pAiilosophy.  In  the  chapter  on  the  'Reality  of 
the  External  World'  he  has  given  five  imaginary  Indo- 
European  Ssrmposia  :  The  one  on  'Monism'  in  which 
Vedantin,  Parmenides,  Democritus,  Nagarjima,  Spi- 
noza, Dinnaga  and  others  participate  ;  the  second  on 
'Dualism  and  Pluralism'  in  which  Samkhya,  Descartes, 
Hinayana  Buddhist,  Heraclitus,  Mach,  and  J.  St.  Mill 
are  made  tx>  take  part ;  and  the  third  one  on  the 
'Logic  of  Native  Realism  and  Critical  Logic'  in  which 
besides  Indian  philosophers,  ICant  and  Berkeley  also 
come  in  ;  and  two  more  Symposia  on  the  'Thing-in- 
itself  and  'Dialecteic'  between  Indian  and  European 
philosophers.  Moreover,  stray  references  by  way  of 
comparison  and  contrast  with  other  philosophical 
schools  specially  with  the  Nyaya-Vaisesika,  made  in 
course  of  the  exposition  of  Dinnaga  school,  are  most 
illuminating,  and  evince  Stcherbatsky 's  deep  imder- 
standing  of  all  the  systems  of  Indian  philosophy. 
Buddhist  Logic  is  the  masterpiece  of  Stcherbatsky 
and  may  claim  to  be  the  most  important  contribution 
to  Indian  philosophy  in  recent  times. 

Stcherbatsky's  work  is  not  confined  to  the  three 
books  noticed  above.  As  early  as  1909,  he  wrote  a 
book  in  Russian  entitled  Epistemology  and  Logic  as 
Taught  by  Later  Buddhists.  It  was  translated  by 
Otto  Strauss  into  German.  Obviously  his  Buddhist 
Logic  is  a  revised  and  enlarged  version  of  that  early 
work.  He  has  also  edited  the  text  of  the  Nyayabindu 
of  Dharmakirti  with  the  commentary  of  Dharmottara, 
which  was  published  in  the  Bibtiotheca  Buddhica  series 
of  Leningrad.  This  edition  definitely  supersedes  that 
of  Peterson  published  by  the  Asiatic  Society  of  Bengal. 
It  is  a  pity  that  even  Stcherbatsky's  edition  of  Nyaya- 
bindu is  not  available  in  India.  He  also  translated 
Pudgala-vinischaya,  an  appendix  to  the  eighth  chapter 
of  Abhidharmakosa  under  the  title  "The  Soul  Theory 
of  Buddhists."  There  are  many  other  works  to  his 
credit  which  have  not  been  noticed  here.  Besides,  he 
contributed  many  learned  articles  to  Oriental  and 
Indological  magasines  and  bulletins. 

This  article  is  not  intended  to  make  a  full  assess- 
ment of  Stcherbatsk}r's  contribution  to  ^Indian  philo- 


(iac«    Dr.    T.    R.    V,   Morti    o£      Colombo      UniTonltj      hat 

book    entitled.    Uadkytmika   DUUect    (not    pobliabed    ••    jet 

in  tbe  nuniueiipt  by   the  preMnt  writer)    wUch   la  perhaps 

exhautive   work   on   tbe     Pblloaophf   off     Nagarjona.      Dr. 

mils   hia    Indebtedness    to    Stckerbatskj. 


17.    Aa  instance   of   utter   ignorance  aboat  this  work   ia   famished 
hj    Dr.    Vidyabhnshana'a    remark      that    **Vacliaspati's    NyayakanUca,    * 
work   on   logic*   ia   not   now   availableV    {History   of   Indian   Logic,   p. 
1S4).      As  a  matter  of   fact   the  wotk.  <««»  vcSd>V^«^  VsuL '^^^"st»  "^^ 
wrote  this,  aiki  U  Yiaa  fot  tvoWvxn^  \o  ^o  <wVC&  \«iC^«.  V^*s«t^ « 


lao 


THE  MODERN  REYIEW  FOR  FEBRUARY,  10S3 


aophy.  My  presetLt  object  is  only  to  draw  point«d 
attention  of  atudents  of  Indiaji  philosophy  to  the  worlt 
of  Stcherb&tdky.  He  does  not  approKch  IndiuL  philo- 
sophical lyetems,  like  many  a  Westem  writei,  to  dis- 
cover in  them  some  old  links  in  the  development  of 
philosophical  thought.  He  explores  them  in  order  to 
bring  out  their  philosophical  contents  which  inny  cUim 
Q  place  in  the  world-litemture  of  philosophy.  While  he 
brings  to  bear  upon  probfems  of  lodiait  philosophy  a 
highly  critical  method  of  a  Western  thinker,  he  at  the 
aame  time  approaches  them  with  the  faith  and  devo- 
tion of  an  orthodox  Indian  scholar.  No  other  modern 
•diolar  of  the  Orient  or  of  the  Occident    has  entered 


deeper  into  the  spirit  of  Dinnaga,  Oharmakiiti  Of 
Vachaapatimi«ra.  When  aometimea  we  come  acroa 
flashes  of  his  originality,  we  are  Teminded  of  the  ceniue 
of  Dinnaga,  and  when  we  look  to  his  sUipaadoua  beam- 
ing and  critical  profundity,  we  feel  as  if  he  wen  an 
incarnation  of  Vachaapatimiva  himself.  He  bu  pro- 
vided us  with  a  master-key  not  only  to  the  phikMophy 
of  Dinnaga  school,  but  also  to  the  abstnae  writiniB  of 
Udyotakara,  Kumarila,  Prabhakara,  Vaehm^MtinuRa, 
Jayanta  and  others.  We  must  acknowledge  our  de^ 
debt  of  gratitude  to  this  great  savant  ami  to  the 
Soviet  land  from  which  be  hailed,  for  his  inestimable 
contribution  to  Indian  philosophical  tbou^t. 


COTTAGE  INDUSTRIES 

Bt  Pbop.  V,  N.  HUKKU,  uxjom. 


"You  cannot  have  dictatorship  in  economics 
and  democracy  in  politics Democracy  in  econo- 
mies must  be  based  on  production  in  villages  on  indi- 
vidual bsaiB."  This  is  the  way  in  which  the  famous 
fotlowei  of  Gandhian  Economy  and  a  great  thinker 
of  to-day,  J.  C.  Kumarappa  thinks  about  economic 
planning  for  a  democratic  country.  It  is  very  essential 
for  the  government  to  ^ve  due  emphasis  to  the  pro- 
duction in  villages  not  merely  on  the  agricultural  side 
but  nece^rtly  on  the  industrial  side  also.  The 
importsce  of  the  development  of  cottage  indurtjies  haa 
also  been  emphasised  by  the  Industrial  Policy  State- 
ment of  IMS:  "Cottage  and  small-oeale  industries  have 
a  very  important  role  in  the  national  economy  offering 
as  they  do  scope  for  individual  village  or  co-operative 
enterpriee."  The  dmft  plan  of  the  Planning  Commis- 
non  has  also  not  failed  to  lend  a  chapter  on  Rural 
Cottage  Industries  and  the  significance  of  such  Indus- 
tries  has  been  laid  down  as:  "If  agriculture  is  to  be 
rationalised,  means  for  absorbing  surplus  workere 
amounting,  over  the  whole  country,  periiaps  to  a  third 
of  the  population,  have  to  be  found.  Problem  of 
cottage  industries  has,  therefore,  an  urgency  and 
importance  in  the  immediate  future  which  cannot  b* 
over-emphasised."  A  formidable  percentage  of  the 
entire  population  of  the  country  is  dwelling  in  the 
villages  nuiAbering  about  six  laUis,  still  the  develop- 
ment of  the  rural  industries  has  been  neglected  in  the 
recent  past  by  the  outgoing  foreign  government. 

I>DUB1«1AL    BACKOBOUin) 

The  British  Government  as  has  just  been  referred 

U>  above    used  to    neglect  the    industrial  progress  iii 

tat^  oa  the  ground  of  the  cotmti;  being  predomi-^ 

/imatiy  ma  agricultunl  one.      This      ground  does  not 


appeal  to  be  a  good,  excuse.  Is  it  not  trae  that  India 
has  been  not  only  an  agricultural  eountiy  but  ttint  its 
industries  existed  and  excelled  long  before  th«  indus- 
trial activities  «nerged  in  other  parts  of  the  wgridT  It 
was  not  only  the  late  Pandit  Madan  Mohaa  MnUviya 
who  dissented  from  the  findings  of  the  loduatrial  Com- 
mission in  India  on  this  very  point  but  even  an  English- 
man Montogomery  Martin  expressed  his  views  that 
"I  do  not  agree  that  India  is  an  agricultural  oouirtiy, 
India  is  as  much  a  manufacturing  country  ns  an  agricul- 
tural ;  and  he  who  would  eeek  to  reduce  her  to  the 
position  of  an  ogrioultural  country  seeks  to  lower  her 
in  the  scale  of  civilisation." 

lodustriet  in  India  had  been  famous  in  the  put 
when  the  age  of  modem  machinery  was  nevw  eoooeir- 
ed  of,  rather  never  dreamt  about.  The  early  writon  likt 
Herodotus  and  M^nsthenes  have  given  Mseovnt  of 
the  cotton  fabrics  of  India  even  before  the  batb  of 
Christian  era.  Industrial  products  of  India  had  flpililrf 
the  foreign  markets.  The  old  historical  »ogn||  ■HUt 
the  archaeological  findings  are  apparent  testimony  (o 
the  existence  of  eoormous  export  .of  gpodn  from  Inda 
to  the  Boman  Empire  in  exchange  for  the  gold  c<^ 
of  the  said  empire.  The  Vedic  period  in  India  was 
profu^ly  enriched  with  the  familiarity  of  the  peopk 
with  the  arts .  of  weaving,  *^i"p'"b,  metntluigTi 
oarpenti?,  blacksmitfay  and  many  other  ortislic  cnfti. 
In  the  light  of  the  present  conception  of  the  guild  hi* 
the  Vedic  period  had  the  pride  of  being  uoder  as 
orgottised  system  of  industrial  production,  under  the 
'Sreni'  with  subordination  to  'Sraiahthj/a:  xbe  people 
during  the  Hindu  and  Mahomedan  periods  of  the  Indiu 
history  bore  high  ezcelknce  in  .  their  craftomanship. 
The  interest  of  the  Uaurya  rulers  in  the  industtij 
pio&ncliou  «nd.  vreaervSLtton  of  i 


The  Sanchi  Stupa  No.  3,  Sanchi,  Bhopal.  This  haa  &  single  gate.  It  was  in  the  Stupa 
tfaat  the  relics  of  the  fomotu-^liieipiMTol  Buddha  ^—Sariputta  and  MshamoKaUanai— 
vep  discovered 


The  Lac  Besearcb  Institute,  Namkum,  oeu  B&acVv 


COTTAGE  INDUSTRIES 


121 


IS  been  described  in  Kautilya's  Arthashastra 
I  we  find  a  reference  to  the  appointment  of 
e  ministers  for  the  maintenance  of  the  inte- 
the  artisans.  Alauddin  Khiliji  and  the  Tughlak 
dao  used  to.     maintain  factories  wherein  they 

0  give  employment  to  the  efficient  craftsmen^ 
[oghul  kings  also  established  industrial  work- 
n  the  important  towns  of  their  time  and  the 
^rnent  of  industries  like  the  shawl  industry  of 
ir  and  the  muslin  industry  of  Dacca  was  to  a 
xtent  due  to  royal  patronage, 

Decay  of  the  Industries 

B  long  history  of  our  past  industrial  supremacy 
re-opener  but  to  boast  about  the  past  cannot  be 

use  to  the  present  economic  development.  The 
of  craftsmanship  and  of  the  indigenous  indus- 

India  can  be  traced  from  the  last  stages  of  the 

1  Empire  in  India  and  the  advent  of  the  East 
ompany.  Since  then  up  to  the  termination  of  Bri- 
e  in  India  the  government  was  never  anxious  to 
e  standard  of  the  industries  which  had  glorified 
/Ory  of  India  in  the  past.  The  East  India  Com- 
an  be  accused  not  only  for  the  negligence  toi- 
:he  promotion  of  the  industries  but  also  for 
ig  abominable  hardships  on  the  efficient  crafts- 
r  lev3'ing  even  corporal  x)enalties  of  which 
st     detested    one    was    the     cutting    of    the 

of  the  efficient  muslin  weavers  of  Dacca  who 
rohibited  from  weaving  the  muslin  except  for 
mpany  and  in  the  factories  of  the  East 
!ompany.  Despite  the  long  idleness  of  the  vast 
ion  of  the  agriculturists  for  a  major  period  of 
r,  the  government  was  never  interested  in  for- 
g  plans  for  making  them  more  useful  for  the 

by  putting  them  to  work  and  by  providing 
3  and     propaganda  for     the     development     of 

indusries.  Whatever  development  of  cottage 
es  was  made  during  the  British  Rule  in  India 
iinly  due  to  the  untiring  efforts  of  Mahatma 
.  It  was  mainly  due  to  the  initiative  of  the 
National  Congress  under  his  spiritual  guidance, 
e  All-India  Village  Industries  Association  was 
hed  with,  the   object     of     securing     maximum 

for  the  rural  masses.  It  was  the  48th  session  of 
ngress  held  in  the  month  of  October,  1934. 

Main  Problems 

r  the  purpose  of  the  study  of  these  problems 
uite  essential  to  distinguish  between  a  cottage 
y  and  a  smallnscale  industry.  The  cottage 
ies  have  been  defined  by  the  Industrial  Com- 
as "industries  cacried  on  in  the  homes  of  the 
(,  where  the  scale  of  operation  issins^  and  tfiere 
little  organisation,  so  that  they  are,  as  a  rule 
}  of  satisfying  only  local  needs."  The  distino- 
stween  the  two  is  based  on  faadamentsil  princi- 


ples. In  case  of  cottage  industries  the  organisation 
consists  mainly  "of  the  members  of  the  family  (it  can 
now  easily  adopt  the  co-operative  basis)  who  carry 
on  the  production  on  small  scale  with  the  help  of  local 
tools  and  without  the  use  of  power.  On  the  other  hand, 
small-scale  industries  whether  belonging  to  the  rural 
or  urban  area  generally  employ  hired  labourers  and 
are  bigger  imits  of  production  as  compared  with  the 
cottage  industries.  On  account  of  the  bigger  establiahc 
ments  and  large  capital  the  use  of  power  can  easily 
he  availed  of  also  because  the  small-scale  industries 
are  mostly  located  in  the  towns.  The  cottage  indusries 
mainly  represent  the  rural  indlistrial  unit  meant  for 
providing  full-time  or  part-time  employment  to  tlie 
villagers.  The  small-scale  industries  which  mostly  be- 
long to  the  urban  areas  provide  whbletime  employ- 
ment to  the  hired  labourers,  but  there  is  no  certainty 
of  the  permanency  of  the  employment  in  most  of  the 


An  important  problem  regarding  the  cottage 
industries  comes  up  in  the  form  of  a  choice  between 
Centralisation  and  Decentralisation.  It  has  always 
been  emphasised  by  the  patrons  of  the  rural  welfare 
schemes  including  Mahatma  Gandhi  that  it  is  in  the 
interest  of  the  masses  that  the  cottage  industries  should 
be  organised  on  the  basis  of  the  policy  of  decentrali- 
sation. The  cottage  industries  will  be  on  this  basis 
more  useful  for  providing  employment  to  the  village 
folk  who  are  in  most  of  the  cases  either  unemployed 
or  under-employed,  as  the  main  vocation  of  life,  namely, 
agriculture  provides  employment  for  a  period  not  more 
than  one-third  of  the  whole  year.  The  existence  of 
small  units  of  villages  is  quite  useful  for  this  purpose. 
The  cottage  industries  in  the  various  units  should  be 
so  organised,  that  the  needs  of  the  local  people  are 
given  the  top  priority  in  the  production  of  goods.  This 
will  lead  to  the  self-sufficiency  of  the  villages.  A  cen- 
tralised system  of  such  industries  is  for  all  practical 
purposes  anti-social  in  its  nature.  The  economic  deve- 
lopment of  the  country  lies  in  the  development  of  the 
village  folk  and  in  raising  the  standard  of  living. 
This  objective  can  only  be  achieved  if  we  keep  in  view 
the  basic  needs  of  the  individual  village  imits  and 
develop  the  cottage  industries  in  the  respective  units 
for  the  production  of  such  things  as  would  satisfy  the 
requirements  of  the  people  of  that  unit. 

The  development  of  the  cottage  industry  is  also 
confronted  with  the  problem  of  the  availability  of  raw 
material.  An  apparent  case  is  the  miserable  condition  of 
the  cotton  handloom  industry  in  many  parte  of  the 
country.  One  of  the  reasons  which  still  holds  true  for  the 
slow  development  of  the  cotton  handloom  industry  has 
be«n  the  inadequacy  of  the  cotton  yam.  Although  the 
T&rious  states  in  India  manage  the  distribution  work 
of  cotton  yam  through  the  Supplies  Department  or 
through  the  agency  oi  \3afc  \xA>is^Tve^  \^«^fw^Tfi«S!^»>  ^ 
has  not  Wn  poassiA^  lot  Mioi'eai  \j^  -ywrrAfc  \«fa»a*!c^ 


STATUES  OF  FOREIGNERS 

By  Dr.  JADUNATH  SARKAR,  Hony.  m^jijb.,  (Eng.) 


Why  should,  we  remove  from  our  public  places 
the  statues  of  foreigners  who  had  helped  to  conduct 
the  administration  of  our  country  during  the  last  two 
hundred  years  ?  Some  of  them  have  spent  all  their 
active  life  in  the  service  of  India,  and  helped,  each  in 
his  own  way,  each  in  his  own  degree,  to  make  us  what 
we  are  today.  They  are  an  inseparable  part  of  our 
national  life  in  its  long  and  still  continued  biological 
growth.  We  can  shut  our  eyes  to  them,  but  can  we 
deny  the  facts  of  our  past  history'?  One  can  under- 
stand the  Indian  people's  anger  when  gazing  at  statues 
with  provocating  inscription£»,  like  John  Lawrence's 
standing  with  a  sword  in  one  hand  and  a  pen  in  the 
other  and  asking  the  Panjabis  "Will  you  be  governed 
by  this  or  by  that  ?"  All  men  would  feci  repugnance 
when  looking  at  the  statue  of^a  fiend  of  cruelty  like 
Col.  Jam«s  Neill  of  the  Ist  Madras  European  Fusiliers, 
who  during  the  march  from  Allahabad  to  Cawnpur 
ordered  that  every  native  found  on  the  way  should  be 
hanged,  as  a  reprisal  for  the  acts  of  the  Sepoy  mutineers, 
and  the  result  of  his  brutality  was  that  all  the  dooU- 
bearei-s  of  the  wounded  Europeans  and  all  the  punkha- 
pullers  of  the  military  patients  ran  away  in  terror  and 
the  Britons  suffered. 

But  it  is  a  curious  type  of  patriotism  to  assert  that 
the  statues  of  all  foreigners,  merely  because  they  are 
foreigners,  are  hateful  to  the  patriotic  Indian  eye.  One 
mark  of  a  civilised  nation  is  to  preserve  tlie  memorials 
of  its  historic  continuity,  because  every  generation  is 
the  cumulative  product  of  the  lives  of  the  generations 
that  had  gone  before  it.  We  cannot  obliterate  the  past 
life-story  of  our  people  by  merely  drawing  the  wet 
sponge  over  one  page  of  our  history.  Therefore,  if  the 
statue  of  a  foreigner  (or  of  a  traitor  to  our  country, 
like  Mir  Jafar)  is  to  be  dismantled,  a  case  Ihas  to  be 
established  of  that  man's  unworthiness  and  not  for 
preserving  the  resrt  of  the  statues.  The  burden  of  proof 
lies  on  the  plaintiff  Government  asking  for  the 
removal. 

If  a  State  Government  feels  that  it  is  powerless 
to  protect  its  statues  in  public  places  from  vandalism 
by  the  "lunatic  fringe"  of  our  new  nationalist  party, 
that  is  a  matter  of  administrative  inefficiency,  for  I 
am  sure  that  Oie  majority  of  our  people, — sober  men, 
thinking  only  how  to  earn  their  bread  by  honest  toil 
and  not  seeking  political  election — ^have  no  widi  to  show 
such  cheap  and  futile  "patriotism."  • 

Xenophobia 
Zel  us    pause  and  see  a  glaring    example  of  the 
/foiu^  to  which  such  unreasoning  hatred  of  foreigners 


actually  leads  us.  Britons  who  had  worked  on  the 
Indian  soil  in  the  past  are  to  have  their  memory  obli- 
terated in  Free  India  because  they  were  foreigners,  and 
not  for  any  proved  depravity.  In  the  Dacca  Bar 
Library,  the  portraits  of  the  past  Presidents  of  the  Bar 
Association  have  been  removed  and  sent  to  a  lumber- 
room  (?)  because  they  were  all  Hindus  and  therefore 
foreigners  in  Pakistan.  Most  of  these  Vakils  were  here- 
ditary dwellers  in  the  districts  included  in  East  Bengal 
and  had  worked  hard  to  raise  the  condition  of  tihe 
people  and  to  enhance  the  influence  and  prestige  of 
the  legal  profession  there.  Again,  at  the  Barisal  burn- 
ing ghat,  the  small  marble  tablets  recording  the  names 
and  dates  of  the  eminent  Hindus  (including  that  of 
Nibaran  Babu,  the  philanthropist  and  patriotic  leader) 
ciemated  there,  were  recently  found  to  have  been 
removed  and  destroyed.  The  East  Bengal  Government 
have  decency  enough  not  to  order  such  vandalism  ;  it 
was  only  the  patriotic  jihad  of  some  individual 
Muslims  against  these  dead  "foreigners."  We  thus  see 
that  Hindustan  and  Pakistan  are  the  Siamese  Twins, 
with  two  separate  heads  but  joined  back  to  back  ; 
when  one  sneezes  the  other  brother  must  have  a  nasal 
catarrh. 

New  wine  is  heady,  and  so  too  is  new  freedom. 
The  French  revolutionists,  after  overthrowing  a  feudal 
despotism  many  centuries  old,  sent  tJheir  conquering 
army  to  Italy  and  the  Parisian  mob  clamoured  for 
seizing  the  Pope  (because  there  was  no  King  of  Italy 
at  that  time  and  the  Pope  was  the  ruler  of  Rome)  and 
hanging  him  as  a  reprisal  for  the  defeat  and  slaying  of 
Vercingetorix,  the  Gaulic  national  leader  by  Julius 
Caesar  of  Rome,  eighteen  hundred  years  earlier.  Such 
"red  fool-fury  of  the  Seine"  and  "hysterics  of  the  CJelt'^ 
have  not  covered  the  French  Jacobins  with  any  repu- 
tation for  common  sense. 

Who  was  Outram  ? 

Let  me  take  a  concrete  example.  In  April  last 
one  of  my  relatives  told  me  that  when  his  bus  was 
making  a  long  stop  at  the  Park  Street  comer,  he  saw  a 
Bengali  Babu  encouraging  £K>me  Muslim  street  boys 
to  fling  their  shoes  at  the  statue  of  Outram,  and  when 
there  was  a  hit  he  clapped  his  hands  and  re¥mrded 
them  with  some  price.  This  kind  of  patriotic  valour 
must  have  been  gratifying  to  him,  it  was  so  chef^p  and 
so  safe  at  this  distance  of  time. 

This  incident  reminded  me  of  another  such  attack, 
during  my  school  days,  seventy  years  ago.  We  heard 
thai  one  m^m^*^  «si  oW^YiYb.  ixom  Lucknow  was  found 


STATUES  OF  FOREIGNERS 


J25 


to  have  climbed  up  lo  Outram's  horse,  and  was  hitting 
the  broQfe  image  with  bis  tattered  slippers  and  ehout-> 
ing,  "You  took  away  our  Oudh  from  Wajid  Ali  Shah!" 
He  had  succeeded  in  twisting  the  sword  in  the  General's 
hand  and  thus  undone  the  annexation  of  Oudh  in  1856. 
We  can  only  pity  this  old  ignorant  opium-eater,  but 
can  a  modem  Government  follow  his  example  and 
ahow  Its  face  among  civilised  men  7 

I  consider  Outram  as  a  test  case.  Let  ua  think  of 
his  decis  in  India,  to  which  country  he  gave  all  hte 
life.  His  noble  character  earned  for  him  the  title  of  the 
Bayard  of  India,  the  supreme  example  of  chivalry.  He 
had  (Ejected  to  Sir  Charles  Napier's  conquest  and  an- 
nexation of  Sindh  as  morally  unjustifiable,  and  there- 
fore refused  to  accept  his  share  of  the  Sindh  prise- 
money,  amounting  to  30  thousand  rupees.  Tame  is 
the  last  infirmity  of  noble  minds"  and  it  is  a  soldier's 
bigbeat  ambition.  And  yet  Outram  voluntarily  dele- 
gated to  his  subordinate  Havelock  the  glory  of  reliev- 
ing the  Lucknow  garrison  and  served  under  him  as  a 
junior. 

I  dull  turn  to  what  he  did  for  us  Indians.  When 
a  young  officer,  racked  by  jungle  fever  he  spent  five 
years  among  the  Bhila  of  Khandcsh,  away  from  civi- 
lised comforts  and  European  companionship,  livmg 
with  them,  reclaiming  these  fierce  savages  from  their 
babita  of  robbery  and  murder,  disciplined  them  in  a 
Kiil  corps,  opened  a  good  life  before  them  by  teaching 
them  agriculture  and  settled  reftdcnce,  and  above  all 
bunted  large  numbers  of  tigers  (ubove  250  himself) 
which  used  to  devour  them.  No  wonder  that  the  grate- 
ful Bhils  came  to  believe  that  he  was  a  god  sent  for 
their  salvation.  The  Bhils  have  a  belief  that  if  a  tiger 
kills  a  man,  unless  that  tiger  is  killed  immediately 
afterwards,  the  spirit  of  the  dead  man  wilt  ride  the 
beast,  which  will  thereafter  roam  about  as  a  demon 
devastating  that  district  with  irre^stible  ferocity. 
After  such  a  kill  Outram  would  at  once  ride  out,  track 
and  lull  the  tiger,  and  brii^  its  body  back  so  that  the 
fflii^s  reUlives  would  be  able  to  cremate  him  with 
peace  of  mind  and  the  district  around  would  be  freed 
from  the  unearthly  terror  of  the  ghost-t^r.  Here  is 
his  achievement : 

"Within  twenty  months  from  the  date  of  his 
opening  move  against  the  Bhils.  James  Outram  had 
wrought     something  like  a  miracle  of  moral  and 


social  regeneration  among  the  long-outlawed  high- 
landers   of   the   Khandesh   border."— Trotter. 

"He  spared  no  pains  to  establish  over  his  out- 
lawed friends  the  power  which  springs  from  tested 
aympathy— not  that  inspired  by  awe  alone.  They 
found,  not  only  that  he  surpassed  them  in  all  they 
moat  admired,  but  that  he  thoroughly  understood 
them  and  their  ways  ;  that  he  loved  them  ;  he 
could  and  did  enter  thoroughly  into  their  fears  and 
their  difficulties,  their  joys  and  their  sorrows.  No 
wonder  that  we  hear  of  hb  memory  still  lingenng 
in  Khandesh,  shrorided  by  a  semi-divine  halo."— 
Goldsmid. 

The  Bhils  are  now  minora  under  the  guardianship 
of  the  Government  of  Delhi.  What  will  our  present 
rulers  do  lo  them  ?  Will  they  find  another  Outram  to 
win  the  hearts  of  the  Bhils— or  of  the  Nagas  of  the 
Assam  frontier  ?  Will  it  not  lather  be  that  they  will 
shower  on  the  heads  of  these  backward  jungle  folk 
leaflets  written  in  classical  Hindi— in  a  style  dictated 
by  Seth  Govind  Das  (so  often  heard  oonecting  the 
Hindi  of  our  MPj.)  1  And  the  result  will  surpass 
Outram's  achievement. 

And  Outram  was  not  merely  a  noble  soldier, 
his  friendly  services  to  the  Indian  people  on 
the  civil  side  are  equally  memorable.  He  braved 
social  unpopularity  as  a  "pro-Native"  by  publicly 
denouncing  in  England  Sir  C.  Napier's  megalomania 
in  driving  the  innocent  branch  of  the  Mirs  of 
Sindh  info  war  ;  and  here  in  India  he  protested 
against  the  practice  of  thoughtless  British  judges 
and  magistiatea  who  used  to  summon  witnesses  from 
places  a  hundred  miles  or  more  away,  to  their  head- 
quarters or  camp  and  keep  them  there  at  great  discom- 
fort and  coat  to  themselves  by  not  taking  up  their 
cases  for  months  together.  He  publicly  opposed  Lord 
Canning^  Oudh  proclamation  which  confiscated  the 
estates  of  all  the  Oudh  laluqdars,  though  very  few  of 
them  had  then  joined  the  mutineers,— and  in  the  end 
Outram  succeeded  in  getting  this  proclamation  with- 
drawn and  justice  done  to  Indians. 

The  statue  of  a  man  like  James  Oulram  would  be 
publicly  honoured  by  any  civilised  race  as  a  noblo 
exampie  held  constantly  before  their  children,  to  con- 
template and  imitate.  Mrs.  Annie  Besant  once  wrote 
a  book  in  which  she  posed  the  question- la  Indb  a 
civilised  country  ?     Bengal  will  supply  the  answer. 

CoUTlesy  :  H'ndutlhan  Standard 


THE  SLUMP  IN  TEXTILES 

By  Db.  D.  M.  SINGH,  mj^-,  phj).. 
University  College,  Trivandrum 


The  Presi^nt  Slump  Condition 
The  recent  price  recession  in  India  has  hit  hard 
the  textile  industry.  While  some  of  the  businesses 
appear  to  have  revived  to  some  extent  at  least  after 
the  initial  shock,  the  textiles  are  still  in  difficulties.  The 
slump  in  this  major  industry  of  our  country  has  mani- 
fested itself  in  a  lef^ser  relative  demand,  fall  in  prices, 
nnd  fall  in  i^h-xYc-  values.  Thero  were  signs  of  lagging  de- 
mand, excessive  supplies  and  consequent  fall  in  prices 
even  in  February.  In  all  the  textile  centres,  the  stocks 
with  the  mills  were  accumulating  fast.  In  the  first  week  of 
March,  it  was  reported  from  Ahmedabad  that  about 
20,000  bales  of  cloth  worth  about  Rs.  4  crores  had 
accumulated  with  the  local  wholesale  cloth  merchants 
and  that  this  had  caused  a  reduction  in  pri^^es  ranging 
from  5  to  50%  in  all  varieties  below  controlled  price. 
The  Delhi  State  government  was  not  able  to  lift  more 
than  35%  of  the  2500  bales  of  the  quota  allotted  to 
them.  The  average  monthly  off-take  of  the  Bombay 
government  had  fallen  from  about  16,000  bales  to  less 
than  500  bale?,  and  the  State  government  also  decided 
not  to  buy  any  fine  or  superfine  variety  of  doth. 
Many  other  State  governments  followed  the  lead  of 
Bombay  and  Delhi.  In  all,  during  the  last  two  months, 
February  and  March,  the  State  nomineeg  have  taken 
•ip  only  10%  of  superfine  and  35%  of  fijie  cloth  allot- 
ted to  them  under  the  scheme  of  <JCntrolled  distribu- 
lion. 

Exports  have  also  declined  fast.  For  the  six 
mouths  January  to  June  1952,  the  amount  of  fine  and 
superfine  cioth  alloted  for  export  is  100  million  yards, 
excluding  the  carryover  from  the  previous  period.  But 
the  actual  exports  during  the  first  three  months  have 
amounted  to  only  about  40  million  yards.  „ 

With  the  slackening  of  the  demand  for  finished 
goods,  the  off-take  of  cotton  by  the  mills  has  also 
fallen.  The  supply  of  the  raw  material  has  been  quite 
satisfactory,  but  the  consumption  rate  has  gone  down. 
Since  the  beginning  of  the  season  last  August  to  the 
end  of  January,  India  took  only  28,628  bales  of  Egyp- 
tian cotton  as  against  41,243  bales  during  the  corres- 
ponding period  last  season.  Early  in  March,  the  Indian 
Central  Cotton  Committee  pointed  out  that  the 
quotas  of  Indian  cotton  allowed  to  the  textile  mills 
were  not  lifted  promptly  in  some  parts  of  the  country. 
Hence  difficulty  had  arisen  in  disposing  of  this  year's 
crop  and  the  price  had  fallen  in  upcountry  markets  ^Y 
10  to  15%.  The  Indian  mills  had  ordered  for  large 
quantities  of  American  and  East  African  cotton.  They 
are  coming  in  bulk  but  the  mills  find  it  difficult  to  take 
delivery  of  them.  It  was  reported  from  the  Broach, 
and  Surat  areas  that  as  a  result  of  the  failure  of  the 
i/jyy/s  to  lift  their  quotas,  the  ginners  and  *C'  class 
Ij'ceiise'holders  who  already  bad  large  stocks  on  their 


hands  ceased  to  make  fresh  purchases  from  the  farmers. 
Conditions  had  so  far  deteriorated  that  many  of  the 
important  cotton  markets  of  the  country  remained 
closed  for  several  days. 

Along  with  the  fall  in  demand,  declining  prices, 
and  slackening  of  business,  textile  share  values  have 
also  come  tumbling  down.  During  the  last  two  months, 
the  textile  share  market  has  generally  been  seller- 
ridden.  The  recent  landslide  in  the  values  of  important 
textile  shares  owing  to  persistent  bearish  activity  can 
be  seen  from  the  following  table  : 

Feb.  19      March  6      April  1 
Rs.  As.    Rs.    As.    Rs.    As. 
Ahmedabad   Advance  158  12        156    4        156    4 

Bombay   Dyeing  422    8       395    0       377    8 

Kohinoor  322    0       294    0       289   0 

Simplex  175    8       158    0        156   0 

Swadeshi  285    9       2^    0       249   8 

Central  India  222    0       199    8        184   0 

On  the  average,  in  the  short  period  of  five  weeks, 
the  share  values  have  fallen  by  11%. 

The  cotton  handloom  industry,  which  supplies  about 
one-third  of  the  total  demand  for  cloth  in  India,  has 
also  been  gripped  by  the  slump.  The  export  of  hand- 
loom  cloth  which  found  a  ready  market  in  the  Middle 
and  Far  Eastern  coimtries  and  Pakistan,  has  declined 
to  about  one-third  of  what  it  had  been  a  few  years 
ago.  The  internal  markets  have  also  become  quite 
dull.  In  Cannanore,  one  of  the  biggest  handloom 
industry  centres  on  the  West  Coast,  with  about  20,000 
looms  spread  over  1300  factories,  stocks  have  mounted 
up  worth  about  Rs.  50  lakhs.  The  jari  industry  of 
Surat  has  nearly  been  paralysed  because  of  the  loss  of 
markets.  Mr.  K.  C.  Kappadia,  a  former  President  of  the 
Surat  Chamber  of  Commerce,  has  stated  that  two  big 
weavers'  co-operative  societies  of  Surat,  supplying 
cotton  yam  to  about  10,000  looms  in  the  district  have 
not  indented  for  any  quotas  for  April  and  May,  while 
one  of  them  has  not  lifted  its  February  and  March 
quotas. 

Th£  Remedul  Mkasxtres  Adopted 
It  is  but  natural  that  the  textile  interests  got  quite 
panicky  at  tliese  alarming  symptoms.  They  attributed 
the  evil  to  government's  slowness  to  act  and  indiffer- 
ence. According  to  them,  the  root  of  the  trouble  lay 
in  heavy  excise  and  export  duties,  restrictions,  on  the 
export  of  the  finished  goods  and  their  distribution 
internally,  lack  of  credit  facilities  for  the  purchase  of 
foreign  cotton,  mounting  cost  of  production  a&d  g^ie- 
ral  consumer  resistance.  Surprisingly  enough,  govern- 
ment immediately  responded  to  their  appeal  and  todc 
early  measures  to  relieve  their  distress.  Theft 
measures  were  designed  for  the  purpose  of  facilitating 
easy   vnWtiiaX  ^\s\x&>i\i\qu,  encouragiiig      exports  and 


STATUES  OP  FOREIGNERS 


127 


jrcdit  faoilitieg  for  the  importers  of  foreign 

'  first  place,  in  order  to  ensure  easier 
i  internally,  government  have  relaxed  their 
er  the  distribution  by  mills  of  certain 
f  cloth.  According  to  the  present  arrange- 
tas  are  assigned  to  the  different  States  and 
1  takes  place  through  State  nominees.  But 
off-take     of    these    State    nominees     has 

•  fallen  in  recent  ^imes,  government  have 
hat  mills  will  now  be  free  to  sell  superfine 
(uyers  of  their  own  choice.  As  regards  the 
d     medium     variety,     only    half     of     the 

of  the   mills   of  these  will  be   allotted  to 

linecs   and   the   balance   will  be  allowed   to 

►y    mills  to  licensed     dealers  of    their    own 

ivcn  of  these,  if  the  total  allotment  is  not 

'   the  State  nominees  within  the  prescribed 

lis  will   be  free    to    dispose  of  the  cloth    to 

ers.     It  has  also  been  decided  that  no  fiJ^e 

«^hatever  variety  will  be  allocated   to   State 

as  such.       Secondly,  in  order  to     facilitate 

.he  export    duty  on    raw    cotton  haa    been 

•om  Rs.  400  per     bale  to  Rs.  200  per  bale 

it  cotton  waste  from  50  per  cent  ad  valorem 

'  cent.     The  control  on  the  export  of  fine 

fine  cloth  has  also  been  relaxed.     Govem- 

e  decided  to  grant     licenses  freely  for  the 

these     varieties     which  are     manufactured 

)ut     of     foreign     cotton  to  all     permissible 

QS  up   to  September  30,   1952.     Lastly,  with 

I     provide     bett<3r     credit     facilities  for  the 

of  foreign  cotton,  Government  has  decided 

an    assurance    to       scheduled    banks    that 

cotton  pledged  with   them      against      loans 

0  the  mills  would  be  bought  by  Government 

equivalent  in  rupees  to  the  American  floor 

)uld  the  banks  find  it  necessary  to  sell  the 

•  realise  the  loan.  A  similar  assurance  has 
5n  in  tho  matter  of  the  purchase  of  East 
otton  alao. 

ugh  immediately  after  tho  announcement  of 
asurcs  of  relief,  there  was  an  improvement 
otton  market,  yet  the  downward  trend  has 
satisfactorily  arrested.  Share  values  have 
[  to  fall.  Severe  cuts  in  the  prices  of  finished 
ve  not  broken  consumer  resistance.  The  lack 
id  has  led  to  heavy  accumulation  and 
n  of  stocks  in  the  mills.  Early  in  April,  it 
)rted  from  Bombay  that  one  wholesale 
a  mill  which  was  selling  over  50,000  yards  of 
lay  was  selling  now  less  than  300  yards.  The 
?rs,  fjndirg  that  G^vcrDment  measures  have 
i  the  situation,  have  decided  to  cut  short 
in  by  closing  down  factories  and  reducing  the 
i{  shifts.  Such  jdrastic  steps  have  ahready  been 
some  mills  which  Las  vrok^d  a  stcvi  of  pro- 


test from  labour-leaders  all  over  the  country.  Govern- 
ment's assurance  to  purchase  foreign  cotton  at  floor 
prices  has  h.id  Httlo  effect  in  encouraging  the  off-take 
of  American  cotton  by  mills.  As  a  result,  supplies 
continue  to  pile  up  and  conditions  bordering  on  gene- 
ral panic  still  prevail  in  the  cotton  market  of  the 
country. 


»* 


The  ExiERNAL  Factors 

The  •  fundamental     reason    why     these     remedial 
measures  have  failed  to  ease  the  situation  is  that  the 
situation  is  caused  primarily  by  two  external  factors 
over  which   Government  has      practically  no  control. 
Firstly,   the  slump   in   textile   has   affected   all   manu- 
facturing countries  and  is  just  one  aspect  of  the  general 
depression  conditions  prevailing  all  over  the  world.    It 
is  a  fact  that  since  the  cessation  of  active  hostilities  in 
Korea    and    the    slacking    of    the    armaments     pro- 
gramme in  the  West,  there  has  been  a  general  down- 
ward trend  in  prices.     And  one  of  the  industries  thai 
have  been  quit€  seriously  affected  by  this  trend  is  the 
textile  industry.    Britain,  the  larger  market  for  Egyp- 
tian cotton,  took  only  33,809  bales  daring  the  August- 
January  period  this  season  as  against  153,750  bales  in 
the  corresponding  period  last  season.  Lancashire,  one 
of  the  important  textile  centres  of  the  world,  has  been 
hit  very  hard.    The  Lancashire  Textile  Literests  urged 
upon  the  attention  of  their    Government  the  need  for 
restricting  or  banning  the  import  of  foreign  cloth.    On 
the    top    of    these    difficulties    came    the  decision  of 
Australia  to  cut  British  imports  by  over  £  A  200,000,000 
in  order  to  balance  her  own  trade  position.    The  adop- 
tion of  short  time  working  by  the  Lancashire  mills  has 
resulted  in  serious     unemployment     and   the     British 
Government,  in      response  to   the  appeal  of  business 
classes  as  well  as  the     labourers,  have  restricted  the 
import   of   certain      varieties   of   foreign   cloth — ^white 
sheetings   from  India      and   grey   cloth   from      Japan. 
Those   restrictive  measures     have  reacted  upon  other 
countries.    Even  already  waves  of  selling  had  sent  tex- 
tile i)rices  cmshing  down  in  Japan  ;  and  leading*  Okasa 
cotton  spinners  decided  to  curtail  output  by  26%  ol 
the  previous  years*  output.     Short  time  working  has 
been  adopted  by  several  other  countries  as  well.     In 
Belgium,      spining  mills  close      two  days  each  week. 
Fiance    has  stopped     importing    Japanese    cloth  and 
many  of  the  French  textile  firms  are  working  below 
thirty  hours  per  week.    It  is  thus  clear  that  the  prob- 
lem presented  by  the  textile  slump  is  not  in  any  way 
special  to  India. 

In  the  second  place,  the  resurgence  of  Japanese 
industry  aft«r  the  war  is  an  important  factor  to  reckon 
with.  India  takes  the  second  rank  among  the  textile 
producing  countries  of  the  world.  In  1961,  of  the  total 
textile  output  of  the  world  (40/MX)  million  sq.  yards) 
US.A.  produced  11,480  million  act.  v^i^  ^t  *15S^  «A. 
India  produced  4,\(»  hviX^otl  «c\..  'jw^  ^  'SW1<».\a.>55J^ 
India  waa  tiie  laifse^  es^iVftt  ol  Vcise^fi*.  \\>afc^^^^ 


128 


THE  MODERN  REVIEW  FOR  FEBRUARY,  1953 


yards)  but  in  the  next  year  exports  fell  so  much  that 
India  ranked  fourth  among  the  textile  exporting 
countries  of  the  world.  On  the  other  hand,  during  the 
last  two  years,  Japan  has  developed  her  industry  so 
remarkably  that  not  only  has  she  increased  very  much 
her  total  production  but  has  also  succeeded  in  recover- 
ing her  lost  position  as  the  world's  leading  exporter  of 
cotton  fabrics.  Export  of  cotton  piece  goods  fipm 
Japan  in  1951  were  1062  million  sq.  yards  while  India 
shipped  only  744  milion  sq.  yards  in  the  finst  eleven 
months  of  1951.  The  export  of  Japan  in  1951  constitu- 
ted 46.1%  of  her  total  output  as  against  15.5%  in  1949. 
This  remarkable  development  in  the  short  period  of  a 
oouple  of  years  has  been  due  as  much  to  the  enterprise 
of  the  people  as  to  the  assistance  of  VBA,  in  the  form 
of  liberal  supply  of  cotton  and  finance.  As  a  result 
of  this  development,  Japan  has  been  able  to  capture 
many  of  the  external  markets  of  India,  and  it  is 
doubtful  whether  in  the  normal  course  of  events  India 
would  recover  her  lost  position. 

The  Way  Out 

It  may  be  seen  from  the  foregoing  analysis  that 
the  present  plight  of  the  textile  business  in  our  country 
is  due  mostly  to  adverse  external  circumstances.  In- 
creasing consumer  resistance,  higher  costs  of  production 
and  distributional  difficulties  would  have  aggravated 
the  condition  in  this  country,  but  these  are  at  best 
secondary  factors  and  hence  the  removal  of  these  diffi- 


culties has  not  improved  matters.  In  reality  the  way 
out  of  this  difficulty  lies  in  a  readjustment  in  the  atti- 
tude of  the  textile  interests  in  India.  It  id  idle  to 
expect  that  the  external  trade  would  reach  its  former 
dimensions.  But  at  the  same  time,  it  is  necessaiy  to 
realise  that  a  very  extensive  and  expanding  market 
awaits  exploitation  in  the  country. 

It  is  a  painful  fact  that  millions  in  our  countiy  are 
underfed  and  ill-clothed.  Even  today  in  many  of  the 
up-country  markets,  cQnaimers  pay  more  than  (be 
stamped  prices  for  the  cloth  which  they  buy..  It  if 
possible  to  increase  sales  to  a  considerable  extent 
inside  the  country.  But  then  it  b  necessary  to  concen- 
trate more  on  the  production  of  what  consumers  need 
and  what  they  can  afford  to  buy.  There  ifl,  thereofre, 
a  strong  case  for  the  production  of  more  and  more  of 
coarse  and  medium  cloth  and  also  for  bringing  do^ 
cost  by  adopting  improved  techniques  of  produotion, 
by  scientific  management  and  rationalisation.  Thifl^ 
however,  would  mean  lower  profits  and  may  be  ww 
palatable  to  business  classes  who  have  beea  accufltCHn- 
ed  to  huge  profits  during  the  last  few  years.  Bui  it  is 
necessary  that  'they  should  reconcile  themselves  to  tbe 
changed  state  of  affairs.  Freedom  in  business  ente^ 
prise  means  not  only  freedom  to  appropriate  profits, 
but  also  willingness  and  preparedness  to  bear  the 
losses.  Above  all,  textile  business  should  become  moie 
self-reliant  and  less  dependent  on  government  support 
and  encouragement. 


:0 


A  SHORT  mSTORY  OF  THE  NATIONAL  UBRARY 

By  Miss  BANI  BOSE,  b.a.,  nip    iJb., 
Assistant,  National  Library 


The  Calcutta  Public  Library  owes  its  origin  to  J.  H. 
Stocquol'^r,  Editor  of  Englishnian,  who  in  August,  1835 
fiirulated  an  address  among  the  principal  inhabitants 
of  Calcutfa.  136  gentlemen  supported  his  scheme.  On 
31st  August,  1835,  a  public  meeting  was  held  in  the 
Town  Hall,  with  Sir  John  Peter  Grant  in  the  Chair. 
A  provisional  Committee  of  24  was  formed  which 
included  only  two  Indians,  Rasik  Krishna  Mallik  and 
Russamoy  Dutt.  The  Committee  applied  for  a  tem- 
I)orary  use  of  apartments  in  the  Town  Hall  for  the 
Library,  which  apparently  was  not  granted.  J.  H. 
Stocqueler  was  elected  the  first  Hony.  Secretary  of  the 
Library.  On  March  8,  1836,  the  Library  was  opened. 

The  nucleus  of  the  Library  was    formed  by  dona- 
tions from  private  individuals  and    by    transfer  from 
the  Library  of  the  College  of  Fort  William,  of  a  valu- 
able  collection  of  books  consisting  of  4675  volumes  by 
^e  Goverjior-Gener&l  Lord  (then  Charles)  Metcalfe. 
TZe  attempt  to  secure  a  portion  of  the  Town  Hali 


for  the  Library  did  not  apparently  meet  with 
success.  The  Library  was  k)cated  in  the  house  of  Dr. 
F.  B.  Strong  at  Esplanade  Row  from  its  foundation 
when  in  July  1841,  it  was  removed  to  a  portion  of  the 
College  of  Fort  William. 

The  Library  was  allowed  by  the  Government, 
along  with  the  Agri-Horticultural  Society,  a  piece  of 
land  in  1840  on  which  the  Metcalfe  Hall  has  beeii^ 
built  .^  The  cost  of  the  building,  which  was  designed 
by  C.  K.  Robinson,  Magistrate  of^  Calcutta,  and  built 
by  Burn  &  Co.,  amounted  to  Rs.  68,000,  to  which  tki 
sum  contributed  by  the  Library  was  Rs.  16,3064)^,  tht 
balance  being  the  contribution  of  the  Agri-Horticul- 
tural Society  and  of  other  bodies  who  had  origiiiaOy 
intended  to  do  honour  individually  to  Lord  Metoklfo 
for  the  emancipation  of  the  Press  and  for  bis  pnnH^ 
and  public  service.  In  June,  1844,  the  Library  WM 
removed  to  the  upper  floor  of  the  Metcalfe  HaB. 


^   Report  on  Colcuita  BubUc  Libtory^  18V,  yi^o  ]|0^ 


( 


A  SHOft*  fllSTOtlY  OF  Tttfi  If AWOKaL  LlBftARY 


130 


MKinusasHXP 
pnally    Bubschben    were    divided    inio  three 

and  their  mibscriptiona  were  as  follows : 

Entrance  fee  Monthly 

-Bt  Cla«                 Us.  20  Ra.  6 

!Cond  Class             Rs.  16  Ra.  4 

lird  Class                     NU  Bs.  2 

rd  class  subscribers  were  not  permitted  to  take 

7  books  or  periodicals,  only     old    books  were 
.  In  1857,  the  following  new  scale  of  subscrip- 

8  introduced,  payable  in  advance  : 

Annual      Half  yearly    Qvarterly  Monthly 


Rs. 

Rs.a.p. 

Rs.a.p. 

Ks. 

ss 

60 

30 

17 

6 

kSS 

40 

21 

11 

4 

SB 

20 

10  8  0 

580 

2 

SS 

10 

580 

2120 

1 

iscriptions  falling  in  arrears  were  to  be  charged 
monthly  rate.  In  1864,  the  following  rule  was 
nd  Life  Memberships  introduced  : 

'^Subscribers  were  exempted  from  all  charge  of 
paying  their  subscription  for  10  years  or  making 
heir  subscription  10  years  payment.  Those  who 
thus  paid  up  were  entitlea,  during  the  remain- 
of  their  lives,  to  all  the  privileges  belonging  to 
Bribers  of  their  several  classes.'' 

3  fourth  class  subscribers  were  allowed  to  take 
y  one  old  book.  This  grade    was    abolished  in 
It  revived  again  in  1884.  The  number  of  books 
to  the  first  three  classes  in  1866,  were  : 


rst  class  ^ 
cond  class 
lird  class 


7  books 
5  books 
2  books 


1848,  the  monthly  average  of  subscription  was 
I  and  the  cost  of  establishment  Rs.  239,  giving 
noome  of  Rs.  663  exclusive  of  miscellaneous 
{.  In  1872,  the  monthly  average  of  subscription 
.  685  and  monthly  cost  of  establishment  Rs.  386 
vring  a  net  income  of  Rs.  299  as  against  Rs.  663 
taining  a  circulation  of  books  which  amoimted 
K)  sets  in  1872  as  against  20^  sets  in  1848. 

The  Patbons 

\  find  eminent  sons  of  Bengal  taking  active 
i  in  the  Library.  Among  the  first  proprietors 
Dwarka  Nath  Tagore,  Prasanna  Kumar  Tagore, 
branath  Tagore,  Ram  Gopal  Chose,  Raja  Radha 
Dev,  Matilal  Sil,  Raja  Satya  Charan  Ghosal, 
Pratap  Chandra  Singh,  Ramanath  Tagore, 
Nath  Sikdar  and  Rajendra  Nath  Datta. 

icaulay  was  in  India  in  1847  and  he  became  a 
tor  of  the  Library.  In  1852,  Sashi  Chandra 
Rama  Prasad  Roy  and  Kishori  Chand  Mitra 
the  Library  as  proprietors.  In  1859,  Sambhunath 
,  in  1861,  Shibchandra  Deb  and  Mohesh  Chandra 
bury,  in  1865  Dr.  Mohendralal  Sarkar,  in  1869 
ii  Chandra  Mitra>'  in  1S70  JaygovindA  Law  also 


joined  the  Library  as  proprietors.  Amongst  the  £\iro« 
peans  who  took  active  interest  in  the  Library  were 
James  Princep,  Sir  John  Peter  Grant,  J.  C.  Manhman^ 
H.  Beveridge,  J.  £.  Drinkwater  Bethune  and  J.  B. 
Knight. 

The  shares  of  proprietors  who  left  India  or  died, 
which  were  not  claimed  and  the  claimant's  title  was 
not  recognised  by  the  Ciu-ators  within  five  years  from 
the  time  of  such  death  or  departure,  reverted  to  the 
Library  at  the  end  of  such  five  years* 

The  News  Room 
The  News  Room  was  kept  open  from  sunrise  tO 
sunset  and  the  Library  from  9  a.m.    till    sunset  daily 
except  on  Sundays  and  the  following  holidays  : 


(1)  New  Year's  Day 

(2)  Saraswati  Puja 
(4)  Queen's  Birthday 

(4)  Good  Friday 

(5)  Durga  Puja 

(6)  Christmas  Day 


•  • 


•  • 


1  day 
1  day 
1  day 
1  day 
5  days 
1  day 


Catalogub 
The  first  catalogue  of  the  Library  was  published  in 
1836.  The  first  supplementary  classified  catalogue  of 
books  since  added  was  ready  for  the  press  in  1858  and 
was  published  in  1860.  The  second  supplementary 
catalogue  was  published  in  1867.  Since  then  the  cata/i- 
logue  was  revised  but  not  printed  because  sales  did  not 
justify  incurring  of  further  expenditure.  MSS  catalogue 
was  kept  ready*  for  reference. 

In  the  Annual  General  Meeting  of  1856  a  reso« 
lution  was  passed  for  fire  insurance  of  the  Library. 
Agri-Horticultural  Society  was  approached  to  join  the 
Library  in  effecting  insurance  of  the  building  against 
fire.  No  reply  was  received  and  the  proposal  does  not 
seem  to  have  materialised. 

Pbofosal  fob  Branch  Librabt 
In  1857,  it  was  decided  to  establish  a  branch 
Library  in  the  '*Native  part  of  the  Town"  experi. 
mentally  for  one  year.  Duplicates  of  periodicals  and 
books  were  allotted  to  it.  No  part  of  the  expense 
however  was  to  be  forced  by  the  Library.  'A  special 
committee  for  the  Library  was  formed  with  Raja 
Pratap  Chandra  Singh,  Ramanath  Tagore  and  P.  S.  D. 
Rozario.  Twenty-four  gentlemen,  of  whom  19  were 
Bengalis  and  included  men  like  Prasanna  Coomar 
Tagore,  Ramgopal  Chose,  Harachandra  Ghosh,  Peary 
Chand  Mitra,  Kisorichand  Mitra,  Rasik  Krishna 
Mallick,  Durgacharan  Banerjee  and  Dr.  Sarjecoomar 
Goodeve  Chakravarti,  agreed  to  pay  one  rupee 
monthly  towards  the  aid  of  the  proposed  branch 
Library.  Raja  Partap  Chandra  Singh  offered  free  of 
rent  two  rooms  of  his  Chuck  in  Nootun  Baiar  whidh 
were  however  not  found  well  suitable  lot  ^^  ^>33:^^^t«Rk« 
Whether  the  btuicYi  7?aa  ^\.>3a^  ?Juw\fc\  ^«a:M5^  Xj^ 
ascerUdaed. 


m 


THE  MODERN  REVIEW  FOR  FEBRUARY,  IdSS 


Estabushmicnt 

'      the  salaries  of  the  Library  staff  in  1849  and  1864 
^ere  as  follows ; 

1849  1864 

Rs.  Rs. 

Librarian                               120  200 

First  Assist&nt                      36  66—4—76 

,    .  Second  Assistant      )  40—2—50 

Third  Assistant         )            55  35— 1--55 

Fourth    Assistant      )  30_-l_-35 

Fifth    Assistant       )  35 

Cash   Keeper                          14  30-36 

13  Servants Total  Rs.  83-8-0. 

In  1866,  a  Sub-committee  was  formed  to  enquire 
into  the  number  and  pay  of  assistants,  whose  number 
was  reduced  to  3.  The  above  pay  scale  was  retained. 
The  Sub-committee  also  recommended  application  of 
a  portion  of  the  fixed  assets  of  the  Library  to  the 
purchase  of  standard  works,  the  sum  to  be  spent  being 
limited  to  Rs.  5000  during  1867  and  1868. 

Peary  Chand  Mitra  resigned  in  1866  as  stipendiary 
Librarian  and  remained  as  Hony.  Librarian.  A  Deputy 
Librarian  on  Rs.  100  was  appointed  to  relieve  him  from 
a  portion  of  his  detailed  duties.  The  designation  of 
Peary  Chand  Mitra  was  changed  to  Hony.  Curator  of 
the  Library.  Gopi  Kissen  Mitter  was  appointed  Deputy 
Librarian.  The  Deputy  Librarian  got  an  increment 
of  Rs.  20  in  1868. 

As  the  post  of  Hony.  Curator  carried  no  privilege 
with  it,  Peaiy  Chand  Mitra  was  finally  elected  Hony. 
Proprietor  in  1878.  The  only  other  Hony.  Proprietor 
was  Dr.  F.  P.  Strong.  In  1873,  the  following  pay 
revision  was  made  : 

Librarian  ..  ..        80—10—100 

1st  Asstt.  ..  ..        55—10—75 

2nd  Asstt.  ..  ..       30-10—50 

3rd  Asstt.  ..  ..        10 

The  designation  of  Deputy  Librarian  was  dropped. 

Idboloqical  Confuct 
The  year  1848  was  one  of  worldwide  advance  in 
democratic  ideals.  In  that  year  a  conflict  of  two  ideals 
in  the  Library,  namely,  authoritarianism  and  demo- 
cratisation  was  perceptible.  On  September  9,  1848,  T. 
Smith  wrote  from  Dum  Dum  a  letter  in  which  he 
suggested  methods  for  keeping  in  check  the  growing 
democratic  influence  in  the  management  of  the  Library. 
He  suggested  that  a  subscriber  of  the  third  class  be 
entitled  to  one  vote,  a  subscriber  of  the  second  class 
to  two,  and  a  subscriber  of  the  first  class  and  a  pro- 
prietor to  three  votes.  On  October  17  that  year 
Debendra  Nath  Tagore,  Prasanna  Kumar  Tagore, 
Ramgopal  Ghose,  Satya  Charan  Ghosal,  Protapchandra 
Singh  and  Peary  Chand  Mitra  wrote  : 

"The  number  of  volumes  now  forming  the 
collection  of  this  Library  is  about  20,000  to  which 
unrestricted  access  is  given  to  poor  students, 
strangers  and,  in  fact,  the  public  at  large  with- 
out any  charge.  One  of  the  great  objects  of  the 
lorwation  of  this  institution  is  the  dissemination  of 
Mrrapean  literature  and  science  iu  this  country " 


In  his  letter  the  signatories  supported  not  only 
the  broad  basis  of  the  Library  but  also  expressed 
their  desire  to  extend  it  further.  They  suggested  that 
the  curators  should  write  to  the  foreign  learned  society 
for  free  supply  of  their  publications.  Accordingly, 
apphcations  were  made  to  fifty  learned  societies  of 
Great  Britain.  T.  Smith's  letter  was  considered  in  a 
meeting  of  the  Curators  and  was  rejected. 

It  was  at  this  time  that  gradual  additions  to  the 
Library  of  works  of  different  oriental  languages 
started.  Arrangements  were  made  for  securing  through 
provincial  agents  books  in  Tamil,  Telugu,  Gujarati, 
Marathi  and  Punjabi  from  India  and,  Pali  and 
Singhalese  books  from  Colombo. 

In  1849,  the  abolition  of  entrance  fees,  reduction 
in  subscription  rates  and  establishment  of  a  one-rupee 
class  of  subscribers  extended  the  usefulness  of  the 
institution  without  causing  any  decrease  in  its  nK>nthly 
income.  The  increase  in  the  number  of  readers  after 
this  concession  may  be  seen  from  the  following 
figures  : 

August  1849  137 

September   1849        393 

October  1849  387 

November  1849         ..  ..  ..      360 

December   1849  323 

In  1850,  the  number  of  visitors  to  the  Library  was 
6603.  For  misuse  of  the  Library  admission  of  strangers 
was  restricted.  In  1851,  the  number  of  visitors  showed 
a  slight  decline  and  was  6823. 

Reoistratiox  of  the  Library 
The  Library  was  registered  under  Act  43  of  1850 
on  June,  1851.  The  management  of  the  Library  was 
reorganised  in  conformity  of  the  Registration  Act.  A 
Committee  of  three  Curators  to  be  chosen  annually 
by  the  Proprietors  and  subscribers  was  formed.  The 
Curators  were  deemed  to  be  trustees  of  the  Library. 
The  circulation  of  the  following  books  without  special 
permission  of  the  Curators  was  stopped  :  (1)  Encyclo- 
pedias, (2)  Dictionaries,  (3)  Regulations  and  Acts  of 
Governments,  (4)  Valuable  and  illustrated  books  and 
rare  books,  diflBx?ult  of  replacement.  Radhanath  Sikdar 
and  A.  H.  Blechynden  were  appointed  Auditors. 
Radhanath  Sikdar  donated  out  of  the  first  audit  fees 
that  he  received,  Rs.  39  to  the  Library  and  the  balance 
to  his  clerk  who  assisted  him  in  his  work.  The  full 
amount  of  the  fees  and  the  reason  for  arriving  at  such 
an  odd  figure  of  donation  to  the  Library  could  not 
be  ascertained. 

The  Library  was  also  registered  under  Act  21    of 
1860  in  1871. 

Reorganisation 
A  Sub-committee  consisting  of  A.  Rogers,  Jay- 
gopal  Sen,  Colly  Prasanna  Dutt  and  R.  H.  Hollingbery 
was  appointed  on  February  10,  1873  to  enquire  into 
the  financial  conditions  of  the  Calcutta  Public  Library. 
They  said  that  ''nothing  short  of  a    curtailment    q{ 


A  SHORT  HISTORY  OF  THE  NATIONAL  LIBRARY 


131 


sea  can  remove  the  existing  dissatisfaction  at 
>w  circulation  and  insufficient  supply  of  books  ; 
travagant  privileges  have  both  increased  the 
d  for  books  and  reduced  the  Librar>'*s  means  for 
g  that  demand,  nay,  they  must  al^  have  pre- 

many  persons  from  becoming  subscribers  who 
he  use,  through  subscribing  friends,  of  the  books 

the  latter  can  afford  to  lend,  out  of    excessive 

which  they  now  get  from  the  Library."  Reduc- 
f  privileges  was  considered  imperatively  neces. 
nd  was  effected.  Jay  Gopal  Sen  and  Colly 
na  Dutt  suggested  the  formation  of  two  com- 
I  of  management,  viz.,  a  Finance  Committee  of 
members  to  be  elected  annually  from  the  pro- 
B  and  a  Committee  of  Selection  to  include  the 
e  Committee  and  additional  members.  Rogers 
ollingbery  suggested  a  Council  of  15  members 
Qg  8  proprietors.  It  was  also  proposed  that  issue 
!  books  and  new  periodicals  should  be  stopped, 
ommittee  reported  on  May  6,  1873. 

pursuance  of  the  Report  of  the  Sub-committee 
anieation  of  the  Library  was  made.  The  manage. 
vsLs  entrusted  to  a  Council  of  15  of  whom  8 
tors  and  7  subscribers  of  Class  1  and  Class  2  were 
lected.  Two  committees  were  to  be  formed  from 
it  members  of  the  Council — (t)  Finance,  Cor- 
lence  and  Hou»e  Committee  and   (n)  Commit- 

selection  of  books,  periodicals  and  other  publi- 

and  preparation  of  catalogues. 
e  first  President  of  the  Council  was  J.  A.  Craw- 
id  Vice-Presidents  J.  B.  Knight  and  RamanatH 
.  The  Council  included  J;ij?adananda  Mookcrjee, 
al  Sen  and  Jadunath  Ghosc.  David  Waldie 
!  one  of  the    Joint -Audi  tors    and    Oopikrishna 

the  Librarian.  In   1874,     in     addition  to  the 
three,  Peary  Chand  Mitra  and  Romesh  Chandra 

came  in  the  Council. 

iharaja  Narendra  Krishna  was  the  fir^t  Indian 
the  President  of  the  Council  in  1877.  Dr. 
iralal  Sarkar  was  elected  Vice-President  in 
id  continued  till  1882. 

The  Difficult  Pebiod 
1885,  the  year  of  the  birth  of  the  Indian 
al  Congress,  the  Library  was  in'  acute  financial 
icy.  The  book  purchase  grant  was  reduced, 
id  put  forward  a  proposal  that  a  Sub-committee 
3inted  to  arrange  some  basis  on  which  the  local 
ment  might  join  the  Council  in  developing  the 
'.  This  proposal  was  unanimou^jly  carried  and  a 
nmittce  of  six  proprietors  was  formed.  A. 
izic  proposed  that  the  Lil)rary  should  be  con- 
into  a  free  Public  Library.  The  Council  ap- 
of  the  Mackenzie  scheme.  Mackenzie  was  in 
of  converting  the  institution  into  a  Municipal 
.  His  scheme  was  as  follows  : 

1.  The  Library  and  all  its  appurtenances  to  be 
!e  over  to  the  MunicipaUty  of  Ca/cutta,  to  be 


by  it  maintained  in  perpetuity  as  a  free  Library 
f9r  the  Town  and  Suburbs,  to  which  all  respectabto 
citizens  shall  be  admitted  for  purposes  of  reading 
and  study  on  the  premises  ;  all  invested  funds  so 
transferred  to  be  subject  to  any  trusts  or  charges 
now  existing. 

2.  The  free  Library  to  be  supplemented  by  a 
"Lending  Department"  open  only  to  subscribers 
and  to  the  holders  of  "shares"  in  the  old  (present) 
Public  Library. 

3.  The  management  of  the  Library,  in  all 
departments  to  be  vested  in  a  Council  composed  as 
follows  : 

(1)  Six  nominees  of  the  Municipality. 

(2)  Four  elected  representatives  of  the  Pro- 
prietors of  the  old   (present)  Library. 

(3)  Two  nominees  of  the  Bengal  Government 
(these  last  to  look  specially  after  the  large  interests 
which  Government  has  in  the  Library  collection, 
and  to  see  to  the  due  appropriation  of  any  grants). 

(4)  Transferable  snares  of  proprietors  of  the 
old  (present)  Library  to  continue  transferable,  but, 
without  registration  fee  or  fine  on  transfer,  the 
hokiers  to  have  in  the  Lending  Department  all  the 
privileges  of  first  class  subscribers. 

(6)  The  free  Library  to  be  open  from  6  km, 
to  10  P.M.  daily;  the  cost  of  books,  papers  and 
periodicals,  establishment,  and  lighting  to  be  borne 
by  the  Municipality. 

(6)  The  Lending  Department  to  be  open 
between  the  hours  of  10  a.m.  and  5  p.m.  on  all  week, 
days;  the  cost  of  books,  etc.,  and  establishment  to 
be  met  from  subscriptions,  and  the  proceeds  of  any 
invested  funds  made  over  to  the  Municipality  by 
the  old  (pres»cnt)  Library  which  are  not  subject  to 
any  specific  tmst. 

(7)  The  Municipality  to  be  empowered  to 
levy  a  Library  rate,  not  exceeding  one  pie  in  the 
rupee  of  the  town  a^se-'^ment  for  the  maintenance 
of  the  froe  I/brnr>'  and  the  repair  of  the  building, 
etc. 

(8)  The  BtMijfal  Government  to  be  invited  to 
contribute  towards  the  establishment  of  the  free 
Library  by  providing  suitable  accommodation  for 
the  Agricultural  and  Horticultural  Society,  either  in 
connection  with  the  Economic  Museum  or  elsewhere 
as  may  best  meet  the  wishes  of  that  Society.  Fail- 
ing this  the  Municipality  to  be  empowered  to 
appropriate  by  purchase  the  Society's  share  m  the 
Metcalfe  Hall. 

(9)  The  Bengal  Government  to  be  asked  to 
undertake  any  legislation  necessary  to  give  validity 
to  these  arrangements. 

Mackenzie  pointed  out  that  the  maintenance  of 
the  Free  Library  was  a  Municipal  duty,  but  Govern- 
ment might  very  probably  see  its  way  to  helping  if 
matters  were  properly  laid  before  it.  The  burden  on 
the  town  would  be  infinitesimal.  A  one-pie  cess  will 
realise  on  *he  present  assessment  about  Rs.  60,000. 

A  resolution  passed  at  a  special  meeting  of  the 
Library  on  30.1.1886  : 

"That  it  be  referred  to  the  Council  of  the 
Library  to  enter  into  negotiations  with  the  Govern- 
ment of  Bengal  and  the  Corporation  of  Calcutta 
with  the  view  of  converting  the  Library  into  a  Free 
Public  Library,  preserving  the  rights  of  the  Pro- 
prietors so  far  as  can  consistently  b^  ^\2l^  ^9^\^ 
to  the  appTOva\  ol  VVl^  m^ls:^aet^  ^\»  ^  ^s^^v^  \aR^- 


ing. 


11 


\ 


133 


IBE  MODERN  REVIEW  FOR  FEBRUARY,  1053 


On  March  21,  1887,  Government  turned  down  the 
request  on  financial  ground.  The  Corporation  stated 
that  as  the  conditions  for  uses  of  free  Public  Libraries 
in  European  towns  was  scarcely  existent  in  Calcutta, 
the  Corporation  was  hardly  justified  in  supporting  a 
Free  Library  which  would  be  used  almost  entirely  by 
the  wealthier  members  of  the  community  who  then 
subscribed  to  it  and  would  probably  cease  to  do  so. 

In  1888,  Sir  Stuart  Bailey,  Lt.-Govemor  of  Bengal, 
revived  the  Mackenzie  Scheme  of  1885.  A  Committee 
of  five  of  whom  three  were  Government  nominees  and 
two  elected  by  the  Library  was  formed.  Dr.  Mahendra- 
lal  Sarkar  was  taking  active  interest  in  the  formation 
of  the  Municipal  Library  and  represeited  the  Library 
on  this  Committee.  This  time  the  effort  met  with 
success.  At  the  meeting  of  the  Commissioners  of  Cal- 
cutta Corporation  on  January  15,  1890,  the  Corpora- 
tion accepted  the  recommendation  of  the  Govern- 
ment committee  and  agreed  to  bear  the  entire  expenses 
of  the  Library. 

The  management  of  the  Library  then  passed  on  to 
a  joint  committee  of  which  six  were  to  be  appointed 
by  the  Corporation  and  six  by  the  proprietors  and  the 
subscribers  of  the  Library.  The  President  of  the 
Library  must  be  elected  from  the  Municipal  nominees, 
and  the  Vice-President  from  others.  Sir  H.  Harrison 
was  at  this  time  the  Chairman  of  the  Calcutta  O^r- 
poration. 

MXTNICIPAL  LmBABT 

On  April  20,  1890,  the  management  of  the  Library 
passed  into  the  hands  of  the  Calcutta  Corporation.  On 
May  20,  1890,  the  new  Council  was  ekcted.  H.  Lee, 
Chairman  of  Calcutta  Corporaiton,  was  elected  Presi- 
dent of  the  Library  Council  and  Maharaja  Narendra 
Krishna,  Vice-President.  The  Council  included  H. 
Beveridge  and  Dr.  Mahendralal  Sarkar.  Bepin  Chandra 
Pal  was  selected  as  Secretary  and  Librarian  out  of  219 
applicants  for  the  post. 

New  rules  were  prepared  and  passed  by  the  Coun- 
cil en  November  24,  1890.  The  preparation  of  a  general 
list  of  books  arranged  according  to  author's  names, 
with  copious  and  detailed  cross  references  under 
subject-headings,  making  what  is  known  as  a  Dic- 
tionary Catalogue,  was  imdertaken  imder  the  direction 
of  the  new  Librarian.  The  new  system  was  adopted  at 
the  suggestion  of  H.  Beveridge,  member  of  the  Council 
and  the  late  President  of  the  Asiatic  Society  of  Bengal. 

The  Free  Public  Reading  Room  was  opened  in 
July  1800.  Under  the  new  arrangement  a  Free  Refer- 
ence Library  was  formed  side  by  side  with  the  existing 


circulating  Library.  Popularity  and  usefulness  of  ths 
Reference  Department  increased  as  soon  as  the  Public 
Reading  Room  was  opened.  The  number  of  subscribers 
£or  the  circulating  section  did  not  show  any  increase. 

In  1892,  Bepin  Chandra  Pal  resigned  and  Radha 
Raman  Mitra  was  appointed  Secretary  and  Librarian. 

The  growth  in  the  popularity  of  the  Library  since 
it  was  taken  over  by  the  Municipality  can  be  seen 
from  the  table  : 

A  comparative  statement  of  attendance  at  the 
Free  Reading  Rooms 
Years  European  &    Indians    Total    Daily^verage 

Eurasians,  etc.  during  the  yeai 

1890-91  8460  4830       13299  50.7 

1891-92  14858         12984       27842  78 

1892-93  15475  17295       32770  92.4 

On  the  Council  of  1892-93  Corporation  representa- 
tives, besides  the  Chairman  himself,  included  Narendra 
Nath  Sen,  Editor,  Indian  Mirror,  Deva  Prasad  Sarva- 
dhikari,  Radha  Charan  Pal  and  Nawab  Abdul  Latif 
Khan. 

Tre  Government  of  Bengal  paid  a  donation  of 
Rs.  5000  towards  the  expenses  of  the  reorganisation  of 
the  Library.  A  further  sum  of  Rs.  5000  was  paid  after 
the  Council  raised  an  equivalent  amount  by  subscrip- 
tion. In  1891,  Messrs  Lovelock  &  Lewis,  Chartered 
Accountants,  were  appointed  as  Auditors  of  the 
Library. 

In  1890,  the  Government  of  Bengal  proposed  to 
make  over  to  the  Library  a  large  collection  of  English 
and  Vernacular  books  of  the  Bengal  Library  to  be  kept 
for  reference  in  the  Cakutta  Public  Library  on  condi- 
tion that  Hara  Prasad  Sastri,  the  Librarian  of  the 
Bengal  Library,  should  be  a  Government  nominee  on 
the  Council.  The  Proprietors  and  subscribers  of  the 
Library  objected  and  said  that  either  the  number  of 
members  of  the  Council  be  increased  to  14  giving  7 
to  Proprietors,  6  to  the  Municipality  and  one  to  the 
Government,  or  the  new  member  should  have  no  vote 
except  on  matters  relating  to  the  Government  collection. 
A  Sub-committee  was  formed  which  recommended 
that  Hara  Prasad  Sastri's  nomination  on  the  Council 
could  be  accepted  only  if  the  number  of  Proprietors 
and  Subscribers'  representatives  was  increased  to  7. 
The  Government  withdrew  its  offer  of  placing  the 
Bengal  Library  books  at  the  Calcutta  JPublic  Library 
for  reference  since  the  Council  could  not  see  their  way 
to  appointing  Hara  Prasad  Sastri  as  the  Government 
representative. 

{To  be  continued) 


A  SUMMARY  SURVEY  OF  ART  JOURNALS  IN  INDIA 


Bt  kaundinya 


Qhb  of  the  indices  to  the  interest  of  a  people  in  iti 
national  art  is  the  number  of  books  and  periodioals 
published  to  afford  facilities  for  discussion  or  disse- 
mination of  the  art-products  of  a  nation.  Periodicals 
and  journals  on  Art  help  to  sustain  interest  in  the 
subject,  whet  curiosity,  and  assist  a  critical  under- 
standing and  judgment  of  the  merits  and  qualities  of 
art  produced,  and,  otherwise  stimulate  and  inspire  its 
development  on  healthy  lines.  The  number  and  the 
merits  of  journals  of  art  published  from  time  to  time, 
offer  interesting  evidence  of  the  interest  of  a  people  in 
the  culture  of  the  visual  arts,  and  are  a  sure  index  of 
the  vitality  of  its  spiritual  life,  which  finds  expression 
more  in  the  expressive  channels  of  art  than  of 
literature.  Literature  is  confined  to  a  fractional  section 
of  the  people,  particularly  in  India,  where  illiteracy 
has  been  a  handicap  in  all  periods  of  its  history,  while 
the  visual  arts  have  been  practised  and  understood  by 
both  the  Hterate  and  the  illiterate  sections.  The  culti- 
vation of  the  visual  arts  and  a  critical  appreciation  of 
its  finest  products,  ancient  and  modem,  have  been  a 
staple  part  of  the  culture  of  all  the  civilised  peoples 
of  Europe  and  America  as  evidenced  by  various 
National  Galleries  of  Art,  set  up  in  every  city  of  the 
West  and  the  brisk  trade  in  and  a  live  patronage  of 
art-products,  for  which  there  is  a  passionate  thirst 
incessantly  demanding  a  fulfilment. 

It  was  expected  'that  in  Free  India,  Indian 
nationals  would  exhibit  a  renewed  and  re-awakened 
interest  in  Indian  visual  arts  which  have  illuminated 
the  pages  of  history  in  the  past.  The  masterpieces  of 
art  produced  in  historical  periods  in  all  branches  of 
the  nation's  culture,  her  architecture,  sculpture,  paint- 
ing and  an  infinite  variety  of  crafts  and  objects  ^f 
applied  art,  provide  a  brilliant  record  of  intellectual 
and  spiritual  life,  the  merits  and  extent  of  which  are 
very  little  realised  by  our  so-called  educated  brethren 
today. 

The  comparative  decadence  and  the  ebb-tide  in 
the  cultivation  of  the  visual  arts  have  been  due  not  to 
any  inherent  debility  or  loss  of  energy  in  Indian  art, 
but  due  to  a  general  apathy,  and,  to  the  disturbance 
of  the  social  and  spiritual  equilibrium  and  to  anta- 
gonistic political  and  economic  forces  introduced  by 
the  British  dominion  in  India  for  the  last  century  and 
a  half. 

But  even  this  dark  period  of  art  culture  has  from 
time  to  time  evinced  sporadic  interest  in  the  subject 
which  one  can  gauge  by  taking  a  stock  of  the  periodical 
publicatoins  on  Art,  produced  during  the  lajst  century. 

It  is  proposed  to  give  a  running  commentary  on 
various  journals  of  Indian  art,  which  have  appeared 
and  disappeared  in     India    since     the    last     decade 


of  the  nineteenth  century.  We  cannot  trace  the 
appearance  of  any  art  periodical  previous  to  1884. 
The  earliest  journal  on  the  subject  was  due 
to  the  initiative  of  not  Indian  nationals,  but 
of  the  British  Government,  helped  by  a  group  of 
English  connoisseurs  of  art,  who  developed  a  curiosity 
to  know  and  apprabe  the  art-products  of  a  conquered 
continent. 

1884  :  Pursuant  to  an  official  resolution  of  the 
Government  of  India  in  the  Department  of  Revenue 
and  Agriculture,  dated  at  Calcutta  on  the  14th  March, 
1884,  reconunending  the  improvement  of  Indain  art- 
manufactures  and  the  promotion  of  trade  in  Indian 
art-wares,  a  Journal  oj  Indian  Art  was  begun  to  be 
published  with  the  help  of  those  who  desire  the  promo- 
tion of  Oriental  Art  with  the  practical  object  of  esta- 
blishing in  all  parts  of  the  world  in  which  an  interest 
is  taken  in  the  art-manufactiu'ers  of  India,  a  better 
knowledge  of  the  various  types  now  existing,  "with  the 
view  both  of  increasing  the  demand  for  them,  and  of 
facilitating  their  supply  through  the  agency  of  traders 
in  Oriental  wares  to  whom,  it  is  anticipated,  that  the 
information  will  be  useful."  In  the  preface  to  the  first 
number  issued  in  Januaiy  1884  (price  Re.  1  or  Is.  0d) 
it  was  stated  that  ''this  Journal  will  afford  a  means 
of  receiving  information  regarding  specimens  of  East- 
em  art-wares  or  illustrations  and  sketches  of  their 
designs  and  patterns  which  cannot  fail  to  be  useful  in 
the  restoration  of  Indian  art." 

Published  as  a  Quarterly  Journal  in  folio  size 
(15  in.  X  10  in.)  under  the  patronage  of  tiie  Govern- 
ment of  India,  edited  by  an  anonymous  Editor  and 
printed  by  Messrs.  W.  Griggs  &  Sons  Ltd.  (Pekham, 
London)  it  was  continuously  issued  in  four  numbers 
in  each  year,  right  up  to  the  year  1916  and  sold  latterly 
at  2  shillings  per  issue.  The  seven  volumes  cofciAain 
very  valuable  articles  by  experts  and  Government 
officials  bearing  on  various  phases  of  Indian  applied 
art,  such  as  wood-carving,  brass,  copper  and  silver 
wares,  carpets  and  textiles,  ivories  and  jewelleries  with 
excellent  illustrations  reproduced  in  photo-lithographs 
and  collotypes  in  which  Messrs  Griggs  &  Sons  were 
expert  engravers.  Originally  confined,  principally,  to 
art-wares  and  crafts,  during  the  closing  years  of  its 
career  the  journal  extended  its  scope  and  published 
articles  on  Indian  sculpture  and  painting,  e.Q., 
Coomaraswamy's  articles  on  "Painted  Ceiling  at 
Kelaniya  Vihara,"  Jaina  illustrated  MSS.,  "Notes  on 
Jaina  Art,"  "Rajput  Miniatures"  (The  Eight  Nayikas) 
(No.  124,  1914)  and  O.  C.  Gangoly's  article  on  the 
"New  Indian  School  of  Painting."  It  is  desirable  that 
the  officers  of  the  National  lAbx^sTJ  ^wJS.\  Ss«^^  ^ 
classified  cateAogae  oi  \!ti«i  wsaJuwsXa  ^V    >Ss^  \wsKMai-, 


134 


THE  MODERN  REVIEW  FOR  FEBRUARY,  1«68 


specifying  the  titles  of  articles  and  their  authors  for 
the  use  of  our  research-scholars,  and,  until  such  an 
Index  is  issued  scholars  may  find  references  to  the 
important  articles  given  by  Coomaraswamy  in  his 
Bibliographies  of  Indian  Art  (Museum  of  Fine  Arts, 
Boston,  1945).  Being  a  journal,  printed  and  published 
from  London  but  financed  by  the  Government  of  India, 
strictly  speaking,  this  publication  does  not  come  within 
the  scope  of  our  survey  confined  to  publications  in 
India. 

1902  :  Archaeology  is  a  science  rather  than  a  direct 
study  of  art  though  it  collects  valuable  raw  materials 
and  data  for  the  study  of  the  history  of  art.  From  this 
point  of  view  the  profusely  and  excellently  illustrated 
Aiinual  Reports  of  the  Director-General  of  Archaeology 
in  India,  initiated  by  Sir  John  Marshall  from  1902 
•  (printed  by  the  Superintendent,  Government  Printing, 
Calcutta)  do  not  come  strictly  under  the  list  of  Art 
Journals.  But  they  contain  authoritative  and  excellent 
articles  and  discussions  and  first-hand  reports  on  valu- 
able data  for  art-history  based  on  the  discovery  of 
new  materials  of  the  study  of  Indian  art  unearthed 
and  revealed  by  scientific  excavations  and  explorations. 
The  articles,  surveys  and  details  of  excavations,  pub- 
lished in  these  profusely  illustrated  Reports,  are  in- 
dispensable for  all  students  of  Indian  art  and  have 
richly  performed  the  function  of  a  journal  of  Indian 
art.  After  the  retirement  of  Sir  John  Marshall  this 
annual  publication  has  been  continued  to  be  edited 
and  published  by  his  Indian  successors  Rai  Bahadur 
Dayaram  Sahani,  Rai  Bahadur  K.  N.  Dikshit  and 
others. 

These  Reports  contain,  besides  details  of  adminis- 
trative, conservation  and  exploration  works,  important 
articles  discussing  various  phases  of  the  history  of 
Indian  art  with  citations  of  profusely  illustrated 
specimens  of  ancient  and  mediaeval  art,  contributed 
by  trained  archaeological  experts,  namely,  the  Assistant 
Superintendents  of  Archaeological  Survey  of  the  various 
circles  covering  the  archaeological  sites  and  monuments 
in  the  different  provinces.  The  prices  of  these  Reports 
(published  in  Folio  size,  13  in.  X  11  in.)  have  varied 
according  to  the  number  of  pages  and  illustrations 
from  Rs.  15  to  Rs.  25  per  volume.  This  annual  pub- 
lication covering  the  work  of  the  Survey  under  various 
sections  of  conservation,  exploration  and  research, 
epigraphy,  museums,  treasure-trove,  etc.,  was  published 
up  to  the  period  1936-37  after  whieh  its  scope 
was  cut  down  to  conservation  Report  only  (1937-5S). 
Fortunately  the  contents  of  this  periodical  pub- 
lication are  covered  by  two  Index  Volumes, 
the  first  covering  the  period  1902-1916  by  G. 
R.  Kaye  (1924)  and  the  second  volume  covering  the 
subsequent  period.  In  addition  to  these  Annual 
Reports,  the  Department  has  published  a  long  series 
of  memoirs  or  monographs  devoted  to  various  impor- 
/•a7/  moDuments  and  archaeological  data  and  materials 
wA/cA  cover  seventy  separate  memoirs,  the  last  number 


70,  being  devoted  to  an  excellent  survey  of  the  Gupt& 
Temple  at  Deogarh  by  Pandit  M.  S.  Vata.  Theee 
memoirs  should  be  covered  by  an  Index  specifying  the 
subject  treated  and  their  authors. 

The  Annual  ReporU  of  the  Archaeological  Survey 
appear  to  have  been  discontinued  after  1937  and  re- 
placed by  a  periodical  bulletin  under  the  title  Ancient 
India  issued  from  1947.  This  bulletin  continued  in 
s3Yeral  issues  has  published  various  important  articles 
of  great  scientific  values,  elucidating  the  history  of 
Indian  art  in  many  of  its  phases.  We  can  cite  here 
only  a  few  of  the  many  contributions  that  have 
appeared  in  Ancient  India  :  (1)  Pottery  of  Ahichhatra 
by  Ghosh  and  Panigrahi  (January,  1946),  (2)  Image 
of  Mahadeva  in  the  (Illave-temple  on  Elephant  Island, 
by  S.  Kramrisch  (July  1946),  (3)  The  Terracottas  of 
Ahichhatra  by  V.  S.  Agarwala  (July  1947-January 
1948),  (4)  Sisupalgarh  (1948),  An  Early  Historical 
Fort  in  Eastern  India  by  B.  B.  Lai  (January  1949). 
Unfortunately  no  issues  for  1961  and  1952  have  yet 
been  published. 

1920  :  An  epoch-making  event  in  the  history  of 
the  study  of  Indian  art  was  the  publication  (as  the 
organ  of  the  Indian  Society  of  Oriental  Art)  of  Rupam, 
a  Quarterly  Journal  of  Oriental  Art,  chiefly  Indian,  of 
which  the  first  issue  appeared  in  January,  1920,  edited 
by  O.  C.  Gangoly,  the  Vice-President  of  the  Art 
Society  which  was  founded  a  few  years  ago  by 
Abanindranath  Tagore  in  association  with  a  group  of 
Englishmen  deeply  interested  in  the  study  and  appre- 
ciation of  Indian  art,  of  whom  the  leading  figures  were 
Sir  John  Woodroffe,  W.  Thornton  (Architect),  Norman 
Blount  (Connoisseur  of  Art).  The  first  number  made 
a  sensation  throughout  the  world  of  art  presenting  the 
surprising  features  of  Indian  Art  with  three  significant 
contributions  throwing  new  light  on  three  important 
phases  of  Indian  art-history  :  (1)  A  Panel  from  the 
Pallava  Temples  at  Mahavalipuram,  (2)  The  Conti- 
nuity of  Pictorial  Tradition  in  the  Art  of  India,  illus- 
trating the  link  between  the  Buddhist  Art  of  Ajanta 
(Western  India)  with  the  Pala  school  of  painting, 
continuing  the  tradition  in  Bengal,  as  demonstrated  by 
a  series  of  colour  reproductions  from  the  llth  century 
MS.  illustrations  of  Prajnaparamita,  written  during  the 
reign  of  Ramapala,  (3)  Kirtimukha,  The  Life-history 
of  an  Indian'  Architectural  Ornament,  with  34  illustra- 
tions. The  study  of  Indian  art,  particularly  its  master- 
pieces of  painting,  had  suffered  grievously  in  the  past 
owing  to  clumsy  and  inadequate  processes  of  repro- 
ductions which  had  failed  to  convey  the  refined  beauty 
and  delicate  flavour  of  Indian  masterpieces.  The 
Editor,  therefore,  chalked  out  a  programme  to  re- 
produce choice  masterpieces  of  painting  by  the  most 
perfect  process  of  four-colour  production,  perfected 
by  the  English  engravers  and  to  present  master- 
pieces of  sculpture  by  the  photograNiire  process 
(never  before  used  in  any  Indian  publication),  which 
reproduced  iVie  cbatacteristic  beauties  of  Indian  plastic 


A  SUMMARY  SURVEY  OF' ART  JOURNALS  IN  INDIA 


135 


Art  with  meticulous  details,  impossible  to  obtain  in  the 
half-tone  process.  Even  for  the  black  and  white  plates, 
published  in  Rupam,  the  blocks  were  made  in  London 
in  250-grain  screen,  never  used  in  any  illustrated  books 
or  periodicals  in  India.  This  new  Journal  of  Art, 
printed  on  Indian  hand-made  paper,  at  once  set  a  very 
high  standard  of  excellence  to  reveal  all  the  intrinsic 
beauty  a^d  delicacy  of  Indian  art  and  its  evasive 
flavour,  through  the  finest  processes  of  reproduction, 
so  that  the  unique  quality  of  Indian  art  could  be 
conveyed  to  the  best  connoisseurs  of  art  without  any 
loss  of  values  and  merits.  This  high  standard  set  for 
reproducing  Indian  masterpieces  at  once  appealed  to 
students  of  art  and  helped  to  build  up  a  group  of 
connoisseurs  in  India  and  made  them  sensitive  to  the 
peculiar  merits  of  Indian  art  as  unique  expression  of 
the  Indian  mind,  revealed  through  perfect  processes 
of  reproduction. 

Very  valuable  research-work  has  been  contributed 
by  Indian  scholars,  research-workers,  and  talented  pro- 
fessors in  our  Indian  Universities  to  elucidate  the 
history  and  the  development  of  various  branches  of 
Indian  culture,  particularly,  through  the  edition  and 
reading  of  important  inscriptions,  coins,  MSS,  travel- 
records  and  other  sources  revealing  the  march  of 
Indian  civilisation  in  the  dynastic  histories  of  kings 
and  through  the  discovery  of  many  imknown  master- 
pieces of  Sanskrit,  Pali,  Prakrita  and  other  literatures. 
The  valuable  new  discoveries  of  new  data  of  Indian 
history  have  been  incessantly  published  in  the  various 
research  journals  in  India,  numbering  more  than  a 
dozen  monthly  and  periodical  publications.  But  the 
researches  of  our  Indian  scholars  have  scarcely  touched 
the  rich  and  colourful  records  of  Indian  art  in  its 
numerous  phases.  Rupam  for  the  first  time  opened  a 
new  forum  for  publishing  open  discussions  and  inten- 
sive studies  of  Indian  art-history,  in  all  its  diverse 
branches  and  schools,  incessantly  presenting  new 
documents  for  study  hitherto  unknown  or  neglected. 
By  presenting  masterpieces  of  Indian  art  through  the 
most  perfect  processes  of  reproduction,  it  opened  the 
eyes  of  Indians  to  the  profound  beauties  of  their 
national  art  and  won  lovers  and  admirers  of  the 
unique  phases  of  Indian  culture  throughout  the  world. 
It  easily  won  the  co-operation  of  Oriental  scholars  in 
foreign  countries  who  considered  it  an  honour  to 
contribute  to  its  pages.  In  this  way  the  best  authorities 
and  experts  of  Oriental  Art  were  drawn  to  assemble 
under  the  glorious  yellow  banner  of  Indian  art.  It  will 
be  suflicient  to  mention  only  a  few  names  of  the 
European  orientalists  who  have  contributed  to  its 
pages  :  E.  Vredenberg  (Geologist),  James  H.  Cousins 
(Irish  poet),  C.  R.  Ashbee  (Architect),  T.  W.  Arnold, 
J.  Hackin  (Tibetan  expert),  Laurence  Binyon  (Eng- 
lish authority  on  Far  Eastern  Art),  F.  D.  K.  Bosch 
(Dutch  archaeologist),  W.  S.  Hadaway  (Principal, 
Madras  School  of  Art),  E.  B.  Ha  veil,  Hermann  Goetz 
(Gemum  authority  on  Moghul  painting),  Alfred  SaI- 


mony  (expert  on  Asiatic  Art),  Horace  F.  Jayne 
(American  authority  on  Chinese  Art),  H.  Parmentier 
(French  archaeologist),  E.  Blochet  (French  expert  on 
Persian  painting)  and  Stella  Kramrisch. 

In  the  absence  of  a  complete  Index  to  Rupam, 
published  in  44  quarterly  issues  covering  eleven  years' 
brilliant  presentation  of  Indian  and  EaM^rn  art  in 
many  phases  (1920-1930),  it  is  impossible  to  refer  to 
the  numerous  valuable  contributions  which  adorned  its 

■ 

pages.  We  must  be  content  by  referring  to  a  few  of  its 
original  and  brilliant  contributions.  Of  Dr.  A.  K. 
Coomaraswamy's  many  illimiinating  contributions  to 
its  pages  the  most  outstanding  items  were  **Nagara 
Painting"  (Nos.  37,  38),  "Buddhist  Reliefs  from 
Nagarjimikonda  (Nos.  38,  39),  "Drawings  of  Rabindra- 
nath  Tagore"  (No.  44)  and  ''Relations  of  Moghul  and 
Rajput  Paintings"  (No.  31).  Many  Indian  authorities 
contributed  some  very  valuable  papers  reveaUng  many 
new  documents  of  Indian  painting.  Of  these  contri- 
butors, eulogistic  references  must  be  made  to  the 
two  epoch-making  articles  by  A  jit  Ghose,  the  well- 
known  collector  and  connoisseur  of  Indian  art.  (1)  ''Old 
Bengal  Paintings^  (Nos.  27,  28),.  (2)  "The  BasohU 
School  of  Rajput  Painting"  (No.  37).  Equally  epoch- 
making  was  the  discovery  of  the  dated  Roll  of  Vasanta 
Vilasa  (Indian  Painting  in  the  15th  century,  Rupam, 
Nos.  22,  23).  The  Editor's  own  original  contributions 
are  represented  by  four  illuminating  articles  "Kirti- 
mukha"  (No.  1),  "The  Mithuna  in  Indian  Art" 
(Nos.  22,  23),  'The  Cult  of  Agastya''  (No.  25,  January 
1926),  "On  the  Authenticity  of  the  Feminine  Portraits 
of  the  Moghul  School"  (Nos.  33,  34).  Of  other  Indian 
contributors  reference  must  be  made  to  Dr.  Suniti 
Kumar  Chatterjee's  brilliant  article  on  "Some 
Ramayana  Reliefs  from  Prambanam"  (Nos.  33,  34) 
and  his  critical  review  of  Gangoly's  "Masterpieces  of 
Rajput  Painting"  (No.  36).  The  Rupam  specialized  in 
publishing  long  and  elaborate  reviews  of  all  important 
books  and  monographs  on  Oriental  art,  and  its  reviews 
have  stimulated  and  inspired  the  study  and  appre- 
ciation of  the  merits  of  Asiatic  art  for  more  than  a 
decade.  Of  many  outstanding  reviews  we  can  only 
mention  a  few  examples  :  E.  B.  Havell's  review  of 
Kramrisch's  Fundamentals  of  Indian  Art  (Nos.  27, 
28),^ Dr.  Coomaraswamy's  review  of  Bacchofer's  Eady 
Indian  Sculpture  (Nos.  42,  43,  44,  April-October,  1930), 
Prof.  Dhurjjati  Prosad  Mukherjee's  review  of  Mehta's 
Studies  in.  Indian  Paniting  (Nos.  35.  36),  the  reviews 
of  the  volumes  of  Arts  Asiatica  by  Plotinus  and  others 
(Nos.  27,  28),  and  the  Editor's  review  of  Percy  Brown's 
Moghul  Painting  (No.  21).  Very  brilliant  and 
illuminating  controversies  throwing  light  on  the  exact 
relationship  between  continental  Indian  art  and  the 
colonial  art  of  Indonesia  are  recorded  in  the  pages  of 
Rupam,  of  which  the  most  important  are  Bosch's  article 
on  "An  Hypothesis  on  the  Origin  of  Indo-Javanefe 
Art"  (No.  17),  followed  by  a  seven-column.  ctvtv<i,\sss^ 
of  the  paper  by  \)afe  'E.^X^i  Vs^tafc  "^^^^  ^'wi^  "^jMICn 


IM 


THE  MODERN  REVIEW  FOR  FEBRUARY,  1058 


Altogether  iii%  MvittiB  that  Rupam  has  rendered  in 
stimulating  the  study  and  criticism  of  Indian  art  can- 
not be  too  highly  praised.  We  shall  conclude  our 
review  by  quoting  two  tributes  from  an  American 
critic  2 

:0:. 


"There  is  no  journal  equal  to  Bupam  In  any 
part  of  the  world."— PiiBBOcyiT. 

"I  am  a  faithful  reader  of  Rupam  and  I  am 
writing  to  tell  you  how  much  I  enjoy  it  and  what 
an  important  work  you  are  doing.*'— Thbodou 
Sbeb,  Curator  of  Oriental  Art :  The  Cleveland 
Museum  of  Art.  {To  be  contiiuui) 


MORE  ABOUT  THE  HINDU  REINCARNATION  THEORY 

By  AMULYAPRASAD  CHANDA 


SlKCE  publication  of  "The  Scientific  Aspect  of  Hindu 
Reincarnation  Theory"  in  the  May  (1050)  number  of 
The  Modem  Review,  some  friends  have  asked  the 
present  writer  to  make  the  treatment  a  bit  more  intelli- 
gible to  the  man  in  the  street.  Hence  these  lines. 

The  core  of  the  Hindu  reincarnation  theory  lies  in 
the  identity  of  some  one  having  his  life  and  being 
here  and  now  with  another  having  his  existence  at  an 
earlier  period  in  the  sequence  of  time.  Can  it  be 
done? 

The  analogy  of  a  very  large  lump  of  clay  con- 
stantly being  kneaded  in  a  mixer,  and,  two  men  work- 
ing at  it,  'one  making  toys  of  all  shapes  and 
forms  all  the  time  and  the  other  picking  them 
up  one  after  another  at  random  and  throwing 
them  back  into  the  mother  lump  in  the  mixer  may 
be  qf  some  help  in  understanding  the  situation. 
This  analogy  gives  the  picture  of  continuous  births 
and  deaths  without  ceasing  and  without  exhausting  the 
material  out  of  which  these  toys  were  made.  Let  it  be 
supposed  that  for  purposes  of  identification  these  clay 
objects  are  numbered  serially  from  A  to  Z,  each  series 
again  bearing  a  number,  1,2,3,  .  .  .  n.  The  reincarnation 
theory  would  hold  good  if  only  it  is  possible  to  prove 
that  the  toy  numbered  K-72  is  identical  with  say,  J-17. 
Obviously,  this  is  absurd.  Let  it  now  be  supposed  that 
the  same  lump  of  clay  of  which  the  toy  K-72  was 
fashioned  is  subsequently  used  to  make  first,  a  horse, 
and  later  a  cat,  a  dog,  a  man,  a  tortoiise  or  a  woman. 
Undoubtedly,  the  existing  situation  resembles  the  first 
instance  rather  than  the  second,  where  identity  is 
established  beyond  the  shadow  of  a  doubt. 

The  implications  of  the  proposition  set  forth  here 
require  close  scrutiny.  The  ideas  and  ideals  determin- 
ing thought,  conduct,  and  institutions  of  the  vast 
majority  of  the  population  inhabiting  Lidia,  excluding 
the  Mussalmans  and  the  Christians,  are  moulded  by  a 
firm  beilef  in  reincarnation.  This  belief,  a  hjrpothesis 
at  best,  may  be  traced  to  an  extension  of  the  Law  of 
Causation,  to  wit,  every  effect  must  have  its  cause. 
How  else  are  the  differences  and  vicissitudes  of  life  to 
be  explained  ?  This  attitude  is  negative,  and  does  not 
establish  the  proposition.  It  amounts  to  this,  since  no 
other  explanation  is  available,  therefore  the  proposi- 
tion is  established,  I  It  may  be  asked,  why  should  a 
ready  explanation  be  available  in  all  instances  7 
Obviously,  man  advances  in  hia  quest  in  stages, — 
Jfjj?oi}iesBaB,  theory,  and  Law,  and,  by  the  method  of 
^M/  juuf  error,  Pdndtuive  proof  alooe  eaa  eftabliah 


a  proposition.  Brihaspati  is  reputed  with  the  saying, 

**Kevalam  sfuistramashritya  na  kartavya  mnimaya 
yuktihina  vicharetu  dharmahani  prajayate.** 

In  fact,  logic — good  or  bad — decides  which  of  the 
many  chance  thoughts  occurring  to  one  shall  have 
more  than  a  moment's  consideration.  It  is  with  the  aid 
of  logic  that  man  has  progressed  from  Animism  to 
Theology,  from  Theology  to  Metaphysics,  and  from 
Metaphysics  to  Science  in  his  quest  of  the  mjrsterious 
Infinite.  Only,  in  Science  mathematics  haa  supple- 
mented logic.  But  then  mathematics  and  logic  are 
fundamentally  one  and  the  same  thing ;  the  former  is 
an  extension  of  the  latter. 

It  behoves  us  all,  therefore,  to  critically  re^ 
examine  our  current  beliefs  and  keep  pace  with 
advances  in  thought.  This  is  not  of  theoretical  interest 
only.  Men's  thoughts  give  shape  to  their  actions  and  \ 
mode  of  life.  Vitality  consists  in  adaptability  to  chang. 
ing  situations.  We  seem  today  to  be  incapable  of 
adapting  ourselves  to  the  situation.  Any  change  must 
follow  a  change  in  the  attitude  of  mind  to  all  questions.  I 
It  is  necessary  that  an  open  mind,  shed  of  all  bias, 
should  be  brought  to  bear  on  all  questions  requiring 
solution.  The  Hindus  have  a  grand  heritage  to  inspire 
them.  The  galaxy  of  the  schools  of  philosophy  is  there 
to  inspire  the  present  generation.  Studied  in  their 
chronological  order  these  prove  beyond  the  shadow  of 
a  doubt  that  they  tried  one  school  of  philosophy  after 
another  as  soon  as  a  flaw  was  discovered  in  the 
currently  held  theory. 

This  process  in  the  chain  of  evolution  of  thought 
seems  to  have  come  to  a  dead  end.  Impact  of  Science 
and  the  needs  of  the  present  day  have  forced  us  to 
make  compromises,  and  imsatisfaclory  compromises  at 
that,  without  inspiring  us  to  re-think  our  fundamental 
problems,  problems  which  are  deeper  than  life.  The 
shape  of  the  future  will  be  determined  by  our  inclina- 
tion and  ability  to  do  so.  A  lack  of  discrimination 
between  subjective  and  objective  concepts  seems  to  be 
at  the  bottom  of  all  confusion  in  our  traditioflial  way 
of  thinking.  More  especially  this  holds  true  in  cases  of 
those  who  subscribe  to  the  theistic  belief  as  a  key  to 
the  enigma  which  is  the  cosmos.  The  same  confusion  of 
thought  and  lack  of  discrimination  is  also  diaceniible 
in  the  universally  held  belief  that  in  nirvikalpa  samadhi 
the  Infinite  is  realisable.  It  is  something  like  seeing  ex 
hearing  with  the  eyes  and  ears  closed  to  expect  the 
mind  to  function  at  a  time  when,  in  fact,  it  has  stopped 
acting  for  the  time  being. 


m  £XPfitttfiNCG  ON  TBS  tNDO-fitmMA  fi01t])£ft 

Bt  Fbot.  BANKAR  OANOOOLI,  uji., 
D.  M.  ColUffe,  ImpfuU,  Manipw 


at  fiute»  frontier  of  India  it  tnd  will  alwaya 
auin  ft  factor  of  utmost  Importance  in  Indiau 
ilitjr,  Manipur,  the  land  of  dreami,  the  Kashmir  of 
utem  India,  thus  demands  our  closest  attention 
ithout  which  India  cannot  feet  assured  of  her 
utem  border,  i.e.,  the  Indo-BuTma  border.  The 
aga  Hill",  an  abode  of  peace  but  not  of  plenty 
ipeared  to  me  to  be  a  heaven,  where  all  the  good 
lalities  of  mankind,  honesty,  sincerity,  simplicity  and 
raight-torwardness,  which  can  seldom  be  found  in 
e  world  outside,  prevail. 


Ibe  facta  for  themielves.  This  wilt  brins  these  peopla 
to  light  and  will  malts  the  Nagas  feel  that  tihey  are 
one  with  ui. 

The  purpose  of  my  visit  to  the  Naga  Hills  was  to 
hold  the  election  at  Grihang,  about  75  miles  north- 
east of  Imphal.  As  I  was  not  acquainted  with  the  liills, 
the  authorities  arranged  for  portera  and  a  guide  so 
that  I  could  reach  there  without  difficulty.  The  porters 
and  the  guide  were  to  wait  for  me  at  a  place  named 
LyttoD,  22  miles  from  Imphal,  and  oa  the  appointed 
day  I  started  for  Lytlon  with  the  definite  expectation 


A  Naga  school-boy   who  acted  as  the  guide 

Though  the  area  covered  by  me  on  toot  doea  not 
11  within  the  administrative  district  "Naga  Hills,"  I 
ul  no  other  sititable  name  of  the  place  as  it  is  a 
intinuation  of  the  Naga  Range.  To  some  the  name 
ay  appear  to  be  misleading  but  as  the  entiro  area 
inhabited  by  the  Nagas,  the  name  "Naga  Hills"  is 
ifinitely  applicable  at  least  from  the  racial  point  of 
ew.  In  this  article  I  will  present  a  picture  of  a  people 
ho  are  mostly  Tangfchul  by  race,  and  whenever  I 
fer  to  the  Naga  Hilb,  I  mean  the  billy  tracts  of  the 
kbrul  Sub-division  lying  just  on  the  Indo-Bunna 
)rder  and  not  the  area  covered  by  the  admmiatrative 
strict  of  the  Naga  Hills  with  its  headquarters  at 
ohima, 

I  spent  only  two  weelta  in  the  Naga  Hilla 
id  these  two  weeks  will  ever  remain  vivid  in 
y  memory.  Before  going  to  the  Naga  Hills  I  had  been 
formed  by  many  of  my  friends  about  many  things 
tkicb  I  was  afraid  of,  but  on  my  actual  presence  there, 
found  that  all  those  stories  were  not  only  incorrect 
It  also  harmful,  being  the  outcome  of  ignorance.  In 
lis  short  article,  I  will  try  to  give  some  information 
xmt  fbe  life  and  doings  of  the  people  living  there 
id  thii|  I  hope,  will  encourage  othen  to  go  and  we 


The  bouse  where  I  took  shelter  at   Grihang 

of  meeting  the  guide  at  Lytton,  but  unfortunately, 
none  was  present  there  to  receive  me  and  1  was  in 
utter  despair  as  to  what  to  do  in  this  situation  at  a 
place  where  nobody  understood  my  language  and  I 
understood  none  of  theirs. 

Lytton  is  a  place  where  the  Nagas  and  the  Kukis 
and  other  hill-lribes  from  distant  places  bring  their 
agricultural  products,  such  as,  oil-seeds  and  rice,  etc., 
for  sale.  From  this  place  the  merchants  carry  those 
products  to  Impbal  and  other  places.  Hence  Lytton 
is  something  like  a  gimje  or  a  distributing  centre,  I 
was  very  anxious  to  return  to  Imphal,  but  roy  ^nse 
of  duty  and  my  desire  for  adventure  turned  my  mind 
towards  Grihang,  and  with  the  help  of  a  local  driver 
I  hired  some  porters.  To  hire  these  porters  required 
time  and  I  bad  lo  stay  at  Lytton  for  32  hours.  In  this 
short  time  I  had  the  opportunity  of  having  some  idea 
of  the  life  of  men  and  women  there.  Their  hospitality 
pleased  me  to  such  an  extent  that  it  appeared  to  me  to 
be  almost  a  new  type  which  I  had  never  known  before. 
I  saw  many  passers-by  entering  a  house  and  cooking 
their  food,  and  after  having  taken  their  meals  Aey 
started  for  their  distant  homes  in  the  hills.  The  house- 
holder and  hia  wi£«  eom^Uvn  «sv^«»»iWr)  v^^   ^^ 


199 


THE  MOBERN  BEVIEW  fOR  FEBflDARY,  IMS  , 


geetures  ttiat  their  custom  was  to  provide  food  and 
shelter  for  the  guests,  and  if  they  failed  to  do  eo,  that 
would  lower  them  in  the  estimation  of  the  Tangkhul 
■■people.  I  had  with  me  an  armed  man  and  a  small  boy 
-who.  could  with  difficulty  speak  incon«ct  English  and 
it  was  through  them  that  I  tried  to  enquire  many 
things  about  the  life  and  activities  of  tlie  people. 


On  reaching  Orihang  I  was  struck  dumb  witii 
wonder  to  see  the  standard  of  civilisation  there,  a 
standard  which  I  had  never  dreamt  of  existing  in  so 
remote  a  comer  of  the  world.  I  had  read  many  artieles 
in  newspapers  and  periodicals  which  conveyed  to  ras 
a  KDse  of  terror,  as  the  Nagas  on  the  Bunna  bordeil 
-were  represented  as  head-hunters  and  many  a  story 
about  these  head'huntcrs  was  haunting  me  at  eveiy 
step  till  1  reached  Grihang  which  is  the  nearest  Indian 
village  on  the  Burma  border. 

Here  I  place  before  the  reading  public  a  new 
information  about  the  Nagas  whom  they  might  havt 
believed  to  be  bead-hunters  and  ferocious  people.  The 
house  in  which  I  was  given  shelter  was  as  good  as  any 
house  made  of  wood  and  tin.  The  men  and  women  of 
that  family  could  not  express  themselves  in  speecb 
because  their  language  was  not  known  to  me,  but  bj' 


The  village  church  at  Orihang 
On  the  next  day,  I  started  for  Grihang  and  after 
five  days'  walk  on  foot  we  reached  there.  I  was    ex- 
tremely tired  and  thoroughly  exhausted,  but  the  port- 
ers and  the  guide  were  as  frnh  as  ever.  Qn  the  way 


The  village  dramatic  hall 
we  had  to  stop  at  Shangahak,  Khuduk,  Allang,  Shakok, 
Chunkai  and  Tasoni  and  everywhere  I  was  received  in 
the  best  way  known  to  them.  Whenever  I  stopped  for 
shelter,  the  villagers  contributed  their  mite  to  provide 
me  and  my  party  with  food  and  lodging  as  if  I  was 
the  guesli  not  only  o£  one  individual  but  of  the  whole 
"village,  and  the  whole  village  would  feel  ashamed  if 
-  there  had  been  any  negligence    on    the  part  of  any 


The  village  cemetery 

gestures  and  movements  of  their  limbs  they  told  many 
things  which  really  astonished  me.  There  were  some 
mta  in  the  village  who  read  up  to  Class  VIII  and  thW 
were  the  intellectual  leaders  of  the  village.  The  villagers 
never  saw  what  a  newspaper  was,  but  they  were 
keenly  interested  about  the  outside  world  and  the 
thing  that  astonished  me  most  was  the  query  made  bf 
one  of  my  porters  about  Pakistan.  This  fact  shorn 
that  bad  they  been  given  opportunities  they  might 
have  proved  worthy  citisEns  to  the  world  outside. 
There  is  a  theatre  hall  in  the  village  and  the  villagets 
-stage  dramas  in  that  hall  during  every  Christmas  Day. 
The  village  Church  at  Grihang.  I  was  told,  is  one  of 
the  most  magnificent  churches  in  the  entire  Na|? 
Hills,  Every  Simday  the  villagers,  men  and  women, 
young  and  old,  go  to  the  Church  and  pray.  As  staunch 
believers  in  Christianity  they  observe  this  day  as  the 
day  of  rest,  I  had  the  opportunity  tb  accompany  then 
in  one  such  prayer  and  many  tealous  Christitss  be- 
lieved that  it  would  be  possible  to  convert  me  and  Uut 
idea  was  expreased.    Men  and  women    in    EunpWt 


,       MY  EXI^RIENCE  ON  THE  INDO-BURMA  BORDER  139 

costumes  appeared  to  poaeesB  a  distinct  culture  that  The  TaDgkhul  laoguage  which  is  written  in  Roman 
could  hardiy  be  called  Indian.  This  was  due  to  the  script  and  which  is  the  only  medium  through  which  a 
preachings  of  the  Chrietiaamissionaries,  Thanks  to  the  man  ol  Grihang  can  express  himself  to  a  man  of  TasOm 
religious  real  of  the  misaionaries  they  have  been  able  pr  of  any  other  village  is  a  compulsory  Bubject/  of 
to  evolve  a  Christian  culture  in  (hat  remote  comer  of 
Ihe  wOTld.  It  presents  a  sharp  contrast  lo  our  lethargy, 
negligence  and  indifference.  Each  village  has  a  reli- 
gious  chief  and  this  chief  is  obeyed  and  respected  by 
the  villagers.  The  rcligioua  priest  wields  an  enormous 
influence  over  the  people  and  in  fhe  hills  I  found  that 
Chrisiianity  had  become  a  great  unifying  factor  in  the 
religious  life  of  the  Nagas.  The  people,  1  felt,  were 
ignorant  of  Hinduism  and  many  tried  to  convince  me 
in  their  own  way  that'  Christianity  was  the  only  reli- 
gion that  every  one  should  accept. 


The  village  chief  with  bis  family 

study.  Without  this  common  Tangkhul  language 
inhabitants  of  one  village  will  appear  to  be  quite 
foreign  to  the  inhabitants  of  another  village.  This  fact 
was  clear  when  my  porters  who  were  all  Grihang  men 


The  village  chief  or  Kulakpa 

Before  I  actually  came  to  the  hills  I  had  a 
theoretical  idea  of  the  Naga  folk-dance  and  I  expressed 
my  desire  to  witness  such  a  dance  if  possible.  The 
answer  was  that  the  Naga  folk-dance  was  almost  a 
loet  art,  and  the  young  men  and  women  were  accus- 
tomed to  dance  in  the  European  style.  This  shocked 
me  to  the  highest  degree  and  at  the  same  time  I  bowed 
my  head  in  respect  to  the  Christian  missionaries  who 
took  so  much  pains  to  bring  about  a  complete  trans- 
formation  in  the  life  and  habits  of  the  Nagas.  The 
Tangkhul  language  is  written  in  Roman  script  and 
this  also  shows  the  enormous  influence  of  the 
misnonaries. 

The  Tangkhul  language  is  known  to  all  the  educated 
men  but  only  to  tiie  educated  men  in  the  hills.  Each 
bill  has  got  a  particular  dialect  of  its  own  which  is 
quite  different  from  that  of  another  hill.  Thus  I  met 
persons  of  at  least  fifteen  villages  speaking  fifteen 
different  tongues.  The  advanced  villages  in  the  hills 
have  got  one  L.  P.  or  U.  P.  school  where  the  villagers 
only  leam  to  read  and  write.  The  medium  of  instruc- 
tion in  these  schools  is  the  particular  tongue  used  and 
nulentood  by  the  inhabitants  of  that    village  only. 


The  family  of  my  host 

aod  women  appeared  like  me  lo  be  quite  helple^  in 
the  long  way  from  Grihang  to  Lytton.  They  understood 
none  of  the  dialects  used  at  Tasom,  Chunkai,  Chinta, 
Shangahak,  Lytton,  etc.  So  this  Tangkhul  language 
acted  as  a  great  unifying  force.  That  the  missionaries 
contributed  most  towards  the  development  of  a 
national  language  of  the  Nagas,  speaks  highly  of  their 
religious  zeal.  ( 

What  I  write  about  the  Christian  influence  is  not 
the  outcome  of  my  disrespect  to  that  religion.  When 
we  ?lept,  the  niia6Woa.neB 'H'M'iai  \».i\\ -if^^i. -^^  "^^si:^ 


Iw 


THE  MODERN  REVIEW  FOR  FEBRUARY,  1983 


absorbed  in  superiority  complex,  the  missiomriei  came 
to  them  u  their  frienda,  ea  partnera  in  their  sorrow 
and  happiness  and  thus  built  there  a,  culture  quite 
(TiBtinct  from  that  of  India.  Nagaa  also  felt  at- 
tracted to  tliis  new  faith  as  this  new  faith  gave  them 
a  laoguBge,  a  culture  and  an  education,  glill  there  are 


Up-to-date  young  boys 

a  people  whom  they  ran  lead  any  way  they  like. 
This  is  Ihc  real  picture  of  the  stale  of  affairs  on  the 
Easlcm  frontier  of  India.  Now  it  is  up  to  the  Indian 
leaders  and  statesmen  to  ponder  over  the  matter  from 
its  politico-religious  aspect.  This  American  influence 
through  religion  may  have  a  political  effect,  contrary 
tp  tJifi  interesla  of  India.  J  appeal     to     the  thinking 


public  to  find  out  a  sohition.  I  think  that  the  Ram^ 
krishna  Mission  can  do  a  very  useful  job  in  tiui 
respect. 

Up  till  now  there  has  been  no  attempt  on  the  put 
of  the  Indians  to  let  the  Nagag  fee!  that  they  bek)n| 
to  India  and  Indian  culture  and  the  effect  is  obvious. 
The  Ramakriahna  Mission  should  step  in  to  bring 
these  people  within  the  fold  of  Indian  culture,  lest  tbej 
may  feel  to  be  non-Indians.  In  this  respect  tbe  general 
election  did  much,  because  the  Nagas  felt  that  their 
opinion  was  valued  much  in  shaping  the  policy  < 
India.  Moreover,  the  Sannyasins  of  the  Bharat  Sew 
sram  Sangha  who  had  been  to  the  West  Indies, 
America,  England  and  elsewhere  to  preach  Hindu 
culture  and  ideals  should  pause  for  a  moment  ai 
think  about  their  own  home.  Let  us  fint  of  all  set  oi 


Up-to-date  young  girls 

•ome  non-Christians  in  the  hills,  but  they  are  in  a 
hopeless  minority  and  the  relation  between  the  non- 
Christians  and  the  Christians  is  anything  but  cordial. 
The  Christians  look  upon  the  non-Christian  Nagas  as 
pitiable  creatures  and  social  inferiors.  Thus  the 
American  missionaries  have  built  up  the  character  of 


Burma  currency  notes  of  Ra.  2,  6,  10 

own  house  in  order  and  then  we  may  have  a  conti- 
nental trial  of  our  religion  and  ideals.  We  are  going 
to  America  to  preach  our  idesb,  but  we  are  wilfully 
letting  our  brothers  find  solace  in  the  fold  of  a  foreign 
culture.  Hindi,  our  national  lai^uage,  is  known  only 
to  a  few  men  there  but  they  know  Bn^ish  whatever 
may  be  the  standard.  Hindi  schools  and  institutions 
preaching  Indian  culture  should  immediately  be  set  up 
in  the  hills  on  the  Eastern  border  of  India.  I  think 
that  Christian  friends  of  mine  will  not  misunderstand 
me  as  I  honour  them  and  their  faith,  but  at  the  same 
time  I  like  lo  see  that  there  is  an  honest  attempt  to 
Indianise  these  people. 

So  far  as  village  administration  is  concerned,  the 
village  chief  or  Kulakpa  exercises  an  enormous  in- 
fluence over  the  people.  The  Kulakpa  is  the  head  in 
all  matters  concerning  the  village  other  than  religious- 
Thc  Kulakpa  has  his  asiistaot  in  the  Mantrin  or  the 
second  man  in  the  village.  These  chiefs  form  a  link 
between  the  Subdivii^ional  Officer  at  Ukhrul  and  the 
people  in  general.  Without  the  help  of  these  chiefs  it 
is  hardly  possible  to  carry  on  administiatioB  there. 


MY  EXPERIENCE  ON  THE  INDO-BUHMA  feORDER 


MI 


The  Indian  General  Election,  the  greatest  demo-     where  they  will  find  a.  vast  field    to    t^nslat*  tbelr 
cretic  experiment  in  the  world,     did     much  to  bring     humanitRrian  principles  into  practice. 


these  people  into  the  fold  of  active  ploitics.  Men  and 
women  from  distant  hills  came  to  Grihang  to  cast  their 
votes  and  about  60  per  cent  oC  the  voters  actually 
cast  their  votes.  This  shows  the  keen  interest  taken 
by  these  hill  people  to  make  the  election  a  really 
democratic  one.   But   their    Ignorance     was   evidenced 


After  the  election  I  started  for  Imphal  with  four 
porters.  The  return  journey  was  easier  than  the  journey 
I  took  to  arrive  at  the  place,  as  a  short-cut  was  found 
in  the  hills.  But  this  route  was  infested  with  wild 
animals  and  1  had  to  fire  two  shots  at  a  tiger  on  tha 
Shakok  hills  (6W>  tO,  but  both  the  shots  unfortu- 


when  many  voters  asked  me  whom  to  vote  tor.  They  jmtely  missed  their  target.  I  reached  Jo'tton  after  flv« 

did.  not  know  the  different  ideals  of  different  candi-  ^^y^'  journey  on  fool  and  when  I  was  about  to  get  on 

dates  and  they  did  not  know  why  they  had  come  to  ^-^^  truck,  I  felt  that  I    left    behind    me  a  peaceful 

vote,  what  voting  really  meant.  So  the  experience  I  ^orld.  Though  I  had  to  undergo  hardship  ia  the  hills 


Voters  standing  in  a  queue 

could  gather  there  on  the  polling  day  was  that  these 
people  might  prove  active  partners  in  the  socio- 
pohtico-economic  sphere  of  India  if  they  were  properly 
looked  after.  Holding  an  election  waa  only  a  means  Co 
Ml  end  and  I  hope  that  the  educated  men  of  India  ' 


Porters  who  helped 


my  journey 


I  lived  there  happily  and  the  entire  credit  goes  to  the 
simple-minded  hill  people. 

Before  I  conclude,  I  like     to    point  out  that  the 
motorable  road  made     by     the     British  Government 
during  the  Second  World  War  has  deteriorated  tot  wan*, 
turn  their  eyes  from  the  big  cities  to  these  distant  bills     of  repair,  aa&  m  sv\\a    li^    S^-^Xtst   '^"^    -s-afc^    Sssw^ 


m 


THE  MODERN  REVIEW  FOR  FEBRUARY,  1953 


Ukhrul  to  Phaisat  people  have  tro  walk  on  foot  as  the 
road  is  not  motorable  now.  This  is  an  urgent  need  that 
this  road  be  repaired.  If  a  regular  motor  link  can  be 
established  there  are  immense  possibilities  in  the  hills. 
Unless  the  existing  system  of  communication  is  changed 
there  is  little  possibility  of  these  people  on  the  Burma 
border  to  get  proper  education  and  encouragement.  As 
they  are  nearer  to  Burma  than  to  Imphal  they  carry 
on  trade  with  Burma.  This  trade  traffic  is  nothing  but 
smugging,  hence  this  illegal  traffic  should  be  stopped. 
At  the  same  time  we  should  not  be  blind  to  the  real 


needs  of  the  people.  As  it  is  not  always  possible,  to 
walk  ten  days  (both  ways)  to  reach  Imphal  to  pur- 
chase salt  and  other  necessaries  they  are  naturally 
tempted  to  bring  their  necessaries  from  Burma  which 
is  nearer  their  home.  Kerose&er  is  rarely  foimd  in  the 
hills.  Hence,  from  all  considerations  the  Ukhrul- 
Phaisat  road  may  be  said  to  be  the  life-link  of  the 
people  of  this  area  with  India,  and  I  hope  that  if  this 
road  is  repaired  and  made  motorable  again  these 
people  on  the  extreme  east  of  India  will  play  their 
legitimate  part  in  the  Indian  Republic. 


:0:- 


ORNAMENTAL  POTTERY  AND  CLAY  MODELUNG  IN  UTTAR  PRADESH 

By  Dr.  H.  G.  P.  SRIVASTAVA,  m.a.,  B.com.,   ll.b.,  phj). 


Among  the  important  and  so  far  unousted  cottage 
industries  of  Uttar  Pradesh,  earthen  pottery  has  paved 
its  way  with  honour  and  d-gnity  and  has  acquired 
fame  and  popularity  far  and  wide.  It  is  specially 
adapted  to  the  needs  of  the  people  of  our  country 
from  socio-economic  and  climatic-cum-religious  points 
of  view.  Hardly  there  exists  a  home  or  hamlet  where 
earthen  pots  are' not  used  for  storing  grains,  cold  sup- 
plies of  water,  beverages  and  food.  The  products  of 
this  industry  are  a  source  of  great  relief  to  the  teeming 
millions  who  cannot  afford  to  pay  high  prices  of  metal 
or  of  porcelain  utensils.  A  steady  demand  even  for  the 
most  ord'nary  types  of  earthen  pottery  has  always 
existed,  providing,  on  the  one  hand,  employment  to  the 
artisans  and  deflating  the  pressure  of  population  on 
land  on  the  other. 

Ornamental  and  high  class  pottery,  which  serves 
primarily  to  satisfy  the  artistic  and  aesthetic  sense  of 
higher  classes  of  society,  has,  undoubtedly,  a  limited 
demand  and  has  so  far  thrived  mainly  upon  the  patron- 
age of  the  notables  and  elite.  This  patronage  was  abun_ 
dantly  forthcoming  in  *the  good  old  days'  when 
money  was  worth  its  name  and  the  rich  were  generous 
and  full  of  zeal  to  foster  art,  even  to  the  extent  of 
being  reckless  in  spending.  The  main  centres  of  high 
class  pottery  in  U.P.,  are  Khurja,  Chunar,  Nizamabad 
and  Kithore.  A  look  at  the  ornamental  articles,  beauti- 
ful and  attractive,  sometimes  shakes  the  resistance 
against  the  desire  to  possess  some  of  them. 

The  clay  modelling  industry  of  Agra,  Lucknow, 
Allahabad  and  Banaras  is  as  old  as  the  history  of 
civilisation.  It  is  bifurcated  into  two  distinct  branches, 
viz.,  the  modelling  of  Hindu  deities  and  the  manu- 
facturing of  toys  in  the  shape  of  animal  figures, 
IruitB,  etc.  Clay  figures  for  worship  have  always  been 
manufactured  in  India  side  by  side  with  stone  models 


and  are  in  heavy  demand  during  festivals  and  pujaif. 
Much  skill  and  art  are  evinced  in  the  manufacture  of 
these  figures  and  in  their  decoration.  The  toys,  on  the 
other  hand,  are  produced  in  crude  designs  and  colours 
but  skilled  toy-makers  turn  out  exquisitely  beautiful 
products. 

Types  and  Varieties 

High  class  pottery  of  U.  P.  may  be  divided  into 
"four  different  types  from  the  point  of  view  of  quality 
produced  at  the  main  centres  where  the  industry  is 
localised,  viz.,  Khurja,  Chunar,  Nizamabad  and 
Kithore.  ^    iJ        | 

1.  The  Khurja  type  consists  chiefly  of  the  modern 
chini  works  and  the  ancient  fine  pottery  with  its 
characteristic  Persian  paintings.  It  is  manufactured 
mostly  at  Khurja,  district  Bulandshahr  and  Bahadur- 
garh,  district  Meerut. 

2.  The  Chunar  type,  which  is  famous  for  its 
Rockingham  brown  or  black  glaze,  is  the  special 
feature  of  the  pottery  industry  at  Chimar,  district 
Mirzapur  and  has  not  yet  spread  to  other  places. 

3.  The  Nizamabad  type  of  black  earthen  potteiy 
with  silvery  artistic  designs  is  popular  all  over  India 
and  is  the  sole  monopoly  of  Nizamabad,  district 
Azamgarh.  An  inferior  quality  of  the  same  with  crude 
floral  designs  but  without  silvery  application  is  manu- 
factured at  Binsaindi,  district  Sitapur  and  Chilhia, 
district  Basti. 

4.  The  Kithore  type  which  is  suitable  for  rough 
cooking  vessels,  such  as  handis  and  safalies  is  largely 
manufactured  at  Kithore,  district  Meerut  and  to  some 
extent  at  Khurja  and  Bahadurgarh.  For  the  purpose 
intended,  the  earthen-wares  are  good  in  quality,  mad^ 
strong  by  kanch  (glass)  glaze. 


ORNAMENTAL  POTTERY  AND  CLAY  MODfflLINO 


14S 


fietidet  earthen  voMela,  vuioui  typeg  of  clay 
modeli  and  toys  are  manufactured  in  U.  F.  and  the 
places  like  Luclmow,  Banarag,  Amiohs  and  Chunor  aie 
noted  for  tlieir  distinct  ^^pes  «f  clay  ntodelfl  and  toys. 

1.  The  iMckttow  type  :  High  class  clay  models 
and  imitation  fruits  finished  with  artistic  enamel 
paistingB  are  the  speciality  of  Lucknow.  They  Eurpass 
all  other  types  of  clay  models  of  this  State  in  refine- 
mesB  and  delicacy. 

2.  The  Barut'Oa  type  :  It  conaiats  of  the  common 
and  inferior  quality  of  toys  and  the  important  esport- 
ing  centres  of  this  type  are  Agra  city,  Fysabad  city 
and  some  villages,  Ghaiipur  city  and  Kakoran,  district 
Rai  Barcli. 

3.  The  Amroha  type  :  Amroha  is  an  important 
centre  for  the  manufacture  of  high  class  engraved  clay 
models  and  white  painted  clay-cum-flowerpot  figures. 
Places  like  Paikoli,  district  fysabad  and  Ghazipur  are 
also  reputed  for  products  more  or  less  of  Amroha  type. 

4.  The  ChuTtar  type  :  The  glased  lustre  of  toya 
and  figures  produced  at  Chunar  is  a  unique  attribute 
of  this  type.  These  articles  are  manufactured  to  some 
extent  at  Kakoran  also. 

A  large  variety  of  pottery  and  toys  of  the  above- 
mentioned  types  is  produced  at  different  centres  of 
thia  State.  Broadly  speaking,  the  various  articles  may 
be  grouped  under  four  heads,  vii.,  decoration  articles, 
daily  use  pottery,  sanitary  goods  and  electric  goods. 


Raw  MaTebUU 
Clay  is  the  basic  and  primary  raw  material  used 
in  the  earthen  pottery  and  clay-modelling  industries. 
It  ia  easily  available  tree  of  cost     or     for    nominal 


Clay  modeb  displayed  at  the  potter's  house 

pi  ice.  At  Kburja  and  Bahadurgarh  a  superior 
quality  of  clay — china  caly — is  used.  It  is  either 
imported  in  finished  form  from  Rajmahal  or  is  pre- 
pared locally  by  purchasing  Kaolin  and  stones  separ 
rately.  This  Slate  sadly  lacks  in  the  adequate  supply 
of  Kaolin  which  has  to  be  imported  from  Gwalior  or 
Delhi. 


Varietiei  of  Pottery  and  Clay  models  manufacured  al  important  centres  i 
Varielice 
Tea  set*,  Plates,  Trays,  Flower  vases. 
Palm  stands,   Electric    lamps,   Wash 
basins.  Jugs,  Soap   cases,   Ash-trays, 


Cups,  Saucers.  Tea  sets.  Handles, 

Safalies  and  Rakabies. 
Flower  vases,  Tea  sets,  Huqqa, 

Chilams,  Jars,  Inkpots  and  stands, 

Bed  pans.  Plates,  Toys, 

Spittoons. 
Cups,  Saucers,  Gamlas,  Powder 

cases.  Ash-tray,  Cigarette  boxes, 

faper  weights.  Oil  pots,  etc. 


Centre 
Khurja   (Dial.  Bulandshahr) 

Quality 
China 
ciay 

"B» 

glazed  with 

Kithore  (Diat.  Mecmt) 

-do- 

Chunar  (Dist.  Miwipur) 

Brown 
glazed  on 

earthen 

Jtr 

earthen 
with  silvery 
foils 
Black 
earthen 
with 

imprinted 
designs 
Toys 
Toys 

Nisamabad    (Dist.   Asamgarh) 

Binsaindi  (Dist.  Sitapur^ 

Xucknow 

Amroha   (Dist.  Moradabad) 

Banants 

Toya 

Tyn^Md 

Toys 

U.P. 

Remarks 
In  different 


Difference 
of  superior 
&  inferior 
glazes. 


Tea  cups.  Saucers,  Plates, 
Handles,  Spittoons,  etc. 


Figures  of  men,  Animal  figures,  Fruits. 
Fruits,  Animal  figures.  Human  figures- 

niwi-flower  vases,  Kanrakhi, 

Pottery.  Clay  busts. 
Figures  of  men,  Figures  of  deities, 

Animal  figures.  Clay  busts. 
Clay  models.  Clav  busts,  ■Clay 

pictureB,  C\tts  \j\i4a. 


*afi  MODfiRK  tlfiVlfiW  f  Oft  SfiBftCAftY,  IMl 


Ufi 


144 

Amongit  Um  flaiahing  miUriali  used,  glaiw, 
vaniihea,  painta  and  onumenting  msteriali,  nich  u 
the  Khurja  and  Chunar  glaiea  and  the  Niiunabad 
amalgam,  are  commonly  employed  by  the  pottere. 
The  superior  quality  glaie  required  for  pniBhing  the 

Khurja  and  Bahaduigarh  china  clay  warea  ia  imported     ia  between  September  and  October  when  the  elajr   ii 
fiom  England.    Rogan,  a  cheap  and  inferior  quality     aoft  and  there  are  intervening  perioda 


Qcod  work  from  Beptmbw  to  OMobft 
daily  average  being  A  to  8  houn  par  dagr;  ui 

(m)  Slack  work  from  May  to  Augiiat,  dii^ 
average  being  4  to  ft  houn  per  dagr. 

Of  all  the  aeaaona  for  clay  modelling  tha  bat  on 


glue,  is  prepared  locally  at  home  by  the  worken 
themselvea.  Paints  are  us^d  for  making  deugoa  on  red 
earthen  pottery  and  toys  while  varnish  ie  applied  over 
the  painted  surface  for  finishing.  The  tinned  paints 
aikd  vamishee  like  Japan  enamel  are  used  foi  the 
manufacture  of  high  class  artistic  pottery. 

One  of  the  m^  characteristics  of  the  U.  P. 
pottery  indu^ry  is  the  absence  of  the  use  of  steam 
power  or  electricity  as  fuel.  The  only  articles  used  aa 
such  are  firewood  and  cow-dung  cakes.  Besides  these, 
aometimea  dry  tree  leaves  and  straw  are  also  used  in 
the  beds  of  the  bhallit  or  kiiru.  Fuel  constitutes  a 
major  item  in  the  cost  □[  production  of  the  earthen 
wares.  The  industry  suffers  from  a  great  handicap 
because  of  lack  of  sufficient  and  accurate  knowledge 
of  the  potters  and  Chinigars  regarding  the  quaUty  and 
physical  and  chemical  properties  of  the  raw  materials 
available  from  different  sources.  The  quahty  and 
uniformity  of  products  cannot  be  maintained  unless 
the  raw  materiHls  used  are  properly  tested  and 
standardised. 

Labodb 

The  pottery  and  clay  modelling  industries  are 
virtually  organised  on  family  tinee.  In  alt,  there  are 
about  800  families  of  potters  consisting  of  about 
l,70fl00  laombers  scattered  all  over  the  State.  Every 
member  of  the  family  contributes  bis  labour  at  one 
stage  or  the  other  in  the  different  processes  of  manu. 
facture,  e.g.,  preparation  of  clay,  shaping  of  articles 
and  finishing,  i.e.,  colouring,  glacing,  imprinting,  etc. 
The  finishing  process  is  a  very  difficult  one  and  in- 
volves a  considerable  amount  of  labour,  time  and  ekill 
specially  in  case  of  engraved  and  floral  designs  which 
ore  very  attractive,  artistic  and  charming. 

The  potters  are  subject  to  the  tyranny  of  hard 
work  at  one  time  and  idleness  at  another.  Though  no 
well-defined  seasons  of  work  in  this  industry  are 
ascertainable,  yet  there  are  some  brisk  and  slock 
periods  of  manufacture  and  marketing  : 

<i)    Brisk   work   from    November  to  April,  daily 
average  being  S  to  10  hours  per  day  ; 


which  help  in  hardening  the  articles  made  from  fr^ 
pond  clay.  In  actual  practice,  however,  the  out-tun 
depends  more  upon  the  seasons  of  aale  than  of  pr> 
duction  which  are  : 

U)    April-May  :  Baisakhi  fairs  ; 

(ii)    August-September  :  Janmastjmi  ; 

iiii)    October-November  :    Dussehra,  Dewah;  and 
(ill)    Fairs  and  exhibitions  when  they   occur. 

During  these  days  the  daily  average  of  work  > 
about  9  houra  per  day. 

There  is  no  bard  and  fast  distribution  of  WOik 
among  the  members  of  the  families  and  men  ana 
women  sometimes  perform  alike  and  equally  ntfu- 
ficant  functions.  The  male  members  of  the  family  iib- 
eluding  the  head  of  the  family  and  one  or  two  othcn 
possess  the  key  of  the  industry  and  perform  aU  iIm 
important  functions,  such  as  accumulaiion  and  pre- 
paration of  raw  materials,  turning  the  whtcl,  mouldiib 
painting  and  so  on  whereas  women  are  cntru£t«d  with 
such  other  duties  as  breaking  of  the  soil,  preparalion 
of  clay,  cleaning  of  wares  and  rough  coloming  of 
articles.  Children  perform  comparatively  lighter  work, 
e.g.,  removing  the  clay  from  pond  or  lake  to  the 
potters'  dwellings,  looking  after  the  pottery  in  the 
sunshine,  and  removiog  them  from  the  open  sb  to  the 
residential  quartern. 

So  far  as  wages  are  concerned  it  ia  difficult  W 
assign  values  to  the  work  performed  by  the  memben 
of  the  family.  Firstly,  because  of  the  collective  natnn 
of  work  which  forbids  estimation  of  individual's  oat- 
put  and  secondly,  because  the  workers  do  not  make 
any  allowance  for  wages  in  calculating  their  earning 
The  question  of  payment  of  wages  ariaea  only  in  the 
case  of  hired  labour  which  is  almost  unlaown  ia 
pottery  and  clay  modelling  industries  and  wherevtr 
labour  is  employed  it  ia  unskilled  and  untrained  in 
scientific  methods  of  production. 

Goer  OF  Pboductiox,  Ootput  and  Eaknincb 

One  of  the  outstanding  features  of  the  U.  F. 
pottery  is  the  low  cost  of  production  as  shown  in  the 
following  table  : 


The  CoU 

/  Production  of 

TticUi  at  di 

ereni  cctlres    in 

V 

P. 

No.  produced 

Cost  of  raw 

Cost  oi 

Depreciation 

W 

ages  of  hired 

Toul 

Cents 

per  unit 

material 

fuel 

labour 

Rsji.p. 

Rs.a.p. 

Rs.a,p. 

Rs.a.p. 
60  o6 

Rs.a.f. 

Khurja 

100 

2000 

4800 

080 

137    86 

Chunar 

100 

2S0 

240 

020 

0  12  0 

5  100 

Niiamabad 

100 

300 

1  80 

02  0 

4  10  0 

Kithore 

100 

I  60 

400 

0  4  0 

5   «« 

Lucknow 

100 

300 

20  0 

02  0 

4    SO 

Banaras 

100 

HO 

2eo 

020 

8U0 

V«M*V 

"^wVo 

OftNAMEOTAl    POTTERY  ANB  CUY  MOCElLim 


la 


able  duclOBes  that    the     average     coat  of  it  will  be  seen  that  the  average  earnings  of  the 

is  about  Rs.  77  per  100  articles  but    this     U.P.    potters     come  to  about     Ra.  1217  per  annum, 

ema  to  have  been  greatly  influenced  by  the     Ra.  101  per  month  and  Ha.  3-8  per  day.  The  highest 

of  china  clay  wares  produced     at  Khurja. 

t  cost  of  production  is  met  with  in  the  case 

I  clay  toys  where  it  is  only  Rs.  3-12.  Chunar 

tery   is  produced  at  the  cost  of  Rs.  5-10, 

1  at  the  cost  of  Rs.  4-10,  and  Lucknow  at 

t  Ra.  4-2  per  unit  of  100.  The  rent  of  pre- 
i merest  on  capital  have  been   omitted     as 

(ainment  and  apportionment  is     eitremely 
not  wholly   impossible. 


income  is  recorded  in  the  case  of  china  clay  potters 
at  Khurja,  the  amount  being  Rs.  5  per  day  whilst 
the  lowest  is  reached  in  the  family  of  cheap  toy- 
makera  at  Banaras  as  the  daily  income  is  about 
Rs.  2-2.  It  has  been  found  that  at  some  centres  the 


and  vegetable  clay  models  of  Lucknow 

displayed  in  a  stall 
timate  ot  the  total  output  on  the  basis  uf 
ires  (where  available)  and  of  the  state- 
lOtlers  has  bcsa  attempted  here.  According 
e  total  number  of  articles  manufactured  in- 
>K)Ut  21,13,COO  iiii.'<:cj  pet  annum,  valued  at 
7,:3^,D00     nliii'li      is     made    up     of      the 


Type 
■  ]H)ttrry 
[    pottery 
modelling 
Black    pottery 


Value 


is.   <.Approx.)'' 
7,50,O0,U0O 

2,25,000 

1,00,000 
fiO,000 


Finished  earthen 


of  Chunar 


ToUd  7,53,85,000 

■  absence  of  sales  records  and     figures     ' 

er  than  by  rail,  it  is  very  difficult  to  give  incomes     are     much     below     the     average,   cfl.,     a* 

idea  of  the  earnings  of  potters.  Moreover,  Allahabad  and  Agra  they  hardly  exceed  Re.  1-7    and 

rally    feel    reluctant    in    giving   information  Re.  1-10  per  day.     Consequently  potters  have  taken 

their   annual    incomes.  The   results   of     in-  to    certain     subsidiary     occupations    to     supplement 

at     some    of    the    important    centres     of  their  meagre   incomes   from   this  source  and  also  to 

re  are  tabled  below  :  utilise  their  time  during  shtck  periods  of  work. 
Eaminga  per  jartily  at  dtSeTeiU  Cenlres  in  U.  P.    iRvpeet) 


Value  of  annual 

Cost  of 

Losses 

through— 
Breakage 

Net 

Monthly 

Daily 

output 

production 

Holding 

income 

income 

8800 

5500 

750 

750 

1800 

150 

5-0-0 

2660 

1400 

80 

30 

1200 

100 

3-54 

3850 

2000 

200 

160 

1600 

125 

4-W> 

id                1250 

130 

£ 

40 

1075 

90 

3-04 

1075 

65 

60 

960 

80 

i-M 

835 

48 

e 

6 

765 

64 

2-34 

3077 

UM 

"its 

168 

1317 

VSV 

VIA 

■/    Vutt   Priltih    pDliUihtd    b;    Uii   lljHctonli   el  Coluc  InduitilM  U%a),  f.  ». 


m 


THE  MODERN  REVIEW  FOR  FEBRtARY,  1953 

SuBaiDSABT  OCCUFATIOMa 


Subsidiary  induat'ica  adopted  by  pollen  at  diHerent    Centres  and  annual  income  iheTejrom   per  ] 
Centres         Anr.val  income  Remarks 

Khurja  200 

Chilbia  160 

Hi)    Tazia  making 

()ii)     NaicbabaDdi  and  Tomtom 

Drum  makins 
(it;)    Menial  labour 

(v)    Painling  of  bou:~cwalla 
(i>t)    Leading  of  elay  figures  on 
hire  for  display 


Amroha 

Agra 

Faizabad 

Biswan 

Allahabad 


The  subsidiarj'  occupations  enumerated  above 
are  not  much  remunerative  to  potters.  Tlic  caste 
barrier  is  as  much  a  headachc-pioblem  of  economic 
advancement  and  freedom  as  that  of  social  ecology. 
A  'Kumar'  cannot  do  the  job  of  a  'Tcli'  or  that  of  a 
'Julaha'  with  the  result  that  lie  cananot  adopt  better 
and  more  gainful  occupations,  such  aa  Khadi  weav- 
ing, oil-crushing  and  (fur-making. 


A  good  tea-set  of  Khurja 

SuccESTtoNs  FOR  Improvement 
For  training  potters  in  large  numbers,  the  U.  P. 
Cottage  Indusiriea  Department  has  started  a  scheme 
of  "Earn  while  you  learn"  and  the  Department  has 
opened  Tuitional  classes  in  the  different  important 
rural  centres,  vii.,  Kithore,  Chunar,  Nizamabad, 
Khurja,  Chilhia  and  Nara.  In  these  trainiag-cum- 
production  centres  artisans  are  trained  to  produce 
better  articles;  and  new  up-to-dalc  designs  are  intro- 
duced. Training  in  the  use  and  handling  of  improved 
and  up-to-date  tools  and  appliances  is  imparted. 
These  workers  of  tuitional  classes  are  paid  wages 
and  Iheir  products  are  put  for  sale  in  the  market 
which  fetch  fancy  prices.  When  the  artisans  are  fully 
trained,  a  Co-operative  Society  of  such  members  is 
formed.   Then   the   production    centre    is   run    on    co- 


50  Clay  figures  are  lent  at     Allahabad  on 

50  the  occasion  of  Kumbha  Meli  and  also 

during  marriage  season   ILagan}   bot^  at 

Allahabad  and  Banana. 

operative   lines.  Thus  this  class  replaces  the   middle- 
man,  master  craftsman  and  the  Mahajan.  The  entire 
machinery  at  first  U  set  in  motion  by  the  State.  The 
co-operative     societies     are     evoK-ed     gradually 
trainees  and  otherwise  assisted  by  craftsmen  and  not 
impofed  on  them  as  panacea  for  all  their  ills.  Witb 
the  combined  efforts  of  all,  the  cost  of  production  ii 
lowered,  competition  ia  eliminated,  raw  materials  are  ] 
purchased  in  bulk  and  also  their  produce  is  sold  at  j 
h'gher    prices  in     melas,  fairs  and    exhibitioiu    tbu  J 
ordinary  sales.  The  scheme  has  been  a  great  eaetttt 
and   it   is  suggested   that     the  potters     should     take  ' 
maximum    advantage    of   this   scheme.  Such    tuitional 
classes  may  be   opened   in   all   imporant   centres,  rural 
aed   urban,  where     there     are     potentialities   for     the 
growth  of  these   induitries. 

The  International  Toy  Exhibition  organised  b; 
the  U.P.  Government  at  Lucknow  in  1951  has  amply 
denionslrated  that  in  the  production  of  toys  and 
clay  figures  of  several  kinds  and  varieties  we  eice! 
many  others.  There  is  no  room  for  doubt  that  India 
can  command  international  market  in  such  goods 
provided  far  and  wide  publicity  and  propaganda  is  1 
reported  to,  which  is  the  crying  need  of  the  hour,  in 
order  to  popularise  the  products.  The  possibilities 
of  these  industriea  proving  good  dollar-earners  can- 
not be  discounted  off-hand.  Even  at  present  Bome 
articles  are  exported  to  foreign  countries  through  the  i 
U.P.  Handicrafts,  a  sale  depot  of  the  Industries  ' 
Department,  U.P.  The  Government  has,  therefore, 
to  take  initiative  and  chalk  out  an  exhaustive  scheme 
of  organising  the  much -needed  advertisement  and 
propaganda.  Advertisement  in  the  country  can  be 
done  through  important  trade  centres,  railway  sta- 
liona,  cinemas,  exhibitions,  fairs  and  melos.  Of  all 
these,  cinemas  provide  a  very  useful  means,  and 
experiment  in  advertising  pottery  in  the  cinema 
houses  through  films  showing  the  methods  of  manu* 
fscture  as  trailers  and  overtures  can  ba  made  with 
advantage  and  effect. 


EIACHINO  INDUStRIAL  ARTS  TO  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOL  PUPILS 


Bv  CLAUDE  E.  NIHART 


the  important  objectives  of  education  ia  to 
idividusl  na^ds  and  interests.  A  certain  amount 
Dl  time  for  work  with  tools  and  materials  which 
ndividual  pupiU  to  acquire  new  facts,  know- 
and  skilb  is  unquestionably  justiSable. 
I  from  towns  and  cities  in  many  parts  of  the 
States  indicate  increasing  interest  in  the  indus- 
B  program  on  the  elementary  school  level, 
some  areas,  a  major  expansion  of  this  phase 
nation  is  under  way.    This  is  particularly  true 

Angeles,  in  the  Pacific  Coast  Slate  of  Cali- 
-a  city  with  344  elementary  schools  staffed  by 
mateiy  6,000  teachers — where  industrial  arts  are 
in  the  classroom  by  claasroom  teachera.  Three 
e  supervisors  serve  the  elementary  schools. 
die  of  tools  and  materials, 
iit  the  various  schools  where 
9ist  with  classroom  problems, 
Irate  ways  of  using  the 
:nt,  and  conduct  training 
for  teachers. 

IS  Angeles  a  centrally  located 
al-arts  workshop,  equipped 
>d1s  and  materia b,  is  open 
Imes  to  teachers  who  wish 
ion,  and  workshop  meetings 
d  in  remoter  district^!  for 
eachers  unable  to  travel  to 
tral  workshop.  The  prepara- 

inatructional  material  and 
ining  of  teachers  in  tool 
ad  construction  processes  are 
OUB.  The  equipment  in  the 
■  grades  is  limited  to  saw- 
( frames  for  holding  wood 
t  is  being  sawed),  a  few 
hand  tools,  and  a  portable 
ick  or  carrier  which  can  be 

from  room  to  room  as 
d  arises.  Most  of  the  work 
I  on     the     sBwhorse.     When 

the  pupil  clamps  his  material 
oids  nicking  or  cutting  his  fitters  by  hoUiig 

block  of  wood  against  the  saw  when  stATting 
.    For  naiUng,  the  work  is  aUo  placed  on  the 

KS. 

recent  years  in  Los  Angeles  the  industrial-arts 
BOra  have  given  most  of  their  time  and  att»en- 
tbe  program  in  the  first,  second,  and  third 
In  hundreds  of  these  classrooms,  the  children 
een  adding  realism  to  their  social  experiences 
structing  miniature  boats,  trucks,  trains,  build- 
ad  other  articles  pertaining  to  their  regular 
im  work, 
reased  attention  is     also  given  to  the     indus- 


trial-aris  program  in  grades  four,  five  and  six,  where 
three  supervisors  have  developed  a  limited  numbSr 
of  pikit  programs.  In  those  rooms  chosen  for  this 
purpose,  a  designated  area  is  given  over  to  construc- 
tioa  work  and  special  workbenches  were  designed  and 
built.  Each  bench  is  equipped  with  a  two-sided 
raising-and-lowering  tool  panel  supported  by  sash 
balances ;  each  workbench  has  cabinets  in  which 
lumber,  supplies,  and  additional  tools  may  be  stored; 
four  small  vices  clumped  to  the  corners  of  the  bench 
may  be  removed  when  not  in  uac.  Each  bench 
aceommodatea  from  four  to  six  pupils,  stands  30 
inches  high,  and  has  a  36-inch  by  00-inch  maplewood 
top.     Only     one  bench     is  assigned  to     a  classroom 


Pupils  in 


1  the  saw  horse 


Certain  phases  of  the  industrial-arts  program  in 
the  upper  grades  of  the  elementary  schools  in  the  Los 
Angeles  system  which  have  been  carried  on  for  seve- 
ral years  are  being  expanded.  The  program  serves  the 
individual  interest  of  pupils  by  allowing  them  to  plan 
and  undertake  seasonal,  personal  interest,  and  home 
workshop  projects.  It  also  serves  individual  and 
group  needs  of  boys  and  girls  in  the  social  studies, 
music,  science,  and  arithmetic.  To  satisfy  pupils' 
needs  for  leisure-time  activities,  a  number  of  handi- 
crafts are  carried  on  in  classrooms  and  later  in  home 
workshops.  These  include  copper  tooling,  leather 
working,  lelterii^,  and  the  use  of  plasties. 

Some  of  the  projects  centering  a.tQ'vasi,  "Aiia  x^Akbi- 


I4» 


THE  MODERN  REVIEW  FOE  FEBRUARY,  19S3 


trial-artt  workshops  of  the  public  echoola  system  in  the 
city  are  seaeanal  in  nature.  At  Christmas  time,  many 
boys  and  girU  make  sifts  for  their  parents  which  are 
greatly  appreciated,  especially  if  they  represent  ' 
child's  advancement  in  skilla.  Simple  and  well-designed 
projects,  as  many  of  these  are,  make  fine  gifts  and 
provide  educationally  iound  experience  in  the  use  of 
materials  and  tools.  GirU  enjoy  working  with  tooU  as 
well  as  boys,  if  there  is  sufficient  motivation.  A  work 
period  is  set  aside  for  such  activity  with  about  a  fifth 
«f  the  class  working  at  a  time. 


siziiii^isiii 


Providing  the  opportunities  to  follow  individual 
interests  sometimes  makes  the  difference  between  euc- 
ce«  and  failure  in  schoolwork.  For  the  average  boy 
or  girl,  persona!  inlerust  projects  usually  require  read- 
ing for  information,  planning,  solving  miexpected 
probkms,  and  measuring — which  caits  for  practical 
application  of  the  academic  ekills.  An  example  of  the 
personal  interest  project  is  the  model  yacht  buiit  by 
the  pupils  and  sailed  io  the  Loa  Angeles  City  Schools 
annual  regatta  held  in  June  in  one  of  the  municipal 
parks.  Many  children  have  the  plra5urab!e  eitperience 
of  helping  to  build  the  yachts  and  feeling  the  thrills 
of  sailing  competition. 

The  best  place,  ordinarily,  to  carry  on  these 
bobbies  and  interc?fs.  outside  of  school,  is  a  home 
worksiiop.  Teachers  can  assist  the  children  in  the 
necessar>-  planning  and  by  showing  Ihem  what  can  be 
made  wilh  inexpen-'ive,  available  material!.  Tlie  <-hild, 
in  the  meantime,  is  working  out  these  plans  with  hia 
j>ar»z>i9.  Sbelvec,  tool  hangers,  and  similar  articles  tor 


the  home  workshop  can  be  made  in  the  Mhool  woik- 
ahop  and  then  installed  in  the  one  at  home. 

There  are  many  worthwhile  conatructioa  pniblem 
connected  with  social,  studies  ;  a  definite  amount  of 
time  it  provided  in  the  glaasroom  during  the  wed 
work  on  the  various  needs  of  a  unit,  with  pupU  bodw 
mittees  formed  to  work  on  the  different  problrans.  Tbt 
industrial-arts  workshop  provides  tools,  materials,  and 
space  for  the  committees'  use.  Sixth-grade  childtel 
making  rhythm  music  instruments  not  only  use  diS^ 
rent  kinds  of  tools,  but  they  employ  vaiious 
principles  in  decorating  thi 
Science  projects  and  experienw 
enable  the  children  to  obtain  the 
answers  to  many  questions  about 
tlie  world  in  which  tbey  live.  Some 
science  projects  that  can  be  made 
by  elementary  school  pupib  »« 
electromagnet?,  telegraph  keys, 
cages,  insect  mounts,  weather- 
station equipment,  and  am 
objects. 

Pupils   in   the     upper   elementaij 
grades  in     the  Los  Angeles  schoolj    i 
h.ive  constructed    arithmetic    teach-   ( 
ing  aids  that  have  proved  to  be  of 
value,      thereby      contributing        to 
meting  the  needs  of  the  class  and    , 
receiving     concrete     experience     hi    | 
various   arithmetical   principles.    The 
teaching  aids  include  squares,  circles, 
and    cubes     cut   up    into    fractional 

The  activities  discussed  by  no 
*«"''".Mboys  means  Umits  the  number  and  kind 
that  can  be  included  in  industrial- 
arts  programs.  Careful  planning  is  needed  ;  success  it 
determined  in  large  measure  by  the  smooth  operation 
of  the  area  and  its  facilities.  The  workbench  Aould  be 
located  in  the  classroom  under  the  immediate  super- 
vision of  the  teacher,  should  have  ample  space  around 
it,  and  should  be  convenient  to  other  classroom  acti- 
vities. Before  work  is  undertaken,  the  teacher  should 
explain  the  program  and  plan  with  the  claa  in  elect- 
ing groups  to  be  responsible  for  keeping  tools,  sup- 
plies and  equipment  in  order,  cleaning  up  the  bench 
and     surroundings,     and     supervising     general    safety 


If  the  workbench  is  located  near  a  bulletin  boaid, 
the  responsibility  chart  can  be  posted  along  with  other 
printed  materials  and  pictures  relating  to  class  orga- 
nizatoin  and  current  class  work.  Books,  magasines,  and 
pamphlets  relating  to  woodwork,  crafts,  science,  and 
other  topics  should  be  kept  on  a  shelf  neiar  the  work- 
bench area,  and  a  small  drawing  board  should  he 
available  for  the  making  of  working  drawings. 


THE  PLACE  OF  BENOY  SARKAR  IN  BENGALI  LITERATURE 


149 


allowing  is  a  list  of  the  tools  and  equipment  used 

industrial-arts     program     in     the  Los  Angeles, 

mia,  public  schools  :  two  16-inch  crosscut  saws  ; 

lO-inch  hacksaw  ;     two  7-ounce  hammers  ;     two 

try  squares  ;  two  4-inch  C  clamps  ;  two  block 

;  one  hand  drill;  one  each,  straight  shank  drills, 

fhth,  three-sixteenths,  and  one-quarter  inch;  one 

frinch  swing;  one  set  dowel  bits,    one-quarter, 

eighths,   one-half,    three-quarters,   one-inch;    two 

saws;  one  scratch  awl;  one  8-inch  half  round 

-:0 


cabinet  file;  one  8-inch  mill  file;  one  8-inch  slim  taper 
file;  one  8-inch  rattail  file;  four  file  handles  for  8-inoh 
files;  one  file  card;  one  nail  set;  one  countersink;  one 
pair  sid©  cutting  pliers;  one  2-inch  screw-driver;  one 
pair  tin  snips;  one  marking  gauge;  two  12-inch  rules; 
one  spokeshave;  one  compass  saw;  one  woodworking 
bench;  two  sawhorses;  two  bench  hooks;  and  one 
miter  box.— From  Industrial  Arts  and  Vocational 
Education, 


THE  PLACE  OF  BENOY  SARKAR  IN  BENGAU  LITERATURE 

By  Prof.  HARIDAS  MUKHERJEE,  m.a., 
Research-Fellow,  Bengali  Institute   oj    Sociology,  Calcutta 


1905-1914 
:g  in  The  Modern  Review  for  January  1947,  the 
rof.  Nripcndra  Chandra  Banerji  observed  about 
Sarkar  that  "he  is  justly  admired  for  his  original 
ind  novel  methods  of  expression  and  presenta- 
There  was  hardly  a  subject  which  Sarkar  had 
uched  and  enriched.  A  "free-lance  and  non- 
nist  in  political  and  economic  theory  and 
e,"  as  Nripen  Banerjee  puts  it,  Benoy  Sarkar 
made  a  signal  contribution  to  Bengali 
ire. 

roughout  his  life  since  1905,  Bcnoy  Sarkar  had 
made  conscious  attempts  to  enrich  Bengali 
ire  and  to  enhance  its  prestige.  A  mighty 
IS  to  the  cause  of  Bengali  language  and  literature 
urnishcd  by  the  glorious  Bengali  Revolution 
6).  The  dream  of  the  country^s  freedom,  both 
lie  and  political,  certainly  belonged  to  the  ideo- 
complex  of  the  Revolution.  But  it  is  absolutely 
sical  to  characterise  the  Swadeshi  Revolution 
lere  politico-economic  movement.  The  spirit  of 
}hi  once  roused  made  itself  manifest  in  the 
of  education  and  culture  too.  "We,"  wrote 
ra  Nath  Banerjea,  "must  be  Swadeshi  in  all 
Swadeshi  in  our  thoughts  and  ideals  and  aspira- 
Swadcshi  in  our  educational  methods  and  deve- 
it"  (The  Dawn  and  Dawn  Society's  Magazine, 
,  1906).  The  foundation  of  the  National  Council 
cation  (March  11,  1906)  was  the  visible  expres- 
the  victory  of  the  Swadeshi  spirit  in  the  domain 
cation.  Born  in  and  through  the  protest  against 
liversities  Act  of  1904,  the  National  Council  of 
ion  laid  broad  and  deep  the  foundations  of  a 
al  University.  Its  basic  ideal  was  to  promote 
il  education,  technical,  scientific  and  literary,  on 
il  lines  and  under  national  control.  The  adop- 
;  Bengali  as  a  medium  of  instruction  as  far  as 
able  in  all  classes  was  a  striking  feature  of  the 


educational  scheme  of  the  N.CE.  Satish  Chandra 
Mukherjee,  the  founder-organiser  of  the  famous  Dawn 
Society  (1902-7),  was  the  chief  ideological  father  of 
the  movement  for  educational  autarchy.*  Hirendra 
Nath  Dutta  (1867-1942),  Sir  Gooroodas  Banerjee 
(1844-1918),  Ramendra  Sundar  Trivedi  (1864-1919), 
Aurobindo  Ghose  (1872-1950)  were  other  makers  of  the 
movement.  Benoy  Sarkar  as  a  student  of  the  Dawn 
Society  and  a  lieutenant  of  Satish  Mukberjee  (1865- 
1948)  threw  himself  heart  and  soul  into  the  National 
Education  Movement.  In  the  milieu  of  the  Dawn 
Society  (1902-7)  and  in  the  National  education  move- 
ment, young  Benoy  Kumar  had  imbibed  from  Satish 
Chandra  Mukherjee  a  vigorous  passion  for  the  enrich- 
ment and  expansion  of  the  Bengali  language  and 
literature.  His  Bengali  publications  alone  run  to  about 
forty  in  number  and  cover  approximately  twelve 
thousand  printed  pages.  These  publications  constitute 
an  eloquent  testimony  to  his  profound  love  for  the 
Bengali  people  and  Bengali  literature. 

Benoy  Sarkar's  -earliest  writings  in  Bengali  go  back 
to  the  beginning  of  the  present  century.  His  first 
writing  Banglar  Jatiya  Siksha  Parishat  0  Banga  Samaj 
was  published  in  the  Maldaha  Samachar,  Malda,  Jime, 
1906.'  This  was  followed  by  his  brochure  on  Bange 
NavayuQcr  Natun  Siksha  (1907).  The  first  six  or  seven 
years  of  his  literary  life  (190^1913)  were  chiefly  devo- 
ted to  discussions  on  problems  of  education  or  peda^ 
gogics  which  was  included  by  the  National  Council  of 
Education  in  its  scheme  of  studies.  Among  his  books 
on  pedagcfgics  in  Bengali  the  following  deserve  special 
mention  : 


*  Srcejat  Hemendra  Prasad  Chose  in  his  book  Aurobindo 
(Calcutu,  1949,  pp.  9-10)  wrongly  attributes  to  Aurobindo  the  credit 
of  Lhief  leadership  in  the  National  Education  Movement.  If  a  single 
leader  of  that  movement  can  be  marked  out,  it  was  Satish 
Chandra  Mukherjee  of  whom  Aurobindo  himself  said  that  he  was  the 
real  organiser  of  the  Bengal  National  College  (Vido  Sri  Aurobindo'i 
Spetchts,    Calctttu,    1948,    p.    IS). 


£50 


THE- MODERN  EEVIEW  FOR  FEBRUARY,  J953 


(1)  SikshaA'ijnancT  Bhumika   (1910) 

(2)  Frachin  Griser  Jatiya  Siksha  (1910) 

(3)  Bhasa-Siksha   (1910) 

(4)  Siksha-Samalochana  (1912) 

(5)  Sadhana  (1912). 

In  these  works  on  education,  Benoy  Sarkar  intro- 
duced a  world  of  ideas,  drawn  from  iar  and  near.  The 
range  of  discussions  was  exceedingly  broad  and  com- 
prehensive. He  was  a  pioneer  in  grasping  and  formu- 
lating the  principles  for  teaching  a  language,  Bengali 
or  non-Bengali,  without  Grammar.  In  his  own  peda- 
gogic system,  it  was  the  sentence,  not  the  word,  that 
IS  conceived  as  the  smallest  unit  of  a  language.  The 
logic  was  simple.  A  word  can  hardly  express  an  idsa. 
Idea  or  ideas  are  expressed  only  in  a  sentence,  be  it 
however  short.  Therefore,  it  was  undertaken  by  Sarkar 
to  start  language-lessons  not  with  isolated  words,  but 
with  short  sentences.  The  method  was  applied  to  the 
teaching  of  language* — Englisli,  Bengali  and  Sanskrit, 
and  was  highly  appreciated  by  competent  critics.  Sir 
Brojecdra  Nath  Seal  observed  in  1910  : 

"Prof.  Sarkar's  programme  is  certainly  an  ambi- 
tious one,  but  he  is  fully  qualfiied  to  carry  it  out. 
and  there  is  no  doubt  that  it  will  be  found  to  be  a 
healthy  and  stimulating  force  in  the  Indian  educa- 
tional world  of  today." 

His  novel  method   for   teaching  Sanskrit   without 

Grammar  was  so  impressive  as  to  win  for  him  the  title 

of  Vidya-Vaibhava  from     the     Sanskrit     scholars     of 

Benares  (1912).  Mahamahopadhyaya  Pandit  Adityaram 

Bhattacharyya,  m-\.,  Prof,  of  Sanskrit  Literature,  Muir 

College,    Fellow,     Allahabad     University,     wrote     to 

8arkar  : 

"I  write  this  in  my  appreciation  of  your  efforts 
to  facilitate  and  popularise  the  study  of  Sanskrit. 
Your  method  to  teach  Sanskrit  without  the  learner's 
going  through  a  first  course  of  Grammar  merits 
trial.  At  the  very  outset  the  attempt  looks  some- 
what revolutionary.  But  m  other  fields  it  is  such 
revolutionary  departures  from  the  old  track  that 
have  hastened  the  advance  of  arts  and  sciences" 
(1912). 

In  his  application  of  this  quicker  method  of  learn- 
ing languages,  Sarkar  was  continuing  and  developing 
the  tradition  of  Bohemian  pedagogist  Comenius  of  the 
17th  century. 

A  second  line  of  services  of  Sarkar  in  the  period 
of  Boycott-Swadeshi-Swaraj  Movement  (1905-1914) 
was  the  formulation  as  well  as  propagation  of  a  con- 
scious and  systematic  policy  for  the  promotion  of 
Indian  mother-tongues.  In  1911,  he  moved  a  resolution 
before  the  North  Bengal  Literary  Conference,  held 
in  Malda,  for  considering  the  case  of  Bengali  as  a 
medium  of  instruction  in  the  schools  and  colleges  of 
the  country.  His  resolution  was  accepted  in  the  same 
year  by  the  literary  men  of  Bengal  at  the  Bengali 
Literary  Conference,  held  at  Mymensingh  and  presided 
.over  by  Sir  Jagadish  Chandra  Bose.  His  scheme  for 
t/ie  adoption  of  Bengali  and   other     Indian     mother- 


tongues  as  the  medium  of  instruction  was  publUted 
originally  in  Prabasi  (1911)  as  SahilyaSevi.  It  waa 
also  published  in  English  in  The  Modem  Review  lor 
April,  1911  and  subsequently  also  in  Hindi  and 
Marathi.  It  was  an  immense  joy  to  Sarkar  to  find  the 
authorities  of  the  Calcutta  University  to  introduce 
Bengali  as  a  medium  of  teaching  and  examination  in 
1910  up  to  the  Matriculation  Standard  and  still  later 
(since  1947-4S)  up  to  the  B.A.  Pass  standard. 

A  third  line  of  service  of  Benoy  Sarkar  to  Bengali 
literature  during  1905-1914  was  his  strenuous  effort  to 
enrich  Bengali  literature  by  a  systematic  policy  of 
translations  from  recognised  Euro-American  authors. 
Thanks  to  the  initiative  of  Sarkar,  a  fund  was  raised 
and  placed  at  the  disposal  of  the  Bangiya  Sahit^ 
Parishat  for  publishing  Bengali  translations  from 
European  standard  books  on  science,  philosophy, 
history  and  so  on.  Be  it  noted  in  this  connection  that 
out  of  the  fund  placed  by  Sarkar  with  the  Sahitya 
Parishat  in  the  year  of  Tagore's  fiftieth  birth  anni- 
versary (1911)  was  published  Guizot's  History  oj 
European  Civilisation  from  French  into  Bengali.  The 
translator  was  the  late  Principal  of  the  Ripon  College, 
Rabindra  Narayan  Ghose,  a  pupil  of  Satish  Mukherjee 
in  his  Dawn  Society.  The  Bengali  translation  was 
published  in  1926  under  the  title  of  Europiya  Sabhyo- 
tar  Itikash  (pp.  399).  Again,  Benoy  Sarkar  himself 
undertook  translation  work  and  published  in  1914  his 
Negro  Jatir  Karmavir  which  was  a  translation  from 
Booker  T.  Washington's  Up  from  Slavery,  originally 
published  in  New  York  in  1901.  This  translation  wae 
widely  read  by  young  intellectuals  of  Bengal  with 
great  avidity  in  the  period  of  World  War  I  and 
for  many  years  since  then.  It  has  become  a  classical 
book  in  Bengali  hterature. 

1914—1925 
The  years  between  1914  and  1925  were  a  period 
of  world-tour  of  Benoy  Sarkar  through  Egypt, 
England,  Scotland  and  Ireland,  the  U.  S.  A.,  the 
Hawaii  Islands,  Japan,  Korea,  Manchuria,  China, 
France,  Germany,  Austria,  Switzerland,  Italy.  This 
is  the  most  brilliant  chapter  of  Sarkar's  life,  and 
constitutes  the  Sarkar's  Era  of  Bengali  history.  In 
this  period  he  was  equally  active  in  diverse  branches 
of  human  scholarship.  On  invitation  by  the  foreign 
scholars,  he  had  to  deliver  lectures  before  the  groat 
Universities  of  the  world,  whether  in  the  East  or  in 
the  West.  He  had  to  write  articles,  books  and  bro- 
chures in  English,  German  and  French,  to  mention 
only  a  few.  His  English  publications  alone  ran  to 
ten  volumes.  He  lectured  in  German  and  in  French 
respectively  before  the  Berlin  and  Paris  Universitia^. 
Besides,  his  papers  in  German  and  French  were  also 
considerable  in  number.  In  this  period  of  world-tour, 
he  also  enriched  Bengali  literature  in  a  manner  not 
done  by  any  Bengali  previously.  His  travels  and 
tourjs  in  different   countries   and   among  diverse  races 


THE  PLACE  or  BENOY  SARKAfi  IN  BENOAM  LlTEBAfCftE 


161 


•ultures  of  mankind  were  brought  home  to  the 
ilis  by  his  series  of  publications  under  the  gene- 
title  of  Vartama^  Jagat.  His  trftvel-acoounts 
refreshingly  different  from  the  traditional  travel 
nts,  diaries  or  books  of  his  predecessors.     Origi- 

published  serially  in  the  Calcutta  monthlies 
jrihastha,  Pravati,  Bkaralvarsha,  Bharati,  Navya- 
ta,  Sakitya,  Banga-vani  aa  well  as  in  weeklies  like 
\Va,  BijoU,  Saralhi,  Siih,  Atmrukakli  etc.,  Sarkar's 
^s  were  later  published  as  books  which  ran  on  to 
en  volumes,  covering  about  5000  pages.  As  many 
B  volumes  of  the  Vartamai  Jagat  series  were  also 
ihed  in  book-form  in  course  ot  his  world-four 
;  1914-25.  These  volumes  are  chronologically  indi" 
below  ; 

I)    Kavaret  Deshe  Din  Panera  or  Egypt  (1914). 
!)     Vimska  Shalavdir  KuTukshelra   (1914). 
3)     Ingrajer   Janmabhumi    <191fi). 
J)     Cheena  Skabhyalar  a,  a,  ka,  kha  (1922), 
>)     Yankecstan  or  the  U.S.A.    (1923).    The  rest 
ubiished  between  1926  and  1935. 
he    Varlaman  Jagat   is   indeed   a     land-mark   in 
ili  lilerature.  The  volumes  in  this  series  concerned 
elves   with   the   most  div-crse   aspects  of  human 
e  ot  the     modern  world.     The     accounts     were 
ic   and    objeelii'e   and   drawn   mostly    from      thi' 
9  and  weeklies  of  the  foreign  countriea.  Through 
volumes   the   entire    modem   world    was   forcibly 
d  up  before  the  cultural  forum  of  Beng.il.    The 
ilia  were  initiated  virtually  in  the  cult  of  world- 

of  modern  times.  The  readers  of  the  Viirlaman 
serial  articles  were  thousands  in  Bengal  during 
S  and  it  appears  from  the  records  of  Nalini 
t  of  Bangiya  Sahitya  Parishad  that  thought- 
3  like  Aki^hoy  Kumar  Sarkar,  Harajirostid  Shas- 
lamendra  Sundar  Trivedi,  Brojen  Seal,  Gurudas 
jee,  Hircn  Datta,  Suresh  Samajpati,  Nugen 
Jaladhar  Sea,  Dinesh  Sen,  Amulya  Vidyabhushan 
)thers  looked  forward  with  great  eagerness  to 
■ublioationa  of  Sarkar's     writings  on     Vartaman 

Amoi^  the  youths  and  budding  scholars  ot  the 
I   ot    1914-25,  the   imi«ct     of     Sarkar's   articles, 

and  brochures  were  remarkable.  In  tact,  as  the 
r  of  Vartaman  Jagat  Sarkar  influenced  and 
lated  I  he  intellectual  and  scholarly  world  of 
1  80  profoundly  that  the  entire  period  of  1914-25 
he  significantly  called  (he  Age  of  Vartammi 
for  modem  Bengali  culture.  It  is  not  to  be 
I  that  no  other  man,  institution  Or  move- 
was  as  powerful  at  that  lime  as  Sarkar.  By  the 
'/  Varlaman  Jagnt  it  i.i  to  be  simply  understood 
luring  1914-25  Benoy  Sarkar  represented  a  very 
nent  intellectual  force  among  other  forces  in 
jltural  pattern  of  Bengal.  In  any  case,  Sarkar's 
will  always  find  an  honoured  place  in  the 
r   of     Bengali     literature     of     the     period     of 


1035-1949 

A  new  phase  of  his  services  to  Bengali 
literature  opened  with  Sarkar's  return  to  the  country 
afUr  his  first  term  of  world  tour  in  September,  1925. 
He  addressed  himsslf  most  energetically  to  enrich 
and  expand  Bengali  literaiu  e  by  first  class  historical, 
economic  and  sociological  publications.  In  1926  waa 
published  bis  Pfirivar,  Gasthi  0  Raalra  which  was  a. 
free  tranflation  from  a  German  book  by  Engela, 
Next,  was  published  Duniyar  Abhawa  (1926),  which 
deals  with  a  factual  narration  of  world-developments 
in   econom>3  and    politics  during    1921-24.     This  was 


Bccoy  Kumar  Sarkar 

followed  by  Lis  celebrated  historical  book  entitled 
Hindu  Rast'er  Qadan  (1939)  which  discusses  on  the 
basis  of  original  sources  the  morphology  of  Hindu 
State  with  his  customary  novel  outlook  from  the 
4th  Century  B.C.  down  to  the  13th  Century  AD.  It 
is  doubtful  if  a  Bengali  historical  work  of  a  superior 
quality  has  ever  been  published  by  any  other  Bengali 
scholar  in  course  of  the  quarter  of  a  century  follow- 
ing 1926. 

To  promote  serious  economic  and  sociological 
writings  in  Bengali,  Sarkar  next  started  a  monthly 
called  Anhic  Vnrtati  in  1926  in  collaboration  with 
Narendranath  I.,aw,  Satya  Charan  Law,  Tuisi  Charan 
Goawami  and  others.  Thoughout  its  career  from 
1926  to  1949.  Sarkar  was  the  Editor  of  the  joumal. 
Hardly  any  scholar  before  Sarkar  tried  to  carry  on 
economic    reEearcbea    in    Bengali.     In   Ba-lux'i    ki^Hn 


m 


f  fli!  MODERN  R^EW  FOR  FEfiRUAilV,  Id^ 


Vhnati,  theoretical  or  historical  economics  did     not    publications    in  the    mother  tongue.      To    pMMk 


. 


loom  large  in  the  journal,  which  was  principally 
addressed  to  the  problems'  of  applied  economics. 
Secondly,  Indian  problems  were  constantly  placed  in 
the  prospective  of  world-developments.  Thirdly, 
political  bias  was  ha  dly  visible  in  the  pages  of  the 
journal  which  stood  for  autarchy  for  economics  as  a 
science,   free   from   political   shackles.  In   this  journal, 


sociological  researches  Sarkar  founded  in  1987  Bail^%i 
Samaj-Vijnan  ParUhad  and  drew  round  him  a  biU 
of  enthusiastic  young  scholars.  His  own  sociologkll 
works  in  Bengali  were  (1)  Nay  a  Banglar  OodaJ^aUan 
2  vols.  (1932)  and  (2)  Badtir  Pathe  Banf;;aU  (1981), 
while  he  edited  and  published  a  volume  on  Sanuij' 
Vijnan  in  1938  in  collaboration  with   13     researchen. 


Benoy  Sarkar  personally     wrote     several  hundreds  of     These  were  all  pioneering  attempts  to  study  sociologi* 
pages  on  world   economic   data   and   problems.  Again,     cal     problems  in  Bengali.       Prof.  Hiranmay  Ghoshal, 


it  was  an  integal  part  of  his  policy  to  invite  young 
intellectuals  to  contribute  economic  articles  to  the 
journal.  Altogether,  by  editing  and  publishing  the 
Arthic  Vnnali  (1923-49),  Sarkar  gave  a  fillip  to  the 
drive  for  enrichment  and  expansion  of  the  Bengali 
literature  in  economic  writings. 

To  promote  economic  researches  Sarkar  founded 
also  in  1926  the-  Bangiya  Dhana-Vijnan  Parishad 
which  was  a  Bengali  seminar  for  studies  in  economics, 
theoretical  and  applied.  Sir  Brojendra  Nath  Seal  was 
the  President  of  this  economic  Seminar  from  1930  to 
1938,  and  from  beginning  to  the  end  of  his  life,  Sarkar 
was  the  Director  of  researches.  Since  its  inception  a 
band  of  young  scholars  was  associated  with  it  as 
Research-Fellows  whose  number  in  1949  rose  to 
about  forty.  Most  of  them  are  authors  of  one  or 
another  publication  in  Bengali  bearing  on  economics. 


while   reviewing  Samaj-Vijnan  in   the  Polish  BuUetin 
of  Onental  Studies,  Warsaw,  observed  : 

"This  extensive  volume  of.  nearly  six  hundred 
pages     oontains    matter     worth     filling    a      whole 
Library." 
In  the  opinion  of  Dr.  Sushil  Kumar  Dey  : 

"The  preiiient  work  is  not  only  a  pioneer  at- 
tempt to  study  directly  the  sociological  and 
economic  problems  in  relation  to  Bengal  and 
India  at  large,  but  also  to  popularise  the  study 
through  tho  medium  of  Bengiii." 

Few  of  our  countrymen  mado  such  an  organised 
attempt  as  Sarkar  to  promote  Bengali  literature, 
particularly  in  economic  and  sociological  writings. 

Conclusions 

F.'om  the  foregoing  discussions  it  is  quite  evident 
that  Sarkar  took  a  conscious  vow  to  enrich  Bengali 
literature  and  spared  no  pains    whether     at  home  or 


For  discussions,  Bengali  was  generally  resorted  to  as  ^^^^^^  ^^  fostering  it.  He  not  merely  started  pioneer- 
ing works  in  sociology  and  economics,  but  also  was 
responsible  fo:  the  development  of  a  forcible  literary 
style  which  was  his  own.  If  style  is  life,  it  is  perhaps 
cent  per  cent  true  of  Benoy  Sarkar.  His  style  was 
popular  rather  than  one  of  literary  aristocracy.  Short 
sentences  were  an  im|>o:tant  feature  of  his  style. 
Long  sentences  wore  doliberately  avoided.  He  had  a 
marvellous  power  of  diction.  His  frequent  blend  of 
coloquial  words  with  sophisticated  literary  words  was 
characteristic  of  his  writing.  What  is  generally  con- 
demned or  ridiculed  as  a  Guru-Chandali'Dosha  became 
a  positive  merit  of  his  literar>'  technique.  Sarkar  has 
demonstrated     in  a  veiy  convincing     manner  how  to 


the  medium  of  expression,  although  English  was  not 
wholly  boycotted.  Among  the  economic  publications 
in  Bengali  by  the  Research-scholars  of  the  Bangiya 
Dhana-Vijnan  Parishat  the  following  deserves  men- 
tion : 

Dhana-Vijnanc  Shakrcti  by  Shib  Dutta, 

Takar  Kalha  by  Naren  Roy, 

Taka-kari  by   Rabi   Ghose, 

Dcsh'Videshcr    Bank    by      Naren    Law     and 

Jiten  Sen  Gupta, 
(5)     Arihasastrcr      Ruparckha      by      Kasturchand 

Lalwani. 
Benoy   Sarkar    himself    wrote    several     important 
books  on   economics  such   as  : 
(1) 


(1) 
(2) 
(3) 
(4) 


write  forcible  sentences  by  the  proper  jaxtaposition  of 
Dhana  Daulatcr  Rupantar  which  is  a  Ben-  colloquial  Bengali  words  with  literal y  as  well  as  Ben- 
gali   translation   from   a  French   work  by  P.     g^^j-  ^^^^^  ^j^j^  Pharshi,  Urdu  and  Hindi.     True     to 

Sarkarism,  he  made  a  revolutionary  departure  from  the 
Arlhii'Shastra,     beaten     track    even  in     respect  of  his  liteiary     style. 

"Benoy  Saikarer  Baithake"  written  by  the  present 
author  in  collaboration  with  five  other  scholars  unmis* 
takably  reflects  what  a  profound  love  Prof.  Sarkar 
cherished  for  Bengali  literature.* 


Lafargul    (1928). 

(2)  Ekaler       Dhan-Dauht     O 
2  Vols,   (1930-35). 

(3)  Svmdeshi  Andolan  O  Samrakshan  Niti  which 
is  a  translation  from  a  German  book  by 
Frcderich  List  (1932). 

(4)  Banglay  Dhana-Viinan,  2  Vols.   (1937-39)  by 
Sarkar  and  other  collaborators. 

Thus  Benoy  Sarkar  pioneered  serious  economic 
Studies  and  researches  in  Bengali.  Equally  mention- 
able  is  his    impetus  given  to    sociological  studies  and 


*  Tripura  Sankar  Sen's  paper  on  "Benojr  Sarkar  and  BcilfiM 
Language"  (Sonar  Bangla,  December  24,  1949)  and  Kalidaa  MakB«r* 
jee't  article  on  "Bcnof  Sarkar  in  Bengali  Literature**  (Pra^M^ 
February,    1950)    may   be   conaulted    by    the   reader*   with  adYaatagt* 


I  Book  Reviews 


Books  in  Uke  principal  European  and  Indian  Unguftgea  are  reviewed  In 
The  Modern  Reviejp.  But  reviews  of  all  booka  sent  cannot  be  guaranteed. 
Newspapers,  periodicals,  school  and  college  text-books,  pamphlets,  reprinta  of 
magaiine  articles,  addresses,  etc,  are  not  noticed.  The  receipt  of  books  received 
for  review  cannot  be  acknowledged,  nor  can  any  enquiries  relatinf;  thereto 
answered.    No  cnticiom  of  book-reviews  and  notices  is  published. 

^noB,  The  Modem  Review. 


iNCUSH 

AJI  AND  HIS  TIMES,  6th  Edition  (en- 
Bv  Sir  Jadunalh  Sarkar.  PubHuhed  by  M.  C. 
id  Sone,  Calcutta  12.  3  portraits.  Pp.  424. 
10. 

e  new  edition  the  book  has  been  further 
and  expanded  by  some  new  features.  One  of 
I  detailed  study  of  the  birth  and  growth  of 
Sghtiuft  fleet  and  mercantile  roariiie,  as  (in 
c'b  words)  "the  importance  of  this  subject 
3t  Hindu  navy  to  New  India  demands."  His 
id  their  tactics,  their  weakness  and  the  mar- 
rength  of  his  naval  bises  and  dockyards,  his 
lificationa  ("The  Cbhatrapati  put  a  bridle  on 
are  fully  described.  The  tragmeotary  Sanskrit 
sntlv  discovered  and  published  in  the  Baroda 
Series  as  Paramanand  KaVya  (edited  by 
with  Sankar's  long  Foreword}  has  been  here 
nd  this  has  enabled  a  human  story  of 
domestic  life  and  succession  disputes  in  his 
be  constructed.  Wc  notice  the  curious  evi- 
Mir  Alam,  the  famous  Minister  of  the  Nizam, 
il  Khan  treacherously  first  stabbed  Shivnji 
iracing  him,  out  of  a  proud  desire  to  prove 
Bahadur  I 

N.  B.  R. 

:JATAK  INSCRIPTIONS.  Volume  II: 
/     Vidyaratna    R.    S.    Panekamnkki,     MA. 

by  Kannada  Research  Institute,  Dharwar. 
xH  +  U7.  Price  Rs.  S. 
present  work  contains  the  lest  of  42  inscrip- 
the  Kamatak  region,  mostly  in  Kanaieiie 
and  script  (with  a  few  in  Sanekrit  or  Knnnada 
in  Nagnri  script),  which  were  cojiird  and 
by  the  author  in  lMO-41  but  which  could  not 
led  earlier  because  of  the  fxigeucies  of 
'jir  II  and  its  iiflermath.  The  aulhor  has 
well  of  all  students  of  Indology  by  addiuR  to 
■iption  introductory  notes  iind    (in  the  most 

exumple*)  translations  in  EngliBh.  The 
13  range  over  a  period  of  more  than  eeven 
from  the  early  Kndiimhas  down  to  tho 
They  throw  interesting  side-liehts  upon  the 
and     political    history,    the     administration, 

and  economic  conditions,  of  the  region  fon- 
lilo  one  reeord  is  of  unique  interest  as  giving 
St  known  Saka  dato  (4fi5)  for  Soufh  India. 
.  which  is  illustrated  by  10  plates  is  prefaced 
sified  list  of  inscriptions  (nn'anned  according 
ies  and  localities)   and  it  concludes  with     a 

IN  BOMBAY  STATE  :  By  A.  V.  /'unrfyo. 
'irfjonopar.  m2.  Pp.  118.  Price  Re.  IS. 


The  problem  of  territorial  re-distribution  of  Statw 
liEis  been  very  much  with  us  for  some  time'past.  One 
of  the  acut«st  of  these  problems  has  centred  around 
the  accession  of  the  former  Sirohi  State  (lying  on  the 
borders  of  R^ijputana  and  Gujarat)  to  tho  Indian 
Union.  FoUuwing  a  resolution  of  the  Sirohi  lUiya 
Frajamandal  on  20.6.4S  to  that  effect,  the  then  Rageat 
signed  an  agreement  for  its  merger  with  the  Inoian 
Union  on  18.11.48  and  this  wa>!  followed  by  ita  in- 
corporation in  the  Bombay  State  on  5.1.49.  Another 
turn  in  the  wheel  of  its  fortunes  took  place  on  25. 1.60 
when  in  accordance  with  a  fresh  resolution  of  the 
Prajumandal,  SiroTii  proper  was  made  over  to  the 
State  of  Rojasthau,  while  the  Abu  area  was  retained  in 
the  Bombay  State.  In  the  present  monograph,  the 
author  makes  out  what  appears  to  be  a  convincing  cue 
for  its  retention  in  the  Bombay  Slate  on .  grounds 
drawn  from  geography,  past  history  going  back  to  the 
oldest  times,  art  and  architecture,  language  and 
literature.  His  arguments  point  to  the  strong  affinitiefl 
of  Abu  with  the  Gujarati-speakinii  area  of  the  Bombkjr 
State,  while  emphatically  denying  its  connection  with 
Rajasthan.  In  the  course  of  his  discussion  the  author 
throws  refreshing  light  upon  the  history  of  two  recent 
movements  which  have  been  at  cross  purposes  with 
each  ot^er,  namely,  the  Brihattara  Rajasth.tn  and  the 
Mahamalava  movements.    The    author  wields  a  tren- 


knowledge  of  one  of  the  living  political  issues  of  the 

people  of  Rajasthan,  Malwa  and  Gujarat. 

U.  N,  Ohosbal 

INDIAN  METAL  SCULPTLIRE :  By  Chtnta- 
mnni  Kar.  Piiblwhcd  by  Alee  Timnti  Ltd..  72  Char- 
lotto  Street,  London.  1952.  61  hal}-tone  HbtilTatione. 
Pp.  46.  Price  7*  6d. 

With  no  pretension  for  scholarly  or  or^in&l 
presentation  of  a  great  theme,  Chintamoni  Kar,  a 
young  Indain  sculptor,  has  given  an  excellent  pupu- 
lar  guide  lo  a  phase  of  Indian  srulpturc  which  Is  one 
of  the  most  brilliant  chapters  of  Indian  Art.  With  »n 
inadequate  historical  outline  the  aulhor  gives  a  rough 
general  survey  of  the  different  schools  without  charac- 
terizing their  peculiar  qualifies.  He  gives  a  very  u»e- 
fui  chart  and  a  short  ehrooology.  Tlie  descriptive 
notes  are  all  but  adequate  and  simple,  with  lapses  here 
and  there.  A  "Dipa-Lakshmi"  known  as  such  to  all 
European  connoisseurs  and  collectors  is  much  iitore 
than  a  "Temple  Lamp-holder."  The  South  Kensing- 
ton 'Lakulisa'  comes  from  Java  not  Bihar,  The  biblio- 
graphy is  inadequate  for  further  studies.  The  author 
has  misROd  the  richly  illustrated  little  Hand-book  on 
fiouthem  Indian  Bronzes  by  O.  C.  Gangoly  in  the  series 
Little  Books  of  Asiatic  Art.  Though  not  chronologi- 
cally  proseoted,   the     69   illustrationa      ~    ..-— i_  — ^ 


164  '  ^THE  MODERN  REVIEW;  FOR  FEBRUARY.  1853 

produced  are  th^'teet  feature  of  this  popular  hand-  better  understaiuiiDg  and  improvement."  ^llie  leete 

'5iri^Ufe*"M»-dff 'a  very  opportune  pubUcaUon  for  which  wiU  be  left  wondering  what  he  means  by  "TOi««U*i 

*     the  enterprising  publishers  deserve    high    praise  and  of  w)nstitutionahsm"    and    ti)     ask,    ''better  undw- 

gratitude.  sUnding  and  improvement"  of  what?  But  tbat^is  kqr 

O  C.  G.  ^  ^^y*  i^^  ^  "^ow  a  sample  of  lack  of^  d^ntgr  A 

thought  and  expression  joi  wnich  there  are'^  plenty  of 

A  SURVEY  OF  INDIAN   CONSTITUTIONAL-  instowesT  tS  book.                              »re  p      y 

ISM  :  By  P.  Rajevwara  Rao.    With  a  Foreword  hy  To  come     back  to  our  point,     constitutionaliRA 

I>r,  B.    Fattabhi    SUaramayya,     Published      by    the  ^^  ^y^^  different  forms  and  expressions  under  diffe- 

authOr.  I960,  Pp.  904.  Price  Rs.  0-12.  ^ 


The  book  purports,  if  its  title  is  any  guide,  to 
make  a  survey  of  the  evolution  and  development  of 
Indian  constiiutionaibm  from  the  dawn  of  Indian 
History  to  the  present  day — a  rather  too  ambitious 
a  project  to  be  attempted  in  a  book  of  less  thaa 
three  hundred  pages.  The  inevitable  result  is  extremely 
iM^roppy,  cursor>'  and  superficial  treatment  of  the  sub- 
jiect  all  throiigh.  Then  again  the  book  is  charac- 
terised by  a  complete  lack  of  unity  of  purpose.  The 
author  does  not  dtick  to  his  theme  indicated  in  the 
title  beyond  about  one-third  of  its  contents,  because 
chapters  XVIII  to  XXXIII  are  devoted  to  narration 
of  events  and  circumstances  leading  to  the  making 
of  the  new  constitution  and  chapters  XXXIV  to 
XXXIX  to .  a  descriptive  analysis  of  the  provisions 
of  the  new  constitution,  neither  of  which  has  much 
relation  to  a  survey  of  constitutionalism. 

The  book  containing  in  all  two  hundred  and 
eighty-three  pages  excluding  the  Foreword,  Contents, 
Izidex,  etc.,  has  been  divided  into  as  many  as  forty- 
one  chapters,  giving  each  chapter  hardly  seven  pages. 
Actually  some  of  the  chapters  contain  even  less  ;  for 
instance,  the  chapters  headed  "Regime  of  the  East 
Indian  Company,"  **Under  the  Crown,"  '^War  and 
the  Montford  Heforms",  "The  Role  of  the  Civil 
Servants,"  to  cite  only  a  few,  contain  21,  2^,  3^  and 
2i  pages  respectively  and  it  can  be  left  to  the  readers 
what  justice  can  be  done  to  subjects  indicated  in  the 
title  of  the  chapters  within  the  space  given.  The 
titles  of  some  of  the  chapters  also  are  misleading. 
For  instance,  in  Chapter  IV  "Mediseval  ajid  Moghul 
Period,"  one  would  naturally  expect  a  discussion 
bearing  on  how  far  constitutionalism  was  present  or 
absent  in  Moghul  system  oi  administration,  but  there 
is  nothing  of  the  sort  in  the  chapter.  The  same 
criticism  applies  more  or  less  to  Chapter  III, 
"Puranic  and   Buddhistic   Era"     where     we   are   only 


rent  circumstances  whether  in  the  same  country  or  in 
different  countries,  but  basically  it  can  have  only  one 
meaning  as  indicated  above  and  we  are  not  sure  that 
there  can  be  an  English  brand,  another,  an  American 
brand  or  yet  another,  an  Indian  brand  of  constitu- 
tionalism. But  far  from  developmg  his  thesis  of 
Indian  constitutionalism  he  has  subsequently  attemp- 
ted to  produce  evidence  of  constitutionalism  in  the 
Western  sense  in  different  periods  of  Indian  histoiy, 
although  the  evidence  is  very  meagre  and  sometimes 
of  doubtful  value.  He  laments  that  "things  have 
come  to  such  a  pass  that  it  requires  very  great  effort 
to  believe  even  when  sufficient  evidence  is  forth- 
coming that  institutions  which  we  are  accustomed 
to  look  upon  as  of  Western  growth  flourished  in 
India"  (p.  18),  because  even  Indian  scholars  like  3. 
Srinivasa  lyenger  and  the  great  orientalist  Max  Muller 
lent  their  weight  of  authority  on  the  opposite  side. 
His  object  seems  to  be  to  produce  convincing  evidence 
as  to  the  existence  of  institutions  of  Western  growth 
in  India  in  the  past  to  overcome  the  prevailing 
scepticism.  But  that  does  not  strengthen  his  thesis  of 
Indian  constitutionalism.  Incidentally,  it  is  difficult  to 
understand  how  the  discussion  on  tne  alle^sd  attad^ 
on  the  caste  system  (p.  19)  is  relevant  in  the  context 
in  which  it  occurs. 

Further,  the  author  does  not  stick  to  one  consis- 
tent notion  of  "constitutionalism"  throughout.  Refer*- 
ence  may  be  made  in  this  connection  to  Chapter  X 
on  "The  Role  of  Civil  Ser\'ants"  and  Chapter  5CII  on 
"The  Government  of  India  Act"  in  connection  with 
federalism.  Considerations  of  space  prevent  us  from 
going  into  details. 

There  are  some  serious  spelling  mistakes  which 
should  have  been  detected.  It  is  strange  that  the 
names  of  some  very  renowned  personages  have  been 
misspelt  in  a  number  of  places  in  the  book.  For 
instance,  "Laski"  has  been  spelt  as  "Lasky"  (p.  206  and 
Index),  "Panikkar"  as     "Pannicker"  (pp.  60,  78     and 


ancient  literature  such   as 


treated     to  some     views  and     opinions     expressed  in    ^"^ex^     ran  Ki^r     as     '  rannicKcr"   ipp.  ou,  ?»     a^ 

Mahabharata,      Kautilya's     Index)    and  ^ontagu"   as  "Montague"    (pp.   50    58, 

and  Index).  The  number  of  repetitions  of  the  mistake 
in  each  case  makes  it  difficult  to  put  them  down  to 
the  printer's  devil. 

A.  K.  Ghosal 


Arthasastra,     Kathaka   Sanhita,  etc.     instead   of  con- 
crete   historical    facts    bearing    on    constitutionalism. 

But  perhaps  the  principal  defect  of  the  work  is 
this  that  the  author  docs  not  seem  to  have  a  clear 
conception  of  liis  theme.  He  cannot  quite  make  up 
his  mind  as  t-o  what  ho  would  mean  by  "constitu- 
tionalism." Usually  in  the  literature  of  political 
science  the  tcnii  implies  Government  limited  by  cer- 
tain fundamental  rules  deriving  directly  or  in- 
directly from  popular  will  as  distinct  from  autocracy 
and  rule  of  law  as  dif?tinct  from  rule  of  men.  He 
begins  by  quoting  from  two  distingui.'-hod  writers  on 
the  subjc?ct  which  supports  this  notion  of  the  concept 
which  he  calls  "Western",  suggesting  thereby  that  the 
Indian  brand  of  "constitutionalism"  is  something 
diflforont  which  is  also  suggested  by  the  title  of  his 
book.  Ho  actuilly  remarks:  "Its  (constitutionalism) 
course  ni:iy  change  from  region  to  region  and  ^)eriod  to 
period.  Wo  cannot  say  that  particular  course  is  wrong. 
Wo  can  only  say  that  it  is     different     and  distinct" 


COMBINATION  MOVEMENT  IN  INDIAN 
INDUSTRY  : .  By  Dr.  3f .  M.  Mehta.  Puhlitthed  by 
Friends  Book  Depot,  Allahabad.  Clof^h-bound,  Price 
Ra.  J^. 

This  book  is  the  result  of  an  explanatory  enquiry 
into  the  connection  of  ownership,  control  and  manage- 
ment in  Indian  industries.  This  is  not  a  new  attempt. 
Asok  Mehta *s     Who  Owns  India  must  be  mentioned 
in  this  connection.  There  is  ample  room  for  further 
research  into  this  interesting  as  well  extremely  useful 
subject.  Dr.  Mehta  says  that  a  more  important  moti- 
vation underlying  the  combination  movement  is     the 
desire  to  eliminate  wasteful  competition  through  regu- 
lation of  productive  activity,  prices  or  allocation    of 
markets.  He  has  cited  the  view  of  the  U.  S.  Industrial 
,      ,^,    „    ,,  ,  ....  ...    Commission  and  the  British  Committee  on  Trusts    in 

fp.  17).  Ho  tlion  goes  on  to  observe:  "A  close  study  of    support  of  this  theorv.  He  savs  that  for  the  achieve- 
the     vicissitudos   of     const itutionali^m   m   a     country    ment  of  these  objectives,  viz!,  the  reduction  in  ooeta 
sj7^K9r/    over  jfs  long    history  will  be     conducive  to   or  elimination  of  wasteful  competition,  the  individual 


BOOE  REVIEWS 


•-•       •■-_ 


oriouiiBe  themselTes  into  some  kind  af  lasociAtion 
saniflation.  In  practice,  however,  it  k  vnivenal 
ill  such  combinations,  whether  they  may  be 
man's  agreement,  market  pools,  or  fuIMMged 
cartel,  ring  or  a  syndicate,  tend  towards  the 
motive— monopoly  profits  and  exploitation  of 
insumer.  The  Indian  Managing  Agency  adds  two 
vices,  vu.,  depriving  the  shareholder  of  his 
late  profit  and  the  state  its  taxes.  Dr.  Mehta  has 
a  mass  of  data,  very  illuminating  and  useful 
but  the  book  is  incomplete.  Little  attempt  has 
made  to  go  deep  into  the  subject. 

D.  B. 

CREATIVE  TEACHING  OF  HISTORY  IN 
VN  SCHOOLS  :  By  K.  D.  GhoRh,  MA.  (Oxon). 
5a/,  Daind  Hare  Trainirtq  College,  Calcutta, 
ey  Cumberlege,  Oxford  Unit^ersity  Fress,  ifnce 
8. 

AUDO-VISITAL  AIDS  IN  TEACHING 
^N  HISTORY:  By  K.  P.  Chaudhvry,  MA. 
.).  Central  Imtitute  of  Education,  Delhi.  Atma 
ind  5o7i«.  Delhi  6.  Price  Rs.  4- 

is  a  truism  to  say  that  History  is  not  a  bare 
ion  of  facts,  not  a  catalogue  of  events.  Yet 
y  is  taueht  as  such  in  our  schools,  colleges  and 
sdties.  Within  a  comparatively  short,  compass  of 
tan  250  pages.  Principal  Ghose  in  the  first  ably 
with  the  various  problems  of  History  as  a 
\.  for  examination,  wf..  the  curriculum,  methods 
ihing,  the  manner  in  which  youne  learners  should 
mined  in  the  subject  and  the  like.  The  learned 

rightly  points  out  further  how  history-lessons 
!  made  lively  and  interesting  with  the  help  of 
,  apparatus  and  appliances.  He  further  tells  us 
I  teacher  of  History  should  be  and  what  he  or 
ould  do.  We  agree  with  him  when  he  savs  that 
her  of  History  should  be  open-minded,  first  and 
St.  The  last  chapter  of  the  book  deals  with  the 
lum  of  various  Indian — and  Pakistani — ^imiver- 
md  .«niKgp.'»t«  improvomrnts  thereof.  The  sugKes- 
v(*  frel.  should  have  boon  made  with  more  atton- 
"i  the  average  intellectual  capacities  of  our 
ts.  The  author's  suggestion  that  the  B.  A. 
lees  of  Calcutta  ITnivorsitv  should  have  one 
of  100  marks  in  European  Historv  from  1453  to 
?»ent  day — ^"to  be  studied  in  brond  outlines.'* 
»r. — for  example,  will  not  have  the  approval 
\y  who     actually     handle     the     TTnder-graduate 

of  that  Universitx'.  More  instances  might  be 
Principal  Ghosh's  book  however  is  a  welcome 
n  to  our  educational  literature.  Teachers  of 
'  in  Secondar^'  .^schools  will  find  it  verv  useful, 
e  second  vohime  under  review,  as  its  title  indi- 
s  much  more  limited  in  score  than  the  first.  The 

discusses  a  number  of  devices — more  than  a 
ind  mostly  inexpensive — w^ich  will  make  History 
in    interesting   subject.     These   aro   intended    to 

simultaneously  to  the  eves  and  ear*?  of  vounir 
^.  The  book  is  written  in  simnlp  English  and 
s  a  number  of  illustrations.  The  get-up  is 
ve. 

Sfdhaxsu  Bimal  MooKiirai.TT 

)IA— THE  PEACE-MAKER  :  A  SIOLTTTION 
rE  KASHMIR  PRORLEM  :  By  Paul  Ry'rhnrff. 
ed  by  Ganrsh  and  Ccf.  Ltd.,  Madron  17.  Pp.  SB. 
iffht  annnu. 

are  glad  to  receive  this  booklet  from  a  pub- 
rho  hsd  at  one  timr*  during  thp  second  decade 
Christian  century  made  a  name  for  themselves 
ishers  of  Nationalist  literature.  The  author  was 


185 


co-€ditor  with  Sri  Aurobindo  of  the  Arytt;  ftifHt  pt^Vi 
lished  from  Pondicherry  on  August,  1914.  This  man- 
line  was  the  dynamo  of  high     thoughts    and  my^o 
intuitions  that  have  helped  mould  many  of  our  ideaji 
on  world  problems,  secular  and  spiritual. 

What  Paul  Richard  writes  on  "the  sacrifice  of 
narrow  nationalism,  of  their  egoistic,  anarchical, 
anachronical  sovereignties**  and  their  being  put  under 
the  supervision  of  "higher  up  federated  units^"  echoes 
what  Rabindranath  Tagore  wrote  on  his  "Nationalism." 
The  development  of  these  nation-StAtea,  once  wel- 
comed, appears  to  cut  across  the  "Manava  Dharma" 
of  Arya  idealism.  And  India  is  naturally  expected  to 
nlay  this  part.  But  the  question  remains — Will  India 
find  conditions  'favourable  for  this  ideal  State  ?  On 
reply  to  it  depends  Paul  Richard's  whole  argument. 
Kashmir  is  only  a  symptom  of  a  world-wide  disease. 
Seers  and  saints  have  yet  to  find  a  remedy  to  it. 

SURESH    ChAnDBA   DBB 

HINDU  CULTURE  :  By  K.  Guru  Dntt.  With  a 
Foreword  by  Sir  C  P.  Ramasroami  Iyer.  Published  by 
Hind  Kitabs  Ltd.,  961-263  Hornby  Road,  Bombay, 
Pp.  254.  Prke  Rs.  ^-J«. 

It  is  a  very  good  collection  of  sixteen  addresses 
and  essays  of  the  author  delivered  and  published  some 
years  ago.  They  deal  with  a  wide  variety  of  |>opular 
topics  and  are  so  interesting  that  this  volume  has  now 
nm  into  third  edition.  The  author  who  is  th»  Director 
of  Public  Instniction  in  Mysore  State  elucidates  in 
these  essays  and  speeches  the  important  idcris  imder- 
lying  various  aspects  of  ancient  and  merlievil  Indian 
thought.  He  has  successfully  brought  to  bear  upon 
these  his  profound  knowledge  of  our  literature  and 
philosophy. 

In  an  inaugural  address  delivered  before  the 
Sanskrit  Association  of  the  Maharaja's  College, 
Mysore,  in  1936  he  has  beautifullv  pointed  out  the 
genius  of  the  Sanskrit  language.  Therein  he  pDBticiUy 
observ^es  that  like  the  stream  of  the  holy  'Ganga'.  the 
river  of  this  Sanskrit,  whose  remote  source  we  have 
not  the  temeritv  to  explore,  flows  past  our  homesteads 
and  fields  sustaining  and  purifying  our  work-a-dajr  life 
and  leading  us  without  haste  and  almost  unknowingly 
to  the  very  shore  of  the  Infinite. 

The  author  in  another  essav  thoroughlv  examines 
and  fully  answers  the  serious  charge  and  challenge  of 
the  late  V.  Subramanya  Iver  who  was  a  Registrar  of 
the  Mysore  University  and  a  Reader  in  Philosophy  to 
the  former  Maharajah  of  Mvsore.  In  an  article  in  the 
Trivcni,  Mr.  Iyer  tried  to  show  that  India  at  present 
has  no  philosophy  as  such  of  h^r  own.  Refuting  this 
charge  point  by  point  practically  bv  irrefraeable  argu- 
ments the  learned  author  concludes  :  "For  these, 
specially  philosophers  (like  the  critic  concerned)  who 
in  the  name  of  Science  and  scientific  method  would 
Hpliberatelv  avoid  all  oth^^r  avenues  of  know^ledge. 
Nemesis  is  lyine  in  wait.  The  onlv  reply  1o  them  is  in 
the  words  of  Oliver  Cromwell.  'Mv  brethren,  by  the 
bowels  of  Chri«»t.  T  beseech  ye;  bethink  ve  that  ve  may 
be  mistaken'!"  This  remark  is  a  quite  suitable  and 
sound  reply  to  the  false  charge. 

S  W  AM  I    JaG.^DISW  ARAN  AND  A 

BENGALI 

MANGALA-THANDIR  GIT  :  By  Dmm  Madhava. 
Edited  by  Sitdhihhushan  Bhattarharya.  Published  by 
the  Calcutta  University.  1962.  Pp,  77  +  ^"^5.  Price 
Rs.  8. 

Professor     Sudhibhushan     BKeLtlflJfVL"^xN^'«^     5^^J:^^KSB. 
of  the  M\dd\p  T^Tv^W  v^o^m — Man^aVcv-Ova-xvdVr  ^>^ 
by  Dvija  M«Ld\\«Lva.    ^\i\t\i    ^^^^e^   Vi«^^  v^  '^^  "^^^ 


IN 


THE  MODERN  REVIEW  FOR  FEBRUARY,  1953 


q^Uxter  of  the  16th  century  and  is  a  contemporaneous 
work  with  Kavikankana  Mukundarama's  better  known 
poem  on  the  same  theme — ^presents  modem  Bengali 
scEolarship  at  its  best.  Dvija  Madhava's  work  is  well- 
known  from  histories  of  Bengali  literature,  but  it  was 
80  long  lost  sight  of  as  a  complete  poem,  and 
interested  students  knew  it  only  from  extract*  or 
excerpts.  An  edition  was  published  long  ago,  over  half 
a  century  from  now,  and  this  is  no  longer  available. 
The  present  edition  has  been  ver>'  carefully  prepared 
by  collatinic  some  21  MSS.  of  this  work  and  the 
printed  edition  (from  its  second  printing),  and  this 
mves  us  as  good  a  text-  of  an  important  Middk> 
Bengali  Classic  as  can  be  prepared  now  with  proper 
critical  apparatus.  Before  discussing  the  work  itself,  its 
variant  readings  from  MSS.,  its  authorship  and  its 
language,  the  editor  has  contributed  a  section  on  the 
cult  of  the  Devi  which  forms  the  theme  of  the  work, 
and  in  this  connexion  he  has  presented  to  us  some 
striking  suggestions  and  speculations  on  the  history  of 
a  popular  form  of  mediaeval  and  modern  Bruhmanical 
Hinduism,  as  derived  from  the  Sanskrit  texts  and  from 
Anthropological  observations.  The  University  of 
Calcutta  which  has  brought  out  the  edition  can  be 
congratulated  on  spon?»onnK  such  a  hand.<ome  edition 
of  a  Middle  Bengali  Classic,  handsome  both  from  the 
point  of  view  of  its  scholarship  and  its  outward  get-up. 

SuNrn  Kumar  Chatterji 

PRABAHA  :  By  Bibhutibhusan  Gupta.  Published 
by  Bharaii  Library,  145  CornuyiUis  Sired,  Galcutta  ^■ 
Frice  Rs.  S. 

Bibhutibhusan  Gupta,  till  now    known  as  a  short- 
story-writer,  whose  delicate  touches  leave  a  fine  im- 
pression on  the  mind  of  the  readers,  has  turned  his 
hands  to  novel-writing.  Gupta     has     succeeded  in  his 
attempt.  He  has  not  crowded  his  canvas  with  multi- 
farious characters,  but  the  characters  he  has  introduced 
in  his  novel  are  drawn  with  an  able  hand.  Mrinmoy  is 
the  hero,  but  Manju.  the  heroine  of  the  novel,  draws 
all  our  simpathy.  Bankim  Chandra  Cliatterjce  remarks 
in  one  oT  his  great  novels  that  there  is  a  hidden  curse 
in  youthful  love.  In  Prabaha.  Mrinmoy  and  Manju  who 
are  attached  to  each  other  and  has  loved  each  other 
from  their  ver\'  childhood  are  not  destined  to  be  united 
in  marriage  and  live  together  happily  over  afterwards.  It 
is  not  love  turning  it.«!elf  to  something  else.  It  is  fate. 
Through  the  machination  of  a  so-called  friend  whose 
selfish  character  is  marked  by  an  unforgivable  mean- 
newi,  the  two  lives  are  rent     asunder     and  both   are 
drifted  apart  in  the  stonn-tossed  .»<ea  of  life.  The  great 
self -Abnegation  of  Nanku.  a  real  friend,     brings    them 
closer.  Though   not  a  probU ni-novi-l.  at  the  close     of 
the  story  we  meet  with  a  problem,  whether  the     un- 
completed ceremony  of  tlif   marriage   of  Manju     and 
Nanku  is  a  real  mMrnMce.  a  marriage  tlutt  is  uj)held  by 
j»ociety.     The  writer  does  not     answer     thp     question 
directly.  He  leaves  it  to  thr  imaiiinatinn  of  the  readers. 
Manju  and  Xanku  are  w«  ll-<lrawn.  The  int«Test  in  the 
st<ir>'  never  flair«.  The  style  is  charming.  Readers  will 
find  the  novel  ver\'  interest injr. 

SaIIJINDRA KRISHNA    LaW 

SWAP\A-0-SAXGR.AM  :  By  AmhjarntnJi 
Aful'honatfhfffUf.  Ffidhnnn-Mnudir,  ^S.  Nnrnynn  Pn\f 
Road.  Bnnsfi,  Calcutta  8.  Price   Rs.  9. 

This  is  perhaps  the  Poet's  second  published  book 

of  poem**.  It  is  a  mature  work,  frep  from  misty  senti- 

mentali-^m   or  weak  experimentation.  The   poet    is     a 

worshijiper  of  humanity,  not   <leluded  bv  Vatchword^.* 

/7A  hnr  for  truth  and  beauty  has  found  expre5*?ion  in 

r/r/i  inclodioii.'!  hnfniage. 

D.  N,   MOOKERJEA 


HINDI 

THE  MODERN  HINDI  TEACHER  :  By  Coh 
taijrk  C.  L.  Vanideva  mih  a  Foreword  by  Oeneral  K, 
M.  Cartappa.  Published  by  the  Indian  Preu,  lAd^ 
Allahabad,  Pp,  lOS,  Price  22s.  S-8. 

The  very  fact  that  the  Army  Headquarters  of 
India  have  approved  the  book  as  a  text-book  speaks 
of  its  quality  and  usefulness.  It  is  divided  into  four 
parts,  the  alphabets,  ^mmar,  conversational  ezereiSBS 
and  glos.sary.  The  mam  object  of  the  book  is  to  make 
the  reader  an  adept  in  conversation  in  a  short  time, 
and  that  object  has  been  achieved  by  the  author.  The 
bold-type  neat  printing  is  also  commendable.  General 
Cariappaa  remark  in  the  Foreword  of  the  book,  '1 
commend  this  book  to  all  those  whose  mother-tongue 
is  not  Hindi,  as  it  has  been  written  especially  for 
them,"  is  fully  justified.  B. 

GUJARATI 

AGAMONITM  DIGDARSHAN  :  By  Prof.  HiraU 
R.  Kapadia,  MA.,  Sural.  Printed  at  the  Mahoday 
Press,  Bhavnagar,  1948.  Thick  card-bcfard.  Pp.  tJfi. 
Price  Rs.  6-8. 

A  well-known  scholar  of  Sanskrit  and  Ardha- 
Magadhi,  Prof.  Kapadia's  is  a  familiar  figure  in 
literary  matters,  verse  and  prose,  specially  to  those 
connected  with  Jaina  Philosophy.  "Agamo"  are  highly 
technical,  metaphysical  works  bearing  on  the  philo- 
9oph>;  of  that  community.  He  presents  to  the  reader,  a 
pidture  of  what  they  are  and  himself  raises  certain 
que.<«tions  and  problems  and  seeks  their  solution  at  the 
hand  of  some  one  more  erudite  than  himself.  Only 
Pandits  can  follow  the  text  of  his  book,  the  result  of 
deep  study  and  strenuous  labour,  ordinary  readers 
cannot,  .specially  as  it  provokes  thought,  which  the 
latter  are  unable  to  put  forth. 

GUJARATI  BHASHA  VYAKARAN  ANE 
LEKHAN  :  By  Prof.  Mansukhlal  M.  Jhaveri,  MA.  of 
St.  Xnvier's  Cailcge,  Bombay.  Published  by  Vora  ana 
Co.,  Bombay  ff.  1948.  Thick  card-board.  Pp.  294.  Price 
Rs.  S-4. 

Tliis  is  the  Second  Edition  of  Prof.  Jhaveri's  work 
called  for  in  a  year  and  a  half.  Being  a  teacher  himself 
and  being  a  writer  too  of  many  literar\'  works  he  h«i 
beoomc  familiar  with  the  difficulties  of  learners  and 
the  shortcomings  of  teachers,  the  consequence  of  which 
is  a  slipshod  study  of  Gujarati  in  respect  of  the 
language,  its  grammar  and  the  way  in  which  it  should 
be  written.  It  furnishes  a  very  valuable  guide  in  thil 
direction. 

ACHARYA  ANAND  SHANKARBHAI  :  JIVAS 
PEKHA  ANE  SAMSMARANO  :  By  Principal  RatHal 
Mnhnnhl  Trivcdi,  MA..  Ahmcdabad.  Published  by  N. 
M.  Tripathi  and  Co..  Bombay  S.  19i8.  Thick  card' 
b(Hnrd.  Pp.  12n.  Price  Rs.  2-8. 

The  late  Pro-Vice-Chancellor  of  the  Benares 
Hindu  T"''niversity  w^as  a  gift,  made  through  GandhijiV 
exertion^,  by  Gujarat  to  Pandit  Malaviyaji.  How  the 
distinffuished  scholar  ju>tifi'*d  the  choice  and  raised  s^ 
one  bound  \\\r  status  of  the  T^nivrrsity.  and  made  it 
famous  not  only  in  India  but  outside,  has  now  passed 
into  history.  While  a  Professor  in  the  Gujarat  College 
at  .Vhmedabad.  hr  had  by  his  private  goodne», 
chanp'.M  f«)r  the  better  the  life  of  his  numerous  pupils 
and  v.u'h  and  all  of  them  feel  gmteful  to  him  in  their 
aft'  r-life.  One  sueh  pupil  was  Princi])al  Trivedi  and  in 
ad'iitjnn  to  giving  a  sketch  of  his  life,  he  huA  reproduced 
reniinlsf'cnces.  which  throw  a  vivid  light  on  the 
exr'm])lir\'  life  lived  by  a  scholar  and  all  his  life  * 
•student,  i>nre  and  simple.  They  would  prove  of  great 
help  to  anvone  who  thinks  of  writing  his  biographyi 
ineluding  Principal  Tiivedi  himself. 

K.  M.  I 


BOOK  REVIEWS 


9S! 


BOOKS  RECEIVED 

LABOUR  LEGISLATION  IS  INDIA  (1937— 
952)  :  PubUahed  by  the  International  Labour  Ofw 
[11/))  Indian  Branch,  Cochin  House,  3  Jantar  Mantar 
Rdfrd,  New  Delhi.  Price  Re.  1. 

A  valuable  compendium  on  the  problems  of  labour 
ind  workers  in  India  and  enactment-  of  laws  for  labour 
welfare  in  conformity  with  the  advanced  countries  of 
:hc  world. 

THE  FIFTH  YEAR  (ISth  August,  1952)  :  P«b- 
liahcd  by  the  PubHcationa  Divisions,  Ministry  of  In- 
formation and  Broadcasting,  Government  of  India. 
Pp.  275.  Price  Re.  1-8. 

A  very  useful  publication  for  the  general  public, 
containing  in  two  parts,  a  brief  account  of  the  more 
mportanfc  activities  and  achievements  of  the  Central 
government  of  India  and  of  the  Governments  of  the 
States  during  1951-52. 

CIVIC  LIFE  IN  BIHAR  :  By  Dr.  Biman  Behari 
Mnjumdar.  Selling  agents — Motilal  Banarasidas,  Patma. 
^rice  Re.  7-4- 

^  The  book  gives  in  brief  a  statistical  account  of 
iivic  life  in  Bihar.  It  contains  all  the  necessary  infor- 
naiion  in  a  nut-shell  about  the  civic  and  politdcal 
idministration  of  the  Government  of  Bihar. 

HASTINAPITRA :  By  Amar  Chand.  Published  by 
'he  Secretary,  Jain  Cnllvral  Research  Society^  B&naras 
Hindu  Uniiwrsity,  Banaras  5.  Pri^c  Rs.  2-4- 


The  author  illustrates  ia  this  book  from  tradition 
and  classical  literature  that  this  ancient  land  of  ^oiy 
was  once  a  seat  of  Jain  religion  and  culture.  Two  maps 
and  several  photos  and  pictures  of  ancient  Jain  temples 
and  relics  found  on  the  site  of  Hastinapura,  enbflju» 
the  value  of  the  book. 

HIMALAYA  (Journal  of  the  Badrinath  Temple 
Committee,  Vol.  I,  No.  1,  July-September,  1962)  : 
Hony  Editor,  Dr.  Radha  Kumud  Mookerji^  Sole  diBtri- 
butors — Rajkamal  Publications  Ltd.,  Faiz  Bazar,  Diplhi, 

The  Journal  is  full  of  interesting  and  informative 
articles,  written  by  well-known  writers,  about  the 
multifarious  aspects  of  the  Himalayas--phy8ical, 
economic,  socfal,  religious  and  cultural.  Cliarming 
illustrations  and  good  printing  on  quality  paper  make 
the  volume  attractive. 

SRI  G.  VENKATACHALAM  SASTIABDA- 
POORTHI  SOUVENIR:  Published  by  Afalini  ThackMr, 
Shantaram  Lane,  Malabar  Hill,  Bornbay  6.  Profusely 
illustrated  and  pri7Ued  on  art  paper. 

The  Souvenir  publishes  on  the  occasion  of  the 
completion  of  the  60th  year  of  his  life,  messages  and 
tributes  paid  to  Sj.  Venkatachalam,  the  well-known 
art-critic  of  South  India,  by  almost  all  the  well-known 
artists  of  our  country,  for  his  excellent  services  t*  • 
Indian  art  and  artists. 


ERRATA 

The  Modem  Review  for  February,  1953  :  P.  126,  read  By  Dr.  D.  B.  Singh  /rtr  By  Db.  D.  M.  Singh.. 
„  „  P.  129,  col.  2,  line  22,  read  1855  for  1836. 

(The  first  catalogue  of  the  Library  was  published  in  1855.) 


I- 


Sath  year  /  58th  yemr  11 

PRABUDDHA     BHARATA 

OR 

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(Founded  by  Swami  Vivekananda  in  1896) 

A  High  Class    English    Monthly    devoted    to    Universal    Religion,    Comparative   Philosophy, 
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Annual  subscription  :  Inland  Rs.  3  ;  Foreign  14  sh. ;  U.S.  $  4.00 

CONTENTS  OF  JANUABT  1953  SPECIAL  NUMBER 

The  Eternal  Quest— -By  Dr.  Amure^h  Datta 

Vedanta  and  the  Problem  of  Human  Relations — By  the  Editor, 

The  Voice  of  India— By  Swami  Tejasananda 

Sri  Ramakrishna  Temple  at  the  Belur  Math  {IlluMtraied)—By  C,  Sivaramamurti,  M,A. 

Karma-Samadhi — By  R.  R.  Diwakar,  Oovemor  of  Bihar 

The  Conception  of  History  in  Ancient  India— -^  Dr,  Nandalal  Chaiterji,  M.A.,  Ph,D.,  D.Litt. 

New  Hopes — By  Anirran, 

Ramakrishna  vedanta  and  the  Unity  of  Religions— j%  C.  T.  K,  Chari,  M,A. 

A  Pilerrimage  through  the  Himalayas  (Illustrated) — By  Swa?ni  Apurvananda. 

The  Tantric  Cults :  I.  Shakta  Tantra— %  Dr,  T.  M.  P.  Mahadevan,  M.A..  PhD, 

A  Comparative  Study  of  the  Commentaries  on  the  Brahma-Sutras — By  Swami  Vireswarananda 

Literature  and  World  Peace— Pv  Z>-.  A.  V,  Rao,  M.A,,  Ph,D, 

Some  Positive  Aspects  of  Advaita  Vedanta— i^  Swami  Oamhhirananda, 

Religion  and  Science — By  Dr,  Mohan  Lai  Sethi^  D,Sc,     Etc^  Etc.,  Etc. 

Beautifully  printed  and  excellently  got-up.— Price  As.  12. 

ADVAITA     ASHRAMA.   4,  WcUinitOTiLaue»CXVKXm^KV>      \ 


Quality  toilet  products  are  real  aids  to  beauty 
culture.  Our  toiletries  are  humble  tribute  to 
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MAKGO  SOAP         ^'  ij 
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LASONHy  SS-h" 
KANTA  ""/.;V. 


THE  CALCUTTA  CHEMICAL  CO.LTD. 


HlKJIfi^l  HHd  WI^H  UNIIIViAUII  unwell 

Hlehly  Appredatd  Bv 

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won  DDiqne  fame  not  only  In  Inrlia  bat  tbroi])(hnnt  ihe  world  (e.  f-.  in  EdiIuJ,  Amarlca, 
Africa,  Auitralia,  China,  jap*D,  Malaya,  Java,  Sii]|ipore.  elc.)  ud  man;  notable  penoni 
from  ever;  nnok  and  corner  of  the  world  have  «cnt  tuivniicited  tntimonials  acknowicdpiDg 
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r  INDIAN  PEI^ICDICALS^II^ 


Science,  Society  and  Health 

Tne  following  article,  as  published  in 
ce  and  Culture^  is  based  on  Dr.  Mahendra- 
ircar  Memorial  Lecture  delivered  by  Dr. 
.  XJkil  at  the  Indian  Association  for  the 
vation  of  Science,  Jadabpur,  on  the  23rd 
lary,  1952  : 

BCSON  declared  many  years  ago  that  **inan  hardly 
i  that  he  could  shape  his  own  destiny.''  The 
t  Aryans  also  believed  in  this  but  they  approached 
a  a  metaphysical  angle. 

om  the  earliest  times,  mani  has  been  actuated  by 
incipies  of  self-preservation  and  the  natural 
e  of  life-interest  and  life-protection,  which  has 
ixpressed  in  various  ways,  such  as  the  raising  of 
vf  agriculture  and  its  storage,  the  domestication 
mala,  the  use  of  metals  and  evolution  of  certain 
and  trade,  shelter,  water  supply,  land  drainage, 
Jon,  removal  of  refuse,  and  the  avoidance  of  pain, 
)  and  death. 

16  blending  of  Greco-Roman  craft-based  science 
hiloaophy  took  place  in  the  15th  century.  The 
of  modem  science  was  laid  in  the  16th  centrry. 
rth  century  science  cleared  the  way  for  approach- 
D  fundamental-  facts  of  phytics  and  chemistry  and 
i  the  transition  from  the  amateur  to  the 
ional  scientist.     The  progress  in  the  18th  century 

fields  of  chemistry,  geology,  botany,  zoology, 
I,  mathematics  and  astronomy  made  a  deep 
sion  on  the  learned  world,  and  ultimately  led  to 
dustrial  revolution.      Newton's  discovery   of   gravi- 

the  inductive  method  of  Bacon  and  the  logical 
ry  of  Descartes,  which     took     place     earlier,  led 

to  believe  that  by  reason  and  calculation  based 
servation  men  could  succeed  in  solving  all  their 
ins.  The  discovery  of  the  steam  engine  and  the 
ing  conductor  were  not  only  the  fore-runner  of 
justrial  revolution  but  it  had  a  profound  influence 
;ial  re-groupings  and  cultural  trends.  Science 
s  a  necessity  in  the  19th  century  and  it  became 
dtegral  part  of  civilisation.  Its  anti-social 
itions,    however,   led   to    imperial      expansion    and 

The  nineteenth  century  was  marked  by  rapid 
tries  based  on  the  inductive  and  experimental 
Is  and  was  marked  by  the  dawning  of  social 
inaness  in  the  western  world.  Political  and 
lie  advance  progressed  at  a  rapid  rate,  followed 
ial  advance  at  a  slower  pace. 
le  first  half  of  the  20th  century  has  seen  enormous 
ea  in  many  fields  of  scientific  knowledge^  which 
I  on  society  and   statecraft   in  diverse  ways.  Elach 

new  discoveries  opened  up  a  new  vista  of 
lities  for  applying  them  to  the  well-being  of  man. 

rhe  most   outstanding   discoveries   in   recent 

have  been  in  the  field  of  radio-electronics, 

IT  energy,  synthetic  chemistry  and  antibiotics. 

le  of  the  incidental  bye-products  of  the  splitting 
niam  nuclei  in  the  atomic   pile  relates  to  radio- 


active isotopes  of  elements  with  unstable  nuclear 
structure.  Atomic  piles  in  some  of  the  advanced  countries 
are  now  providing  increasing  quantities  of  these 
substances,  and  with  thg  development  of  apparatus  for 
rapid  assay,  radioactive  tracer  techniques  are  being  used 
for  a  variety  of  purposes,  particularly  in  the  diagnosis 
and  the  treatment  of  certain  conditions.  Thus  radio- 
cobalt  isotope  has  been  found  to  be  as  good  as  and 
probably  better  than  radium  in  producing  gamma  rays 
valuable  in  medicine  for  radiation  from  outside.  Both 
radio-active  phosphorus  and  radioactive  iodine  have  been, 
found  useful  in  the  control  of  certain  pathological 
conditions.  Tracer  techniques  have  been  made  use  of 
in  the  detection  of  certain  other  conditions.  For  example^ 
radio-dyes  have  been  utilised  for  the  location  and 
determination  of  the  nature  of  brain  tumours.  Several. 
isotopes,  notably  phosphorus  32,  iodine  131  and  sodium  • 
24,  have  been  used  for  diagnosis  of  pathological  conditions 
by  external  exploration  technique.  One  of  the  outstand- 
ing achivements  of  metabolic  tracer  work  has  been  the 
tracking  of  the  precursors  of  creatine,  one  of  the 
important  constituents  of  muscle.  Another  concerns  the 
synthesis  of  uric  acid  in  the  body.  The  use  of  isotopio 
tiacers  has  led  to  a  new  conception  of  ceU  metabolism 
within  the  animal  body.  The  cyclotron  can  also  be  ftsed 
to  produce  radio-active  isotopes  of  a  whole  range  of 
elements. 

It  may  be  noted  that  while  piles  liberating  energy 
in  hundreds  of  thousands  of  kilo-watts  are  needed  to 
produce  material  for  atomic  bombs  and  probably 
for  primary  power  stations,  relatively  small  amounts 
of  no  military  value  suffice  for  the  production  of  isotopes 
for  the  peaceful  purposes  of  medicine  and  research. 
The  question  which  faces  us  today  is  whether  these 
gifts  of. science  should  be  used  for  the  welfare  of  man- 
kind or  for  frightening  and  destroying  all  human  Ufs 
and  achievements  which  have  accrued  since  the  dawn 
of   history. 

Science  and  Society 

Society  has  been  defined  as  a  group  of  people 
united  together  more  or  less  closely  by  sentiments, 
ideals,  traditions,  customs,  folklores  or  other  ties  which 
define  the  interests  and  purpose  of  the  people  belong- 
ing to  that  group.  Science  has  a  transforming  influence 
on  society.  "Science  reacts  on  society  unconsciously 
and  indirectly  through  the  technical  changes  it  brings 
about,  and  directly  and  consciously  through  the  force 
of  its  ideas."  It  opens  the  possibility  of  indefinite 
improvement  in  social  structures  and  function. 
Theoretically,  it  can  give  more  plenty  and  leisure,  and 
better    health    of    body    and    mind. 

It  has  been  stated  that  the  development  of  man*8 
ideal  and  man's  mind  has  not  kept  pace  with  the  speed 
of  scientific  progress.  In  our  quest  for  material 
progress  and  comfort,  we  have  neglected  to  study  the 
human   minc^  end   human   society. 

Knowing    that    dynamite    ran    be  .    utilised       as      a 
fertiliser    to    increase    cultivation    of    food,    why    do    we 
employ  it  for  destructive  purposes  ?   Knowing  that  steel 
can    be    used    in   manufacturing    plough-shares   Ic^x  W^ 
production,     "why   do  'vi^     mw.     TcSKvsraR      ^\     vs^kSb  '-^sL 


160 


THE  MODERN  BEVIEW;  FOR  FEBRUARY,  1A53 


WA'lwIIif  XntnAng  thit  atomic  enenr 
,  jfB.iWtf0lf  •  cAMp  means  of  power  uid  can  allniate 
'Ibuutt  anScring  bj  diagnoang  and  treating  dUeaiea, 
whr  are  ve  tempted  to  niiliie  tliii  brilliant  diacorery 
«f  1999  to  deitror  large  tracts  of  land  and  wipe  out 
human  civilisation? 

It  la  difGcutl  to  1)elieve  that  scientists  are 
responuble  for  these  qnli-social  activitie^  but  the  fact 
Rmains  that  they  are  made  pawns  in  the  same,  thns 
intofaring  with  the  ideal  ot  scimliats  to  purine 
-  IcoowledBe  for  the  sake  of  truth  and  for  human  welfare. 
'  la  the  aodetr  responuble  for  it  or  are  the  ruling 
anthorides  on  whom  society  has  no  control  to  be  blamed 
lor  this  attitude  of  mind? 

.Society  has  readied  to  scienticlic  dicoveriei  in  a 
different  way  in.  different  conntries.  Some  countries 
have  organiwd  themselves  along  capitalistic  lines,  some 
on  socialistic  lines,  while  otliera  along  varying 
combinations  of  both. 

Some    countries    support    democracy,    while  -      -;■  .u  .  j     i  ■ 

V— —w  rr    ,^^  J'  raventiTeness   that   develops 

oUms  support  dictatorship.    Wliy  is  there  so  much  related  to  it.     On  ihe  oil 

anspicioii  among   and  intolerance  between   these  bring  many  evil 


•odetT,  guided  by  its  degree  of  mord  gnnrtli.  hga  kin 
directed  towards  the  rednction  of  theae  inequalities  i*d 
to  put  forth  a  continual  effort  to  improve  matedalb 
and  morally.  Moral  progress  has,  howevK,  lagtM 
beiiind  material  progress.  The  central  problem  li, 
therefore,  to  direct  our  efforts  to  adjust  our  aooial  fife 
and  aocial  institutions,  so  that  as  individoala  and 
aa  communities,  we  may  tue  and  enjoy  the  largest 
mcasuie  of  civiUsation  po^ihle,  and  promote  further 
progress  in  harmony  and  peace. 

SCIE.NCE   AMD   HEAI-TH 

A  human  being  is  one  ol  the  most  expensive  things 
we  can  resr  and  develop.  Hence,  i  from  the  strict^ 
(.-conomic  view  point,  national  health  is  of  the  greater 
importance.  Health  is  a  major  basis  of  human  progress, 
and  its  lack  is  one  ol  the  causes  that  lead  to  nationaj 
decay.  Other  things  being  equal,  good  health  makes 
for  physical  efficiency,  bodily  comfort,  a  sense  of  well- 
being  and  develops  energy,  alertness  and.  keenness.  The 
energy  for  creative  enterprises  depends  upon  it  and  the 
IS  our  civihsatioQ  is  cloaely 
ither   hsnd,   sickness  and   death 


divergent  groups  ? 

I  venture  to  make  a  plea  for  a  scientific  study  of 
iheao  problems  from  a  sociological  angle.  Sociology  ia 
the  science  which  deals  with  society  (man  in  his  social 
teiations),  its  origin,  development,  activities  and 
fbactions.  As  the  human  body  has  to  be  studied  from 
.Ike  point  of  view  of  structure  (anatomy),  function 
,  (phydology),  dysfunctioji  (pathology)  and  preventive 
'  traatment,  so  also  social  groups  can  be  studied  like- 
vrlse. 

The  main  puipose  of  sociolo(;y  ie  (1)  to  understand 
society  at  its  particular  stage  of  development,  and  (2) 
to  work  out  programmes  and  policies  which  direct  this 
nnderalanding  towards  social  betterment.  It  is  closely 
related  to  all  fields  of  science,  and  specially  to  the 
■odal  science — economics,  political  science,  history, 
philosoi^,  psychology,  eugenics,  euthemics  (the 
provision  of  an  environment  whereby  each  individual 
will  have  the  opportunity  to  develop  to  the  limit  of  his 
laleot  povrers) ,  and  education .  Social  problems 
furnish  sociologiets  with  opportunilirs  for  ntudying 
human  association  under  varying  and  changing  condi- 
tions. The  results  of  their  studies  help  in  working  out 
progtanunes  and  policies  of  sound  social  adjustment. 
The  study  and  solution  of  group  conflicts,  whether  in 
the  economic,  political,  socisl,  religious  or  cultural 
fields  fall  within  its  domain.  Some  ot  the  examples  of 
facts  which  mitlgaie  group  conflicts  are  : 

(1)  In    the    economic    field — wide    improvement    ot 
standard   of   livlnf;   and   employment  ;   labour  laws  which. 
enable   settling   at   disputes   betwei 
provisions    for    safeguarding    the 
unemployment   insurance   or   oil 
the  hamrds  to  each  of  them. 

(2)  1r  the  social  /I'cM^wideipread  cduratlonal 
Opportunity;  inculcating  a  gcieniific  method  of  thinking: 
transferring  the  tocus  from  emotional  prejudices  and 
hatred  to  social  fields  of  wider  application, 
such  as  social  and  civic  service,  pursuits  conjnecled 
with  art.  literature  or  philanthropy;  widening  democracy 
and  political  opportunity:  equality  before  court  and 
law;  and  socialising  religion,  i.e.,  suiting  it  to  the  needs 
of  the  common  man  and  adapting  it  to  the  social 
problems  of  the  day. 

Civiliffltion  has  always  presented  to  society  two 
great  inequalities— inequality  of  knowledge  and 
inequality   of  malenat    wealth.       The    main    purpose    of 


9  poverty,  crime,  I 


inadequate  output  of  work,  broken  homes  and  hopelenneis 
and  despair.  The  improvement  of  perM>nal,  semi-public 
and  publiq  health  must,  therefore,  be  a  problem  of 
national  importance.  PubUc  health  truly  belongs  to 
the  domain  of  social  welfare.  Consideration  of  health 
can  seldom  be  divorced  from  economic,  demographic 
and  social  factors.  To  quote  Pn>t.  J.  D.  Bemal,  "Jt  is 
probable  that  an  overwhelming  majority  of  diseaaea  that 
occur  throughout  the  world  are  due  directly  or  indirect- 
ly to  the  lack  of  primary  necessities,  generally  food,  and 
many  of  the  remaindei   are  attributable  to  bad  trukii^ 


I  Isbour  and  capital, 
health,  old  age  and 
■   devices   which,  reduce 


INDIAN  PERIODICALS 


161 


."  A  failure  of  the  socisl  machinerr  to  entnre 

indiTidusl  in  the  comtn unity  ■  standard  of 
d    education   adequale    for    (lie    maiotenance   of 

mpouaible  for  much  preventible  ill  health. 
ico*eries  of  science  end  the  impact  of  ihc 
ical  age  on  the  agricultural  civiliiation  of 
limes  created  new  problems  in  the  organieation 
mitf  life.  The  application  of  the  knowledge, 
Mve  periods  howei'cr,  to  solve  these  problems 
si    the   development    of    ihe    social   services,  but 

always  bren  a  lag  between  modern  knowledge 
ammuniiy  utilisation, 
ly  the  scientist  is  not  satisfied  with  merely 

secrets  from  Nature  but  he  wants  to  see 
licotion    for  the     betterment  of     human 

growth  of  technology  and  technocracy  baa  led 
oergence   of   a   new   branch   ol   medicine,   called 

Medicine.  New  techniques  of  man ufac lure 
use   of   new      substances   are      creating      new 

diseases.  Some  have  direct  action  on  the 
mucous  memljranes,  some  have  injurious 
the  kidneys  oi\  liver,  while  the  inhalalion  of 
'umes  may  lead  lo  diseases  of  the  reapicBtory 
he  latest  is|  concerned  with  the  application  of 
e  isolopiis.  It  has  been  necessary  to  lay 
BIy  limits  of  exposure  of  laboratory  worker:^ 
iclivity   and   also  of  packing   an<i  transportation 

The  Health  of  the  Mind 
cent   years,   it   is  being      increasingly      realised, 
heallh   of   the    mind    is   inseparable    from    that 
idy.      This  is  nothing   but  a  reiteration  of  old 

enunciated  in  Latin  and  Sanskrit.  The 
01  of  technology  and   technocracy  in  the  posl- 

revolulion  era  has  unfortunately  fostered  a 
titude  whirh  leads  to  undue  ambillon,  greed 
^nesB  and  accentfiates  exploitation  of  men. 
jies.  The  resuli  is  ibat  with  increased  plenty 
re  one  docs  not  finil  Ihe  happiness  which 
■om  a  poised  and  salislicd  mind.  The 
t  emotional  imbalance,  worry  and  unsatisfied 
probably  responsible  for  a  steady  increase  of 
pes  of  heart  disease,  which  now  ranks  as  the 
uent  cause  of  death  iq  the  inUuslrialised. 
A  similar  trend  is  already  noticeable  in, 
lie  devclopmenl  of  a  balanced  mind  and  perso- 
rough  scienlific  education,  is  of  fundamental 
:  in  any  country,  parlicularly  in  India,  which 
us  history  and  cultural  heritage.  The  science 
logy,  which  is  not  yet  a  highly  developed 
as   hitherto   occupied    itself   with   ihc    study    of 

varia  lions.  It  is  time  thai  iMychologisls 
leir  attenlion,  lo  devise  methods  of  education 
:tice  for  developing  a  balanced- persona  lily 
I.        We    leave    loo    much    to    chance    at    Ihe 


Croce's  Philosophy 

Italian  Cultural  Digest  reproduces  an  article 
by  M.  A.  Venkata  Rao  on  Croce's  Philosophy  fptrni 
idysindia  : 

The  death  of  Benedetto  Croce,  just  announced,  at 
the  age  of  86  removes  from  Italian  life  one  of  the 
colourful  personalities  of  the  present  generation.  Croce 
WHS  not  merely  the  most  outstanding  philosopher  of  his 
time  and  country.  He  was  also  a  manysided  peraonalily 
ingularly      catholic   cultivstiort  and      breadlh  of 


interests.  He  was  an  ackn: 
opinion  in  many  fields,  viz. 
inierprelation.  Ulerary  and 
logic,   technical   philosophy, 


vledged  leader  of  taste  and 
historical  invest igalion.  and 
rtistic  criticism  and  theory, 
and  current  political  andi 
thought.  He  Uved  in  Naples  aul  buill  up  a 
position  of  influence  among  his  conlempMaiies  as  s 
private  scholar,  only  serving  for  a  period  as  minister 
of   public   instruction   before   the   Mussuliniau  era. 

In  politics  he  was  a  convinced  liberaL  Crowing  up| 
in  ihe  era  of  Italian  unification  and  freedom,  Croce 
absorbed  by  indefatigable  iluluslry  and  sensitive 
entliusiasm  the  higher  currents  of  European,  thought  14 
the  closing  years  of  the  nineteenth  century,  and  found. 
himself  equipped  with  an^  extraordinarily  ERligfatcned 
and  broad-based  wealth  of  seholarsbiii,  enabling  him  to 
sift  the  grain  from  ihe  chaS  in  the  confused  growth  of 
ideas  and  aspirations  ui  the  lime.  He  was  one  of  ihe 
few  who  kept  themselves  free  of  the  "romantic  decadence** 
symbolised  by  Nietzsche.  He  kept  himself  uncorrupted 
as  well  by  the  scepticism  and  hasty  materialisia  of  the 
5|>eniceTiaD  epoch. 

Spiritualism  anp  Materialism 
Before  the  war  of  1914  broke  out,  Croce  was  alretdy 
a  fullfledged  philosopher  and  leader  of  culture.  The 
rudo  shock  of  disappointment  occasioned  everywhere  ia 
Europe  by  the  failure  of  higlirr  hopes  occasioned  by  the 
"German"  war  turned  many  niinds  with  anxious  interesli 
10  the  teachings  of  the  Itahan  philosopher  who 
maintained  such  a  serene  consciousness  of  convicllon  in 
ihe  values  of  the  spirit.  Indeed  from  this  point  of  viow 
ihe  thought  and  work  of  Croce  will  remain  a  source  of 
stimulus  and  encourage menl  for  generations  to  come. 
For  the  isauQ  of  spiritualism  versus  materialism  is  still 
vlth  ua  and  will  remain  in  ils  present  shape  and 
physiognomy   for  a  long  lime  lo  come. 

One  reason  is  ihat  Ihe  crisis  in  world  culture  is  the 
cutLome  of  wience.  The  other  i*  that  the  materiaLst 
tniCTpi^ation  of  history  and  of  nature  has  become  bound  up 
with  ihe  colossal  experiment  of  Communist  Hussia.  And  ia 
both  of  Ihcse  fields,  theoretical  and  practical,  Croce'a 
rfflections    have   been    fruitful    and    suggestive. 

Croce  has  understood  the  currents  of  the 
present  time  in  all  their  length,  breadth,  and 
depth,  and  has  reacted  with  intelligence,  cons- 
cience and  gra^  of  events. 


AMRUTANJAN 

THE 'ATOM  BOIVIB'PAIN  BALM./ 


RINGWORM  OINTMENT 

THE  COSMIC  RAY  FOR  ALL  SKIN  DISEASES' 
AMRUTANJAN  LTD..PO.BOXN0.68Z5.CA.I..T 


Esld-1893 


.  THE  MODERN  REVIEW  FOR  FEBRUARY,  1953 


162 

Fioin  llii*  point  of  view,  tfae  fint  appeal  he  hai  to 
tlic  inilrucicd  iiiuclcnl  snj  thusc  anKious  for  the  spiritual 
Talud  ol  human  hfe,  Ucs  in  his  pliilctsophy.  In. 
pbilubophy  Ciotc  is  aa  unrrpcnlanL  idealist.  He  is 
awarv  of  the  full  loicc  of  sticntiHc  naturalism  anil 
acuoslii^itni,  of  bpi'ntcr  and  Oimte,  eiulutiunisni  ami 
pcsiliviam.  But  he  takes  his  depuluru  from  Heecl.  He 
has  written  a  fascinating  volume  on,  Hugel  called  Whal 
U  Liaae  and  What  ii  Dtad  in  the  Fhiloiophy  oj  HegcL 

LnHx  Uildit  that  the  ci-niral  Jdi-a  of  Hegel  Tegardiog 
lliu  a)iillu'»is  uf  itpposites  is  sound  and  at  far'ieavhing 
UBnitioance.  Taknn  bcoadly  wittuiul  technicalities,  the 
pliraic  refers  tu  ihti  nature  of  reality  as  consiBling  in  a 
iliytliiu  of  activity.  U  expresses  itself  in  continual 
activity.  The  activity  is  uul  the  motion  of  nutter  but 
the  iclf-cxprctsiic  dcvehipuii'nt  of  perfect  lonsciousness. 
CroM  agrees  witli  Hegel  in  holding  thai  such  spiilluat 
actiTity  iiiiphes  the  pliases  ot  being  and  non-being, 
affirmation  and  neiiatiun,  spirit  and  matter.  Cioce 
•e|>aTale»  what  he  holds  tu  be  vital  of  lifgel  Iroro  what 
he  tiiinks  arc  mi  applications  and  lonfusions  external  to 
it. 

Tholciit  anu  AtTIOS 

Croce  develops  his  idealism  in  his  own  way  and 
expands  his  tliought  into  a  sysitm  of  hjs  own  dealing 
vrilti  the  ^reat  prublcnis  of  pliilu»uphy  in  a  new  and 
fatcinatrng  torat.  Instead  of  the  time-honoured  triad  ot 
eternal  values,  truth,  beauty  and  goudnes-^  coming  fro.n 
Ibe  days  of  Philo  and  revind  by  Kant  and  Hegel  in  re- 
cent tim~s,  Groce  arrives  at  a  twofold  pattern  and  action. 
Spiritual  activity  (which  is  all  th>  re  isJ  has  two  momenta, 
llioui:ht  and  acliun,  eaeh  di^linci  from  the  other.  But 
thought  is  prior  to  action.  Thought  ii<  aulonumous  and 
cuitains  action  impjieitly  within  itself,  but  action  is 
dependent  on  thought,  though  its  nature  is  distinct.  And 
each_  of  these  piiaaijs  again  is  twofold  in  a  similar  way. 

TI,ougtit  oituiri  in  luo  diijiinct  phast-»,  intuitive  and 
ilitelleeiual.  luiuiiion  grasps  and  makis  the  real  in  a 
definite  and  indltilual  way.  It  is  tile  first  utterance  of 
spirit.  It  is  not  nieru  leeling.  It  is  a  form  of 
«p^«bensiun.  Intuition  jussrs  iiiti>  tho  work  of  the  analy- 
tic and  ii)*nthet:o  inlcllieenee.  ' 

«elf-depcnd:;ni.      Hul   iiik-lligi 
material. 

The  work  of  the  mind  or  spirit  is  a  cyclic 
rhythm  passing  from  inluilion  tu  intelligence  and 


bacic  again,  in  whii^  8uci:essive  riches  of  eqieri* 
ence  are  created,  formed  and   illuminated. 

Similarly  the  second  moment  of  practice  or  actkiL 
has  <«'o  levels  or  phases,  the  economic  and  ellucaL  All 
ui'tiiin  cihihits  the  two  phases  of  utiUty  and  Dorality. 
tlihty  expresses  individual  interest,  while  ethic4 
expresses  universal  interest.  The  individual  phase  hal 
the  universal  implicit  in  it,  both  in  (he  realm  of  thought 

TllOLCilT    AND    Reautt 

Any  adequate  realisation  of  the  full  implications  ot 
such  a  mclaphysic  will  invohe  an  exposition  of  detail 
nut  jiussible  in  the  »piee  at  our  disposal.  Only  the 
niain  drift  can  he  indicated  here.  Coice  does  not  shrink 
friini  ih-.'  cuii sequences  of  such  an  extreme  position. 
lie  dffeiids  his  central  idea  tliat  the  real  is  spiritual 
llial  spirit  exists  in  and  through  its  activity,  that  activity 
is  sclf-expro*sive  and  perfect  in  the  only  sense  of 
perfection,  vU,  passing  from  one  phase  to  another  through 
opposition  anil  cancellation  of  opposition. 

'lb  the  ubjeetur  that  on  such  a  view  the  external 
world  of  nature  is  dimi^sed  as  an  illusion,  Croce  replies  by 
a  theory  of  the  nature  ot  acientific  ideas.  Scientific  laws. 
Khelher  of  the  matt-rial  sciences  hke  physics  and 
<'hcniiitry  or  uf  the  mathematical  sciences  like  geometry, 
he  reganls  as  half-ideas  or  pseudo-concepts  giving  onlf 
schematic  pictures,  fictitious  in  nature.  They  are  the 
results  nf  the  economising  activity  of  the  classificatory 
judgement.  Crucc  agrees  with  tlic  p»^itivists  that  science 
gives  only  phenumenu.  averages,  sensory  impressions,  etc. 
Hut  lie  adds  that  phenomena  arc  not  all.  Behind  ths 
aiipcarancL's  of  science,  there  is  the  concrete  univeiial 
apprehended  in  integral  thinking,  in  intuition  aniit 
ci>neeptinn.  Tiic  procedure  recalls  that  of  Sankara  who 
agrees  with  tlie  Sunyavadins  but  adds  that  behind  the 
Maya  of  world-illusion  there  is  the  reahty  of 
Satehidananda  or  pure,  joyous,  perfect  contciousDCM. 
Nature  is  spirit  Dlisunderglood. 

Crote  sliarcs  in  the  HegeUan  view  of  rehgion  ai 
experience  of  reality  relegating  dogma  to  the  realm  of 
fit  t ion  and  eletating  philosophic  contemplation  to  the 
di)!nity  of  religion  with  the  capital  R.  Religion  in  the 
oidiiiary  sense  of  worship  of  personal  gods  (oc  God) 
topi'lher  with  belief  in  particular  revelations,  avaurt, 
miiailes,  el..,  i,  jet  aside  as  fiction.  Croce  goes  a  step  j 
furlhtT   than   the      Hegelians   in      rejecting   the   mystical    i 


t<f- 


INDIAN  PERIODICALS 


■V. 


^ 


163 


of  religion.  If  by  religion  is  meant  al 
lesB  of  spiritual  reality  through  spiritual  action 
It  and  practice,  Croce  is  religious.  But  it  i.*- 
lis  position  to  characterise  it  aa  an  acceptance 
id  values  than  to  term  it  religious. 

Art  is  Expression 

ler  special  line  of  thought  for  which  Croce  is 
i  the  aesthetic.  His  philosophy  of  beauty 
lite  a  sensation  and  became  the  talk  of  critics, 
s  and  i)hiio8opers  in  the  early  years  of  the 
[lis  acstheic  centres  round  a  fresh  exposition! 
m  as  the  essence  of  art  as  an  activity.  Croce 
t  from  obscurantism. 

ze  holds  that  intuition  which  is  expressed 
)nn8  is  no  unintelligible  mystery  but  an 
essentially  intellectual  in  cnaracter,  con- 
ti  apprdiension. 

fien  has  knowledge  value.     It  is  not  merely   a) 
subjective   feeling.     Mere   feeling   is   the   raw 

f  art.    Art  consists  in  creating  form.    Intuition! 

ission    arc    the    two    sides   of   the    art    activity. 

gives  insight   into   things,  the   other  shapes  it! 
The  two  work  in  a  single  throb.  Expression 

ion  are  identical,  according  to  Croce. 
therefore   holds  the  two   sides  of  insight   and 
in    a    vital    balance    in    his    aesthetic    theory. 

rong     herefore     to     identify     him     with     the 

ts,  who  neglect  intuition  and  knowldge  in  the 

irt 

applies  his  theory  to  many  phases  of  culture, 
:he  writing  of  history  and  the  meaning  of 
Plenty  of  discussion  has  taken  place  on 
*cts  of  his  philosophy,  but  it  cannot  be  said 
full  sugg<*stiveness  and  value  have  yet  been 
i  adequately  realised  in  contemporary  thought. 

PoLiTiCAlL  Ideas 

K>litical     thought  of  Croce  is  of     encouraging 

us.    Croce  lived  through  the  National  Socialist 

condemned  totalitarianism   frankly   as  contrary 

nral  statesmanship  of    modem  Europe.     He  re- 

the  libf^ral  philosophy  in  accents  of  vigour  even 

>olini  took  power  in  1926     in  his  own  country. 

:ame  necessary  for  him   to  assume  silence.     It 

redit  of  Mussolini  that  he  was  allowed  to  remain 

1  in  his  home  at  Naples.        Croce  refused   to 

liniFter  of  Education  in  the  Fascist  regime.  His 

>lleague  Gentile  took  up  the  position  he  refused 

le  the  philosopher  of  Fascism. 

sr     he     studied  and     refuted  the     fallacies  of 

n.     In  his  essays  published  from  time  to  time 

ice  his  answers  to  the  fundamental  perversions 

irxian  creed  and  his  reassertion  of  the  liberal 

separated   the      liberal      doctrine      from   it;^ 

association    with    the    laissez   faire   economics. 

d  it  on  his  spiritual  philosophy. 

is  idea  of      spirit  is      difl^rent      from  that  of 

or  Advatia  Vedanta,  for  its  nature  is  activity, 

ith  opposing  forces,     overcoming  them  with  its 

ower  and  imbuing  them  with  its  own  meaning 

90. 

then  was  no  philosopher  of  the  ivory  lower  or 
ut  one  whose  thought  penetrates  the  inmost 
I  his  time  and  illumines  them  with  the  light  of 
iliam. 


stream  to  stream 


Frotn  height  to  height  and  from 
strength  to  strength  the  Hindnsthan  is 
making  a  record  of  outstanding  progress 
every  year.  It  is  an  arresting  landmark 
in  the  onward  march  of  Indian  Life 
Insurance.  The  45th  Annual  Report 
for  19)1  once  again  reflects  the  sound- 
ness, integrity  and  distinction  which 
always  have  been  so  characteristic  of 
the  Society 


THE  FIGURES  THAT  TELL 


Assurances  in  Force 
Total  Assets 
Life  Fund 
Preniuni  Income 
Claims  Paid 


Rs.  81,02,36.164 
Rs.  19,98,13,853 
Rs.  17,66,19,628 
Rs.  3,72,27.528 
Rs.     83,57,978 


NEW  BUSINESS 
16,28,8x800 


HINDUSTHAN  CO-OPERATIVE 

INSURANCE     SOCIETY,     LIMITED. 

HINDUSTHAN   BUILDINGS, 
4,  Chitlaranjan  Avenue,  CALCUTTA 


FOREIGN  PERIODICALS 


Sociological  Issues  In  Israei 

Stilomo  Rioincr  observes  in  llic  Jeirish 
Frontier,  November  1952 : 

Israel  ia  the  classical  contemporary  e^iample  of  a 
nascent  pioneering  siicitiy  whose  existence  as  an 
independent  soeial  oreanism  is  measured  in  decades 
■lone.  Ot  the  1,404,696  Jewish  inhabilanis  who  lived  in 
Israel  on  December  31*1,  1951,  no  fewer  than  lj061.000. 
or  over  75  |«r  cenl.  ha<l  been  horn  oulside  its  borders, 
BB4v2TS  of  these,  or  nearly  50  per  cent  of  the  total 
Jewish  population,  had  ininiigralcd  into  ihe  country  since 
the  re-establish  men  t  of  the  Jewish  Slate,  that  is  lo  say 
they  have  lived  in  Israel  less  than  four  years.  These 
facta  have  had  a  massive  impact  on  ihe  strength  of 
social  cohesion   in   Israel, 

Each  society  implants  into  the  minds  of  ils  membeTs 
ita  own  particular  value  norms,  Where  all  the 
members  of  a  given  society  were  nurtured  in  the  same 
•ociecy,  the  operative  behavior  norms  in  tbeir  minds 
■le  more  or  less  identical,  or,  as  far  as  different  social 
•traUi  are  concerned,  complementary.  The  resulting 
value  integration  makes  for  understanding,  trust  and 
harmony  in  the  dealings  between  it»  members.  Willing 
conwnt   as  a  form  of   social  control,  anil   organic   social 


While  it  may  be  argued  that  all  human  society  has 
at  its  baae  similar  fundamental  moral  values,  it  cannot 
be  denied  thai  the  actual,  concrete,  socially  sanctioned 
behavior  norms  emanating  [rum  ihem  vary  enormously 
as  between  dilTerent  societies  both  in  space  as  well  as 
in  time.  Accordingly,  the  normative  concepts  of  what 
is  right  anil  wrong  iir  good  and  bad.  wbicli  different 
societies  introjrct  into  the  'minds  of  their  members  are 
widely   divergent. 

Israel  is  ihe  case  of  a  society  whofe  members  have 
been  recruited  lilwally  fn)m  alt  the  ends  of  the 
ichabited  glube,  from  sooielies  representative  ot 
divergent  human  cultures  at  diffiTcnt  stages  of  serial 
evolution.  There  is  therefore  a  conspicuous  lack  of  unity 
among  the  normative  values  which  these  people  have 
brought  with  them  to  their  new-  homeland.  The 
resulting  faulty  integration  gives  rise  lo  attitudes  o{ 
strong  in-group  feeling  and  of  corresponding  suspicioik 
and  mistrust,  directed  at  ethnieal  "outsiders,''  Overf 
behavior  in  public  places  tends  to  be  harsh  and  full 
of  callous,  social  disregard.  Society  becomes  slccpcil 
in  an  atmosphere  of  constant  social  tension  and  of 
latent  conflict,  (jin^nt  a*  an  agency  of  social  control 
sinka  to  a  minimum  and  \\af  to  be  replaced  by  the  co- 
ercive instruments  of  Slate  power,  the  army,  police, 
judiciary,  etc.,  which  gain  in  prominence  not  only  as 
iiociul  ilefencci   but   as  daily   regulative  organs. 

The  incidence  oi  this  faulty  value  integration  is 
l)y  no  means  distriliuled  uniformly  lhrou(;hout  the 
country.  There  are  residential  districts,  Rehavia  in 
Jera^)em,  (or  instance,  which  compare  favorably  with 
£hg/iti   suburbia.       Nahariya    on.    the   northern   coast   is 


famed  for  its  congenial  atmosphere  of  an  old  German 
Spa.  Yet  to  preserve  that  atmosphere,  and  with  it  ita 
holiday  appeal  to  certain  sections  of  the  Haifa  and 
Tel-Aviv  public,  it  is  trying  hard  lo  insulate  itself 
socially  against  the  buge  mdahiBa  sprawling  right  np 
against  its  back-door.  Even  in  a  nationwide  organizatioD 
like  ihe  Hisladrul,  one  of  the  great  power  hierarchies 
in  the  country,  ihinga  generally  run  smoothly  because 
there  the  Russian- Polish  workers'  "aristocracy"  atill 
predominates  in  ibe  key  posts  and  sets  the  general  tone 
and  pace  by  its  peculiar  mentahly.  Finally,  Idbh^iXBm 
must  he  singled  out  for  mention  aa  catalysts  of  social 
integration  by  virluo  of  their  ideology  and  mode  of 
living.  Different  ethnical  groups  are  socially  fused  in 
a  surprisingly  short   period  of  time. 

But  apart  from  the  communes  and  away  from  the 
population  and  power  centers  of  the  old  yisAuc  the 
picture  changes  abruptly.  Tel-Aviv  in  thia  respect 
perhaps  epitomizes  ihe  whole  country.  Here  the  Yemeoile 
from  the  burning  desert  of  Arabia  lives  neit  door  lo 
the  taxi-driver  from  a  eeniral  European  metropoli^  asd 
the  products  of  North-African  Cbettoes  rub  ahouldtr* 
with  the  graduates  of  Anglo-Saxon  Universities.  The 
range  of  colors  of  skin  is  matched  by  the  habel  of  toaguea 
and  vernaculars  which  in  turn  is  indicative  of  different 
cultures,  modes  of  living  and  value  norms.  The  Central 
Bus  Station  at  Tel-Aviv  is  a  seething  human  volcano  of 
wails,   shrieks  and   shouted  commands. 

However,  the  ideal  model  of  social  estrangement  in 
urban  surroundings  is  provided  by  the  Arab-abandoned 
and  now  Jewish  immigrant  towns  such  as  Jafla,  I^dda, 
Ramleh,  Beersbeba.  Lydda,  for  instance,  formerly  ■ 
small  Arab  town  22km.  south-east  of  Tel-Aviv,  wu 
inhabited  by  some  Itt.OIX)  Arabs.  Of  the  present  popul*- 
lion  of  clo>ie  to  14,000.  only  about  1,000  Arabs  have  been 
left.  The  rest  are  Jews,  all  of  ihein  new  immigrant!, 
54  per  cent  from  countries  of  Eastern  Eurt^ 
(Asbkenazim)  anil  the  rest  Sephardim  (16  per  cent 
fiom   Bulgaria,   16   per   cent    from   North   Africa,   12  p» 


DIABETES 

MSCRimVE  LITERATUREfREtFROa 

HIMALAYA  DRUG  Co. 

251.  HOmBY  ROH.BORBtY.  »"^ 


F 


FOREIGN  PERIODICALS 


^.. 


165 


•  cent'  from  Turkey  and  the  rest  from  other  old  corners 
of  |he  world) .  Owing  to  language  difficulties  there 
is  little  if  any  non-economic  social  interest  or  contact 
between  the  Ashkenazim  and  the  Scphardim.  While 
the  common  tongue  of  the  former  is  Yiddish,  the 
Temacular  of  the  latter  is  Ladino  or  Arabic.  WIZO 
(Women  International  ,  Zionist  Organization)  has 
established  a  community  center  in  the  town  which  carries 
ont  an  ambitious  program  of  social,  educational, 
vocational  and  welfare  activities  among  its  inhabitants. 
Of  the  500  women  enrolI«»d  at  the  Center  practically 
none  hail  fnim  the  Easi  European  counlries  ahhough 
they  represent  more  than  half  of  the  local  Jewish 
population. 

A  great  deal  of  faith  is  placed  by  some  in  the 
army  as  an  agency  of  social  integration.  It  would  be 
well-nigh  impossible  to  verify  this  claim  by  objective 
statistical  measurements.  Two  positive  circumstances 
stand  out  however  :  the  army  gets  hold  of  all  new 
immigrant  youth  up  to  the  age  of  29  for  a  period  of 
two  years  <1A  months  for  those  above  26);  whatever 
influence  it  does  exercise  is  therefore  diffused  equally 
among  all  newcomers.  Secondly,  th«*  army  teaches  the 
immigrant  at  least  rudimentary  Hebrew  which  is  a 
natural  prerequisite  for  his  social  integration  in  post- 
army  life.  As  against  this  must  be  put  tht>  fact  that 
just  as  the  utterly  voluntary  character  of  life  in  the 
kibbutz  makes  it  such  an  ideal  social  integrator,  sty 
the  essentially  compulsory  nature  of  the  army  with  itii 
enforced  community  living  mitigates  against  its  effec- 
tiveness as  social  catalyst.  While  the  army  is  no  doubt 
very  successful  in  teaching  the  technologically 
backward  Oriental  youngster  the  use  of  com- 
plicated machinery,  it  pmbabTy  'makes  little  if  any 
positive  impact  on  thrjse  deeper  recesses  of  his  mind 
where  bis  value  norms  are  embedded.  This  vital  dis- 
t'nction  between  machines  and  morals,  means  and  ends, 
civilization  and  culture,  is  absoultely  ileci^ive  to  our 
analysis. 

Since  the  outbreak  of  World  War  II.  some  450,000 
Jews  have  immigrated  into  Israel  from  the  continent 
of  Europe,  the  great  majority  of  them  after  1943.  These 
are  poor,  wrelche<l,  scattered  remnants  of  the  once 
mighty  and  prosperous  European  Jewry.  Most  of 
tbem  spent  the  war  in  the  hell  of  Hitler *s  Europe 
experiencing  on  their  bodies  the  abominations  of  Nazi 
Labor,  Concentration  and  Annihilation  Camps,  or  liv- 
ing an  underground  existence  of  disguist.'  in  constant. 
terror  of  discovery,  often  without  adequate  means  of 
livelihood.  The  sum  of  deprivations  and  sheer  sub- 
jective  sufferings  which   these  people  wrnl   thn)ugh   pro- 

BANK  OF  BANKURA  LTD. 

36,  Strand  Road,  CALCUTFA 

Interest  on  Saving  Deposil  2%  Per  Annum 

Interest  on  Fixed  Deposit  3^/0  Per  Annum 
for  1  year  &  over  1  year  4<^/o  Per  Annum 


BrancSes : 

College  Sq.,  Cat. 
Banbura. 


Cfiairman : 

lAGANNATH  KOLAY 

M.P. 


bably  exceeds  in  magnitude  and  intensity  that  of  any 
comparable  group  of  human  beings  during  the  recent"  ' 
war.  It  has  been  said  that  soffering  ennobles.  Thiit 
is  not  quite  true.  Suffering,  if  exceeding  given  limits 
of  intensity  and  duration,  particularly  when  it  is  felt 
to  be  unjustly  imposed,  may  be  likened  to  a  fire  that 
either  hardens  a  man's  moral  fibre  or  else  destroys  it 
altogether.  It  is  the  majority  who  succumb  and  only 
the  chosen  few  who  come  out  of  the  ordeal  strengthened. 
Those  whose  moral  stature  was  impaired  or  broken  by 
the  impact  of  suffering  openly  exhibit  the  scars  of  their 
experience  in  their  behavior.  As  harrowed  fugitives  in 
Hitler's  Europe,  law  to  them  had  meant  death  ;  survival 
therefore  became  a  function  of  the  ability  to  circumvent 
the  law.  This  maim  may  have  crystallized  into  a  fixed 
mental  attitude  towards  £(11  law  irrespective  of  who  de- 
creed it  and  where  it  is  practised.  But  law  in  a  civi- 
lized community  prescribes  the  minimum  conditions  on 
which  men  can  live  peacably  together  in  society.  In 
the  absence  of  law — the  limitation  of  individual  freedomai 
in  the  greater  interest  of  social  freedom — the  foundations 
of  jir»cicly  would  crumble. 

Or  again,  the  barbarous  treatment  meted  out  by  the 
Nazis  to  innocent  Jews  may  have  shattered  the  latter's 
belief  in  humanity  and  their  erstwhile  moral  values  and 
left  them  bitter,  hard,  self-centered  men,  full  of  rancoD 
towards  their  fate  and  'mistrust  towards  their  fellow 
men. 

It  must  he  stressed  that  these  reactions  towards  past 
suffering  are  neither  necessary  nor  universal,  but  factors 
that  cannot  be  left  out  of  account  in  enumerating  the 
forces  at  work  in  Israel  which  tend  to  weaken  consent 
as  a  force  of  effective  social  control. 

For  nearly  2X)00  years  the  Jews  have  lived  a  strange 
abncirmal  existence,  always  an  alien  body,  often  despised 
pariahs  and  social  outcasts,  on  the  fringes  of  Gentile 
society.  This  experience  has  left  its  indelible  marks 
on  the  Jew  physically  and  psychologically.  Physically 
it  is  responsible  for  the  familiar  Ghetto  physiognomy. 
Ptychok)gically  it  has  afflicted  him  with  a  peculiar  habit 
of  social  non-identification  or  estrangement  from  the 
wider  social  environment  in  whose  midst  he  was  living. 
The  great  French  sociologist.  Emile  Durkheim,  coined  in 
a  different  context  a  !>pecial  phrase  for  this  state  of  mind: 
he  called  it  anomie,  and  it  is  perhaps  no  accident  that 
E.  Durkheim  was  an  assimilated  Jew,  the  son  of  an 
Alsatian  rabbi. 

The  Jew  of  the  Galut  has  generally  not  identified 
himself  emotionally  with  those  around  him.  His  atti- 
tude is  characteristic  of  an  exclusive  clai^  morality  in 
contradistinction  to  inclusive  social  morality.     The  social 

A  BOON  TO  THE  STUDENTS 

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P.  0.  Belgharia  (21  Pargaaa&\  ^ .  ^^\^nk^ 


166 


THE  MODERN  REVIEW  FOR  FEBRUARY,  1953 


^ 


coQtcioUBiieai  of  the  Galut  Jew  was  centered  mainly 
around  his  immediate  family  circle.  This  accounts 
both  for  the  intimacy  of  Jewish  family  life  so  characteris- 
tic of  the  Diaspora,  and  also  for  a  certain  lack  of  deep 
feeling  a  priori  towards  wider  social  environs. 

The  incidence  of  anoniie  is  of  course  not  spread- 
equally  over  all  countries  of  the  Dispersion  at  all  periods 
of  time.  Rather,  it  may  be  said  by  way  of  generalization, 
does  it  tend  to  vary  in  inverse  proportion  to  the  measure 
of  recognition  and  acceptance  as  an  equal  accorded  to 
the  Jew  in  evei7  country.  It  is  perhaps  most  conspi- 
cuous in  the  modern  world  among  the  Jews  of  Turkey 
who  to  this  day  speak  Lad i no.  a  kind  of  Sephardic  Yid- 
dish which  their  forefathers  had  brought  with  them  from 
Spain  some  450  years  ago.  The  prc&ent  generation  of 
Jewish  children  is  the  first  to  learn  Turkish  at  school 
thanks  to  Ataturk*s  educational  reforms.  The  Jewish! 
community  of  Turkey,  or  what  is  left  of  it  today,  is  » 
completely  alien  element  in  Turkish  national  life,  and 
it  would  appear  that  the  Moslem  religion,  as  in  the  Arab 
world,  remains  an  effective  insurmountable  barrier  to 
mutual  cultural  and  social  rapproachment.  At  the 
other  extreme,  anomie  is  at  a  minimum  among  the  Jewish 
communities  of  the  Anglo-Saxon  countries  whose  culture, 
ways  of  life  and  even  national  aspirations  have  been 
accepted  by  the  Jews  in  such  a  great  measure.  History 
is  not  even  lacking  in  examples  (in  Germany  at  the 
turn  of  the  century)  of  Jews  who  tried  to  out-do  their 
Gentile  fellow-citizens  in  patriotic  fervor.  But  usually 
healthier  national  sentiments  prevail.  In  Europe  before 
the  advent  of  Hitler,  and  excluding  the  Soviet  Union, 
it  may  be  a  true  approximation  to  «ay  that  the  state  of 
anoniie  increased  as  one  moved  from  West  to  East 
across  the  continent.  It  certainly  was  very  strong 
among  the  teeming  millions  of  Poland  who  had 
succeeded  in  building  up  a  specifically  Jewish  culture 
on  Europe's  eastern  plains  and  whose  fellow-feeling 
with  the  Polish  peasants  was  of  a  very  tenuous  nature. 

Such  is  the  social  background  of  the  people  who 
are  the  raw  material  from  which  Israeli  society  is  built. 
National  rejuvenation  becomes  a  function  of  our  ability 
to  overcome  the  physical  and  psychological  handicap 
which  our  past  national  tionielessnees  has  inflicted  ui)on 
UB.  It  is  easy  enough  to  eliminate  the  physiological 
traits.  ThtTo  is  nothing  like  plenty  of  fre%-h  air  and 
hard  physical  toil  t(»  straighten  bent  backs  and  to  infuse 
new  strength  into  underdeveloped  liinbs.  But  to  straighten 
out  distorted  minds  is  a  more  difficult  and  subtle  process. 
To  make  people,  with  different  upbringings,  experience 
and  tradition,  identify  themselves  with  their  society  and 
Slate  requires  much  more  time  and  relentless  effort. 
The  aim  is  to  induce  the  Galut  Jew  of  yesterday  to 
di-scard  his  anomie  mentality  like  an  old  &kin  and  to 
embrace  his  society  emotionally  as  his  own  and  to  think 
of  it  in  terms  of  the  prunoim  *'we*'  instead  of  the 
hitherto    accepted    pronoun    "they." 

It  would  seem  that  we  have  yet  a  long  way  to  go 
in  infusing  into  the  miniU  of  all  the  people  an  adequate 
sense  of  civic  duty  and  responsibility  towards  their  own 
society. 

We  have  so  far  dealt  with  those  issues  arising  from 
the  multifarious  cultural  background  of  Israel's 
piedominanlly  immigruni  population.  One  l)a?ic  feature 
underlios  the^^e  issues  :  ihcy  were  imported  from  abroad; 
they  are  the  results  of  experience  and  circumstance 
from  beyond  Israel^ij  borders.  The  question  arises : 
what  about  the  Sabras,  the  native-born  Israelis?  Being 
^ora  and  bred  in   the  country  one   would  assume   that 


tliey  have  a  more  or  less  homogeneous  cnltnnl 
ground;  not  having  lived  in  the  Diasporat  tbey  an 
immune  to  the  traits  of  Galut  Jewry.  On  which  ode 
of  our  sociological  balance-sheet  do  we  have  to  enter 
them  ?  Are  they  instrumental  in  strengtheninc  cr 
weakening  organic  social  cohesion  in  the  Israeli  aodety? 

At  the  end  of  1951  there  were  344,000  native-bonk 
Israelis  in  the  country,  or  25  per  cent  of  the  entire 
population.  About  lOO/XX)  of  these  were  above  the 
age  of  15.  These  figures  do  not  include  the  considerable 
number  of  people  who  had  come  to  Israel  as  young 
children,  were  educated  there  and  are  to  all  intents  and 
purposes  Sabras.  From  our  sociological  vantage  point 
the  Sabras  cannot  be  regarded  as  an  unmixed  blessing, 
though  for  reasons  other  than  those  enumerated  above. 

For  those  who  believe  in  Jung's  archetypes  and  the 
collective  unconscious,  there  exists  at  least  the  possibility 
that  anomie  has  become  an  inherited  trait  of  Jewiu 
mentality,  and  that  the  native-bom  Sabras  are  equally 
burdened  with  the  heritage  of  2,000  years'  Disaspora 
existence  of  their  forefathers. 

Whether  we  accept  or  reject  the  possibility  of  direct 
biological  heritage,  there  is  no  denying  the  powerful 
mechanism  of  psychological  heritage  which  is  handed 
down  from  parents  to  their  childem. 

The  prevailing  moral  standards  of  society  are 
introjected  into  the  minds  of  all  its  newly  bom  members. 
The  principal  social  agents  to  perform  this  inviafak 
operation  of  moral  control  are  parental  love  and  parental 
authority.  The  moral  values  which  the  child  receivea 
are  therefore  in  the  first  instance  the  values  of  their 
parents  and  not  necessarily  those  of  society,  the  implidt 
assumption  being  that  the  parents  themselves  wer«  reared 
in  the  same  society  so  that  their  moral  standards  are 
representative,  by  and  large,  of  those  prevailing  in  society. 
This  fundamental  assumption  does  not  hold  trne  in  an 
immigrant  society  like  Israel.  What  the  parents  succeed 
to  introfect  into  the  minds  of  young  Sabras  is  their  Galut 
mentality  containing  values  which  may  have  stood  them 
in  good  stead  in  the  Ukraine  or  even  in  Yemen,  but 
which  are  completely  at  loggerheads  with  the  reality  of 
the  new  Jewish  society.  This  may  become  a  fertile 
cau«e  of  social  maladjustment  and  conflict.  But  in 
reality  something  else  happens.  The  young  natire 
grneralion  sense  that  their  parents'  moral  values  are 
"old-fashioned,  outmoded''  and  unsuited  to  Isimdi 
society.  Being  products  of  that  society  they  revolt  aguntf 
thr  moral  authority  of  their  parents  and  reject  its  tenets  out 
of  hand.  But  in  the  absence  of  parental  authority  there 
is  no  equivalent  social  acency  which  can  accomplish 
the  vital  task  of  moral  value  introiection.  The  nearest 
substitutes    would    be    Madrichim    in    youth    movement^ 


CAM  M  TUATEO  Wmt 


PILEX 


r  I JL  L  f 
top  iY  iiAoiNa  cUnmnr 

Flfff  LrrCtATUtfr  ftOH 


HIMCO  LABORATORIES 


POKTt  SOfaj^Wi 


FOREIGN  PERIODICALS 


iHchen  at  wliool  and 
elaMmatet,  and  Ihese  are  lery  poor 
•obiUtntM  maeed.  Tbe  reeult  ib  that 
ibe  fint  generation  of  native  Israeli 
children  tend  to  grovr  up  in  a  moral 
vacunin.  Thu  really  is  not  surpriung, 
It  conid  hardly  be  otherwise 

IVequently  the  heroism  and  apmt 
of  selfMcrifice  displayed  by  the 
Sabraa  in  the  recent  war  are  ciled  aft 
eiamplci  of  their  moral  btature  Bur 
there  must  be  no  confusing  cause  and 
efiect.  No  one  can  dispute  their 
courage  and  heroisni  in  battle, 
■gainst  hopeless  odda  But  this  did 
not  always  stem  from  moral  conviction 
■•  from  ihe  fervent  nationalism  with 
which  they  had  been  imbued  and 
■ome  measure  waa  due  to  the  conlen  , 
tba  average  Sabra  had  for  the  Arabi 
that  attacked  them,  ibe  Arabs  they 
knew  for  their  squalor  and  vice 

It  may  be  concluded  that  the  first 
native  bom  generation  of  iBraehs  (in 
common  with  the  experience  of  other 
immigrant  socjelies  such  as  Amer  ca 
where  the  problem  has  been 
eihausLvely  studied)  is  lacLiug  in 
moral  values  as  backbone  to  personality 
and  guides  to  social  conduct 

Every  society  creates  a  network  of 
■ocial  institutions  lo  match  the  moral 
standards  of  behavior  introjected  into 
Its  menbera'  minds  All  old  nell 
iiegrated  societies  create  a  luxuriant. 
growth  socially  sanctioned  patterns  of 
■n  informally  binding  nature  such  aa 
iciutoms,  contentious,  etiquette, 
nannerisnis,  etc  Ihese  pervade  and 
late  the  entire  realm  of  social  life 
I  lo  the  smallest  detail  They  are 
_  joata  mapping  out  safe  pathways 
through  the  perplexing  jungle  of  social 
existence  They  are  no  more  felt  to  be 
hiutations  and  restrictions  on  human. 
behavior  than  a  well  tailored  suit  is 
to  the  conventional  movements  of  the 
hnman  body  They  minimize  tlie 
potential  areas  of  fnetion  and  discord 
They  ore  indispensable  aids  to  cultured 
living. 

Israel  as  a  pioneer  Bociei>  has  not  had  iimr  yet  to 
evolve  these  social  Bignpo"!*  it  has  n  il  been  able  yet 
lenously  to  get  doisn  to  the  task  oE  poh-hing  oft  its 
rough  edges,  to  acquire  those  social  p-Bces  that  adorn 
Older  and  maturer       ~    ' 


felltnr 


^&££4?^t!^^%/* 


Fu>  hnfc'iuard  ftoiii  ml  lu/hcnice  of  stars 

-**NAVARATN  AM"- 

(NINE  JEWELS) 

ta  ba  worn  as  per  laottuctiooa  of 
nie  While  House  „„    „,  "BHRIGUSAnhita 

Wh„    the    new    Presidcn,     of    the     United    States.  So'u, '1^.^^  ^cV^h^^^^^^^^^ 

Dwight  D.  Eisenhower   moves  into  the  ffh[le  Hou>c  after  direotiina  fSr  use  in  Rings  and  fi^Rer  EwR  d.tal 

hi.   inauguration  on      Januaiy      20,   he  will  be   ils  33rd  e*,d  eu  be  had  by  writinK    with     two  annM    w-t.^ 

E!    ™"^*'-'^    ."«'">">, '«ond       president,    John  stamp,  to  tba  dealera  in  :-Preciou8  Bttmea,  GeJnV  kS 

Adwaa,   moved   into   the  paniaUy   completed   structure  in,  Pearls.                                                                      ,  «  mi.  ana 

B.  Pani  &  Sons 

Post  Box  No.  7839.  Calc0tta-12 

-    -         ,    ,      ,    ■        -  people  'who  select  the      Skotc-room  .-—C-i,    College  Street  Market   (1  at  Floor) 

ocenpanta  of  the  famed  house  by  exercising  their  right  CoUega  Street,  CalcaU»ria 


1800. 


Although  the  While  House  has  always  been  the  home 
and  affic«  of  the  preudenis,  it  is  the  property  of  the 
people,   and   as   such,   it   is   the   people    who   select   the 


168 


jTHE  MODERN  REVIEW  FOR  FEBRUARY,  1853 


as  citizens  to  vote'  '  for  the  man  they  want  to  be 
Pkvsident.  In  the  last  election,  they  cast  more  than  60 
million  votes,  33  million  of  which  went  to  Eisenhower, 
thus  assuring  him  of  at  least  a  four-year  stay  in  the 
White  Honse. 

Outwardly  the  White  House  has  changed  little  in 
appearance  since  John  Adams  lived  there,  but  the  new 
FVesident  will  find  that  within  th(r  past  three  years  it 
has  undergone  the  most  complete  interior  renovation  in 
its  history.  Total  cost  of  the  project  was  $5,761,000. 
Those  in  charge  made  certain  that  the  new  White  House 
retained  the  appearance,  feel  and  atmosphere  of  the  old 
house,  but  in  rebuilding  the  interior  they  made  the  room 
space  half  again  as  large  as  before. 

The  house  is  situated  on  17  acres  of  land  and  is 
surrounded  by  many  shady  trees.  It  has  three  floors, 
two  basements,  two  office  wings,  comprising  107  rooms, 
of  which  21  are  bedrooms.  Thercj  are  40  corridors,  19 
bathrooms  and  12  lavatories.  ^ 

President  Harry  S.  Truman,  who  preceded 
Eisenhower,  uncovered  structural  defects  in  the  White 
House,  and  in  Januar>'  1947  he  asked  a  group  of 
architects  and  cngin/cc'rs  to  examine  the  building 
carefully.  Their  findings  led  to  the  complete  rebuilding 
of  the  interior. 

This  was  the  first  major  overhauling  of  the  White 
House  since  it  was  rebuilt  after  being  burned  <m  August 
27,  1814,  during  the  British  invasion  in.  1815  and 
completed  in  1817  under  the  supervision  of  its  original 
designer  James  Hoban.  The  damaged  sections  of  the 
walls  were  taken  down  and  rebuilt,  partitions  replaced, 
a  new  roof  constructed,  and  all  the  mill-work  renewed. 

George  Washington,  the  nation's  first  president^ 
helped  to  decide  on  the  location  of  the  Prei?ident*s  house 
in  1791  while  making  ai  survey  of  the  new  city  of 
Washington.  An  early  accounjt  said  that  '"the  house 
will  stand  on  rising  ground,  not  far  from  the  Potomac. 
River,  with  a  view  of  the  Capitol.*' 

It  is  not  definite  whether  the  name  "White  House" 
was  derived  from  the  white  sandstone  of  which  it  was 
constructed  or  from  the  coat  of  glistening  white  paint  it 
received  after  its  rtn^tmst ruction  in  1817.  However,  the 
name  "White  House"  became  arv  official  designation  in 
1902  during  Theodore  Roosevelt's  administration,  and 
since  then  it  has  bein  used  on  all  executive  stationary 
and  documents. 

Here  i«*  the  famous  Lincoln  room  into  which  the 
Civil  War  President's  se\en-f<Mii  bed  was  recently  moved. 
It  was  in  this  room,  wliirh  Lincoln  used  as  a  Mudy, 
that  he  signed  the  Emancipation  Proclamation  abolishing 
slavery. 

Lincoln's  b«'d  is  only  one  of  the  historical  pieces  of 
furniture  to  be  found  in  tlu;  House.  In  the  Green  Room 
on  the  first  floor,  for  example,  a  gilt  bronze  clock  with 
a  figure  of  Hannibal  is  still  in  u-e.  It  was  ])urchased 
in   France  by   President   Monroe. 

The  furniture  is  English,  French,  and  early 
America  period  pieces.  The  China  Room  contains  nearly 
300  pieces  of  china  ware,  silven^are,  glassware  and 
miscellaneous  objects  of  historical  interest  which  belonged 
to  former  occupants. 

The  real  e«;lale  value  ol  the  While  House  is  estimated 
to  be  about  60  million,  but  to  the  people  of  America  it 
is  more  than  wood,  stone  and  steel.  It  is  the  symbol 
of  national  freedom  and  liberty. — USIS, 


OUTSTANDING 

PRODUCTS  OF 

HERI.NG    &    KENT 

ROYAL  OONIM  :  Saper  vitiUiing  Iodic  for  Mbh 
and  WosfBN.  Hettores  yoathf al  vigonr  and  vitality 
at  any  age*  Bs.  50  for  3  weeks  coane ;  Ba.  200  lor 
complete  coarse  of  12  weeks. 

OOXftf :  General  ali-roand  tonic  for  men  A  women. 
Rs.  78  for  one  week ;  Be.  22-8  for  3  weeks ;  Bs.  90 
for  12  weeks  complete  course. 

BIOSTIL  HORMONE  CREAM:  Qennine  hormone 
treatment  for  restoring  the  freahness  and  fiimncts 
of  youth  to  the  aged,  wrinkled  skin.  Women  of  CO 
regain  complexion  like  women  of  20.  Indicated  for 
wnnkles,  lines,  ba^gineis,  bad  colour,  disfiguration, 
blemiabes  and  skin  disorders  (acne,  pimpies,  etc.) 
Bs.  5-8  per  tube. 

SIMBOOGI  HAIR  LOTION:  An  unfailing  hair-grower. 
Poiitivdly  grows  new  hair  and  stops  falling  hair, 
daadrnflT,  iching  scalp,  etc.  Bs.  3-8  per  bottle.  81M* 
B009I  HAIB  OIL:  A  delightful  ideal  hair-dressing 
and  tonic  for  correction  of  various  hair,  sealp  ana 
brain  troubles.    Bs.  3-8  per  bottle. 

LUNEGON  :  The  most  effective  nerve  and  brain 
seduire  tonic,  indicated  for  mental  and  nervous  dis- 
orders. Immediately  calms  and  soothes  high  mental 
and  norvous  tension.  Contains  no  injnrionr,  depressing 
or  habit-forming  drags.  Bs.  4  per  packet  of  50  ;  Bs.  70 
per  packet  of  1000  tablets.  (Hospital  pa«khig). 

DIBNIL:  The  moft  effective  oral  remedy  indicated  in 
the  treitment  of  Diabetes  Meliitus.  Bs.  15  per  packet 

SILVITA :  For  acidity,  heart-burn,  sour  stomsch, 
dyspspsia,  wind  and  fullness  after  meals,  etc*  Bs.  4 

NOVUM :  The  most  potent  and  effective  "period 
rogalator"  for  femties,  indicated  in  the  treatment  of 
AmQiorrhoei.  (Periodic  Disorders).  Bestores  the 
fonile  periodic  cycle  surely,  quickly,  safely.  NOVUM 
SIMPliEX,  B4.  12-8.  NO\rUM  FOBTlS,  Ba.  50; 
SOVOA  SUPER  COXCENIBATED,  indicated  onh 
for  manopsDal  trouble  and  oestrogenie  horsume  deif- 
cieacy.  R^.  21.  GIVirA  :  MUST  BE  TAKEN  tonic 
with  N'OVU^  to  prjvent  side  reactions  and  hastea 
results.  Bs.  19  per  packet  of  100;  Bs.  4-12  perpaekeC 
of  25;  AlsD  available: 

INOULABO  PASTE    INJECTION   TREATMENT  fof 

regUtered  aad  Qualified  Physicians  only.  FuU  paitt* 
cuTirs  sent  on  request  to  physicians  only. 

PREGNO :  An  ideal,  non-greasy  and  delicately  psi^ 
fumed  propuation  for  FAMILY  LIMITATION. 
Ideally  suited  for  the  most  fastidious  woman.  Ba.  M 
for  complete  outfit :  Bs.  7-8  for  "BefiU". 
EXPERT  MEDICAL  ADVICE  :  We  have  openad  a 
"Oliaical  Dept."  under  the  direct  supervision  A  qvali- 
fi3d  and  experienced  physicians  and  surgeons.  Expert 
sincere  and  genuine  advice  and  treatment  given  for  all 
your  SEX  and  FAMILY  LIMITATION  proUcms. 
Consult  personally  between  5-30  to  9  P.M.  on  asy 
week-day  or  write  your  case  in  detail  (enekMisff 
a  stamped,  self -addressed  envelope)  for  reply. 

ASK  FOR  FREE  MEDICAL  CIRCULAR 
of  all  our  products 

HERING  A  KENT 

POST  BOX  323  (M.B.O.).  Opp.  Lloyds  Bank 
61/263,  Hornby  Boad,  Fort,  Bombay  1.  Thone :  8tt0R 


Printed  and  published  by  Nibaran  C\\aTiAY\x  Dix^iVrcLVvViv  Vwi^i'i,  Q^Vixxlta, 


A  flight  of  SIX  Hmduatan  Trainers  aircraft    designed  and  built  m  India  v 
honour  of  leading  the  Armed    Forcee    Parade  to   celebraW  R^ublic  Day  i 
oa  January   26 


1  January'  26.  Picture  a^owa  pottaWc  laiM  oti4  Q^.'utt  wvtAf^-a. 
n  H-hcela  used  by  the  iroii\-\me  l.K.Y  .  \\'q:\\-* 


SAKTTNTALA    STARTS   FOR  THE   KING'S    PALACE 


THE  MODERN  REVIEW 


MARCH 


19  S3 


Voft.     I^XXJBCm,   No.  3 


WiiOLB  No.  533 


NOTES 


The  Welfare  State 

The  Central  Government's  Budget  for  1953-54 
came  out  in  the  papers  just  when  the  final  lines  of  the 
editorials  were  being  sent  to  the  pr^es.  Obviously  no 
eaomdered  comments  can  be  presented  at  such  short 
notice  and  therefore  that  will  have  to  be  deferred  to 
a  later  iasue. 

At  a  first  glance  the  "Five-Year  Plan"  Budget,  as 
it  is  termed,  is  more  or  less  like  the  Plan  itaelf,  neither 
inapiring  nor  excessively  disconc-crting.  It  seems  to  be 
a  humdrum  budget,  not  likely  to  cause  any  major 
alteration,  ^ther  way,  in  the  meandering  and  miserable 
state  of  the  Union  or  its  nationals.  Concessions  have 
been  made  to  the  Commercial  and  Industrial  interests 
and  also  to  th©  tax-payer  of  the  middlc-clai^ses,  to  a 
minor  degree.  But  there  is  little  of  an  attempt  tp 
tadde  matters  with  vision  and  courage. 

There  is  one  point  about  the  proi>oscd  iiuri^^inents 
in  certain  postal  charges  that  descivcs  mention  at  this 
stafle.  These  days,  the  transit  of  packets  through  post 
having  become  more  uncertain  than  they  have  ever 
been  in  the  last  fifty  years,  as  we  can  say  from  our 
own  experience,  books  and  packets  that  were  formerly 
despatched  through  plain  book-post  arc  more  often 
being  sent  per  registered  post.  Tlicrefore  an  increase 
of  33i  per  cent  in  registration  charges  will  be  a  serious 
imposition  on  the  already  heavily  handicapped  pub- 
liflhing  and  book-aelling  business.  Indeed  as  most  of 
the  registered  packets  emanate  from  the  book-trade, 
this  enhancement  will  be  in  the  nature  of  a  tax  on 
education.  W,e  do  not  suppose  this  will  count  in  any 
way  with  our  govemm<*nt  but  it  has  to  be  mentioned 
all  the  same.  Unjustifiable  paper  prices,  both  open  and 
black-market,  have  already  brought  publishers  to  the 
verge  oj  ruin,  and  this  might  be  the  last  straw.  Paper 
prices  abroad  are  tumbling  down,  but  our  paper  mono- 
polists, safe  under  protective  tariffs,  continue  to  exact 


extortionate  prices  without  let  or  hindrance.  It  does 
not  cause  the  behemoths  of  the  government  any  lose 
of  slumber.  What  matters  a  few  cupfub  more  of 
misery  to  the  comman-man  when  whole  streams  are 
flooding  the  country  ? 

And  why  worry  about  education  ?  Look  at  the 
unemployment  figures  amongst  the  educated,  and  listen 
to  the  fatuous  remarks  like  those  uttered  by  Shri 
Krishnamachari  in  the  Council  of  State  in  reply  to 
Shri  B.  C.  Ghose's  question  as  to  whether  the  Govern- 
ment was  aware  of  unjust  discrimination  being  prac- 
tised against  experienced  and  competent  Indians 
employed  in  foreign  firms  in  India.  Shri  Krishnam- 
achari  is  evidently  ignorant  of  the  fact  that  no  self- 
respecting  government  allows  any  foreign  firm  working 
for  profit  in  its  territory  to  discriminate  against  its 
nationals  in  any  way.  Of  course,  it  may  well  be  asked 
as  to  whether  our  Government  considers  self-respect 
of  any  consequence.  Look  at  its  emasculated  foreign 
policy  and  look  at  the  figure  it  cuts  m  the  comity  of 
nations. 

Nowhere  is  this  androgynous  attitude  so  well 
marked  as  in  our  dealings  with  Pakistan.  Take  for 
example,  the  Jute  agreement.  In  all  our  previous  deals 
we  were  befooled  and  mulcted  to  the  last  Hmit,  though 
our  profiteering  bag-ba]x>ns,  Indian  and  foreign,  bene, 
fited  vastly,  to  the  tune  of  about  10  crores  of  ill-gotten 
rupees.  Finally  came  the  discriminating  levy  on  the 
jute  exports  from  Pakistan  to  India  and  that  caused 
a  biv^k  in  the  State-level  trs^c  in  raw  jute.  We  were 
told  that  now  We  ought  to  strain  every  nerve  in  order 
to  attain  self-sufficiency  in  jute. 

The  peasant  and  the  small  holder  responded 
bravely  to  the  Government's  behest,  particularly  those 
of  West  Bengal.  Jute  production  went  up  by  leaps  and 
bounds,  and  self-sufficiency  was  very  nearly  attained. 
Unfortunately  a  depression  set  in  soon  after,  in  the 
world- trade  in  jute,  and  the  poor  small-holder  i^asaut.^ 


172 


THE  MODERN  REVIEW  FOR  MARCH,  1953 


I 


on  February  18,  have  achieved  no  substantial  progress  to- 
wards a  solution  of  the  problem,  it  was  reliably  learned. 

After  conversations,  which  have  been  going  on  for 
a  fortnight,  both  the  Indian  and  Pakistani  delegations 
are  reported  to  be  merely  referring  back  to  their 
respective  Governments  the  new  proposals  put  forward 
by  Dr.  Graham,  U.N.  Kashmir  mediator. 

The  talks  have  centred  roimd  the  question  of  the 
demilitarization  of  the  arA  and  the  number  of  troops 
each  side  should  be  permitted  to  retain  during  the  hold- 
ing of  a  plebiscite  to  determine  Kashmir's  future  status. 

Thfe  Jammu  Agitation 

Acharya  J.  B.  Kripalani  writes  in  the  Janata  that 
the  agitation  now  going  on  in  Jammu  cannot  be 
dismissed  as  a  move  by  tlie  Hindu  communal  vested 
interests  to  create  chaos  and  disorder.  Nor  can  he 
approve  of  Sheik  Abdullah  calling  the  organisers  of  thp 
movement  traitors.  The  Praja  Parishad  stands  for 
closer  association  with  India,  extension  of  the  juris- 
diction of  the  Supreme  Couii4  of  India  to  Kashmir, 
acceptance  of  the  Indian  flag  and  the  implementation 
of  the  terms  of  agreement  between  Kashmir  and 
India.  It  cannot  reasonably  be  said  that  the  Praja 
Parishad,  being  a  Hindu  organization,  is  conspiring 
with  the  Pakistan  Government.  Another  aspect  of  the 
situation  was  that  there  is  a  risk  of  communal  amity 
being  strained  in  the  neighbouring  States  as  a  result 
of  the  action  of  the  parties  involved  in  the  conflict. 

Sri  Kripalani  suggests  that  the  movement  in 
Jammu  persists  because  the  people  there  ar^  afraid. 
Measures  should  be  adopted  for  aUaying  their  fears, 
among  which  he  suggests  granting  a  measure  of  local 
authority  to  the  Jammu  State.  An  enquiry  should  also 
be  made  regarding  the  complaints  of  the  Praja 
Parishad  that  the  agreement  arrived  at  between  India 
and  Kashmir  has  not  y^t  been  implement<^d.  Even  the 
President  of  the  Congress  and  Prime  Minister  admiU 
that  the  people  of  Jammu  have  some  genuine  grie- 
vances. "However,  the  agitation  in  Jammu  does 
nobody  any  good  and  does  a  great  deal  of  harm  to 
India.  Every  well-wisher  of  the  country  would  want 
the  agitation  to  cease,"  concludes  he. 

We  are  in  full  agreement  with  the  above  remarks 
of  Acharya  Kripalani.  We  have  carefully  gone  through 
the  material  issued  by  the  Government  of  Sheikh 
Abdullah.  There  has  been  "wild  and  wooly"  talk  by  the 
Praja  Parishad  champions,  if  the  quotations  are  correct. 
Pakistan's  reaction  is  immaterial  to  the  question. 

The  most  that  can  be  »aid  against  the  Parishad 
is  that  somo  of  ita  moves  and  statements  were  SU- 
advised.  But  there  can  be  no  denial  of  the  fact  that 
tliere  is  a  logical  basis  for  their  apprehensions,  and 
that  thare  is  need  for  parleys  and  measures  to  soothe 
and  allay  them. 

The  Iranian  Press  delegation  arriired  in  Cakntta    on 
'2  on  a  two'lday  Hai. 


Mr.  Abbas  Masoodi,  Senator,  editor-proprietor  of 
Ettelaat  and  leader  of  the  delegation,  said  in  an  interview 
that  they  had  been  greatly  impressed  by  what  they  had 
already  seen  in  India.  India,  he  said,  was  taking  import- 
ant steps  towards  national  reconstrucion.  Everyone  was 
earnest  in  making  the  Five-Year  Plan  a  success. 

Mr.  Masoodi  added  that  through  an  exchange  of  views 
between  the  journalists  of  India  and  Iran  an  abiding  link 
between  the  two  countries  could  be  established. 

Deneutralization  of  Formosa 

India's  official  reaction  to  Mr.  Eisenhower's  announce- 
ment about  the  deneutralization  of  Formosa  is  not  likely 
to  be  available  until  after  mature  consideration  of  the 
issues. 

Nevertheless,  there  can  be  no  doubt  that  the  present 
feeling  here  is  one  of  concern,  not  of  indifference,  and 
the  implications  of  Mr.  Dsenhower's  statement  were 
being  carefully  assessed  at  the  Foreign  Office. 

Anxiety  arises  from  the  dangerous  inference  inherent 
in  the  declaration  that  the  7th  Fleet  would  no  longer  be 
employed  "to  shield  G)mmuni8t  China.'* 

Though  India  had  no  advance  information  on  this 
new  emphasis  in  American  foreign  policy — which  she 
may  have  expected  as  the  principal  sponsor  of  the 
infructuous  peace  move  at  the  U.  N. — a  general  harden- 
ing of  the  American  attitude  was  foreseen. 

This  possibhty  is  believed  to  have  been  discussed 
during  Mr.  Krishna  Menon*s  recent  visit  here  when  he 
held  consultations  with  the  E«xtemal  Affairs  Ministry  over 
the   Korean   situation. 

It  was  then  feared  that,  while  India  must  not  abandon 
her  peace  efforts  in  co-operation  with  other  nations,  the 
likely  change  in  American  policy  did  not  encourage  hopes 
of  immediate  success. 

Objective  opinion  in  India  does  not  question  the 
USA.'s  motives  behind  the  new  move.  It  is  conceded  that 
belief  in  a  show  of  strength  for  peace  is  well  meant. 
Doubts  arise,  however,  over  the  risks  involved. 

Mr.  Eisenhower's  statement  in  his  State  of  the  Unkm 
message  that  he  would  not  recognize  certain  ''secret  nnder- 
standings  of  the  past"  has  caused  some  confusion  here. 

The  major  agreements  of  interest  today  which  Mr* 
Eisenhower  may  now  wish  to  repudiate  vrere  :• 

The  return  to  Russia  of  the  southern  part  of  Sakhalin 
which  was  taken  from  Russia  in  1904  by  Japan;  the 
internationalization  of  the  commercial  port  of  Dairea; 
restoration  of  Port  Arthur  as  a  naval  base  for  Russia; 
joint  operation  of  the  Chinese  Eastern  Railway  and  the 
South  Manchurian  Railway  by  a  Sino-Soviet  company; 
handing  over  the  Kurile  Islands  to  Russia;  the  acceptance, 
as  a  basis  for  discussion,  of  the  payment  of  (10  million 
by  Germany  to  Russia;  modification  of  the  frontiers  of 
Poland  so  as  to  give  Russia  the  important  city  of  Lwow 
and  Poland  the  German  province  of  Upper  Silesia;  th^ 
admission  of  two  Russian  republics,  the  UkniBe  and 
White  Russia,  as  original  membtfs  of  the  UJf.;  and 
presexvalion  oi  \\\«  «\aluft  quo  in  Outer  M^^gftPn 
\!he  MongoYLVxi  Vex>^V%  ^t;^>^c?£!i<^. 


NOTES 


173 


Finance  Commission's  Recommendations 

It  may  be  remembered  that  tlio  Finance  Com- 
misdOQ  was  appointed  by  the  President  under 
Article  280  of  the  Constitution.  The  Commission 
assumed  office  on  November  30,  ld5i  and  submitted 
its  report  to  the  President  on  December  31,  1952.  The 
recoimmendations  of  the  Commission  would  be  given 
effect"  to  fnom  April  1,  1952.  It  was  required  under 
Article  270  of  the  Constitution  to  advise  the  President 
on  three  fundamental  matters.  These  y/^re  :  (1)  fhe 
^distribution  between  the  Union  and  the  States  of  the 
net  proceeds  of  taxes  which  are  to  be  or  may  be 
divided  between  them  and  the  allocation  between  tho 
State  of  the  respective  shares  of  siu-h  proceeds  ;  (2) 
the  principles  which  should  govern  the  grants-in-aid 
of  the  revenues  of  the  States  out  of  the  total  reve- 
nues of  the  Centre  ;  and  (3)  the  continuance  or 
modification  of  the  tenr.s  of  any  agreement  eotencd, 
into  by  t^ie  Government  of  India  with  ihe  Govern- 
ment of  any  Part  B  States.  Under  the  Commission's 
recommendations,  which  have  been  fcccepted  by  the 
Government  of  India,  there  will  be  substantial  trans- 
fer of  resources  from  the  Centre  to  the  States.  The 
total  amount  of  Central  grants  and  devolution  of 
revenue  to  the  State  Governments  will  be  of  the 
order  of  nearly  Rs.  86  crores  annually,  as  against  an 
average  annual  sum  of  Rs.  65  crores  for  the  three  year 
period  194^^  to  1951-52.  The  main  recommendations 
of  the  Con^mission  are  : 

(i)  Increase  in  the  percentage,  from  50  to  55,  of 
the  net  pi^cieeds  of  income  tax  to  be  assigned  to  the 
States; 

(ii)  Increase  in  the  grants-in-aid  by  the  Centre 
to  the  four  Staties  of  Assam,  Bihar,  Orissa  and  West 
Bengal  in  lieu  of  their  share  of  the  export  duty  on 
jut^  and  jute  products  ; 

(iii)  Allocation  to  the  States  of  a  ^harc  in  cer- 
tain Union  excise  duties,  namely,  tobacco,  matches 
and  vegetable  products  ; 

(iv)  Increased  and  additional  gi-ants  to  certain 
States  which  are  considered  by  the  Commission  in 
need  of  assistance,  and 

(v)  Grants  to .  certain  less  developed  St«tes  for 
eziiansion  of  primary  educatron. 

The  Commission  has  also  laid  down  oertaip  gene- 
ral principles  to  regulate  grants-in-aid  to  States  from 
the  Centre. 

Allocation  of  Incom&tax 

Under  Article  270  of  the  Constitution,  the  Com- 
miflsion  is  required  to  make  recommendations  to  the 
President  in  regard  to  three  matters  concerning  in- 
come-tax, namely,  (a)  the  percentage  of  the  net  pro- 
ceeds of  income-tax  which  may  be  assigned  to  the 
States,  (b)  the  manner  in  which  the  share  so  assigned 
riiall  be  distributed  among  the  States,  and  (c)  the 
p&meeigige  of  the  net  proceeds  of  the  tax  which  shall 


be  deemed  to  represesnt  proceeds  of  the  tax  attribu- 
table to  Part  C  States. 

At  present,  50  per  cent  of  the  net  proceeds  of  in- 

<:omo-tax  is  assigned  to  the  States.    The  Commission 

lias  recommended  its  inci>ease   to  55  per  cent.     The 

percentage  which  should  be  deemed  to  represent  the 

share  of    Part  C  States  is  fix-ed  at  2.75.     Under  the 

recommendations   of    the      Commission,   the      States' 

share  of  income-tax  should  be  distributed  as  follows  : 

States  Commission's    States         Commission's 

rccommejidatwn  recommendation 

Per  cent  Per  oeint 

Assam  .  2.25    Orissa  3.50 

Bihar  9.75    PEPSU  0.75 

Bombay  17.50    Punjab  3.25 

Hydierabad  4.50    Rajasthan  3.50 

Madhya  Bharat  1.75    Saurashtra  1.00 

Madhya  Pradesh  5.25    Travancore»-Cochin2.50 

Madras  15.25    Uttar  Pradesh        15.75 

Mysore  •     2.25    West  Bengal  11.25 

The  Commission  states  that  there  was  an  "al- 
most unanimous  demand"  from  the  States  for  an 
increased  share  in  income-tax.  While  it  is  undesir- 
able, according  to  the  Commission,  to  concentrate  on 
income-tax  as  a  balancing  factor  in  the  adjustment  of 
resources  between  the  Centre  and  the  States,  never- 
theless, on  a  consideration  of  various  factors,  it  foels 
that  some  increase  in  the  share  assignable  to  the 
States,  is  justified. 

As  negards  the  criteria  of  distribution,  the  Com- 
mission comes  to  the  eonclusion  th.it  the  main  con- 
siderations in  determining  distribution  of  income-tax 
should  be  : 

(a)  A  general  measure  of  needs,  furnished  by 
population  and    (b)   contribution. 

Taking  a  broad  view  of  the  position,  the  Com- 
mission recommends  that  20  per  cent  of  the  States' 
share  of  the  divisible  pool  of  income-tax  should  be 
distributed  among  the  States  on  the  basis  of  the  rela- 
tive collections  of  States  and  80  per  cent  on  the  basis 
of  their  relative  population  according  to  the  census 
of  1051.  Applying  this  formula  to  the  collections 
during  the  three  years  beginning  March  1051,  with 
certain  adjustments  for  the  Part  B  States,  the  Com- 
mission has  recommended  the  fixed  percentages  men- 
tioned earlier. 

In  making  the  allocation  to  the  States,  the  Com- 
mission has  taken  into  account  the  population  and 
collections  of  the  ''merged  areas"  (former  Indian 
States)  included  in  the  various  Part  A  States.  As 
these  States  will  be  receiving  their  share  of  divisible 
taxes  on  a  common  basis  with  all  the  other  States, 
the  Commission  has  suggested  that  "the  revenue  gap 
grants"  which  the  States  of « Bihar,  Bombay,  Madhya 
Piadesh,  and  West  Bengal  are  now  receiving  in  ins- 
pect of  nverged  areas  should  be  discontinued  with 
effect  from  Ist  April,  1952.  Part  B  States  will  how- 
emer  receive  \itevt  ^t^te  eil  i^s^^Kafc  ^t  *^^  ^giawKs^w:^ 
levemiic  g|Bk.p,  ^\L\e\iev«K  S&  Y^v:^^. 


174 


THE  MODERN  REVIEW  FOR  MARCH,  1953 


While  making  recommendatioiLs,  the  Gcymmission 
took  into  consideration  not  m)ere]y  the  needs  of  the 
States,  but  the  ability  of  the  Centre  as  well  to  assist 
the  States  by  the  transfer  of  a  large  portion  of  its 
revenues.  It  was  guided  by  three  main  considerations, 
namely,  (1)  the  additional  transfer  of  resources  from 
the  Centre  must  be  such  as  the  Centre  could  bear 
without  undue  strain  on  its  resources,  loeeping  in  viefw 
its  responsibihty  for  such  vital  matters  as  the  defence 
of  the  country  and  the  stability  of  its  economy  ;  (2) 
the  principles  for  the  distribution  of  grants-innftid 
'  must  be  uniformly  applied  to  all  the  States  ;  and  (3) 
the  scheme  of  distribution  should  attempt  to  lessen 
the  inequalities  between  the  States.  There  is  also 
the  consideration  that  the  measures  for  increa^g  the 
States*  revenues  should  he  sfuch  that  the  States  will 
be  enabled  automatically  to  participate  in  the  benc- 
fis  of  natural  expansion  of  revenues.  Accordingly, 
the  Commission  d^'idcd  against  increaidng  the  States' 
share  of  income-tax.  It  held  that  higher  percentage 
of  share  should  not  be  used  as  a  major  factor  in  the 
devolution  of  further  revenues  to  the  States.  It  rejected 
the  States'  domand  for  a  higher  percentage  of  income- 
tax  for  the  divisible  pool  and  the  demand  for  higher 
percentage  shares  put  for^vard  by  the  Industrial  States 
of  Bombay  and  West  Bengal.  Perhaps  for  the  first 
time  there  has  been  an  authoritative  record  in  this 
context  of  the  fact  that  "the  high  collections  of  in- 
come-tax in  these  cities  (Bombay  and  Calcutta)  are 
diu?  in  a  large  measure  to  their  being  in  a  sense  entre- 
pots of  the  country's  export  and  import  trade  and  to 
the  concentration  within  their  confines  of  the  head 
offices  of  companies  and  concerns  operating  all  over 
the  country."  An  even  more  important  observation 
is,  "A  study  of  the  inform atoin  collected  by  us  from 
some  of  the  larger  concerns  indicates  that  the  bases 
of  income  creation  are  far  more  diveri^ified  and  widely 
spread  over  the  country  than  the  facts  of  collection 
would  aeem  to  suggest."  In  its  view  incomes  whicih 
are  earned  in  different  States  in  India  cannot  be  put 
in  the  same  category  as  incomes  earned  in  diffenent 
sovereign  States.  The  Commission,  therefore,  nejects 
collection  as  an  equitable  basis  of  distribution.  And 
as  for  needs,  only  a  broad  measure  of  need  is  suitable 
for  application  in  this  connection,  and  "further  refine- 
ments of  the  needs  criterion  should  be  left  for  consi- 
deration in  relation  to-  grants-in-aid,  as  such  factors 
like  areas,  sparseness  of  population,  economic  back- 
wardness, financial  difficulties,  special  burdens  or 
commitments  of  a  State,  etc.,  are  more  relevant  to 
the   determination   of  grants-in-aid. 

Union  Excisb  Duties 

The  Commission  has  taken  a  liberal  view  of  their 

functions  and  has  not  confined     its    enquiry  to  ttoae 

questions  on  which  the  President  is  empowered  to  act 

wjlhovt  TcfereDco  to  Parliament.  It  has  brought    ^e 

nrboiff  Held  cf  federal  Bnance  within  its  purview    and 


has  made  recommendations  on  all    the    related  <|!» 
tions.  On  the  basis  of  the  memoranda  submitted  to  ii 
by  the  States,  the  Commission  came  tc  Uie  ooPdoWfli 
that  there     is    '^imperative     need     for  a     BubetttftU 
augmentation  of  the  revenues  now  available,"  to  4e 
States.  This  view  is  based  on  the  division  of  gOTtt* 
mental  functions    as    between    the     Centre  and  the 
States.  The  Centre  has  great  responsibility  for  mikiog 
the  Five-Year  Plan  a  success,  but  it  should  not   be 
overlooked  that  the  responsibility   for  progress,  def«- 
lopment  and  social  services  expenditure  lies  to  a  te 
larger  extent  on  the  States. 

As  part  of  its  scheme  of  assistance,  ti^  CommisBioii 
has  made  certain  specific  recommendations  for  distri- 
buting the  Union  excise  duties.  These  recommendatioiii 
can  bo  implemented  on  enacting  necessary  legislation 
by  Parliament.  EHstribution  of  Union  excise  dutka 
was  not  specifically  included  in  the  Commission's  terms 
of  rciference,  but  it  was  convinced  that  it  was  open  to 
it  to  suggest  such  distribution  as  part  of  its  plan  «rf 
assistance.  Several  State  Governments  had  raised  this 
claim  before  the  Commission. 

The  Commission,  however,  has  not  considered  it 
desirable,  at  any  rat©  for  the  present,  to  distribute  all 
Union  excise  duties.  'Hiree  such  items — tobacco  includ- 
ing cigarettes,  cigars,  etc.^  matches,  and  vegetable 
products — are  considered  by  the  Commission  most 
suitable  for  distribution  on  the  ground  that  they  are 
of  commodities  which  are  of  common  and  widespread 
consumption  and  which  yield  a  sisablc  sum  of  revenue 
for  distribution.  The  Commission  has  recomnnended 
that  40  per  cent  of  the  net  proceeds  of  these  duties 
shouki  be  allocated  to  the  States  and*  distribution 
among  them  should  be  made  in  projwrtion  to  their 
population.  The  shares  of  the  individual  States  will  be; 


States 

Per  cent    States 

Percent 

Assam 

2.61    Orissa 

4.22 

Bihar 

11.60    PEPSU 

1.00 

Bombay 

10.37    Punjab 

3.65 

Hyderabad 

5.39    Rajasthan 

4.41 

Madhya  Bharut. 

2.29    Saurashtra 

1.19 

Madhva  Pradesh  6.13    Travancore-Cochin    2.68 

Madras  16.44    Uttar  Pradesh  18.23 

Mysore  2.62    West  Bengal  7.16 

Following  this  recommendation,  the  Commission 
has  su-ggested  that  tlie  present  arrangement,  whereby 
certain  Sta-tes,  namely,  Bombay,  Madras  and  Madhya 
Pradesh,  do  not  levy  taxes  on  tobacco  and  receive 
instead  some  compensation  from  the  Centne,  should 
be  discontinued  with  effect  from  1st  April,  1953.  The 
States  concerned  should  be  left  free  to  levy  such  taxes 
as  they  like.  The  Commission  has  suggested  that  neces- 
sary legislation  for  the  implementation  of  these 
recomm'endations  should  be  taken  at  the  earliest 
possible  date  and  the  legislation  should  be  given  retros- 
pective effect  from  1st  April,  1952. 

JirPB  Export  Dxnr 


NOTES 


175 


t  of  tl^e  net  proceeds  of  the  export  duty  on  jute 
-e  products  were  allocated  to  the  jute  growing 
38.  After  the  Partition,  which  resulted  in 
rable  parts  of  the  joitte-growing  area  of  un- 
India  being  included  in  Pakistan,  the  share 
uced  to  20  per  cent.  The  Export  Committee  on 
1  provisions  of  the  Union  Constitution  Bug- 
that  export  duty  should  not  be  shared  but 
n-aid  should  be  given  to  the  Provinces  in  lieu 
duty  for  a  transitional  period, 
ier  Article  273  of  the  Constitution,  granta-in- 
e  to  be  paid  for  a  transitional  period  to  the 
3f  Assam,  Bihar,  Orissa  and  West  Bengal  in 
their  share  of  the  export  duty  on  jute  and  jute 
8.  Tlie  Deshmukh  Award  fixed  the  grants-in- 
he  States  concerned  as  follows  .  Bengal  Rs.  105 
Assam  Rs.  40  lakhs,  Bihar  Rs.  35  lakhs  and 
Els.  5  lakhs. 

ier     the    Commission's     recommendations,  the 
Q-aid  will  be  : 

^ngal        Rs.  150  lakhs    Bihar         Rs.  75  lakhs 
Rs.    75  lakhs    Orissa        Rs.  15  lakhs 
;  Commission  has  suggested  that  these  grants 
be  paid  to  the  States  with  effect  from  1952-53. 

Grants-in-Aid 
i  Finance  Commission     has     made     important 
endations  that  should  govern  important  grants. 
)y  the  Centre.     Grants-in-aid    are    made    for 

reasons  including  (a)  deficiency  of  States' 
«,     (6)    importance     of     augmenting     welfare 

and  development  projects,  (c)  developing 
itivities  like  unemployment  activities,  insurance, 
ecurity,  etc.,  and  other  factors.  Historically 
?,  the  most  important  factor  governing  grants- 
\aa  been  the  deficient  resources  of  the  States 
ime  when  the  impact  of  a  rapidly  changing 
ic  situation  created  large  and  insistent  demands 

governmental  services." 
h  conditional  and  unconditional  grants  have 
lace.  Unconditional  grants,  ^u^oording  to  the 
38k>n,  should  reinforce  the  general  resouroes  of 
te  Governments  which  would  be  free  to  allocate 
ants  among  competing  purposes  according  to 
5st  judgment,  subject  to  the  usual  administra- 
d     parliamentary    checks.     Conditional    grants 

may  be  for  broad  purposes — may  be  given  to 
te  expansion  of  particular  categories  of  services 
ihan  specific  schemes  under  those  categories, 
nmenting  on  the  Commissiofi's  recommendations, 
N.  Law,  President  of  the  Bengal  National  Chamber 
merce,  said  :  "Less  than  justice  has  been  done 
:  Bengal,  particularly  in  the  matter  of  aUocation^ 
ne-tax  revenue.  By  all  tokens,  the  decision  to 
te  20  per  cent  of  the  States*  share  of  the 
>  pool  of  income-tax  on  the  basis  of  collection 
per  cent  on  the  basis  of  their  relative  population 
in<f. 


"It  is  unfortunate  that  the  Commission  has  taken 
the  needs  of  the  States  as  the  principal  factor  governing 
the  allocation  of  income-tax  revenue  and  has  not  given 
due  importance  to  the  rights  of  the  States  as  arising 
from  the  collection  of  revenue.  Apart  from  the  fact 
that  the  needs  of  a  State  for  additional  revenue  are 
relevant  only  in  considering  grants-in-aid,  the  question 
so  far  as  income-tax  allocation  is  concerned  has  to  be 
determined  in  the  context  of  density  and  the  volume  of 
industrial  labour,  which(  has  not  been  taken  into 
consideration   by   the   Commissioii. 

*The  decision  to  destribute  the  Union  Elxcise  duties 
is  to  bei  welcomed.  But  I  regret  that  the  Commission 
had  not  invited  the  views  of  the  public  on  this  question 
and  we  were  deprived  of  placing  our  points  of  view 
before   the  Commission   at   the  appropriate  time. 

'The  recommendations  in  respect  of  grants-in-aid 
in  lieu  of  jute  export  duty  appear  to  be  well  comceived, 
though  here  also  we  had  expected  that  due  consideration 
would  be  given  to  the  large  increase  in  the  acreage  undev 
jute  in  West  Bengal  after  partition  as  well  as  the 
location  of  the  entire  jute  mill  industry  in  West  Bengal.'' 

Discussing  the  principles  under  which  grants-in- 
aid  should  be  made,  th^  most  important  criterion  that 
the  Commission  lays  down  is  the  extent  of  self-help 
that  a  State  practises.  This  should  determine  the 
eligibility  for,  as  well  as  the  amount  of,  help  from  the 
Centre.  Secondly,  the  method  of  extending  financial 
assistance  should  be  such  as  to  avoid  any  suggestion 
that  the  Central  Government  has  taken  upon  itself 
the  responsibility  for  helping  tiic  States  to  balance 
their  budgets  from  year  to  year.  "If  th©  amount  of 
grants-in^id  were  to  be  merely  in  proportion  to  the 
financial  plight  of  a  State,  a  direct  premium  might  be 
plaoed  on  impecunious  policy  and  a  penalty  imposed 
on  financial  prudence.  On  the  other  hand,  if  a  State 
is  eligible  for  a  grant  on  other  grpUiuds,  it  should  not 
be  precluded  from  this  benefit  merely  because  its 
budget  is  in  order  as  a  result  of  its  sound  financial 
management." 

Economy  in  expenditure  practised  by  the  States 
is  another  test  recommended.  Other  principles  sug- 
gested by  the  Commission  are  : 

(a)  Grants-in-aid  should  assist  in  equalising 
standards  of  basic  social  services.  Factors  like  the  area 
of  a  State  in  relation  to  its  population,  economic  back- 
wardness, etc.,  would  be  reflected  in  the  level  of  social 
services  and  the  standard  of  development  of  a  Staite 
and  thefiie  should  be  taken  into  account  ;  (b)  a  State 
may  be  helped  to  meet  a  special  burden  .or  obligations 
of  national  concern,  though  they  may  arise  within  the 
State's  sphere,  for  example,  the  strain  on  the  economy 
and  the  administration  of  the  State  as  a  consequence 
of  the  Partition,  increased  reaq[>onsibility  in  respect  of 
security,  etc.;  and  (c)  beneficent  services  of  primary 
importance  for  which  assistance  to  less  advanced 
States  is  in  the  naUoi\£A  VaMfexesi^*, 


176 


THE  MODERN  REVIEW  FOR  MARCH,  1953 


Theae  principles  were  kept  in  view  by  the  Com- 
mission while  formulating  their  recommendations. 

The  Commission  has  made  a  new  departure  in 
the  pattern  of  general  grants-in-^id  to  the  States  ; 
special  grants-in-aid  have  been  recommended  for 
expansion  of  primary  education  in  some  of  the  States 
the  need  for  which  became  appaneni  during  its  dis- 
cussion with  the  Governments  concerned.  It  has  sug- 
gested a  modest  beginning  in  this  direction  by  helping 
those  States  where  large  gaps  in  expenditure  have  to 
be  made  up.  The  following  States  where  primary  educa- 
tion is  at  preseait  comparatively  backward  have  been 
recommended  assistance  in  the  next  four  years  on  a 
gradually  rising  scale  :  (In  lakhs) 


1053-54 

1054-55 

1955^ 

1956^7 

Bihar 

41 

55 

69 

83 

Madhya  Pradesh 

25 

33 

42 

50 

Hyderabad 

20 

27 

33 

40 

Rajasthan 

20 

26 

33 

40 

Orissa 

16 

22 

27 

32 

Punjab 

14 

19 

23 

28 

Madhya  Bharat 

9 

12 

15 

18 

PEPSU 

5 

0 

8 

9 

Total        150  200  250  300 

■  The  following  table  shows  State-wise  the  break- 
down figures  of  the  amount  receivable  by  each  State 
from  the  Centre  under  the  various  heads  : 


{In  lakhs 

oj  rup 

-ea) 

Share  of 

Grants- 

General 

Revenue 

Pr^nary 

Grand 

SUtM 

income- 

in-aid 

srants 

sap 

education 

toUl 

tax  and 

under 

•inf^aid 

grants 

grants  , 

Union 

Article 

under 

excise 

273    substantive 
portion  of 

Art 

.  275(1) 

Assam 

170 

75 

100 

•  • 

•    • 

345 

Bihar 

730 

75 

•    • 

•  ■ 

50 

855 

Bombay 

1125 

•    • 

■  • 

•  • 

1125 

Hyderabad 

335 

■    • 

•  • 

24 

359 

Ma4hya 

Bharat 

135 

•    • 

•  • 

11 

146 

Madhya 

Pradesh 

390 

«    • 

•  • 

30 

420 

Madras 

1110 

•    • 

•  • 

•  • 

1110 

Mysore 

170 

40 

158* 

•  « 

368 

OmtH 

B65i 

15 

75 

•  ■ 

19 

374 

PEPSU 

60 

•  • 

•  • 

4 

65 

Punjiab 

240 

125 

•  • 

17 

382 

Rajasthan 

265 

•  • 

•  • 

24 

289 

Sourashtra 

75 

40 

187* 

•  • 

302 

Travancore- 

Oochin 

180 

45 

98* 

•  • 

22Z 

Uttar- 

Pradcsh 

1170 

•  • 

•  • 

■  • 

1170 

W.    Bengal 

730 

150 

80 

■  • 

•  • 

960 

Total      7150       350         505       443       180       8593 

*  Aa  the  share  of  divisible  taxes  of  these  States  is 
expected  to  be  less  than  the  guaranteed  "revenue 
gap  grants,"  the  States  will  receivo  the  latter,  the 
balance  of  the^e  graofts  after  allowing  for  the  share 
of  divisible  taxes  is  shown  in  this  column. 
The  actual  sums  accruing  by  way  of  devolution  of 
reveaue  will  obviously  vary  from  year  to  year.    The 


Commission  has  assumed  that  its  recommendations,  if 
given  effect  to,  would  be  operative  for  a  period  of  five 
years  ending  31st  March,  1957.  The  CommisBion  hw 
mado  two  further  recommendations,  one  relating  to  tiie 
detting-up  of  a  small  organisation  to  study  State 
finances  and  the  other  for  improving  the  available 
statistics  in  regard  to  income-tax.  It  sugge^  that  this 
organisation  should  preferably  be  a  part  of  the  Secre- 
tariat of  the  President  and  should  make  a  continuouB 
study  of  th^  finances  of  the  State  Governments  so 
that,  whenever  future  Finance  Commissions  are  con- 
stituted, they  will  have  sufficient  material  available  to 
them  at  the  very  commencement  of  their  enquiry.. 

The  actual  allocations  are  open  to  many  criticisms. 
But  aa  full  details  have  not  yet  been  revealed  thegr 
must  be  reserved  for  a  subsequent  issue. 

Railway  Budget 

The  annual  report  on  the  working  of  ^dian 
Railways  for  1951-52,  reveals  that  for  the  third  ytur  in 
succession  since  independence,  the  railways  have  set  up 
new  records  in  traffic  and  earnings.  The  gross  tnffic 
receipts  of  the  Indian  State  railways  during  1951-52 
was  Rs.  290.82  crores— the  highest  ever  reached  so  far. 
This  amount  is  higher  by  Rs.  27.81  crores  over  the 
1950-51  receipts.  Passenger  earnings  were  Rs.  109.88 
crores  and  goods  earnings  Rs.  156.79  crorea,  the  balanca 
of  Rs.  24.15  crores  being  made  up  of  other  ooadiias 
and  miscellaneous  earnings. 

The  ordinary  working  expenses  amounted  to  Rs. 
194.04  crores  or  77.37  per  cent  of  the  total  earnings. 
The  appropriation  to  the  Depreciation  Fund  was  Rs. 
30.21  crores,  including  Rs.  21  lakhs  chargeable  to  capital, 
being  depreciation  on  capital  assets  of  the  Ghittaranjan 
Locomotive  Works.  After  meeting  all  charges,  isdndhig 
the  appropriation  to  the  Depreciation  Fund,  the  net 
revenue  on  the  results  of  working  for  the  year  1951'52 
amounted  to  Rs.  61.75  crores.  Out  of  this  Rt.  3S.41 
crores  was  paid  to  General  Revenues  as  dividend  oade: 
the  Revised  Convention     of  1949. 

The  net  surplus  for  the  year  stood  at  Rs.  28.S4 
<Hx>res  as  against  Rs.  J5.05  crores  in  1950-51  and  Rs* 
14.59  crores  in  1949-50.  Of  this,  Rs.  10  crores  was 
allocated  to  the  Development  Fund  and  Rs.  18.34  crores 
to  the  Revenue  Reserve.  The  total  number  ot 
passengers  carried  dropped  to  1,232  million  in  1951-52 
from  1308  million  in  1950-5^1.  The  passenger  niks 
dropped  to  39,551  million  in  1951-52  from  41^72 
million  in  1950-51.  The  average  earnings  per  pasaesger 
per  mile  were  5.41  pies  and  the  average  earnings  per 
freight  ton  mile  )10.2  pies  during  1951-52. 

The  total  capital  outlay  on  March  31^  1962,  Stood 
at  Rs.  861.55  crores  on  all  Indian  railways,  indndiiig 
the  lines  under  construction.  This  comprised  Rs. 
850.11  crores  of  Indian  Government  capital  and  Rs. 
11.44  raised  hy  companies,  District  Boards,  etc.  Cmiital 
outlay  during  1951-52  on  all  railways  was  Rs.  23.39 
crores,  of  which  23.^1  crores  related  to  Indiaa    Goven* 


\ 


NOTES 


177 


railways.     The     bulk  of  the     expenditure  on  the 

was  on  open  lines,  namely,  Rs.  21.34  crores,  the 
ining  Rs.  1.87  crores  being  spent  on  new  lines, 
total  route  mileage  of  all  railways  iiv  India  at  the 
>f  the  year  1951-52  was  34^119.  The  total  number 
aff  on  all  the  railways  was  929,4481  on  March  31, 

as  against  919,368  on  the  corresponding  period  of 
trevious  year. 

n  India,  there  is  a  milie  of  railway  for  every  10,464 
e,  as  compared  with  a  mile  of  railway  for  every  253 
e  USA. 

rhe  gross  traffic  receipts  for  tha  current  year 
1-53),  which  were  originally  estimated  at  Rs.  282.16 
s,  have  been  revised  dovmwards  to  Rs.  269.55 
»,  while  expenses,  originally  forecast  at  Rs.  187.69 
!,  have  moved  up  in  the  revised  estimates  to  Rs. 
0  crores.  The  Railway  Minister  said  that  passenger 
:  had  declined  from  Rs.  112.19  crores  to  Rs.  102.05 
s,  and  the  goods  traffic  had  declined  from  Rs. 
6  crores  to  Rs.  144.56  crores.  While  the  estimate 
venue  has  turned  out  to  be  an  overstimate,  the 
ate  of  expenditure  has  proved  to  be  an  under- 
ate.  The  rise  in  expenditure  conBrms  the 
Msion  that  costs  in  the  country  have  become  rigid 
are  not  easily  amenable  to  regulation  in  face  of 
king  incomes.  It  also  lends  support  to  the  oft- 
ted  complaint  of  the  Railway  Audit  that  actual 
iditure  in  the  administration  of  the  railways  always 

to  outrun  estimates. 
n  the  Budget  for  1953-54^  the  estimated  gross 
:  receipts  have  been  placed  at  Rs.  272.28  crores  and 
forking  expenses  at  Rs.  191.20  crores.  The  total 
ises  would  amount  to  Rs.  228.20  crores,  and  the 
urplus  estimated  for  1953-54  is  Rs.  9.31  crores. 
34.77  crores  will  be  paid  as  dividend  to  general 
ues.  It  is  gratifying  to  find  that  the  Railway 
nistration  has  not  made  any  attempt  at  increasing 
■res  and  freights. 

rhe  Planning  G)mmission  hasi  emphasized  that  the 
f  of  the  Railways  during  the  period  of  the  Plan 
d  be  *'to  keep  down  the  working  expenses  to  the 
t  level  compatible  with  efficiency  and  reasonable 
ard  of  service  in  order  that  the  necessary  surplus 
financing  the  development  programme  becomes 
ible.''  Glaring  instances  of  financial  irregularities 
been  disclosed  by  the  Railway  Audit  Report.  The 
ray  Minister,  however,  made  no  referenot  to  this 
rt  in  his  Budget  speech. 

rhefts  on  the  railways  have  been  on  the  increase, 
le  year,  during  1949-50,  the  Railways  had  to  pay 
Is.  3.71  crores  by  way  of  compensation  for  goods 
or  damaged.  As  regards  the  efficiency  of  the 
srs,  the  Kunzru  Committee  Report  made  some  un- 
limentary  observations,  and  it  is  not  clear  whether 
improvement  has  been  eflected  in  the  efficiency  of 
rorkers. 

rhe  Zonal  System  introduced  by  the  late  Gopala- 
y  Ayyangai^^and  altered  without  rhyme  or  reason 
im  latev  od-— waa  gapposed  to     iocrvaae     railway 


facilities  and  to  bring  down  expenses.  Expenses  have 
gone  up  and  returns  have  come  down,  as  can  be  seen 
by  the  comparative  table  below.  But  not  a  vrord  has 
been  said  regarding  this  precious  system.  How  long 
more  are  the  railways  to  be  fooled  with  by  inept  men 
with  curious  ideas  about  their  own  selves?  We  vrould 
ask  the  Government  to  publish  in}  detail  the  working 
results  of  the  Zoning  Sytem. 

Actuals      Budget        Rovued       Budget 
1951-52      1952-53,      Estimate      1953-54 

1952-53 

(Rs.  in  croree) 

Gross   Traffic    Receipts   290.82  282.16  269.55  272.28 

Working  Expenses           194.86  187.93  180.10  191.20 

Net  Miscellaneous 

Expenditure                     4.72  6.76  6.86  7.00 

Appropriation  to  Depre- 
ciation Ree^rve  Fund  30.00  30.00  30.00  30.00 
Total                 229.07  224.60  225.96  228.20 

Net  Railway   Revenues  61.75  57.47  43.59  44.08 

EHvid^id  to  General 

Revenues                         33.11  34.00  34.11  34.77 

Net  Surplus                       28.34  23.47  9.48  9.31 

Bengal  Budget 

The  West  Bengal  Budget  for  the  year  1963^ 
reveals  an  overall  deficit  of  Rs.  6.14  crores— Rs.  5.11 
crores  on  rev^einue  account  and  Rs.  1.03  crores  outside 
revenue  account.  The  eertimated  revenue  receipts  for 
the  year  stand  at  Rs.  38.16  crores,  and  ravenue 
expenditure  Rs.  43.27  orores.  The  revised  eirtimates 
for  195^^  disclosed  a  total  deficit  of  Rs.  5.26  crores, 
reducimg  the  year's  opening  balance  from  Rs.  7  ciores 
to  Rs.  2  crores.  In  tihe  last  year's  budget,  t^e  yield 
from  ctistoms  and  income  tax  was  .Rs.  8  crones,  from 
land  revenue  Ra.  2  crores,  from  sales  tax  Rs.  6  crores, 
from  excise  Rs.  6  crores  and  from  stamp  Rs.  3 
cporea. 

Of  the  total  expenditure  in  the  coming  year's 
budget,  Rs.  5.88  erodes  will  be  absorbed  by  the 
police,  R0»  4.52  osores  will  be  spent  on  education,  Rs. 
3.58  crores  on  niedical,  Rs.  1.15  crores  on  public 
health,  Rs.  2.29  crores  on  agriculture,  Rs.  75  lakhs  on 
Community  Development  Project  and  Rs.  2.45  crores 
on  General  Administmtion. 

In  1938-39,  the  total  revenue  of  Bengal  stood  at 
Rs.  12.77  crores.  Of  this  amount,  nearly  Rs.  2  ciores 
were  spent  on  the  police.  Today  in  Wtest  Bengal, 
which  is  one-third  of  the  previous  undivided  Bengal, 
the  cspenditure  on  the  police  will  amount  to  n^arlyi 
Rs.  6  orores,  or  16  per  cent  of  the  total  revenue.  In 
1938-39,  about  Rs.  1  crore  was  spent  on  the  general 
administration,  whereas  at  present  nearly  Rs.  7ih 
•orores  will  be  spent  on  it  and  that  is  in  one-ttiird 
Bengal. 

In  India,  the  average  per  capita  revenue  and  tax 
revenue  are  much  iiigher  in  Bombay  and  West  Ben- 
gal. In  West  Bengal,  the  per  capita  revenue  is  Rs. 
14),  and  of  this  tlie  tax  vevenue  amounts  to  Rs.  12. 
The  average  expenditure  per  head  is  Rs.  1^^^. 
Thus  tbere  ^  «k  dAdV,  ol  "^^  'i  m  \i«t  ^^^\».  «»5«8^^fi^ 
tore.    Tke  P«  wp^^  crpeTMSa^MWi  V«  ^^  v3^^ 


178 


THE  MODERN  REVIEW  FOR  MARCH,  1953 


\ 


the  general  administration  is  Rs.  4-10  and  for  medi- 
cal, public  health  about  Rs.  5. 

The  State  Government  are  incurring  heavy  losses 
en  their  five  important  projectis,  namely,  the  State 
Transport  Scheme,  Deep-sea  Fishing  Schem-e,  Middle 
Cla£s  People's  Housing  Scheme  in  Enially,  Calcutta, 
the  Central  Livestock  Re^arch-ciim-Breeding  Station 
att  Haringhata,  and  the  North  Calcutta  Electric 
Supply  Scheme.  The  loss  on  the  State  Transport  is 
Rs.  4.15  lakhs,  the  gross  receipts  and  working  expense 
being  estimated  at  Rs.  1.03  crore  and  Rs.  1.08  crore 
respectively. 

The  State  has  a  public  debt  of  Rs.  3  crores  75 
lakhs  at  present.  At  the  end  of  the  J^ext  year,  the 
public  debt  will  amount  to  Rs.  5  crores  75  lakhs.  The 
State's  total  debt  to  the  Union  Government  at  the 
end  of  1952-53  stiands  at  Rs.  55  crores  94  lakhs  and 
will  increase  to  Rs.  77  crores  79  lakhs  at  the  end  of 
1953^. 

The  total  capital  expenditure  in  the  Budget  esti- 
mate for  1953-54  is  'ks.  21  crores  2  lakhs  as  against 
Rs.  16  /Crores  90  laMis  in  tlie  revised  estimate  Tor 
1952^.  Excluding  the  Damodar  Valley  Project,  the 
Community  Development  Projects,  etc.,  which  c<Mne 
within  the  Central  Sector  of  the  Plan,  tihe  Plan  for 
the  Government  of  West  Bengal  contemplates  an 
expenditure  of  Rs.  69  crores  in  five  years. 

Of  tile  resources  provided  for  in  tbe  Plan,  t^ 
largest  item  is  public  savings  from  current  revenues 
and  amounts  to  Rs.  738  crores.  But  for  the  last  two 
years,  (that  is,  for  the  first  two  years  of  the  Plan), 
the  West  Bengal  Budget  has  been  incurring  deficits. 
The  Central  Budget  has  also  running  on  deficit.  While 
during  the  first  two  years  of  the  Plan,  the  Central 
and  many  State  Budgets  hav©  closed  with  negative 
balances,  one  may  wonder  if  the  Five-Year  Plan  roay 
also  close  with  a  negative  achifevetnent.  In  Bengal, 
today  we  have  a  top-heavy  administration  which 
takes  away  nearly  8  per  cent  of  the  total  revenue. 
The  Chktf  Minister  is  reported  to  have  stated  that 
Russia  developed  with  the  help  of  foreign  loam.  It 
may,  however,  be  pointed  out  that  the  NBP  and  the 
first  five-year  plan  of  Russia  v^ere  conducted  not 
with  foreign  assistance,  but  witih  the  aid  of  created 
mqary,  that  ?s,  with  deficit  financing.  One  thing  she 
has  shown  and  it  is  that  planned  development  <6an  be 
SGcdessful  even  without  foreign  aid.  Deficit  budget  i6 
not,  of  course,  deficit  financing.  *'• 

The  Budget  does  not  bring  the  imppcssion  that 
we  now  live  in  a  welfare  state.  It  moves  along  ^e 
same  old  bureaucratic  grooves  where  tibe  jSt^te  ^^ 
more  a  police  state  than  a  welfare  one. 

M.  P.  Govemmeiu  Drops  the  Security  Ad 

While  thci  West  Bengal     Government     have  re- 

enacied     the     Security     Act,  the     Madhya     Pradeah 

Oovenunent,  according. -io  the  Hiiavoda,  dated  Febni* 

^rjr  6,  have  decided  not  to  revive  t^e  P^bMc  Security 


Measures  Act  which  expired  on  December  31.  In  emer- 
gencies, the  Central  Act  would  be  applied  to  the  8M^ 

'Vpen  or  QuW' 

The  Chronicle,  an  English  weekly,  from  Silchar, 
in  its  issue  of  the  30th  January  writes  that,  the  tea- 
planters  should  either  renstart  the  tea  gardens  or  quit. 
At  the  time  of  writing  more  than  62  gardens  had  been 
closed  in  Cachar.  Moreover,  the  closure  of  the  estates 
had  been  followed  by  closure  of  the  schools,  hospitals, 
water  supplies,  etc.,  to  the  labourers.  In  some  case,  the 
offer  of  voluntary  services  by  the  Medical  officers  and 
the  teachers  were  rejected.  Their  lequest  to  the 
planters  seeking  permission  to  use  the  pTigti^g  stock 
of  medicines  in  dispensaries  and  the  furniture,  build- 
ings, etc.,  of  the  schools  respectively  had  been  turned 
down.  The  paper  draws  the  attention  of  the  Govern- 
ment and  the  public  to  this  serious  state  of  affairs  and 
appeals  "to  the  good  sense  of  the  owneiis  of  the  tea- 
gardens"  to  make  the  medical  and  school  facilities 
immediately  available  to  the  labourers. 

The  problem  is  far  more  complicated,  it  seems, 
than  merely  the  set-back  to  the  tea  industry.  Tea- 
plantations  have  been  veritable  £1  Dorados  to  both 
the  capitalists  and  also  to  the  labourers.  But  the 
intrusion  of  speculative  capital,  brought  in  by  persons 
without  the  slightest  foresight  or  real  business  sense, 
has  lowered  standards  to  a  disgraceful  extent.  Labour, 
on  the  other  hand,  has  become  inefficient  and  highly 
intractable,  thanks  to  the  leadership  of  groups  of 
adventurers,  without  any  coounon-eense  or  any  basic 
knowledge  of  the  function  of  labour  in  industry  or 
plantation.  Now  comes  the  reckoning. 

Glimpses  of  the  Hirakud  Scandal 

The  Behar  Herald    of  the     l^h  February  reports 

that 

"A  contiaotor  at  the  Hirakud  Project  was 
granted  ei^t  instalments  of  advance  pay  aggie- 
gating  to  Ks.  80,487  during  the  foor  months  from 
January  to  April,  1049.  But  of  this  only  Bs.  %M 
was  adjusted  in  June,  1949.  No  action  was  taken 
against  the  S.D.O.  who  was  a  party  to  t|ie 
swindling  of  Government  money  nor  was  the 
balano«  ever  recovered  fnom  the  contractor." 
A   building  for  providing  accommodation  to  the 

Chief  Engineer  was     origmally     estimated     to     cost 

Ba     58,^;       But     ultimately     the     cost     exceeded 

Rs.  79y&]A.  According  to  the  paper,  tba  Chief  Ekigi- 

neer  does  not  live  there  and  *'the  building  is  used  at 

pnesent  as  a  dancing  school-  for  daughters  of  saperin- 

tending  Engineers  and  as  a  club  by  them." 

Theee  are  mere  glimpses.  The  reality  beggars 
description,  we  are  told  by  people  who  should  know. 
But  so  long  as  Pandit  Nehru  is  not  satiated  with 
adulation"  this  will  continue.  Besides,  there  is  the 
hiuch-vatinted  Constitution  framed  carefully  to  pro- 
tect all  swindlers,  inefficients  and  such  like. 

Soar  city  m  Madhya  Pradesh     '-'^ 

The  Leoder  of  Allahabad  in  it^  issue  of  Februaiy  % 


NOTES 


179 


the     acute     scarcity    of     food     in  parts  of 

Pradesh  and  Rajasthan.  In  Madhya  Pradesh, 

I  to  official  estimate,  over  13,50,000  people  in 

lages  spread  over  21  Tahsils  in  nine  districte 

1  affected  by  crop    failure    and    scarcify    of 

ad  drinking  water.    As  reported  in  the  paper  : 

The  worst-affected  are  parts,  of  Buldana  and 
r  districts,  involving  seven  lakhs  of  people, 
chionic  water  shortage  in  Berar  has  been 
vated  owing  to  failure  of  rains. 
The  State  Uovernment  have  launched  a  series 
lief  measures  including  suspension  of  knd 
ue,  distribution  of  taccavi-,  opening  of  works 
letal  and  earth-breaking  and  construction  and 
"8  of  roads,  tanks  and  wells,  as  well  as  conces- 
for  obtaining  fodder  from  forests.  Execution 
1  civil  court  decrees  against  agriculturist 
rs  has  been  suspended  under  an  ordinance 
i  by  the  Governor  on  the  New  Year  Day. 
Land  revenue  suspended  or  proposed  to  be 
nded  is  stated  to  be  about  Rs.  29  lakhs, 
es,  the  State  Government  have  provided  for 
:penditure  of  Bs.  24  lakhs  on  relief  works  and 
of  taccavi  under  the  Land  Improvement  I/>ans 
luring  the  current  financial  year. 
About  40  relief  works  at  an  estimated  cost  of 
;  five  kkhs  of  rupees  have  already  been  started 
3  affected  areas.'^ 

paper  added  that  large  numbei-s  of  people  are 
n  from  the  East  Khandesh  district  in  Bombay 
r  in  Madhya  Pradesh  in  search  of  food  and 
le  Madhya  Pradesh  Government  was  reported 
been  treating  them  sympathetically, 
iajasthan,  parts  of  Bikaner,  Jodhpur  and 
divisions  were  affected  by  scarcity.  Bikaner 
Bt  hit.  The  Rajasthan  Government  had  allo- 
I.  20  lacs  for  relief  works  in  the  affected  areas, 
ion  to  Rs.  lljSOfilOO  sanctioned  earlier.  * 
Dus  relief  works  were  in  progress  in  the  Bhil 
Dungarpur  and  Banswara  districts  as  well  as 
stricts  of  Jodhpur,  Banner  and  Nagaur.  A  new 
gramme  was  proposed  for  Bikaner  and  Jodh- 
dons  for  which  the  Government  of  India 
locate  a  sum  of  Rs.  10  kcs  out  of  the  Federal 
I  Integration  Grant  for  Development. 

U.P.*s  Wheat  and  Rice  Production 

Sunday  Leader  of  February  8  reports  that 
rheat  production  had  fallen  by  3.09  lakh  tons 
i2  as  compared  to  the  precedmg  y^ar,  though 
ige  had  increased  by  one  lakh  acres.  The  pro- 
)f  rice  also  fell  by  about  eight  lakh  tons  in  the 
?e  years,  simultaneously  with  a  fall  in  the 
>y  five  lakh  acres. 

fall  is  not  merely  the  reflection  of  bad 
8  of  1051-52,  this  also  shows  tbe  result  of  high 
I  thriftless  farmers,  who  reckon  only  by  cash 
nd  not  quantities,  and  therefore  are  satisfied 
^tly  higher  cash  gain,  due  to  much  enhanced 
osequent  on  poor  production. 

'^Acre  State  Fatm  in  UJP. 

I^eader  reportB  that    tbe    ^'liHWNk^e    State 


farm  believed  to  be  one  of  the  biggest  in  Asia,  is 
nearing  completion  in  the  Ui'.'s  Tarai  colonization 
scheme  launched  only  a  few  years  ago."  It  adds  that 
"the  production  on  the  farm  duting  the  last  two  year.^, 
has  beiE>n  of  no  mean  order.  It  is  also  being  plaimed  to 
produce  250,000  maunds  pedigree  seed  annually  on 
this  farm  and  an  orchard  has  been  established  covering, 
so  far,  over  200  acres  out  of  the  projected  1,000  acres. 

"Fuel  wood  and  timber  plantation  in  the  farm  will 
cover  1,500  acres  and  grazing  belts  2,400  acres.  The 
latter  are  being  cultivated  to  get  rid  of  the  weeds  but 
ultimately  grazing  belts  would  have  plantation  of 
'cultivated  grasses'  for  providing  permanent  pasture 
for  a  herd  of  about  1,000  cattle.  Roads,  buildings  and 
streams  have  been  assigned  1^500  acres  and  fanning 
operations  will  be  conducted  on  10,000  acres. 

"The  dairy  demonstration  section  in  the  farm  is 
to  have  a  foundation  herd  of  300  buffak)es  and  50 
cows.  The  poultry  block  is  to  undertake  distribution 
of  about  5,000  eggs  and  1^500  good  breed  birds,-  annu- 
ally,  for  development  work  all  over  the  colonization 
area,  specially  in  the  newly  settled  villages.  Dtu'ing  the 
last  season  600  birds  and  3,000  eggs  were  distributed  in 
these  villages  for  the  purpose." 

Among  other  features  mention  may  be  made  of 

tte  provision  for  pisciculture  in  ponds    covering  an 

area  of  about  50  acres  and  for  500  bee-hives  in  the 
orchard  with  a  view  to  facilitating  pollination. 

Fish  Industry  in  Madras 

Sri  V.  V.  Radhakrishnan  writes  in  the  Hindu  of 
February  1  : 

"The  Malabar  and  North  K-inara  coasts  are 
among  the  finest  fishing  grounds  in  the  world.  Out 
of  the  estimated  landings  of  marine  fishes  in  India 
more  than  half  comes  from  this,  coast  alone,  even 
though  the  fishing  operations  are  practically  at  a 
standstill  during  the  heavy  monsoon  months  from 
June  to  August.'' 

Along  this  coast    are     caught     mackrel, .  sardines, 

sharks,  cat-fish,  etc.  The  oil  from  sardine  and  shark  * 
liver  is  as  rich  in  vitamins  as  the  cod  liver  oil.  Over 
the  last  twenty  years  there  has  been  a  tendency  for 
the  sardines  to  disappear.  Of  recent,  signs  of  revival 
have  been  noticed  and  it  is  hoped  that  with  the  re- 
appearance of  the  sardines,  the  once-flourishing  sardine 
oil  industry  of  M&labar  will  again  come  to  its  own. 
The  shark  liver  oil  industiy  is  now  a  monopoly  of  the 
Madras  Government  and  the  factory  at  Calicut  pro- 
duces fine  i^ark  liver  oil. 

The  Kf^  of  a  fisherman  is  very  hard  and  exacting. 
He  is  in  the  direst  of  poverty  and  often  has  to  run  to 
the  middlemen  in<mey-lendej;s  to  meei;  his  daily  needs. 
The  middlemen  take  the  best  part  oi  the  income  of 
the  flehemien  in  good  times  and  the  "poor  fishermen 
ahrajTB  seem  to  be  in  debt.''  The  extent  of  poverty  can 
well  be  gauged  by  the  fact  that  "the  per  cajnU  con- 
sumption of  fieh  in  the  Madras  State  was  only  \hx^A 
end  a  kaK  xnoarnds  "^  %3KSRnsi  %aft  ^tdc^w*^  ^^  i^^^c^- 
in  the  t3mt(cA  XVnt^m  ^xiaLm^Sc^/x^^^^"""^ 


180 


THE  MODERN  REVIEW  FOR  MARCH,  1953 


With  a  view  to  obtaining  a  larger  supply  of  fish 
the  Fisheries  Department  of  Madras  Gvoveniment  is 
encouraging  deep  sea  fishing.  They  aie  demonstrating 
to  the  fishermen  the  desirability  of  adopting  modem 
methods  of  fishing.  But  these  efforts  Lave  so  far  failed 
to  catch  the  imaginati(m  of  the  fishermen,  a  fact  which 
the  writer  ascribes  to  the  "lethargy  and  innate  conser- 
vatism of  these  people." 

In  West  Bengal,  the  picture  is  gloomier  still.  In 
this  State  the  Govenmient  is  singularly  eccentric  in  all 
matters  of  food  and  raiment.  Fish  prices  in  Calcutta 
are  more  than  double  of  what  prevails  in  all  capita 
cities.  Indeed,  it  is  just  now  almost  three  times  the 
prices  ruling  in  Bombay,  the  next  costliest  city.  But 
the  RJP  Van  Winkles  only  sleep,  while  the  poor  suffer. 
The  State  Government  has  done  nothing  tangible  as 
yet  to  improve  matters. 

Medical  Aid  for  Famine  Areas 

Prime  Minister  Nehru  is  reported  to  have 
entrusted  Mrs.  Durgabai  Dcsbmukh,  member  of  the 
Planning  Commission,  with  the  work  of  organising 
relief  centres  in  Maharashtra.  The  Bdmbay  Chronicle 
reports  that  she  laid  the  greatest  stress  on  the  problem 
of  providing  medical  aid  and  emplo3rment  to  the  dis- 
abled. Recounting  her  experiences  of  relief  work  in 
Rayalaseema,  she  told  the  executive  committee  of  the 
Central  Maharashtra  Famine  Relief  Committee  that 
the  Government  works  generally  benefited  the  able- 
bodied.  The  disabled  should  be  given  work  in  their 
own  homes,  such  as  work  of  carpentry,  handicraft,  etc. 

Mr.  C.  D.  Deshmukh,  the  Union  Finance  Minister, 
suggested  that  the  Committee  should  prepare  a  map 
of  the  affected  parts  indicating  the  worst  affected 
areas,  so  that  immediate  attention  could  be  g^ven  to 
those  areas.  He  also  agreed  with  the  opinion  expressed 
by  the  Committee  that  the  wages  paid  to  tfcose 
employed  on  relief  works  should  be  reasonable. 

An  earlier  PTI  despatch  stated  that  about  150 
famine-affected  villagers  including  29  women,  42 
children  and  7  old  men  had  arrived  at  Kolha- 
pur  in  search  of  food  and  shelter. 

Man-days  Contributed  in  Banaras 

The  following  news-item  appeared  in  the  Leader 

dated  February  3  : 

"About  11,000  man-days  have  been  contributed 
as  voluntary  manual  labour  in  the  rural  areas  of 
the  district  in  pursuance  of  the  schem^  of  the 
pooled  planning  o&ce  in  Banaras,  completing  in  all 
five  and  a  half  lacs  cubic  feet  of  earth  work.  About 
9,000  voluntary  labour  were  employed  in  the  first 
fortnight  of  January  working  from  four  to  six  hours 
a  day  under  the  man-power  mobilisation  scheme  in 
the  district,  constructing  about  32,616  cubic  feet  of 
earth  work.  Other  works  done  during  the  same 
period  were  inoculation  of  about  7,000  cattle  against 
rinderpest,  construction  of  404  compost  and  201 
BoakAgti  pits,  disinfection  of  228  houses,  vaccinati^ 
of-  l/i09  penoDB  and  Betting  up  of  watch  and  ward 
otig&nis&tiona  including  45  men    for    duty  in  three 

viJlageg.'* 


This  example  should     be     followed     all  over  tiie 
Union. 

Prisoners  Employed  in  Constructive  Work 

According  to  a  report  published  in  the  Leader,  tbe 
U.  P.  Government  have  obtained  encouraging  xeedtB  i 
by  employing  prisoners  on  constructive  works  of  pdUie  \ 
utility.  The  working  of  the  Chandraprabha  Bun 
Project  in  Banaras  district,  where  prisoneis  vntt 
employed  on  an  experimental  basis,  indicate  that  the 
prisoners  were  more  eSicient  and  enthusiasHc  m  that 
work  than  ordinary  labourers.  Two  prisoners  emoloyed 
as  motor  drivers  were  succeashilly  running  a  transport 
service  covering  a  distance  of  90  miles  from  Chnnln- 
prabha  Dam  site  to  Banaras  City  without  any  wsich 
and  ward.  Hie  prisoners  employed  in  the  project  had 
earned  over  a  lac  of  rupees  as  wages  during  December 
and  January. 

This  paradox  of  prisoners  being  better  workers  c^n 
be  explained  probably  by  the  factors  of  diadpline, 
regular  food  and  good  sanitary  facilities. 

As  an  incentive  the  authorities  have  introdneed 
the  award  of  a  running  flag  eac^  week  to  the  groap  of 
20  prisoners  that  earns  the  hi^est  wages.  A  runnio;; 
trophy  is  awarded  to  the  group  of  prisoners  earring 
the  highest  wages  during  a  month. 

Observers  ''are  of  the  view  that  projects  of  th« 
emplo3rment  of  convicts  on  useful  tadcs  under  ooodi-  J 
tions  available  to  free  men  are  Kkely  to  transform  the  J 
criminals  gradually  into  useful  citisens.  Some  of  the 
prisoners  released  from  the  camp  are  reported  to  htve 
approached  the  Irrigation  department  for  employment 
on  the  construction  of  dams,"  writes  the  paper. 

The  U.  P.  Scheme  has  attracted  t^e  attention  of 
several  States.  Assam,  Madhya  Bharat  and  Vindfayi 
Pradesh  are  reported  to  have  made  enquiries  about  its 
working  and  details. 

Measures  to  Improve  Slums 
in  Madras 

The  Madras  Government  proposes  to  acquire  aU 
'  privately  owned  lands  in  Madras  City,  on  which  shims 
have  sprung  up,  and  then  distribute  these  to-  tibe  ' 
people  who  are  already  in  occupation  of  the  )IUk5l 
Under  the  scheme  the  slum-dwellers  will  not  be  giveo 
ownership  of  the  lands,  but  they  and  their  posterity 
will  be  able  to  live  there  for  eternity.  There  are  »t 
present  about  200  slums  in  Madras  City  on  Corpoia- 
tion.  Government  and  private  lands.  Thei  scheme  also 
envisages  wide  roads,  electricity,  water  connection  ssd 
improved  sanitary  facilities  for  the  slum  dweDen,  j 
reports  the  Hindu  of  February  1. 

This  is  a  move  in  the  right  direction,     provided 

the  slum    dwellers  are     also     led     towards  a    hi^ier 

standard  of  living  by  a  combination  of  incentives  ui 

obl\fgBLtx>Ty  responsibilities.    As    such    those  who    tr^ 

w\\\Vd%  to  "vroiY  icyt  >E}ci€a  ^^-vixi  ^^^^^^csol^  tbaqld    have 


KOffiS 


in 


In  evity  way  an4  sOmetLing  plu$,    orer  and 
he  commoQ  bettennent  plan. 

ation  of  Educational  Associations 

e  Hitavada  of  January  30  published  the 
n^  Charter  for  India,  adopted  by  the  All-India 
ition  of  Educational  Associations.  The  Chartier 
ia  that  the  teachers  must  be  regarded  as  nation- 
B  by  the  society  and  the  Stato.  Thc3'  must  be 
teed  a  remuneration  compatible  with  decent 
>od  and  have  security  of  tenure  in  service. 
ITS  should  have  the  right  of  association  for  all 
late  purposes  and  should  be  free  to  participate 
lawful  public  activities — educational,  social, 
QIC  and  political.  There  should  be  no  bar  in  their 
g  additional  income  from  supplementary  occu- 
8  and  they  should  have  opportunities  to  train 
3lves  so  that  they  might  perform  their  functions 
he  greatest  possible  efticicncy.  It  a&serts  the  right 
chers  to  hav^  an  effective  voice  in  the  shaping 
educational  policy  and  in  the  administratioa  and 
»1  of  any  institution  run  by  the  Exlucation 
tment  of  the  Government  or  Universities  Pr 
bodies  through  their  accredited  representatives, 
ation  to  this  effect  should  be  mitiated  by  the 
nment.  It  proposes  that  ''eveiy  teacher's  person 
1  as  the  precincte  of  every  educational  institution 
be  regarded  as  inviolable  in  times  of  disturbance, 
provincial  or  countrywide  provided  they  both 
to  strict  neutrality/' 

H  the  other  hand,  teachers  should  not  be  satisfied 

lerely  iDstructing  the  boys  in  their  studies,  they 

keep  an  eye  on  the  physical,  moral  and  spiritual 

of  their  pupils.  It  lays  down  that  "every  teacher 

regard  every  child  as  an  individual  capable    of 

e  development  and  yet  capable  of  being  prepared 

Knal  enterprise  to  take  its  place     in    the  social 

i,  and  6o  help  it  to  be  creative  as  well  as    oo- 

tive  ..."  The  teachers  must  infuse  the  ideas  of 

and  brotherhood  among  the  young  generation. 

i  should  be  no  contradiction  between  a  teacher's 

pts  and  his  practice  and  the  teachers  should  in 

conceivable  way  discard  the  competitive,  spirit. 

teachers  should  be    impartial,    balanced,    peace- 

l  and  above  communalism  and  narrow  national- 

They    should  always    strive  to    increase  their 

ledge  and  must  champion  human  liberty,  human 

ty  and  freedom  of  thought  and  expression.  They 

d  evolve  a  new  synthesis  of  Indian  cultiure,  com- 

g  the  best  in  the  country's    past    heritage  with 

is  best  in  the  new. 

ITe  agree  with  most  of  the  proposals  and  principle 
Mited.  But  the  main  problem  today  facing  the 
er  is  economic.  And  most  teachers  axe  una)>le  to 
to  the  nob^  ideals  underljdng  the  task  of  a 
ptor.  Defeatism  is  the  result. 

'hquahe  Protection 

Earthquake  in  Aamm,  eayg  ih»  World  Iwkrjtr9t$t, 


have. been  so  aevere  in  recent  years  that  a  geologiel 
has  i«commended  new  steps  to  reduce  destruction.  He 
is  M.  C.  Poddar,  euthor  of  PreUmmary  Report  of  ih^ 
A»9am  Earthquake,  15th  AuffUat,  1960,  a  bulletin  of 
the  Geological  Survey  of  India. 

Mr.  Poddar  has  proposed  as  his  chief  recomp 
mendataon  the  establishment  of  a  building  commis^ 
sion  to  study  suitable  types  of  earthquake  resistant 
buildingi.  He  includes  descriptions  of  such  structures 
in  Japan,  New  Zealand  and  Mexico,  pointing  out  that 
they  can  be  designed  so  that  "the  inherent  natural 
period  of  oscillation  is  smaller  than  the  frequency  of 
the  earthquake  waves."  More  than  1,920  lives  were 
lost  during  the  1950  quake.  Landslides  and  floods 
which  followed  ravaged  many  tea  estates  and  villages, 
affecting  462fi00  persons. 

Pakistan  Facing  Famine 

Press  reports  indicate  a  serious  food  situation  in 
Pakistan.  A  PTI  despatch  from  Karachi  quotes  a 
oreport  published  in  the  Pakistan  pness  on  February  11 
to  say  that  Khwaja  Najimuddin  had  instructed  his 
representative  in  Washington  to  approach  the  U.  S. 
authorities  to  get  one  and  a  half  million  tons  of  wheat. 
The  Pakistan  press  quoted  him  as  saying  that  Pakistan 
wanted  the  food  very  urgently  and  that  she  also 
wanted  a  loan  from  the  U.SA.  Unless  U.S.A.  came 
to  her  assistance  Pakistan  would  be  facing  a  severe 
famine. 

Pakistan  will  be  faced  with  a  ''difficult"  food  ntuation 
next  year,  official  sooroes  indicated  earlier  oa  Fd>.  3. 
I>oring  the  current  year  also  Pakistan  has  becSK 
_  a  food  shortage. 

Official  sources  said  that,  although  "all  human  effort^ 
had  been  made  to  increase  food  production  in  the  coiintry 
during  the  current  year,  production  would  not  be  enon^ 
to  meet  the  recfttirements  of  the  population.  Ptadse 
figures  on  the  shortage  were  not  readily  arailable. 

Premier  Nasimuddin  has  appealed  to  the  U.  S.  A. 
for  a  million  and  a  half  tons  of  wheat.  Therefoire  the 
shortage  is  of  a  major  order.  The  usual  allocation  of 
blame  on  India  has  followed,  this  time  on  the  basis 
of  canal  water  supply. 

The  Canal  Water  Problem 

The  Government  of  India  has  issued  a  Press  Note 
on  this  latest  howl  from  Pakistan. 

The  press  note  said  :  "The  Government  of  India 
have  noted  with  regret  the  intensive  propaganda  bdng 
carried  on  by  Fskistan  on  the  canal  waters  issue  accus- 
ing India  of  deliberately  foUowkig  ||  policy  of  causing 
deep  injury  to  P^dtistan  by  withholding  canal  waters* 
-Serions  charges  against  India  have  been  made  not  only 
m  the  press  but  also  by  leading  personalities  in  Pakistan. 
Recent^,  the  Pakistaii  Government  issued  a  press  lekaae 
fontslning  etatemieaaa  iv  levMqpiti^  V^^sok  ^^m^  \m>^    is^ 


■■»  V* 


m 


THE  MODERN  REVIEW  FOR  MARCH,  1988 


As  h  wen  known,  engineen  of  India  and  PaldsUn 
Ifave  dUce  May  1952  been  engaged,  at  the  initiative  of  the 
World  Bank,  in  preparing  a  comprehensive  plan  of  develop- 
ment of  the  waters  of  the  Indus  basin  intended  to  solve 
the  water  dispute  between  the  two  countries.  When  the 
Working  party  had  an  understanding  that  while  the  negch 
tiations  were  in  progress,  all  unnecessary  controversy  should 
be  avoided.  It  is  therefore  all  the  more  surprising  that 
the  Government  of  Pakistan  should  have  countenanced  a 
propaganda  campaign  in  violatioiV  of  this  understanding 
and  at  a  time  when  the  engineering  negotiations  are 
making  good  progress. 

'After  a  full  and  careful  enquiry  it  has  been  estab- 
lished that  the  complaint  referrec^  to  in  the  press  and 
elsewhere  in  Pakistan  have  no  substance.  It  is  significant 
Ihat  Pakistan  has  not  lodged  any  protests  whatsoever  to 
the  Government  of  India.  There  are  only  two  canals  in 
Pakistan  which  get  supplies  from  headworks  in  India. 
Wftter  to  these  canals  is  given  in  accordance  with  pro- 
grammes communicated  to  Pakistan  before  the  commence- 
ment of  each  sowing  season.  Pakistan  has  objected 
Neither  to  the  programmes  nor  to  the  supplies  actually 
received.  It  should  be  remembered  that  due  to  drought, 
water  supplies  this  winter  have  been  unusually  short  in 
all  the  rivers  of  the  Punjab  and  canal  waters  have  conse- 
quently been  below  normal  on  both  sides. 

j  AbBITRATION   PROPOSAL 

Supply  of  canal  water  from  India  to  Pakistan  is 
made  on  the  basis  of  the  agreement  concluded  between 
the  two  Governments  on  May  4,  1948.  Pakistan  has  been 
receiving  water  under  agreement  from  year  to  year.  But 
in  December  1950,  after  two  and  a  half  years,  Pakistani 
Yepndiated  the  agreement  unilaterally,  nevertheless  India 
continued  to  supply  water  in  terms  of  the  agreement. 
In  September  1951,  the  Government  of  India  formally 
proposed  to  the  Government  of  Pakistan  that  the  ques- 
tion of  validity  of  the  agreement  of  May  4,  194B  be 
xeferred  to  arbitration.  To  this  day  the  Govenmient  of 
Pakistan  have  not  accepted  the  Indian  proposal  for 
arbitration. 

Canal  Systems 
Pakistan's  description  of  the  devastation  which  will 
ibe  caused  should  India  decide  to  cut  off  her  water  sup- 
plies belong  more  to  the  realm  of  fancy  than  fact.  Out 
of  the  16  canal  systems  in  the  undivided  Punjab,  12 
fall  entirely  ¥rithin  Pakistan  and  India  has  no  control 
over  them  ;  3  lie  wholly  in  India  ;  1  is  common  to  both 
India  and  Pakistan.  Of  the  total  flow  of  the  aix  rivers  of 
the  Indus  system  Pakistan  utilises  forty  per  cent,  Indian! 
5  per  cent,  nhah  as  much  as  55  per  cent  runs  waste- 
ifnlly  to  the  sea.** 


I      ■ 


Pakistan  and  M.E.D.O. 

The  Bombdiy  Chronicle  in  iU  issue  of  February,  7, 

editorially  writes  that  for  some  time  past  there  had  been 

strong  rumours  about  Pakistan  joining  the  Middle  East 

i>efence  Organisation.     The  reports  were   a  first  dasa 

^0BM^€«ff    caamag  bo  madi  interest  and,    more  so,  oonj- 

^'^  ^  »o  amtr  eammiee.    ram  loof  tbiie  no  oOcUl 


comment  was  available  when  the  Britisli  Mnistef  si 
State  for  Foreign  Affairs,  Mr.  Sehryn  lioyd  dednsA 
that  Pakistan  was  not  among  those  Governments  wl& 
whom  the  British  Government  were  comnninicatinc  sd 
the  M.E.D.O.,  but  that  in  view  of  her  obvious  intcttit, 
she  would,  in  due  course,  be  informed  of  the  nalnvs  of 
the  proposals. 

The  paper  asks  that  was  such  a  policy  "a  mere 
Commonwealth  Formality"  ?  Then  why  India  should  not 
be  informed  ?  Because  she  also  was  equally  keealf 
interested  in  the  matter.  The  clarification  by  Mr. 
Selvryn  Lloyd  was  not  completely  reassuring  because  oi 
the  reported  desire  of  the  Pakistan  authorities  to  join 
M.E.D.O.  The  editorial  goes  on  to  say  that  *Ht  is  not 
unnatural  to  interpret  DavorCs  all-out  support  Pjresi- 
dent  Eisenhower's  policy  in  term  of  Pakistan's  desire  to 
qualify  for  M.E7.D.0.  and  also,  of  course,  to  win  far- 
ther advantages  at  the  current  Kashmir  talks  in 
Geneva." 

In  fact  the  M.E.D.O.  is  being  used  as  a  pawn  in 
this  jockeying  for  position  that  is  going  on.  If  the  power- 
bloc  that  has  formulated  the  M.E.D.O.  desires  an 
worsening  of  situation  in  this  part  of  the  world,  it  may 
go  on  with  its  blunderings.  But  the  nett  gain  will 
accrue  to  the  other  side. 

Goa  is  Part  of  India 

Dr.  B.  V.  Keskar,  Minister  for  Information    and 
Broadcafiting,     Govemipent     of     India,     decided    at 
Bombay  on  February  3  that  though  politically  aepamte 
from  India,  Goa  was  part  and  parcel  of  India,  histori- 
cally, geographically    and    culturally.    The     Minister 
referred  to    certain     undercurrents     in     international 
affairs  aimed  at  separating  Goa  from  India  and  said : 
"A  fact  of  history,  a  fact  of  geography  cannot 
be  undone  by  international  manoeuvres  or  even  by 
the  national  desire  of  certain  countries." 
The  Portuguese  occupied  Goa  during  the  Imperial 
Expansionist  period  when    India    lost    her    freedom. 
Under  the  yoke  of  foreign  rule    Goans  were    suffering 
economically,  culturally  and  otherwise.  While  in  India, 
population  increased  by  fiv©  per  cent  during  the  period 
1940-50,  in  Goa  it  had  remained  stationaiy.  During  the 
same  period  there  had  been  a  decrease  in  the  popula- 
tion figure  of  the  Catholics.    Many    people  had  left 
Goa  and  came  to  India  in  search  of  jobs  and  economic 
security. 

Dr.  Keskar  refuted  the  theory  which  had  been  put 
forward  a  year  or  two  ago  that  Goa  was  an  integral 
part  of  Portugal  and  asserted  that  "Goa  is  Indian 
territory  which  might  be  politically  under  another 
country  and  it  is  going  to  remain  thu3  speaking  in  a 
geographical  sense.  It  is  not  going  to  decrease  its 
distance  with  Portugal  even  by  one  mile.**  The  people 
of  Goa  were  linked  .to  the  Indian  people  economicaUy, 
culturally  and  traditionally  with  whom  they  inter- 
marry. Their  sorrows  and  joys  were  t^hared  by  their 
fellow  citizens  inside  the  Indian  border  and  "not  by 
those  who  are  politically  considered  to  be  their  mi** 
ten  KjKlO  ix»\«i  OTvyr 


NOTES 


13a 


le  Goans  had  mad«  great  contributions  to  the 
s  of  art  and  culture  in  India,  especially  in 
n  India.  He  disclosed  that  the  Government  of 
considered  all  Goana  as  Indians  and  though  the 
;uese  Government  adopted  a  policy  of  dil- 
ation against  Indians,  the  Government  of  India 
1  to  follow  such  a  policy  of  discrimination;  and 
Goans  had  been  employed  by  the  Governments 
mbay  and  India  in  responsible  positions  where 
lad  acquitted  themselves  with  credit. 

J  or  War? 

ingressmen  were  told  at  a  White  House  briefing 
I.  19  that,  though  the  world  outlook  was  grim,  there 
>     prospect  of  a    general    war  in  the    immediate 

aders  of  both  parties— Senators  and  Representatives 
ded  the  90-minute  meeting  with  President 
9wer  at  which  the  global     military  sthiation  was 

5d. 

e  briefing  was  given  by  General  Bradley,  Chairman 

Joint  Chiefs  of  Staff,  Mr.  Allen  Dulles,  head  of 
I  Intelligence  Agency,  and  Mr.  Joseph  Dodge, 
tr  of  the  Budget. 

Congressman  told  reporters  afterwards  that  the 
;  was  informed  that  the  Soviet  Union  was  expected 
tinue  its  present  "cold  war"  tactics.  The  briefing 
t  indicate  any  probability  of  a  sudden  change  in 
an  strategy. 

batever  internal     difficulties     troubled  the     Soviet 
its     Government     was  int  full     control     of  the 
»i%  and  of  the  countries  vdthln  the  Soviet  sphere, 
ngressmen  were  told. 

irlier  comments  by     Congressmen     had  indicated 
ad  been  given  a  gloomy  picture  of  the  situatioi^ 
e  future. 
'.   Charles  Hallock,  the  Republican  leader  in  the 

of     Representatives,  told     repoters :     "Everybody 

it  is  a  grim  picture.'' 

ge  Invitation 

iry  little  publicity  was  given,  says  the  World 
'eter,  to  the  invitation  by  the  French  scientist, 
ot-Curie,  to  the  Communist-led  Peace  Congress 
nna.  "By  collecting  millions  of  signatures  for 
ockhohn  Appeal,"  says  the  leading  ocmvener, 
ive  so  far  prevented  the  use  of  the  atomic 
I."  In  short,  had  it  not  been  for  the  Stockholm 
ent,  the  United  States  by  now  would  be  using 
om  bomb— where,  is  not  stated.  Joliot-Curie 
3clared  that  the  peace  appeal  "has  shown  that 
DO  million  men  and  women  wish  to  make  the 
)f  negotiation  prevail  over  resort  to  force."  The 
ion  came  just  in  time  to  bo  followed  by 
'a  refusal  to  accept  the  Indian  plan  for  re- 
lon  of  Korean  war  prisoners. 

the  trial  and  execution  of  the  11  former 
inist  and  leftist  Csechoslovak    leaders  recedes 


from  the  headlines,  the  French  Communist  move- 
ment is  revealing  the  seroius  damage  done  to  it  by 
the  Prague  spectacle.  While  the  London  DuUy 
Worker  was  able  to  ignore  the  anti-Jewish  character 
of  the  trial,  the  French  Communist  daily,  UHumanUe, 
had  to  go  into  elaborate  explanations  of  why  anti- 
Zionism  at  Prague  was  not  really  anti-Semitism.  The 
attempt  failed,  largely  because  the  idea  of  the  top 
Communist,  Slansky,  confessing  to  being  a  "Jewish 
capitalist"  was  just  too  much  for  the  French  Com^ 
munist  rank  and  file,  which  has  had  a  number  of 
prominent  Jews  in  key  positions  from  top  to  bottom. 

Economic  Co-operation  in  the  E.  European 

Countries 

» 

A.  Stepanov  writes  in  the  New9  and  Vieuu  from 
the  Soviet  Union  that  the  end  of  the  second  Worki 
War  saw  tiic  disintegration  of  a  single  all^mbracing 
world  market  and  .in  its  place  the  creation  of  two 
world  markets  facing  one  another-— one  consisting  of 
the  Soviet  Union,  China  and  the  Eastern  European 
Democracies ;  the  other  oonsisting  of  tho  rest  of 
the  world. 

After  the  war  they  were  progres^mg  economically) 
and  the  economic  co-operation  among  them  was 
increasing.  They  had  no  sales  difELculties.  In  t^ 
period  from  IM8-I052  <the  trade  turnover  of  the 
countries  of  the  new  world  market  more  than  triple* 
Making  allowance  for  the  curtaihnent  of  trade  witih 
the  capitalist  world,  the  foreign  trade  of  those  coun- 
tries doubled.  In  1052,  Soviet  foreign  trade  was  three 
times  greater  than  before  the  war,  and  the  coimtries 
of  People's  Democracy  (meaning  the  Eastern  Ekiro- 
peaa  countries  and  China)  accounted  for  80  per  cent 
of  it. 

The  Soviet  exports  mainly  consisted  of  industrial 
equipment  for  factories,  mills,  power  stations  and 
ot^er  industrial  establi^unents.  Tnis  was  of  tremen- 
dous importance  for  the  speedy  industrialisation  of 
those  countries.  In  1952,  Soviet  deliveries  of  machi- 
nery and  equipment  of  the  latest  design  to  the  ooun^ 
tries  of  People's  Democracy  amounted  to  ten  timei 
greater  than  in  IMS. 

The  Soviet  Union  was  rendering  those  countries 
technical  assistance  which  enabled  them  to  launch 
pioduction  of  new  types  of  goods  and  build  up 
industries  equipped  with  modem  machinery. 

A  characteristic  feature  of  the  trade  relationship 
was  that  the  other  countries  paid  for  their  imports 
from  the  Soviet  Union  in  goods  tiiat  were  customary 
items  of  exports  of  those  countries.  All  prices  were 
fixed  by  mutual  agreement. 

Poland  supplied  coal,  coke,  rolled  ferrous  and 
non-ferrous  metals,  the  output  of  its  rapidly  growing 
machine-building  industry,  foodstuffs  and  textiles  to 
the  new  world  market.  Hung^jry'^  os^^^tV.  ^5swis&ftA.  ^ 


«ft4 


THE  MODERN  REVIEW  FOR  MARCH.  1953 


machinea,  electrical  equipment,  bauxit^/  textiles  and 
farm  produce.  Rumania  supplied  oil  and  oil  products 
and  timber,  etc. 

Th^  result  of  this  economic  co-operation  resulted 
in  a  rapid  economic  progress  in  those  countries.  For 
example,  Poland  topped  its  pre-war  level  of  indus- 
trial production  2.9  times,  Czechoslovakia  1.7  times, 
Hungary  2.5  times,  Bulgaria  4.6  times  and  Albania 
more  than  five-fold.  There  had  also  been  a  corres- 
ponding rise  in  the  standard  of  living  of  the  people, 
says  M.  Stepanov. 

The  real  difficulty  about  these  comparative 
statements,  is  the  impossibility  of  assessing  their 
absolute  values.  No  basic  figures  are  given,  nor  have 
we,  of  the  "other  world"  any  means  of  checking  the 
accuracy  of  the  statements.  It  is  good  to  learn  that 
eome  part  of  humanity  is  progressing  in  spite  of  the 
stresses  that  the  world  of  today  is  passing  through. 
But  we  do  not  feel  convinced — ^no  one  can  be,  as  a 
matter  of  fact,  excepting  those  who  are  only  too 
eager  to  believe  anything.  The  premises  themselves 
being  unknown,  what  is  there  in  any  argument? 

Of  ktte  we  have  had  a  lot  of  gushing  reports  from 
some  of  those  who  have  gone  to  visit  the  areas  within 
the  Soviets  oibit.  Most  of  the  reports  are  by  persons 
who  have  neither  the  special  training  nor  the  proved 
opacity  to  judge  about  the  things  they  are  enthus- 
ing about.  ScHUe  have  made  statements,  on  the  basis 
of  "diiiect  observation/'  that  are  patently  absurd, 
considering  the  time  and  scope  of  their  visits. 

Decline  in  Exports  of  Asian  Countries 

Hsmhua  News  Agency,  quoting  Peking  PeopU^s 
Daily,  reports  a  sharp  decline  in  exports  in  1052  in 
countries  of  Southeast  Asia.  It  says,  on  the  autho- 
rity of  ih*  British  colonial  Government  in  Singapore, 
that  Malayan  rubber  exports  registered  a  cut  of  more 
than  200,000  tons  in  1962  as  compared  with  1951. 
The  decline  in  rubber  exports  had  resulted  in  an  un- 
favourable balance  totalling  5,400,000  UJ9.  dollars 
during  the  first  eleven  months.  According  to  the  re- 
port, American  embargo  and  forcing  down  of  the 
piirchase  priog  had  "similarly  wrought  havoc  with 
Indonesian  Rubber  exports."  The  export  price  of 
Indonesian  Rubber  declined  from  1409  Rupiahs  per 
ton  in  1051  to  lees  than  1,000  Rupiahs  per  ton  in 
1952.  The  total  loss  in  foreign  exchange  on  l^is  count 
had  been  moie  than  130  million  dollars.  Whereas  in 
1951  Indonesia  had  a  favourable  balance  of  trade,  in 
1962  it  became  unfavourable.  In  Philippines,  the  tot^l 
volume  of  exports  fell  by  come  27.2  per  oesit  as 
compared  with  the  previous  year.  President  Quinno 
uttered  a  warning  that  unless  the  fall  in  exports  was 
immediately  cMrested,  the  national  economy  of  the 
FhilipiMnes  Woukl  go  bankrupt^ 

la  Tlmilaad,  the  rubber  iadustry  was  hard  hit  by 
^  /"Qfiw  paj(f  by  K  A  huvm.  Prodxu^n  had  to 


be  stopped  in  many  regions  with  the  conseqneiitU 
rise  in  the  numbei*  of  the  unempk>y)ed.  Up  to  ttis 
end  of  September,  1952,  the  foreign  trade  showed  «& 
average  adverse  balance  of  200  million  ticab  Mch 
month. 

Eugene  Black  Urges  Change  of  Policy 

Mr.  Eugene  R.  Black,  President  of  tbe  Inter- 
national Bank  for  Reconstruction  and  Development,  ii 
reported  to  have  urged  that  the  United  States  riiould 
Open  her  markets  to  the  free  world.  In  his  opinion,  no 
other  single  factor  could  do  as  much,  in  the  long  nuif 
to  strengthen  the  world  economy.  The  countries  of  the 
world  could  hope  to  earn  the  dollars  tbey  needed  only 
if  the  U.  S.  markets  were  thrown  open  to  thegi.  Tliii 
''fundamental  and  lasting  change  in  the  United  States 
commercial  policy,''  he  said,  was  all  the  mbfe  called 
for  in  view  of  the  fact  that  increased  imports  iRroii|t 
ease  the  taxpayers'  burden  for  foreign  aid,  U.  8.  pio- 
ducers  would  gain  foreign  markets ;  and  finally,  the 
opening  up  of  the  American  markets  to  foreign  goodi 
would  bring  greater  goodwill  and  cohesion  in  tha 
world. 

U.S.S.R.  Breaks  with  Israel 

The  Government  of  the.  U.S.S.R.  annoonoad  on 
February  12  its  decision  to  cut  off  diplomatic  rdatiiCA* 
ship  with  the  Government  of  Israel.  Tlie  dedaktt 
followed  a  bomb  outrage  on  the  Soviet  legation  la 
Tel  Aviv,  which  was  strongly  denounced  by  the 
Foreign  Minister  of  Israel. 

An  earlier  report  in  the  Jewish  Affency*9  Diged 
says  that  the  Foreign  Minister  of  Israel,  Mr.  Mcriie 
Sharett  had  threatened  in  the  Knesseth  action  agamit 
groups  in  Israel  supporting  ^e  anti-Jewish  insUgatioos 
behind  the  "Iron  Curtain."  His  warning  drew  pvoMM 
from  the  Communist  and  Mapam  members  in  the 
House  against  whose  parties  it  was  presumably 
intended. 

Italy  Blocks  Left  by  Electoral  Stunt 

'*ls  Italy  on  the  eve  of  a  totnlitarian  Chri8tia& 
Democratic  regime  ?  Last  October,  a  bill  drastiea]]y 
altering  the  method  of  electing  Deputies  was  intro- 
duced by  the  government,  following  its  invention  by 
the  ruling  Christian  Democratic  Party.  It  sUitfb 
eveiy  chance  of  adoption,"  sajrs  the  World  IfUefpni0t. 

*^y  granting  a  'premium'  or  *bonus'  to  any  paity 
achieving  a  vote  of  more  than  50  per  cent  at  the 
polls,  the  Ou-istian  Democrats  and  their  coalitian 
allies,  the  Liberals,  Republicans  and  Social  Demo- 
crats, would  get  65  per  cent  of  the  seats  in  the 
Chamber  of  Deputies.  This  would  give  tliem  e 
working  majority,  and  squelch  any  chance  of  the 
Communists,  or  for  that  matter  of  the  neo-Asnilik 
tram  VaVertv^  t^^  \^Vb.\\^.  the  M  propoitiaiNil 


NOTES 


m 


ation  aystem  was  said  to  favor  thie  smaller 

}re  will  be  590  scats  in  the  new  Chamber, 
te  new  move  was  proposed,  the  other  three 
n  the  coalition,  especially  the  Social  Demo- 
>jected     that  it     might     give     an     absolute 

of  seaUi,  so  that  their  aid  would  no  longer 
sd.  Premier  De  Gasperi  made  a  minor  cpn-> 
changing  the  bill  so   that   the  winning  bloc 
et  360  instead  of  380  seats, 
ians  who  are    deeply     concerned     over  this 

stunt  are  not  confined  to  the  minority 
lUtside  the  government.  It  is  causing  protests 
al  and  democratically-minded  citixens  who 
36  totalitarian  nature  of  the  step.  The  reasons 
1  for  the  electoral  change  are  suspiciously 
se  put  forward  by  dictators  everywhere, — ^to 
^ability,  parliamentary  efficicncy>  the  elevation 
i  justice,  the  prevention  of  Communism,  the 
y-  and  concord  of  the  nation. 

3  measure  comes  into  direct  conflict  with  the 
constitution,  which  in  Article  48  declares 
es  shall  be  equal  for  all  electors.  Critics  point 
the  proposal  is  dishonest,  since  the  Christian 
.tic  government  has  purposely  failed  to 
rithin  the  allotted  five  years  of  the  constitu- 
iming  into  force,  the  Superior  Constitutional 
hich  should  have  decided  the  legality  of  the 
or  held  a  referendum  on  it.  Antonio  Greppi, 
Mayor  of  Milan  and  a  professing  Catholic, 
wrote  in  the  periodical,  Criiica  Sociale  : 
change  in  the  equal  value  of  the  votes 
or  adds  by  a  fictitious  device  a  fraction  of 
iue  of  man  as  an  elector,  thus  enacting  a 
njustice'." 

t*s  Relatives  Make  Best  of  It 

attractive  sisters  and  mother  of  former  King 
have  each  made  their  choice  of  the  200  acres 
they  are  allowed  to  retain,  out  of  the  tens  of 
la  the  Egyptian  royal  family  once  held.  All 
.  picked  acreage  in  the  lush,  money-making 
tates  At  Inshaas,  a  desert  turned  paradise, 
ier  ^e  new  land  reform  law,  no  person  is 
id  to  own  more  than  200  acres.  Landowners 
ig  more  than  this  maximum  may,  however, 
Freely  from  their  estates    the  200  acres    they 

keep.  Although  tlie  virulent  attacks  of  the 
a  press,  populace  ^  and  politicians  did  not 
le  royal  princesses,  they  have  withdrawn  com- 
from  public  life,  at  least  for  the  time  being, 
(fused  to  follow  the  king  into  exile  preferring 
in  in  the  country  even  though  their  privileges 
b1  allowances  were  drastically  cut. 
pt  is  disposing  landlords  in  a  more  democmtic 
than  eliewhere.  The  landlord  is  ^ven  a  dumce 
Diag  a  good  Umer  U  ho  90  wUlo, 


Japan's  Dilemma  :  Rearmam^eni  or  Relief? 

"The  Japanese  government — seven  years  after  the 
war  ! — ^is  proposing  to  start  a  pension  scheme  for 
soldiers.  It  is  popularly  regarded  as  a  means  of  winning 
political  favour  from  military  men,  cjjpecially  the  top 
brass.  The  public  is  opposed  to  such  favouritism, 
arguing  that  if  funds  were  available  (which  they  are 
not)  Japan  should  adopt  an  inclusive  social  security 
system.  Besides,  veterans  of  the  la^t  v»ar  are  in  urgent 
need  of  relief,  and  many  of  them  in>  the  disabled  or 
unsteady  income  groups,  are  still  begging  on  the 
streeta,  but  the  government  is  lukewarm  about  giving 
them  any  immediate  help. 

"One  of  the  reasons  why  rearmament  is  vndely 
unpopular  is  the  fact  that  the  scars  of  the  last  war 
remain  unhealed.  Public  opposition  to  rearmament  ia 
indicated  by  resentment  over  •reckless  statements  by 
U.S.  politicians  calling  for  the  sendmg  of  Japanese 
troops  (which  officially  do  not  exist)  to  Korea,  or 
statements  that  Asians  should  fight  A^ans.  This  resent- 
ment is  so  widespread  that  such  American  attitudes 
are  having  a  definitely  adverse  effect  on  Japanese-US. 
relations,"  says  the  World  Interpreter, 

The  U.S.  Agricultural  Extension  Service    . 

Mr.  M.  L.  Wilson,  Director  of  Extension  Work. 
U.  S.  DeiMurtment  of  Agriculture,  writes  that  as  un- 
oeasing  efforts  have  to  be  made  to  improve  the  pro- 
ductivity  of  land  in  order  to  ensure  an  adequate  food 
^PPly  to  an  ever-increasing  population,  scienoe  and 
modem  technology  have  to  be  applied  more  and 
more  in  agriculture.  In  the  U.S.A.,  during  the  past 
30  to  40  years  an  out-of-echool  type  of  education, 
known  as  agricultural  extension  work,  had  been  an 
instrumental  factor  in  the  steady  progress  in 
agriculture. 

Hiis  education  purports  to  bridge  the  gap 
between  the  College  of  Agriculture  and  the  Agricul- 
tural Expiesiment  Station  on  the  one  hand  and*  this 
farm  on  the  other.  "This  system  of  education  known 
as  the  Co-operative  Extension  Service  is  the  joint 
endeavoiar  of  the  Federal  Department  of  Agricultuc«^ 
the  State  A^cultural  Colleges,  and  county  (local) 
government.'' 

The  unique  feature  of  the  whole  system  is  that 
the  education  is  informal  and  voluntary.  There  are 
no  claas  rooms  and  the  teacher  known  as  the  county 
agent,  lives  and  works  with  the  farm  people.  All 
county  extension  workwra  are  responsible  for  works 
with  rural  youn^  people  throu^  4-H  clubs.  (4-H 
standing  for  Head,  Heart,  Hand  and  Health).  They 
devote  their  whole  time  to  education.  Teaching  Is  by 
practical  methods.  Local  voluntary  foaderj)  help  the 
connty  extension  irorkers  in  the  .  diascmination  of 
aaientifie  information  and  improved  fanning  and 
bome-keeping  vcaio^kfiia.  iGDE^nrracEL^oXaa    \ft.    ^Mg^'^'^% 


m 


THE  MODERN  REVIEW  FOR  MARCH.  19S3 


the  iann  home.  Farm  families  are  encouraged  to  make 
use  of  their  homc-produoed  materials,  in  building  and 
nemodelling  houses. 

"Extensioa  workers  also  help  farm  people  to 
learn  the  value  of  an  organised  approach  to  commu- 
nity problems  which  can  be  met  most  effectively 
through  group  action.  They  have  helped  farmers  to 
develop  State  seod-impi*ovement  associations,  self- 
supporting  soil-testing  laboratories,  and  dairy  herd- 
improvement  associations." 

Extension  workers  neceive  much  aid  from  the 
Federal  Department  of  Agriculture,  ihe  State  Ex- 
periment Station  and  Agricultural  Colleges.  Profes- 
sional extension  workers  in  the  United  States,  number 
more  than  12,000,  70  per  oeoit  of  whom  serve  in  the 
counties  and  less  than  100  in  the  federal  office  in  the 
Department  of  Agriculture   in   Washington. 

Here,  in  India,  our  approach  is  the  reverse  of  the^ 
above.  We  have  concentrated  all  our  efforts  in  offices, 
laboratories  and  a  few  college  farms.  The  men  in 
charge  are  mostly  white  collar  men,  placed  in  office 
fixym  considerations  which  are  not  always  cogent  to 
the  job.  As  a  result,  we  have  long  speeches  and  tons 
of  printed  paper  in  place  of  concrete  results. 

The  Community  Projects  and  the  Bharat  Sewak 
Samaj  are  schemes  meant  to  rectify  these  serious 
ebortcomings.  But  the  way  those  two  are  bedng 
planned  and  handled,  gives  us  little  hope  for  the 
future.  There  must  be  a  drastic  change  in  the  view- 
point of  those  who  are  at  the  absohite  fountain-^ 
head.  They  must  learn  that  there  is  no  flow  of 
inspiration  neittier  any  creative  work  from  that . 
aource.  We  are  wasting  time  and  treasure  for  nothing^ 
as  things  are  being  run. 

Piracy  Conviction  Highlights 
Anachronism 

"The  conviction  of  an  American  citizen  at 
Tangier  for  piracy  throws  a  spotlight  on  one  of  the 
weirdest  anachronisms  of  U.S.  and  international 
history.  The  American,  Sidney  Paley,  *the  Nylon 
Kid,'  was  found  guilty  of  hijacking  a  cargo  of 
cigarettes  from  a  Dutch  vessel,  and  is  out  on  bail 
pending  appeal.  Seven  French  seamen  charged  with 
aiding  him  are  being  tried  in  France. 

''To  comprehend  the  significance  of  this  strange 
trial,  one  must  go  back  to  the  origins  of  American 
interest  in  Morocco.  As  early  as  1791,  the  U.  S. 
established  diplomatic  relations  wirh  the  Sultan  of 
Morocco,  who  showed  his  appreciation  by  giving  t^e 
U.  S.  representative  a  high-waUed,  ornate  &nd  dilapi- 
dated palace  in  the  center  of  Tangier.  While  several 
of  the  more  important  branches  of  the  legation  are 
now  housed  in  ultramodern  office  buildings  in  the 
European  sector  of  the  ctiy,  American  diplomatic 
JiCBikiuart&v  remain  in  the  old  Moorish  palace,  sur- 
itHwded  by  the  most  squalid,  disreputable  and  color- 


ful neighborhood  in  all  Tangier.  Here  ftitc  thi 
Consular  Court  in  quaint  majesty.  It  is  one  of  the 
ironies  of  our  time  that  the  U.  S.,  whidi  for  ceatunes 
had  led  the  struggle  against  colonialism,  still  dingi 
to  the  hoary  relic  of  the  colonial  system,  coosolar 
jurisdiction. 

''Early  in  the  19th  centiuy,  when  the  Sultan's 
empire  was  falling  to  pieces,  with  tribal  leaders  on 
the  rampage  and  pirates  roaming  the  sea-coast, 
foreign  powers  seised  the  chance  to  secure  for  duat 
nationals  extra-territorial  rights.  Decades  later,  the 
French  imposed  a  pact  that  gave  them  a  protectorate 
over  a  part  of  Morocco,  and  Spain  similarly  got  a 
slice  of  the  coastal  land.  Tangier  became  an  intarw 
national  zone.  UnHke  other  foreign  powers,  aitfi 
precisely  because  it  disapproved  of  colonial  expan- 
sion, the  U.  S.  refused  to  recogniie  the  French- 
Spanish  partition  of  Morocco.  In  the  eyea  of  the 
State  Department,  the  Sultan  to  this  day  remains  a 
sovereign  ruler,  limited  only  by  capitulatory  rightfr- 
especially  consular  jurisdiction — to  a  number  of 
countries,  including  the  U.  S. 

''After  the  establishment  of  the  French  protee- 
torate,  whi<^  was  recognised  by  other  foreign  powers, 
all  foreign  consular  courts  were  abolished  except  Ihe 
American.  Europeans  still  are  not  subject  to  the 
jurisdiction  of  the  local  kadis,  but  they  have  a  joint 
mixed  tribunal  in  Tangier.  An  American  citisen, 
whatever  the  diarge  against  him,  can  be  tried  only 
in  Consular  Court.  The  Court  legally  has  tremendous 
power  but  actually  it  has  hardly  any  cases,  and  the 
usual  procedure  is  to  have  the  legal  adviser  of  the 
legation  prosecute,  with  the  Consul  acting  as  judge. 

^'The  Nylon  Kid'  has  brought  this  curious  liang- 
over  to  international  notice,  and  given  the  Consular 
Court  its  first  important  case  for  perhaps  a  himdred 
years.  Paley  was  sentenced  to  three  years,  and  if  his 
appeal  fails,  the  U.  S.  may  yet  have  to  set  up  accom- 
modations for  the  prisoner  in  the  ancient,  incongruous 
palace  occupied  by  the  American  Legation  at 
Tangier,"  says  the  World  Interpreter, 

Big  Business  in  the  US. A. 

A  five-year  study  of  the  impact  of  "big  business"  on 
the  American  economy  reveals  that  big  business  is  noC 
crowding  out  little  business,  is  not  self  perpetuating^ 
and  is  competitive. 

The  overall  conclusion  of  this  study,  by  the  Brook* 
ings  Institution,  a  private  research  organisation,  is  tine 
the  American  economy  wa|  never  more  competitive  tad 
dynamic  than  it  is  today. 

The  study  was  undertaken  to  obtain  the  answen  to 
such  questions  as  :  What  effect  has  big  businese  had  on 
competition  ?  Has  the  growth  of  big  business  impaired 
the  "opportunities"  of  small  and  medium-sized  bosiiieM? 
Are  the  industrial  '^giants"  inunune  to  oompedtioft? 
Are  the  pofits  of  big  business  increasing  at'tbe 
ol  smsXL  and  m^^xci-vied.  cAs:^^ations  ? 


^Of&i 


lit 


£tere*i  what  the  Brookings  ecoAoinlttt  found  t 

There  were  3,000,000  individiial  business  firms  in 
the  United  Stated  in  1939.  By  1948,  the  number  had 
incnssed  to  3,967,000-hi  gain  of  more  than  20  per  cent. 

The  number  of  businesses  has  more  than  kept  pace 
with  the  growth  of  popuUition.  The  rise  of  big 
business  apparently  has  not  closed  the  doors  to  -individual 
gHiYate  enterprise  nor  reduced  opportunity  in  the 
American  economy. 

Small  buunesses  also  have  been  doing  better 
financially,  in  relation  to  the  overall  national  economy, 
than  the  big  businesses. 

The  profits  before  taxes  of  the  100  largest  industrial 
Jborporations  declined  from  3.7  to  3.3  per  cent  of  the 
(national  income  between  1929  and  1949.  On  the  other 
hand,  profits  of  medium-sized  corporations  rose  from  4.8 
to  7  per  cent.  ActuaUy  the  share  of  small  business  in  the 
national  income  increased  by  1.5  times  during  this  period. 

There  was  no  evidence  that  concentration  in  economic 
power  wa^  increasing  in  the  United  States.  On  the 
contrary,  in  many  fields  concentration  has  substantially 
reduced.  During  the  last  50  years,  the  share  of  the 
market  controlled  by  the  large  firms— im  steel,  oil, 
tobacco^  copper,  sugar,  rubber,  automobiles,  farm 
machinery  and  aluminium — ^has  been  cut  in  half. 

Moreover,  the  study  added,  in  the  ever-changing 
American  system  it  is  difficult  for  large  firms  to  maintain 
their  position^  Far  from  being  immune  to  competition, 
it  was  found  that  the  industrial  giants  undergo  a  big 
turnover  at  the  top.  Of  the  ipo  largest  American 
Sndoatrial  firms  in  1909,  not  one  retained  its  relative 
poflition  by  1948.  Neither  did  any  industry.  Only  31 
of  the  corporations  remained  among  the  top  100  in 
1948. 

The  rise  of  new  industries  and  new  products  largely 
accounted  for  this  change,  the  study  said.  In  the  face 
of  dynamic  progress  and  change,  entrenched,  secure 
positions  cannot  be  established — the  pattern  of  production 
cannot  be  frozen  nor  progress  blocked. 

The  Brookings  economists  found  that  competition 
becomes  keener  under  **big  business,'*  both  between  goods 
and  between  employers.  Research  creates  new  products 
— and  new  and  cheaper  methods  of  producing  goods. 
Innovation  in  product  and  market  development  tend  to 
break  down  industry  lines  and  to  increase  the  area  of 
tempetition. 

For  example,  research  has  brought  petroleum 
producers  into  thd  chemical  field  and  the  chemical 
industry  into  synthetic  fibres.  Fhutics  compete  with 
metals  and  the  newer  light  metals  with  the  more 
traditional  steels  and  copper. 

The  senior  sta£|  economist  of  the  Brookings 
Institution,  Dr.  A.  D.  H.  Kaplan,  who  directed  the 
itudy,  concludes: 

''The  heartening  thing  to  us  has  been  to  discover 
that  the  system  itself,  as  it  operates,  has  its  own  actions 
nd  xMotkma  and  its  own  methods  of  punishing  the 
vomptny  that  eetSMt  0  jbv  ampetitife. 


'The  highly  competitlte  ehiraeter  oi  big  business  is 
not  due  to  the  personal  predilictions  of  its  present 
leadership  but  to  stronger  forces.  Not  the  concentration 
of  resources  in  integrated  big  business^  but  the  dispersion 
and  the(  versatility  of  the  resources  among  so  many 
separate  units  of  enterprise  is  the  distinct  characteristic 
and,  I  might  say,  the  miracle  of  American  capitalism  in 
our  day." 

This  is  a  new  light  on  Capitalism,  working  under 
control. 

Settlement  of  the  Sudan  Issue? 

Britain  and  Egypt  signed  an  agreement  on  Febni- 
aiy  12  giving  self-government  to  the  Sudan  which  tliey 
have  ruled  jointly  for  the  past  53  years. 

The  pact  provides  that  within  three  years  the 
Sudanese  wiU  choose  whether  they  want  independence  or 
some  form  of  link  with  Egypt,  their  powerful  northern 
neighbour. 

It  was  signed  this  morning  by  Egypt's  Premier, 
General  Neguib,  and  Sir  Ralph  Stevenson,  British 
Ambassador,  after  long  drawn-out  negotiations. 

During  the  transition  period  the  eight  million  people 
of  this  rich  cotton-growing  land  will  govern  themselves, 
but  foreign  affairs  and  defence  will  be  under  the  direction 
of  a  Governor-General. 

Egyptian  conditions  that  no  special  powers  must  be 
retained  by  the  Govemor-General  (Sir  Robert  Howe)  for 
the  so-called  '^backward  south''  and  that  British  and 
Egyptian  troops  must  be  withdrawn  before  self- 
determination,  are  both  met  in  the  agreement. 

General  Neguib  told  Britain's  Ambassador,  after  they 
had  signed!  the  Sudan  agreement  at  Cairo  on  Feb.  12 
that  Egypt  would  now  take  up  the  question  of 
evacuation  of  British  troops  from  the  Suez  Canal  zone. 

Main  points  of  the  agreement  are  : 

1. — ^Early  elections,  probably  next  month,  for  an  all- 
Sudanese  Parliament.  The  backward  southern  Sates  wiU 
provide  25  per  cent,  of  the  members. 

2. — ^Establishment  of  three  mixed  commissions  to 
work  with  the  Governor-General :  a  Governor-General's 
commission,  to  supervise  the  exercise  of  the  Governor- 
General's  powers,  composed  of  one  Briton,  one  Egyptian 
member,  one  Pakistani  member  (chairman)  and  two 
Sudanese  members  whose  selection  is  subject  to  control 
by  the  Sudanese  Parliament  a*  seven-man  electoral 
commission  of  one  Egyptian,  one  Briton,  one 
American,  and  one  Indian  with  three  Sudanese  appointed 
by  the  Govemor-General  with  the  approval  of  his 
commission;  sl  commission  to  supervise  the  work  of 
Sudanization,  by  which  British  and  Egyptian  officials  are 
to  hand  over  administration  to  the  Sudanese  within  three 
years — composition  of  this  commission  :  one  Elgyptian, 
one  Briton  and  three  Sudanese. 

3. — ^During  the  transition  period  the  Governor* 
General  (Sir  Robert  Howe)  will  be  the  ''supreme  con- 
stitutional  authority  within  the  Sudan." 

4.— The     txtniitkinil    v^xNa\    ^ttmas^    >ss&s^     ^x^ 


IM 


ffi£  MODtlitN  timm  foil  UkRCn,  1063 


coniitting  o{  a  Chtmber  of  Depvtiet  and  a  Senate,  and 
the  formation  o!  a  Sudanese  Council  of  Minitten. 

5.— 'The  transition  period  will  be  ended  by  a 
resolution  in  tbe  Sudanese  Parliament  stating  that  it 
wants  '*self->determination." 

6. — ^The  Sudanese  Government  and  Farliamtnt  will 
then  pass  a  law  providing  for  the  election  of  a  constituent 
assembly.  Detailed  arrangements  for  Sudan's  choice  ol 
its  future  will  be  subject  to  international  supervision. 

7. — In  the  transition  period,  the  Govemor-Ceneral 
has  the  power  to  proclaim  a  constitutional  emergency  if 
through  political  deadlock,  non-cooperation  or  boycott 
he  is  satisfied  that  normal  Government  cannot  be  carried 
on  under  the  constitution. 

He  may  take  the  same  steps  in  the  event  of  imminent 
financial  collapse  or  breakdown  of  law  and  order. 

8. — ^If  the  Govemor-GeneraPs  Commission  disapproves 
the  emergency  action,  it  will  be  referred  to  Britain  and 
Egypt.  If  either  Government  also  disapproves,  the 
emergency  will  be  terminated  within  30  days. 

Thjs  British  Houses  of  Parliament 

''Dishonesty  in  the  British  House  is  almost  un- 
known. There  are  other  parliaments  with  nign 
standards  of  probity,  but  the  British  have  built  up  an 
ingrained  antipathy  to  the  sli^tcst  bhadiness.  British 
members  of  Parliament  look  at  certaia  shenanigans  at 
Washington  with  wide-eyed,  wondering  incomprehen- 
sion. As  Worldover  Press  correspondent,  Sidney  hens, 
reports  from  London,  'Deep  freeae  or  mink  coat  gifts 
just  don't  happen.  The  British  parliamentary  system 
is  disciplined,  and  Uie  indivdual  MP.  can  exert  no 
independent  action  and  is  subject  to  few  independent 
pressures.' 

"A  British  MP.  is  paid  «2,800  a  year,  or  $54  a 
week.  Out  of  that  sum  he  must  employ  a  secretary  and 
pay  for  his  own  postage.  He  has  none  of  the  franking 
privileges  of  a  U.  S.  Congressman,  who  can  send  out 
ahnost  limitless  amounts  of  mail  and  literature  without 
personal  cost.  Nor  does  he  have  any  assistants  or  even 
an  office  for  himself  alone.  He  gets  free  travel  between 
home  A<^  London,  both  ways,  also  to  and  from  the 
constituency  he  represents.  His  expenses  for  parlia- 
mentary work  can  be  deducted  from  his  income  tax. 
But  after  deducting  tax  and  his  personal  work-costs, 
he  is  lucky  to  have*  135  a  week  left.  Some  MP.'s, 
especially  on  the  Labor  side,  share  secretaries  with 
one  or  more  other  Members.  Some  can  earn  outside 
money  from  speeches  or  writing,  though  with  the 
House  closely  divided,  as  now,  attcsidance  is  demanded 
nearly  all  the  time. 

In  many  talks  with  British  MP.'s  and  members 
of  other  parliaments  I  have  often  heard  the  wish  ex- 
preased  for  higher  pay  and  better  working  accom- 
modations. But  the  salary  scales  desired  were  always 
amaiingly  low  when  companed  to  the  wages  of  a  U.  S. 
Ayialator.  To  the  argument  that  higher  pay  oufl^t  to 
pnamote  greater  toBe§ty,  membam  ol  parliament  in 
JMu4  JBaigkm,  tbe  NetberJ$tid§  aod  8gaiuliMvi»ii 


countries  alwasrs  looked  pusjded,  and  wAatd,  k  tUl* 
belief,  'Why  should  that  be  7'  They  seem,  on  tha  nhcde, 
to  think  that  honesty  is  best  mamtained  by  frugal 
living.  The  American  idea  doesn't  appeal  to  a  Premier, 
as  in  Denmark,  who  takes  pride  in  riding  to  work  on 
a  street-car. 

''Members  of  Congress  at  Washington  now  xeoeive 
$12,500  annpally,  in  House  or  Senate.  This  is  far  beyond 
the  proportionate  differences  in  living  expenaoi 
between  Britain  and  tha  U.  S.  Besides,  each  Congrefis- 
man  gets  substantial  expense  allowances  for  staff, 
offices,  travel,  etc.,  and  for  those  who  oome  from  big 
States,  the  expense  account  reaches  aa  much  m 
around  $65,000.  Yet  when  I  have  visited  the  modest 
homes  of  overseas  parliamentarians,  and  compared 
them  to  those  at  the  American  capital,  it  has  always 
seemed  to  me  that  foreign  frugality,  within  reason, 
served  as  a  good  example  to  the  public,  k^t  alive  in 
legislators'  minds  a  warmer  sympathy  for  their 
constituents,  and  developed  a  wholesome  legislative 
responsibility.  Higher  wages  for  legislators  abroad 
would  increase  efficiency  and  relieve  stfain,  but  it 
may  be  doubted  whether  a  boost  at  Washington, 
unless  t^e  atmosphere  of  the  capital  were  changwd, 
would  do  anything  of  the  kind.  There,  some  oC  the 
stress  is  self-imposed,  while  the  mood  of  the  place 
needs  to  be  turned  away  from  the  notion  that  mOtf 
dollars  will  fix  just  everything." 

The  above  description  will  be  of  interest  to  our 
legislators  as.  well. 

Gopalaswamy  Ayyangar 

India  lost  one  of  her  eWer  sUtcsmen  and  Pandit 
Nehru  his  astutest  debater  by  the  death  of  Shri 
Gopalaswamy  Ayyangar  on  February  10. 

One  of  the  very  few  Provincial  Civil  Service  eficoa 
who  rose  to  Central  eminence— Mr.  V.  T.  Knuhnamarhari 
is  another— Mr.  Ayyangar  wa»  awarded  a  Kni^Aood 
in  1941  and  the  C.S.I,  and  the  CLE.  a  few  yeais 
earlier.  Easily  accessible,  patient  and  friendly,  withMt 
being  demonstrative  Mr.  Ayyangar  even  won  the  reaped 
and  admiration  of  Sheikh  Abdullah,  when,  as  PHma 
Minister  of  Jammu  and  Kashmir  from  1937  to  19W,  ha 
had  to  deal  with  the  rising  tide  of  political  discontent  la 

the  State. 

As  a  parliamentarian,  Mr.  Ayyangar  was  hardly  efca 
ruffled  by  criticism  and,  though  slow^  waa  sure  ana 
effective.  His  personality  was  reflected  in  his  sense  of 
humour,  which  was  always  good-natured  and  gentle.  IDs 
stock  of  information  as  a  Minister  was  unfailing  but  Us 
presentation  of  the  official  case  was  never  arrofant  ar 
supercilious.  Yet  he  was  fairly  good  at  repartee,  irindi 
reflected  sincerity  and  accommodation  rather  than  itt-wiO. 

Next  only  to  the  late  Sardar  Pktel,  Mr.  Ayyangar  wai 
the  Cabinet's  greatest  champion  of  the  Scrvioea.  ffia 
ovm  experience  as  an  officer  taught  him  thai  fimneM 
and  sympathy  go  a  long  way  in  securing  the  Services' 
kyalty  and  devotion  to  work.  His  BoCing  waa  Mrf 
bat  IttU  of  information  and  his  deddon  nam  haalf*  Fov 
«ntoitloo&  ^«  lk^^%  xt&QU^  >Mi»«t« 


DISINTEGRATION  OF  THE  MIDDLE  CIASS 

Another  Indication  of  West  Bengalis  Decay 

By  BIMALCHANDRA  SINHA,  ma. 


ill-round  decay  of  the  middle  class  in  West 
1  now  needs  no  proving.  The  effects  of  a  shrink- 
K)nomy  with  its  consequential  effects  on  employ- 
and  income  are  making  themselves  felt  with 
bating  force.  In  fact,  it  would  not  be  too  much 
r  that  the  middle  class  is  fast  crumbling  down 
I  this  trend  continues    for    some  time  more,    it 

be  facing  almost  total  extinction  as  a  class, 
sets  of  successful  employment  or  gainful  occupa- 
ire  very  little;  a  Bengah  middle  class  youth, 
g  out  of  the  portals  of  the  school  or  the  college, 
nore  often  than  not,  an  absolutely  dark  future 
5  him.  The  standard  of  living  in  every  branch — 
housing,  education — is  fast  going  down.  It  is  no 
jr  that  such  a  situation  would  give  rise  to  deep 
ition  and  a  decline  in  moral  values.  This  is 
y  what  is  happening  today.  Moreover,  Bengalis 

in  other  provinces  are  now  forced  to  start  back 
.  The  middle  class  people  of  East  Bengal  are  also 
compelled  in  a  large  measure  to  leave  their  home. 
Ion  their  properties  and  migrate  to  West  Bengal, 
lese  factors  are  gradually  building  up  a  dark  and 
1  situation.    It  would    indeed  be  a    matter    of 

if  this  class,  which  had  been  responsible  for  the 
al  renaissance,  economic  development  and 
;al  awakening  in  the  counti-y  and  has  been  the 
backbone  of  Bengal  and  which  has  yet  to  dis- 
i  its  role  in  history  though  in  a  new  and  altered 
disintegrates  in  this  fashion.  It  is  true  that  efforts 
>w  being  made  to  remedy  this  state  of  affairs.  It 
owever  to  be  realised  that  these  efforts  cannot 
;d  if  they  are  not  based  ui>on  a  correct  appre- 
Q  of  the  historical  nature  of  the  crisis  as  also  an 
ment,  at  least,  on  the  qu-antitative  level,  of  the 
?  of  the  problem  in  all  its  economic  inter- 
)n8.  Unfortunately,  the  measures  that  are  being 
ed  do  not  generally  disclose  any  such  apprecia- 
)r  assessment  and  are  more  or  less  in  the  nature 
tchwork.  But  this  will  ultimately  lead  to  no 
9n.  The  first  step  towards  a  full  understanding 
?  problem  therefore  is  its  correct  assessment, 
icient  data  do  not  permit  an  elaborate  and  pre- 
malysis,  but  the  materials  already  available  are 
ent  for  giving  us  at  least  a  broad  picture. 

DlFTICULTY  OP  DEnNinoN 

,  is,  however,  difficult  to  define  precisely  what  is 
;  by  the  term  hhadralok  or  the  middle  class.  Thg 
tself  is  the  result  of  a  long  historical  process  and 
equired,  with  the  passage  of  time,  a  complex  of 


its  own.  Generally  speaking,  it  used  to  imply  those 
intermediate  classes  standing  in  between  the  actual 
agriculturists  and  labourers  on  the  hand  and  rich  pro- 
prietors, rent-receivers,  persons  living  on  unearned 
inoome  or  rich  industrialists  on  the  other.  It  has  usually 
meant  the  professional  classes,  servicemen,  petty  land- 
owners, tradesmen  of  some  standing  and  so  on.  But  it 
was  not  an  economic  category  alone.  Various  factors 
of  tradition,  caste,  intellectual  attainments,  high  moral 
standard,  economic  position  and  nature  of  occupation 
combined  together  in  varying  degrees  to  give  the  class 
a  peculiar  complex  of  its  own.  For  these  reaaons  its 
importance  in  society  far  outreached  the  numerical 
proportions,  though  numerically  too  it  did  not  form 
any  inconsiderable  proportion  of  the  population.  But 
recently  there  has  been  a  distinct  change  in  outlook. 
As  the  Census,  1931  disclosed,  young  men  belonging 
to  middle  class  families  were  found  quite  willing  to 
take  up  jobs  in  the  Kanchrapara  Railway  Factory. 
Since  then  a  greater  and  greater  number  of  middle 
class  young  men  is  being  found  to  take  up  jobs 
hitherto  regarded  as  taboo.  The  character  of  the 
personnel  in  the  Chittaranjan  Locomotive  Workshop 
and  other  factories  fully  records  this  change.  The 
middle  class  therefore  has  now  acquired  a  wider 
meaning  and  has  spread  itself  over  more  numerous 
occupation-groups  than  previously.  The  proportion  of 
the  middle  class  has  therefore  become  relatively  higher 
in  our  population  structure,  though  the  recent  changes 
are  also  responsible  for  taking  the  edge  off  the  sharp 
barriers  tjhat  xised  to  divide  different  classes  in  the 
past. 

Beginning  op  the  End  :  The  Historical 

Background 
It  is  not  necessary  to  recount  of  the  well-known 
story  of  the  rise  and  growth  of  the  Bengali  middle 
class.  In  fact,  it  is  one  of  the  most  significant  pheno- 
mena in  the  evolution  of  the  country  under  British 
rule  and  focussed  in  a  concentrated  fashion  the  cur- 
rents and  cross-currents  within  that  process  of  evolu- 
tion. When  the  structural  economy  of  our  eountry 
underwent  a  drastic  and  fundamental  change  as  a 
result  of  the  impact  of  British  Imperialism,*  out  of 
that  change  grew  the  Bengali  middle  class.  Designed 
at  first  to  fulfil  the  administrative  needs  of  the  coun- 
try, it  soon  developed  far  beyond  its  original  purpose. 
In  fact,  the  socio-economic  factors  obtaining  at  that 
time  could  not  but  make  it  so.  The  middle  class, 
in  fact,  arose  because  of  the  necessity  created  by  those 

•    See  VenkAUftuYkbU  \   SlTucluf^  Be»U   o\  Xt^Aam^^  1Lc«iw«Wf|* 


idO 


The  modern  review  for  march,  loss 


factora  and  it  was  only  natural  that  it  would  develop 
so  long  as  those  factors  continued  to  operate.  The 
middle  class  reached  the  peak  of  ita  cultural  efflorescence 
&a  also  of  economic  development  in  the  second  half  of 
the  last  century.  The  literary  giants  including  Bankim- 
chandra  and  Rabindranath  and  the  political  leaders 
including  Sir  Surendranath  all  belonged  to  this  age. ; 
the  peripheiy  of  the  Bengali  middle  class  was  extended 
practically  to  the  western  boundaries  of  the  whole  of 
North  India.  But  by  the  end  of  the  last  century  the 
forces  responsible  for  its  expansion  had  begun  to 
decline  appreciably  and  the  saturation  point  was 
reached.  Not  only  other  provinces  had  by  that  time 
begun  to  develop  their  own  middle  classes  but  the 
overall  decline  of  the  bigger  forces  responsible  for  its 
gi'owth  also  marked  the  beginning  of  the  ^^^  even  at 
home.  The  possibilities  of  expansion,  however  limited, 
under  the  domination  of  finance-capital  were  being 
rapidly  exhausted  ;  the  fundamental  crisis  in  capitalism 
even  as  a  world  system  made  itself  gradually  felt  with 
particular  force  in  the  middle  class  strata  which,  in  fact, 
was  the  most  typical  product  of  the  system  and 
therefore  most  vukierable  to  the  forces  of  decay. 

Any  complete  quantitative  analysis  of  this  change 
is  beyond  the  compass  of  the  present  article.  But  it 
may  be  mentioned  that  by  the  turn  of  the  century, 
tlw  supply  began  to  exceed  the  demand  in  the  adminis- 
trative services  and  some  other  professions.  Develop- 
ment of  indigenous  capitalism  and  the  growth  of 
Indian  industries  were  far  more  marked  in  Western 
India  ;  and  the  possibilities  of  employment  and  earn- 
ing began  to  show  slow  but  definite  signs  of 
contraction. 

The  Inter- Wab  Period 

The  pace  of  this  process  of  contraction  became 
considerably  faster  after  the  first  World  War.  The 
crisis  in  capitalism  became  deeper  all  over  the  world  ; 
the  structural,  financial  and  monetary  maladjustments 
became  more  pronounced  ;  after  the  post-war  boom 
and  currency  muddle  of  the  twenties  came  the  Great 
Depression.  These  forces  fell  full  blast  on  the  already 
disintegrating  economy  of  India.  Bengal  had  to  face 
severe  economic  distress  during  the  Great  Depression, 
particularly  because  of  her  dependence  on  the  world 
market  for  jute.  The  effect  of  these  factors  on  the 
Bengali  middle  class  was  tremendous.  In  fact,  the 
middle  class  had  all  along  been  confined  within  the 
four  walls  of  its  old  occupation  pattern  and  could  not 
have  even  its  due  share  in  the  growth,  however  small, 
in  the  secondary  and  tertiary  sectors  of  Bengal's 
economy.  It  is  easily  understandable  what  disastrous 
pffects  these  forces  produced  in  such  a  situation.  It 
was  reported  by  the  Calcutta  University  Commission 
of  1917-19  that  there  was  no  unemplo3nnent  of  the 
(educated)  middle  classes  even  at  that  time.  To  quote 
the  exact  words  of  the  Commission  :  ^ 

^'At  present  all  the  young  men  who  have  been 
trained  at  higher  schools  and  coUegefi  seem  to  to^ 


posts  of  one  kind  or  another  .  .  .  apart  from  con- 
gestion in  the  legal  profession  we  have  found  few 
signs  of  actual  unemployment  among  the  young 
men  of  the  educated  classes  .  .  .  the  output  ol 
higher  education  is  still  absorbed  by  the  uovem- 
ment  services,  by  the  professions  and  by  the  com- 
mercial firms.*' — {Report,  Vol.  IV,  ii,  para  14). 
The  Committee  however  hastened  to  add  : 

^'Nevertheless  we  cannot  but  feel  that  unless 
there  are  great  developments  of  industry  and 
commerce  in  Bengal  ...  the  supply  of  young  men 
trained  by  the  high  schools  and  colleges  will  be 
found  at  no  distant  date  to  have  overshot  the 
demand." 

As  the  Bengal  Cenms  Report,  1931  (Vol,  V.  Pt.  I, 
p.  288)  comments,  the  warning  very  soon  proved  to  be 
well-founded  and  in  less  than  three  y«ars,  on  the 
30th  March,  1922,  the  problem  of  educated  tin- 
employed  was  raised  by  a  resolution  in  the  Legislative 
Council.  As  a  result,  a  Committee  was  appointed  to 
enquire  into  the  matter  and  it  reported  that  unemploy. 
ment  among  the  educated  middle  class  Bengalis  is 
"ovei-whelming"  and  added  that 

"We  have  been  greatly  impressed  by  the  acute- 
ness  of  the  problem  and  the  urgent  nece^ity  for 
the  adoption  of  measures  for  the  alleviation  and 
removal  of  the  present  distress  and  for  the  preven- 
toin  of  any  aggravation  of  the  present  condition 
of  affairs  in  the  future." 

Analysing  the  causes,  the  Committee  of  course 
mentioned  a  few  temporary  cause?,  such  as  the 
shrinkage  of  war  production  after  the  termination  of 
the  war.  But  the  Committee  also  laid  proper 
emphasis  on  the  deeper  causes  and  particularly  ' 
mentioned  the  decay  of  industries  as  also  the  decay 
of  village  life  with  a  consequent  drift  to  towns  and 
unwillingness  to  return  to  the  mofussil  conditions 
which  invariably  lead  to  unemployment.  The  Com- 
mittee ultimately  concluded  that  the  prosperity  of 
Bengal  in  general  including  the  class  of  educated  un- 
emplo3'ed  lay  entirelyv  "in  the  intensive  economic 
development  of  the  country,  in  the  entrance  of 
Bengali  bhadralok  into  industry,  trade  and  commerce 
of  the  countiy  and  in  the  immediate  acceleration  of 
development  schemes  which  will  train  bhadralok  to 
effect  this  entrance."  As  we  have  pointed  out  already, 
the  bhadralok  gradually  got  rid  of  his  mental  anta- 
gonism to  the  so-called  non-^hadralok  occupatioDs, 
but  there  was  no  intensive  economic  development  of 
the  province  and  therefore  no  possibility  of  the 
entrance  of  the  Bengali  bhadralok  into  trade,  com- 
merce and  industr>'.  There  was,  on  the  other  hand,  a 
great  regression  with  all  its  disastrous  effects  on  the 
Bengali  middle  class.  The  Census  Report,  1931 
commented  on  the  uninterrupted  increase  during  1921 
to  1930  in  the  number  of  suits  for  rent-enhancement, 
broken  only  in  the  year  1927,  and  concluded  that 

"This  can  almost  certainly  be  taken  as  »n 
index  oi  the  extent  to  which  th.-^  midde  classes 
depending  upon  a  fixed  income  feel  the  pinch  of 
V\\gV\  pnc^:^--^Re^0Tt,  Vol.  V,  Part  I,  p.  IT). 


DISINTEGRATION  OF  THE  MIDDLE  CLASS 


191 


he  depression  again  affected  them  in  another — 
more  disastrous — way. 

The  Impact  of  War  and  Inflation  » 

onditions     continued     to     worsen     during    the 
e    1930-40  also,   when     the     second   World   War 
out.  While  this  steady  disintegration  was  going 
iie   first  unusual   shock     of  a     great  magnitude 
upon  the  middle  class  as  a  result  of  the  second 
I   War,   famine   and   inflation.     It    is     true   that 
•yment   had   also   expanded   at  that  time.     But 
omparatively   higher   rise   in   tho   cost   of   living 
than  offset  the  advantages  of  a  greater  employ- 
in  most  cases.  Insufficient     data     make  a     full 
ment    impossible.    We,    however,    find    from      A 
p  of  the  After-effects  of  the  Bengal  Famine  of 
x>nducted  by  Professor  P.  C.  Mahalanobis    and 
that  there  was  considerable  economic  deterio- 
in   the  status  of   occupation-groups     generally 
in  by  the  middle  class.* 

Table  I 

rentage    of   famiUes   suffering   chafige    between 

January,  194S  and  May,  1944 
pational  Improve-      Dcteriora-      Ambiguous 

oup  ment  tion 

ultivating 

er  ....  3.23  1.61 

port  ....  14.29  — 

23.19  2.90 

ision  and 
vice  1.47  1.47  1.47 

will  be  seen  that  on  the  balance  there  was  far 
deterioration  than  improvement.  It  is  not  nn- 
1  that  during  a  great  famine  like  the  Bengal 
e  of  1943,  the  lowest  income-groups  would  be 
Lrdest  hit  and  be  forced  into  destitution  in  some 

But  it  is  significant  that  during  that  famine, 
some  of  the  comparatively  higher  income- 
!  did  not  go  without  their  share  of  destitution  :t 

Table  II 

Destitutes  living  on  chcurity  in  May,  1044 

(Estimated  number  in  lakhs) 

national   groups   as          Families  Fersons 
January  I94S 

ultivating    owner                 0.06  0.27 

>ort                                         0.02  0.08 

0.09  0.40 

sion  and  service                 0.09  0.11 

other  words,  30  per  cent  of  the  total  number 
lilies  in  the  group  'non-cultivating  owner* 
J  destitute,  75  per  cent  in  the  group  'transport', 

cent  in  the  group  'trade',  and  40  per  cent  in 
oup  'profession  and  service.'  This  is  indeed  an 
ion  of  the  extent  of  disintegration. 


The  Post-War  Situation 

It  is  well-known  that  the  termination  of  the  war 
did  not  improve  matters.  While  there  was  consider- 
able shrinkage  in  employment  and  trade,  there  was, 
on  the  other  hand,  a  steep  and  continuous  rise  in  the 
level  of  prices,  which  completely  unbalanced  the 
family-budgets  of  the  middle  class.  At  the  conclusion 
of  the  war,  two  surveys  were  conducted  into  the 
family  budgets  of  mainly  the  salaried  class  which  is 
supposed  to  be  comparatively  more  immune  to  the 
fluctuations  in  income  than  other  categories,  such  as 
the  tradespeople.  The  surveys  however  disclosed  a 
miserable  state  of  affairs  even  for  this  salaried  class. 
The  results  of  these  surve3rs  are  worth  analysis  as 
they  throw  a  lurid  light  on  the  condition  of  the 
middle  class,  specially  of  the  upper  middle  class 
which  is  decidedly  better  off  than  the  lower  middle 
class. 

The  first  survey  was  conducted  by  the  Govern- 
ment of  India  into  the  family  budgets  of  the  middle 
class  employees  of  the  Central  Government.*  The 
period  covered  was  November,  1945  to  August,  1946. 
The  enquiry  was  confined  to  the  employees  of  the 
Central  Government  with  a  salary  of  up  to  Rs.  600 
per  month,  which  is  a  fairly  high  limit  for  the 
average  middle  class  family.  The  main  conclusions 
for  the  Calcutta   (City)   block  were  as  follows  : 

(a)  The  average  income  of  the  head  of  the 
family  from  pay  and  allowances  was  Rs.  206-2  per 
month  and  from  other  sources  such  as  land, 
investment*:,  etc.,  was  Rs.  20-10  per  month.  The 
average  earnings  of  other  members  of  the  family 
worked  out  to  Rs.  4-2  per  month.  The  total  income 
of  the  family  therefore  averaged  Rs.  229-14  per 
month.  Income  from  other  sources  such  as  land, 
investments,  etc.,  was  found  to  be  very  small, 
being  a  little  over  8  per  cent  of  which  the  income 
from  land  alone  accounted  for  about  ^  per  cent. 

ib)  Expenditure  however  generally  exceeded 
income.  Of  a  total  of  664  budgets,  only  148  bud- 
gets or  2i  per  cent  were  surplus  and  516  budgets 
or  77  per  cent  were  deficit  budgets. 

(c)  The  heaviest  expenditure  was  on  'food' 
which  alone  accounted  for  39.1  per  cent  of  the 
total  expenditure.  (And  this  in  a  group  which 
according  to  Engels'  law  is  pretty  high  up  in  the 
scale  and  which  was  getting  rationed  articles  at 
controlled  prices  in  Calcutta).  Clothing  came  next, 
accounting  for  7.7  per  cent  of  the  expenditure.  In 
absolute  figures,  the  average  monthly  expenditure 
on  clothing  came  up  to  an  actual  total  of  Rs.  2^-6 
(Rs.  12-1  for  men's  clothing),  Rs.  7-3  for  women's 
clothing  and  Rs.  4-2  for  children's  clothing). 

id)  The  proportion  of  indebted  families  tq 
the  total  numbers  of  families  was  75.9  per  cent; 
in  the  lower  income-group  of  persons  with  salary 
below  Rs.  100  per  month,  the  figure  is  as  high  as 
90.9  per  cent,  while  the  corresponding  figure  for 
the  highest  income-group  of  Rs.  300  to  Rs.  500 
was  73.5  per  cent. 


tfpey,    p.    26,   Table   4.S. 
fid,   p.   16,  Table  3.5. 


^  Report  on  m  Enquiry  into  tK«  f  «*illi   ^uAuu  o\  'VLVAi^N*  Om» 
Employees  o|   dit  Ctntrel  Go««mm«i^iY  \^NI« 


192 


THE  MODERN  REVIEW  FOR  MARCH,  1953 


The  picture,  however,  was  worse  for  the  Bengal 
and  Assam  employees  outside  the  Calcutta  City. 
Here,  the  average  total  income  per  family  averaged 
Rs.  Id8^  per  month.  Income  from  other  sources 
constituted  16  per  cent  of  the  total  income,  of  which 
the  income  from  land  alone  accounted  for  about 
8  per  cent.  The  greater  importance  of  income  from 
other  sources,  specially  from  land,  is  very  much 
perceptible  here.  But  here,  too,  expenditure  generally 
exceeded  income.  The  percentages  of  surplus  and 
deficit  budgets  for  all  groups  were  fcund  to  be  res- 
pectively 23  and  77  per  cent.  Amongst  different 
income-groups  however  the  monthly  per  capita 
income  was  found  to  vary  from  Rs.  17-13  to  Rs.  64-2, 
while  the  monthly  per  capita  expenditure  varied 
from  Rs.  25-H  to  Rs.  6i-2.  Amongst  these  employees, 
all  persons  having  a  salary  of  below  Rs.  100  per 
month  had  no  surplus  budget,  while  in  the  highest 
income-group  of  Rs.  300  to  Rs.  500,  45  per  cent  had 
deficit  budgets.  Average  expenditure  on  food  ac- 
counted for  41.6  per  cent  of  the  total  expenditure. 

Such  a  picture  for  a  fairly  high-salaried  class  is 
a  sufficient  indication  of  the  economic  ruin  of  even 
the  upper  strata  of  the  middle  class.  But  the  survey 
conducted  by  the  Bengal  Government  amongst  their 
own  employees  with  a  comparatively  lower  income 
and  persons  similarly  situated  outside  Government 
service  reveals  a  still  more  dismal  picture.  This 
enquiry  was  conducted  in  March,  1946,  and  was 
limited  to  families  with  basic  salary  ranging  up  to 
about  Rs.  150  per  month  and  residing  in  towns  out- 
side Calcutta.  Although  the  investigation  mainly 
concerned  Government  employees  it  was  decided  to 
include  salary  earners  of  other  institutions  and  pro- 
fessional men  of  similar  income  levels.  A  simultaneous 
enquiry  was  also  made  into  the  changes  in  the 
pattern  of  consumption  of  food  and  clothing  since 
1933.  This  survey  presents  a  graphic  picture  of  the 
fast  decay  and  disintegration  of  the  Bengali  middle 
class.  The  main  general  conclusions  were  as  follows  : 

(a)  Total  per  capita  expenditure  was  several 
times  higher  than  the  average  salary  of  the  salary 
level.  There  were  multiple  sources  of  income.  Total 
expenditure,  therefore,  was  more  than  the  total 
salary.  Agriculture  and  dairy  appeared  to  contribute 
more  than  50  per  cent  as  much  as  salary  at  the 
lowest  level.  At  other  levels  too  income  from  this 
source  was  fairly  heavy  (about  20  per  cent).  These 
people  belonged  to  mofussil  areas  and  were  likely 
to  possess  landed  properties.  This  incidentally  dis- 
closes the  heavy  dependence  of  even  this  salaried 
class  on  other  sources  of  income,  any  diminution 
in  which  must  cause  extreme  hardship  and  unbalance 
their  budgets. 

(b)  The  lower  income-groups  did  not  get 
enough  essential  food  and  their  income  fell  short  of 
their  educational  and  medical  needs.  Any  added 
income  was  readily  spent  on  such  essential  food- 
stuff as  milk,  fish,  meat,  etc.    The  diminishing  ex- 

penditure  on  cereals  with     rise     in     income     would 

jnd/cate  that  the  higher  consumption  on  cereals  at 

/ofrer  j'ncome-levels  is  not  a  matter  of  choice.    It 


was  also  found  that  the  diet  of  the  Bengali  middle 
class  was  not  only  comparatively  deficient  in 
calories  but  it  was  also  much  inferior  in  othfer  food 
values  to  the  diets  of  divisions  I  and  II  prisoners  of 
both  classes  A  and  B. 

(c)  It  would  appear  that  the  war  lowered  the 
food  standard  by  about  422  calories  out  of  2^ 
calories  as  consumed  in  1940,  that  is,  by  about  19 
per  cent.  As  the  diet  was  aJready  deficient  in  ex- 
pensive as  well  as  comparatively  cheaper  essential 
items  the  effect  of  rise  in  prices  was  a  drastic  re- 
duction in  both.  Substitution  of  expensive  items  by 
cheaper  ones  could  not  take  place. 

\d)  In  clothing,  silk  and  woo]  almost  dis- 
appeared. Even  in  cotton  goods  the  present  pur- 
chases were  meagre.  Compared  to  1933,  the  con- 
sumption in  1946  was  worse. 

Ke)    The  investigation  indicated     that  the  ex- 
penditure  on  education  was  below  the  needs  and 
no  more. 
The  detailed  figures  are  still  more  revealing.  Tbe 

most  revealing  of  them  all  is  the  changing  pattern  in 

the  consumption  of  food  and  clothing  between  1983 

and  1946. 

Table  m 

Daily  per  capita  cctjisumption  in  chatak   and   calorie 
value  of  selected  Food  items  outside  Calcutta 

1933  1940  1946 


Foodstuff                 Consump- 

Calorie 

Consump- 

Calorie 

Coamimp-  Calorie 

tion 

ralue 

tion 

ralue 

tion       Talne 

per  day 

per  day 

per  day 

Rice                   7.14 

1442 

1.14 

1442 

6.03    1218 

Wheat                0.50 

103 

0.54 

91 

0.25       52 

Pulses                0.75 

152 

0.73 

147 

0.70      141 

Sugar                 0.40 

96 

0.36 

86 

0.34       81 

Gut                    0.39 

87 

0.37 

83 

0.19       43 

Edible  oil          0.48 

260 

0.46 

249 

0.42     228 

Milk                  3.40 

126 

0.17 

117 

1.91       71 

Milk  products  0.13 

4 

0.12 

S 

0.05         2 

Fish                    0.83 

46 

0.81 

45 

0.33       18 

Meat                  0.25 

28 

0.22 

25 

0.11        12 

The  following  table  shows  the 

gradual  decline  in 

the  per  capita  consumption 

of  clothing  commodities : 

Table  IV 
Index  number  of  per  capita  consumption  and  r^UiA 
prices  of  Clothing  commodities 
Base,  (1)  Per  capita  consumption,  1933=100      ' 
(2)  Retail  prices,  1933=100 

1933  1940  1945 

Name     of  Quantity  Prices     Quantity  Prices     QoanUty  PxicM 

commodity 

Dhoti  100  100  93  133  50  329 

Shirt  100  100  90  138  53  395 

Punjabi  100  100  80  143  44i  411 

Coat  100  100  68  137  41  376 

Ganji  100  100  91  228  61  414 

Lungi  100  100  94  154  74  «» 

Trousers  100  100  74  111  50  298 

Pyjamas  100  100  68  138  42  407 

Sari  100  100  95  135  55  312 

Chemise  100  100  92  140  50  324 

Blouse  100  100  86  137  50  290 

Pettkoat  100  100  82  138  58  260 

Canvas  shoe  100  100  86  127  68  315 

Leather  shoe  100  100  99  129  59  308 

Slipper  100  100  83  143  67  332 

The  relative  importance  of  the  different    sources 

oi  mcome  m\\  \>^  c\<&<dit  Ix^m  tihe  following  table : 


DISINTEGRATION  OF  THE  MIDDLE  CLASS 


193 


Tabub  V 
Average  monthly  income  {in  Rupees)  per  family 

by  sources 
1945-46 


Soure€4 


Salaried  class — all, levels    Total    Professionals 
Govt.    Non-Govt. 


1.  Total  salary 

2.  Total  allowance 

and  T.  A.  26.73 

3.  Gratuity  &  pensions  2.34 

4.  Trade   &   industry     3.35 

5.  Profession  3.21 

6.  Agriculture  <fe  dairy  15.47 

7.  Cottage  industry       0.15 

8.  Rent  received  2.67 

9.  Interest    receiMed     0.19 

10.  Loan    received  16.90 

11.  From  saving  and 

sale  of  cattle       14.76 

12.  Sale   of   lands  6.14 

13.  Help  from  outside  26.27 

14.  Other  occupations  & 

other  sources        16.56 


53.19    50.52       56.54 


•  •  •  • 


19.61 
0.87 
3.88 
4.49 

12.74 
0.04 
1.16 

0.45 

15.68 

7.63 

1.76 

23.17 


25.20 
2.02 
3.46 
3.48 

14.89 
0.13 
2.35 

0.24! 

16.64 

13.23 

5.20 

25.00 


28.00       19.02 


14.32 

91.29 

12.83 

0.57 

3.53 

o.oai 

6.58 

11.93 

2.99 

12.39 

5.46 


Total  192.93  170.00      188.00      161. 9Q 

These  figures  sufficiently  reveal  the  grim  grinding 
the  middle  class  is  going  through.  Their  very  sub- 
marginal  existence  has  been  rendered  still  more  sub- 
maiiginal  and  the  axe  has  had  to  be  applied,  not  to 
any  item  of  luxury  because  there  was  none,  but  to  the 
most  essential  item  of  food  and  that  too  very 
drastically. 

The  PARTmoN  and  Its  Eftects 

On  the  top  of  all  this  came  the  partition  with  its 
disintegrating  effects.  The  intimate  inter-linking  of  the 
two  Bengals  needs  no  description.  The  heavy  dis- 
location caused  in  every  sphere  of  life, — social,  economic 
and  otherwise,  has  given  a  very  heavy  blow  to  the 
middle  class.  Particularly  the  families  from  East 
Bengal  who  used  to  balance  their  budgets  through 
multiple  sources  of  income  (e.g.,  from  salaries  earned 
in  "West  Bengal  and  income  from  land  accruing  in  East 
Bengal)  have  had  their  budget  completely  upset.  The 
general  dislocation  caused  in  trade,  industry,  commerce 
and  even  in  free  and  frequent  travelling  between  two 
Bengals,  has  produced  its  inevitable  consequences — and 
bad  consequences  all  along  the  line — for  the  Bengali 
middle  cla^  as  a  whole.  It  would  stiH  take  some  time 
yet  to  realise  and  assess  fully  the  magnitude  of  this  pro- 
blem ;  the  question  of  Evacuee  Property,  for  instance, 
is  still  hanging  in  the  balance.  But  the  picture  is 
already  dismal  enough  and  the  partial  surveys  con- 
ducted about  the  refugee  problem  give  sufficient  indi- 
cation. For  instance,  the  survey  conducted  at  thg 
behest  of  the  Government  of  India  amongst  the  Bengal 
refugees  in  1948  gives  somp  revealing  information.  The 
middle  class  was  not  specially  defined;  but  it  was 
found  that  of  the  total  number  of  refugees,  caste 
Hindus  constituted  90.8  per  cent.  This  undoubtedly 
contains  a  heavy  proportion  of  middle  class.  As 
examination  of  the  refugees  by  socioeconomic  groups 


reveals  that  the  occupation-groups  roughly  correspond- 
ing to  the  middle  classes  constituted  53.89  per  cent  of 
the  total  number  of  refugees.  The  survey  further 
revealed  that  thene  has  been  change  of  occupation  after 
migration  to  West  Bengal.  Figures  lelating  to  some 
of  the  distinctly  middle  class  occupations  are  given 
below  : 

Table  VI 

Percentage  of  refugees  in  each  occupcttion-group 
who  changed  occupation  after  migration 

Category  Percentage   change 

Rent  receiver  59.85 

Agricultural    supervisor  79.01 

Liberal  arts   and   profession  44.93 

High  services  30.80 

Many  have  also  swelled  the  ranks  of  the  un- 
employed. It  was  found  that  of  the  total  number  of 
refugees  56.7  per  cent  were  living  in  starvation 
condition,  32.3  per  cent  were  just  carrying  on  some- 
how, 7.0  per  cent  were  living  among  want,  while 
only  4.0  per  cent  wiere  living  in  comfort  (para  128 
of  the  Survey),  Even  the  families  have  disintegrated. 
It  was  found  that  of  the  total  number  of  refugee 
families,  31.5  per  cent  were  living  in  two  places, 
5.9  per  cent  were  living  in  three  places  and  1.6 
per  cent  in  more  thaa  three  places.  It  is  not  neces- 
sary to  point  out  that  conditions  have  now  far 
worsened  in  comparison  with  the  conditions  obtain- 
ing in  1948  when  the  Survey  was  made. 

The  Process  Also  Operative  in  West 
Bengal  Proper 

It  should  not,  however,  be  assumed  that  the 
process  of  disintegration  is  confined  to  the  East 
Bengal  section  of  the  middle  class.  Not  only  the 
partition  with  its  consequential  problem  of  refugees 
has  hit  the  fortunes  of  the  West  Bengal  section  as 
well,  but  also  there  are  other  factors  working  inde- 
pendently which  have  been  leading  to  fsist  decay  and 
disintegration  in  West  Bengal  also.  The  recently 
publbhed  Final  Report  on  Rural  Indebtedness 
Enquiry  (1946-47)  in  West  Bengal  conducted  by  the 
Government  of  West  Bengal  reveals  a  facet  of 
this  problem.  This  enquiry  has  been  conducted  in  the 
rural  areas  and  was  not  confined  to  the  middle  classes 
alone.  Such  middle  class  families  as  have  come  within 
the  scope  of  the  enquiry  form  only  a  small  propor- 
tion and  generally  present  in  a  lesser  degree  the 
peculiar  problems  of  the  middle  class  than  their 
purely  urban  counterpart.  Moreover,  their  income- 
pattern  is  more  varied,  though  generally  lower  than 
the  urban  one,  and  their  inter-linking  with  land  more 
close.  But  in  spite  of  these  factors  the  picture  that 
emerges  out  of  the  survey  gives  a  glimpse  clear 
enough.  The  following  table  gives  figures  about  the 
indebtedness  of  some  d\fitvDifi,t>Vs  m\^<^^  <dass^  ^^rrs^- 
pation  gjroxipB; 


194 


THE  MODERN  REVIEW  FOR  MARCH,  1953 


Tablb  VII 

Indebtedness  by   occupation^groups  in  Rural 

West  Bengal,  1946-47 

(Percentage  of  indebted  families) 

Interestrbearing   cash    loan 

1.  Proprietor  28.57  per  cent 

2.  Liberal  profession  20.79  per  cent 

3.  Trade  22.92  per  cent 
An  examination   of   the   reasons  for  indebtedness 

IS  still  more  revealing  : 

Table  VIH 

Percentage  distribution  oj  the  amount  oj  loan  by 

causes   incurrence    and   occupation  of   debtor 

Jamilies 

Proprietors  Liberal  Trades- 
profession  men 
Food                                       54.90  eo.56  42.92 

House   repair  4.73  2.65 

Social    and    religious  22.17  6.08  6.47 

Litigations .  ....  ....  5.64 

Ancar    rent  9.90  2.57  17.61- 

Cultivation  12.97  6.86  3.15 

Repayment   of   old   loans      0. 19  

Others  ....  20.01  21.76 


Total  100.00        100.00       100.00 

This  is  sub-marginal  living  on  any  showing.  The 
major  reason  for  incurring  debts  is  expenditure  on 
food,  and  that  even  for  proprietors  !  It  is  found  that 
food-requirements  account  for  71.7  per  cent  of  the 
d^t  of  agricultural  labourers.  It  should  be  remem- 
bered in  this  connection  that  as  the  basic  causes 
continue  to  operate,  as  the  over-all  decay  of  our 
rational  economy  proceeds  at  faster  pace,  as  ihe 
comparatively  temporary  causes  continue  to  fall  full 
blast  on  West  Bengal,  as  the  lands  on  which  the 
composite  pattern  of  their  family  budgets  depends 
are  taken  away  as  a  measure  of  land  reform,  though 
they  must  be  taken  away  in  the  higher  interests  of 
land  reforms,  and  as  trade,  commerce  and  industry 
continue  to  provide  increasingly  smaller  opportunities 
for  middle  class  employment,  the  future  of  the  middle 
class  will  grow  continually  darker  and  darker.  The 
unbelievably  huge  number  of  registrants  from  the 
middle  class  level  at  the  Employment  Exchanges  is 
another  indication  of  the  existing  sorry  state  of  affairs. 
Still  another  indication  of  this  deterioration  is  obtain- 
able from  the  Report  on  a  Sample  Enquiry  into  the 
Living  Conditions  in  the  Bustees  of  Calcutta  ond 
Howrah  1948-49,  published  by  the  West  Bengal 
Government,  which  reveals  that  the  bustee  population 
now  contains  a  good  sprinkling  of  what  is  generally 
regarded  as  the  middle  class  population,  such  as  actor, 
midwife,  photographer,  compounder,  teacher,  typist  and 


landholder.  Their  proportion  must  have  increased  with 
the  further  influx  of  refugees,  specially  of  those  mar- 
ginal refugee  families  who  could  not  move  earlier  and 
who  are  more  easily  forced  down  towards  destitution 
than  tlic  more  fortunate  families. 

EooNoscic  Inter-relations 

Inadequate  data  would  not  permit  us  to  work  out 
with  precision  the  manner  and  magnitude  of  economic 
inter-relations.  It  can,  however,  be  safely  said  that  the 
middle  class  will  not  go  down  without  dragging  down 
others  too.  Apart  from  the  loss  in  social,  cultural  and 
political  leadership,  the  loss  in  the  economic  field  too 
will  be  considerable.  It  is  true  that  the  middle  class 
in  Bengal  has  not  been  an  important  factor  in  most  of 
the  big  industries  in  this  state  ;  but  in  the  sphere  of 
middle  industries  and  village  industries,  in  the  matter 
of  local  trades  and  commerce,  in  the  matter  of  provid- 
ing executives  in  the  business  sphere  and  in  the  matter 
of  professions,  the  middle  class  has  played  a  consider- 
able role.  Eor  instanoe,  in  the  food-industries  in 
general  and  rice-milling  in  particular,  middle  class 
capital  and  middle  class  leadership  have  played  the 
most  important  part.  The  new  engineering  iiidustries 
on  a  middle  scale,  which  are  the  speciality  of  Bengal, 
are  almost  entirely  the  result  of  the  efforts  of  the 
middle  class.  All  these  enterprises  would  suffer  a  very 
severe  blow  from  the  disintegration  of  the  middle 
classes.  Indirectly,  such  a  disintegration  would  also 
m^n  extra  stress  and  strain  for  our  existing  economy. 
Moreover,  the  Planning  Commission  has  also  admitted 
that  a  large  element  of  savings  must  come  from  the 
agricultural  sector  and  from  the  smaller  inoome-group; 
in  fact,  the  majority  of  rural  industries  in  Bengal  has 
been  the  result  of  such  surplus.  It  is  a  simple  economic 
law  that  any  slight  improvement  in  agricultural  income 
would  be  eaten  up  rather  than  saved  by  the  sub- 
marginal  families  ;  only  those  families  which  are  on 
the  margin  or  a  little  above  it  can  save  something  as 
income  increases.  The  disintegration  of  the  middle  class 
will  thus  hamper  capital  formation  also  and  cause  a 
drain  on  the  surplus  in  other  sectors  for  meeting  the 
social  problem  such  disintegration  would  create.  In 
fact,  if  this  body  of  human  beings  finds  a  way  to 
survive  and  raise  its  living  standards,  there  will  not 
only  be  fresh  social,  cultural  and  political  leadership, 
but  there  would  also  be  released  a  fresh  economic 
energy  and  conditions  would  be  more  favourable  for 
the  working  of  the  multiplier.  But  if  it  goes  down  in 
a  shipwreck  of  misery  and  destitution,  it  is  likely  to 
pull  the  rest  of  the  society  down  on  a  fairly  consider- 
able scale  and  for  a  long  time. 


ECONOMICS  OF  'BHOOMIDAN  YAGNA' 


By  S.  N.  AGARWAL,  mj. 


The  Constitution  of  India  lays  down  as  one  of  the 
"directive  principles  of  State  policy"  that  steps  should 
be  taken  to  "make  effective  provision  for  securing  the 
right  to  work"  and  to  "secure  by  suitable  legislation 
or  economic  organisation  or  in  any  other  way,  to  all 
workers,  agricultural,  industrial  or  otherwise,  work,  a 
living  wage,  conditions  of  work  ensuring  a  decent 
standard  of  life."  According  to  the  latest  Census 
figures  of  1951,  the  population  of  our  country  is  now 
356.8  millions  out  of  which  about  44.8  million  are 
"cultivating  labourers"  without  owning  any  land,  and 
5.3  million  are  "non-cultivating  owners  of  land"  and 
"agricultural  rent-rexieivers."  The  total  land  in  India 
available  for  cultivation,  including  current  fallows  and 
cultivable  waste,  is  approximately  300  million  acres.  As 
is  well-known  to  all  of  us,  the  average  size  of  holdings 
in  India  as  compared  with  many  other  countries  of  the 
world  is  very  small.  The  average  size  in  U.  P.  is  6 
acres,  in  Madras  4.5  acres,  in  Bengal  4.4  acres,  in 
Punjab  10  acres,  in  Bihar  and  Orissa  4.5  acres  and  in 
Madhya  Pradesh  8.5  acres.  Exact  figures  for  the 
number  of  holdings  above  a  ceiling  of  say,  25  acres  arc 
not  available  for  all  the  States.  There  is,  howovi^r, 
sufficient  material  to  indicate  that  there  is  substantiLl 
area  of  land  in  the  country  which  is  above  holdings  of 
25  acres.  This  land  could  be  utilised  for  re-distribution 
among  the  landless  labourers  in  order  to  solve  the 
problem  of  unemployment  and  satisfy  the  innate  hun- 
ger for  land  among  the  rural  population.  This,  then,  is 
the  first  basic  premise  of  the  Bhoomidan  Yagna  move- 
ment launched  by  Acharya  Vinoba  Bhave.  Land  hunger 
is  a  legitimate  and  healthy  desire  of  human  beings 
especially  in  thc^  countryside;  like  air  and  water,  they 
have  every  right  to  possess  land  as  well  from  bountiful 
Nature. 

Nobody  has,  therefore,  any  right  to  own  land 
more  than  what  he  and  his  family  can  cultivate  for 
the  production  of  food  articles.  In  fulfilment  of  this 
moral  principle  as  well  as  its  obligation  under  the 
"directives"  of  the  Constitution,  the  State  should  try 
to  redistribute  land  to  the  cultivating  labourers  on 
the  widest  possible  scale  as  speedily  as  feasible.  The 
economic  holding  in  India  may  range  from  5  to  10 
acres  of  average  quality.  A  ceiling  of  25  acres  of  land 
will,  therefore,  be  a  reasonable  proposition. 

How  is  this  land  to  be  redistributed  ?  In  the 
Communist  coimtries,  landlords  have  been  expn- 
priated  without  compensation.  Under  the  Fund<imental 
rights  of  the  Indian  Constitution,  however,  i*"  is 
obligatory  for  the  State  to  pay  compensation  for 
acquiring  land.  No  rate  of  compensation  has  bcon 
laid  down  in  the  Constitution.  But  it  is  quite  evident 
that  even  a  low  rate  would  run  into  crores  of  rupees 
which  a  poor  country  like  ours  can  ill  afford  to  pay. 
What  then  is  the  remedy?  Vinoba  is  trying  his  best 
to  meet  the  challenge  of  Communism  by  demonsttat- 


ing  lo  the  world  that,  through  non-violence  and 
persuasion,  the  landlords  can  be  urged  to  give  away 
their  surplus  lands  to  the  landless  people  without  any 
compensation.  He  has  already  collected  about  3.6 
lacs  of  acres  so  far  through  his  "Bhoomidan  Yagna" 
movement.  As  Robert  Trumbull  wrote  in  the  ^^^ 
York  Tivies  Magazine,  Acharya  Vinoba  "walks  from 
village  to  village  preaching  that  those  who  have 
much  should  give  to  those  who  have  nothing." 
Vinoba 's  novel  method  has  attracted  and  inspired 
millions  of  people,  both  rich  and  poor,  and  he  is 
known  as  "The  God  who  gives  away  Land."  It  is  true 
that  Acharya  Vinoba  is  not  expected  to  solve  the 
whole  problem  of  land  re-distribution  in  the  country 
single-handed.  But  his  "Bhoomidan"  movement  is 
surely  paving  the  way  for  a  speedy  and  satisfactory 
land  reform  to  be  followed  by  Government  legislation 
in  due  course.  Vinoba's  Land  movement  is,  indeed, 
the  only  effective  counterblast  to  the  Communist 
activities  in  India. 

Some  doubts  have  been  raised  regarding  the 
policy  of  redistribution  of  land  followed  by  Acharya 
Vinoba  Bhave.  The  Planning  Commission  in  their 
Draft  Outline  of  the  Five-year  Plan  have  suggested 
that  unit  of  land  cultivation  should  be  the  whole  area 
of  a  village  on  a  co-operative  basis.  They  have  also 
advocated  the  establishment  of  "registered  farms"  on 
a  faiily  large-«cale  and  mechanised  basis.  Acharya 
Vinoba,  on  the  other  hand,  strongly  feels  that,  to 
begin  with,  land  should  be  distributed  to  the  landless 
labourers  in  small  plots  of  about  five  to  ten  acres  in 
accordance  with  the  quality  of  land  and  facilities  of 
irrigation. 

Instead  of  tr>'ing  to  pool  the  land,  attempts 
should  be  made  to  mtroduce  co-operative  endeavour 
in  the  main  agricultural  operations  like  ploughing, 
weeding,  harvesting.  Co-operative  Societies  may  also 
be  fonned  for  marketing,  purchase  of  seeds,  machi- 
nery and  manures,  etc.  In  other  words,  we  may 
encourage  "Co-operative  Better  Farming"  rather 
thai  "Co-operative  Joint  Farming."  Apart  from 
satisxying  the  land  hunger  of  a  large  number  of 
people,  smaii-ecale  farming  would  also  be  more  pro- 
ductive through  efficient  and  intensive  cultivation  on 
a  family  basis.  It  is  wrong  to  think  that  large-scale 
farming  is  more  economic  and  eflBcient  than  small- 
scale  family  agriculture.  This  view  is  not  a  senti- 
mental or  medisEval  conception;  it  is  based  on  hard 
facts  of  human  nature  and  psychology.  It  is  sup- 
ported by  a  large  number  of  economic  tliinkers  and 
is  based  on  practical  experience. 

"One  of  the  immediate  needs  of  the  country," 
observes  Prof.  C.  N.  Vakil  in  his  Planning  for  a 
ShoHage  Economy,  "is  to  hasten  the  pace  of  land 
redistribution.  Whatever  be     the    TOftxvti^  ^1  W'^-- 

scale  07ftv^T^\v\v  o\  tn^^WV  vdi  '^  x^^^-'^seK^^^^^r^^vV^'^ 


196 


THE  MODERN  REVIEW  FOR  MARCH,  1953 


of  activity,  so  long  as  agriculture  continues  to  be  a 
way  of  life,  rural  opinion  which  is  more  and  more 
becoming  conscious  of  the  reforms  introduced  in 
other  countries  .  .  .  will  never  tolerate  any  piece 
of  land  reform  which  does  not  think  in  terms  of 
redistribution  of  land  and  the  splitting  up  of  large- 
sifed  holdings." 

Sir  Malcolm  Darling  in  a  recent  article  in  the 
Manchester  Guardian  on  Co-operative  Farming  in 
Yugoslavia  observes  that 

'The  experiment  has  not  only  set  peasant 
against  peasant  but  many  peasants  against  the 
State.  Even  crop  yields  in  the  Collective  sector 
dififer  little  from  those  in  the  private  sector."  There 
is  "inefficiency  and  waste,  bureaucratic  methods  and 
internal  conflicts  shirking  and  loafing." 

In  a  recent  publication  entitled  Marx  against  the 
Peasant,  Prof.  Mitrany  points  out  how  in  Eastern 
Europe  small-scale  farms  have  persisted  successfully 
despite  the  Marxian  theory  of  large-scale  agriculture. 
Dr.  Mitrany  also  opines  that  even  where  large-scale 
farming  has  been  successful  commercially  *'it  has 
been  apt  to  prove  -costly  nationally  because  it 
exhausts  the  stored  goodness  of  the  soil."  Practical 
experience  in  farming  has  amply  demonstrated  the 
fact  that  largcHscale  and  mechanised  farming  often 
results  in  increased  productivity  per  man  but  not 
per  acre. 

Mr.  Massingham  in  his  book  The  SnuiU  Farmer 
makea  the  following  categorical  statement : 

"Taking  into  account  human  limitations  and 
other  natural  factors  wealth  per  acre  (both  'input' 
and  'output')  tends  to  move  in  inverse  ratio  to  size 
of  holding."  This  is  mainly  due  to  *'a  persistent  and 
permanent  desire  for  a  life  of  independence  on 
the  land." 

During  my  tour  round  the  world,  I  had  the 
opportunity  of  visiting  the  Japanese  countryside  with 
well  laid-out  small  and  artistic  farms  the  average 
siae  of  whicii  is  only  2.5  acres.  In  China  also  the 
present  Communist  Government  has  started  by  first 
fragmenting  bigger  plots  of  land  into  smaller  pieces 
for  being  distributed  to  the  actual  tillers  of  the  soil. 
The  State  has  sunk  thousands  of  surface  wells  in 
order  to  provide  better  irrigational  facilities  to  the 
cultivators.  It  is  through  intensive  cultivation  and 
almost  "hand-farming"  that  China  and  Japan  are  able 
to  produce  about  two  to  three  times  the  Indian  yield 
per  acre. 

There  is  large-scale  farming  in  the  U.S.A.  and 
the  U.S.S.R.  because  their  proportion  of  land  to  the 
population  is  very  different  from  that  obtaining  in 
Europe,  China,  Japan  and  India.  They  cannot  but 
organise  large-scale  and  mechanised  « farming  because 
labour  is  very  scarce  and  land  is  very  extensive.  Even 
in  the  U.S.A.,  however,  where  only  18  per  cent  of 
the  total  population  is  at  present  engaged  in  agricul- 
/ZOT^  ^Iiere  is  a  growmg  tendency  towards  smaller- 
^a/e  farmiDg  because  &  l&rger  mimher  of  people  now 


desire  to  settle  on  land  and  live  in  "garden  cities"  in 
the  countryside. 

In  the  U.S.S.R.,  which  is  the  home  of  Collective 
Farming,  there  was  very  severe  resistance  to  collec- 
tivisation by  the  farmers.  Doreen  Warriner  in  hia 
Revolution  in  Eastern  Europe  tells  us  how  "the 
Soviet  experience  was  a  grim  lesson": 

"Collectivisation  brought  two  years  of  famine 
and  an  immenee  slaughter  of  livestock  which  it  took 
ten  years  to  make  good." 

Despite  the  Kolkhoz    (collective  farm)   in  Russia, 

every  worker     on  a     big     farm     is     allowed  a  small 

holding  sufficient  for  his  needs  varying  from  a  half  to 

two-and-a-half  acres. 

On  these  small  farms,  the  Russian  peasants  work 
hard  with  the  sweat  of  their  brow  to  produce  for  the 
needs  of  their  families.  As  the  author  of  The  Land 
and  the  Peasant  in  Rumania  states,  the  fact  of  the 
matter  is  that  "the  fonn  of  intensifying  production 
has  proved  to  bring  in  returns  which,  for  a  number 
of  rtasons,  diminish  in  the  proportion  in  which  the 
size   of   the   agricultural   undertaking    increases." 

"Protagonists  of  large-scale  farming,"  obeerves 
Charan  Sinp;h,  Revenue  Minister,  Uttar  Pradesh, 
"love  to  think  that  a  plot  of  four  acres  while 
added  to  another  of  four  acres  will  yield  a  pro- 
duce not  equivalent  to  that  which  one  single  plot 
of  eight  acres  would  do,  but  something  higher. 
This  conclusion  may  be  true  of  manufacturing 
industry,  but  not  of  agriculture." 

As  I  have  indicated  earlier,  this  does  not  mean, 
however,  that  there  should  be  no  scope  for  co- 
operation in  such  small-scale  farming.  On  the  con- 
trary, mutual  aid  and  co-operation  among  smaU- 
scale  farmers  for  various  agricultural  processes  is  of 
vital  importance.  Short  of  collectivising  their  land, 
they  can  help  one  another  in  ploughing  operations,  in 
weeding,  harvesting,  marketing,  purchase  of  essential 
commodities  both  for  consumption  and  production. 
There  could  be  ample  scope  for  co-operative  banking 
and  credit,  mutual  insurance  against  loss  of  cattle  or 
loss  by  drought  or  excessive  rain,  co-operative  irriga- 
tion and  drainage,  co-operative  dairying  and  stock- 
raising,  crop-planning  by  the  village  community,  etc. 
Co-operative  consolidation  of  holdings  in  the  case  of 
very  small  and  uneconomic  plots  could  also  be 
practised. 

In  order  to  relieve  unemployment  among  the 
landless  labour  and  satisfy  the  legitimate  hunger  for 
land,  it  is,  therefore,  imperative  to  imdertake  re- 
distribution of  land  on  a  very  wide  scale.  Vinoba's 
"Bhoomidan"  movement  is  creating  the  necesBaiy 
atmosphere  for  the  transfer  of  land  from  the  rich  to 
the  poor  almost  without  any  compensation  and  with 
good-will  and  sympathy.  Such  an  atmosphere  of 
peaceful  redistribution  of  land  could  alone  save  the 
country  from  a  bloody  revolution  which  the  Com- 
muiu$)ls  we  only  too  ready  to  precipitate. 


SttAltfi!l£KT 


iW 


tberefore,  regard  Actiai^a  Vinoba's  'Tagna"  as 
ramount  significance  in  solving  one  of  the  most 
It  problems  facing  not  only  India  but  the  whole 

The  Achaiya  has  been  eminently  successful  in 
ring  the  seeds  of  a  bloodless  revolution  over  the 
tracts  of  India.  We  may  not  fully  realise  the 
ise  potentialities  of     the     "Bhoomidan''  move- 


ment at  this  stage.  But  t  have  no  manner  of  doubt 
that  Vinoba's  Land  Movement  will  go  down  in 
lustoxy  as  one  of  the  most  potent  landmarks  in  the 
titanic  struggle  of  the  good  with  evil,  of  non«> 
violence  with  violence  and  of  the  forces  of  peaceful 
construction  with  the  frensy  of  hatred  and  destnio^ 
tion. 


:0:- 


SHARERENT 

A  Problem  in 


CoBt 


Bt  D.  C.  BISWAS,  MA., 
Economic  Research  Section,  Indian  Central  Jute     Committee 


j>  share  rent  form  part  of  agricultural  cost,  or 
is  the  same  thing,  should  share-cropper's  cost  of 
Gktion  be  regarded  as  something  different  from 
3f  owner-cultivator  7  The  question  has  of  late 
agitating  the  minds  of  agricultural  cost  analysts 
rch  as  of  others  who  are  vitally  interested  in  the 
:t.  It  is,  no  doubt,  a  tangled  problem  of  some 
sal  importance  and  requires  immediate  solution 
able  to  all  interests.  The  question  has,  of  course, 
mooted  from  different  angles  but  no  agreement 
et  been  reached  as  to  its  final  solution.  This 
seeks  to  make  an  appraisal  of  the  different 
;  of  view,^  with  a  critical  evaluation  of  the  com- 
ve  merits  thereof,  from  the  standpoint  of  which 
ae^tion  has  so  far  been  attacked  and  sought  to 
Ived,  to  elucidate  the  real  nature  of  the  problem 
inally  to  suggest  a  solution  keeping  in  view  the 
mic  implications  of  the  barga  ssrstem  and  the 
sts  concerned. 

ne  school  of  thought,  apparently  more  sym- 
tic  with  the  share-cropper,  is  strongly  of  opinion 
the  share-cropper's  cost  significantly  diffei^  from 
)f  the  owner-cultivator  and  ascribes  this  difference 
>  wide  gap  between  the  share-rent  and  cash-rent, 
school  rightly  maintains  that  as  the  average 
tioanl  costs  and  the  3rields  on  the  two  categories 
ire-rented  and  cash-rented  plots  under  similar 
istances  are  more  or  less  equal,  it  must  then  be 
nt  element  that  alone  accounts  for  this  difference. 
L  explanation  of  the  wide  gap  between  share-rent 
ash-rent  this  school  states  that  cash-rent  is  fixed 
omparatively  low  and  becomes  lower  still  when 
tioned  to  the  different  crops  grown  on  the  land 
specific  charge  against  each  crop,  whereas    share- 


rent  in  terms  of  money  is  highly  variable  beioig  th^ 
product  of  the  two  variable  factors,  viz,,  yield  per  acre 
and  price  per  unit  production,  and  becomes  consider- 
ably high  in  years  of  bumper  crop  and  high  market 
price.  This  school  further  argues  that  as  share-croppers 
bonstitute  an  important  section  of  the  farming  com- 
munity their  cost  of  cultivation  ought  to  be  taken  into 
aocoant  in  any  calculation  of  the  average  cost  of  culti- 
vation which  claims  to  be  a  representative  one.  Such 
a  representative  cost  will,  obviously  enough,  be  much 
higher  than  the  one  calculated  on  the  basis  of  the 
owner-cultivators'  costs  alone  and  to  the  exclusion  o^ 
the  share-croppers'  costs -which  include  the  value  of 
the  share  rent  as  one  of  the  items  of  cost.  This  re- 
presentative or  average  cost,  cakulated  on  the  basis 
of  both  share-croppers'  and  owner-cultivators'  costs, 
becomes  inflated  due  to  the  inclusion  of  the  share  rent 
in  cost.  The  extent  of  this  inflation  depends  on  (1)  the 
proportion  of  share-cropped  land  in  the  sample,  (2)  the 
yield  per  acre,  and  (3)  the  market  price  of  the  crop 
grown.  The  representative  cost  is,  therefore,  liable  to 
great  variation  from  year  to  year  not  only  because  of 
variation  in  the  operational  cost  or  in  the  yield  per 
acre  but  also  due  to  variation  in  6har3  rent.  It  may  so 
happen  that  all  these  factors  may  vary  from  yew  to 
year  suchwise  that  their  effects  on  cost  may  be  mutu- 
ally neutralising  each  other  leaving  either  little  or  no 
residaal  effect  on  cost  which,  as  a  result,  may  not  vary 
significantly  from  year  to  year.  It  is  interesting  to 
illustrate  what  have  been  said  above  by  calculating  on 
the  lines  indicated  the  cost  data  on  cultivation  of  jute 
as  collected  by  the  Economic  Research  Section  of  the 
I.C.J.O.  in  the  last  few  years.  Let  ns  turn  to  these 
data  as  given  in  the  following  tables ! 


Tabu  I 


>ortion  of  the  share-rented  land  in  the  sample 

rage  3rield  per  acre  of  both  cash-  and  share-rented 

land  combined 

5  per  majiind  as  received  by  the  sverage  farmer 

«  rent  per  acre  of  share-rented  Isnd 

■all  rent  (cash^  and  share-rent  combined  per  acre) 


1948 

N.A. 

8.19  mds. 
119.30-10 

N.A. 

Bs.  5-10 


1949 
21.8  p.c. 

8.73  mds. 
Rs.  31-7 
R«».  158-1 
Bs.  884 


1950 
35.6  p.c. 

8.43  mds. 
Rs.  34^ 
Rs.  154-2 
Re.  57^6 


1951 
33.6  p.c. 

9.42  mds. 

Rs.  46-12 

Rs.  172-12 

Rs.eM 


N.A.  ss  Not  available. 


.   7U  dUitfmt  tlffM  •tittlBid  ia  this  pi^r  bcvt  b««  pMM  vy  by  i1m  t^llm  Va  ««uifi  A  ^  ^temiakR^  il^  «fi»M!«x 
td  la  lednt/Uf,  tifd»  iai  tigriaamm 

0 


IM 


THE  MODERN  REVIEW  FOR  MARCS,  1953 


In  this  table  are  givea  the  basic  data  on  share-rent, 
WM,,  proportion  of  the  share-rented  land  in  the  sample, 
average  yield  per  acre  of  both  cash-  and  share-rented 
land  combined,  the  average  price  of  the  season  as 
received  by  the  farmers  under  investigation,  and  the 
share-rent  as  calcidated  from  these  data,  for  the  years 
from  1948  to  1951.  The  share-rent  as  shown  in  this 
table  is  the  value  of  half  the  yield  per  acre  of  the 
combined  cash-  and  share-rented  land  (which  is  taken 
because  of  its  close  approximation  to  the  average  yield 
on  the  share-rented  land),  estimated  at  the  average 
price  of  the  season.  The  interesting  point  to  notice 
about  the  data  is  the  fact  that  share-rent  being  half 
the  product  of  the  last  two  variables,  namely,  yield 
per  acre  and  average  price,  as  weighted  by  the  first 
factor — ^proportion  of  the  share-rented  land,  it  (share- 
rent)  does  not  vary  either  in  the  same  proportion  or 
in  the  same  direction  as  these  component  factors  vary, 
the  leason  being  that  all  these  three  factors  vary 
neithei,  as  a  matter  of  fact,  in  the  same  direction  nor 
in  the  same  proportion.  Each  of  them  takes  its  own 
course  independently  of  the  others.  For  instance,  the 
proportion  in  1950  was  though  highest  being  35.6 
per  cent  as  against  21.8  per  cent  in  1949  and  33.6 
per  cent  in  1951,  the  share-rent  was  lowest  being 
Es.  154-2  as  against  Rs.  158-1  in  1949  and  Rs.  172-12 
in  1951.  This  is  accoimted  for  by  the  fact  of  lower 
yield  which  was  only  8.43  mds.  in  1950  as  against 
8.73  mds.  in  1949  and  9.42  mds.  in  1951.  So  also  was 
the  case  with  price  and  yield  in  the  years  1949  and 
1950  when  they  moved  in  mutually  reverse  directions. 
As  compared  to  1949,  though  the  price  in  1950  was 
higher  yet  in  consequence  of  lower  yield  which  was 
8.43  mds.  against  8.73  mds.  in  1949  the  share  rent  in 
1950  was  lower  being  Rs.  154-2  as  against  Rs.  158-1  in 
1949.  The  combined  effect  of  both  higher  price  and 
higher  proportion  was  more  than  counter-balanced  by 
the  fact  of  more  than  proportionate  reduction  in  yield 
rate.  In  1951,  however,  both  yield  and  price  were 
higher  than  in  the  previous  two  years,  and  the  share- 
rent  too  was  consequently  higher  being  Rs.  172-12  as 
against  Rs.  158-1  in  1949  and  Rs.  154-2  in  1950. 

Table  n 

1948  1949  1950  1951 

Es.as.       Rs.as.       Rs.as.       Hs.as. 
Operational  cost 

(for  both  cash- 

&  share-rented 
Cash  rent  per  acre 

plot«)  234    9       195    9       185  10       209    2 

of  cash-rented 

plots  3  11  4  14  3  15  6  14* 

Share  rent  per  acre 

of  share-rented 

plots  N.A. 

Overall  rent  (cash- 

A  share-rent 

combined)  5  10        38   4 


158    1       154   2       172  12 


57    6        62    9 


In  Table  11  have  been  shown  the  operational  c08t» 
rent  per  acre  separately  for  cash-  and  share-rented 
lands  and  the  overall  rent  (share-rent  and  cash-jent 
combined)  per  acre  of  the  total  land  imder  jute  in  the 
sample  (that  is,  both  share-  and  cash-rent  being  added 
together  has  been  uniformly  distributed  over  the  total 
jute  acreage).  One  point  of  interest  in  this  table  is  the 
fact  that  cash-rent  as  compared  to  both  share-rent  and 
overall  rent  is  quite  a  small  amount.  Another  interest- 
ing fact  is  that  even  with  a  higher  share-rent  of 
Rs.  158-1  in  1949  as  compared  to  Rs.  154-2  in  1950, 
tKe  overall  combined  rent  per  acre  in  1949  was  much 
less  being  only  Rs.  38-4  as  against  Rs.  57-^  in  1950, 
which  is  explained  by  the  higher  proportion  of  the 
share-rented  land  in  1950  which  was  35.6  per  cent 
against  21.8  per  cent  in  1949.  Again,  with  a  much 
higher  share  rent  of  Rs.  172-1  in  1951  as  against 
Rs.  154-2  in  1950  this  overall  combined  rent  per  acre 
in  1951  is  not  proportionately  higher  being  only 
Rs.  62-9  as  against  Rs.  57-^  in  the  previous  year;  this 
is  so  because  the  proportion  of  the  share-rented  land 
in  1951  was  less  being  33.6  per  cent  than  in  1950.  The 
proportion,  therefore,  acts  as  the  weightage  for  share 
rent  in  calculation  of  the  overall  average  rent  per  acre. 


1948 
Rs.as. 
In  respect  of — 

1.  Cash-rented 

plots  N.A. 

2.  Share-rented 
plots  N.A. 

3.  ^bare-rented  & 
cash-rented  plots 
<'ombined  (t.e., 
the  Representative 
{Av.   cost)       29    51 

Inflation  of  the 
Representative  Av. 
cost  as  compared 
to  the  cost  in 
respect  of  cash* 
rented  plots      N.A. 

The  Inflation  ex- 
pressed as  a  per- 
centage of  the 
cost  on  the  cash- 
rented  plots       N.A. 

Proportion  of  the 
snare-rented  land 
in  the  sample    N.A. 


Tablb  UI 
Cast  per  mound 


1949 
Rs.as. 


22  13 
35    9 


1950 
Rs.as. 


1951 
Ra- as. 


23    8         22  15 


37    6 


40    8 


26  12 


28  13 


28  14 


3  15 


5    5 


5  15 


17.3%       22.6%        26.0% 


35.6%       33.6% 


J0  inUattd     by       Inchdtm     is  eaih  rmt  of  dM 
«^  Mum^r  P^id  for  Ukiag  had  b 


21.8% 
N.A.=Not  available. 

In  this  table  are  given  the  final  cost  per  maund 
of  jute  in  respect  of  (1)  the  cash-rented  land, 
(2)  share-rented  land  and  (3)  combined  cash-rented 
and  share-rented  land.  The  cost  per  maujid  of  the 
third  category  of  land  is  what  is  called  the  representa- 
tive cost  or  cost  of  the  average  farmer  in  the  sample. 
It  will  be  seen  that  this  cost  does  not  vary  significantly 
from  year  to  year  being  Rs.  29-5  in  1948,  Rs.  26-12  in 
1049,  Rb.  28-13  in  1960  and  Rs,  28-14  in  1951.  Af  com- 


SHARE  RENT 


^99 


pared  to  the  cost  per  mauiul  in  respect  of  the  first 
category  of  land  this  representative  cost  is  much  higher 
in  all  these  years  being  inflated  by  the  inclusion  of  the 
share  rent  in  this  cost.  This  inflation  is  Rs.  3-15  or 
17.3  per  cent  in  1949,  Rs.  5^  or  22.6  per  cent  in  1950, 
Bfl.  5-15  or  20.0  per  cent  in  1951. 

It  has,  therefore,  been  quite  evident  from  the 
above  tables  that  inclusion  of  share  rent  in  the  share- 
cropper's cost  causes  a  great  inflation  in  the  cost  of 
the  average  farmer  in  the  sample  which  consists  of 
both  owner-cultivators  and  share-croppers.  Any  esti- 
mate thus  made  of  the  representative  cost  for  the 
country  as  a  whole  from  sample  results  is  bound  to 
be  similarly  inflated. 

Another  school,  representing  mostly  administrators 
and  industrialists,  is  rather  astonished  to  find  such  a 
high  figure  for  rent  which,  if  included  in  the  average 
farmer's  cost,  will  inflate  the  average  cost  in  the  case 
of  jute  cultivation  (as  shown  in  Table  III)  by  17.3 
tper  cent  in  1949,  22.6  per  cent  in  1950  and  26.0 
per  cent  in  1951  as  compared  to  the  owner  cultivator's 
coat  alone.  This  school  appears  to  be  worried  over  this 
iflBue  and  find  itself  unable  to  accept  such  a  highly 
inflated  cost.  Their  simple  contention  is  that  if  share 
rent  be  responsible  for  this  inflation  of  cost,  either 
share-rent  is  not  an  element  of  cost  and  is  wrongly 
included  in  it  or  there  must  be  some  flaw  in  the  entire 
theoretical  concept  underlying  the  particular  system 
of  calculating  agricultural  cost  which  in  consequence 
becomes  so  absurdly  high  as  to  rouse  suspicion  about 
its  reliability.  This  school  of  thought  does  not  appear 
to  hold  well-defined  views  as  to  the  economic  signi- 
ficance of  share  rent  which  is  quite  evident  from  their 
failure  to  offer  any  plausible  argument  to  back  up 
their  objection  to  its  inclusion  either  in  the  share- 
cropper's cost  or  in  the  average  farmer's  cost.  They 
have  simply  questioned  this  procedure  of  working  out 
the  sample  average  and  left  it  there.  The  explanation 
which  the  firs*  school  has  offered  for  inclusion  of  the 
share-cropper's  cost  in  working  out  the  sample  average 
is  that  they  constitute  an  important  section  of  the 
farming  community  and  that  theii'  cost  cannot  ^ 
ignored  in  estimating  the  representative  cost.  But  this 
explanation  is  no  answer  to  the  objection  raised  as  to 
the  justifiability  of  considering  share  rent  as  an  item 
of  cost.  If  driven  specifically  to  this  point,  this  school 
may,  perhaps,  say  in  answer  that  the  share-cropper 
pays  a  share  of  the  gross  produce  or  of  the  gross 
receipts  therefrom  to  the  owner  of  the  land  for  its  use 
by  him,  and,  as  such,  is  as  good  an  outgoing  from  his 
granary  as  cash  rent  from  the  owner-cultivator's  purse. 
If  cash-rent  can  be  conceived  of  as  constituting  an 
element  of  cost  there  can  be  no  justifiable  or  adequate 
reason  for  disregarding  share-rent  in  calculation  of 
the  share-cropper's  cost.  This  is  the  only  and  simple 
reason  on  which  this  school  may  take  its  stand  in  its 
advocacy  of  including  ^are-rent  in  cost.  Prima  facie, 
of  course^  this  stand  Appears  to  have  the  force  of  logic 


in  its  favour,  no  doubt ;  but  it  remains  to  be  seen 
how  far  this  view  commends  itself  to  general  accept- 
ance and  accords  with  facts. 

Industrialists  and  other  consumers  of  agricultural 
produce  belonging  to  the  opposing  camp  find  it  difli- 
cult  to  reconcile  themselves  to  this  view  but  are  not 
altogether  imcompromieing  or  un-accommodating  over 
the  issue  though  at  times  it  seems  that  they  would  feel 
much  reUeved  if  the  share-rent  element  of  cost  be 
altogether  ignored  and  totally  eliminated  from  cost. 
They  are  prepared,  however,  to  leave  the  question 
open  for  further  discussion  that  may  help  a  satisfactory 
and  more  logical  formula  to  be  devised  in  Heu  of  the 
share-rent  being  included  in  cost  to  compensate  the 
share-cropper  for  his  payment  of  half  share  of  tho 
gross  produce  before  any  deduction  is  made  on  account 
of  the  cost  he  incurs.  As  a  result,  a  g6od  many  sugges- 
tions and  formulae  are  being  loosely  talked  of  and 
offered  to  meet  the  situation.  It  is  necessary  to 
scrutinise  each  of  these  suggestions  for  clarity  of  under- 
standing and  removal  of  all  confusion  which  is 
camouflaging  the  exact  character  of  the  problem 
before  us.  The  suggestions  are  briefly  summarised  as 
follows : 

1.  Without  the  share  rent  being  included  iii 
cost  half  the  operational  cost  may  be  added  in  lieu 
thereof  to  the  total  operational  cost.  {The  purpoaer 
envisaged  in  this  suggestion  wiU  be  served  if,  ^i 
course,  the  latter  he  smaller  than  the  former.) 

2.  If  share  rent  must  needs  be  included,  then 
the  bargadar's  own  and  his  family  labour  niust  not 
be  charged  at  the  market  rate  of  wages.  Either  his 
own  and  his  family  labour  should  not  be  charged 
at  all  or,  if  charged,  this  should  be  done  at  a  much 
lower  rate  which  is  on  par  with  the  prevailing 
standard  of  living  of  the  average  cultivators  in  the 
locality. 

3.  Share  rent  need  not  be  brought  into  the 
picture  at  all  in  assessing  share-cropper's  economic 
position  from  the  profit  and  loss  account  of  his 
farming  business.  It  will  do  well  to  set ''off  the 
operational  cost  against  his  share  of  the  gross  pro- 
duce for  the  purpose  of  profit  and  loss  account. 

4.  Landlord's  share  should  be  reduced  in  order 
to  effect  reduction  in  the  share-cropper's  cost  of 
cultivation. 

5.  Share  rent  should  be  left  altogether  out  of 
account  in  calculation  of  agricultural  cost. 

Let  us  now  examine  the  implications  of  these 
suggestions  and  see  to  what  extent  they  go  to  answer 
the  specific  question  raised  as  to  the  validity  of  includ- 
ing share  rent  as  an  item  of  cost.  The  first  suggestion 
that  in  lieu  of  share-rent  half  the  operational  cost 
should  be  taken  in  calculation  of  the  share-cropper's 
cost  is  like  a  thumb  rule  judgement  on  a  mooted 
question  when  no  logical  solution  can  be  thought  out, 
is  certainly  no  answer.  There  can  be  no  sense  in  taking 
half  the  operational  cost  over  again  to  represent  the 
share-cropper's  total  cost  of  cultivation.  This  is  simply 
a  patch  work  devised  only  to  make  the  share-cropper's 
cost  less  inflated.  A^^lvcA.ivo^  ^1  >2Mia  ^T^aoe^^  ^^k^ 
make  \ii^  '^AioVa  ^k&n%  Mscrai^.  «A>  '•(iosstste^^'^  '^sasf 


900 


THE  MODERN  REVIEW  FOR  MARCH,  1953 


but  be  suxxunarily  rejected.  As  for  the  second  sugges- 
tion it  can  be  safely  asserted  that  it  does  not  touch 
the  issue  before  us.  Advocates  of  this  view  agree  to 
the  inclusion  of  share  rent  in  cost  provided  the  share- 
cropper's own  labour  as  well  his  family  labour  be 
charged  not  at  the  market  rate  of  wages  but  at  a  much 
lower  rate  which  may  as  they  have  conceded,  be  on 
par  with  the  prevailing  standard  of  living  in  the 
region.  The  purpose  imderlying  this  principle  is  the 
same  as  in  case  of  the  first  one  being  to  keep  inflation 
in  the  share-cropper's  cost  to  the  minimum.  Therefore,  • 
this  is  also  far  wide  of  the  point.  The  third  sug^^tion 
is  made  obviously  to  sidetrack  the  main  issue.  Without 
going  into  the  controversial  procedure  of  including 
share  rent  in  cost  the  advocates  of  this  view  maintain 
that  the  profit  and  loss  account  of  the  share-cropper 
should  be  studi&d  with  reference  to  his  operational  cost 
alone  as  a  set  off  against  the  value  of  his  share  of  the 
gross  produce,  which,  according  to  them,  will  give  a 
real  picture  of  the  share-cropper's  economic  position 
in  so  far  as  his  farming  is  concerned.  Yes,  this  is  quite 
an  acceptable  method  that  can  be  applied  logically  to 
assess  his  economic  position  but  then  what's  about  the 
cost  per  unit  production  from  the  standpoint  of  the 
society  or  of  the  market  7  What  oost  will  then  govern 
value  and  how  to  find  it  7  So,  this  suggestion,  too, 
fails  to  answer  the  specific  question  raised  as  to  how 
cost  of  production,  or  in*  other  words  the  market 
supply  price,  should  be  determined  and  whether  or  not 
share  rent  should  be  included  as  an  elemient  of  oost  in 
the  supply  price  of  the  commodity.  As  for  the  fourth 
suggestion  it  is  amusing  to  find  that  both  the  camps 
can  see  eye  to  eye  as  it  goes  far  to  meet  the  view 
points  of  both.  If  the  land-owner's  share  be  reduced 
to  one-third  the  share  rent  element  of  cost  will  be 
equally  reduced  resulting  in  proportionate  reduction  in 
the  average  farmer's  cost  per  unit  production.  Those 
who^fu^  sympathetic  with-  the  share-cropper  also 
welcome  this  system  because  of  the  larger  riiare  of  the, 
return  it  leaves  to  him  by  way  of  partial  amelioration 
of  his  economic  condition.  Consumers  of  agricultural 
produce  too  are  likely  to  be  agreeable  to  it  because 
of  their  expectation  rightly  or  wrongly  of  a  downward 
trend  in  price  due  to  reduction  in  the  share  rent 
element  of  the  cost  of  cultivation,  if,  of  course,  cost 
be  any  potent  factor  in  determination  of  agrieultural  / 
price  in  India.  But  the  land-owner  will  be  most  hard 
hit  under  this  ssrstem  as  he  will  be  denied  a  substantial 
portion  of  his  legitimate  dues  to  whidi  his  right  as  a 
land-owner  has  long  been  established  by  an  age-old 
custom  having  the  force  of  law.  So  the  arrangement 
envisaged  in  this  suggestion  does  not  touch  the  fringe 
of  the  problem.  It  now  remains  to  be  seen  bow  far  the 
last  suggestion  goes  to  answer  the  question  regarding 
legitimacy  of  treating  share  rent  as  an  item  of  cost. 
The  last  suggestion  is  that  share  rent  should  be  left 
sItQffptber  out  of  Account  id  cakuhtion  of  agricultural 
*««t  no  protagonista  of  this  Weir  liold  emphatically 


that  the  share  of  the  gross  produce  cannot  form  part 
of  cost,  but  with  no  elaborate  process  of  scionAifie 
reasoning  to  back  up  their  stand  that  may  carry  con- 
viction with  others  also.  Perhaps  they  have  a  vague 
idea  that  land-owners  and  share-croppers  have  entered 
into  a  sort  of  partnership  contract  to  raise  a  certain 
crop  from  the  land  on  the  particular  term  of  distri- 
bution of  the  gross  produce  and,  as  such,  each  one's 
share  of  the  produce  cannot  be  a  cost  from  the  oiher^s 
standpoint  as,  for  example,  the  landowner's  share  can- 
not be  included  in  the  cost  of  the  share-cropper  or  the 
share-cropper's  in  the  cost  of  the  land-^wner.  Other- 
wise they  cannot  make  a  bold  suggestion  like  this  and 
emphatically  protest  the  inclusion  of  share-rent  in 
cost.  If  this  presumption  be  true  then  their  stand  is 
really  unassailable.  Let  us  examine  the  logical  as  well 
as  the  factual  basis  of  their  stand.  It  is  better  to  start 
with  the  latter. 

The  ^are-cropping  eystem  or  what  is  known  as 
2»arj7a  or  odhi  in  Bengal,  varman  in  South  India  and 
metayage  in  other  parts  means  a  smt  of  organisational 
arrangement  made  by  an  unwritten  deed  of  partner^ 
ship  between  the  landlord  and  the  share-cropper  for 
cultivation  of  the  former's  land  by  the  latter  on  certain 
terms  which  vary  from  place  to  place  and  sometimei 
from  time  to  time  in  the  same  place.  In  Beoftal,  as  m 
other  States,  it  is  commonly  experienced  that  tlis 
landlord  supplies  land  and  the  bargadar  eultivatee  it 
with  his  resources  of  labour,  livestock,  seed  and 
manure.  The  landlord  keeps  watch  over  the  cultivatiiCHi 
and  comes  to  the  bargadar' s  help  whenever  neceasaxj* 
The  interest  of  either  party  is  the  half  share  of  the 
gross  produce  raised  from  the  land.  There  is  sli^t 
variation  of  this  common  practice  here  and  thero 
depending  as  it  does  on  the  intensity  of  demand  lor 
and  of  supply  of  land  for  cultivation  on  share-cropping 
^stem.  This  system  of  holding  land  on  shares 
"enables  a  man  who  has  next  to  no  capital  of  his  own 
to  obtain  the  use  of  it  at  a  lower  charge  than  he  cookl 
in  any  other  way,  and  to  have  more  freedom  and 
responsibility  than  he  oouM  as  a  hired  labourer ;  and 
thus  the  plan  has  many  of  the  advantages  of  tho  three 
modem  systems  of  cooperation,  profit-sharing,  and 
payment  by  piece-work."* 

It  D^oukl  have  been  worth  our  while  to  go  into  the 
possible  wa3rs  in  which  this  economic  arrangement 
came  into  existence,  but  in  the  absence  of  any  histori- 
cal record  of  the  genesis  of  this  system  one  is  to  rest 
content  with  a  process  of  reasoning  which  starts  from 
effect  to  cause.  The  causes  which  are  at  work  now-a- 
da3rs  can  be  appreciated  by  an  analyms  of  the  factors 
governing  the  supply  of  and  demand  for  such  land. 
The  supply  side  is  represented  by  the  following  cate- 
gories of  land-owners : 

(1)    The   land-owners,     who     were^    originalhr 
cultivators  cultivating  entirely    with  hired  labour, 

^— — ■ '■ .— ^^— ^ 


fflAHSBSaiT 


use 


Lnd  it  to  their  advantage  to  lease  out  land  en 
thare  fiystem. 

2)  With  the  breaking  up  of  the  joint  family 
»roperty  is  parcelled  out  amongst  co-eharers. 
>y  bringing  into  existence  a  number  of  small 
igs  in  place  of  a  big  one.  Each  such  separate 
ig  thus  becomes  imeconomic  for  cultivation  by 
wner  himself  as  a  single  unit  of  enterprise. 
3ver,  the  question  of  expert  supervision  also 
because  all  the  co-sharers  are  not  experts  iu 
iture  and  look  to  other  avocations  elsewhere, 
quently  they  take  advantage  of  the  prevailing 
n  of  leasing  out  land  on  ^ares. 
\)  Widows  and  minors  having  no  guardians 
»k  after  their  properties  lease  out  land  on  this 
a. 

0  With  the  spread  of  higher  education 
j^  the  middle  class  families  most  of  such 
es  have  shifted  to  urban  areas  in  pursuit  of 
d  professions  and  services  leaving  cultivable 
^ith  bargadara  for  cultivation. 

he  demand  side,  we  find  that  demand  mostly 
)m  (1)  landless  labourers  of  some  means  who 
^  to  procure  a  plough  and  a  pair  of  bullocks 
'  purchase  or  on  hire  or  by  some  contractual 
ents  with  land-owners  as  well  as  from  (2) 
Itivators  who  are  in  a  position  to  cultivate 
d  in  addition  to  their  own  more  economically 
existing  resources.  The  demand  is  intensified 
factors  as  (1)  considerations  of  prestige  that 
to  the  statiis  of  a  bargadar  vis-a-vis  that  of  a 
ler  and  to  the  big^r  sise  of  farm  being 
at  least  by  inclusion  of  barga  land  in  the 
tivator's  own  small  holding,  (2)  consideration 
my  of  extending  farm  activities  even  by  in- 
f  barga  land,  and  (3)  increase  in  rural  popu- 
rdly  with  any  aptitude  for  or  training  in  other 
in  agriculture  or  with  any  altomative  avenues 
yment. 

above  analysis  brings  into    clear    relief    the 

ict  that  the  barga    system  ii    essentially    a 

ip  arrangement  which  is  availed  of  by  both 

3r  and  share-cropper  by  their  own  volition 

leer  necessity  and  has  proved  as  efficient    in 

a  as  beneficial  to  the  parties  concerned.*  The 

causes  that  bring  the  parties  together  now- 

form  a  partnership  of  this  kind  for  running 

nt«rprise  in    agriculture  were    &lso    perhaps 

le  for  the  origin  and  evolution  of  the  qrstem 

it.  The  term  of  distribution  as  it  obtains  today 

aps  originally  fixed     upon    some  reasonable 

considerations,     which,     in  course  of  time, 

ot  too  deep  into  the  socio-economic  agrarian 


partaenhip  in  the  bulneM  of  afrienllnre  **is  batt  unxtd 

•jttem  which  hu  never  failed  to  receive  a  good  ihare  of 
agronomlata.   Thia   ia  a  very   ideal   ayatem     ao  iar  aa  oar 

eoneemed.   In   a   conntfy   of   amall   hoMiaga,   ealthmtod   by 

indisent  raiyau  depending   on  private   nioaey>l«nd«n   and 

6«rfa  ayatem  ia  not  only  inevitable  bvt  ako  wholaaome^*' — 

tk0   Lamd   Repeaue    Commltiiom,    B^mgal,    Vol.    I»   p.    2S3. 

iiaettt  by   Sir   Bejoyehaad    Ifahalab   nti-  Mr.   B.    K.    Roy 


QTstem  till  it  became  a  full-fledged  custom.  Though 
the  economic  circumstances,  that  origmally  led  to  the 
fixation  of  half-half  share  system  of  distribution 
between  the  land-owner  and  the  bargadar,  have  greatly 
changed  now-a-days,  yet  the  customary  distribution 
system  has  perisisted  through  ages  though  not 
altogether  unprotested.  But  the  protest  has  been 
engineered  by  interested  politicians  and  is  not  a 
spontaneous  one  from  the  affected  section  of  &e 
agrarian  community.! 

It  is,  therefore,  established  beyond  doubt  that  the 
barga  system  is  a  partnership  arrangement  that  brings 
capital  and  labour  together  in  a  co-operative  joint 
enterprise. 

Now  let  us  pass  on  to  the  economics  of  this  joint 
entrepreneurship  in  the  business  of  agriculture.  The 
land-owner  enters  into  this  partnership  arrangement 
when  he  has  got  good  grounds  to  believe  that  half 
share  of  the  gross  produce  to  which  he  is  entitled  und!>r 
the  system  will  not  be  below  the  net  profit  he 
generallly  earns  from  the  land  when  under  his  own 
cultivation.  The  bargadaaf,  as  the  share-cropper  is 
called  in  Bengal,  ettters  into  the  contract  when  he  can 
reasonably  expect  that  his  half  share  of  the  gross 
produce  will,  at  current  prices,  not  only  cover  all  his 
operational  expenses  including  the  cost  of  his  own  and 
his  family  labour  calculated  either  at  the  market  rate 
of  wages  or  at  the  prevailing  standard  of  living  in  his 
stratum  of  society  in  the  locality  but  also  leave  some 
surplus  to  remunerate  him  for  his  uncertainty  bearing 
and  management.  The  actual  results,  of  course,  may 
deviate  much  from  thia  average  expectation  due  to 
variations  in  circumstances.  Tlie  fundamental  economic 
hjrpothesis  that  underlies  all  such  i)artnerBhip  con- 
tracts in  the  business  of  agriculture  may,  therefore,  be 
enunciated  as  follows  :  The  land-owner's  share  of  the 
gross  produce  under  the  share-cropping  system  is 
expected,  other  things  remaining  same,  to  be  at  least 
equal,  if  not  more,  to  the  net  profit  he  earns  from  the 
land  when  under  his  cultivation  and  the  share- 
cropper's share  will  yield  him  at  least  marginal  remu- 
neration lor  uncertainty-bearing  and  cover  up  aU  his 
management  and  operational  expenses  including  the 
cost  of  his  own  and  his  family  labour  calculated  either 
at  the  market  rate  of  wages  or  at  the  prevailing 
standard  of  living  in  his  stratum  of  society  according 
as  the  diare-cropper  happened  originally  to  be  a  land- 
less labour  or  an  owner-cultivator  prior  to  this  arrange- 
ment.  That  is  to  say,  other  things  remaining  constant, 
if  the  land-owner's  expectation  does  not  come  true  he 
may  perhaps  elect  ei^er  to  bring  back  Hie  land  under 
his  own  cultivation  or  to  change  hand  simp^;  so  also 


f  laMmllnmnm  of  tho  Baiiadara  Aet  ia  Wm  B«i«Bl  la  •» 
•lo^MBt  taatiaieay  to  tUa  fact.  It  eodd  not  bring  abont  any  olt«r- 
atioB,  vAataoever,  in  the  enatonary  ayatem  of  diatrlbatioB  of  tho 
ffOM  otttpnt  ao  itr  bel«reea  tho  laad-owanr  and  the  ftorgodar^  thoac^ 
It  aodo  tm  alAwilt  vivMoa  Wt  «^a!ttaOA»  iiaMQDMeMa.  m. 
ol  c«li  to  4mII  ilbi  M-edani 


«tt  , 


THE  MODERN  REVIi!W  FOR  MARCH,  1958 


the  share-cropper,  if  ori^nally  a  landless  labourer,  finds 
that  his  share  leaves  no  surplus  over  cost  and  accounts, 
on  the  contrary,  for  a  lower  level  of  remuneration  for 
his  labour  than  at  the  market  rate  of  wages  he  may 
prefer  to  revert  to  his  former  status  of  a  hired  labourer. 
In  actual  practice,  however,  this  change-over  does  not 
take  place  so  quickly  or  at  all,  as  other  factors,  viz., 
question  of  prestige,  etc.,  intervene  and  keep  him 
going  as  a  share-cropper.  But  the  case  of  a  share- 
cropper who  is  also  partly  an  owner-cultivator  is  a  bit 
different.  He  may  still  find  it  convenient,  however,  to 
continue  this  practice  of  share-cropping  as  a  matter  of 
self-sufficiency  or  as  a  family  farming  proposition 
rather  than  commercial  farming,  even  though  it  may 
prove  systematically  unremunerative  according  to 
commercial  principles. 

Appendix 

The  economic  h3T)0thesis  as  enunciated  above     is 
presented  in  an  alg^raical  form  : 
Let  A  denote  the  acreage. 

c      „       the  operational  cost  per  acre     (c^    is 
assumed  to  be  the  same  whether  ft  is 
the   land-owner   or     the   share-cropper 
who  cultivates  the  land), 
y      „       the  yield  per  acre, 
p      „        the  price  per  unit  production. 
Then  Ac=the  total  cost  (mcluding,  of  course,  the  cost 
of  management). 
Ay = the  total  output. 
Ayp=the   total  gross  receipts. 
When  the  land-owner  himself  ciitivates, 

his   net   profit=Ayp— Ac,    or 

=  X  (say) 

:0 


Under  the  barga  eystem, 
the  land-owner's  share  = 


Ayp 


the  share-<^?opper'8  share  = 


Ayp 
.2 


The  land-owner's  expectation  is  that 


Ayp 


will  E 


less  than  Ayp— Ac,  or  x. 
not  more. 


Ayp 


must  be  = 


The  share-cropper's  expectation  is  that 


Ayp 


some  surplus  as  a  reward  for  uncertainty-b 
It  is  to  the  interest  of  the  share-cropper  to 
only  so  much  capital  and  labour  as  will  giv 
returns  more  than  twice  enough   (i.e.,  mor^ 

2Ac)  to  repay  himself.  CJost  of  production  = 

Ac 


and  supply  price  = 


Ay 


-f  some  profit. 


If  share-rent  be  included  in  the  cost  then 
Ayp 

Ac  H =  the  total  cost  of  the  share-cr 

2 
And  the    supply     price     (or     cost     of  •  p 

Ayp 

Ac  H 

tion)  =  2 

(-f-  some  profit). 

Ay 


THE  DOLLAR  TANGLE 

By  ARUN  COOMAR  GHOSH 


The  much-discussed  topic  of  the  day  in  economics  is 
the  problem  of  dollar  shortage.  Since  the  advent  of  the 
U.S.A.  as  a  first  class  creditor  nation  in  the  commercial 
world  dollar  has  taken  the  place  of  gold,  and  one  who 
can  secure  a  handful  of  dollars  now-a-days  can  send  his 
purchase  orders  to  any  part  of  the  globe  urithout 
worrying  about  the  availability  of  the  foreign  exchange 
because  his  dollars  will  be  in  demand  everywhere.  This 
unique  postion  of  dollars  in  the  world  of  to-day  has  placed 
the  U.S.A.  in  a  position  of  vantage  over  other  nations  and 
has  given  her  a  istatus  equal  to  that  enjoyed  by  Great 
Britain  in  the  19th  century.  But  it  has  worked  equally 
to  the  disadvantage  of  the  debtor  countries  who  have 
to  depend  upon  Americani  imports.  These  countries 
find  it  a  hard  job  to  secure  the  necessary  foreign  ex- 
change in  dollars  to  pay  for  their  imports,  and  are  thus 
compelled  under  the  force  of  circumstances  to 
restrict  their  imports.  The  only  other  way^  in  which 
they  can  solve  the  problem  is  to  increase  their  exports 
A^  tAff  dollar  area  thereby  addinfi(  to  their  doUai: 
earnings.      But   tbia  poUcy  can      tucceed   only   if   the 


ceditor  countries  like  the  U.S.A.  agree  to  import 
which  the  latter  hardly  doi  lest  greater  imports 
harm  their  indigenous  industry  and  trade.  This 
sighted  policy  on  the  part  of  the  creditor  natioii 
contributed  no  less  to  the  scarcity  of  dollars  and  ht 
responsible  for  placing  undue  barriers  to  the  smoot 
of  international  trade  and  commerce.  In  the  fol 
paragraphs  an  attempt  has  been  made  to  analy) 
problem  of  foreign  exchange  in  its  historical  set 
as  it  arose  both  under  the  Gold  Standard  and 
and  a  way  has  been  suggested  as  to  how  to  get  i 
the  difficulty. 

Objective  of  Monetary  Pouct 
During  the  19th  century  it  was  thought  thi 
objective  of  monetary  policy  was  the  attainment  * 
stability  of  exchange  because  it  helped  to  promo 
development  of  trade  and  commerce  between  n 
and  the  Gold  Standard  under  which  the  value  of  tt 
of  national  currency  is  fixed  inj  tepns  of  go! 
univeiBally  respected  because  it  guaranteed  en 
»\i!b\UVf ,   ^ux.  aivec  >d[yb  ^vs  q1  1914-18  it 


-fflfi  iOtiAil  f AtJOLfi 


^ 


ttiat  exchange  stalnlity  was  the  sole  objectiye, 
yer  ideas  were  gaining  cuirency.  Price  stability, 
'  of  income,  production  and  employment  were 
g  men's  minds.  This  change  ia  outlook  waq 
le  in  the  altered  cricumstances  in  the  post-wai 
Due  to  the  growing  strength  of  trade  unions  wage 
»a  was  not  so  easy  as  it  was  before  the  war.  Aa 
:  of  the  growing  stickiness  of  the  wage  element 
itidty  of  the  cost  structure  which  made  possible 
)Oth  functioning  of  the  Gold  Standard  in  the  19tb 

was  gone. 

ides  the  changes  in  the  objective  factors,  there 
n  equally  important  and  vital  change  on  the 
ve  side.  The  question  of  exchange  stability 
n  all  previous  monetary  discussions  held  the 
)f  the  stage  was  now  relegated  to  a  subordinate 
It  was  now  thought  that  the  question  of 
'  of  national  income,  production  and  employment 
far  greater  importance  from  the  point  of  view  of 
s  interests  as  a  whole  than  exchange  stability 
benefited  only  those  engaged  in  import  and  export 
(.  The  breakdown  of  the  Gold  Standard  in 
L  and  the  terrible  depression  that  overtook  the 
n  the  1930's  confirmed  men's  doubts  about  the 
ity  of  the  Gold  Standard  and  led  to  the  search 
ew  formula.  The  enormous  wastage,  and  loss  of 
[  income  due  to  idle  man-power  and     equipment 

by  the  Great  Depression  imparted  a  new 
ace  to  the  phenomenon  of  trade  cycle,  and  turned 
linds  towards  devising  ways  and  means  to  control 

The  Mode  of  Settling  Inter-national 
Indebtedness  under  the  Gold  Standard 
der  the  Gold  Standard  the  value  of  the  national 
Y  was  fixed  in  terms  of  gold,  and  the  Centra] 
ras  under  the  obligation  to  sell  and  purchase 
this  fixed  rate.  A  net  surplus  or  deficit  in  the 
of  payment  of  a  country  was  settled  by  shipment 
The  shortcoming  of  the  system  was  that  when 
itry's  balance  of  payment  continued  to  be 
rable  for  a  number  of  years,  there  was  a 
)us  outflow  of  gold,  and  the  deficit  country  was 
rith  the  danger  of  exhaustion  of  its  gold  reserves, 
rd  againt  such  a  possibility  certain  rules  of  the 
rere  framed.  The  rule  of  the  Gold  Standard  game 
it  when  gold  flowed  out  of  a  country,  goods  would 
after  it  an^  bring  the  gold  back  again.  In  the 
from  which  there  was  an  efflux  of  gold  the  deficil 
balance  of  payment  was  corrected  by  screwing  up 
ik  rate.  A  stringency  in  the  money  market  waf 
to  force  dovm  prices  and  thus  to  secure  an  excesf 
rts  over  imports.  The  opposite  policy  was  followed 
country  where  there  was!  an  influx  of  gold.  In 
f  a  deficif  country  was^  saved  from  gold  exhaustion, 
5  problem  of  foreign  exchange  was  solved.  Ai 
ae  of  national  currency  .was  pegged!  to  gold,  the 
also  gave  stability  of  exchange.  But  it  did  not 
kf  t  cooBtry  ftiibUitf  of  yriee,  pipduottai  uA 


employment  within  the  domestia  sphere  and  as  such  it 
was  abandoned.  In  order  to  maintain  the  rigid  gold 
parity  the  Central  Bank  could  not  follow  a  monetary 
policy  according  to  the  internal  needs  of  the  country. 
Thus  when  there  was  an  outflow  of  gold  depression  would 
be  forced  down  upon,  the  country  to  stop  the  drain  of 
gold,  and  when  gold  flowed  into  a  country  prosperity  would 
be  a  compelling  necessity  to  be  brought  about  by  easy 
money  conditions  although  such  a  policy  might  lead  to 
an  unhealthy  boom  and  spell  disaster  to  the  internal 
economy.  This  policy  proved  successful  in  the  19th; 
century  because  of  the  flexibility  of  the  wage-cost 
structure  which  made  possible  smooth  adjustment  and 
did  not  lead  to  wide-spread  unemployment.  But  after  the 
War  of  1914-18  due  to  the  strengthening  of  the  position 
of  trade  unions  wages  proved  to  be  rigid  as  a  result  of 
which  maladjustment  was  created  between  cost  and  price 
structure  by  a  deflationery  policy  leading  to  depression 
and  unemployment.  To  maintain  the  level  of  production 
and  employment  it  was  necessary  to  keep  the  volume  ol 
spending  and  investment  on  a  high  keel  and  create  easy 
money  conditions  in  the  market,  but  this  was  not  possible 
when  there  was  an  efflux  of  gold  since  it  meant  ai^ 
infringement  of  the  code  of  behaviour  prescribed  under 
the  Gold. Standard. 

To  escape  from  this  dilemma  countries  under  the 
Gold  Standard  had  to  adopt  escapist  devices,  such  as  off- 
setting and  sterilisation  policy.  A  country  with  a 
favourable  balance  of  trade  had  to  sterilise  the  gold 
flowing  into  it  to  prevent  it  from  producing  an 
inflationary  effect  on  prices.  Similarly,  a  country  suffering 
from  an  unfavonrable  balance  of  trade  had  to  follow  an 
off-setting  policy  to  prevent  the  outflow  from  producing 
a  deflationary  effect  on  prices,  production  and  employ- 
ment. Thus  in  the  post-war  period  the  philosophy  of 
the  Gold  Standard  was  undergoing  a  striking  change, 
and  this  was  inevitable  in  the  light  of  the  difficulties 
experienced  in  working  the  standard  smoothly.  Great 
Britain  returned  to  the  Gold  Standard  in  1925,  but  had 
to  abandon  it  soon  to  save  the  country  from  gold 
bankruptcy,  and  other  countries  in  the  gold  block  had 
to  follow  suit.  Since  thenj  there  has  been  a  definite 
swing  in  favour  of  a  policy  of  maintaining  internal 
economic  stability.  It  was  found  that  a  rigid  parity  as 
prescribed  under  the  Gold  Standard  would  no  longei 
meet  the  requirements  of  the  changed  worM,  and  that 
a  new  monetary  policy  would  be  necessary  for  any 
world.  It  was  pointed  out  long  before  by  the  late  Lord 
Keynes  that  a  more  flexible  mechanism  in  which  there 
would  be  some  place  for  the  deserted  shrine  of  the  Gold 
Standard  should  be  devised  to  impart  elasticity  to  ouz 
monetary  system. 

The  Bretton  Woods  Agreement  and  the 
elstabushment  of  the  i.  m.  f. 

On  the  termination  of  the  World  War  II  a  conference 
was  held  at  the  Bretton  Woods  to  find  a  new  formula  in 
place  of  the  old  Gold  Standard  which  would  secure 
exchm^o  stability,  «a&  «X  >i[kft  usia^  ^cco^  liS^^  ^g&<aiitn>\ 


m 


fSfi  MOCfifiti  ftfiVlfiW  f OR  MAftCfl,'  im 


autonomy  to  each  country  to  follow  a  monetary  and 
fiscal  policy  that  vrould  promote  stability  of  price, 
production  and  employment  in  the  domestic  sector.  As 
A  result  of  the  Bretton  Woods  Agreement  the  I.  M.  F. 
was  formed  by  the  United  Nations  in  1944,  and  started 
operations  in  1946.  Each  country  becoming  a  membei 
of  the  I.  M.  F.  was  given  the  option  to  adopt  a  defacto 
parity  linking  the  value  of  its  national  currency  to 
dollar.  The  parity  could  be  changed  within  certain 
limits  to  remove  a  permanent^  disequilibrium  in  the 
balance  of  payment,  and  the  I.  M.  F.  undertook  the 
responsibility  to  supply  scarce  currency  to  a  country  to 
enable  it  to  tide  over  a  temporary  deficit  in  the  balance 
of  payment. 

Although  the  disadvantage  under  the  old  Gold 
Standard  arising  from  an  unalterable  parity  has  been 
removed  and  some  flexibility  has  been  introduced  into 
the  system,  the  old  difficulty  remains,  namely,  if  a  debtoi 
country  continues  to  have  unfavourable  balance  of  trade 
for  years  and  devaluation  does  not  improve  its  balance 
of  payment,  the  I.  M.  F.  will  be  faced  with  the  problem 
of  supplying  scarce  currency  urithout  limit  which  it  can- 
not do.  To  prevent  such  q/  contingency  the  deficit 
country  will  be  required  to  take  measures  to  restrict  its 
imports.  England,  for  example,  has  been  continually 
suffering  from  the  problem  of  chronic  dollar  shortage,  and 
the  adoption  of  anti-inflationary  and  austerity  measures 
has,  to  some  extent,  ieased  the  situation.  Since  the 
inauguration  of  the  I.  M.  F.  much  hope  was  entertained 
that  the  problem  of  securing  exchange  stability  and 
stabifity  of  employment  and  income  would  be  satisfactorily 
solved.  Unfortunately,  however,  that  hope  has  not  been 
fulfilled.  Making  a  critical  survey  of  the  world  economic 
situation,  the  seventh  annual  report  of  the  I.  M.  F. 
states : 

"It  is  a  melancholy  fact  that  seven  years  after  the 
end  of  the  war  there  has  been  little  secure  or  sustained 
progress  towards  multilateral  trade  and  convertibility." 

The  FAtTORs  Responsible  for  Dollar  Shortacb 

It  is,  therefore,  necessary  to  go  deeper  into  the 
problem  to  see  what  is  the  cause  of  the  malaise  and  how 
to  cure  it. 

The  War  left  a  legacy  of  inflation  in  all  countries 
and  an  ceonomy  completely  shattered  by  its  ruthless 
ahocks  in  the  war-devastated  regions.  Because  of  the 
(tenible  wreck  caused  by  the  destruction  of  War  the 
(Countries  directly  aflj^cted  found  their  productive 
machinery  completely  out  of  gear,  and-  had  to  import 
machineries  and  other  productive  equipment  as  also  f  ood- 
BtuHs  from  the  less  affected  countries  like  the  U.  S.  A. 
which  caused  a  heavy  deficit  in  their  balance  of  payment. 
As  a  result  of  this  these  countries  have  become  debtoi 
countries,  and  the  settlement  of  the  adverse  balance  has 
presented  an  acute  problem. 

A  second  factor  that  has  contributed  to  dollar 
€ieiScMeacy  is  the  policy  of  deficit  financing  pursued  i9 
^  Muuaber  of  comtricB.    Jt  t§  m  profdd  hct  that  there 


is  a  danger  of  potential  inflation!  in  a  policy  ol  deficit 
financing  beyond  a  certain  degree.  Such  a  policy  mar 
be  a  boon  in  a  depressed  economy,  but  not  so  when  the 
economy  is  passing  through  a  phase  of  inflation.  So  the 
policy  of  deficit  financing  is  to  be  proceeded  with  in  a  spirit 
of  caution  so  that  it  may  not  aggravate  an  already  infla- 
tionary situation.  How  to  effect  cuts  in  the  ^nme  of 
community  spending  on  consumption  and  iavestment  to 
^top  the  inflationary  gap  is'  to-day  the  essential  anti- 
inflationary  problem. 

Thirdly,  the  problem  of  dollar  shortage  has  been 
aggravated  *by  the  propensity  tovrards  international 
hoarding  on  the  part  of  the  creditor  nations  of  the  worid 
and  the  placing  of  barriers  to  international  trade.  Thus 
the  seventh  report  of  the  I.  M.  F.  states  that : 

"FVoteclive  policies  manitained  in  the  United 
States  despite  its  great  competitive  power  also 
continues  to  embarrass  other  countries,"  and  expresses 
its  earnest  convicition  that  *'all  countries  in  a  strong 
balance  of  payment  position  should  take  all  practicablie 
means  of  reducing  barriers  to  international  trmde.** 

The  most  potent  cause  of  declining  income,  production 
and  employment  in  a  country  is  the  lack  of  adequate 
spending  by  the  community  on  consumption  and  investment 
which  ensures  an  effective  demand  for  goods  and  aervioe. 
Hoarding  of  one's  income  is  to-day  treated  aa  an  anti- 
social act  in  a  depressed  economy  because  it  produces  a 
deflationary  effect  on  prices  and  production.  The  same 
principle  also  holds  good  in  the  international  sphere.  As 
in  the  domestic  sphere  hoarding  deprives  somebody  of 
his  income  inasmuch  as  the  part  of  the  income  now 
saved,  if  expended,  on  consumption  or  investment  would 
have  gone  to  somebody's  pocket  and  augmented  his 
income,  so  also  in  the  international  sector  hoarding  by 
the  creditor  nations  (i.e.,  accumulation  of  their  credit 
balances  brought  about  by  an  excess  of  export  ovei 
import)  depresses  the  economy  of  the  debtor  countries. 
If  the  creditor  countries  like  the  U.  S.i  A.  liberalise 
their  policy  in  regard  to  purchase  and  impiyrtatioa  ol 
goods  fromi  other  countries,  it  will  give  stimnltts  to  the 
industries  in  these  countries  which  ynJi  export  the  goods. 
The  debtor  countriesi  thus 'will  have,  inofeaaed  dollar 
earnings,  and  the  problem  of  dollar  shortage  will  not 
appear  in  its  present  acute  form.  Prof.  Dudley.  QiDard  in 
his  recent  book  The  Economics  of  /.  M,  Key»€$  writes 
thus : 

^*The  failure  of  strong  exporting  unioDs,  cjq., 
U.  S.  A.  to  make  use  of  its  balance  represents  a 
fall  in  effective  demand  in  world  trade.  It  repcesenta 
sales  which  are  not  followed  by  purchases.**' 

The  I.  C.  U.  Plan 
To  mitigate  the  international  hoarding  Keynes 
suggested  his  International  Clearing  Union  Plan  which 
was  not  accepted  at  the  Bretton  Woods  Confevence. 
Under  the  I.  C.  U.  Flan  the  pounds  paid  hy  British 
Iniyers  of  American  cotton  would  be  converted  into  an 
international  form  of  'maney  known  as  IBancor^'  and 
cceditttd  to  tbo  accQunt  of    U.S.A.  wfaieh  oodd  Ita 


A   c/ass  of  traiaees  in    the   Arli'aia   Workshop   at    tlie    Machinc-Tool      Prototype      Factoiy     &t 
Ambarnath,  neaT  Bombay 


INDIA  AND  TIBET 


205 


spend  it  for  gooda  and  services  anywhere  in  the  worlds 
Every  nation  would  have  an  account  in  bancor  which 
would  be  debited  or  credited  whenever  purchasea  or  sales 
were  made  in  international  trade.  Keynes  belived  that 
one  of  the  spectacular  features  of  his  plan  was  its 
attempt  to  prevent  international  hoarding,  to  liberate  in 
the  international  field  the  efEective  demand  whicb  tended 
to  get  froien  in  buried  gold.     As  Prof.  Dillard  writes : 

'^nder  the  L  C.  U.  Plan  a  nation  exporting  more 
goods  and  services  than  its  imports  could  use  its  balance 
<m]y  to  pniehase  goods  from  some  other  countries.  Its 
balance  could  not  be  converted  into  gold  for  hoarding. 
Nations  which  sold  and  refused  to  buy  would  find 
themselves  with  growing  idle  balances  of  bancor 
which  they  could  not  withdraw  or  convert  into  gold 
under  the  rules  of  the  I.    C.    U.      They  would   be 


exposed  to  the  world  and  to  themselves  as  guilty 
for  anti-social  behaviour  and  as  breaking  the  ruled 
of  the  road." 

To  relieve  the  situation  the  necessity  for  a  more 
liberal  policy  in  regard  to  imports  on  the  part  of  the 
creditor  countries  has  becomes  imperative.  AJl  import 
restrictions,  tariffs,  quotas  and  other  restrictive  measures 
which  h^per  the  free  flow  of  international  trade  should 
be  removed,  and  a  more  liberal*  investment  policy  in 
under-developed  and  debtor  countries  should  be  followed. 
This  is  the  only  way  to  avoid  the  depression  that  would 
othervrise  make  its  appearance  even  in  the  creditor 
countries  as  a  sequel  to  9  policy  of  import  restriction, 
and  would  ultimately  result  in^  a^  sizeable  diminution  in 
the  volume  of  international  trade. 


:0 


INDIA  AND  TIBET 


/  J 


By  Pfeop.  N.  E.  ROY,  Visva-BharaU 


Beyond  the  snow-covered  Himalayan  ranges  lies  the 
mysteriouB  land  of  Tibet,  with  a  strange  people  living 
a  sheltered  existence  in  desolate  wastes  and  blooming 
valleys,  swept  by  icy  virinds  in  most  parts  of  the  year. 

The  first  important  fact  about  it  is  that  it  is  unlike 
any  other  country  in  the  world.  It  is  governed  by  a 
theocracy,  a  God-king,  or  Chen-ri-zi,  the  Tibetan  counter- 
part of  the  Indian  Buddha,  incarnated  in  the  person  oi 
the  Dalai  Lama.  In  the  natural  course  of  human  evolu- 
tion, the  rule  of  the  heavenly  Vice-gerent  has  ceased  to 
exist  4dl  over  the  globe.  The  Caliphate  is  no  more;  the 
Pope  exists,  but  his  authority  is  limited  to  the  Vatican. 
But  here  lit  Tibet,  the  Dalai  Lama'»  authority  is  co- 
existent with  the  whole  of  this  mountain-state  and  he 
conducts  the  government  by  a  bureaucracy,  composed 
mainly  of  numks. 

The  monk  is  the  indispensable  guide,  friend  and 
philosopher  of  the  Tibetan  common  man.  He  inscribes 
the  formula  of  prayer  on  the  prayer-wheels,  flags, 
chortens  and  mendangs  and  also  performs  the  routine 
duties  done  by  the  priests  all  the  world  over,  casting 
horoscopes,  fixing  the  days  for  journey  and  protecting 
him  from  the  genii,  evil  spirits  and  furies.  Hence  monks 
form  the  most  powerful  institution  in  the  land.  The 
three  monasteries  around  Lhasa,  Ganden,  Sera  and 
Depung  contain  twenty  thousand  monks  and  surpass  in 
weahh  and  influence  any  of  the  medieval  monasteries  of 
Europe.  In  192D  they  challenged  the  power. of  Dalai 
Lama  himself  by  marching  to  his  headquarters  and 
again  by  threatening  to  attack  Lhasa. 

The  other  important  feature  is  that  die  Tibetan 
social  system  is  composed  of  only  two  ctoSBas  the 
clergy  and  the  laity  which  are  convertible  tenns  for  the 

0 


nobility  and  the     commons^  without  any     chasin  as  in 
feudal  Europe. 

This  political  and  social  organisation,  so  strongly 
at  divergence  with  the  rest  of  the  world,  does  not  neces- 
sarily imply  a  lovr  order  of  civilization.  If  by  it  is  meant 
a  capacity  for  hurling  destruction  upon  man  or  dumping 
industrial  products  on  unwarlike  people  under  the 
friendly  guise  of  economio  aid,  then  of  course,  Tibet 
falls  low.  If  on  the  other  hand,  civilization  means  q 
training  of  the  man's  mind,  refinement  of  his  sensibili- 
ties, development  of  an  attitude  of  tolerance  for  others 
and  a  catholicity  of  spirit,  then  Tibet  would  aissuredly 
take  an  honoured  place  among  the  nations.  Seareh  for 
knowledge  or  enlightenment  of  the  mind  is  the  one 
resonant  cry  that  fills  the  air  of  Tibet,  ^shrined  in  the 
words,  'Xhn  Mani  Padme  Hum,  Hail  to  the  Jewel  in{ 
the  Lotus."  Hence  Man jusri,  the  God  of  enlightenment, 
rather  than  Mammon  or  the  god  of  wealth  is_the  deity 
adored  by  every  Tibetan.  These  monasteries,  are  there- 
fore the  repositories  of  learning.  Universities  in  the  true 
sense  of  the  term,  where  teacher^  exponnd.  siifnple  and 
std>tle  truths  in  close  intimate  talk  to  their  pupijs  living 
inside  the  same  monastery. 

Books  are  here  held  sacred  and  their  preservation  8 
paramount  task.  They  pursued  this  vocation  with  so  mucl^ 
ardour  that  a  Chinese  emperor  once  spoke  of  them  as 
lurviBg.btffiome  like  a  body  bereft  'of  vigour.  For,  said 
fie,  "The  people  of  Central  Tibet,  abandoning  military 
purstdts,  deivote  themselves  solely  to  literature."  In 
the  middle  of  the  11th  Century  Atish  found  in  the 
monastery  of  Sam-ye  m6re  books  than  existed  collectively 
in  the  three  monasteries  of  Buddha.  <^v|v,  ^'^s:ns^  ^^^a^. 
and  \]ddan\pui\  Yi!b»,  -wVja^a  Vel  \«»dx  ^cas«a»  ^ssL^^aas^i^ 


206 


THE  MODERN  REVIEW  FOR  MARCH,  1953 


Civiliw  Sir  Chaile*  Bell  Mvr  ten  to  twelie  ihooMnd 
volume*  in  tlie  burnt  libni]'  of  Ta-lting  moouteiT,  en- 
cased ID  beiuiifuUy  carred  and  gilt-wooden  coveta.  The 
sculptures  and  mural  decoiationa  of  tiie  land  teitifr  to 
the  Tibetan  ardour  for  enUghteoment.  Sjinpuhetic 
fordgn  observer!  have  found  alike  in  the'  calm  and  aeraie 
lotus-enthroned  Buddha  and  in  the  gknll-decked  awe- 
inspiring  deities,  either  trampling  on  prostrate  bodict  or 
whirling  in  coamie  dance  clasping  their  female  energies, 
the  perfection  of  the  Baroque   decorative  ideaL 

It  is  admitted  ujuversaUy  that  in  the  making  of 
this  fabric  of  civilization  the  Tibetans  borrowed  impnlaea 
primarily  from  India  :  their  debt  to  the  Qiinese  was  oaif 
in  respect  to  the  material  things  of  Ufe  :  Tea,  univer- 
taily  drunk  here,  is  an  importation  from  Giiiia. 

Tradition  assigns  the  earliest  Indo-Tibetan  contact 
to  the  4tb  CentUTT  A-D^  but  the  known  historical  con- 
neiion  dales  from  the  middle  of  the  7th  Centuiy  under 
the  Bgeis  of  Srong-Tean  Gampo  who  deputed  a  missioii 
headed  by  his  minister  Tbon-mi-Sambhota  to  study  and 
transcribe  Buddhist  tests.  Tfaonmi  thus  not  only  Intro- 
duced Buddhism  into  Tibet  but  evolved  the  Tibetan 
characters  after  the  model  of  the  Indian  alphabet.  Nearly 
a  century  after  this  event  Ti-Song-De  Tsen  invited  the 
famous  Abbot  Santa  Rakshita  to  Tibet.  He  was  followed 
by  the  still  more  famous  Padma  Sambhava  (Lotus-horn), 
who  founded  the  ffying-Pa  or  Roi  Cap  order  of  the 
Buddhist  monks,  and  the  monastery  si  Sam-Ye  after  the 
Uddantpuri  Vihar  in  749  A.D. 

After  SanU  Rakshita  and  Padma  Sambhava  kid 
down  their  early  remains  in  Tibet,  their  doctrines,  were 
challenged  by  a  group  of  Chinese  monks  when  another 
great  Indiati  teacher  Kamalasila  set  them  at  rest  by 
worsting  them  in  a  debate  held  in  the     Tibetan  royal 

Id  the  9th  Century,  King  Ral  Pa-Chean  standardised 
Tibetaa  weights  and  measures  after  the  Indian  pattern 
and  gave  a  great  impulse  to  the  Buddhist  faith  by 
patronising  the  monks  of  the  Sarvasta-vadin  scbooL  The 
most  important  land-mark  in  the  history  of  Tibetan 
Buddhism  is  the  ministry  of  AtiBB-Dipankar-Sri-Junna 
who  iniToduced  the  tenets  of  the  Kalachakra  Jana  and 
having  harmonised  them  with  some  of  the  elements  ol 
the  old  Bon  religion,  founded  the  Ka-dam-pa  sect  which 
was  transformed  by  Tton^-Kha-pa  <1358-1419),  the  great 
Reformer  into  the  GeJiik-pn,  the  predoninant  sect  of 
Tibet.  This  Indo-Tibetan  Intocoune  was  not  a  one- 
way-traffic, for    Tibetan     scholars     streamed  into  India, 


after  Thon-mi-Sambhota's  miaaion.  Names  are  uanr, 
the  most  important  being  that  of  HaT-pa,  who  wai 
initiated  by  the  Indian  teachers  Naropa,  and  ionnded  the 
Ka-gr»  »ect  and  the  monastery  at  Sakya  which  ^ycd 
such  an  important  part  in  the  convenioa  of  the  Uongol 
emperors  of  China,  Kuhilai  Khan,  Alton  Khagan,  Tohan, 
Timur  in  the  13th  and  Utb  Centnries. 

Tie  destruction  of  monasteries  and  temples  in  India 
by  the  Turkish  invaders  caused  an  exodus  of  many  Indiaa 
teachers,  including  Hindu  Yogis  into  Tibet,  and  Uusi 
turned  into  a  metropolis  for  the  diifnuon  of  the  Bcddhisl 
faith  into  Mongolia,  Burma  and  parts  of  China.  Lhaaa'i 
spiritual  authoiity  extended  therefore  beyond  its  harden: 
and  hei  scholars  in  that  dark  age  of  India's  cultural  lif^ 
I  mean,  the  13th  and  14lh  Centuries,  surpassed  the  Indian* 
in  the  exposition  of  the  Buddhist  tests.  In  the  sncceed 
ing  centuries  references  to  Tibetan  scholars  visitini 
India  are  not  uncommon.  One  such  was  sent  by  th« 
5th  Dalai  Lama  in  the  17lh  Century  to  learn  Panini'i 
grammar  from  a  Brahmin  named  Balabhadra  ol 
Kurukehetra. 

In  the  18th  Century,  a  class  of  Indian  warriar-monb 
of  the  Datnami  order  opened  again  the  closed  route  to 
Tibet  by  carrying  there  Indian  wares  and  '^"""ii"ifa*>fT* 
from  Indian  chiefs.  The,  most  remaikable  ammg  tbn 
was  Putangiri  Gosain  who  came  with  a  letter  from  Jhe 
Panchen  Lama  to  Warren  Hastings  for  the  grant  of  U>J 
to  erect  s  temple  on  the  bank  of  the  Gongei.  That 
temple  which  now  stands  in  Bhot  Bogan.  Howtah, 
remains  a  testimony  to  friendly  Indo-llbeiaa 
collaboration.  Raja  Ram  Mohnn  Roy,  father  of  Hoden 
India,  claimed  to  have  vinted  Tibet  and  stayed  thoe 
three  years  in  his  early  youth.  But  the  Indian  who 
revived  the  old  cultural  bond  between  theae  two  coantiiet 
by  collecting  jnanuscripts  and  valuable  Reopai^ikal 
daia  in  recent  times  was  Rai  Bahadur  Satal  Oiante  Dh 
iriio  paid  two  visits  to  that  country  in  1879  to  Uffi 
and  founded  the  fuddhUt  Text  Sodetr  of  India  lor  lbs 
promotion  of  closer  ties  with  the  Buddhist  ceutiiM 
including  Tibet. 

May  India  and  Tibet  stand  together  on  the  aide  ■( 
peace,  remembering  the  lines  of  the  DhatunmpaU; 
"Enmity  never  comes  to  on  end  through  enmity  hen 
below;  it  comes  to  an  end  by  non-enmity;  thts  has  bcrt 
the  rule  from  all  eternity."* 


•  uIIl  diUimd  im  tlit  . 


l-ladla  Ridie,  Cikitn 


A  SHORT  fflSTORY  OF  THE  NATIONAL  LIBRARY 

By  Mibs  BANI  B06E,  ba.,  Dip.    lib., 
Asmtant,  National  Library 

n 


Imperial  Librabt 

Imperial  Library  was  formed  in  1891  from 
rent  Departmental  Libraries  of  the  Govem- 
.  was  located  in  the  Civil  Secretariat  Build- 
Calcutta.  Under  the  initiative  of  Lord 
the  amalgamation  of  the  Calcutta  Public 
and  the  Imperial  Library  took  place.  Met. 
11  was  acquired  by  the  Government  of  India 

jomt  occupants  in  December  1901.  The 
ation  of  the  books  of  the  two  Libraries, 
arrangement  and  in  part  their  recataloguing, 
ted  in  1902.  The  arrangements  were  confirmed 
lated  by  the  Imperial  Library  Act  1902.  It 
>vided  with  Reading  Rooms,  public  and 
as  at  the  British  Museum  and  Bodleian 
Oxford.  It  was  intended  that  it  should  be  & 
d  reference,  a  working  place  for  students, 
spository  for  material  for  the  future  histo- 
India,  in  which  so  far  as  possible,  every 
tten  about  India  at  any  time  could  be  seen 
I.  This  intention  was  clearly  stated  in 
n  Nos.  201-207,  dated  January  30,  1903. 
control  of  the  Library  remained  with  the 
ent  of  India  but  its  internal  management 
l^ated  to  a  Council  with  the  Librarian  as  its 
.  The  following  were  the  first  members  of 
icil: 

•man  :   T.  Raleigh. 

ben :  Justice  Gooroodas  Banerjee  ;  Risley, 
to  the  Government  of  India,  Home  Depart- 
M.     Finucane,     Commissioner,     Presidency 

first  Librarian,  J.  Macfarlane,  was  brought 
gland.  Justice  Gooroodas  Banerjee  resigned 
M.  Finucane  left  India  in  April.  The  vacancy 
I  by  C.  E.  Buckland. 

Library  was  opened  to  the  public  on 
M),  1903.  Lord  Curson  delivered  the  inaugural 
in  which  he  said  : 

t  seems  to  me  an  obvious  duty  to  work  for 
sort  of  amalgamation  and  thereby  to  give 
Icutta,  what  the  chief  duty  of  a  great 
tee  with  a  population  of  a -million  people 
also,  the  capital  of  the  British  Ihnpire  in 
ought  most  certainly  to  possess,  namely,  a 
r  worth  of  the  name." 

ohn  Woodburn  helped  Curzon  in  this  work. 
Cunon  intended  that  the  Library     should 
more  by  the  serious  readers.  He  said  : 

It  has  never  been  my  object  to  create  % 
y  of  fiction  in  Calcutta.     8uch  a  Library 


tends  to  provide  a  desultory  pastime  rather  than 
a  serious  incentive  and  helpmate.  I  should  not 
have  thought  myself  justified  in  spending  the 
money  of  Government  on  the  maintenance  of  an 
institution  for  the  propagation  of  that  form  of 
literature  exclusively  or  in  the  main.  It  was 
desired  that  people  would  resort  to  the  Library  to 
pursue  their  studies  under  agreeable  conditions 
with  every  assistance  that  pleasant  surroundings 
and  a  polite  and  competent  staff  can  place  at 
their  disposal." 

The  Calcutta  Public  Library  contributed  a  great 
quantity  of  fiction,  which,  so  far  as  they  did  not 
relate  to  India,  was  discarded.  Only  those  duplicators 
that  related  to  India  were  retained.  The  greater  part 
of  non-Asian  theology  and  law  were  also  discarded. 
The  books  on  India  in  the  Calcutta  Public  Library 
was  a  most  valuable  collection. 

The  collections  of  the  Imperial  Library  was  of  a 
heterogeneous  character.  The  departmental  Libraries 
supplied  a  large  collection  of  books  (specially 
official)  relating  to  India  and  standard  general  works 
on  history,  administration  and  geography.  Technical 
and  scientific  works  came  mainly  from  the  Depart- 
ments of  Public  Works,  Revenue  and  Agriculture, 
but  were  not  numerous. 

In  1903,  an  arrangement  was  made  with  the 
Government  of  Bengal  whereby  the  Librarian  was 
permitted  to  select  for  the  Imperial  Library  from 
among  the  books  accumulated  by  that  Government 
since  1867,  through  the  operation  of  the  Press  Act  of 
that  year.  The  working  of  the  Press  Act  was  irre- 
gular but  the  additions  to  the  Library  from  this 
source  was  very  numerous.  The  most  considerable 
collection  came  from  the  Home  Department,  which 
contained  a  large  number  of  books  previously  kept  in 
the  Library  of  the  East  India  College,  Fort  William 
and  in  the  Library  of  the  East  India  Board  in 
London. 

The  Imperial  Library  started  issuing  permanent 
Readers'  Tickets.  During  the  period  January  31  to 
December  31,  1908,  2,121  ticketa  were  issued  to  the 
public.  Most  of  the  visitors  were  students,  reading 
lor  examinations  or  perstns  requiring  to  k>ok  up 
casual  references.  But  there  were  among  the  readers 
a  small  band  of  earnest  and  capable  students  and 
several  books,  besides  articles  in  more  serious  reviews 
in  1903,  had  been  the  fruit  of  their  labour  in  tlie 
Library.  The  librarian  having  occasionally  translated 
passages  from  French  and  German  books  relatimq^  tA 
India    a    dsmsoad  YiaA  «^(rS&%  ^^  V^\  vco^x^^sd^^s^a^  ''^o^ 


208 


THE  MODERN  REVIEW  FOR  MARCH,  1953 


those  languages  and  a  select  few  consisting  chiefly  of 
Pandits  and  holders  of  Grovernment  scholarships,  met 
for  instruction  in  the  Librarian's  room  and  made 
good  progress.  They  were  all  Hindus.* 

The  Librarian  secured  all  the  new  books  pub- 
lished in  Europe  on  India  and  the  neighbouring 
countries.  The  Librarian  stated  in  the  Annwal  Report 
for  1904  that  there  was  another  function  of  an 
Imperial  Library,  namely,  collection  of  best  books 
published  all  over  India.  He  wrote  ; 

"At  present  this  is  only  done  for  Bengal,  a 
selection  from  the  books  received  under  Regis- 
tration Act  1867  being  sent  here  when  the  Bengal 
Librarian  has  written  his  reports  on  them.  Similar 
collections  ought  to  be  made  from  other  Pro- 
vinces, comprising  at  least  books  in  English,  in 
classical  languages  (Sanskrit,  Arabic  and  Persian) 
and  in  Urdu  and  Hindi.  To  collect  other  verna- 
culars might  require  a  special  staff." 

Inter-Library  Borrowing 

John    Macfarlane    took  the    following     measures 

to   increase   the   usefulness  and     popularity   of     the 
Library  : 

(1)  Training   of     cataloguers     in     the     Imperial 
Library   for  work   in  other  Libraries  ; 

(2)  Establishment     of         reciprodal      borrowing 
system    amongst    different    Libraries  ;    and 

(3)  Compilation  of  a  subject  index  of  the     con- 
tents of  other  Libraries. 

He  gave  effect  to  the  first  two  measures.  The  Asiatic 
Society  of  Bengal  gave  permission  on  November  24, 
1903  for  books  and  MSS.  to  be  lent  from  their  library 
for  perusal  in  the  Imperial  Library.  The  Board  of 
Examiners  had  a  good  Library.  They  also  granted 
permission  for  lending  their  books  for  use  in  the 
Imperial  Library  in  March,  1904.  By  1914  the  Asiatic 
Society  discontinued  this  facility  and  they  had  strong 
ground  for  the  action  they  had  taken.  The  Board  of 
Examiners'  Library  continued  to  lend  books. 

Chapman  reported  on  inter-borrowing  in  the 
Annual  Report  for  1919-23  : 

"It  has  not  been  found  possible  to  do  any- 
thing. The  time  is  not  ripe  :  there  is  no  country  of 
the  size  of  India  that  is  so  backward  in  the  matter 
of  libraries  ;  but  then  there  may  be  no  country 
with  so  small  a  revenue  in  proportion  to  her 
population." 

CXTALOOUE 

The  preparation  of  the    catalogue     was  taken  in 

hand  immediately  after  the  formation  of  the  Library. 

The  catalogue  of    the  Library    when    complete  was 
intended  to  comprise  : 

(1)  A  Greneral  Author  Catalogue  of  printed  books 
in  European  languages  ; 

(2)  A  Subject  Index  ; 

(3)  An  Author  Catalogue  of  Books  in  Oriental 
language  with  indexes  of  subjects  and  titles 
of  books  ; 

(4)  Catalogue  of     "Books  that  are     no     Books" 


^  ^ju»aa/  Jteport  o/  the  Imji^nal  Library,    1JW3,   p.    2. 


such     as     Administration  Reports,    furnished 
with  an  author  index  as  far  as  possible  ;  and 
(5)    Catalogue  of  Oriental  MSS. 

A  Reading  Room  Catalogue  and  Index  was  c(nn- 
pleted  in  1903.  Two  hundred  copies  were  printed  of 
which  156  were  distributed  among  local  libraries  and 
institutions.  Only  one  copy  was  sold. 

The  first  volume  of  the  General  AtUhor  Catalogue^ 
from  A  to  L  was  published  in  March  1904.  Two  thousand 
copies  of  the  catalogue  were  printed  of  which  1,106 
were  distributed  in  India,  212  sent  to  other  parts  of 
the  world  and  6  copies  were  sold. 

In  1904,  sanction  was  obtained  for  purchase  of 
two  Cai>inets  to  contain  a  Card  Catalogue  of  addi- 
tions to  the  Author  Catalogue  arranged  in  a  single 
alphabet.  The  Card  Catalogue  was  completed  in  1905. 
The  Caialo\gue  of  Indian  Official  Publication,  Vol.  I, 
was  printed  in  1909.  The  Subject  Index  to  the  Author 
Catalogue  was  published  in  1910. 

Preparation  of  the  new  revised  catalogue  wag 
undertaken  in  1943.  It  remained  in  abeyance  ^ue  to 
the  war.  It  has  now  been  taken  up  for  comptetion. 

The  shelf-listing  of  books  in  European  languages 
began  in  1930. 

A  new  cataloguing  scheme  for  compiling  and 
bringing  up  to  date  of  the  various  catalogues  was  sanc- 
tioned by  the  Government  of  India  in  194547.  In  1960, 
the  task  of  compiling  the  bibliography  of  Indology 
was  undertaken.  In  1951,  a  Catalogue  of  Printed  Booh 
in  Sanskrit,  Pali  and  Prakrit,  Vol.  I,  was  published. 

Numbering  and  Mabkinq  of  thb  Books 
The  greater  portion  of  the  Library  is  arranged  on 
the  shelves  on  the  system  commonly  known  as  '"rela- 
tSive  location/'  In  this  system  the  distinguislung 
marks  of  each  book  are  derived  not  from  the  shelf  on 
which  it  happens  to' be,  but  from  the  class  to  whie^ 
it  has  been  assigned  and  its  ordinal  number  in  that 
class,  and  any  book  or  group  of  books  may  be  moved 
backward  or  forward  to  make  room  for  the  expansion 
of  a  neighbouring  group.  It  will  be  obvious  that  for 
the  proper  working  of  this  system  the  shelves  over 
which  these  movements  are  effected  must  all  be  tall 
enough  to  admit  the  tallest  book  in  the  collection.  IV) 
obviate  waste  of  space,  therefore,  some  preliminary 
sorting  by  size  is  necessary.  In  this  Library  all  books 
over  14  inches  in  height  have  been  put  in  a  claas  by 
themselves,  and  arranged  on  the  system  of  ''fixed 
location"  described  below.  The  remainders  are  divided 
into  two  classes  according  as  they  are  or  are  not  over 
14  inches  in  height.  In  assigning  to  each  book  its 
ordinal  number  in  its  class,  which  as  above  explained, 
jbrms  the  last  of  its  distinguishing  marks,  the  odd 
numbers  go  to  the  smaller  and  the  even  numbers  to 
the  lai^er-sized  division. 

An  example  may  serve  to  make  this  clearer.  If 
books  on  the  United  States  of  America  form  eluB 
No.  99  and  those  on  the  Northern  States  class    90iB» 


A  SHORT  HISTORY  OF  THE  NATIONAL  LIBRARY 


209 


then  the  books  in  the  latter  subject  that  are  not  over 
10  inches  in  height  will  be  marked  09B  1,  99B  3,  etc., 
and  those  over  that  height  99B  2,  99B  4,  etc.  These 
marks  show  at  a  glance  whether  the  book  required  is 
to  be  looked  for  on  the  'small'  or  the  'large'  shelves. 

LlBRAHIANS  OF  THE      iMPERIifL   LlBRABY 

John  Macfarlane— 1902  to  May  13,  1906 

D.  Silva  (Oflfg.)— May  14,  1906  to  Feb.  21,  1907 
Harinath  De— Feb.  22,  1907  to  Jan.  20,  1911 

J.  A.  Chapman-^an.  25,  1911  to  Nov.  30,  1930 

E.  W.  Madge  (Offg.)— May  20  to  June  18,  1912 

A.  F.   M.   Abdul  Ali   (Offg.)— March  10,  1924  to 
January  30,  1925 

S.  Kumar  (Offg.)— May  25,  1928  to  June  19,  1928; 
January  2,  1929  to  February  11,  1929;  Octo- 
ber 27  to  November  17,  1931  ;  February  25  to 
August  14,  1937  ;  December  18,  1937  to  March 
17,  1939 
K.  M.  Asadullah— Feb.  11,  1929  to  July  19,  1947 
Y.  M.  Mulay  (Offg.)-July  20,  1947  to  March  31, 
1948 

B.  S.  Kesavan— March  31,  1948— 

POPULARITT    OF    THE    LlBRABT 

The  popularity  of  the  Library  can  be  realised 
from  the  following  annual  number  of  readers  visiting 
the  place  : 

1903  15,093  1930  44,798 

1910  38,955  1940  71,32»1 

1920  38,660 

Sir  Ashutosh  Mukherjee  became  President  of 
the  Council  of  the  Library  in  1912-13.  Among  persons 
who  took  active  interest  in  the  affairs  of  the  Library 
dunng  this  period  were  Sir  Dennison  Ross,  N. 
Annandale,  Dr.  D.  N.  Mallik,  Prof.  S.  C.  Mahala- 
nobis.  Mm.  Satish  Chandra  Vidyabhusan,  Principal 
Heramba  Maitra,  Dr.  U.  N.  Brahmachari,  W.  K. 
Firminger,  Dr.  Urquhart,  H.  G.  Rawlinson,  R.  B. 
Ramsbotham,  etc. 

FSESE&VATION    OF    BoOKS 

As  a  prevention  against  white  ants,  the  feet  o| 
book.<a8es  were  placed  in  pans,  filled  with  a  solution 
of  phenyle  and  kerosene  oil,  and  books  were  fre- 
quently dusted.  There  was  no  damage  to  books  in 
tile  Metcalfe  Hall.  In  the  Imperial  Secretariat  Build- 
ings however,  several  Parliamentary  papers  were 
destroyed  by  white  ants. 

About  1920,  two  alternative  proposals  for  pre- 
senration  of  books  were  suggested  : 

(a)  To  remove  all  valuable  books  in  any 
one  Presidency  to  a  library  located  in  some  Hill 
station  where  climate  was  temperate.  It  was  ascer- 
tained that  paper  did  not  decay  in  India  at  an 
altitude  of  5000  ft.  and  upward. 

(6)  To  place  such  books  in  a  librai^  situated 
in  the  chief  town  of  the  Presidency  and  to  equip 
the  library  with  air-conditioning  plant. 


The  second  alternative  was  supported  as  having 
been  practicable  and  desirable  :  Government  were 
approached.  No  reply  to  this  proposal,  however,  was 
received. 

RiCHET  Committee 

The  Government  of  India  in  December,  1926, 
appointed  a  small  Committee  of  Enquiry  to  report 
into  the  affairs  of  the  Imperial  Library.  It  consisted 
of: 

J.  A.  Richey,  Educational  Commissioner  with 
the   Government   of   India,   Chairman  ; 

R.  B.  Ramsbotham,  Member  of  the  Imperial 
Library  Council ; 

J.  H.  Lindsay,  Educational  Secretary,  Govern- 
ment of  Bengal  :  and 

J.  G.  Bhandari,  Accountant-General,  Bengal, 
Secretary. 

The  Committee  assembled  in  Calcutta  on 
December  13,  1026,  and  continued  the-  work  on  three 
subsequent  days.  They  thoroughly  discussed  all 
matters  concerning  the  future  finance,  location  and 
administration  of  the  Library.  Their  main  recom- 
mendations may  be  summarised  as  follows  : 

Functions  :  .  (0  The  Imperial  Library  should 
be  a  library  of  reference,  a  working  place  for 
students  and  a  repository  of  material  for  the  future 
historians  of  India,  in  which,  so  far  as  possible, 
every  book  written  about  India  at  any  time  can  be 
seen  and  read.  {%%)  The  Imperial  Libarry  should  be 
a  Copyright  Library,  (iii)  The  Imperial  Library 
should  be  a  Central  Lending  Library  from  which 
books  should  be  available  to  persons  engaged  in  any 
special  study,  in  all  parts  of  India. 

Location  :  The  Library  should  continue  to  be 
located  in  Calcutta. 

Management  :  The  old  Council  should  be 
replaced  by  a  new  Council.  The  actual  administra- 
tion to  vest  in  a  small  committee  of  management. 

Finance  :  The  cost  of  running  the  Library  to 
be  met  entirely  from  Central  Revenue  except  for 
the  amount  required  for  the  maintenance  of  the 
Reading  Rooms,  which  should  be  met  from  Provin- 
cial revenues. 

The  Committee  visited  the  Library,  inspected  the 
work  of  the  Library  staff  and  examined  the  Librarian 
and  the  staff.  Their  finding  was  that  the  Library  was 
in  a  most  unsatisfactory  condition.  The  defects  dis- 
covered may  be  classified  as  : 

(a)  Defects  due  to  imperfect  or  incorrect 
organisation. 

(b)  Defects  due  to  negligence  oi  incompetence 
on  the  part  of  the  staff. 

Under  (a),  the  Committee  drew  attention  to  such 
matters  as  the^ 

(i)    imsatisfactory  character  of    the    classification 

scheme  followed  in  the  Library  ; 
(u)    non^publication  of  catalogues  ; 
(m)    absence  of  regular  weeding  of  books  ; 
(iv)    uneconomical  arrangements     for  puccb&a^  ^1 
books; 


210 


THE  MODERN  REVIEW  FOR  MARCH,  1953 


(v)    delay  in  cataloguing  new  books  ; 
(vi)    uneven  distribution   of  work  among  clerks  ; 
(tm)    non-employment  of  labour-saving  devices. 
The  defects  pointed  out  imder   (b),    concern  the 
staff,  arrears  in  work,  etc. 

BOHAB   LiBRABT 

Syed  Suderuddin  Ahmad  ul-Musawy,  Zemindar  of 
Bohar  (Burdwan),  presented  to  the  Government  of 
India  his  Library  containing  about  1,S00  volumes  of 
printed  books  in  Arabic,  Persian  and  Urdu,  and  a 
collection  of  960  Arabic  and  Persian  manuscripts.  The 
Library  was  transferred  to  the  Matcalfe  Hall.  One  of 
the  conditions  of  the  Bohar  Library  was  that  it  would 
not  be  removed  from  Bengal. 

The  Library  secured  the  following  .  other  collec- 
tions : 

D.onors  '  .  No.  oj  books 

Ramdas  collection  1950  4,000 

Hyderabad  Residency  Library  „ 

Asutosh  collection  1949  80,000 

Chinese  collection  18,000 

Rare  Books 
The  following  list  will  give  only  an  indication  of 
the  rare  books,  maps,  etc.,  in  the  Library  : 

(1)  An  extremely  fine  book  of  native  illu- 
minated drawings  done  in  Ceylon  about  1800. 

(2)  The  MS.  letter  book  of  Richard  Barwell, 
the  friend  and  colleague  of  Warren  fiastings,  con- 
taining numesous  references  to  the  trial  of  Nanda 
Kumar. 

(3)  Three  contemporary  legal  workp  on  the 
trial  of  Dupleix. 

(4)  A  Portuguese  MS.  on  the  trade  of  India 
written  about  1790. 

(5)'  Eleven  engraved  maps  of  India  in  17th 
•and  18th  century. 

(6)  MS.  letters  of  Sir  Thomas  Mynro. 

(7)  A  portrait  of  Shuja-ud-Doula,  Vizier  of 
the  Moghul  Empire. 

(8)  MS.  maps  of  parts  of  India  an4  plans  of 
porta  executed  about  1760-1770  ;  most  of  them, 
believed  to  be  Major  Rennell's  work,  some  done 
in  his  own  hand.  Most  of  the  maps  believed  to  be 
unpublished. 

(9)  Lord  Chesjterfield's  The  Economy  of 
Human  Life,  1798  edition.  British  Museum  has  over 
30  copies  of  this  work,  but  not  a  copy  of  the  1798 
edition. 

(10)  Old  Javanese  versions  of  portions  of  the 
Ramayana  and  the  Mahabharata. 

With  the  growth  of  the  Library,  the  Metcalfe  Hall 
Was  considered  too  small.  The  noise  due  to  the  two 
tramway  lines  and  the  railway  line  adjacent  to  the 
Library  made  it  difficult  for  deep  study.  Lord  Curzon 
thought  that  the  Town  Hall  would  be  a  better  place 
for  the  Library.  He  inspected  it  personally  but 
rejected  the  idea  on  ground  of  insecurity.  Finally  the 
GoverDmoDt  bui}ding  at  6  Esplanade  was  selected  and 


the  Library  wais  shifted  there  in  1023.  During  the 
period  of  shiftmg.  Chapman  went  on  leave  and  Abdnl 
Ali  officiated  in  his  place.  In  order  to  help  the  i^Seiat- 
ing  Librarian  in  the  arduous  task  of  whiftiiig,  K.  M. 
Asadullah  was  brought  from  Simla.  During  the  war,  * 
the  Libraiy  was  shifted  to  35  Chittaranjan  Avenue  and 
remained  there  till  1948,  after  whkh  it  came  back  to 
the  Esplanade  premises.  Towards  the  end  of  1948 
shiftmg  of  the  Library  to  Belvedere  was  Btarted  vad 
has  now  been  completed. 

Thb  National  Libbabt 

Under  Act  51  of  1948,  the  name  of  the  Imperial 
Library  was  changed  to  National  Library.  Shortags  of 
accommodation  at  the  Esplanade  Building  was  beog 
acutely  felt.  On  the  one  hand,  with  the  growtii  of  tin 
activities  of  the  Government,  demand  for  more  qpitt 
was  being  made  by  them  and  on  the  other,  the  iltock 
of  the  Library  was  steadily  increasing.  MaJntenaim 
of  books  in  go6d  condition  in  a  very  diort  apiee 
became  an  acute  problem.  Tl^ere  were  also  tdfe  of 
removing  the  Library  to  Delhi.  It  was  at  tiiiB  jnadve 
that  the  present  Librarian,  Sree  B.  8.  Keaavan  wmpM 
himself  and  succeeded  in  securing  the  Belvedere  Hboie 
for  the  Libraiy.  This  is  a  stately  and  spacious  buildiiig 
with  large  adjoining  groimds  which  would  mako  Matt 
extension  of  the  Library  in  the  same  oompound 
possible. 

The  reorganisation  of  the  Libraiy  on  fime^mial 
basis  and  the  compilation  of  the  Bibliogn^pliy  of 
Indology  has  been  imdertaken.  The  number  of  boob 
in  the  Library  is  now  about  seven  and  a  half  laUa 

The  Reading  Booms  are  now  being  kept  open  from 
7  A.M.  to  10  P.M.  which  has  been  very  much  9;pp^ 
ciated  by  the  scholars  coining  to  the  Libraiy  lor 
Research  work. 

The  present.  Librarian  has  imdertakeit  to  aeooit 
systematic  and  regular  accessions  of  official  and  lartl- 
tutional  publications.  He  undertook  a  tour  of  BffA 
India  in  1951  for  this  purpose.  In  1952,  he  viailed  titt 
U.S.A.  as  a  guest  of  that  Governxnent  under  tbe 
Leader  Exchange  Programme  to  see  the  woxldaf  of 
the  Libraries  of  that  country.  Since  his  viait^  ^ 
Library  is  getting  free  supply  of  valuable  publiealioDi 
from  many  American  Institutions  of  high  repute.  Tlie 
National  Library  has  been  made  a  depository  of  all 
publications  of  the  United  Nations.  After  long  and 
arduous  efforts  made  in  vain  by  other  Lil»ariaiMi;  ^ 
present  Librarian  has  succeeded  in  settling  the  Oofif- 
right  question.  Government  of  Lidia  have  agreed  to 
make  the  National  Libraiy  a  Copyright  lAcvy* 
Relevant  legislation  is  under  preparation* 

.  (CondiMM) 


j»** 


*  This  urtJcle  has  be«s  preiwred  from 
Aiuuul  RepofU  of  ths   Calcatu     Poblie   Lftsuf 
Libnxy. 


1 


THE  ACADEMY  EXHIBITION :  CALCUTTA 


By  PhOF  0.  C  GANGOLY 


nter  a  youngman's  fancy  lightly  turnd  to  thoughts 
Indeed  the  cold  weather  in  Calcutta  ushers  in  a 

picture  shows,  which  culminate  in  the  com- 
e  Ezhihition  orgnKBed  by  the  Academy  of  Fine 
December  every  year.  This  is  undoubtedly  one 
08t  comprehensive  Exhibition^  held  in  any  city 

making  a  systematic  attempt  to  represent  all 
i  contemporary  art  and  to  exhibit  the  best 
works  of  almost  all  the  well-known  artista  work- 
I  parts  of  India.  So  that  the  Academy  Ezhibi- 
r  no  means  a  local  show  but  a  happy  represen- 
the     whole  of  India.     This  year's     show  has 

valiantly  to  uphold  its  reputation  as  a  glance 
italogne  will  show,  including,  as  it  does,  such 

Ara  and  Ahivasi,  Nalakrishnan  and  Bengegal, 
ar   and  •  Hebbar,   Govindraj    and   Gana-yutham, 

and  Pannikar,  Tyagaraja  and  Srinivasalu.  It 
sy  crowd  and  a  mosaic  of  many  tdents  brought 
liom  difBerent  parts  of  the  Indian  Union.  And 
pected  to  provide  a  shining  nose-gay  of  the 
)est  of  the  year's  harvest.  It  has  been  freely 
that  this  year's  show  has  surely  shagged  andt 
ttained  a  high  standard.  The  few  good  has  been 
by  the     mediocre     and  the     bad,  and  the 

appear  to  have  been  faced  with  the  "Horror 
t  Spaces"  compelled  to  include  such  unhappy 

as  Kamal  Thakur's  'Umar  FVasadhan'  and 
Banerjee's  five  pieces  of  futilities  (20-25)  which 
ing  but  their  dimensions  in  yards  to  recommence 
ifet  the  selecting  and  the  judging  Comonittee 
}  blamed  for  the  generally  low  level  of  the 
hey  cannot  make  bricks  without  straw  and  had 
heir  show  with  the  materials  actually  available. 
Id  not  forget  that  the  Academy  had  to  assem- 
tober  last  a  collection  of  pictures  which  had  to 
to  America   for  exhibition  on   a   short   notice. 

naturally  shortened  the  bank  balance  of  the 
dings  in  art.    But  if  there  are  not  many  items 
the  critical  connoisseurs     and  the  great  high- 
lere  are  enough    materials  to  educate  the  un 
to  please  the  common  people  and  to  awaken 

of  beauty  in   those  in   which   the   God-givei^ 

still  sleeping  or  undeveloped.  .Even  mediocre 
lave  their  usea  as  they  help  to  pick  out  the 

by  comparison  and  contrast.  They  helpl 
md  educate  one's  power  o{  juc^ing  by  assess- 
ilues  of  .the  mediocre  pictures  by  emphasizing 
ligh  qualities  of  a  masterpiece  placed  in, 
juxtaposition.  In  this  way,  even  an  un- 
e  is  made  to  respond  to  the  caressing  call  of 


Sri  Gopal  Ghose  in  a  series  of  excellent  landscapes  in 
their  bold  bid  lor  colour  effects,  in  the  magio  glory  of 
their  highly  skilful  brushwork,  and  in  their  startling 
compositions  whiich  give  you  kicks  as  well  as  caresses. 
The  artist's  series  of  eight  landscapes  each  a  shining 
gem  rise  far  about  the  level  of  topographical  photo- 
graphs and  present  eternal  values  which  make  us  for- 
get that  one  is  snatched  from  the  Puri  or  the  Gopalpur 
Beach,  one  from  the  Chilka  Lake  or  the  Diamond  Har- 
bour. The  vital,  forceful  and  the  emphatic  manners  of 
the  landscapes  of  Gopal  Ghose  can  be  easily  contrasted 
with  the  thin,  picturesque  presentations  of  nature  scenes 
of  which  there  are  in  the  exhibition  many  captivating 
ones,  superficial  in  their  skin-deep  beauties  which  the 
common  man  will  adore  and  which  the  connoisseur  wiU 
ignore.  Yet  these  worshippersi  of  the  superficial  and 
picturesque  have  useful  lessons  to  impart  to  tho9e  who 
take  their  first  steps  to  thq  gates  of  beauty.  And  it 
would  be  a  great  help  to  art-education  if  a  collection  of 
alluring  landscapes  and  typical  scenes  of  Bengal  villages 
could  be  circulated  in  our  schools  and  colleges  as  a 
First  Book  of  Reading  for  learning  the  Beauties  of 
'  Nature  directly  through  the  visual  path,  which  they  are 
now  made  to  learn  laboriously  through  the  printed, 
books  and  poetical  compositions.  It  is  also  desirable  to 
build  a  collection  of  the  best  masterpieces  depicting 
Bengal  village  scenes,  of  which  there  are  one  or  two 
of  good  qualities.  If  one  or  two  of  the  best  village 
landscapes  could  be  acquired  every  year  an  interesting 
gallery  could  be  built  up  to  represent  the  glory  of  our 
dying  villages. 

« 

In  the. large  section  devoted  to  oil  paintings  there 
are  very  few  to  attract  the  eye.  Pannikar's  ''Cartmen,^ 
Ramen  Chakravorty's  ''Bathing  Ghat"  and  Chinchalkar's 
"Ferry  Ghat"  are  undoubt<^y  outstanding  examples. 
Anil  Bhattacharyya  happily  maintains  his  facility  in 
handling  oils  in  his  ''Nocturne,"  a  harmonious  study  ix« 
blue  and  grey.  Satis  Chandra  Sinha's  homely  study  of 
a  "Bengali  Lady,"  lit  up  by  the  sun  streaming  through 
the  window  in  an  early  piece  which  he  has  not  surpass- 
ed in  his  later  oils.  Li  portraits  the  show  is  very  weak, 
and,  only  saved  by  Jagadish  Roy's  "Red  Rope"  and  the 
powerful  piesentation  of  a  "Nobleman"  by  B.  Gangooly. 

But  the  most  talkative  sections  of  the  show  are  the 
eloquent  pieoes  in  modernistic  manners  which  force  on 
your  ttlcntioB  by  sheer  power  of  loquacity  and  emphasis. 
They  are  an  intrusion  in  Indian  art  from  contemporary 
trends  in  EVirope,  now  ovei^flowing  aU  over  the  world, 
thoni^  very  much  mismiderstood  and  ahiued.  T^ 
common  man,  not,  ^^^<m\«4  \ii  ^<b  TDc^«n»^  ^\  "^asb  iJisSd^ 


C 


1 


212 


THE  MODERN  REVIEW  FOR  MARCH,  ld63 


rial  techniques,     conventions  of  stylistic     grammar  and 

rhetoric,  is   unable    to   comprehend   the   Modems   or  to 

intexinet  their  aims  and  ideals.     The  common  man,  tied 

to   the   practice '  of   enjoying   the   beauties  of   imitation 

and  accurate  representation,  is      unable  to  respond  to 

beauties  in   which  recognizable   likeness  or   picturesque 

elements  have  no  place. 

He  chastizes  in  the  words  of  Sir  Walter  Raleigh  : 

"The  artist  usea  honest  paint 
To  represent  things  as  they  a'int 
And  then  asks  money  for  the  time 
It   took   to   perpetrate    the    crime." 

The  common  man  with  no  technical  training  makes 
the  common  mistake  of  assuming  that  people  who  paint 
in  a  manner  not  readily  comprehensible  to  those  who 
apply  picture  post-card  Realism  to  what  they  see,  are 
too  lazy  or  too  incompetent  to  draw  or  paint  realistically, 
not  understanding  that  many  great  men  in  this  century 
have  put  aside  Realism,  as  adults  put  away  toys.  Most 
of  our  Modems  have  discarded  cheap  imitations  in  search 
for  a  new  language  of  distortion,  emphasis,  ezaggera* 
tion  and  eloquence.  Unfortunately,  Rathin  Maitra's 
five  modernistic  pieces  do  not  offer  illustrations  of  the 
best  phases  of  the  new  manner,  though  his  '^Praying 
Figure"  with  its  emphatic  exaggeration  and  harmonious 
curves  is  easily  one  of  the  best  pictures  in  the  show. 
But  the  conventional  critic  will  legitimately  find  fault 
with  their  utter  lack  of  spiritual  or  emotional  content, 
n  a  '^Praying  figure"  aspiring  in  its  exaggerated 
beight  to  reach  the  heavens,  has  any  manner  of 
iqnritual  appeal,  the  ugly  day-dreamer  in  an  idle 
"Reverie"  posed  in  a  pair  of  blue  pants  has  nothing 
elevating  in  its  subject-matter  and  does  not  help  you 
ID  meditate  on  the  higher  things  of  life,  such  as 
indicated  by  even  the  prosaic  presentation  of  the  gates 
of  a  temple^  or  even  a  mechanical  presentation  of  a 
Mother  and  Child  ol  which  there  are  a  few  good 
examples  in  the  exhibition.  The  intellectual  jig-saws 
of  the  intriguing  geometrical  compositions  of  the  Cubists 
of  which  Shanu  Lahiri  offers  a  typical  exemple  in  a 
"^till  Life"  (339)  canbot  pretend  to  provide  any 
manner  of  rasa,  or  emotive  essence  that  even  the  most 
mediocre  or  fantastic  compositions  of  the  typioally  Indian 
school  provide  in  abundance. 

Unfortunately,  for  the  last  few  years  the  inttfpreten 
of  the  new  Indiani  school  have  not  progressed  on  the 
path  that  Acharya  Abanindra  Nath  Tagore  had  shown 
in  his  numerous  masterpieces  for  which  the  present 
generation  has  shown  no  respect  or  reverence.  And 
though  the  Academy  has  generously  provided  a  special 
room  for  pictures  in  the  Indian  manner,  the  so-called 
Indian  pictures  do  not  achieve  a  very  high  level.  Of 
this  group  Dhirendra  Bramha's  "Destined  Parents"  (68) 
and   Samar    Ghosh's    'f^hasthali"    creditably    maintain 


the  ideals  of  Indian  pictorial  art  wliich  caaDot  be 
confused  with  any  of  manifestations  in  Western  maDBeOi 
High  praise  is  due  to  the  excellent  series  of  imaginatife 
compositions  of  Gopen  Ray  illustrating  wcH^bowi 
"Sihrer  Tales,"  the  Rupa-Katha  of  Indian  folk-tales.  Tky 
show  a  powerful  faculty  of  invention,  notwithstandiag  Uie 
derivation  of  their  meterials  and  modes  from  old  Indin 
mastezpieces. 

There  are  a  few  other  outstanding  pieces  in  tbe 
exhibition  which  deserve  ^>ecial  mention.  Tliese  are  tbci 
tiny  pieces,  contributed  by  Pkobodhendu  Nath  Tagne. 
They  are  summary  impromptu  sketches  revealing  the  baad 
of  a  real  master. 

Though  not  designed  as  murals  Dipen  Ray's  '^ei 
Oop"  (66),  Gopen  Roy's  "Vasanu  Utsab"  and  SoImI 
Saba's  "Bratachari"  offer  very  happy  snggcstions  f» 
wall-decorations . 

In  the  black  and  white  sections  there  are  many  pisea 
which  will  repay  repeated  intention.  In  the  woodcri^ 
etchings  and  aqua-tints,  we  come  across  a  groop  of 
talented  artists,  Nanda  Kundu,  Namita  tfitrm  aad  ^ 
accomplished  Haren  Das  whose  skiU  and  taknts  shoold  be 
used  everyday  by  our  magazine-editors  and  newpiper- 
men,  who  are  committed  to  the  pemickms  practiee  d 
high-lighting  the  outstanding  news  of  the  day  duoo^ 
hazy  and  obscure  half-tone  blocks  which  oonld  ha  eaal^ 
replaced  by  sparkling  wood-blocks  and  etchings  wi&  tbdc 
clear-cut  images  o\  men  and  things. 

The  Sculpture  section  does  not  offer  Tery  naaj 
exhibits.  But  Sunil  Pal's  ''Michael  Madhnsodaa*'  aid 
Satis  Chakravorty's  ''Bhaja-Hari"  are  outstanding  pieoa 
which  easily  hold  our  attention. 

^  a  city  of  bankers,  company  dtoctso^ 
manufacturers^  merchants,  tradesmen,  and  worioDo, 
engaged  in  the  utilitarian  pursuit  of  <'^"»^ng  money,  woriri 
of  art  as  such  have  no  money  values,  tJi^ngh  pieii^a 
cannot  be  purchased  without  paying  for  the  wages  of  the 
art-workers  and  the  craftsmen.  That  pictures  hive 
priceless  human  and  spiritual  values  is  proved  by  the 
bollections  which  hard-boiled  businessmen  have  hoifc  it 
the  Municipal  Art  .  Galleries  of  Leeds,  liveipoel 
and  Manchester.  And  one  is  tempted  to  reaiaid 
our  great  citizens  of  Calcutta  that  a  Municipal  Art  GaDeiT 
for  this  city  is  long  overdue. 

Pictures  placed  on  the  walls  of  gaDeries  bmii 
indeed,  no  dividends  to  investors  of  money,  ezceft 
dividends  of  highly  spiritual  delights  and  interests  in  the 
shape  of  beauty  conveyed  to  aU  and  sundry,  to  the  ndl 
^d  fthe  poor.  It  has  been  well  said  that  tlhen  is 
nothing  beautiful  except  the  useless"  (Theophile  Gaatier). 
But  in  a  siginificant  sense,  the  useless  ooncocti<aia  in  oobsr 
and  form  are  some  of  the  richest  treasures  of  this  sii^ 


By   the   courtesy    of    AU'Imd$*   BaS» 


DEVAPALA  AND  THE  PANDYAS  OF  THE  SOUTH 


By  ASOKE  CHATTERJEE,  ma. 


is  a  good  deal  of  (^ntroversy  regarding 
Bevapala's  contact  with  the  contemporary  rulers  in 
tile  South  and  other  relevant  issues  involved  in  the 
eODBkieration  of  this  subject.  The  evidence  bearing 
on  this  topic  may  be  briefly  considered  in  an  attempt 
to  form  an  accurate  judgement  on  its  highly  com- 
plicated character. 

There  is  a  verse  in  the  Badal  Pillar  inscription^ 
.  of  the  reign  of  Narayanapala  which  runs  thus  : 

Utkilitot  kaJahdam  hrita-Huvagarvam 
KfixsnnkrUa  DramdarOurjaroHfiaiha  darpam 
This  verse  refers  to  several  achievements  of 
Bevapala,  the  third  king  of  the  Pala  dynasty,  includ- 
ing his  success  over  the  lord  or  the  lords  of  the 
Dravidas.  It  may  be  mentioned  here  that  Dr.  H.  C. 
Baichaudhuri  reads  1>ravida"*  in  the  above  passage, 
wi^ch  is  not  quite  correct.  The  reference  to  the 
Dravidas  in  the  verse  quoted  above,  has  been  the 
sdbject  of  a  long  controversy  among  the  scholars.  R. 
D.  Banerjee  remarks  : 

"The  invasion  of  Utkala  is  a  new  point,  but 
the  fight  with  the  Hunas  perhaps  is  the  same  as 
that  with  the  Kambojas  referred  to  in  the  Mon- 
i^i3nr  grant.  We  know  from  an  independent  source 
that  there  was  a  war  with  thei  Dravidas,  i.e,,  the 
Raahtrakutaa."" 

By  "independent  source''  he  seems  to  mean  the 
Sirur  Grant  of  Amoghavarsha*  which  refera  to  the 
contact  of  the  Rashtrakutas  with  the  Palas  in  the 
time  of  Amoghavarsha  who  was  a  contemporary  of 
DevajAla.  It  is  clear,  therefore,  that  the  k>rd  of  the 
Dravidas  was,  according  to  him,  the  Rashtrakuta 
contemporary  of  Devapala.  P.  L.  Paul  also  takes 
Dravidanatha  to  refer  to  the  Rashtrakuta  lord.' 

But  Dr.  B.  O.  Sen  refers  to  Dravida  kings 
mentioned  in  the  Sanjan  Grant  of  Amoghavarsha  I,* 
iHio  were  the  same  as  the  Kerala  and  Pandya  kings 
mentioned  in  a  subsequent  passage  in  the  same 
inscription.*  Dr.  Raichaudhuri  also  does  not  agree 
witb  •  R.  D.  Banerjee  as  the  form'^r  has  mentioned 

"That  expression  Dravidanatha:^  cannot  have 
eole  reference  to  the  contemporary  Rashtrakuta 
emperor  as  has  been  si|ggested  by  scholars.  It 
may  refer  to  some  Tamil  potei^tate  as  well."* 

Dr.  R,  C.  Majumdar  proceeds  on  this  line  and 
oonchideB : 

1.    EfipmlMem   Indif,    Vol.    VL,    pp.    160-167. 

%,  Krltknaim&mi  Aiymgar   CommnmoruiioM    V^Uum,   1936.   Pf .  IM. 

S.  Mnuin  o/  tk9  AtUiie  SoeUty  of  Bengal,  Vol.  V,  No.  8. 
pp*    56* 

4.    IndUm   AnO^uarr,    Vol.    XH,    p.    3ia 

ft.    Tkt  Emly  Hhtory  mf  Bm^  hj  P.  L.  P«a,,  VoL  li  pp.   «. 

^    Eflgnpkiem    hdkm.    Vol.    XVni.    pp.   S46. 

7.  5mm  BUioHe&l  Aspecti  of'  ItucHpOom'  of  Bomgai  br  I>ri 
S*    C    Son.   p.  9M. 

ft.  JTKiAafMMflif  Aiyangfr  Cd^mmomofotkott  Volmm;  1936. 
fp.   19f. 


"It  is  not  unlikely,  therefore,  that  the  Dravida 
ruler  defeated  by  Devapala  .  .  .  was  most  pio- 
bably  his  contemporary  '  Pandya  king,  Sri  Mara 
Sri-Vallabha."* 

Dr.  Majumdar  who  supplements  Dr.  Rai- 
chaudhuri's  view,  bases  his  arguments  on  (1)  Sinna- 
manur  Plates  and  (2)  Velvikudi  Grant  of  Nedun- 
jadaiyan. 

We  shall  now  tiy  to  show  that  their  identifica- 
tion of  the  Dravida-king  with  the  Pandya  king,  can 
be  objected  to  on  some  seiious  considerations. 

The  Pandya  king,  according  to  Sinnamanur 
Plates,  claims  success  over  the  Magadhas  along  with 
Kalinga,  etc.  Now,  as  Magadha  in  the  opinion  of  the 
two  scholars  must  have  been  under  the  Palas,  the 
reference  in  the  inscription  to  the  Magadhas  must  be 
taken  as  applicable  to  the  Pala  contemporaries  of 
this  Pandya  king.  The  passage  in  which  this  success 
is  claimed  has  been  thus  translated  by  H.  Krishna 
Sastri : 

"Who  (Parachakrakolahala)  shining  with  the 
prowess  of  the  sun  and  shooting  from  his  bow* 
string  sharp  and  deadly  arrows  on  Ganga,  Pallava, 
Chola,  Kalinga,  Magadha  and  other  (Kings)  thiCt 
came  to  give  battle  and  opposed  (him)  at.  Kuda- 
mukkil  of  fragrant  and  blooming  flower  gardens 
and  made  them  bathe  in  a  big  river  of  blood.''^ 

Assuming  that  the  Magadhas  mean  the  Palas,  it 

is  to  be  noted  that  while  the  Sinnamanur  Plates  show 

that  Sri   Mara  Sri-Vallabha  defeated  the   Magadhas, 

the  Badal  Pillar  inscription,  quoted  above,  claims  that 

Devapak  defeated  the  lord  of  -the  Dravidds,  identified 

with  the    Pandyas  by  Dr.    Majumdar  and    Dr.  Rai- 

Chaudhuri.    This  is  a  discrepancy  for  which  no  clear 

explanation  has  been  offered.    Dr.  Majumdar  suggests 

that 

**It  is  just  possible  that  there  were  other 
episodes  in  connection  with  this  campaign  which 
were  less  favourable  to  him  (the  Pandya  king).'*" 

But  this  is  a  vague  statement  eince  nothing  has 
been  said  about  what  these  other  episodes  were.  No 
evidence  has  been  quoted  to  explain  the%  supposed 
other  episodes. 

So  far  as  the  evidence  of  the  Sinnamanur  Plates 
is  concerned,  the  people  defeated  by  Sri  Mara  Sri- 
Vallabha  did  not  fight  against  the  Rashtrakutas,  but 
against  the  Pandya  king.  Consequently,  it  is  beyond 
the  point  to  argue  on  the  evidence  of  this  inscription, 
that  a  confederacy  consisting  of  these  peoples  had 
been  organised  to  fight  against  the  Rashtrakutas. 

The  date^of  the  Pandya  king  Sri  Mara  Sri- 
Vallabha  is  from  815  KD.  to  802  AD.  as  Dr.  Rai- 
chaudhuri and  Dr.  Majumdar  mention.    According  to 

9.    HUtorr   of  BoM§ai,   VoL   I,   pp.   121, 

.10.    Samth    litdion    ImeripOons,   Vol.    M,   pp.    461. 

11.  Bii$orr  of  s«itrt,  v«;u  V  ¥^  'vai* 


214 


THE  MODERN  REVIEW  FOR  MARCH,  1053 


Dr.  Majumdar  himself  however,  Devapala  reigned 
upto  850  A.D.  Assuming  that  Dr.  Majumdar's  date 
of  Devapala  is  correct,  it  may  be  asked  how  he  can 
definitely  say  that  this  conflict  supposed  to  have 
taken  place  between  the  Palas  and  the  Pandyas, 
occurred  before  850  AJD.  and  not  at  some  date  be- 
tween 850  and  851  AX).  If  it  occurr^  after  850  AJ>. 
then  certainly  Devapala  was  not  defeated  by  the 
Pandya  king. 

Moreover,  to  prove  that  Devapala*s  conflict  with 
the  far  south  (i.e.  the  Pandya  kingdom  as  mentioned 
by  Dr.  Majumdar)  was  quite  probable,  Dr.  Raichau- 
dhuri  lias  referred  to  the  verse 

"A  Gangagama-mahitat  sapalna-sunyam 
a-setoh   ^frathita-dasasyaketukirieh 
Vrvima^y  arunaniketanacca  Sindhor 
a    Lakshmikulabhavanacca   yo    bubtioja:* 

of  Monghyr  Grant  of  Devapala"  which  claims  that 
Devapala*s  sway  extended  from  the  Himalayas  to  the 
Adam*3  Bridge.  Such  vague  praises  are  very  often  found 
in  ancient  Indian  records  when  they  magnify  the 
:ichievcments  of  kings  and  princes.  Where  definite  cor- 
i\)borativc  evidences  are  l^^cking,  such  statements  are 
not  generally*  accepted  as  bearing  any  historical  signi- 
ficance, and  are  discarded  as  mere  exaggerations.  As 
for  example,  Gopala,  the  founder  of  the  Pala  dynasty, 
has  been  described  as  having  conquered  the  whole 
earth  extended  up  to  the  sea."  This  is  surely  a  clear 
ca;^  of  exaggeration  if  the  text  is  to  be  taken  in  its 
literal  sense.  If  the  verse  of  the  Monghyr  Grant  is  to 
be  accepted  as  furnishing  an  indisputable  proof 
showing  the  extent  of  Devapala *3  empire,  the  evidence 
of  the  Sinnamanur  Plates  claiming  success  of  the 
Pandya  king  againn  the  Magadhas,  will  be  in  conflict 
with  what  the  verse  claims  on  behalf  of  Devapala. 
Then  again,  the  exaggerated  character  of  the  state- 
aient  made  in  the  l^fongluT  Grant  is  shoi«i-n  by  the 
Badal  Pillar  inscription  which  gives  a  relatively 
limited  estimate  of  his  power.  Tiie  vorso  in  this 
insoription  is  as  follows  : 

A-A 1  Q-jatakanmatamgaja'nHKUistim yacch ila    9(nnfUiUr 
^y-^ujipititrisi^t^'Kii't    kiranath'pu-*hyat'Sitimno    ffireh.'* 

The  \Tr?e  shows  that  De\'apala^  power  extended 
from  the  Himalayas  to  the  Vindhyas.  There  is  another 
v«se  ia  the  Monghyr  Grant  itself"  which  refer?  to 
IVvapala's  activity  in  the  Vindhj-a  region. 

Id  support  of  their  contention  Dr.  Raiohaudhuri 
and  Dr.  Majumdar  have  referred  to  the  Velvikudi 
Grant  of  Xeduniadan-an,  issued  in  the  third  year  of 


II.    hdim    JbUHmmr,    Vol.    XXI.    pp.    S4^r. 


VtTW 


his  reign."  Before  considering  the  value  of  the  evideQee 

contained  in  this  grant,  we  should  mention  thai  the 

above  grant  is  dated  about  76^—770  AJ>.    Thua  the 

date  of  this  inscription  is  very  much  earlier  than  the 

time  of    Sri  Mara  Sri-Vallabha  (815-«6B1  AJDJ    of 

Sinnamanur  Plate.    The     Velvikudi  Grant     meiitiom 

that 

'^Marangari,  the  crest-jewel  of  the  Vaidjraki 
family  .  .  .  whose  army  fought  powerfully  IflK  t 
thunderbolt,  in  battles  where  machines  riiaped  like 
wikl  hogs  lolled  (the  enemies)  in  (doee)  fi^t  with 
(drawn)  swords  when  the  kings  of  the  east  posnai* 
ing  clamourous  battalions  of  fighting  nien  roaa  op 
and  put  to  fight  with  (great)  loaa  in  an  inlantiy 
attack  at  Venbai  ...  on  the  occasion  when  the 
excellent  daughter  of  Gangaraja  was  secured  and 
offered  to  Kongarkon   (ije.,  the  Pandya  king)'*' 

From  this  it  has  been  concluded  that  there  wit  t* 
alliance  between  the  "Elastem  king"  and  the  Gai^ 
and  the  Pandyas.  Analysing  the  evidence  it  may  be 
found  that  the  Gangas  supposed  to  have  been  a  meiii* 
ber  of  this  confederacy  did  not  take  part  in  this  fi^ 
This  tends  to  show  that  a  definite  organisation  may  not 
have  been  formed  as  suggested  by  Dr.  R.  C. 
Majumdar. 

Dr.  ^fajumdar  does  not  give  any  histoiy  of  this 
confederacy  during  the  period  intervening  between  the 
time  of  Velvikudi  grant  and  the  time  <rf  Sri  Mara  8n- 
Vallabha  of  Sinnamanur  Plate,  eztirnding  over  fiftj 
years  or  more. 

It  is  necessary  to  point  out  in  this  connection  thst 
after  referring  to  Sri  Mara  Sri-Vallabfaa  and  his  fi^t 
against  Magadha  etc.,  Dr.  Majumdar  immediatHr 
refers  to  the  Velvikudi  Grant  and  says  that 

'*The  Pandya  king  was  at  one  time  a  member 
of  a  similar  confederacy  of  Eastern  iringy  whirii 
defeated  the  Rashtrakuta  kins  Krishna  I  at 
Venbai.'« 

This  may  prove  to  be  a  source  of  confuaion  because 
the  impression  may  be  produced  that  the  Vebikodi 
Grant  may  refer  to  Sri  Maia  Sri-Vallabba  who  cutf 
at  least  fifty  years  after  the  date  of  Velvikudi* Gnat 
Therefore,  obviously  the  reference  of  the  Velrikni 
Grant  in  connection  with  DevepaU's  leign  is  of  bo 
historical  value.  I(  cannot  be  used  to  piove  thit 
formerly  there  was  a  confedeiaey  which  oompiMB  the 
eastern  kings,  the  Pandya  kings  etc.,  from  whidi  SH 
Mara  Sri-Vallabha  withdrew  and  himself  fought  9pnA 
those  who  were  his  associates  befbee. 


It  may  be  p<Hnted  out  in  this  conneetioii,  thit 
while  the  Velvikudi  Grant  refen  to  the  fight  of  the 
Ra^trakutas  agaunst  some  powets,  tlie  Shmamatfir 
PUtes  refer  to  Sri  Mara's  aduerementB  wtuA  took 
place  after  a  period  extendii^  SD-lOO  yean.  It  sBBdi 
considenble    evidence    to    iiitililiBli     may    eouiecCioi 


:«.    ■*!«:    rai&r    IsKxirtM^    Vcne    No.    &. 

:Ji     Ct.:    Mk-^mrmaJkir^rip^^'^mt**         KariUAn^mn* 

S^    IS. 


IT.    fUi.  TV 


T«L  xvn. 


DEVAPALA  AND  THE  PANDYAS  OF  THE  SOUTH 


215 


between  the  two  records  so  as  to  reconstruct  a  consis- 
tent history  of  the  policy  and  activities  of  a  confe- 
deracy whose  existence  is  taken  for  granted.  Most 
of  the  necessary  links  required  to  establish  such  a 
connection  are  absent  in  the  present  case. 

Again,  it  is  very  doubtful  if  the  reference  to  the 
^Purvarajar*'  occurring  in  the  VelvikuJi  Grant,  applies 
to  the  Palas.  It  has  been  remarked  by  Dr.  Rai- 
ehaudhuri  that 

"The  expression  'Purvctfaiar*  reminds  us  of  the 
epithet  Turvakshitidhara'  of  the  Pala  records  and 
may  have  been  used  to  denote  the  Pala  rulers  of 
Eastern  Indifi  together  with  their  feudatories.'"* 

It  may  be  noted  in  this  connection  that  the 
expression  actually  found  in  Pala  inscriptions  is  not 
'TWvakshitidhara"  as  mentioned  by  Dr.  Raichaudhuri, 
but  "Purvakshitidhra."  The  passage  in  question  runs 
Uius  :  ^ 

'Taamat  purvakskUidhrannidhmva  mahasam  Raahtror 
kuUmvayendo8tung9yottunga  mavlef  dtdutari  fanayo 
Bhagyadevyam  praauta."^ 

The  same  passage  is  found  in  the  Amgachi  Grant 
yi  Vigrahapala  III"  and  in  the  Manhali  Grant  of 
Madanapala.*  As  negards  the  interpretation  of  the 
passage,  scholars  differ.  Keilhom  translates  : 

''As  the  store  of  light  proceeds  from  the  eastern 
mountain  so  sprang  from  that  king  of  East,  a  son 
bom  from  Bhagyadevi,  a  daughter  of  the  high- 
crowned  Tunga,  the  moon  of  the  Rashtrakuta 
family." 

A.  K.  Maitreya,  the  editor  of  OaudalekhamaUt, 
pves  a  different  translation.  He  does  not  want  the 
term  "Purvakshitidhra"  to  refer  to  any  king  of  the 
East.  His  interpretation  rendered  into  English,  runs 
:hii8  : 

*'A  son  as  great  as  the  sun  rising  in  the  cast 
was  bom  unto  him  and  his  wife  Bhagyadevi,  the 
daughter  of  the  proud-headed  Tungadeva,  the  moon 
of  the  Rashtrakuta  family.'** 

So  the  term  •'Purvakshitidhra"  may  be  a  case  of  pure 

\ipama  meaning  the  eastern  mountain  and  it  may  not 

Indicate  the  eastern  king.  Obviously,  the  simihurity  is 

between  the  sun  and  Gopala  II  and  it  may  be  probable 

liat  this  author  of    this    inscription    was     probably 

ittempting  to     suggest    that    with  the  accession     of 

jk>pala  II,  the  fortunes  of    Pala    dynasty  may  have 

ihone  more  brightly  than  before  as    with    the  rise  of 

he  sun  darkness  vanishes.  The  idea  that  the  sun  rises 

m  the  eastern  mountain  is  a  viery  familiar  one    with 

'Jie  poets  of  Ancient  India.    One  may,    for  instance, 

lefer  to  the  following  verse  in  the  MandasOre  Inscrip- 

oin  of  Kumaragupta  and  Bandhuvarman  : 

19.  Kri$kiu»»ami  Aiysngv  Comm^wtormtion  VclmtM,  1936« 
fp,    199. 

10.  "B«iif»dh    Gnat    of    Mahipak      I/*      JounuA    of   tk4   AsUtk 

^oaUty  of  BeMgai,  Vol.   LXI»   pp.   77*S7. 

21.  /Mfim    AnOquMr*    VoL    XXI.    p.    100. 

32.  /MnMl  «/  tkm  AsUiU  Society  of  Menial,  Vol.  LXIX,  p.  M. 

23.  GmmdeUkhemeU,   p.   99. 


Yah  pratyaham  prativibhaty  vdayachalendrcu 
vistirrmet-tunga'^hara^khcuiUmiini^ 

If  the  expression  "Purvakshitidhra"  at  all  means 
an  eastern  king,  it  applies  to  Rajyapala  only.  There 
is  nothing  in  the  whole  range  of  Pala  inscriptions  that 
the  predecessors  of  Rajyapala  have  been  described  in 
similar  fashion.  The  use  of  the  expression  "Purva- 
kshitidhra"  as  applying  to  Pala  rulers  in  the  sense  that 
they  were  eastern  kings  so  that  they  may  be  identified 
with  the  "Purvarajar"  mentioned  in  the  Velvikudi 
Grant  was  never  a  current  and  well-established  intro- 
duction for  the  Pala  rulers,  at  least  before  Rajyapala. 
Its  use  in  that  sen^e  at  the  time  of  Velvikudi  Grant 
(760—770  A.D.)  is  not  supported  by  any  independent 
evidence,  and  to  say  that  the  expression  was  used  in 
that  sense  is  a  mer^  assumption. 

Moreover,  it  may  be  doubted  if  at  all  the  Palas 
fought  against  the  Rae&trakutas  in  the  time  of 
Krishna  I.  The  Velvikudi  Grant  has  been  taken  to 
nefer  to  a  conflict  between  the  Palas  and  the  army  of 
the  Ra^trakuta  king  Krishna  I.* 

Krishna  I  succeeded  =his  nephew  Dantidurga, 
according  to  Dr.  Altekar,  in  about  750  AJD.*  and  his 
death  "must  have  taken  place  sometime  between  the 
23rd  of  June,  772  AJ>.,  when  th«  Talegaon  plates  were 
issued  and  October,  775  AJ>.,  when  the  Pimperi  platei^ 
were  issued  by  his  son  Dhruva,  which  do  not  refer  to 
Krishna  I  as  living  or  ruling."*  But  it  should  be  noted 
that  the  available  Rashtrakuta  inscriptions  do  not  refer 
to  any  episode  connectmg  the  Palas  with  the  Rashtra- 
kutas  before  the  time  of  Dhmva.  Even  at  the  time  of 
Dhruva's  invasion,  the  identification  of  the  Gauda 
king  who  was  pursued  by  Dhruva  in  the  Ganga-Yamuna 
Doab  has  not  been  definitely  ascertained  although  it 
may  seem  that  he  was  probably  a  Pala  king.  During 
the  time  of  Krishna  I,  if  the  Palas  bad  already  esta- 
blished their  dsmasty,  there  is  nothing  to  show  that 
the  first  king  Gopala  could  have  ventured  to  go 
against  the  Rashtrakutas  and  fight  them  at  Venbai  in 
South  India.  As  a  matter  of  fact,  the  first  and  second 
kings  of  the  Pala  dynasty,  Gopala  and  Dharmapaki 
reepectively,  must  have  been  very  busy  in  consolidat- 
ing their  position  at  home  and  building  up  a  hegemony 
in  North  India  which  Dharmapala  succeeded  in 
achieving.*  On  the  other  hand,  what  we  know  about 
the  Illation  between  the  Rashtrakutas  and  Dharmapala 
clearly  shows  that  it  was  the  Rashtrakutas  who  had 
invaded  the  north  and  came    into    contact    with  the 

24.  Flool  :    Cor  ft    luscriptiommm    Indiemrum,    Vol.    ID,    p.    81. 

25.  KrUhneewemi  Aiyanger   Commemoration   Folume,   1936,  p.   198. 

26.  The  Rmthtreknta*  end  Their  Timee  by  Dr.  A.  S.  Altekar. 
p.  44.  -       I  : 

27.  Epigrephiee  Indic;  Vol.    X,   p.   81. 

28.  The   ReaktrAutee    end    TIkeir    Timet  by    Dr.    A.    S.    Altekar,  ' 

p.  45.  '■';;'•;  1 1  » 

29.  a.:  "Bhofmirmeteymluemedreik  Kuru  Yedn  YeeenmemH^ 
gendherm  Ureik,"  Khalimpote  lateriptloD  of  MarmapiU  t  Ci&ct%- 
pMc«   riuiic*.  Vo\.  n,  ^.  ^Jtt. 


216 


'THE  MODERN  REVIEW  FOR  MARCH.  1963 


Gurjaras  and  the  Palas.  There  is  no  incontestable 
evidence  to  show  that  Dharmapala  planned  any  cam- 
paign in  the  south.  In  this  connection,  however,  a 
reference  to  his  Gokama  victoiy^  has  been  made 
which  is  sometimes  located  in  the  North  Kanara  dis- 
trict of  the  Bombay  Presidency.  But  the  identification 
of  Gokama  has  not  yet  been  definitely  settled.  In  fact, 
there  may  be  a  good  deal  of  truth  in  the  theory  which 
places  Gokama  in  Nepal. 

We  have  tried  io  show  that  it  is  not  possible  to 
support  the  view  that  Devapala  was  defeated  by  n 
Pandya  king  or  he  defeated  a  Pandya  king.  The  in- 
clusion of  Magadha  in  the  list  of  namPs  given  in  the 
Sinnamanur  Inscriptions  may  not  signify  the  king  of 
Magadha  as  Dr.  Raichaudhuri  himself  seems  to  doubt 
his  own  interpretation  when  he  sajrs : 

"This  document  (the  Sinnamanur  Plates)  clearly 
establishes  the  pr^^sence  in  the  Tamil  country,  in  the 
ninth  century  AD.  of  warriors  from  Magadha.**^ 

The  presence  of  men  of  Magadha  who  offered  their 
services  as  soldiers  in  any  part  of  India,  may  have  been 
quite  possible.  If  a  powerful  ruler  like  Devapala  had 
been  actually  defeated  by  the  Pandya  king,  there  is  no 


so.    indim    AnUqumry,    VoL    XXI,    pp.    24S.257. 

31.  KTuhntuwami    Aiyungmr    Commtmcration    Volum€,    1986,    p.    199. 

:0; 


reason  why  his  name  should  have  been  omitted  in 
record.  The  Sanjan  Grant  of  Amoghavardia  v^en  to 
Dharma,  i.e.,  Dharmapala  by  name.**  It  is  necegsuy  to 
doubt  the  historical  value  of  many  reooids  whidi 
simply  refer  to  names  of  territories  in'a  vague  manner 
without  giving  specific  detail.  By  his  defeat  of  the  king 
of  Utkal,  Devapala  entered  into  a  new  phase  of  hiatoii- 
cal  activity  and  this  is  quite  probal^3  that  this  move 
on  the  part  of  Devapala  may  have  been  viewed  with 
misgivings  by  the  rulers  of  the  Deccan  and  the  fv 
south.  ITib  passage  in  the  Badal  Pillar  to  which  we 
have  already  referred  contains  a  very  cautious  state- 
tnent.  It  does  not  actually  say  that  a  Dravida  king  was 
defeated  in  a  military  engagement.  What  Devapala 
actually  claims  is  that  he  reduced  (kharvikrUa)  ^ 
jpride  of  the  Dravida  king.  This  may  have  been 
achieved  by  the  establishment  of  Devapala's  influence 
in  Kalinga  and  also  his  friendly  relations  with  the 
ruling  family  of  Java  and  Sumatra.  If  the  ezpresnon 
''Dravida-natJia"  is  taken  to  mean  <me  who  was  a  king 
of  the  Dravidas  who  need  not  have  been  a  Dravida 
himself  (Dravidanam  nathah),  it  may  have  been 
applied  to  the  Rashtrakirtas  who  were  attempting  (o 
spread  tiieir  power  in  the  Tamil  country. 


S3.    Cf  :     ''SrayamcTopagaUa     c«      Yuj*      mabfttasUa 
eaknyndliaa/*    Epigraphicm    Indica,    Vol.    XVm,    p.    2S3 


SUMMARY  SURVEY  OF  ART  JOURNALS  IN  INDIA 

BtKAUNDINYA 

n 


1929 :  A  very  well-printed  and  well-produced  Journal  of 
Art  (timed  to  appear  on  the  15th  June)  began  its  career 
about  July  1929  (though  the  actual  date  of  its  publication 
was  novdiere  printed  in  any  issue,  with  characteristic 
self-forgetfulness) ,  under  the  title  Shilpi,  an  illustratedt 
Journal  of  Fine  Arts,  edited  by  H.  Mazumdar  and  A.  C 
MooJcerjee  and  published  by  the  Indian  Academy  of 
Art  from  6ZS,  Beadon  Street,  Calcutta,  with  the  annual 
subscription  of  Rs.  12,  each  issue  being  priced  at  Rs.  2-8 
per  copy.  There  is  no  indication  if  it  was  a  monthly 
or  a  quarterly,  but  the  three  issues  available  are  headecL 
Grishma,  Varsha  and  Sarat.  Possibly,  a  fourth  issue  was 
issued  for  Winter  (SUla)  but  we  hare  been  unable  to 
trace  it,  as  the  expensive  venture  does  not  appear  to 
have  survived  for  more  than  a  year — a  very  sad  com- 
mentary on  the  meagre  support  that  Art  Journals  receive 
from  the  educated  and  cultured  section  of  the  Indian 
public.  The  journal  was  issued  in  a  very  handy  format 
(11  inches  by  8  inches)  and  very  tastefully  produced  and 
printed.  ^ 

In  the  first     issae  (VoL  I,  No.  I)  as  many  as  13 

large-size   reproductions    (three  in     .colour)    of  various 

modem  artists  were  provided,  three  of  which  represented 

/A?  ftw±s  of  H.  Mazamdar,     It  was     indeed  a  brave 


venture  on  the  part  of  an  artist,  with  no     jonmaBstie 

experience  or  any  literary  equipment     The     editoiials 

and  comments  in  the  first  number  probably  came  from 

Sri  A.  C.  Mookerjee,  the  joint-editor.      A  third  editor 

appears  to   have      collaborated  whose   untimely      death 

appears  to  have  delayed  the  appearance  of  the  first  issue. 

The  letter-press   (48  pages  in  the  .first  issue)    is  made 

up  of     contributions  of     several     well-known     writers, 

Messrs     Sisir     G)omar     Maitia,     Srish     Chatterjee,    J. 

Chowdhury  and  Arun  Sen  (with. a  translation  of  Vidya- 

pati).      The  aims  and  aspirations  of  the      journal  are 

clearly  set  forth  in  an  opening  editorial : 

"Besides  being  profusely  illustrated  with  beauti- 
ful reproductions  in  colour  and  monochrome  of  the 
representative  works  of  our  (?)  leading  artists, 
Shilpi  will  contain  a  judicious  selection  of  articles, 
criticism^  and  reviews  relating  to  the  fine  arts  by 
eminent  contiibutora,  who  have  already  made  their 
mark  in  the  field.  It  will  also  include  editorial  eoa- 
ments  on  current  events  that  might  naturally  come 
within  the  purview  of  af  journal  like  this.  And  ia 
dealing  with  the  subjects  of  painting,  sculpture, 
music,  etc.,  that  is  to  say,  with  the  fine  arts  genetallyi 
Shilpi  will  always  try  to  cultivate  a  thorouiMr  hvBUOi 
and  modem  outlook  on  these  subjects  free  ffom  the 
bias  of  hoary  traditions  or  pseudo-archaimi  of  ai^ 
kind  and  endeavour  to     inculcate  such  an     oodooK 


A  SUMMARY  OF  ART  JOURNALS  IN  INDU 


217 


b  the  readers  withont  fear  or  favour.  In  the 
a  of  art  and  aesthetics,  Shilpi  does  not  believe  in 
eeoteric  standard  of  values.  This  is  a  frank 
*8S]on  of  faith  only,  in  modem  forms  of  Art,  and 
pudiation  of  the  study  of  the  old  Indian  master- 

qate  of  such  repudiation  of  "esoteric  standard 
stp**  the  editor  published  iu  the  first  number  a 
artick  from  the  pen  of  Sri  Sisir  GK>mar  Maitra, 
mown  scholar  of  philosophy,  an  article  on  the 
»phy  of  Indian  Art,''  an  able  exposition  of  the 
principles,  underlying  the  expressions  of  old 
ieoes  of  Indian  Art.  The  letter-press  covaing  48 
Qcluded  two  more  serious  articles ;  "Claims  of 
Abnchiecture^  by  Sri  Srish  Chatterjee  and  a  good 
a  the  history  of  "Bengali  Theatre*'  by  J.  Oiowdhury. 
inleresting  article  by  Mr.  Ramlal  Bajpai  on 
il  Art  in  New  York,'*  describing  the  famous 
m^     Collection   of    old     Indian     masterpieces, 

with  a  report  of  a  lecture  on  the  topic  by  Mr. 

K.  Coomaraswamy,  contradicted  the  avowed 
the  journal  to  present  modem  phases  of  art,  of 
Bvenl  examples  were  reproduced  in  the  number, 
eeond  number  of  the  journal,  entitled  the  Barsha, 
f  Sea8on,-^he  letter-press  (48  pages)  included  a 
tide  on  the  ''Significance  of  Indian  Aesthetics," 

the  esoteric  standar^  of  values^  repudiated  by  the 

the   concluding   portion   of  the   article   "Bengali 

'  by     J.  Chowdhury,     Itenaissanoe     of  Indian 

by  Amiya     Sanyal,  and  a  short  article     on  the 

the  Posters'*     by  SrD     Kusal  Mookerjee.     One 

the  editor  to  publish  the  reactions  0f  the 
>  the  first  number  and  to  record  the  opinions  of 
f  the  quality     of  the     joumaL     But  this  wa^ 

But  one  can  glean  the  nature  of  public  re- 
a  a  revealing  article  from  the  pen  of  H.  Mazumdan 
le  and  Beauty."  The  editor  naively  quoted  the 
inion  of  a  critic  on  his  nude  paintings. 

On  a  certain  occasion,  a  respected  kinsman  of 
was  rather  perturbed  on  seeing  one  of  my 
es.     With  a  tinge  of  sorrow  not  unmixed  with 

he  said,  'Look.  here,  why  da  you  paint  your 
es  with  such  a  low  idea  ?  The  work  of  a  true 
must,  be  absolutely  free  from  all  taint  of  pas- 

If  your  pictures  are  not  worthy  enough  to  be 
td  by  the  nation  what  good  are  they  to  the 
r  at  larii^e  ?*  And  so  on  and  so  fortfi.  From  an 
I  stand-point  the  words  are  periiaps  unexcep> 
le :  but  viewed  in  the  light  of  the  creation  of 
they  certainlv  betray  a  want  of  completeness  in 
perspectives." 

low,  the     perspective  of     the  eifitor,     almost 

ly     confined  to  the     presentation  of  the     nude 

1  indecent  form— of  low  vulgar  taste— does  not 

»  have  earned  any  popularity  for  the  journal  in 

ila  low     popular  ^^^eaL    Another  %  in    the 

was  the  imsound  i>olicy  to  r^irbduce  moitly 

painted  by  the  editor  himseli    Though  a     few 

by  other  artisU  were  included,  e^T^  "Shr^'  by 

ChowUinry,  ''Spirit  of  the  Woods"  by  Ptaia 


Oiakravorty,  "Radha  and  Krishna"   (cok>ur)   by  M.  V. 
Dhurandhar,  **Ever  Green"   (colour)   by  Ghose  Dastidar, 
unfortunately  the  prominence  given  was  on  the  paintings 
of  the  editor  himself  of  vrhich  several  were  reproduced 
in  the  first  number  and  eight  in  the  second  number  (twc^ 
in  colour).    The  wholesome  rule  that  an  editor's     own 
productions  should  not  dominate  his  own  journals     vras 
flagrantly  violated  and  the  fact  that  the  productions  of 
the  modem  school  of  painting  founded  by     Abanindra 
Nath  Tagore  were  studiously  avoided  proved  that     the 
journal  was  presenting  only  the  works  of  the  editor  and 
his  coterie  and  this  policy  spelled  the  ruin  of  a  laudable 
venture     started     with     good     financial     resources     but 
handicapped  by  a  policy  of  narrow  selfish  ends, -ignoring 
the  claims  of    other    contemporary     artists  of     genuine 
artistic  merits  and  of  broad  national  outloojc,  based  on! 
age-old  aesthetic  traditions.     We  are  at  some  pains  to 
analyze  the  mistakes  of  policy  and  outlook  in  a  public 
Journal  of  Art  in  order  to  demonstrate  how  the  best  of* 
efforts  in  this  phase  of  journalistic  venture  come  to  grief 
for  want  of  a  sound  editorial  policy,  so  that  in  future 
we  may  avoid  such  pitfalls.     If  the  Shilpi     had     only 
followed  the     precedent  of  the     London  Studio^     which 
liberally  covers  all  phases  of  modem  art,  both  in  England 
and  in  the  Continent,  and  if  the  late  Mr.  H.  Mazumdar 
could  inspire  trained  specialists  in  Art  to  vrnie  serious 
■rtiGles  on  the  many  problems  of  modem  art,  his  excellently 
produced  journal  would  not  come  to  an  untimely  end. 
Both  the  choice  of  paintings  for  reproduction  and  the 
poor   and    sometimes    amateurish   quality    of    the    letter- 
press hastened  the  end  of  a  journal  produced  with  huge 
expenses  with  a  lot   of-,  care  and   immaculate   taste   ii^ 
production  both  in  printing  and  in  good  blocks.     The 
poverty  of  the  articles  was  attempted  to  be  redeemed  iii 
the  third      number  reprinting      from  the  pages  of  the 
Visva-Bharuti  Quarterly  the  famous  article  of  Rabindra- 
nath  Tagore  on     '*The  Meaning  of  Art"     which  again 
contradicted    the    editorial    policy    of    repudiating    the 
esoteric  standard  of  values.     The  other  serious  article 
in  the  third  number  was  the  sound  reflections  of  Ptof. 
Dhurjati  P.  Mookerjee  recording  his     reactions  to  the 
stuc^  of  R.   S.   Wilenski's  'The  Modem  Movement  in 
Art,"  that  was  just  published.      The   editor  published 
tliia  article  with  many  passages  which   condemned   the 
aims  of  the  editor's  own  productions  and  their  imitators. 
"To  bring  the  so-called  Indian  Art  into  line  with 
European    Art    of    the    last    three    centuries    on    the 
ground     of     universal     principles     is     un-historical. 
Besides,  it  ts  illogical,  for  the  artist's  main  concem  is 
to   (kaw   and   paint    the   generic,   formal   and   colour 
relation  as  understood  by  him.    It  is  no  argument  to 
say  that  the  human  body  is  the  same  all  the  world 
over.      The  artist  who  would  paint  the  human  body 
only  and  not  its  form  and  relation,  inward  and  out- 
ward, caters  either  for  the  magazine  reader  or  for 
the   romanticist,   each   a   useful  citiaen   in  his  way 
but  an  enemy;  to  art." 

Bat  the  vnkindest  c«t  in  Hrof.  Dhuijati  Mookerjee's 
tboagbtfol  «itid»  was  against  the  style  of  paintln«k  ^«^k!q^ 
the  lue  Heniiea  MitoiiiAm  i^vni^ft^  Vgl  \dfl^  «p«^  Vai^r^a^ 


218 


THE  MODERN  REVIEW  FOR  MARCH,  1953 


"Recently  tbere  has  been  an  awakening  in  India, 
I  wish  I  could  say,  that  it  was  an  art  awakening.  I 
do  not  know  whether  it  is  the  awakening  of  an  old 
man  or  that  of  a  child.  The  signs  that  ar-e  noticed 
migjbt  aek  well  be  the  mumblings  of  an  old  man  or 
the  prattlings  of  a  baby.  In  any  case,  sugar-candy 
is  being  demanded  with  some  insistence.  And  I  have 
a  suspicion  that  in  painting,  the  artist  has  been 
catering  certain  addlepated  venalities  in  response  'to 
the  insistent  demand.  He  is  a  pseudo-artist  who 
flatters  the  sick,  the  old  man  and  the  child  or  the 
romantic  youth.  Art  photography  is  passing  for  art. 
It  is  the  duty  of  Shiipi,  to  stop  the  process  of 
degeneration  and  vulgarization.  If  it  succeeds  it  will 
have  performed  a  task  indeed.'* 
There  could  not  have  been     more     frank,     ruthless 

protest  against  the  style  of  art,  which      the     editor  of 

Shiipi     zealously     supported.     As     no     rejoinder     was 

published  to  this  criticism  one  may  legitimately  conclude 

that  the  editor  probably  accepted  the  criticism  and  the 

journal  committed  "suicide"  by  stopping  its  publication. 

It  was  indeed  a  great  pity  that  such  a  brave  and  valiant 

attempt  to  run  an  Art  Journal   (never  supported  by  the 

cultured  public)    should  have   terminated   its  career   in 

one   short-lived   year   of   existence.      The   third   number^ 

also  committed  the  indiscretion  of  publishing  three  colour 

plates  of  the  artist's  own  pictures,  although  accompanied 

by  two  good  pictures,  one  by  P.  Chakravorty's  "Sleeping 

Princess"  and  "Day     Labourers"  by     Biren     Bhovrmik. 

An  effort  should  be  made  to  find  out  the  fourth 
number  of  Shiipi  if  ever  published  and  the  copies  should 
be  preserved  in  the  National  Library, — ^if  not  as  the 
record  of  a  first-class  Journal  of  Art,  but  as  a  model  of 
what  to  avoid  in  conducting  a  Journal  of  Art  in  India. 
It  is  sad  to  reflect  that  so  much  money,  endiusiasm,  and 
sincere  woik  should  have  been  wasted  in  pursuit  of  a 
narrow  and  ill-designed  plan  and  policy. 

But  failures  are  but  pillars  of  success  and  our  future 
editors  with  ambition  to  present  the  best  claims  of 
modem  artists  and  to  foster  the  growth  of  modem  art 
should  avoid  the  pitfalls,  in  which  Shiipi  found  ita 
grave.  There  is  room  for  a  well-conducted  journal  to 
be  edited  by  a  well-equipped  connoisseur  of  art  to  present 
all  phases  of  Modem  Indian  Art,  that  are  growing  up  in 
different  parts  of  the  Indian  Union,  as  indicated  by 
numerous  Exhibitions  in  Calcutta,  Bombay,  Delhi  and 
Madras  and  in  other  provincial  cities.  If  we  had  a 
journal  with  the  scope  and  policy  of  the  London  Studiot 
and  it  was  liberally  supported  by  all  sections  of  the 
cultured  public,  that  would  be  a  great  service  to  the 
critical  understanding  of  all  contemporay  movements  id 
National  Art. 

1929 :  In  January  1929,  appeared  the  first  number 
of  a  new  Art  Journal  in  a  formidable  format  (15  inches 
by  10  inches)  under  the  title  Roopa-Lekha,  an  illustrated 
Quarterly  Journal  of  Indian  arts  and  crafts^  published 
from  287,  Espknade  Road,  Delhi,  India.  It  startecl 
with  an  editorial  board  of  six  editors,  K.  H.  Vakil 
(Bombay),  Ajit  Ghose  (Calcutta),  Mrs.  Alice  E.  Adair 
(Madras),  Mrs,  Kamala  Devi  •  Chattopadhayal 
""MangaJore),   G.    Veakatacbalam    (Bangalore),  Mukandl 


Lai    (Lucknow),    and    Baroda    Ukil    (Delhi),    with  ai^ 

annual  subscription  of  Rs.  16,  single  copy  Rs.  5. 

In  the  first     number,  the  aim     and^  scope  of  the 

journal  are  indicated  in  rather  vague  editorial  mnsingB : 

"Many  chapters  in  the  history  of  Indian  Art  still 
await  elucidation.  But  the  story  of  its  continoeA 
growth  survives  vividly  in  the  imperfect  outline  traced 
by  the  historian.  The  Roopa-Lekha  recogniiOB  die 
magnitude  and  importance  of  nation-wide  efl^orta  loi 
leconstruction  in  art  and  it  therefore  aspires  to  woEk 
for  the  conditions  which  would  ensure  the  coiitiiniatMft 
in  art,  the  emergence  of  the  manifold  divenitr 
justified  by  its  past  and  demanded  by  its  future,  b 
will  thus  be  both  inter-provincial  and  inter-natioinl 
in  its  outloojc."  .  , 
This  was  a  suggestion  that  the  journal  would  devote 

itself  to  the  elucidation  of  the  past  history  of  IndBaa 

Art  but  it  did     not     overlook     the  claims  of     moden 

movements  and  it  was  stated  : 

"In  its  information,  review,  and  examination  al 
current  activities  and  tendencies  it  will  remain  free 
from  rigid  creeds  which  limit  the  artist's  freedom  aad 
creative  range.  Incalculable  harm  has  been  done  by 
the  isolation  which  at  present  exists  between  die 
artists  and  the  intelligentsia  in  the  different  protiaeei 
in  the  country.  The  Roopa-Lekha  will,  by  pubfishiBg, 
constantly,  information  about  their  art  acthities, 
endeavour  to  minimise  that  isolation  and  facilitate  die 
interchange  and  elucidation  of  ideas  and  ideab  wUeh 
alone*  can  guarantee  a  steady  evolution  of  Iiidiaa 
Art." 

That  both  the  ancient  schools  of  art  and  didr 
modem  manifestations  were  intended  to  be  served  ii 
proved  by  the  contents  of  the  first  number.  The  open- 
ing article  was  a  thin  and  discursive  ''ESBsay  on  ffiadl 
Painting^  from  the  pen  of  N.  C.  Mehta,  with  refemces 
to  the  poetry  of  Tulasidas,  the  architecture  of  Fatehpor 
Sikri,  and  the  vigour  of  early  Moghul  portraits.  Tic 
second  article  was  from  the  pen  of  James  H.  Gooaiiis  ea 
'^European  Appreciation  of  Indian  Painting,"  rektiii( 
the  author's  travels  with  a  collection  of  sixty  modem 
Indian  paintings  and  their  exhibition  in  Geneva,  BroHsK 
Holland  and  in  London.  The  other  contribatkns 
included  conmients  of  Mr.  Anu  Ghose  on  't 
''Jaina  Madonna''  in  his  collection,  and,  a  pi^ 
by  Bireswar  Sen^  on  "Graft  Design"  covered  by  the 
demand  of  foreign  tourists  and  Indian  connoisseuxa.  But 
the  most  serious  contribution  to  the  first  number  was 
the  beginning  of  a  serial  by  Mr.  Mnkandi  Lai  on  "Hie 
Pahari  (Himalayan)  School  of  Indian  Paintiiig  aad 
Molaram's  Place  in  it."  Modem  Art  was  reprasented 
by  an  anonymous  and  amateurish  study  of  "Abaniadn- 
nath  Tagore  and  the  Renaissance  of  Lidian  Paintiis' 
by  A.B.  The  illustrations,  reproduced  on  a 
scale,  included  four  colour  plates,  tastefully 
on  thick  cartons,  reprodueing  "An  Old  Kangra  WUi- 
ing,"  Tagore's  "Queen  Tisfayarakshita,"  Saioda  UUh 
Tune  of  Eternity,"  ^'Rjeverie*'  by  Ghni^litai  lad 
'Toy"  by  Tagore.  The  first  number  did  not  toeeeed 
in  making  any  impression  and  did  not  reflect  any  eradit 
on  the  formidable  board  of  editors  who  appear  to  haw 
leil  maueift  to  the  discretion  of  the  Dettd  edte.    Us 


A  SUMMARY  OP  ART  JOURNALS  IN  INDIA 


21d 


iber,   appearing      in   April,    1929,   did      not 

raising  the  standard  of  the  journal,  a  mis- 
assorted     matters  with  no  definite     editorial 

published  five  articles  :  *'Fins  et  Erigo*'  by 
en,.  'Theatre  for  Tomorrow*'  by  K.  H. 
idian  Women  and  AjV*  by  Srimati  lilavati, 
>ar  aa  a  Painter*'  by  Anu  Ghose,  the  best. 
I  being  an  article  on  'The  Schools  of  Raj- 
ga^  by  Ajit  Ghose,  which  was  deservedly 
place  of  honour.  The  six  colour  plates  in 
r  representing  three  old  masterpieces,  Qiose's 
{ini"  (a  great  nuisterpiece  of  the  primitive 
kbar''    (late  Moghul),  and  a  Tibetan  Tanka 

and  three  modems,  ''Omar  Khyyam"  by 
r,  "Ambapali''  by  Promode  Chatterjee, 
by  Surendra  Nath  Ganguly,  maintained  an 
;e  of  editorial  leaning  between  the  Old  and 

The  first  numbers  of  1939,  thougl^  poor  ii^ 

and    lac^c    of    definite    editorial       principles, 

by  lack  of  literary  equipments,  specialized 
reproductions  with  generous  presentations  of 
ve  plates,  with  commendable  enterprize. 
X  and  understanding  of  Indian  Art  have 
ing  to  want  of  good  reproductions  of  paint- 
iri.  Baroda  Ukil  paid  serious  attention  to 
iking  the  colour  plates    the  most  important 

his  journal  which  somewhat  compensated 
of  the  letter-press, 
ne  unknown  reasons,  the  journal,  begun  with 
se,  at  least  in  providing  adequate  colour 
IS  in  accurate  facsimiles,  appears  to  have 
irground     and  did  not     appear     to  put     Id 

before  July,  1939.  This  time  it  appeared 
ustrated  Bi-Annual  Art-Joumar'  making  a 
is  Volume  I,  Serial  No.  I,  under  an  editorial 
isisting  of  Dr.  Ananda  Giomaraswamy,  Dr. 
Cousins,  Mr.  Ajit  Ghose,  Mr.  Karl  Khandel- 
t-Law.  Mr.  G.  Venkatachalam,  and  Mr. 
Icil.  Unfortunately,  the  accession  of  the 
>ard  by  including  Dr.  Coomaraswamy,  did 
len  the  editorial  policy,  which  wandered  aim- 
a  ship  without  a  rudder,  as  will  be  evident 

of  the  articles  in  this  new  number :  (1) 
irsities  and  the  Fine  Arts"  (J.  H.  Cousins), 
erism  and  Tradition"  (Bireswar  Sen),  (3) 
ra  the  Wall"  (R.  V.  Leyden),  (4)  'Three 
n  Sir  C.   Jahangir  Collection''  (K.   Khandel- 

"Nritya  Niranjan"  (Prof.  V.  N.  Bhusan), 
lea  for  Art  Education  in  our  Universities" 
Gaidar),  (7)  "An  Outsider  Looks  at  the 
ia"  (  G.  F.  Martyn,  F.  Inst.  P).  The 
le  editorial     leaning  for  Modem  Art  became 

the  four  colour  platc^  in  this  number  devoted 
paintmgs:  "Filled  Pitcher"  (Mukul  Roy), 
Iris"  (A.  K.  Roy  Chowdhury),  'The  Tune 
Saroda  Ukil),  "Sri  Krishna  and  Vidur"  (B. 
,  the  two  first  being  ezoeUent  representatives 
tendencies  of    Modem     Indian     Painting. 


Roopa-Lekha  could  have  rendered  signal  service  to  modem 
movements,  if  it  had  confined  its  scope  to  the  presenta- 
tion and  critical  api^aisement  of  various  regional  phases 
of  modem  painting  on  the  excellent  precedent  of  the 
London  Studio,  but  the  editors  divided  their  loyalty  be- 
tween both  the  old  and  new  masters  serving  neither  witU 
success  nor  distinction. 

The  second  volume  in  the  new  series  (1940)  opened 
with  a  higher  standard  of  editing,  particularly  in  publi- 
shing sohd,  scholarly  articles  on  the  old  Indian  schools, 
beginning  with  a  series  describing  the  Collection  of  Mr. 
A.  C.  Ardeshir  of  Poona,  which  brought  to  light  many 
hitherto  unknown  documents  of  Moghul  painting.  It  is 
necessary  to  protest  against  the  pernicious  editorial  prac- 
tice to  permit  owners  of  paintings  to  describe  and  criti- 
cally appraise  and  date  their  own  collections,^  which 
prevent  a  just  and  independent  estimate  of  their  intrinsic 
values.  This  undesirable  practice  has  arisen  out  of  the 
incompetence  of  some  of  our  art-editors  and  the  reluctance 
of  collectors  to  permit  an  independent  appraisal  of  their 
collections  by  un-biased  testimony  of  acknowledged  ex- 
perts. Th^e  is  a  Bengali  proverb  that  the  "producers -of 
the  curds  never  admit  that  their  own  products  are  sour." 
And  most  private  collectors  of  old  Indian  masterpieces 
love  to  exaggerate  the  merits  of  their  own  collections  andf 
ascribe  as  much  earlier  dates  as  possible  to  their  own 
pictures  or  sculptures.  Very  frequently  collectors  of 
South  Indian  Bronzes  have  dogmatically  claimed  each 
and  every  of  theiv  pieces  as  "Chola  masterpieces."  The 
most  honourable  exception  is  the  case  of  the  late  Dr. 
Coomaraswamy  who  dated  the  examples  of  masterpieces 
collected  by  him  with  scmpulous  accuracy  without  any 
bias  for  exaggeration  or  over-statement. 

The  Roopa-Lekha  has  with  commendable  zeal  conti- 
nued its  career  of  usefulness  for  an  unbroken  series  of 
more  than  ten  years  without  very  much  public  support, 
sometimes  figuring  as  a  quarterly  and  sometimes  as  i^ 
bi-annuaL  That  the  editors  find  it  inconvenient  or  too 
expensive  to  issue  4  numbers  of  an  Art  Journal  in  India 
in  a  year  is  a  sad  commentary  on  the  public  interest  in 
Art.  In  Ene^d,  not  to  speak  of  other  countries,  several 
mcnihly  journals  of  Art  are  enthusiastically  supported  by 
a  large  number  of  subscribers,  while,  in  India  an  Art 
Journal  has  to  carry  on  an  anxious  and  precarious  exis- 
tence even  as  a  *Twice  a  Year"  publication.  This  is 
largely  due  to  the  neglect  of  the  study  of  the  Indian  Fine 
Arts  in  the  Indian  Universities.  Our  graduates,  masters 
of  arts,  and  doctors  of  literature  seldom  develop  live 
interest  in  Art,  ancient  or  modem,  and  their  pretensions 
for  culture  are  narrowly  oonfined  to  the  spheres  of  litera* 
ture  and  music  and  it  is  rare  to  find  amongst  our  educated 
brethren  any  critical  knowledge  of  Indian  Art.  Consider- 
ing the  amount  of  money  and  enterprise  lavished  by 
Sri  Baroda  Ukil  in  keeping  alive  his  journal  in  sump- 
tuously illustrated  and  finely  printed  editions  of  his 
issues,  the  response  to  thisi  valuable  cultural  national 
cause  on  the  part  of  the  educated  peculation  ha*  V««x 
very  disap^intia^,  vvs^^^'^Q^Vi  xB^  ^^  ^sii^so^  ^M     ^ 


220 


THE  MODERN  REVIEW  FOR  MARCH,  ld53 


India,  with  its  secretariat  crowded  with  fat-salaried 
officers  and  educated  high-brows  and  its  social  erents 
and  official  functions  sparkling  with  oolourfnl  saries  and 
dazzling  diamonds  against  the  pageants  of  shining  auto- 
mobiles. Money  flows  freely  to  provide  for  all  mannef 
of  luxurious     vanities,  except      the  essential     spiritual 


necessity  for  Art,  which  is  neglected  and  starved  ml  of 
existence.  Art,  the  finest  flower  of  Indiaa  cultare  tmk 
civilization,  is  therefore  crying  in  the  wikUmets.  Iks 
popularity  of  Art  Journals  is  indeed  one  of  the  mai 
tests  of  the  state  of  culture  of  independent  dtaons  ii 
independent  India.  {To  be  cmUumti) 


:0:. 


CULTURAL  BASIS  OF  WORLD  BROTHERHOOD 

By.  Dr.  SATIS  CHANDRA  CUATTERJEE, 
VisUUig  Professor^  UnwersUy  of  Hawaii 


WiLLiibi  James^  a  great  American  philosopher,  once 
compared  man  to  a  plastic  material.  By  education, 
training  and  culture  we  can  make  him  just  the  type  of 
being  we  would  have  him.  This  is  the  reason  why  men 
born  and  brought  up  in  different  cultural  environments, 
exhibit  different  mental  dispositions^  different  attitudes 
of  life,  and  different  social  and  moral  outlooks.  What 
we  call  ''World  Brotherhood''  is  that  attitude  of  life  in, 
which  we  look  upon  and  behave  with  all  fellow  men 
as  we  would  to  our  own  brothers.  Of  the  different  typeil 
of  culture  which  we  find  in  the  world,  some  seem  to  be 
inherently  opposed  to  it,  while  others  are  more  or  lesq 
condtncive  to  it. 

Broadly  speaking,  there  may  be  three  chief  types  of 
culture^  namely,  materialistic,  humanistic,  and  spiritualistic. 
By  a  materalistic  culture  is  meant  that  form  of  human 
civilization  which  is  based  upon  a  materialistic  dieory  of 
the  world  and  a  hedonistic  view  of  morality.  In  it 
men  are  regarded  as  social  animals  who  have  been  thrown 
up  by  the  activities  of  unconscious  matter  and  have  to 
sedL  the  greatest  amount  of  sensual  pleasure,  each  ior 
himself  and  with  certain  adjustments  to  other  sehrea 
living  in  the  same  society.  Such  a  culture  is  inherently 
opposed  to  World  Brotherhood.  If  every  man  is  to  seek 
his  own  pleasure  and  the  greatest  amount  of  it,  we  do  not 
see  how  there  can  be  order  and  peace  in  any  aociety. 
Rather,  every  man  will  be  at  constant  war  with  every 
other  man  and  try  to  have  as  much  pleasure  for  him- 
self as  possible  even  at  the  cost  'of  other  men.  Of 
course,  the  laws  of  the  society  and  the  State  iaqpose 
certain  limitations  on  the  selfish  activities  of  every  in- 
dividual of  the  aociety.  But  so  long  as-  the  indtvidnak 
live  and  breathe  in  the  atmosphere  of  a  materialiaticf 
ddtare  they  will  not  feeT  an  inner  urge  in  tbemsehea 
to  eacrifice  their  i^easures  for  the  sake  of  others.  On 
the  other  hand,  they  will  always  hare  the  tendency  to 
idqivive  and  eiq>loit  other  people  for  their  personal 
gains  and  will  try  by  aU  means  to  evade  the  clntches 
of  ih^  State  laws.  And  however  much  the  State  may 
be  armed  with  penal  laws,  the  number  of  crimes  and 
criminals  will  be  enormous.  Hence  a  society  or  eoimtry 
which  has  a  materialistic  culture  cannot  expect  to 
devekp  a  sinoere  sense  of  f ellowieeling  and  real  brodier- 
Aaad  JO  mU  iu  aembem  and  dtiaens.  Far  less  can 
f^enf  he  sojr  siUtude  of  warU  iiiotiieriiood  in  the  Bfe 


of  the  people  of  snch  a  society  or  country.  Even  if  it 
can  develop  some  sort  of  community  feeling  among  all 
its  members,  it  will  maintain  an  attitude  of  hatred  and 
jealousy,  of  opposition  and  enmity  towiida  odMr 
societies  and  countries  having  a  different  culture  and 
a  di£(i9rent  p<^ty.,  In  support  of  this  view  oC  t 
materialistic  culture  I  may  refer  to  the  hitliiiy  d 
Communist  Russia  with  ito  Marxist  philoscqpliy  d 
dialectical  materialism, 

A  humanistic  culture  fares  better  ^than  ^ 
materialistic  when  judged  by  the  ideal  ol  world  bnther. 
hood.  It  is  a  culture  which  recognises  man  as  the  cnnrn 
of  creation  but  does  not  admit  a  creator  or  God,  and 
emphasizes  most  the  dignity  of  man,  and  makei 
service  to  humanity  the  highest  duty^  A  aociety  wfaidi 
lives  on  thia  faith  and  moulds  the  life  of  its  mendben 
on  this  ideal,  is  decidedly  better  than  the  one  we  ham 
^M^Bviottsty  dealt  with.  It  also  helps  create  an 
atmosphere  which  is  more  favourable  for  the  detelap- 
ment  of  the  attitude  of  worid  brotheriiood  ia  nc  Bat 
it  suffers  from  one  great  defect  'in  so  far  aa  it  stopi 
short  with  man  as  the  highest  value,  the  hii^heat  tnSk 
and  the  highest  reality.  It  does  not  admit  any  hi|^ 
moral  order  than  the  human  nor  seek  any  deeper  gBMii 
of  unity  among  men  than  their  fellovr-feeling.  Bat  wWi 
fellow-ieeling  is  a  noble  sentiment  vriiich  we 
alivys  have,  it  is  neither  a  justification  ol  itsdf 
sufficient  motive  of  equally  noble  actions  in 
Fellow-feeling  we  may  always  have,  boS  the 
dictated  by  it  we  do  not  always  make.  A 
be  ex|)ected  to  make  these  sacrifices 
convinced  of  a  higher  moral  order  that 
life  and  destiny  of  man,  and  finds  some  real  bortl  d 
unity  between  himself  and  his  feIkyw4Mingk  Bit 
without  such  sacrifices  for  our  fellow .  men,  wo  ennat 
speak  of  a  real  brotherhood  of  man.  So  Hnwniiff- 
also  does  not  seem  to  be  a  sufficient  beab  for  whU 
brotherhood,  although  it  takes  us  nearer  that  goaL 

The  last  type  of  human  culture  which  we  ind  in 
some  countries  of  the  wo/ld  may  be  called  apiritnalislifr 
It  is  generally  free  from  the  eril  Inffiiencea  ol  t 
materialistic  culture  and  the  impeffections  ol 
one.  It  is  a  culture  which  derives  its 
sustenance  from  ^iritualism  and  hoa 
appeal  to  the  human  mind.    ''SpiritiaBai^*'  anya  mfltai 


Mr  ft 
Bio. 


hall 
the 


THE  TANJOtffi  TEMttE 


m 


,  "meld!  tl>e  a£nuiion  of  on  eternsl  mora]  order 
be  letting  Ioom  of  bope."  It  U  the  faith  in  s 
m1  spiritiul  pmrar  that  inalcei  for  regularitr  and 
HuiWM,  and  worlu  in  the  god»,  the  heavenly  bodies, 
ill  creaturei.  It  is  the  convictioii  that  tliere  is  a 
no  power  over  man  and  nature  who  goTcma  tlio 
J  of  man  kind,  and  tliat  this  power  makes 
aumsM  the  law  of  life,  and  vice  and  un  the 
lys  to  death.  Therefore,  we  must  shun  nnright- 
as  in  all  formi— hatred,  jealousy,  injustice, 
laion,  and  exploitation.     Tbie  we  must  do,  if  wo 

live  and  prosper  in  the  world,  either  as  individual* 
nations.  Nay,  more,  we  should  love  our  ndghbours 
rselves,  and  all  nalioDs  and  peoples  are  our  nei^- 

We  live  in  s  world  which  is  one  iq  respect  ot 
^,  one  in  iti  oltimste  phyucal  and  moral  laws, 
ne  in  ill  ultimate  destiny.  If  one  part  of  it  be 
:d,  depaded  and  destitute,  the  whole  of  it  is 
d  to  death  and  destruction.    This  ii  the  law  of  God, 

the  eternal  moral  law.  Short-sighted  people  may 
e  it,  but  some  men  of  farsight  and  inngbt  have 


often  iRocloimed  it.     The  world,  howettr,  bas  sot  yat 
fully  responded  to  It. 

The  spiritnaHstic  culture,  briefly  indicated  here,  b  to 
be  found  in  some  form  in  certain  Eastern  conntries  and 
some  Christian  Western  countries.  But  the  spititnalistio 
faith  has  not  yet  been  able  to  assert  itself  as  an  active 
force  in  the  life  of  the  people  in  general  and  shape  tbeir 
national  and  international  policies  in  any  large  pan  of 
the  world.  In  modem  times  one  of  the  world's  gtestast 
men — Mabatma  Gandhi — made  an  honest  and  serious 
attempt  in  this  direction.  If  the  leaders  of  human 
thought  and  action  in  different  countries  of  the  world 
make  a  similar  effort  and  help  establish  a  new  order  of 
society  and  polity  on  a  fuU-fiedged  spiritualistic  culture, 
we  will  have  world  brotherhood  as  our  natural  attitude 
and  see  the  Kingdom  of  Heaven  on  eartb.* 


w   1    Ulk  iWn 

.[ 

ih.  op<si>s 

Mil.,  oi 

L» 

onshM 

B.-.il 

II      Hsnlaln 

«. 

Vid 

nmi±y. 

Ih.    1«U> 

THE  TAN  JORE  TEMPLE 

Bi.  V.  R.  JUMANI,  B.A. 


Ktcnt  to  which  ihc  glory  of  the  ancient  Cbola  kings     is  both  great  and  sraalL     Smalt  in  numbtr  but  great 
ed  is  well  depicted  in  the  grandeur  and  structure      in,  merit.      There   can   be   nothing   to   eijual   the   temple 

great     temple     at     Tanjore,     dedicated     to  I>ord      in   size   and   grandeur.      The   broad-mindedness   and   tbo 
eswar.  Not  only  the  temple  but 
ly  air  of  the  town  still  sends 
1   aroma  of  antiquity.   For  one 

this  is  because  Tanjore  had 
Jie  seat  of  not  only  the  Chola 

but  the  later  Hariiatu  dynasty 
iver  there.  The  famoua  Marhatta 
tarfoji  has  great  claims  to  make 
■at  he  had  done  to  glorify 
e.      The  relics  of  the  far  and 

past  bave  tberelfore  made 
e  a  royal  city. 

igb  Voriyur  was  the  permanoit 
of  the  Oiolas.  yet  Tanjore 
Iso  their  royal  city  for  variou* 
K  Thnr  fortress  was  built  hta^ 
e  remanants  of  this  can  be  seen 
totmd  the  temple.  But  we  can 

the  reason  for  the  building  of 
mple  to  the  wish  of  the  Great 
Raja  who  might  have  thought 
orshipjHng  God  far  from  the 
I  of  war  and  other  duties. 
g  now  remains  except  the  Temple  and  sutTonnding  pious  and  magnanimous  nature  of  Raja  Raja  hkn 
ations  to  depict  the  Cbola  reign.  been  responsible  for  the  structure  of  the  temple.     Ha 

10    legacy  left  to     posterity    by  the  Cbole    kings     tboosbt  he  iroiM     Yi>lM  '^  V«iMe«.     V3b?$*  "^^^ 


Raja  Raja,  the  greatest  of  all  Chola  kings 


m. 


THE  MOBEftN  REVIEW  FOR  MARCS,  1«S3 


,  tnd  he  (Gd  thai.  All  the  engineering  ikill.  (lays..  T)ie  storj,  how  a  plot&riu  fonr  tnUea  jiagiMnflr 
B  gone  into  the  buliding  of  the  temple,  vras  built  to  lift  tbia  stone,  ia  aljll.preTa^U..'  1^0^ 
which  ia,  as  the  famoua  hiitorian  Vincent  Smith  puti  inctedible  it  nu;  be,  ;et  to  the ,  witnesdna  eye.  eraj- 
it,   "the  greateM   of   all   DravidiaD   architecture."  thing,  ie    perplexing.  .Besides    this-  there    is. the   carrcd 

face   of   a.  foreigner   with    a   hat,  oq 
P^^P'7'  J|_  r  "f"^^  ■      '''^  northern     side  of  the     gopuran, 

'   -  -^■'^  which  appears  to  be  a  riddle  slill  to 

be   solved.*  .   Did  ihey   visualise      the 
future   of  our   country   or   could   they 
have  met  such  s  person  in  iheir  days? 
But     history     never '  TMures     such  -  a 
possibility,  yet  the  face  isth^re.  Some 
of  the  best  mural  paintings  nid  sculp- 
ture can  be  seen   in  the  temple.  The' 
paintings  are  on  the  roof  panel  of  the 
sanctorum,  in  colours  which  have  not 
lost  their  glory  in  spite  of  age.     The 
tfinpic  abounds  in  srchitectiffal  deaigna. 
and  whenever  we  find  such  archilecture 
one  thihg  flashes  in  our  minit  that  iha 
ancient      people      y/ere      inagiulBiaaa 
and    ■  aimed      at      perhumctfco.       In' 
these     days     such     thoughts     offef    a 
sort      of      solace     when      the      whole 
world  is  at  the  mercy  of  destruction. 
The  mangnanimiy  of  intention  cannot 
be     depicted     more     effectively     thin 
The  temple  is  unique  in  its  style  and  differs  TUtlj     the      Bull     or      Nandi      in      the   .  temple.      To      many 
from  other  temples  in  all  its  usual  sHuctnre.     The  big     the     word      Tanjore      will      immediately      bring      the 
tower   IB   bnih   directly   on   the   sanctorum   instead   of   it     thou^t    of    Naiidi,     it     has'  becaine'   so     faomia    and 
being   the    entrance    aa   can    be    seen    in   other   temples,     proverbial.      Carved  out  of   k  single  stone,  it   is  lixteoi 


Sri  Subramaniya  Temple   inside  the   Big  Temple.  The  elaborate 
carvings  on  the  sides  of  the  Temple  are  superbly  beautiful 


The  Nandi  !it  the  Temple 


Another    view   of   the   Temple    from    the   road, 

with    fortifioalions   around    it   and   deep   ditches 

Burrounding  the  fortifications 

(Small    towers    form    also    the    entrance    here) .        The 

height  of  this  tower     is  265  feet,     and  the     peculiar  ^~'  '•'«''  ""*•  'if^'ike  features.     There  is  a  legend  to 

feauire   is   that   it   is      equal-sided-square   and   conical.  *=   '^'^^   *«"'   *«   ^"^   ^'^   ■>""   S^^"'*"^   enormourfy 

High  up  the  siMeen  storeys  is  the  great  mass  of  circulan  '"<'    ''<»*'    *^   perturbed    people    solved   the    problem   by 

•tons  weighing  about  80  tons.     We  cannot  quite  under- — , — ■: 

MmoJ  hoir  tueb  t  weight  btd  been  Ufted  up  in  thoae  *  U>iii  pnt  iiii  iii««i  dm  ii  n  ■  Um  iddiiiH.           ■ 


THE  TANJOBE  TEMPLE  823 

driving  a  nail  on  llie  b«a<l.     Some  u;  the  nail  can  be     words  but  by  Bcdng  it  otij.      To  dtese  wlio  eonte  to 
BCtn.  tert    it    tiro    tbiogs    will    become    apparenl,    the   andent 


A  mn(Enificent  carvinft  on  one  of  tho  stcpa  Ictiding 

ig    the    Sri    Subra mania    Temple    inside    the 

Big  Temple 

glory  of  ihe  temple  and  the  preteni  indifference  of  ibe 
Perhaps  more   things   will  appear   la   the   seeing  eye      people,   who   have      rednced   not  only   this      temple   but 
than  can  be  described  by  words.     The  grealnets  of  (be      alM>  many  other  sacred  atruciures  to  the  mere  abode  of 
temple   can    be    lincerely    understood    itot    by    means   of      rats  and  bats.  \ 


THE  RAMAKRISHNA  MISSION  TUBERCULOSIS  SANATORIUM,   RANCBI 

Br  Pbincipal  SUPRABHA  CHOUDHURY,  m.a, 
Victoria  liatitutiim,  Caicutta 


VniTOBS  to  Ranclii,  wba  go  thero  for  dgJil-K«iag  or 
for  ■  change  of  air,  take  paniculaT  pains  lo  ^lit  the 
traditional  beanty-ipot*  far  ant^  near— the  Ranch!  and 
the  Morabadi  hill*,  the  water-falls  at  Hudroo  and  Jonha, 
tho  temple  at  Jaganoathganj  and  to  on.  The  Mental 
Hospital  at  Kanlce  also  has  its  attraction.  But  while 
enjoying  ■  drive  or  a  walk  along  the  beautiful  roads 
and  inhaling  the  crisp  ahr  that  giTe*  a  keen  edge  to 
our  appetite,  mait  of  us  do  not  even  know  thai  there  is 
such  a  lovely  place  among  the  untrodden  ways  with  tall 
Ml  trees  all  around  only  a  few  milea  off  Ranch], 


Inmde  view  of  the  General  Ward 

About  eight  miles  from  Ranchi  lo  the  east  of  the 
Ranchi-Chaihasba  Road,  the  Ramakriehna  Misaioni 
Tuberculosis  Sanatorium  at  Doongri  was  opened  by  Dr. 
Anugraha  Narayan  Sinha,  Finance-Minister  to  the 
Govemment  of  Bihar,  on  27th  January,  19SI.  Tiie  icheme 
WM  formulated  as  far  back  as  1939,  when  a  plot  of 
land  measuring  240  acres  was  taken,  oil  permanent  lease 
from  the  local  Zemindars.  But  the  second  World  War 
caDM  and  the  general  economia  dejvession  in  its  wake, 
that  caused  «  great  set-back  and  the  woik  of 
congtructioD  could  not  be  started  until  1948.  Even  then 
the  progress  was  slow  and  limited  due  to  the  paucity 
of  funds  and  there  we  have  only  the  nucleus  of  an 
institution  now  which  promises  to  be  one  of  the  largest 
and  best  of  its  kind  in  our  country.  This  should  be 
jmssibie  with  our  economic  recovery  when  necessary 
funds  from  the  Government  and  the  general  public  will 
Ae  forthcbmiog  for  ike  full  utilbation  of  the  resourcea 
arailabh  there. 


Tuberculosis  la  a  (beadful  sconrge  and  It  b  hardly 
necessary  to  emphaaiie  the  importance  of  tbia  under- 
taking at  a  time  when  millions  of  precious  Uvea  are  its 
unfortunate  viclime.  At  present  we  have  not  enongh 
hospitals  and  sanatoria  for  sheltering  and  nnrung  the 
poor  sufferers  and  anything  done  about  it  eami  onr 
spontaneous  gratitude.  If  only  the  official  estimate  of 
500,000  annual  deaths  from  the  fell  disease  is  accepted, 
WB  have  to  make  an  all-out  effort  to  fight  this  dreadful 
malady,  and  the  lead  given  in  this  direction  by  tha 
sponsors  of  the  Sanatorium  at  Doongri  is  beyond  all 
praise.  The  contribution  of  the  Rama- 
krishna  Mission  in  the  sphere  of  social 
service  is  incalulable  and  the  T.B. 
Hospital  at  Doongri  is  another  land- 
mark   in    its    glorioua    history. 

As  1  was  walking  round  the  Hoqiital 
set  up  in  one  of  the  loveliest  comen 
of  the  earb,  I  could  not  help  feeling 
that  the  forrat  besuty-  had  f—nmn^  ■ 
special  significance  for  the  service  it 
was  rendering  to  suffering  mankind. 
It  had  an  overpowering  effect  on  me 
and  1  had  a  quick  realisation  that 
here  nature  and  man  had  joinet) 
hands  in  the  service  of  the  distressed 
and  waged  war  against  an  enemy  that 
threatened  life  and  spelt  ntter  rain 
for  our  race.  Our  modem  civiliaaticn 
has  involved  lis  in  the  deatuction  of 
many  beautiful  forest  lands  hut  ben 
man  intends  to  preserve  them  and 
save  human  life  with  their  life-^ving 
qualitiea.  It  is  not  a  cruel  conqDCst  tf. 
nature  with  a  riev  to  conveiiinK  her 
into  an  arid  city  of  bricks  and  mortar,  it  ia  a  retreat 
into  her  loving  arms  flying  from  a  deadly  enemy.  Ta 
rest  inj  the  quiet  and  placid  beauty  of  nature,  to  draw 
nourishment  from  her  sap  and  reum  to  life  and  light 
from  the  impending  darluiess  of  the  grave,  man  has  at 
last  turned  to  her  and  she  is  amiHng  at  bim  in 
full  assurance. 

The  sight  and  surroundings  are  ideal  for  a  T3. 
Sanatorium.  The  extensive  grounds  form  a  small 
plateau  kept  dry  the  whole  year  long  by  natural  drainage 
Its  beauty  is  picturesque.  As  far  as  tha  eye  can  sea 
there  are  huge  ml  trees  raising  their  heads  Bke  tall 
sentineb  and  big  boulders  here  and  there  standing  like 
the  caresses  of  pre-historio  animals  and  witnesaea  «f  a 
terrible   shock   that   once   rocked   the   earth. 

A  small  rivulet  forms  the  southern  bonndaiy  of  the 
Sanatorium.  There  was  a  scheme  for  raiaing  a  Masonry 
Dam  across  it  at  an  estimated  coal  of  Ra.  12^000  thtt 
could   aolve   the   problem   of   water-supply.     Ute   acluoCi 


RAM.4KRBHNA  MISSION  TUBERCCLOSIS  SANATORIUM 


mms  1 


226 


THE  MODERN  REVIEW  TOR  MARCH,  1953 


when  completed,  would  help  irrigate  the  adjoining 
corn-fields  belonging  to  the  Asram  and,  the  local 
cultivators  but  the  Government  changed  its  decision 
having  once  sanctioned  the  project  and  assured  financial 
help  80  that  the  work  remains  unfinished.  I  was  glad 
to  know  that  the  Government  was  reconsidering  the 
proposal  and  let  us  hope  they  will  do  everything  iot 
the  promotion  of  this  humanitarian  enterprise.  The 
Asramites,  however,  are  growing  their  own  crops  in  the 
fields  by  hard  labour  and  cultivating  flowers,  fruits  and 
vegetables  in  the  gardens  but  this  is  not  enough  for  the 
patients  and  those  who  run  the  institution  there.  When 
the  Dam  is  raked  and  more  agricultural  lands  in  the 
neighobourhood  are  acquired  the  Sanatorium  may 
easily  be  self-sufl&cient  so  far  as  food-crops  and  green 
vegetables  are  concerned  and  this  will  do  the  patients 
immense  good  as  fresh  and  unadulterated  food  is  not 
less  important  than  A. P.,  P.P.,  Streptomycin  and  all 
that. 

Swami  Vedantanandaji,  Secretary  of  the  Hospital, 
said  that  they  had  plans  for  starting  dairy,  poultry  and 
agricultural  farms  there  to  meet  the  growing  needs  of 
the  Hospital  This  would  solve  the  problem  of  food  and 
at  the  isame  time  give  useful  occupations  to  the  patients 
who  get  cured  and  who  will  want  means  of  livelihood 
as  soon  as  they  are  discharged.  This  will  also  lead  to 
the  establishment  of  a  Colony  for  discharged  patients, 
not  far  o£F,  who  will  have  the  good  of  the  institution  at 
heart  and  shall  work  whole-heartedly  for  it.  On  the 
industrial  side  it  may  be  possible  to  start  a  polytechnic 
there  on  a  modest  scale,  where  training  to  the  cured  in 
difFerent  small  crafts  will  be  given.  So  the  Sanatorium 
in  its  present  size  is  only  the  seed  from  which  the  tree 
is  to  grow,  spread  its  branches  and  reach  its  full  stature. 
At  present  there  are  only  40  beds  and  few  of  them 
are  free     though     some     concession  is     given     to  very 


deserving  cases.  Treatment  of  T.B.,  as  we  all 
is  a  costly  affair  and  it  is  not  in  the  means 
authorities  to  give  better  facilities  to  the  needy  p 
though  their  object  is  to  maintain  fifty  per  cent 
General  Ward  beds  free  of  all  charges.  But  th 
depend  on  •  Government's  ability  to  help  an* 
response   from   the   generous  public. 

But  nothing  can  really  defeat  us  if  we  are  ii 
by  a  genuine  spirit  of  service  and  are  ready  in 
amount  of  work  and  sacrifice.  Swami  Vivekanan( 
illustrious  founder  of  the  Mission  and  one  of  the  i 
of  modem  India,  took  it  upon  him  to  make  man 
himself,  realise  his  greatness  and  use  it  to  tb 
advantage  for  the  welfare  of  mankind.  Love  of 
fellow  creatures  is  the  emancipating  principle  on 
all  saints  and  sages  have  laid  special  stress  and 
Vivekananda  no  less. 

**A11   expansion   is   Ufe,   all   contraction  is 

all   love    is   expansion,    all   selfishness  is    oootr 

Love    is,    therefore,    the    only    law    of    life,**   t 

what  he  said. 

If  the     sponsors  of     the     Sanatorium     are     h 

only  by  a  portion  of  the  high  courage  and  lofty  ll 

of    the    great    master,    nothing    can    stand    in   iImI 

And  for  us  we  can  emulate  the     example  of     M 

Gandhi,     co-operating     with      any     endeavonr     I 

ignorance,  disease  and  death.     We  cannot  f<tfiiK 

The    pretty    buildings   of    the   Sanatorium   iw 

the  General  Ward,   the  Special  Wards,  quarters  I 

doctors    and    the    nurses   and    a    few    cottages   loo 

little  pictures  from  a  distance  and  as  the  evening 

and  the  electric  lights  gk>w  through  the  woods  p 

the   encompassing   darkness,   the   litttle    Colony   tal 

a  magic  beauty.     The  whole  landscape   is  a  sym] 

it   were,  of   the  triumph   of   light  over   darkness, 

over  death,  of  the  return  to  light   and   laughter 

unfortunate    sufferers   now   under   the   shadow   of  i 


:0: 


YOSEMITE  VALLEY 

The  Heart  of  an  American  National  Park 


To  99  per  cent  of  the  750,000  visitors  to  the  region  each 
year,  Yosemite  Valley  represents  the  entire^  jYosemiie 
National  Park  in  the  Pacific  Coast  Stale  of  California — 
so  great  i$  the  impact  upon  its  viewers  of  the  valley's 
extraordinary  geologic  formations  and  the  enchanting 
loveliness  of  its  woods  and  flowering  meadows. 

Actually,  Yosemite  Valley  is  scarcely  seven  miles  in 
length  and  a  mile  wide — a  very  small  part  of  the 
1,187-square-mile  area  of  Yosemite  National  Park. 
Beyond  the  valley's  confines  hea  the  grandeur  of  the 
peaks  of  the  High  Sierra  Mountains,  the  swales  and 
wooded  uplands  which  include  such  natural  reaches  as 
the  watersheds  of  the  Merced  and  Tuolumne  Rivers, 
aui/  such  breathless  sights  as  the  soaring  peak  of  Mount 


Lytell  rising  13,000  feet  into  the  sky.    Within  the 
the   highest    free-jetting   waterfall    in    the       nation 
1,430  feet  in  one  white-gauze  jump  ;    and  within 
stands.  Mount   £1   Capitan,   probably    one   of    the 
single  rock  masses  in  the  world. 

Millions   of   years   ago,   some    geologists    estinu 
much    as      64,000,000,   Yosemite      Valley    w^as    a 
green   vale   containing   a   reasonably    placid    river, 
vulsions  within   the  volatile  core  of  the  earth      u 
the  raw  rook,  raised  the  granite  walls  which  becai 
Sierra   Nevada   Mountains,   and   quickened   the   flo' 
the  river  which  cut     a  deep  *^V''  in  the  valley, 
times  in  those  years  long      past,  glaciers      invadi 
valley,  pouring      frozeii  rivers — some  as     deep  as 


■YOSEMITE  VALLEY 


SM 


ugti  llie  feeder  valleys  ot  Utile  Yotemite-uid 
lauyon,  to  form  a  great  tninlc  glacier  whieh 
lower  valley  with  a  grinding  mast  of  ice.  The 
ut  away  valley  walls,  Bcouied  the  "V"  shape 
der  "U"  shape  and  laid  a  amoolh  valley  6oor 
ad  gravel  for  the  river.  Streams  shot  out  from 
ed-oS  clifbides  from  lesser  canyons  left  hang- 
ice  and  became  the  waterfalls  :   the  Upper  and 


jwennc 
nite  Vs 


into  its  rock  basin,  fieyond  Uoont  £l  Capitan  where 
the- valley  widens  are  the  mountain  peaks  called  tho 
Three  Brothers,  the  rock  shafts  Jcnown  as  the  Cathcdial 
Spire*,  and  opposite  them.  Sentinel  Rock. 

Farther  up  the  valley,  beyond  Yosemite  Village  with 
its  U.S.  Government  buildings,  museum,  and  post  office, 
and  the  scattered  slructuies  which  oSer  tourist  comforts, 
are  the  Yosemite  Fails— the  Upper  Yosemite  Falta 
making  it*  unbroken  drop  of  1,430  feet,  the  Lovrer 
Yosemite  Falls  tumbting  in  a  320-foot  descent.  Still  far- 
ther to  the  north  are  the  Royal  Arches,  an  inclined  rock 
wall,  with  the  giant  pillar  of  Washington  Column  flank- 
ing them,  and,  above  them,  the  clean  granite  curve  of 
North  Dome.  At  the  head  ol  the  valley  stands  Half 
Dome,  a  monumental  mound  lowering  4350  feel,  which 
has  seemingly  been  split  in^  two,  smooth!^  rounded  oq 
three  aides,  and  slashed  sheer  on  the  fourth  side — how, 
geologists  have  yet  to   determine. 

To  the  right  of  the  humped  bulk  of  Half  Dome  lies 
the  twisted  slash  of  the  Little  Yosemite  Valley,  a  cany- 
on left  hanging  2.000  feet  above  the  main  gorge  by  the 
glaciers,  and  from  it  the  Merced  River  descends  in  two 
hmlling  caisracts — Nevada  Palls,  S94  feet,  and  Vernal 
Falls,  crashing  317  feet  to  shroud  the  rock  below  witl^ 
rainbow  blurs  of  mist.     On  the  north  ude  of  Half  Dome 


alley 

Semite  Falls,  Vernal,  Bridalveil,  Ribbon,  and 
U  of  which  still  thunder  in  the  park, 
han  a  hundredth  part  of  the  Yosemite  National 
extraordinary  geologic  formations  and  the 
woods  and  flowering  meadows  of  Yosemite 
ke  an  indeLble  impression  upon  the  hundreds 
ds  who  vi^t  there  annually. 
ee  different  park  areas.  Nature  gave  Ufe  to 
Kquoia  Uee,  said  to  be  the  world's  oldest,  and 
ng  entity.  Of  the  three  sequoia  grove* — Mari- 
;ed,  and  Tuolumne — probably  the  most  visited 
riposa.      about   35   miles      from    the      vatley'a 

ite  Valley  is  named  for  the  American  Indiana 
originally  there.  Yosemite  became  a  national 
190,  and  since  then  the  features  of  the  valley 
ne  familiar  to  million  a.  From  the  valley's 
irtal  the  cliff  profile  of  Mount  El  Capitan 
«t  in  a  straight  line,  3,000  feet  from  the 
.  Opposite  it.  on  the  other  side  of  the  valley, 
three  Cathedral  Rocks,  forming  a  promontory 


is  the  forested  gash  of  Tenaya  Canyon,  white  immediately 
below  Half  Dome  lie  the  placid  watns  of  Mirror  Lake. 
Practically  all  the  park's  visitors  see  these  features,  and 
sweeping   reach   of   the   valley   itself,   from      G\MJnL 


1  Bridalveil  Falls  spills  like  wei  lace,  620  feet     Foini,  on  the  im  ol  tlto  V>itB. 


m  :> 


fafi  MocfifiN  iiBVtfiw  Wft  UkAds.  tm 


Giftiit  sequoia  trees  dwarf  visitors  to  the  Yoaemito 

Natioiud  P«rk.    These  trees  are  in  the  Mariposa 

Grove  in  Yosemits  Vall^ 


Yoaemlte  ia  a  rear-roiuid  park,  bnt  tl»  (fttUf 
nutnber  of  id  viaitora  arejhoM  who  enter  it  dining  Har 
(when  the  wateifalU  are  at  their  b»t),  June,  Jntr,  aa4 
AueiuL  The  vallejr  lores  many  of  thew  viiiton  to 
penetrate  more  and  more  of  the  1,000  squBre  mika  of 
untouched  country  beyond.  This  i*  wilderoeaa  which 
is  usually  visited  only  during  the  summer,  when  a  circle 
of  camps  in  the  High  Sierra  Mountains,  moM  of  then 
located  roughly  at  lO-mile  intervals,  offers  a  aatisfyinc 
form      of   outdoor  comfort. 

Probahly  because  Yosemile  Valley  is  one  of  the 
oldest  areas  of  preserved  ground  in  the  U.S.  National 
Park  system,  its  publi^  camping  faciliiies  and 
sccommodatioOB  are  more  varied  than  those  in  some  ol 
the  newer  parks.  Yosemite  Valley,  which  lies  approxi- 
mately 200  miles  from  the  large  PaciGc  Coast  City  ol 
San  Francisco,  ia  accessible  by  modem,  highways  both 
from  the  Wesi  and  East. 

While  most  of  Yosemite's  vigitora  go  to  enjoy  it« 
scenic  marvels,  there  are  swimming  pools  and  tenaia 
courts  for  those  who  want  those  resort  pleasures— «  doire 
frowned  upoik  by  the  proponents  of  wildenieaa  iuTwtate. 
But  whether  visitors  reali%  it  or  not,  few  people  can 
enter  Yosemite  without  sooner  or  later  discovering  a  fact 
that  the  Amoican  naturalist  John  Muir  wrote  tnng  tjf 
"Tbonsanda  of  tired,  nerve-shaken,  over-cjvilixed  peopls 
are  beginning  lo  find  out  that  going  to  the  mountaina  ia 
going  home "—From  HoUday. 


SINCLAIR  LEWIS 

America's  lint  Nobel  Laureate  in  Literature 


To  Sinclair  Lewia  belongs  the  honour  of  bebg  the 
first  American  to  be  awarded  the  Nobel  Price  for 
literature.  The  award  was  made  to  him  in  recognition 
of  hia  work  Babbitt.  December  10.  1952  commemorates 
the  22nd  year  of  his  receiving  the  icternational  blue 
nband. 

Literary  history  finds  a  place  for  Levia  in  the 
naturalistic  school  of  writing  and  places  him  along 
with  the  critics  and  satirists — Theodore  Dreiser,  Upton 
Sinclair  and  Sherwood  Anderaon.  This  group  was 
determined  to  write  of  "life  as  it  is,"  bared  of  all 
Bentimentality  and  void  of  any  reticence.  These 
novelists'  works  have  been  freely  translated  into  in- 
numerable foreign  languages,  with  Ihe  result  that  to 
foreignetB  they  represent  a  set  of  significant  develop- 
ments in   American   literature. 

Lewb  has  been  the  object  of  both  adverse  as  well 
as  laudatory  criticism.  Opinion  has  been  sharply 
divided  on  the  worth  of  his  works.  But  despite  all 
criticism,  it  is  impossible  to  deny  him  his  importance 
in  contemporary  writing. 

Almost  all   Lewis'  characters  are  from   the   Mid. 

ws9i.     Tb'ia  Midwest  is  a  more  sophisticated  one  than 

^ae    of  the  early    authors  like     Wiila  Gather  ;     the 

fihaj»eteiB  are  aot  ol  the  heroic  type  of  pioneera.    In 


Lewis  they  have  come  to  town  ;  they  represent  tlie 
citizens  of  the  email  town,  with  all  the  drawbacks  of 
complacency,  meanness  and  boasting— with  the  result- 
ant cheapening  of  their  way  of  life.  It  was  a^unit 
what  he  saw  as  a  decadence  of  spirit,  against  hypo- 
crisy of  morals  in  the  midst  of  abounding  «iei0 
where  Lewis  was  provoked  to  anger  and  distrea. 

Lewis  did  not  herald  a  new  type  of  literatui«.  Ha 
was  primarily  a  satirist  who  felt  himself  to  be  a  pan 
of  a  mature  society.  This  society  he  castigated  wiU' 
no  more  intent  to  destroy  than  if  he  had  been  criti- 
cising himself.  He  was  a  crusader  against  the  adver- 
tised ideals  of  the  19th  century.  A  typical  American 
reformer  at  heart,  the  world  that  he  dreamed  Of  can 
be  conceived  by  the  literary  works  that  be  places  in 
the  hands  of  his  cliaracters.  Carol  Kennicott,  in  Sfata 
5(ree(,  reads  the  works  of  Romain  RoUand,  Analole 
France,  Veblen  and  Noxo— all  socialiste  of  one  type 
or  another,  who  were  dei'oted  to  the  building  of » 
world  of  the  future — end  Irica  to  convert  the  little 
town  of  Gopher  Prairie  into  an  ideal  one.  Ha 
modelled  his  world  aroimd  the  Utopia  of  Wells  aod 
on  the  kind  of  enlightened  society  that  Sbtiw 
dieamed  of. 

Tda  '^x^fa.K  'Ct^'h  -9\a.'^&  fn  moorUmt  k  put  ii 


SINCLAIR  LEWIS 


>rks  betray,  in  a  way,  Lewis'  own  origin.  Born  in 
ftt  Ssuk  CenUr,  Minnesota,  he  was  educated  at 

where  he  was  termed  a  brilliant  misfit.  He 
red  much  from  men  and  books,  [rom  an  environ- 
easy  for  conformi^tfl,  yet  tolerant  of  cranks,  wild 
and  geniusee. 

1  Lis  earlier  daya  he  showed  no  more  promise 
a    gift    for   clever   and    accurate    journalism — the 

trait  being  consistently  exhibited  in  all  his  later 

lis  early  years  were  spent  as  a  publisher's  asjist- 
Bis  works  of  this  period  seem  to  have  been 
til  more  for  moving  pictures.  The  Trail  of  the 
;  with  adventure  as  its  bai^ic  idea  shows  the 
itic  theme  of  an  aviator  who  covers  most  ol 
ountry.  But  this  ia  preceded  by  a  satire  on  the 
m  denominational  college,  which  foreshadows 
lewis  of  later  years. 

i^ith  the  publication  of  Main  Street,  however, 
arrived.  Previously  many  novelists  had  written 
the  main  street  of  a  small  town.    But     Lewis 

Gopher  Prairie,  a  town  of  three  thousand  in- 
knts,  a  symbol  of  a  national  disease,  the  small 

mind.  He  describes  it  ea  : 

"Unimaginatively  standardized  .  .  .  a  rigid 
ling  of  the  spirit  by  the  desire  to  appear  res-. 
stable.  It  ia  negation  canouited  as  the  one 
eitive  virtue.    It  is  a  prohibition  of  happiness.  It 

dullness  made  God." 

"his  book  stirred  America  from  coast  to  coast 
le  inescapable  truth  and  remarkable  intimacy  of 
icture  of  American  behaviour.  It  tells  the  story 

promising  girl,  Carol  Kennicott,  who  is  caughl 
e  cramping  environment  ot  the  small  town, 
er  Prairie.  Her  attempts  to  improve  the  tone  of 
own  also  betrays  Lewis'  own  desire  for  a  general 
ivement  of  the  small  western  towns. 
1922  his  priie-winning  work  Babbitt  was  published. 
elected  a  town  of  three  hundred  thousand  in- 
ants  somewhere  in  the  Midwest  and  called  i' 
h.  But  the  central  figure  in  the  story,  George  F. 
itt,  is  no  contrast  to  the  city.  On  the  other  hand, 

the  personification  of  its  most  tiresome  qualities. 
ersonifies  in  himself  the  quahties  ot  the  "booster.' 
not  very  secure  in  hi^  social  vision  tries  to  chmb. 
igh  his  activity  in  matters  of  club  and  church,  of 
irrity-alumni  relations,  and  of  any  avenue  to  pro- 
ne*. Babbitt  has  now  come  to  be  a  symbol  of  all 
the  character  represents  in  the  novel. 
jBwis'  next  major  effort  was  in  Anowsmith.  The 
iptfl  of  «  young  scientist  to  pursue  pure  research 
lis  trials  and  tribulations  are  graphically  illustrated 
Jb  work.  And  for  the  first  time  in  Lewis'  works 
finds  that  the  story  revolves  round  a  person  and 
m  «  place  or  a  set  of  ideas.  The  same  is  true  ot 
worth.  Therein  one  finds  that  Dodsworth  after 
ig  sold  his  automobile  business  goes  to  Europe  to 


enjoy  the  leisure  he  has  earned  and  to  please  his 
wife.  DodswoHh  was  the  last  of  Lewis'  major  woika. 
He  wrote  other  works  like  Ann  Vickern,  It  Cnii'i 
Happen  Here,   Cass   Timberlane,  and  Elmer  Gantry. 

One  of  the  criticisms  levelled  at  Lewis  is  that  much 
as  his  satire  and  criticisms  are  justified,  the  absence  of 
a  central  figure  (except  in  Atrowemitk  and  Doilsii-orlh) 
around  whom  the  story  could  revolve,  detracts  some 
of  the  greatness  of  his  works,  thereby  the  wliolc  story 
iackit^  cohesion  and  forming  a  loosely  knil  work  of 


Sinclair  Lewis 

mere  incidents.  While  to  a  certain  extent  this  cbarco 
is  justified,  it  is  imperative  to  remember  that  Iicwis' 
main  idea  in  writing  his  works  was  to  eJtpose  the  actual 
values  which  guided  the  lives  of  many  Americans, 
whose  lives  he  fell,  though  outwardly  succes.aful,  ranp 
hollow  and  who  were  wrecked  in  emotional  crisis  or 
personal  disasters. 

Most  of  Lewis'  characters  have  a  crusading  spirit 
in  common.  In  their  intergrity,  in  their  contempt  tor 
all  forms  of  quackery,  greed  and  fraud,  they  represent 
I^wis  himself  and  tor  all  that  he  desired  and  stood 
for. 

Another  criticism  levelled  at  Lewis  is  that  he  intro- 
duced a  fort  of  Euper-journaliBm  while  writing  his 
novels.  It  has  been  said  of  his  works  that  they  are  a 
set  of  reports  put  together  and  presented  in  the  form 
of  a  novel.  However,  as  in  the  case  of  hia  eldjw  ti^i.- 
temporary  H,  G,  'NeWa,  W  ^w\iA  '\a.  -sNi,^  Ve  ■«■*» 


230 


THE  MODERN  REVIEW  FOR  MARCH.  1953 


writing,  with  a  society  transforming  under  the  influences 
of  science  and  industrialism,  called  for  a  fresh  type  of 
reporting.  The  style  that  he  has  adopted  is  capable 
of  great  beauty.  It  is  a'  style  of  sharp-pointed  des- 
criptions of  the  gadgets  of  the  new  materialism,  and 
of  most  skilful  dialogue  and  monologue,  which 
often  carry  the  story  and  reveal  the  characters  with 
a  push  now  and  then  by  the  author.  His  style  of 
revealing  the  people  by  the  rhythm  and  emphasis  of 
their  conversation  has  been  compared  to  that  of 
Petronius  Arbiter  and  Stendhal  and  Mark  Twain  at 
their  best. 

Though  Lewis  did  not     possess     the     power     of 
Dreisier,  nor  the  mellowness  of  Ellen  Glasgow,     nor 


the  evocative    quality  of  perfected  art  in  which 
Gather  revelled,  he  has  been  considered  as  the 
powerful  novelist  of  the  decade  when     America 
lion  in  general  matured  in  scope  and  art. 

Lewis  lived  to  be  65,  when  he  died  in  a  n 
home  near  Rome  on  January  10,  1951,  of  paraly 
the  heart. 

The  novels  of  Lewis  are  considered  the 
social  history  of  the  white  collar  class  of  the  I 
States  at  the  high  tide  of  its  success.  His  worl 
considered  a  mirror  held  up  to  a  whole  society. 
though  not  considered  the  greatest  artist  or  pr 
of  them  all,  he  ranks  as  one  of  the  greatest 
historians.— 1/S//S. 


:0:. 


ALL-INDU  ECONOMIC  CONFERENCE  AT  TRIVANDRUM 

By  SURESH  PRASAD  NIYOGI,  F.R.ECon.s.   (Lond.), 
Member,  Indian  Econoviic  Association 


With  a  number  of  problems  of  urgent  economic 
importance  baffling  our  attention  such  as,  planning, 
decontrol  of  food,  incidence  of  taxation,  and  produc- 
tivity of  Indian  industries,  etc.,  the  lecent  session  of 
the  All-India  Economic  Conference  held  at  Trivan- 
drum,  the  queen  of  cities,  on  22nd  to. the  24th 
December  last,  gave  a  practical  lead  to  the  country. 

Eminent  professors,  high  government  officials, 
journalists,  from  almost  all  quarters  t.f  India  number- 
ing about  75,  attended  the  conference.  Prominent 
amongst  the  delegates  were  Mr.  Hilary  Marquand, 
MJ*.,  and  a  former  Minister  in  the  Labour  Govern- 
ment of  Britain,  Prof.  C.  N.  Vakil,  Dr.  V.  K.  R.  V. 
Rao,  Prof.  K.  T.  Merchant,  Prof.  D.  G.  Karve 
(Planning  Commission),  Prof.  J.  J.  Anjaria,  the 
Planning  Chief,  Dr.  Natarajan  (Madras  Government), 
Dr.  R.  V.  Rao  (Hyderabad),  and  Dr.  Lakd walla 
(Bombay  School). 

The  Conference  was  opened  by  His  Highness  the 
Rajpramukh  of  Travancore-Cochin,  at  the  Victoria 
Jubilee  Town  Hail,  before  a  large  and  distinguished 
gathering.  Sir  Ramaswami  Mudaliar,  the  Vice-Chan- 
cellor  of  the  Travancore  University  and  Chairman, 
Reception  Committee,  welcomed  His  Highnegs  and 
the  gathering.  Prof.  P.  A.  Wadia    presided. 

Welcx)me  Address 
Welcoming  the  gathering,  Sir  Ramaswamy  Muda- 
liar drew  attention  of  the  gathering  to  the  Introductory 
Chapter  of  the  Five-Year  Plan  which  laid  that  plan- 
ning in  a  democratic  country  had  certain  limitations 
and  had  to  satisfy  certain  conditions.  The  pace  of 
progress,  the  method  of  planning,  the  methods  by 
which  co-operation  could  be  secured,  what  the  com- 
njon  man  was  expected  to  do  under  the  Plan,  in  iauGt, 


the  amount  of  coercion  that  could  be  applied 
had  to  be  decided  under  the     Five-Year  Plan 
Ten-Year  Plan  that  a     democratic     government 
down.  He  took  it  that  the  Planning  Commissio] 
Pandit  Nehru  in  particular  had  the  type  of  dem( 
in  mind  that  existed  in  the  19th  and  early  part  < 
20th  century  in  Great  Britain.  He  also  recalled 
the  Planning  Commission  desired  to  pursue  the 
of  increasing  production,  improving  standards  of 
and  bringing  about  a  social  sti-ucture  where  con 
equality   of  opportunity  was  given  to   everybod: 
Qothing  else  was  done  the  valleys  and  peaks  mig 
suitably  adjusted  so  that  disparities  might  be  s 
abolished.  That  was  the  aim  of   the   Planning 
mission. 

In  conclusion,  he  said  that  while  avoidia 
clap-trap  of  Capitalist  society  they  should  no 
into  the  clap-trap  of  Socialist  economy. 

Inaugural  Address  :  Role  of  Economists 
The  Rajpramukh  of  the  Travancore-C 
inaugurating  the  conference  said  that  the  gatheri 
experts  would  be  able  to  pool  their  knowledge 
experience  auj  to  give  a  right  lead  to  our  co 
With  the  advent  of  freedom,  the  role  of  the  ecow 
in  India  has  come  to  assume  a  new  signifieanoe 
time  has  come  for  constructive  thinking.  India, 
the  rest  of  the  world,  is  striving  towards  a  pi 
economy  and  our  plans  are  taking  shape.  Tliei 
glowing  recognition  of  the  importance  of  a  sd 
approach  to  economic  problems.  This  has  crei 
demand  for  trained  economists.  He  said  thatwk 
opportunities  come  new  re8p>onsU>ilitie6.  If  econ' 
should  be  an  aid  to  policy,  it  cannot  be  di^ 
from  i\\4^  social  background     on     which  ihe  eoQ 


'-k 


ALL-INDIA  ECONOMIC  CONFERENCE  AT  TRIVANDRUM 


231 


UTe  is  built.  He  opined  that  the  basic  condition 
iia  should  be  re-examined  and  a  reorientation  of 
mic  doctrines  was  necessary.  It  i^j  highly  essential 
rfect  the  technique  of  analysis,  it  will  be  a  self- 
ing  process  if  the  ends  in  view  were  lost  eight  of 

work  of  the  economist  will  be  judged  by  the 
on  man  by  his  capacity     to     promote  the  well- 

of  the  community.  Throughout  the  course  of 
y,  India  had  been  reputed  to  be  a  land  of  plenty, 
le  position  today  appeared  to  be  otherwise.  The 
las,  therefore,  devolved  on  the  economists  of 
to  plan  for  the  proper  utilisation  of  our  resources, 
t  the  standard  of  living  of  our  people  and  conse- 
y  their  welfare  may  be  raised  to  the  maximum 
le. 

r.  R.  Balakrishna,  M.A.,  ph.D.  (Lond.)  of  the 
ts  University,  thanked  the  Rajpramukh  for  the 
s  and  said  that  this  kind  gesture  of  His  Highness 
irther  evidence  of  the  patronage  bestowed  on 
d  letters  by  the  Royal  family  of  that     historic 


PREsroENTiAL  Address  :    Five-Year  Pl.\x 
aa)  Economy  Backed  by  Planning  Advocated 

of.  Wadia  in  his  address  said  that  planning  for 
2r  life  in  terms  of  economic  standards  would  be 
?trou8  failure  if  it  was  not  accompanied  by 
ig  in  terras  of  a  fuller  and  richer  life  for  the 
lual.  He  said  : 

"Planning  in  terms  of  our  economic  life,  we 
re  naturally  to  adjust  ourselves  to  the  new 
•Id  order  that  has  been  inaugurated  by  the 
'ances  of  fcientif^;  discoveries,  to  a  world  of  gas 
\  electricity,  hydro-electric  schemes  and  large- 
e  production  of  cheap  and  standardised  goods." 

of.  Wadia  was  against  depersonalisation  or 
anisation  of  the  individual,  degradation  of  human 

to  units  in  statistical  law  and  degrading  labour 
condition  of  a  numerical  label  giorn  of  all  claims 
lan  personality  and  reckoning  it  as  a  commodity 
:s  buying  and  selling  price  to  be  adjusted  in  case 
•ute  by  Arbitration  Courts  and  Judicial  Tribunals 

huge  production  enterprises  of  modern  times. 
1  said  that  the  problems  to     initiate  a     mixed 
ly  were     fundamentally     different     from   Great 
I.     They  all     militate     against     the     successful 
lentfttion  of  the  not  over-ambitious     proposals 

Five-Year  Plan.  Mixed  economy  was  possible 
at  Britain  by  an  educated  electorate  with  a  civic 
ready  to  co-operate  with  the  Government     and 

availability  of  trained  personnel.  So  what  "may 
>een  possible  in  Great  Britain  with  its  advanced 
lie  structure  ig  not  necessarily  possible  in  a 
7  like  ours."  Planning  of  any  kind  involves  the 
't  to  regulate  the  total  production  of  a  country 

view  to  the  fullest  possible  utilisation  of  its 
»1e  resources.  It  further  involves  the  deter- 
"m  of  priorities — the  allocation  of  these  resources 


to  alternate  uses,  the  production  of  capiUl  goods  and 
that  of  consumers  goods,  but  through  the  agents  of 
Government  or  through  public  bodies  responsible  to 
the  Government. 

In  other  words,  planning  of  any  kind  implies 
centralisation  of  control.  Unfortunately  in  India,  lack 
of  co-operation  between  the  Central  and  State  Govern- 
ments affects  the  prospects  of  successful  planning  in 
agricultural  development.  He  also  drew  attention  to 
the  lack  of  co-optration  between  the  mass  and  the 
Government.  He  therefore  urged  that  sincere  and 
honest  men  who  can  win  the  hearts  of  the  rural 
population  should  be  placed  at  the  helm  of  affairs. 

Referring  to  the  extent  of  co-operation  of  indus- 
trialists and  big  business  with  the  Government  on  the 
one  hand  and  with  the  millions  whose  needs  they  sup- 
plied on  the  other.  Prof.  Wadia  asked  what  good  can 
come  to  a  country  where  essentials  of  life  for  the 
millions,  like  cloth  and  sugar,  can  be  rcisarded  by  those 
responsible  for  their  supply  as  instruments  of  profiteer- 
ing, where  every  channel  of  supply  is  checked  by  the 
filth  of  black-marketing  transactions,  where  the  arts  of 
deception  and  evasion  and  dodging  are  carried  almost 
to  a  stage  of  perfection  ? 

In  conclusion,  he  appealed  to  the  younger  gene- 
ration to  line  up  with  "our  good-intentioned  reformers 
and  planners"  but  to  have  no  illusions  about  achieving 
results. 

Welfare  Economics  :   First  Time  Discusssa) 
BY  Indian  Economists 

The  second  half  of  the  first  day  was  devoted  to 
the  discussion  of  the  Theories  of  Welfare  Economics. 
Altogether  six  papers  were  acoepted  on  the  subject  and 
Prof.  Malkani,  Reddy  and  Joseph  read  their  papers 
and  many  others  took  part  in  discussion. 

Before  going  into  the  details  of  the  conference 
perhaps  it  will  be  of  interest  to  give  an  idea  of  the 
Theories  of  Welfare   Economics. 

The  gleamings  of  economic  welfare  illuminated 
the  horizon  of  economic  science  throughout  the  ryth- 
mical sequeiKe  of  its  historical  evolution.  Against  the 
kaleidoscopic  changes  of  empirical  background 
economic  propositions  and  policy  recommendations 
reflect  the  perennial  spirit  of  augmenting  social  welfare 
even  to  the  present  day.  But  what  do  we  mean  when 
we  say  that  such  and  such  steps  will  increase  the 
welfare  of  a  society  ?  What  are  the  determinants  of 
•changes  of  the  welfare  of  a  society  ?  These  funda- 
mental questions  in  the  study  of  welfare  economics  are 
extremely  difficult  to  answer. 

From  Adam  Smith  to  the  present-day  economists 
everybody  has  tried  to  answer  these  vital  questions  of 
Economics.  But  their  approaches  are  far  from  satis- 
factory. For,  serious  difficulties  connected  with  opti- 
mum conditions  or  situational  comparison  embarrassed 
the  attempts  of  welfare  economists  at  policy  recom- 
mendations ;    just   as   the   v^^^'^'^'^   ^*^  'vo^je^-s^KswRsc^ 


232' 


THE  MODERN  REVIEW  FOR  MARCH,  1953 


comparisons  puzzled  the  utilitarians  or  the  problems 
of  external  value  judgements  regarding  the  distri- 
butional aspect  puzzled  the  New  Welfare  economists 
so  al-^o  the  problems  of  objective  basis  for  social 
preference  create  a  lot  of  difficulties  for  the  Social 
Welfare  approach.  A  close  scrutiny  reveals  that  the 
champions  of  scoial  welfare  function  do  not  stand  on 
a  perfectly  scientific  foundation  since  their  prescrip- 
tions concern  the  psjThological  difficulties  attached  to 
social  preference.  The  problem  would  have  been  much 
easier  if  social  preferences  were  simply  an  aggregation 
of  individual  preferences.  Herein  lie*^  the  crux  of  the 
problem,  solution  of  which  requires  some  constructive 
study.  Only  in  recent  years  Dr.  Little  has  indicated 
the  path  but  not  .«urely  led  us  to  the  desideratum  of 
universally   valid  criterion   or  judgement. 

These  are  the  issues  dealt  with  very  nicely  in  the 
papers  read  and   discussed. 

pRODUcrrvmr  of  Indian  Industries  and  Incidence 

OF  Taxation   in   Indu 

Various  papers  were  also  read  on  the  subject  of 
productivity  of  Indian  industries.  The  names  of  Dr. 
Balakii?hna  and  Dr.  R.  V.   Rao  may  b?  mentioned. 

The  general  opinion  on  the  subject  of  Incidence 
of  Taxation  was  that  it  was  too  high  in  India,  parti- 
cularly, on  the  weaker  section  of  the  community.  Some 
challenged  the  view  of  the  Planning  Commission  that 
there  was  further  scope  for  fresh  taxation,  for  the  per 
capita  incidence  was  very  low  compared  to  other 
countries.  They  said  : 

"It  is,  however,  misleading  to  compare  the 
ration  of  taxation  to  national  income  of  different 
countries  without  taking  into  account  the  mode  and 
nature  of  taxation,  and  the  national  savings.  Com- 
parisons of  ratio  of  taxation  to  national  savings 
alone  is  valid,  for  savings  are  the-  mainspring  of 
economic  activity." 

Moreover,  the  relative  pressure  of  taxation  in 
different  countries  cannot  be  considered  apart  from  the 
nature  of  the  services  rendered  by  the  State  to  the 
peoplr-  in  return  for  the  taxes  it  levies  and  the. 
standard  of  living  of  the  people.  Viewed  in  this  point 
of  view,  the  incidence  of  taxation  seems  to  bo  heavy 
especially  on  the  middle  and  low  income  groups  in  the 
cities  and  all  other  classes  except  big  landlords  in 
rural  areas. 

Control  and  Planning 

On  the  last  day  of  the  conference  there  was  a 
discussion  on  food  decontrol  under  planned  economy. 
Dr.  V.  K.  R.  V.  Rao,  Dr.  Wantwalla,  Dr.  Mathur, 
Dr.  Natarajan,  Prof.  Merchant,  Prof.  J.  J.  Anjaria, 
Dantah,  etc.,  took  part   in  the  discussion. 

The  general  trend  of  opinion    was     in  favour    of 

r^'taining  Iho  controls  on  foodgrains  keeping  in  view  the 

need  for  thorough  revItaUsation  of  the  machinery  for 


implementing  them.  A  large  section  of  the  speakers 
was  of  the  view  that  the  general  situation  in  the 
country  now  should  not  be  compared  to  that  of  1947, 
in  which  the  decontrol  experimental  was  tried  with 
disastrous  consequences.  Today,  the  country  as  a 
whole,  was  committed  to  a  planned  economy  and,  in 
that  context  the  weight  of  opinion  had  to  be  in  favour 
of  a  policy  of  controls.  A  planned  economic  pro-i 
gramme,  it  was  pointed  out,  would  necessitate  the 
maintenance  of  a  stable  price  level,  strict  control  on 
import  and  export  and  subsidisation  of  certain  indus- 
tries. All  this  would  be  possible  only  if  the  Govern- 
ment were  the  masters  of  the  situation.  In  financing 
of  the  Five-Year  Plan,  deficit  financing  was  expected 
to  play  a  significnat  role  and  if  the  consequences  of 
the  same  were  to  be  kept  in  check,  there  should  be 
controls  on  the  production,  consumption  and  distri- 
bution of  certain  important  commodities. 

Some  speakers  were  sceptical  about  the  food 
statistics  provided  by  the  various  agencies  of  the 
Governments.  It  was  pointed  out  that  the  statistics  of 
food  production  were  inaccurate  and  hence  no  definite 
conclusion  could  be  arrived  at  on  their  basis.  But  i* 
was  generally  agreed  that  India  today  was  in  deficit 
with  regard  to  food  and  a  policy  _of  control  was,  there- 
fore, necessary  for  assuring  an  equitable  supply  of 
food. 

Another  point  on  which  there  was  general  agree- 
ment was  that  there  should  be  a  unified  policy  for  tbe 
whole  of  India  so  far  as  food  was  concerned.  Deficits 
and  surpluses  should  be  treated  on  an  equal-equal 
footing. 

Dr.  V.  K.  R.  V.  Rao  was  of  the  opinion  that 
controls  on  food  had  to  continue.  At  the  time  of 
decontrol  in  1947,  there  was  no  question  of  planning 
and  there  was  no  Planning  Commission  nor  the  Rve- 
Year  Plan.  The  integrated  economy  had  been  accepted 
by  the  Central  Government  as  also  by  the  National 
Development  Council.  If  there  was  decontrol  in  1962, 
the  consequences  would  be  different  from  those  of 
what  they  were  in  1947.  The  population  of  India  was 
fast  increasing.  The  rate  of  increase  was  much  hi^r 
among  urban  population  than  among  the  rural  popu- 
lation. Apart  from  the  increase  in  population  as  a 
whole,"  there  had  been  an  increase  in  the  number  of 
consumers  and  non-producers  in  the  urban  areas. 
Today  there  was  a  shortage  of  food  materials  in  this 
country.  Therefore,  decontrol  would  lead  to  rise  in 
prices.  For  the  success  of  the  Five-Year  Plan,  ccMitrols 
on  certain  essential  commodities  could  not  be  avoided. 
There  should  be  strategic  controls,  confined  to  the 
utmost  minimum. 

Dr.  Natarajan  and  Prof.  Merchant  spoke  io 
favour  of  lifting  the  controls. 

Prof.  Wadia  in  his  concluding  remarks  drew 
attention  to  the  fact  that  if  there  was  planiiing,  oat 
could   not  dispense  with  controls.     If   controls  loould 


T.  S.  ELIOT  AND  THE  CONTEMPORARY  WORLD 


233 


be  carried  out,  it  was  not  possible  to  secure  a 
k1  policy  on  account  of  the  psychological  atti- 
that  each  State  had  assumed.  When  they  thought 
ified  policy,  they  could  not,  at  the  same  time, 
provincial   autonomy. 

?he  chairman   and   delegates  were   entertained   at 
I  party  by     the     Reception     Committee  and  by 
ancore-Cochin    Bankers'    Association.     The    dele- 
also  witnessed   Kathakali  performance.  Some  of 

:0 


tihem  also  went  to  the  Cape  on  the  25th  December  to 
enjoy  the  beauty. 

Prof.  S.  Kesava  lyenger  has  been  elected  Presi- 
dent, and  Prof.  C.  N.  Vakil  and  Dr.  Balakrishna 
were  elected  Eklitor  and  AsfiOciate  Editor  respectively, 
for  editorial   work. 

The  venue  of  the  next  conference  has  been  fixed 
at  Jaipur,  and  will  be  held  under  the  auspices  of  the 
University  of  Rajputana. 


T.  S.  EUOT  AND  THE    CONTEMPORARY  WORLD 

By  Dr.    P.   S.   SASTRI,  m.a..  M.Litt.,  ph.D. 


redemption  of  man  in  and  through  grace  is  a  very 
ogma  in  any  religion.  Mr.  T.  S.  Eliot  assures  ua 
man's  redemption  has  already  taken  place  ;  but  he 

I  have  the  sense  to  recognise  it  and  utilise  it.  That 
man  weakness  or  evil  lies  in  the  egocentric  will.  This 
n  will  needs  to  be  controlled  and  regulated  properly, 
igulate  it  well  one  must  needs  know  himself.  And 
Eliot  devotes  a  greater  part  of  his  poetry  towards 
lalysis  of  the  human  mind  and  soul,  much  in  the 
er  of  Donne  and  Robert  Browning.  In  "Prufrock 
>ther  Poems,'*  he  employs  the  free  association  of  ideas 
e  manner  of  Browning  to  reveal  and  lay  bare  the 

rumblings  in  the  soul.  The  various  incidents  of 
ast  are  brought  together  as  converging  on  the  pre- 
thus  comprehending  the   dynamics   of   time  into  A 

and  reposeful  here  and  now.  Thus  the  analysis 
e  workings  of  the  human  soul  leads  Eliot  to  an 
sis  of  time  and  to  a  translation  of  time  into  the 
age  of  eternity.  The  timeless  is  to  be  experienced 
ne  for  the  present  comprehends  all  time. 

n  The  Waste  Land,  human  society  is  seen  to  be 
pted  at  the  very  springs  of  life  since  the  spirit  is  no 
r  alive  to  its  purpose.  Here  we  have  a  concentrated 
-e  of  the  cumulative  effect  of  the  past  on  the  present, 
poem  is  an  interpretation  of  the  modem  life  in  the 
of  the  past  Kultus.  Man  is  fallen  :  society  is  crumb- 
ind  is  rotten  at  the  core  ;  the  pleasures  of  man  are 
pt ;  and  man's  spirit  is  dead.  These  facts  reveal 
the  modern  man   is  in  need  of  a  spiritual  rebirth. 

II  this,  Eliot  employs  the  legend  of  the  Grail : 

"Of  the  Fisher  King  who  is  sick  of  the  dolorous 
und,  whose  land  is  waste  and  sterile,  and  who  will 
t  be  cured  nor  the  land  made  fertile  till  the  Grail 
brought  to  him.*' 

ittis  and  Adonis  are  to  symbolise  the  Fisher  King. 
e  delineation  of  this  idea  we  come  across  rituals  to 

the  dying  year  come  back  to  life  and  give  fertility, 
nodem  world  is  the  waste  land  and  it  requires  the 
erating  waters  of  the  spirit.     It  is  a    varying  land- 

of  desolation  reminding  us  of  the  Valley  of  Bones 


**What  are  the  roots  that  clutch,  what  branches 

grow 
Out  of  this  stony  rubbish  ?     Son  of  Man, 
You   cannot   say,   or   guess,   for   you  know   only 
A  heap  of  broken  images,  where  the  sun  beats, 
And  the  dead  tree  gives  no  shelter,  the  cricket 

no  relief. 
And  the   dry   stone  no  sound  of  water." 

Here  is  a  rich  suggestion  of  the  decay  of  old  religions 
and  of  classical  culture.  It  is  a  veritable  Inferno,  an 
^'unreal  city" — 

"Under  the  brown  fog  of  a  winter  dawn, 

A  crowd  flowed  over     London  Bridge,  so  many, 

1  had  not  thought  death  had  undone  so  manv.*' 

The  heart  of  this  culture  is  rotten  and  love  has 
been  rendered  hopeless.  The  lovers  too  are  waiting  for 
a  return  of  the  spirit  that  gives  life. 

The  fertibty  of  the  soil  is  related  to  the  fertility 
of  the  human  family  in  the  primitive  mind.  But  today 
sex  is  debased  and  hopeless,  and  its  aim  is  inverted. 
There  is  an  infertility  ritual  going  on  today  : 

"It's  them  pills  I  took,  to  bring  it  off,  she  said. 
(She's  had  five  already,  and  nearly  died  of  young 

George) . 
The  chemist  said  it   would  be  alright,  but   I've 

never  been  the  same. 
You  are  a  proper  fool,  I  said. 
Well,  if  Albert  won't   leave  you  alone,  there  it 

is,  I  said, 
What  you    get  married     for    if  you  don't  want 

children  ?" 

The  public  house  is  itself  on  the  borders  of  hell,  and 
the  barman  reminds  one  of  the  inevitable  passing  of 
time,  which  is  linked  with  the  barrenness  around. 
Barren  love  crops  up  once  again  in  the  story  of  the 
typist  and  the  "small  house-agent's  clerk^' : 

"Her   brain   allows   one   half-formed    thought    to 

pass : 
^Well  now  that's  done  :  and  I'm  glad  it's  over'  ^, 

In  the  middle  part  of  the  poem  the  imagery  of  the 
Waste  Land  comes  from  modemj  industrial  civilization 
which  revolution  is  an  indication  of  the  fact  that  the 
waters  of  the  Spirit  are  v^\l\iVc^4.   '^^Vw^v 


234 


THE  MODERN  REVIEW  FOR  MARCH,  1953 


"A    rat    crept    slowly    through    the    vegetation 

Dragging  its  slimy  belly  on  the  bank 

While  I  was  fishing  in  the  dull  canal 

On  a  winter  evening  round  behind  the  gashouse.*' 

The  world  as  it  is,  is  undergoing  an  infernal  experience 
and  it  stands  in  need  of  a  purgatory.  The  unstiUed 
world  whirls  against  the  Word,  "about  the  centre  of 
the  silent  Word,"  says  Eliot  in  Ash  ITednesday.  There 
is  the  cry.  Redeem  the  time.  And  Eliot  relates  the 
purgatorial  theme  to   that  of  penitence. 

In  Sweeny  Agonistes  we  have  again  the  light  of  the 
past  focussed  on  the  present.  The  conspiracy  in  the 
cafe  is  pictured  in  relation  to  the  murder  of  Agamem- 
non : 

'The  host   with   someone  indistinct 

Converses  at  the  door  apart, 

The     nightingales      are      singing     near 

The   Convent   of  the  Sacred  Heart, 

And   sang   within   the   bloody   wood 

When   Agamemnon   cried   aloud. 

And  let  their  liquid  siftings  fall 

To   stain   the  stiff   dishonoured   shroud." 

This  again  takes  us  into  the  heart  of  the  modern 
civilization  where  barren  love  reigns  supreme.  The 
speakers  are  Sweeny,  Kiipstein,  Krumpaoker,  Doris, 
Dusty  and  the  like  who  move  in  the  suburbs  of  the 
Waste  Land.  The  things  that  bore  us  here  in  this 
modern  world  are  only  three  and  they  are  "birth,  copu- 
lation, and  death.''  These  sum  up  the  crumbling  heart 
and  soul  of  the  modem  man.  In  this  dissolution  the 
major  burden  falls  on  the  egocentric  will  of  man.  It  is 
a  will  that  asserts  a  full  independence.  Until  the  will 
of  man  is  made  subservient  to  a  will  higher  than  man, 
there  is  no  hope  of  redemption.  Thus  he  writes  in  the 
Murder  in  the  Cathedral  : 

"A  martyrdom  is  always  the  design  of  God,  for 
his  love  of  men,  to  warn  them  and  to  lead  them,  to 
bring  them  back  to  his  ways.  It  is  never  the  design 
of  man  :  for  the  true  marlvr  is  he  who  has  become 
the  instrument  of  God,  who  has  lost  his  will  in  the 
will  of  God,  and  who  no  longer  desires  anything  for 
himself,  not  even  the  glory  of  being  a  martyr." 

This  state  of  existence  demands  of  the  soul  to  divest 
itself  of  the  love  of  created  things  or  beings,  so  that  it 
can  descend  only  "into  the  world  of  perpetual  solitude." 
It  is  a  solitude  which  is  the  mainspring  of  all  action, 
change,  or  movement  ;  but  here  the  wheel  may  turn,  and 
yet  it  is  forever  still.  It  is  a  serene  mood  that  tells  us 
that  time  itself  is  the  offspring  or  only  an  appearance 
of  eternity.  Thus  in  the  early  lines  of  the  Burnt  Norton 
we  read  : 

"Time  present  and  time  past 

Are    both    perhaps    present    in    time    future, 

And    time    future    contained   in    time    past." 

This  picture   of   time  gives   rise   to   the   concept   of 

the  eternal  present  which  is  the  one  thing  that  we  have 

in  solitude  ;   and  soHtude  accordingly  is  imaged  in  this 

poem  as  a  dance : 

'i4/  the  St}}}  point  oi  the  turning  world.  Neither 
^esh  nor  Beshless  ; 


Neither   from   nor   towards ;    at  the    still   point, 
there  the  dance  is, 

But  neither  arrest   nor  movement    

Except  for  the  point,  the  still  point, 

There  would  be  no  dance,  and  there  is  only  the 

dance.**  .  ,     .  j 

The  nearest   approach   to   this  is  the   mystics  idea 

of  a  cosmic  dance  which  bridges  space  and  time  and 
peers  into  the  world  of  eternity.  But  that  world  can- 
not be  described  adequately  in  language  since  all  langu- 
age is  matter-moulded.  We  can  only  speak  of  it  in  a 
negative  way. 

Eliot's  negative  way  takes  the  problems  of  sin  and 
death  as  indentical.  It  is  always  the  quest  for  the 
experience  of  the  timeless  in  time  that  determines  the 
worth  of  human  life  and  of  the  possibihties  and  capa- 
cities of  man.  We  have  "to  apprehend  the  point  of 
intersection  of  the  timeless  with  time"  and  this  is  only 
"an  occupation  for  the  saint."  Apart  from  the  ascetic's 
way  there  is  also  the  poet's  way  to  experience  the  time* 
less  in  that  mood  of  inspiration. 

" the  unattended 

Moment,   the  moment  in  and  out   of   time. 
The   distraction  fit,  lost  in  a  shaft  of  sunlight. 
The   wild  thyme  unseen,  or   the  winterlightning 
On   the   waterfall,   or   music   heard   so   deeply 
That  it  is  not  heard  at  all." 

In  The  Family  Reunion,  Agatha  speaks  of  these  two 

ways  clearly  thus  : 

"There  are  hours  where  there  seems  to  he  no 

past  or  future,  *tf     * 

Only   a   preseat  moment  of^MQited  fi^t .  ^*  .     *^  *> 
When  you  want  to  bum.     When  you  stretch  out 

your  hand 
To  the  flames.     Then  only  come' once",  _ 
Thank  God,  that  kind.  Perhaps  there  is  Unother 

kind, 
I  beheve,  across  a  whole  Thibet  of  broken  stones 
That  lie,  fang  up,  a  life-time's  march." 

These  two  ways  are  interrelated  so  well  that  a_  poet 
needs  be  a  saint  and  that  a  saint  should  be  a  poet.  The 
illumination  that  dawns  is  the  fire  of  purgatory  whence 
arise  prayer,  observance,  discipHne,  thought  and  action ; 
and — 

" the  worship  in  the  desert,  the  thirst  and 

deprivation, 
A  stony   sanctuary   and  a  primitive  altar, 
The  heat  of  the  sun  and  the  icy  vigil, 
A  care  over  the  Kves  of  humble  people. 
The  lesson  of  ignorance,  of  incurable  diseases." 

There  is  the  motto  of  Mary  Queen  of  Scots,  "In  my 
beginning  is  my  end.'*  Eliot  weaves  his  East  Cokef 
around  this  motto.  The  poem  ends  with  the  thought, 
"In  my  end  is  my  beginning."  The  world  is  a  hospital 
in  which  "to  be  restored,  our  sickness  must  grow  worse." 
To  put  it  paradoxically,  we  can  arrive  at  what  we  do  not 
know  only  through  the  way  of  .ignorance.  We  can  pos* 
sess  what  we  do  not  possess  only  by  the  way  of  dispos- 
session. We  can  arrive  at  what  we  are  not  by  going 
through  the  way  in  which  we  are  not.  What  we  do  not 
know  is  the  only  thing  we  know.    What  we  ovm  is  what 


T.  S.  ELIOT  AND  THE  CONTEMPORARY  WORLD 


336 


ive  do  not  own.  What  we  are  is  what  we  are  not.  These 
paradoxes  are  metaphysical  truths  which  any  mystical 
experience  involves.  And  precisely  from  this  standpoint 
¥e  are  told  that  the  suffering  of  man  is  linked  with  the 
'edemptive  suffering  of  Christ  : 


"If  to  be  warmed,  then  1  must  freeze 
And  quQJke  in  frigid  purgatorial  fires 
Of  which  the  flame  is  roses,  and  the  smoke  is  briars. 


»» 


This  Rose-like  Flame  is  the  soul  purged  away  of  all 
ts  limitations  and  imperfections  of  the  temporal  uni- 
verse, a  universe  which  is  the  same  as  the  briars. 

On  the  other  hand  the  self-centred  soul  needa 
innihilation,  and  annihilation  is  the  dark  night. of  the 
oul : 

"I   said  to   my   soul,   be   still,  and   lei   the   dark 

come  upon  you 
Which  shall  be  the  darkness  of  God." 

It  is  an  annihilation  which  sets  the  soul  in  true 
lerspective  by  removing  the  superfluous  appendages  and 
anities  that  gall  it  ;  and  "so  the  darkness  shall  be  the 
ight,  and  the  stillness  the  dancing."  There  is  light  at 
he  very  heart  of  darkness.  We  hear  that  we  can  arrive 
t  that  which  we  do  not  know  only  in  and  through  the 
lath  of  ignorance.  All  the  while  faith,  love  and  hope 
re  in  the  waiting  ;  and  we  have  to  realise  them  in  the 
oncrete  actual  present. 

Inrh^J^  Savages* yte  conie  across  a  prayer  to  the 
ttessed  Virgm  who  made  possible  the  temporal  expression 
f  the  timelesa.  As  the  sound  of  the  Angelus  rings,  we 
re  reminded  of  the  *'unprayable  prayer  at  the  calamitous 
nnunciation"  ;  of  the  '"sound  of  the  sea  bell's  perpetual 
ngelus"  ;  and  of  the  "undeniable  clamour  of  the  bell  of 
fie  last  annunciation.*'  The  annunciation  is  a  missive 
rom  the  timeless  to  our  empirical  world  ;  and  the  sea 
tands  foi  the  "deserts  of  vast  eternity."  The  angelus  is 
message  and  the  "clangs"  constitute  the  warning  bell, 
'he  bell  suggests  the  passing  of  time  and  of  life  as  well. 
ind  it  is  said  : 

"The  tolling  bell 

Measures     time     not     our     time,     rung     by     the 

unhurried 
Ground  swell,  a  time 
Older  than   the   time  of   the  chronometers." 

Thus  we  become  intensely  aware  of  time  only  by 
xperiencing  the  timeless. 

The  Little  Giddlng  commemorates  the  motto  that  the 
ttd  is  where  we  start  from  ;  for  the  end  of  all  our  ex- 
loring  is  to  arrive  at  the  place  from  where  we  started, 
his  poem  presents  the  same  problem  of  the  negation  of 
le  time-process.  Here  we  have  a  small  country-church  of 
le  seventeenth  century.  A  figure  from  beyond  time 
Iters  and  advises  penitence  which  alone  brings  self- 
lowledge : 


"And    last,   the   rending   pain   of      re-enactment 
Of  all  that  you  have  done,  and  been  ;  the  shame 
Of  motives  late  revealed,  and   the   awareness 
Of  things  ill-done  and  done  to  other's  harm 
Which  once  you  took  for  exercise  of  virtue. 
Then   fool's   approval   stings,   and  honour  stains. 
From    wrong    to    wrong    the    exasperated    spirit 
Proceeds,  unless     restored  by  that  refining     fire 
Where  you  must  move  in  measure,  like  a  dancer.*' 

The  fire  of  purification  is  the  white  heat  spoken  ol 
in  the  seventh  cornice  by  ]>ante  in  his  Pugatorio,  It  ie 
the  fire  that  makes  people  fair.  The  souls  willingly  submit 
themselves  to  their  ordeals  in  this  Purgatory.  And  since 
this  alone  makes  them  blessed  they  seek  it  out  and  court 
it.  This  fire  is  the  eternal  spirit  which  is  expressed  in 
incarnation  and  in  resurrection.  In  incarnation  the 
impossible  union  of  the  spheres  of  existence  is  rendered 
actual,  and  here  the  past  and  the  future  are  reconciled. 
Hence— 

"The   only   hope,   or   else   despair — 
Lies  in  the  choice  of  pyre  or  pyre — 
To   be  redeemed   from   fire  by  fire." 

The  Holy  Ghost  then  becomes  incarnate  in  the  bodies 
of  the  apostles.  Within  the  rhythm  of  the  seasons  there 
is  a  moment  which  is  eternal  and  which  constitutes  the 
illumination  of  the  poetic  experience.  Even  the  commu- 
nication of  the  dead  is  "tongued  with  fire  beyond  the 
language  of  the  living."  But  it  is  penitence  that  the 
timeless  demands  of  time,  whence  sin  and  death  become 
identical : 

**The    dove    descending    breaks    the    air 
With   flame   of    incandescent   terror 
Of  which  the  tongues  declare 
The  one  discharge  from  sin  and  error." 

Sin,  Evil,  Error,  Death  and  the  like  are  purged  away 
in  the  eternal  Spirit  only  when  the  individual  willingly 
and  deliberately  submits  himself  to  the  Inferno  and  the 
Purgatorio. 

The  Eternal,  however,  is  embodied  in  the  spatio- 
temporal  universe.  This  is  what  The  Rock  reveals  in  the 
beautiful  lines  : 


"Then    came,    at    a    predetermined    moment,    a 

moment  in  time  and  of  time, 
A  moment  not  out  of  time,  but  in  time,  in  what 

we    call    history  ;    transecting,    bisecting    the 

world  of  time,  a  moment  in  time  but  not  like 

a  moment  of   time, 
A  moment  in  time  but  time  was  made  through 
.  that     moment  :     for    without     the     meaning 

there  is  no  time,  and  that  moment  of  time 

gave  the  meaning.' 


» 


The  spatio-temporal  world  in  which  we  breathe 
acquires  a  meaning,  a  content  and  a  value  precisely 
because  of  the  Spirit  which  is  in  it  both  as  immanent 
and  transcendent.    Thit  €G^^\n!c^  >H^\\i^  ^^N.  >qs&!^  "^^sq^N^ 


>  >^    THE  MODERN  REVIEW  FOR  MARCH,  1953 


only  an  appearance  of  Reality,  of  the  Spirit.    Apart  from 

the  Spirit  there  is  no  world.    The  world  is  in  the  Spirit. 

But  man  does  not  seem  to  realise  this  much.  We  are 
.        "The  Hollow  Men."     There  we  have     only  the  Fall,  the 

desolation,  and  there  is  no  hope  of  the  return  of  the 
f      Spirit.    People  now  are  hollow,  stuffed  men.    They  embody 

the  Limbo  in  Dante's  Divine  Comedy.  The  Limbo  precedes 

the  Inferno  which  is  the  Waste  Land.    The  landscape  here 

is  depressing  : 

"This  is  the  dead  land 

This  is  the  cactus  land 

Here  the  stone  images 

Are  raised,  here  they  receive 

The  supplication  of  a  dead  man's  hand 

Under  the     twinkle  of  a     fading  star." 

Then  again  in  the  Triumphal  March,  we  find  a  reck- 
less and  mixed  crowd  waiting  for  their  leader,  the  saviour 
of  the  world.  They  wait  in  a  city  which  is  classical  and 
modern  at  the  same  time. 

Mr.  ^Eliot  emphasises  his  theory  of  the  EXemal 
in  all  his  imaginative  utterances  precisely  because  the 
malady  of  modem  civilization  lay  in  man's  clinging  and, 


cringing  outlook.  It  is  an  outlook  that  derelapt  A 
fascination  for  the  things  of  the  sense,  for  the  mit4|pl 
utilities  and  for  the  flesh  at  the  expense  of  the  rest.  1lf$. 
modem  man  has  been  a  peculiar  victim  of  the  iaIjW 
Values  of  life.  These  false  values  are  capable'  of  dinifg 
us  to  the  unreal  and  shadowy  world  where  sin,  error,  ind 
death  keep  a  trinity  of  their  own.  Human  happinesa  liet 
in  overcoming  these  pestilences.  But  man  can  overcome 
them  only  by  fixing  his  gaze  on  the  celestial  fire  which  it 
within  him  and  within  the  universe  in  which  he  Uvea. 
This  gives  rise  to  the  apprehension  of  the  Eternal 
in  and  through  time.  This  apprehension  takes  three 
forms.  The  first  is  the  purgation  of  the  will.  The  second 
arises  when  the  soul  divested  itself  of  the  love  of  created 
beings,  by  integrating  them  to  its  own  existence.  The 
third  is  the  Negative  Way  and  is  constituted  by  the  ei- 
perience  of  the  Divine  by  the  rejection  of  images.  It  is 
the  subjugation  of  the  human  will  to  the  divine  will  that 
enables  man  to  participate  in  the  Universal  Spirit.  These 
are  the  Values  that  should  nourish  human  life.  These 
values  are  called  Truth,  Goodness  and  Beauty,  and  they 
are  unalterable  and  undying.  This  is  the  message  that 
Eliot  offers  in  his  poetry.  ^ 


:0: 


SONG 

By  F.  R.  STANLEY 


Will  o'the  wind,  Light  c'my  dream, 

Whisper  to  me  the  thoughts  of  my  love  ; 
Day  when  the  sunlight  creases  the  bud, 

In  the  twilight's  soft,  slate-grey  ; 
Night  when  the  thin  moon  flows  on  the  branch, 

In  the  bhie-night's  rich  star-spray  ; 
Mine  be  dreams  on  a  myriad  wings, 

Fly  my  soul,  to  hers,  away  ! 
Mine  be  thoughts  of  Love's  nothings, 

Mine  Love's  Yesterday.* 

*    Translated     from    the    Bengali    original    of     Bina    Canffuly. 


:0: 


FRONTISPIECE 

King  Dushyanta,  while  visiting  Kanva\«;  hermitage,  marries  Sakuntala,  the  adopted  daughter  of  Aft 
hermit,  according  to  Gandharva  rites.  Now  she  leaves  her  forest  home  and  goes  to  meet  her  vofil 
husband    in   the   city.     It   is   a  scene   from   Kalidasa's    great   drama   Abhijnaim-Snkuntalam. 


fiook  Reviews 


Books  in  the  principal  Europ^aa  and  Indian  lanfpingGs  are  reviewed  m 
The  Modtm  Revteic.  But  review?  of  all  boolu  sent  cannot  be  guaranteed. 
XewqiaiwH,  periodicaLj,  scliool  unj  college  text>ljuok.i,  pniuphlclb,  rvyrinl^  oC 
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fur  ri'vii.'W  ciiiinot  bu  acKnowlpdgcd,  nor  can  any  inquiru.'ii  rebtinn  tliercto 
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Editoh,  Till-  M^dtrn  Rci-icK. 


ENGLISH 

IE  DP:VI:LuPINC1  VSn\  of  ASIA  (Rao 
ir  B:ibur..o  UmI.,  Kinklxtle  k-jlun-^.  mS):  By 
.Ami  Vtnhil.ih  l',wl'-mh,  kar.  MA.  lOxoiJ. 
Law.  Dr.  ft'.  I{'<u>".v"'lni  K»o.  1'rtifi.mof 
tical  Si-iincv.  Su-Jimr  Ui'mmty.  I'ubMivil  "i/ 
lypur  U'liiTmlu,  Naypur.  I'.ioi.  I'p.  4'^>.  I'nce 

ia  id  a  liigiily  <liuiiglit-i>rovuIdng  work.  Tlie 
B  aim  aa  lu'  tells  as  in  his  Ps-elace  Ip.'  vi)  in 
w  how     Asiun   puople     spread  and     came  in 

with  ont;  uuutlicr,  wliat  idtUd  and  art:<  und 
i  they  Kprtiad.  wliat  atiitud^.'S  Hioy  adopted 
}  one  another,  how  lliey  mingled  and  «i.'para<ed, 
ley  fnitcmi^  and  quurrcUed,  und  uvea  then 
ontributed  lo  ilie  developing  unity  of  Asia 
1  ageB,''  Uis  object,  he  furtliui'  lelU  us,  is  "lo 
.c"  all   Ihu   iinporLiDt     contribution«  of    Aaiun 

to  the  growth  of  hiimuu  eivili^tion  "in  order 
.iT-Und   belter   ilie   force-   of   A«i;iu   unity     and 

brotlurhood  ti>d;iy."  Siriking  (he  k.y-note  of 
ughl  in  his  tin-i  l.ecii^re  he  ili3iiiigui:<hea  (ji.  2j 
.-niimie  e.n'r>  of  civ;lis;iiiun  ir.  A-'in."  namely, 
I  A.-iii  (d-.!i,iii,l.a  l.v  Chiiui.  S'lii'liern  A-iii 
irtt...i    l,v      liuliiiJ.      \Vi>l.tl.    A-i.i      tfrum      the 

of  Ihe  rjiiin.  riaiis  uiid  ll:iliyl..ui:itls  |.)  llial  of 
OHKOL-.)  ;.iia  L'.'J.lr;.!  .V-iii  u|.)iiiiu!il.-it  l.y  H.e 
and  MonjPJist.  'l'\,<-  Mu:lior  i\>\<.  211-2A)  i;ik'-s 
ar^l  Kroiti>>  nil  jiii>diliiMiii)Li  ui  T'lviiiiliee'.-i  and 
■r's  ihioiii-i  i.f  civili-iiiiiiii)  ;is  eonsinuliiig  for 
Itam'ii  a  Mnicle  dytiiitiiiir  unit  of  eivilii!;it!un.  lu 
ir  followiiifc  l.i'1'tiiri'.s  'li<'  :iu'hi>r  ruiiidly  pa.<ijed 
cw  tlie  lil-lorv  uf  llie  growth  of  civilir-ation  in 
m  (Lretun:  IE).  KuMeru  {Lecture  IIU.  Wi'-t- 
.ctluri!  IVl  and  l.'etili-.il  a-i  well  :i:-  Northern 
K  V)  A'i:i  (roiii  Ilie  <:itli<-,-[  limes  lo  the 
.   The   ^Sili    and    la-'l    Irc'urt    di'Uls   with      the 

of  WMiern  eivih^LOii     iijion     A'-ii   and     its 

reaetion  in   tin-  -l.-ii'e  of  uitionil  aw;ikitiiiig 

A^un  pi'Opli--  ,iiid  it  ends  wiih  a  valuable 
r>-   of   \hi'   aaUe.rs   coiiilii^ioii=.      V>\-    like    the 

of     qimiing   >onn'   ol    Ihe    aiiiliavV      iijii'otl^inl 

menu  of  X>':i  iiiiiv  h,  rhis'ilitil  melir  ilie 
jMlitic'l.  r<l<:m"".  wl-ll>rli<n!.  m;„l  and  >o,-ittl. 
■ic  and  nn-'V.f.  Tli.-r  iicliiovrjiii-iit-  jii-lify  w 
ng  lip  1h,.  Kmii>|o.i  iiiiic  viiw  of  hi-imy  iiiid 
an  iQdc|..nilin:  :iiid  iiii  ri.,!  vi.w  m'  A-i.m 
(Ibiil.  j>ii.  is-^-m..  In  ili..  lii-imy  of  ni:iii'li  ot 
civiiiii:il:rin-;    '■    •      ■-     '' - — ■"  ■    -■■■'■■■ 


Buddhism,  Ihe  h.lh  of  peai-c  and  civiliT^alion,  received 
a  set-back  in  Cenirul,  !iouihern  and  South-Eaatetn 
Am.  Tlie  tjiird  siuxe  is  thit  of  nationalism  when  a 
territorial  unit  and  n  juirely  s^eular  outlook  create  ail 
integralin;;  bond  among  il.t  jiuupk',  while  tliey  divide 
the  world  inio  u  uuiiiInT  of  ind!'|iendent  territini&l, 
units  or  Sovereign  ;>tatr:i.  The  iir^t  «iagc  conceives 
Ihe  world  ut^  one.  ii  etimini>n  theatre  of  civilisation  Hnd 
lonia't  :  the  second  conceives  i(  to  be  split  into  two, 
one  of  beli:-vers  and  llie  other  of  infidtU,  always  a* 
work  with  each  other  :  ihe  third  coaeeivea  it  as  con- 
BiKtinii  of  a  nunibtr  of  world"  or  $elf-ga\-eming  Stales 
folluwing  the  principt:  of  B^lf-detcnnintition.  1^ 
period  of  civ:li:iation  ih  always  creative,  that  Of 
religionism  is   iiusses-'ive  and   that   of  nationalism     ia. 

Krtly  poviscssive  and  partly  creatiVi-  (Ibiil,  pp.  489-91). 
ily  four  creative  eenlres  of  thought  and  culture  are 
found  in  Ania,  namely.  B.ibvlonia.  China.  India  and 
Inin.  Other  peoi.les  liki-  tlie  Arabs,  Turks  and 
Monaols  wen.  eulture-lwrrowing  anil  eultuie-earrying 
IK'opi,.*.   Oiilr.il   A-i,i.   N'oilli   .\<n   and   Soul h-Eiis tern 


.  the  u 


irdi.'.. 


il   :ilut    Ih,. 


OlIlT 


■St  rtajie  i' 

Jjyionian.  Imni.iu  und  Ar,v;.n  i-  wi>ll  as  ('hinese 
lions  originated  and  ^^re:ld.  The  s'vond  f^agc 
of  religionism  when  Chrisiiiniiy  and  Islam 
ted  and  ovtrsiipviid  the  Asian  latuU  and  wlicQ 


<  nil  III 


ivr    lia'. 


*   (p.   195). 


few 


high 

imriis  i)f  ilii>  Wild;.  Tli-  :iii'!i.jr  ip.  I2li)  -iir]>risiiigly 
-p  -.ks  ui  ihr  .-..tuii.-l  uf  CvlijU  -bv  I'tal.hii  llam- 
chaii,lr:i."  l>ii  j.attf  VIA.  !..■  i.li-  rv.--  inui'.airjlelv  Ihat 
Itilil.lliaul.ii-h»  (>iV.)  -^l^ibli-li'd  lliliav;itia  Kuddhi^ 
in  itiiiiiiH  fiiiiii  Ci  vlou  ill  15(1  A.O.  Tin'  same  cnlie- 
i-^ni  apiA'u:-'  ti>  lii"  --ai-m<'iv  1h  it  "liie  Cliola  King, 
Haun.Ira  I.  Iiad  liipUir.  d  i)..'  ^uicir-n'  c:.pital  of  PcgU 
i.nd  till'  ]-«,i  .,f  Mariiib.ii  and  aniirxrd  the  Kurmrse 
kincdiiiii  to  his  .  mpirn  for  a  lime  in  the  llih  eentury" 
(11.  129)  and  ihai  '■iwi-lvi.  dvnnsties  of  the  fuinilv  of 
Sri  Mira-  vul.  .1  Caami.a  from  ihe  3rd  lo  ih:.  Hth 
ci'iitiiiy  (|>.  1371.  Tlie  ainhor's  irtentifieation  of  ancient 
I'ailan'  n-iih  l'i:ni  (il  130)  is  a  serious  geographical 
blniid.r. 

The  work  is  p„'f,ici-<l  with  a  viiluable  ..  , 
and  it  loaehid  s  wi'li  .i  w  ll-Hi'.sen  W'lert  biblic 
Kraphy.    TIh'    iiaiMi-.    Inmever.    haves    much    room    f 


lopsia 
iblio- 


inipri 


V.  X.  Gil. 


fi)   >;rm-KTi(;i\:  /;./  Ab'.i  r.ni-i  ai  iMh.,kL 
I'p.  l.ii  -^  f. 

(2i     M.\l,r-TZAT-i-TIMfH    (.\u:.i-l,iopi:,phv      of 
Timiirl,  /'/>.  r.:i  -t.  !i. 
_     '31     SliKK  SllAII  :  }!;,  Ahhn  tihiw.  Pp.  ]r>7  + 

""'(H  ArttANOZIU:  Kl<-ri  Kl'"u.  I',,.  iT2  -H  uiit. 
(51  I.ATKH  MrCHAT-S  r  /)'.,  /',..  /i-'i-JJ-m. 
p.,M~h,4  hu  S.   CupUt    f'lf  .'<.'--'7  Ouj.iii.    il„dia) 

/..'-/..    .ij    rr„>yiil    Ar,i<-r.    Cllr.dtn    /-' 

The  medii'val   (i>i>'h   or  more     Mricily    speaking, 
the  centuries  of  Turkish  civ(e  itv  lti>V\i.  ^^x'wi  ^  ^-Rtfli^ 
licrioil ;  tot  \\ieiv  \W  iw\<"a.\.^\\i!i.>w,\-''';w*.  '^  *^<Jwsi->A. 


238 


THE  MODERN  REVIEW  FOR  MARCH,  1063 


ftnd  inmilftr  life,  behind  the  barrier  of  mountain 
ranges  and  mighty  rolling  streams  were  called  upon 
to  face  the  challenge  of  a  world-force  represent  d  by 
Islam.  How  this  force,  galvanised  from  age  to  age  by 
influences  from  outside,  penetrated  >uto  the  li^  ^f 
the  people,  reacted  on  their  thought  and  ways  of 
living  and  how  finally  ii  ebbed  itself  out  is  a  fas- 
cinating panorama,  glimpses  into  which  are  offered 
by  the  Persian  chronicles. 

Foremo.-t  among  the  men  who  unravelled  to  us 
the  treasures  of  the  pa^jt,  locked  up  in  this  elegant 
language,  was  Sir  Hcnr>'  Miers  Elliot  (180S-1853) 
who,  in  the  midst  of  exacting  official  work,  translated 
a  number  of  Persian  MSS.  It  is  a  curious  coincidence 
that  the  reprints  of  Sir  Hr^nry's  work?  cited  above, 
synchronise  with  the  centenary  of  his  death.  Sixteen 
years  after  the  administrator-scholar's  death,  his 
papers  were  handed  to  Prof.  John  Dawson,  so  that 
the  first  edition  of  some  of  his  volumes  made  their 
appearance  in  1871.  During  the  last  four-score  of 
years  Sir  Henr>**8  works  became  completely  scarce, 
jealously  watched  and  guarded,  like  the  miser's 
hoard,  in  some  public  librario.-?.  It  is,  therefore,  a 
distinct  scn'ice,  which  the  enterprising  publisher  has 
done  by  bringing  out  the  present  edition  of  some  of 
Sir  Henr>''*s  important  papers.  All  cf  them  are  but 
the  reproductions  of  liic  original  work  without  any 
explanator>'  or  critical  commonts,  excpting  Vol. 
No.  Ill,  which  appends  a  few  footnotes. 

There  is  now  an  increasing  desire  to  get  at  the 
fountainhcad  of  India's  histor>'  during  the  medieval 
period.  There  is  no  doubt  that  the  present  edition  of 
the  History  of  India  as  told  by  its  own  historians,  will 
eatisfy  a  long  and  keenly-felt  need.  The  readers' 
attention  may  be  casually  drawn  to  the  scope  and 
functions  of  history  as  defined  by  the  Moslem 
chroniclers.  Abu  Nasr  Muhammad  bin  Muhammad 
Al  Jabbar-ul-Utbi.  author  of  TaHkh-i'Vamini,  Vol.  I. 
p.  14,  wiote,  "Books  of  history  operate  as  a  warning 
to  the  wise  and  their  perusal  inspires  ovrn  the  neeli- 
gejit  with  subjects  of  reflection.'  Ab.hillah.  aullior 
of  Tarikh-i-Daydi,  eehoed  Dinysius'  contention  of 
history  summed  up  in  the  sentcnco.  "Histoiy  is 
philosophy,  t^^aching  by  example,"  when  ho  wrote, 
"Histon'  is  not  simply  information  rrjsardinp  the 
affairs  of  kings  who  have  pii<fiOi\  away,  but  it  i.s  a 
science  which  rxpands  the  intellect  and  furnishes  the 
wise  with  examples."  And  Muhammad  Hashim,  well- 
known  as  Khwafi  Khan  laid  down  tho  f-anon  which 
an  h'storian  in  thf  ]>ro«:ent  days  might  do  woll  to 
remember  (ritlr.  Preface,  Vol.  IV).  It  is  the-  duty  of 
an  historLin  to  be  faithful,  to  h:ive  nn  hope  of  profit. 
no  fear  of  in!ur>',  to  show  no  partiality  -  •  -  or 
animosity,  to  know  no  dilToroneo  hetwcrn  frirnd  and 
Stranger  and  to  write  nothing  but  with  sincerity." 

X.  B.  KoT 

THE  RECONQITST  OF  INDIA  :  By  W.  5. 
Desai.  Publhhcd  by  the  Raahmi  Art  Prcsn,  15  Faiz 
Bazar,  Daynganj,  Delhi.  Price  Rs.  4  ^<^''. 

India's  was  a  name  held  in  hijjh  esteem  in  days 
gone  by  when  she  played  the  rol^  of  n  toreh-brarer 
of  civiiizfition  and  eniiixhten.Timt.  .Anient  student? 
from  distanr.  land-j  flocked  to  hrr  s'^ats  of  l-'iirninz. 
pat  at  the  fe-^t  of  Indian  savant^  jind  drank  deep  at 
the  Pierian  Spring  of  Indian  culture.  Rut  de'-idence 
set  in  and  India  wns  m  hondaire.  Th  Arih  Mn-jlims 
penetrated  into  Sind.  the  soft  un«ler-b.'llv  of  India, 
in  the  Sth  centuri'  A.D.  Later  on.  tho  Afehan^  and  the 
Turks  from  bevond  the  Xorth-we-^tern  frontirrs 
poured  w'o  the  fertile  pJajn/f  of  Hindustan  to  be 
/oJJptfed  by  the  Mugbals  from  Centril  Asia.  India  lay 


prostrate  at  the  feet  of  the  foUowem  of  tha  pNli 
of  the  Desert. 

The  Muslim  rulers  of  India,  almost  «U  of  tin 
fanatics,  tried  to  rule  India  by  the  sword.  There  «i 
a  few  exceptions,  of  course.  The  Hindus  were  degrad 
and  humiliated.  But  the  Hindu  root  could  not 
destroyed.  It  lived  and  lives  still.  The  Hkid 
together  with  the  Je^'s  and  the  Chinese,  it  should 
remembered,  constitute  the  dcathlcs:s  trio  that  I 
defied  time,  conquest,  tyranny  and  massacre. 

ijevcral  factors  were  re>ponsiblc  for  the  down! 
of  India  and,  in  the  opinion  of  ihc  learned  autb 
lack  of  contact  with  the  outer  world  is  the  m< 
important  of  them  all.  Hindu-Mur^lim  contest 
India  was  a  da^h  between  the  old  and  the  n 
betwem  traditionalism  and  new  life  and  betw< 
self-complacency  and  spirit  of  adventure.  Hence,  ' 
rapidity  of  the  progress  of  Muslim  arms  in  India. 

India  seemingly  submitted     to     her  new  mast 
meekly;   but   intense    heart-.scarching     was   going 
beneath  the  surface.  The  endeavour  of  the  niedie 
saints  and  *Suli»',  who  dreamt  of  a  religious  s>'nthi 
was  in  reality  a  national  movement  for  welding 
d:.^coidant  elements  of  the   Indian     body-politic     i 
a  honiogencou.s  whole.  The  national  emp.re  of  Ak 
in  the  latr«  r  half  of  the  16th  centuiy  was  one  of 
great   ivsults   of   the   movrments     of     the     preced 
oentury.   He   wanted   to   make   India   one — one   po! 
cally  and  socially.  Akbar  was  in  a  ver\'  real  sens 
child  of  his  age.  Before  Akbar.  Sher  Shah  Sur    i 
risen  above  narrow  sectarianism.     He     was     a     t 
Indian  nationalist.  But  his  successors  did   not  co: 
nuo  his  experiment.  Hence,  India  could  not  be 
conquered  for  nationalism. 

Long  before  Sher  Shah  and  Akbar,     the    vali 
Rajputs  in  the   North   and  Vijaynagar  in  the  So 
had   taken  pain?   to   organi-^*   resistance   to     servit 
and   oppresi^ion.     They   failed,  and  *Mheir   mantle 
upon  the  Jat,-*.  the  Sikhs  and  the     Marathas,"     ^ 
later  on  laid  the  foundation*  of  a  new  Ilindooi^tai 
The   national  empire   of  Akbar  became  a     Su 
empire   under   Aurungzel).   \l\<  empire   perished. 
S  klis  and  the  Maratha?  dealt  the  coup  cf  grace 
came  forwanl  a.**  the  exponents  of  a  new  national! 

The  ris.-'  of  the  Sikhs  and  of  the  Marat ha^  v 
"twin  manifestations  of  the  Hindu  spirit  of  m( 
reform,  social  puriliation.  phy^^ical  culture 
political  regeneration."  The  .^ikhs  became  a  po 
to  re<'kon  with  under  ll:ui.i:t  Singh.  The  .sham- 
dfb.icle  of  Hindu  arms  in  the  11th  and  12th  centu 
was  avnis^d  "i»nd  the  apc-lona;  vioiater  of  Hinduj 
treniblcMl  for  his  own  safety  in  hi:?  mountain  f 
ne«ses.''  Tiie  miphty  Lion  of  the  Punjab  was  wc 
by  (browned  heads  far  and  near. 

Shiva  Chliatrapati  breathed  new  life  into 
dry  i)ones  of  Maharashtra  and  thn  remit  of  his  v 
became  ele:n*  as  the  yenis  rolled  b\'.  The  Mara 
recovereil  India  from  Muslim  hands  in  the  \ 
century.  By  1771-72.  eviy  Muhammadan  powei 
nny  importanf\7  in  rh?  country  had  been  huml 
Mu-iKm  rule  in  India  wu^  at  an  end  ;  but  not  be 
ir  had  done  inc  !l-"'ilal)le  l-.nrm  to  th»>  Miislims  U 
selvfs.  pMmp'^red  by  the  State  for  centuries,  Mus 
of  the  Indian  Mil.i-.'ont:nrnt  could  never  rise  to  t 
full  statuie  and  petulantly  clamour  for  special 
vil:Re-j  even   today. 

Prrsonal   jralou-'es  and  ambit ionj?  of  the  Mar 

Je.-iders   tnirether   witli    the     .superior     diplomacy 

organisation  of  the  English  and  their  greater  103 

to  their  people  and   government  sapped  th^  foo 

ivona  ol  \.Vk^  XLt^'ly  bom  national    State  aod  ftl 


•?•.. 


BOOK  REVIEWS 


230 


dia  passed  into  the  hands  of  the  English  East  India 
3inpany. 

Mr.  W.  8.  Dcsai  tells  the  abovo  storj'  and  he  tells 
well  in  the  volum.2  under  review.  The  ReconqucRi 
India,  however,  is  not  a  history  of  India,  nor  one 
the  Sikhs,  the  Marathos  and  the  Rajputs,  but  a 
ort  account  of  the  recovery  of  India  during  the 
Ith  and  19th  centuries  from  alien  and  communal 
>mination.  The  learned  author  must  be  congratulated 
r  having  made  it  clear  that  'Hindu'  is  not  a  religious 
rm  and  that  it  connotes  a  nationality  and  a  social 
'Stem.  It  is  only  after  the  Muslim  conquest  of  India 
lat  the  term  brean  to  be  used  in  a  religious  sense 
id  the  word  'Hinduism'  was  coined  und^  British 
lie  *o  denote  a  religion.  Mr.  Desai.  howevor,  should 
ive  been  more  careiful  about  fome  of  his  statements. 
1  page  7,  for  exnmpln.  he  ob«rr\'es  that  India  failed 
►  produce  an  all-India  ruler  for  four  rrnturies  after 
le  fall  of  Harshn's  empire.  But  was  Hir^h.i  an  all- 
id'n  Emperor  ?  D*d  not  some  of  the-  Pala^  and  the 
ratiharas  rule  over  empires,  at  lenst,  as  extensive  as 
arsha's  ?  lTnfortnant<?ly  this  is  not  the  only  instance 
misstatement  in  a  work  commendable  in  many 
spects.  We  hope  those  errors  would  bo  rectified  in 
ic  next  edition. 

SUDHANSU    BiMAL    MrSHERJI 

JEAN  SYI.VAIN  BAILLY  :   REVOLUTIONARY 

:AY0R  of  PARIS  :     By  Gene  A.  Bntckcr.     Pub- 

\hed  by   the   University   of  Illinois.  Pp.   129.    Price 
U  mentioned. 

Tliis  study  forms  part  of  the  Social  Science 
»ries,  published  by  the  Illinois  Universitv  (U.S.A.). 
irst  published  in  1950.  we  owe  its  receipt  to  the 
urtcsy  of  the  U.S.A.   Information  Service. 


The  key-note  of  the  study  was  struck  by  the 
editor.  Gene  A.  Brucker,  in  his  Introduction  :  "It  is 
characteristic  of  great  revolutions  that  they  are 
initiated  by  moderate  men,  who  desire  only  limited 
refoims  and  who  arc  most  reluctant  to  resort  to 
violence  to  obtain  their  ends.  "This  historic  truth 
can  be  understood  by. Indian  readers  who  knew  their 
history  of  the  builders  of  the  Indian  National  Con- 
gress—men like  W.  C.  Bonnerjee,  Mahadeo  Govind 
Ranade,  Rjghunath  Rao,  (a  Deputy  Magistrate), 
Pandit  Ajodhyanath,  to  name  only  a  few  among  the 
Indians. 

Gandhi ji's  non-violence  does  not  change  this 
estimate  of  a  general  truth.  The  revolutionary 
Mayor  of  Paris  was  a  product  of  the  "Illumination" 
associated  with  the  names  of  Rousseau,  Voltaire, 
D'Ambert  and  Condorcct,  amongst  others.  Bailley 
was  a  scholar,  regularly  attending  the  French 
Academy  meetings  of  which  h?  became  Chancellor 
for  a  while  ;  his  special  study  was  Astronomy,  ancient 
and  modern.  By  birth  and  training,  he  was  unfitted 
for  the  revolutionary  role  he  was  called  upon  to  play 
by  the  uprising  of  the  Paris  masses  who  two  y«arg 
later  watched  with  indfference  the  reign  of  the 
"Terror"  initiated  by  Danton.  Marat,  Robespiere. 
The  author  has  devoted  a  chapter  to  Bailley's 
Political  Credo  which,  according  to  him.  involved 
"the  maintenance  of  the  political  monopoly  of  the 
middle  classes,"  who  were  to  be  restrained  by  "their 
intellectual  superiors"    (p.  79). 

The  rest  of  the  book  was  like  watching  the 
various  facts  that  led  to  the  tragedy  of  the  scaffold 
for  Bailley.  The  story  has  been  brightly  told,  and 
the  get-up  of  the  book  is  all  that  a  u'ader  can  dewre. 

S.  D. 


SWAMI     VIVEKANANDA'S    WORKS 


New  Edition  f 


Just  Out  f 


TEACHINGS  OF  SWAMI  VIVEKANANDA 

A  collection  from  the  eight  volumes  of  THE  COMPLETE  WORKS  OF  SWAMI 
VIVEFTANANDA  Avhich  gives  a  glimpse,  at  least  partially,  of  the  strength  and 
sublimity  of  the  Swami's  teachinp:?. 

New  and  enlarged  edition.    Pages  272.    Price  Rs.  3. 


Vedanta     Philosophy— (At    the 

Harvard  University) 
Religion  of  Love  •  • 

Christ  The  Messengrer 
Pavhari      Ral)a— the    C/clebrated 

Saint  of  Ghazipur 
The    Pcience     and     Philosophy 

of  Religion 
A  Study  of  Religion 
Realisation  and  its  Methods 


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Six  Lessons  on  Raja  Yoga 
Thoughts  on  Vedanta 
Essentials  of  Hinduism 
Swami    Vivekananda   on 

and  Her  Problems 
Women  of  India 
In  Defence  of  Hinduism 
Hinduism 
Education 
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240 


THE  MODERN  REVIEW  FOR  MARCH.  1053 


OF  GOD,  THE  DEVIL  AND  THE  JEWS  :  By 
Dagobert  D,  Runes,  Vhiloht^phUial  Library,  Sew  York, 
l(m.  Price  ^. 

The  book  is  a  collci'tion  of  cifsay?  mostly  ssiitiriyal 
■oa  such  varied  topics  as,  The  good  Go<l  and  God,  The 
iDevil  who  came  lo  stay,  History  in  full  Dross,  Glands 
and  the  Heaven,  Convori  Jews  and  Convex  Christians, 
Proverbs  and  Profits  etc.  There  i?  however  one  cen- 
tral theme  round  which  all  these  topics  move.  The 
inhuman  barbarities  perpetrated  on  the  Jews  throug- 
out  the  ages,  particuhuly  during  tho  last  world  war 
have  intensely  embittered  the  author  and  his  out- 
raged feelings  find  almost  explosive  outburst  in  these 
passionately  written  essays.  He  has  violently  rent 
asunder  the  masks  of  civilisation  worn  by  the  maasctj, 
the  leaders  and  even  by  the  «o-callod  n^ligious  men — 
the  i:>riests  and  the  bishops — of  tho  present  day  and 
has  thoroughly  exposed  the  uglines-? — the  greed,  the 
lust  for  power  etc — that  motivate  all  tlieir  d^eds  and 
underlie  all  their  philo-^ophy.  The  bold  and  chiilh-ng- 
ing  statements  alino.-L  coiivinc..  Tin-  reader  the  moment 
he  reads  them. 

The  book  i^  a  hijjlily  stimulating  one  and  is 
bound  to  make  every  urn*  who  gtK>j  uiiousih  it  pond(T 
(deeply.  Sumo  oi  the  particular  com-epiions  laid  down 
by  the  author  may  nor  Ix*  arcfpied  but  the  tot:il  ofTtet. 
produced  on  the  mind  of  the  reader  i>  almost  like  a 
fecvere  thook  from  the  (fleets  of  which  one  cannot 
immediately  recover.  Bold  epigranunatic  statements 
are  hurled  at  you  ;  you  have  to  admire  the  form  of 
these  statements  though  you  hjive  to  smart  und.T  the 
blow  inflicted  by  ihem.  Evidences  ure  poui<d  down 
on  you  from  history,  from  eurr(»ni  alTair^.  fr<»ni  modem 
social  and  political  thvorie.s.  in  torrential  fashion  and 
ybii  feel  yourx^lf  to  be  in  <lang.  r  of  being  ?wept  off 
your  feet. 

The  only  eomnuml  that  the  n'viewer  would  like 
to  make  is  tlnit  some  of  th  i-.^^ays  might  have  been 
omitted  in  onifr  to  n  dnce  th,-  tot.il  numbcfr.  Th'^re 
is  a  saturiition  puint  m  (.\«ryihinir  ;jnd  tie-  rexiewer 
feels  that  the  con*!*  mn-nimi  h  i^  br- n  iviiried  l)»yc»n4l 
that  poini  .S.-nie  ol"  ilic  d  izzlinir  fl:i-ie  <  nn*  le- 
produecd  l)fl»>\v  hut  tin  wliolt  book  niM>i  bo  ri  ad  in 
order  to  ap|'H«'iat(  iIh-  l.'iiity  of  ijie  <tyl«'  and  111'- 
lauguagr  of  't'.ir  author  aiiil  lo  a-s- -<  tlii'  d«*pth  an. I 
the   inf<n^ity   of   hi-  iinniions. 

"()ni'«  I  e\in  saw  hiui  i\\\v  Dt-vili  in  ehureh  in 
Germany.  TIh-  V;e.ir  anntjunrcd  iniui  tjp.  pjilpit  that 
the  burnintr  "f  J  w-  v.m-  lil  riir'ni  bi-caii^c  tli,.  Lord 
said  we  should  l'»vi-  Dur  nfiiiiil)i)nr-  and  w«»  should 
love  our  ei)-  iiiii  -.  IVit  the  J«\v<.  j]i,%  Vicar  said, 
claimed  t!:«y  \v»rc  not  tjic  enem:<-  (,\  G»rmanv  and 
they   certainly   w«ti.   un\    lis   n<  iiihbour-.*'   (p.  ."it?). 

''\Vc  cannot  !•  .nl  a  Iji"-  nf  •  vil  an«l  ixiurt  g«iod  to 
grf»w  niir  r)t'  ii>.  hair' nii«--:.  Spriuklinj*  knowl«  d.«c  and 
relissioii-c  cm  (runny  on  tljc  •  \  .1  will  i\i>{  Wixu^iimn  the 
seed/'    i]».   SP. 

"All  t:,i-r-  1;  wly  .•••(ini:  .1  f.-.i^h-  in-iiiiatcd  bv 
plan«ls.  -il.-.n*-',  -i'.mi  -inl'ii'-n.  i  n\vi!d:»' ■.  avnri'a-.  nr 
plain  tlau-\v'\  •]...»  i:-.  p...  i!-.\v.  i-  \:i  '\\>  izariand-  <»f 
IL\r.«nly    fii!:.     T:  ••  \     .!••     '^n*    :i''!-    -'iTikwcid-." 

**A  :*•■•!  liMiik  >  .1  li\  .'111  ' . '.uic  :  !i  wIki  tDU'-lics  it. 
toucj.i-  in.irs  'ii-i^i  h".  \!.  I  i-.l  -li.  tn\n'V  cleirantly 
pa'-k.'.LT' d  W'l'Miu-:  «•;  II  •livwDi.ii-i  viii  :in,|  P)Onk-( 'hiji- 
<'y<  »1  !\  .•■■•.v,i  !■  im::'-;:  te  •'.-  ar»-  j'.i-!  i  .-'.:'!ii  nnd  a 
fiT'-c.  :.::.i  -.n  '..:!v  ci!:. •••!"i.  i.f  ']>..  ]]:-•  :i\  n-,  \vln»  rvi-r 
-si  -iiv.'!  .■:;.!  ••.'  i:  'i  i-I.iv  ■  |-  -  itid  '*i';i!c  d- • '.>-fclt 
l:r.".r"i:  ••'•  -(•:{:  d  •:■-!'•  !*  t".\\  ••  ii«'»  t:.-.i  1'.  \viir<"il  t.i 
^'  I-  •  v.:''.  rii-  ft  il'-'.v  ::i;:!i.  l'« '!  :«!•-•  -'--..i  (],\y  .-nnio 
lb  I.-  I:-  v.ir  •  • 'IP  :  nil  'I- ■•?i  s::c  '.■Jr'li-'a'r-'  -tntilc-- 
ot  t'..-  !'-.-.|iI  pl'.i;.'  •  m1  !^  i-'i.- -k--':!*  d  \v>' -iruy< 
•fi.ad   us'ikr    1'!  »:ii    i-i    r.ii.i-ii-." 

i*^.  C.  MiTiu 


WISDOM  IN  HVAfOVR  :  By  Swami 
Published  by  Ananda  Kutir,  Jtiamlcesh,  VJ*.  rp.  « 
Prioe  i^«-  4' 

Swami  Shivananda  is  the  author  of  a  good  Bund 
of  books  on  practical  Hinduism  and  the  founder  01 
popular  religious  movement.  Some  of  his  books  ha 
already  been  rendered  into  French,  Bengali,  HiB 
Urdu/ Tamil.  Telegu,  and  Kanarese.  His  books  ha 
succeeded  to  a  considerable  extent  in  populariai 
our  philosophy  and  religion  among  the  reading  pub 
throughout  India.  The  book  under  review  owes 
origin  to  the  hearty  appreciation  of  Dr.  Freder 
Spiegclberg.  Professor  of  Stanford  University,  Calif 
nia  who  paid  a  visit  to  the  learned  author  in  1W9  a 
spent  a  few  days  with  him.  Hearing  several  humo 
ous  eomiH)sitions  written  and  read  out  by  the  auth 
the  American  professor  was  eharmcd  and  obson' 
"Swamiji  !  This  is  just  the  thing  wanted  by  i 
l>e<iple  today.  Th«  y  would  love  the  humour  1 
wouUl  tmconsciou-ly  learn  th»»  le>son.  The  imi»reP8: 
mad,,  bv  su'h  tfuichinj;  wmdd  be  profound  and  la 
inn."  hi  tlii-'  Umk  al>out  a  hundred  witty  a 
himiom-ous  utterances  of  the  author  are  record 
Indeed  tiny  are  very  interesting  and  in.structive. 
is  regrettable  that  b'-auty  and  worth  of  this  reada 
book  have  bem  deliuitely  lessened  by  the  ft 
appreciative  essays  on  the  author,  the  life-story 
the  auth'ir's  diseiple  Dayananda  and  ^he  ma 
etdogisiio  epistle-  to  the  author.  These  are  not  o: 
supei-fluous  but  repulsive  to  the  readers  since  < 
book  ir.^elf  is  enough  to  advertise  and  recommc 
the  author  to  the  readers. 

PWAMI    JAOADISW^ABANANDi 

UNITED  XATIOX.S  READER  :  Pages  1 
Price  Jifi    "^ 

UxiTKI)  NATIONS  PRIMER  :   Pages  40.  Pi 

tu'fli'r  anims. 

Both  rawfnhtl  />?/  Pr(ff.  B.  A'.  Bnturjcc,  ^ecrrU 
nj  th,  Ctilc'ilfa  jWnrliit:,,n  for  Unifttl  Xation^  a 
pu!flish,tl  hu  .1/'»^.M>.  A.  Sfnklurjci  mtd  Co,  ^< 
2   Bnnlcim    C'hnthrjir   Stmt.   Calcntta    12. 

The  ilrst  c(mtain<  lH«side>  a  short  liistory  of  ' 
fountlaticMi  (if  Unit' d  Nation^,  important  documci 
such  as  the  Charter.  Statute  of  the  Internatiol 
Court.  D'-claration  of  Human  R'ghts.  Convention 
(;en(»cieh  North  Atlantic  Piet.  Role  of  World  Hea 
Orjianiza'ion  and  >r)me   ad<ln  sses  and  references. 

The   >econd    contains   be-^ide^   a   short    history 
T'.   N..   spj-eially   writt-n    for   boys,     very     interest 
information    in    r«^nanl    to    the    muUifarious     activil 
of   r.    \.   and   sonn    '.pfc'iliz-d   agencies. 

Latest    discovi  ri*'-    of   s*'i«uee    have     reduct-d 
ppace    and    lirue    that    sejarUnl    nations      of    ihr^  wo 
and   th.    World   i-  \io\\\\i  !o  be  *one.'     But  scienc,:*  1 
al-n   (li-co\rnd    Oh-   w.apnns   of  destruction,^  which, 
unch"krl.  will  d-iroy   ihi-  human   race.     Now  is 
time-    iVir   natii-ns   t.j   w-.^k    together     and     know     < 
aiKithrr  and  w:'li  a   vi»  w  io  tliat  end  and  for  comn 
iioii.l   r.   N.   !-  \\ofkiri;r.  Th«    >mall  books  require 
be  veiv  \vid»  iv  ■.  id  l»v  y')r.n2  nv  n  and  women  to 
'•ul'a--  *o!i'-   wM.:.i*  id   I   lor  tin-  goo^l  of  humanity 

A.  B.  DiTT 

BENGALI 

AM\K  f'.lTI  :  Hi  ProfulJa  Kumor  Lai 
''7  Mnoi>!  .'■!  "h       Unl.  Cnh'i'dn.  Price   not  siaUc 

A  -•:.••.']  \i-.':*i:.-  «•!'  inl  'rr.bais'  of  Omar  Khayi 
.U' ili'-.f  liilv  r'!"!  :•  i  I'-'^n  H«  uirali.  Some  of  the  pic 
•'|.:-«  •!•  !..  Ir-  '•.  :y  \v  •.].  i.nitatinns  from  Kanti  Chan 
(ihoxii.  Ti..  i..i'..kh't  hi-  Ii'*le  to  commend,  either 
ri-i'(er  of  cs."'ip«'»^itio:i  oi  of  production. 


BOOK  REVIEWS 


241 


HERI  GATHA   (Second  Edition  :   Revised  and 
ged)  :      By     Bhikf^hu   Shiln~bha<ira,     Mahahodhi 
%  4'A,  Bnnkim   (JhfiUvejvv  Sin* I,  Culcutta  12. 
Re.  1^. 

'bc«e  songs  of  Budd1ii.<t  nuns  form  an  important 
of  the  Buddliisi  religious  lit<raturc.  To  tl.e 
nts  of  history  and  poetry  as  wrll,  they  have 
appeal.  The  author  has  takt  n  pains  to  mik-.  his 
•ili  rendering  oloar  an(l  l;i»i(i,  mid  at  \\\v  yiiuQ 
faithful,  as  far  as  pos8ible«  to  the  oii'j  i 
A  Mmilar  voium*-  l»y  tlit»  laiji  poet  Hijoy 
dra  Mazumdar.  lias  long  bocn  (Uit  of  print.  The 
It   work   is   Tlieri-for'^  all   the   more  wolcome. 


D.  N.  M(X)ki:u;ka 


HINDI 


SRrHA-rillKlTSAK  :  Vnnasihali  XUhiainlh, 
v<dic  An.shndluilayn,  P.O.  Vai'dsthali,  Joipur. 
te'.  Price,  four  ahnn.<. 

'his  i>  a  hro.-hur; .  Ow  -Mnly  oi*  wliich  can  lujip 
lily  in  h'ToniiuK  ji^  own  durtoi-  and  in  iri  arir.i; 
ivt  ly  with  tin-  aid  of  -iinpi'-  an  I  ta^ily  availalilo 
,  (whirh  ran  be  ijiiiaiiH'd  '  n  ady-iiiad«'"  I'lOiii 
»ubliNhi-r^  in  a  pink  I  phunia  »'upia  ai  a  nsodf- 
pricc  nf  tj:ilv  li<.  i:i)  a  ini.!i»riiv  dI  tlic  cuiiniion 
-es.  The  Vidyapiih  i>  to  hr  coniiraTulatid  on  thi.^ 
»worthv  pica-  of  >orial  .-crvii"-. 

G.  M. 
GIJARATI 

•AYAXI    KFLAVAM  :    By   Gnudhiji.   Xarnjiban 

Jaai}    Miindir,    Ahim  dtOvul,    Ai'f/ust^    ll'lfi,       I^ncc 

■  / 

'he  Iniroduction  liy  Majranbhii  Dcsai  cxiilains 
)Osition  of  tdu<-ation  in  (J.inilhian  pinjiianini.-, 
specially  priniaiy  •dncation  which  i>  not  to  \h) 
•ted    t'V(  n    wh'-n    Wj.    tirnk    uf    i'iiiv«  r-iiy    idui.a- 

Ha-i«-  I'lucaMo!!  wliirh  i*an  liM  Hn-  >»>ul  niiii-it 
.)nc(  ivrd    only    by    nu-n    lik.     (imilliiii.    Tin-    pa>- 

*!clrftid  w«  re  wri'h  n  bii\\«»'i  IIKJ7  w.d  HH'.'. 
30  piiM- s  iiavi'  liicn  i  ik  n  fnim  xaridus  .'-onp't's 
ha\o  b<  I'Ti  «la>-ili<t|  iiinl' r  di  \\ir  d  «i-inn  for 
•ons!ru«'t:nn  ;  (//)  ti'i-  <  •h!'-i*i>»n  dir  <*to;aii'  at 
lh:i  ;  ( w"o  tin-  aj'pli«aPnn  n|"  ti- i«li':ni»  a*, 
ha  :  ur)  a  f  w  nu''\v«»r*hy  pruj'<i^  ;  and 
tho  futiiro  pp.'uraiiinn-.  Ciandinji*-  .-uuni -ti«i;u 
laV|»    to   be    woikrd    O'li    an^i    l!n'«:'«'i«'    li:'     \n|iuili' 

i'(s  Careful  study-  -h.  d«i'"ini«  ;r  -  ni«in  tlur 
less,  anil  invc'-tig.jt'.nn-  will  uivr.  w«'  may  b«' 
good   dividf-niN. 

P.    H.   S,.N 

'ITAHAHAKIJAN  \r\  TATTVA  l).\K>ll\N: 
*hlritz<hnh  U't.^t'nnj'i  .U» '"'".  Kofi  hi,  >''/<./.  I'  in- 
it     thf      P,nUn  h     I'r'iu'inii     pyyii.    J(unn'ifhi.\     /.'','''. 

• 

'iftcen   y»Mi-    -i;  >    .Mi.    M»  •:' .    IsmI     jnl.h-".  d     a 
call*  d   ('ln''H'.iil:  J  •!'    '  l\i'i'/M:!i-'.    •.    iii..'|;i      wn-k 
1  kind  in  (in.'ai.i!!.  In     m!-  l"..-!.   •  •  1m-  ^.i-i     n:ii 
furl!i»T  an. I   •■•.•.! 'i-.-.l     ;■•     .•iii'""';i.v.   i  r  ■•  !    '  r 
i-!.    of    K-i'iiirri-    .i!:.{    ;!"  :-!:■••   1     ••.•     -,"..      v.:"Ii 
ilhistraf  i«;n^    ir-ru    \'.!'»i-    ;  i*  i:>i  .•«■ -.       T  •■• 
(•n«»s<    contili'i-  -.    1"      -    I  ••:    i.i.v    i';":i    .-i"        .•:•".• 


-an-asni    a:    ::i: 


>'l  ■       •!  !  -  I  « 


•I  )••. 


a  »         '  4  -  • 


he  ba^'ir   d'.'V' !• 'I-       l-t\Viri    v.  r      :.l    ''I'l.'    !"     M:. 
.    DaVf.    tin     j''i!.-«     i'\    ;  •MM"  ■-•-    Ij    ''li-       '.       '• 
nt.   has      rcTitiihs.*.  .1      .      x.lii.i".       b:':- •!  :■ 'w  !., 
I   entffs   fully    in*n     ']]-.      vi||,i.  -i..  ,iit,.,    ,,^-     ,i.. 
illation.   Tl>'     l'"''k    -lonltl    pv^-.  ,•    p<^|inlir. 

K.   M.  .1. 


Sfrcnatd  to  Sfrcmlfli 


From  height  to  height  and  from 
strength  to  strength  the  Hindasthan  is 
making  a  record  of  outstanding  progress 
every  year.  It  is  an  arresting  landmark 
in  the  onward  march  of  Indian  Life 
Insurance.  The  46th  Annual  Report 
for  1951  once  again  reflects  the  sound* 
ncss,  integrity  and  distinction  which 
always  have  boon  so  characteristic  of 
the  Society 


THE  FIGURES  THAT  TELL 


Assurances  in  Force 
Total  Assets 
Life  Fund 
Premium  Income 
Claims  Paid 


Rs.  81,02,36,164 
Rs.  19,98,13,853 
Rs.  17,66,19,628 
Rs.  3,72,27,528 
Rs.      83,57,978 


NEW  BUSINESS 
16/28.8X800 


HINDUSTHAN  COOPERATIVE 

INSURANCE     SOCIETY,     LIMITED. 

HINDUSTHAN   BUILDINGS, 
4,  Chillaranjan  Avenue,  CALCUTTA 


1 


o 


INDIAN  PEI^ICDICALS 


•A 


War  And  Peace 

Neither  war  nor  the  prq)arations  for  vrar 
serve  any  social  purpose.  War  is  an  atrocity  in 
itself.    R  .M.  Fox  writes  in  The  Aryan  Path  : 

Much  of  the  ineffoclivcncss  of  ihc  antiwar  move- 
ment can  be  traced  back  to  tlie  emphasis  on  the  horror — 
rather  than  the  fulil!iy — c»f  war.  In  the  intervals 
between  the  wars,  foldirrs  and  war  correspondents  have 
done  their  best  to  brin;;  Ivjme  to  us  the  u^ony  of  war. 
But  the  psychological  effect  of  this  *iiorror"  propaganda 
is  fiimply  to  rally  most  of  thr-  iteoiJi.'  brhind  the  bellicose 
elements  on  the  a^-umption  (»iuite  a  faUe  one)  that  by 
so  doing  ihey  are  protfciinj:  thein<i*?lves  end  their 
country  from  all  ihes"  horror ji. 

Reginald  Thompson  in  his  Cry  Korea  gives  a  t>'pical 
example  of  the  kin'i  of  '"icpoilage"  which  sensitive 
juomalists  fe^l  inipvrlled  to  write  ^\hrn  they  see  how 
var  has  blasted  whole  i-opulatiuns.  lie  telU  how  civiliansi 
suffer,  how  he  saw  the  corpse  of  a  young  peasant  woman. 
nvho  had  been  working  in  tiie  fields,  lying  in  a  ditch 
while  two  panic-stricken  children  clambered  over  her 
dead  body.  lie  speaks  of  the  blaekr>ned  ruins  and  rubble 
of  tens  of  thousands  of  1ioim«s,  the  pil«^s  of  ash  smoulder- 
ing on  the  hard-baked  i-arth,  the  corp'^es  rotting  in 
the  Bodden  <Iilclies  "trewn  over  the  lainl  lik'^  offal  rotting 
in  the  ruins  oF  d«-ad  mwns.  l»»'alh  rain*  out  of  the 
skies — indi'-eriminato   death. 

Thi*  is  hon«*l  uri'iii;:  wliich  d<»ei  not  romanticize 
vrar.  H^re  is  ilie  I'.orriiir  <l»'!ail.  But  what  ixacily  do 
such  accoMnt*^  tril  ii«>  alniiii  i.HMiin  \.  mi  far.*  tlial  we  did. 
not  aheady  know,  unh --  v.f  iir  •  uinldi-  to  'j^rasj)  plaiiv 
fccts?  Ev«  ry  day  uc  «an  r«  .id  «f  napalr.i  1h«!v.1)»i,  of  flam- 
ing petrol  jelly  ponnil  in  -irtaiii-  from  tht-  ^kies.  The 
miUtarists  are  proud  of  iht-ir  }::u(v»n:i'  a<hii^\ement5.  The 
stren;ith  of  thor  n:a— cd  arn'air.mt-  wh-cli  th».'  world  is 
strain'n^  all  il*^  rf^ouret «;  t.»  prod'Hf,  !•;  oli\i<»usly  deadly 
in  action.  1  am  'U!pri<s(d  that  any  of  th**  (*i\ilian^  caught 
between  batlK'  liius  nr  in  tii-  path  nf  an  olTj-nsive  are 
l<*ft  alive.  Do  wr  nail;,  havi*  to  wait  for  fyeuitne'-se»  to 
asure  us  that  v.li'ii  the-  ■  tiiriM-  wrai^on-  ar»*  brought 
into  ariicm.  diM:h,  di-ii jc:  t-n  and  a|n»ny  on  a  large 
scale    in»:\ii;il)ly    i«-ult  ? 

The  jioiy  d«'!:iil-  fiifirni  o*.:r  ''Xpectations.  Such 
mighty  rh  atlMli-.ilin  r  po\\«  i^  in  tlw  luind^  (>f  pi'oph* 
traiui'd  to  kill.  \\\n)  n";.id  »:n>  hiiManc  «cn!inirnt  a**  a 
sign  of  nMJiiarv  ^\«u!\n!>-,  ion!d  h.i.di\  h.i\i'  any  other 
con^eqtnnri".  1  a!:i  a  iilth'  tir«d  uf  l!«.»-  \\;n  lorirvjion'li'nt 
ami  tlf  s«d.lifr  da-'i'n-.'  fr<»i-i  tlw  li.ittlrinld  which 
t.iday  is  a  whoh-  » ininlr>--id«'  •!  ^l^I;l^^•-  an  1  tnwn«.  -- 
to  hrt-ak  tin*  ww"  if..-:  th»-  !:.il:t.!r\  nMiliini*  in  a<  iltiu 
deal-*  out  ulmh-.'h'  tl«  ath  .  !j'1  iI*  -!i::i!iun.  If  iliere  i-* 
a  •iinnh."  p'T-oii  \i'{  al  \«-  n  -v.  v, in.  n«n'-  n(»t  n-ali/<.-  the 
aw:uln«'»  •  f  \n.!'  i:  v,m';i.:  -  •.•.!.  r:  v  --.irs  !},.it  -n">»nine 
s>lir)uM  .-:.!i:  li^  iliir  .  -Kuli  v.itli  a  }•!•  k-ax  •  ;in«l  wiji^p'-r 
to  him   li»f..r«-   h-   «'!•-.   "Amw.   do  yni    iMuhi-i.mi  y 

*i*atr"o'l-r.'i."    »•  i  d    t'l  •    hu.;.-    X.-i—    C::\»'ll.    "•i-    no? 

»'nn!i_'li."'    \i'<i     !    i.  J. lit   <::.•:! J '•!   !•  ,!■  .il   in  horit-r-.     K\«'u 

liil  .:.'    I'i  I      v.-   Ii.'i-    :.  .'r'v       uiit.-i-   \v::ii      -ii'ri.-Ji/.rd   in 

rA.'/.tt//'.':.:jj/  '    ,'/>.■    f,- r/itr   »-!    \\ui.      '1  !*«•    ni«»-l    h.in«r.\in;; 

A/r>.<    /    /./!'     .'.•.//;    ,.;.    //.-/.    .;/.•,.•:    ;,      \n.|!-  I.'it'-     I'kv    R(\t 

y^ry^'A'/^    tn'iiinu    ,f   lit.-    ;.//,../;.     \.ij..  .|«  ..n..     r-licat    Irovu 


Moscow.  Here  is  the  story  of  an  abandoned  army  ia 
ragSp  without  food  or  medical  supplies,  harassed 
unceasingly  night  and  day  by  wild  Cossack  bands  riding 
through  blinding  snow-storms,  cutting  off  weary  and 
helpless  stragglers.  Wounded  men  were  left  to  freexe; 
hundreds  went  mad.  This  was  a  wailing  army  of  ghosts. 
The  title  of  the  book  is  taken  from  an  incident  described. 
A  scddier  was  talking  and  laughing  when  luddeniy 
a  cannon  ball  took  off  hi.'>  head  and  the  blood,  gushing 
up,  formed  a  ghastly  red  laugh.  One  of  the  survivon, 
a  madman  with  trembling  fingers,  sits  scrawling 
unintelligibly  in  the  belief  that  he  is  writing  a  histoiy 
of  the  campaign. 

Since  that  time  readers  have  been  able  to  take  their 
pick  of  war  horrors.  We  may  read  about  war  either  ia 
the  factual  acccuntj;  of  war  correspondents,  in  the  usually 
disappointing  memoirs  of  generals  whose  swords  are 
mightier  than  their  pens  or  in  some  great  classic  such 
as  Tolstoi's   War  and  Peace, 

\^1iatcver  we  choose  to  read,  it  is  certain  that 
the  horrors  of  war  have  been  fully  documented 
and  understood  for  many  years.  It  is  now  clear 
that  the  purpose  of  war  is  to  kill  or  to  maim 
as  tn.iny  en<Mny  soldiers  and  civilians  as  possible. 

Now  that  millions  of  pounds  are  being  spent  to 
utilize  scicniilic  knowlrdgi-  and  research  to  this  end, 
war  mu«t   hi*  n:ori'  horrif\<ng  than  ever. 

Tos-ibly  the  only  people  who  can  still  see  war  in  a 
rofrv  VvzUx  are  the  generals,  the  statesmen  and  the 
linamit-rs.  for  to  th»Mn  war  oprns  up  an  exciting  prospect 
of  manipulating  humanity  on  a  world  scale,  a  kind  of 
human  rhc-s  pndd''m  which  they  fmd  absorbing.  And  to 
have  -uch  pov.tr  in  tln-ir  hanils  must  be  flattering;  to  their 
?cn<e  o{  imiortcnce.  Th»*y  can  easily  persuade  themsehes 
that  they  are  'Saving  ci\ilization"  by  destroying  cvcry^ 
thing  that  ipankMid  has  huilt  up  through  generations  of 
rITtirt.  And  if  they  d(»  m*i*  the  grim  tragedy  of  war  they 
mendy  inrorporaTe  *.uch  knowh'dge  int'»  their  recruiting 
sp'^erhi'j,  an«l  fmotional  appral*i.  The  more  agonizing 
till'  prospvct  of  war  appiar>.  th.e  more  people  they  cani 
fr';.'htrn  into  arrr|itin;i  thrir  protection  and  war  schemes. 

\  pund\  (^notional  recoil  azainst  the  horrors  of  war 
can  noviT  Im'  an  rriftlivr  deterrent.  Thought  as  veil 
as  i-motion  i-  nc«i's>ary  to  build  up  a  movement  that  will 
h<dil  lirTri  aiiainsi  ilic  threat  of  war.  One  of  the  deep- 
est thinkt  r-  jin  thi>  "^uhjeet  was  the  .American,  Thorsteia 
Ncddiii.  who  in  hi-  .\afiirr  oj  Peace  wrote  a  com- 
pr«'hi'n-i\«'  mitvc\.  \\v  -«-t  out  to  show  the  gradoal 
(.:r(!;.«nci'  nf  a  point  (d  \iiw  in  the  world  reprefenting 
ill"  iniir«  -t  of  il»i*  **rciTiinion  man.'*'  the  ordinary  man 
who  i>  not  «>«i  n.ut  h  intiTi-stiMl  in  quesftions  of  national 
pr'-xti:."'  i>t  dniiiinaiion  a>  in  the  need  of  himself  and 
hi*  f«.llo'.\^  fi.  a«iii«\»'  a  measure  <»f  social  security  and 
hajpiif— •.  War  ft  n-titutis  tli»-  greatest  thereat  to  this 
h'i!!)an  ad\.:ni<-.  In  ihc  in>t  radiant  flu^h  of  cnthusiasn 
fi»r  p»  Ml  I'  :»nd  d«'ir'.i'»ra«*v  afiiT  the  recent  war,  there  waf 
talk  of  fhi-  h-in:!  tl'«-  "Cinturx'  of  the  Common  Man.** 
Wi'U'j.  v.iih  th;**  Vehhn-qiit'  phra.«eology  went  the  idea  sf 
on-  1  aunoTiinn-^  world.  I>.it  soon  we  were  reading  sf 
\\v*   "\\v.»"\U;uv      Cfnturx"   and    a   world    split   into 


IMDIAK  PBElODlCAl^ 


miul  make  a  lUnd  agiiiut  nalloul  unbitiou  intl 
W  is  tho  intcreit  of  wkibI  progreu. 
Mm'*  NaiuTt  of  Peace  it  wriuen  objectivelr  but 
M  tint  the  mJliioriBt  is,  in  the  long  run,  bound 
e  hit  hold  becauM  his  wajr  of  tlioughi  no  loneei' 
■e»  the  current  needs  ol  mankind.  All  the  armies 
in  fact,  become  an  obstructive  force.  In  peacetime 
■XM  too  much.  In  wartime  they  are  lo  destructive 
he  world  cannot  afford  to  make  good  the  damage 
Jo.  Militaiifm  i«  on  atavistic  throw-back  to  the 
when  men  had  not  yet  emerged  into  dvilizatlon. 
[odern  arts  and  crafts,  literature  and  philosoplijr 
U  out  of  harmony  with  the  kind  of  world  the 
rist  envisases.  He  wants  lo  limash  lhinE:9  u|>,  not 
ale  ihem.  Because  of  this,  the  military  conquerors 
>lonoualy  hostile  iu  thought  and  lo  books.  When  ihey 
t  burn  the  books — a:-  Hitler  did — ihey  endeavoun 
ce  the  writcrb,  the  thinkers  and  the  aritst»  abng 
I  of  bleak  uniformity.  It  is  not  the  young  men  who 
'uwd  in  unifuims  and  made  tu  hend  Their  arms, 
nd  heads  in  the  Mmc  way.  Thouglit  h  conscript- 
).  But  by  its  very  nature  the  free  spirit  of  malt 
:  be  contained  or  con^lrictrd,  Tliis  is  the  Acliillea' 
if  militarijiDi.  -, 

[t  is  not  by  iittoniiig  the  slogan  "War  is 
iier  than  Peace"  that  people  will  be  induced 
Tsake  the  mililarists . 

he  real  indictment  of  war  is  that  its 
ncM  serves  no  rational  end.  "But  what  is  your 
itive  to  war  ?"  the  militarist  wants  lo  know.  The 
iltemative  to  War  is  Peace,  ju^t  as  the  alternati^-a 
ease  is  health.  "Is  this  practical  ?"  ask  thoM 
nen  who  are  proceeding  with  their  plans  for  atomia 
lalion  which  they  dare  not  carry  out. 

is  quite  ptactical.  Immediately  afler  the  war 
iny  waa  being  demililarizi'd  very  rapidly,  so  rapid- 
deed  that  wlim  the  .Allies  wanted  tn  remililarize 
ermans,  they  m^t  with  wiilr~prrad  op|>u»itiun  Irom 
ermaii  people.  If  iht*  world  was  detnililorizcd  in 
ime  way  as  ihi;  Allies  brftan  tc>  demilitarize 
iny.  enlliu^iusm  {ol  peace  would 
itcd. 

demilitarized  world   wuulil  have  millions 
rial  progrciis  and   the   niehttiiaie  oE  war  ' 
led.      People    would    welcome    the    change.      It    is 
tl  lo  prefer  belter  houses,  more  food,  more  leisure 
I  higher  standard  of   life  tu   more   atom  bombs. 

0  implement  this  policy  vn  a  world  si'ale  we  need 
back  to  the  concept  of  ''One  IS'iirlJ'— a  world  we 

share  and  may  cmjoy.  Nobody  with  a  knowledge 
rid  forces  belives  ihai  Amrriea  is  Koinfs  to  dominate 

1  or  tliat  KuFsia  will  dominate  America,  though 
orM  may  be  laiil  wa*tc  by  the  warriors  before 
imple  tnilh  is  accepted.  In  Europe  the  desire 
wee  is  universal.  It  could  not  be  otherwise  when 
ars  of  war  are  no  yet  healed.  With  all  this  peace 
;  in  the  world,  India  may  yet  give  a  powerful 
.0  a  real  Peace  International  in  which  Europe, 
ind  America  could  join 

radually  people  cverjwln-te  are  coining  to  see  the 
inesB  of  using  up  mo?t  of  the  national  (.ubstance 
:K  counlry  on  war  im-p.iralions  and  livins  [Worly 
the   idea   that,   ftmip   day,   a   grtol   and   costly   cam- 

of  total  annihilaliori  may  he  launched.  And,  as 
■al  conflicts  and  roni]ii<--i«  are  always  in  the  mind, 
•ement  to  dethrone  militarism  is  on  the  way.  That 
lent  may  be  helpetl  liy  a  realization  of  war 
■  '•"t  it  will  gain  more  strengili  from  the  know^ 
lost  the  growing  powers  of  destruction  make  wir 
latiJo  iaw  aver. 


Idtoatnre  and  World  Peace 

One  way  of  bringing  about  a  radical  change 
for  the  betto'  in  human  outlook  is  re-education 
for  adults  and  a  new  type  of  education  lor  the 
youth  of  the  future.  Dr.  A.  V.  Rao  observe*  in 
Prabuddlta  Bharaia  : 

World  peace  caa  be  achieved,  not  through  force, 
not  through  authority  imposed  from  above  "thou^  it 
is  to  funic  extriit  nece^^ary — hut  c»>'catially  throu|^ 
education.  In  ihc  new  education  for  world  peaces 
literature  has  a  very   inijiortanl  and  vital  part   to  play. 

Literature  is  composed  of  lliosc  books  primaiilf 
which  haM^  an  abiding  and  abounding  human  intereit 
of  a  general  natuie.  and  which  delii^t,  move,  or  instruct 
US  by  their  f»rm.  beauty  of  cxpre^^ion,  and  agniScanca. 
Literature  thus  grows  out  oi  life,  out  of  the  experience 
and  awarcnc!.s  of  life,  or  the  imagination  or  emotional 
response  of  the  writer  basi.d  na  his  contact  with  life. 
Il  cannot  be  divorced  from  the  tocial  environment  and 
it  cannot  flourish  in.  a  vacuum.  Wlielher  it  arises  from 
tlie  creative  inalinct  or  the  desire  lor  self-revelation'  or 
the  study  nf  human  motives  and  actions  or  the  weaving 
togellier  of  reality  and  imafinaiiuu.  it  cannot  but  be  a 
vital  factor  in  the  hberal  educatioa  of  humanity.  Pnt, 
I[ud>on's  analysis  of  the  ihcnics  of  literature  is  a  useful 
classificalion  that  enables  us  to  eonuder  how  the  study  of 
Ltcrauro  can.  be  a  means  of  etiucation  for  tha  new 
world  order  or  ideal  of  pi^acc  and  progress  we  plan  W 
achieve.  He  divides  the  themes  as  follows :  "The  lllffa- 
lure  of  purely  personal  experience  ;  of  the  common  Ufa 
~ man  (the  great  questions  of  life  and  deatb,  ntt 


244 


THE  MODERX  KEVlEAV  FOR  MARCii.  19^ 


OUTSTANDING 

PRODUCTS  OF 

HERI.NG   &    KENT 

ROYAL  OONIM  i  Saper  TitaUting  Tonic  for  Mra 
and  WoMBV.  Rettores  yonthlnl  Tigour  and  Titality 
at  anv  age.  Be.  50  for  3  weeke  coune ;  Bs.  200  for 
eomplete  conree  of  12  weeke. 

OOXifil :  General  all-ronod  tonic  for  men  A  women. 
Be.  7-8  for  one  week  ;  Bs.  22-S  for  3  weeks ;  Bs.  90 
lor  12  weeks  complete  conrse. 

BIOSTIL  HORMONE  CREAM:  Qennine  hormone 
treatment  for  restoring  the  freshness  and  fiimness 
of  yonth  to  the  aged,  wrinkled  skin.  Women  of  60 
regain  complexion  like  women  of  20.  Indicated  for 
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Ba.  5-8  per  tnbe. 

SIMBOOGI  HAIR  LOTION:  An  unfailing hair-grower. 
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BOOQI  HAIB  OIL :  A  delightful  ideal  hair-dressing 
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brain  troubles.    Bs.  3-8  per  bottle. 

LUNE60N :  The  most  effectiTC  nerTC  and  brain 
sedatife  tonic,  indicated  for  mental  and  nerTOus  dis- 
orders. Immediately  oalms  and  soothes  high  mental 
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or  habit-formingdrugs.  Bs.  4  per  packet  of  50  ;  Bs.  70 
per  packet  of  1000  tablets.  (Hospital  packing). 

DIBNIL :  The  most  effectiTC  oral  remedy  indicated  in 
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SILVITAi  For  acidity,  heart-burn,  sour  stomach, 
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NOVUM :  The  most  potent  and  effectiTC  "period 
regnlator"  for  females,  indicated  in  the  treatment  of 
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SIMPLEX,  Bs.  12-8.  NOVUM  FORTE,  Bs.  50; 
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INDULABO  PASTE  INJECTION  TREATMENT  for 
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PREGNO:  An  ideal,  non-greasy  and  delicately  per- 
fumed preparation  for  FAMILY  LIMITATION. 
Ideally  suited  for  the  most  fastidious  woman.  Bs.  9-8 
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EXPERr  MEDICAL  ADVICE  :  We  hare  opened  a 
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the  race  and  hereafter,  and  the  like)  ;  of  the  sodal  ImMi 
with  all  its  activities  and  problems;  the  literature  wUch 
treats  of  Nature;  and  the  literature  which  treats  el 
literature  and  art  (criticism  and  appredation)  •" 

It  has  to  be  confessed  that  a  food  deal  of  ths 
literary  creations  of  all  countries,  especially  drama  and 
fiction,  is  apparently  hardly  conducive  to  the  inspiratioa 
of  a  new  co-operative  exibtence,  of  a  world  of  tolerancei 
sanity,  mutual  understanding,  of  international  amity,  and 
of  the  pursuit  of  peace  and  progress.  The  reasons  are 
not  far  to  sfek.  All  the  $;reat  masterpieces  of  epic, 
drama,  and  fiction  are  eunditioned  by  the  social  order  of 
the  a^cs  in  ivhicli  the>'  were  written  and  they  naturally 
reflect  the  ideali  and  lit'l-cf^  which  are  hard  to  accept 
today.  Thus  the  pilorifieation  of  war,  the  delight  ia 
conquest  and  p^owc^s  in  the  battle-field,  the  subservience 
of  man  to  dictatoriul  authority,  the  institution  of  slavery, 
the  feudal  order,  chau\inlsitic  patriotism  and  nationalism, 
and  the  assertion  of  the  individual  will  and  power  are 
tliemeb  which  do  not  lend  ihemseKes  to  re-education  in 
a  world  which  seeks  the  social  welfare  of  the  masses,  a 
comparati\e  equality  of  status,  tolerance,  and  brother- 
hotid.  C(»ncrete  instances  can  be  easily  cited  :  Marlowe's 
Tamburlaine  and  Dr.  Faustus^  the  patriotic  address  of 
Henry  V,  the  glorification  of  England  in  Shakespeare's 
dramas,  the  glorification  of  war  in  the  great  epics  of 
East  and  \^'est,  the  a(H>theosis  of  imperialism  and  the 
v.Iiite  man*s  burden  in  Kipling's  works,  and  the  cult  of 
hero-worship  in  Carlyle— would  not,  rightly  speaking,  it 
is  argued,  be  in  tune  with  ideals  of  the  new  world.  Nov 
v/ould  many  characters  of  some  of  the  great  dramas  tfui 
novels  of  the  world  be  apparently  desirable  characters  to 
study  or  emulate.  Their  morbidity,  ambition,  jealonsf. 
or  fanaticism  may  be  and  are  objects  of  study  ana 
analysis  like  clinical  cases  for  the  doctor,  but  they  csa 
be  hardly  held  up  as  examples  for  emulation  and  they 
mo)'  leave  n  harmful  imprecision  on  tlic  mind  of  the 
adolc-cent.  Th<  lives  (d  the  Napolecjis  and  Alexanders 
of  history  must  not  Inr  allowed  to  thrill  the  minds  of 
the  yc»unfs.  So  should  the  Becky  Sharps  and  Emma 
lio\ar>>  he  not  licrmittcii  to  allure  and  fascinate  readeri^ 
ihr  more  so,  wlun  the  *p»f»d'  characters  arc  often  flo 
in»  fr«ctive-  the  r-iloiiel  Newcomcs  and  the  Amelia 
Oshiirnes  of  fiction.  1  have  deliberately  used  the  words 
'upparrnily'  and  'may"  afjoNe,  hvvause  the  danger  of  young 
nilnds  hein^'  %\urped  \<  really  not  so  great  as  puritans 
may  imafiino.  Ail  that  is  n(»eded  i^*  a  shift  of  emphasis 
ancj  a  l)eft»-r  way  t»f  read-ng  these  masterpieces  or 
re\ealinjr  their  sijjnifieancc  to  yr»ung  minds. 

Tlie  <rr(»at  masterpieces  of  fiction  and  drama 
and  i)iography  still  fiivc  us  a  clearer  understand- 
ing of  human  motives  and  conduct. 

From  at'parent  evil  s«'i  much  real  good  caa 
!)•'  extracted  that  the  ?tudy  of  literature  in  fact  ought 
to  make  U!<  under-^tand  human  nature  better.  Nor 
should  We  for<:et  th(>  catharsis  at  the  end  of  a  ^al 
tii.ped)  thi-  piirj-'iiiu  of  the  emotions  of  pity  and  terror 
that  are  anMi-  ••!  by  ih»'  tiajiic  situation — and  *Calm  of 
mind  all  i..a>.-ion-  rptnt.*  The  epics  of  Greece  and  ths 
M'thuhhnititti  \\u\\  i^\\%'.  ai  Counts  of  sanguinary  battleib 
leil  I  lies  aUo  iii^pin-  n:eu  to  nnble  deeds  of  chivalry^ 
««lJ  -a«  rilir.'.  iiihl  li'riii-.iii.  The  themes  of  Greek  clasdcsl 
d'.-iMi;).  mas  at  fir-t  •>\\i\\\  seem  full  of  Lloodehedi 
\inl»n«i-.  and  tven  iiire-t.  Imt  the  noble  fortitude  of  tliS 
( hara«t«'r.-  antl  th»  ir  Itifline-^-  of  feeling  are  unforgettable^ 
In  fae!.  till-  <;ta^in.i:  of  ^leat  dramas  of  the  past  snd 
til-  iivarna-i  of  mod*  rn  times  like  the  plays  of  SlUPii 
Ih-t-n.  anil  Gal^^\orlhy  or  Eugene  O'Neill  is  itseU  • 
Wr.e     uv  •Uun     of     education     and  a  channel     for  W 


LVDIA^*  t>MIllOt)lCALS 


SiS 


Tkefe  Are,  KoweVe):,  other  spheres  of  literature,— 
poetry,  for  example,  viz,,  the  great  poems  of  Dante, 
Milton,  Wordsworth,  Shelley,  Goethe,  and  Tagore,  to 
take  only  a  few  instances, — ^which  express  all  the  idea- 
lism, dreams,  and  aspirations  of  great  minds.  Thus  the 
l&nging  for  liberty,  political  and  spiritual,  for  a  new 
world  of  peace  and  harmony,  for  friendship  among  the 
nations  of  the  world,  find  noble  oxpressicm  in  the  works 
of  Shelley  and  Tagore.  The  meditative,  thoughtful,  and 
formative  bouks  of  mystics,  saints,  and  divines  are  also 
literature  in  the  real  sen^e  of  the  word,  as  aU<)  devotional 
songs  and  lyrics.  Thu!?  the  New  'r»:^lament,  the  Iniitaiion 
of  Christ  by  '^honla^  a  Keinjil.*..  the  Mvditutwns  of  Marcus 
AureliUfr,  lh«f  paral)le>  anji  slorirs  and  loaeliinir^  of  Christ 
and  Buddha,  and  of  Contucius  and  Laot.'>/.c.  ilie  fw'/a,  the 
lyrics  and  ^hvjla  of  Trahtrrne  and  Blakt-.  of  Mirabai, 
Tulsidas,  Tukaram.  and  Kabir,  are  at'  jireal  a  h«"rilai;f  as 
the  frreal  dramas  and  n«»vels  of  ihe  world.  H  we  laid 
greater  emphasis  on  tht^r  work^  in,  «mr  'durational 
institutions  than  we  give  at  present,  a  n^al  ehanjie  can. 
be  brought  about  in  the  human  outlook.  The  nussa^c 
of  tolerance  and  mutual  understandiji^:,  <if  friendj-hip 
between  man  and  man  and  race  and  race,  is  one  that  can 
reach  the  human  heart,  easier  through  the  above  worka 
tbani  through  men^  preaching. 

The  Unesco  is  doing  valuable  spadework  ia 
attempts  to  make  each  nation  understand  the  thoughts, 
feelings,  and  ways  of  living  of  other  nations  by  getting 
the  masterpieces  of  literature  in  each  country  translated 
by  competent  scholars  and  writers  and  distributed  in  other 
countries  to  as  many  education  institutions  as  possible. 
This  is  another  big  step  in  the  direction  of  international 
friendship. 

The  literature  of  the  future,  it  is  hoped,  will  lay 
aside  the  morbid,  the  unhealthy,  the  fanatical,  and  the 
c\'il  tendencies  in  man  and  dwell  on  all  that  is  sane,  co- 
operative, and  healthy  and  emphasize  the  liberal  and 
benign  tendencies.  It  mu^l,  of  course,  remain  art  all 
the  time  and  not  degenerate  into  mere  propaganda.  It 
will  lead  humanity  to  peace,  coh<'-ion,  an»l,  tolerance. 
Chirst's  message  was  "Peace  on  earth,  goodwill  toward 
men'  and  the  riles  of  c»ur  own  religion  i-nd  with  the  prayer 
for  peace,  'Om  !  Shaniili  \  Shanti  !  Shanti  !'  May 
the  literature  of  the  world  be  indiued  hereafter  with  the 
•ame  longing  for  love  an<l  peace  and   understanding  I 


Impact  of  Western  Culture  on  the 
Civilizations  of  India  and  China 

The  following  is  an  extract  from  the  address 
delivered  by  Dr.  1).  M.  Bosc  as  General  President 
of  the  40th  Session  of  the  Indian  Science  Congress 
Association  in  Lucknow  on  January  2,  1953,  and 
published  in  Science  and  Culture  : 


The  creative  period  of  Greek  natural  philosophy,  llie 
Helenic  age,  extended  for  about  3U)  years,  from  the 
time  of  Thales  of  Mih-iu-.  (6(H>  B.C.)  to  that  of  Plato 
and  Aristotle.  Durintr  this  period  wa;*  developed  all 
the  basic  concept?  of  we»4tevn  i»hiloiophy,  of  materialifm 
and  idealism,  of  parlianieniary  dunoiiacy  in  Athens 
Hrxth  Aristotle  as  its  exiKinmt  to  the  Platonic  coni  eptioa 
of  an  ideal  state  whos-e  de?tin>  wa:*  to  be  controlled  by 
certain  natural  rulers  or  guardians  and  which  according 
to  some  was  made   a   justification   for   Nazism. 

The  second,  the  Hellenistic  period,  which  flourished 
for  another  30O  yearb  in  .A.lexandria  and  was  centred 
round   the    Museum.       During    this    period    the    special 

u 


sciences  were  created,  learning  vas  8tabiliMd« 
astronomical  observations  and  their  interpretation  flott^ 
rished.  Many  technical  inventions  were  made  during  thii 
period.  The  third  period,  the  Graeco-Roman  age,  which 
nourished  during  the  first  three  centuries  of  the  Christiani 
era  was  an  age  of  bilingual  culture.  There  were  many 
new  extension!*  of  kno\\  ledges,  fresh  acquisition  of  skill 
in  exposition,  but  there  was  no  breaking  out  of  new 
directions  in  sjieculalive  thinking,  or  any  great  application! 
of  i>cifn<-e  to  iif**.  Science  had  ceased  or  failed  to  be 
a  rial  force  in  the  life  of  the  >(»ciely.  but  had  become  a 
c>cle  of  lib.ral  studies  fur  a  piivileged  minority.  This 
wa-j  a  i)eri«id  of  d»cay  of  the  old  order  of  society  whose 
economic^  was  ha^-d  upim  .-lave  lab:»ur.  The  belief  in 
the  ancient  Gtids  wa>  dica\in;i.  an^l  there  was  a  growing 
division  of  the  h..  ieiy  into  an  exploit. n;:  minority  ruling 
over   a    larjir    exploited    niajoritv . 

When  in  the  Iftth  c«nturv.  after  a  period  of  excessive 
riitionali.im  ot  the  uii'idlt-  a|ze-.,  ^ci«•nlific  thought 
entered  it.--  nio<lerni  pha-e.  Gopernicus,  Vesalius,  and 
Gallieleo  l.eccme  the  continuaiors>  of  Ptolemy,  Galen  and 
Archimedes.  Tim  intervening  period  of  over  one 
thousand  year««  known  as  the  Dark  and  the  Medieval 
Ages  was  a  formative  ptriod  in  the  history  of  western 
civilization  whi«h  took  a  new  direction  from  the  time  of 
the   Renaissance. 

Turning  to  the  Indian  scene  we  find  that  the  great 
epoch  of  speculative  philosophical  thinking,  of  advances 
in  astronomy,  matliematics  and  medicine,  extended  from 
about  70:)  B.C.  to  500  A.D.  During  the  following  early 
medieval  period  lasting  from  500-1100  A.D.,  there  wa« 
considerable  progress  in  chemistry,  engineering,  but 
already  stagnation  and  fossilisation  had  begun  to  set  in, 
aggravated  by  the  Muslim  invasion  of  India.  Professor 
Altekar  has  expressed  the  view  that  the  grovfing 
veneration  f«»r  old  traditions  and  scriptural  views  caused 
a  set-back  to  the  growth  of  a  critical  and  rational  attitude 
of  mind.  There  wa>  popularisation  of  the  theory  that 
the  golden  age  whose  artificier>  were  divine  or  God* 
inspired  >ajr«'s,  had  pa^.-icd.  foIloVMMJ  by  the  Kalljuga 
durin^i;  which  pcoph'  could  nev»r  e(iual  tlu*  achievement^ 
of  thiir  prcd•'ce^'=^•rs;  it  became  {h(.'  a{;e  of  conimentatora 
and  diir«'^lor>  of  the  writinjij.  of  their  predecessors.  Arts 
and  crafts^  weri:  reuardejl  as  ph  bian.  The  age  countenanced 
excessive  purity;  the  touch  of  ileal  bodies  was  polluting; 
and  «o  disst'cting  for  me«lical  .'^tuilies  was  impossible. 
Foreign  travel  was  taboord  and  Hindu  seholarft  ceasing 
to  come  in  contact  with  their  Greek  and  Arab  opposite 
numbers   became   narrow   and   conceited. 

This  period  of  stagnation,  with  the  exception  of  aa 


T»* 


JEt» 


DIABETES 

atCUtMdi4igCfumUU. 
DESCRIPTIVE  LITERATURE  fRltFROMJ 

HIMALAYA  DRUG  Co. 

2SI.  HORNBY  ROAD.  BOMBAY. 


34d 


fttlS  MODERN  REVIEW  FOR  MARCH,  1653 


all  too  short  period  of  Akbar*8  imperial  rule,  continued 
for  leven  cmturies.  The  coming  of  Ctireigii  trading 
companies,  which  led  to  a  htrii^gh.*  b«*twc«.*n  competing 
western  ponvers  for  supremacy,  ended  at  the  close  uf  the 
16th  century  with  the  consolidation  of  British  power  ia 
India.  The  intrusion  of  western  powers  lirlped  to  break- 
down the  isolation  <»[  India  from  mntact  with  the  renaiss- 
ance upsurge  of  western  civilization,  a>  rxpre<»ed  chiefly 
in  the  discovery  of  a  new  seientifie  mt*tho(L  and  its 
technologieal  applications.  A  compariHin  with  the  ^iimilar 
transformations  which  took  pla^e  in  Kurope  during  the 
dark  age<  will  help  u.s  to  better  und"r*:tanfl  the  nature 
of  the  changes  which  ha\e  been  ^^et  in  movement  in  India 
due  to  Ma  impact  of   the   \%(v<t. 

(0  Following  tlic  Graeco-Roman  a;:<'.  a  tran -formation 
of  the  economic  structure  in  the  eivili/ed  regiims  of  the 
west  took  place  which  made  possible  the  replacement  of 
slaves  by  serfs  and  freemen,  was  due  to  a  nund)er  ol 
inventions  resulting  in  the  utilization  of  new  sources  of 
energy  io  the  shape  of  wind,  water,  and  animal  power. 

{U)  The  mental  background  nc^es^ary  for  the  growth 
of  a  scientific  attitude  wa<^  proviiled  by  a  growing 
convictoin  of  the  existence  of  an  order  in  Nature,  whose 
secrets  could  be  unra\elled  by  the  human  intellect.  The 
belief  in  a  rational  God  as  expounded  by  the  medieval 
scholastic  theology  was  gradually  tian>formed  into  a 
lyelief  in  tho  scrutability  of  nature.  Science  has 
remained  predominantly  anti-rational  and  empirical,  but 
the  basic  belief  in  the  capacity  of  the  human  intellect 
to  unravel  the  mysteries  of  nature  is  an  inheritance  from 
the  scholastic  age. 

The  contributions  of  the  practical  genius  of  Rome 
to  the  shaping  of  the  western  ci\ilization  were  many. 
The  Roman  dominaticn  of  these  countries  which  made 
Latin  a  common  language  of  communication,  Roman 
jurisprudence  and  the  applicati(m  of  Roman  law  over 
all  the  conquered  regions,  the  Roman  !-en>r  of  order 
and  discipline  which  sur>'ive'.i  in  the  Roman  Catholia 
Church  when  the  empire  disintegrated,  laid  the  ba<i-^ 
of  a  common  European  civili/ainn  i^hen  it  grew. 
Whitehead  places  a  great  deal  of  importance  to  the 
contributions  of  men  like  Pope  Gregory  and  St.  Benedict 
to  the  rcHTon  struct  ion  of  Europe  when,  it  began  in  the 
6th  century.  They  were  practical  men  with  an  eye  for 
the  importance  of  ordinarx-  things,  anil  they  combined 
this  practical  temperament  with  their  religious  and 
cultural  acti\ities.  The  mona*«teries  were  bonus  of 
practical  agriculturists,  as  well  a«  of  <-ainl<i.  artists,  and 
men  of  learning.  The  alliance  of  science  with  techmdogy. 


BAIK  OF  BA.1KURA  LTD. 

36.  Strand  Road.  CALCUTTA 

Interest  on  Saving  Deposil  2^/0  Per  Annum 

Interest  on  Fixed  Deposit  3V()  Per  Annum 
for  1  Year  &  over  1  ^oar  4^/o  Per  Annum 


by  which  learning  is  kept  in  contact  with  inredttcible  liA 
biubboin  iacib  owea  nmch  to  the  practical  bent  of  the 
early  Benctiictines.  The  Greeks  were  over-theoretical,  for 
them  science  was  an  <iiT-sliool  of  philosophy.  Modem 
science  derive>  from  Rome  as  well  as  from  Greece,  and 
the  Roman  strain  explains  its  gain  in  an  energy  of 
thought  kept  in  clo!^;  lontact  with  the  world  of  facts. 
'Ihcse  are  more  of  the  factor?  which  have  contributed  to 
give  the  m  w  tinge  to  modern  minds,  and  which  according 
to  W'hitt'head  "is  a  vehement  and  pa^Honate  interest  in 
the  relation  of  general  principles  to  irreduiible  and 
stubborn  tact.-.** 

'Ill*  >i]#iljritv  between  the  ISritish  rule  in  India  and 
t!ie  Human  i.«imination  in  Europe  wa>  too  obvious  to 
escape  the  altMition  td  commentator>.  Like  the  Romans, 
the  Hriti»h  are  a  race  of  practical  administiatorn  who 
improvi-ed  their  administration  to  ^uit  varying  conditions 
tii  the  territories  which  came  under  their  control,  eg., 
their  colonii^alion  of  North  America  proceeded  on  an 
entirely  ditlercnt  plan  to  their  administration  of  India, 
where  they  rule.i  over  a  Jarftc  population  with  the  help 
of  a  very  cfticitnl  civil  .•^ervice.  They  surveyed  this 
country  for  rev«nuc  purposes,  developed,  roads,  railwayat 
and  other  means  of  communication,  dug  canals  for 
irrigation^,  took;  measures  for  conservation  of  forest 
resources.  They  e^taldi!^hed  surveys  and  scientifio 
5ervice>.  Th^'v  conditien  civil  and  criminal  laws,  based 
largely  on  Hritish  practices.  Plantation,-  mining, 
engineering  and  other  largescale  industries  were  started 
by  them. 

In  the  early  day^  of  the  British  rules,  an  intellectual 
ferment  occurred  amongst  some  section  of  the  population. 
Ram  Mohan  Roy  was  a  pioneer  of  this  movement  which 
sought  to  break  the  intellectual  and  {tolitical  torpor  of 
the  country  by  the  rejuvenating  influence  of  western 
philosophy  anil  science.  Due  to  the  supiiort  received 
from  peojile  likt.'  hi:n,  that  instruction  in  English  and  the 
tcachin;!  of  science  in  schools  and  colleges  became 
possible.  Fniin  such  beginnings  grew  up  movements  for 
the  founding  of  uni\er<«itic>.  uiedical.  engineering  and 
agricultural  ctdlege^.  and  re.-eareh  institutions.  The 
hi>tor\  of  the  later  perioii  of  Briti&h  rule  was  a  gradually 
increasing  a<-^ociation  of  the  people  <»f  the  country  with 
tlie  administration,  and  tlu*  introduction  of  self  govern- 
ment ba.-ed  upon  a  progic**ive|y  expanding  franchise. 
Finally,  after  the  termination  of  the  World  War  II  the 
British  handed  over  p<»\ver  to  the  Indian  people  in  IW. 


Btancfies  : 

College  Sq..  Cal. 
Bdukura, 


Cficiitman  : 

lAGANNATH  KOLAY 

M.P. 


FOREIGN  PERIODICALS 


India's  Cotton  Tvxtile  Indunlry 

The  paper  by  Sir  Joseph  Kay,  K.B.E..  read 
at  a  joint  meeting  of  the  Cnniinanwealth  Sectiaii 
of  the  Society  and  the  East  India  Asruiiatiun,  is 
reproduced  in  full  from  thfl  Jnurnal  of  llie  Royal 
Sociely  of  Arts,  'Sw>-m\^T  1952.  as  follows  : 

Thi-  c«lli.u  l.'Xlil<-  indii-ln  U  i.if  r,f  Inilia'-  ina'ur 
isdualrirs  riin^Ulinf.  di  it  iW*.  i<f  -M")  imiiiilrre  >|im- 
ninp  ami  wruvinp  milU.  wirli  11.211.6^1  ^|iiiiill<'-  ami 
201.481  Willis  iuMallni.  u  .mall  ).<-r<<iiia^'-  <>f  »li><1i.  >■< 
not     aoiuall>      ul      norl^      at      tin-      iikmui      tiiin-      f>r 

Rf.  \mS&.l':>i'hl.-.  'i>l,i.L  i.M>rrs.nl  ill  l-Vni^  i'.[ 
rlrrline.  \i'  iTT/.I'M;.  Thr  i|iiuiilltv  of  rollon  inn- 
»um.-.l,  in  ternj.  ..f  cnmli.'E^  .if  Tai  II-.  mcIi.  i-  lAt.'UTT. 
vihilM  llic  nuiiib;'!  ii)  liunil'-  i'tnpln>ii]  in  all  -lii'l-t  i» 
■ome  722.000.  Thi?  <l'<r<  n»t  luk.-  intu  uccciml  a  furlWr 
200,000  worker*  ciniiliiycil  i  iitsiiie  ihc  niilU.  iu  ■■pruttjs- 
iog"  and  ulhcr  allinl  s:ib'i<liary  iru(it'>. 
TiiE  Pot 
Although  ihp  Rniiiliav  State  ia  to-iJav  tlir  prinrijial 
teat  <>(  ttiF  r..tu>n  mill  in.lii^trv  in  In.lia,  lli.-  Ih.nour  «f 
hvi'xnt.  Ili>-  firM  mill  in  ilii.  i-«ii[iir>  unr-;  i..  llrii)!iil  un'i 
the  irfdil  for  .Urlini:  il  ln-I'm-:-^  I-  ii  Hiili^li  -nhjirl. 
In  18IR.  u  mill,  rallr,]  K..r[  (;ln.i.  r  MilU  ii.m  km.wn 
as  the  Bimnuli  (oliuii  Milk.  I.i.l.  n^i-  .'--.iIiII-Iil'.!  iti 
the  di>lTtrt   <>f   llonrjli   in   l'.-U!:iil   (.'i    .|>ii>i.iii;:      loriilly 

grown  iiilttin.     Tlii~  mill  hi'iu.  in  )i;iii    liu.i  a  \ \i  i.<„- 

CWMT.  but  il*  '->laMi-lii::'*iit  uj-  ii<-i  fi>llu'tr'.|  \n  „i\.-r 
millf.  in  thul  Slalc  f'-r  u  u^^  I<.>f:^  liiiir,  lli^ii  •vrnt. 
ihtTcforr.  »-laml>-  <.-ii  n~  :<ii  ioLiTi'rX  urn-  an-l  iMiinni  In- 
rrsanlril  a>  ruii-iltiiiiii^   rlu'   l<  iiN'l.iii«ii  nf  ilii-  |ii'[-i'[it- 

slarK'l 


i    [)avu 


mcrcliant   f.ri.:.-!    a'  < 

Bcriptldi)-'   lui    ill''    Kiir 

ryvti'in,  for  r-r.iMi  liin 

proj-rr  ma.l.-  ,i,ii.k  p 

produdion  in  I».'y1.     11 

tion  <-amt'  llii-  Am.  li.. 

dt-maii'l    for    li.-hun    ' 

^ramiiihr''"ft"iil-    ,.t' 

dfnltil   irlrk   i..>i.Mti.. 

nmr  milk  a-  i!   w,i- 

luin  it   int..  %>:>.   ..ill 

liill  f..r  ...m.    M.i... 

Til.-  fal>iil"ii.  ,....'. 

way   into   .■..ii..m    u  \\\- 

many  m-  11   [mII-   »' i 

of  milU   l,a,l      ......1, 

ISm-W.    111.-    in!!      ,-.■ 

Nn.-a(  thr  iii.l>i~in. 

ceniurj",  hott.-Mi.  tli. 

1l,i- 


<:   ..1    ill 
l-rpti-iiL 


in  I89T.  which  necctsiialeJ  clostirc  of  the  inilla  for  a 
(irolungf  il  periiid.  1  br  cunvnry  and  exKhaaga 
difficultii-ii.  futliming  the  clo.urc  of  the  minl«  for  {lee 
Eilvcr  (uina|[i>.  iliiilucatni  [he  trade  with  China  and  Japan 
Iu  »jch  an  cxlcnl  that  ilic  |in>lilahlc  cxjHirt  trade  la 
yarn  tn  tlii-«-  rumilric*  |irui'Iii-ally  raiiit  to  ■  stop. 
iVrvBrlhr-lt-i-s,  tlif  ii'-iiUm  of  iniiic  and  nion-  uiilli  conti- 
iiii.nl  ami  hy  VHt)  Imlia  lia.l  I'M  mill^  wirh  4.945.703 
-|iinill.-.'i  and  4:i.l21  l.H-m-.  ill.-  .-xtcnl  ..f  divrli^pmenl 
.liirint.'  llii'  lu-i  .|nari<-r  ul  lln-  jiu-t  t-rntury  ran  he  teen 
fn.m  a  ii<mi>ari>.>n  »l  tli<->i'  lii:ur.«  willi  ihn^r  in  187S. 
whi-n  thin-  m-r.'  -17  mill-,  wiih  10.I.1J2  spindti-H  and 
*1,\-Vi  louinf. 

In  ihi-  initial  irars  tli.-  in.lu>lry  wa-  {iri'doniinantly 
a  <-iKir>c  vuri)  Hiiinniup  iniliiMry  mainly  b<Tau>r  Bombay 
hail  devi-Ioin.'J  a  i>rofitalil<'  I'xi'iTl  irade  wilii  ('.hina  and 
Ja|ian.  l!ul  in  Ihi!  last  ili-caitt'  of  the  pri-iious  ci-ntury 
and  in  thi-  br^ionina  ot  thi:^  renlury  ihi-  trade  !>uflered 
a  severe  Ferback.  ■•winK  to  exi'hanp!;  diffii'uhie^  in  tha 
bcginninp  and  to  the  frovrih  u(  a  cotton  mill  indutUiy  ia 
Japan  latrr.  which  resulted  nut  only  in  the  complete  lou 
•>f  tin:  Japanese  market  fur  Indian  yarn  but  iIm  to 
MTiou'  cnm)>etitinn  in  (he  ChinPhC  murkela,  and,  by  ths 
time  the  Fir^t  Q'url.i  War  lirofce  nut.  both  iheK  maiketa 
wiTi-  iirariirallv  li.>t.  Thi-*  hrnujiht  bIhiuI  a  malMial 
.•\,!,tti,-  in  tli<-  rhnrn.'l.r  .if  th.>  mill,  und  for.'ed  thm  to 
i|<'|.arim.nr».     Thuf.  in   1900. 


tl..- 


ml.n 


i.iih  HJl.  Intl.  U-.  I"].-.. 
-.t.-:1.liix  oil^jm-.-.l  1.. 
III.-  ....1  ..I     \„=.,i-l.  1 


M-i    r 


I.IHK)  - 
.    17. 


Thrr 


ifttT 


;ml  uiininj:  in 

li]-tr>.  va~  fa.ilitatM 

lii;    mark.-l-.    a- 

mmh   ..1    Ihi..   .-haneo 

V'>f).     llMlt      i- 

n  had  tml   M-t 

■■unn.     A'  :-Hlit-.|uent 

In-  .>r  Ihe   Chi 

-.-inn   in   .li-ii'ii-. 

V      (Jn.-      eati      coiulv 

d    Iiaii-   li^|>.-ii> 

■    S'<nmi    W,.tl 

War    and    at»i    in 

11-    imiii'trv    hn. 

r.-[imii..-a   radically 

«va^ini;  'id.-. 

|.-n    y-ar.    ih.' 

indit-lry       prl.-vously 

J;i[.a.i.    I.>     M.rr- 

ai>ilali.t.i1i.>n    ni       ihi; 

linu.  uliirh  il<"'i<.-n<-d 

■!■.'     .;uk     'jliii' 

-.     In   -|iil.-  ..f     the 

im".'.'i    -l',''   mi'i 

Ii    LH.k     |dai-<-    I>.'1K.'<JV 

-  -lill      M-nMliiid  iin- 

t!./'l.,r^i     i.f.li 
\\  ,r    ::hd    ill.. 

",,i".-.l'.i.-.ir'l,i».m   had 

iiill-.     I'ain>i'<|m'ntly, 

-    i  'iiiid       lln-m-j-hi-K 

i  '    ■■         ,   .    ■ 

.'K.'i  ihi'  Idi/zuril. 

THE  MODERN  REVIEW  FOR  MARCH,  1953 


Ma  Moreover,  vriih  it*  political  doninetiou  over  Indii, 
Brltiln  endMvoured  m  regain  its  pre-Mar,  markets  Id 
India  and  to  also  did  Japan,  both  uitk  tome  measure  ui 

BelwecD  1935  and  1939  the  induntry  began  to  make 
aome  recovery,  due  parity  to  the  gradual  improvement  in 
general  economic  condilton*  and  partly  to  the  regulation 
of  competition  from  ihe  Unilc<l  Kingdom  and  Japan  by 
bilateral  trade  treaties,  not  to  mention  tariff  protection, 
which  wai  first  introduced  in  1927  an.l,  laier, 
■trengthened  in  two  slages.  once  in  1939  and  again  in 
1933.  Jhe  outbreak  o(  the  Sino-Japanese  War  also 
helped  case  the  vigour  of  llie  Japanese  competition. 
Some  signs  of  depression  were,  hnwcver,  nolicoble  late 
in  1938  and.  jusi  a  kye  weck^  before  the  outbreak  of  the 
Second  World  War,  the  industry,  under  the  leadership  of 
the  Bombay  Millowner^'  Ai^r'ticiatiun.  van  arltially  plan- 
ning to  curtail  pruductioa  by  mulual  aprrvmi'nt.  But 
with  the  outbreak  of  ihr  war  in  .'^e|lteml.er  1939.  ihc 
situation  took  a  difFiTcnl  turn  ami   llul   fxr  the  bPtler. 

In  the  deii'lopiiiint  of  ihf  imlu  try.  many  IJritisli 
firms  manraeturing  textile  machinery —of  wlium  wvcral 
are  still  in  exislenre-haii-  playil  an  all-important  pari. 
In  regard  both  ii)  the  quality  o[  the  machinery  sent  out 
and  10  the  technical  advice  sn  freely  giien.  Some  credit 
and  appreciation,  loo,  mu-l  be  gtfim.  to  thoie  British 
technicians.  »uch  as  mill  manaficrs,  carding  and  spinning 
nastera,  dyeing  anil  bieadiing  men  who.  until  ri'cent 
times,  have  done  much  in  helpinit  lu  produce  markinable 
cloth  and  yarn  and  have  #o  willingly  imparted  iheip 
technical  linawledge  to  Indian'!  of  all  ca»teii  and  creeds 
who  tought  their  ca^ec^^l  in  textile  fi'.'ld,  and  uho  to-day, 
with  education  and  initiative,  are  now  able  lo  run  their 
concema  and  factories  with  success. 
The  Frese.nt 

Events  recently  have  moved  fo  rapidly  that  the  last 
decade,  inwfar  as  the  Indian,  cotlon  textile  industry  ia 
u>acerned,  might  well  lie  regardfij  as  h<:ing  within  the 
expression  ''prc-eni  tinir«."  With  thi>  bepinninii  of  th>^ 
Second  World  War.  allliiiii(!h  itiTi-  na-  no  >-ii:nirti-ant 
increase  in  tli>'  pnidin'iiii'  ra|iD<'it>  ni  ihc  iriil:i~lry-  as 
new  plant  ,-inrl  marhiniTV  cuiilil  iinl  In'  uiituirrd  prixluir- 
tion  wax  gri'aliy  inl'-n^-ifinl  liy  ihi-  iiiili/iiiinn  of  tho  in- 
stalleit  capacity     tn  its  fullc-i   i-Mi'iit.     In  thi'     cnh'ndar 

year  194-^.  pro.1ur1iMn  Ici-K'h'd  an  iiil-li r-'<.,r<l  of  A9M 

million  yards  id  rluili,  >i)mc  i.f  Hlii.-b  wnl  tn  ihr  Di'fcncc 
Deparlm''iit  •,{  the  (■■i.u-riiini-nl  •>{  In'lia  fur  «ar  purposr's 


very  favourably  * 
We  have,  therefore 
for  practical  rcasoi 
been  inoderalply  i 
new  mills  which  a 

There  i 


implored  conditions  in  part  repayment  for  their  eftnM 
in  their  everyday  toil*.  Young  Indians  who  had  selected 
the  cotton  textile  industry  as  their  career,  sought  aveimet 
to  improve  their  knowledge  and  studied  in  Europe  and 
America,  and  brought  bock  with  them  much  enlighle*- 
ment,  which  iu.<i  as  soon  as  the  war  was  over,  was  girat 
effect  to,  «-iih  the  result  that  the  last  few  years  have 
seen  vast  improvement*  in  (he  course  of  manufacture 
and  in  the  conditions  under  which  the  "artiian"  eatlli 
his  daily  bread.  Moreover,  some  of  the  modem  milU 
rrprti-A  in  Inilin  within  the  Usi  few  ypars  can  compare 
ilh  ihoEe  in  other  parts  oE  the  world, 
;,  al  the  present  time  some  mills  which, 
ins.  are  out  of  date  ;  some  whirh  hsve 
r>dcrnized  :  and  quite  a  number  of 
■  entirely  up-to-date. 
_.  . .  _ .  irse.  in  all  records  of  progress  some 
"snag"'  or  other  and,  from  the  end  of  the  year  1943, 
diflicullies  began  :-uch  ai  the  inlniduction  of  rigid  price 
conirol  anil  di^triliutinn.  lark  of  aili-quate  supplies  of 
cotton  al  ci'nnomii-  priei-s,  CoviTnmpni'p  unrcali^iir  direc- 
tion anil  control,  bb'iur  unrwt,  high  price-*  of  stores  and 
maehiniry.  and  the  'Shyncfs"  of  iho  capital  market  at 
a  time  when  mure  funds  were  required  for  finanring  the 
rehabi Illation  nf  the  industry,  all  nf  which  had  the  effecl 
of  damping  thi<  enthusiasm  for  diligent  planning  and 
hard  work.  Desjiite  all  ihcsr  difficulties,  however,  the 
in<luslry  may  he  ronxiderrd  to  he  in  a  healthy  state,  and 
the  calls  ond  ckmondi  of  lohour-wilh  its  prosreisive 
enlightenmcni— have  Iieen  reasonably  met. 

There  seems  to  he  a  feeling  abroad  that  Indian 
labour  i»  cheap  and  oppressed  ;  but  that  it  not  so.  Let 
me  enunierate  some  of  the  changes  introduced  in  recent 

(a)  The  Factories  Acts.  iThese  legislate  for  a  48-hour 
working  week  and  contain  pro^isions  for  ihc  health  and 
safety  of  workers  ;  i.ni-  cnnipuhnr)'  rest  day  a  week ; 
c(.nipuln>r>-  daily  re-it  interval-.  :  11  ilays'  holiday  per 
vi'ar.  with  pay  ;  eanK-eii-, ;  welfare  ofTii-er:'  and  sn  on— 
legi.hitirui      in   the      t'niled 


m.'ii's  Com  lien  fall  I'll   Art   prntides  for  pay- 
fees  o(  ciimpcnsalion  for  injury  by  accident 

'alb  finm  ^Ul'h  injurio  ilii-  dependants  are 


at   the  expenj-e   of   i 

Margin*  of  (imfil  in  ih 
"high  and  healthy"  ami  rh 
financial  sialiitity.  hut  ;in 
Ihe  minds  of  hotli  ma>ter- 
thal  great  change,  fur  the 
qualily  of  gimd^  |ir(-i1ii<ed 
which  labour  toil.-.l.  wkuI 
development  war.  nut  (n  I 
lightened  ir,ill..wn.r>  n-.ili/. 
ments  in  their  i-l.mi-  i.,,-.. 
and  prmiiei-.  «l,il-i  L,[,„i, 
mandeil  |.'-i.|,^ti<.M   i..   |.rnii 


tailment    f.-r 


viliai 


Hinp. 


(<t  Imlhii,  Tr.i,l,-  I 
I  10  iTtiani/j'  Ita-le 
l</i   lit:h>lrM  Belali 


\^ff    Ihc 


[  the 


of  li.ilh   the 


irnvides  for  conciliation 
industrial  disputes. 
hithislriiil  ///ijiHtts  A't  :  lis  main  purpose  is  to 
mhlie  utility  eonircm-  from  living  dislocated  by 
pM>e7.  Iiitt  ii  al-i>  iinitiiles  fur  any  trade  dispute 
iidevia(.ini:  to  he  reji  rred  m  a  Board  of  Concilio- 
[Miri  of  hSiquiry  ni  an  liidN>;ri.iI  TrihunaL 
Miiliiiiiiy  lli-ni-lii  All  in  scT'iol  Stales  confers 
n  iiork-rs  linieiii-  in  imiii-lriol  establishments. 
n,-  Kr,, 


l.m 


I    W 


Ins 


Thia 


pHOLE&CQ( 


RIJiGNDRMiECZEIUl 

OINTMENT 


FOREICX  PEnrODICAI5 


the  Workmer^i  Comprnsaiion  Act  aoJ  ihe  Provin 
'aternity  Benefit  Art  and  secure  for  the  worken, 
•a,  disablement  ami  malprnit)  benifit'' 
1  this  II  \eiy  rapid  pio^TC^t  m  regard  to  labnut 
lOD  especiuily  when  one  remembers  t}iat  eien  in 
luatnal  cauntn  like  Lngland  it  look  vers  many 
to  get  (uch  Iigislalion  acctpled  nn  a  lumnd  l>a»« 
iU3t  alEO  nut  fntget  the  untt  differrnce  id  tlie 
>■  ol  co]]ecll^e  LmvaimnB  and  in  Iradca  union 
intent — in  Eneland  it  came  {rnm  wiihm  ihe  unions 
D  of  practical  undertianduifi  but  in  India,  from 
t  b)  self  ;ti I'll  bbnir  leader*  Kith  httlr  or  no 
dge  of  the  difGcuhlcs  iniohcd  \pain  labour 
n»  had  an  iintnidiau  politiraJ  fIdMur  o'ten  lo 
trimcni  of  the  unrkir 

Tiif  FuTinE 


lufaciure  in  India  of  textile  machinerr 
slures    ol   «hich   a   rommenccment    haa 
cHd\  been  made 

</>  The  erection  of  further  spinning  and      nraving 
lU 

7he  future,  loo,  «jII  see  an  inLrcasjjie  diMnand  for 
iliiial  silk  ra)on  and  staple  Sbte  goods  ,  m  fact, 
niilb  ha\e  rcceni]>  commenced  proiiucing  aitificiat 
re  of  succesa, 
the  approBcli 


e  manifest  i: 


int  t 


Kill   Ik 


n  eloth  n 


1 1liac  lure 
India    the 


.nimg  1 


Is  for  Iht  fuliirr  u[  tli> 

redinjilv  hri{,hl 

•^>1  cen«ui>  thi-  iHipuJalinn  iit 
dian  J.nion  evliiding  Jaminu 
ashmiT  St3tr>  and  tribal  artas 
Mm  tra<  3Sr.q8  miltiun?  oF 
as  aftain'it  31I£t  millK'n'-  m 
id  27532  mill]i>n<)  in  19J1  f> 
ale  of  groHlh  Hilnp<»ed  in  ihe 
ecadc  were  lo  continue  ihrn 
6  India «  population  wojid  be 
milhon   uhieh  is  nnl)  about  11 

k*t  than  the  (■ombm''d  total — 
millii  n — 'or  India  and  Paki-.ian 
!  NciH  li  i-  ri-lrnidt'd  that 
Mtal  pmluclion  hi  mill-  at 
nil  on  MT.]     jnd  U\   lian  lloom-. 


lll..| 


iiilli'>i 


irl 


.rd< 


(lii'"*"'.\l''i. 
riU  -hoiild 


large  basi 
Hhil&t  marked  improvement 

of  ihe  Indian  coiion  mill  oitner  who  is  anxious  to  im 
protL  the  cft(ienc>  of  his  plant  either  by  installabon 
of  more  niodirn  machinei>  or  b)  introduction  of  betta 
condition^  for  his  work  people  boih  of  which  tend  to- 
narde  bctltr  and  iniria^cd  ouiput  Ihe  new  miUa  re 
(.mill,  eric'ed  in  India  are  nioilfm  I'j  a  degree — indivi- 
ilual  driK^  i>roper  spacing,  ol  mailiinery  automatic 
liumi  highipeul  Hjrpiok  and  Kiiiiliiif:  4ienlilic  light 
trt    jir      < onditiriniiit,    and   w>   on      in      fait    they   can 

M.B51RMR5S0NS 

MERCIiAHIt 


ISO  ■     THE  MODERN  HEVIEW  FOR  MAKCII.  1853 

cbmiian;  favourably   wilh   up-to-Jale  planU  in  any   pait  u  lace  anil  bordrtcd  dholiea  and  cliaddeni  tAe^  hlfK 

of  ine  world.  to  wane  :  an  instance  of  this  which  might  be  qnotoil  «m 

In  Eprakins  of  the  future  one  caniioi  be  unmindful  ifae     decline     in  demand  for  even  handwoven     tinkm 

f,oad  many  maitert^  which  only  ihe  |)a«^'ng  of  lime  which,  by  the  way,  hat  practically  diMppetred.  Reocal^ 


a  eolvc.    I  mean  such  thine:^ 
(o)  The  rMiimal  o(  go\ei 

jirneot  exihi  »n  ilie  selling  ]i 

trihuiion  <>(  clolh  end  yarn, 
(t)   The    reinmal    of    i\n 

heavily  c-|>crially  on 

(c)   Thtr  nationalization   of   prndi 
Irfl  The    |H><'il>ility    ihal   3>hili 

a  practical  |iro|i>'!4iton. 

le)  The  atiiiu'le  nl  gOM^inmtnl 

the  industry,  whii'li  al  ]ir*>tcni  li-aiir-i 
(/)  Natinnalixutjon  and  ibe  Ciiv< 

gardintc  it  :   fnr.  thuuitb   lh<  r<-  ha'  In' 

this   no  aulhuritatiw-  Mat^'nunl    lia-^ 


■nt    r"ntrol#,   which   at 
',  producliiin  and  dis- 


■jUi- 


le\  Thi'  qiK'.lii'ii  nlii'tltiT  H<]r-i|Ualc  >'J| 
milla  will  Ix'  aiailahl.-.  c-iHcially  in  th<-i' 
taxation.  It  i-  i'..iliiiut>-rl  llial  n-haliili  1.11  ion 
zalion  of  rhi-  lixliaji  .vll.m  mill-  »ill  n>)i;i 
ment  of  uhout  M}.]  .i.t*:^  nf  riiiH-.-.  \i 
Merlin  g.) 


wurkint   might   be 

nd  lahnur  inwards 
lui'li  IK  l>c  d-^iired. 
nincnl'-  policy  n-- 
11  murh  lalk  abuul 
,1   1 n 


iUl    ( 


.    of    hi|!h 


Tub   11a'- 


I     iM 


•mv 


Nu   rexiew   ul   ili<- 

ndiaii   cultOTi    K'Xlilf    indii>tr>— 

brief  Iht-upli  it  ma>  In- 

i-ail  ■■mir  ndriiii.'  lu  l]u:  hand- 

loom   industry   i<f    India 

and    Ihe      tiT'-ai.    tliiugb    utlcn 

igDoreil  part  iliai  ii  i>la; 

s  a-  a  jHp|ilii-i  id  il'>ili  nt  many 

kinds  fur  dome^iic  u~c-. 

and   lak'T   of   thi-   surplu.!   yarn 
urc  111.-  war.  ii   may   be  nyled.  it 

produMd  !>)-  milN.     I!.-! 

absorbed  abuul  «ii.-t1iir< 

ft  lb.-  l..lal   vani   pri>d'.iri-d   by 

Ihe  Indian  milU.    A.  in 

.■ihiT  rounlrio-.  ils  hi-^lurt   lakes 

one  iNick  t<>  ihr  duv^  ul 

r-n  ii  ~up|.lii-d  uii>'i  iil  ibi'  no'd^ 

of  the  |..'..|d.'  t...i   ..mIv 

i>  Tiiiliu.  bul   aU>   in   lb.-  .Middk 

Ea=.|  :   b»t   ill.'  .11"  i.TuL- 

[  ill.-  >,i./  I  anal.  lb..   inxmlJori 

of   thr   I..n.r.i-liM-    :,n,i    1 

>.'   iiilr...l.i.'Him   ..1   .lu.'liini'.mad.- 

clolh.   all   lia-l'>i".|    it- 

-viin.-.       rih-ii.   in    tl<.<      iMliiral 

ordiT  I'f  pr.'t:r'>-.  lli.-  1 

tury  ^u   buiKllfx.in   wr;. 

....  a.ia[.'in[;  lli.  ir   1....;.:-   l„  ihr 

Ux-  id  inill--i.im  );iiii  a! 

1  <.|,   1I.I.  III.-  i...!>|.lM    dr«..|„,K-.i. 

for.  a.  I  l,a'.'  all.  ..I.    \ 

.l!.a..-.i.  tl..-  ..i.li.-i   '...Kml,   niilU 

efforts  hate  been  made  by  the  Covemment  to 
parficuiar  Tields  of  msQufacture  for  hand-loom  iiidiunji 
for  instance,  the  mill  industry  can  no  looger  pndaBi 
certain  types  of  dhoiies  and  Mrect,  lungi*  and  ivonfi, 
chaddeii.,  sheets,  counterpanes,  game  cloth,  bandap 
cloth,  JBConels.  dusters,  napkins,  PIC,  etc.  Special  aiifit 
anee  is  also  given  to  the  han<lloom  industry  in  the  mat- 
ler  of  export  quotas.  Thus  there  is  no  export  duty  oa 
handloom  gouds,  and  handloon  goods  can  be  freelj  a- 

But  to  prosre^s.  a  Fact  Finding  Committee  appdaUd 
bv  till-  Ci'^minrnl  of  India  in  I'Xl  reported  that  iha 
nuirl»-r  of  lian.lh>omM  in  undivid'-d  India  in  1940  «i» 
abi>ut  2^)i).0i».  of  which  1.700.000  were  aeti\-e.  and  thtt 
mir    1  .-HKMtlKI    lll.ll^^■    were    >-nt!a|!<'il    in    weaving   coltai, 

'mrOti  III..' n  WOI.I.  .171.000  on  Mk.  25fla0  on  art  w& 

.anri  IDfl.nn  on  i>lb<'r  tixtili-s,  ami  that  lliffe  loomi  wo* 
^calli-ic'l  ilii.iuBhi'ui  India,  the  greuioi  numbn-  boBg 
in  .\s-uni.  Mudra*.  aniV  the  Punjab.  Tlie  number  «l 
wi>rk<'r>  mi^aiii'il  in  thi^  inilu>lrv,  whole  and  part-tla^ 
JK  est  I  mail.  I  \,\  ibi-  Ku<-1  Finding:  Cnmmiitrc  tn  be  MM 
2..II'0.C>::  thi-  a|:nrl  (rem  the  iiri'at  number  of  peopb 
doinii  auxiliar>'  wi.rk. 

In  t)ie  pai-t.  ilic  handloom  weavers  were  indcpendoU 
workers  Imi  lo-ilay  a  considerable  number  of  them  imk 
fur  a  wa^ii'  under  a  mailer,  weaver,  or  "Mabaian." 
Neverlhi-Ie~>.  ihe  i-(in<lilion  of  the  induilry  is  still  great!} 
uniirganii«-il.  with  mot  nt  the  weavers  working  in  thdt 
home.',  ami   thiTf   i->   nu   (arility   for  collecting   perindical 


Ihe 


Irnwl 

Ilk-,  -uih  ao  ihf  iwpplyinC 

a.liitinj;   (n-odf. 

w-aMT.    wb™e 

I1..1 

lakiiiE  >"M-U  action  as  will 

JM-  n 

adv  alti-mpts   lu 

improve  the 

fh..    r 

.-..lari/lns       ol 

.■.■-i.iiaiil'-   prii'i 

s.  a  limited 

.■    I..r    -hi-mes 

id   dccbp- 

II    ..1    uravi-r-i 

and    market- 

.:i.    m    II-    n-pi 

I    published 

.^1   .. 

llage  indnt- 

'iK-nd'-nt  I'lillaiie  system  prevaita 
li-trii-ls  (ir  undi-ieloiied  areas  and. 
nn-,  n-nirr-  have  ib-ve!oped  aroond 
>Hn-  ilir.iui.'li"ut   India  where  mitpol 


vjt-f  wiibo'Jt   bi-i  havinc   to  take 
iiiin>  wliii'li  mi^hi   lake  ptace  in 


AMRUTANJAN 

THE  ATOM  BOMB"  PAIN  BALM/ 


RINGWORM  OINTMENT 

THE  COSMIC  RAY  FOR  ALL  SKIN  DISEA6ES' 
>»M»UTANJAN  LTD.,PO.BOXI<0.68ZS.CAL.7 


I'OklilGK  PfiHIOJbiCALS 


fioi 


fUy  111  eiteOltfagittg  increased  production  rven  to  the 
e&t  of  subsidies.  It  urged  that  ''for  implem«ntinff 
\  maiouB  programmes,  it  will  be  necessary  for  the  cen- 
1  government  to  equip  itself  with  an  organization 
)Me  of  handling  various  questions  of  policy,  assisting 
drawing  up  production  programmes  with  sufficient 
vwledge  of  the  economic  conditions  and.  problems  of 
tage  industries,  and  of  assibling  the  co-ordinated 
relopment  of  research   ihroughout  the  countr\.-' 

Indo-China  can  Affect  all  East 
Asia,  N.  Y.  Times  Warns 

New  York,  Dec.  I,  1952.  Indo-China  i^  a  part  <•!  thr 
►rid  baltlefronlj  in  the  struggle  agiii?l  Communist 
perialism,  and  "what  is  liappeniu}:  th<re  <an  have  its 
pact  on  the  whole  of  Bast  Asia,*'  the  Ae/(  York  Tiifws 
clared  in  an  editurial  Friday. 

Following  is  the  text  of  the   Times  editorial  : 

**Indo-China  is  becoming  an  <?ven  more  critical 
tdeground  in  the  struggle  of  the  free  world  against 
edatory  Communist  imperialism,  and  what  is  happening 
ere  can  have  its  impact  on   the  wlude  of  East  A<ia. 

"During  this  week  two  significant  dispatches  have 
me  from  the  area.  In  the  first  it  was  revealed  that 
bstantial  quantities  of  Rusi^ianmade  equipment, 
eluding  trucks,  had  been  taken  in  a  French  Vnion  raid 
i  a  Communist  supply  depot.  In  the  !>econd  it  was 
tinted  out  that  the  Communist  Viet  Minh  is  planning 
e  ■ystematic  exploitation  of  the  Thai  tribesmen  in  the 
rper  Red  River  Valley  in  the  effort  to  win  their 
ipport. 


'These  two  developments,  taken  in  conjunction, 
show  the  scope  of  Communist  planning.  Weapons  and 
supplies  arc  being  brought  into  northern  Indo-China  over 
a  rail  line  of  not  IcfS  than  7,000  miles. 

*'Obv!ously  the  Kremlin  regards  the  struggle  as 
something  more  than  a  guerrilla  revolt  against  the 
French.  The  plan  to  envelop  the  Thai  peoples  shows 
the  ultimate  direction  of  the  a^tault.  The  whole  o£ 
Southeast   Asia   is   the  target. 

"The  Thai  tribe-men  form  the  link  from  Tonkin  to 
the  A*."»eiated  .State  of  Laos  to  the  south  and  west. 
Tliey  ean  pn»\ide,  al5<).  a  bridge  to  Thailand  and  a  gateway 
to  Burma.  The.-e  are  not  the  luo-t  direct  routes  to 
conquest  but  they  ean  be  devehiped.  A  group  of  peoples 
snt:h  as  the  'I  hai  ean  be  either  a  barriiT  «»r  a  bridge. 
Obviously  the  Communists  ln»p«'  to  use  them  in  the  latter 
capacity. 

"The  Thai  (thtr  wt>rd  means  'free')  tribesmen  have 
been  loyal  to  the  French  and  opporctl,  in  general,  to  the 
Communist  Viet  Minh  movement.  Their  loyalty  to  the 
Viet  Nam  government  of  Bao  Dai,  however,  has  beea 
lukewarm,  since  they  are  governed  primarily  by  tribal 
and  local  considerations  rather  than  by  a  real  concept 
of  nationalism.  They  are  brave  men,  independent  in 
spirit  and  devoted  to  their  own  religion.  Their  conquest 
and  use  by  the  Communists  would  be  a  spiritual  as  well 
as  a  military  tragedy.     The  danger  is  real. 

*The  simple  facts  of  geography  make  the  defence 
of  Indo-China  an  imperative  to  the  free  world.  The 
whole  peninsular  area  of  Southeast  Asia  can  be  held  only 
if  the  dike  is  held  in  Tonkin.  Pressure  from  the  north 
is  strong  ai^d  with  any  Communist  gain  it  can  be 
expected  to  become  stronger.    The  prize  is  a  rich  one. 


Four  in  One 


four  beneficial  ptcperiics  are 
combined  in  Ca!cfiemico*s 
SnizM  TCOIH  PASri: 


■ 

(1)  It  contains  all  the    antiseptic,    germicidal    and    astringent    properties  of  Neem  Twig 

known  to  the  Indians  from  ancient  times. 

(2)  It   contains  the    natural  CHLOROPHYLL  in    Neera    wilh    all  beneficial    properties.    It 
neutralises  bad  odour  of  ihe  moulh  and  removes  foul  breath. 

(3)  The  S.  F.  (our  trade  name)    in    Neem    Tooth    Paste    specially  prevents  caries  and 
PYorrhoca. 

(4^    The   high  grade    medicinal   precipitated  Calcium    and    Magnesium  Carbonate   and 
other  pure  ingredients  used  as 
base,  help  to  remove  the  acid- 

forming  bacteria,    which  causes  ^^^  

tooth  decay.    The  soap  content  )3P^/^^^^%)^p^|pj|\      TOOTH 

is    minimum  and   is  absolutely       /^0/7^^9^'VMl^ii/Vv^     PASTE 
free  from  animal  fat. 


tfeem  7ooi/2  Paste  is  a  chss  6.Y  itself  and  no  Qtfier  paste  can  claim 
to  be  so  nntcf}  attributive, 

THE  CALCUTTA  CHEMICAL  CO.,  LID.  caicuttam 


roit 


fttEl  MuDkUX  KllViEW  I'on  MARCH,  Mi 


^Its  most  significaAt  element  is  the  fact  that  the 
peninsular  area,  "with  Indo-China,  Thailand  and  Burma, 
controls  most  of  the  rice  for  export  in,  Asia.  And  this 
ia  in  addition  to  the  significance  of  Malaya  in  the 
production  of  rubber  and  tin.  The  Communists  are  not 
playing  for  small  stakes. 

"For  this  reason  we  will  do  well  to  disabufo  dureelves 
of  any  idea  that  the  battles  in  Indu-l^.tiina  are  little, 
insignificant  bkiriin&hi.'s  in  wlii«h  the  French  arc  tryinj; 
to  maintain  control  oC  i>art  of  a  culouial  ("mpirc.  This 
is  a  world  battlefront.  The  Couiinuninls  know  thai  it 
is  of  major  importuncc  and  arc  acting  accurdiiigly.  We 
will  be  wisKJ  if  wc  accord  it  it-  pr(»pcr  plact-  in  the 
defences   of   the    frc»-    worM."-- -('5/5. 


Plague  Deaths  Now  Avoidable 

The  World  llcahli  Organization's  Expert  Committee 
on  Plague,  concluding:  six  da>>  of  meetings  in  Bombay 
on  December  10,  1*^52,  nnaniinuu-lv  agreed  that  di-aths 
from  plague  couUi  be  avoided  in  the  present  blalc  of 
medical   knowledge. 

Adequate  dosages  of  ncfw  antibiotic  drug:»  like 
Atreptomycin,  they  said,  could  consistently  reduce  deaths 
to  below  10  per  cent,  of  casi's  even  in  the  pneumonic 
and  septicaemic  varieties  of  plague,  until  recently 
considered  to  be  almost  100  per  cent,  fatal.  In  uncompli- 
cated cases  of  ordinary  (bubonic)  plague,  sulfa  drugs 
used  alone  gave  e^ati&factory  results,  the  experts 
agreed. 

The  Committee  emphasised  that  the  most  effective 
and  valuable  method  of  preventing  plage  outbreaks  was 
by  improvement  of  houses  so  that  rats  could  no  longer 
live  in  close  contact  with  man.  Realising  that  this 
was  an  expensive  and  long-term  objective,  the  experts 
reviewed  other  modern  weapons  of  plague  prevention 
including  vaccination,  the  use  of  DDT  against  rat-fleas, 
and  certain   basically   new  rat   poi^on^. 

Insecticides  like  DDT  aw  nmv  pry\ed  i«i  be  very 
powerful  in  destroyinjt  the  chain  nf  inf4*etion  bstwecn 
the  rat  and  man.  ihe  Connnittee  recoi!unend<'d  their 
use  on  the  largest  possible  ?cale  particularly  for 
checking  the  iiutbreak  of  epidemic-.  In  non-«*pideniie. 
periods  the  wliol«r<.ale  destrncti«»n  of  rats  was  an 
important  additional  measure  of  protection,  the  experts 
aald. 

The  new  rat  poisons,  known  as  anti-coagulants 
because     they     induce     internal     bleeding      in   rats  by 


NOTICE! 


Purchasers  &  Local  agents  of  the 
Modern  Review  of  Delhi  and  New 
Delhi  area  are  hereby  requested  to 
contact  with  our  Sole  Selling  Agents  : 

A1E83R8  CKNTRAL  NEWS  AGENCY, 

r.VlX\  Ci)niJi:ug}it  Circus, 
NKW  DKLHI.    (Plmne  Ul^:]) 


destroying  the  coagulating  properties  of  their  blood,  b&VI 
proved  perfectly  harmless  to  humanj  beings  and 
domestic  animals  if  properly  administered,  tiie 
Committee  agreed.  In  this  respect  the  anti-coagulan: 
poisons  were  recognised  to  be  superior  to  highly 
effective  poisons  like  lOSO  which  were  known  however 
to  be  highly  dangerous  to  use  exccfU  under  very  special 
condition*!.  The  new  poison?  kill  the  rat  sl:»wly  witiiniu 
causing  ''bait•shyne!^s"  and  are  thus  able  gradually  to 
wii>e  out  whole  rat  populations. 

AiliT  consiiliTalion  t»f  uifTcient  kin<ls  of  plai'iie 
vaccines,  the  expcitf:  eone.lutlcd  thai  all  were  t-«!ii:iiiy 
satibfaetory  in  proteelinji  human  b.injis  prnviijr  i|  tliat 
correet  dose^  were  jiivin  jin«l  tin*  inoculation  w-re 
refieaterl  at  suitabl'*  inter\aU  dcptiidini:  i>n  lh.>  parti*  uUr 
vaccine  used.     If  I/O  I'rt'^s  Rclto:^e 

Mrs.  Pandit  to  KtM-Wve  *()ne  World' 

Award 

Ni'W  York,  Ikx.  12,  lf/32.  Mrs.  \  ijayalak-hnii  Panuil. 
leader  of  India's  deleiialion  to  the  current  L.X. 
General  Assembly,  will  receive  a  "One  World"  awarj 
early  next  \ear  in  rect)gniii<n  of  her  work  in 
international   statesmanship   and   humanity. 

Announcement  of  the  award  was  made  by  the  One 
World  Committee  at  a  dinner  it  held  to  honour  tha 
memory  of  Alfred  Nobel,  founder  of  the  Noble  Prizes, 
on  the  56lli  ann'versary  of  his  death — LSIS. 


TWO    IMPORTANT    BOOKS    OF 
Prof.  Dr.  KALIDAS  RAO,  M.A.  (Cal.),  D.Utt.  (Paris) 

Hony,  Seey,,  Royal  Asiatio  Society  of  Bengal 

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CALCUTTA 


Printed  and  jaUirhcd  |iy  Nibatan  Chandra  Da«,  Prabasi  IVc»s,  Calcutta. 


Thp  Fuel  Research  Inatitul*,  Diumbad.  Part  of  the  Coal     u.  i   v  Laboratory  for  Jhann  Coal-fieldn  ; 


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No.  4 


Wmou  No.  556 


*ii  im  M.m.  u  'HI' 1 1. 1  fci 


;4      i.  i 


NOTES 


Heme  and  Abroad      '  ' 

World  cdndiiioina  are  still  awry,  biit  at  the  time  of 
ing  these  Notes,  'some  few  rays  of  li^t  have 
lehtarily  flashed  through  the  miifkof  Interiiational 
tUiiek,  strife,  and  suspicion.  With  the  passing  of 
hi  thefe  is  Cki)pai^nt  in  Moscbw  some  Hew  depar- 
Bln'  iHteitiaiional  practice  of  the  Soviets.'  Jlaybe 
initiatiye  was  taken  by  the  great  Marshal  or  again 
light  bb  that  the  new  ihcmnbehts  want  to  tiy  out 
fw  1&I6  of  action.  In  any  case  th^r^  has  bieen  some 
it  easing  of  tension,  which  has  further  teen  imbue4 
I'g  tinge  of  hope  at  the  latest  Chinese  o£ter  of 
^  talks  in  Korea. 

In' some  quarters,  outside  Indii,  jt  is  thought  that 
sia  and  China  have  realized    their    severe  Toss  of 
tig^  in,  Asia  and  Africa  after  the  rude  refusal    of 
a's*  peace  proposals  by  Vyshinaky,  who  was  briefed 
iloscow  no  doubt,  and  the  endorsement  of  the  crude 
i^  of  refusal  by  the  People's  Government  of  China. 
BUOmaly  of  the  award  of  the  Stalin  Peace  prize 
third  class  Indian  politician,  with  no  record  for 
i  in  tile  cause  of  peace  and  little  more  for  seal 
service  in  public  or  national  progress,  is  sought  to 
itplained  on  the  basis  of  that  realization. 
buto-RusBxan  and  Indo-Chmese  rehitions  can  never 
ote-tBHil  those  twd  coimtries  witlidraw  their  sup- 
.  •^open  or  eovert,  froxn  those    groups  of    disrup- 
stis,  who  behaved  with  the    utmost    of  treachery 
•the  fighters  for  freedom  during  the  Second  World 
«Bd  who  were  active  protagonists  of  the  partition 
uUa  in  the  fateful  days  of  1945  and  1946.    Hie 
nous  Fuckle  Circular,  and     the    release  of  their 
JT^^on  the  25th  of  July,  1942,    on    the  condition 
ident  that  they    help    the    British     Imperialists 
mt  the  GongresB  of    Mahatma  Gandhi,    after  the 
ition  of  the  "Quit  India"  campaign,  are  the  cleareet 
fttiens  of  the  character  and  natora  of  those  parties. 
f  teeotd  of  work— which  lnclud»ed  8p3ring  for  the 
fh  ptfiiee,  tesnlting  in  the  arrest  of  th<m8ands  ^ 
kMk  by  hanging  and  diooting  of  manjr  patriots, 
W  etmklga  of  calomny    agionflt   Met^j^  SuMms 


But  it  is  wrong  io,1ay  aH  the  illd  of  the  world  ai 
the  doors  of  BussiA  and  China.  The  old  Colonial; 
powers,  France  and  Britain,  are  still  contributing  a 
fairi^r  ;heavy.  qnota  of  material  Xor  world  unrest. 
France  i&  stiH  ienociously  persecuting  the  leaders  of  tb^ 
IstiqbJ  independence  movement  in  Morocco,  is  ^till 
quibbling  about  the  granling!  of  rights  to  the  Vietnam 
peoples^'  and  is  behaving  in  an  altogether  atrocious 
fasl^idn  in  her:  fmgmentary  colonies  in  India. 

The; British  record  in  Malaya  is  not  quite  dean^ 
and  the  dragooning  of  the  pcace*4oving  peopieein 
Afxjca;  ix^  wjuch  she  has  been  stampeded  by  the  howls 
of  the  British  planters  terrorised  by  the  Mau-Mau, 
seems  to  be  another  chapter  in  medieval  borbarisiii, 
similar  to  their  record  during  the  Indian  struggle  for 
freedom  movements.  The  impaase  in  Egypt  hae  shown 
some  signs  of  improvement    hewevdr.' /. :  ,:<  .i.:/; 

French  opinion,  as  reflected  in  the  Socialist  Le 
Fopulaire  and  the  Ce  Matin  LePay^,  construct  the 
outbreak  of  anti<»Zionism.  and  anti-Semitism  of  the 
Soviets,  as  evinced  in  the  diplomatic  rupture  ;  with 
Israel  and  the  trial  of  Rudolf  Slansky  and  other  pfomi« 
nent  Jews  in  the  Soviets  domains,  as  an  attempt  to 
gain  a  foothold  in  the  Middle  East  Arab:  States  and 
thus  to  capitalice  Arab  unrest. 

At  home,  the  situation  shows  no -relief..  le^  this 
Independence,  for  which  millions  made  untold  sacri- 
fices, going  to  turn  to  ashes  like  a  Dead-sea  apple? 
The  Free  India  dreamt  of  and  fought  for  by  Tilak  and 
Surendranath^  is  now  a  vivisected  and  troubled  reality. 
Violence,  attended  with  loot,  arson,  rap^  and  murder, 
has  broken  out  in  Pakistan,  while  on  this  side  of  the 
border  a  weak  and  inefficient  government  seems  to  be 
unable  to  give  relief  to  its  suffering  nationals.  Issues 


-  -  II  ~ 


■^Mi^ 


>ii> 


,..  P  Im ,  Ihte  ooatMctioB  we  Uk«  to  oMBtiiMi  a  Uittm  mitteo  by  8rl 
D.  V.  Divekar.  the  editor  of  the  Marathm.  Re  dialleiifee  J^  eutemeat 
by  the  Ute  Sareodraiiatb  in  hi*  A  Nation  i»  MakUg  '*  wfceta  b« 
elelne  to  here  been  tbe  tax  Indim  of  hit  gMefttion  fo  Mff«r 
Imyiieeflnrtnt  to  tbe  iMbnw*  ^  pMia  4ntt.  SH  Dhrrfnt  itatit,  nfteff 
peyinf  tifbnte  to  the  mmumf^  of.  dmmAntMk,  tbet  wUle  Si^endfe* 
Mtb.;  wt^  in^ptiMfied  «m  the  $)b  of  Mar.  1883,  TiUk  nnd  ^riutf 
v^mai'lmvSiHmmmt'iti'ili^^  iaA  m  tbe  Somt  W  ^bfOa. 

by  "-^^^^^ 


2M 


THE  MODERN  REVIEW  FOR  APRIL,  1963 


liofuistic  States,  about  which  we  have  published 
an  article  and  a  large  extract  in  this  issue,  are  being 
shelved  on  flinuy  grounds.  In  passing  we  would  state 
that  We  most  emphatically  do  not  agree  with  either  of 
them,  both  with  regard  to  argument  as  well  as  to  con^ 
elusions.  A  detailed  criticism  would  be  out  of  place 
heiie  but  we  would  say  that  Sri  Agarwal's  plea  for 
shelving  issues  is  not  borne  out  by  force  <)f  arguments 
and  with  regard  to  Dr.  Jadunath  Sarkar's  article,  we 
would  respectfully  say  that  he  has  net  gOne  into  the 
la9\les  and  implications  fully  or  else  he  would  have 
arrived  at  a  different  conclusion.  Thi  term  Balkanisa* 
tion  also  bsa  been- used  very  iooeely4n  eonnootion  wiih-- 
this  problem. 

Failure  of  Congress-PS.?.  Talks 

The  talks  between  Sri  Jawaharlal  Nehru,  the 
Congress  President,  and  Sri  Jaiprakash  Narain,  the 
Praja-Socialist  leader,  about  which  there  had  been 
much  speculation,  have  ended  in  futility.  The  talks 
were  held  on  the  initiative  of  Sri  Nehru  who  had 
aent  invitations  to  the  P^P.  leader. 

Sri  Narain  put  forward  a  14-point  programme  on 
which  he  wanted  an  agreement  before  they  could  pro- 
ceed further;  because  he  felt  that  co-operation  without 
agreement  on  specific  issues,  which  could  be  placed 
before  the  people,  would  do  harm.  The  draft  pro- 
gramme was  as  follows:. 
L    Consdtational  amendment : 

.     (a)  To  remove;  obsUcles  in  the  way  of  social  change, 
. .  (b)  Abolition     of     constitutional     goaranteea     to 

Piriaeet,  and  chdl  servants,  etc, 

(c)  Abolition  of  second  chambers. 
2,    (a)  Administrative  reforms   at   all  levels,  inclnding 

decentralisation  of  jpoHtical  powers  and  administra- 

dvD  authority, 

(b)  Reform  of  law  and  legal  procedure, 

(c)  Summary  and  effective  machinery  to  deal  with 
eomiptioii. ., 

9.     <a)    Redrawing  the  administrative  map  of  India  on 

the  basis  of  linguistic,  -economic  and  administrative 

considerations.      Appointment   of   a   commission   by 

the  Parliament  to  work  out  the  details  on  the  basis 

of  the  above-mentioned  principles, 

(b)  Reduction  of  the  administrative  costs  by  having 

icgional    (multi-State)    Governors,  High  G>urts,  and; 

other     top-level     tribunals     add     Public     Services 

Commission. 

:C    (a)  Redistribution     of  land  to     remove     eoQlulmiic 

-     -  inequality,  and  ezpbitation..  Preference  to  be  given 

in  all   such  sdiemes  to  landless  labour  and  poor 


(b)   Immediate  stoppoge  of  all  evictions, 

(c)-  Suitable  legisUtion  to  prevent      fragmentation, 

bring  about  consolidation  of  holdings, 
(d)  Abolition     of  tlte     ^eiwnlng  forms     of  land* 


(e)  The  rural  economy  to  be  txansfonned  into  a  es> 
operative  economy  through  compulsory  molti-parpoii 
societies, 

<f)  State  assistance  in  providing  credit  and  olhsc 

facilities     to     agriculturisU;     such     assislanee    t» 

be  given  through  multi-puipoae  8pcieties» 

(g)  The  state,  as  far  as  p^sible,  to  deal  not  witk 

individual  peasants  but   through  a  group  of  then 

organised  in  a  cooperative  or  panchayat.    This  to 

include  collection  of  land  revenue,  a  part  of  which 

to  remain  with  the  ^Uage  as  organised  in  the  muhl' 

purpose  society  or  panchayat. 

•S,^  Reclamafion.^of  waste -land  and  settlement  of  land- 

less  labour  on  them  through  village  collectives.    No 

waste  lands  to  be  all^tlpd  for  capitalist  farmings. 

6.  Nationalisation  of  banks  and  insurance  companies. 

7.  Progressive  development  of  state   trading. 

8.  Selected  nuinber  of  plants  in  different  Industrie^ 
to  be  owned  and  run  by  the  state  or  co-operativei 
or  autonomous  corporations  or  workers'  councils; 
fostering  organizations .  of  technicians  and  managen 

to  provide  expert  advice  and  administrative  perooa* 
nel  for  state  enterprises. 

9.  Unified  trade  union  (T.U.)  movement  organised  oa 
the  basis  of  the  union  shop.  This  will  enable  the 
unions   to   become   socially   responsible    agencies. 

10.  Nationalisation  of  coal  and  other  mines  produdaf 
'important  minerals. 

11.  Association  of  workers  in  the  ™"sgf'"fnf  of  state 
enterprises. 

12.  Demarcation  of  spheres  of  large  and  small-scale 
industries,  and  establishing,  encouraging  and  pco^ 
tecting  small-scale  industries. 

13.  As  a  first  step  towards  achieving  economic  equalUi 
in  the  country^  higher  salaries  and  ^^mftlnmipnff  i^ 
government  services  shall  be  scaled  down. 

14.  The  spirit  of  Swadeshi  to  be  promoted  and     mads 

to  pervade  all  walks  of  life. 

In  a  covering  letter  Sri  Narain  stated  that  a 
sep«te  of  urgency  was  lacking  in  the  country  which  he 
considered  as  essential  for  the  advancement  <»f  thi 
country.  Though  a  good  deal  could  be  said  "^or 
caution  and  fearing  to  create  too  many  upsets,"  he 
thought  that  one  must  act  boldly  towards  one's  goak 
He  considered  a  move  to  be  essential  and  in  his  view 
"that  move  must  be  rapid  and  drastic  in  the  begin- 
ning, when  a  new  departure  has  to  be  made,  rather 
than  in  the  middle  or  at  the  end  of  the  process.  Tfat 
move,  further,  must  be  such  that  the  mass  Of  ths 
people  are  able  to  appreciate  and  understand  and 
realise  that  they  are  on  the  move."  Many  r^orms 
were  already  overdue  and  present  conditions  demand^ 
a  thoroiigh  administrative  overhauling.  Agrarian  and 
legal  reforms  should  immediately  be  put  into  isffee^ 
The  letter  says:  ''The  reform  must  be  'drasdd  ^ 
inMstL  affect  all  levels^ :  We  shoukl  aba  make  MP  JfKV 
minds  as  to  what  kiz^.^.pglit^    iQrx(0itl.lNJ*H^ 


—  -\' 


IfOTZS 


«  « « » •  -♦  •  ^ » 


J^.. 


s» 


raHiatiois  of  poirer  And  suthority  woiild  l>e 
Toug,"  Sri  Narain  expressed  his  appr^ension  at 
«ndexicy  evident  in  the  official  circles  towards 
me  centralization  of  power  ia  the  name  of  effi- 
y.  The  PJ5P.  leader  wrote  that  they  had  sug- 
i  ''nationalisation  in  two  sphenee,  (a)  Banking  and 
ance,  and  (6)  Mining."  They  agreed  with  the 
9  Minister's  view  that  only  strategic  industries 
d  be  nationalized.  Sri  Narain  cpnsidered  that  "one 
«  most  strategic  points''  in  the-  rational  economy 
banking  and  insurance.  "As  regards  mining,  the 
for  its  nationalization  was  unanswerable.'' 

n  view  of  the  fact  that  the  Congress  party  stood 
y  need  of  coalition  with  other  parties  and  the 
that  nor  were  the  PJ5P.  a  power  in  the  legis- 
99,  he  appreciated  the  Prime  Minister's  boldness 
iviting  them  for  co-operation  end  regarded  Sri 
u's  proposals  not  as  a  move  for  "parliamentary 
^ion  in  the  accepted  sen^e  of  the  term  but  a  joint 

to  build  the  new  India.'' 
le  exprei^sed  his  concern  that  if  India  failed  to 
cnt  anything  but  a  pale  picture  of  a  welfare  state, 
ppeal  of  China  would  become  irresistible  and  that 
J  affect  the  lives  of  millions  and  change  the  course 
srtoiry  disastrously."  He  also  wanted  to  point  out  to 
^6hru  tfiat  undue  importance  should  not  be 
bed  to  the  "chits  that  foreigners  have  given  your 
mmeni.'*  ^  '  '  : 

!^laining  the  programme  to  a  Press  Conference 
ew  Delhi  on. March  19.  Sri  Narain  said  :  "It  will 
rong  to  sav  that  the  talks  have  broken  down.  The 

have  ended,  but  the  idea  is  still  there.  It  seems 
time  is  not  yet  ripe."  He  added  that  the  end  of 
talks  did  not  preclude  his  party's  Joining  hands 
the  Congreffi  in  Madras  or  Andhra.  He  would  like 
iscuss  with  Sri  Nehni  any  other  point  not  men- 
d  in  the  programme.  The  PJSP.  were  in  general 
urgent  with  the  Government  of  India's  foreign 
y  but. they  would  like  the  Government  to  follow 
policy  adufnbrated  at  the  recent  Asian  Socialist 
erence.  Sri  Narain  told  that  thpy  had  not  said 
lins  about  the  compensation  for  Zemindari  Aboli- 
in  tho  programme  but  io  them  "rehabilitation 
lensafion  seem«»  to  be  adequate  rnoueh.  But  that 

open  cniestion."  In  his  view  foreiam  aid  phould  be 
>ted  onlv  on  a  Government  to  Government  level 
there  should  not  be  any  undu^  dependence  on 
zn  conntriefl.  Kecardinar  collaboration  with  other 
ftff.  the  PJ5.P.  had  derided  not  to  job  hands  with 

Sangh  or  other  communal  bodies. 

3ri  Nehru  jn  his  reply  to  the  letter  of  Sri  Jai- 
ish  Narain  stated  that  the  letter  disclosed  "not 
bow  much  we  had  in  common  in  regard  to  our 
outlooks,  but  the  differences  in  our  approach."  He 
)fed  the  goals  and  values  of  Socialism  as  defined 
ri  Narain  and  also  recognised  tha  necessity  for 
g  to  achieve  tbem  in  tJ^  shortest  possible  tiiB^ 


The  qnestioQ  was  how  toproeeed*  He  also,  agreed  with 
Sri  Narain  that  a  ^enae  of  i^rgency  was  lacking  in  the 
country  generally  and  "in  our  polici^^  also."  He  alsQ 
granted  to  "increase  that  sense -of  urgency.  I  confess 
that  I  have  a  feeling  of  groping  forward,  step  by  step, 
ey^n  thpugh..the  goal  might  be  clear.  But  I  do  pot  wish 
io  vrg^e  these  matters."  His  purpose  ip  having  talki 
,with  the -PJSP.  leaders  "was  obviously  due  to, a  feeling 
that  We  baye  big  things  to  do  in  this  country,  and  we 
should ,  approach  them  with  our  joint  effort."*  He  did 
not  think  of  any  precise  methods  of  doing  so.  After 
reading  Sri  Narain's  letter  he  felt  that  "any  kind  of  a 
formal  step  at  the  present  moxnent  would  not  be 
helpful."  He  had  little  Objection  to  the  poihts  in  the 
'draft  ipregramme  sent  by  Sri  Narain  but  surely  it  was 
beyond  him  "both  aS  Prime  Minister  and  as  the 
President  of  the  Congriesii  to  deal  with  sdch  vital 
matters  and  give  assurance  in  regard  to  them.  Many 
oi  these  may  be  logically  justifiable  and  yet  there  may 
be  other  reasotis  which  come' in  th^  way.  Again,  one 
can  hiardiy  fake  all  these  tilings  in  a  bunch."  At  the 
same  time  he  recognized*  that  the  PJ5.P.  were  "perfectly 
justiffed  in  putting  forward  what  yoil  consider  yow 
'  immediate  programme  to  be. 

"There  lies  the ,  difficulty,  and  it  is  because  of  this 

_fl^ct  that  I  feel,  that  it  is  better  for  us  not  in  any  way 

to  tie  each  other  down,  bwt  rather  to  try,  to  the  best  of 

our.  ability,  to  develop  both  the  spirit  and  the  practi^ 

of  co-operation."  . 

.  Therefore  he  agreed  with  Sri  Narain  that  the  talks 
should  be  dropped. 

In  a  statement  issned  from  New  Delhi  on 
March  18.  Sri  Nehru  stated  that  the  talks  had  been 
^ven  up  because  they  felt  that  "probably  the  time 
had  not  come  for  any  commitments  to  be  made  at  this 
stflse  about  Jninimum  proerammes.  etc..  although  there 

•  might  he  a- good  d^aV  of  aereement  b'»tw^n  us." 

Giving  reasons  for  ipviting.  the  P5.P.  to  the  fit- 
elusion  of  other  parties  the  statement  read:  'The 
parties,  as  they  exist-  in  India  today,  apart  from    the 

*  Concrreas,  VnnV  be  divided  in  four  groups.  Thera  are 
■  certain  political  partiwi  with  an  economic  ideology. 
There  is  ih^  Coihrnimfst  Party  with  the  allied  or^f 
nidations.  There  nre  various  rommTinal  parties  tn^der 
different  nam^s  but  essentially  following  a  t^arrow 
bommiraal  idi?ology.  and  there  are  a  considerable 
number  of  local  parties  and  grorrps  having  only  a 
pro^T'cial  or  even  narrower  appeal.** 

Co-operation  with  the  Commimist  partv  was  ruled 
out  because  it  was  "far  removed  from  the  basic  strur. 
ture  and  Ideology  of  the  Concrress  and  its  peaceful 
methods  and  democratic  objective."  The  outlook  of 
the  commimal  parties  was  completely  opposed  to  that 
of  the  Coneres!«i.  The  provincial  and  local  ctoup^t  had 
no  great  importance  from  the  all-India  point  of  view. 

The  Praja  Socialist  Party  wa«  the  rmW  other 
important  par^  and  there  was  a  "considerable  field  of 


9H 


THE  MODERN  WEHnOS^  FOR  APRIL,  1963 


itfd  A^  JPrii^  gScfil&t  Rirtjr .•  Th*  Ptime  Mmistrr 
Ibaiural!;  thought  that  these  two  paitiee  dtdalS  4M^> 
operate,  fw  Hhe  ritext '  five  or  ten  yims  are  gomg  to  b* 
'crudaJin  our  country Vi  histoiy* 

^-  Apd  tKws.the  parleys,  lasting  over  ror.days.  hare 
^dfid  in  nonglil.  It.  ie^  deeply  to  be  >efretted^  tiiat  tBo 
.^tense  of  nrgeoqr"  bo  mnch  stressed  bf  5ri  Jalprakasb 
rNiirahi,  seemato  have  beep  absent  from  bis  own  attitnde, 
.^nd,  despite  bis  own  protests,  first  tilings  were  not. ahrsrs 
pnt  first.  I^  08  make  our.  ftatepientt  elear.      .. 

EVer  since  the  death    of    the    Sirdarrrand  lo  aene 
'i^ipreciable'  extent  in  bis  tinio  ei^os— wobble    and    drift 
^have  been  the  main  ehafaeteristics  of  oar  Government  #t 
'fih'''  rVn  tfp.  This  hnf  h&m  r*flfrff»d  y^nthe  poli'*ic?«  of  tbe 
'States,  in  fome  of  WhicVCho  West  ^Bencal^  the  intereita 
of  the  children  of  theso'l  are  being  totally  imoredby  in- 
*eompetent  and  eominr'  administrations  'headed  by  ignorapt 
Slid  complacenr  chiefs.  The  result  is  that  frustration  and 
despair  is  marked  in  all  spheres  of  pnbBe  weal  endeanmr 
'  and  the  forces  of  comiption'  tm6  dismption  are  gaining 
'  strength  eviCff  d^.-^LaW  and  order  is  being  severely  handi- 
capped  by   defects  in   the   Gonstitation«  <  which  i^all  for 
I'ractification  with  farr.more  urgency  than  those  .  ihat  Sri 
-^Jatprahash'  desired.  The  .very-  first  thing  neceasary.  in  thia 
:eoinitry  ia  to  check  the  flood,  of  corruption  that  threatens; 
.'  to  angutf  the  nation  and  the  logical  corollary  to  .that  is 
the  strengthening  of  the  Central  Government  by  the  in^n- 
«lion  of  men  of  onletanding  slalure  in  the  terms  of  into- 
grity.  determination  and  staunchness. in  the, aervjco  of  the 
a>n^t^,^^d  this  is  just  what  could  have  been  expected  if 
otn  ^eloved  friends '  Sir  JaiP^kash  and*  Acharya  Nsrendra 
Deva  had  realized  the  urgency  of  relieving  the  dishreaa  of 

.the  country  and  decided  to  postpone  the  oonsideratfon  of 

*    •  •  •  ■     .  • 

their  articles  of  faith  imder  a  heahhieir  atmoapber^.  -  Of 
the^  fourteen  points,  only  2.  3,  4  and  14  were  of  the 
essence,  "the  rest  could  have  aAd  slvMildlKavo  wdlod  te 
CQPsideration  at  a  much  later  dale.  " 

'  The' Unicm  Bndget  '    • 

The'  Union  Budgt*t  fOr'lfS3-54  has-been  .termed -aa 
'  the  Budget  for  the  Flan. '  The  Flnaneo.  -  Minister  waa 
'  rather  ahx-ous"'  to'  create  the  neeassarr  peychology.  dMt 
'  the '  efOTiomic  position*  of  tho  oountry .  it  -  on  .tho  whole 
"sailkfactory  and' mdving  III  the  right'  direction^  To*-0np-  > 
*'  port  his '  stand  he  showed  sr  snrphM* 'on*^  revcnoe  budget  ' 
'  when  ^  a"  l^g  deficit  was '  capeottod  on  that-  aocooat.    But 

a  close  scrutiny  Veveale  that  this  sufploa  on  -revenneao- 

coQnt  1r  qn^ennreai-beinS  ibo^  result  ol  window-dressing. 
-'Although 'a  certaiii  amoonf-of  manipuktimi  of  'figures 
'  hto  i>ecomo  a  enstomary  future  bf  BMidorBr  budgets*  that 

is'mostTy  'executed  so  cleverlr  that- •  the  oxtent-of . 
'the  *  wiiidOW-dressing  remains -unknown  until  tho  .revised . 
'  estimarea  are  published.    Mr.  Deshmnkh^  manipulatfon  of 

lifrbreiB'  has  been  done  so  poorly^  that  even  a  eorsory  glance  - 
*•  detects*  the  .fictitious  .nature,  of-  the  surplus  .on  the. 
' :  reyeaur  account.    The  inclusiott  under  receipts  of  Rs.  18 

crorea  from  Pakistan,  being  the  first  and  second  in^al- 


r.    • 


^trerits  prO^pi^  w^: 

made  to  wipe-  off  otteTiHse  « lieaty  deficit* '  ft  ik' 

M  whetber  Pakistan     haa  either  tho  tntentio*  or  lH 

Ability  to '"pay  this  dae     amount  <bfring  the  Mxt 

Obvioiisly  it  is'  a  bad  debt    Further,  to  betf 

of  capital  debt  in  instalments  as  a  revenue  receipt 

of  regarding  it  as  a  capital  item, -is  a' w«^(Mg 

At  best  the  interest  due  on  this  dc3>t  oMi  «bno 

been  regarded  as  a  revenue  recei]^  > '  ■  ' 

Tn  his  estimates  of  revenue  ineorae^  dw 
Minister  lias  been  rather  overoptimtstie.  Tlio  oarfmatid 
income  of  Rs.  159.18  crores  by  way  of  iDOrpte^tfioa  adi 
income*  taxes,  as  aga'nst  Rs.  170  crotes*  in  the  cprreat 
year^  is  not  hkely  to' prove  eerreet.  The*reanka  of  nunsf 
jeint'SfoCk  cowpaiiies  published  in  reeen^-iasontlu  iadi' 
eate  that  in  the  coming  yeai^  the  iileoae-lax  tevoMo  li 
likely  to'faO.  It  might  be  possible 'to; collect  the  ninonat 
'the  Budget  Hks  estimated;  provided  ^tbe~  ^  taxHi^leath9 
machinery  is  bbneat,  active  and  efficient^  teoagbrlp-  pop* 
vent  tax  evasion  that  is^oifag'inthis  eonatfy'oB  m  kPlfs 
'scale.  To  close  die  leOpiholea-thr^gb:  which  tbo' Centre 
loses  income-tax  revenue,  a'-suitablcr  prOdaioQ  baa  besd 
inchillEad  ^n'  the  Hnance  Bill  lor*  pre^Mnitins  ptop)^  bjjim 
buymg  up  specnlathre  losses.  The  ptopoaed  hiiw»T^ 
Amendment  Bill  aho  containa'  thb' proviaiattk  -.TUa.-pa^ 
'vision  has'  been  long  overdue  to  keep'^down  mwrtfii 
spocOlation.  "    '  •"•.  :'  .^l  v  •  j  ..•' :v^  .-.  j  .«•  \, /..-:.,, 

The  small  rcBcf  afforded  to  the  kw^ineoao-gifap 
and  the*-reduction.  i^.  the.  export  dut^.on  Md^gft  have 
"^been  well  received- 4>y  4ha  piiblic%.  MtHCODvei;  tlip|«  .is 
absence  of  additionAl  Impo^  of  a  heavy  nature  in  tjie 
Budget;    By.  -raising  the  exemptionL  fimit  for      pamal 
income-tax  from.  Rs.  3600  for  individuals  Wd  Ra.  7^ 
for  flindu  undivided  famiUes  to  Rs.  .4;M)Q  .loid  JU^  i,4D0 
res^poctivdy,-  the .  Govan|inen(  have  tried  to.  giye  aon^'  fo 
fief  to  the  kwcr  income  group  in  the. mid^e  claMv   ^ 
extent  of  the  relief- is  bowevc?  ^eglible(  the.W.of*  i^ 
sue  to  the  Government.. being,  estimated  lo  be  no  «ne 
than  Rs.  8?  lakhs.    To.  tbe. individual  wit)dn  thja  iq^oiis 
dab,  the  relief     works.oot,U>^ntj|iiu   lOO.pv 
But  this.  reKel  in  direct  Uu^on  is.piQre  thim  o^  jiy 
the  rising.eost  of  .living,  due.  .to  hii^er  indiioet  t^icatlen. 
It:  mayr  be  reinemberQ.d  that  r^ently  the    ^G<iwfina^ 
imposod  additional  .taxation  9(  tlm  order  of  Ra.  10  mres 
by.wa]^  of  an  increaec.in.lha  excise  du^  on  rajssr  and  Vr 
le[vying  a.  spedal  .  excise  .o{,.9.4>i^  .on  ah.  varietiea  of 
ch>th..'lt.  soems  thai  tha  .Govexnment  have  adopted' a 
•Iftw    technique. oi-   tioini^  the  people.. indirol^ 
aaeasivea:  are.  introduced . (or  i^ear.  <n-  ^^idditlonal  Utw  hi 
stages  in  the  OQurse-  ol  the.  Tear  apd  only  ip{ni^  diaaid 
'.  are  effiected  in  the  ^udf^eto.  just  to  show  to  ^^^o 
that. the  Governmjent  bj^  aware ^of  thefr  'diffcnktea!   Tik« 
ing  into  account  the'increMe^  i^  the  \  funin  ind  cftlh 
excises, .  the .  proposed  ^  jno^^aifes  .in  s^me.  of 'the  jpatfal 
chaiges  and  the  adjustments  n^de  ^  the  imi>on  dirtfei^    a 
the. additions  to  the  existing  bui>dei|  of  tazatloB  ooma  ta    I 
nearly  Rs..  16  crorea.    But  actually  it  wiD  be  mart  ihtf    ' 
that.    Tho  readjustment  of  the  exdae  doty  te^ditt 


V4.  N.-    V_A  «• 


mi 


* '.  - 


z:\ 


•'', 


4lf  fUbfMn  "tft  fpodSb  doddi^  t>iiff  liiR  ivnor  'tfio 
^ir^'  ojf  adise  duty  on  fiae  eoimts  firbxn  ftbotit  7  pie9 
*]B«r  yard  to  15  pies  per  yard,  that  is,  by  more  thin 
^200  per  eent.  Tlie  fine  count  textiles  eonstitute  a  snbstali- 
''tial  proportion  of  the  total  production  and  as  sttcli  the 
'yfisld  from  the  excise  duty  wiH  be  eonsiderable.  The 
'^ifidritwal'of  the    option  to  the  mills  to  pay  either  on 

the  basb  of  ad  valorem  or  specific  rates,  whichever  is 
^  IvwavrWill  pniten\  to  c  great  extent  the  downward*  trend 
ct»  dotfi  prieea. 

-  '  Ttio  redtaetion  in  the  export  duty  on  sacking  from 
'  IKiiL  VJ5  per  tofs  to  Rs.  SO  per  ton  is  a  timely  move  in 
'  leeping  with  the  trends  of  the  world  oompetitive  market. 
*'T1ie  Joto  mills  diould  now  seixe  this  opportunity  to  In- 

their  exports  by  improving  their  quality. 

Tie  impiMitieb  6{  import  duties  oh  luxury  and  semi- 

'^Iknnff  geods»  although  well-intentioned,  may  not'  bring 

^ailoM  the  desirod  itsuh,  taamely,  additional  revenues,  or 

;  larger  indigeneous  manufactiffes  ot  the  same 

But  the^  other  idde  of  the  possibility  should  not 

-'be  ^jttbred.    The  higher  import  duties  may     discburaige 

coBsidierabhp  the  imnort  of  the#e  luxury  and  senod-lttxiury 

-  goods  an<f  eonsecpiently  the  anticipated  revenue  may  not 
7  m  roaBsed  Again,  thcf  indigenous  inannfaetttrers  t>f 
■^  Seae  goods  may  raise  their  prices  to  the  extent  of  tiie 

•  iiliiwrt  duty  and  thus  try  to  take  advantage  Of  wEat^is 
"  vfrtittd^  a  elMed  market  for  ^em. 

,•  •    .Qf  the  development. expenditure,  more  than  J^alf  is 

^•pii^productiv^, . ,  The  ^  <^^su!t  of  .  Rs.  6     crores  for  the 

development  of  the  handloom,  industry  and  of  .Rs.  6.33 

jorores  for  the  Community     Projects     will  increase  &e 

'  burden^  on  the  community  and  the  benefits  ot  such  large 

^  «ipen<fiture  are  of  dubious  nature.    The  abolition  of  food 

aobsid^  will  result  in  a  saving  of  Rs.  21  crores  and -the 

addi|[ionaI  taxation  to  the  order  of  Rs.  16  drores  tvOttld 

'  bare  rgsulted  In  a  real  stuplus  of  Rs.  37  crores,  had  not 

'  3b '.  Govermnent    thus   whittled   away   large     sums    by 

aObeatlons  on  schemes  of  doubtful  utifity. 

The  increase  in  postal  rates  on  certain  categories 

would  be  a  severe  handicap  on  the  book-publishers. 'It 

^'^ITa^Very^heaTjr  tfix  on  edue&tton  in'elfect,  and 'would 

^ ' kei^mf'emBill  publishers!  We  have  reinarked  o&'  ii^in 

-%  prtfi^  iflBtte:       '  ^ 

Hie  expenditure     on     defence     and  a^finlnfstrakitm 

*  'm^bnkn  to  femi&  high^  the  ionner  alone  acecrfiits  for 
'  9Mtf  SO  par*  eent  of  the  total'  ei^enditure.     Pity  it^i^ 

'  Aat  while  siftsidisfaig  consump^oil  is  obviously  found 
'  IneoinpiBtibfe  with  planniifg' for  more  saving-  and  nlore 
--  iav cstuieut; •jnAa  has  to'  si^d*  sueh'  large  sums  for  hen 
chil  admbiistration 'aftd' )br^  ensuring  iscr  seenrity;  but 
^  ftniek  fiafa^  'Vhit  they' are  this  hat  to  iw  dane'nofeiui 


Rs.  600  crores.     The  Tmaioi^  MinStel  «Qi»^  ^T^ 

-fb^  leard'iof .  ifdrel^ment  \expaidiuire    reached  by  the 

^  Stated  iDHi952t53  is  maintained  in  the  comjng  yeax«  the 

'total  expendittfre,  taking,    the     Centiie     and  the  States 

together,'  for  tho  three  years  ending  March,  4954^'  woi^ld 

'  havO  teachid  iibout .  Rs.     1,000     aioneft,''     That  is^  the 

-  det^lopineht' expenditure  under  the  -Plan  wiU  rise  to  Ri. 

'  40d  lerorisrin'the  next     yeiir  Vwhicb  must  have  to  be 

'inerea^  to 'Rs.  500  crores  in  fhd  fourth:  year  and  ^ 

about  Rs.  600  crores  in  the  Mth  year  for  iu  successful 

implementation  i     The  Budgets  t>f  the  State  Govemmoit 

'have  shown  that  the^    savings  required  '*rom  the-  Statce 

for  the  Han  have  not  materialised.'     The  maiii  burden 

of  nddUg  &linc^  for  the  Plan  therefore  comes  ^upOn  the 

''tlnioit  whidh  has  but     two     ways  for  raising  financO^ 

-jaxatioh  or  deficit  financing.     The  Union  has  hot  ligre^ 

to  "kvjr  fresli  tiixatfon  oh  a'  largef  scale  and  eandequsKdy 

•  it'  has  10  re*»rt  to  deficit  finandmf . 


:.k..f 


'  The' Tfauhce  Mililsttoi'W  difiScuhy  Is  ihat  altbdv^be 
itk  ieA  able  td'bahmbehts  revenue  budget;  he  canftot 
^atniee  'hhi  "cK^iital  budget.  On  a  reuid!^  estimate;  "the 
totiil  tep«ndlturo  by  the  Centre  and  the  States  logger 
ft^tm^im-  iMifeaie   «(  iho   Ptas  to  of  ^aefdatoof 


Deficit  financing  itself  is  neither  good  nQr  $ad-;-it'  is 

.  .lhe;'dh'ection.and  .the  ways  of  ^p^ding  that  maJces  it 

:  so.     Deficit  financing  is.infla.tionary  and  apart  ^ropa.  ynt 

Oouditions.  in  normal  times.it  sbQuld  be  undertaken  very 

r^jStionsIy.:  The  maiiiL  dra^hapk.  jn  this  presentatiQp  of 

India's  public  expenditure  is  that  there  is  no  cfcar-cut 

'dioUnctien.. between    .revenu.Q,   expenditure     and.  capital 

>  caQ>enditure.     Ta  undertake  deficit  financing  on  reyesyne 

.-expSdditore.isr  ineomprehensibler     Dcificit    .financing  on 

capital  expenditure  can  be  made  provided  thfs  .schemes 

'  jyre,>^ti4uctiT?  ^  ^  fp9^t  .extpt  and  taxable  sources 

of  income  are'  fully  tapped.     In  India,  the  percentage  .of 

direct  t-tax  on  an  income  .of     Rs.      3.00,000  and  above 

s  amounts  to  77.  as  against  92  in  Britain  and  90*  in  the 

,  USA  jon  the  same  income  levels.     If  there  be  scope  for 

\  .fu^er  increasing  the  rale  of  taxation  on  higher  income 

"groups  then  from,  the  viewpoint  of  a  welfare  State  that 

'-  should  have  been,  more  expedient  than  deficit  financing. 

,  In  view  of  the  widespread  tax  evasion  in  this,  country,  the 

rate  of  direct  taxation  Qn  upper  income  levels  should  have 

been  raised  before  r^prting  to  deficit  financing.  There  is 

risk  in  resorting  to  iflflktionary  deficit' finandngMMr 'so 

^Ttegfe'a  s^leV^^as  Rs.  146  croies    in  the  h^*  yieaf.    The 

-'^' present 'e6liditi<Ms  in  the  country  do'  hot'   warrant  any 

'  expectation  of  the  abifity  to  absdrb  such  V  large  quantum 

-  bf '  additioniS  purchasing    power,  tmless  the  madihiery  of 

'^tintion  Is  Ivell'as  i«<^  oontirol  is  geared  to*  the  occarion. 

Knd  to  what  purpose  i?  all,  this  risk  <)f  inflation 
^  and  bankruptcy  _  h^mgi .  undortakeja?.    ThQ .  mrakud 

The  net  position  is  that  al^ough  a  nominal  smrplus 
'^  oil  *  iMH/mt  'account  lias  been  *  -aMiieved,  a  "Imrge  *  overall 
'  dcfidr  of  Rg.  140  eroreg  is  estimated  on  account  of  heavy 
""  ^oatHtal  *  expenditnre  prognnmne. '  '  Under  the  *  Budget  ^  of 
'-19SM4,  iho  •otd'^reVenue'estfanated'is  Rs.^37  csores 
^~an)i  4lMlistaI.' expenditure  estimated  stands  at  Rs.*  438 
crores.  Under  the  fO^sed*  edfiMates  of  1^2-53,  the  total 
Rs.  418  ettnres  and'  the  total  expendftiire  was 


lUi  4tt'4roi«ii 


t  *  »*         |»4*«      '* 


•  f%u»  ^       M        .•'**«.H       •••        i*%**"fc«fc«.»*      •./        !.•«** 


1258 


THE  MODERN  REVIEW  FOR  APRIL,  1953 


•The  Hirfflcud  SctffHal    ^: 

Recently- the  Public    Acconnts  :  Comikiittee    itib- 
mitted  its  sixth  report  to  Parliameat  on  tha  Hirakud 

^Dam  project  in  Orissa.  The  main  points  in  the  report 
as  published  in  the  Statesman  are  that  the  works  were 

^executed  without  the    preparation    and    sanction    of 

'detailed  estimates  for  an  indefinite  period  of  time. 
The  earliest  designs  of  the  project  were  prepared  by 
Central  Water  and  Power  Commission  only  in  April, 
1P51,  while  work  on  the  project  had  been  started    in 

- 1948.  The  report  said  :  *The  re?ponsibility  for  failure 

■to  ftive  finalized  designs  well  in  advance  and  to  submit 
detailed  sanctioned  estimates  in  regard  to  all  major 
works  costing  over  Rs.  2  lakhs  must    rest    with  the 

--Central  Water  and  Power  Commission.  It  must  ako  be 
held  ultimately  responsible  for  the  large-scale  execu- 
tion of  works  without  sanctioned  detailed  estimates." 
The  report  said  that,  the  Chairman  of  the  Central 

.Water. and  Power  Commission  was  fully  aware  of  this 

.  st^te  of  affairs. 

The  report  saM  that  the  project  report  of  1947,  to 
fhich   basis  administrative  approval  to  the  project  wa» 

•  accorded,  "did  not  contain  any  designs  or  plans  and  the 
estimated  costs  were  no  more  than  lump  soma  based  npon 
rough  guess-work.*' 

The  execution  of  the  project  was  vested  in  the  Central 
Water  and  Power  Commission  who  were  also  the  eon- 
stltants  and  whose  Chairman  became  the  Addltionifl  Seere- 
tarv  of  the  Ministry.  '^  this  mnmer  almo^  unfettered 
.  power  and  authority  were  given  to  the  Commiasion  aad 
its  Chairman,*'     . 

In  1948  work  on  the  protect  was  started,  bulk  orders 
ior  ecpxipment  were  placed  and  stores  of  the  value  of 
Ra.  5  crores  were  brought  to  Hirakud  in  a  period  of  ^x 

.  noDths,-  but  "accommodation  facilities  did  not  exist  aft 

.  Hirakud  and  they  were  dumped  in  the  open.**     Becanae 

of  this,  proper  control  and  check  could  not  be  exerdaedt 

.  no  priced  ledgers  were  in  existence  even  till  the  time  the 

.  •  sab-cemmittee  concluded  its  deliberations,  and  the  |;roond 

.  balances  were  counted  only,  in  1952. 

Out  of  4,424  items  of  work  started  up  to  November, 
1952,  work  on-  3,516  items,  involving  an     expenditure  of 
Rs.  7.31^4.657.  was  started  without  sanctfoned  detailed! 
'.  estimates.  Of  these,  expenditure  of  Rs.     4,74,77,797  oa 
•S90  items  of  work  were  stiH  to  be  regulariied.    Three- 
quarters  of  the  irregularities   had   occurred   after  April 
1951.  and  of  the  total  works  expenditure  incurred  between 
April  1951  and  November,  1952,  .90%  b^d  been  incoired 
. .  irregularly  without  sajictioned  estimates^  .       . 

On  Jan  6,  1948,  the  accounts  officer  of  the  CoBBBiariov 

'  inquired  into  the  matter  on  the  spot  and  mide-a  report. 

,   Necessary  instmctidns  were  issued  1>ut  with  little  effect.'' 

The  execution  of  work^    without    sanctioned    estimates 

assumed  '*more  serious  proportions**  and  the  defects  in  the . 

upkeep  of  the  works  accounts  continued. 

The  Committee  regretted  that  the  original  dedsion  of 
the  Government  to  have  a  financial  adviaer.  ^  ^ibo  Geiktxe 


for  aD^inrojecta  a|id  a  Joint  financial  ad^jlfer  wilb  A  dM 
accounts  officer  working  mider.liim.aJt  the  proioct  site.jirfi 
not  put  Into  effecL  The  procedure  of  having  a  finaiidil 
adviser-cftm-chief  accounts  officer  was  unfair  both,  lo  the 
chief  engineer  and  the  financial  adviser  himself. .  It  woald 
have  been  far  more  satisfactory  to  have  a  wbok-dnie 
financial  adriser  urith  authority  to  accord  sanction  on  1^ 
half  of  the  Finance  Ministry.  .  •  ,.r. 

The  selection  of  senior  staff  of  the  tnt>ject  wM 
characterised  as  "unhappy"  and  "unfortunate.**  Thois 
officers  had  little  regard  for  financiat  proprieties  and 
rules;  they  isystematicaHy  defied  the  authority^  respo^ 
Bible  for  their  enforcement  internally.  The  report  says: 
"It  is  distressing  that  in  finding  the  personnel  for  deal* 
ing  with  one  of  the  world's  great  projects,^  it  does  not 
appear  to  have  been  realized  that  the  officers.- Bivst  be 
carefully  selected  for  their  technical  capacity  sod -for 
their  ability  to  work  as  a  team  with  enthusiasm  apd 
missionary  seal,  for  the  progress  of  the  country.*?  The 
First  Chief  Engineer  was  only  an  officiating  sQperin* 
tending  encnneer  who  had  received  rapid'  promotion. 
The  Committee  also  expressed  its  astonishment  that 
in  a  project  of  this  magnitude,  a  fuHtiaie  chief 
engineer  had  not  yet  been  appointed  and  that  the 
present  chief  engineer  was  partly  at  Hirakud  tnd 
partly  p^  designs  member  of  the  Central  Water  and 
Power  Commission.  This  state  of  affairs  had  (BxiatMi 
.for  nearly  twp  years.         .  .  .    . , 

People  were  engaged  'Vho  were  found  imsiiitable 
for  the  purpose  of  the  project  on  account  of  thefr 
unsatisfactoiy  antecedents.'' 

In  the  case  of  the  Superintending  Endnfer.  .8qb- 
sidiary.  and  Canals  Circle,  while  two  eases  relatinc  to 
tho  purchase  of  sleepers  and  the  import  of  bullocks 
were  under  inquiry  afsainst  him.  the  Irrigation  and 
Poww  Minijrtry  rerommended  -him  for  deputation  :to 
.  the  USA  tmder  the  Point  Four  Pro^mmme.  The  |wo- 
po«iT  wa!»  dronT)ed  wh#»n  the  Fmanre  Ministry  oHifotwl, 
but  ihi»  TTienfion  and  Po^er  Ministry  arranged  for  tha 

officer's  deputation  abroad. 

••■•••  .     «   .  ... 

There  had  been  f»nme  criticism  about  the  fofm .  of 
accounts.  Tn  thp  oninion  of  the  milvromm'tt^  .^he 
critirif»m  wan  whoTTv  iin5n«ttfi«»d  «T»d  w^«  "vtiore^  •» 
attempt  to  Justifv  the  neffVffpnce  of  officers."    ... 

The  sub-committee  sa'd  that  a  contreyerpv  afHiqf  .tka 
pmredur^  was  raif»ed.  ^tid  p^ndin'*^  «Mtleroent^  fh^  tr^^^^fb* 
ed  jtrocfAnre  was  not  fotlnw^  •*!>  U  a  v#nnr  fi^rlimc  thliif 
that  sn  officer  w8<  allowed  to  di-c^ffsrd  the  autborV^ 
procedure  irerelv  because  he  nersonaHv  did  not  apee  WW 
some  narticular  asnect  of  the  procedure.*' 

The  stores  division  wa^  allowed  to  get  faito  snrli  a 
dfMrsranlzed  state  that  nnbody  ever  took  the  trnib%ja! 
comnhrlng  with  the  authorized  nrocedure  aiid7>f  nmhitala* 
fnt  the  remilred  records,  or  pricln<r  the  tUnrtm.  or  k^«pbf 
the  vr'ee  ledgers.  According  to  the  then  Chief  Enrlwer, 
Mr.  Vasisht.  there  was  reallv  nothing  wrong-  wkk  dM 
stores  aooonniing  ayslem  as  such.   "Wlltt  Wit:i|iiQpg(W 


259 


I 

w  soperintendrng  engineer  and  the  eiecntiTe  engi- 
for  reasons  of  prestige,  which  are  inscrutable,  did 
int-to  work  the  system  laid  down  in  the  Hirakild 
iittg  memorandum." 

le  report  added:  'The  sub-committee  feels  that 
should  be  taken  against  those  responsible  for  flout* 
e  prescribed  procedure  and  neglecting  to  do  their 
1^  sttb-committee  are  not  convinced  that  want  of 
nis  the  main  reason  for  non-observance  of  the 
bed   procedure* 

he  present  position  is  so  unsatisfactory  that  it  will 
lany  months  to  set  right  the  accounts  and  to  verify 
r  all  the    balances  that    ought  to  be    there    are 

le  sub-committee  said  that  the  Finance  Ministry 
accept  its  share  of  responsibility  for  the  delay  ia 
g  an  organization  at  Uirakud  tor  financial  control 
lison  and  the  maintenance  of  the  project  accounts." 
kS  a  lesson  for  tne  future,  the  sub-committee  would 
ittention  to  the  fact  that  the  Public  AccounU  Corn- 
have  in  recent  years  repeatedly  drawn  the  attention 
Govenunent  to  the  audit  organization  for  each  new 
involving  considerable  expenditure  and  the  fact 
ich  arrangemenu  should  be  regarded  as  an  integral 
I  the  planning  of  the  execution  of  a  projea  as  « 

JgardJig  payment  of  bills  oififerences  arose 
sa  the  i?'inaacial  Adviser  and  the  engineers.  The 
iial  Adviser  raised  objections  to  payments, 
i  he  did  not  generally  withhold  payments.  These' 
ion*  continued  to  multiply  in  number,  and 
I  pa3rments  were  made  by  the  Financial  Adviser, 
tons  were  not  cleared  for  a  very  long  time.  This 
)f  affairs  continued  right  up  to  the  beginning  of 
hen  the  question  of  non-preparation  of  detail^ 
tea  was  brought  to  the  forefront  by  a  report 
ted  by  the  Accountant-Oeneral,  Orissa.  From 
1861,  these  irregularities  grew  in  enormous  pro. 
18.  The  Finance  Ministiy  had  also  been  drawing 
on  of  the  Irrigation  and  Power  Ministry  to  the 
i  irregularities. 

le  Committee  then  drew  attention  to  a  number 
ns  of  work  resulting  in  nugatory  ot  infructuous 
liture-the  abandonment  of  the  power-cum- 
fi^on  channel  and  ite  subsidiary  after  incurring  an 
litute  of  :Rs.  1.40  crores,  besides  Rs.  52  lakhs  on 
irdiase  of  electrical  plant  and  machinery,  and 
pe^diture  of  Rs.  23  lakhs  on  the  bridge  across 
Br:thannel' which  has  not  yet  been  constructed, 
if  the  channel  had  come  into  existence,  there 
arcely  any  necessity  or  urgency  for  the  con- 
3n.of  the  bridge. 

|e  lists  of  scandalous  improprieties  and  olpriovm 
iernretoo  big  to  be  included  in  these  columns, 
ernot  surprised  that  already  attempts  are  being 
,t)ffistally^  to  whitewash  stinkii^  scandals  like 
Pfthifti  >4it  Mip0m  «aa  •-tiaftor  -  Ma  -  Tdfiiib 


contractors.  And  we  have  to  suffer  three  yeaxB  more 
of  the  Five-Year  Muddle. 

Indo'Pakistan  Trade  Pact 

India  and  Pakistan  signed  a  three-year  Trade  Pact 
on  20th  March.  Under  this  agreement,  India  haa 
virtually  guaranteed  the  purchase  of  at  least  1.8  millioA 
bales  of  raw  jute  from  Pakistan,  which  is  expected  to 
be  the  min^«»M™  quantity  required.  If  the  industry's 
needs  exceed  this  figure,  Pakistan  has  undertaken  td 
faciltate  the  export  of  raw  jute  up  to  2.5  million  bales 
a  year.  This  arrangement  will  last  three  years,  h^ 
return,  India  will  supply  larger  quantities  of  rail-borne 
coal  to  Pakistan  than  before.  1  hough  the  actual  amount 
is  not  mentioned  in  the  agreement,  it  is  understood  to  be 
one  million  tons  a  year*  India  has  also  agreed  to  assist 
Pakistan  by  transporting  some  of  this  coal-  in  Indiaa 
wagons.  Pakistan  will  not  be  required^  to  divert  more  than 
1,000  wagons  per  month  against  the  present  total  of 
IJSOO, 

The  need  for  a  long-term  arrangement  on  other  items, 
including  timber  and  iron  and  steel  was  also  discussed^ 
For  the  time  being,  however,  the  existing  agreement,  it 
appears,  will  be  allowed  to  run  its  course. 

A  section  of  the  Press  has  been  much  too  jubilant 
over  this'lrade  agreement.*  It  should  however  be  taken 
with  a  gri(ui  of  salL  Nobody  would  deny  that  t|ip 
economic  structure  of  these  two  countries  is  complementary. 
But  this  is  also  true  in  a  wider  perspective  of  the  entire 
world  economics.  While  we  are  not  Jiving  in  a  closed 
system,  the  collective  efforts  of  the  humanity  are  inevitably 
complementarj^.  That- is  no  ground  why  India  should 
maintain  trade  relationships  with  this  neighbouring 
country  with  whom  political  rektionship  is  otherwise 
embittered  since  these  two  countriies  came  into  being. 
Ecoiiomic  conditions  are  dynamic  and  what  was  true  five 
years  ago  may  not  be  the  same  today.  Just  after  partition, 
it  was  found  that  while  all  the  then  existing ;  jute  mills 
in  the  Sub-Continent  were  in  the  Indian  Union,  Pakistairi 
had'The'monbpoIy  in  the  production  and  supply  of  raw 
jute  whid^-was  inevitably  needed  by  the  jute  mills  in 
the  Indian  Union.  These  mills  required  nearly- 50/60 
lakh  bales  of  raw  jute,  while  the  Indian  Union. produced 
only  6*  lakh  bales  of  raw  jute.  Ini  those  diCBcult  dayii 
Pakistan  obstructed  by  all  possible  means  the  supply  of 
jutfe  to*  Indian- mills.  Last  year  India' plrodiiced  nearly 
46  lakh  bales  of  jute.  India  today  has  almost  achieved 
self-sufficiency  in  jute  and  is  nearing  the  target  production 
eet'fonh  by  the  Five- Year  PUul  Indian  economy  now 
can  afford  to  go  inde|>elldently  of  Pakistan.  In  the  trade 
agreement  of  19S2,  jute  wai  omitted  as  Pakistan  resorted 
to  a  diseiinunatory'  imposition  of  duty  of  Rs.  2|8|-  on 
jute  to  be  exported  to  India..  Strange  it  was  that  trade 
agseemtat  was  still  conchided,  India  agreeing  to  -gife 
^way  her  valUablb  stnCtegic  mat^als  in  exchange  of  tdvlal 
end:iA8igkiificattt  teaterials  from  Pakistan,  naldely  Biffib 
AftliikiBt^  air,   ^An::.OTa«inaikn    ^>  tie  -lasi-yMk^g 


THE  MODERN  ftEVtEW  FOR  APRIL,  1953 


HgMvaaat'tril^teietl^ini  dt  WM  eoiicluded,  as  Jtf  to  htlf^ 
Pakistan  with  our  important.jQiULtQP^lSi.^Tber^  rwu.not 
a  single  item  to  be  supplied  by  Pakistan  which 
was  essential  or  imponant'^to  1  the  Jndiaii  :^99my. ;  b.  .  \ 
•--'^^lliWliew^  |]»^  agseea^  «fie<:(  the 

^teduotion  of-iute^  in  India  and  India's  bid  to  j|tt|d||.^84/b 
Sliffioienosr  iwiil  .  inevitably  .be.  .  oold-sioraged.  Pslc$«.pl 
bdian-jute-  are  i>ound  to  com&  down  resii^tiag,  in  iaUing 
iev^ge  i  Pakistan  to  her.  per^l  has  .leamt .  that :  I|idia .  is 
hfer<4)nly  substantial  market.;  M  ^M^  she  ;tiiedJio  ^Wvf^ 
the  Indian  jute  iuills  ^nd.  exported  raw  jute  ito  coatine^ta^ 
eountcieafpr.  being:. manuiactured  there^  Jhid  mp^.  did 
BDtiiring  ^out  the  desired  result  and  Pakistsn's  jui^ 
onltivation  was  alaxmlngly  threatened;  against !  everj 
cbcreasing  demands..  At  this  jDomenjL .  Ijadis  oomes  mb^ 
stretches  her  helping  hacnds  to  PaicisUiqi  to.saye  her.  iv^ 

4^rodiiction.  ,    , 

i^... We  would  casSc,  who.;.b?side8  .Pakistan  . urouW 
Jiene^i?  Jhe  4uie.>MilJ3.iM0S3ibly.:But.nigst.of  tbcvse 
mills  are  under  non-Indian  control  and  we  giv^jtb^ 
foUPT^ripg  ^afelCi .. tftfepi;  (wna  .the .  :«F#eph  [:f4-,  %. . i  iW^it 
jBeiig^  .lyi.L.Ay,.  to  jahow  bQW  44ify  ben^i^^  t)^e  cpuntr^p 
:i  ,.A.  .:Stateinent  of  three.  Europeai|i  an^  ^.I^diaf 
managed  jute,  industries  iof  -th^  las^.  ths^  apd  a  iiaU 
jSfiMitjp.5     ,..•  •..!•."'* 

hvdian-Mmiaffed  Jttte  Industry  ^6}  ^i  Ye«^    -•• 


X. 


^Mtt's-fiafiie 


»-^     .  1    * 


Uiikunichaxnl 


Na.  of 

Ii00XB9 

.-  ''  « 

600 
1373^ 
2272 


Total    ^  ft-oSt  per  tPaid  I. 


k « •  ^' 


.J- 


■S.--1 


Profit  .  Z<oom. 

Es.  .     Us. 

19(^451  isaoi 

^14^270  1564S 

4245  s  emmt 


Tax 

Bi8. 

6200006 ^ 

78750d0" 

«4eeoe(K 

21475QP0. 


*«.. 


»» 


il4%l 
(AverttQe) 

EuTOpem  Managed  J}ite  Industry  q}  Si  Yean 


'fV?rt  William      1014^ 
«Ooiiripore.  1304 

.      1709 


Loss 

1790038 
2234049 
mil^45 


Loss 

im 

1602 
942. 


Its. 


,^  t^^b 


\. 


4117        6635429 


. .  •  • 


"We  regret  to  mj  that'  the 


1469  ■ 
XAveraffe) 

Indian'   i^ptams    of 


"Xfidusf T7  are^  no  saints  either,  l^though  th^  suxie  ib 
^eotnjMU^iil  - -^ 


-I.' 


\i  -  What  Is  Lidia  gl^ng  in  TCtvm  ?  Her-oori,  i«  i^dcli 
Jbdia  has  Tery  limited  reserfe^  and  whleb  India  sboald 
«ot  export.  Iudta*8  toul  reservw  of  tneulhfli«i<^  omI 
'iMBoivt .  to  Amenca^  one  -  ytar^i  -^^roduetioii,  'h  "•  is-  ^ 
q^.  .tfaBrwhen  it  Is  4i  known  f act  tfa«t  Ltdli^f  ^Mwl 
liesecves^jffe  tery  yery  limHotf,^  It  M^noit  ^scrilse»-<te 
icntlitiiitiea  to.ndce.ectmoorie  use  of.  dds  ^oiMnoiitf. 
dlbis  is  aonedung.  wiiieb.  is  nsMn%  bur  ^dfaifiiiid  n^astits 
^  oar  TBlnabl^:^  nseiircdi.  And '  India  iHtk^fa^  -^MMl 
IMifDn^. wpdif  :ciye.de(tiTetr-«f>. qhI  jo  9MistmLi^'  ^t.'mm 
jfSlsrted:  tonrtimei  afol  that  :P)ikiflm4ui»-viMvii 


Indifi .. .  Before  ,  eBt^ring .  into  -^nch  a  ^  tta^^  9!!^  ^^ 
lecretarial  l^Bvel  iMdng^  advised  by^the  juto  jpi|lofRM^ 
|n  impartial  ud  representative  committee  ^mm|J4  JifS 
been  set  up  to  decide  the  question  ^  Indim  J|t  |Ujisail|i 
l^ikistanr  jute  and  w^ietber :  this  .4M»iuibrr.  «bod4^#Bid 
t^^eaywrl  hexi^aL         ...        ^     .  _..  ..  _,:?;. 

By  partition,  IndU^kst.thiee  val^abla 
|o  Pakistan,  mz^  raw  iute«^  cotton  and.. hides  §aA 
I|[idia  Jias.  sincci  the^  i^eatly  improved  ia.biec. 
production  of  jute  and  hides  and  ..skioa.,^  In. 
cnltiYatioiiy  India  has  mad^  npifi  jffQcress^  «iul  jrilbonih 
she  imports  lqng>stapled  cotton,  she  .^Iso 
^arse  cottoii. .  This  time  India  is  iu>l  impoi^tiBig. 
from  Pakistan.-  The  new  agreement  leaves  the  ii 
ihat  it  has  been  concluded  just  to  help  Kakiitaii.gal  oat 
f>f  her  jute  crisis.  Lastly,  the.  vexed  qneatiop,  o£  Ughs 
jnuc^go  ratio  of^  the  Pakistani  nuMD_.  atilL  fsmaiil 
unsolved  .  and.  it  oRerates  adversely.  Jigaiaat  ladfak 
I'akistan  should  have,  showered  blessingi.  «i  .oar.  aoodls* 
^ated  Byzantine  Eunifchs  of  jthe  Central  Cabingt*  Sl»li 
concentrating  on  a  ^ehad  gropagai|da.  instead  i 


.  *t 


Nationalisation  of  Air  Transport 

..  The-Coveraoieiit  of  India  hme  decided  tor 

she. air  transport  industry  of  India r-    it-  is  propoteAr-fi 

introduce  in  the  present  Budget  Session  of  P)BrilaiHii| 

a  Bill  to  provide  for  the  establishment  of  two 

to  Uke  over  and  run  the  air  uanqnirt  o|  the 

One  of  tbe  corporations  will  take  over  all  ii 

services  and  the  other  will  run  the  inteiBational. 

The  corporations  will  be  autonomous  bodioa.  A 

o;f  Rs'.  9.5  crores  has    been    included  by  the 

Commission  in  the  Five-Year  Plan  in  coniiectioa  witb  .tlv 

jiropbsed  nationalisation  of  the  air  transport. opesatiook 

A  sum  of  Rs.   1.25     crores  baa.  been     provided  la  die 

?coming  year's  budget.     All  the  ladiaa  Air  Gaavnte 

except  one.  are     running  at  a  loss  and     *ltt«««fff|r  da 

Covernment  of  India  have  been  giving  ^**"^*W  aid  Ii 

.these     companies^     their     financial     poiitioa    liaa.  .aft 

improved.    The  DakoU  type  of  aircraft  which  k.  iHta 

used  in  most  of  our  internal  transjwrt  isnioca  haa^iv 

^becomp  out  of  date.     The  older  types  of  aiscraft  caaasC 

stand  in  competitive  advantages     i^gaiasl  aew«  Ijcpai* 

TTbe  replacement  of  the  existing  aircraft  lleata  vitii 

'^ci^t  types     cannot  be  put  olC     fartber.     Tba 

transport  companies  in  this  country  are  not  te  a 

^  to  raise     the     necessary     capital     for .   ao^pdiiBg 

.machinesu    Government  iiltimaidy  shall  haom  M 

4resh  capital  to .  these  oomiianiea.      If  tha 

^^proyide  a  large  sum  for  purchasing  aev  aiaeraiii^  ^tfay 

^ipd  ttiat  thcj  should  also  take  over  the  •dwiui^ay^fmn  ^ 

iht  services.    So  far  the  argumept  iacoadbciag^   Bil^bs 

,  opposite  views  should  not  be  igaoBed. 

India,  la  ignoring  prodactiva  ^afalopaM■ii^iid 
Jylooking  tnoaey  weed  by  dkfidt  fiaiBflk9  ii 
'fufprodactiya     frorjeota.     By     aitiiBiiMat "^  ihg  'Br 


Kotfea 


261 


A  {tt^fiittin  Oft  iftefleieflt  tAiitptUiU,  the  Dtkotu  ind 
other  older  trpee  of  mAchinet  hiTo  only  icrap  Tilae 
and  they  do  not  deserve  payment  from  the  puhlio 
money.  Government  are  unnecesearily  taking  over  the 
liability  of  private  enterpritet  and  diverting  the 
Bniited  reaources  of  the  country  to  safeguard  the 
interests  of  thet  few.  Nobody  would  object  if  the 
Government  start  new  air  services  by  purchasing  new 
machines.  Most  of  the  air  services  do  not  seem  to  be 
essential  and  they  do  not  warrant  State  acquisition  just 
at  the  moment.  There  are  many  other  requirements  of 
the  country  which  should  be  given  priority  rather  than 
nationalising  the  air  transport  services.  Nationalisation 
would  mean  nationalisation  with  compentMition  and  that 
ivould  be  an  indulgence  to  ineflBicient  and  extravagant 
private  enterprises.  Inefficiency  selling  at  a  premium  ? 
II  the  Airways  India  can  earn  profits,  wby  not  other 
oompaniea  ? 

Nepali  Congress  Session 

The  Nepali  Congre^  Central  Woiking  Committee 
and  the  Parliamentary  Board  met  at  Kathmandu  from 
«the  10th  to  the  13th  March,  ld53.  Tne  Working  Com- 
mittee passed  a  resolution  welcoming  " those  members 
of  the  Congress  who  have  seceded  from  it,  if  they 
desire  to  come  back  into  the  present  fold  accepting 
the  discipline  of  the  organisation."  The  Congress  was 
also  ready  ''to  take  steps  for  co-ordination  and  oo* 
operation  with  other  parties''  because  the  Congress 
felt. unity  of  co-ordination  among  the  nationalist  and 
progressive  elements  in  Nepal  was  very  urgent  and  ''it 
livas  the  responsibility  of  the  Congress  to  bring  about" 
that  unity. 

Another  resolution  stated  that  Uio  Indian  military 
miaBion  in  Nepal  had  served  its  purpose  and  should 
now  be  withdrawn  "in  the  intercs^t  of  healthy  relation- 
ahip  between  India  and  Nepal  and  of  Nepal's  healthy 
international  attitude." 

In  the  field  of  foreign  affairs,  the  Congress  wanted 
Iriendly  relations  with  all  countries,  and  non-alignmeat 
with  any  power  blocs.  The  Congress  would  "welcome 
any  help  given  to  us  for  our  economic  development  by 
friendly  countries  without  political  -string.'* 

A  national  commission  was  proposed  to  be  set  up 
for  administrative  reforms. 

Hie  reaolution  dealing  with  the  political  situation 
Uiaide  Nepal,  states  that  "the  whole  basis  of  tho  coun- 
aeUora'  regim«  is  revivalism,  and  it  is  making  efforts 
to  re-introduce  old  feudal  ssrstem."  A  sub-oommittee 
Cff  five  haa  been  formed  with  the  responsibility  of  the 
preparation  of  a  programme  of  action  for  launching  of 
a  popular  movement  against  the  existing  regime. 

We  have  perused  the  long  communique  carefully. 
We  regiet  to  aee  that  the  old  feuds  and  partiaanshipa 
ai^  plainly  affecting  all  national  iasuea  in  Nepal.  The 
rpngif ,  at  it  ii  today,  seems  to  be  oblivious  ol 
leaHtiei^  and  too  anzioua  to  obtain  power  at  all  eoati. 


Changes  in  VJ^.  Food  Policf 

Sri  C.  B.  GupU,  Minister  for  Food  and  Civil 
Supplies,  Government  of  U.P.>  told  the  State  Assembly 
on  March  13,  that  the  State  Government  proposed  to 
sell  all  foodgrains  on  a  'no  profit  no  loss'  babis,  %js^  the 
sales  at  Government  relief  shops  would  no  longer  be 
subsidised,  reports  the  Leader  of  March  15. 

The  full  significance  of  the  measure  could  be 
imderstood  only  by  a  study  of  the  pre;*eut  pattern  of 
salep  of  food-grains  in  U.  P.  According  to  the  paper  : 

"After  the  abolition  of  statutory  rationing  on 
July  1  last  year,  and  the  changes  that  followed  the 
current  pattern  is  as  follows  :  In  the  62  towns  which 
used  to  be  under  total  rationing  at  present  at  Govern- 
ment shops  a  card-holder  can  get  4  chhutaks  of  wheat 
per  day  at  the  rate  of  two  seers  two  chhataks  per  rupee 
(subsidised  rate),  two  chhataks  of  wheat  at  no-profit- 
no-loss  rate  of  1  seer  14  chhataks/ per  rupee  and  four 
chhataks,  of  course,  grains  at  non-subsidised  rates.  I|i 
towns,  other  than  the  62  regulated  (which  used  to  be 
imder  rationing)  under  recent  orders  wheat  is  to  be 
sold  at  the  rate  of  one  seer  14  chhataks  per  rupee  (noor 
subsidised  rate)  if  prices  in  open  markets  shoot  beyond 
this.  In  eastern  districts  and  hill  areas  where  austerity 
provisioning  and  hill  provisioning  schemes,  are  in  force 
coarse  grains  are  being  sold,  at  heavily  subsidised 
rates." 

AH  the  above  subsidies  would  be  abolished.  The 
Minister  also  announced  that  with  the  coming  of  the 
rabi  crop  in  the  markel  and  the  stabilisation  of  pricea, 
the  sale  of  grain  from  the  Government  relief  shops 
would  be  confined  to  towns  having  a  population  of 
one  lakh  and  over  and  in  deficit  towns  of  eastern 
districts  and  hill  towns.  "In  that  case,"  writes  the 
Leader,  "towns  having  regular  Government  food- 
grain  shops  would  be  reduced  to  34." 

There  would  be  no  monopoly  procurement  or  grain 
levy.  Government  would  purchase  through  licenced 
traders  who  would  be  required  to  give  a  certain  per^ 
centage  of  their  purchases  to  the  Government. 

The  Government  had  asked  from  the  Union 
Government  three  lakh  tons  of  wheat  with  a  view  to 
maintaining  a  reserve  for  emergencies. 

The  Uttar  Pradesh  is  luckier  than  most  provinces 
in  regard  to  pressure  of  population  on  the  soil  and  the 
quality  of  a  great  part  of  the  soil.  The  physique  of 
the  peasantry  is  also  superior  to  most  others  excepting 
those  in  the  Punjab  and  Rajasthan.  If  the  U.  P. 
Government  had  a  more  intimate  contact  with  t^ 
agriculturists,  production  could  bo  increased  and 
hoarding  eliminated.  Then  the  State  could  be  easily 
selfHsufficient.  « 

Community  Life  in  Rural  Bengal 

Dr.  B.  8.  Guha,  Director,  Department  of  Anthro- 
pology, writes  in  the  Weekly  Wett  Bengal,  that  a 
aurvey  undertaken  by  hia  Department  m  a  nunl 


i/ 


^ 


THE  MODERN  REVIEW  FOR  APRIL,  ld53 


in  34  Parganaa  "which  both  with  regard  to  its  histo- 
rical background,  nature  of  settlements  and  socio- 
economic conditions  may  be  regarded  as  a  cross- 
section  of  the  life  of  rural  Bengal"  disclosed  that  in 
the  villages  the  greatest  part  of  the  cultivable  land 
belonged  to  the  upper  castes  who  got  them  cultivated 
by  others  on  a  ^are-produce  basis. 

'The  survey  disclosed  great  defects  in  the  nutri- 
tional value  of  the  food  taken  specially  with  regard 
to  protein  and  vitamin  contents.  Thetse,  reinforced  by 
early  marriages,  determine  the  poor  physical  state  of 
the  people  and  the  consequent  low  output  of  Crops 
which  is  raised  only  once  in  a. year  without  manuring. 
The  system  of  the  share-produce  system  affords  no 
interest  to  actual  tillers,  neither  do  the  landlord  take 
any  interest  in  the.  improvement  of  the  land,  with  the 
result  that  the  productivity  of  land  »fter  hundreds  of 
years  of  cultivation  has  considerably  gone  down." 

It  was  found  that  upper  caste  Hindus  still  con- 
formed to  the  joint  family  system,  "although  as  a 
result  of  economic  pressiu*e  and  increase  of  members 
of  the  family,  disorganization,  minimising  the  autho- 
ritarian aspect  of  the  older  joint  family  life,  has  set  in 
but  without  producing  any  proper  balance  or  harmony 
of  the  diverging  ideologies  now  coming  into  force." 

In  the  lower  section  of  the  Hindus  the  compactness 
of  the  joint  family  system  and  the  authoritarian 
structure  were  less  apparent.  Women  had  greater 
freedom. 

The  major  occupation  of  the  upper  caste  Hindus 
waa  "service."  The  lower  section  including  the  Muslims 
lived  by  manual  labour  and  the  actual  cultivation  of 
land. 

In  the  Muslim  community  though  group  solidarity 
was  stronger  and  there  was  greater  scope  for  individual 
enterprise  and  the  people  were  relatively  realistic, 
"the  extreme  ethnocentric  attitude  of  the  Muslim 
community  stand  in  the  way  of  their  integration  in 
the  general  community  life." 

*^n  short,"  writes  Dr.  Guha,  "there  does  not 
appear  to  be  any  objective  or  a  target,  either  ideo- 
logical or  socio-economic,  to  which  the  community  as 
a  whole,  can  strive  for,  nor  is  there  any  mechanism  to 
achieve  this  purpose." 

So  long  as  the  present  government  by  party  caucus 
continues,  with  a  superannuated  patriarch  at  the  head 
and  mediocrities,  nonentities  and  notorieties  in  office, 
there  will  never  be  any  target  nor  objective  in  the  life 
of  the  West  Bengal  people,  the  most  frustrated  in  the 
Union. 

Land  Reforms  in  Hyderabad 

The  Hyderabad  Government  proposes  to  amend  the 
Hyderabad  Tenancy  and  Agricultural  Lands.  Act,  1950. 
If  the  amendment  is  passed  and  implemented,  the  Chief 
Minister  of  Hyderabad,  Mr^  Ramkrishna  Rao,  is  reported 
to  have  said  that  about  eight  to  ten  lakh  acres  of  land 
Ptr/  0/  the  ibree  erore  saw  of    cultivable  land  in  die 


State  might  be  available  for  distribndon  for  cO^petatifl 
farming  and  among  the  landless  people. 

Giving  the  above  information  P.TJ.  reports  that  die 
amendment  bill  enrisaged  a  land  census  in  the  wfaols 
state  and  the  setting-up  of  a  seven-man  Land  Commission 
consisting  of  officials  and  non-officials  to  determine  baiic, 
family  and  maximnm  holdings. 

The  family  holding  was  defined  as  an  area  which 
could  be  cultivated  hy  a  working  family  of  five  members 
and  which  would  yield  a  net  annual  income  of  rupees 
eight  hundred.  The  basic  holding  was  one-third  of  a 
family  holding  and  the  maximum  holding  waa  roughly 
four  and  a  half  times  the  family  holding. 

According  to  Mr.  Rao,  Hyderabad  vras  probably  the 
first  state  in  India  to  fix  the  maximum  holding.  But  the 
income  basis  is  apt  to  be  puzzling,  at  apart  from  the 
nature  of  the  soil,  it  would  depend  on  the  nature  of  the 
crops  and  the  industry  and  skill  of  the  cultivators. 

Bihar  Cane-growers  and  Sugar  Policy 

The  Leader  reports  that  the  eighth  annual  conference 
of  the  Bihar  State  Cane-growers  Co-operative  Association 
which  was  held  at  Pachnikhi  in  Saran  under  the  Pjresi- 
dentship  of  Sri  Dip  Narain  Sinha,  State  Minister  for 
Co-operatives,  strongly  criticized  the  Government  of 
India's  sugait  poUcy  because  it  had  given  a  set-bad^ 
to  the  industry  instead  of  establishing  it.  The  resolndoa 
stated  :  *The  growers  have  lost  incentive  for  planned 
production  of  raw  materials  and  they  have  begun  to  think 
that  the  industry  is  only  meant  for  the  benefit  of  the 
manufacturers." 

The  Government  of  India  encroached  on  the  ri|^ta 
of  the  State  Government  and  took  all  powers  in  their 
hands  regarding  production  and  fixing  of  prices.  Besidesi 
"the  bid  for  making  other  states  self-sufficient  in  the 
matter  of  sugar  has  created  an  unhealthy  competition 
and  has  left  a  very  depressing  effect  on  the  industry** 
of  Bihar  'Srhere  about  seven  lakh  people  depend  entirely 
on  this  industry  only.'' 

The  Government's  vacillating  policy  regarding  contro} 
of  sugar  had  '*put  an  unearned  income  in  the  pockets  of 
industrialists  at  the  cost  of  the  producers  and  the 
consumers." 

The  resolution  demanded  that  power  should  be  given 
to  the  State  Government  to  fix  the  price  of  cane  altei? 
ciue  consultation  with  the  Association  keeping  in  view 
the  cost  of  cane  cultivation  cartage  and  other  charges. 
It  was  also  demanded  that  **price  level  should  l>e  mafai- 
tained  by  giving  rebate  on  subsidy  for  a  period  of  three 
years  till  the  industry  is  stabilised." 

The  Cane-growers  and  the  cane-growing  States  dionld 
understand  that  there  is  a  limit  to  their  extortionate 
demands  that  affect  less  fortunate  states.  We  have  seen 
how  production  per  acre  has  dropped  as  price  per  maond 
of  cane  was  increased,  due  to  laziness  of  growers  and  bow 
prices  of  sugar,  an  essential  in  the  protective  diet  of  til 
people,  was  sent  soaring  up  to  meet  the  rapaciolit  dff^mdg 


N 


NOTES 


968 


growers  and  miUerv.  Both  of  these  unlorable 
have  caused  soffering  to    hundreds  of    millions. 

ovemment  of  India  has  only  done  its  duty  in  pro- 
the  helpless  buyers,  who  outnumber  the  growers 

iUers  by  a  thousandfold. 

Pie  Holds  up  Salary 

le  Leader  in  its  issue  dated  the  25th  March  reporta 
bout  2400  District  Board  Teachers  could  not  get 
ialar)f  for  about  a  month  and  a  half  because  the 
bad  Treasury  refused  to  pass  the  bill  amounting 
2,ll,450-12-2Mi  which  contained  a  fraction  of  a 
lie  Secretary  of  the  Board  having  agreed  to  forego 
rment  of  half  pie,  the  grant  was  Ukely  to  be  cashed. 
St  was  also  not  certain,  the  paper  says, 
is,  it  true,  is  an  example  of  out-heroding  Herod  in 
e   idiocy. 

r  Water  Scarcity  in  Madhya  Pradesh 

16  Leader,  quoting  a  PTI  dispatch  from  Nagpur, 

• 

^ater  scarcity  in  parts  of  nine  districts  of 
(ra  Pradesh  is  'becoming  acute  day  by  day/ 
ing  to  the  latest  official  report.  The  worst-affected 

is  Berar,  comprising  the  districts  of  Amaravati, 

Yeotmal  and  Buldana,  where  paucity  of  rainfall 

last  few  years    has    accentuated    an    abready 
uate  supply  position. 

teports  received  here  say  that  people  of 
rati,  Achalpur,  Akola  and  Khamgaon  in  Berar; 
[wa  and  Burbanpur  in  Nimar  district  and  Chhin- 

are  experiencing  'considerable  cifficulty'  in  get- 
iequate  water. 
Vater  is  being  sold  at  four  annas  a  bucket    in 

Amravati  and  Khamgaon,  according  to  these 
J. 

n  some  rural  areas,  people  ara  reported  to  be 
ag  a  distance  of  two  to  three  miles  to  obtain 
ig  water. 

'he  hilly  tracts  of  Arvi  tahsil  in  Wardha  district 
»arts  of  Betul  and  Nagpur  districts  are  also 
d  by  water  scarcity." 

i  S.  L.  Verma,  C.E.O.,  Corporation  of  Nagpur 
in  the  Hitavada  that  "the  position  of  water  supply 

the  coming  months  is  very  gloomy."  The  normal 
supply  of  water  to  the  Nagpur  City  was  12  million 

a  day  which  is  obtained  from  Ambajheri  reservoir, 
>rewara  reservoir  and  the  Kanhan  water  works, 
opulation  of  Nagpur  in  1951  was  4,50,000'  exclud- 
e  population  of  the  new  34  villages  added  to  the 
of  the  Nagpur  Corporation.  This  unprecedented 
se  in  population  notwithstanding,  the  above  three 
8   could    meet    the   requirements   of   water   of   the 

of  Nagpur  and  the  average  consumption  of  water 
sad  per  day  excluding  the  supplies  made  to  the 
ries  was  nearly  25  gallons. 

be  abnormally  low  rainfall  during  1952-53,  though 
luslng  much  harm  to  thfi    prQp$,  1^4     '^ipcftriiily 


affected  the  water  supply  position  all  over  the  district, 
because  the  rainfall  was  almost  in  intermittent  showers 
and  there  was  hardly  any  torrential  rain  during  the 
rainy  season,  with  the  result  that  there  was  practically  no 
run-off  in  the  catchment  areas  of  the  tanks  at  Ambajheri 
and  Gorewara  and  of  the  river  Kanhan." 

Consequently  no  more  than  S  million  gallons  of 
water  would  be  available  for  daily  consumption)  dimng 
the  period  from  April  to  June  this  year  aa  against  the 
normal  draw  of  12  million  gallons.  This  will  leave  the 
people  with  a  supply  of  ten  gallons  of  water  per  head 
per  day. 

The  Corporation  have  built  a  bund  in  the  Kanhan 
river  so  as  to  store  about  150  million  gallons  of  water  to 
be  drawn  up  in  May  and  June  and  have  embarked  upon 
a  project  of  cleaning  the  wells  in  the  city. 

AlUIndia  Leprosy  Workers^  Conference 

The  fourth  session  of  the  All-India  Leprosy  Workers' 
Conference  was  held  at  Puri  from  4th  to  6th  January 
1953  under  the  auspiceai  of  the  Hind  Kusht  Nivaran 
Sangh  and  its  Orissa  Sute  Branch.  As  on  the  previous 
occasions  this  session  was  largely  attended  by  delegates 
from  all  over  India,  and  some  from  outside  countries. 
The  total  number  of  delegates  from  India  was  about 
200.  Besides  India,  delegates  came  from  Burma  and 
Indonesia,  and  the  South  East  Asian  Region  of  W.H.O. 
sent  an  observer. 

The  three  previous  Conferences  were  held  at  Wardha 
(1947),  at  Calcutta  (1948)  and  at  Madras  (1950),  uid 
were  presided  over  by  Dr.  Jivraj  N.  Mehta,  Rajkumari 
Amrit  Kaur  and  Dr.  Ernest  Muir  respectively.  It  may 
be  mentioned  that  the  first  Conference  was  held,  under 
the  auspices  of  the  Kasturba  Memorial  Fund,  and  at  the 
instance  of   Mahatma   Gandhi. 

In  the  unavoidable  absence  of  Shri  Mavalankar  due 
to  ilhiess,  Shri  Devadas  Gandhi,  Vice-Chairman  of  the 
Gandhi  Smarak  Nidhi,  was  good  enough  to  accept  the 
invitation  to  take  the  chair.  The  welcome  address  was 
given  by  Rajmata  Basanta  Manjari  Devi,  Deputy  Minis- 
ter of  Health,  Orissa,  and  the  Conference  was  inaugurated 
by  Sri  Saiyid  Fazl  Ali,  the  Governor  of  Orissa.  The 
inaugural  session  was  followed  by  technical  sessions  at 
which  discussions  on  various  subjects  were  held,  and 
these  were  followed  by  a  closing  session.  A  special 
feature  of  the  present  session  of  the  Conference  was  that 
the  Indian  Association  of  Leprologists  held  its  separate 
scientific!  and  business  sessions.  The  scientific  ses- 
sions were  open  to  the  non-medical  delegates  who  attend- 
ed  as  observers. 

The  inaugural  session  was  opened  with  the  national 
anthem.  In  his  Presidential  Address,  Shri  Devadas 
Gandhi  also  laid  stress  on  the  same  point  and  stated 
that  the  successful  solution  of  the  leprosy  problem 
''demands  the  closest  collaboration  between  official  and 
non-official  agencies."  He  paid  a  tribute  to  the  pioneer 
work    of  foreign.    Chri»l\»3CL  ^Ss«yfirok&  ydl  ^^qa  .%S^.,Xs^ 


204 


THE  MODERN  REVIEW  FOR  APRIL.  1953 


cauae,  tpeciaUy  In  view  of  the  changed  conditions.     He 
therefore  pleaded  to  "place  leprosy  work  high  vp     in 

^6  priorities  of  our  national  prbgramme,"*  ■   *'     •   *•: 

f      -  .       .  .    ■ 

RssoLirnoMt  .. 

1.  This  Conference  pays  its  homage  to  the  sacred 
memory  of  that  great  social  worker  and  friend  and 
benefactor  of  those  sufiforing  from  leprosy-— Shri 
Thakkar  Bapa— who  died  on  the  19th  January,  1951. 
His  noble  example  will  ever  continue  to  be  a  source 
of  inspiration  to  leprosy  workers  throughoat  the 
country. 

2.  This  Conference  learns  vrith  profound  regret 
about  the  sad  and  sudden  demise  on  29th  December 
1952  of  Dr.  V.  Ramchandra  Kamath«  M.B.  B.S., 
D.L.O.  (London)  at  the  early  age  of  42.  He  was  a 
devoted  and  sincere  leprosy  worker  of  South  India, 
who  was  till  recently  Medical  pfflcer-in-Charge, 
Thakkar  Bapa  Leprosy  Clinic,  Tirokoilur,  South  Arcot 
District.  The  Conference  resolves  to  place  on  record 
its  deep  appreciation  of  the  valuable  service  rendered 
by  him  to  the  cause  of  leprosy  and  convey  to  hie 
family  its   deep   sympathy  in   their  bereavement, 

3.  This  Conference  places  on  record  its  deepi 
sense  of  sorrow  on  the  passing  away  last  year  of  Dr. 
K.  G.  Sundaram  of  the  Mission  Leprosy  Home, 
Ramachandrapuram,  South  India  and  conveys  ita  sym* 
pathy  to  the  bereaved  family. 

4.  This  Conference  endorses  the  following  resolu* 
tions  passed  by  the  Indian  Association  of  Leprolo- 
gists: 

(0  Inasmuch  as  children  suffering  from  leprosy 
cannot  be  restrained  from  mixing  with  their  brothers 
and  sisters  or  other  children  of  their  neighbourhood,  or 
at  schools,  and  thus  exposing  them  to  easy  infection, 
this  Association  considers  it  highly  important  that  there 
should  be  special  homes,  wherever  possible,  for  children 
afflicted  with  the  disease  where  they  should 
receive  good  core  and  education.  The  Association 
draws  the  special  attention  of  Governments,  local 
bodies  and  non-offlcial  organisations  engaged  in  leprosy 
work  to  this  aspect  of  the  problem. 

Hi)  This  Association  draws  the  attention  of  the 
varioiis  State  Governments  to  the  following  resolntioa 
of  the  All-India  Leprosy  Workers*  Conference,  Wardha, 
1947: 

''It  is  the  considered  opinion  of  this  Conference 
that  leprosy  patients  needing  temporary  hospitalisation 
for  treatment  of  general  diseases  as  wdl  as  for  compli* 
-cations  from  leprosy  should  be  admitted  into  the  Gene- 
ral  Hospitals  ;  non-infective  cases  in  general  wards  and 
infective  cases  in  infectious  diseases  wards.  Although 
most  Govemmrnts  have  accepted  this  principle,  it  ia 
regrettable  that  it  is  not  put  into  practice  largely  due 
to  the  attitude  of  the  medical  and  other  staff  of  such 
hospitals.  This  Conference,  therefore,  hopes  that  the 
Central  and  State  Governments  will  issue  necessary 
furtl^er     iiistructions   so   that   the     admission   of     suoh 


paticnu  in  the  bpapitali  voder  their  eontrol  b 
whenever   necessary." 

' '  iiU)  This  Association  appeals  to  the  membm  if 
the  medical  profession  to  recognise  the  need  lot 
rationalisation  of  their  own  attitude,  as  well  aa  thai  ot 
the  general  public,  towards  leprosy  in  keeping  with  the 
new  outlook  manifested  throughoat  the  world  fm  m> 
pect  of  this  problem. 

(ip)  This  Aisociation  draws  attentioii  of  all 
Governments  to  the  following  resolntion  adopted  at  ^ 
All-India  Leprosy  Workers*  Conference  at  Wardha  fa 
1947  regarding  urban  leprosy  and  learns  with  regret  that 
in  some  places  instead  of  increasing  the  existing  faciBr 
ties,  the  ones  available  at  present  are  being  curtailed : 

"The  Conference  while  recognising  the  importanoe 
of  rural  leprosy  would  also  draw  attention  to  the  need 
of  organising  adequate  relief  and  prevention  of  leprosy 
in  urban  areas  and  emphasises  that  while  home  laoHo* 
tion  where  possible  should  be  taken  into  account  as  i 
desirable  method  in  large  towns,  the  need  for  institn* 
tional  segregation  and  the  relief  of  the  needy  and  dis- 
abled  must   be  kept  in  mind.** 

5.  This  Conference  has  learnt  with  deep  coneen 
that  in  the  projected  Hindu  Marriage  Act  leproey  ii 
included  as  a  ground  for  divorce.  Conddering  the  low 
infectivity  of  leprosy  and  its  non-hereditary  nature,  dw 
Conference  is  strongly  of  the  opinion  that  there  ia  not 
only  no  justification  for  its  inclusion  on  medical  grounds 
but  that  it  ¥rill  nullify  most  of  the  good  work  done  da^ 
ing  the  last  quarter  of  a  century  in  the  reorientation  of 
public  opinion  on  this  subject.  Therefore  the  Conlerenee 
urges  that  leprosy  be  omitted  from  the  said  measure. 

6.  In  view  of  the  fact  that  "closed**  cases  of  kproff 
are  not  a  danger  to  the  community,  and  the  modem 
methods  of  treatment  are  happily  able  to  prevent  cripp- 
ling consequences  of  the  disease,  the  Conference  reite> 
rates  its  view  that  presons  affected  with  "closed**  type  of 
leprosy  should  not  be  discharged  from  employ- 
ment because  of  their  conditions  provided  they 
continue  treatment  in  a  recognised  institution^  It 
should,  however,  be  understood  that,  in  the  case  of  fae- 
tories,  they  would  not  demand  any  compensation  for  any 
deformity  or  injury  caused  or  aggravated  because  of  the 
nature  of  the  disease. 

7.  Having  regard  to  the  all-round  interest  mani- 
fested in  the  cause  of  eradication  of  leprosy  in  ths 
country,  and  to  enable  the  worlL  to  proceed  smoothly 
and  with  speed  &nd  vigour,  this  Conference  earnestly  n- 
quests  the  principal  organisations  concerned  with  leprosy 
work  to  consider  the  need  for  the  appointment  of  a  small 
committee  consisting  of  representatives  of  the  principal 
organisations  to  prepare  a  joint  plan  for  the  co-ordination 
and  distribution  of  leprosy  work.  The  earlier  such  a 
plan  is  prepared,  made  publicly  known,  and  put  into 
effect,  the  better  will  the  work  progress  towards  the 
common  goal. 

8.  This  Conference  endorses  the  following  reaolB> 
tion  passed  bj  tbo  Leprosy  Advisory  Board  of  the  GandU 


NOTES 


m 


<(i<lki^at  lit  .OMwtlx^  bdd  oo  19lh  Jun«f  WSi  fad 
reoDimnen^B  to.  ]l^;  CeAJtral  ^id,  the.StatArQq^ 
10  ajjidc  J)y;  1| :  .        ^         .      ..   ' 
)  All  ex-leprpsy  paticnU  should  b«  perioiilcall|, 

for  acid-fast  bacilli ; 
)  Those  who  are  negative  but  have  deformities 
e  rehabilitated  by  sending  them  to  a  hospital 
ecial  training  is  given  to  these  patients  to  do 
d  of  work  fitted  to  their  condition  ; 
0  Those  who  are  negative  and  have  no  defonni- 
do  propaganda  and  publicity  work.  They  can 
gardening  and  other  work.  The  social  work 
itter  be  done  by  healthy  workers  as  they  have  to 
lately  with  both  adults  and  children.    If,  before 

date  of  examination,  the  disease  of  the  ex 
^comes  active  again,  he  may  spread  the  infection 
le  period  of  interval  between  one  examination 
next  for  acid-fast  bacilli  ;  and  their  cases  dealt 
he  light  of  the  results  of  the  examination." 
'his  Conference  requests  the  Government  of 
invite  the  Internationa]  Leprosy  Association  to 
(  next  (1958)  session  of  the  International 
Congress  in  India. 

'.al  Danger  Facing  Hindi 

Maganbhai  P.  Desai  writes  in  the  Horijan^ 
,  1953,  that  as  Indians  speak  differem  languages, 
for  a  common  medium  of  ^inter-provincial  and 
communication  was  quite  obvious ;  and  to 
''Hindi  is  the  best  suited  of  all  our  regional 
>."  But  that  Hindi  should  be  quite  simple  and 
liighly  Sanskritised  one  advocated  by  Sri  Puru- 
18  Tandon  and  the  Hindi  Sabitya  Sammelan. 
«ch  on  February  20  before  the  Hindi  Sabitya 
3  at  Aligarh,  Sri  Tandon  had  said  that  a 
language  was  essential  for  national  unity  and 
dangers  faced  the  evolution  of  Hindi  as  a 
language:  one  was  the  love  of  English;  the  other 
rement  in  U.P.  to  have  Urdu  declared  the  re- 
nguage  of  the  state."  Citicizing  this  viewpoint 
i  writes  :  *'If  there  is  any  danger  facing  the 
f  the  national  language  it  is  this  exclusive  spirit 
S  our  unity  and  composite  culture  and  not  Urdu 
mand  for  recognition  as  a  regional  language  of 
ilch  it  is  and  should  be  so  recognised,  even  in 
r  interests  of  the  reunity  and  solidarity  of  our 
md  its  composite  culture  as  also  the  interests  of 
th  of  a   truly  national  ]anguage*\ 

this  is  beside  the  point  to  the  vast  majority  of 
ivhosc  mother-language  is  neither  Hindi  nor  Urdu 
bom  both  Devanagari  or  Urdu  Script  is  foreign, 
ould  be  some  measure  by  which  the  unfair 
i  of  the  Hindi  or  Hindustani  speaking  peoples  is 
d  in  all  public  services  and  professions.  Every 
persoi^  in  India  should  know  two  Indian 
,  one  of  which  must  be  Hindi.  Besides  that, 
uld  be  a  Hindi  Lexicon  authorised  by  an  All* 


India  Committee,  and  arAtioaalfxad  ffmmam  aiyilMtlef 
anooiafi^s' ^  gender  poovtntion^  etc.  ..-^ 

French  Settlements  in  India 

Tie  Leader  repoiia  the  formatioa  of  the  'Trench 
India  Liberation  League"  at  a  public  meeting  held  in 
Nagapattinam  on  the  22nd  March.  The  League  wouldi 
to  quote  the  resolution,  "help  and  Und  moral  support 
to  the  Indian  people  in  French  settlements  in  India  in 
their  struggle  for  freedom  and  to  merge  with  the 
Indian  Union." 

The  territories  occupied  by  the  French  legitimately 
belonged  to  the  Indian  Union  and  the  French  should 
immediately  quit  them  peacefully  if  they  wanted  the 
friendship  and  goodwill  of  the  Indian  people.  The 
meeting  strongly  condemned  the  repressive  measures 
let  loose  by  the  French  authorities  on  the  people 
advocating  merger  with  the  Indian  Union.  An  appeal 
was  made  to  Premier  Nehru  to  expedite  his  efforts  to 
liberate  the  people  in  the  French  Settlements  in  India 
who  were  ''undergoing  untold  mental  agony  and 
physical  torture." 

The  insane  colonial  policy  followed  by  Fran'^'*  S 
Asia  win  ultimately  lead  to  her  destruction  as  a  World 
Power.  France  must  understand  that  in  the  world  of 
today  she  is  not  only  out-of-date  in  her  policy  but 
also  a  source  of  world  unrest. 

New  US.  Ambassador  to  India 

IVesident  Eisenhower  has  nominated  Mr.  Georg« 
Venable  Allen  as  the  United  States  Ambassador  to  India* 
in  succession  to  Mr.  Chester  Bowles.  A  trained  profes- 
sional  diplomat  Mr.  Allen  is  reported  to  be  one  of  the 
most  competent  men  in  the  State  Department.  He  has 
specialised  in  Near  Eastern  relations  almost  since  going 
to  the  department,  and  has  spent  more  than  eight  years 
Sn  the  field.  A  former  Chief  of  the  Division  of  Middle 
Eastern  Affairs  of  the  State  Department,  he  is  fully 
acquainted  with  problems  involved  in  United  Statei 
relations  with  all  the  Near  and  Middle  Eastern  nations. 

Mr.  Allen  is  now  49  years  old  and  has  been  in  diplo- 
matic service  since  1930,  before  which  he  was  a  news- 
paper reporter  and  school  teacher.  His  service  abroad 
includes  assignments  at  Shanghai,  Cairo,  Teheran, 
Athens  and  other  foreign  countries.  Mr.  Allen*s  most 
recent  three  assignments  were — ^Ambassador  to  Iran 
(194648),  as  Assistant  Secretary  of  State  for  Publio 
Affairs  (194849),  and  Ambassador  to  Yugoslavia  (since 
1949).  He  was  ^  political  adviser  at  the  Truman- 
Churchill-Stalin  Conference  held  at  Potsdam  in  July  1945. 
He  was  also  present  at  the  RooseveltChurchilllnonu 
Conference  at  Cairo  in  December,  1943. 

U.N.  Secretary-General 

The  selection  of  the  new  Secretary-Creneral  of  the 
U.  N.  has  reached  an  impasse.  Article  97  of  X\» 
Charter  lays  down  that  the  Security  Council  recom- 
mends, him  and  the  General  Asftembly  appoipta  him. 


THE  MODERN  REVIEW  FOR  APRIL.  1853 


WmtHuicMimn  tuss^ested  to  succeed  Mr.  Trygvi  Lie 
end  were  in  turn  rejected  by  the  ^Seeurit;^  Council: 
They  were  Mr.  Lester  B.  Pearson  of  Canada,  Brig ^ 
Gen.  Romulo  of  Philippines,  Mr.  Shieseskeeewski  of 
Poknd  and  Mrs.  Vijayalaxmi  Pandit  of  India.  The 
nomination  of  Mrs.  Pandit  was  opposed  by  the  Anglo- 
American  bloc  on  various  pretexts  and  was  finally 
rejected  by  a  vote  of  two  in  favour,  one  against  and 
eight  abstentions. 

An  earlier  report  in  the  Leader  of  Man^  9,  dis- 
closed that  the  delegate  of  Nationalist  China  on  the 
Security  Council  would  veto  Mrs.  Pandit's  nomination. 
It  is  presumed  that  the  opposing  vote  referred  to 
above  was  that  of  the  delegate  of  Nationalist  China. 
This  again  brings  to  the  fore  the  anachronism  in  the 
United  Nations  wher©  the  representative  of  a  Govern- 
ment which  has  no  control  over  its  own  territory  can 
veto  the  decision  of  the  Security  Council. 


<c 


Jf 


Little  Europe  at  Loggerheads^ 

Mr.  Iqbal  Singh,  the  well-known  journalist,  com- 
menting on  the  conference  of  Foreign  Ministers  of 
tVance,  Italy,  Western  Germany,  Belgium,  Nether- 
lands and  Luxembourg,  in  Rome  which  concluded  on 
February  26,  writes  in  the  People  that  the  conference 
failed  to  achieve  its  objects.  The  conference  ostensibly 
met  to  consider  an  ambitious  plan  for  the  creation  of 
an  Economic  Union  of  Little  Europe  put  forward  by 
Herr  Ibeyht,  the  Dutcih  Foreign  Mimster.  Professedly, 
the  conference  was  also  to  ''examine  the  wOrk  of  a 
paradoxoal  body  which  is  -called  'the  constitutional 
commission  of  the  Pre-Constituent  Assembly'  and 
which  had  been  set  up  sometime  back  to  draw  up  a 
constitutional  framework  for  the  European  Defence 
Community." 

But  the  leal  problem  before  the  conference  was 
the  question  of  a  European  Armv.  On  May  27.  1962, 
the  above  six  governments  signed  in  Paris  e.  treaty 
providing  for  the  establishment  of  a  "European 
Defence  community"  and  a  "European  Army."  But 
evien  after  nine  months  the  treaty  had  not  yet  been 
ratified  by  parliaments.  Even  France,  the  country, 
which  had  taken  the  initiative,  put  forward  new 
conditions  for  ratification  of  the  treat/  with  a  view  to 
providing  herself  with  certain  guarantees  and  safe- 
guards against  a  German  preponderance  in  the  Euro- 
pean Defence  Community. 

The  Italian,  Dutch  and  the  Luxembourg  represen- 
tatives viewed  the  French  proposals  as  violating  the 
"European  and  supra-national"  spirit  of  the  European 
army  treaty.  The  Germans  were  quite  upset  as  the 
proposals,  carried  into  effect,  would  eliminate  CSrerman 
equality  in  the  project.  The  German  firmness  in  resist- 
ing the  French  proposals  had  in  its  course  stiffened  the 
French  attitude.  The  reflection  of  this  attitude  was 
summed  up  hy  Andre  FonUinc  in  Le  Monde,  where 
^a  wrot^  iltut  ''teccm  politici^J  evoJwtion  bai  H  tVi^ 


French  Government  to  hf^  mudi  more  wary  thpn  |i 
t]ie  past'  over  the  abandonment  of  sovereignly." 

Signor  De  Gasperi's  efforts  at  mediation  alee  fdM 
to  bridge  the  diverging  points  of  view  and  the  eoA- 
ference  broke  up  without  arriving  at  any  decision.  * 

France,  like  Spain  in  the  medieval  period,  always 
places  its  own  interests  above  that  of  fmaller  or 
weaker  nations.  This  arrant  selfishness  and  arroganos 
has  been  the  source  of  imrest  in  the  West  for  over  two 
centuries.  {  .j 

Developments  in  Pakistan  and  India 

The  People  writes  that  Indian  official  circles  aie 
"viewing  with  considerable  anxiety  combined  with 
sympathy  the  alarming  development  in  Pakistan." 

'There  is  not  the  slightest  attempt  here  (New 
Delhi)  to  minimise  the  gravity  of  the  reaction  of  thege 
developments  on  India.  « 

"Martial  law  is  never  an  easy  matter,  Lahor«  is 
only  at  stone's  throw  from  Amritsar  where  we  ars 
having  enough  trouble  already  from  the  Akalis.  Both 
the  anti-Ahmediya  and  Akali  agitations  represent  an 
extreme  type  of  communalism,  with  this  difiEerence, 
however,  that  the  Akalis  have  very  httle  suppoH  oa 
this  side  of  th^  border  while  the  movement  against 
the  Abmediyas  is  widespread  in  Pakistan  and  is 
capable  of  setting  graver  problems  to  the  Government 
It  does  not  appear.either  that  the  martial  law  is  beug 
shortly  enforced,  in  the  absence  of  popular  support 

"Politically  Pakistan  has  been  following  a  wrong 

p6licy  with  regard  to  India  for  tjie  sake  of  getting 
Kashmir.  The  anti-Indianism  has  taken  a  new  turn.  It 
has  become  anti-Ahmediaism,  and  tomorrow  it  will 
become  anti-Shiaism.  Economically,  Pakistan  is  touch- 
ing bottom.  There  is  a  tremendous  shortage  of  food. 
The  foreign  exchange  reserves  are  falling.  The  new 
import  policy  is  sending  up  prices.  India  does  not 
certainlv  welcome  the  long,  famisbM  faordes  trekking 
their  way  into  her  territory  in  search  of  food." 

To  prevent  this  eventuality,  Pandit  Nehru  and  his 
wiseacres  have  decided  to  starve  the  poor  agriculturist 
millions  of  West  Bengal  and  North  Bihar  instead  I 

Anti-Ahmediya  Disturbances  in  Lahore 

Sri  Kundan  Lai  writes  in  the  People  that  the  anti- 
Ahmediya  agitation  was  not  of  recent  origin.  "In  joint 
Punjab  this  fire  had  been  smouldering  for  almost  a 
decade.^  After  Partition  the  old  hatred  against  the 
Ahmediyas  was  rekindled.  Efforts  were  made  by  the 
rulers  to  divert  the  people's  attention  towards  Kashmir 
by  starting  a  nation-wide  campaign  of  virulence  against 
India. 

But,  the  writer  says,  "there  was  no  dearth  of  dis- 
gruntled    wily     politicians,     hungering     for     power    in 
Pakistan,  ever  waiting  to  pUy  havoc  with  public  entfi^ 
siasm,  tais^  it  to  new  heights  of  frenzy  by  app^f(Bng  ti(| 
\\ie  \iafc^  t»^V\o«^  <A  >5wt  Vwjr^w^  heart, 


NOTES 


967 


*'An(i  so  it  cAme  about.  The  people  that  had  been 
fed  for  yean  on  wild  notions  of  reUgions  intoleranca 
sdddenfy  turned  Mullah-crazy.  The  hymn  of  hate  direct* 
ed  against  ''these  enemies  of  Islam  from  within'' — the 
helpless  Ahmediyas— set  the  masses  aflame. 

The  actors  in  this  diabolical  drama  were  the  wilf 
Teterans  that  enacted  the  drama  of  loot  and  carnage 
during  partition. 

"Everything  was  done,  in  accordance  with  the  plan 
which  was  known  to  have  been  under  preparation  for 
months.  Now,  a^  before,  charts  were  drawn  of  the  pro- 
perties to  be  destroyed  and  looted;  white  marks  were 
painted  on  houses  and  shops  belonging  to  prominent 
Ahmediyas  for  easy  identification  ;  victims  of  violence 
were  chosen  and  listed  and  the  persons  who  were  to 
execute  these  ghastly  deeds  were  allotted  their  respective 

"At  the  appointed  hour  the  avalanche  of  purge 
descended  on  victims.  The  butcher's  knife  slashed  once 
again  innocent  throats  in  the  name  of  Islam.  Thousands 
of  men  were  assaulted,  murdered  or  burnt  alive.  Their 
properties  were  looted,  their  houses  were  burnt. 

"The  misguided  youth  abducted  and  raped  women 
by  the  hundred.  For  a  week  the  Devil's  dance  went  ofll 
imehecked.... 

"FWdahnashin  yoimg  women  were  snatched  from 
the  protecting  arms  of  their  parents  and  husbands,  mak- 
ing vain  appeals  to  stony  hearts  to  save  their  modesty. 

"Verily  the  boomerang  htfd  hit  back  Pakistan — and 
with  what  vigour.  Today  it  is  the  Ahmediyas,  tomorrow 
it  will  be  the  Shias,  the  day-after  it  may  be  the  Punjabi 
against  the  non-Punjabi.  There  is  no  knowing  where 
this  mad  game  will  end." 

Thus  is  written^  another  chapter  in  the  history  of 
the  Communal  Frankenstein,  begat  by  the  British^ 
mirtured  by  the  G>ngress  by  its  policy  of  appeasement 
and  fully  armed  and  let  loose  by  the  Moslem  League  on 
the  eve  of  the  Partition. 

New  Masters  in  the  Kremlin 

By  the  d^ath,  through  massive  cerebral  hsmor- 
rhage,  of  J^arshal  Joseph  Vissarionovitch  Stalin  on  the 
evening  of  6th  March  at  MO  p.m.,  an  all-time  world- 
figure  has  passed  beyond  human  ken. 

The  historian  of  a  later  day  will  give  the  true 
aaoeflsment  of  the  man.  But  few  men,  if  any,  have 
achieved  so  much  in  one  life-time,  and  to  few  was 
given  so  much  pdwer  for  good  or  evil.  No  conqueror 
in  iiistory,  neither  any  puissant  war-lord  had  domi- 
nated the  world-stage  in  that  fashion,  and  none  have 
affected  the  destinies  of  entire  nations  in  this  way. 
For  his  own  country  and  his  chosen  peoples,  he  had 
achieved  much.  And  in  the  hour  of- their  greatest  peril 
and  trial,  when  the  massive  Russian  armies  and  vast 
territories  containing,  gigantic  mechanical  establish- 
mentB  had  been  shattered  and  devastated  1}y  the 
gmif,  planes  and  paasera  of  Hitler^  he  remained  calm 
iifd  ftoidfast,  ralbring  his  armiet  and  hia  peoptes. 


«,-k 


.  The  reorganisation  oi  Soviet  leadeiriiip  following 
Stalin's  death  has  evoked  much  interest  all  over  the 
worlds  From  the  first  announcement  of  March  4th  it 
was  clear  that  the  plans  for  ^uccessioi^  were  ready, 
lu  the  morning  of  Mardi  6th  Stalin's  death  was 
proclaimed  ai^d  by  the  evening  a  sUtement  was  issued 
annoimcing  radical  changes  in  the  leadership  of  both 
party  and  G<^vernment.  A  change  of  Ptesident  was 
also  "recommended.'*  The  Supreme  Soviet  (Soviet 
Parliament)  was  simultaneously  convened  by  the  end 
of  the  week  to  rubber-stamp  the  decisions  taken.  Within 
a  few  days  of  Stalin*s  funeral,  a  reorganised  system  has 
been  functioning  with  the  full  authority  of  effective  and 
enacted  law. 

In  both  government  and  parly  the  number  of  top- 
ranking  leaders  has  been  reduced.  A  new  body  haS 
been  formed  in  the  G)uncil  of  Ministers.  It  is  the 
Presidium  or  five-man  inner  cabinet  headed  by  Premier 
Malenkov.  The  Presidium  of  the  Party  has  likewise 
been  reduced  to  the  size  of  the  former  Politburo. 
Malenkov  is  the  head  of  the  government  and  the  first 
member  of  the  party's  two  chief  organs  ;  the 
Presidium  and  the  Secretariat.  He  has  not  yet  inherited 
Stalin's  official  title  of   General  Secretary. 

Under  Stalin's  premiership  there  were  14  deputy*  - 
premiers,  Four  of  them  have  now  become  supreme 
"first  deputy  premiers"  or  overlords.  Together  with 
premier  Malenkov,  they  iorm  the  Governmental 
Presidium.  Marshal  Voroshilov  has  replaced  President 
Shvemik.  Voroshilov  is  thus  out  of  the  Cabinet  on 
his  appointment  as  President.  As  regards  the  other 
former  deputy  premiers,  it  is  not  yet  definite  whether 
they  will  maintain  a  separate  status  as  vice-premiers  of 
second  rank  or  will  remain  attached  to  their  ministerial 
duties.  There  has  been  perhaps  a  division  in  the  sphere 
of  influence  of  the  supreme  overlords.  Three  of  them 
have  distinct  portfolios.  Molotov  is  in  charge  of 
foreigii  policy;  Beria  heads  the  amalgamated  ministries 
of  internal  affairs  and  slate  security;  Marshal  Bulganiu 
controls  the  armed  forces.  The  remaining  member  ot 
the  inner  cabinet,  Kaganovich,  holds  no  portfolio.  He 
is  in  charge  of  the  general  economic  development  of 
Soviet  Russia.      Malenkov  is   the  Primus  inter  pares. 

The  Soviet  Parliament  or  Supreme  Soviet  of  the 
USSR  consists  of  two  chambers ;  the  Soviet  of  the 
Union  and  that  of  Nationalities.  Both  are  elected  for  four 
years,  the  former  by  the  whole  electorate  on  the  basis 
of  one  deputy  for  SfiQOflf)  inhabitants,  and  the  latter 
by  the  Republics.  The  Supreme  Soviet  legislates,  and 
nominates  and  dismisses  ministers.  The  two  chamber^ 
oombinedly  elect  a  Presidium  which  exercises  control 
l>etween  sessions.  The  Presidium  has  the  right,  on  the 
advice  of  the  Premier,  to  approve  appointments  and 
dismissals.  It  has  the  power  to  issue  decrees,  interpret 
laws  and  convoke  the  Soviet  itself.  It  consists  of  a 
Qiainnan— who  la.  the  Soviet  ei^valent  oi  thi^  ^^nk^A^ 
of  the  SLtp^Cy— \^  ^iV!!5«,-^&ii5aw;^  ».^  ">5>  wct^wkv? 


Mi 


tflfi  MObfiRN  tlfiVlfiW  FOR  AfftlL.  iQ53 


Conttitiitioiully  the  Ptetidhun  ctanot  ramoire  \tf 
chaizt&an  withont  the  appronl  of.  the  Supreoe  SoTiet 
The  repltOHnent  of  chaifman,  ShTeniik  b^r  VoroahUov 
^  therefore  hanllr  .(^tittitntioliaL  The  chtnge  wti 
limply  "re^mmended/'  The  change  will  hecome 
•Tcftll"  on  the  approval  of  the  Supreme  Soviet. 

The     dismissal  of     Shyemik     from  the     Presidency 
Immediately  after  Stalin's  death  lias     given  rise  to  the 
belief  that  in  the  reorganisation  of  the  Parly  Presidium 
tad  the  government,   Malenkov   has  overstepped  Stalin's 
will.      Stalin  would  hardly  have  designed  a  new  pattern 
foj^  the   party   a   few   months      ago   with   the   desire   6t 
having  it     scrapped  the  very  day  of  his  death.    If  there 
has  been  a  palace  revolution,  it  must  have  been  supported 
by  a      "gentlemen^s   agreement.**      Malenkov   took   over 
the   charge   of   the      government   with   the   help   of   four 
leading   Soviet   figures.       For   the    ageing    Molotov,   who 
for  years  had   beeoi  second   to  none  but  Stalin,  this  ia 
a  little  consolation;  for  Bulganin  and  Beria,  it  was  possibly 
a  reward  and  certainly  a  recognition  of  their  powers  :  for 
Kaganovich,  it  was  a  lift.     While  the  quintet  is  formed 
to  nm  (^c  administration,  the  triumvirate  with  Malenkov, 
Beria  and  Molotov  will  wield  the     power.    Malenkov     is 
already  in  a  dominating  position.     He  alone  among  the 
Soviet  leaders  can  be  found  in  the  |hree  seats  of  supreme 
power,  namely,  the  Minister*^  Presidium,  Party  Presidium 
and    Party   Secretariat.       Malenkov    is   everywhere    and 
everywhere  he  is  first.  Should  he,  following  the  example 
ojf  Stalin,  decide  to     become  a     dictator  whose  will  is 
unquestioned,   he      could      stage  ..an      All-Union   Party 
Congress;   vrith  the  help  of  the  Secretariat's  pressure  on. 
local    organisations  he     could  fill  it     with  his  own  mea 
and  then  caul  force  his  will  upon  the  party. 

The  changes  in  party     hierarchy  partly  destroy  the 
pattern     established  at     last  year's    AllUnion     Congress 
which  was  attended  by  Stalin  and  was  in  favour  of  the. 
old  system.     The  Congress  is  the  supreme  body  of  the. 
party  and  it  meets  at  least  every   four  years.     It   dele? 
gates  its  powers  to  a  Central  Committee,  which  in  turn 
dogates  the  supreme  power  to  a  Presidium.    For  about 
35   years   before   the   last   Congress,   the    party   was   led 
hy   its   working   committee,    the    Politburo   consisting   of 
alwut  a  dozen   members^     The   Politburo   is  now  aboli- 
8|ied   and   instead   the   Presidium   of   the  Party  is   estab*. 
li^ed.     The   new     Party    Presidium    resembles   the    de* . 
funct    Politburo    in    all    but    name.     It    consists    of    10 
members  and  4  candidates.     Most  of  the   former,  Polit- 
buro members  are  included  in  it  and  of  the  newcomers, 
o^ly  •  Saburov  and     Peruvkhin      have  been  left.     The 
resurrected   Politburo   in   the   form   of  Presidium      does 
now  however  wield  the  power  of  its  former  self.  Another 
organ  of  the  Party  retains  its  size  and  importance,  and 
it    is    the    Secretariat    of    the    Cenral    Committee.    In 
practice  it  controls  the  party  machine  through  supervision 
and    appointments,      although    in    theory    it  is  only  a  ^ 
•ijisidiary   organ    performing   the   day-to-day   administra- 
Jji^e  taaki  of  the  Committee.    It  it  frdtt  a  Tintagt  pobt 


trithin  the  ^N^f^ariat  that  both  SuUn  and  Makibl 
jitTo  m^e  thefr'bid  for  power.  This  it  an  importitf 
Keapoa  b  the  hands  of  Malenkor. 

So  long  Stalin  lived^  he  had  the  last  word  on  the 
destiny,  of  Russia.  Stalin,  Stalinism,  and  the  military 
itrength  ,  of  Russia  are,  blendejl  together  to  form  the 
giant  Leviathan  that  cast  its  shadow,  over  postwar 
Europe,  Asia  and  America.  The  master*s  testamem 
is  :  in  foreign  affairs  to  keep  out  of  world  war, 
foment  revolution  in  colonial  countries,  and  exploit 
the  contradictions  among  the  capitalist  countries  until 
they  fight  one  another  ;  in  home  affairs  to  go  on  stolh 
bomly  accumulating  industrial  strength,  recognising 
economic  laws,  postponing  Utopian  plans  of  social 
improvement  but  keeping  the  complacent  up  to  the 
mark   through   propaganda   and    the   Party. 

Stalinism  may  go  on  for  some  time,  but  the  dis- 
appearance of  Stalin  is  for  most  Russians  the  end  ol 
the  tremendous  quarter  century.  The  last  real  link 
with  the  October  Revolution  has  broken  ;  the  dominat- 
ing and  stable  lacior  in  society  has  been  effaced  ;  the 
working  of  new  regime  will  be  watched  with  intereat. 

» 

Electoral  Law  for  China 

Mao  Tse-tung,  Chairman  of  the  Central  PeOple'a 
Government  of  the  People's  Republic  of  China,  I'lo- 
claimed  the  coming  into  force  of  the  Election  Law  of 
the  All-China  People's  Congress  and  the  local  people's 
Qongressea  at  aU  levels.  This  Election  Law  conii)ris. 
ing  ten  chapters  was  passed  by  the  Central  People*^ 
Qpyempient  Council  at  He  .22nd  se^teion  on  February 

The  law  stipulates  universal  adult  franchise.  All 
Chinese  citizens  above  the  age  of  18,  irrespective  of 
nationality,  race,  sex,  occupation,  social  origin,  leh- 
g;ious  belief,  education,  property  or  length  of  residence, 
^joy  tl^eri^ht  to  elect  and  to  be  elected.  Women 
enjoy  equal  rights  with  men  to  elect  and  to  be  elected. 
Special  provisions  have  bcon  made  for  the  elections, 
among  the  people  of  minority  nationalities,  the  armed 
forces  and  the  overseas  Chinese. 

The  Election  Law  denies  the  right  to  elect  and  to 
be  elected  to  landlords  who  have  not  changed  ihsir 
social  status,  to  counter-rcvolulionanci  who  have  been 
deprived  of  their  political  rights  according  to  law,  and 
lunatics.  Thus,  all  who  may  offend  the  Government 
can  be'  denied  the  franchise.  , 

Every  citiicn  h^  one  vote.  The  Law  prdndei 
that  the  number  of  delegates  would  be  proportionate 
to  the  population.  But  taking  into  consideration  ol 
the  different  conditions  of  the  various  constituencies 
and  units,  different  proportion  is  stipulated  as  between 
city  and  country,  between  the  Han  (Chinese)  peopls 
and  the  minority  nationalities. 

According  to  Hsinhua  News,  'The  number  of  dele- 
gates to  the  people's  congreesee  at  all  levels  has  bten . 
fixed  according  to  two  principles,  nnmely  :    Flxii^   Um 
people's  ^nfresMs  at  (Jl  levels,  must  be  made  cocape* 


NOTES 


260 


te  organs  so  that  they  are  in  the  position  to 
people  together  and  discuss  ^nd  settle  prob- 
ijond,  the  people's  congresses  at  all  levels  must 
)se  relations  with  the  people."  The  number  of 
s  to  the  All-China  People's  Congress  will  be 
aatcly  1^. 

ry  province  will  have  at  least  three  delegate© 

All-China  People's  Congress.    For  every  eight 

people  in  the     provinces  there  will  be  one 

tative     in    the     All-China   People's   Congress, 

industrial  cUies  every  one  lokk  will  send  a 
Similar  provisions  have  been  for  election 
jvels.  The  overseas  Chinese  numbering  some 
niUions  will  send  in  30  delegates.  The  number 
atcs  from  the  minority  nationalities  shall  be 
.11,  apart  from  members  of  minority  nationali- 
)  are  elected  from  other  field:j  or  units.    The 

nationalities  constitute  about  a  fourteenth 
total  population  but  they  have  been  allotted 
ne-seventh    of  the    seats    in     the    All-China 

Congress. 

8,  representation  also  is  variable  according  to 
on,  location  and  national  characteristics, 
election  expenses  will  be  borne  by  the  state 
This  provision  has  a  special  significance  M 
ial  ^guaranteed  to  the  electors  and  candidates 
y  will  really  be  able  to  exercise  their  rights. 

Law  provides  for  free  and  fair  elections, 
jr,  the  law  gives  the  electors  the  right  to  re- 
gates  already  elected,  and  elect  others  in  their 
his  again  may  mean  that  any  delegate  may  be 
[  at  any  time  by  the  leaders  of  the  People. 
»ct  elections  will  be  held  only  in  such  basic 
rative  areas  as  the  Hsiang,  the  small  town, 
il  districts  and  municipality  with  no  dis- 
ider  it,  while  indirect  election  will  be  held  in 
itry  and  administrative  imits  above  the  cOan* 
I.  On  account  of  the  lack  of  electoral  experi- 
ong  a  great  part  of  the  people  and  the  eflris- 

iDiteracy,  the  Election  Law  makes  the  secret 
bligatory  only  in  the  country  and  administra- 
ts  above  the  country  level  ;  optional  in  the 
ministrative  units,  where  a  show  of  hand  will 
e  be  used. 

iidates  will  be  nominated  by  the  Communist 
he  various  democratic  groups  and  organisa- 
d  others  not  belonging  to  any  party  as  well, 
itors  are  free  to  vote  for  the  candidates  on 
or  vote  someone  not  on  the  list  they  like. 

Session  of  Chinese  PPCC 

fourth  session  of  the  First  National  Committee 
/hinese  People's  Political  Consultative  Council 
a  number  of  resolutions, 
attention  ^as  to  be  concentrated  to  "increase 
Dn,  practise  economy,  fulfil  and  overfulfil  the 
!,  national  defence,  and  social  and  cultural 
construction  for  1963,  so  as  to  make  a  good 


start  in  the  first  Five-year  Plan  of  national  construe- 
tion." 

A  decision  was  also  taken  to  make  preparations 
for  the  next  general  elections.  All  the  Chinese,  at 
home  and  abroad,  were  urged  to  stand  behind  the 
Government  and  the  Communist  Party  and  "mobilise 
themselves  to  strive  for  the  victorious  fulfilment  of 
the  three  great  tasks  mentioned  above." 

Before  the  close  of  the  meeting,  Chairman,  Mao 
Tse-tung,  spoke  before  the  Committe3  on  February  8 
and  urged  as  imperatives  to  strengthen  the  'resist 
American  aggression  and  aid  Korea'  struggle;  to  learn 
from  the  Soviet  Union,  and  thirdly  to  oppose  bureau- 
cracy among  leading  organs  and  leading  cadres  at  all 
levels. 

Burmese .  Govt.  Conditions  for  Foreign 
Capital 

The  People  reports  that  the  Government  of  Burma 
had  laid  down  seven  conditions  for  foreign  investors 
The  conditions,  as  published  in  the  paper,  are  : 

(1)  Foreipi  enterprises  should  be  self-sufiScient 
as  regards  foreign  exchani^.  They  would  be  per- 
mitted to  take  out  money  from  the  country  for  the 
purchase  of  capital  equipment  and  renewal;  foreign 
enterprises  would  also  be  allowed  to  ^  expbrt  a 
certain  percentage  of  current  money  subject  to  the 
general  foreign  exchange  position  of  the  countty. 

(2)  The  Government  would  not  allow  the 
import  of  unskilled  labour  from  abroad. 

(3)  The  Government  would  undertake  not  to 
nationalise  the  concerns  for  a  period  determined  by 
the  ratio  of  the  initial  capital  outlay  to  the  annual 
value  of  the  turnover. 

(4)  The  period  of  guarantee  miRht  be  renewed 
except  in  the  case  of  extractive  industries  like 
minerals. 

(6)  Protection  might  be  given  considering  the 
position  the  industry  occupied  in  the  economy  of 
the  country. 

«J)  Proposals  for  partnership  would  be  wel. 
corned. 

(7)  The  foreign  concerns  should  be  prepared 
to  undertake  the  training  of  qualified  Burmese 
candidates,  whenevr  the  Government  could  supply 
them. 

The  Government  was  also  prepared  to  allow  pros- 
pective foreign  investors  to  survey  industrial  oppor« 
tunities  before  they  reach  any  agreement  oti  actual 
investment. 

U.  S.  Foreign  Trade 

The  TJ.  S.  Department  of  Commerce,  in  its  annual 
review  of  foreign  trade,  predicted  major  fluctuations 
in  U.S.  foreign  trade  this  year  as  unlikely.  According 
to  the  report,  both  exports  and  imports  would  continue 
close  to  the  near-record  levels  cet  in  1952.  The  monthly 
Survey  of  Current  Business  of  the  Commerce  Depart- 
ment said  : 

"Basic  supply  scarcities,  which  explain  most  of 
the  wide  gap  between  exports  and  imports,  have 
largely  disappeared  as  a  result  of  increased  pro- 
duction  in  the  United  Statee  and  the  rest  of  the 
world  and,  in  some  cases  reduced  conmimpiion.'' 


270 


THE  MODERN  REVIfiW  FOR  APRIL,  1853 


According  to  the  sarf&y,  the  demand  for  most  o| 

the  imported  goods  was  likely  to  continue     to  be  at 

least  as  high  as  it  was  now.  Therefore,  foreign  countries 

should  be  able  to  earn  sufficient    dollars  to    maintain 

their  existing  purchases  frodd  the  United  States  at  or 

Dear  current  rates. 

The  Aynerican  Economy  reports  : 
•• 

"Foreign  trade  figures,  for  the  fiJl  year  1052 
show  that  great  progress  was  made  during  the  year 
in  reducing  the  dollar  gap  between  U.  S.  commer- 
cial exports  and  imports. 

"Total  exports  from  the  United  States  in  1952 
amounted  to  $15;200  million— some  $140  million 
lower  than  the  record  high  of  1947.  Imports  totalled 
^10.700  million,  about  $250  million  lower  than  the 
1951  peak. 

"This  resulted  in  an  apparent  gap  of  14.500 
million.  It  was  more  than  in  1951  or  1950,  but  less 
thnn  m  any  other  post-war  year.  However,  when 
$1,980  million  of  military  aid  snipments  are  ex- 
eluded  from  the  exports,  the  commercial  trade  gap 
amounted  to  only  $2,520  million,  less  than  in  any 
popT-war  year  except  1950,  when  it  wap  $1,400 
miUion." 

U.S.  and  Underdeveloped  Countries 

The  United  Nations  World  for  Februaiy,  1953, 
writes : 

•'A  recent  episode  at  the  United  Nations  may  be 
compared  to  a  false  alarm  causing  a  kind  of  moral 
stampede  among  international  business  circles. 

"A  resolution  has  been  passed  by  the  General 
Assembly  concerning  nationalisation  of  natural 
resources,  the  reaction  to  which  was  so  strong  that  the 
whole  future  of  American  capita]  investment  abroad 
seemed  to  be  threatened. 

"Shortly  before  the  Christmas  recess,  the  General 
Assembly's  Economic  and  Financial  Committee  was 
startled  by  a  Uruguayan  draft  proposal  affirming  the 
right  of  each  country  to  nationalize  and  exploit  freely 
its  natural  wealth.  American  delegates  were  astonished 
that  Uruguay  should  press  for  U.  N.  recognition  of 
sovereign  rights  already  safeguarded  by  international 
law  and  practice.  They  were  immediately  concerned 
that  such  a  gratuitous  slap  at  private  investors,  with 
no  mention  of  compensation  or  other  rights,  might 
dampen  the  ardor  of  American  investors  and  disrupt 
the  flow  of  U.S.  capital  to  underdeveloped  areas. 

"Tliese  fears  were  increased  several  days  latex 
when  a  majority  of  the  committee,  composed  of 
dclepites  from  underdeveloped  countries,  approved  the 
rcsolud'on  following  a  dramatic  debate  in  which  the 
United  States  and  other  defenders  of  the  rights  of 
private  investors  were  silenced,  and  any  reference  to 
such  rights  was  rejected.  The  National  Association  of 
Manufacturers  called  it  an  action  which  'dims  the 
hopes  of  underdeveloped  nations  raising  their  standards 
of  living  through  foreign  investment.'  This  sentiment 
was  echoed  by — among  other*— Keith  Funston,  Presi- 
c/h/7^  of  the  New  York  Stock  Exchange,  The  action, 
^A/  FunsftOD,  would  have  ^unfortunate  and  long  lastr 


ing  effects  on  the  full  flow  of  capital  abroad  from  tbii 
country'." 

The  paper's  comment  was  that  though  ''the  inei' 
dent  was  almost  harmless  and  could  even  be  conaidend 
constructive,"  still  the  ''attraction  of  tmderdevdoped 
countries  for  American  capital  has  Uildoubtedly  been 
damaged  by  the  U.  N.'s  policy  declaration  on 
nationalization.  Indeed,  the  U.  N.  itself  has  suffered  in 
the  eyes  of  many  Americans." 

There  are  two  sides  in  this  question.  Amenoans 
should  study  the  history  of  British,  French  and  Dutch 
colonialism.  These  predatory  nations  always  started 
with  the  "export  of  capital."  Good  fdih  can  only  be 
established  on  the  basis  of  bilateral  friendliness,  devoid 
of  any  superior  attitude  and  stripped  of  all  ulterior 
motives. 

VS.  Trade  Policy 

The  Public  Advisory  Board  for  Mutual  Securil7 
is  a  body  of  private  individuals  and  was  created  bgr 
law  to  advise  the  directors  of  the  Mutual  Securitgr 
Agency.  Recently  the  Board  have  submitted  theii 
recommendations  on  the  trade  policy  that  should  be 
followed  by  the  U.S.A.  These  recommendations  will 
be  considered  in  formulating  the  New  Administration^ 
foreign  trade  policy. 

In  their  report  to  President  Eisenhower,  the  Board 
have  emphasized  the  point  that  decisions  on  trade 
policy  should  be  based  on  national  interest  rather  than 
on  the  interest  of  particular  industries  or  groups.  The 
Board  said  : 

"So  long  as  the  import  policy  of  the  United 
States  is  based  on  the  concept  that  imports  cannot    '* 
come  into  the  country  if  they  threaten  injury  to  a 
domestic  industry,  there  is  little  scope  for  increasini 
imports. 

"Under  present-day  condition3.  this  concept  is 
iiLsufficient.  The  concept  of  the  national  interest  in 
trade  policy  must  start  with  the  p^'Jociple  that  tiie 
object  of  trade  policy  is  to  strengthen  the  national 
economy,  to  increase  domestic  production,  and  to 
raisf>  levels  of  real  income  and  standards  of  living 
in  the  economy  as  a  whole.  Beyond  that  the  national 
interest  in  trade  policy  must  be  concerned  with  the 
relation  of  trade  to  the  defence  and  security  of  the 
United  States,  including  its  effect  on  foreign 
relations." 

The  Board  have  recommended  the  abolition  of  the 
"escape  clause"  and  "peril  point"  procedures  as  »ow  . 
provided  by  law;  under  which  the  President  oonld 
withdraw  tariff  concessions  if  increased  imports  injured 
a  domestic  industry.  Under  the  latter  procedure  the 
Tariff  Commission  submitted  advance  judgement  as  tO 
how  far  the  President  could  go  in  making  tariff  eon- 
cessions  without  threatening  serious  injury  to  a 
domestic  industry.  Instead  the  Board  suggested  a 
government  assistance  programme  to  affected  indus- 
tries in  the  form  of  longer  unemployment  insurance 
benefits  for  displaced  workers  and  retraining  of 
workers;  and  Government  loans  to  eld  converaon  tO 
new  lines  of  production  or  to  start  new  mduatries    ia 


NOTES 


sn 


The  Board  was  hopeful  that  the  dollar  payments 
tlem  could  be  met  in  the  course  of  the  next  few 
s.  They  estimated  the  dollar  gap  as  about  $1,500 
ion  in  1^2.  If  the  Board's  recommendations  were 
ed  out,  it  was  said,  U.S.  imports  could  be  increased 
I  about  $700  million  a  year  after  three  years  to 
10  million  annually  after  five  years.  The  largest 
^ase  in  imports  would  be  in  manufactured  goods 
bout  $500  million  to  $700  million  a  year. 

de  between  India  and  Denmark  in 
952 

The  Danish  News,  March  15,  reports  that  trade 
een  India  and  Denmark  decreased  considerably 
ig  1052.  India's  exports  to  Denmark  dropped  from 

million  kroner  (145  kroner=100  rupees)  in  1950 
$.9  million  kroner  in  1951  and  in  1952  to  6.9 
3n  kroner.  Danish  exports  to  India  amounted  to 
million  kroner  in  1950  and  26.6  million  kroner  in 

It  d:>crea£ed  considerably  and  was  only  13.6 
}n  kroner  in  1952. 

[n  the  view  of  the  Danish  News,  the  fall  in  Den- 
's exports  to  India  is  only  temporary.  The  drop 
due  to  import  restrictions  of  the  Government  of 
i  and  to  the  fact  that  certain  Danish  specialities 
ed  higher  prices  in  other  countries  than  in  India, 
le  Indian  imports  from  Denmark  Dairy  products 
er,  milk  and  cheese),  pharmaceuticals  and 
inery  and  electric  goods  together  constituted 
than  60  per  cent  of  the  total. 

fifr  Income  of  Soviet  Peasants 

Takov  TJshcrenko  writes  in  the  News  and  Views  from 
Soviet  Union  :  "In  the  Soviet  countryside  meetingj» 
Dday  being  held  to  hear  report  of  the  management 
Is  on  the  results  of  the  year  and  to  elect  new 
jj^ement  boards  in  collective  farms.  The  members 
ch  of  the  97,000  collective  farms,  uniting  the 
Dts  of  the  Soviet  Union,  are  discussing  the  results 
rk  of  the  management  boards  they  elected  last  year, 
istributing  the  incomes  gained  in  1952  and  are 
ing  out  production  tasks  for  this  year.** 
A  1952  the  gross  harvest  of  grain  in  the  U.S.S.R. 
led  8,000  million  poodsr— the  highest  compared  with 
e  preceding  years.    The  harvest  of  wheat  increased 

per  cent ;  there  was  a  considerable  increase  in  the 
yield  of  cotton,  sugar,  beet,  sunfbwer,  flax  and 
technical  crops  as  well  as  potatoes  and  vegetables. 
»mmon]y  owned  livestock  in  the  collective  farms 
ncreased  appreciably. 

striking  success  of  Soviet  agriculture  was  due  to 
let  that  "Socialist  agriculture  is  conducted  on  the 
t  scale  in  the  world  and  is  the  most  meehanlied,  it 
ore  up-to-date  machinery  than  agriculture  any%fhere 

jn  19S2  the  income  per  working  peasant  increased 

per  cent.    Life  is  becoming  ever  proeperous  in  the 

eooDiiyaide,     Tbh  U     partieularly     seen  ill  the 


extensive  construction  of  new  fann  buildings  ia  ctDecthe 
farms,  of  collective  farm  hydroelectric  stations,  cultural 
institutions,  as  well  as  the  mass  construction  by  collective 
farmers  of  new  houses.      In  19S2  in  rural  localities  of 
the  Soviet  Union  370,000  new  houses  were  built." 

Agrarian  Reform  in  Viet-Nam 

Discussing  the  significance  and  scope  of  the  land 
reform  in  the  territories  under  the  rule  of  Ho  Chi- 
Minh,  I.  Podkopayer  writee  that  cne  of  the  mOst 
important  achievements  of  the  Democratic  Republic 
of  Viet-Nam  had  been  agrarian  reform.  The  signi* 
ficance  of  this  reform,  he  writes,  "may  be  judged  from 
the  fact  that  peasants  make  up  90  per  cent  of  the 
country's  population,  of  the  People's  Army,  the  terri- 
torial units  and  the  partisan  detachments." 

"Prior  to  the  August  revolution  of  1946  over 
7,000,000  peasants  out  of  a  total  of  13,000,000  had  no 
land  at  all,  and  approximately  half  of  the  peasant 
population  had  only  tiny  plots,  manifestly  inadequate 
to  produce  eiwugh  food  for  the  tiller  and  his  family. 
On  the  other  hand,  75  per  cent  of  all  the  land  was 
concentrated  in  the  hands  of  the  big  landlords,  colonial 
companies,  French  settlers  and  Catholic  missions.  For 
example,  705  big  French  planters  possessed  between 
them  377,000  hectares  of  rice  land.  The  municipal 
lands,  comprising  one-tenth  of  the  arable,  were  vir- 
tually controlled  by  a  handful  of  big  landlords  and 
French  planters.  The  French  colonialists  were  con- 
stantly adding  to  their  possessions  by  seizing  idle 
lands,  or  by  appropriating  the  plots  of  Viet-Nam 
peasants  in  payment  of  debts. 

"The  democratic  government  of  Viet-Nam  launched 
on  a  programme  of  agrarian  reform  immediately  after 
its  accession  to  power.  It  introduced  a  number  of 
measures  to  ease  the  lot  of  the  peasant  masses;  rents 
were  cut  by  25  to  50  per  cent  and  interest  on  peasant 
debts  was  either  substantially  reduced  or  cancelled 
altogether.  Peasant  committees  were  Fet  up  to  see  that 
rents  were  reduced  and  to  ^ettl?  all  disnutes  with 
landlords.  In  pursuance  of  its  agrarian  reform  pro. 
gramme,  the  government  subsequently  turned  over  to 
the  peasants,  in  temporary  tenure,  lands  confiscated 
from  the  colonialists  and  traitors.  Municipal  lands 
were  likewise  distributed  among  the  labouring  peasants. 
By  the  end  of  1951,  420.000  peasants  had  received,  in 
temporary  tenure,  additional  plots  totalling  250,000 
hectares. 

"The  uniform  agricultural  tax  law  enacted  in  the 
summer  of  1951  contributed  in  no  small  share  to  the 
extension  of  peasant  crop  areas.  The  n?w  law  abolished 
the  multiplicity  of  taxes  and  levies  and  exempted  from 
the  tax,  for  a  long  period,  peasants  who  broujcht  addi- 
tional land  under  cultivation.  The  tax  does  not 
extend  to  private  and  state-owned  experimental  farms, 
and  technical  crops  are  taxed  at  a  much  lower  rate 
than  previously.* 

8r<mndt)0tV^fter\itt\«i\Ti\TitoJa^^  " 


273 


THE  MODERN  REVIEW  FOR  APRIL,  1953 


lies  the  weaknees  of  French  colonialism,  and  the 
strength  of  the  opposing  force. 

World  Iridustrial  Production 

The  American  Economy,  a  weekly  bulletin  pub- 
lished by  United  States  Information  Service,  reports  : 
"World  industrial  production  in  1951  was  more 
than  twice  as  great  as  in  1929  and  about  75  per  cent 
greater  than  pre-war  1937,     the     U,  N.  Statistical 
Yearbook   for   1952,   just  published,   reveals." 
Among  other   interesting   things  disclosed   by  the 

Yearbook  is  the  fact  that  since  World  War  II,  the 
United  States  has  replaced  Britain  as  the  world's 
largest  trading  centre.  The  U.  S.  total  of  exports 
and  imports  (in  dollars)  rosje  from  11.8  per  cent  in 
1938  to  16.5  per  cent  in  1951.  During  the  same  period 
U.S.  imports  have  increased  faster  than  exports  (by 
405  per  cent  against  385  per  cent) . 

In  India,  the  consumption  of  electricity  has  in- 
creased by  51  per  cent  in  1951  as  compared  with  1937. 
India  and  Japan  lead  other  Asian  nations  in  the  ^^^^ 
of  mass  communications.  India  ranks  next  to  the 
United  States  in  world  production  of  feature  films. 
The  number  of  broadcasting  transmitters  in  India  has 
increased  from  4  in  1932  to  26  in  1950.  Japan  leads 
other  Asian  nations  in  the  number  of  wireless  receiv- 
ing sets.  India  came  first  in  Asia  with  a  total  of  578 
daily  newspapers  with  a  combined  circulation  of 
3,000.000  and  an  average  seven  copies  per  1,000 
population. 

Press  Council  for  Britain 

Mr.  Eracst  Atkinson  writes  that  the  Royal  Om- 
misnon  on'  the  Press  in  Britain  recommended  among 
other  things  that  the  British  Press  itself  should  set  up 
a  General  Council  of  the  Press  "to  encoruragc  the  growth 
of  the  sense  of  public  responsibility  and  public  service 
amongst  all  engaged  in  the  profession  of  journalism— 
that  is,  the  editorial  production  of  newspapers  whether 
as  directors,  editors  or  other  journalists  and  to  further  the 
efficiency  of  the  pofession  and  the  well-being  of  those 
who  practise  it." 

According  to  Mr.  Atkinson,  if  current  discussions  in 
the  varioos  constituent  bodies  are  successful,  the  Council 
will  be  set  up  on  July  1.  1953. 

Its  objects  were  to  be  "to  keep  under  review  any 
developments  likely  to  restrict  the  flow  of  informatioiii 
of  public  interest  and  importance'* ;  to  improve  the 
methods  of  recruitment,  education  and  training  for  the 
profession  ;  and  'liy  censuring  undesirable  types  of 
professional  conduct. ...to  build  up  a  code  in  accordance 
With  the  highest  professional  standards." 

It  would  consider  complaints  about  the  conduct  of 
the  Press  or  of  any  persons  towards  the  Press  and  would 
have  duties  with  regard  to  the  promotion  of  a  pensions 
scheme  for  journalists,  the  establishment  of  common  ser- 
r/ces,  anS  the  promotion  of  technical  research.  And  it 
^voA/  s/m/jr  teodendes  towardg  monopoly,  would  re- 
pr^cseat  the  Pretg  m  diseamiona  with  the     Govenuneiil. 


the  United  Nations  and  Press  organisations  abroad,  tad 
would  enshrine  its  work  and  decisions  in  published  i«- 

iMItS. 

Getting  agreement  on  a  constitution  for  a  vohmtvy 
body  of  this  kind  proved  to  be  an  unexpectedly  long 
business.  It  has  taken  from  1949  until  now  to  get  a  diiil 
for  submission  to  the  Newspaper  Proprietors  Asaodatioii, 
representing  the  national,  or  London-published,  FVeas;  the 
Newspaper  Society  which  represents  the  daily  and  other 
provincial  Piress  ;  the  Scottish  Daily  Newspaper  Society; 
the  Scottish  Newspaper  Proprietors  Association  ;  the 
Institute  of  Journalists  which  includes  a  trades  union 
section  ;  the  National  Union  of  Journalists,  which  was 
most  active  in  the  original  demand  for  a  Royal  Com- 
mission ;  and  the  Guild  of  British  Newspaper  Editors. 

What  these  bodies  are  now  being  asked  to  approve 
is  a  constitution  to  embody  a  council  vrith  the  objects  of 
ixreserving  '^he  established  freedom  of  the  British  Ptets," 
of  maintaining  its  character  "in  accordance  with  the 
highest  professional  and  commercial  standards,*  of 
keeping  "under  review  any  developments  likely  to  restrict 
the  supply  of  information  of  public  interest  and 
importance"  and,  in  brief,  of  doing  the  other  things 
suggested  by  the  Royal  Commission. 

The  Royal  Commission  had  suggested  that  20  per 
cent  of  the  members  of  the  proposed  Council  should  be 
laymen.  The  Press  bodies  whichi  have  drafted  the 
proposed  constitution  would  have  no  lay  members;  oa 
this  point  there  has  been  some  criticism,  from  within 
and  without  the  Press.  Moreover,  the  Council  wooM 
hear  representations  only  'from  complainants  aetuaBy 
affected,"  whether  about  the  conduct  of  the  Ptess  or  of 
any  presons  towards  the  FVess.  That  provision  also  has 
been  criticised. 

A  third  line  of  criticism  is  that  of  the  eight  objects 
listed  for  the  Council,  some  six  serve  the  interests  of 
the  industry  rather  than  those  of  the  public,  though 
indeed  it  has  to  be  owned  that  many  of  those  that  would 
better  the  industry  would  better  its  service  to  the  puhBo 
in  consequence. 

Mr.  Atkinson  discounts  the  natural  nervouflsess 
among  the  Press  that  what  was  being  done  might  lead  to 
"a  kind  of  Fleet  Street  Bureaucracy." 

Prof.  K.  T.  Shah 

The  death  of  Professor  R.  T.  Shah  leaves  a  gap 
amona:st  the  illustrious  figures  that  adorned  the  Indian 
academic  and  political  circles.  A  distinguished  scholar 
and  an  equally  distinguished  academician  he  will  be 
missed  particularly  in  Bombay.  Economist,  historian, 
political  scientist,  author  and  teacher.  Shah  hsis  left  his 
mark  also  as  one  of  the  first  Planners. 

In  the  Constituent  Assembly  Shah  left  the  imprest 

of  his  keen  intellect.     It  is  in  the  fitness  of  things  dial 

he— and  some  few  others — was  left  out  of  the  herd  of 

mediocrities     that     got     elected    into    the     Homo     of 

People, 


RISE  OF  THE  INDIAN  PARLIAMENT 

By  Db.  RAJANI  KANTA  DAS  and  Db.  SONYA  RUTH  DAS* 


3st  important  iiistitution  of  a  modem  society  ia 
'arliament,  which  not  only  senses  the  political 
to  a  large  extent,  economic  ends,  but  also 
noes  almost  eveiy  phase  of  social  life.  Unlike 
other  institutions.  Parliament  is  a  dynamic 
iiation  and  deals  with  the  actual  needs  and 
sms  of  a  society  in  tfie  process  of  its  develop- 
Herein  lies  the  advantage  of  the  British 
iment,  which  is  based  on  the  flexible  social 
ion  rather  than  on  the  rigid  written  oonstitu-> 
But  even  the  written  constitution  is  subject  to 
jment  and  the  Indian  Constitution,  although 
led  on  January  26,  1950,  has  already  been 
led.  What  is  more  significant  is  the  fact  that 
ment  is  both  a  stabilising  and  stimulating 
in  social  life.  While  it  defines  the  code  of 
lure  for  its  members,  it  also  grants  them  immu- 
>r  perfect  freedom  of  speech  and  thought  within 
ope,  thus  assuring,  at  the  same  time,  social 
ty  and  social  progress. 

Eabusb  Legislativb  Soubces 

he  origms  of  the  Indian  Parliament  may  be 
back  to  a  munber  of  sources ;  first,  the  Council 
f  1833  renewing  the  Charter  of  the  East  India 
any  and  empowering  the  GovemoxuQenerars 
GLtive  Council  to  act  as  a  kw-making  body  for 
hole  of  India,  and  its  subsequent  amendments, 
ally  in  1851  and  1909,  increasing  the  sise  of  the 
il  and,  adding  more  and  more  non-official 
ers  with  greater  power  of  asking  questions, 
ting  the  executive  and  moving  resolutions. 
I,  the  Government  of  India  Act  of  1919  making 
idian  Legislative  Council  a  Central  Legislature 
two  chambers  and  providing  a  legislature  to 
3f  the  ten  major  or  Governor's  provinces  with 
r  two  chambers  as  well  as  of  five  minor  or 
Commissioners'  provinces ;  and  the  Govern- 
of  India  Amending  Act  of  193&  raising  the 
il  Legislature  to  the  Federal  Legislature  of 
British  India  and  Indian  States  and  granting 
>my  to  all  th^  major  provinces  with  effect 
April  1,  1937. 

more  direct  source  of  the  present  Parliament 
lowever,  the  Constituent  Assembly,  provided 
I  White  Paper  of  May  10,  1M6,  which  had 
mtatives  from  all  communities  and  political 
•  except  from  the  Moslem  League,  and  con- 
its  first  session  under  the  chairmani^ip  of  Dr. 
Ira  Prasad  on  December  9,  1940.  The  Oonsti- 
Assembly  was  created  both  to  frame  the 
kution  of  India  and  to  pass  various  bills  includ- 
e  budget  during  the  transitional  period.  With 
taiblishment  of  the  Dominion  cf  Jadia,  and  the 
r  of  power,  the    Indian    Interim  Government 


ceased  to  exist  and  India  became  a  Dominion  or 
practically  an  independent  State  under  the  Statute 
of  1920. 

On  November  17,  1917,  the  Indian  Constituent 
Assembly  met  in  the  new  capacity  of  a  sovereign 
legislative  body  as  the  representative  of  independent 
India  and  eleeted  a  veteran  Congress  Party  leader, 
G.  v.  Mavalankar,  as  the  first  Speaker.  This  new 
Parliament  had  representatives  from  all  pol'tical 
parties  and  governments  and  consisted  of  229  mem- 
bers from  tile  Indian  Provinces  and  09  members  from 
the  Indian  States.  In  spite  of-  representation  by  other 
parties,  the  Congress  Party  practically  dominated  the 
first  Indian  Parliament. 

Thb  FmsT  Gbnebal  Elgctionb 

The  Indian  Republic  was  inaugurated  on 
January  dd,  1960.  While  the  Central  Legislature,  as 
ponstituted  under  the  Government  ot  India  Act  of 
1919,  represented  only  two  per  cent  of  the  population, 
and  the  Eederal  Legislature,  as  provided  by  the 
Government  of  India  Amending  Act  of  1935,  would 
have  represented  only  13  per  cent  of  the  population, 
the  Parliament  of  the  Indian  Republic  represents  all 
the  people  of  India  as  elected  and  determined  by 
adult  suffrage,  f.e.,  by  all  men  and  women  of  21  years 
of  age  and  over.  In  order  to  give  the  people  of  India 
to  exercise  their  right  and.  to  elect  their  representa- 
tives to  the  Union  Parliament  and  the  State  Assem- 
blies, th^  Government  of  the  Indian  Republic  under- 
took the  task  of  ^be  first  general  elections  as  soon  as 
it  came  into  power. 

In  carrying  out  the  project,  the  Government  of 
the  Indian  Republic  met  with  several  difficulties.  First 
of  all,  as  the  world's  second  largest  populous  countiy 
(361  million),  its  electorate  was  also  very  large, 
amounting  to  about  175  million,  of  whom  about  SO 
per  cent  were  illiterate.  The  problem  of  illiteracy  was 
solv^  by  devising  a  symbol  for  each  political  party, 
such  as  two  bullocks  yoked  together  representing  the 
Congress  Party  and  a  few  ears  of  com  against  a  sickle 
the  Communist  Party.  Secondly,  there  were  76 
political  parties,  although  only  a  few  of  them  on  the 
All-India  i>asis  and  only  about  a  score  of  them  were 
recognised  by  adequate  number  of  voters  for  the 
House  of  the  People.  Moreover,  the  very  fact  that 
there  were  17,000  candidates,  including  1300  for  the 
House  of  the  People,  complicated  the  situation. 
Thirdly,  an  aspirant  for  Parliament  was  allowed  by 

•  Both  the  writOTt  are  wsUacquUitei  with  the  life  and  Uhot 
of  the  Aaerlcaa  people,  as  referred  to  hter  la  the  article,  thriofh 
loiw  leaideBee,  edncation  and  oeoipaUoB.  Moceofer,  daring  the  iMt 
war.  Mr.  Daa  waa  la  the  aerrlee  of  the  United  Sutea  Coremmeat 
aa  Chief,  BAooreea  Adjnatmeat  Seetlon,  Foreign  Eeoaonle  Admlala. 
tratlon,  and  after  the  war  aa  lEeenemle  Advlter  to  the  U.S.A. 
Military  Gvnnmmx  tn  S«tfk 


271 


THE  MUDERN  REVIEW  FOR  APRIL,  1853 


tuw  U>  spcQii  R-i.  25,000  for  LU  tainiiaiga  in  a  single 
rnembei-  constituency  and  R».  35,000  in  case  lie  con- 
icsleil  11  Beat  in  do ubic-ni ember  const iliiencj'.  Fiuiilly, 
tlie  extensive  area  of  the  country,  lack  of  modern 
transport  sys(eni3  in  most  of  the  rural  districts,  and 
llie  presence  of  the  purdah  sy^tenl  ispecially  among 
the  Moslem  wom«'n  in  various  parti  o(  the  country, 
uilded   to   l\n-  confusioD. 

The  Government  succeeded  in  overcoming  most 
of  (he  difficulties,  divided  the  electorate  into  33,259 
conatituc-ncies,  provided  244,000  polling  booilis  and 
supplied  un  extra  personnel  of  600,00l>  and  the  co?t 
of  (lie  whole  program  amounted  to  Rs.  500  mitlioD. 
Tlio  actual  and  direct  elettions  of  the  3,772  rei>rc- 
Hentatives  to  the  House'  of  the  People  and  to  the 
Slati;  Assemblies  and  Electoral  Colleges  lasted  over 
three  months  between  October  1951  and  Febniary 
1852.  They  vv^re  followed  by  the  indirect  elections  of 
546  rcpresenlativcs  to  the  Council  of  States  and  the 
Legislative  CouneiU  of  ,«everBl  States.  FiaiHy,  a  few 
members  were  nominated  by  the  President  from 
backward  areas  or  communities  as  well  as  from 
highly  und  specifically  qualified  gronps  in  scirnco 
and   philosophy   and   art  and   literalui-e. 

Horse  of  the  1'boplk  and  State  AsatMSLits 

The  Indian  Constitution  proi'ides  both  for  direct 
and  indirect  efeetions.  The  iieople  olci;te<l  direclly 
489  members  to  the  House  of  the  People  or  the 
I^wer  House  of  Parliament,  3270  to  State  Assem- 
biios  and  90  lo  Eleeloral  Colleges.  In  view  of  her 
earlier  cieclion  of  the  members  of  the  Constituent 
Assembly,  Kashmir  and  Jammu  did  not  takp  part  in 
the  first  general  flections  of  India.  For  the  sake  of 
economy  and  convenience  on  the  part  of  both  the 
Govemmtnt  and  the  electorate,  all  the  ihnre  elec- 
tions  were   held    simtiltaneousiy. 

The  Hmixc  oI  the  People  -  The  center  of  the 
legislative  oi^niaalion  o(  the  country  is  llie  House 
of.  the  Peoplp.  Of  the  total  eirtloiat?  of  175  million 
people.  107.5  million'  or  61  per  cent  of  the  tot:il 
voted  and  elected  489  represenlalives  of  a  total  of 
499  <the  remaining  10  being  nominated  by  the 
President)  to  the  House  of  (h<.  Peo;,le.  Of  the  total 
"■(ecled  members,  the  Congress  Party  seeiired  362 
seals  or  about  thrrc -fourths  .and  the  Communist 
Party,  the  Socialist  Party,  .ind  the  Kisiin-^Mazdoor- 
Praja  Parly  (peasant  worker-s  partv)  secured  respec- 
tively 23,  12  and  9  seats.  (Appendix  I). 

Siner  the  elections,  there  have  taken  place 
important  changes  due  partly  lo  nominations  and 
partly  to  the  co-ordination  of,  or  working  alliance 
among  the  political  parties.  All  of  the  a^ve  Parties, 


except  the  Socialists,  have  gained  new  seats.  The 
present  relative  strength  of  different  political  partia 
including  ten  nominated  membei-  j-  uiilii-.ii. ,1  liolm 
It  will  be  seen  that  the  Congress  i'miy  siill  niaiulam. 
three-fourths  of  the  seaU  in  the  full  House  of  the 
People,  the  Communist  Party  retains  its  leadership 
among  the  opposition  parties  with  adde^  streoglh. 
and  other  opposition  parties  have  also  gainiHl  in 
strength. 

PoUTiCAi.  Pastibs  in  the  HausB  of  thk 
Pbopi^,  1952 

Political  parting                          Number  o]  Per  cent 

teats  of  total 

Tlie   Congress   Parly                            373  74.76 

The   Communist    Party                       31  6.21 

The   Socialist    Praja   Partv                28*  5.61 

The   National    Democratic    Parly      37^*  7.41 
Other  Parties,  including 

Independents                                   30  6.00 


Total' 


49& 


100.00 


Source  :   Indifi   \cw.i    (The  High  Commission  *>' 

India.   Ijondon),  August  23,    1952. 

*    It.  is  a  parliamentary     arrangement     betwert  the 

Socialist   Parly  with    its   12  scats   and    the   Kisao- 

Maidoor-Praja     Party     with     16  seati     including 

additional  9  seats  since   (he  election. 

•*  Three   rightist   parties,    Ganatanlra   Pariahad.     the 

Hindu   Mahasafchn   of  which     Dr.  Shyama   Pn-tii 

Mookerjee  was  the  former  president,  and  the  Jam 

Sangha,        which     Dr.     fctookerjce     has     receotlr 

founded,  are  grouped  together. 

Stale   Aasembbeg   and   Electoral   CoUfgc^  :    Of   "" 

electorate  of  175  million,   103.5  million  or  53  per  cpnt 

voted  and  elected  3360  members  to  22  Sliite   A.-mctii- 

blies  and  3  Electoral  Olleges   (see  Appendix  U).  Or 

these  seats,  the  Congress  Party  secured     2^95   pell* 

or  68  per  cent,  and  the  other  parties  secured  less  than 

5  per  cent  each.  It  will  also  be  seen  that  »  little  ovpr 

one-tenth   of   the   seats  were   distrihuled   aniong  otli« 

political  parties  and  about  one-tenth  of  the  memlvis 

remainj?d  independent  or  without   aflilinlion  wiih   sry 

party. 

POLITIC.IL    pAirriES    IN     STATil    ASSEMBLIRS     \sa 

Elgctoral  CoiAxaeB.  1952 

Pol'licnl  parlies                          Number  of  Per  cent 

teats  of  Inlal 

The  Congress  Partv                       2295  68.  li        | 

The  Communist  Party                     Iftl  4.77 

The  Socialist   Party                           IK  3.72        I 

The    Kisan-Maidoor-Praja    Partv     77  2.28        1 

Other  pohtical    parties                      377  11.19        , 

Independents                                           334  S.9I         [ 

ToUjI  3,36»  100.00 

Source  :  India  News  (The  High  Commi^tioa  of 
India.  London),  May  17.  19ffii. 

The  Congress  Party  has  not  only  secured  I'li" 
absolute  majority  in  the  Houae  of  lie  Peojile,  hm 
also  in  tlie  18  of  the  22  State  Assemblies  (>iil  )*< 
become  the  largest  single  party  in  the  four  olhcre. 
namely,   in  th«  SUIe   Assemblies  of  Madrag,  Orisu. 


RISE  OF  THE  INDIAN  PARLIAMENT 


276 


5ore-Cochin,  and  Pepsu   (Paiiala  and  the  East 

States  Union).  In  Orissa,  the  Congress  Party 
r  short  of  an  absolute  majority  and  in  Pij'^^u 
>rt.  In  Pepsu,  tlie  AkaH  Dal,  a  Sikh  Radical 
►f  the  Punjab,  together  with  tli<»  Conununists 
gident  Congre&sist.*?,  fonned  a  new  eomnion- 
irty  and  secured  the  control  of  the  Legislative 
ly.  Both  in  Madras  and  Travancore-Cochin, 
igres.s  Party  secured  a  little  over  two-fifths  of 
ts  and,  with    the   help  of     the     independents, 

the  Congress  Government.  Shri  Rajagopala- 
ihakravarti,  former  Governor-General  of  the 
Union,   has  beoome     the     Chief   Minister     of 

and  declared  the  Communists  as  enemy 
(Appendix   II). 

:t  to  the  Congress  Party,  the  Communists 
cured  the  largest  number  of  seats  both  in  the 
of  the  People  and  State  Assemblies  and 
1  Colleges,  specially  in  the  latter,  securing  62 
Madras,  42  in  Hyderabad,  and  28  in     West 

The  Socialists  secured  the  next  largest  num- 
seats,  winning  23  seats  in  Bihar,  18  in  Uttar 
,  13  in  Madras,  and  11  each  in  Hyderabad 
avancore-Cochin.  The  next  in  importance  is 
an-Mazdoor-Praja  Party,  which  won  35  seats 
ras  and   15  seats  in  West  Bengal.   (Appmdix 

ing  Strength  of  Political  Parties  :     Both     the 
popularity     and     potential     strength     of     a 
1  party  are  best  indicated  by  the  number     of 
*ceived  at  the  polls.   (Appeadix  III).  What  is 
aportant  is,  however,  the  strategic  organization 
votes   to   secure   the    largest   r.umber   of   seats 
rather  than  nuere  gathering  of  votes.  In  the 
of  the  People  as  well  as  in  State   Assemblies 
ectoral   Colleges,   for   instance,     the     Congress 
eceived  respectively  44  and  41  per  cent  of  the 
nd  secured  74  and  68  per  cent  of  the  seats  as 
sd  with   the     Socialist     Party     which   received 
vely  11  and  10  per  cent  of  the  votes  and  6.3 
I  per  cent  of  the  seats,  and  as  compared  with 
mmunist   Party,   which     received     respectively 
cent  and  6.2  per  cent  of  votes  and  12.1  and 
cent  of  the  seats  ;  in  other  words,  the  Con- 
arty  is  a  more  solidly  and  efficiently  organized 
1  body  in  India  and  next  to  it  is  the  Commu- 
rty  which   is   also   very     well-organized.     The 
imbers  of  votes  received  by  the  Socialist  Party 
as  by   the   Kisan-Mazdoor-Praja   Party   indi- 
owever,  that   a   large   number  of  people   have 
ice  in  them. 
jNciL  OF  States  and  Legi8u\ti\*b  Councils 

i  members  of  the  Council  of  States  or  the 
House  of  the  Federal  Parliament  and  of  Legis- 
!k)unci]s  of  seven  States  were  elected  indirectly, 
luncil  of  States  has  216  members,  200  of  wliom 
ected  by  the  members  of  the  State  Legislative 


As^semblies  and  16  members,  were  nominated  by  the 
President,  four  to  represent  Jamniu  and  Kashmir  and 
12  to  rej)resent  sjpecial  knowledge  or  experience  in 
literature,  science,  art,  and  social  services.  The  i)Ositiou 
of  political  parties  in  the  Council  of  States  is  be{?t 
indicated  by  their  i)reient  representatives,  .such  as  the 
Congicss  Party,  146  or  73  per  cent  of  the  elected 
members,  and  the  Communist  Party,  the  Socialist 
Party  and  the  Kisan-Mazdoor-Praja  Party  .  gaining 
respectively  9,  6,  and  ^  or  a  total  of  19  s^ats  or  9.5 
per  cent  and  the  remaining  17.5  i)er  nnt  cou^<i^^ting  of 
other  political  parties  and  independents.* 

The  members  of  the  Legislative  Councils  of  Bihar, 
Bombay,  Madras,  Mysore,  Punjab,  Uttar  Pradesh,  and 
West  Bengal  have  been  chosen  by  the  following 
methods  : 

(1)  Ome-third  each  by  Legislative  Assemblies  and 
by  municipal  and  other  local  bodies  ; 

(2)  One-twelveth  each  by  University  graduates  of 
at  least  three  years  standing  and  by  teachers 
of  not  lower  than  secondary  schools  ;   and 

(3)  The  remaining  one-sixth  has  been  nominated 
by  the  Governors  of  the  States  on  the  basis  of 
their  knowledge  or  experience  of  literature, 
science,  art,  co-operative  movement,  and  social 
service. 

Speaker,   Vice-President,   and   President 

Dr.  Rajendra  Pra.sad,  who  was  elected  by  the 
Constituent  Assembly  to  become  the  first  President  of 
the  Indian  RepubHc,  was  re-elected  by  the  Electoml 
College  consisting  of  669  members  of  the  Federal 
Parliament  and  3,358  members  of  the  23  Stat<?  Legis- 
latures on  May  6,  1952..  Dr.  Prasad  thus  became  the 
first  popularly  elected  President  of  the  Indian  Re- 
public. Under  Stction  4(1)  of  the  Presidential  and 
Vice-Presidential  Election  Act  of  1952,  the  Vice- 
President  is  authorized  to  act  as  the  ex-ofjicio  Chair- 
man of  the  TJouncil  of  States  and  as  President  in  the 
event  of  any  vacancy  in  the  office  of  President,  to 
hold  office  for  a  period  of  five  years  and  to  draw  the 
same  salary  as  the  Speaker  of  the  House  of  the  People. 
Dr.  Sarvapalli  Radhakrishnan  was  elected  as  Vice- 
President  on  April  25,  1952.  Shri  G.  V.  Mavalankar, 
former  Speaker  of  the  House  of  the  People,  was  re- 
elected to  be  the  Speaker  also  of  th^  first  popularly 
elected  House  of  the  People. 

The  Parliament  op  the  Indian  Republic 

The  first  Parliament  of  the  Indian  Republic, 
elected  on  the  basis  of  the  adult  suflTrage,  held  its 
maugural  session  on  May  13,  1952.  On  the  advice  of 
Shri  Jawaharlal  Nehni,  leader  of  the  Congress  Party 
and  re-appointed  as  Prime  Minister  of  the  Govern- 
ment of  the    Indian    Republic,    President    Rajendra 


*   Contbtinf  of  SchtdnU  Cute   Fedention  2,  People's  Demscratie 
rront   2.   Krldiikar   Lok   Party   1,   Forward    Block    (MaraUl)    1,   Hindu 
Mabeedblui    1,    Jana    Sani^a    1,    and    Independento    and    etbers    27.— 
\iniim   News,   Hi|^    Commiaaioa  oC   IndW^  Uscviimi^  W^xSN.  V  >!«SCn  . 


276 


THE  MODERN  REVIEW  FOR  APRIL,  1953 


Prasad  appointed  14  other  members  of  the  new 
Oabinet,  4  Ministers  of  the  Cabinet  rank  and  2  Deputy 
Ministers.  The  President,  the  Vice-President,  the 
Speaker  of  the  House,  Members  of  the  Cabinet  and 
other  members  of  Parliament  were  all  sworn  in  on  the 
same  day.  After  the  ceremony,  Dr.  Rajendra  Prasad 
said  : 

"I  have  just  taken  tlie  oath  of  office  as  Presi- 
dent  and   affirmed   my   determination   to   dedicate 
myself  to  the  service    of    this    great  country.    As 
*  President  I  stand  before  you  as  a  sign  and  symbol 
of  the  Republic  of  India." 

On  the  l«th  of  May,  President  Rajendra  Prasad 
addressed  the  joint  session  of  both,  tlu  Houses  of 
Parliament.  "I  welcome  you  here  today"  said  the 
President,  ''as  the  members  of  the  first  Parliament  of 
the  Republic  of  India  elected  under  cur  Constitution," 
and  pointed  out  a  threefold  role  of  India  :  First,  India 
has  after  a  long  period  of  subjection  gained  her  free- 
dom and  independence.  Tliat  freedom  has  to  be 
maintained,  defended,  and  enlarged  at  all  costs,  for  it 
is  on  the  basis  of  that  freedom  alone  that  any  structure 
of  progress  can  be  built.  Second,  freedom  must,  how- 
ever, bring  happiness  to  the  people.  It  has,  therefore, 
become  of  vital  importance  for  the  people  of  India  to 
labour  for  rapid  economic  advancement  of  the  people 
and  to  endeavour  to  realise  the  uoble  ideals  of 
equality  and  social  and  economic  justice  which  have 
been  laid  down  in  the  Indian  Constitution.  Thirdly, 
India  will  continue  her  support  for  the  struggling 
nations  of  Asia  and  Africa  for  their  liberation  and  will 
consistently  pursue  a  policy  of  friendship  with  all  the 
countries  of  the  world. 

The  President  mentioned  India's  food  shortage  for 
many  years  and  of  the  necessity  of  her  importing  food- 
grains  from  abroad,  and  expressed  his  gratefulness  to 
the  United  States  for  generous  help  in  this  regard  and 
welcomed  India's  attempts  to  build  up  substantial 
reserves  of  food-grains  (except  rice)  for  meeting  future 
emergencies.  The  President  also  referred  to  the  final- 
izing of  the  Five-year  Plan  to  which  has  been  added 
55  community  projects  throughout  the  country  with 
the  help  of  the  United  States  through  their  Technical 
Co-operation  Plan.  These  projects  intend  not  only  to 
increase  food  production,  but  also  to  raise  the  whole- 
sale level  of  community  living.  Finally,  the  President 
expressed  his  satisfaction  at  the  progress  of  the  inte- 
grated program  for  agricultural  production  as  indicated 
by  increase  of  jute,  cotton,  sugar,  and  food-grains, 
between  the  perjod  of  1947-48  and  1051-52,  although 
the  production  of  the  last  group  of  crops  were  some- 
what affected  in  certain  areas. 

A  most  important  phase  of  the  President's  speech 
was  his  reference  to  some  specific  aspect  of  Indian 
culture. 

"India  has  represented  throughout  her  history," 

continued  the  President,    ''certain    other    uryees  of 

human  spirit.  That  has  perhaps  been  the     distin- 
gvIabiDg  maik  of  India  and  even  in  recent  years  we 


saw  the  noble  example  of  that  ancient  nuiii'iid 
lurge  of  India  in  Mahatma  Qandla  who  led  nsto 
freedom  .  .  .  And  he  taught  us  .  .  .  that  it  is  not 
through  hatred  and  violence  that  great  ends  aie 
achieved,  but  right  ends  must  be  pursued  aad 
achieved  only  through  right  methods.  That  is  a 
basic  lesson  not  only  for  us  of  India  but,  if  I  ttaj 
venture  to  say  so,  for  the  people  throughout  the 
world." 

CO-OBDINATIDN   OF   POLRTKUL  PaBTIBS 

« 

Government  by  political  parties  is  the  basie 
principle  of  the  Parliamentary  system.  It  is  only  under 
constant  vigilance  and  constructive  criticism  by 
opposition  parties  that  a  dominant  and  ruling  par^ 
can  develop  an  effective  and  efficient  policy  of  service 
to  a  coimtry.  Under  the  Dominion  Government  of 
India,  the  Congress  Party  ruled  almost  single-handed, 
but  €^en  in  the  elections,  the  Congress  Party  has 
secured  three-fourths  of  the  votes.  All  other  parties 
combined  together  have  received  only  one-fourth  of 
the  votes,  which  being  divided  among  19  parties  varied 
from  1  to  23  seats.  The  most  important  among  tl^ese 
opposition  parties  as  mentioned  before,  are  the  Com- 
munis Party,  the  Socialist  Party,  the  Kisan-Masdoor- 
Praja  Party,  and  the  National  Democratic  Party, 
representing  respectively  the  extreme  leftist,  the  leftist 
and  the  rightist  parties. 

The  Congress  Party  :  The  most  important  political 
organisation  in  India  is  the  Congress  Party,  the 
political  spearhead  of  the  Indjan  National  Congresi, 
which  was  founded  over  two  generations  ago  and 
which  eoimted  among  its  "Founding  Fathers,"  the 
standard-bearers  of  what  were  the  best  and  noblest 
both  in  the  E^st  and  the  West  and  had  amongst  its 
leaders  such  an  outstanding  personality  as  Mahatma 
Gandhi.  Gandhi  added  his  moral  and  spiritual  foroa 
to  the  national  political  movement  and  succeeded  in 
liberating  India  from  foreign  domination.  Pandit 
Jawaharlal  Nehru  is  the  successor  of  Mahatma  Gandhi 
and  the  leader  of  the  Indian  National  Congress  and 
the  President  of  the  Congress  Party.  "Hie  Ccmgresi 
Party  took  charge,  first,  of  the  Intenm  Government  on 
September  2,  1946  ;  secondly,  of  the  Dominiom  Govern, 
ment  on  August  15,  1947,  and  finally,  of  the  Govem- 
ment  of  the  Indian  Republic  on  January  26,  1960.  Two 
outstanding  achievements  of  the  Congress  Government 
during  this  period  were,  first,  the  integration  of  the 
Princely  States  into  the  Indian  Union  ;  and,  secondly, 
the  publicatoin  of  the  Five-year  Plan,  especially  for 
incre^ising  the  production  of  food  and  raw  material 
and  for  enlarging  the  scope  of  employment  and  ^f 
social  welfare  in  a  relatively  short  period  of  time.  In 
the  first  general  elections  of  1951-52,  the  people  of 
India  overwhelmingly  showed  confidence  in  the 
Congress  Party  and,  on  May  13,  1960,  re-appointed  Tk, 
Rajendra  Prasad  as  their  President  and  Shri  Jawahif- 
lal  Nehru  as  their  Prime  Minister.  Althouf^  out  of 
489  elected^  seats  in  the  House  of  the  People,  thiB 
Congress  Party  secured  only  362,  by  nomination    and 


RISE  OF  THE  INDIAN  PARLIAMENT 


277 


>oedure,  the  number  of    Congress  representa- 
been  raised    to  373  out  of  a    total    of    499 
,  f.e.,  74  per  cent. 

Communist  Party  :  The  second  important 
party  in  India  is  the  Communist  and  their 
K),  though  not  oflScially  so  recognised,  act  as 
n  party  in  the  House  of  the  People  with  only 
»ers.''They  have  also  obtained  the  second 
umber  of  seats  in  State  Assemblies  and  Elec- 
leges,  which  have  added  to  their  prestige.  The 
ist  movement  in  India  has,  however,  a 
I  history,  such  as  arrests,  detentions,  im- 
Qts,  and  bcmishments  for  life  of  their  leaders 
le  period  of  1927-42.  Several  of  their  leaders 
I  in  prison  in  1942,  when  they  were  released 
irovemment  of  India  on  condition  of  their 
In  fighting  the  Axis  and  the  Congress  Party. 
,  the  Communist  Parfy  has  been  accused  of 
ing  in  the  uprisings  in  Hyderabad  against  the 
ent  of  India,  subversive  activities  in  railway 
rmed  raids  near  Dum  Dum  in  1948,  and 
ion  in  agrarian  upheavals  in  Madhya  Bharat 
On  June  4,  1952,  the  Commimists  were  also 
in  the  House  of  the  People  by  an  Indian 
c-Communist*  who  happened   to  be   also  an 

S.    Sinha,    a    former    Captain    In    the   Soriet    Army. 

oer  in  the  Soviet  Union,  of  working  under  the 
sminform  instruction  from  Moscow.  This 
as  challenged  by  A.  K.  (}opalan,  leader  of  the 
ist  Party  in  the  House  of  the  People;  and  the 
mder  investigation  by  a  Parliamentary  Com- 
Jthough  the  Communists  secured  only  23  seats 
;  elections,  this  number  has  been  raised  to  31 
inations  and  nominations. 

Government's  Preventive  Detention  (Second 
ent)  Bill,  permitting  the  detention  of  a  person 
onths  without  trial  and  extending  the  existing 
up  to  the  end  of  1954,  was  strongly  opposed 
^mmunist  members  of  Parliament,  practically 
K>m  had  been  interned  some  time  or  other  as 
►y  other  non-Congress  members.  The  approval 
ill  by  Parliament,  especially  by  the  Co«ncil  of 
irly  in  August,  1962,  enraged  P.  P.  Sundaraya, 
F  the  Communist  Party,  who  threatened  Uiat 
>mmunists  come  into  power,  they  would  shoot 
all  landlords,  jagirdars  (feudal  landholders) 
kmarketers  and  refused  to  surrender  all  illicit 
isessed  by  his  followers,  unless  they  were 
immunity  from  arrest. 

Socialist  Party  :  The  third  important  political 
India  is  the  Socialist  Party,  which  came  into 
t  in  India  in  1924,  and  since  1984  had  formed 
i  the  Congress  Party.  The  Congress-Socialists 
the  civil  disobedience  movemefit  of  the  Con- 
19^  and  the  entry  of  the  Congress  Party  into 
rim  Government  in  1916.  In  1947,  imder  the 
p  of  Jai  Prakash  .  Narayan,    the    Congreai- 


Socialist  Party  held  a  conference  at  Kanpur,  changed 
its  name  into  the  Socialist  Party  of  India  and  defined 
its  objective  to  be  .the  folkming  : 

'T^e  working  class  will  have  to  shoulder  in- 
creasing responsibility  not  only  for  the  national* 
ization  of  t^e  means  of  production,  but,  also  for 
the  preservation  of  national  unity  and  territorial 
integrity  of  India." 

The  Parliamentary  leader  of  the  party  is  Acharya 

Narendra  Deva.    The  Socialist  Party  is,  however,  not 

very  well  organised.  In  spite  of  the  fact  that  the  Party 

received  twice  as  many  votes  as  the  Communist  Party, 

it  secured  only  12  seats,  i.e,,    less    than  one-half    as 

many.  Next  to  the  Congress  Party,  the  Socialist  Party 

received,  however,  the  largest    niunber  of    the  votes, 

indicating  its  popularity  among  the  people. 

The  Kisan-Masdoor-Praja  Party  (Peasant  Work- 
ers' Party  KMP) :  The  fourth  political  party  in  India 
is  the  Kisan-Masdoor-Praja  Party,  whiph  was  founded 
by  J.  B.  Ejripalani,  a  former  President  of  the  Indian 
National  Congress.  It  aims  at  a  casteless  and  classless 
society,  consolidation  of  the  holdings  into  economic 
units,  co-operative  farming,  ownership  of  land  by  the 
cultivators,  the  revival  of  the  village  as  the  basis  of 
regional  economy,  and  co-ordination  of  agriculture  and 
industry.  Shri  Kripalani  was,  however,  defeated  in  the 
general  elections,  and  his  wife,  Mrs.  Sucheta  Kripa^ 
lani,  once  a  staupch  Congress  member  and  Gandhi 
follower,  took  the  leadership  of  the  party.  The  party 
received  only  nine  seats  in  the  general  elections,  but 
since  then  by  nominations  and  combinations  with  other 
parties,  the  number  of  its  representatives  has  been 
raised  to  16. 

The  Socialist  Praja  Party:  This  is  a  new  parliamen- 
tary party  formed  by  the  men^rs  of  the  Socialist  Party 
and  the  Kisan-Mazdoor-Praja  Party  soon  after  general 
elections.  The  total  number  of  seats  of  these  two 
parties  in  the  House  of  the  People  is  2S.  The  combined 
voting  staiength  of  these  two  parties  in  the  general 
elections  was  16.6  million  as  compared  with  ^7.8 
million  for  the  Congress  Party  in  electing  the  members 
to  the  House  of  the  People,  thus  indicating  the  popu- 
larity of  these  parties.  In  brief,  these  two  political 
parties  have  found  a  common  formula  for  the  co- 
ordination of  the  efforts  of  several  political  parties  on 
a  common  basis.  They  expect  that  other  leftist  parties 
will  join  \hsm  in  the  formation  of  a  genuine  opposition 
Party.  Moreover,  they  have  taken  steps  for  merging 
these  two  organisations  into  one  larger  political  party. 

The  National  Democratic  Party  :  The  conservative 
or  moderate  rightist  party  consists  of  the  Ganatantra 
Parishad,  the  Hindu  Mahasabha  of  which  Dr.  Shyama 
Prasad  Mukberjee,  though  not  a  oommunalist,  was  the 
President,  and  the  Jana  Sang^a  which  was  founded  by 
Dr.  MuUierjee  himself  on  a  threefold  platform,  such 
aa  re-united  India,  alliances  with  progressive  nations^ 
and  a  netwoik  <A  «y^(^«ni^«&  Vst  ^m^k^  ^s;»$^^ifti«i  ^ 


278 


THE  :M0DERN  review  for  APRIL,  1963 


cultivators'  needs.  On  the  tickets  of  these  three 
political  groups,  there  are  37  rei)resentativc^>',  who  niay 
the  rightfully  regarded  to  be  the  nucleus  of  the  Con- 
servative Party  under  the  leadership  of  Dr.  Mutherjee. 
Tile  Jana  Sangha  secured  over  three  million  votes  or 
the  fifth  largest  number.  The  popularity  of  Dr. 
Mukherjee  has,  however,  been  built  on  a  much  stron- 
ger foundftlion,  i.e.,  his  championship  of  the  cause  of 
over  ten  million  Hindus  who  have  been  left  in  Ea-t 
Pakistan,  and  his  resignation  from  the  Congre:?«  Cabinet 
as  a  protest  against  Nehru's  Pakistan  policy.  Moreover, 
with  his  gieut  personality,  wide  experience,  and  bril- 
liant oratory,  Dr.  Mukherjee  has  become  an  outs-tand- 
ing  opposition  leader  and  the  spokesman  of  the  non- 
Congress  members  in  the  House  of  the  People. 

Development  of  a  Welfare  State 

The  Parliament  of  the  Republic  of  India  has  taken 
its  rise  in  the  most  creative  and,  at  the  same  time, 
critical  period  of  her  national  life.  All  the  members  of 
Parliament,  irrespective  of  their  political  affiliation, 
are  the  representatives  of  tlie  people,  by  far  the  majo- 
rity of  whom  have  b:^en  long  subjected  to  starvation, 
ill-health.  ilHteracy  and  unemployment.  The  salvation  of 
this  submerged  mass  of  Indian  humanity  from  misery 
and  degradation  is  the  first  and  foremost  duty  of  the 
Indian  Parliament.  Of  these  problems,  the  mo?t  out- 
standing is  the  food  shortage  which  has  been  aggra- 
vated since  Partition  by  the  loss  of  a  proportionately 
largor  share  of  food-grain  growing  areas  to  Pakistan. 
'The  one  thing  needful"  to  India  today  is  the  self- 
Jriifficiency  in  food  supply  to  meet  the  basic  needs  of 
her  people. 

The  Constitution  of  India  has  made  some  provi- 
sions fcr  the  development  of  the  Welfare  State  under 
what  are  known  as  Directive  Principles.  They  envisage 
a  social  and  economic  order  based  oa  the  equality  of 
opportunity,  tlic  right  to  work  and  to  an  adequate 
Wage,  and  a  certain  measure  of  social  security  for  the 
people.  The  most  important  measures  taken  by  the 
GK)veniment  of  India  for  th^  welfare  of  the  people  are, 
first,  the  acceptance  by  the  Government  of  India  of 
population  control  as  the  national  policy.  Second,  the 
development  of  her  agranan  economy  into  industrial 
economy  by  rapid  industrialization  of  her  productive 
process.  Finally,  the  application  of  science  and 
technology  to  agriculture  to  intensify  and  diversify  its 
productivity  and  to  augment  national  food  supply. 

Indo-Umtcd  States  Relationship  :  Although  tlie 
American  people  have  always  been  interested  in 
India's  freedom  from  British  colonial  rule,  it  took 
sometime  to  establish  amicable  diplomalic  relations 
between  the  two  countries.  The  achievement  by  India 
of  her  national  independence  on  August  15,  1947,  was 
followed  by  the  establishment  of  the  Indo-Amecican 
diplomatic  relationship  on  traditional  lines.  This  did 
not  lead  to  a  close  and  cordial  rehtiondhip  between 


certain  higher  quartei*s  for  raising  the  Ilido-Ameriain 
diplomatic  relations  to  a  higher  cultural  level,  aikl 
Cliester  Bowles,  formerly  Price  Admmistrator  of  the 
U.  S.  Government  and  Governor  of  Connecticut,  wm 
chosen  for  the  task.  In  the  course  of  a  year,  Ambassa- 
dor Bowles  has  sucoeeijied  in  bringing  about  a  much 
better  relationship  between  India  and  the  United 
States.  * 

In  his  statement  on  August  15,  1952,  the  sixth 
anniN'crsary  day  of  Indian  indei>endence.  Ambassador 
Bowles  showed  a  wonderful  grasp  of  India's  past  and 
prospective  contribution  to  mankind  and  a  very  high 
appreciation  of  India's  stmggle  for  Lational  indepen- 
dence, integration  of  550  States  into  the  Indian  Union, 
and  the  drafting  of  the  democratic  Constitution  and 
the  foundation  of  the  Republic  of  India,  each  of  which 
is  "a  unique  record." 

"We  find  in  India,"  declared  Ambassador 
Bowk^s,  "a  great  symbol  of  man's  determination  to 
live  his  own  free  life  and  man's  faith  that  perfect- 
ability  of  the  human  individual  can  be  achie>^  by 
non-violence.  You  are  building  tliat  new  India. 
Yours  is  the  major  contribution  and  ours  is  only  a 
part."  We  wish  you  all  well  as  we  are  coavinccd 
that  the  welfare  of  mankind  is  wrapped  up  in 
India's  future."— (/ndia  News,  High  Commiasion 
for  India,  London,  August  9,  1952). 

There  is  a  great  need  in  India  of  a  similar  under- 
standing and  appreciation  of  American  culture  and 
American  position  iji  the  world.  It  was  the  "Pilgrim 
Fathers"  who  brought  to  America  the  "rugged 
individualism"  of  the  "dissenters  of  dissenters"  and 
"European  Culture,"  the  best  human  achievement  of 
the  time.  Both  of  them,  served  as  rock  bottom,  on 
which  the  mighty  American  civili«ation  has  been  built 
Any  threat  on  the  American  concept  of  individuality! 
by  Fascism,  Nazism,  Communism,  and  dictatorship  is 
strongly  lesisted  by  the  American  people.  And  any 
attempt  by  foreign  powers  to  conquer  Western  EJurope, 
especially  Great  Britain  and  France,  the  fountain- 
heads  of  American  culture,  has  been  met  by  the  United 
States  with  armed  forces,  as  in  World  War  I,  and 
partly  also  in  World  War  II,  although  the  Japanese 
attacl^  on  Pearl  Harbour  was  its  immediate  cause. 
World  War  II  has  been  followed  by  "cold  war,"  '"iron 
curtain"  and  "fifth  column."  The  American  people  are 
fully  convinced  that  until  a  better  method,  e.i/.,  effec- 
tive disarmament  is  found,  the  best  v*»ay  to  avoid  the 
third  world  war  and  to  maintain  peace  is  the  prepara- 
tion for  self-defense  by  all  means  at  their  disposal 
The  country,  which  played  a  most  important  part,  not 
only  in  the  supply  of  arms  and  ammunition,  but  in 
the  winning  of  World  War  I  and  World  Wjar  II  could 
not  be  expected  to  do  othierwise,  especially  in  this 
tense  period  of  world  history. 

Unit^  States  Aid  to  F6od  Self-suSickncy  * 
America's  desire  to  help  India  in  heir  eoonomic  deve- 
lopment is  not  hard  to  understand.    First  of  alt,    the 


the  two  countries  for  a  while.  A  gr^t  need  was  felt  in    benevolent  spirit  of  the  American  p^ple  ariaiiig  from 


RISE  OP  THE  INDIAN  PARLIAMENIT 


279 


ful  economic  conquest  of  their  vast  territories 
subconscious  impulse  of  revolt  against  colonial 
of  Britain  in  India,  against  which  they  them- 
[lave  fought.  Secondly,     the     enlightened     self- 

of  the  American  people  to  improv^  the  pro- 
capacity,     purchasing     power,     and       living 
d  of  the  backward  people  so     that     they     can 
a  better  market  for  export  and   import  trade. 

the  strategic  importance  of  India,  which  the 

States  first  realized  in     Japan's     drive  against 

in  World  War  II.  Moreover,  since  the  ^os''    ^^ 

to  democracy,  the  importance  of  India  to     the 

>rld  and,  especially  to  the  United  States,     has 

quite  evident. 

'ently  India  has  received  financial  and  technical 
ce  including  loaas  from  different  source.s,  such 

World  Bank,  the  CJolombo  Plan,  the  Ford 
tion  and  the  Indo- American  Agreement  umk-r 
nt  rV  Programme.  The  Economic  Aid  by  the 
ovemment  to  India  during  the  year  amounted 
It  $100,000,000.  Moreover,  the  United  States 
Tipleted  the  delivery  of  2,000.000  tons  of  food- 
vhich  was  promised  a  year  ago  as'  loans.  The 
nportant  need  of  India  is,  however,  as3istance 
le  Unit/cd  States  to  her  development  of  self- 
cy  in  food  production.  Ambassador  Bowles  has 
nted  out  that. the  foundation  ©f  Indian  society 
{  built  on  the  production  of  food  as  she  had  to 
he  huge  expenditure  of  600  million  dollars  on 
1  imports.  The  savings  can  be  utilized  for  the 
idustrialization  of  the  country, 
unusual,  and  at  the  same  time  very  important, 
ment  in  the  United  States  is  the  pledge  by  a 
ian  group  in  Congress  of  the  United  States  aid 
a  for  the  completion  of  her  Five-year  Plan, 
oatories  of  the  group  consist  ol  several  senators 
resentatives  of  both  Repubhcan  and  Democratic 
Birho  would  like  to  assure  India  of  the  continued 
apathetic  interest  of  the  United  States  no 
whatever  party  might  come  to  power  after  the 
)er  elections.  India's  five-year  investment  pkn, 
rent  from  the  technical  assistance  of  undeter- 
,'alue,  calls  for  a  total  outlay  of  $3,705  million 
ends  to  make  India  self-sufficient  in  food 
ion.  The  proposed  bi-partisan  resolution  reads 
ws  : 

The  Congress  .  .  .  favors  assistance  to  the 
ubiic  of  India  from  public  and  private  sources, 
stent  with  the  financial  capability  of  the 
?d  States  to  enable  the  people  of  India  to  plan 
continuity  and  assurance  for  the  economic 
lopment  and  improvement  of  their  country." 
^ew  York  Times,  June  5,  1952). 

re  is  every  reason  to  believe  that  the  Govem- 
f  the  United  States,  whether  Republican  or 
atic  after  the  elections,  will  accept  the  Congress 
an  policy  and  continue  its  assistance  to  the 
ion  of  India's  Five-year  Plan,     especially     in 


regard  to  her  self-sufficiency  in  food  supply.  The 
greatest  service  tliat  can  be  rendered  to  India  is  the 
training  of  her  people  in  the  art  of  pioducing  her  own 
food  requirements.  It  will  not  only  supply  sufficient 
food  to  her  starving  population,  but  will  also  save  her 
abotit  Rs.  3,000  million  a  year  with  which  she  can 
rapidly  industrialize  her  productive  processes.  Thus  the 
welfare  economy,  some  elements  of  which  were 
founded  under  British  nile  and  some  provisions  have 
been  laid  down  by  the  new  Cionstitution,  has  been 
taking  shape  around  self-sufficiency  in  food  production 
under  the  Five-year  Plan. 

Comments  and  Conclusions 
The  first  general  election  in  India  is  a  great  event 
in  the  history  of  popular  and  democratic  suffrage.  It 
involved  a  gigantic  task  of  mobilizing  the  world's 
second  largest  and  mostly  illit-crate  electorate  of  175 
million  voters  to  the  polls.  About  one-half  of  them 
voted  and  elected  directly  3,772  reprofeentatives  to  tlic 
House  of  the  People  and  State  Assemblies  and  in- 
directly 546  representatives  to  the  Council  of  States  or 
the  Upper  House  of  the  Union  Parliament  and  to  the 
Legislative  Councils  or  the  Upper  Chambers  of  the 
States  of  Bihar,  Bombay,  Madras,  Mysore,  Punjab, 
Uttar  Pradesh,  and  West  Bengal.  The  ekction  was 
free,  fair,  and  peaceful.  The  orderliness  and  efficiency 
with  which  the  whole  programme  of  the  elections  was 
carried  out,  added  credit  to  the  Government  of  India. 
India  has  also  set  an  example  tc^  underdeveloped 
countries  as  to  tlw  possibility  of  organizing  illiterate 
masses  for  popular  suffrage  and  establishing  demo- 
cratic governments. 

The  Coi^gress  Party  has  achieved  an  overwhelming 
victory  both  in  federal  and  State  elections.  With  about 
three-fourths  of  seats  in  the  House  of  the  People  as 
well  as  in  the  State  Assemblies  and  Electoral  Colleges, 
the  Congress  Party  has  established  strong  governments 
in  the  Indian  Union  and  in  most  of  the  States. 
Although  the  opposition  parties  secured  only  one- 
fourth  of  the  seats,  they  showed  both  strength  and 
vitality.  Since  the  general  elections,  they  have  even 
regrouped  and  reorganized  themselves  into  more  solid 
and  larger  political  parties.  Extremism,  whether  to  the 
right  or  to  the  left,  may  have  "nuisance  value," 
nevertheless,  it  is  wiser  to  have  it  in  the  open  and 
within  the  scope  of  Parliament  than  underground  and 
outside.  While  the  extreme  rightist  parties  or  the 
communalists  were  badly  defeated  at  the  polls,  serious 
accusations  against  the  Communist  Party  in  both 
Houses  of  Parliament  and  the  refusal  of  the  Commu- 
nist leaders  to  surrender  their  illicit  arms  have  done 
more  harm  to  the  cause  of  Communism  than  any  anti- 
Communist  measure. 

Tl^e  first  and  most  important  outcome  of  the 
general  election  is  the  rise  of  political  parties,  which 
is  an  essential  requirement  of  a  parliamentary  govern- 
ment. Althoui^  the  combined  strengtli  of  the  opposi- 


280 


THE  MODERN  REVIEW  FOR  APRIL,  1&53 


Mm  parties  is  only  one-fourth  of  the  total  number  of 
the  representatives  in  the  House  of  the  People,  they 
are  well  organised,  founded  upon  definite  principleSi 
and  guided  by  competent  leaders.  Secondly,  the 
people  of  India  have  reiterated  their  faith  in  a  secular 
State  by  a  decisive  verdict  against  all  parties  with 
communal  and  religious  policies..  Thirdly,  the  election 
of  a  large  number  of  women,  %£.,  33  in  the  Union 
Parliament  and  82  in  the  States  Legislatures,  is  very 
significant.  As  compared  with  men,  women  are  in  a 
better  position  to  present  their  own  cause  as  well  as 
that  of  the  children  to  the  nation,  take  more  active 
l^art  ia.  social  reform  in  which  they  are  vitally 
interested,  exert  salutary  influence  on  all  questions  of 
national  and  international  importance  and  even  carry 
Mahatma  Gandhi's  non-violence  message  to  their 
oolleag^es  in  other  lands  and  work  for  international 
disarmament  and  world  peace. 

APPENDICES 

(Abbreviations  used  represent :  Con.,  Congress; 
K.M.P.,  Kisan-MaadoorJ^raja  Party;  Com.,  Com- 
munist; O.P.,  Other  Parties;  and  Ind.,  Independents.) 

Apfkndix  I 

House  oj  the  Pedple  :  Firml  Election  Score 

■lato  Con.    Soc.    KMP    Com.    O.P.    Ind.        ToUl 

Assam  11       1      ^ 

Biihar  45       3      ..      ..       6       1  56 

Bombay  40  2       3  46 

Madhya  Pradesh.  27  2  29 

Madras  35       2       6       8       9      15  75 

OriBsa  11       1      ..        1       5       2  20 

Punjab  16  2      ..  18 

U.  P.  81       2      ....        1       2  86 

West  Bengal  24  ..                5       4       1  34 

Hyderabad  14       1      ..        7       2       1  25 

Madhya  Bharat  9  2  11 

Mysore  10  ..        1                0      ..  11 

PEPSU  2  2       16 

RaJAsthan  9  5       6  20 

Saurashtra  6  0      ..  6 

Travancore-Cochin  6  2       6  12 

Ajmer  2  0..  2 

Bhopal  2  0      ..  2 

Bilaiq)iu>  0       1  1 

Cborg  1  0      ..  1 

Delhi  3               1      4 

Himachal    Pradesh  2  0       1  3 

Vindhya  Pradesh  4       1       1      6. 

Kutch  2  2 

Manipur  1  1      2 

Tripura  ....                2      ..      ..  2 

Total        362      12       9     23      42     41    489 

Nominated  10  Total       499 

Source  :  India  News    (The  High  Commission    of 
India,  London),  May  17,  1952. 

(1)  Other  parties  winning  seats  are  :  Hindu  Maha- 
eabha  4,  Jana  Sangha  3,  Ram  Rajya  Parisad  3, 
Peasants  and  Workers  2,    Schedule  Caste  Fede- 


ration 2,  Ganatantra  Parishad  5,  Jharkhand  Party 
of  Bihar  3,  Lok  Sewak  Sangh  of  Bihar  2,  Tamil 
Nad  Toifers  Party  of  Madras  4,  ConunonFeaHh 
Party  of  Madras  3,  Krishikar  Lok  Party  1,  For- 
ward Bloc  1,  Revolutionary  Socialist  Party  l* 
Travanoore  Tamilnad  Congress  1,  Moslem  League 
1,  Akali  Dal  of  the  Punjab  4.— {India  News,  'llie 
High  Commission  of  India,  London,  February  23, 
1962). 


Appendix  n 

State  Assemblies 

:  Final  Election  Score 

Assemblies  and  Electoral  Colleges 

Suto 

Coa. 

Soc. 

KM? 

Com. 

O.P. 

iDd. 

T«id 

Assam 

76 

4 

1 

1 

9 

14 

105 

Bihar 

240 

23 

1 

. . 

53 

13 

330 

Bombay 

260 

9 

•   • 

.  • 

19 

18 

315 

Madhya  Pradesh 

194 

2 

8 

. . 

5 

23 

232 

Madras 

152 

13 

35  , 

62 

51 

62 

375 

Orissa 

67 

10 

. . 

7 

35 

21 

14(1 

Punjab 

97 

1 

a  . 

4 

20 

4 

126 

U,  P. 

390 

18 

1 

•  a 

6 

14 

4S» 

West  Bengal 

151 

•  • 

15 

28 

29 

15 

238 

Hyderabad 

91 

11 

•  • 

42 

15 

14 

ITS 

Madhya  Bharat 

75 

4 

•  • 

. . 

17 

3 

99 

Mysore 

74 

3 

8 

1 

2 

11 

99 

PEPSU 

26 

. . 

1 

z 

23 

8 

60 

Rajasthan 

82 

1 

1 

.  . 

41 

35 

160 

Saurashtra 

55 

2 

. . 

.  . 

1 

2 

60 

Travancore-Cochin 

43 

11 

. . 

.  . 

16 

3ft 

108 

Ajmer 

20 

. . 

•  • 

.  . 

6 

4 

30 

Bhopal 

25 

•  • 

•  • 

.  . 

1 

4 

30 

Coorg 

15 

•  • 

• . 

6 

a  . 

9 

30 

Delhi 

39 

2 

• 

a  a 

4 

3 

48 

Himachal  Pradesh 

24 

•  • 

3 

.  . 

1 

8 

m 

Vindhya  IVadesh 

41 

10 

3 

.  • 

4 

2 

60 

Electoral  CoUeges 

Kutch 

2» 

•  • 

•  • 

a  . 

•  • 

2 

30 

Manipur 

10 

1 

• . 

2 

16 

1 

30 

Tripura 

4 

9 

. . 

• . 

12 

3 

6 

30 

Total 


2295     125     77    161    377    334   3360 


Source  :  India  News     (The  High  Commission    of 
India,  London),  May  17,  1952. 

Appendix  in 


Vetting  Strength  oj  Political 

House  oj  the  People 
Chiej  PoUtical 


Parties 


Congress  Party 
Socialist  Party 
Communist  Party 
Kisan-Mazdoor- 
•  Praja  Party 
Jana  Sangha 
Other  Parties 
Independents 


Total    Per  cent 


strength 

(million) 

47.83 

11.00 

5.89 

5.66 

3.22 

17.74 

15.52 


of 
toUl 
44.47 
10.25 

5.44 

5.26 

2.99 

16.55 

14.42 


Parties 
States  Assemblies 

and 
Electoral  CoUeges 
Toul    Per  oent 
strength       <^ 
(million)    total . 
43.47       41.46 
9.95         9.60 
6.%         6.20 


5.07 

2.81 

26.14 

10.90 


5.00 

2.71 

15.58 

10.62 


Total         107.58*    100.00         103.59t    100.00 

Source  :  India  News     (The  High  Commisnon  of 
India,  London),  March  5  and  15,  1952, 

*    Including  about  2  million  invalid  t^tes. 
t    Including  over  1  million  invalid  votes. 


CATTLE  WEALTH  IN  tNDU 

Bi'  Prop.  C.   B.  MAMORIA,  m.a.  (Geog.),  ifx>om. 


Indu  happena  to  be  one  of  the  important  countries 
possessing  about  29  per  cent  of  the  cattle  and  84  per  cent 
of  the  buffalo  population  of  the  world.  The  following 
table  shows  this  fact^: 

No.  oj  Cattle  and  Buffaloes  in  difjerent 
Continents  in  India  (in  194$) 

No.  of  Cattle  and  Buffaloes 
(in  Thousands) 

Cattle  Buffaloes  Total  Remark 

1.  America  141,448    1,064    141,448  Reporting 

2.  Africa  31,082    1,064     32,146  countries 

3.  Asia—  only, 
(a)  Excluding  UJS3JI. 

and  India  9,451    1,990     11,441 


Continent 


(b)  Itodia^  (pre- 
partitjon)^ 

4.  Europe 

5.  Oceania 

6.  U.    S.    S.    R. 


151,881  46,220  206,081 

67.767  389  76,155 

18,960  —  18,960 

46^  —  46,800 


Total  483,379  49,662  553,031 

India   (partitioned)  136^1  40,617  176,968 
Estimated  for  un- 
covered area  3/JOO      910  4,510 


Total      139,971  41^27    181,498 

India's  share  29.0%  83.6%     34.0% 

The  following  table  gives  the  total  number  of 
cattle  and  buffaloes  in  India  before  and  after 
partition': 

Cattle  Buffaloes  Total       Remarks 
(000)      (000) 
Pre-partition  : 
Reported  India      111,457    32,021    143,478    Based  on 
Reported  Indian  1946 

States  48,065    14,112      62,177    Census 

Estimated  for  un. 

covered  areas      3,600       910       4^10 


Total 


163,122    47,043    210,165 


Pbst-partition  : 

Estimated  Inditi  89,233    28314    116,047    Fibres 

Estimated  Indian  worked  out 

States  41,138    13,803     60,941      on  the 

Estimated  for  un-  basis  of 

covered    areas  3,600       .910       4,510    divisions 


Totai 


139,971    41^27    181,496. 


Fereentage        77.1       22.^       100% 


1.  The    fiforet    are     taken    from    tbe    fiiteet      ieepe     of      /Mer- 
fMfioiM/   Few   Book   of  Agricuituro   and  StatUttct. 

2.  TUe  T.  T.  Molwuil  :  "Cattle  Weailh  in  IndU**   (Rural  /imUc. 
October.  1950).  p.  S81. 


It  has  been  worked  out  that  the  proportioii  o! 
males  is  more  than  half  (54.4%)  amongst  cattle,  while 
in  case  of  buffalo  the  females  predominate  and  ai% 
about  three-fourths  (72.8%)  of  the  total.  Hie  reason 
for  this  disparity  lies  in  the  comparative  utility  of  the 
two  species.  The  oxen  males  are  preferred  to  male 
buffaloes  for  agricultural  purposes  owing  to  their  com- 
parative lightness  and  active  nature.  Cows  in  the  rural 
areas  are  maintained  for  producing  bullocks  rather 
than  for  milk.  She-buffaloes,  on  the  other  hand,  are 
considered  to  be  better  dairy  animals  than  cows.  The 
male  buffaloes  are  neglected  and  many  of  them  die  or 
sold  for  slaughter  before  they  attain  maturity. 

In  1940,  of  milch  cattle  in  undivided  India 
96  per  cent  of  the  cows  and  94  per  cent  of  the  she- 
buffaloes  were  located  in  rural  areas  and  only  4  per  cent 
of  milch  cows  and  6  per  cent  of  she-buffaloes  were 
found  in  cities  and  towns. 

The  laigest  numbei  of  cattle  is  found  in  the  Uttar 
Pradesh  which  possesses  over  214  lakh  heads  or 
16.4  per  cent  of  the  total  strength  in  the  country.  This 
is  followed  by  Madras  with  165  lakh  heads  or  11.8 
per  cent  while  Madhya  Pradesh,  Berar,  Bihar,  Bombay 
and  Rajasthan  closely  follow  each  other  with  139,  114, 
103  and  60  lakh  heads  respectively. 

The  density  of  cattle  is  highest  in  Rajasthan 
closely  followed  by  Kashmir,  possessing  as  many  as 
88  and  81  cattle  per  100  acres  of  cultivated  area. 
Hyderabad,  Bombay,  East  Punjab,  Uttar  Pradesh, 
Bihar,  Orissa,  Madras  and  C.  P.  show  the  densities 
having  32,  30,  28,  85,  80,  ^,  71,  and  54  cattle  per  100 
acres  respectively.  This  stands  in  fair  contrast  with 
Holland,  Egypt,  China,  and  Japan  which  have  36,  25, 
15  and  6  cattle  per  100  acres  of  sown  area. 

The  position  is  somewhat  different  when  the 
density  per  square  mile  is  taken  into  account.  The 
West  Bengal  is  densely  populated,  288  animals  per 
sq.  mile  followed  by  Uttar  IVadesh  with  192  animals 
per  sq.  mile.  The  places  with  lowest  density  are 
Saurashtra  and  Rajasthan  «irith  67  cattle  per  sq.  mile 
each  and  Kashmir  with  25  cattle  per  sq.  mile.  For  the 
country  as  a  whole  the  density  works  out  to  115 
cattle  per  sq.  mile  and  44  cattle  for  100  persons.' 

S.    la  1940.  the  deaaitioi  of  aalmalb  te  tHe  tstIou  ptorlncca  were 
aa   f ollowa  : 

Dtiuiijr  per  iq."  miU  DmtUy  per  kmndred  eere$ 

ProeUeei  of   emttktmted  mree» 

Oxen  Bnffaloet  Ozeo       Bofialoet 

Boifal                                 m  14  TO                4 

Bllutf                                    m  43  47              U 

BoBbay                                94  82  SI                7 

C.   P.    and    Barar               8S  16  89               8 

Utdtn                             U9  49  99             H 


THE  MODERN  REVIEW  FOR  APRIL.  1963 


Although  ladis  ranks  bigb  among  the  cauutri«a  of 
lltc  world  in  the  cattle  popuUtioa  yci  ahe  is  not  the 
moat  densely  cattle-populated  country  of  the  world, 
nor  she  has  a  liigh  ratio  of  cattle  to  human  population, 


unlike  the  roun 

tries  known  tor  stock  laising,  a?  will  be 

cl.-ar  from  tlic 

lable  reproduced 

below: 

CalUe 

Cattle    Cattle  per 

Country 

population 

I>er  aq.          100 

(000) 

mile           persons 

Argentina 

31.010 

32                241 

Austria 

2.187 

fl8                  32 

Australi* 

14.184 

G                199 

Canada 

lO.7fi0 

3                  90 

Denmark 

3.181 

192                  79 

Ftuce 

U;!73 

67                  35 

India 

139.971 

U&                  44 

Newieahutt 

4,SZ8 

45                  3SS 

V.  S.  A. 

81,W9 

28                   68 

Ttpks  of  Cattle 
I'd)  WoTiing  BuHochg  :  India  has  approximately 
540  lakhs  oi  working  bullocks.  Thoir  largest  number  is 
found  in  the  Uttar  Prsdejli  foltowed  by  Madras  and 
Bihar.  The  proportion  of  working  bullocks  to  the  total 
eatue  poputslion  in  any  area  depends  upon  the  agri- 
cultural rcquiremfnlfl  of  lliat  area,  the  typo  of  bullocks 
iivailabk-  and  the  iijitgre  of  crops  generally  grown. 
Generally  stifiikiug.  areas  which  grow  crops  like  sugar- 
cane, cotton,  wheal,  etc.,  or  have  a  tuavy  soil,  pOfiae«s 
comparatively  a  larger  proportion  of  working  bullocks 
Chan  areas  which  arc  either  hilly  or  sandy  or  vbich 
have  more  foKsts  or  have  .light  soils  or  grow  more  of 
crops  like  nee,  Juie,  tea.  coffle*.  The  proportion  of 
workipg  bujlocks  Is  47.7  per  cent  in  the  V.  P.,  43.7 
per  Kent  in  Bihar,  43..0  per  cent  in  Bombay,  40.6 
per  cent  in  SautHshtra  and.  40.6  per  oent  in  East 
■Punjafe.  TliP.^ie  areas  gmw  mostly  wheat,  cotton  or 
sugarcane,  ele.  On  the  other  hand,  tliia  proportion  is 
low  in  Rajasthan  (28.4  per  .cent  sandy  soil),  Himacbat 
Pradesh;  Viiidhya  Pradesh  and  Kashmir  <29.I,  31,  and 
32.1  per  cent  respectively,  ^nostly  hiUy  and  forest  land) 
and  in  Kerala,  Mysore  atid  Assapi  (29.5,  32.7  and  33 
per  cent  respectivcry  growing  rice,,  jute,  lea,  etc.).  On 
the  whole  the  working  bullocks  form  3S,a  per  cfnt  of 
the  total  cattle  population  in  India, 
Punjab 


U.  P. 


218 


87 


60 


(6)  BrPedhig  Cows  :  Approximately  422  lakhs  of 
breeding  cows  comprising  30.1  per  eint  of  the  total 
cattio  nre  e.stimated  to  esist  in  the  country.  The 
largfst  number  of  breeding  cows  is  found  in  the  Uttar 
Pradesh,  viz..  about  55  lakhs  or  12.9  per  cent  of  the 
rotai  papulation  of'breeding  cows.  Next  come  Madras, 
Madhya  Pradesh  and  Rajajthan  which  hav^  about  50, 
49  and  29  lakhs  of  such  animals  respectively. 

(c)  Ungenncetiblc  Slock  :  These  comprise  old  and 
emaciated  animals  which  are  permanently  unfit :  for 
work  or  breeding,  but  nevertheless  kept  by  their 
owiwrs,  mainly  on  religious  or  Bentimenta]     groimds. 


The  total  number  of  such  ■ 
per  cent  of  Ui«  total  cattle  in  the  country.  Of  Ume, 
about  22  lakhs  are  males  and  only  7  bkhs  are  fonslai. 
The  largest  number  of  unserviceable  stock  is  found  io 
Madras,  viz.,  about  5.6  laldis  or  19.2  per  cent  of  the 
total  population  of  unserviceable  stock.  This  it 
iollowed  by  West  Bengal,  Bihar,  Bombay  and  OrisM 
with  2.9,  2.7,  2.5,  and  2,4  lakhs  or  IC.I,  9.3,  8.5  and 
8.4  per  cent  of  the  total  population  of  un9er%-iceabtB 

lUPORT.tKCE  OF  C/iTnjS  IN  Natiokal  Ecdmomt 
In  so  far  as  India  is  essentially  a  fanning  countiy 
the  importance  of  efficient  cattle  for  the  stability  ud 
prosperity  of  the  rural  sones  can  soorcely  ba 
exaggerated.  The  number  of  livestock  have  an  impor- 
tant effect  both  on  the  total  output  of  agriculture  and 
on  the  form  in  which  the  output  appears.'  "Cattle 
play  a  ver>-  important  part  in  Indian  agriculture.  Bat 
unlike  in  other  countries  of  the  world  whose  cattle  are  ' 
maintained  mainly  for  milk  and  meat,  in  India 
these  primarily  are  kept  as  draught  animals  for  the 
plough  or  the  cart  as  the  camel,  the  horse,  the  donfa; 
and  mechanical  vehicles  are  rarely  used."  TVithoat 
them  no  cultivation  would  be  poaable,  without  then 
no  produce  can  be  transported.'  Cattle  supply  the  most 
important  motive  power  for  almost  all  agricultural 
operations,  such  as  plou^tng,  lifting  water  from  th« 
wells,  and  the  transport  of  produce  from  field  to  the 
markets.  They  provide  moat  of  thf  mnniire  a^ted  bj 
the  farmers  in  India.  Tliey  again  yield  valuable  pro- 
ducts, such  as  milk,  butter  and  .^lice— food  produtta 
particularly  I'aluable  in  a  country  with  n  I'cgelariin 
diet.  Cattle  are  given  much  importance  in  Indisn 
agricultural  economy.  Quality  and  inmntily  of  cattle 
not  only  raise  the  social  status  of  t 
but  improve  his  economic  condition  materially.  Thus 
in  India,  without  cattle  fi?lda  rem.'iin  unploughfd, 
store  and  bins  stand  empty,  and  food  and  drink  lose 
halt  their  savour,  for  in  a  vegetarian  country  what  can 
be  worse  than  to  have  no  milk,  butter  or  ^ee 

According  to  the  estimates  of  Dr.  N.  C.  Wright, 
the  milk  and  milk  proditct*  provided  b>-  the  cattle 
hav^j  been  valued  at  about  Rs.  300  ciores  per  year. 
The  annual  output  of  products,  such  a?  hides  and  skins 
is  vahicrt  at  roughly  40  crores  of  rupees.  While  Dr. 
Rao  has  estimated  the  value  of  the  individual  pro- 
ducts obtained  from  the  livestock  in  Indian  Provinws 
as  Rs.  28.3  ctoich.* 

According  |o  the  Marketing  Department  of  the 
Government  of  India,  the  contribution  of  the  cattle  in 
the  economy  of  India  is  estimated  to  be  Rs.  1,900  croits 


.     HaiHt  1    .tfrltlUlMiml    PrgJucllfii    ta    Cinlii 
■    H.      L.   .  Dullni  :      ru/«l    pMMUir    F'n 


CATTLE  WEALTH  IN  INDIA 


Thot  is  why  the  average  Indian  cultivator 
bullocks  B3  well  as  he  cbd  while  they  are  at 
they  have  cost  him  dear  be  ia  proud  of 
.  he  will  go  to  Bome  expenses  and  trouble  to 

in  good  condition  during  alack  seasons*  and 
billing  (o  destroy  them  even  when  they 
c  burden  on  liis  ore-and-a-halt-acre 


'.  Ware  atatee  that  figures  from  o.ther  coun- 
into  insignificance  when  compared  with  India 
ittcr,  and  even  the  U.S.A.  which  possesses 
)  largest  animal  population  of  140,000,000 
the  pigs  and  poultry  in  (he  world."  The 
lues  of  the  livestock  and  animal  products 
calculated  by  him  as  below": 
\t  Crores  of  Rupees 

nd  milk  products  910 

labour  in  agriculture  408 

es  180 

■  for  purposes  other  than 

Ituial  work  107 

products  30 

nimals  cxjiorlcd  0.12 

Total  1^.12 

recently.  Mr.  Mulwaui"  has  estimated  the 
coutribution  of  our  cattle  as  follows  : 

labour,  Ro.  480  crorcs;  Milk,  Rs.  460  croroK: 
anure,  Ra.  312  crores;  and  Hides,  Bones  and 
jef.  etc,  Rs.  58  crores,  totalling  Ra.  1,300 
ires  per  annum. 

3ur  cattle  wealth  adda  a  very  gn?at  amount 
ional  wealth  every  year. 

Some  Iuportant  Catius  Bubds 
ling  to  'radc  demauds     Eind     climatic     and 
itiona.  a  number  of  breeds  of  both  the  species 
oped  in  different  parts  of  the  country.  These 
lasted  as  milch,  draught  and  dual  purpose 

foreign  countries,     'a  dual   purpose'  breed 

in  which  the  females  yield  a  fair  quantity 
d  the  males  produces  good  quality  calves.  In 

production  is  of  little  importance.  A  'dual 
reed  ia,  therefore,  one  in  which  the  femalea 
nilkers  and  males  powerful  draught  aQimals. 
ncc  of  such     iudigenoiia     breeds     has  been 

■  the  purpoM    of    cattle    improvement  and 
breeding  areas  in  the  various  provinces. 
(ACTS  Known'  for  Cattle  Buying 
inccnlration  of  a  large  number  of  cattle    is 
0  the  production  of  milk  or  higher  atandard 


of  agriculture.  Good  breeds  of  cattl<!  are  confined  to 

comparatively  dry  areaa,  auch  as  Hariana  tract  of  the 
Punjab,  RajafthnU.  Kathiawflr,  Central  India  and  in 
auch  parte  of  other  Slates  where  aimilar  condition! 
exist.  Paature  in  these  drj'  areaa  m.iy  be  good  >a 
quality  but  ia  often  aCarce  and  the  uncertainty  of 
rainfall  makes  it  obligatory  on  the  p>irt  of  owners  to 
grow  crops,  the  residue  of  which  provides  a  good  sup- 
ply of  fodder  for  cattle,  Converacly  in  tracts  with  a 
humid  climate  which  are  subject  to  heavy  rainfall  or 
arc  provided  with  ample  irrigiition  a  very  poor  type  of 
cattle  ia  found  in  spite  of  the  availability  of  graMag. 

TuciB  wriH  FooB  Catiu 

It  is  a  well-known  fact  that  in  rice-growing  tracts, 
i-it.,  Assam,  West  Bengal,  Bihar,  Orissa,  Madras, 
TravBQCore,  etc.,  cattle  are  generally  found  to  be 
greatly  deteriorated,  both  as  regards  their  physical 
development  and  capacity  for  work  pnd  milk  produc- 
tion. They  are  also  more  prone  to  diseases  and 
i-epi-oductive  defects  are  conimon  to  them.  In  these 
areas  the  cattle  being  inefficient,  the  liumbcr  of  caltlo 
required  for  agricultural  purposes  and  for  milk  pro- 
duction is  necessarily  larger,  even  3  to  4  times  as  com* 
l>ar<.'d  with  'hat  of  other  areas  where  good  cattle  eziet- 
Thc  larger  number  of  cattle  causes  greater  strain  on 
the  available  paaturca,  which  rcaultij  in  their  further 
<lelcrioratiDu,  thus  producing  a  vicious  circle.  In 
Travancore  and  Cochin  wlicre  cattle  arc  of  mongrel, 
non-deecript  type  and  where  there  ars  n«  recognised 
breed*,  cows  are  notoriously  poor  milkers.  The  bullocks 
are  puny  and  weak  and  on  Ihia  account  tlii>  cultirk- 
lors  iirr  generallv  tiiudile  to  a(l0[it  r:\ii  make  uae  of 
intwloni.  1-fficient  and  Ivtioui-saviuE  implements. 

Various  Indian  breeds  ars  not'.'d  for  their  milk- 
yielding  capacity,  la  Bombay  province  there  «re  two 
important  bi'eeds,  vii.,  "Kaukraj  breed"  uueful  for 
iliKiight  work  and  "Damgo  breed"  of  the  Western 
Ciliat:4  useful  for  work  in  the  rocky  regions.  In  the 
poulli  Kadiiswar,  "Oir  Cuttle"  is  well  known  for.tlieir 
milking  capacities.  The  uplanda  of  C.  P.  offer  good 
graiing  grovmds  and  facilities,  where  "Malwa  breed" 
useful  for  «g-icullural  work  in  tlie  fi&ld  is  to  be  met 
with. 

"Han,-i  or  Hariana"  iu  Llv  Eaitcru  Puujab  u"<l 
Montgomery  district,  having  a  scanty  minfall  and 
eKlon,iivc  pasturage,  arc  the  best.  The  improved  breeds 
of  the  "Sahiwal"  oatHc  breed  at  Fcroacpore  have  an 
avcrngo  lactation  yipid  of  nearly  7.000  Iba.  of  milk  and 
tan  -tand  in  comparison  with  Europcun  atock. 

I'niike  cow,",  buffakes  thrive  best  in  the  nrcaa  of 
luinltralp  heavy  rainfall  us  they  require  plenty  of 
water  for  their  daily  bath.  They  sin  dual  purijose 
niiim:ils  useful  both  for  iniikinK  ;.-  vvHI  i.i  ilnuipht. 
They  live  on  coarser  grass  i>nd  eren  then  they  are 
heavy  yielders  of  milk.  "Murra  buffalo"  of  the  Punjab 
has  an  average  of  400  fbs.  of  milk  per  lacjAtion  period 
while  the  better  ^pes  may  yield  as  much  aa  l.OOOIbs. 


284 


THE  MODERN  REVIEW  FOR  APRIL,  10S3 


The  ''Rohtak  breeds"  are  also  famous  for  milk.  The 
''Kathiawar  or  Jafarbadi  buffalo"  are  large  in  size  and 
the  daily  yield  of  milk  is  30]be.  ''Deccan  breeds"  are 
more  serviceable  for  heavy  cartage  but  they  are  poor 
milkera.  The  buffaloes  are  better  cared  for  because  it 
is  the  more  important  milk  cattle.  Her  milk  is  richer, 
containing  as  it  does  from  two  to  three  per  cent  more 
butter  fat  than  that  of  ordinary  cow,  and  supplies  the 
major  part  of  the  demand  for  milk.  She  is  more  profit- 
able to  maintain,  as  she  possesses  a  remarkable  ability 
to  convert  coarse  fodder  into  milk. 

The  following  table  gives  the  important  breeds  of 
cattle  of  both  the  species  in  India  :" 

Province  Oxen 

I.  Madras  and      Kangjayam,  Amritmahal, 

Hallikar,  Alambculi, 
Ongole,  Krishnavalley 
Bargur. 

Dangi,   Gir,  Kankrej, 
Khillari. 


Buffaloes 


•Mysore 


2.  Bombay 


3.  C.P.  &  Bea-ar     Gaolao,  Malvi, 

&  CI.  States    Nimari. 

4.  U.   P. 


Jaffarbadi, 
Mehsana, 
Surti. 
Nagpuri. 


5.  Hyderabad 

6.  Bihar 

7.  Punjab  and 

Delhi 

8.  Rajasthan 


Nili  Ravi, 
Murrah. 


Kanwariya.  Kherigarh, 
Mewati,  Ponwar. 
Deori,  Ellichpur. 
Bachaur,  Pumea, 
Shabbadi. 
Hariana.  Hissar. 
Shahiwal,  Montgomery. 
Malvi,  Mewati  (Kosi), 
Nagore,  Rath,  Tharparkar. 
Pbbsent  Position  or  CAirtB  m  India 
In  view  of  the  great  importance  of  cattle,  in  Indian 
agriculture  their  present  position  is  deplorable.  Mal- 
nutrition is  perhaps  the  greatest  single  factor  respon- 
sible for  the  defeneration  of  cattle  to  their  present 
state.  Promiscuous  mating,  improper  and  insufficient 
care,  ignorance  and  lethargy  of  the  people  are  some  of 
tile  atrocities  which  are  responsible  for  degeneration. 

A  large  portion  of  the  cattle  in  this  country 
depends  entirely  on  grazing  for  their  food  and  noiuish- 
ment  and  such  gracing  is  of  value  for  about  5  months 
in  the  year.  The  livestock  of  India  at  present  cannot 
compete  with  the  cultivated  crops,  hence,  cattle- 
breeding  is  relegated  to  those  parts  in  which  no  crops 
can  be  grown."  With  the  increasing  popularity  of  the 
cultivation  of  food  and  commercial  crops  the  majority 
of  the  farmer  have  come  to  regard  animal  husbandry 
as  an  accident  of  agriculture,  rather  than  as  an  integral 
part  of  it.  The  extension  of  cultivation  has  reduced 
the  amount  of  grazing  land  available  and  the  majority 
of  the  Indian  cattle  are  small,  ill-fed  and  inefficient 
and  thus  has  adversely  affected  the  technique  of 
Indian  agriculture."  Thus  the  U.SA.  with  58  million 
cattle  produces  more  milk,  viz.,  6,400  million  gallons, 


13.  Vide  Cmule  Marketing  Report  ntd  MigcelUmeoui  Bulletins, 
(No*.  17,  24,  27.  46,  47.  and  54  of  tlie  Indian  Council  of  Africoltnral 
RoMnrch) . 

14.  Indian  ^ear    Book,    1941-42.    p.    131. 

15.  Ibid,   p.    330. 


than  India  with  her  215  million  cattle,  vig^  t0^ 
million  gallons,  and  Canada  compared  with  India  9R>- 
duces  25  per  cent  milk  but  with  only  about  0  per  eenfc 
of  the  number  of  cattle." 

The  causes  of  their  deterioration  in  the  conditku 
of  the  cattk  may  be  discussed  under  the  loUowiiii 
heads : 

(t)    Lack  of  adequate  and  proper  fodder  sappbTi 

(it)    Want  of  proper  care, 

(tn)    Lack  of  good  breeding  stock,  and 

(it;)    Diseases  and  pests. 

Lack  of  Adequate  and  Pbopqi  Fqddbb  Sxjpflt 

The  majority  of  the  Indian  cattle,  are  aenously 
underfed,  particularly  the  cows  in  rural  areas^  In  India, 
stall-feeding  is  rare  and  the  grazing  and  the  gmaBlande 
in  the  country  are  hopelessly  overstocked* 

Because  with  the  rapid  growth  in  the  sise  of  India's 
population  and  the  growing  pressure  of  land,  the 
absence  of  alternative  avenues  of  employment,  the 
quantum  of  land  available  for  grasing  has  declined 
considerably.  The  natural  grazing  lands  are  usualjjy  to 
be  found  within  the  areas  classed  for  statistical  pur- 
poses as  ^'forests,"  ''cultivable  waste*'  and  "not  avail- 
able for  cultviation.''  But  forests,  as  a  source  of  fodder 
supply  are  of  limited  value  due  to  stringency  of  the 
forest  laws  and  the  policy  of  enclosure.  According  to 
John  Russel,  about  10  per  cent  of  the  cattle  of  the  five 
provinces  (possessing  such  forests)  have  access  to 
forest  grazing  and  where  grazing  is  unrestricted  the 
quality  of  pasturage  has  rather  deteriorated  ^^eci^ttse  of 
early  practice  of  over-grazing.  Cultivable  waste  land, 
though  another  source  of  fodder  supply,  is  usefees  for 
grazing  purposes  because  it  does  not  produce  any  useful 
herbage.  Similarly  a  very  large  portion  of  the  IzDd 
marked  as  ''not  available  for  cultivatoin"  is  not 
useful  for  grazing  because  it  is  a)>solutely  barren. 
Hence,  natural  grasslands  ace  utterly  laddng. 

The  ordinary  cultivator  in  India  who  Ueats  hie 
plough  cattle  and  she-buffalo  well  when  he  can, 
usually  lets  his  cow,  young  cattle  and  he-bidTald  tP 
thrive  as  best  as  they  can  by  gazing  on  the  oomoMm 
ground  or  by  reared  cnops.  That  most  of  the  Indizn 
battle  are  under-fed  can  be  seen  from  their  veiy 
appearance,  the  slow  rate  of  their  gtowth,  tiieir  late 
maturity  and  the  long  dry  periods  of  the  cows.  The 
majority  of  the  Indian  cattle  obtain  tiieir  reqiurements 
from  whatever  grazing  is  available  from  straw  uA 
stalk  and  other  residues  from  the  human  foodstuili^ 
and  are  starved  seasonally  in  the  dry  months  when 
grass  withers. 

Over  the  greater  part  of  India  there  is  an  acute 
siiortage  of  fodder  from  December  to  July  and  the 
cattle  are  reduced  to  mfere  bags  of  bones.  By  thul  time 
the  insufficient  supplies  of  stored  fodder  become  e^ 
much  depleted  that  the  ration  of  the  cattle  of  the 
poor  farmers  undergoes  serious  diminution.  Even  in 


16.    R.   D.    Tewari  :   Indian   AtricuUura,  .  p.    149, 


CATTLE  WEALTH  IN  INDIA 


285 


years  fanners  fed  the  pinch  in  the  mouths  of 
1  June.  It  is  a  common  sight  during  these 
to  see  herds  of  cattle  wandering  about  the 
grazing  gnounds  and  Ucking  the  bare  ^ds 
rvestfl  in  the  hope  of  picking  up  something  to 
dy  and  soul  togpether.  The  seasonal  shortage 
y  all  classes  of  farmers,  and  if  the  monsoon  is 

even  the  richer  farmers  have  no  reserve    of 

chronic  starvation  on  the  part  of  the  cattle 

for  an  average     of    one-third     of  the  total 

ortality.  The  starvation  of  this  period  cripples 

le,  ''makes  the  cow  am  irregular  breeder    that 

her  natural  milking  qualities     until     she     is 

0  suckle  a  healthy  calf,  that  leads  to  scarcity 
bullocks,  and  that  creates     the    u^Se  which 

lie  village  grazing  grounds  of  India  with  useless 
repit  cattle."  Many  plough  bullocks  are  sold 
winter  or  their  rations  are  ruthlessly  decreaseic} 
!r  they  are  not  worked  in  full,  while  milch 
e  kept  on  after  lactation  on  poor  and  adequate 
Scrub  bulls  are  allowed  everywhere  to  cover 
which  are  generally  immature,  so  that  herds 
'  although  many  of  the  animals  do  not  get  a 
x)  live. 

Leake  writes  in  this  connection  that  during 
s  there  is  abundance  of  green  fodder,  both  in 
iral  growth  of  uncultivated  areas  and  in  such 

1  chart  grown  to  supply  fodder.  With  the  ces- 
f  the  rains  and  the  coming  of  the  cold  weather 
growth  ceases  and  the  fodder  crops  ripen  off. 
dry  months  of  the  year,  grass  is  very  poor 
dry  weather  hinders  its  growth.  As  compared 

e  grazing  lands  in  temperate  climate,  Indian 
re  of  very  little  use  to  the  cultivator  even 
ley  are  readily  accessible,  not  becauae  the 
are  bad  but  because  they  are  abimdant  and  of 
ding  value  only  for  a  very  short  period  of  the 
at  where  the  supply  of  grass  on  grazing  lands 
certain  and  reliable,  the  quality  of  cattle  is 
md  it  is  bene  that  some  of  the  beflt  quality 
1  India  are  reared. 

[der  is  limited  to  the  dry  stalks  of  the  jowar 
ize  and  to  the  hhuasa  (in  silo-pit)  proldueed 
cold  weather  cereals,  to  which  must  be  added 
thered  grasses  of  the  waste  lands.  Grains  and 
re  little  wfed  as  cattle  food.  On  these  fodders, 
a  small  oil  nutrient  value,  eked  out  with  such 
ktural  grazing  as  is  available  tl.e  cattle  have  to 

along  till  the  sucoeeding  rain  brings  forth  a 
jply.  Moreover,  within  this  period  falls  the 
)f  maximum  demand  for  power,  for  agricultural 
3  for  threshing,  ploughing  and  carrying  loads. 
L  a  year  of  famine,  the  cattle  die  by  hundreds, 

survivors  become  inefficient  workers  for  some 
o  sufficient  excess  of  fodder  is  produced  in  good 
id  owing  to  the  bulky  nature  of  the  fodder  it  is 


impossible  to  import  it  from  other  countries  to  make 
up  the  internal  deficiency  even  if  the  external  resoiurceg 
were  available.  The  actual  shortage  of  the  fodder  can 
be  easily  realised  when  we  con^pare  the  conditions  of 
fodder  supply  in  India  with  those  in  Eingland,  where 
three  acres  are  necessary  for  supporting  4  heads  of 
cattle,  while  in  the  UP.  not  more  than  I  of  an  acre 
of  less  fertile  a  land  is  available  for  grazing  of  '^e 
same  number  of  cattle.  The  result  is  heavy  cattl^ 
mortality.  In  the  Punjab  chambri  grass  is  the  principal 
fodder  but  thajtal,  berseem,  and  lucerne  can  be  SrowQ 
as  green  fodder.  In  CP.,  the  fodder  situation  is  some- 
what more  satisfactory  than  the  adjoining  provinces. 
It  is  in  the  cotton  belt  that  jowar  is  chiefly  cultivated 
as  the  fodder  crop,  while  cotton  seeds  also  provide  a 
very  nutritious  food  with  the  result  that  cattle  become 
strong  and  efficient.  In  the  wheat  belt  though  grazipg 
lands  are  rare  but  kana  (a  grass  of  low  nutritive  value) 
grows  over  wide  areas  €md  hence  no  fodder  crop  is 
raised,  with  tihe  result  that  the  cattle  fed  on  it  are 
weak  and  incapable  to  bear  the  burden.  In  the  rice 
belt,  as  also  in  Bengal,  green  catch  crop  is  utterb' 
lacking.  Muddy  straw  is  the  only  available  fodder 
which  offers  a  bare  sustenance  for.  cattle.  In  Bengal, 
the  banks  and  slopes  of  the  embankments  of  public 
roads  are  the  only  grazing  grounds  and  the  cattle 
subsist  mainly  on  paddy  straw,  paddy-husks  and  the 
coarse  grass  which  grows  in  tanks  almost  silted  up. 
Just  after  the  rice  crop  has  been  cut  they  get  enough 
to  eat,  but  at  other  times  of  the  year  they  are  half*' 
starved.  The  lack  of  sufficient  pastura,  the  absence  of 
good  fodd^  and  the  inability  of  the  peasants  to  stallr 
feed  their  beasts  have  led  in  Bengal  to  a  deterioration 
of  cattle.  In  the  Qiattisgarh  Division  of  CP.,  a  variety 
of  grass  of  low  nutritive  value  (mkla  or  spear  grass) 
grows  in  abundance  but  it  being  Bhort  season  grass 
provides  no  grazing  in  June  and  July  when  there  is  a 
real  need  for  the  fodder.  Hence,  the  cattle  of  Bengal 
and  C.  P.,  are  usually  inferior  both 'for  milking  and 
draught  purposes.  Western  Ghats,  enio5ring  rains 
varying  feom  80  to  160  inches,  are  quite  unsuitable  for 
the  growth  of  good-duality  grass  and  hence 
cattle-rearing  is  not  largely  carried  on  there.  But  in 
Mysore,  Nellore,  and  Goimbatore  up-land  areas  having 
a  moderate  rainfall  and  natural  drainage  are  conduc- 
ive to  the  healthy  growth  of  good  grass  and  it  is  here 
that  some  of  the  best  cattle  breeds  of  India  ar$ 
found.  Gujarat  is  also  suitable  for  good  cattle.  The 
grass  and  various  leguminous  crops  are  largely  pro- 
duced owing  to  the  alluvial  loamy  soil  in  the  area 
around  Rann  of  Cutch. 

No  definite  information  is  available  on  the 
total  quaatity  of  foodstuffs  available  in  the  land 
and  little  attention  has  been  paid  to  the  need  of 
milch  caittle.  In  most  parts  of  the  country,  the 
-0np8  which  giows  in  the  monsoon  either  liuriveb 
up  entirely  in  th^  dry  season  or    becomes  so.  ooazae 


THE  MODERN  REVIEW  FOR  APRIL,  1963 


as  to  be  incnpEiblc  of  noiirbhiug  cattle  properly, 
while  poverty  prevents  the  average  cultivator  from 
piircha«iiig  fodder. 

The  followitig  table  gii'es  Ihc  feeding  slanilards 
of   livestock    in    India: 

Feeding  SlandoTih 
(Pounds  per  head  per  day) 

Lit'c  MainteiiaDce  Work 

(at  rest)  (8  hr.  ploughing) 

\Vpiiflit  Digestible    Starch    Digeetibk    SUrcli 

crude    equivalent    cnide    equivalent 
protein  protein 

600  0.26  3.6  0.86  6.8 

800  0.31  4.6  1.00  8.5 

1.000  0-37  5.7  1.21         10.4 

It  iB  needless  (o  stale  that  in  the  U.P.,  Bihar 
And  Orisea,  and  Bengal,  the  cattle  cannot  obtain 
their  minimum  feeding  requirement  at  all.  The  com- 
petition of  both  the  human  and  bovine  population 
for  maintenance  on  small  holdings  which  yield  both 
food  and  fodder  crops  has  rctailt*^  in  the  steady 
<lpteriora(ion  of  animals'  food  supply  and  of  their 
breed  and  efficiency.  It  is  a  striking  paradox  that  the 
provinces  which  have  the  smallest  crop  ariea  per 
capita  maintain  the  largest  number  of  cattle;  i.c.,  the 
deficiency  in  cattle  food  is  grealfl?-r  in  the  Ihickly 
than  in  the  thinly  populated  areas.  According  to  Dr. 
Bume.  the  smallest  deficiency  is  in  the  region  in 
which  rainfall  is  under  30  ins.  and  th^  greater  in  that 
in  which  it  is  over  70  inches. 

The  region  with  a  rainfall  of  bdwceii  30  to  70 
inches  lies  between  t\v&,;  two  extremes." 


According  to  Dr.  N.  C.  Wright,  to  iHoduR 
India's  total  output  of  800  million  maunds  of  imlk, 
the  milk  cattle  alone  require  39,56,000  tons  of 
digestible  nutriente  and  7^675.000  tons  of  digeitiUe 
cnide  protein.  The  supplies  available  in  IntUa  unomt 
roughly  to  51,013,000  tona  of  nutrients  and  S.TBOjM 
tans  of  crude  protein."  Against  the  total  estimated 
nnnual  requirements  of  381  million  tons  of  eonoen- 
Iratcs  there  are  only  160.1;  135.2  end  7.5  milti<ni 
tons  available  respectively.  This  clearly  indicates  u 
acute  shortage  of  cattle  feed  in  India.  These  have 
to  t>o  sufficient  not  only  for  the  milk  cattle  but  sbo 
for  the  draught  cattle.  Thus  there  is  t,  mariced  AA- 
cicncy  of  cattle  fe^d  in  India,  as  a  result  of  whidi 
the  cattle,  in  ordinary  years,  are  left  to  grase  on  tlie 
dried  fields  in  summer  while  the  famine  yean  ban 
cattle  mortality  as  the  usual  consequence. 

ITo  be  eontmued) 


rr« 

.  und<[  l^6cT  «opt   («    Blh«.  0.i».  C.P.  ud  B«.  VJ, 

.r 

»i»D  piTt  ol  Midiu  ud  Iks  Eonhcrn  pan  al  tb*  BaoUi  Pnri- 

rnr 

hiYlui   nJnCil]  belncn   30   id  TO  lu.   wtm   Am  sn  mttm 

under   fodder   axf-    (3)    TfaoH   put>    of   Modru    •M    Bonb>T 

hk 

tl>  >»!  <A  lbs  W«un  Chill,   Cwm,   Bni.l    .aj    Aium.  n> 

.    Uili    UUch  Eke 


THE  UNIVERSITIES  OF  EUROPE 

Br  ALFRED  S.  8CHENKMAN, 
Acting  Deputy  DireclOT,  The  International  tmtitute  of    Educational  Sciences,  University  oj  Vlrgeht 


I  shall  try  in  this  talk  to  give  a  bird's-eye  view  of  the 
universities  of  Europe.  Now,  every  biid  has  two  eyes. 
This  bird's-eye  view,  let  mc  say  in  e.dvance,  of  the 
European  uniw  rsilies,  is  based  on  one  eye'a  vision 
only.  I  have  been  to  most  of  the  British  Universities, 
to  most  of  the  Swedish,  of  the  Belgian,  the  Dutch,  the 
Dinish,  etc.  But  I  have  not  been  to  Switserland,  to 
Italy,  to  Germany — to  say  nothing  of  the  Eastern 
countries  of  Europe.  I  must  give  a  report,  then,  which 
is  near-sighted  in  that  it  ignores  the  universities  of 
whole  sections  of  Europe.  It  is  not,  I  hope,  biased  by 
any  stigmatism  which  affects  the  focus  on  the  countries 
here  viewed  directly.     And  with  the  other  eye  there 


has  been  study  by  reading  and  some  of  the  gups  sir 
1  hereby  filM. 

The  itinerary  that  I  set  for  you  Icnighi  (and  liut 
I  followed  in  my  actual  travelling)  starts  with  Eng- 
land, includes  Scotland,  takes  in  Norw^iy.  Sweden. 
Danmark,  then  finishes  with  Holland,  Belgitim.  France. 
It  covers  much  mileage  and  many  institutions.  But  it 
is  not  100  difficult  to  make  a  rough  claasilicBtion  of  the 
universities  of  these  countries,  a  clarification  baeed 
not  on  national  boundaries.  In  most  of  th"  countries 
there  are  the  ancient  universities  and  the  "neir" 
ingtitutioDs.  There  are  conflicts  between  the  two  typn. 
and     the     stranglEJiolds    of  prestige.  Of  fun^m(i\id 


THE  UNIVERSITIES  OF  EUROPE 


2d7 


s  there  are  now  few,  but  age  does  provide  us 

convenient  classification  basia. 
e  sure,  in  Scotland,  the  "new"  University,  the 
y  of  Edinburgh,  was  founded  in  1682 — ^whereas 
rable  old     institutions,     Aberdeen,     Glasgow, 
ews,   go   back   only    to   1494,   1450,   1411.     In 

the  antithesis  is  clearer  between  Oxford  and 
je  and  the  newer  municipal  universities — 
er,   Bristol,     Birmingham,     Liverpool,   Leeds, 

Compare,  to  see  what  I  mean,  the  twelfth 
birth-dates  of  Oxfoixi  and  Cambridge  with 
Durham   (1831),  Manchester  (1880),    Reading 

same  pattern  is  to  be  seen  in  Sweden,  with 
unded  in  1477  and  Lund  in  1668— whereas  the 
ies  of  Stockholm  and  Goteborg  go  back  only 
nd  1889.  Similarly,  in  Holland,  the  Univei-sity 
1  dates  back  to  1575  and  the  Univei-sity    of 

to  1636;  but  Amsterdam  established  its 
[  university  only  in  1877.  In  Belgium,  the 
versities  of  Liege  and  Ghent,  and  the  Univer- 
5  of  Brussels,  were  founded  in  the  not  too 
ast;  Lou  vain,  the  venoiabln  Roman  Catholic 
i,.goe3  back  to  1426. 

the  sake  of  completeness  I  must  say  that 
►llows  a  different  pattern.  Almost  all  of  its  17 
ies  date  back  many  centuries.  Lyons  (1808)  is 
tion — ^which  stands  out  in  a  group  including 
cr  (going  back  to  1125),  Pari?  (to  1150),  Tou- 
>30),  Grenoble  (1339),  etc. 
HT  classification,  then,  we  have  on  the  one 
venerable  old-age  universities  such  as  Oxford, 
;e,  Upsala,  Lund,  Copenhagen,  Leiden, 
Paris--«nd  opposing  them     (sometimes  very 

such  newer  Universities  as  those  of  London, 
er,  Stockholm,  Aarhus,  Amsterdam,  Brussels, 

of  course,  is  not  the  only  i*ossible  classifica- 
s.  It  should  properly  be  combined  with  size, 
)rganization,  finance,  and  other  factors,  if  we 
t  a  really  meaningful  picture.  I  am  afraid  that 
»f  the  short  time  at  my  disposal  here  I  shall 
be  an  impressionist.  I  can  say  that  the 
/  of  London  has  22,000  students,  and  the 
/  of  Paris  53,(XX).  But  I  cannot  describe  the 
«n  of  the  London  Colleges  or  show  why  so 
the  Paris  students  can  be  "external."  I  can 
statistics  which  ^how  that  Oxford,  Cambridge, 
Edinburgh,  Oslo,  Copenhagen,  Amsterdam, 
ier  all  have  more  than  5,000  and  fewer  than 
lents.  But  it  is  impossible  here  to  discuss  at 
e  organizational  peculiarities  of  these  institu- 
of  Nottingham,  St. .  Andmws,  Ghent,  Lund — 
y  universities  of  about  2,500  students, 
igards  organization  I,  shall  make  but  two 
very  university  today  is  an  emergent,  is  the 
)f  its  own  hi.story   (influenced   of  course  by 


the  history  of  the  country)  but  is  also  the  product  of 
the  history  of  all  universities.  When  we  consider  what 
Ra^hdall  calls  the  "servile  fidelity"  with  which  the 
"institutions  of  a  mother-University"  are  reproduced 
in  its  daughters,  we  should  not  be  too  surprised  at  the 
similarities  of  universities.  Rashdall,  again,  says  that 
"the  Universities  of  all  countries  and  of  all  ages  are  in 
reality  adaptations  under  various  conditions  of  one 
and  the  same  institution."  If  this  is  so,  then  although 
there  are  important  local  differences  (of  size,  financ- 
ing, etc.)  there  is  also  the  all-important  thread  which 
leads  from  the  first  Universities  (Bologna,  Paris)  to  the 
newest,  perhaps  the  Visva-Bharati  or  the  Gujerat 
Universities  in  this  country.  Some  of  the  differences, 
incidentally,  such  as  the  present-day  absence  of 
"Colleges"  in  Paris  or  Lcuvain,  are  due  to  the  loss  of 
institutions  (several  centuries  ago)  and  not  necessarily 
to  a  different  upbringing. 

Secondly,  there  are  in  Europe  today  State  (oi 
municipal)  Universities  and  there  ai^  privately-run 
institutions.  Oxford  and  Cambridge  are  privately-run, 
as  also  are  the  Universities  of  Stockholm,  of  Aarhus. 
of  Louvain.  In  Holland,  the  Free  (Calvinist)  Univer- 
sity of  Amsterdam  and  the  Roman  Catholic  University 
at  Nijmegen  are  private  institutions.  St.  Andrews  is  a 
private  University.  But  in  the  long  run  it  makes  little 
difference  in  most  instances,  at  least  if  We  can  learn 
from  the  history  of  European  universities,  whether  an 
institution  is  publicly  or  privately  governed.  Countries 
have  the  education  rules  and  regulations,  which  provide 
for  a  certain  uniformity;  and,  more  i-leasant  to  think 
about,  they  aid  the  private  as  well  as  the  public 
universities  with  grants  of  money.  Tliough,  of  course, 
some  nations  do  more  for  their  universities  than  do 
others. 

With  this  as  a  background,  I  want  to  dis^cuss  in 
pretty  general  terms  the  European  Universities  as  I 
see  them.  I  wrote  a  paper  not  long  ago  on  "Human 
Relations  in  the  Teaching  Industry."  May  I  say  that 
there  is  in  actual  fact  a  much  closer  relationship 
between  a  university  and  a  factory  than  many  starry- 
eyed  and  ivory-tx)wered  educationists  would  recognize. 
As  a  distinguished  Englishman  has  said,  "A  -University, 
to  put  it  bluntly,  is  a  factory  for  the  production  of  a 
particular  type  of  product."  I  accept  this  analysis 
despite  all  of  the  educationist's  **Pop  talks"  about 
culture  and  general  education. 

Now,  I  know  that  this  is  an  heretical  view  ;  I 
know  that  I  shall  be  unpopular.  But  universities  do 
have  as  their  main  job  today  the  training  for  the 
professions.  You  can  see  it — anywhere  in  Europe.  And 
the  more  idealistic  "ideas  of  a  imivprsity"  are  based 
less  on  fact  than  on  the  seductive  a,rt  of  wishful 
thinking.  Therefore  J  want  to  stress,  as  part  of  my 
setting  of  the  stage,  t^t  universities  are  something 
like  factories,  seeing  that  their  function  is  to  produce 


m 


THE  MODERN  REVIEW  FOR  APRIL,  1953 


a  product,  albeit  aa  aaimate  and  learned  and  traioed 
prodtKt. 

I  shall  skip  over  here  a  listing  ot  all  of  the  pro- 
:bleni8  faced  by  European  universities  today — piobiema 
of  increa^  in  enrolment,  of  student  Lousing,  of  over- 
'erowded  curricula,  etc. — problems  which  youi  own 
University  of  Allahabad  and  abo  the  otiier  great 
Indian  universities  bav^  to  face  too.  In  the  remaiiuler 
.of  tl^  time  given  me  I  want  to  nuke  several  main 
,  points. 

Universities  in  Europe,  jiist  like  the  Indian  or  the 
American,  are  too  much  bound  by  strong  forces  of 
tradition;  this  is  true  regardless  of  whether  we  think 
of  Upsala,  founded  in  U77,  or  -it  Stockholm  or 
Amsterdam,  founded  1877.  The  "servile  fidelity"  to  the 
mother- form  is  operative  in  most  universities.  So,  by 
and  large  all  of  the  European  universities,  at  least  all 
I  know,  use  outmoded  methods  in  altemptiog  to  build 
the  "defences  of  civiliaaUon"  in  the  minds  of  men.  As 
Sir  Walter  Moberly  has  quoted  in  his  The  Crim  in  the 
Vtiivenity,  in  the  educational  world  ."nothing  must 
ever  be  done  for  the  first  time." 

There  are,  to  be  sure,  bri^t  studenta  in  the 
European  universities  who  know  that  they  are  suSei^ 
ing  under  outmoded  and  outdated  systems.  In  all  the 
uniwerBities  that  I  have  been  to,  at  kast  a  number  of 
the  students, see  the  ui^nt  need  for  lefonos  in  teach- 
tog  methods  and  press  actively  towards  these.  Different 
universities,  being  of  course  in  different  stsges  of  deve- 
lopment,- show  difCerent  reform  movements.  I  should 
Bay  that  in  Sweden  at  the  present  time  the  students 
have  been  mmt  eucce»ful  in  getting  a  say  ooaceming 
teaching  and  the  curriculum.  And  the  influence  of 
theee  Swedish  students  is  probably  incresaing.  This 
development,  by  the  way,  has  been  the  result  largely 
of  the  support  tJie  students  are  receiving  from  lAe 
Swedish  Ministry  of  Education.  I  say  that  it  is  a  B(x*d 
thing,  alAou^  t  am  not  sure  that  I  can  go  quite  a^ 
br  as  a  Swedi^  ex-student  who  looks  forward  to  a 
fiiture  where  tile  State  provides  tJie  money  and  "tlte 
•itudents  the  ideas." 

In  the  Belgian  universities,  to  take  another 
example,  tJtera  is  a  growing  opposition  to  the  fftand 
couTg,  the  big  unwieldy  lecture  course;  but  the  exceed- 
ingly strict  legal  requirements  of  attettdance  at  so  many 
hours  of  lectures  per  w«ek  so  far  has  made  difficult  the 
formation  of  strong  student  groups  pressing  for  real 
'reforms  in  metJtods  of  teaching.  Student  committees, 
ratlier, -concentrate  on  problems  of  housing,  social  life, 
financial  pressures,  and  the  democratising  of  university; 


''  Let  me  say  here^  apropos  of  such  student  activities, 
that  I  am  impneosed  by  the  caliire  of  the  presen1i.^y 
university  sttident  in  Europe — in  England  and  in 
l^orway  as  well  as  in  Holland  and  Denmark,  or  Sweden 


Or  Scotland.  We  tiave  our  pessimiota  in  Kuofn  iaM  M 
you  have  them  bei^  who  complain  that  tha  BtudSBls  o( 
tod^  are  so  narrow  and  apaLb^lio  and  dulL  But  1 
think,  on  the  basis  of  pfrEonal  observation  ami  qoi 
just  of  armchair  philosophizing,  tliat  this  interpreta- 
tion of  the  cfaiuacter  of  the  modem  student  is  for  wide 
of  the  mark.  Wbile,  of  ccurtK,  it  is  almost  imposibk 
save  in  a  subjective  manner  lo  compare  the  qualitiu 
of  one  gen»ation  of  students  with  those  of  anotiier 
I  am  quite  satitAed  with  the  quality  of  Uw  Oioden: 
student  especially  coaeidvriue  bis  not  inftequent 
uupropitious  social  background.  I  um  convinced,  noting 
tJie  ever  greater  numbers  of  students  in  Eltnopean 
universities  who  come  front  poor  backgrounds  and  vli> 
are  not  given  generally  exceptional  social  ameiutu»- 
or  educational— in  Um  universities,  that  tba  pretentdsy 
sch(riar  is  in  no  way  inferior  to  his  19^1  eentaiy  w 
IStii  century  counterpart. 

European  umveraty  students  naturally  letl  the 
frustrations  of  the  timeo.  The  phenomenon  is  inevaleDl 
in  EUirope,  as  in  India.  A  time  of  frustration  is  jnst  u 
unhealdiy  for  the  student*  as  for  anyone  elae.  But  the 
frustrations  are  not  dinolved  away  by  talking  sa  il 
they  do  not  exist— not  even  by  talking  a^iima  ihfm 
— nor,  oertainly  not,  by  substituting  denundalira  oi 
results  for  denunciation  of  causes.  When  ««  consider 
the  "crisis  in  tbe  univendty"  we  must  be  realistic  utd 
realise  that  the  orins  is  in  the  society. 

I  need  not  go  into  tiiis,  but  my  bird'a.«ye  sarvrT 
of  the  Univeinties  of  Europe  would  be  ausomplcie 
without  my  touching  on  the  teachers  at  theae  nniver- 
sities.  VHien  university  staffs  are  attacked,  as  b  t''^ 
bobby  today,  for  not  providing  "moral  leadenhip.' 
I  counter-attack  here  too  and  charge  that  the  imnKW* 
aooiety  itself  is  inq;Knui3>1c  and  not  t^e  neually  very 
capable>^and  hi^Iy  moral — university  teacfaera:  ^'■ 
me  not  as  a  univenity  teacher  whitowash  the  *'■''■' 
ing  profession  or  sidestep  just  attacks.  I  have 
J^ready  touched  on  the  damage  wrou^t  by  conXf- 
vative  univerri^  teacbrrs  who  hold  witii  mA 
strength  fast  to  tradition.  But  I  mu^t  do  my  bit  to 
deny  the  charges  as  usually  levelled  against  us. 

We  do  our  best,  wh°tlipr  in  Europe  or  in  otli« 
parts  of  the  world.  In  Europp.in  universitiee  we  vr 
probably  doing  a  better  job  than  our  predeceaors  ilid 
in  many  of  the  so-called  "gold>?n  ages."  And  Euiopcsn 
university  teachers  would  do  a  better  job  yet  il  socifiy 
gave  them  tlie  took  in  the  A&pe  of  better  eqaip- 
ment,  mon  personnel,  fairer  smlaries,  and  so  <ra.  Bu' 
DonsidertDiK  tiie  problenui  of  Europe  as  a  nholr,  I 
am  convinced  that  the  universities  are  reasonsWT 
healthy  institutions  and  that  tli(v  teachers,  as  wril  i^ 
students,  do  th«r  best  continually  to  improve  fro" 
within. 


FIV&YEAR  PLAN  AND  VILLAGE  INDUSTRIES 

bt  bcankumar  sen 


OCH  it  is  agreed  on  all  hands^  the  Govenment 
ooimtiy  not  excluded,  that  'India  Mires  in  her 
s'  'Indian  economy  is  j  basically  village  economy/ 
lecay  of  Indian  agricnltural  wealth  and  rural 
ies  and  crafts  is  the  root  cause  of  her  economio 
{ration  and  unbalance,'  the  nature  of  the  problem  or 
OS  has  seldom  been  realised,  or  realised  in  part ; 
en  this  partial  realisation  has  mostly  remained 
emed.  From  partial  realisation  flowed  piecemeal 
Jf-hearted  measures  giving  periiaps  some  relief  to 
ector,  somewhere  (for  some  time,  but  the  pool  of 
tl  reeourcefli  remained  unexplored,  as  stagnant  ad 

The  Nature  of  the  Pboblsu 

lian  economy  is,  as  we  have  said,  essentially  rural 

.    basic  constituents  are     agriculture  and    village 

ies.     Not  only  basic,  they  are    inseparable    part9 

system  and  indissohibly  bound  up  with  each  other. 

istorical  truth  and  very  fundamental  position  baa 

sen  bluntly  ignored  to  the  wanton  detriment  of  our 

ic  renaissance  and  programme  of  revival  from  the 

ml  ravages.  One  cannot  but  incidentally  refer  to  the 

of  committees  and  commissi<ms    engaged  on  food 

IS  and  the  huge  budgetary  provisions,  made  every 

:  the  'grow  more  food  campaign'.    But,  along^side, 

as  been  woeful  lack  of  urge  and  enthusiasm  tOi 

oore  buyers'  to  tone  up  the  rural  industries  and 

)  resuscitate  them  on  their  proverbial  foothold  and 

release  a  refreshing  current  of  buying  capacity  to 

ding  millions  of  Indian  villages.    *Grow  more  food* 

ve  added  to  food  production,  but  has  it,  in  any 

added  to  the  strength  and  vitality  of  the  agricul- 

ople  ?    Has  it  opened  up  the  ways  for  absorption 

peasants  suffering  under  forced  idleness  for  4  to  6 

in  a  year.     Has  it  relieved  the  landless  agricul- 

bour  of  his  pristine  squalor  and  poverty  ?     The 

c  reply  is  of  course — ^'No'.  Because,  the  campaign 

mplcnned      so      far      as      it      was      divorced 

Uage  industries  and  their  requirements.    What  we 

is  by  no  means  less  important  than  how  much  we 

Land  has  been    made  to  yield  food  and  other 

)ps  while  the  village  industries  have  either  been 

from  scarcity  of  raw  materials,  or  decaying  sharply 

ace  of  cut-throat  competition  from  the  large-scale 

»  or  foreign  imports  or  both.    With  this  unhappy 

It  hand,  one  will  immediately  react  favourably  to 

ming  G>mmi8sion's    recommendatioaa    on  viHace 

is.     The  G>mmi88ion,  in  its  final  five-year  plan, 

gorically  stated  : 

The  development  of  village  industries  should, 
fore,  be  as  much  a  matter  of  State  action  as  the 
ise  of  agricultural  production,  ^deed  one  cannot 
Mrated  from  the  other,  for,  increase  in  agricnluiral 
ction  presupposes  fuller  utilisation  of  the  avail- 
man-power  and  release  of  surplus  woikera  for 
occupations." 


Thia--the  planned  devebpment  of  agriculture  and 
village  industries  to  fully  and  fruitfully  utilize  the  man- 
powsTy  iHiich  is  the  real  power  of  a  vast  sub-continent  like 
India,  is  one  aspect  of  the  question ;  another  aspect,  no 
less  Tital»  is  the  determination  of  State  policy  towards 
village  industries  vis-a-vis  the  city-centred  large-scale 
industries  engaged  in  the  production  of  same  categories 
of  goods.  In  fact  the  one  handicap  that  has  hindered  the 
growth  of  rural  industries  is  the  very  indefinite,  indistinct 
and  foggy  Governmental  attitude  towards  them  at  a  time 
when  an  objective,  well-defined  programme  was  urgently 
called  for.  Though  not  absolutely  uncompromisinip,  the 
Phoming  Commission  has  made  a  realistic  approach  this 
time  and  has  not  faltered  to  call  a  spade  a  spade.  The 
Gommladon  has  thoioaghly  denounced  at  least  some  of  the 
large-scale  ojc  power-driven  industries  which  have  beei^ 
mercilessly  letting  down  their  village  colleagues.  It  id 
indeed  a  matter  of  deep  satisfaction  that  the  bearing  of  a 
balanced  industrial  planning  on  the  health,  hygiene  and 
employment  situation  of  the  society  and  country  ha^ 
received  weighty  recognition  at  the  hands  of  the 
Commission. 

OtoSBi  OP  Decunb  and  Cure 

Ctoiei  of  the  decline  of  village  industries  are  gene- 
raUf  attrilratable  to,  according  to  the  Commission,  (an4 
«ko  aooording  to  tiie  consensus  of  public  opinion) 
defects  or  deficiencies  in  (i)  Organisation  (ii)  State 
Policy  (iii)  Finance,  (iv)  Raw  materials,  (v)  Research, 
(vi)  Technical  guidance,  (vii)  Supply  of  equipment  and 
(viii)  Marketing ;  of  which,  in  our  opinion,  'State 
Policy*  (ii)  is  the  first  pre-requisite  to  any  industrial 
organisation  and  methods  of  development. 

Exhorting  that  "in  view  of  the  growing  importance 
of  the  problem  of  employment,  the  Central  Government 
moat  now  give  some  attention  to  village  and  small- 
scale  industries  as  it  has  utidertaken  in  view  of  the 
shortage  of  food  and  raw  materiaU,  to  agriculture,''  the 
Commission  has  thus  outlined  the  State  Policy : 

A  cottage  indoatry  should  be  provided  a  field  withini 
which  it  can  organise  itself;  in  case  oi  a  Itfge-scale 
indoatry  coming  into  competition,  a  'common  production, 
programme*  should  be  tried  and  formulated,^  in  which 
''the  aspect  of  employment  will  naturally  receive  special 
empfaaaia**,  one  or  more  of  the  following  elements  may 
also  enter  into  aneh  a  iflregramme :  (i)  Reservation  of 
the  sphtfea  of  production;  (ii)  Non-expansion  of  the 
capacity  of  a  large-scale  industry  ;  (iii)  Imposition  of 
n  oeaa  on  a  large-scale. industry;  (iv)  Arrangement  for 
the  supply  of  raw  materials,  and  (v)  Coordination  for 
research,  training;  etc. 

QuisnoN  OP  Employmbnt  and  NuntinoN 

As  an  instance  of  harmful  expansion  of  a  private 
owned  industry  direttly  afl^ecting  rural  employment  and 
nutrition,  the  Commission  has  cited  the  Rice  MUU, 
Qooting  it  vefimtim: 


290 


THE  MODERN  REVIEW  FOR  APRIL,  1&53 


In  ih9  paddy^owing   areas      rice-pounding      was 

always  a  substantial  source  of  employment,  both  whole- 
time  and  spare-time,  especially  by  women. 

*The  introduction  of  Rice  MUls  of  the  huller 
type  greatly  diminished  the  employment  and  waa 
also  wasteful  in  various  ways.  It  appears  to  us  Uiat 
in  the  interest  of  rural  employment  and  to  ensure 
better  nutrition,'*the  Government  should  now  formu- 
late a  programme  for  replacing  the  huller  type  of 
rice  mills  by  organised  hand-pounding  of  rice." 

To  fdiat  a  staggering  extent  the  rural  people  engaged 
in  hand-pounding  industry  has  been  displaced  and  de- 
prived of  a  major  source  of  income  is  conchisively  revea- 
led in  a  report  that  was  published  in  the  Gram  Udyog 
Pairika  (June,  1950),  the  organ  of  the  All-India  Village 
Industries  ABsodation,  Wardha.     The  report  states  that 

**The  number  of  paddy-husking  dhenkU  that 
were  working  in  Abjuganj  (Bhagalpur.  Behar)  and 
eight  neighbouring  villages  was  4200  employing 
64,000  men  and  23,000  women  and  producing  21,000 
mds.  ot  paddy  per  day.  Except  the  three  rainy 
months  tnis  industry  worked  all  the  year  round.  And 
now  mills,  big  and  small,  have  cropped  up  and  have 
swallowed  the  paddy,  leaving  these  people  high  and 
dry, — only  a  few  of  the  dhenkis  are  able  to  work, 
that  tod  for  two  months  in  the  season.*' 

And  we  all  know  the  double  or  treble  polishing 
IHrougti  which  dehusked  rice  in  a  mill  passes  to  make 
itself  bright  and  palatable  to  the  civilised  taste  1  But 
what  is  the  nature  and  content  of  the  polished  commo- 
dity thus  turned  out  ?  Tlie  foUowmg  table  tgetkt  for^. 
itself: 

Type  of  rice  Value  Lou 

(1)  UnpoUshed  100.O  Nil 

(2)  Once  polished  45.0  55.0 

(3)  Twice  polished  25.0  75X> 

(4)  Thrice  polished  17^  82.5 

(i?»c0— A.-I.V.I.A.   publication) 

So  thrice  polished  rice  has  perhaps  cent-percent 
attractive  appearance  with  of  course  only  17^  per  cent 
of  the  original  food  value  !  This  is  what  20,000  mills  of 
our  country  are  allowed  to  do  in  respect  of  nearly  20  mil- 
lion tons  of  rice  annually  !  The  tale  does  not  end  there  : 
calculating  the  constituents  of  paddy  and  its  rice  out-turn 
liy  rice  mills  it  has  been  found  that  they  waste  no  less 
than  7  per  cent  of  the  30  million  tons,  that  is  nearly  2  miV 
Bon  tons  of  paddy  they  pnceM,  We  are  glad  that  the 
Commission  particularly  pointed  to  this  rice  mill  cancer, 
and  the  above  facts  leave  no  manner  of  dorubt  as  to 
frhat  imrestricted  and  iU-advised  allowance  for  a  large- 
icale  industry  run  purely  on  profit  motive  can  mean  to 
a  nation. 

State  Pouct 
The  Government  should  now  take  up  the  cudgel  fear- 
lessly and,  as  the  Commission  has  unambiguously   sug- 
gested, replace  the  rice  mills  by  indigenous     processes. 
The  wooden  chakkis  manufactured  by  the  A. -I.V.I. A. 
should  receive  prior  constderatioi^  in  comm<m  with  the 
d^enAjs,     Similar  stand  should  also  be  taken  fradnally 
sat/  In  right  earnest  wiuie  dealing  with  8U^  mill  v^.' 


gur  industry,  oil  mill  vs,  ghani  industry  and  cotton  miU 
vs.  handloom  industry.  A  cess  has  already  been  dec- 
lared on  mill  cloth  which  is  expected  to  fetch  some  2 
crores  of  rupees  annually.  This  amount,  as  the  Com- 
mission recommends,  should  be  expended  <»i  Khadi  and 
village  industries.  It  is^  however,  wild  dreaming  to 
look  at  the  problem  as  one  of  giving  out  dolea  on^. 
Village  and  cottage  industries  can  be  given  a  new  base  of 
life  on  the  basis  of  e£Fectiye  local  demand  only  and  thia 
the  Commission  has  fully  agreed  with.  Again  local 
demand  means  increasing  exchange  of  commodities  be- 
tween different  categories  or  classes  of  artisans  in  i^ 
village  or  group  of  villages,  which  again  preeupposes  a 
village-level  or  decentralized  system  of  administrmtioft— 
both  political  and  economic.  Once  this  reorientation  ii^ 
outlook  and  affaira  is  realised,  false  sense  of  money- 
values  will  tumble  down,  a  revaluation  of  values  will 
grow  up  and  the  tightening  grip  of  money  will  be  re- 
placed by  all-round  co-operative  exchan^  of  goods, 
specially  consumer  goods.  It  is  high  time  we  retrace  oat 
steps  and  rebuild  our  socio-economic  life  on  human 
values. 

Reservation  and  Raiw  Material  Supply 
In  the  process  of  replacement,  reservation  of  spheres 
is  no  doubt  the  first  stage.  It  also  appears  that,  in  riew 
of  'unemployment*  which  is  a  'constant  feature'  in  hand- 
loom  weaving  the  Commission  has  found  'scope  for  exten- 
sion of  this  principle'  as  between  organised  textile  indus- 
try and  unorganised  and  much  weaker  handloom  weav- 
ing. The  Commission  has  also  referred  to  the  'outstand- 
ing case  of  yam  supply'  under  Government  control  ia 
support  of  its  contention  for  raw  material  supply.  True, 
a  quota  of  mills*  yam  production  has  been  earmarked  fbf 
supply  to  the  weavers, — but  that  it  has  not  touched  even 
a  fringe  of  the  problem  should  have  been  evident  from 
the  mass-scale  delapidation  of  the  weavers  of  Madras 
and  West  Bengal  in  particular.  We  do  not  for  a  moment 
question  the  noble  sentiments  of  the  Commisuon  ia 
favour  of  'common  production  programme,'  but  such 
existing  programme  as  between  textile  and  handloom  ha« 
thrown  the  latter  to  the  birch  and  for  the  very  first  thing 
I.e.  raw  material  the  weavers  have  been  made  to  look 
helplessly  to  the  munificent  and  honest  dealings  of  the 
yarn-producing  mills !  So  we  dislike  to  call  it  a  'common' 
programme  where  not  inter^dependence  but  dependence 
of  the  weaker  party  on  the  stronger  is  the  first  term  of 
contract !  It  is  really  strange  that  no  well-thougjit-oat 
scheme  of  yam  production  under  State  control  to  ensuie 
adequate  and  nniterrupted  supply  has  been  envisaged  ia 
the  Flan ;  and  ir  looks  stranger  in  view  of  the  com- 
mendable outspokenness  of  the  Commission  that 

'*What  is  certain  is  that  unless  the  planning  and 
development  of  village  industries  and  many  smaD- 
scale  industries  is  conceived  as  part  of  the  process  of 
formulating  policies  and  programmes  for  the  related 
large-scale  industries  it  will  be  extremely  difficnltit 
to  promote  the  smaller  industries  and  almost  every 
technical  and  economic  factor  will  weigh  agdnit 
\lhcm.'' 


ECONOMICS  OF  LINGUISTIC  STATES 


291 


Save  and  except  the  general  suggestion  for  cess  on 
mill  production  no  consideration  has  been  given  to  the 
outpacing  problem  of  Khadi  industry.  The  argument  that 
whatever  tentative  proposals  have  been  framed  vrill  be 
considered  by  the  central  Khadi  and  Vilkge  Industries 
Board  ia  virtually  be-littling  the  issue.  It  pasaes  our  com- 
jurehension  how  such  a  problem  of  national  and  rational 
importance  could  virtually  be  evaded  by  the  first  Planning 
Commission  of  India.  The  Commission's  sound  advocacy 
that  'the  aspect  of  employment  vrill  naturally  receive 
special  emphasis'  does  not  appear  to  have  weighed  with 
the  anggestion  of  the  Commission  itself  in  respect  of 
handloom  and  Khadi  In  view  of  their  special  position  in 
the  employment  situation  of  India  these  two  major 
village  industries  should  have  been  discussed  specially 
and  their  exact  roles  defined  distinctly. 

The  BaciNNiifG  of  the  Becinnhic 

We  welcome  Commissioii's  proposal  and  forthright 
comment  that 

"In  the  sphere  of  food  processing  industries  the 

stage  appears  to  have  been  reached      when  further 

expansion  of  large-scale  industry  should  not  be  per- 

mitted.** 

After  vdiat  we  have  already  reproduced  about     the 

pernicious  rice-milling  systems,  there  is  hardly  any  scope 

for  difference  of  opinion  on  this  soore.     Similarly  the 

proposal  to  raise  oil-seedi  pressing  by     ghams  Jxom  10 

lakh  to  13j8  lakh  tons,  though  moderately      estimated, 


should  be  well-received.  Contrarily  the  Commission  baa 
maintained  reticence  on  the  expanding  sugar  industry 
and  has  simply  made  a  passing  reference  to  ptdm  gur 
industry.  Village  gur  industry  consumes  nearly  75  per 
cent  of  the  total  cane  production;  nearly  5P  million  tons, 
five  times  the  mills*,  of  cane  is  crushed  by  the  villagers. 
Annual  sugar  production  of  the  138  sugar  mills  is  be- 
tween 10-13  lakh  tons,  and  the  millions  of  gur  ghanis 
produce  nearly  36  lakh  tons  of  gur  and  employ  several 
lakhs  of  rural  people.  So  the  revival  of  paddy-husking 
by  rural  processr-oil  ghanis,  gur  ghanis,  etc..  along  with 
handloom  and  Khadi,  if  taken  up  with  courage,  vision 
and  effective  measures,  should  mark  the  beginning  of  the 
beginning  of  a  new  economic  life  for  free  India.  In  the 
execution  of  such  a  project,  finance  will  undoubtedly 
present  itself  as  a  formidable  problem.  We  are 
abaohitely  at  one  with  the  Commisdon's  views  that  the 
formation  of  industrial  co-operatives  and  proper  func- 
tioning of  the  Sute  Industrial  Finance  Corporations 
should,  to  a  large  extent,  solve  this  problem.  To  cottage 
and  home  industries,  such  aa  potteries,  embroderies,  etc. 
too  little  9pace  has  been  allotted,  probably  because  fact^ 
pooled  by  the  Commission  were  too  meagre  and  the  prob- 
lem is  vastly  complex  and  variegated.  In  this  connec- 
tion the  Commission's  mild  strictures  on  the  Industries 
Departments  of  the  State  Governments  should  be  given 
due  refud. 


:0: 


ECONOMICS  OF  LINGUISTIC  STATES 

By  S.  N.  AGARWAL,  mj». 


Wb  a«e  glad  that  the  difficult  problem  of  Linguistic 
States  waa  once  again  discussed  threadbare  at  the 
Hyderabad  Session  of  the  Congress.  Usually  such  dis- 
cussions general^  more  heat  than  light;  but  frank 
expressions  of  views  on  the  reorganisation  of  States 
bot3i  in  the  Subjects  Committee  and  in  the  Open 
Session  of  the  Congress  were  very  helpful  in  placing 
before  the  people  the  pros  and  cons  of  the  linguistic 
States  in  the  right  perspective.  The  Congress  did  well 
in  la3dng  greater  emphasis  on  the  economic  and  finan- 
cial factors  involved  in  the  redistribution  of  areas  on 
linguistie  basis.  While  we  value  the  importance  of 
regional  languages  in  the  administrative  and  educa- 
tional arrangements  of  a  free  country,  the  basic  aim 
of  achieving  economic  freedom  for  the  masses  must 
receive  top-most  priority  in  our  plan  of  national 
reooDstructi<m. 

It  18  wrong  to  think  that  in  emphasising  the 
economic  factor,  the  Ck)ngre8s  has  gone  back  on  its 
original  promise  of  reconstituting  States  on  a  linguistic 
baais.  The  Report  of  the  Linguistic  Provinces  Gom- 
mittee,  popularly  known  as  the  JVP  Report,  was  quite 
clear  <m  this  aspect  of  the  problem.  While  re-affirmifig 
the  genenl  policy  underlying  the  fomiation  of  Unguis* 


tic  SUtes,  the  Report  stated  that  ''the  first 
consideration  must  be  the  security,  unity  and  economic 
prosperity  of  India,"  and  the  policy  of  creating  new 
States  <m  the  basis  of  language  should  be  applied  after 
careful  thought  without  ''jeopardising  the  political  and 
economic  stability  of  the  country."  The  Election 
Manifesto  adopted  at  the  Bangalore  Session  of  the 
A.-I.  C.  C.  in  July  1861  also  observed  : 

"While  linguistic  reasons  have  undoubtedly  a 
certain  cultural  and  other  importance,  there  are 
other  factors  also  such  as  economic,  administrative 
and  financial,  which  have  to  be  taken  into  consi- 
deration." 

The  latest  resolution  passed  at  Hyderabad,  while 
confirming  the  general  policy  of  linguistic  States,  has 
invited  special  attention  to  these  "other  factors"  so 
that  in  our  inordinate  anxiety  to  create  separate  States 
on  the  basis  of  language  we  might  not  overlook  lihe 
very  important  considerations  of  national  unity, 
economic  and  financial  stability  and  national  defence. 

It  is  also  not  correct  to  say  that  Government    of 
India's  announcement    tefgueds:^    >5b&    \Qta«ioss^    ^ 
Andhra  waa  unXmeV^  mA  VJcaX.    «tw«^^sas8eiM8.  Vst  ^^ 
conatltuUoa  ol  o^aet  Xm^eaMJosi  ^XaJ^  ^^^^  .^e^"^^ 


m 


THE  MODERN  REVIEW  FOR  APRIL,  1953 


not,  in  any  way,  interfere  with  the  fundamental  riiJit 
of  all  citircna  "to  move  freely  throughout  the  territay, 
to  reside  and  settle  in  any  part  of  the  territoiy  oi 
India,  to  acquire,  hold  and  dispose  of  property :  and 
to  practise  any  profession,  or  to  carry  on  any  occupa- 
tion, trade  or  business."  It  would  be  most  unfortunate 
if  the  redistribution  of  States  on  linguistic  basis  leads 
to  narrow-mindedness  towards  those  whose  mother- 
tongue  is  different  from  the  language  of  "the  region. 
The  JVP  Report  was  also  worried  about  the  poss&ility 
of  migration  of  population  as  a  result  of  the  peconBto- 
tuticm  of  linguistic  States.  It  is  the  duty  of  all  wm- 
cemed  to  see  to  it  that  the  formation  of  Andhra  doea 
not  lead  to  any  such  evil  consequencee.  If  the  Andhia 
State  is  formed  in  a  proper  atmosphere  and  is  stabilised 
satisfactorily,  the  Congress  will  not  hesitote  to  consider 
the  question  of  other  linguistic  States,  provided  there 
is  broad  agreement  among  the  various  areas  affected 
by  such  reorganisation,  and  provided  the  new  Statw 
are  able  to  stand  on  their  own  feet  financially  and 
economically.  At  a  time  when  all  our  energies  have  to 
be  directed  towards  the  solution  of  the  main  problem 
of  poverty,  himger  and  unemployment  throu^  our 
Five-year  Plan,  it  would  be  most  unwise  to  fritter  our 
energies  in  mutual  squabbles  relating  to  linguistic 
States.  The  ecoaomics  of  linguistic  reorganisation 
cannot  be  overlooked  by  the  CJongress,  althou^  we 
have  every  sympathy  with  'those  who  desire  an  early 
formation  of  linguistic  States  for  administrative  and 
educational  convenienc;e  '^  different  regions. 

Let  us  not  indulge  in  indecent  haste  in  each 
matters.  Our  first  and  primary  task  is  to  consolidate 
our  political  freedom  and  then  to  buUd  up  oar 
economic  freedom.  Writing  in  the  Harijan  on  Novem- 
ber 30,  1947,  Mahatma  Gandhi  also  appealed  to  the 
linguistic  groups  in  the  Soilth  "to  settle  their  disputes 
and  boundaries  and  produce  an  agreed  scheme  of  f^ 
distribution  according  to  language"  and  "not  to  put 
undue  strain  on  the  Congress."  He  observed  : 

"...  since  linguistic  redistribution  is  desirahfe 
from  almost  ©very  point  of  view,  all  delay  in  cany- 
ing  out  the  project  should  be  avoided.  But  the 
reluctance  to  enforce  linguistic  redistribution  ie, 
perhaps,  justifiable  in  the  present  depressing  atmoa- 
phere.  The  exclusive  spirit  is  very  uppermost 
Everyone  thinks  of  himself  and  his  family.  No  one 
thinks  of  the  whole  of  India.  The  centripetal  foiee 
is  undoubtedly  there,  but  it  is  not  vocal,  newr 
boisterous:  whereas  the  centrifugal  ib  on  the 
surface,  and  in  its  very  nature  makes  the  loudest 
noise,  demanding  the  attention  of  all  .  .  .  B'** 
vealous  refcmners  would  postpone  oontroveiaiil 
issues  to  a  more  hopeful  time,  when  in  the  inteiert 
of  the  country,  the  virtue  of  'giv^a  and  takf*  would 
be  freely  recognised  and  all  sectional  interests 
would  be  subordinate  to  the  one  interest  of  the 
good  of  India,  which  will  include  the  good  of  aB.* 
Let  every  one  of  us  seriously  confer  wheter  la 

lAe  States  are  reconstituted  on  linguistic  basis.  hav«  still  been  able  to  create  the  necessary  hopeM 

It  abouM,   further,    be   made   very  plain  'to  Ae    and  \tf«Xl\v7  ^\m^w^«^  5ot  the  early  fommtiOD   <rf 
people  that  the  formation  of  linguistic  States  shouVd    ^«QM^^e  «»\».\«a^ 


been  completed  almost  simultaneously.  Tlie  JVP 
Report  was  quite  clear  on  this  point.  It  had  recom- 
mended that,  to  start  with,  a  separate  Andhra  State 
may  be  formed  because  : 

"There  appears  to  be  a  large  measure  of  con- 
sent behind  it  end  the  largest  cora^ct  area  likely 
to  form  part  of  this  linguistic  province  is  situated 
in  one  province." 

"It  is  impossible  to  take  up  all  the  pixjjcct.s 
simultaneously  for  implementation  without  seriously 
jeopardising  the  political,  administrative  a^^d 
economic  stability  of  the  country.*' 

The  Byderabad  resolution  also  makes  it  abun- 
dantly clear  that  any  further  steps  in  this  direction 
"will  naturally  depend  on  the  stabilisation  of  the 
Andhra  State."  Those  who  think  that  the  Prime 
Minister  finally  agreed  to  constitute  the  Andhra  State 
owing  to  a  fatal  fast  and  the  donsequent  violenit 
disturbances  are  very  much  mistaken.  It  might  be  a 
rather  unhappy  coincidence;  but  the  Qovemment  of 
India  had  been  considering  the  question  of  Andhra  for 
several  months  past  and  the  final  aunoimcement  had 
nothing  to  do  directly  with  the  fast  or  the  distur- 
bances. The  announcement  of  the  Prime  Minister  is 
also  in  accordance  with  the  recommendations  of  the 
JVP  Report.  Let  no  one  be  under  the  false  impression 
or  hope  that  the  Government  of  India  would  agree  to 
ihe  formation  of  other  Imguistic  States  under  threats 
of  fasts  or  acts  of  violence.  Of  course,  if  the  neoessary 
conditions  in  regard  to  general  agreement  among  the 
people  of  the  areas  cfoncemed  and  the  economic 
solvency  of  the  new  States  are  satisfied,  the  Govern- 
ment is  committed  to  the  policy  of  forming  separate 
administrative  units  on  the  basis  of  language. 

It  is  very  wrong  to  interpret  the  Hyderabad 
resolution  as  shelving  the  issue  of  linguistic  States. 
The  resolution  has  confirmed  the  previous  policy  as 
kid  down  in  the  JVP  Report  and  the  Election 
Manifesto.  It  should  be  clearly  understood  by  all 
concerned  that  the  Congress  is  not  going  to  be  hustled 
into  any  action  by  pressure  tactics  or  virulent  propa- 
ganda. It  has,  as  a  first  step,  agreed  to  form  a  separate 
Andhra  State  and  all  the  supporters  of  linguistic  States 
should  try  to  create  a  favourable  and  healthy  atmos- 
phere for  the  ^riy  formation  of  this  new  State.  It 
^fdiould  be  made  very  clear  that  the  reorganisation  of 
States  on  the  basis  of  language  has  nothing  to  do  with 
separate  cultures  :  we  stand  for  one  Indian  culture  and 
not  for  numerous  provincial  cultures.  The  task  of 
reorganising  States  on  linguistic  basis  is  purely  a 
matter  of  administrative  and  educational  convenience. 
If  we  desire  to  carry  on  the  administration  in  the 
language  of  the  region,  it  is  always  better  to  have  one 
language  for  one  administrative  area.  Similarly,  the 
introduction  of  mother-tongue  medium  of  instruction 
iff  place  of  English  will  be  very  much  facilitated    if 


DEPUTY  MINISTERS  IN  A  STATE  IN  INDU 


By  FjBOF.  D.  N.  BANERJEE, 

f 

Universify  Professor  and  Hemd  of  the  Department  of  Political  Science,  Calcutta  University 


[We  received  the  following  query  in  ihe  form  of  a 
letter  from  Sri  Girindranath  Mitra.  The  letter  wasi 
forwarded  to  Ptof.  D.  N.  Banerjee  for  reply.  The 
answer  is  appended  herewith. — ^Ed.,  MJi, 

Will  any  of  your  readers  enlighten  me  if  it  is 
permissible  under  the  G>nstitution  to  create  such 
political  posts  as  Deputy  Ministers  of  the  State? 

The  rderant  proTisions.  in  the  Constitution  for 
creating  Ministers  are  as  follows  : — 

(1)  The  article  163  CL  C*l)  provides  that  Acre 
shall  be  a  Council  of  Ministers  with  Chief 
Mlnistar  at  the  head  to  aid  and  advise  the 
Governor,  etc. 

(2)  The  article  164  CL  (1)  provides  that  the 
Ministers  shall  be  appointed  by  die  Governor 
on  the  advice  of  the  Chief  BUnister. 

(3)  The  article  164*Cflauses  S  and  5  respectively 
provide  for  the  administration  of  oaths  to  the 
Ministers  by  the  Governor  and  for  salaries  and 
allowances  by  law  by  the  State  Legislatures. 

The  State  Legislatures  are  also  empowered  under 
Seventh  Schedule  List  11  Q.  (40)  to  make  laws  for 
salaries  and  allowances  of  the  Ministers  of  the  State. 

From  consideration  of  the  above  relevant  provisions 
it  fbDows  that  the  Cons|itution  does  not  provide  for  the 
creation  of  such  political  posts  as  Deputy  Ministers  who 
cannot  be  members  of  the  Council  of  Ministers  nor  the 
State  Legislatures  can  by  law  provide  for  salaries  and 
allowances  of  merely  such  political  posts  of  Deputy 
MinisterSi  There  is  also  no  provision  for  the  administration 
of  oaths  of  office  and  secrecy  to  the  Deputy  Ministers  by 
anybody. 

These  posts  of  Deputy  Ministers  are  not  offices  in  the 
nature  of  Gvil  Service  for  in  that  event  the  Deputy 
Ifinisters  would  have  ceased  to  be  members  of  the 
Legislaturea.] 

It  appears  to  me  that  there  is  no  constitutional  bar  to 
the  appointment  of  a  Deputy  Minister  in  a  State  in  India. 
A  Deputy  Minister  is  a  Minister  and,  as  such,  is  a 
member  of  the  Council  (i,e^  Body)  of  Ministers  in  the 
Stateu  To  my  mind  the  expression  "a  Council  of 
Ministers"  in  Article  163(1)  of  our  Constitution  as  weD 
as  in  74(1)  thereof,  means  only  ''a  Body  of  Ifinisters." 
Tha  Deputy  Minislera  in  a  Stale  may  be  inolnded  in  the 
category  of  'Hhe     other     lifiaistera**     occnniag  in  tha 


following      extract      from      Article      164(1)      of      the 
Constitution  : 

•The  Chief  Minister  shall  be  appointed  by  the 
(^vemor  and  the  other  Ministers  shall  be  appointed 
by  the  Governor  on  the  advice  of  the  Chief  Minister." 

Now,  although  all  Ministers  including  Deputy 
Ministers  are  members  of  the  Council  of  Ministers,  yet 
their  status,  functions  and  salaries  may  di£fer  and  all  of 
them  may  not  have  the  same  voice  in  the  determination 
of  ibe  polidba  of  die  Government  of  the  State.  Thus, 
as  in  England,  there  may  be  an  inner  circle — we  may 
can  it  the  ''State  Cabinet*'— withm  the  Council  of 
Ministers.  The  actual  composition  of  this  inner  circle 
will  obviously  depend  largely  upon  the  discretion  of  the 
Chief  Minister.  Thus  there  may  be  Ministers  in  a  State 
with  **Cabinet  rank"  and  l^nisters  without  "Cabinet 
rank.**  But  all  of  them  together  constitute  the  Coundl 
of  Ministers  for  the  Statdt  As  a  Deputy  Minister  1^  a 
member  of  the  Council  of  Ministers,  the  provisions  of 
Clause  (3)  and  also  of  Clause  (5)  of  Article  164  of 
the  Constitution,  which  relate  respectively  to  the 
question  of  oaths,  and  of  salaries  and  allowances^  of 
Ministers,  apply  as  much  to  Deputy  Ministers  as  to 
other  Ministers. 

Let  mo  cite  an  analogous  case.  In  England,  there 
ia  a  "distinction  between  the  Ministry  and  the  Cabinet, 
between  Ministers  and  Cabinet  Mintsters."  All 
"Cabinet  BiCnisters  are  Ministers;  but  not  aU 
Ministers  are  Cabint  Ministers.'' 

"All  members  of  Parliament,"  says  Prof.  Monro, 
"who  hold  important  administrative  posts  of  a 
political  character,  and  who  give  up  such  positions 
when  a  cabinet  resigns,  are  known  as  ministers.  Inj 
other  words,  the  ministers  are  the  high  officials  of  the 
(>own  who  hold  office  subject  to  the  continued 
confidence  of  a  majority  in  the  House  of  Commons 
....  The  ministry  does  not  meet  as  a  body  for 
the  transaction  of  business.  It  has  no  collective 
functions.  It  is  only  the  cabinet  ministers  who 
meet  .  .  .  The  cabinet  is  composed  of  those  ministera 
whom  the  prime  minister  designates  to  membership  in 
his  cabinet.'* 

"Aa  angr  given  time,*'  writes  another  authority, 
the  Cabinet  "oonests  of  such  members  of  the  ministry 
as  the  prime  minister  (who  is  head  of  ministry  and 
Cabinet  aBke)  invitea  to  join  him  in  ^tendering 
advke  to  the  King  on  die  Government  of  the  country.' 
A  member  of  the  Cabinet  has,  as  such,  no  office; 
he  merely-  is  a  minister  who  attends  cabinet  meetings 
because  of  having  hStn  asked  b^  \hjt  ^jdofistk  ^Bsa^a»9& 
to  do  10.^^ 


294 


THE  MODERN  REVIEW  FOR  APRIL,  10S3 


Fnrther,  at  any  given  time,  there  are,  broadly 
apeaking,  four  main  groups  or  categories  of  Minister 
in  England:  Heads  of  Executive  Departments,  some  ''other 
high  officers  of  Sute,*'  Parliamentary  Under-Secretariea 
and  some  other  ''Junior  Ministers,"  and  certain  officers 
oC  the  Royal  Household.  The  number  of  members  of  tha 
Cabinet  has  varied  during  the  last  few  decades  between* 
17  and  23.  Oftei^  the  number  has  been  20.  During 
peace  timet  the  total  number  of  Ministers,  however, 
has  varied  between  60  and  70,  and  during  the  war  time 
the  number  has  sometimes  swollen  to  more  than  100. 
When  a  Cabinet  "goes  out  of.  office,  it  invariably 
carries  the  entire  ministry  with  it."  Thus  the  Cabinet 
and  the  Ministry  "stand  or  fall  together.*' 


It  may  also  be  noted  here  that  the  range  of 
aalariea  payable  to  the  different  categories  of  Ijfinislsi 
of  the  Crown  in  England  varies  widely,  under  dM 
Ministers  of  the  Crown  Act,  1937,  between  tea  thiniaad 
pounds  for  the  Prime  Minister. and  one  thonsaiMt  pouiids 
ito  each  of  the  Junior  Lm&  of  the  Treasury.  In  between 
theae  two  aeaka  of  salaries,  there  are  other  acalea  ^ 
salaries  fbr  other  Ministers. 

In  view  of  what  I  have  shown  above,  there  is  nothiig 
unusual  if  we  have  two  or  three  categories  of  itkiM#i— 
in  oar  oonntry,  soch  aa  Bfinisters  of  Calmiat  rank, 
Mirdsters  of  Sute,  and  Deputy  Miniaters.!  Oit 
Constitution  permits  this,  and,  therefore,  therd  ia  no 
illegality  in  it.  .      i 

:0: 


)  • 


BENEDETTO  CROCE— HIS  PHILOSOPHY 

By  Dr.   S.   K.   NANDI,  m.a.,  ll3.,  o.piiil.  (CW.), 
Sahityabh4xraU  {Vitva^haraii) 


Tbb  pi^eeent  generation  will  remember  the  name 
*AquiIa'  with  pride  for  in  the  year  1866,  she  saw  the 
birth  of  a  baby  who  captured  the  imagination  of  the 
intellectual  world  in  his  youth;  and  his  intellectual 
conquests,  in  his  old  age,  were  rather  complete. 
Benedetto  Croce,'  bom  in  the  province  of  Aquila  of 
a  Neo-politan  family,  had  his  schooling  in  the 
intellectual  traditions  of  a  Roman  University  and 
later  settled  in  Naples.  He  adopted  the  career  of  a 
private  scholar  which  he  only  allowed  to  be  inter- 
rupted by  the  occasional  acceptance  of  such,  public 
offices  as  those  of  a  senator  or  of  a  minister  of  public 
instruction.  Beginning  as  a  student  of  Neo-poUtan 
history,  he  first  widened  the  range  of  his  erudition 
and  then  deepened  his  reflection  upon  it.  His  con- 
sistent logical  thinking  earned  for  him  a  reputation 
which  any  one  of  his  tribe  could  reasonably  consider 
as  a  treasure.  Croce  has  to  his  credit  the  great 
achievement  of  installing  aesthetics  on  its  own 
pedestal.  He  has  rightly  been  called  the  Adams 
Leverriei^  of  the  philoeophical  world.  Adams  Lever- 
rier  discovered  Neptune  and  like  Adams,  Croce 
vindicated  the  existence  of  another  science  as  3ret 
unknown  and  assigned  to  it  its  proper  function.  Thus 
he  liberated  Ksthetics  from  the  age^ld  subservience 
to  philosophy  and  establiahed  its  autonomy  in  the 
eonmionweahh  of  human  knowledge  and  culture. 

Neo-idealist  Croce  follows  Hegel  m  his  basic 
idealism  and  in  hk  view  of  reality  as  a  spiritual  life 
of  which  the  driving  force  is  a  conflict  of  oppoeitec, 
he  rejects  Hegel's  'panlogism.*  Hiis  modification  of 


Hegel  has  had  two  effects.  On  the  one  hand,  reality 
is  with  Croce  unambiguously  identified  with  the 
actual  process  of  spirit  ratiier  than  with  its  tetenal  or 
absolute  logical  stnicture;  while  on  the  otlier  hand, 
CroGe  recogniaes  ihe  autonomy  of  the  several  non- 
logical  manifestations  of  spirit  such  as  art  and  nature. 
We  have  in  Oooe  the  objectivistic  view  of  q;>iritttal 
life  as  objective  self-fulfilment  through  objectified 
self-egqpression.  In  his  view,  life  of  the  spirit  is  un- 
ceasing self-objectification  as  intuition-ezpreoma  (A 
the  spirit's  irmer  'sentimental  tumult,'  the  spirit^  a 
priori  Aesthetic  qmthesis  of  feeling  and  imagiiiatioii, 
the  intuition  or  objectified  expression  of  its  inner 
stirrings.  His  philosophy  is  notable  for  its  pktvalistie 
flavour  and  breadl^  of  inchisiveness.'  It  is  unfolded 
in  three  main  works,  the  Aesthetic,  the  Logic  and  the 
Philosophy  of  the  Practi^l,  the  last  *nb"i^ 
Economics  and  Ethics  and  the  whole  setting.  fbrUi 
the  four  fundamental  forms  of  human  activity,  fbr 
C^ooe,  the  concrete  reality  of  the  spirit  consists  in  its 
ceaseless  activity.  Tliis  sphritual  activity  is  broadljr 
divisible  into  two  kinds,  theoretical  and  praetieaL 
Knowing  and  willing  are  however  very  cloee|y  rdbled 
because  there  cannot  be  any  willing  without  knowing. 
Knowing  again  involves  two  kinds  of  activity,  sestlietie 
and  kgicaL*  Spirit's  activity  does  not  ezpreas  itsdf 
ui  incessant  muscular  movement  which  have  bearing 
on  our  practical  life.  When  We  are  outwardly  cafan 
and  not  busy  with  the  pen  or  the  brush,  the  spirit 
works  within  and  art  takes  its  burth.When  we  oto^ 
the  ahnady  intuited  Vork  of  art'  and  d^iet 


1.    S«o   PfcfaM,  FkiU-pkf   9i  Cncm  hf  WiUM  Gnr. 
X    S00  **What  it  LMm  Md  Wl0f  Ji  Dnd**  te  Tte  HOnmth  S. 


BENEDETTO  CROCE— HIS  PHILOSOPHY 


2d5 


>aper  or  canvas,  it  is  mere  technique  and  not  a 
f  the  spirit's  activity  which  really  makes  art 
t  is.  Croce  thtis  differentiates  between  the  true 
if  art  worked  out  within  and  what  is  commonly 
the  work  of  artP  and  assumes  the  identity  of  art 
iauty  *  Beauty  is  no  quality  of  Uiingff*  whether 
>r  pigments,  but  like  every  value,  only  comes 
eing  as  the  result  of  a  spiritual  activity.  Its 
percipi.  This  spiritual  activity  is  the  esthetic 
nee  of  the  man  who  finds  beauty  in  a  cathedral 
agedy,  in  a  sunset  or  a  tune.  A  man  rich  in  such 
nces  has  the  artistic  nature  richly  actualised, 
f  a  rare  temperament  has  enabled  him  to 
in  its  eacercise  without  the  common  stimulus 
munications  and  he  remains  for  ever  mute  and 
HIS.  My  work  and  my  satisfaction  as  an  artist 
apleted  when  I  have  made  a  melody  or  a  poem 
len  I  have  seen  or  imagined  iu  the  perfection 
ry  detail,'  a  landscape;  and  nothing  artistic 
!  added  then  by  my  putting  pen  to  paper  or 
to  the  press.*  When  we  externalise  the  already 
1  'work  of  art'  and  depict  it  on  paper  or 
it  is  a  mere  technique  and  not  a  part  of  the 
activity  which  really  constitutes  the  work  of 
le  reasons  for  Cioce'^  exclusion  of  the  'exter- 
vk  of  art  are  various  and  complex;  but  none 
i  compelling  than  his  intention  of  formulating 
tenionism  an  aesthetic  of  complete  and  free 
ty.  To  quote  Croce  :" 

"If  by  art  be  understood  the  extemalisation 
\Tt  then  utility  and  morality  have  a  perfect 
\  to  enter  into  it :  that  is  to  say  the 
t  to  be  master  in  one's  own  house." 

r  Croce,  the  structure  of  the  work  of  art,  the 

'intuition,'  or  'expression'     is     precisely   the 

hich  permits  us  to    distinguish    freedom  from 

hich  the  'spirit  can  never  apprehend  in  itself 

})e  matter  .    .    ./  from  mechanism  and  paasi- 

hich  the  spirit  of  man  'suffers  but  does  not 

i,*  the  complete  creativity  of  the  imagination 

is  the  'indivisible'  and  individual  intuition,  the 

or  the  Vork  of  art.'  Each  image  is  novel  and 

re  incomparable. 

"Aad  as  I  have  indicated  elsewhere,"  writes 
am,  "<>ooe's  identification  of  <the  artist  with 
free  creator,  implies,  inasmuch  as  he  likewise 
tifies  'taste'  with  'what  produces  it,'  that 
^nent  is  likewise  absolutely  free."^ 

iecting  eveiy  sort  of  transcendence,  there  will 
many  aspects  of  reality  as  there  are  modes  of 


lt7. 


Ch.   XV. 
•M,   pp.   114,    159   tad 
tid,   Cbm,   zlU,   sir. 
4d,   p.   IS. 

h«  Theory  0/  Btamtj  1>y  B.  P.  Canitt,  p. 
toe  AutketicM   (Aimlk  wMkm),  p.   U. 
fUtoB   C  IfalMH  :  *'8tniet«z«  ai   the 
msi  0/  PhUa^pkr,  Vol.  XIV«  No.  IS). 


JadfMBt   of   irti* 


conssious  life.  The  latter  is  divisible  mto  the  theoretic 
and  the  practical  consciousness,  of  which  the  first  is 
again  divisible  into  intuition  and  inteUect.  Intuition 
is  genuine  knowledge,  distinguished  by  its  immediacy 
and  by  the  concrete  individuality  of  its  objects.  It 
embraoes  not  only  the  field  of  perception  but  also 
that  of  imagination  and  feeling,  since  it  is  prior  to 
the  distinction  between  existence  and  nOn-existenoe. 
It  embraces  spatial  and  temporal  characters  as  parts 
of  its  content,  but  it  ia  not  a  spatio-temporal  system 
as  in  Kant's  Aeatheiici,^*  Croce  regarded  this  intuition 
to  be  identical  with  expression  and  this  intuition- 
e^presBion,  an  elementary  and  spontaneous  activity  of 
the  human  spirit  was  taken  to  be  identical  with  art 
or  imaginative  experience.  Croce  writes : 

"Intuitive  knowledge  is  expressive  knowledge, 
indepouient  and  autonomous  in  respect  to 
intellectual  function;  -  indifferent  to  later  dis- 
criminations, posterior  and  empirical,  to  reality 
tsid  to  unreality,  to  formations  and  perceptions  of 
space  and  time  even  when  posterior."^ 

Intuition  and  representation  are  distinguished  as 
form  from  what  iQ  felt  and  suffered,  from  the  flux  or 
wave  of  sensation  or  from  pqrchic  material;  and  this 
form,  this  taking  possession  of,  is  expreauon.  To 
have  an  intuition  is  to  express  i^i^d  we  have  already 
explained  the  import  and  significance  of  'tfcpression' 
in  Crooe's  aesthetics.  The  most  original  feature  of 
Croce's  view  of  intuition  lies  here.  His  contention 
that  it  is  ^Bsentially  communicative  or  expressive 
does  away  with  the  age-honoured  distinction 
between  form  and  content  in  art  and  characterises  it 
as  a  false  relation  since  there  is  no  content  that  is  not 
already  intuitively  formed.  This  activity  is  referred 
to  the  theoretic  aspect  of  human  nature  and  here 
Ox>ce  is  hand  in  glove  with  many  other  stalwarts  of 
like  eminence.  Art  or  the  experi^ice  of  beauty  is  for 
Croce,  as  for  Hegel,  for  Schopenhauci  and  in  a  sense 
for  Kant,  a  form  of  knowledge  or  rather  it  belongs  to 
the  theoretic  as  opposed  to  the  practical  side  of  our 
nature. 

But  this  intuition  is  only  an  important  stage  of 
the  endless  progression  of  man's  spiritual  life  towards 
objective  fruition  and  it  is  only  the  first  stage.  The 
satisfaction  which  it  brings  is  that  of  successful 
expression.  Side  by  side  with  this  satisfaction,  how- 
ever, appears  a  new  dissatisfaction,  the  dissatisfaction 
of  the  intellect  to  know,  t.e.,  to  sort  and  clasnfy  the 
image-expression  as  reality.  Thus  intuition  passes  over 
into  peroeption',  i/e^  into  the  knowledge  of  reality. 
In  this  my  the  a  priori  esthetic  93mthesis  becomes  a 
new  fliyntbesis,  \jb.,  an  a  priori  logical  synthesis  of 
representation  and  cat^eoiy  of  subject  and  predicate, 
whidi  is  the  knowledge  of  a  fact  as  the  particukr- 
iaatkm  of  a  nnivenal,  the    perception  of  the  image 

is.   PWM-9h  •/  A%  MiKmi  F#it  bj  R.  B.  Ptiry,  p.  Ml. 


THE  MODERN  REVIEW  FOR  APRIL,  1053 


«s  leaHtjr.  Even  logical  eyntbeais,  according  fa>  Croee, 
does  not  represent  the  last  atage;  nitii  tbe  s&tisf ac- 
tion of  knowledge  appears  «  yet  nev  diasatiafaction, 
tbe  dissatisfaction  of  the  desire  for  action.  With  the 
appeagince  of  knowledge,  in  short,  appears  also  the 
consciousness  of  value,  eveiy  new  reality  known 
generating  a  new  ideal  poeeibilily  «nd  a  new  sense 
of  value,  with  new  concomitant  aspirations,  desires 
and  longings  of  the  soul.  And  so  th«  logical  spithegia 
prepares  the  way  to  a  practical  a  priori  sjinthesis 
which  as  a  new  desiring  and  a  new  feeling  is  a  new 
pasnonateneaB  of  the  spirit  that  craves  for  appro- 
I»taite  espressioD.  And  thus  tbe  spirit  moves  on 
spirally  from  expression,  through  logic  and  practical 
synthesis,  to  renewed  ezpression  at  a  higher  level, 
this  eirsular  movement  being  repeated  at  higher  and 
higher  stages  aa  spiritual  life  advances.  Thus  in 
0006*8  Neo-ideftlism,  w^  have  a  repetition,  writes 
Prof.  S.  K.  Maitra,"  of  the  objective  view  of  the 
spirit  as  necessary  circular  movement  from  objectified 
fizpneesion,  through  reality  and  ideal  aspiration,  to 
Objectivity  again,  tbe  process  dragging  on  without 
end. 

This  notion  of  the  movement  of  spirit  towards 
obiective  fruition  is  the  main  tenet  of  Ciooe's  philo- 
sophy and  this  central  notion  gives  his  metaphysics  a 
unity  mnch  looked  for  in  the  nineteenth  century 
l^iilosophy.  Frof.  Perry"  extols  this  unity  and  writes 
that  such  unity  as  is  retained  by  Croce's  system  as 
a  whole  is  to  be  sought  in  his  conception  of  'distinc- 
tion' and  'opposition'  as  applied  to  ihe  four  funda- 
mental divimons  of  the  conscious  lift.-.  Beauty,  truth. 
utility  and  goodness  are  not  opposed  and  there  is  no 
dialectical  relation  between  them  by  which  (after  the 
manner  of  Hegel)  one  generates  the  other  as  its 
wntiadictory  opposite.  This  being  the  case,  art  and 
science  are  not  to  be  treated  as  forms  of  error  or  as 
bad  philosophy;  and  there  is  no  justification  for  the 
Hegelian  attempt  to  substitute  a  philosophy  of  art 
for  art  or  a  philosophy  of  science  for  science.  Art  as 
:t  is  to  the  artist  and  science  as  it  is  to  the  scientist, 
are  not  falsifying  abstraotiong  which  have  to  be 
corrected  and   superseded  but  are   themselves     intact 


modes  of  spirit  to  be  incorporated  as  they  stand  i> 
the  richer  fulness  of  reality.** 

Croce  has  been  misunderstood  very  often  and  Ui 
identification  of  intuition     and     expression  has  beta 
severely  condemned.  Croce's  expression  has  sometimM 
been  taken  for  the  technique  of  extemalisation    tad 
it  has  created  much  confusion.     His  identity  of  ex- 
pression and  ssthetic  fact  leads  to  the  idientity    of 
philosophy    and    esthetics.    Listowel     tells     us"    that 
"Croce's  error  in  identifying  art  and   langusf 
is  so  gross  and  palpable  that  even  a,  child  eow 
perceive  it.  How  can  the  richness  and   variety  of 
testbetie  experience  be  equated  with  langiiage    ii 
ordinary    experience  T" 

If  all  utterances  are  artistic  then  every  man  evea 
in  his  incoherent  babbles,  is  a  poet.  VolkeH,"  the 
noted  Qennan  csthetician,  ooodemos  this  identifica- 
tion of  (esthetics  and  Unguistics  by  Croce  and  ealb 
it  a  'curioeity  of  philosophy.'  We  consider  that  the 
position  of  Croce  is  not  indefennblc.  Babbles  of  s 
child  or  the  inarticulate  utterances  of  primitive  men 
and  women  wen  certainly  prompted  by  »  desii^  for 
communication.  Languid,  whatever  might  be  its  tora 
or  content,  had  a  definite  misnon  to  fulfil  and  that 
was  to  communicate  with  others.  It  is  ^«ciady  here, 
in  our  view,  where  Voce's  expression  dffeis  fron 
laikguage  as  expression.  He  tells  us  in  so  many 
words": 

"Another  negation  is  impUed  in  the  deftnilica 
of  art  as  intuition:  if  it  be  intuition  and  intuitin 
is  equivalent  to  our  theory  of  eipreesion  in  the 
'orifmal  sense  of  eontemphitios,'  art  cannot  be  > 
utilitarian  act." 

The  main  function  of  language  Is  to  communicate 
and  it  is  done  with  a  practical  end  in  view.  Language 
is  art,  not  as  a  medium  of  communication;  it  is  art 
only  in  the  sense  of  'intuition-expreasion.'  Vfiule 
language  has  a  definite  object,  vit.,  to  make  oUisn 
understand  what  one  feels,  what  one  wants  and  what 
one  stands  for,  a  true  artist  is  oblivious  of  bimseV 
and  his  wants  and  his  art  is  not  prompted  by  aV 
end  extraneous  lo  the  nature  and  autonomy  of  art 
as  art 

u.  ibu. 

IT.    3h   kb   ^   CrUctl  BiMorj   a/   Mnltrn    AuOi 


im  ekm^  of  rm  m^mf 


By  K.  V.  KRISHNAMURTHY, 
Central  Water  and  Power  Commission^  New  Delhi 


I  is  advanced  iiV  this  paper  for  an  objective  and 
Kg  assessment  of  the  problem  of  the  creep  of  the 
ban  desert.  The  popular  opinion  about  the 
:e  of  the  desert  and  the  steps  that  are  under 
oneideration    of     the     different     governments     are 

mentioned.  After  referring;  to  the  analysis  ol 
d  and  Cbristie  about  the  origin  of  salt  deposits 
jputana,  it  is  pointed  out  tfiat  they  do  not  deal 
le  problem  of  the  advance  of  the  desert.  There  does 
>pear   to   be   a  unanimity   of   opinion   in   scientific 

about  the  theory  of  the  desert  advance.  The 
IS  of  Pitbawalla  and  Gorrie  are  given  as  examples 
at  appears  to  be  a  minority  view.  The  analysis 
teorological  elememts  in  and  around  the  desert 
by  Dr.  Pramanik  reveals  that  there  has  been  no 
jation  of  desert  conditions  in  the  region  over  the 
venty  to  eighty  years.  The  researches  of  Oldham 
tein  are  cited  as  indirectly  supporting  the  view 
ie  desert  might  not  be  advancing.  As  even  the 
I  desert  advance  does  not  seem  to  be  universally 
d,  it  is  suggested,  in  conclusion,  that  the  problem 

be  examined  afresh  in  a  scientific  and  unbiassed 
The  necessity  is  pointed  out,  firstly,  to  investigato 
oblem,  and  secondly,  to>  suggest  remedies  on  the 
>f  a  scientific  diagnosis  of  factors  prompting  this 
Dhment. 

Introduction 
le  problem  of  arresting  the  spread  of  the 
ana  desert  in  the  nonh'  and  north-eastern 
ms  haa  been  engaging,  in  recent  times,  the 
>n  of  both  official  and  non-offi«al  organisations 
t)ed  in  the  development  of  the  areas  in  and 
.  the  desert.  The  rate  of  the  extension  of  tfie 
is  estimated  in  certain  quarters  to  be  half  a  mile 
jrear.  To  prevent  this  extension,  programmes  of 
:ation  are  now  under  the  active  consideration  of 
mtral  and  interested  State  Governments.  The 
I  Government  is  considemg  a  scheme  of 
ation  in  the  Sironi  area,  south-west  of  the 
lis  for  the  immobilisation  of  the  desert.  It  is 
tood  that  the  Government  of  Uttar  Pradesh  is 
»nsidering  a  simikr  scheme  to  protect  the  wesiem 
8  of  the  State  like  Agra,  Mathura  and  Aligarh. 
Punjab  has  undertaken  some  experimental 
ation  and  Saurashtra  is  reported  to  have  ' 
ted  a  committee  to  study  the  question.  In  this 
,  it  will  be  very  desirable  and  necessary  to  nnder- 

scientific  andl  objective  analysis  ol  the  problem 

creep  otf  the  desert.  ^ 

QbIGIM    op  the   t)E8EKT 

e    origin    of    the    Rajputana    desert    ia    chiefly 
»d    to,   two     afeneieii     ftrttlf,     tfao    pooaBiT 


geographical  and  topographical  features  and  secondly 
the  inter-play  of  different  meteorological  elements  in 
the  region.  North-western  Rajasthan  is  outside  the 
path  traversed  by  the  main  body  of  the  monsoon  currents 
originating  from  the  Bay  of  Bengal.  As  th^  monsoons 
travel  np^  the  Indo-Gangetic  Basin  their  moisture 
content  progressively  declines.  They  finally  shed  all 
their  moisture  near  the  Himalayan  region  and  the 
adjacent  plains  in  the  Punjab.  The  S.  W.  monsoons 
originating  from  the  Arabian  Sea  meet  with  no  major 
obstruction  until  they  reach  the  Himalayan  ranges.  The 
alignment  of  the  Aravallis  being  parallel  to  the  direction 
of  these  rain-bearing  winds  does  not  induce  much 
precipitation.  The  little  precipitation  which  the  S.  W, 
monsoons  cause  is  only  on  th^  slopes  of  the  Aravallis 
and  thus  the  area  to  the  west  of  the  Aravallis  does  not 
benefit  much  from  either  of  these  currents.  These  particular 
factors  are  primarily  responsible  for  the  low  rainfall 
of  North-western  Rajasthan  which  ia  of  the  order  of 
y^  to  lO'^  in  a  year.  The  low  rainfall  and  the  extreme 
■variations  'of  diurnal  temperature,  conjointly  cause 
mechanical  disintegration  of  the  rocks.  The  existence 
of  the  Rnnn  of  Kutch  south  of  the  region  facilitates  the 
transport  of  enormous  quantities  of  sand  and  salt  by 
the  wind  currents  starting  from  the  Arabian  Sea.  The 
•Goncommitant  effect  of  these  geographical,  topographical 
and  meteorological  factors  is  the  enormous  expanse  of 
the  sandy  waste  which  the  region  is,  notwithsUnding 
the  sparse  vegetation  it  supports  here  and  there. 
Analysis  of  Holland  and  Christie 
A  detailed  analysis  of. the  action  of  wind  int  the 
Rajputana  desert  was  undertaken  by  Holland  and 
Christie  (3)  in  1909.  The  objective  of  the  analysis  was, 
no  donbt,  an  examination  of  the  origin  of  the  salt 
d^N>sits  in  Rajputana;  but  it  remains  noteworthy  for 
the  fact  that  it  is  the  only  quantitative  estimation  thus 
far  available  of  the  wind-borne  salt  in  the  region.  After 
examining  the  various  theories  put  forward  to  explain 
thos  occurrence  of  salt  in  Rajasthan,  they  <;onclttde  that 
"wind  akme  ia  sufficient  to  account  for  the  large  saline 
accumulations  in  the  region."  On  the  basis  of 
experiments  conducted  a  year  earlier,  the  estimate  that 
the  quantity  of  salt  blown  over  a  front  of  300 
kilometers  will  be  about  13^,000  tons  in  a  year.  The 
analysis  of  Holland  and  Christie  is  cited  in  cerUin 
quarters  as  an  evidence  of  the  role  of  wind  causing  the 
advance  of  the  desert.  This  does  not  seem  to  be  borne 
out  by  facts,  because  Holland  and  Christie  offer  no 
specific  opinion  on  this  aspect.  It  was  the  action  of 
wind  as  the  carrier  of  sak  that  was  the  subject- of 
their  stndy  bat  not  as  die  ctnao  ^r  the  extenaiovL  ^ 
the  deie^l,  % 


296 


THE  MODERls*  REVIEW*  FOR  APRIL,  ld63 


Cojirucrmc  Opiniorrs 

The  ootioo  that  the  desert  has  been  advandng  in 
fairlf  widespread,  but,  there  does  not  appear  to  be  unani- 
ndtj  of  opinion  in  scientific  circles  about  it.  For  instance^ 
according  to  PithawaDa  (5),  it  ctonot  be  said  that  die 
desert  "is  expanding  its  north  and  east  tides  in  any 
tvay."  He  further  maintains  that  it  was  made  to  shrink 
on  its  west  in  the  prorince  of  Sind  and  the  Khairpor 
State  as  a  .  refvnlt  of  the  constmction  ol  Suklmr 
Barrage  in  ^1932  and  feels  that  similar  shrinkage  can 
be  effected  on  the  northern  and  eastern  dhrectiona,  "ii 
only  the  aid  of  scientists  and  engineers  is  sought  after  a 
thorough  geographical  survey  of  the  area.** 
Likewise,  Gorrie  (2)  thinks  that  the  land  adjoining  the 
desert  is  not  being  engulfed  by  sand  though  it  is  slowly 
deteriorating  at>  a  result  of  increasing  desiccation  in 
%outh  andj  south-western  Punjab.  It  is,  no  doubt, 
difficult  to  distinguish  between  the  land  deteriorating  as 
a  result  of  desiccation  and  the  land  being  engulfed  by 
sand  as  a  result  of  the  advance  of  the  desert.  But  the 
statement  is  indicative^^of  the  hesitation  of  Gorrie  to 
accept   that   the  desert   is  advancing. 

No  QuAprrrrATivE  Data 

The  one  common  feature  of  either  of  the  arguments 
is  that  apart  from  general  descriptive  statements, 
little  quantitative  data  iji  adduced  in  proof  of  the  opinions 
offered.  The  existence  ol  «mall  marine  deposits  of 
formainfera  of  the  Tertiary  age  is  quoted  as  an  instance 
to  prove  that  the  present  desert  was  at  one  time  imder 
tho  sea.  But  their  existence  aU  along  the  seacoast  in 
Kutch  and  also  in  the  vicinity  of  far  away  places  like 
Bikaner  is  again  quoted  by  others  as  an  instance  of 
their  having  been  wind-borne.  Even  if  the  theory  that 
they  have  been  wind-borne  is  accepted  as  true,  it  can 
not  serve  as  a  conclusive  proof  of  the  fact  that  the 
desert   has   been   extending. 

METEO^OLOCICAt    ANALYSIS 

The  only  scientific  treatment  of  the  problem  thus  far 
appears  to  be  a  detailed  meteorological  analysis  nnder- 
taken  by  Pramanik  (6).  A  number  of  stations  from  the 
arid  and  semi-arid  zones  were  selected  and  their  data 
of  rainfall,  relative  humidity,  temperature  and  wind 
velocity  recorded  over  a  period  of  eighty  years  was  analysed 
with  a  view  to  see  if  a  regular  secular  trend  of  dther 
increase  or«  decrease  is  indicated.  If  the  desert  were 
really  advancing,  an  accentuation  of  the  meteorological 
conditions  on  the  northern  and  north-eastern  fringes  of 
the  desert  should  have  been  noticeable.  The  conclusions 
arrived  at  on  the  basis  of  this  study  are  very  signifi- 
cant.    It  is  stated  that 

(1)  'The  meteorological  data  indicate  that  there  has^ 
been    no    accentuation    of    Rajasthan    desert    and    that 
there  has  been  no  extension  of  desot  conditions  on  any 
large  'scale   over    the    adjoining    areas    during    the    last 
seventy  to  eighty  years; 

(2)  The  extensiott  of  desert  conditions  has  not 
betn  due  to  the  deterioration  of  meteorological  factors 
bot  doe  to  other  cai^ea.**  v 


While  on  the  Qoe  hand  the  chief  instrttmentafity  itf 
the  advance  of  the  desert  has  been  placed  on  meteonl^ 
gica)  factors,  notably,  wind,  the  analysis  of  Fnmutt 
rereals  there  has  been  no  accentuation  of  meteocologkd 
conditions  characteristic  of  a  desert  in  or  anNnid  thi 
regioiL  The  conclusions  of  this  analyaia  teem  to  kii 
Justification  to  the  opinion  held  in  contrast  to  tho 
ral  popular  beBef  about  the  advance  of  the  desot. 

The  IifFLtJCNcE  or  HtmiD  Bslt 
While  the  worsening  of  the  meteorological 
tions  on  the  north-eastern  fringes  of  the  existing  desot 
is  discussed,  the  desert  and  its  meteorology  appear  ts 
be  generally  treated  as  a  single  isolated  entity.  For  a 
truly  scientifiq  analysis,  the  region  all  round  should  be 
treated  as  being  in  a  state  of  natural  equilibrium  witk 
the  desert.  It  will  then  be  possible  to  realise  that  it  is 
not  only  the  characteristics  and  the  bdiaviotir  of  tfie 
wind  currents  from  the  Arabian  Sea  but  also  off  those 
from  the  Bay  of  Bengal  that  jointly  mould  the  physSeil 
features  of  the  desert.  The  precipitation  that  these  twi 
monsoon  currents  cause  near  the  Himalayas  and  in  the 
adjacent  plains  in  the  Pnnjab  leads  to  the  forraatioB  of 
a  sub-humid  and  humid  belt  in  the  neighbourhood  ii 
the  desert,  the  existence  of  which  does  not  seem  to  haw 
been  ^ven  adequate  weight  in  a  discussion  of  As 
problem  of  desert  extension.  For,  this  humid  beh  siawli 
naturally  set  an  upper  limit  to  any  extendon  of  thi 
desert  in  that  direction,  even  if  such  tendendea  wen 
possible. 

Researches  of  Oldham  and  Stein 

If,  then,  the     humid  belt  in  the     adjacent  P^sh 

plains  has  been,  as  can  reasonably  be  surmiised,  exefo* 

sing  a  restraining  influence  on  the  desert,  is  there  any 

proof  of  such  an  influence  ?  The  researches  of  OldhaB 

and  Stein  seem  to  furnish  an  answer  ;   for,  they  throw 

an  interesting  light  on  the  extent  of  the  desert  in  the 

historic  and   prehistoric  times. 

In   a  very  revealing  analysis,   made   as  early  as  ia 

1893,  about   the  disappearance  of  rivers  Saraswati  aad 

Hakra,  Oldham    (4)    points  out   that   this  drying  up  ii 

not  due  to  a  diminished  rainfall  of  the  region  in  reoeal 

years,  but  is  most  probably  due  to   th^  changes  in  the 

course  of  the  river  Sutlej. 

Talking  of  the  Saraswati  and  the  Ghaggar,  he 
writes,  *'There  is  nothing,  however,  in  history  to  ihov 
that  they  ever  contained  much  more  water  than  ibe^ 
do  now.  Indeed,  all  records  that  have  come  down  ts 
us  point  to  the  contrary.*"  And  yet«  **in  the  Rig  Veili, 
we  are  told  of  a  large  and  rapid  river  flowing  frwi 
the  mountains  to  the  sea.  The  Mahabharata  descrte 
the  rame  Mream  as  losing  itsetf  in  the  sands.* 
According  to  Oldham,  the  now  extinct  river  Hakra  had, 

in  the  Vedio  times,     an     eaatem  arm     oompriaing  the 

Ghaggar,     Wah,     Sonamwal     or     Strhind     Nadi  aada 

western  arm  formed  by  the  three  branches  each  knawa 

as  NaiwaL  In  the  Vedic  age,  the  Sutlej  was  flovring  throagli 

the  western  arm  of     Hakra  into  the  Anbian  S0i»  hat 

y/rhtm  it  chaagod  its  couno  to  join  tbo  Imdm  Arap^  fkl 


THE  CREEP  OF  THE  DESERT 


299 


Beat,  "the  Saraswati,  which  had  been  a  tributary,  was 
left  in  poseestion  of  the  deserted  channel  in  the  sanda 
of  which  its  waters  were  swallowed  up.**  **It  is  of  course 
impossible  to  fix  any  period  for  this  change,  but  it 
nay  be  presumed  that  it  took  place  between  the  Vedic 
period  and  that  of  Manu,  when  we  first  hear  ot  the 
cBsappearance   of   the  Saraswati  in   the   sands/' 

The  change  in  the  network  of  river  regimes  in  the 

P^jab  is  easily   understood   if  the  nature  of  the   flow 

of  a  river  over  an  unstable  alluvium  is  remembered.     As 

Dldham  reminds  us  : 

"indeed   only   a   century   ago  the   river    (Sullej) 

deserted  its  bed  under  the  fort  of  Ludhiana,  which  is 

^e  miles  from  its  present  course,  and  ten  feet  above 
its  present  level" 

A  keen  insight  into  and  knowledge  of  Indology  is 
apparent  in  the  analysis  of  Oldham  as  he  quotes  exten* 
ahrely  from  Hindu  sciptures,  mythology  and  history  in 
aupport  of  his  conclusions.  But  the  significant  point 
in  his  analysis  in  the  present  context  is  that  the  desert 
extended  up  to  Phulra  and  Sirsa  even  in  the  M.aha* 
bharata  age  as  it  does  now.  The  very  interesting  map 
gi^en  by  him  to  illustrate  the  extent  of  the  desert  and 
die  Tarions  changes  in  the  river  regimes  which  occurred 
in  the  Mahabharata  era  is  attached  at  the  end.  The 
extent  of  the  desert  shown  by  him  is  much  the  same  as 
that  of  the  Marusthali  shown  by  Nundo  Lai  Dey  (1) 
in  his  map  of  Ancient;  India. 

Viewing  from  a  di£Ferent  perspective,  on  the  basis 
of  a  survey  of  ancient  sites  along  the  Saraswati  river, 
Stein  (7)  confirms  the  main  postulations  of  Oldham, 
change  in  the  regime  of  the  river  Sutlej  and  the  conse- 
quential drying   up  of  the      Hakra  and  the      Saraswati. 

"Lower  down  the  Hakra/'  writes  Stein,  "the 
main  change  was  due  to  the  Sutlej  having  in  late 
prehistoric  times  abandoned  the  bed  which  before  had 
joined  the  Ghaggar,  the  result  of  a  law  affecting  all 
rivers  whose  course  lies  over  the  alluvial  plains.*'  Of 
the  Chaggar  he  says,  '^Evidence  shows  that  down  the 
historical  times  the  Chaggar  carried  water  for  irriga- 
tion under  existing  climatic  condition  much  farther 
than  it  does  now.** 

The  reference  to  ''existing  climatic  conditions"  is  signi 
ficant  in  that  it  shows  that  the  drying  up  of  the  river 
is  not  due  to  any  possible  meteorological  changes  in 
the  region  but  is  an  off-shoot  of  the  extinction  of  Halcra 
as  A  result  of  the  change  in  the  course  of  the  Sutlej. 

Incidentally,  the  researches  of  Oldham  and  Stein! 
make  it  clear  that  the  'northeming*  of  the  Sutlej  ia 
pDot  9k  result  of  the  encroachment  of  the  desert  condl- 
dons  bot  on  the  contrary  is  the  cause  for  the  desiccation 
in  the  region  even  in  historio  times. 

« 

All  this  goes  to  show  that  the  desert  conditions  now 
existing  are  very  nearly  the  same  as  those  that  existed 
over  three  to  four  thousand  years  ago  and  that,  even, 
if  there  had  been  any  increase  in  their  extent  in  recent 
times,  it  is  only  very  small  The  rate  of  advance  usually 
given,  namely,  half  a  mile  a  year  definitely  seems  to  be 
highly  exaggerated.     If  the  rate  were  operative  over  the 


last  ten  centuries,  as  in  fact  it  haa  been,  the  encioaoh- 
ment  of  the  desert  into  the  humid  belt  should  have  been 
to  an  extent  of  500  miles  which  is  far  too  much.  Thia 
would  be  a  virtual  leap  of  the  desert  instead  of  its 
creep.  If.  on  the  other  hand,  if  is  stated  that  the  rate 
of  extension  has  been  on  the  increase  in  recent  years, 
it  will  be  absolutely  imperative  to  go  into  the  causes 
for  such  a  recent  accentuation. 

Conclusion 
It  is  not  the  intention  of  this  paper  either  to 
endorse  or  to  reject  the  theory  of  the  encroachment  of 
the  desert,  and  its  rate.  But  it  is  only  to  point  out  that 
scientific  opinion,  does  not  seem  to  believe  in  it  unani- 
mously. There  appear  to  have  been  two  sides  to  the 
problem  and  two  approaches,  both  of  them  based  om 
seemingly  reasonable  grounds.  There  exists  an  import- 
ant and  urgent  need  to  go  into  this  problem  afresh  in  a 
scientific,  unbiassed  and  objective  way  and  to  investigate, 
on   the  basis  of   factual  evidence, 

(1)  Whether  the  desert  is  really  advancing  and  if  ao, 
at  what  rate; 

(2)  Whether  the  accentuation  of  desert  conditions 
haa  aggravated  in  recent  times,  and  if  this  be 
the  case,  due  to  what  causes. 

Such  a  scientific  diagnosis  can  alone  help  in  sug- 
gesting and  implementing  the  most  appropriate  remedial 
measures.  The  results  of  investigations  undertaken 
against  this  background  will  also  point  to  the  relatiTe 
priorities  according  to  which  solutions  to  the  different 
problems  of  the  desert  should  be  attempted.  For 
(instance,  if  the  desert  is  really  advancing  at  an 
alarmingly  rapid  rate,  the  problem  of  arresting  further' 
deterioration  should  naturally  receive  the  first  attention. 
Otherwise,  the  emphasis  should  properly  be  on  the 
developmental  aspect. 

References 

1.  Nundo  Lai   Dey  :    The  Geographical  Dictionary  of 

Ancient   and   Medieval   India,     Calcutta,    Oriental 

series  No.  21,  E.  13.  Second  EdiUon.  (1927). 
Luzac  &  Co.,  Loltdon. 

2.  R.  ^L  Gorrie :  **Countering  Desiccation  in  West 
Punjab,*'  PafUstan  Economic  Journal,  (1950)  VoL 
L  No.  4,  pp.  4346. 

3.  Holland  and  Christie  :     ""The  Origin  of  the     Sah 

Deposits  of  Rajputana,**  Rec,  GeoL  Sr,  Ind.  (1909), 
Vol.  XXXVm,  Pi.  2,  pp.  154^186. 

4.  G.  F.  Oldham:  "The  Saraswati  and  the  Loal 
River  of  the  Indian  Desert,**  Journal  of  the  RfiO^al 
Asiatic  Society  of  Great  Britain  and  IrtJand, 
(1893).  pp.  49-76. 

5.  M.  B.  Pithawalla  :  ''Reolaiming  the  Indian  Desert," 
ScUnce  and  Culture    (1948),  Vol.   13>  No.  9,  pp. 

367*372 . 

6.  S.  K.  Pramanik,  P.  S.  Hariharan  and  S.  K. 
Chose  :    '^Meteorological    Conditions    in      and    the 

Extension  of  the  Rajasthan  Desert,*'-^  paper 
read  at  the  National  Institute  of  Sciences  Sympo- 
sium on  the  Rajputana  Desert,  New  Delhi.   (1952) . 

7.  Aurel  Stein  :  "A  Survey  of  Ancient  Sites  abng 
the  Lost  Saraswati  River.**  The  Geographicd 
Journal   (1942).  Vol.    XQX,  No.   4,  ^q.  Vl^V^a.. 


THE  KALACHURI  RELATIONS  WITH  BENGAL 

9th  to  nth  Century  A.D. 

By.  Miss.  PUSPA  NiyOGI,  m.a. 


n 
C 
I 


/  The  dominions  of  the  Palas  and  other  rulers  of  Bengal 
were  invaded  by  a  numb^  of  foreign  potentates  in  the 
9th,  10th  and  11th  cepturies  AJ>.  The  power  of  the 
Palaa  began  to  decline  from  the  9th  century  A  J),  until 
it  was  substantiallyi  revived  by  Mahipal  I  in  the  later 
part  of  the  10th  and  early  part  of  the  11th  century  A.D. 
Foreign  rulers,  who  invaded  the  dominions  of  the  Palas 
and  other  Bengal  rulers,  belonged  to  different  dynasties, 
namely,  the  Chamdellas,  the  Kalachuris,  the  Cholas'tmd 
the  later  Chalulcyas  of  Kalyana.  With  the  decline  of  Pala 
power  various  parts  of  Bengal  came  under  the  control  of 
other  ruling  families  some  of  which  had  imperial  preten- 
sions. It  was  indeed  a  critical  period  in  the  history  of 
Bengal,  both  externally  and  internally. 

It  appears  that  the  Kalachuris  were  the  first  to 
invade  Bengal  during  this  period.  The  Ameda  Plates  of 
Prithvideva  of  Tummana  dated  1079  A.D.^  mentions  that 
Kokkalla  I  raided  the  treasury  of  Vanga.  According  to 
Cunningham  Kokkalla  may  be  placed  between  816-900 
A.D.*  There  is  another  view  which  assigns  him  to  the 
last  quarter  of  the  9tb(  century  A.D.  There  b  no 
definite  information  as  to  the  political  condition  of  Vanga 
during  the  time  when  Kokkalla  may  have  led  plundering 
expedition  against  that  territory.  There  is,  however, 
one  inscription,  namely  die  Chittaffong  C.P.  of 
Maharajadhiraja  Kantideva'  which  refers  to  hit  king- 
dom of  Harikela.  The  Chinese  traveller  I-tsing  refers 
to  Harikela  as  marking  the  eastern  limit  of  Eastern^ 
India.  Generally  Kantideva  is  regarded  as  having  been! 
the  ruler  of  a  kingdom  which  included  the  region  that 
later  came  under  the  control  of  the  Chandra  Kings  of 
Vangala.  Kanlideva's  inscription  has  generally  been 
placed  on  paleographical  grounds  in  the  9th  century  A.D. 
although  Dr.  Majumdar  points  out  that  a  few  letters 
used  in  the  record  may  require  to  be  placed  in  the  10th 
century  A.D.  It  is  probable  that  Kantideva  and  hia 
family  were  attempting  to  extend  their  power  towards 
the  west  if  Vardhamanapura  included  in  his  kingdom 
is  to  be  identified  with  modem  Burdwan  in  West  Bengal 
I  venture  to  put  forward  the  suggestion  that  it  was 
Kantideva's  family  which  was  attacked  by  Kokkalla. 
The  attack  could  not  have  been  more  than  a  temporary 
raid,  but  if  it  is  true  that  Kokkalla  actually  plundered 
the  treasury  of  Vanga,  it  must  have  at  least  reduced  the 
financial  strength  of  the  reigning  family.  It  must  have 
ako  created  some  political  confusion— an  unavoidable 
consequence  of  foreign  invasion.  The  rise  of  the  Chandra 
dynasty  in  East  Bengal  is  to  be  attributed  to  a  period 
not  bug  after  the  time  to  which  Kantideva's  inscription' 


has  been  ascribed.    It  is  not,  therefore,  improbaUa  tkn  ^  , 
Kokkalla's  invasion  produced  a  situation  in  Vanga  iMk 
ultimately  proved  favourable  for  the  establishment  ai  As 
Chandra  dynasty  in  that  territory.  ^ 

It  further  appears  that  the  Kalachuria  had  a  dcfiwls 
policy  against  Vanga-Vangala.  This  ia  evidenced  by  ^ 
fact  that  not  only  Kokkalla  but  a  subsequent  mkr  of  the 
Kalachuri  family  is  credited  with  achievements  whick 
included  the  bringing  about  of  the  political  diaintegratioa 
of  Vangak.  The  Goharwa  Grant  of  Lakahmi-Kana* 
mentions  among  other  things  that  Lakshmanaraja  {2ni 
and  3rd  quarters  of  the  10th  centry)  waa  akiUed  ia , 
causing  the  breakdown  of  Vangala  (Vangala-bhanga- 
nipuna).  There  cannot  be  any  doubt  that  dnriof 
Lakshmanaraja's  time  the  Chandraa  had  already 
established  their  power  in  East  BengaL  The  ezpresskm 
"Vanga**  which  has  been  used  in  this  inscription,  shows 
that  Lakshmanaraja's  skill  was  employed  in  dettroyiac 
the  solidarity  of  a  state  engaged  in  unifying  a  territory 
which  might  have  otherwise  split  up  into  a  number  of 
principalities.  His  attempt  fairly  succeeded  in  briagini 
about  the  intended  disruption. 

The  history  of  the  Chandras  has  many  featurea  whick 
have  not  been  satisfactorily  explained.  The  opinioQ 
generally  held  is  that  the  Chandras  came  from  Robtasfirii 
in  Bihar.  But  the  suggestion  made  by  N.  K.  Bhattassfi 
that  Rohitagiri  mentioned  in  the  Rampal  C.P.  of 
Srichandra  as  the  original  home  of  his  family  is  to  be 
identified  with  the  neighbourhood  of  Lalmia  hills  in 
Tippers'  (East  Bengal)  has  proved  to  be  a  reasonable 
guess  in  view  of  the  discovery  of  an  ancient  site  in  this 
region  during  World  War  11.^  The  inscriptions  of 
Srichandra  give  a  line  of  rulers  but  its  connection  with 
neither  Layahachandra  of  the  BhareUa  Narthesvara  image 
(Tippera)"  inscription  nor  Govindachandra  of  the 
Tirumalai  inscription  has  yet  been  ascertained.  Nor  do 
we  know  definitely  whether  Layahachandra  and  Govindap 
chandra  were  connected  by  any  family  tie.  It  ia  clear, 
however,  that  these  Chandra  rulers  were  more  or  less 
connected  with  an  identical  territory.  Govindachandra 
flourished  in  the  first  quarter  of  the  11th  century  AJ).  The 
exact  date  of  Layahachandra  cannot  be  fixed,  but  he  has 
been  tentatively  assigned  to  the  period  900^1000  A.D. 
Srichandra*s  line  may  have  come  to  a  close  towards  the 
end  of  the  10th  century  A.D.  It  baa  been  suggested 
that  his  power  may  have  met  with  a  sudden  collapae.  It 
may  be  presumed  that  the  net  result  of  Lakahamanaiaja's 
raid  on  Vangala  was  the  blow  it  gave  to  the  power  of 
Srichandra*s  family  which  had  effected  political  nnificatioa 
of  Vangala.  If  this  suggestion  is  accepted  some  informatioa 


1.  E.    /..    Vol.    XI,    p.    73. 

2.  A.   S.   R.,  Vol.    IX,  p.    103.   There   is  a  proposal   to  place  bim 
in    the    pcrioJ    c.    840--885    A.D. -/im/.    HUt.,      Qwirt-,      Vol.     XVII, 

p.    U7  ff. 

J'    r/ze  MoJe/n   /feiietfi,    1922,   p.    612, 


4.  £.    /.,    Vol.    XI.    p.    142. 

5.  £.    /..    Vol.    XVII,    n».    3S3  55. 

6.  N.    G.    Maiumdar  :    InscripHoiu    of    Bengml,    Vol. 
Ul.   p.    U. 


THE  KALACHURI  RELATIONS  WITH  BENGAL 


301 


ing  the  ancestry  of  Govinds  will  be  available, 
lacbandra  was  alive  in  102V25  A.D.  when  the 
of  Rajendra  Chola  invaded  his  dominion  Vangala- 

On  the  basis  of  old  Bengali  ballads  it  has. been 
led  that  Govindachandra's  father  was  king 
achandra.     After    the  fall    of    Srichandra's    family 

may  have  been  hastened  by  Lakshmanaraja's 
ition  the  family  of  Govindachandra  may  have  risen 
ver.  We  have  seen  that  Layahachandra  may  also 
teed  in  this  period.  Thus  the  fall  of  Srichandra  or 
le  seems  to  have  been  followed  by  the  rise  of  two 
of  rulers,  the  one  represented  by  Govindachandra 
be  other  by  Layahachandra.  Govindachandra  may 
removed  his  rival  subsequently  as  he  was  the  only 
3f  Vangala-desa  when  the  Chola  army  invaded  it. 
he  reason  why  the  attention  of  certain  contemporary 

fell  upon  Vangala  was  not  merely  that  the 
iras  were  a  growing  power  but  also  that  there  was 
ly  a  potential  danger  from  the  eastern  frontier  of 
in  this  period.  Evidence  of  certain  Chandras 
ng  in  Arakan  has  been  found^  and  the  relations, 
en  Pattikera  in  Tippera  and  Burma  got  complicated 
t  11th  century  A.D.'  It  may  be  quite  possible  that 
alachuris  were  conscious  of  a  potential  danger  and 
nay  have  tried  in  their  own  way  to  show  that  there 
L  strong  power  capable  of  checking  any  advance 
the  Eastern  side.  It  may  be  quite  possible  that  the 
boris  were  conscious  of  this  potential  danger  and 
might  havQ  tried  in  their  own  way  to  show  that 
waa  a  strong  power  to  check  any  advance  from  the 
11  side.  The  Kalachuris  could  not  check  the 
r  of  the  Chandras  of  Vangala  or  Govindachandra 

to  have  extended  his  power  to  areas  which  were 
nown  to  have  been  comprised  in  the  kingdom  of 
mdra^s  family. 

he  Varman  dynasty  which  was  established  in  Bengal 
ose  succession  to  the  Chandras  appears  to  have 
d  in  alliance  with  the  Kalachuris.  It  may  be  noted 
a  connection  that  there  is  a  good  deal  of  similarity 
en  the  accounts  of  the  legendary  origin  of  the 
ra-Varman  rulers  of  Bengal  and  that  of  the 
huris.  The  reading  of  Anga  in  the  Belava  C.P. 
loiavarman  of  the  Yadava  family  though  doubted 
ome  scholars,*  has  been  generally  accepted  as 
:t.  Gangeyadeva  the  father  of  Lakshmi-Karna 
iing  to  the  latter's  Goharwa  Plate  defeated  the  ruler 
iga.  The  Piawanj  rock  inscription  shows  that  he 
ilready  on  the  throne  in  1038  A.D.  but  there  is 
evidence  to  show  that  he  had  ascended  the  throne 
ist  before  1030  A.D.  ^     It  is  not  known  who  was 


the  king  of  Anga    claimed  to    have    been    defeated    by 
Gangeyadeva.  Anga  had  been  attacked  by  the  Chamdella 
King   Dhanga   some   time   between   954   and   1002   A.D. 
It     is     to     be     noticed     that     neither     Kokkalla     nor 
Lakshmanaraja  is  known  to  have  made  any  attempt  td 
invade  the  western  part  of  Bengal."  Attempts  were  now 
made  by  the  Kalachuris  to  establish  their  sway  in  different 
parts  of  Bihar  (Anga,  Mithila)   and  Benares  as  available 
evidence  regarding  Gangeya*s  career  will  show.    After  the 
defeat  of  the     Anga  king     JaUvarman  may  have  been 
installed  as  its  ruler  by  Gangeyadeva.      The  suggestion 
that  Kama  may   have   been   responsible   for   the   end  of 
Cbancira   rule    in    East    Bengal   does    not    appear   to    be 
probable.     There  is  no  conclusive  evidence  to  show  that 
the  Chandras  reigned  in  Vangala-desa  up  to  at  least  1041 
A.D.   when  Kama  appears  to  have  ascended  the  throne. 
Dated  inscriptions  of  Govindachandra  have  been   found, 
but   as  we   do  not  know  the   date  of  his  accession,  we 
are  not  in  a  position  to  assert  that  the  date  contained  iii 
these  inscriptions  must  be  assigned  to  the  period  following 
the  Chola  invasion  in  about  1021  A.D.     In  view  of  thia 
uncertainty  it  may  not  be  reasonable  to   hold  that  the. 
Chandra  Dynasty  reigned  at  least  for  about  twenty  years 
after  the  Chola  attack  to  have  been  finally  overthrown  by 
Kama.    It  cannot  be  asserted  on  the  insufficient  evidence 
of   the   Rewa"  inscription    which  does   not   specify   the 
eastern  reign   whose  ruler   may   have   dealt  with  Kama 
that  reference  is  to  be  supplied  by  his  alleged  operations 
against  Vanga-Vangala.     The  Bheraghat  inscription,"  says 
that  a  king  of  Vanga  trembled  before  him.     This  need 
nbt  be     regarded  as     indicating  any     decisive     military 
engagement.      If   the   Vanga   king  was  really   killed   by 
Kama,  there  is  no  reason  why  it  should  not  have  been 
explicitly  stated  in  the  Bheraghat  inscription.      In  these 
circumstances  it  will  be  reasonable  to  hold  that   it  was 
Jatavarman,  whose  sway  extended  from  Anga  to  Kamarupa, 
who  was  able  to  include   the  territory  of  Vanga  in   his 
dominion   at   a   date   nearer   to   the   time   of   the   Chola 
'  invasion  than  to  1041    A.D.  when    Kama  succeeded  his 
father  Gangeyadeva.      His  marriage  with  a  daughter  of 
Kama  shows  that  he  was  not  an  enemy  of  the  latter  and 
as   this  has   been   mentioned   in   a   panegyrical   style   in 
the  Belava  inscription  of  the  Yadavas  it  may  be  inferred 
that  he  was  proud   of  this  connection.      About   such   a 
ruler  the  statement  that  he  was  afraid  of  th^  power  of 
Kama  as  made   in   the   Bheraghat   inscription   may   not 
be  regarded  as  very  exaggerated. 


B.    C.    Sen  :    Some    Historical    Aspects    of    the    tnscriptioiu   o| 
.    p.   374. 

R.    C.    Majumdar  :    History    of    Bengai,    Vol.    I,    p.    258. 

B.    C.    Sen  :    Op.    cit.,    p.    409. 
.     H.    C.     Ray  :    Dynastic    History    of    S  or  them    India,    Vol.    U, 
:  A.   5.   R.,  Vol.   XXI,   pp.   112.113. 


11.  LakahmaPTiJa'a  father  Yuvaraja  I  b  Mid  to  have  made 
himself  with  the  women  of  Cauda,  £.  /..  Vol.  II.  p.  307. 
It  haa  been  suggested  (H.  C.  Ray  :  Dynastic  History  of  Northern 
India,  Vol.  II.  p.  760)  that  the  Cauda  king  who  may  have  been 
.attacked  by  Yuvaraja  was  probably  Copala  II.  But  the  above* 
mentioned  statement  regarding  the  Kalachuri  does  not  definitdy  prove 
any  military  victory  or  engagement  on  hia  part. 
■     12.    E,    /.,    Vol.    XXIV.    p.     112. 

13.    £.   /..  Vol.   II.   p.    11. 


THE  MANAGING  AGENCY  SYSTEM  IN  INDU 
A  Peep  into  the  Past  and  an  Outline  of  the  Future 


The  longiawaited  Company  Law  Committee  Report 
had  {^een  published  and  its  recommendations  about  the 
Managing  Agency  System  in  particular  have  been  made 
after  profound  thought  and  make  interesting  reading. 
Theae  is  no  doubt  that  in  making  the  recommendations, 
the  first  place  has  been  given  to  the  interests  of  the 
investigating  public.  To  have  a  clear  picture  of  the 
Committee's  studied  obser\'ations  and  drastic  recommen- 
dations it  is  imperative  that  one  should  have  glimpses 
of  the  evolution  and  development  of  the  Managing 
Agency  System  and  the  object  of  this  article  is  to  give  a 
bird's-eye  view  of  the  past  and  then  appreciate  against) 
that  background  the  recommendations  of  the  Committee. 

A  cursory  glance  of  the  history  of  promoting  and 
pioneering  of  industry  in  India  would  reveal  that  ita 
characteristic  features  are  unique  and  almost  without 
parallel  in  any  other  part  of  the  globe. 

The  colossal  taskj  of  planning,  promoting,  financing 
and  managing  the  various  companies  fell  on  the  ever- 
ready  shoulders  of  a  few  British  merchants  (and  a  little 
later  indigenous  financiers  also)  with  wide  experience  and 
financial  resources  whom  India  was  fortunate  to  poseeaa. 
Out  of  thia  nucleus  grew  an  organisation  which,  though 
formally  jointstock,  combined  in  itself  the  advantages  of 
the  proprietory  goncems  (e.^.,  unity  of  management, 
quickness  in  decision,  etc.)  as  well  as  those  peculiar  to  the 
jointstock  companies  (e.^.,  greater  resources  and  economy 
in  purchases,  sales,  overhead  expenditures,  etc.)  while 
eliminating  the  drawbacks  of  either.  It  was  not  long 
before  the  system  developedj  into  the  very  lynch-pin  of 
the  industrial  structure  and  even  the  banking  organisation! 
of  the  country  had  to  be  patterned  to  suit  the  needs  and 
peculiarities  of  this  institution. 

In  human  affairs  a  perfect  institution  is  yet  an  ideal 
and  this  applies  with  equal  force  to  the  Managing  Agency 
System  as  well  as  to  any  other.  The  disquieting  features 
were  too  numerous,  though  not  fatal,  and  it  is  not  possible 
in  an  essay  of  this  length  to  point  out  anything  but  the 
most  glaring. 

Many  of  the  evils  of  this  System  flowed  from    thia 
basic  and  inevitable  fact  that  the  Managing  Agents  were 
the'  leading  share-holders  of  the*  concerns     under     theii) 
management.    This  meant  that  any  agreement  entered  into 
wasr  between  themselves  as  (1)   Manager  and   (2)   Share- 
holders.    It  requires  no  logic  to     prove     that  this     dua}. 
personality  and  thei  conflict  of  interests  inherent  in  thia 
jurangement  could  have  been  anything  but  beneficial  to 
lAff  shareholders  at  large.    This  led' to  the  framing  of  tuch 
favourable  provisions  tbat^  except  m  caaes  of  groas  mis- 


management or  utter  incompetence  the  managing  agenti 
could  not  even  be  reprimanded,  not  to  mention  the 
impossibility  of  dismissal  In  many  cases  the  agreement 
required  of  the  managing  agents  to  hold  a  minimum  stock 
of  the  company's  share  capital  and  this  ensured  their 
continuation  in  the  managerial  saddle. 

The  managing  agents  carried  this  art  of  playing  Dr. 
Jekyll  and  Mr.  Hyde  to  such  perfection  '  that  it  was 
remarked  of  them  that 

"A  company  was  being  formed  to  buy  the  land 
of  X  at  a  fabulous  price  to  build  a  mill  thereon  for 
the  benefit  of  X  and  to  appoint  him  and  his  nominees 
as  agents  for  life  and  assure  employment  for  the 
retinue  of  his  relatives  and  friends.** 

Soon  a  distinct  profession  was  made  of  company 
promotion  and  mushroom  promoters  cropped  up  all  over 
the  country  in  great  numbers  holding  out  imposaible 
promises  of  fabulous  profits  which  led  to  large-scale 
waste  of  capital  Transfers  from  one  agency  to  anothetf 
were  effected  with  such  frequency  and  at  such  highly 
bloated  valuea  that  this  practice  alone  inflicted  greatei* 
injuries  on  the  system  than  any  other. 

In  short,  the  reward  of  the  man^ns  agenta  for 
promoting  a  company  was  the  right  to  manage  it  with 
exclusive  privileges  and  a  free  Ucence  to  receive  oommia- 
sion  on  all  conceivable  kinds  of  activities  pursued  by  die 
company.  This  meant  that  the  managing  agenta  were  fed 
by  a  perennial  stream  of  profits  irrespective  of  whether 
the  company  under  their  management  made  a  gain  or  a 
loss.  Of  course,  the  more  sober  and  better  enlightened 
among  them  were  clever  enough  to  realise  that  absobta 
extermination  would  be  the  ultimate  result  of  this  cmd 
exploitation  and  saw  to  it  that  the  goose  that  was  laying 
the  golden  eggs  was  not  killed. 

Not  all  the  managing  agents  were  technically  qualified 
or  organisationally  efficient  but  this  drawback  waf 
cleverly  made  up  by  importing  foreign  techiiiciaiie 
(essentially  Britiah)  but  for  whom  industry  in  general 
and  the  textile  industry  in  particular  could  not  have  made 
such  rapid  progress. 

As  Mr.  P.  S.  Lokanathan  has  rightly  observed,  in  no 
other  industry  is  the  extent  or  importance  of  the  pioneering 
and  experimenting  work  revealed  to  a  greater  extent  and 
the  part  played  by  the  managing  agents  seen  in  truer 
perspective  than  in  the  promotion  of  the  Tata  Iron  and 
Steel  Co.  The  prospecting  operations  which  preceded  the 
floatation  of  thia  magnificent  enterprise  constitute  an 
inleresidxi^  chapter  in  the  history  of  company  promotion 
in  lu^a  aix^  i!icu&  enoxi&o>3k&    ^js^o^mx  ^V   ^ivskAseonji^  and 


fflfe  MAl^AGlKG  AGfclCCV  SVstfik  IN  tNi)U 


303 


privations  which  marked  the  protpectiiif  operationa 
indication  of  the  immenae  potentialitiea  for  good  of 
^stem. 

he  promoters  were  generally  persons  with  consider- 
resources,  able  and  willing  to  procure  expert  as•is^ 
for  carrying  out  investigations  and  prospecting 
ions.  Many  a  project  upon  which  huge  sums  of 
r  we/e  spent  could  not  reach  the  stage  of  floatations 
he  losses  ii^  such  cases  were  willingly  borne  by  the 
sing  agents  which  othemrise  would  have  made 
s  inroads  into  the  meagre  resources  of  the  investing 
;  in  India.  The  services  thus  rendered  by  the 
png  agents  were  somewhat  similar  to  the  functions 
i  Issue  Houses  in  the  Western  European  countries. 

were  indeed  what  may  be  termed  '  **universal 
lers  of  industry,  being  promoters,  financiers  and 
jers  of  the  venture  they  established."  The  name 
i  Managing  Agent  was  in  itself  a  guarantee  to  the 

of  the  soundness  of  the  enterprise  in  which  he 
iterested  and  the  absence  of  it  in  a  public  issue  a 
nption  against  its  trustworthiness, 
rue  this  sort  of  company  promotion  would  have 
ered  many  a  project  which  was  inherently  sound 
ras  not  backed  by  a  reputed  agent.  However, 'oo 
hole  there  is  no  denying  the  fact  that  the  investing 
i  would  have  k>st  more  by  encouragmg  too  freely 
rilliant  but  resourceless  and  opportunist  promoters 
by  having  thisi  kind  of  operational  cheek  on  the 
ies  of  capable  promoters. 

^hile  the  holding  of  a  majority  of  shares  had  many 
it  had  also  one  distinct  advantage.  This  compelled 
lanaging  agents  to  take  a  greater  interest'  in  ths 
es  of  the  concerns.  Failure  of  one  concern  under 
;ement  implied,  (due  to  large-scale  interlocking  of 
I  in  addition  to  disappearance  of  dividends,  com< 
n,  etc.,  a  grave  impairment  of  credit  and  consequent 
S  of  other  enterprises,  under  the  same  management. 
:lose  association  of  ownership  and  control  achieved 
y  of  aim  and  motive  and  the  defecu  of  jointstock 
rise  springing  from  diffused  authority]  were 
ated  by  a  system  in  which  the  managing  agents 
had  the  greatest  interest)  v^ere  able  to  work  with 
leness  of  purpose  and  free  from  the  crippling  chain 
k>ard  of  Directors.  The  hesitancy  and  conservatism 
\  generally  displayed  by  a  Board  of  Directors  were 
coous  by  their  absence  in  the  managing  agency 
I  as  the  latter's  control  was  assured  over  a  period, 
all  Where  the  risk  lies  the 'control  must  lie*  and 
anaging  agency  system  is  nothing  if  not  for  thi^ 
g  principle. 

)mpared  to  other  more  de\ie]oped  countries  the  gap 
exists  in  India  between  the  demand  for  and  supply 
pital  resources,  which  constitute  an  ^economic 
:e*  is  very  great  and  this  could  not  have  been 
d  effectively  but  for  the  managing  agents  who  have 
>ned  as  a  media  for  the  transference  of  capital 
he  lido  of  supply  to  that  of  demand. 


No  doubt  the  country  could  have  been  better  served 
if  the  managing  agents  had  been  more  adventurous  and 
if  they  had  not  shown  a  greater  tendency  to  rest  on 
their  oars  than  to  embark  on  more  risky  and  uncertain 
ventures.  However  successful  the  system  might  have  beea 
in  the  past  it  cannot  be  said  that  it  is  so  at  present  oi 
will  continue  to  be  so  in  the  future.  The  past  was  ai 
virgin  and  imexplored  field  and  the  going  was  smooth  and 
ordinary  ability  was  all  that  was  necessaty.  The  force  of 
competition  has  rendered  the  task  of  promotion  more 
difficult  and. possibility  of  success  less  certain  and  one 
cannot  be  sure  that  the  managing  agents  will  justify  their 
permanent  existence  and  so,  the  extent  to  which  it  i^ 
adjusting  itseU  to  the  new  requirements  and  is  able  to 
fulfil  its  ..new  functions  by  inviting  fresh  talents  and  young 
blood  is  not  a  mere  private  matter  but  an  important  social 
problem. 

Viewed  in  the  light  of  this  eventful,  though  chequered, 
hi^ory  it  would  be  difficult  to  question  the  wisdom  of 
recommendations  of  the  Company  Law  Committee  which 
hav«  been  made  vrith  the  twin  objects  of  ^eliminating 
current  abuses  and  harmful  practices  oh  the  one  hand 
and  for  providing  sufficient  flexibility  of  law  on  the 
other." 

The  war  years  shovred  how  far  human  ingenuity  could 
go  in  driving  a  coach  and  four  through  the  Indian 
Companies*  Act  and  the  extent  to  which  the  utter  laxity  in 
the  administration  of  the  lavrs  could  be  exploited  by  the 
managing  agents  and  unscrupulous  promoters.  One  is  aU 
the  wiser  for  the  experience  and  the  comprehensive 
recommendations  of  the  Bhaba  Committee  are  such  as 
to  avoid  similar  pitfalls  in  the  future.  The  experience  of 
Britain  in  this  field  has  also  been  used  to  advantage  and 
the  recommendations  follow  broadly  the  changes  made  in 
the  English  Law  in  1948. 

The  main  directions  in  which  the  Committee  considers 
amendments  to  the  Act  necessary  are  in  regard  to  the 
appointment  of  managing  agents,  the  conditions  of  service 
of  managing  agents,  the  powers  of  managing  agents 
vis-a-via  the  directors  and  the  activities  of  the  managing 
agents  in  regard  to  borrowing,  sales  and  purchases  made  oa 
bahalf  of  tho  company. 

Appointment 
The  Committee  recommends  tliat  in  future  managing 
agency  agreements  should  be  limited  to  15  years  subject 
to  renewal  for  a  period  of  ten  years  and  that  reappoint- 
ment of  the  same  managing  agent  should!  not  be  made 
except  during  the  last  two  years  of  the  outgoing  period. 
As  regards  the  existing  managing  agency  agreements  the 
Committee  has  given  a  reasonable  period  for  them  to 
expiry  date  on  Ae  I5th  August,  1959. 

Removal 
The   Committee  has  recommended   tha^   aa  ordinary 
ceaolntion  should  suffice  in  the  case  of  fraud  or  breach  of 
traaty  while  in  other  cases  a  special  resolution  would  be 
reqpdred;  but  «d  xtaiQ»V^t;>u  i^>3^^>a^  x^fE^ssoL^M^  ^Sos^a^ 


m 


fHfi  MOMRN  nfiVlEW  fOft  A^ftlL.  ld«8 


t  maaagliig  agent  who  lias  been  conTicted  to  a  non-bailable 
offence.  Certain  safegnardt  are,  howerer,  profided  for 
managing  agentt^whlch  are  firma  or  companiea. 

TiAHanRs 
Several  reatrictiont  havo  been  recommended  by  the 
Committee  which  are  intended  to  remove  current  evils  of 
trafficking  in  or  cornering  of  managing  agency  rights. 

Remungratio;« 

On  the  subject  of  managing  agency  remuneration 
the  Committee  recommends  that  the  commission  which 
managing  agents  would  be  entitled  to  draw  in  future 
should  not  in  any  case  exceed  12|%  on  net  profits,  and 
the  expression  *net  profits'  has  been^  very  carefully 
defined  by  the  Committee  in  its  elaborate  re-draft  of  the 
present  section  of  the  Act  dealing  with  this  matter.  The 
Committee  has  also  recommended  that  no  office  allowance 
should  be  addmissible  to  managing  agents  but  that  ^ey 
would  be  entitled  to  be  reimbursed  by  the  company  for 
any  actual  expenditure  incurred  on  the  maintenance  of 
their  office.  They  would  not  also  be  entitled  to  any 
commission  on  purchases  on  behalf  of  the  company; 

Further  the  Committee  has  suggested  that  in  the 
event  of  absence  or  inadequacy  of  profits,  the  managing 
agents  would  be  entitled  to  such  minimum  remuneration 
as  is  considered  reasonable  by  the  company  in  a  general 
meeting  subject  to  a  maximum  of  Rs.  50,000  per  annum, 
but  no  other  ad(fitional  payment  in  any  other  form  would 
be  admissible  to  them.  The  Committee  further  recom- 
mends that  the  remuneration  of  all  existing  managing 
agents  should  be  brought  in  line  with  its  recommendations 
within  a  period  of  2  years  from  the  enactment  of  the  new 
kcL 

Directors  vs.  Managing  Agent 
In  the  scheme  of  relationship  between  directofs  and 
managing  agents  which  the  Committee  -visualises,  the 
superior  position  of  the  former  is  sought  to  be  assured 
by  the  requirement  that  the  most  important  financial  and 
administrative  powers  which  are  necessary  for  the 
management  of  jointstock  companies  should  be  reserve4 
for  directors  and  exercised  by  managing  agents  only  if 
they  are  delegated  to  them  by  the  directors,  except  that 
a  few  specified  powers  should  not  be  delegated  in  any  case. 
These  are  : 

1.  The  power  to  make  calls  on  shareholders  in 
respect  of  moneys  unpaid  on  shares  of  the  company. 

2.  The  power  to  borrow  motleys  except  within  limits 
previously  fixed  by  the  directors  at  a  board  meeting. 

3.  The  pOvrer  to  issue  debentures. 

4.  The  power  to  invest  the  funds  tff  the  company. 

5.  The  power  to  make  loans  except  within  limits 
previously  fixed  by  the  directors  at  a  board  meeting. 


The  Committee  pleads  for  a  complete  fe-orientaftki 
of  \deu  as  to  the  position  and  powers  of  managing  agenn. 
In  ila  view,  managing  agents  should  act  only  under  tin 
general  control  and  direction  of  directors,  but  subject  to 
thia  control  their  powers  and  duties  should  be  cleaily 
laid  down  in  advance  ao  that  vrithin  their  sphere  they 
•re  free  to  carry  on  their  duties. 

No  other  practice  has  done  so  much  harm  as  that  of 
targe-scale  inter-locking  of  funds  betw^n  the  varloas 
companies  under  the  same  management  and  to  tackle  tUs 
ticklish  problem  the  Committee  has  recommended  tiist 
the  Hmit  on  such  in\«stment  should  not  be  more  than  K) 
per  cent  of  the  subscribed  capital- of  the  company  in 
which  the  investment  is  to  be  made  and  should  not 
exceed  20  per  cent  of  the  subscribed  capital  of  aU  the 
investment  companies  in  the  group  as  a  whoje.  The 
Committee  has  also  tightened  up  the  provisions  relating 
to  the  powers  of  managing  agents  to  engage  in  a 
business  which  is  similar  to  and  directly  competes  with 
the  business  of  the  managed  company. 

The  subject  is  not  free  from  difficulties  and  the 
Committee  admits  this  when  it  says  :  '^We  experienced 
considerable  difficulty  in  reconciling  what  we  consider 
to  bo  the  fundamental  right  of  a  managed  Company  to  he 
managed  by  the  managing  agent  whom  it  has  appointed 
and  not  by  some  third  party  who  in  fact  might,  have 
acquired  a  controlling  interest  in  such  managing  agenqr 
firm  or  company  with  the  undesirability  of  imposing 
such  rigid  conditions  on  the  acquisition  of  an  interest  in 
such  company  by  persons  who  might  be  able  to  contribute 
towards  the  management  of  the  managed  conpuiy.**  Bat 
the  Cdmmittee  has  expressed  the  hope  that  ila  recom- 
mendations coupled  with  the  provisions  it  has  suggested 
elsewhere  in  the  Report  regarding  the  enforcement  of  the 
rights  of  minorities,  the  disclosure  by  directors  and 
persons  deemed  to  be  directors  of  their  holdings  in  a 
company  and  the  powers  of  investigation  'into  the  owner- 
ship of  shares  will  provide  a  salutary  check  on  any  ]arf^ 
scale  trafficking  in  managing  agency  rights  in  future. 

It  will  be  clear  from  the  above  that  for  purely 
historical  reasons  the  managing  agency  system  is  given  a 
further  lease  of  life  but  under  conditions  which,  one 
hopes,  would  greatly  limit  its  potentialities  for  abuse  and 
make  the  best  out  of  tliis  much-maligned  system. 

One  cannot  do  better  than  associate  liimself  with  tlie 
Committee's  opinion'  that  **despite  many  abuses  and 
malpractices  which  have  disfigured  the  working  of  the 
system,  in  the  preseni  state  of  the  industrial  organisation 
of  the  country  it  may  still  be,  on  balance,  an  advantage 
to  continue  to  rely  on  it.**  For,  as  the  Committee  puts 
it,  shorn  of  its  abuses  and  malpractices  the  system  may 
yet  prove  to  be  *a  potent  instrument  for  tapping' the 
springs  of  private  enterprise*. 


I 


StJDHIR  KHASTGIR— AN  ARTIST   OF  THE  PEOPLE 

By   Captain    RATNAMBERDUTT    CHANDOLA 


XoT  many  a  celcbraled  artist  have  I  met  so  Tar  who 
imppeased  me  more  than  Sudhir  Ranjan  Khaatgir, 
whom  I  happened  (o  see,  as  though  by  aQ  nccidpnl, 
sitting  in  a  rather  peniive  mood  right  into  his  own 
small  studio  situated  in  the  heart  of  the  Doon  School 
estate.  He  gave  me  the  looks  of  a  poet  more  than  a 
painter,  or  rnther,  a  singer  than  a  seulfitor.  It  was  more 
than  a  formal  pleasure  for  me  to  gizet  h'm.  After  a 
brief  talk,  he  so  kindly  took  m^  round  and  showed  mc 
quite  a  few  of  his  exhibits  of  paintinss  ^nd  peulplures. 


'■  Major-Gener»l  Thimayya 

(Head-study   from   life) 
By  S.  Khastgir 

which  interested  me  most.  From  what  I  saw  during 
the  short  span  of  time,  I  am  of  tb&  opinion  that  Mr. 
Kbaatgir's  work  as  a  painter  is  distinguished  by  skill 
and  composition  and  his  drawings  are  decidedly  vig&- 
roiu  and  vital.  His  sculptures  show  the  versatility  of 
his  creative  impulse. 

Bom  at  Calcutta  on  24lh  September,  1907,  Sudhir 
started  bis  boyhood  with  s  Sour-auaa  bamboo  flute  in 


his  hand  and  grew  into  manhood  vi'.t'.i  a  brush  and  a 
chisel.  His  worthy  father,  Sjt.  Satya  Ranjan 
Khaslgir,  who  hailed  originally  from  Chittagong,  now 
in  East  PukiflfaD,  w:iii  serving  as  an  'cng'neer  in  Cal- 
cutta, when  Sudhir  showed  vis'bis  signi  of  being  ft 
putenliul  artist.  No  sooner  be  did  his  mntric  at  the 
nge  of  sixle.-n  than  h?  was  switched  i,ver  to  the  Kaln- 
Bhawan  at  Santinkitan,  (he  abodo  of  Peace  and 
Aesthetic  Culture,  tor  the  study  of  art  and  craft.  His 
passionately  emotionat  creative  genius  quickly   found 


its  expression  in  the  field  of  constructive  endeavour. 
He  first  exercised  his  talent  for  modelling.  He  firmly 
believes  that  'To  build  up  something  with  one's  own 
fingurca,  to  give  some  shape  to  a  lump  of  clay  and  to 
expeas  one's  own  and  other's  feeling  throu^  it,  ia 
simply  thrilling  and  marvellous."  His  sculptiuv  found 
its  development  alongside  his  paintings.  JTbe  first 
thing  that  strikes  one  about  his  Eculplu'res' is  that  hiefi 
are  the  woik  of  ».  Wo-to«i«^<i'tt  «^i:Sv.  Vmwr.  %fS«.'yetA. 
towards  p\&B\.w  otpwwioa-.  <sm  Vs.  \«\  ■«&>=«*. '«'3<». 


tHE  MODERN  REVIEW  FOR  Al^JllL.  Ifl53 


^aing  (uattr  eolouri 


JIuta-plAjrer  (broiiN) 


StJDHIB  KHASTOIR— AN  ARTIST  OF  THE  PEOPLE 


aos 


THE  MODERN  REVIEW  FOR  APRIL,  1953 


ia  SmptnM.  Merarthetesa,  he  is '  weli-vetaed  in  those 
ancillary  arts  which  a  sculptor  must  exercise  Cor  thr 
training  -  of  tyg  and  hand.  He  possesses  a  double 
faculty  of  making  ft  picture  as  well  aa  a  portrait. 
Some  of  his  best  waler-calour  drawings  are  in  sober 
tones,  aod  when  the  two  moods  of  gay  and  grave  come 
into  cont'guity,  it  ia  the  "pensive  mood"  that  ultl- 
mately  predominates. 

It  appears  that  Sudhir  Khastgir  deiived  his  inspira- 
'lion  from  purely  indigenous  sources  which  drew  him 
BO  near  the  earth  that  he  fell  in  !ov;  with  the  8-mple 
realities  of  life.  It  was  that  simple  joy  of  his  inno- 
cent people  which  eventually  made  him  "an  artist 
of  the  people"  in  the  true  sense  of  the  expression. 


and  architecture.  A  portable  exhibiticn  of'  his  nuu 
ficent  arii  p.nd  craft  be  carrttd  with  him  to  alinoit  iB 
thg  big  cities  of  the  country.  In  1937,  a  rema^d^ 
exhibition  of  art  work  done  at  the  Dooa  School  wu 
opened  at  India  House,  London,  by  the  then  Hi^ 
Commissioner,  Sir  Fcroi  Khan  Noon,  who  paid  a 
handsome  tribute  to  th«  Art  Master,  Mr.  SwUiit 
Khastgir,  who  toured  over  England  and  the  conti- 
nental countr'es  for  the  purpose  of  ezhibitiii| 
ezamplea  of  the  excellent  work  that  he  and  hia  pupils 
had  done  at  the  Doon  School.  This  was  the  fint 
occasion  when  the  work  of  Indian  bays  was  ^own  in 
I..ondon. 

Mr.  Khastgir  has  been  head  of  the  Art  Depart- 


"Had  it  not  been  for  the  basis  instruction  I 
received  at  the  feet  of  my  Master,  Sjt.  Nandalal 
Boae,  at  Santiniketan,  I  wouldn't  be  an  artist 
at  all  I"— confessed  Mr.  Khastgir  'to  me.  No  wonder 
he  stands  in  a  vory  unique  position  today  as  one  of 
the  most  talented  artists  of  modem  India.  His  work 
has.  a  peculiar  approach — a  robust  individuality, 
which  is  virtually  a  speMality,  which  enabled  him  to 
mirror  in  his  works  the  true  spirit  of  Indian  life  and 
culture  boyond  any  shadow  of  doubt. 

A  proud  product  of  Tagore's     University— where 

he  spent  no  less  than  five  years— Mr.  Khastgir  toured 

extensively  throughout  the  Vaioa  of  India  and  Ceylon 

/or  the  evie  purpose  of  atudy'mg  ancient  Indiaa    art 


ment  of  the  Doon  School  fop  over  15  years  now.  Tie 
School  has  made  a  remarkable  progress  in  sculptute 
and  painting  under  its  Art  Master,  Mr.  Khastgir,  who 
feels  that  h's  pupila  nwd  encouragement  as  well  w 
a  measure  of  liberty,  as  both  timid  and  trouUeBOme 
boys  display  the  benefit  of  art  training  after  a  certsio 
specifio  time  and  become  different  boys  altogether. 
They  come  into  line  with  the  rest,  in  developing  their 
own  imag'nation  and  power  of  perception  not  foiget- 
ting,  perhaps,  respect  for  difficulties  and  tht  deter- 
mination t3  conquer. 

Apart  from  h-'s  being  a  successful  artist,  he  pons 
a  ehalJenge  ia  the  Seld  of  literature  and  is  &  sttUKb 


CETtEMONIAL  CORN  IJANCE  6t  AMERIGAN- INDIANS 


300 


Bi«  married  life  bu  been,  m  .mpre  t^^n  i^  .dj^J^. 
ot  sorrows.  Manorama,.  his  beto^si  Wife,..mBd[e.liiin 
0.  husband,  a  father  a!  a  daughter  and  a  widower;  all. 
within  the  space  of  a  short  year.  Hp  consoled  him- 
sel[  thinking  thai  "The  path  of  sorrow  is  that  path 
alone  wliich  leads  to  a  place  wheri;  sorrow  is  un- 
known 1" 

Shamoli,  his  only  daughter,  is  now  twelve  years 
of  age  and  is  schoolii^  at'  her  fathti's  Alma  Motif 
and  is  also  interested   in  Art. 

In  the  words  of  Sjt.  Asit  K.  Haldar,  "Mr.  Sudbir 


K^j^n  Khaatgir,  in  his  work.Uirows  open  a  iriadow- 

Vjiicii  reVeete  themysCery  of- his  soul.  In  his  work 
we  can  perceive  a  keen  sensitive  soul  tryinij-  to 
express  the  imaginary  impressions  which  it  receives 
from  the  outer  world  in  exub?rant  variety  with 
dramatic  appeal."  Tiiis  is  undoubttdly  the  richest 
tribute  that  one  artist  can  bcstor/  upon  nnother 
artist.  It  is  a  happy  augury  for  the  future  of  Sudhir 
Khastgir  whoEe  name  will  go  down  ic  history  as  "An 
Artist  of  the  People." 


CEREMONIAL  CORN  DANCE  OF  AMERICAN  INDIANS 

Bt  W.  NORTON  J0NB5,  Je. 


Boom— boom— boom— boom  I  There  it  was  at  laat,  the 
sound  for  which  the  crowd  had  been  waiting.  Only 
that  morning  the  governor  of  the  Pueblo  of  San 
Ildefonso,  a  commun'ty  of  .\merican  Indiana  in  the 
south-western  Slate  of  New  Mexico,  liad  decKed  that 
when  the  sun  should  stand  overhead,  ihe  village  would 
niake  its  traditional  appi^al  for  success  of  its  crops. 
The  first  mtiQed  beats  of  the  tom'tom,  the  Indian 
drum,  warned  that  the  ceremonial  Corn  Dance  was 
about  to  begin.  The  audience  comprisfd  a  crowd  of 
several  hundred  Ind'ans,  a  score  or  w  of  tourists,  and 
a  tew  other  visitors. 

The  great  dances  and  festivals  of  the  pucbloa  of 
the  American  South-west  usually  take  pUce  on  set 
dates.  Most  often  they  ore  held  on  the  days  dedicated 
to  Ihe  patron  saints  for  whom  the  early  Spanish 
explorers  named  the  various  villages.  Com  dances,  on 
the  other  hand,  are  seldom  held  at  fixed  times.  They 
are  prayers  for  rain,  for  insurance  of  the  crops,  for  an 
abundant  hivrcst  made  by  a  people  who  live  in  a  land 
of  slight  rainfall.  As  such,  they  lak.^  place  whenever 
they  seem  necessary  or  desirable.  They  may  be  held 
ia  the  various  pueblos  at  almost  any  time  during  the 
growing  season. 

Xoboily  knows  how  long  com  dances  have  been 
held  at  San  Ildefonso.  The  village  was  old  when  the 
first  Spanish  explorers  discovered  it  more  than  400 
years  ago.  It  stood  then  a.s  now  in  the  shadow  of  Black 
Mesa  and  not  far  from  the  cast  bank  of  the  Rio 
Grande  River.  Thp  b.ikfd  clay  (ndobi-)  houses  of  its 
people  cluster  about  a  great  plasa  in  whose  center  ifl 
the  kiva.  The  upper  portion  ot  ths  kiva,  which  is  the 
semi-Pub terra nc an  ceremonial  chamber,  makes  a  low, 
almost  circular  platform  from  which  steps  lead  down 
to  the  ground.  From  a  hatchway  in  ttv  top  have  come 
the  muffled  sounds  of  the  tom-tom. 

An  arbor-like  shrine  of  green  boughs  erected 
especially  for  th^  com  dance  stands  it  one  side  of  ihe 
plAia.  In  it  have  boen  placed    ligiirei^    of  the  Glf^sfxl 


Virgin  and  several  saints  taken  from  their  niches  in 
the  village  church.  Images  of  the  Blessed  Vi^iu  and 
San  Ildefonso,  the  village's  name-saiat,  occupy  places 
of  honor.  Surround'ng  these  are  the  figures  of  lesser 
saints. 


Indians  uf  the  PiieWo  of  San  Ildefouso  in  the 
American  south-west,  emerging  from  a  typical 
adobe  building  to  participate  m  the  ancient 
Com  Dance  offered  in  supplication  for  rain 

CemiUMT  :  Nnr  MhIco  Suia  TouilM  Baiua 

The  governor   ot  th*  piieWa  Visa  Onss^c  V-a  "C-ssjR 
^1^)1.  "VXw  i«j  w  ol  V'WttX    '^V'i.'e    '^■ft'^    «''^*^  -^RA's^iss* 


TQX  HOPERN  REVIEW  FOR  APRIL,  1SS9 


B  beiiig  msda  nsdy  f» 


no 

peculiar  to  nuiiBMr  <Uyi  k  the  platoM  eountiy  of  ttw   of  uBmlity.  All  wbo  listta  a 

Amoricu  South-uMt.    For    proteAicA    frah  the  hot   the  invocUien  of  tbe  (odi 

■unshiiw  the  crowd  has  distributed  itself  About  two  Presently,  when  all  is  right  aod  in 

■idn  of  the  plus  where  adobe  w&lli  cut  a  narrow  lon^  file  of  ornately  bedecked  Indians 
btuid  of  shadow.  The  quietness  so  characteristic  of  the  Iciva.  Up  the  ladder  end  tbenc^  in  a  long  line  down 
laiye  groups  of  Indiana  has  settled  upon  the  audience,  the  steps  to  the  ground  come  some  30  young  men. 
Accentuating  the  drowsy  gtillnese  of  midsummer  noon-  Their  faces  smeared  with  whit«  and  their  blad- 
day.  However,  there  has  been  a  mounting  tension  of  abeaked  chests  proclaim  them  to  b^  spirits  of  the 
expectancy  and  all  eyes  are  focused  upon  tiw  kiva  as  deed.  Around  their  necks  are  countless  strings  of  beads 
the  tom-tom  first  sounds.  and  ornaments  of  silver.  From  the  sashes  of  their  kilt- 

like  skirts  hang  fox  skins  and  other 
Irappingg.  Ti'd  to  ',he  r  elbons  are 
small  >>nn:'hee  of  crert-r>«n.  On 
their  heads  downy  ea^h  featb*f« 
betokea  rain-bearing  cloud  p->Pa. 
These  youtlia  act  as  c'<o\tiis  of  llie 
day  ;  they  caper  about  the  great 
square  for  a  time  enacting  sonio 
pantomime  which  has  cooae  down 
unchanged  from  the  days  wben  pro- 
tection of  the  pueblo  from  maraud- 
ing bands  of  nomadic  Indians  was 
of  paramount  importance.  Finally, 
tliey  take  their  places  in  a  long  line 
before  the  green  shrine. 

Once  more  people  emerse  from 
the  kiva.  This  time  a  column  of 
women  and  girls  move  in  solemn 
dignity  down  the  stepa  from  the 
roof.  They  Uk»  their  placea  beside 
the  line  of  men.  Clad  in  blaek 
garments  bound  with  briglit  nshes 
and  bedecked  with  silver  and 
turquoise  necklaces  and  ornaments, 
they  are  somewlut  leas  etartling 
than  the  men.  Gleaming,  bootlika 
white  moccasins  encase  their  fee^ 
Hie  beat  of  the  drum  continues  for  a  lime  iu  while  on  their  heads  they  wear  in  vertical  podttOD 
measured  rhythm— slow — monotonous.  Then  the  tetnpo  small,  flat  wooden  boards.  These  are  decorated  with 
changes.  Faster  it  grows,  faster,  and  still  faster.  A  roll,  cabalistic  designs  painted  in  bright  colors  and  bear  on 
Hen  it  fatten,  lapsing  once  again  into  its  first  hypnotic  their  three  peaks  tufts  of  eagle  down.  It  was  from 
movement.  Up  the  ladder,  whose  uneven  ends  project  these  flat  wooden  crowns  that  Spanish  explorers  gave 
from  the  kiva's  hatchway  to  stand  in  dramatic  relief  to  the  com  dances  the  name  of  "tablitas"— or 
against  the  blueneas  of  the  sky,  comes  the  drummer    "little  board  dances." 

and  his  drum.  Following  bim  av  six  other  men.  Each  The  chant  become*  more   frensied.  The   tom-tom 

is  clad  in  moccasin?,  trousers,  and  velveteen  blouse  so  beats  more  loudly,  more  insistently.  The  whole  villagr 
prised  by  their  wearers.  The  straight  bobbed  hair  of  is  filled  with  sound,  and  supphoation  to  the  deity 
each  is  bound  with  a  bright  cloth.  Blouses  are  of  begins  in  earnest.  Moving  side  by  aide  the  two  columns 
brilliant  hue:    magenta,  peacock  blue,  orange,  cerise,    begin  to  dancp—now  facing  forward,    now     backward. 


canary,  and  the  green  of  chrysopraae.  Each  blouse 
belted  wiih  a  band  of  hammered  silver  shells. 


and  again  facing  each  other.  Each  dancer  keeps  perfect 

time.  Schooled  in  every  significant  movement  han'^»d 

down    from    generation    to    generation,    they     move 

The  men  of  the  chorus  and     the    drummer  take    exactly,  unhurriedly,  easily.  Stamping,  shuffling,  tum- 

their  place  at  one  side  of  the  shrine  of  boughs.  They    ing,  following  the  everchanging  tempo    of    chant  and 

b^in  a  low,  nasal  chant  which  follows  minutely    the    drum-beat,  they  perform  a    ritual    which     is  stately, 

changing  tempo  of  the  tom-tom.     After    a    time  tbe    dignified,  full  of  symbolism,  and  periect  is  its    own 

Bionotonoua  riae  sad  fall  of  tbj»  sound  and  glare  from    way. 

tie  hard-hated  plama  begia    to   cnate  an  atmosphen  The  w^uAk  cnvmnns  ^  v  tAxan«a  mixbme  of  pepB 


AflftlCULtURAL  MAAKETIKG  IN  WEST  BEMOAL 


ail 


ftBd  Christka  rito.  Devoutly  theae  modeni  IndiBiu 
perfonn  beton  the  ihiise  of  »  Ood  to  whoae  worship 
early  Bomui  Catholic  misnonuies,  the  Fnaaacan 
Fathers,  nominally  had  converted  their  foKbean.  Tba 
rites  themselves  are,  however,  at  pagan  as  tb<ne  which 
were  sacred  to  their  cliff-dwellins  ancestors  centuries 
before  the  coming  of  1J%  Spanish  explorers  and  the 
miesionaiicg.  Thece  can  be  no  doubt  that  the  church 
plays  a  considerable  pant  in  the  life  of  the  pueblo 
villages  of  New  Mexico.  To  what  extent  the  old  gods 
ar«  levered,  however,  no  oae  can  say.  At  any  rate,  th« 
beautiful  and  impressive  dances  of  the  Indians'  pne- 
Chnstian  days  go  on  much  as  before. 

Dunns  the  ceremony  dancers  mo/?  back  and  forth 
in  the  anca  before  the  shrine.  At  length  they  begin 
to  move  almost  imperceptibly  toward  the  shelter  of 
boughs.  Each  phase  of  the  performance  bnnga  them  a 
little  neater.  At  its  very  entrance  the  climu  is 
reacbed.    The    drum  rolls.  The    chorus    chants  mine 


piereingfy  than  b^cwe.  The  dancers  weaw  baok  tad 
forth— intricately    endlrsaly. 

After  the  cieecendo  is  reached,  the  retreat  begins. 
The  procession  moves  back  into  the  holy  precincts  of 
the  kiva.  Down  the  ladder  thiougii  the  puri^ring 
■moke  of  the  ceremonial  fire  disappear  the  women, 
their  crowning  tufte  of  eagle  down  waving  a  last  fare. 
well.  After  them  follow  the  meo  whib  the  chorus  con- 
tinues  the  chant  which  has  not  been  allowed  to  die 
since  the  first  c^ebrant  came  up  iki  ladder  from  the 
sacred  depths. 

When  the  dancers  have  gone  the  drummer  and 
chorus  move  slowly  acroes  the  plaaa  to  the  kiva  top. 
After  the  others  have  vauebed,  the  drummer  stands 
in  brief  gdlbouette  before  he  too  descends  from  sight. 
The  thudding  of  his  tom-tom  becomes  fwKter— softer. 
It  has  ceased  entirdy  before  moat  of  the  audience  is 
awara  that  the  sound  has  stopped.  Tli«  ceremony  is 
over.  A  suppBcStion  has  been  made  ts  <be  tp^-  1^^ 
crops  are  safe.— From  New  Mexico. 


AGRICULTURAL  MARKETING  IN  WEST  BENGAL 

By  JYOTIRMOY  ROY,  mj., 
Beowmic  Setear^  Settum,  Indian     Centnd  Jute  Commiltee 


1^  problem  of  agricultural  development  aitd 
amelioration  of  the  condition  of  the  peasantry  has  no 
doubt  arrested  tbn  attention  of  tiie  Govenunrait  of 
India  but  it  has  been  tackled  from  the  point  of 
agrarian  reforms,  rehei  to  rural  indebtedness  and  the 
introduction  of  better  methods  of  t^tivation  while 
the  sole  assistance  ^ven  to  marketing  was  by  the 
improvement  in  the  means  of  eommunications.  The 
Royal  Ccmmission  on  Agriculture  pointed  out  that 


roaucea     Dy     Ua     agncuiturA     aepartments  is 
,    I  tanto  diininished  if  the  oidtivator     fails     to 
obtain  the  full  premium  justified     by  their  supe- 
riority over  those  ordinarily  grown.  Again,  he  has 
little  incentive  to  market  his  produce  in  the  best 
poEsible  condition  unless  that  condition   is   recog- 
nised in  the  price  he  gets  for  it." 
Three  parties     are     mainly     tntcreated     in     the 
marketing  :   the  grower,  the  middleman  and  tlie  ulti- 
mate consumer.  The  consume     plays     an  important 
part  in  determining  the  volume  and  nature  of  pro- 
duction and  in  fixing  its  price  as  all  production  has 
consumption  for  its  objective  ;  but  the  grower  of  the 
commodity  does  not  realise  this  due  to  his    lack    of 
direct  <touch  with     the     consumer.     Boyle     in     his 
Uarketmg  of  AgricuUmtd  Products,  says : 

"If  the  Iowa  fanner  puto  a  bad  egg  in  the  egg 
ease,  he  does  not  see  the  expression  on  the  face 
of  the  New  York  or  Boston  housewife  when  this 
tiad  wg  is  opened.  Her  retail  groosr  Iwan  hn 
oammmt  in  a»  Me^am," 


Agricultural  production  in  India  is  carried  on 
under  varying  conditions  by  a  large  number  of 
people  each  owning  small  patches  of  land  and     the 


Loading  the  carta  with  bates  of  jute 

entire  <q)eratiDns  are  earned  on  a  very  small  KsJsi 
They  are  busy  over  production  and  have  neither  tho 
time  nor  the  ability  for  studying  thi>  morkeCa  so  aa 
to  have  on  advantageous  aelUng.  Absence  of  credit 
facilities  ii  anothM  t«&diRt.>  ^<k  'fioib  Vunum  >ab£>.  ^  ^ 


Hi 


The  modern  kevJew  for  april,  1955 


emerged  whose  functioa  is  to  assemble  the  sui-plus 
of  .the  individual  culliratora  and  despatch  them  to 
the  bigger  markets  which  act  as  a  reservoir.  Next 
comes  the  process  of  dispersion  whe:i  the  produce  is 
anai^ed  for  supply  to  the  manufacturera  in  ade- 
quate quantities,  or  for  consumption  in  small  Iota  by 
the  concentrated  population  in  the  uib^n  areas. 


On  way  to  the  village 

Agricultural  marketing  has  certain  peculiarities 
of  its  own— the  bulk  of  ithc  produc-j  is  considerable 
in  relation  to  its  value  which  makes  transportation 
and  storage  difficult  and  costly.  The  crop  matures 
duri^  a  short  period  and  -there  >s  a  tremendous  ruab 
in  the  market  immediately  after  the  harvest  which 
depresses  the  pric^  and  puts  abnormal  strain  on  the 
meuns  of  traasport.  Some  perish  tarlier  than  tbe 
others  and  this  also  varies  under  different  physical 
conditions  leaving  its  eticcts  00  the  marketing.  The 
effects  of  weather  on  production  of  agricultural  com- 
modities cannot  be  pre-calculated  ;  favourable  weather 
in  a  particular  year  or  in  several  consecutive  years 
may  bring  greater  yield  for  the  same  acreage  render- 
ing storage  and  transportation  hatardoua  accom- 
panied by   price  depiction. 

The  networks  of  the  Indian  markets  originate 
from  the  village  where  it  is  called  a  hat  or  baiar 
whence  the  commodities  pass  to  the  consumption 
points  through  a  series  of  markets.  Even  though  with 
the  improvement  in  the  means  «f  oommunications 
the  Indian  village  is  being  taken  ouL  of  its  age-old 
isolation  and  linked  with  the  chain  of  bi^er  markets, 
it  cannot  be  said  that  the  road  bi^twc-en  the  producer 
and  the  consumer  is  open  and  direct  and  the  farmers 
have  a  free  and  competitive  market  in  which  to 
dispone  of  their  products.  From  the  village  hal»  we 
pass  on  to  the  secondary  markets  located  in  big 
t^HJagea  or  iowas  which  are  mainJy  busy  in  the 
ooUectioa  of  tbe  products  duriog  harvwt  for  despftteh 


to  bigger  markets  or  mandit,  as  they  are  called  h 
Upper  India.  Competition  does  not  enter  into  tl> 
price  structure  in  these  secondary  markets  and  bott 
tbe  dealer  and  the  seller  are  entirely  dependent  m 
the  price  dictations  from  the  bigger  markets.  Tbe« 
bigger  markets  can  both  be  organised,  e.g.,  Calcutta 
for  jute,  Hapur  for  wheat  trade,  and  unorganised, 
eg.,  Gasiabad  which  is  nl«o  an  important  wheat 
market  in  tbe  U.  P.  Before  1924,  no  market  or  mondi 
was  organised  in  the  modern  sense  of  tbe  term  and 
the  law-courts  often  condemned  their  speculative 
transactions  as  pure  gambling.  Various  non-official 
meamrcB  were,  however,  adopted  to  organise  tbe 
markets   which   were   of   very    little   significance. 

The  regulation  of  the  Indian  markets  dates  with 
the  passage  of  Berar  Cotton  and  Grain  Markets  Act 
in  1S&7  which  aimed  at  the  purging  of  many  abwis 
prevalent  in  the  then  markets.  Tbe  second  step  in 
this  direction  was  the  Bombay  Cotton  Maikieta  Act 
of  1027.  The  comparative  success  obtained  in  ^ 
regulation  of  cotton  markets  in  MJ*.  and  BoadW 
suggested  its  extension  in  Northern  India  for  ngidit- 
ing  the  wheat  markets.  In  Bengal,  no  official  step  hm 
yet  been  taken  to  regulate  the  markets  alt^oo^  ■> 


Grading  of  jute 

certain  towns  they  are  controlled  by  the  vaiiow 
Chambers  of  Commerce.  Dr.  J.  C.  Slnha  pointed  not 
that 

'The     present     marketing     arrangements     (in 

Bengal)    are  chaotic,   antiquated     and     prejudicial 

to  the  interest  of  the  growers." 

The  economic  condition  of  the  jute  growers  can 

never  be  improved  unless  this     state     of     things    b 

improved  and  he  is  assured  of  comcct  weights,  prompt 

pa3rment  and  above  all  a  square  deal.  Very  recentlf. 

the  writer  had  the  opportunity     to     inveetif^te  into 


AGRICULTURAL  MAHKETlNa  IK  WEST  BENGAL 


313 


Pest  Bengal  and  ^ibar.  It  does  sat  requiie  E>'eat 
^severance  to  find  out  tlut  everywhere  the  middle- 
An  predominatea  uid  they  have  quite  mastered  th« 
"t  of  cheating  the  innoceut  growers.  No  two  markets 
iTe  the  same  standard  at  weights  and  even  when 
tey  tally,  the  grower  is  cheated  with  the  help  of 
/er-weighted  and  under-weighled  batkarii.  In  the 
iportant  jute  markets  of  Samai  and  Earishchandra- 
iir  in  the  district  of  Malda  in  West  Bengal,  the 
andard  of  weight  is  lOS  and  101  tolas  per  seer  res- 
:ctive1y.  Here  the  growers  are  paid  at  the  Calcutta 
rice  where  the  standard  of  weight  i«  only  80  toUs. 
rice  quotations  from  Calcutta  are  readily  available 
trough  newspapers  and  radios  and  the  writer  found 
lat  the  growers  being  quite  ignorant  of  this  discre- 


profit  of  the  balers  still  higher.  Such  cases  do  not 
manifest  only  in  case  of  transporting  jute  to  the 
Calcutta  Port.  Id  the  in ter-d  strict  operations  alao 
they  arc  present  due  to  the  divergenco  of  the  standard 
weights  in  different  markets  inside  the  some  district. 
In  the  district  of  West  Dinajpur  (Tfest  Bengal)  I 
visited  four  important  jute  markets— Raigant,  Kalia- 
ganj,  Balui^hat  and  Hili  and  it  is  quite  interesting 
to  note  that  while  the  standard  of  weights  is  ISO 
tola3=:l  seer  for  Raiganj,  128  tolas=l  seer  for  Kalia- 
ganj,  it  is  only  60  tolas  at  Balurghat  and  Hili. 
Another  noticeable  feature  of  the  markets  in  Balur- 
ghat and  Hili  is  Jhat  there  the  seller  ii  quite  conscious 
of  the  difference  between  the  local  and  the  CalcuttA 
weights  and  so  he  does  not  grudge  the  price  dedu(>- 


of  raw  jute 


Micy  in  weights  thank  the  local  merchants  for 
Icring  them  the  Calcutta  rate  alter  which  the 
lerchants  are  supposed  to  bear  the  baling,  tnns- 
irtation,  etc.,  charges  out  of  their  own  pockets.  And 
ren  where  the  srowera  are  conscious,  they  do  not 
ather. 

The  cheating  operations  do  not,  however,  end 
ire.  Wei^iing  is  invariably  done  by  the  merchant 
id  some  of  them  confided  to  me  that  this  is  not 
Fter  all  favourable  to  the  seller.  The  batkaria  used 
re  gener&lly  of  half-a-maund  and  instead  of  a 
amped  one,  a  piece  of  atone  is  used.  In  one  case,  I 
eigbted  this  stone  and  found  that  its  correct  weight 
as  21.3  seers.  In  another  case,  I  found  that  extra 
nc  was  insertrd  at  the  bottom  of  a  stamped  batkari 

I  which  the  seller  was  obviously  ignorant.  In  the 
larkets  in  Bihar  where  no  such  disparity  of  wei^tta 
Qst,  the  above  malpractiee  is  higlily  in  rogue.  At 
'hakurganj  (Bihar)  it  was  found  that  very  few  jute 
alers  are  in  poesenion  of  a  slarapied  batkari.    After 

II  these,  a  moderate  watering  is  done  to  the  Juts 
km  punbued  thsrebr    inoMwiii    the    nufin    ol 


Making  ropes  for  balmg  Jute 

tioQs.  Does  it  not  become  apparent  that  the  mer- 
chants imparted  this  conaciousnen  to  their  own 
benefit  T 

I  am  confident  that  various  other  malpractice 
can  still  b^  discovered  after  proper  enquiry  and 
strongest  posuble  measures  must  be  adopted  for 
iheir  removal.  The  standard  of  weight  also  varies 
commodity-wise.  In  the  districts  of  Jalpaiguri  and 
Cooch-Behar,  while  the  weight  of  80  tolas  is  generally 
observed  ia  case  of  jube,  it  is  98  tolas  for  tobacco.  In 
these  two  districts,  the  ^rstem  of  dadan  is  gaining  its 
Etrongbold  eveiy  day  and  generally  the  cultivator 
taking  dadan  is  compelled  to  bell  bis  products  to  the 
creditor  at  a  discount  of  SO  per  cent  than  the  prevail- 
ing market  rates.  In  case  of  tobacco  leaves  another 
device  is  adopted  to  avoid  the  payment  of  the  just 
price.  Tobacn>  is  brought  for  nle  t^n^i^I^T  in  tlu 
months  of  Cba'tra  and  Baisakb  (April-May)  when 
hail-stOTm  l:^  the  evening  is  a  regular  phenomenon. 
The  grower  coming  from  villages  with  a  cart-load  of 
leaves  is  made  to  wait  the  whole  day  under  various 
pntexts  ud  wb«B  tlw  rain  ia  about    to    come,    U) 


314 


f'mE  5ilcmERK  REVIEW  FOR  APRtt,l653 


abBormully  low  price  »  oSencd  leaving  the  coltivatot 
the  only  alternative  of  taking  hia  merchandise  back. 
The  delicate  leaves  cannot  even  meet  the  ierkinga 
raui^  on  the  uneven  village  roads  while  on  cart  and  a 
idiower  is  sure  to  bring  total  loea.  The  grower  in 
obliged  to  accept  whatever  price  may  be  offered  !  Th« 
writer  was  an  eye-witne*B  lo  some  auch  ocDurrencei 
while  the  romplaint  was  recorded  from  a  Utgi 
number  of  fannerB. 


lentiul  iiem  before  grading  of  Jute 


The  system  of  agricdtural  marketing  in  India  >■ 
saddled  with  a  long  chain  of  middlemen  Alid  the 
remuneration  lliey  charge  for  their  eervioea  increaBea 
the  biurdcn  of  the  consumer  while  'he  pFoducein  in 

general  live  below  the  subsistence  level.  The  utility 
of  the  achool-  of  niiddlemaoship  cannot  b©  ignorcy 
when  Wf  i:iki  info  consideration  the  lack  of  orgB^- 
nisalioii  ot  our  farmers  and  Iheir  economic  weakneaa. 
Marketing  <>(  foodtsiains  is  mainly  done  through 
governmental  agineics  and  as  such  there- ii  very  little 
Bcope  for  llie  well-to-do  middleman  U,  operate  in  this 
sphere  though  the  smaller  ones  are  not  totally  absent. 
Four  typrs  of  middlemen  we  now  <ncounter  in  the 
sgricultuml  commodity  markets:  1.  Faria,  2.  Bepari, 
3.  Aratdar  and  ,4.  Tiller.  It  dops  not  require  much 
imagination  to  recount  all  the  abuses  and  the 
iniquifies  ot  (hi"  system,  many  of  them  are  real  and 
dMand  r^foi-m  Hut  .=ome  of  them  arises  out  of  the 
chaotic  "into  or  ..markt-ting  and  lack  of  any 
organisation. 

In  thf  trade  of  jute  and  tobacco  in  thp  State  of 
West  Bnieol.  the  larias  roam  from  village- to  village, 
collect  the.  mirphi!!  and  hand  it  over  to  the  b  pan 
who  is  h's  immrdiato  ™perior.  Farias  are  generally 
pud  a  commt^ion  .by  the  Beparis  btt  it  is  not  rare 
that  a  Faria  is  doing  independent  business  of  his  own 
tbiia,  hearing  .ni\  th»  risk.".  The  use  of  false,  weight 
an^  chfAting  in   tb,?..Broce8S.   qi ,_  weiring  >  Me-,  _toa 


common  with  Uie  Farias,  Adulteration'  ut&er  ig 
damping  the  produce  or  mixing  it  up  wil^  Uitt  <t 
inferior  varietiea  is  mainly  done  by  the  midd' 
and  thin  increases  with  the  rise  in  pricea  Utd  f*U  ■■ 
supply.  Indian  Cotton  Committee  has  pointed  oat 
that  this  type  of  malpractices  ia  nunpant  in  te 
ginning  factories.  From  his  personal  experienoe  tbe 
writer  can  well  assert  that  the  balen  of  jute  in  thi« 
part  of  the  country  are  in  no  way  lagtpog  behiod 
their  counterparts  in  Bombay  and  M.P.  In  the  dis- 
trict of  Jaliaiguri  tor  every  100  mds.  sold,  the  groww 
is  to  part  with  extra  6  mds.  of  jute  which  is  coo- 
monly  known  as  dalta.  In  the  district  of  MaU* 
niud  West  Dinajpur,  though  no  extra  quantity  ia  tfr 
be  paid,  how  the  growers  are  being  deceived  his 
been  point'cd  out  earlier.  Another  characteristic  of 
these  markets  that  deserves  mention  ben  k  that 
though  grading  is  prastiaed  in  almost  al!  ibc  b^liQ: 
oentres,  the  growers  do  not  gv't  any  premium  for 
superior  quality  thus  killing  the  impetus  for  growing 
better  variety  of  crops.  In  sotoo  placea,  there  ia  nc 
difference  in  pri(^  between  the  capsularis  and  olitoriu: 
variety  of  jute  and  even  whtre  it  exieisi,  the  prre 
paid  for  olitorius  variety  of  jui«  does  not  juatify  the 
extra  care  required  in  iU  graving. 

In  the  secondary  stage  of  marketmg,  the  Aratdai 
or  Baler  plays  a  leading  part  in  moving  the  produ(« 
nearer  to  the  exporting  or  -consuming  pOint  vul 
keeping  the  market  steady  by  arranging  for  stoia^* 
and  gradual  adjustment  of  supply  to  demand.  In  t^ 
first  Marketing  Report  published  by  the  IndaB 
Central  Jute  Committee,  the  predominajiPe  of  \W' 
Aratdars  as  a  separate  group  n-is  slreseed  but  with 
the  gap  of  (welve  years  since  the  iiubliralion  of  the 
above  report,  Aratdare  as  a  cbffl  have  almost  be«> 
eliminated  and  their  contribution  to  the  pr««»t 
chiin  of  middlemen  in  the  malting  of  jute  i) 
not  worth  mention.  The  balers  in  the  mofusBil  mi*- 
ket«  are  ot  kacha  type  and  their  bales  are  to  be  i»- 
baled  with  hydraulic  presses  at  the  exporting  oentn 
when  they  are  called  pucca  bales.  Th^  we^ti  ~4 
kacha  bales  vary  from  II  rods,  to  3>  mds.  while  ^ 
standard  weight  of  a  ptuxa  bale  is  5  mds. 

In  th«  trade  of  tobacco,  there  is  a  tendency  foi' 
the  more  prosperous  ryots  to  buy  up  the  prodnet 
from  the  poorer  ones  and  start  as  ii  middleman.  In 
the  Dinhatta  Subdivision  of  the  district  ■  of  Oooek- 
Bfhar,  I  found  that  a  single  ryot  has  purchased  tbs 
entire  crop  of  his  own  i-illage.  In  Nowgaon  (.AsMm), 
tho  Pradhans  or  Sarkars  (headmen)  of  the  villagv' 
exercise  great  power  over  the  smaller  peaanta  anf 
i-ttte  and  paddy  in  this  region  have  to  be  ma^etri 
througlh'  them  often  at  rates  not  favourable  to  the 
sellers.  - 

In  the  marketing  of  fruits— mango ee  in  the  £^ 
trict  of  Maldah  Bnd  West  Dinajpur  and  ormgcs  ^■ 
the  district  of  Jalpai^ri  and  Darieeline--thff:  OO^ 
.  TfitflL  tCM^fte  Vft.^A  T«^  <»k.\  4&«  ^i^lelo:  plittrttoft'irtW 


AGEJCULTKRALVMARKETING'  IN  WEST  BENGAL 


315 


-M  UDSEtnuH  io  the  Bepftri,  the  rsle  bufig  fixed  on  ad 
^^estimate  of  probable  yield,  the  nature  of  demeiid  and 
.  transport  facilities.  The  prices  are  payable  in  fuU 
;bofore  occupation  or  by  inetalmenta,  one-half  at  the 
,  time  of  figDing  the  contract  and  tha  balance  when 
.the  crop  is  harvested.  An  instance  may  be  cited  here 
'  to  -show  the  mar^  of  profit  of  the  middleman  in 
^he  trade  of  fruit.  In  the  village  of  Paharpur  under 
Kharba  PS.  (Maldah  dist.)  a  petty  cuMivator  wU 
'  out  his  total  plantation  oonsistinx  of  8  mango  trees 
for  Rs.  80  only  white  they  were  in  blossoms  to  a 
-Bepari  who  in  his  iturn  marketed  t!^  matured  fniita 
-1:0  a  merchant  at  Samsi  (a  distance  of  about  12  miles) 
for  Ra.  240  ooJy.  The  calculation  is  based  on  Kiie 
presumption  that  an  averajfe  plant  bears  1,000  healthy 


Oa  way  to  the  baling  centre     .    . 

fruitB  that  were  sold  at  Rs.  3  per  100.  This  merchant 
at  Samsi  exported  the  entire  proceeds  t^  Calcutta 
Where  those  mangoes  were  diapofed.  of  by  tbe  retaA 
dealers  at  *h.e  rate  of  5  to  6  fruits  per  rupee.  'Jiuia 
eren  allowing  50  per  cent  wastago  (an  abnormal 
figure),  the  aame  quantity  of  fruits  fetched  Ra.  800 
from  their  retail  buyers.  The  coat  on  account  of  rail- 
way frcigbrt  and  packiog  may  as  well  be  deducted 
from  the  above  sum  and  the  actual  profit  by  these 
intermediate  agencies  be  better  contemplated  tba^ 
described. 

The  districts  mentioned  above  provide  ample 
scope  for  starting  fruit^preserving  factories  in  which 
ease  the  growers  may  expect  a  better  price  beddea 
providing  occupation  to  a  good  number  of  pnsona. 
Situation  as  it  is,  the  grower  is  obliged  to  accept 
whatever  price  ia  arailable  due  'to  the  peculiar 
tendency  of  these  frttitc;  of  being  rotten  in  no  time^ 
If  properly  organised,  the  Hinudayan  slf^pes  as  well  aa 
Che  Oangetio  plains  offer  ample  opportunity '  for 
groitring  fruits  on  a  commercial  scale.  If  proper 
nailutiiig  .aTTangemeata  xfu  .be  .made,  :tha  jecominia 


condition  of  the  growers  will'  also     improve     in'    no 
mean  measure. 

The  question  of  marketing  finance  is  also  of 
gicat  importance.  It  is  a  known  faot  that  due  to  their 
prPcarlous  economic  condidons,  the  farmer  cannot 
4iold  on  his  produce  and  is  compelled  to  dispose  of 
the  entire  production  immediately  or  soon  after  ttie 
harvest  at  a  comparatively  low  price.  The  introduc- 
t-on"of  the  debt  settlement  measures  has  removed 
the  iwurce  of  getting  money  (however  defective  it 
might  be)  and  notliing  has  as  yi^t  been  done  to  fill  up 
the  vacuum.  The  connection  between  financing  and 
markPting  is  very  close  in  this  part  of  the  country  -aa 
every  intermediary  in  a  smaller  or  greater  degree  is 
also  a  financing  agency  ;   hence  the     advanoes  given 


by  the  Bepari  or  Paikar  to  the  grower  to  secure  tLe 
latter'a  crop  is  very  important.  As  a  result  of  my 
investigations  in  the  village  of  'Belakoba  and  adjoin- 
ing areas  (Jalpaiguri  district)  I  foun.I  that  out  of  tt 
farmers  receiving  loan  or  dadan.  at  the  time  of  sow- 
ing,  41  had  nothing  left  with  theo  after  the  harvest 
and  of  the  remaining  five,  the  balance  after  the  repay- 
ment of  the  loana  did  not  even  come  up  to  20 
per  cent  of  the  total  harveated  figures  However,  ^e 
popular  notion  that  because  'the  fanner  has  taken 
loan  from  the  merchaat  or  Bepari,  he  ia  completely 
under  his  control  and  has  to  accept  any  prices  offered 
by  him  b  not  borne  out  by  facts.  This  might  have 
been  a  fact  in  olden  days  but  at  the  present  jimcture, 
I  have  found  everywhere  that  the  ■cultivator  ia  quite 
capable  of  aasertmg  his  rights.  In  undeveloped 
nef^ons  having  no  adequsle  means  of  communications, 
the  -grower  is,  no  doubt,  at  a  disadvantage  in  selling 
to  the  village  merchant  or  Bepari  but  this  is  so,  not 
merely  becaioK  ttie  \i>sj^  '■»  »i»o  *■  ';'"Sk**w. 


316 


THE  MODERN  REVIEW  FOR  APRIt.  1053 


not  padee  of  middleman  the  remai]entio&  ehsrged 
by  them  seems  to  be  excesive  in  view  of  tha  rides 
they  have  to  undertake  and  the  absence  of  any  019- 
nisat-OD  in  the  marketing  buainees.  The  rate  of 
interest  in  certain  localities  is  as  high  as  30  per  cent 
while  10  to  15  per  c«ut  is  the  s^oeral  rule.  Boyle  haa 
very  well  remarked  that 

"Credit   for  agricultural   marketing  has     b(«n 
and  still  is  largely  a  question  of    credit  f'^     the 

With  the  forging  of  new  links  U.  the  chain  of 
distributing  services,  new  methods  of  manufactui« 
and  supply  of  credit  have  been  developed  in  other 
countriee.  In  the  U.S.A.,  the  cotton  dealer  geta 
financial  aid  on  his  promissory  notes,  warebouae 
receipt,  compress  receipt,  bill  of  lading,  banker's 
acceptances  and    trade  acceptances. 


Until  all  the  units  in  our  marketing  system  are 
Organieed  it  is,  of  course,  not  posible  lo  expect  to 
secure  all  the  facilities  of  finance  as  «iumeTttted 
earlier  but  nobody  will  dispute  that  immediate 
attention  should  be  paid  to  the  matter.  Dr.  P.  J. 
Thomas  in  his  minute  of  diraent  on  the  recommenda- 
tion of  the  Banking  Enquiry  Committee  has  pointed 
out  that 

The  present  syetem    of  financing     marketing 
operations  must  be  replaced  by  thort-term  credits 
which  will  keep  money  more  mobile,  bring  down 
the  rate  of  inbresb  and  enable  the  owner  of  the 
produce  to  market  at  the     most    auspicious  Ume 
and    the    higbe:^   available   prices.     Tb:s     is     only 
possible  by  the  creation  and  discounting  of  nego- 
tiable paper  at  every  stage  of  the  transaction." 
Another  difficulty  presents  iteelf  in  tha  shape  of 
absence  of  any  standard  or  grade  in  the  agricultural 
produce  of  our  country.     The     cultivator     does  not 
td:}  his  produce  not  because  be  is  uaawan  of  its 


benefits  but  beeanse  he  is  not  paid  wriBowaHy  to 
the  extra  trouble  involved.  There  are  no  maAeti  S 
which  a  good  grade  is  in  demand.  The  advantages  to 
be  obtained  from  grading  can  hardly  be  exaggaalsd. 
It  enables  bim  to  dispose  of  the  inferior  quattiea  i& 
the  tool  markets  and  deapalch  the  Bipericr  eeaaff 
ments  to  the  exact  places  where  they  are  in  demud 
and  thus  the  cost  of  distribution  can  b^  ledoeed. 
Besides  reducing  tbe  cost  of  storage  in  the  aetnd 
process  of  marketing,  the  neoessity  for  peranal 
inspection  of  each  consfgnmmt  is  to  a  large  eztcst 
avoided  and  unseemly  wrangles  and  aibitralinii 
caiised  by  the  claims  for  allowances  due  to  variattom 
from  samples  of  exported  commodities  are  totsllr 
eliminated. 

Indian  Cotton  IVansport  Act  of  igos  and  ttc 
Cotton  G'nning  and  Pressing  Factonea  Act  of  VIS 
have  improved  the  condition  of  the  "*v*«t''?g  of 
cotton  in  India  and  the  Indian  Central  Cotton  Com- 
mittee has  supplied  specimen  bates  of  pure  cotton 
grown  in  the  Punjab  to  be  kept  for  inqvecticni ,  ud 
comparison  both  by  the  buyers  and  the  sellen  U  tbc 
Cotton  Exchanges  maintained  by  the  Xin^pool, 
Manchester  and  East  India  Cotton  AnDciatioDft 
As  r^atds  jnte: 

The  present  form  and  mcthoda,  of  grad'ig 
and  marketing  are  in  a  hopclt?^  muddle.  The 
grower  does  not  know  these  and  the  grading  v 
done  by  tie  buyers  and  tlie  exporting  HgencJM 
who  have  branches  in  llic  oiillaving  Blations,"— 
(Bengal  Jute  CommiWet's  finding").  i 

As  a  matter  fact,  the  actual  grading  is  pe^ 
formed  hy  the  sorters  or  fochandara  who  are  employed 
on  a  fixed  remunenttkm  and  as  they  bave  no  aeienl^ 
fie  training'they  carry  on  their  work  on  a  rou^  and 
ready  knowledge  of  the  fibre.  The  principle  of  pal- 
ing, if  any,  is  maintained  as  a  trade  secret  and  tla 
growers  receive  no  benefit  from  grading  as  they  sn 
paid  at  a  flat  rate.  The  Indian  Chamber  of  Commertc 
was  tile  first  to  demand  governmental  intervention  i> 
the  fixation  of  standard  of  jute  whicb  was  as  enrly  m 
1928.  The  Central  Banking  Enquiry  Committee  «m 
obl'ged  to  recommend  that  "the  Local  Govemmtst 
concerned  should  take  prompt  steps  for  the  fixatioa 
of  a  proper  rtaodard  for  jute."  Otb^  aectiona  of  (he 
trade  including  the  Bengal  National  Chamber  it 
Commerce  voiced  the     same     demand     vitli  no  ktf 

The  present  accepted  grades  of  jnte  are  :  To|i^ 
Middle,  Bottom  and  X-Bottom.  Whatever  vaj  ht 
the  case  at  the  export'ng  point,  this  standardiBtiDi 
has  a  tremendoos  elast'city  in  the  mofosnl  maikA 
When  the  demand  is  high  "Middle'  is  often  daased  ■ 
Top  and  so  on.  Severee  is  the  cue  wten  »  hues  stod 
is  aorumnlated  with  the  balera. 

In  the  marketing  of  rice,  thei«  i*  a  ron^  ni 
reedy  gradation  into  fine,  medium  and  toum  M 
there  is  no  uniformity  ii 


AGRICULTURAL  MARKETING  IN  WEST  BENGAL 


317 


bom  difrerent  plkcw.  In  case  of  fruits  uxl  vegstablM^ 
&  Tougb  QlaEsification  of  the  articled  is  made  before 
packing,  tt  ia  usual  to  remove  the  fruite  which  are 
unfit  for  marketing  and  'then  to  pack  the  container 
with  fruits  of  inferior  quality  at  the  bottom,  medium 
quality  in  the  middle  and  a  few  layer  of  the  beet 
variety  at  the  top.  This  can  hardly  be  termed  (ts 
Crading  and  is  better  to  designate  it  as  "topping." 

The  introduction  of  the  ca-operative  principles 
within  the  jurisdiction  of  marketing  with  a  view  to 
eolve  some  of  its  difficulties  has  met  with  a  conaidar- 
able  measure  of  success  in  the  Western  countries  and 
it  unfolds  a  new  avenue  of  approach  towards  the 
identical  problems  in  India.  Before  considering  the 
scope  of  co-operative  marketing  in  our  country,  it 
wiU  not  be  out  of  place  to  make  a  rapid  survey  of 
the  co-opemlive  marketing  -  in  Europe.  The  most 
advanced  country  in  this  respect  is  Denmark  and  she 
has  not  only  succe^fully  remodelled  her  agricultural 
economy  on  co-operative  basis  but  with  State-aid 
she  has  built  her  marketing  organisation  with  the 
fuain  purpose  of  capturing  the  foreign  markets. 

"Credit  societies  exist  no  doubt  but  sale  and 
supply    societies    predominate.     Primary     societies 
are  grouped  into   oommodify     asfociationa     which 
are  in  their  turn  federated  into  the  Central  Co- 
operative   Council.   These    commodity    associations 
have  no  shar^  capital  but  are  on  the  principle  of 
unlimited    liability.     Every   member   has   to  enter 
Into  a  contract  for  marketing  his  entire   produce 
through  the  association  for  a     fairly     long  period 
and   the  produce     ia     pooled     before     marketing. 
Grading  and  testing  of  the  produce  is  performed 
with  great  care     and     this     accounts     for     ready 
demand   which    the   Danish    co-operative     produce 
meets  with  in  the  foreign  market." 
The  value  of     international  contact     to  the     co- 
operative movement  is  well-illustrated  in  the     deve- 
lopment of  the  wheat  pools  in  Canada.  Agricultural 
prosperity  in  the  U.S.A.   is  linked  with  co-operative 
marketit^  in  no  mean  measure. 

"The  history  of  Co-operative  'Marketing  in 
India  is  literally  strewn  with  the  wreckages  of  past 
attempts  and  it  ia  a  record  of  faulty  organisation, 
ignorance  of  business  knowledge  and  general  in- 
OTciency  which  converted  in  many  instances 
seeming  success  into  hopeless  failures  and  pUt  a 
brake  on  enthusiasm  and  progress.  In  the  midst 
of  these  failures  and  general  stagnation,  a  few 
bright  patches  deserve  attention,  e.e.,  the  Cotton 
Bale  Societies  in  Bombay  and  Madras  and  the 
Commiasion  shops  in  the  Punjab  while  the  failure 
of  the  first  large-scale  attempt  to  market  jute  co- 
operatively in  Bengal  (pre-partition)  has  a  great 
leMon  for  the  futuK." 


Various  causes  may  be  held  responsible  f<v  Um 
failure  of  the  co-operative  movements  in  India  but 
the  most  important  of  them  is  the  fact  that  instead 
of  making  the  cultivators  conscious  of  its  ben^ts  ao 
as  to  encourage  their  active  participation  in  it* 
formation,  co-operation  has  been  thrust  upon  them 
from  abovo.  As  a  result  the  farmer  had  very  little 
faith  in  the  oi^nisation  and  so  naturally  he  preferred 


A  scene  in  a  village  hat  (vegetable  market) 

outright  purchase  by  the  society  and  was  not  agree- 
able to  receive  payment  in  instalments.  This 
accounted  for  the  tremendous  failure  in  co-operative 
marketing  in  jute  In  pre-partitioned  Bengal.  IIm 
society  was  compelled  to  make  outright  purchase  <^ 
the  produce  from  the  membera  and  thus  to  shoulder 
all  the  riska  from  the  time  of  purcnase  right  up  to 
the  sale.  The  funds  of  the  society  were  blocked  in 
raw  jute  and  when  the  prices  went  down  it  was  con- 
fronted with  a  huge  loss.  In  his  remarks  before  the 
Central  Banking  Enquiry  Commission,  Mr.  A.  P. 
MacDougall  has  rightly  pointed  out  that 


'^o-operatJve  marketing  is  not  worth  doing 
if  existing  niethi>ds  cannot  oe  improved  on.  If  it 
is  to  be  of  any  real  assistance  to  the  producers  in 
India  then  the  whole  problem  must  be  tackled  on 
entirely  different  lines.  The  co-operative  mov^ 
ment  throughout  India  has  no  clear  line  of 
advance.  It  is  uncertain  as  to  its  future  procedure 
with  re^rd  to  marketing  because  it  hag  no  clear 
understanding  of  the  goal  aimed  at;  there  is  only 
one — clearing  the  line  of  surplus  goods." 


no 


lUm^OD  C^  PASt^SURI SING  MILK 


r/: 


Fi. 


»s 


Bt  Db.  J.  8IBCIA&, 
Boss  Institute,  ViUcutta 


.%-» 


.\ 


'^!riii  irfbderh  methods  of  pasteurwation    of    milk    as 
■^     'pttiptical  in  temperate  climates    we    unsuited  for    a 
"Iropical  country  like  ours  where  the  temperature  rises 
.to  110*F  in  certain  seasons. 

"^  It  is  specially  so  in  a  place  like  Calcutta  where 
milk  is  produced  in  small  quantities  over  a  vast  area 
end  brought  to  Calcutta  by  private  or  public  transport. 
The  reasons  are  as  follows  : 

(1)    A  modem     pasteurising     plant     capable     of 

handling  100  6t  1000  mds.  of  milk  daily  is  a 

huge  affair  and  is  very  costly. 
^2)     It  has  to  be  establiabEd  in    a  central  place, 

where  milk  collected  from  a  wide  area  has  to 

be  brought  for  pasteurisation. 
A  period  of  time,  which  is  variable,  is  spent  in 
collecting  milk  from  different  areas  and  bringing  it  to 
the  central  pkmt.  Durmg  this  period  the  bacteria  in 
the  inilk  multiply  very  rapidly  as  ths  conditions  are 
optimum — such  as  unclean  vesi^ls,  insanitary  methods 
of  milking,  warmth  of  the  udder  milk  where  it  gets 
contaminated  by  the  milker,  the  warm  morning  or 
evening  temperature — all  favouring  the  rapid  multi- 
plication of  bacteria.  A  bacterium  dividing  into  *wo 
every  half  an  hour  produces  a  progeny  of  281,  476^  587, 
353,  886*  members  by  the  end  of  one  day.  In  this 
condition--«nd  the  bacteria  multiplying  continuously — 
the  milk  is  carried  in  open  cans,  over  long  distances, 
.taking  hours  in  some  caaes,  to  its  destination  either  to 
:the  consumer  or  to  the  pasteurising  plant.  In  >the 
pasteurising  plants,  the  milk  after  treatmient  may  be 
stored  in  refrigerated  room  in  bottles  or  other  contain- 
jers,  till  such  time  it  is  transported  to  the  consumer, 
through  the  heat  of  the  day  in  ordinary  vans,  where 
the  milk  gets  reheated  and  bacterium  starts  multiplying 
Again.  Then  it  awaits  distribution  in  centres  allowing 
iurther  multiplication,  thus  spoiling  all  the  effects  of 
pasteurisation.  By  the  time  the  milk  reaches  the 
customer— he  gets  a  very  good  "emulsion  of  dead  and 
living  bacteria  in  milk." 

To  obviate  these  practical  difficulties,     I  propose 

JLhe  e8t4J3lishment  of    small     pasteurising    plants,    in 

t5entres  where    there    is    good     communication    with 

Calcutta  or  any  consuming  area,  and  a  decent  quantity 

of  milk,  say    25  mds.,  could  be  collected  in  a  very 

Ishort  period  of  time.  By  short  period,     I  mean    not 

more  than  45  minutes  or  an  hour.    On    reaching  (the 

^lant,  where  everything  wiD  be  kept  ready,  the  milk 

wiH  be  immediately  pasteurised     in    specially  seisiled 

cans  within  half  an  hour,  and  chilled  to  lO^'C.    The 

chilled  milk  in  cans  will  be  kept  in  ice  cold  water  (till 

it  is  ready  for  transportation  to  t^e  consuming  centre 

in  ordinary  vans  fitted  with  a  more  or  leas  insulafted 

chamber.  During  transport,  the  cans  will  be    sprayed 

rr/tJi  circuJating  ice  water  from  a  small  tank  carried  in 

tAe  van,  '     '  '.    \'.^\^.\ 


At  (the  distribution  centresj  tho  milk  will  i^ 
'directly  transferred  te  the  consumers'  v^nd^, 
thus  avoiding  the  necessary  nuisance  of  imper£ect)y 
cleaned  and  insecurely  sealed  milk  bottles. 

All  this  could  be  achieved  by  tibe  use  of  a  specially 
devised  milk  can  and  a  very  simply  and  cheap 
pasteurising  plant  as  described  below. 

Dbbcbiftion  or  thb  Can 

The  main  feature  of  this  method  of  pasteurisation 
is  the  special  can.  It  consists  of  a  cylinder  made  pre- 
ferably of  copper  for  it  conducts  heat  very  rapidly  but 
could  also  be  made  of  brass  or  galvanised  iron.  Its  sise 
should  be  about  39  inches  long  and  7  inches  internal 
diameter.  The  two  ends  of  the  cylinder  are  strengthened 
by  two  rings  of  brass  or  copper  about  i  inch  thick  and 
i  inch  deep.  The  ends  are  closed  by  two  metal  plates 
about  9  inches  in  diameter  and  three^eighth  inch  thick. 
In  these  plates  there  are  two  circular  grooves  to  tajke 
the  lends  of  the  cylinder.  At  the  bottom  of  the.groovtes 
there  is  a  rubber  gasket  of  suiteble  thickness  in  £ach 
plate«  t 

Outside  the  groove,  at  120  deg.  distance  there*  are 
three  five-eighth  inch  holes  in  each  plate. . ,  Three 
hiCTagon  headed  bolts — h  inch  thick,  3  ft.  3  ins.  long, 
screwed  at  one  end,  pass  through  these  holes.  By 
means  of  flynute  the  two  lids  could  be  clamped  on  to 
thie  cylinder,  producing  a  perfectly  air  and  water-tight 
conteiner.  The  hexagon  heads  of  the  bolts  are  provided 
with  suiteble  pins  which  engage  in  holes  in  the  bottom 
plate,  te  prevent  rotation.  The  fty  nuts  have  boles 
drilled  in  their  wings. 

Of  the  two  places  one  is  for  the  top  and  the  other 
one  is  for  the  bottom.  The  top  plate  has  a  hole  in  the 
centre,  threaded  for  a  }  inch  gas  plug.  The  plug  iak 
a  hexagon  head  €md  a  shoulder  projecting  i  inch 
beyond  marg^  of  the  hole.  Holes  passing  through,  tiie 
opposing  faces  and  the  centre  are  drilled  in  the 
hexagon  head  of  the  plug.  The  can  aa  described  is  the 
ideal  can  as  it  could  be  cleaned  very  quickly  and  y&y 
•thoroughly. 

But  another  variety  of  cans  could  be  used  in  ^diich 
the  bottom  is  permanently  closed.  These  will  be 
chieaper  to  construct,  but  will  be  more  difficult  to  clean. 
The  top  plate  will  be  the  same  as  described  and  wiU 
1>e  clamped  on  to  the  cylinder  by  mefins  of  three  rods 
permanently  fixed  to  the  can. 

Besides  the  above,  there  is  a  float.  This  is  the 
most  important  item  of  the  whole  assembly.  The  float 
is  about  4  inches  long  and  one-eighth  inch  less  m 
diameter  than  the  inside  of  the  cylinder.  The  float  is 
air  and  water  tight. 

The  cylindier  is  stood  on  the  bottom  plate  (with 
t\ie  t\3&A>et  tSBJ^L^^^  ^(2cficQ>ai^  \^^  VOifiA  ^\  ^Vas^Vl  tiie  todi 


A  NEW  METHOD  OF  PASTEURISING  MILK 


iSfd 


^re  passed.  The  float  is  dropped  in  the  cylinder  and 
the  top  plate  is  put  on  with  the  R.  G.  in  place 
allowing  the  rods  to  pass  through  the  holes  in  it.  Thie 
whole  0£sembly  is  clamped  on  by  means  of  the  thre^ 
fly  nuta. 

The  hexagon  plug  with  a  rubber  gasket  on  its 
shoulder  is  screwed  in.  This  completes  the  cylinder  or 
can.  Galvanized  wire  is  run  through  the  wings  of  the 
flynuts  and  the  hexagonal  head  and  the  ends  are 
sealed  with  a  lead  seal.  All  the  surfad^s  of  the  cylinder 
cover  and  float,  that  come-  in  contact  with  milk  are 
h-eavily  tinned  with  pure  tin  and  the  other  surfaces 
and  articles  could  b^  galvanised. 

After  assembly  of  the  thoroughly  washed  and 
cleaped  components  of  the  cylinder,  but  before  plug- 
ging live  steam  is  introduced  to  the  bottom  of  the 
cylinder  by  a  pipe  of  suitable  sixe,  and  the  inside  is 
thoroughly  scalded.  After  scalding  the  plug  with  rubber 
gasket  is  put  on  tightly  and  the  can  is  sealed  in  the 
way  prevouisly  described. 

All  these  operations  should  take  place  in  a  central 
place  with  copious  water  and  live  steam. 

AonoN  OP  THB  Ctundbb 

At  the  pasteurising  plant,  the  cylinder  (th^  above 
dimension  will  hold  about  4  gallons  or  20  aeern  .  of 
milk)  is  filled  through  the  fiillng  plug  with  clean, 
strained,  fresh  milk,  as  quickly  after  milking  as  possible. 
The  plug  is  replaced  and  sealed  (with  a  special,  seal 
for  each  plant). 

Now  if  the  cylinder  is  stood  in  a  can  of  water  at 
TC'C  very  little  heat  will  pass  to  the  inside  of  the 
can.  The  float  is  now  resting  on  the  top  of  the  milk. 
If  the  can  is  n6w  inverted  in  the  hot  water,  the  float) 
which  goes  to  the  bottom  will  try  to  rise  slowly  ^to 
the:  top,  sending  the  milk  below  it.  The  milk  can  pass 
to  the  bottom  of  the  float  through  the  annular  space 
between  the  outside  diameter  of  the  float  and  tbe 
inside  diameter  of  the  cylinder.  This  is  only  8mnl 
(one-eighth  inch).  If  the  float  rises  axially  a  film  of 
milk  only  1.5  mm  comes  in  contact  with  the  wall  of 
the  cylinder  which  is  at  70'C.  Thus  by  inverting  the 
cylinder  several  times  every  particle  ot  the  milk  'comes 
in  contact  of  a  surface  of  70  deg.  and  thus  the  tem- 
peiature  of  the  whole  quantity  of  milk  is  raised  to 
that  temperature.  (In  actual  practice  H  has  been  found 
that  the  temperature  is  2  deg.  C  below  the  surrounding 
teniperature) .  According  to  the  choice  of  the  Operator, 
the  milk  is  kept  in  that  temperature  for  the  necessary 
period  of  time,  and  then  the  can  is  chilled  by  m^ans 
of  ice  cold  water,  in  the  same  way  it  was  heated. 

The  xhilled  milk  is  kept  in  ice-water  till  the  time 
of  transportation  to  the  distributing  centres.  On  aniral 
at  tbe-  distribution  centre  the  milk  is  transferred 
directly  from  the  cans  to  the  consumers'  receptacles, 
or  if  house  to  hoiise  distribution  is  indicated,  this 
should  be  done,  before  the  mi|k  is  wanned  again  by 
the  surrounding  temperature.  '      ^ 


Fastbitrisatioi^ 
A  rectangular  metal  box  about  six  ft.  l<mg,  3  ft. 
3  ins.  high  and  3  ft.  wide  will  hold  about  32  cans  of 
the  size  mentioned  above  (16  mds.  of  milk).  The  box 
has  a  watertight  lid  and  is  mounted  on  tumions  which 
are  hollow.  If  the  milk-filled  cans  are  stood  in  this 
box,  and  water  at  the  necessary  temperature  is 
circulated  through  the  box  which  could  be  turned  on 
the  tumions,  the  pasteurisation  is  a<Aieved  very 
quickly.  The  time  taken  by  the  float  to  reach  the  top 
is  noted,  and  as  soon  as  the  float  reaches  the  top,  the 
box  is  turned  upside  down.  This  is  repeated  conti- 
nuously as  long  as  it  is  necessary  to  pasteurise  the 
milk.  As  the  centre  of  gravity  of  the  whole  system  is 
not  shifted,  the  power  required  to  turn  the  box  is  very 
little  and  could  be  done  manually  by  means  of  geai 
wheels. 

After  heating  the  milk  to  the  requisite  tem 
perature,  ordinary  water  from  a  well  or  a  tank  if 
circulated  through  the  box  bringing  down  the  tem- 
perature of  the  milk  to  say  30  deg.  C  (ordinary 
summer  temperature).  Then  iced  water  at  0  deg.  C  is 
passed  through  the  system  to  chill  the  milk  in  the  canb 
to  a  temperature  of  10  deg.  C — a  drop  of  20  deg.  C» 

Same  weight  of  jce  will  bring  down  the  tem* 
perature  of  boiling  water  to  10.6  deg.  C — a  drop  ot 
nearly  90  deg.  C.  To  cool  the  milk  through  20  deg.  C 

20        2 
the  quantity  of  ice  necessary  will   be  —  =  —  of  16 

90        9 
mds. — the  actual  quantitj'  of  milk  in  the  cans. 

Checking  :  It  may  so  happ^i  that  the  milk  is  noi 
properly  parteurised  in  one  of  the  collecting  centres 
and  sent  on  to  the  distribution  in  that  condition. 
Whether  the  temperature  of  the  milk  was  raised  to 
the  proper  height  or  not  could  be  ^checked  very  simply. 
At  the  side  of  tfaie  7  ft.  diameter  pasteurinng  can,  a 
thin  metal  tube  of  about  ^  in.  diameter  and  .the  same 
height  of  the  can  is  soldered.  This  tube  is  open  at 
both  ends.  Near  the  middle  of  this  tube  for  a  distance 
of  about  six  inches  the  wall  of  the  tube  is  cut  away 
to  produce  a  slit.  The  slit  need  not  exceed  120  deg.  of 
the  tube.  A  glass  tube,  3  or  4  inches  in  length  and  a 
little  less  than  i  in.  diameter  and  sealed  at  both  end?* 
full  of  paraffin  of  M.P.  70  deg.  and  some  red  oxide 
pigment  and  a  lead  shot,  is  inserted  into  the  side  laibe 
and  held  in  place  by  means  of  two  pieces  of  dowelling. 
The  end  covers  of  the  cylinder  will  close  l^e  ends'  of 
the  side  tube. 

By  centrifugalizing  the  tubes  in  warm  water  lind 
then  chilling,  all  the  pigment  and  tha  shot  could  be 
collected  at  one  end  of  the  tube. 

Action  :  As  soon  as  the  temperature  of  the  can 
rises  to  70  degrees,  the  paraffin  will  melt  and  the 
tumbling  of  the  box  will  distribute  the  pigm^ 
through  the  whole  length  of  the  glass  tube.  ]^«re-ilii^ 
red  oxide  powdfix  -yoLV  Wi^  ^oxfifc  Va  ^iri'S^  ^ssro."-^^^^ 


:  T 


THE  MODERN  BEVIEW  FOR  APRIL,  lfiS3 


by  simply  looking  at  the  tube,  the  temperature  reached 
could,  he  ascertained.  A  second  tube  with  80  deg.  C 
M.P.  wax  will  check  excess  heating. 
The  following  points  may  be  noted  : 
(1)    From  the  time  the  cans    are    scaled     in    the 
collecting  stations  to  the  time  of  distribution, 
the  cans  remain    scaled    avoiding    any  conta- 
mination at  any  stage. 


(2)  From  the  time  the  milk  is  chilled  ia  tht 
pasteurising  pkmt  to  its  distribution  to  catiiom^ 
ers,  it  is  possible  to  keep  the  milk  at  a  lot 
temperature,  retarding  or  preventing  the  ff^^'^f^ 
of  bacteria. 

(3)  The  carbon  dioxide  which  holds  the  calcium  <tf 
the  milk  in  solution  can  not  escape,  thus  tfas 
calcium  content  of  the  niilk  remains  constant. 


:0:. 


A  PICTURE  OF  BENGAL  IN  THE  DAYS  OF  KAR  TALAB  KHAN 

By  KSHITIS  C.  SARKAR,  m.a.,  bx. 


Among  the  valuable  and  rare  manuscripts  ntunbering 
nearly  four  thousand  or  so  deposited  in  the  collections 
of  the  Varendra  Research  Society  at  Rajshahi  (East 
Bengal)  mostly  comprising  Tantra,  Purana.  Jyotish, 
Lexicon,  Grammar  (Paninian),  Ka\7a  and  others  to 
stimulate  scholarly  interests,  one  of  the  manuscripts 
dated  1616  Saka  Era,  corresponding  to  1704  A.D. 
reveals  a  glimpHc  of  a  picture  of  the  economic  and  poli- 
tical condition  during  the  administration  of  'Kar  Tahd^ 
Khan\  as  the  Dewan  of  Bengal. 

The  manuscript  itself  is  a  valuable  lexicon  Sabda 
Ratnavttli,  The  colophon  of  the  manuscript  runs  thoB 
(in     Bengali  script)  : 

The  codex  was  commenced  to  be  written  from  a, 
village  named  Sonapatil,  but  was  brought  to  completion/ 
at  Gonragaccha.  Both  the  villages  still  exist  but  the 
last-named  village  has  undergone  a  phonetic  change  as 
Ghoragacchi.  The  places  arc  not  very;  far  from  the 
Nator  Railway  station  on  the  E.  B.  Railway  section  in 
North  BengaL  The  find  place  from  where  this  manus- 
cript was  recovered  is  a  village,  named  Lochangarh  which 
also  is  situated  quite  hard  by  in  the  district  of  Rajshahi. 
From  this  village,  many  other  manuscripts  have  also 
been  acquired  by  the  Varendra  Research  Society. 

The  colophon  is  significant  in  view  of  the  name  and 
designation — Kar  Talab  Khan^  as  a  Dewan  of 
Bengal.  History  tells  us  tliat  he  was  originally  a  8on>, 
el  a  Brahmin  purchased  by  one  Haji  Shafi  Ispahani  who 
made  him  a  convert  and  named  him  Mahammad  Hadi. 
He  had  distinguished  himself  and  won  the  confidence 
of  Emperor  Aurangzib  by  his  ability  and  honesty  in  many 
mlaor  offices  in  the  Deccan  and  was  created — ^Kar  Talabi 
Khan.  In  1701,  from  the  Diwani  of  Orissa  he  was  trans- 
iefied  to  Bengal  with  the  title  'Murshid  Kuli  Khan',  but 
eame  to  be  recognised  it  appears  by  his  former  designation 
^^  Tskb  Khan'  tiU  later  days  in^  1704  AJ). 


The  colophon  refers  to  the  plight  of  the  samindars  as 
'trembling  in  his  presence'*  and  the  subjects  or  Ae 
people  as  'starving  or  famishing;*! 

The  colophon  in  the  manuscript,  therefore,  justifiei 
in  a  way,  as  a  contemporaneous  record,  the  remarks  made 
by  historians  that  the  defaulting  zamindars  were  put  to 
imspeakable  kinds  of  torture  in  order  to  make  them  pay 
the  Government  dues. 

In  fact,  resources  of  Aurangzib  had  been  eihaoiifed 
by  the  continuous  warfare  in  the  Deccan  with  the 
Mahrattas  and  Murshid  Kuli  Khan  in  order  to  placate 
the  Emperor,  used  to  squeeze  out  and  send  large  sums 
of  revenue  from  Bengal.  In  one  year^  Murshid  Knfi 
Khan  sent  two  crores  and  thirty  three  lakhs  in  aiher 
rupees  and  16848  gold  coins  from  Bengal  to  the  imperial 
co£fer  at  Delhi.  For  this  act  of  faithfulness  Aurangzib 
not  only  rewarded  him  highly  but  also  assured  him  in 
writing  that  all  his  prayers  would  be  recognised.  It  is 
said,  that  the  defaulting  zamindars  used  to  be  oonfinei 
to  a  dungeon  or  a  reservoir  full  of  filth,  improiised  te 
the  purpose,  sarcastically  called  *Baikuntha-baan*  or  t 
Vesidence  in  Paradise*. 

The  Riyazu-S'Salatin  (1785-89)  by  Ghulam  Hnarii 
Salim,  an  account  in  Persian  of  the  BifahammadM 
History  of  Bengal  confirms  the  torture  and  ywAam 
privations  the  defaulting  zamindars  and  the  collector  ef 
revenue  had  to  undergo  during  this  i>eriod. 

In  the  year  1704  A.D.,  when  this  manuscript  «ai 
being  written,  Murshid  Kuli  Khan  was  promoted  to  be  a 
commander  of  2000  and  a  few  years  after  the  death  el 
Aurangzib  when  the  Government  of  Delhi  declined,  he 
deckred  himself  as  the  independent  ruler  of  BengaL 

The  mention  of  'starving  people'tt  ia  iht 
manuscript  gives  a  gloomy  outlook  of  life  and  perf* 
tlvely  indicate  that  the  material  prosperity  of  the  peaflt 
of  Bengal  liad  also  waned  during  the  regime  of  Blnnlnl 
Kuli  Khan  when,  the  people  must  have  lived  in  n  di 
condition. 


•    • 


t  y  «3itf  r:  ST3IT5 1 
tt  s^iwt  W  Wf « I 


fiook  Reviews 


Booka  in  the  principal  EuropeBu  and  Indian  languages  are  reviewed  in 
The  Modern  Revittc.  But  reviews  of  all  books  gent  cannot  be  guaranteed. 
Xewsjiapcre,  periodicalH,  school  and  (College  text4>ooks,  pamphlets,  rcprinta  oF 
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EDmw,  The  iVodern  Review. 


ENGLISH 

:iSTORY  OF  THE  INDIAN  ASSOCIATION 
-1651  :  hi/  Jugish  C.  Bif/ai  Indian  AMOciation, 
Un.  Pp.  t'ui  +  £32  +  Ixiii.  Ri.  7-8. 
ne  by  one  the  atone  bloekij  wh.eh  will  go  to  the 
ng  up  of  a  worthy  hia'ory  of  that  new  life  '" 
il  which  we  call  otir  10th  ecntuiy  RenaisssDce, 
eing  quarried,  ib'selled  and  displayed  in  our 
iea,  waiting  for  the  master  writer  who  will  make 
thesis  of  them.  Our  new  education,  new  literature, 
religions  and  reform  movements  are  being 
lly  traced  in  a  large  number  of  monographs  in 
ih  and  Bengali.  To  this  work,  the  contrioution 
C.  Bagal  has  been  second  to  that  of  none  else, 
compiling  scaae  authoritative  college  hiatories, 
me  on  the  l.berty  movement,  he  has  recently 
ced  this  authentic  history  of  tbe  Indian  Asao< 
n  of  Calcutta. 

'oday  it  requires  some  atrainiug  of  the  imaging. 
«  visualise  the  society  in  whien  this  Aesociation 
ounded  and  the  work  that  it  set  out  to  do.  We 
lowever,  capture  the  atmosphere  of  that  distant 
if  we  read  W.  3.  Bhmt's  M-a  fnrfci-  Ripon.  A 
ral  Ditiry,  or  ihc  lives  of  A.  M.  Bose  and  Bipin 
"With  ihi^  Assoration  tme  democracy  entered 
h  India, — democracy  in  the  old  and  honoured 
of  government  by  the  elect,  thi-  leaders  of  the 
?,  whose  claim  to  leadership  was  a  natural  one 
nJ  from  intellettUttl  pre-eminence  and  disciplined 
cter.  No  longer  was  Indian  life  and  thought  to 
lided  bv  mere  land-owners,  the  heirs  of  hoarded 
11,  hut"  by  men  who  had  risen  from  the  ranks, 
,ew  ari^lorracy  of  the  intelligentsia," 
'his  volume  is  fully  documented  and  enriched 
accurate  details  and  appendices  of  now  rare 
la  which  last  cO\'er  63  pages.  It  is  thus  B  granary 
e  utmost  value  to  the  student  of  our     political 

tSB. 

,B  we  lay  down  the  volume  after  reading  it  and 
sr  on  the  three  quarters  of  a  century  that  some 

have  personatlv  wiinessed,  we  are  struck  by  the 
:e  in  the  method  of  our  political  leaders.  The 
chool.-^Ii  iionoured  names,— were  not  democratt 
%  that  word  in  the  kindred  sense  of  df.iuigogWB) . 

were  Lihernls  of  the  schnol  of  Gladstone  and 
Ih,     (not     Radical-   like     I.loyd   Georgel .      They 

almost  enlirely  luK-in  and  thnv  established  no 
contact.  The  c.vnic  may  say  that  the  Indian 
Is'  sole  work  was  to  petition  and  weep  before 
ien  Govrrnment  (as  we  read  in  a  stinging  satire 
abindranath  Tagore),  But  the  answer  to  such  a 
e  is  beat  given  in  the  words  of  M,  Q.  Ranade 
.  K.  Golchate,  Just'ce  Ranade  was  Gokhale'a 
cal  0uru.  When    young  Ookhale    mw    Ranadfl 


writing  an  elaborate,  wcll-arpied,  well -documented 
representation  to  Government  a^inst  some  illibemi 
measure,  he  told  him  that  he  wan  merely  wasting  hia 
time,  as  judging  by  all  their  paj-,  experience,  tbe 
British  rulers  would  not  listen  to  them.  The  cas« 
replied.  ''I  know  full  well  that  our  |>etition  will  not 
move  the  Government  ta  grant  our  i>olitical  demand. 
But  I  am  writing  this  paper  for  the  benefit  of  our 
countrynun;  they  will  read  it  and  will  be  politically 
enlightened  by  it.  Thus  a  party  in  support  of  reform 
will  grow  up  in  the  country  and  in  the  next  genera- 
tion the  British  will  have  to  lutcn  to  them." 

The  Indian  Association  repre^nts  the  life's  toil 
of  Surendranath  Banerjea  (its  Secretary  for  36  yean 
and  President  for  five  years).  A,  M.  Bose  (Preaident 
for  ten  years).  Rev,  K.  M.  Banerje*  (President  for 
seven  years).  Rash  Behari  Ghosh  (President  for  throe 
years),  Alany  other  aelfleaa  worthies  have  dono  silent 
work  under  it.  Outside  Calcutta,  it  fought  forraiaing 
the  condition  of  th;  Assam  tea  garden  cooiies.  But 
on  the  whole,  the  fact  remains  that  it  was  essentially 
an  urban  body,  an  assembly  of  bhadralok  (men 
dressed  in  luundi-y  clothes,  «ii/e(f  panh,  as  tliey  say  in 
the  Panjab);  il  made  no  ma.'iiM^onta!-!,  bccaiwe  the 
Indjan  m.issea  wrre  not  yet  awake.  Therefore,  in  the 
end  history  repeated  HhM.  The  Jacobin.'  devoured 
the  Girondists  ;  in  his  home  conMitiicncy  of  Barrack- 
pur.  Suren  Bahu  wa.s  defeated  by  Bidhan  daktar  1 

What  future  has  the  Indian  .\$soeintion,  as  It 
rears  its  centenary "!  Will  it  go  the  waj;  of  the 
Muhammadan  Literary  Society  of  Abdul  Latif  Khan, 
which  held  only  one  meeting  in  the  year  (to  elect 
the  same  ofRcp-bearers)  and  everj-  five  years 
osaemblrd  once  more  to  present  an  inldress  of  thaoka 
to  the  retiring  Viceroy  or  Lioutenani-Ciovemor  and 
another  of  welcome  to  hia  new-coming  fUcc:ssor  ? 
J.wrxATH  Sabkab 

THE  GOSPEL  OF  THE  GURU-CRANTH 
SAHIB  :  Bti  Duncan  Greenleea,  At  A.  iOxon).  Th§ 
World  Ootpel  Serie*.  Vohmr.  3.  The  TheoMphiMi 
Puhliahing  Hrnut,  Adyar,  Madme.  Pp.  cxciv  +  178. 
Price  Rt.  G-8. 

The  aim  of  this  series,  as  the  author  tella  «a  in 
h's  short  foreword,  it  to  offer  to  tlie  modem  public 
"in  a  handy  and  aitractiv,.  form  th.-  eiwnre  of  each 
of  the  world's  great  Scriptures"  based  on  the  author's 
conviction  "that  all  the  great  Religions  and  their 
Scriptures  pome  from  the  one  Divme  Source— the 
authentic  Word  of  God  to  man."  The  present  work, 
dealing  with  the  Scriptures  of  the  Sikhs,  opens'  with  a 
long  introduction  oi  over  160  pagig  in  course  of 
which  the  author  traces  with  .sympathetic  insifiht  the 
whole  history  of  Sikbiam  from  its  oiigin  to  the  qk- 
Bsnt  timei  and    condudea  i:U.Vh  ^i»!&  W.  \-ai?f>^s:^ 


322 


The  modern  review  for  april,  im 


notes  on  the  fundamental  tenete  of  the  faith.  Thii 
is  followed  by  a  short  Catechism  of  the  Sikh  religion. 
The  rest  of  the  work  consists  of  two  Parts.  In  the 
first  Parti  the  author  gives  us  in  his  o^n  translation 
extracts  from  the  Scriptures  under  eight  appropriate 
chapter*headings.    The    second  Part,  contains  a  com* 

Eleti  translation  of  the  Japji.  Oiim  Nanak'g  own 
yiim  with  which  the  Cranth  Sahib  opwie.  Though- 
the  author  h.i.'*  based  hi?  monograph  in  the  first 
instanfo  upon  Macau lilTo's  p-cai.  work  ontitlnl  The 
Sikh  liclitjinn  (in  six  voliimf-.*i.),  he  has?  adritd  fresh 
extracts  to  fill  in  tho  gap.  has  ro-arran.fffd  tlie  mate- 
rial and  has  prr-parfd  a  frc>h  tran>laiion  of  ihe  wholt^. 
while  jriving  full  rfferoncc  in  each  c.i-e  to  ih*  origi- 
nal. As  far  as  il  i.s  i)0s.-?ihle  lor  us  to  judjc",  the 
author  appears  to  have  takon  erf  at  pains  to  rnsure 
the  accuracy  of  his  tran-^lation.  He  has  further 
earned  'he  jiratiiudK  of  his  readers  })y  accompanying 
his  translation  with  exphinatory  notes  and  comments^ 
A  good  index  and  a  M*lect  hil)l:ogra])liy  add  to  th^' 
usefulness  of  this  vohune  which  can  safely  be  re- 
commencLxl  as  a  valuable  guide,  based  on  lirst-hand 
study  of  tho  available  material,  to  our  und(?rstanding 
of  one  of  the  most  interesting  relicions  of  modem 
India. 

U.  N.  Ghosh AL 

CHUGHTAFS  INDIAN  PAINTINGS:  .4  oo/- 
Icclion  of  pawtin-ga,  rrptcscntcd  in  H/)  I'larrs,  27  in 
colovi'.  irilh  a  Foreword  by  Dr.  Tara  Chand  and 
Introduction  and  Xotrs  by  Principal  S.  Kashmira 
i^ingh,  M.A„  21  pp.  with  descriptive  sheets  for  each 
picture.  Published  bu  Dhoomimnl  Dharamdas,  Con^ 
naught  Place,  New  Delhi.  1951.  Price  Rs.  Ifi. 

Chughtai's  paintings  are  known  all  over  the 
world  a?  the  imi>ortant  representative  of  the  new 
movem'Ut  in  Indian  i)ainting,  ba.sed  on  the  oldest 
heritage  of  Indian  painting  and  developed  on  n^w 
paths  to  suit  the  ta^t^  and  conditions  of  the  new  agp. 
ft  may  be  us.- ful  to  recall  that  Chughtai  wa.s  trained 
in  the  Mayo  School  of  Art  under  Principal 
Samarendra  T'lUpta  and  his  work-s  at  our?  time  formed 
one  of  the  mo<?t  reliable  support  of  tho  movement 
initiated  by  Acliaiya  Abanindrauaih  Tagore.  His  art, 
therefore,  belongs  to  the  contiXt  ol  the  n»\v  Renais- 
sance of  Indian  painting  bejjun  aboji:  the  » nd  of  the 
19th  century,  and  is  an  inti'gral  part  of  thi^  Art  of 
undivided  India.  Chiigh'ai's  gnrus  i<  bi  st  reveale<l  in 
the  comph<ated  bu<  tin-  harnumized  t  uhe«itri  of  line*? 
based  on  \\w  {\\v^<\  traditions  of  the  ol«l  ma:?ter 
diraughtsm- n  of  India.  In  the  pro-en:  album,  planned 
and  produced  on  a  gcn^Mous  scale  <16  inches  by  12 
inches'),  the  publishers  have  leproihued  in  larg.i  size 
four-colour  ]»laies,  a  >«li.c1ion  of  liis  t-reations  in  the 
field  of  Indi.jn  saea-.  w;!}>.  e><rniia]ly  Indian  inotif»:«, 
as  will  bo  ovidi  nt  irrim  «»i)ni"  oi  ihe  titles.  T'sha, 
NaJara.ia.  Aiubipaii.  Km-Iiik:  in^llUctiIl^  Ar.iuna, 
Ya<oi!a.  D<  v;uli-i.  .-•iMku-Div.na.  V:  j- vaunt  i.i.  Chitia- 
lckh'<.  C'liaii.oiy.!-  wn'.-  Tlsoiich  scVim-.iI  Islamic 
painti"-;  of  ihr  Muiiiij  Siiool  h.ul  pnint-d  Hindu 
myi'c.i  itii.-.il  -i:l>;.  .."-  jii.l  Rjir'ui  ]»h-luii<  with 
COlNid.  nil!.  •:!'  {  >.-.  ll.r  tlM-lri'Ii  "f  fribiit.^.  jo 
Hill. In     -KJ:-    liV     Mu.-'Ulni.iIl     Ml•^^I•l-^     UM-:       ill' «  Tl  U)  •* '"d 

fur  iii;ni\  d  <•  id«'*.  1 1' ft  If  ('luiii-itii  nxiMil  ih,  lia]i|ty 
trad.ti"ii-.  In  tin-  Mui:l:il  S-jmi-.j.  wr  Iimm-  liuiidn-ds 
of  I  x.iiiirlfr  (if  r«  :s...ii  (•' :.-i  •-  ■iini  M.-iiiii.-  ih' '.Ue.- 
iiaiti!'  .1  i-y  Hitid-i  \'X\\\U  :>  ^^\  'm  Mushal  rTol..o.  wheyr 
till-  p.  i.»  iJ-Mi:.  I-:  lliii  i':  !  'iii'i-:  ur  2:ii.inv  na.ii'd  l)y 
f •  p  r-r-::.ii  :i:i-'«"-  'I'iniisi'-'v  orijU'^iiKTol  tin-  piin'er'i 
impu)\^'A  '"Jti;  P<'>i...  And  "iio  Mndial  ij^ohooj  w.is 
tJjc  Ji'ini   tnj  L-i-'f  "iyfiw  i'.'i'diirt  cl  .Mu--ulman  -lud 


Hindu  talents,  for  Art  knows  no  frontier  or  dividOBi 
based  on  religious  beliefs.  A  similar  thing  happ^ 
-when  Abanindranath  Tagore  started  to  rebuQd 
Indian  painting  on  an  all-India  national  basis  and  hit 
efforts  received  the  enthusiastic  support  of  talented 
artists  like  Hakim  Khan,  Shami-us-Zama  and,  a  little 
later,  by  A.  R.  Chughtai  and  others.  And  very  signi- 
--ficant  ar-a  the  introductory  words  of  the  artist  to  this 
fnagnifif'erit  album  :  "These,  humble  creations  are 
redolent  of  those  good  old  days  wlicn  wc  were  making 
efforts  to  live  and  dream  with  our  brethren  of  this 
land."  As  pointed  out  by  Dr.  Tara  Chand.  tho  artist 
has  consistently  « ndeavourcd  to  realize  one  aim. 
portrayal  of  the  joy  and  beauty  of  India V  wonder- 
fully rich  compoMie  and  variegatod  life  as  ."een 
through  tlie  eyes  of  a  poet-artist  who  has  idenlili'-d 
himself  w.th  all  the  aspect-s  of  this  life  and  who  lud 
sought  to  ri*e  abovt^  all  difference's  of  race  and  cr»ed.*' 
We  owe  a  compliment  to  Principal  Kashmir  :Singh-s 
excellently  worded  Introduction  and  d^siriptive 
Notes  despite  a  few  lapses,  here  and  tlKTc,  e.g.,  when 
he  naively  assert.s  that  "Indian  painting  first  deve- 
loped und.r  the  Mughals.*'  Many  will  endorse  hi* 
romark.s  that  Chughtai's  art  is  undoubtedly  the  out- 
come of  his  wide  outlook  and  un.ver.Nal  *  j«ynipaihy. 
"He  tran5conds  all  political  and  tenitorial  liinitauon^. 
Ho  paint;?  the  Hindu  gods  with  the  sanv  astoni.<hing 
vitality  as  he  interprets  Omarkhayam  or  Sadi  or 
Hafiz.  His  work  is  steeped  in  primal  race-conscious- 
ness." Professor  Singh's  introduction  is  marred  by 
occasional  exaggerations  and  hyperboJes.  It  is  doubt- 
ful if  many  will  agree  with  his  assertion  that  Chughtai 
18  a  unique  artistic  phenomenon  of  our  age  or  that 
he  represents  the  "highest  achieven^ent  of  Modem 
Indian  Art."  Ever>-body  will  agree  that  "his  place  is 
aniong  the  groat  masters  who  keep  the  artistic  national 
spuit  alivo  and  make  their  achievements  universal." 
But  our  warmest  prai.so  is  dtie  to  the  publishers  for 
this  oxi>ensive  aiul  generous  tribute  to  an  Indian  arti5t 
presented  in  a  simiptuous  dress  and  cffered  at  a  price 
which  is  a  marvel  of  cheapness  in  these  times  bf 
expensive  production  co>ts.  The  album  should  find  its 
place  ui  every  library-  in  India  and  Pakistan. 

O.  C.  G. 

EMOTIONAL  DISORDERS  OF  CHILDREN: 
By  Gtridd  II.  T.  I'tctr^ion.  George  Alien  and  L'w.c\n 
Ltd.,  Loudon.  Priicc  18n  net. 

The  book  luider  nniew  may  be  consid.  red  to  be  a 
further  elaboration  of  the  topics  discu-ssed  in  the  two 
widely  known  book<  w^itton  by  the  author  in  colla- 
boration with  Dr.  O.  S.  Englih.  viz.,  Th,.  Emotioruil 
Problem.^  of  I  Ay  in  g  and  Common  Xi  iiroMs  of  Children 
(tnd  Adults.  It  (leaN  with  the  cotumon  neuroses  and 
psychoses  of  children.  The  methods  of  studying 
psy.'hiatr'c  problems  of  ciiildr.  n  have  been  rnumeiited 
and  alm'^-t  all  possil)le  cases  of  neurotic  and  p."«yehiatric 
di'Ordi'r-  of  cliilihen  have  been  delineated.  Of  special 
Viilu,-  is  the  i.tual  c.i>e  recoids  given  in  details  by  the 
author  in  illustration  of  particular  typo?  of  "  mal- 
ad.in-tfd  behaviour.-  of  children.  The*  approach  b 
p^vrlioinMiytj.'  ;,nd  a-  ^uch  the  fundamental  roots    of 

til.     fli<(  a-i  s    ]):i\(-   liMii    «;()Ught    OUt. 

Alriio<t  all  par-  n\<  have  Oi-casionally  to  cotne 
a.-ro-'i  l)(};avio:;v>  ,,i*  thf'ir  children  which  they  com- 
pl'tr-ly  fail  to  uudt^r^tand  ami  do  not  know  how  to 
d«al  with.  Tii«'  autl'Mir  introduces  to  the  parents  many 
siii  ij  i>o->:b|r  >irii:iiiois-.  r.g.,  dolinqut-ncy,  sexual  per- 
\(^!sicns.  (Ti-..  and  *«how<  them  the  whys  and  hows  of 
'h.'  arpar'-ntly  -Jiuprising  behaviours  of  their  children. 
Of  juiun-  ''c  does  not  consider  his  task  to  be  finlihed 


BOOK  REVIEWS    -  323 

by  merely  pointing  out  the  causes  of  beahviour    dis-  experieace  of  ber  travel  in  India,  is  a  book  intended  laitf 

(Orders  but  he  gives  definite  and  elaborate  instructions  lor  the  enlightenment  of  the  professional  orientalist  thaiii 

regarding  the  means  and  methods  of  i-cmedying  them,  for  the  edi^cation  of  the  eophisticated  lay  reader.     It 

Every  parent  will  be  benefited  by  reading  the  book,  sets  out,  in  a  series  of  word  pictures,  various  aspects  of 

An  elaborate     knowledge     of     p5i>'choanaIysis  is     not  the  religious  life  of  India.    It  gives  a  simplified  although 

required  on  the  part  of  the  parent  to  understand    the  a     learned     account     of     the    significance     of     certain 

contents  of  the  book  and  follow  the  instructions  of  the  esoteric  ritual  ceremonies.         Western  readers     ¥rill  be 

author,  but  for  the  physician  who  proceeds  to  treat  grateful  to  her  for  her  personal  evaluation  of  the  tradition 

the  eipotional  disorders  of  children  a  thorough  ground-  susuiining    the     ideal     of    sannyas    and     also    of    the 

ing  in  psychoanalysis  is  an  absolute     necessity.    The  personalities  of  the  many  gurus — Aurobindo  Ghose  and 

reviewer  fully  endorses  the  view  that  no  other  line  of  others,   sadhus   and    sannyasins — Ramashram   and   others, 

approach  helps  us  better  to  understand  the     neuroses  with  whom  she  has  discoursed.  Implicit  in  her  descriptioa 

and  p.s>-choses  of  children  than  psychoanalysis.  Every-  of  the  actual  religious  climate  of  to-day  is  her  sincere 

one  who  has  to  deal  with  children,     parents,  teachers,  desire   to   measure    the    influence   of   the      moral   power 

physicians,  social  workers,  will  do  well  to   familiarise  of  the  gurus  and  sannyasins  on  the  political  and  social 

themselves  with  tho  contents  of  the  book  before'  thf?y  life  of  the  India  that  belongs  to  the  future, 

imdertake  the  mo.'«t  important  task  o<   their  life,     the  itiijil           -i-               ri_ii         i. 

most  responsible  of  all     their     social  duties,  m.,    the  ^     Undoubiedly,  the  special  interest  of  the  book  to  her 

bringing  up  of  children  in  a  healthv  and  proper  wav.  J^""^"^*^  readers  will  ho  in   her  detailed   account   of  the 

g    r*    Mnn\  various  ceremonies  at  which  she  had  been  present.      She 

\iAT^TJAC  TTTVAvr'TTi!     ciTw   AVTT  T  T  \  A T \tcvt?u  ^*  "^^'*^''  ^^^^^^^   *<>  TeK'  on   till-  accouiits  of  othcrs— she 

Trvn^WM^v-^^^Lv^^^                                     ME^ER  ^^^j^j,  ^„   ^^i         things     for     hrrsrlf     and   if  possible 

ENDOWMENT    J^LRto      (IW/-^^^  experiencing  the  very  traditions  for  herself.    She  contrived 

Unhr-;!;  ^f'^M^aTas    P.    //^  PnvC"i^T  ^'^    ^  to  get  herself  invit7d  to  a  kirtan  celebrated  according  to 

Innimti^of  Madras.  Pp.  140,  Pnce  Ji.^,  6.  the   most   orthodox      of      Chailanyist      traditions,  to  the 

Sir  AVilliam  Meyer  was,  we-  think,  Finance  Mem-  n  presentation  of  the  entire  Rainayana  which  used  to  be 

ber   in    Lord   Chelmsford's    Executive    Council    during  given  at  Benares  every,     few      years,      to  a  display  by 

the  first   World    War.     He   has  not     done     anything  -devada^is,"  to  ashrams,  to  maths  and  to  temples  all  over 

special    TO   bo   remembered   by    Indians.     He   was     a  inji^.    And  all  with  the  eyes  of  a  disciplined  and  -urbane 

Madras  Civilian  and  his  admirers  there  raised  a  fund  ^jj^j  ^|,jch     can     distinguish     the     sublime     from  the 

which   they  placed   m   the  hands  of  their  University,  ridiculous,  the  faith-evoking  from  the  bizarre  and  describir 

This  was  the  genesis  of  the  Meyer  Lectures.  ^       ^ijj^      detachment  which  can  make  the  readers  feel 

Dr,  Naidu  has  not  cared  to  tel    this  stor>'   Eveiy  j                       j  jh^     „agic  of  a     profound     reUgioual 

lecturer  shoind  describe   the   qualities     that  .lead  to  exoerience^^^^^               same  time  persuade  them  to  take 

University     Foundations     and     Commemoration     ad-  ^  ?^  If     •!"    ,7  ti?. \r^^^                 and     make-believes 

dresses,   anmial   or  othen^'iso.  This  defect  apart,     the  \^'"^^y  ^'*t    ,         \    -A^^'Tni  ^xinc^nirSni 

1W7-48   Meyer   lecturer   has   indicated     for     us     the  ^^^^K  ^'•^^*l^  ^'^^"'J'  ''*^'?,^^^^^ 

niling   feature,   of   the   economic   situation   that   have  ,,      ""    ^S"^'??.  Z'^^^'"!!  ""^^^i  ^^    u.^T  TrLnll^ 

been   confu<inK   our   national    leadei-s  since   thev   took  ^^^ropoan   Buddhist   to   the  ortho<lox   Hindu      ceremonies 

over   from    the    British.   Tlies,^   aiv     well-known      But  most  intm-btinp:     Some  of  her  adventures  in  connection, 

lass  known   to   the   Indian   public   are   tho   cconomico-  with  thorn  are  extraordinary  even  from  the   Indian  point 

social    aspects   of   Madras   lifp.  of    view  :    some    aged    and    learned    Brahmins    suggested 

In     np.   30.   34.  36.  37,   40.  43   and   46*     specially  Madame  David  Noel  that  in  order  to  show  that^  she  was 

T^advrn  will   find   these.  In   Chaj.ter  III.  pf..  49-60.  the  truly  enpajred  in  the  '-nuikii  inar^ra/    she  hIiou Id  emulate 

consequences    of    innliibition    .ire    (hscribcd.      Whether  a  \o|iini   and   praeti'-e     ii.tal   nu<lily.     'ihe  authoress  has 

or  not  this  reform  Iims  rf)inr'   to  stay,  one  cinnot  say.  made  a  clelailed  study  of  Shaktism  and  her  comments  on 


S.  D.  self  is  no  mean     achievement  for  a     Westerner,  she  has 

aj.sidm,u^ly  gleaned  information     from  the  many  initatca 

,  FRENCH  gl,^.   ha«*  come   across.      She  has  hrri^elf  been   present  ati 

LINDE     :        HIER— VI'JOI'RDHTTT     nFVTATM  ^hc  consummation  of  >onie  of  the  rites.     On  one  occasjort 

(India  :    Ye^tenlay-Today-^^^^^^  she  accompanied  a  disciple  and  hi., wife  to  a  -lebratjo^^ 

dra    DavuU\ccl    Librnric   rion.      Pnnicd    iL  Tmncv.  of  the  -'pancha  tattva"  as  the   "pujya,     shak  i       of  her 

lOol.  Pp.  SU.  Prirr    ',0-}  francs  friend.      On  another  oeraMon  her  spirit  of  a.henture  lea 

\TuJ„m«    \i  I         f\     ..^     .  her  to  wilne-s.  unkno\%n  to  the  partieipants.  a  celebration 

Madame  Alrxandra       )aMd-Neel,     a     leading   Freneh  .,f    ,h .    '^paneha    tatl^a•'    rite    whieh    ineluded    a    sacrifice 

fir"f  ea.n'  ^^'YT''  ^""^  ^'"'  ^^"'^^  T  T;ihe,a„  Buddhism,  ';„/,,   i'lih   element''    in    it.   material    reality. 
fir*t  came  to  fiulia  many  year.  ano.  fre^h  from  her  study  ....  •   ,  i      -.i 

of   .Sanskrit    lil.ralnre    in    Paris.       .She   has   visited   India,  ***-r   h«ok      \<     admittedly      mamly      eoneerned   willii 

many  time^  sin<.,.  and  has  aelually   lived   there  for  several  relijjious   life  hut    her   lon^'   >ojoiirn>  in  a   reHpious  milieu 

J«ng   perio^is,   enpa^r-d   ..n      "the   Mmlv   of   the      profound  have  eaii-ed  h^r  to  oNer-remidia-i/t-  the  threat  to  secularism 

a.-pecl**  ol   tlw  reli^iious  nientalitv  of  Indian*."     Thar   ha^  ^'""^  ^""i''  "^  '^'^  f^*''*'*"  expound.-d  to  her.     For  instance 

led    her    -fo    move    almost    exr  liisivrly    in    rhis    world    of  ^1»«'  quotes  a  devotee  of     ^-KaH-Duijia*'      in   the  South  of 

mystics  and    ]»^»iidonu>lie^   whieh   extends   from   the  very  India   a-   sayinj;.   "We   saerifice   j-oat-  to   the  Mother,  she 

erudite  pamlil-*.  inleri»reter>  of  the  Veda-  l.»  the  haunhtily  would  prefer  men  hut  wi-  eannol  j:i\»'  them  U)  her.     The 

agnostic  sannyasin:-  and  the  ecstatic  sadhu>."  Kngli-h   forbid    it,"   and   goes   on   to   expres*   the   fear,  idJ 

Her   hook   on    India,   while,   not    a    mere    travel   hook,  Jur      exee^'^ixe    and    innoeent       simtdieity,    that    it    might 

although  mueh  of  ih*-      material      i.->  eonc  enied   with   her  htwrne  p«i->ildr  under  thi-  new  piditieal  rejiime  for  such 


324 


tSE  MODERN  REVIEW  FOR  APRIL.  19S3 


imJUvidiMli  In  fdmote  pirti  to  truilate  lucb  wUica  iato 
acts.  AgBiUf  she  feari  that  there  e»tti  in  the  mindt  of 
certain  people  a  feeling  of  morbid  sentimentality  for  the 
tites  of  Mti  and  comments*  **The  English  who  had 
.enacted  laws  punishing  ritual  murders  have  left  ...  • 
/'Has  one  reason  to  be  perfectly  reassureed  for  the  future?" 
J  The  last  two  chapters  of  the  book  deal  with  post- 
/  war  India.  While  her  first-hand  accounts  of  the  famine, 
rioting  and  ciisorders  are  vivid  and  at  times  shrewd*  he4 
fellow  countrymen  will  certainly  receive  a  distorted 
view  of  some  of  the  o'ents.  as  her  physical  proximity 
to  the  incidents  which  she  describes  and  her  prejudicef 
throw  many  of  her  contemporary  comments  out  of  pers- 
pective. In  a  book  professedly  devoted  to  the  study  of 
the  religious  face  of  India,  the  wisdom  of  projecting  her 
views  on  extra-religious  matters  for  the  examination  of 
which  she  does  not  appear  to  have  any  special  compe- 
lence  or  capacity  is  questionable — ^''Numerous  are  those 
who  foresee  the  establishment  of  a  communist  regime  in^ 
India,  in  a  future  more  ur  less  near.  .  .  And  as  many 
uf  those  who  think  in  this  way  do  not  feel  inclined 
to  live  under  a  communist  regime,  they  contemplate  way^ 
of  emigrating,'*  is  a  statement  regrettably  facile  and  no 
IcM  prone  to  cause  mii>chief. 

Deeply  immersed  in  spiritual  matters  and  insulated 
from  the  grim  realities  of  economic  struggle,  she  sees 
the  future  of  India  in  termt  of  a  possible  religious  re- 
action and  gives  herself  hostage  to  gloominess.  On  thit 
question  as  to  what  extent  secularism  will  survive  in 
India,  one  can  at  best  only  speculate,  but  rationalism  if 
not  divisible  and  once  tasted  appetites  for  it  seem  to 
grow.  As  Professor  Arnold  Toynbee  (Reith  Lectures, 
1952)'  has  said  :  "In  our  own  day  in  India,  President 
Ataturk's  great  Hindu  contemporary,  the  Mahatma  Gandhi, 
did  realise  that,  in  cultural  intercourse,  one  thing 
insidiously  leads  to  another.  Gandhi  saw  that  a  myriad 
threads  of  cotton— grown  in  India,  perhaps,  but  spun  in 
Lanchashire  and  woven  there  into  clothes  for  Indiana 
people — were  threatening  to  entangle  India  with  the 
western  world  in  gossamer  meshes  that  might  soon  be  aa 
hard  to  break  as  if  they  had  been  steel  fetters".  .  . 
'^When  they  had  become  used  to  spending  their  working 
time  doing  western  jobs,  they  would  take  to  spending 
their  leisure  on  western  amusements — ^movies,  talkies* 
grey-hound  racing,  and  the  rest — till  they  would  find 
themselves  growing  western  souls  and  forgetting  how 
to  be  Hindus." 

The  book  is  dedicated  to  the  memory  of  Swami 
Bashkarananda. 

MAltCABET    BASU 

SANSKRIT 

SHRI  TUKARAMA  CHARITAM  :  By  Pandit 
Kskama  Rao.  Published  by  Hind  Kituba,  Bombay  1, 
Pp.  4S  +  60.  Price  Rs.  5. 

A  c'lasjiii-al  work,  indeed,  in  every  respect — in 
spir.t,  for  it  i.-?  elovatiuK  a?  can  be  the  life  of  a  saint 
like  Tukarama  of  MaharashTa,  in  5iil)ject  as  can  be 
the  hcmi-iii  of  aa  u.<pirant  after  the  Supre.^io  Reality; 
in  style  which  is  marked  by  the  h  auty  of  economy 
and  the  economy  of  beauty.  In  ten  can-o.^"  (together 
with  an  English  translation  by  the  eminent  author 
herself)  wo  have  a  vivid  portrait  cf  the  devotee  of  the 
god  Vithal  a^a  well  as  a  s^imple  pre^icntation  of  hsa 
principal  teachings.  The  Pandit  ha^  added  one  more 
laurel  to  the  chaplet  of  laurels  already  won  by  her 
aa  an  illustrious  Sanskrit  scholar. 

G.  M. 


BENGAU 

RABINDSA  SANGITER  DHARA :  By  Mbb 
Ouha  Thakurta,  DckMnee  Prakaion  BibkaQ,  Idi,  B^ 
Bihari  Avenue,  CuJcutta  id.  Pnce  Rk.  5. 

Some  of  the  books,  recently  published,  on 
Rabindranath'fl  songs  are  more  or  less  in  the  nature  of 
personal  records  or  appreciations  of  their  swcetnen  and 
variety.  The  present  work  attempts  to  be  comprehen- 
sive and  analytical.  The  author  has  indicated  the  basic 
character  of  Tagore  songs,  classified  them  in  chrono- 
logical order,  marked  out  the  three  periods  in  their 
course  of  development  and  mentioned  the  influences 
that  have  worked  on  them.  We  would  have  liked  this 
otherwise  nice  volume  to  be  free  from  misprints.  To 
include  various  Indian  tunes  and  even  Bengali  folk- 
tunes  in  the  chapter  on  "Bideshi  Sur*'  (foreign  tunes) 
is,  in  our  opinion,  highly  inappropriate. 

D.   N.    MOOKERJEA 

KAVI-KATHA  OMwut  the  Poe:;  :  By  Sudhir 
Chamlra  Kar.  PubVahvd  by  HuprakG^han,  3,  Circut 
Range,  Calcutta  19.  Pp.  HOS.  Price  Rs.  SS. 

This  book  of  remini-'^ccnces  of  Rabindrannth  Tagore 
by  Sudhir  Kumar  Kar  has  been  widely  praised  in  the 
Benpili-language  press.  The  author  starts  with  a 
particular  day  about  25  years  back  when  he  was 
appointed  as  a  worker  in  the  Santiniketan  Librar>'.  Six 
months  later  he  was  asked  by  the  poet  to  be  one^ 
his  personal  secrHaries,  to  have  the  hang  of  the  work 
from  Shree  Amiya  Chakravarti.  Thus  a  relation  was 
established  that  enbled  the  author  to  obsen'^  ue 
poet's  habits,  and  think  over  their  significance  in  tha 
new  age  that  was  in  the  making  before  our  eyes.  This 
intimacy  is  the  source  of  the  many  books  that  the 
author  has  written  on  jlabindranath,  the  most  well- 
known  of  which  is  Rabhtdra  of  the  People  Uanaganer 
RabiThdranath) . 

Today  Rabindranath's  Birthday  Anniversary  w 
celebrated  all  over  the  world.  The  author  lias  done  a 
little  research  work  into  the  birth  of  this  celebration. 
Though  the  Sant  niketan  inmates  began  to  celebrate 
the  occasion  on  the  completion  of  hii  49th  Birthday, 
the  poet  had  been  always  conscious  of  the  aignificance 
of  that  particular  day.  In  proof  of  tiiis  he  quotes^ 
pp.  1^-^  of  the  book  his  prayer  on  the  day  in  1» 
(1306  B.S.).  The  title  is— A  Birthday  Song. 

The  author  concludes  with  the  a&eertion  that  the 
poet  never  acknowlrdged  the  truth  of  death,  of  Jti 
power  over  human  life  which  changes  but  is  etenaal. 

S.  C.  Di» 

HINDI 

PRITHIVI  PITRA  :  By  Vafitdevasharan  Aagawal 
Published  by  Sai^ta  Sahitya  Mandal,  Scw  Delhi 
Pp.  237.  Price  Rs.  3. 

A  saga  of  the  delight,  diversity  and  divinity  oJ 
the  earth,  which  is  not  a  mere  illu.sorj'  appearance  bu* 
instead,  a  veritable  .school  for  acquiring  self-knowledge, 
self-expression  and  self-realization.  The  various  easasrs 
contained  in  tho  book  and  written  with  the  writer** 
proverbJMl  profundity,  combined  with  ff^lieity,  are  a 
kind  of  an  illuniinatinir  and  elaborat*^  eommontary  on 
the  text  in  the  Atharrn  ViUa  :  "The  earth  is  my 
mother  and  I  am  her  Hon."  They  are.  therefore,  a 
passionate  plea  to  thp  son  to  know  the  Mother  first- 
hand: her  flora  and  fauna,  her  folk-literature  and  folk- 
legend.— thos^  undiptorted  mirrors  of  the  peopled 
visions,  wisdom  and  ways  of  living,  loying,  laugmni 
and  working.  For.  thus  known,  the  earth  beeomea 
indeed,  the  next-of-kin  to  heaven.    The    author  hai 


;•■-' 


BOOK  REVIEWS 


325 


writtea  a  great  book  to  help  us,  Hamlets  as  we  are 
with  -cloudumd  as  our  usual  habitati  meataUy,  ooxnc 
down  to  the  solid  bedrock  of  our  existence,  the  earth, 
and  revelUns  intelliffently  in  her  glory  proclaim  to  the 
world,  "Behold  the  Mother!" 

PANCHADASHI :  Compiled  by  Yashpal  Jain, 
PuhUihed  by  Saata  Sahitya  Manaal,  New  Delhi 
Pp.  128/Prioe  Re.  IS. 

A  collelction  of  fifteen  essays  fiom  the  pen  ol 
eminent  essajTsi?,  led  off  by  Gandhiji  and  Vinobaji, 
each  personally  impersonal  and  pleasingly  effective,  on 
a  variety  of  subjects:  Truth  and  non-violence;  Life 
in  the  village;  Hospitality;  Aspect  ol  happiness;  Re- 
nunciation and  charity,  etc.  Besides  the  selection,—- a 
Iiappy  one,  indeed — th;rc  is  an  introductory  chaptei 
by  Viyogi  Hari  and  at  the  end,  the  contributor's 
"Who's  Who"  by  Vishnu  Prabhakar,  both  useful  aids. 

G.  M. 

GUUARATI 

SITAHARAX  :  By  Chandrmhankar  Pranahankar 
Shukla.  Navajiban  Prnkashan  Mandir,  Ahmcdabad, 
Apiil,  1960.  Price  Re.  J. 

The  author,  a  disciple  of  Kakasaheb  Kalelkar,  has 
spared  no  pains  to  present  a  picture  of  Sita  made 
j-aptive  in  a  new  setting.  The  volume  is  designed  to 
help  school  students  realize  the  greatness  of  the 
episode  in  the  Ramayana.  The  prices  are  small  and 
forcible,  and  the  select  notes  on  words  that  occur  in 
the  text  will  help  the  young  learners  a  good  deal.  In 
the  excellent  Introduction  written  by  Mahadev  Deeai, 


we  are  told  that  the  author  has  taken  liberally  Ihn 
various  sources— the  Sanskrit  Kavyas  not  exceptiw. 
The  result  is  a  blend,  particularly  suited  for  children 
for  whom  it  has  been  meant. 

P.  R.  Sbn  • 

SAMYAVAD:    LOKSHAWVAD :    By   the  Rev?. 
Dr.   W.  Graham  Mullijan,  MA.,  B.Litt.,  Ph.D',of  ^ 
Bhavnagar  Para.     Printed  at   the  Saraawati  PrirUing 
Press,  Bhavnagar.  19 j8.    Paper  cover.  Pp,   64    :   57, 
Price  four  annas  each. 

These  are  two  lectures,  17th  and  18th  on  Com- 
mtmiem  and  Democracy,  of  a  series  of  lectures  on 
the  Philosophy  of  Religion  {Dharma)  planned  by  tie 
Rev.  Doctor.*  Both  the  subjects,  which  are  the 
interesting  topics  of  the  day,  all  over  the  world,  in- 
cluding India,  are  discussed  from  every  point  of  view, 
and  the  discussion  brought  up-to-date  from  olden 
times.  The  language  is  ras>'  enough  considering  that 
the  matters  are  technical  and  above  tho  hf'ad  of  the 
cidinary  reader. 

GANDHI  BAPUNO  PAVADO  :  By  Kavi  A.  F. 
Khabnrdar^  Bombay.  Printed  by  the  Associated 
Advertisers  and  Printer,  BombcCy.  l0/f8.  Paper  cover. 
Pp.  86.  Piice  Re.  1^. 

Pa\'^do8  are  historic  songs,  in  the  nature  of  ^l<i 
poems,  narrating  the  adventures  of  warriors  and 
great  men.  In  three  parts  and  149  stanxas,  Poetl 
Khabardar  has  epitomised  the  activities  of  Gandhiji, 
in  his  characteristic  style,  and  paid  his  heartfelt  tribute 
to  one  whom  he  knew  from  1915  onwards  and  helped 
with  his  poetic  genius. 

K.  M.  J. 


New  and  Enlarged  Edition  ! 


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TEACHINGS  OF  SWAMI  VIVEKANANDA 

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INDIAN  PERIODICALS 


ysi 


WHY  UNGUISTIC  PROVINCES  ? 

By  dr.  JADUNATH  SARKAR,   Hony.  m.r.a.s.    (London) 


The  Dancer  of  Balkamsa'tion  of  India 
The  cry  ia  being  raised  with  increasing  volume  that 
India  should  he  cut  up  into  homogeneous  self-sufficient 
administrative  unit?,  each  u^ing  on«!  language  only  and 
gathering  all  the  children  of  that  sp'X'ch  into  one  State. 
It  would  not  he  ihe  work  of  statesman>hip  to  dismiss  this 
claim  witli  a  blunt  rrfusal  as  a  doctrinaire's  dream  or 
to  ignore  it  with  conlt^pt  as  a  vulgar  electioneering  trick. 
It  is  all  that,  but  something  else,  something  more  ominous, 
too.  Farsighted  thinkers  cannot  help  feeling  thai  this 
attempt  at  Balkan  isation  is  the  greatest  danger 
that  now  threatens  a  country  which  geography  and 
history,  war  and  culture,  alike  have  moulded  into  one, 
overcoming  its  continental  vastness.  We  must  ponder  on 
the  pros  and  cons  of  this  movement,  and  analyse  the 
feelings  that  lie  at  its  bottom  and  the  effect  of  its  success 
on  the  defence  and  economic  growth,  education  and 
administration,  power  generation  and  irrigation,  of  the 
nation  as  a  wholr.  before  wi*  \ield  to  it. 

The  polar  difTcrencc  between  Hinduism  and  Islam 
in  th«'<do«y  did  not,  in  actual  administralion,  divide 
India  into  two  mutually  exclusi\e  nations  in  the  past, 
in  jjpite  of  Jinriah'>  mi>applicaton  of  the  Irrni  nation. 
Hindus  and  .Mu>linis  ha\i'  bi-en  only  iwo  .se'/.v,  and  have 
lived  and  worked  logether  under  the  same  political 
s-tnieture  m»  long  n<-  tin-  -lovereiirn  was  wise  or  indulgent 
and  guarded  himself  from  intok-ranec  at  the  diclatirm 
of  fanatical  iiiullali!-.  ^'o  ]iro\incial  separation  was 
dreamt  of  during  the  six  centuries  of  Muslim  rule,  but 
rather  integrati«>n  an>l  expansion.  The  British  followed 
the  i-anie  wi?e  poliey  during  the  lir>t  eentury  of  their  rule 
(1800-1900").  and  it  wa.-.  only  the  ^'sedition  of  TX).")"  that 
tiroxe  iheni  in  di-pair  to  ti>  tli«'  iliritlr  m  impera  plan. 
Such  integration  of  ln«lia  wa<  po^^iblr.  ln'cau-e  the 
Ciriln:  wa>  -troni:  and  a<  I'-d  a-  tin-  roiuiin»n.  il  anloeratic. 
fatlur  of  all  tin*  iMo\iiH'-.  flu-  -\-tiin  of  adriiinistraiioti 
\\a«  unitoiiii  all  o\«r  Itidij.  .iiiil  oiiK  une  ofl'it  ial  language 
Wii-  '.i-'mI.  il  Ijiiii-  Jiiiil*  r  \lii-lini  nilf  Pfr-ian,  the 
ea-i«'-^  ol"    \^iaii«*   lairiiia*^**-.  aii-l  in  P»rili>.|i   linie-   Kngli-li. 

Mil! r.    !J:i     >;.'«i''    i?i    th'"    pi-i    mnli  i!«Mik    niiK     a 

f*  v.-       III!:,  lit.fi-    and       !••!:    all    '-li*  i       -jiIhp-    «if    human 

•  •i'''.i!v    '•'    f'i«     jiijidi'-.    willi    lull    'iM  .d    ••|iii»iii    in    all    non- 

•  --♦iilial    i'i.ir«r-         *>ii.  ••!■.     v .«-    -'.!*ioiiar\  :     «lo    a-    \«Mir 


ancestors  did,  was  the  rule.  But  the  modern  Government 

is  dynamic.  The  State  today  is  all-perva^i\e:  its  agants 
have  multiplied  a  hundredfold  in  number  and   penetrate 

to  every  branch  of  human  activity — ^work,  travel,  food, 
the  rearing  and  even  the  begetting  of  children.  Hence, 
the  threat  of  provincial  separation  to  national  solidarity 
is  infinitely  gn^ater  today,  unless  the  unifying  influence  of 
the  Ontre  is  made  paramount.  This  fact  has  dictated 
the  complete  change  in  the  working  of  the  American  Con- 
stitution from  sacred  State  rights  to  Federal  paramountcy. 
The  same  trend  is  bound  to  assert  itself  here,  if  India  is 
to  survive  in  the  modern  world. 

The  Forcfs  Leading  to  Separatism 
The  better  minds  that  support  language  as  the  sole 
bond  of  union  in  a  State,  are  moved  by  a  feeling  that  is 
quite  understandable.  They  honestly  believe  that  though 
forming  a  majority  in  tbein  own  sub-area  (say,  the 
Andhra  districts  of  Madras)  they  cannot  rise  to  the  full 
height  of  their  growth  under  a  goxemment  conducted 
predominantly  by  the  speakers  of  another  togue  (Tamil), 
who  are  naturally  ignorant  of  their  peculiar  needs  and 
u^ually  dexoted  to  the  intere?ts  of  their  own  political 
supporters  in  Tamilnad.  Sueh  toi»  are  the  feelings  of 
the  Kannall-^peaking  majority  in  the  Belgaum  and 
Dharwar  district «=  of  the  eomjiosite  Bombay  State.  They 
8<!e  their  only  relief  in  snapping  their  political  tie  with 
Afadras  <or  Bombay),  annexing  the  adjacent  Andhra  (or 
Kannad)  speaking  districts  of  neighbouring  States,  and 
thus  forming  a  new  viable  State  of  their  own.  Megalo- 
mania then  seizes  the  politicians  car\ing  up  India  ;  there 
must  be  a  greater  Kannad  stretching  from  Karwar  across 
the  Peninsula  and  embracing  Mysore,  the  Kannad-speak- 
ing  two  distrietN  t»f  Hxderabed  and  the  large  Kanarese 
area  of  the  pn-enl-day  Madras  Presidency.  Similarly, 
(»riaier  Malla^a^hl^a,  -horn  of  (hijrat  and  Kanara.  must 
swallow  up  |{,Tar  a-  a  emniH'nsation.  Greater  this  and 
(Trealir   that,   but    no!    a   thought    ft»r   Oeat    India, 

What  lend-  a  -oJid  ba-is  to  this  ff.Mding  is  (I  nni!* 
admit  •  ih*-  -Imrf -iulilfd  anil  eontemptuous  (rather  thatt 
ili-lion« -I »  aiiitud*'  of  tin-  ruling  |»arty  in  a  muhilanguage 
Stale  toward-  flu-  luinoriiy  hader.-  and  their  ign(»ring  of 
the  -p'l-ial  miil-  i.»l"  ilir  -uli-ar«'a. 

Xiiain.  tlnn-  i-  uo  d''n\ini:  that  a  one-language  StalS 
winti-    it    i-    |iia«li«.iM«     lia-    -oiiw   adNantages.      It   niak^l 


INDIAN  PERIODICALS 


327 


•dttCAtlott  and  idministritive  work  cheaper  and  lomeivliat 
mora  efficient  by  cutting  out  the  coit  and  time  necesaary 
for  the  translation  and  duplicaion  of  documenti  and  the 
bifurcation  of  teaching  of  the  same  subject  in  the  same 
achool. 

#  41  4r  41 

One  of  the  topmo»t  I.C.S.  officers  in  Bombay  told 
me  that  he  dici  his  district  administration  work  quite  well 
in  Maralhi  fhi«i  molher-lonpur)  and  Cujrali  (which  he 
had  learnt).  But  when  lie  was  transferrc«l  to  Kanara, 
his  ignorance  of  that  language  at  first  led  hiin  into  a 
pitfall.  In  a  small  matter  lie  rejected  a  widow's  petition 
-written  in  Kaniiad,  because  his  Kannad-translator  had 
been  bribed  by  the  oppoMte  party  and  minreprci^enled  the 
facts  of  the  case  to  him.  Happily  the  ijertinacious  widow 
waylaid  him  one  afternoon  and'  gave  him  a  glimpse  of 
her  cafO.  by  means  of  the  few  Kannad  words  that  he 
then  understood.  Next  day  Mr.  B.  on  cuniing  to  his 
court  had  the  widow's  petition  translateil  by  another 
clerk  who  did  his  work  honestly  ;  justice  was  done  to 
tbe  widow,  and  the  dishonest  translator  fell  down  on  his 
kneesi  when   threatened   with  sacking. 

Again,  when  a  world  crisis  comes,  *'the  country  in 
danger*'  is  proclaimed,  a  levee  en  masse  is  ordered,  and 
the  tocsin  is  sounded,  the  masses  must  be  harangued  in 
the  tongue  they  understand  ;  that  work  cannot  be  done 
by  the  classical  Urdu  of  the  Lucknow  drawing-rooms 
nor  by  the  classical  Hindi  which  Seth  Govind  Das  used 
to  dictate  to  the  House  of   the  People. 

But  let  me  come  down  to  the  brass  tacks.  The 
impelling  power  behind  thi^  Balkanization  cry  is  not 
that  of  saints  and  philosophers,  but  the  caucus  of  pro- 
fessional [)oliticians.  who  find  in  this  type  of  agitation 
the  best  engine  for  their  own  elevation  to  the  rank  of 
State  rulers  distributors  of  control  in  essential  commodi- 
ties, givers  of  offices,  and,  more  than  any  material  gain, 
the  gratification  of  their  pride  as  leaders  of  a  nation,  and 
heads  of  public  bodies  like  Iniversities,  High  Courts, 
permanent  Commi-sion^.  and  learned  societies,  all  creat- 
ed at  their  door^.  It  i^  a  nio>t  tempting!  bait,  and  success 
is  very  easy;  ihey  have  only  to  eject  their  rivals  (who 
are  "foreigners'*,  because  their  language  differs  from  the 
language  of  the  majorit\  in  that  sub-area),  and  then  they 
themselves  will  automatically   fill  thost?  vacant   thrones. 

HOMOCENEOl'5     LiNGlISTIC     PROVINCES     IMPOSSIBLE 

Apart  from  the  jioocl  or  harm  done  by  forming  sepa- 
rate States  on  the  basis  <»f  lang^uage  alone,  do  any  clear- 
cut  homogeneou**  areas  speakinjr  only  one  language 
exist  anywhere  in  India,  when  we  ri«e  abo\e  the  taliiqa 
or  village  level  ".'  Ill  »"\»'r\  province  where  one  language 
is  sf)oken  by  a  inai«>fity  of  it«»  pi'ople.  other  spreihes  are 
the  niother-longiji"'  of  min«»iilies  who  are  oflm  not  n«'gli- 
gible  either  in  nuinber  or  in  niltnral  contribution.  And 
none  of  <»ur  capitals — and  even  very  large  industrial 
centres  like  Kani)ur  or  janisliedpui  has  a  majority  of 
their  inhabitants  speaking  the  language  of  the  rustic 
population  of  the  State. 


In  Calcutu-Howtab  less  than  SO  p.c.  of  the  people 
•peak  Bengali,  in  Bombay  City  barely  SO  p.c.  speak 
Marathi;  so  also,  in  Madras  City  Tamil  is  not  the  over- 
whelming people's  speech.  It  is  the  inexorable  facta  of 
geography  and  economics  that  make  Calcutta  the  capital 
of  Bengal,  Bombay  of  Maharashtra,  and  Madras  oi 
Tamil-land,  and  not  the  imaginary  linguistic  preponder- 
ance of  the  Bengali,  Marathi  and  Tamil  languages  among 
their  citizens. 

y\nd  even  within  the  same  province  is  the  w»-callcdj 
provincial  language  really  one  ?  A  glaring  example 
to  the  contrary  is  supplied  by  Lucknow.  the  capital  of 
the  r.P.,  and  the  home  o(  the  «.pectre  of  all-conquering 
Hindi  linguistic  domination.  Kven  the  cultured  classes 
of  the  L'.P.  do  not  si»eak  the  same  <lialecl.  On  2nd 
April,  IQ^l,  I  attended  the  All-India  Women's  Conference 
in,  Bombay,  hy  invitation,  and  kept  my  philological  eac 
cocked  on  the  ro*<trum.  Firs!  came  Mr*.  Rameshwari 
Nehru,  who  ^poke  inifH'ccable  Irdu.  which  would  have 
made  the  members  of  the  Anjuman-i-Tarakki-l  HIndusthani 
of  Lucknow  stroke  their  beards  and  cry  out  in  tM^stasy, 
"Wah  !  Wah  !  The  days  of  Wajid  Ali  Shah  have  come 
back.  This  is  lh.=»  very  language  which  the  Houris  use  when 
they  welcome  the  Faithful  to  the  mansions  that  Allah  hasi 
built  for  them  in  heaven."  Then  came  Mrs.  Vijaylakshmi^ 
Pandit,  who  spoke  in  Hindi,  and  in  one  sentence  I  caught 
her  using  three  words  which  I  challenge  the  long-bearded, 
ones  of  Lucknow  to  explain  without  the  help  of  a 
Sanskrit  dictionary  ;  it  was—zif/na/i  ka  marg  jo  hamara 
dhyeh  hai. 

If  language  is  the  means  of  correctly  communicating 
thought  and  persuading  the  reason  of  the  listener,  them 
the  language  >poken  bv  Mr.o.  Kame<.hwari  Nehru  was> 
not  the  same  as  that  uoed  by  Mrs.  V.  L.  I'andit.  Can  we^ 
hide  this  difference  by  putting  one  label  Hindustani  on 
both  V  Therefore,  in  strict  l«»gic  voii  mii^t  cut  the  U.P. 
up  into  iv^o  sector-*,  speaking  the  two  languages  in  ihein 
respective  areas. 

Lucknow  VAXy  has  a  population  of  just  under  five 
lakhs,  but  only  53  p.c.  of  it?»  people  speak  Hrndi,  while 
as  many  as  27  p.c.  speak  I  rdu.  How  can  "Hindi 
written  in  the  \af!ari  script"  he  called  the  language  ol 
the&e  27  p.c.  of  Lucknow  citizen*-  ?  Would  it  be  wise 
for  the  State  Government  to  iiquidate''  these  Urdu-, 
speakers  who  are  numerically  more  than  half  the  strength 
of  ihe  Hindi  in  the  Nagari  script  gn»'ip  and  culturally 
much   more  ? 

Strictly  monn-lingual  State*  •  which  would  inevitably 
cru*h  out  all  minority  tongue^  wiiliin  thcii  area)  being 
undcpirable.  nay  impi  ^.-ildi*.  (lie  division  of  India  into 
s«'lf-contained  poliiical  uuitn  niu-t  he  based  on  economic,, 
geographical    and    military    con-ideration-    only. 

pROi'OsKD  Remedies 
Thia     new     danger  of     Balkanisation   U     advancing 
against   India   with  growing  momentum.     Where  lies  thfr 
remedy  ?  \  force  can  be  counteracted  only  by  a  stroii^ec 


338 


fTHfi  MODfiRK  RCVIEW  FOR  APRIL.  1W3 


oppoilte  foMi^ttMrclbfe,  wt  anit  itraigtiMft  the  imUr 
iff  forces  ■Jretdy  aiiidag  tinofli  ot^  The  ftctort  that 
Ifkeke  for  India'i  unity  are  (1)  The  Central  Gevenment 
ind  Ita  powera  of  ittapection  and  correction  in  the  pro* 
l»inGes,  (S)  The  all-India  aervicea,  (3)  The  Defence 
^iForcea,  and  (4)  All-India  educational  inatitutiona  (school, 
^'  college,  and  university)  {unctionlng  in  every  province 
and  conducting  their  work  through  the  medium  of  the 
English  language,  with  Fome  vernacular  freely  chosen  aa 
a  subsidiary.  For  this  last  I  have  Jong  pleaded  in  public, 
though  as  a   lonely  voice  crying  in  the  wildernefs. 

Alxjve  all,  Public  Schciols  of  the  British  type  and 
Defence  Acadcmif'«t  are  the  best  agencies  for  grinding 
down  provincial  angularities  and  so-called  special  cultures, 
differences  of  speech  and  meals,  and  fostering  a  standar- 
dised Indian  citizenship  and  social  camaraderie.  Catch 
them  young  and  throw  them  together  under  the 
same  band  of  teachers,  in  the  same  mess,  play- 
field  and  examination'  hall.  Compel  every  province 
to  send  there  its  quota  of  the  most  promising 
lads,  and  when  they  have  passed  out  with  the  all-India 
^tamp  on  their  life  and  thought,  post  them  to  any 
province  at  random,  and  thus  stifle  the  mad  cry  of  mulkis 
and  ghair'/nulkiSt  domiciled  and  non-domiciled.  All 
higher  administrative  offices  will  be  opened  to  only  such 

aa  have  passed  through  this  unifying  process. 

♦         ♦         ♦         ♦ 

For  the  immediate  present,  relief  needs  to  be 
afforded  by  a  constitutional  provision  that  every  linguistic 
minority  is  entitled  to  keep  its  own  schools  in  a  linguis- 
tically ''foreign**  province,  and  that  province  is  bound 
to  pay  it  subsidy  per  capita  of  pupils  at  the  same  rate 
that  it  does  to  the  school  of  the  dominant  language, 
out  of  the  public  taxation.  Let  only  a  working  knowledge 
of  the  majority  language  he  insisted  upon  in  the  case 
of  all  candiflairs  for  public  employraemt,  but  let  not 
language  dominate  the  entire  public  service  examination 
cniziculum. 

All  the  measures  suggested  above  are  acts  of  State 
and  therefore  external.  Our  ultimate  hope  must  lie  in 
a  cleansing  of  hearis  :  the  leaders  will  have  to  rise 
above  the  American  spirit  of  *'the  spoils  to  the  victor" 
after  a  general  election  and  think  in  terms  of  all-India  ; 
and  the  common  people  must  realise  the  basic  oneness 
of  India  which  Hinduism  has  always  taught  and  which 
we  are  fast  forgetting  in  the  present  machine  age. 

On  a  distant  view,  T  see  some  reasons  for  not  des- 
pairing. There  can  be  no  denying  the  fact  that  since 
Independence— I  prefer  to  say.  after  World  War  No.  2, — 
the  iron  chains  of  ca<te  are  being  loosened,  while  the 
vastly  increaMMl  inter -provinical  travel  forced  on  us  by 
our  new  rians  an«l  Pnijecls.  economic  development  and 
cultural  worM  conferences*,  \\a<  been  silently  acting  as 
a  steamroller,  flattening  the  old  provincial  angularities 
in  dress,  food  and  manners.  Time  is  on  the  side  of  the 
reformers,  but  will  the  Western  World  give  us  the  time  ? 

'^Hindusthan  Standard, 


George  SuiUijffliii 
A  Great  Modern  Thinicer 

Nirmal  Kumar  Lahiri  writea  in  Careirs  uld 
Courses : 

In  the  death  of  George  SanUyana  this  centmy  has 
lost  one  of  its  wisest  men.  A  great^  thinker  of  modan 
times,  Santayana,  breathed  his  last  on  Friday,  September 
26,  1952  at  Rome.  He  was  aged  8S  at  the  time  of  his 
death.  Bom  at  Madrid  <  Spain.)  in  1863,  he  left  for 
America  at  the  age  of  nine.  He  spent  his  boyhood  days 
in  America  and  grafiuated  from  the  Har>ard  University 
in  1886.  He  served  Harvard  from  1889  to  1912,  firbt  af 
an    instructor    and    later    as    a    professor    of    philosophy. 

The  striking  things  about  this  modern  philosopher 
are  his  life-long  bacheiorhooii  and  his  mastery  over  the 
English  language  :  a  language  which  has  received  the 
gift  of  all  his  works. 

Santayana  left  Harvard  in  1912  and  moved  aboot 
in  the  continent  and  Great  Britain.  He  was  the  Hyde 
lecturer  at  the  Sorbanne  University  in  Paris  darinf 
1905-6  and  was  the  Spencer  lecturer  at  Oxford   in  1923. 

In  1894  he  published  Sonnets  and  other  Poems. 
This  wa^  followed  by  smaller  volumes  of  poetry.  Hia 
poetry  has  the  warmtji  and  emotionalism  of  poets  from 
the  sunny  land  of  bullfighters  but  they  have  also  a 
sense  of  Latin  restraint  about  them. 

First  Essay  in  Philosophy 

But  today  he  is  famous  as  a  thinker  and  as  a 
philosopher  and  his  first  essay  in  philosophy  The  Sents 
of  Beauty  waa  published  in  1896.  Interpretations  af 
Poetry  and  Religion  appeared  five  years  later.  He  work* 
ed  for  the  next  seven  years  and  produced  his  five  volumea 
of  The  Life  of  Reason,  These  five  volumes,  Reaton  b^ 
Common  Sense,  Reason  in  Society,  Reason  in  Religiaii, 
Reason  in  Art,  and  Reason  in  Science,  made  Santayana  a 
prominent  figure  in  the  period  just  before  the  first  WcaU 
War  and  its  conclusion;  four  years  ^ter.  These  wnrks 
are  not  purely  philosophical  nor  absolutely  literary; 
they  stand  on  the  borderline  between  philosophy  aad 
literature. 

Between  1918-19^.  George  Santayana  almost  faded 
out  of  limelight  but  came  back  to  the  focus  in  1935  with 
his  only  novel  The  tMSt  Puritan  which  is  believed  to  ba 
autobiographical  in  character.  The  volume  is  importani 
as  material  for  understanding  his  philosophy.  It  is  a 
literary  maserpiece  in  s(»  far  as  its  style  is  concerned, 
which  is  at  its  best  here. 

Lat»->t  Philosophical  Work 

His  latest  work  on  philosophy  which  is  an  outstand- 
ing book  of  its  kind  is  entitled  Dominations  and  Powefi, 
An  ambitious  work  of  5<)0  pages,  the  book  deals  with 
politics.  In  it  the  readers  are  likely  to  find  the  "gUmpiea 
of  tragedy  and  comedy  played  unawares  by  Govera- 
ments.'*  The  author  has  described  the  contents  6f  ths 
book  as  '*a  continual  intuitive  reduction  of  political 
maxims  and  institutions  to  the  intimate  spiritual  fruits 
that  they  are  capable  of  bearing." 

With  an  unusual  sense  of  penetration  the  author 
analyses  in  its  pages  the  maladies  of  the  modem  ags 
and  the  problems  that  confront  the  United  NatiooL 
There  is  here  a  thought-provoking  discussion  on  dis 
future  of  Russia  and   the  Western  democracies. 

But  it  is  far  more  than  a  tract  for  the  times ;  It 
presents  a  comprehensive  and  ordered  philosophy  of 
living. 

In  the  course  of  the  book  Santayana  observes : 

"My  own  sympathies  go  out  to  harmony  in  strengllii 
no  matter  how  short-lived.  The  triumph  of  life  lies  b 
achieving  perfection  of  form  ;  and  the  richer  and  non 
complex  the  organism  that  attains  this  perfectioBi  Aa 
more  glorious     its  perfection     will  be     and  the 


INDIAN  PERIODICALS 


329 


le.  I  would  gladly:  extirpate  all  the  crawling 
»6  in  the  world  in  order  Iq  obtain  anything  lovely. 
ic  lo\e  of  beauty,  iui  an  intelligent  creature,  runs 
ato  concern  about  the  caui^cft  and  the  enemies  of 
'autiful,  into  a  ^tudy  therefore,  of  these  Doniinu- 
mfl  PciwtTs  in  who^t*  train  the  beautiful  liven  and 
jKf  dt-rlin«'  it  withrr.'^.  Moroo\er,  as  the  beautiful 
iiark  ol  vital  |)».Tfection  ami  live  everywhere  its* 
.ent>,  there  is  luitenlial  beauty  of  all  sorts  latent 
woiM  ;  and  tht.*  Power  or  Dominatiun  that  roots 
ic  beaut)  plants  another  ;  so  that  through  the 
)f  tlie  lii^uiriun  th(*re  dtttii  eoiiii's  a  smile  and  the 
g  oi  one  iM\ilt/ation  it  tlw-  iiiomin;;  of  another." 
.  the  wordft  the  "exening  of  <me  cjNili/ation  is  the 
ig  «»f  ain'ther,"  i^  revealed  the  crux  of  Santayana's 
)phy.  Me  U  not  a  tlefeati>l  in  thtmght  :  nor  is  he 
inii^t.  He  has  hope  for  humanity  ;  he  believes  a 
Will  Id  can  come.  Tht!  world  for  him  can  still 
'.  out  on  the  ihrc-hold  of  a  new  civili/ati(m. 
lis  attitude  reveal-  in  him  tht;  sympathy  ot  a  poet 
le  tolerance  of  a  sajie. 

S<»i;i.K  OnuiOK  on  Lifl 
inta\ana  had  a  ^dier  and  .sensible  outlook  on  life. 
ired  to  liia*.  notable  thinker  Bertrand  Rushcll  he 
s  Ut  ha\e  In  t  n  l»>s  injluenced  ))>  lh«*  impact  of 
'  and  it-  trenundous  progTes^  in  our  «M-ntury. 
hoiji  relijiinn  Sanlaxinia  had  a  very  tolerant  out- 
l!»'  -al-l  :  "iJfli^iitin  is  human  experience  inter- 
by  hu'.uan  imj;.'!nati)in. .  Matters  of  relijiion  should 
be  »!:alter.-.  of  tc.nlro\iT*> . . . .  Wc  seek  rather  to 
-  the  pielN  and  un«ler»iand  the  po«trv  embodied  in 
fables.'* 

intayana  can  be  called    (almost)    Aristotelian  in  his 
lis.       He    -axs  :       *'ln    Ari-totle    ihe    conception    of 
I   nature  is  perfecily  scmnd.      Everything   ideal  has 
iral   basi<«,   and   <\  cry  thing    natural   an   ideal   fulfil- 
llis   « Arisioile's.i    ctliici.   when   thoroughly   digest- 
d    weijihed,   will    si'i-m    perfectly   final." 
Po>rnrM<n«»   Pi'm.i(.\»iiON    Liki:ly 
i^    b''lie\eii    ttiat    I  he    woild   has   not   seen   the   last 
s   great       phi|o*t.ph»  r*«.    book.      The    two    titles    (i) 
15   anJ   I' Jan's   and    «ii)    Thv   Middb*  Span   in    the 
Tht'    Htirkfiroiiiid   of   Lift',    will    be    bdlowed    by 
hu'noijv  pubbcaimn. 

he  la*l  id  the  sciii-».  ii  it  come.-*,  will  ib-al  with 
i-on(t'ii:por.irv  pei-unalitiis  about  whom  Santayana 
it  want  tn  expre--  his  dpiniun  during  bis  lifetime 
eni'c  the  biMik  coidil  not  come  out  then, 
lie  >eani  re^ptti  paid  to  this  ;!real  modern  philo-^o- 
by  o'jJ-lan.linj:  dailii-s  in  this  country  re\eals  the 
that  w«-  know  of  uui  ^rreal  thinkers, 
.inlavana  will  ifinain  an  out-tandini*  thinker  of  our 
In  him  kn<»\\i'd«.'i-  wa-  ureal,  scholaiship  profound, 
vhal  stiikis  one  nin-L  i-  th»*  fact  that  a  *tudy  ot 
ork,  makis  the  reader  ferl  that  he  was  born  a 
'nan:  flial  wi-iloii;  wa*  bis  lierila;je.  a  part  of  his 
leinii. 

Jaiii  Stii(]i«M»  in  Italy 

Th(*    rullnwiii;.*    artirb'    js    piihli>ho(l    in    ihe 
in  Cuttund  Ditivst  : 

ain   rer«*airh    in    Kuiopi-    did    not    <tait    at    the   very 
!•<    lnd'do;!\ .       (  MifliriMikr    and    Wil-on.    lu    whom 
ve  llu*  fiisf   hint>  al   tin.    i elision   ot  the  Jains,  ga\« 
newhat  in.il  I 'iraii-  a«iniinJ*. 

he  wcallli  id  iilii-inii^  and  profain  Jain  i  ultui»- 
ts  an:!«juit\  wm-  ii\rali'd  only  lafi-r.  I  In*  wide 
met!  Huddhi-m  rnjoyi-d  frnm  the  vei\  In  winning 
Dne  Jainl-ni  Miiiu-linw.  and  hd  a  t'W  to  think  of 
tcrniM   of   a    mionr    ISuddhjst    -»•(•!,   a    didu-ion    into 

1 


The  crest  wliirli  adorns  the  literature^ 
forius  and  adv«»rtiscincnts  of  the  Hindiis- 
than  since  it.^  inception  ha.^  a  story 
behind  it.  Thr  map  of  India  in  outline 
serves  as  the  background  of  the  romantic 
hiyjtorv  of  India's  struggle  for  economic 
freedom — and  the  llindusthan  can  ^rightly 
claim  that  it  has  done  all  the  pioneering 
works  with  an  outbiok  of  national  service. 
It  i^  Ittdian  in  ideal  and  outlook^  Indian  in 
capital  and  nianagemenl — it  is  cent  per 
cent  lltidian  in  everything  so  to  speak. 
The  crest  therefore  serves  to  throw  into 
relief  the^patriotic  endeavour  of  the  great 
men  of  the  time  to  bring  economic  salva- 
tioii'to  our  nationals. 

The  cresl  is  the  symbol  of  economic 
security,  protection  and  peace  and  is 
significantly  tied  up  with  the  life  of  our 
nationals. 


HINDUSTHAN 

COOPERATIVE  INSURANCE  SOCIETY, LTD., 

HINDUSTHAN   BUILDINGS, 
4,  Chitfaranjan  Avenue,  CALCUTTA- '3 


THE  MODERN  REVIEW  FOR  APRIL.  1953 


which  they  were  drawn  the  more  cas^ily,  as  both  religions 
hegan  in  the  saint*  historical  age  and  k>oked  to  some 
extent  alike. 

Tliut  the  only  essential  feature  in  common  was  the 
.doctrine  of  the  world  whirl  (samsara)  and  a  spiritual 
law  to  save  man  from  it.  a  law  that  did  not  stop  at 
the  stage  of  philosophic  system,  but  ^pread  among  the 
masses  as  a  religion,  also  became  apparent  later.  But 
as  research  ihiKed  deeper,  it  became  clt^ar  why  Buddhism 
had  become  a  unive^^aI  rciipon,  whilst  Jainism 
remained  exclu^i\l•ly  India's.  As  such,  Jainism  grew 
side  by  bide  witii  thi^  cpuntr>'s  art  and  tlumght,  and 
struck  deep  mots  in  her  Vuhure.  thus  embotiyinp  more 
and  i!u»r«'  of  her  liteiatuic.  archilecture  and  sculpture. 
Only  the  nuinber  c»f  i!<  IoHowit"  stayed  at  the  same  level. 

Thf  gn-at  (iernian  IiidnJo^ic  M-hool  of  the  later  half 
of  the  last  century  grappled  (irci<i\ely  with  Jainism  as 
a  sub; eel  by  ilscjf.  liVv  186.1,  Weber  published  his 
Ufber  Ilui  Fragnn'tit  Der  Hhagavuti^  \\\  thi*  Abhand- 
luniren  of  the  Berlin  Academy,  starting  a  long  series  of 
studies  and  works  in  which  shartMl  Jaeobi.  Ijcumann, 
Klatt  and  R.  C>.  Bhandarkai.  Webt-r  himself  ordered, 
studied  and  ca'uloiiuc.i  the  \I-.  of  th»"  Berlin  Library, 
while  Jaeobi  finally  cMablishrd  the  dilKrent  origin  of 
Buddhism  and  Jaini«ini,  having  recoi;ni/cd  in  Mahavira 
a  distinct  historic  peri^onality  not  tu  be  mixed  up  with 
Sakyanmni. 

An  Italian  pupil  of  Weber  s  in  Berlin,  Fulle,  was 
the  trailblazer  of  Jainism  in  Italy.  He  published  a 
lhree-v<dunie  work  entitled  The  Jaina  Literature  and 
Some  Sources  of  the  European  Short  Story,  where  he 
showed,  on  the  wake  of  Wi'ber'.-.  Jaeobi 's,  Klatt's  and 
Leumann*s  n^searches.  how  much  European  tales  and 
short  stone's,  especially  in  the  middle  ages,  are  indebted 
to  the  Indian  ««ourccs  as  endiodied  in  the  Jain  canonical 
texts.  .Such  a  work,  proented  in  the  way  of  a  general 
research,  roused  the  interest  «>f  Italian  scholars  in 
Jainism.  Pulle  himself  c(»nlinued  to  work  in  that  line 
and  edited  liaribhadrj'^  Sutlihirsannsarnurcaya  with 
Gunaralna's  tika.  Tliesf  w<irk.->  wtTe  published  in.  the 
Giornale  Delia  Sotieta  /Uiatira  Itaiiana.  Till  the  end 
of  the  ceniiiiy  Pullc  carried  on  his  work  cm  the  Jain 
short  storiev;  and  pniducc*!  es-a>s  cm.  Rajasekhara's 
Antarakathnsattgniha,  \\li<*r»'  he  deteeted  an  ance>lor  of 
the  Italian  in>dic\:il  popular  iiiiiire  of  Berlohio.  a  good- 
natured  peasant  jester,  full  of  jiep  and  horse  sen*<^. 
llis  book  /  \ou'llirri  (iiamiri  ( 1879-98 »  shed  further 
light  on  tlie  Indian  »«liorr  -tory  and  ii*.  relationship  to 
llie  UK'dievtd  fund  td  European  tales.  Pulle  also 
rexiewid  arw!  !i^t«il  -u«  li  Jain  manu^eripi^  as  are 
cimlained  in  the  Isnlian  lihrari(>«. 

The  >an.«-  ^ubfeet  altraeted  a  nuich  >ounj:er  Italian 
Indc»loiii-i  :  Km-lio  I''j\olini  who  worij-  i>-aN«.  on  the 
Prakrit  tal:-  o|  \landi\a.  V^ialail.iiia  ami  \liila«le\a. 
Tlei  I'ine  -|ni\  •  f  liafobhadalta.  belonL'inj:  to  the 
eeinnieu!aii<*s  of  San!\ararya  an«l  I)e\rn<lra-.c,ri  t(»  tlio 
I  Ifara  i  lia>.:na  foinn!  in  Pavolni.  'i\<  fir^i  K'iropan 
itan^l.-sl'^!-  .!•  etiidiii'i  'o  the  i«  \f  ii*  iditf-d  b>  Jactdii  in 
hi*=  ^//sA'e/(wi7;//e  /\rr<irl:/'jni:cii  in  Mnharashtii.  Hut 
P:.viMini  ,:!-o  i'. .:•!••  kip-un  in  ltal>  aiioth*  r  ii»nre  thi* 
Jain>  li.*:.!  ;i-.<l  -I:  -i\"mi:'-  iiiid  -«niMUf>.  lii*  iian^^laled 
f-.-rt  ui  :iii  (.a!li;.!x«i-;;  «'t  Niunicandra-iiri,  the 
Pra^nultiiratnaMiala    an-i    the    Simliiraprakjra . 

v..  I..  «••  "^1  !"a»'.  a  I'.iiil  «•!  PaNflini.  al-n  ««ludif»l  at 
H«»r.-J»' I .  win  >r  IJ.iaM  i-  ii<h  in  Jain  .\N..  an«l 
•i;-.n-!aie'!  t!"-  «-!or\  .t  ^la«1ir\i.ti.  \.  Hallini.  who  dieil 
nrntK  in  lio"".  a  iT-t  ipli'  uf  Pulle  and  Jaeobi.  fnlloweil 
in  tii»'  f..il-'iii>  n'  ihi-  r  a«!«r-.  \\\'^  fii-t  e-*-ay  wa*-  on 
tl'.'-  lit,'"  •  -!i!iv  >f  \'.ailal!.i.  .i»i  oiilin,:  lt»  thf  two  M^. 
v.-i-MHi-  ii\ii  ll^  l:i«o|ii.  Sh'-rily  alterward-*  h«"  Iran-^lated 
the   ill-:    :i»i\    iah  -   ••»    tlu-    Pan<a-atipraliodhasimbandha. 


Between  1904  and  1910  he  published  an  Ita 
translation  of  Siddhursi's  l.pamitibhavaprapancaki 
an  allegoric  tale  of  I'.uman  lifd  with  the  stress  on  . 
salvation,  the  first  known  Indian  alleguric  work  after 
Buddhist  dramas  discovered  in  Turfan.  which  were  wzi 
one  thousand  years  earlier. 

To  Ballini  we  further  owe  an  accurate  study  of 
life  of  Siddharsi  and  of  Vasupujya,  the  tw( 
Tirthankara,  an  edition  of  the  Vasupujyacaritra,  an 
translation  of  the  Vivagasuyam.  the  eleventh  chapte 
the  c*anonical  literature  on  the  fruit  of  human  actii 
His  two  final  works  were  treati^es  on  Jainism  in  gen 
its  featuics  and  contiibution>  to  the  dc'velopmen 
Indian  cuhure. 

L.  Suali,  al&o  a  puidl  of  Jaeobi  and  still  a  profe 
at      the      P'avia       I  ni\ersily,      translated       Haribhac 
Lokatattfunirmtya,         and         soon         afterwards 
StulJarsanasumuvcaya   with  Gunaratna's  commentary, 
further  edilcil   Dharmabindu  ami   Yogabindu, 

Still   ali\e  and   active   is  F.   HcUonl-Fitippi,      ano 
di-rciplc  <d  Jacid)i.     lie  «!a\e  a  critical  editon  of  pai 
the  Yogasaatravrtti.   llemachandra's  didactic  poem,  ai 
complete   edition   of  Muuipaticaritrasaroddhara,      He 
\^rolc  a  general  treatise  on  Jaini^n   (Pisa,  19-U)    anc 
article  on  the  moilern  svetanibara  Dhdrmavijayas-uri, 
\.as   horn   in       \?,(u^   ami    head«'d    the      Tapagaccha, 
calling    the    reader's    attention    on    the    present    activ 
of  the  Jain>. 

In  19.'i9,  a  >oung  Italian.  Indologist  died  ni 
unknown  in  Bikaner.  lie  had  a  short  and  bril 
career  but,  as  he  was  in  the  employ  of  the  Br 
(Iovernniv*nl.  most  of  the  Ms.  he  was  c^ngaged  in  at 
time  ot  hi>  death  could  not  be  traced  any  more, 
had  learned  Marathi  and  wa^^  bus>  with  an  edition 
tran*latiim  of  Tukaram's  work**. 

His  name  was  I,.  P.  Tes-itori.  Before  dying 
had  had  tim(>  to  jiuhlidi  the  fir>t  Italian  translatioi 
the  Prakrit  autludogy  Wutvavairaiiyasataka^  and  a  t:ri 
edition  of  I.)harmalla^a's  (  lursanuila.  Further  newj 
Te>sitori.  ,froin  whiih  the  whuh-  purport  of  the  i 
he  left  unfini>hed  on  his  dcathheil  will  perhaps  be  tr 
back  one  day,  arc  contained  in  the  arc*hive^  c»f 
Italian   (!on»nlalc   in  (iaicnita. 

From  tluM  short  anil  necessarily  incomplete  ace 
it  is  already  apparent  how  nian>  anumg  the  outstan 
Italian  linlidt».iii-ts  nf  the  fornu  r  ;;eneralion  felt  attra 
by  the  old  tradiliiins  «»f  Jainism.  the  most  Indian  an 
hnlian  religion-i.  Their  exaniph-  has  cuniributed  to  r 
!h«'  Jain  conimunily  known  and  appreciated  in  ltaly» 
V.  ill  not  j>i'  lo.-r  anion;;  the  younger  schcdars  of 
country. 

I  .itfapli'ti  troni  an  urtiijr  h\  Mario  Vallauri 
Fast  and  If'tst,  III    2) 


FOREIGN  PERIODICALS 


olfpa-DoQ  :  A  GreaL  Economic  Factor 

Academician  A.  Winter  writes  in  ihe  Neirs  and 
.1  from  the  Sovitst  Vnion,  September,  1952  ; 

Dfw  .•'|>l>'titli[l  lriiini|ili  lias  rrnwned  i\w  t'eareful 
ji:rivc  lalniir  of  llu-  Siivifl  jieiJi'lr  :  lliir  VolKfl-Ui>n 
in)-  Canal  hun  iiiii-neil  (i>r  «TviC(-.  Together  willi 
•  T>iiNlyBn'-Luya  llyilru-KW-trir  Slalion  and  the 
Tigalion  work*  have  lic}iun  upiTalinn. 
his  first  o(  llic  |ir""at  ronslrurtim  pmjVtts  ot  Coin- 
in  hs"  hren  naini'il  adtr  llie  InytaAn  of  ihe  Soviet 

V.  I.  Lenin,  iinikr  whnxr  dirpcl  guidanre  the 
■in'!  Kui.  laid  for  rxlcn'ivr'  hyHrulechnical  di^velop- 
in   >ininL'  Soviel   Russia. 

.  I.  Lvnin  liiiii-  anil  attain  (luinrrd  nul  ihal  lliH 
unixi  MK'ifrr  <'an  In-  hujit  U)i<  only  on  a  piiH'f^fiil 
nl'lri'linical  basU.  by  llit  widf  (■Iculrifii.'ation  of 
ry.   a("riciiiliire    anil    llir    Iraniipitrt    scn'icpi   of    the 

Slal.;.      "(.'onlnluni^nl."  V.    I.    Irf'iiin     laujElil.     "ii 

power  plus  I'irclrifirarion  of  the  whole  country." 
As  early  a*  Vi\%  the  Soviet  C<iv>-min>>nt.  on  V.  I. 
s  iniitaiivc.  iias^eil  a  dnri^^ion  In  eontael  the  Volga 
H-  Don  liy  a  ranal.  But  .at  thai  liine  the  country 
nahlf  I"  I'lFiil  thi-  iilun  :  iTie  fliiiL  War  and  fnrt'ifEn 
■ntion  interfered.  Thfy  i-oiniH-lli'd  temporarily  to 
llie  «.>ik  thai  H'U.  h.'t'in  i>n  llie  t'on-=lruetinn  of  the 
Don   Clanal. 

Dtr  ihf  V<>l;.'a-r>on  Shipping:  Canal  ha"  been  liuill 
'  in<<lrueiiun  and  under  ijic  iiuidanee  nf  J.  V.  Stalin. 
iltknl  (li--i-i{:li-  und  innlinuer  u(  lyiiiu"!.  eauH.'. 
ltd  the  ennal  lia>  li'i'n  built  in  rei-ord  short  lime 
Thi«  liai  Ix-eonie  gxiai'ible  thank:*  to  the  fact  that 
nxtnk'tion  job  hs'^  amply  provideil   with  firtit  class 

liulMin';  ei|ul]iiiienl  unil  hti:hly  qualitiod  speciatists. 
■4ien   per   i-i-nl   of   all   earlhwurk    and   more   than 

cent  nf  alt  ron~t  rue  linn  work  on  tbi-i  iiroleel  wa» 
i  out  Htlh  til.'  ai.l  id  maebinery. 
he  X.  I.  Lenin  Vidpa-Don  Shijipinf!  Canal  i«  a 
a  exampli!  oF  inuhipurpnj«r  utili/jiiion  of  natural 
••■\  whiih  is  a  ili-liniliie  fi-alure  of  Soviul  hydro- 
.■ol  dc-(eloiiiii.'nt.  Tile  i:aniil  i«  a  Rri-at  factor  for 
nher  siuBth  of  ihe  pruduilive  f.ireei  of  the  USSR 
■'dii's  a  numbiT  nf  rs>j-ntiiil  iTonoinic  problem'. 
r>-t  of  all.  the  Viil^a-Dnn  Shipping  Canal  makes 
f  further  raiiid   devidi'pmi'iil  of  river  transport  at  ion 

fS.'^R.  The  ennal  lias  linked  itilo  an  inti^grutcd 
•rt  *y»|rm  r.'iu.-  .13.000  inland  *iiierways  and  ha% 
pii;sibl>-  thri)U)ih  uailualii'n  hewn'n  five  was  of  the 
■an  iHirt  ,d  III.-  [  SSII.  namely,  between  the  Nortlx'm 

and  Baltie  ."ea*  with  the  Southern  Caspian,  .\to\ 
lack  >ea<.  Moseow  and  all  the  blj:  cities  along 
ilga.  the  Dnn  and   on  the  Ca-pian  enast  have  nnw 

le  opening'  nf  the  VmIeuDou  SHippiiiK  Canal  for 
r  passenger  and  enr-jo  trnffie  ho>  made  for  a  large 
«  of  carso  Irati-portalion  over  Ibc  major  warerwayn 
Soviel  Union  unil  ut  the  ?ame  time  h.i*  raised 
econoniie  imimrtnnce.  Already  hundreds  of 
IB   of   car-o   ships   have   sailed    the   new   waterway 


and  ten?  of   thou^uds  of  pa^'engers   have  travelled  over 

From  the  Vniga  rafts  oF  timher  now  ro  throuf;h  the 
iraoal  to  the  Don  and  Further  south,  chemical 
fertilizers  from  the  far-away  N(»rih<'rn  Kola  Peninsula, 
i>re  from  ihe  llrals,  nil  from  Baku,  iiiaehines  from  the 
central  districts  of  the  country,  automobiles  and 
tractors  from  the  Tran-i.VoIga  cities. 

In  the  opiiwfite  dimtinii  through  the  canal  to  the 
\  'd|.'a  H'lw  barues  with  grain  o\  the  new  abundant 
harti'sl  |!rown  in  tlie  Kuban,  with  Donhas  coal  and 
nulal,  with  rolled  sleel  and  pipe*  from  tiie  touthera 
iiieiallurgical  plants.  In  four  yiars.  cargo  transportation 
thioiigh  Ihe  V.  ].  l.enin  Canal  will  increa.'^e  more  than: 
five  limes  ciimpared  with  ibis  year,  whilo  the 
transportation  of  $uch  e-sential  cargo  as  Dnnbas  coal 
and    Ural   timbiT   will   increase,   tenfold. 

The  Vol»a-Uon  Shipping  Canal  is  substantially 
chuupening  cargo  transportation  bmb  from  the  Volga  to 
the  Don  ami  in  the  opposite  direction.  Thus,  for 
t^xample,  the  prime  operating  east  of  carryine  oil  over 
Ihe    Volga-Don   waterway    will    come    down    to    neaily    a 


332 


THK  MODERN  liEVjEW  FOR  APRIL.  1953 


fnurlh,  ami  linihor  to  a  ♦•ixlh  as  comj>ar»Ml  with  the  cost 
of  railway  iraiiH)ortatiun.  Bi't^iik"*  this,  ih**  lanal  takes  a 
(:on««i<icrablf'  load  «»IT  the  railway*  that  connwl  the 
Donbas  with  the  Tran^-N'olga  ana  ami  n'h'asfs  somv 
400.<X^)  railway  wajions  for  ••ther  n«  (MI^.  of  lh«'  national 
<cononiy  of  the   LSSR. 

Siiiiultanrou^K  with  ?.nl\in;:  tin-  pn»bh-m  of 
mi\i{!atio(i.  lln*  \ol'^a-D(»n  Shippinj:  Canal  ami  the 
Tsimlvan*«lva\a  h\«ln»i»owcT  •.n-Iciii  conn*-*  IjmI  with  it, 
solve  a  ^reat  nulinnalrtiinoiiiir  prohleni  of  irrijiatin^;  and 
providing  a  waitT  ?upi>1y  to  tlir  arid  ili-trirt^  of  Rojilov 
antl  Maliiiiiratl  rrjiioiw.'  Tlu-  lir^t  UHMHR)  hectares  of 
and  land  in  Ro^ttiv  Ki<:ifin  hav*-  hirn  irn;;at»d  ahrad> 
thi>  year.  The  water  ha\e  come  to  llii*  fichU  tivtr  thf 
new  irrijiatioii  ml  work  extrndinj:  ft»r  more  thait  a 
hundred  kilonn.tn-«  inio  the  >tepi»e>.  .\n»l  tin*  mighbour- 
ing  <"ullei"li\«'  farms  \\a\v  raised  lninip#'r  harv^'Ms  of 
grain  and  industrial  ^rop^  m'\rr  lnfor*'  lifiiru  of  in 
these    part^. 

ConMnietion  ol  tin-  irriuation  and  water-suppK 
nelwoik  of  till*  Nid^M-him  Canal  i-  planiuil  t<i  !»•• 
acetiinplishiMJ  in  a  ».|»aer  nf  li\e  >ear-.  Sueh  a  hiah  tempo 
is  unknown  in  all  hi-loiy  of  irrijiaiion  d'Mdopmcnl.  B\ 
1950.  an  ar«\j  «t  2.7.")0.(KK>  Ium  ian>.  td  aritl  -iep[ieland 
will  b'f  irrijialid  and  provided  a  water  -iipply.  As  a 
ferult  id  till-  ihf  Soxi.'t  I  nion  will  t\fr>-  yrar  produce 
ad<Iiti.inall\  nit.r.-  than  1.23()^li<>.)  ton-  .d  wheat.  lf,0.(KM.» 
ton-  id  ilif.  o\r  (»(l».UtK)  inn-  of  po!ato»'>  anM 
\egt'laldt-.  ami  -o  «»n.  On  tin*  ii»ijiat'*d  land  of  KosIon 
and  Stalinurad  rr^inn-  , cotton  .ind  olhrr  xaiuahl*' 
»{£ricultural  crop>  will  In-  rai-ed. 

An  ahundam-r  ni  fodd«'r  will  make  for  a  tremmdou-f 
Up^ur.^e  in  anim.J  Ir.i-handry  ami  foi  improvr-mcnt  of  tin.' 
1i\«'>lock  hen  I.  The  ratth*  h«'rd,  ft»r  example,  will 
inerea'^e  b\  alio!it  20:MM>:)  head.  \n*l  production  (d  milk, 
butter  ami  ima:  will  .-ti-];  up  at   l*a-t  tht»*c  to  four  times. 

'rhu<>  tlif  \  oljia-Don  (>aual  inaki-  for  an  aliundancc 
of  ton-uiiitr  jio«..d-  and  a  fuiili»r  up-wiu'i  in  ihc  widl- 
l»'in«»   ni   tlu    Soviet    peoph  . 

Thf  \'ol;;a  Don  proin  t  iiii-lu«li  -  tin-  T-iirdvan-kavii 
M\dn.' I'll*  rtijr  >Mti'iii  widi  a  «jp;»«il\  «»!  KiO.OO^I 
kilowatt.-,  .lointtl  with  tin-  ii«n-iai  »li«l!ii  uiiw«»rk.  th«- 
powiT  of  till-  -tation  now  j;oi-  to  L)onli.i-  tnin»"f  and 
to  th»-  imiii-iiiil  i»iit!<-  «d  tlu  -oiiili:  p..wri-*  the 
mcchani«m-  of  tin-  lock-,  and  |)Uii  pinu  jilanK  id  ihv 
canal  %!nd  ;li'-  pu.'iipin::  in-'idlation-  ot  I'l"  irii«jration 
i*>-t<*?n. 

I  III'    i'l:<  ;ip     ;io'.\ii     |>M  dn«  t  >\ 
II>«IroKI"<  l! '•    **'i't'i!    '-   :>''_'iMiiiii 
ill-'    allini;!'  ,     ■  I.     ,:  i;.«   -'.ihm        ••! 
f.Mrr!-.   .ind    !.:.!'ii:.!.     .'Imi    '\..t*i-i 
tl'.i     iiiUid.       <':'-:itK     i'ulif*  nm-j 
i::o!'     |>i<><!i:' t  i\i  .    •!     v.'li        :ri«':»,i. 


(  olii  (  •  i\f 
o{    lixiriL.' 


t.ir.i:-  I 


> ,  1 1 
-  Ill 


li\     llir     r-ind\an-ka\a 

h»   li"   widi'K    i;-«'d   foi 

«••!'•  «li\'     fai:c-.    -tati- 

I. .lion-    in    tin-   aita   ot 

li'*i!    .ind       making    it 

j'i!'     !!i»of:ii'-    «d    tin; 

!iij»'        il"  If    -l.tu'lard 


fn    I\««-'i,\    ;j,i  !      s'  liiM.ji 
alrt'^nK    In  :ii'.     I.iuik  it<  •!   'i    'i> 
JL'ii*  •illuj.j'   ■!•.••   I    I.-   w-     |.    •■ 
on    th«-    i:  I  I'.!'  .1    .III'!    '.*  .'•  ••  •; 
dtvihip       -u-  l.       !••  null-  - 
\i  •:«'laM«     •  il    '  \i  I.I.  'Ill'  iii: 

\fi'>        :.5iidij« 

o'i«  '     irid'i-'t 
'  I-*' 


'»r,ii«li  .-n.j 
n-..ri:!*.i«  l'i»:i: 
fi .  ••;••••    n'    •! 

of      Oji.  I  .ill     ■ 

I .i.«  •;•  •  ] 

^.'•![-|.ir«.'     <  . 


■1. 


i\ 


II 


r  '■ 
.1  ,:•, 


•"  » ; 


•     :  I 
l|.;< 


!<  .  Iiil   ..     .  ii|i-tFll:  lion     !•> 

•  •;:•  1 1'!  i-r-    |oi    |,nn  i-».in.Li 

I      i><         -'ill.'lll.MiMx       I   •IMlllil-d 

I  ill-.'         I  Ji«  !••    N.-JI    ;.'i.-atK 

!'\iili'       II:  iinilai  iiiiinL:. 

I*  li'iin".    wiij'-    m.ikini:. 

oil.       I.i«  .jii'i-      and       d\r 

\     ili-:in-M  -'.iny 

•  ":•    ■•■•!.    <!•  JV  • 

I'i'o  •  ;i'..',    ' 

'   ■  'I'M      \  I 


1... 


\ 


'Ml 


X 


D.'o 

ani 


OUTSTANDING 

PRODUCTS  OF 

HERING    8e    KENT 

ROYAL  OONIM  :  Super  TitaiUinK  Tonic  lor  Mn 
and  Women.  Roatorea  youthfai  vigonr  and  fitalitj 
at  any  age.  Rs.  50  for  3  weeka  courae ;  Ra.  200  foi 
complete  coumo  of  12  weeka. 

00^f[3il:  (General  ali-rouod  tonic  for  men  A  women. 
Rs.  7  8  for  one  week  ;  Rs.  22-3  for  3  weeka ;  Ra.  90 
for  12  weekA  complete  courae. 

BIOSTIL  HORMONE  CREAM:  Genuine  hormone 
treatmi'at  for  restoring  the  freahneaa  and  fiimneai 
of  youth  to  the  at^ed,  wrinkled  akin.  Women  of  60 
regain  complexion  like  women  of  20.  Indicated  for 
wrinkles,  linea,  baggincifl  bad  colour,  diafiguration, 
blomlHhcH  and  akin  diaordero  (acne,  pimpiea,  ete.) 
Ra.  5-8  per  tube. 

SIMBOOGI  HAIR  LOTION:  An  unfailing  hair-grower. 
PoAitivcdy  grovi's  new  hair  and  atopa  falling  hair, 
daadruff.  iching  acalp,  etc.  Rs.  3-8  per  bottle.  blM* 
BOOvU  HAIR  OIL:  A  delightful  ideal  hair-dreaaing 
and  tonic  for  correcti->n  of  various  hair,  acalp  and 
brain  troubles.    Ks.  3-8  psr  bottle. 

LUNEGON  :  The  most  effective  nerve  and  brain 
Aeditifc  tonic,  indicated  for  mental  and  nervoua  dis- 
orders. Immediately  calms  and  ioothca  high  mental 
and  nervous  ttmsion.  Containa  no  iujuriour,  depressing 
or  hiibit- forming  dr'igH.  Ra.  4  per  packet  of  50  ;  Ra.  70 
per  packta  of  1000  tablets.  ( Hospital  packing). 

OIBNIL :  The  most  effective  oral  remedy  indicated  in 
tihe  trciitmeut  of  Diabetes  Mellitus.  Ra.  15  per  packet 

SILVITA :  For  acidity,  heart-burn,  aour  atomacb, 
dyspepsia,  wind  and  fnliness  after  meala,  etc.  Rs.  4 

NOVUM :  The  most  i)otent  and  effective  ''period 
regulator"  for  ft'inales.  indicated  in  the  treatment  of 
Amonorrhocii.  (Periodic  Disorders).  Restores  the 
fi^na-ilo  periodic  oy<d«  Murely,  quickly,  safely.  NOVLTM 
SL\ir»LKX.  Rh.  12-8.  NOVi;M  FORTE.  Re.  50; 
.VOVIJM  srPKR  CONCENTRATED,  indicated  onU 
for  mimopiU'ial  tronbln  and  oe^trogenic  hormone  defi- 
ciency. R^.  21.  CI  VITA  :  MU.ST  HE  TAKEN  tonic 
with  XOVdM  to  prevent  side  reactions  and  hastea 
resultrt.  Rs.  19  per  picket  of  100;  Ra.  4-12  per  packet 
of  25;  Also  availiible: 

INDULABO  PASFE    INJECTION    TREATMENT  for 

rogtHtercd  and  <ia!iliti**d  Physicians  only.  Full  parti« 
culafH  itont  on  request  to  physii-iana  only. 

PREGNO:  An  ideal,  n  On -greasy  and  delicately  per- 
fumed prepiration  for  FAMILY  LIMITATION. 
F-ieallv  suited  for  the  mom  fastidious  woman.  Ra.  9-8 
for  complete  outfit  :  Us.  7-8  for  "RefiU". 
EXPERT  MEDICAL  ADVICE:  Wo  have  0])ened  a 
"Clinical  Dopl.'  under  the  direct  supttrvision  of  quali- 
ti  ;d  and  exo«-Men(*ed  physicians  and  snrgoona.  Lxpert 
Hincere  and  :/e.in'inp  adfire  and  treatment  given  for  all 
y.nir  SKX  and  FAMILY  LIMITATION  problems. 
ironsult  personally  between  5-30  to  9  P.M.  on  aoj 
week-day  or  ivrite  your  case  in  detail  (enclosiDg 
a  statnped.  si'lf -addressed  envelope)  for  reply. 

AbK  FOR  FREE  MEDICAL  CIRCULAR 
ot  all  our  products 

HERING  &  KENT 

POST  BOX  .:.n  {.M.R.C.).  0pp.  Lloyds  Bank 
\\\  iiV^,  Hornby  Road.  Fort,  Bombay  1.  'Phone :  2«89f2 


FOREIGN  PERIODICALS 


333 


The  Unique  Economic  System 
of  Yugoslavia 

Vlajko  Begovic,  Director.  Yugoslav  Planniivj: 
>ard,  writes  in  Tanyug,  October  19S2  : 

•'A  paiipfr  •iitlinp  on  a  cliair  of  jiohi"  i»i  an  unhappy 
ra5»r  more  than  onr  country  roul.I  use  tn  (U*»<rihi*  ilst*lf. 
jrotflav^-  ill-hou<**d,  ill-ffd,  ami  ill-ch)th  detpitt; 
ir  nation's  wcahh  of  human  and  inalcrial  n-.-ourres— 
lid  use  it  well.  IJut  they  would  add  that  the  pauper 
bestirrinsr  hiinsrjf  afttr  rrnturie«»  of  oppression,  and 
it  the  phra.'-e  will  >omeday  he  nothini:  but  a  had, 
mory. 

The  natural  ri«  hf«.  of  thi*  counirv  are  cndlos-?.  Its 
700  vquare  miK"?  of  fannlanil  yield  all  lh«-  luxurious 
ips  of  Central  Europe-  and  the  Mediltrranean  plus  a 
-icty  of  subtropical  plants.  Forest •»  t»f  hifih-jprade 
od  stretch  ovvr  anotlu-r  X\.('A')  -quarc  niili"*.  The 
rents  of  water  that  pour  down  Yugoslavia's  mountains 
lid  pcnerale  son.«-  4^)  billion  KWH  of  I'hetrie  power, 
.own  coal  <lep  i-iis  rcarh  Jl  billion  tons  while  Shnenia, 
oatia.  and  \l(»nl«n»i;ro  contain  rich  oil  fudds;  in  these- 
valuable  n  st»urcc>  th**  «ounlr\  already  rates  a-*  one  ot 
*  richc**t  in  ih»-  world — and  prospectors  an*  re;:ularly 
r-ealinj;  new  wcillh.  Tht-n*  nrv  imprci-sixe  deposit-^  of 
uxit<\  copper.  I«-ad.  /.inc.  antimony.  p\rit«ts.  mercury, 
dybrlenuni.  chronn-,  manjiano^r.  wdfram.  asbcnto?, 
ignevite.  jsyp.-'.im.  rock  «alt,  and  iron. 

During  the  counliyV  .^trufijilf  a^ain-^l  the  Natis, 
rdta1i.sts  and  landlurd^  whu  had  cidlaboratcd  with  them 
r<*  exf»roprialvd  in  each  newly  liberated  area.  By  the 
d  of  the  war  in  101.'>  ovrr  half  (.vl  per  cent)  of 
lu'itry  was  und«T  -lat*-  control.  Twenty--even  per 
It  wa<-  for-ijin  prop(ii>  undrr  ])r«»\i-ional  '•tate 
ina^em-nt  and  lh«*  remaining  10  jur  cent  wa«*  still 
privat'.;   hands. 

-Agiarian  refurin  \\a.>*  carrier!  out  at  th':-  same  time, 
r^'e  holdinL">  wm  di^liibuted  amoni:  the  jn-a-'-anls 
10  bail  farmed  ihrm— parlicularK  afiionjs  iho^^  takin.j; 
rt  in  :he  l*«opl«*-*  ljberat!«)n  Struggle.  But  th»'  land 
19  not  natlimaliz'd.  li  p'l.iain'-d  under  private*  or  co- 
eralixe  owner.-hip.  Nor  were  the  artisan  shops 
tionalized. 

The  nianth*  of  nalionali/.:itiiiii  ihu-  coverctl  a 
-ge  portion  of  Yuj-o.-^lavia'."*  emnoiiu  wh«'n  tin*  nation  be- 
n  the  here  ul'-an  ta-fk  of  lepaiiin^  il-  war-drva-tatcd 
onomy. 


DIABETES 

atCUt'&aduuiaumUU. 
DESCRIPTIVE  LITERATUREfRttFROM 

HIMALAYA  DRUG  Co. 

251.  HORNBY  ROAD.  BOMBAY,  v^    , 


The.<c  conditions  led  naturally  to  a  state,  or  adminis- 
trative, type  of  socialism.  The  stale  took  direction  not 
only  of  the  nationalized  sector  of  the  economy  but  of  the 
nation'-?  entire  economic  life,  a  centralislic  system  of 
socialism  which  wa«  embodied  in  the  Slate  Economic! 
Flan  i."<EiM.  The  SEP  determined  the  fl«>w  of  country's 
rf.soun*rs  into  production  and  investment.  It  did 
more  than  this.  It  not  only  planned  what  goods  and 
services  were  to  be  proilucetl,  but  directed  the  individual 
pha.-.es  of  production— -raw  maleriak.  fuels,  manpower, 
etc.,  and  controlled  the  distribution  of  the  final  product. 
This  detailed  direetirn  of  th**  economy  was  made  neces^ 
••ary  by  the  collai)«e  of  a  free  market  based  on  supply  and 
demand.  With  little  or  no  supply  and  an  enormous 
demand  profiteers  would  have  reaped  benefit.s  at  the 
cduntnV   expen<«'   without   rigid   controls. 

This  lir^t  [diase  of  socialism  in  Yu{!oslavia  was 
considerably  influenced  by  firactices  in  the  Soviet  Union, 
where  direct  «tatc  manajsement  of  the  economy  has  long 
been,  a  fact.  And  before  ]on«;  the  negative  aspects  of 
thi.-  system  •%tjrted  bobbing  up.  The  bureaucratic 
machine  became  top-heavy  ;  economic  enterprises  lost 
their  freedom  of  action  anrl  thus,  their  efficiency  and 
profitability  :  stat(>  control  of  distribution  h'd  to  poor 
(|iiality    aad    limited    range   of  product^. 

Thi*!  unfortunate  pha>e  laslcil  until  1951.  By  that 
year  the  country  had  regained  its  economic  legs.  Re- 
habilitation and  capital  c<instru(*tion  were  progressinss 
well,  supply  had  climbfil  toward  d'^mand  to  permit  a 
reasonable  .•itable  market,  anrl  the  country's  balance  of 
payments  jiroblem  had  been  solved  with  American  and 
other  foreign  aid.  The  country  wa.«  able  to  move  on  to  a 
new  and  happier  phaM*  in  which  the  ^tal<!  gave  up  many  of 
Ft«  controls  and  grante«l  ev»T-wider  freedom  to  citizens  in 
th^ir  economic   aetivitie."?. 

Workers'  ci»uncil>  were  established,  anil  the  enter- 
prises they  managed  wiTe  given  independence.  In  addi- 
tion to  this  fairly  comprehensive  freedom  for  individual 
enterpri-i' s.  the.  -tate  aboli.-h(*d  it^  o\er-all  directicm  and 
«l>-trin  iti«.»n  jdri-. 

iMonomir  decr'ntrali/alion  was  paralhded  in  the 
folitical  realm.  Jurisdiction  pa^'ed  from  Federal  to 
Republican  departments  and  from  there  to  Districts.  Thi.«j 
proce-'i  Ir'd  in  1952  to  a  -trcngtbening  of  local  self- 
government  in  tlistrict**.  cities,  and  communes.  These 
aie  now  responsible,  through  their  electe<l  representa- 
tives and  committees  for  the  conduct  of  social,  economic, 
and  cultural  activities  in  their   paricular  areas. 

Such  are  the  ba-^ic  contours  of  Yugoslavia's  new 
economic  ami  social  system.  Representing  a  profound 
di  tente  in  thf  admini.'?trative  power  of  the  state,  it  is  a 
iriovement   to   bring   socialist   democracy    to    the   country's 


.J fist   On  I  ' 


JuHi  Out!! 


BENOY  KUMAR  SARKAR 

(A  Study) 

Bij  Prof.  II A  RID  AS  MUKHERJEE 

With  I'tirarord  b// 

Dr.  Iln«lh;ikut7ui'l  Mookerji,  M.P. 

Price  \U.  2/-  :         Hoard-bounci  Rs.  2-8 

Das  Gupta  &  Co., 

."lA/.J,  C)lk»i,'o  Sireet,  (^aloatin 

and 


334 


THE  MODERN  REVIEW  FOR  APRIL.  1953 


ccoiUHnic  life  through  trarken'  rouncilB  and  local  telf- 

gLvtmmrnl  ;    In    pant    fm^oin    and    inirialive   to   enlcr- 

priwii   while   ro-ordinaliiiK    llicir   firniTal   aclivilii^  :    and 

10  ciUbliFh  a  fiTp  marki'l   fur  iirmiucirrH  and     increafird 

Cbmprlitiiin  amune  tlifm.     I'niiiT  llif  ni;w  »v*ifin    worker*      ,  n  i-r     i    .  V    '  f   ■»  l  ^  »ii  i_  ~  .i      r   '   i_ 

anU     olh.r  per^Ld   in   ih-  .-conomy  ar-   und.-^  Mn;  lo      '"".^ "w?.''?*"^^*'^'.'  ^of   Baha'u'llah,   the    foiudet 


Centenary  of  a  World  Faidt 

])ahai  Jubilee  Celebrations  Committee  pnliE- 
shes  on  the     ocrasinn     of     Bahal  Centenaiy  die 


ihcy  produfp  a  art     |in>fii 
amongi't  thciiii'ch-es. 

(Abriflct'd    fnim    l'iiil<'il   \alions    WorU) 


distribution     <>f  tlic  Bilhai  World  Faith  r 


ir  . 


V4^£<^?irV;/' 


hID  DIAMOKO  MtriCIIANU 


humani  preiutsi 
i>  1(1  lime  of  Dm 
Bro-iitciJ  idcaiof 


th.'     ■•Ti-i 

rlcarly   i 


llial  of  rcli;:ion.  All  down  ihr  ag«, 
wlipn'-vrr  the  -.iiirilufll  life  of  men  hu 
)i(.-ri>iiu-  d'-p^nralPil  and  ihrir  moral) 
I'lirriijil.  ihr  ni»M  wnndtrful  and  niy«- 
tcriouit  i>{  the  men,  ihe  prophtt,  nukts 
his  aiipcarancc.  Kvcry  fi-w  ri-nturiM  ' 
a  [!r>'at  divine  mraler — a  Kri^ino,  ■ 
Ziiroj-i.T.  o  M..^.-..  a  Jf*u>.  ■  MuhaiD. 
mad.  appparx  in  ihp  Eael.  like  a  Fpiri. 
Ilia)  Sun  lo  illuminr  thr-  daricniei} 
niind-i  of  men  anil  awaken  iheir  dW' 
mant  souW.  And  in  thi^  chain  of 
spiritual  etotution  the  Baha'i  Failk 
dif-Iiire?  ihe  achi-nt  of  Ihe  'Eduealor  of 
maiikinil'  in  thi-  noblesi  *ell  H 
Bafia'ii'llah.  the  la~l  link  in  this  rhiia 
•if  >piriliial  revelations. 

Born 

teinlli  rt 

Faitli  lor  the  mi<«i»n  of  Baha'u'Uah) 
iva-  a~>ailrd  from  its  very  infancy  bf 
III.  iiiree>  of  religioui'  fanatic-iem.  The 
Mid'lle  Ka-t  ai  the  turn  uf  the  l»b 
Ci-nliiry  nas  unlike  Etirupi-.  in  a  tUf 
of  .l.-.i>.  l)!iiiiran.e.  and  >lolhIuhi(M 
r-'-infor<  I'll  by  fanaticism,  were  the 
ordir  nf  the  day.  .And  Persia  (no* 
r-ali'il  Irani  had  naehed  ihc  e\lr«iie 
il'l'th  uf  thi>  eondition.  It  was  in  thit 
.-M'ial  jiid  imlitieal  M.-1-up  thai  an  m- 
li::hi>-ni-il  \outh  of  Shiraz.  the  Bib, 
llx'  f.Te.ruuntr  of  Baha'i  Failh  use 
L  ISM  and     chaUenecd  ibe 


lli- 


s  iwofold: 


ISf  C  IC   C  I  BOWBAZAB  STRtET.CAltlnrA.iAMMVHSI 
OPPOSITE  OUR  OLD  SHOW  ROOl 


ISI  ST.  AE^iAtl/iKSTJiS,:   ;il 
Mi.  ;:...; p-  w.iL;i.L\r>    jil 


manifestation  of 
God  and  to  herald  one  Eieatcr  ihn 
iltjiia'ii  llahf,  who  was  to 
!•'  a  nex  and  unprecedcBltd 
'•  ri'Hi-iiiu.  history  of  mankind. 
dii>k  lii'fdre  the  dawn  of  tUi 
>-"il  the  blackeEt  of  deeds  Au 
III  history  lia^  90  far  recorded. 
il>      bceame   ihe      centre     A 


FOREIGN  PERIODICALS 


D  fiercer  even  ihan  ihBt  which  rsBed  around  tlie 
'  of  Christianity.  In  tlie  (.'ouree  of  &  few  yeare 
lUowetL  talcs  uf  matcniAcirnI  heroism  illumined 
luodmaineiL  iiagi-s  ut  Babi  liislory.  Tvreoty 
111  men,  women  anil  tliildren  were  iiiaityrcd  in 
ttani-iw  of  horribli>  I'nielly,  at  the  hands  of  the 
IX  chjrch  fuiLOlionaricB  an<l  iheir  foUowcia. 
all  )iinisrlf,  xttt-r  conliiiuiiu«  peKi^culions  foi 
irt,  was  pcnl  lo  the.  sraffold  anil  subjected  to 
at    tlif   liantta    uf   u    lirin^    equsd   in    18liOL      The 

lutenceil  with  di-alh,  the  orthtijoxy  hoped  to 
■he  uigv  u[  tliF  drVulM's.  but  ihe  Babis  came 
I  Ii4  ^uifiT  iind  be  tiiTHTuted  in  thousands, 
■f  whom  w-i-re  many  crusaders  of  tlie  calihro  and 
ion  of  ihr  (.>urai-ii]-Ayun,  'J'aliirih  ihe  world 
Joan  of  [hir  Kast,  thn  [HH-lp»t>-horoinc  of  Qaxvin. 
.d  in  thi-^  sturniy  and  tumultuous  timi^^  ramc 
i  Baba'u'llah—Tiie  Glnry  of  God,  tbr  World 
ar,  wliuse  ailtt-nl.  Bab  had  iiroclaimed  with  His 
>d.  Jklia'u'JIah,  burn  iii  Tihran,  on  NoveniLier 
7.  hailed  from  onr,  of  tin-  noblest  and  wealthiest 
i  of  the  iH'iIiid.  ilis  fatlier  was  a  minieti^  of 
Ai  a  child  llalia'u'lkli  rt-vfa!e>i  I'xlraordinaTy 
iif  attiaction.  Jlis  aiuazing  knowledgi?, 
I'd    willi    an    innate    niodr>ly,    proved    irresistible 

|>i-opJ''  around  him.  He  wag  knuvm  for  hia 
e  atumi-n  rn  diMU^ftiiic  retipinus  subjeclg  c^'cn  at 
der  aBi;  of  lourti-i-n.  Kind  and  generous,  he  had 
rrcnt  kive  fiif  nulure  and  »i«-nt  mott  of  hit  time 
garileni^  and   slu-ubhcrii-.^. 

I  tbr  di'alli  id  hi-  [alhvr  wfaen  he  was  only  of 
rcfu^i-d  an  offer  [u  su';reed  hiin  in  the  court  of 
all  a-  a  di^natory.  Tu  this  the  then  Prime 
T  ri'inarkid  :  "He  lioti  !ome  hightr  aim  in. 
I  cannot  understand  him,  but  1  am  convinced 
islimd  tor  »oiiie  lofty  career.     His  thoughla 


lib-   <■ 


1.CI 


alun 


tcr  t^iJUc  two  )cars  nE  Rab'a  inarlyrdoin  a  frc^h 
>f  li-rriblc  [HT^ti'uIiuni  broke  out.  A  youthful 
r  all>-mi>1i'il  In  ussa'i!>inat«  ibe  Sliah.  Though. 
"s^(u^  lie  wa^  not  only  |>ut  to  dcatli,  but  this 
'nJ  by  till'  iifTiciaU  as  a  iirelt.'n<.'e  for  a  new 
re   ul    till-   tiabis.        ItahaVtIah   was   at   that   time 

ci>Uiilr)siili-.  Hi^  decided  to  tiiIc  to  the  cami> 
h.  In  vindicate  His  jiosition,  in,  that  this  stray 
t  was  not  the  ri.-!<ult  uf  any  Itabi  conspiracy,  but 
I'  arrcainl  mi  ilii!  way  and  kept  In  prison  in 
W'hui  followed  in  ibc  iu-ai  four  months  can 
ttiT  judiird  (mm  Itaha'u'lhih'ii  nvm  account  : 
ere  in  no  wii>f  connrcied  with  tliat  evil  deed 
ir  innuct'iu'c  was  indisputably  established  by  the 
U.  NcKTilieirss.  thi-y  appreliended  ....  and 
led  us  [III  fodt  and  in  ciluin*.  with  bare  liead 
re  fci't  to  the  dimiiteon  uf  Tihrau  ....  The 
a  was  wrappeil  in  thick  darknc$a,  and  our  fellow 
rs   nuitibered    nearly    u    hundred    and    fifty   souls  ; 

as^anslif-  anil   hi):liHH>   robbers   ....    No  fen 


can  depict  ....   nor  any  tongue  describe  iti  loathsome 

After  four  months  of  imprisonment  in  this  under- 
ground cell,  through  the  intervention  oE  the  Russian 
iiiinii:Ler.  Baha'u'lleh  though  released,  was  exiled  to 
Baxhdail.  Ills  propiTlics  were  cunfiEcated.  With 
Baha'u'lliirs  baiubliment.  the  Persian  Government  of 
llic  time  iliought  that  ibc  roots  of  the  Babi  movement 
were  torn  up.  Little  did  those  mortals  know,  that  He 
was  carrying  with  him  into  exile,  on  an  a^onizinB 
jnurney.  over  tnow-coiercd  mountains  the  roots  of  a 
noble  cause,  soaked  in  the  bluod  uf  the  martyrs,  which 
were  iWlined  lo.  bkisiHiiu  into  Persia's  greatest 
cimirihutiun  to  mankinil. 

Shortly  after  arriving  in  Baghdad,  Baha'ullaU 
Kilbdrew  himself  into  the  wildeme.^  of  Sulamoniyyab, 
where  for  two  years,  as  Christ  in  the  wildetneaa, 
Duddba  in  the  fnri'sts  of  India,  as  Muhammad  in  the 
fiery  hill»  oE  .\rabi;i.  Ho  ]ii-canic  i>repard  for  hia 
iiiiiinentoU'a   ta'^k      aliead. 

Huha'u'llah      relurneil      from      ilit-      solitude,      gMWe 

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THE  MODERN  REVIKW  FOR  APRIL.  1953 


efiblgeiit  with  liope  and  astoundingly  prolific  in  his 
writing.^.  His  return  tu  Baghdad  iu  1856  kindled  new 
hopes  in  tlie  lieart<%  (if  Bubi  crusader:?.  His  fame  spread 
far  acrdSit  the  land.  Not  onjy  the  Muhauimadans,  but 
aiiMj  .lews.  Christians  and  Zorc'as-trians  came  to  hear 
him   s^peak. 

To  loraci  He  wa>  neitli<.T  morn  nor  less  than  the 
incarnation  of  the  "E\erlastinj5  Father,"  the  "Lord 
of  Hos.l^"  (tomr  duwn  "with  ten  th«iu-antU  of  «iaint5"; 
to  Chrisfendoin  ()h^i^^t  returned  "in  thf  liloiy  of  the 
Fathtr/'  to  Slii'ah  Islam  the  return  of  the  Iniaitf 
Hu^tayn;  to  Sunni  Ulani  tlni  deM'cnt  of  the  ''Spirit  of 
God"  ije^u*  Christ ):  h*  the  Z(»roaMrian.s  the  pn)mised 
Shah-Halirani:  to  the  Hindus  the  reincamation  of 
Krislina;   to  the  Buihlhists  the  fiftli   Buddha. 

From  Constanrinople  after  four  months  he  was 
moved  t<»  Adrianopic  where  he  remained  in  exil<!  for 
four  and  a  half  years.  ffer«>  He  puhliely  proclaimed 
His    mission. 

In  1868.  Baiia'u'lluli  and  his  eompaniuni^  were  sent 
into  a  yet  more  dlMant  f\il»%  thi^  tiiur  to  the  'Holy 
Land* — to    Akka.    at    the    foot    of    Mount    (^uiiiu'l.       Her*' 

under   dreadful   rondilions.    llnv    livr».l    for   -ouir   years. 

.After  forty  years  of  exile  and  imprison rnml.  this 
noblest  of  rni>?ul»»rs>  for  llir  rausf  of  trulh.  pa-<ed  away 
in  the  Holy  Land  on  May  2«.  1892.  with  the  spirit 
"I  have  Oh  my  I^onl,  offered  up  that  which  thou  hath 
;:jven  me,  that  thy  ^er\ant>  may  lit^-  quickened  and  all 
that   dwell  on  earth  he  united." 

The  Divine  Ali««sion  fonnclfil  In  Buha'u'llah  was: 
lienceloruard  carried  on  by  lli^.  -on  Abdu'1-Baha. 
Gentle  and  wise,  humounuK  and  juM,  a  healer  to  evcr>' 


sick  one,  a  comforter  to  the  oppressed,  he  was  knowit 
to  one  and  all  as  the  Master.  Ever  since  his  childhood 
he  was  the  closest  companion  of  his  father  and  shared 
all  his  sorrow ^,  and  ^-ufferings.  He  remained  a  prisoner 
until  1908,  when  the  old  regime  in  Turkc)*  was  over- 
thrown  and  all  relipous  and  political  prisoners 
llirou;:;hout  the  empire  were  liberated.  After  that,  bf 
eoiitinuetl  to  make  his  home  in  Palestine  but  set  out 
to  lake  the  nie«-a;ie  of  the  new  day  to  the  western, 
world  undertaking  t.'xten?i\e  tours  in  FIgypt,  Europe  and 
Ameriru  explainiii};  and  exeniidifying  the  .•fpirit  of  th*: 
new  Me.-i^age.  Abdu'l-Baha  passed  away  in  1921,  after 
a  hniiinou-   carevr   of   '-er\ice   to   humanity. 

And  now  in  !ho  wake  oi  the  sacred  legacy  Icii 
by  Him.  the  fiL-^t  Guardian  of  the  Faith.  Shoghi 
LiTendi,  \U>  eld?>l  ^landrson  is  the  pivot  of  Baha'i 
ucii\itie>  b(»tli  in  the  Ka>t  and  the  West  with  his 
hea«lquarier«-  ai  Haifa  (Nrael.».  And  today  in  over  12'"» 
eounlri'*^  ol  till*  world,  the  members  of  the  Baha'i 
World  C'.onir.iunity  drawn  from  various  nations. 
reli:iMin-<  anil  lacrs  are  proelaiming  the  nies.sage  of  uniiv 
and  hiipe.  TIhn  aie  becon)in<;  c-flfectively  instrumental 
in  ercalinii  a  lioaxen  of  libt  rty.  where  search  for  truth 
i-  fre«'  and  oj:liodtix\  and  peitalico  forbidden.  Throu::h 
ti:eir  pi:i«i'ful  and  spiritual  ap[iroach.  and  a  vision  o: 
:«  bri.L'hic  r  ami  better  world  tbt  se  cru>ader!*  foUowin:: 
in  tl:«'  luiicitrp-  <.f  their  i»n»phf;t  are  marching  forwar-i 
to  iriaki-  throuah  love  and  persuasion,  the  earth  as  on** 
count  r>  a  -in.iile  unit  bereft  of  injustices  and 
ine.iiialilii>.  Tiicf  i\  thvir  jnif>sUm,  that  is  their  hoP'^ 
anil  that  is  tlnir  u.sinfi.  whirh  these  pioneers  of  peatc 
are   struggling  for. 


Highly  Appreciated  Bv  Oeon^e  VI  King  of  England. 
JYOTISH-SAMRAT  PANDIT  SRI   RAMESH  CHANDRA    BHATTACHARYA.  JYOTISHARNAB,    M  r.a.s. 

(lx)Rdon)  of  International  fame.  PreRident  of  the  world-rcnowncd  Biranashi  Pandit  Mabt 
Sabba  of  Banaras  and  All  India  Astrologieal  and   Afltronomieal    i::iOf*iciy  of    Calcutta  hsH 
won  unique  fame  not  only  in  InJia  but  throughout  the  \vorld  (e.  a  .  in  'England.  Aroerici, 
Africa,  Australia,  Cbina,  Japan,  Malaya,  Java,  Singapore,  etc.)  and  many  notable  te^^CI)^ 
from  every  nook  and  corner  of  the  >vorld  have  nent  iinnolieited  tcRtimonialH  acknowndeir^ 
bin  mighty  and  gupcrnatural  powero.     This   powerfully  gifted  greatest  Astrologer  &  Palmist. 
Tantric  can  tell  at  a  glance  all  about  oue*H  pai^t.  present  and    future  ai.d  with  the  help  if 
^     Yogie  and  Tantric  powern  can  heal  dirteanefi  ^ihieh  are  the  despair  of  DoMoib  and  Kavirsja;* 
/     redressinfi:  the  pernicious  intluenee  of  evil  starrt  and    planets  can  help  to  win  difficult  lav 
suitft  and  euHure  nafrty  from    impendinf(    dnngcr»,  poverty,  prevent.  childIef>f%neFB  and  frtt 
people  from  debta  and  family  unbappinoBf*. 

Despaired  persons  are  strongly  advised  to  test  the  powers  of  Panditji 
WONDERFUL  TALISMANS  GUARANTEED).  In  eafie  of  failure,  money  refunded. 
Dhanada  Kavacha  Or  The  Rothschild  Talisman  :— for  vast  wealth,  f^ood  luck  and  all  round 
prosperity,  honour  and  famo  in  life.  Price  Uh.  7-10.  Sp^rial  Kf».  2i»-n.  Super-h?pccial  Rg.  129-11. 
Bagalamukhi  Kavacha  i— To  overcome  en'»mifH  it  Ih  unirine.  (JitH  jirf-motion  in  nervicei*  and  in  winning, 
civil  or  criminal  ftuits  and  for  plennin^  h'i:her  nnieial**  it  i«  nnpHralb d  Kh.  9-2.  Special  Rs.  ?4-£. 
Huper-Bpecial  with  lifc-loni;  rireciH  IW  1S4-4.  Mohfni  Kavacha  :  Knabbn  arch  foes  to  become  fri(Di1« 
and  friends  more  friendlv.  K».  ll-*<  Special  Ks.  :il.2.  Super-spvcial  with  extraordinary  life-long:  A 
speedy  eflo<:tH  Rs.  3S7-14.  Nrisingha  Kavacha  :--  It  euros  liarresinesH  and  all  RortB  of  female  diaeaPCB  aid 
saves  from  devil  and  evil  spiritH,  cic.  rrict;  Kh.  7-5.  Special  Hs.  l.'<-0.  Super-Fpecial  with  lasting  pp»^ccv 
efleeta  Rs.  C.*J-9.  Saraswatf  Kavacha  :- -  l^ii'-eciiH  in  exam i n ikt i' n  and  hhr^rj)  memory.  Ra.  9-9.  Special  Fs.  38-9 

Detailed  Catalcgue  With  Testimonials  Free  on  Request 

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H.  O. :— 105iM.).  ftreySt./'BasaiitJiNivHu"  i':i!iiin.  .r>.  ronhuhatu.n  lit>urrtS-;:('-  10.3UA.M.  Phone :  B. 6. 36b5 
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I    I 


iVinic.j  aii'i  publi.-ht.d  by  Mbu.rdii  Cbuncha  U:j«-.  Prubas!i   I'i»-3,  Calcutta. 


Mk-^ 

^1 

^^BkS^  I'  I'-hflnu  4 

1^^ 

m 

mjM 

liifflllllliMiiB^^HffiffliWii/BlrT  1  ■  •  ■  1  ■'  1 

m 

Jkwaharlal  Nehru  inspecting  a  Guard  of  Honour  provided  by  a  coatingent  of  Burmese  troopa  on 
the  occagiou  of  bis  recent  arrival  at  Singluling  (Burma) 


HE  MODERN  REVIEW 


MAF 


1953 


ucxxxm.  No.  3 


Whou  No.  5S7 


NOTES 


an  Affairs 

h  the  dismissal  of  the  Nazimuddin  Cabinet, 
jra  of  Pakistan  have  entered  into  its  third 
lince  the  inception  of  that  State.  This  change 
I  come  with  the  suddenness  of  <i  coup  ifetat,  on 
Id  outside  Pakistan.  There  might  haVe  been 
•d  planning  and  intrigue  iasidc  Pakistan  but 
Id  outside  bad  no  inkling. 
re  have  been  floods  of  contradictory  news  snd 
ta  to  explain  the  why  and  wherefore  of  this 
>r  coup  it  is  without  doubt — but  somehow  the 
and  seems  to  be  as  yet  full  of  gaps.  Urdu 
both  in  Pakistan  and  in  India,  have  gone  in  for 
ion  on  a  large  scale,  in  regard  to  the  conse- 
as  also  regarding  the  probable  causative  factors, 
ne  of  FerO«e  Khan  Noon  has  appeared  in  some 
.8  being  the  main  factor  in  tiie  overthrow  of 
limuddin  regime.  There  are  ether  comments 
rely  show  that  Naiimuddin  was  a  victim  of 
^ncea,     the     main     villain  of  the  piece  being 

itever  be  the  factois  that  led  to  this  drastic 
,he  iasiiea  as  yet  seem  to  be  uncertain.  lihwaja 
idin  is  an  old  hand,  althougli  in  the  past  all 
iguing  was  done  for  him  by  his  brother 
ddin,  now  the  Governor  of  the  N.-W.F.P, 
the  same  it  is  clear  that  he  does  not  intend  to 
id  resign  himself  to  fale.  He  has  a  considerable 
I — end  a  good  few  pnemies — in  East  Pakistan, 
ot  altogether  without  any  strength  in  the  West, 
with  FerOM  Khaii  Noon  back  in  Punjab 
Qiiayum  in  the  new  Cabinet,  the  odds  there 
■y  against  him. 
Jsh  papers  in  Pakistan   are   taking   aa   ultrii- 


cautious  line  in  commenting  on  the  change.  That 
i^cems  to  indicate  some  apprehension  on  their  part  that 
ihp  last  scene  hn9  not  yet  been  rung  down  on  this  act. 

Thus  tho  weekly  Star  of  Lahore  says  in  its 
April  25  issue  : 

The  dnuDBiic  dismissal  of  the  Nazinniddin  cabinet 
and  the  formalion  of  a  new  Goverrtment  at  the  Centre 
headed  by  ex- ambassador  Mohammad  All  has  not  only 
been  generally  welcomed  in  West  Pakistan  but  even 
produced  a  'good  riddance'  feeling  in  the  people.  If  thi« 
feeling  of  relief  is  bom  of  a  mere  passion  tor  change, 
it  is  hardly  an  attitude  worthy  of  a  politically  mature 
people.  Thanks  to  the  mounlins  discontent  and 
frustration  in  ihe  country^  the  desire  for  a  top'level 
change  was  as  natural  as  patriotic,  but  downri^t 
condemnation  of  the  old  regime  bracketed  with  undue 
eulogy  of  the  new  learn  cannot  possibly  eslabliab  oup 
ability  far  a  lalionil  approach. 

Sanity  demands  that  we  welcome  the  new  Govern- 
ment not  because  it  is  sure  to  work  a  miracle  and  change 
overnight  Ihc  face  of  the  coiuilrj'  but  because  a  new  i^ct 
o(  men  from  Binongst  us  have  been  given  a  cIihucu 
to  serve  the  people.  Since  they  have  been  given  a 
chance,  let  ua  try  ihem  and  not  pronoucc  judgemenls 
before  they  had  the  lime  and  opporlunily  to  prove 
tbeic  worth.  Let  us  remember  ihai  fonder  the  hopes 
we  pin  in  ihu  new  Government,  more  the  diaiUusion' 
ment,  if  ihey  (ail  to  deliver  the  goods.  All  that  we 
can  say  is  that  Mr.  Mohammad  Alia  men  enjoy  a 
uniquely  propitious  position,  as  their  predecessors  bad 
createdi  a  general  public  impression  of  a  govcmmeul 
which  had  IrBgicalty  allowed  itself  lo  he  ruled  by  a. 
policy  of  drift,  indecision  and   procraalination . 

The  paper  further  quotes  Its  repre-sentatvie*  in 
Karachi   as   saying    that   the     political   obsen-ers   tUeia 


338 


THE  MODERN  REVIEW  FOR  MAY,  1963 


advise  a  policy  of  Wait  and  See,  regarding     the     new 
Cabinet's  actions  and  results.  Further  he  says  : 

"Then  there  were  others  who  reacted  to  the  news. 
Some  said  that  it  was  "best  news"  they  could  have 
heard.  Others  predicted  the  solution  of  the  problems 
in  no  time.  But  I  was  surprised  to  read  the  statements 
of  those  who  had  till  yesterday  basked  under  the  sun- 
shine of  Khwaja  Sahib's  favours.  Such  people  vie  with 
each  other  in  issuing  statements  against  the  outgoing 
Ministry." 

Reactions  in  the  political  spheres  of  India  are 
diverse  and  not  quite  crystallised  in  effect  as  yet.  Many 
are  frankly  skeptical  about  the  ultimate  results,  so  far 
as  Indo-Pak  relations  are  concerned.  Others  are  a  bit 
hopeful,  though  even  there,  most  are  somewhat  cautious 
in  the  light  of  the  slippery  behaviour  of  Pakistan 
authorities  during  the  last  five  years. 

The  new  Prime  Minister,  Mohammed  Ali,  starts 
with  a  clear  slate.  We  in  India  have  had  very  little  to 
do  with  him  and  as  such  he  carries  some  credit  though 
based  on  negative  considerations.  Indian  papers  have 
given  the  following  interview  with  him  considerable 
prominence  : 

Pakistan's  new:  Prime  Minister  Mohammed  Ali  has 
sent  a  communication  to  Prime  Minister  Nehru  in  an 
effort  to  place  India  and  Pakistan  on  a  friendly  basis. 

Discussing  home  and  foreign  affairs  with  Press  Trust 
of  Indians  correspondent  at  Karachi  he  said  he  looked 
upon  Mr.   Nehru  as  "an  elder  brother." 

He  expressed  "optimism"  that  Indo-Pakistan 
differences  could  and  would  "be  settled  peacefully  and 
amicably." 

He  said  after  settling  the  Indo-Pakistan  disputes  and 
creating  a  "favourable  atmosphere"  India  and  Pakistan, 
could  very  well  sit  down  and  discuss  the  possibiHties 
of   "joint   defence  of   India  and   Pakistan." 

The  Premier  said  that  left  to  himself  he  would  like 
to  meet  Mr.  Nehru)  "the  soonest"  but  then  he  said  ho 
thought  the  meetmg  might  not  take  place  until  after 
the  Queen's  Coronation  in  June. 

He  said  during  the  month  of  May  he  was  wanting 
to  tour  the  country  and  then  to  go  to  London.  He  said 
while  in  London  he  would  "naturally"  take  the 
opportunity  of  meeting  Mr.    Nehru. 

Then  the  correspondent  said  to  liim  :  **Sir,  may  I 
ask  a  rather  touchy  question  ?  Political  observers  and 
diplomats  in  their  discussion  with  me  say  it  is  all  very 
good  that  you  sincerely  and  whole-heartedly  desird 
peaceful  settlement  of  all  Indo-Pakistan  disputes  but 
then  they  argue  'are  your  officials,  your  politicians  and 
your  press  unanimous  and  determined  in  the  desire  for 
a  peaceful  settlement  with  India.'  To  put  it  in  other 
words,  do  you  think  you  will  be  able  to  carry  your 
country  with  you  in  your  determination  to  make  friend*; 
with    India?" 

With   the   clarity  and      firmness  so  characteristic  of 
Jjjw,  he  replied,     "J  think  that  all  right-thinking  people 
should  and  will  support  me.    In  any  case  I  atn  determtned. 


to  go  ahead  to  make  friends  with  India."  He  tba 
said  that  he  would  like  to  appeal  to  the  presai  both  ia 
Pakistan  and  India  to  help  create  a  "iavooraUe 
atmosphere"  for  placing  India  and  Pakistan  on  t 
friendly  basis. 

Pandit  Nehru's  comments  as  yet  are  surprisingly 
brief,  as  the  following  news  report  indicates  : 

Shri  Nehru  referred  to  Pakistan  aud  said  economic 
situation  in  that  country  at  the  present  moment  was 
rather  disturbing.  He  made  clear  that  he  would  like  Paki- 
stan to  progress  and  be  strong.  He  said  what  happened  in 
the  neighbour  State  had  always  interest  in  this  country. 
Everything  was  in  favour  of  Pakistan  especially  the 
food  position  after  the  partition.  They  had  plenty  of 
food  and  could  even  export.  But  today  they  were 
deficient  in  food  and  thousands  of  people  in  that 
country  were  hungry.  "Here  we  must  remember  that 
what  good  we  were  able  to  do  to  our  people  in  the 
past  &ve  years  was  because  we  stood  steadfastly  to  our 
principles,"  he  said. 

Of  course  there  is  a  quaint  section  in  our  Congreag 
circles  that  always  is  on  the  look-out  to  build  hopes 
on  empty  prospects.  Such  frothy  speculations  as 
appended  below,  are  quite  common  in  those  quarters, 
which  unfortunately  are  too  near  Pandit  Nehru  : 

Dr.  Syed  Mahmud,  a  member  of  the  Indian  Parlia- 
ment, wiites  in  the  Lahore  weekly  Star,  that  India  and 
Pakistan  were  spending  more  and  more  amounts    on 
defence  because  of  mutual  suspicion.     But  even  that 
vast  expenditure  vould  not  be  of  much  use   against 
a  big  power.  "By  having  a  joint  defence,"  the  writer 
says,  "we  will  be  able    to  make    a    huge  cut  in    the 
Rs.  380  crores  which  India  and  Pakistan  are  spending 
over  defence.  This  huge  amount  can  be    best  utilised 
by  spending  it  on  development     projects.     Something 
more  beneficial  can  be  achieved  by  bringing  the  Middle 
East  and  South-East  Asian  countries  closer  to     each 
other,  thus  to  materialise  the  idea  of  third  Area." 

Certain  foreign  powers  were  bent  upon  fomenting 
ill-will  and  discord  between  the  two  countries.  The 
U.S.A.,  according  to  Dr.  Mahmud,  was  interested  in 
the  formation  of  South-East  Asian  bloc  which  "may 
play  a  second  fiddle  to  her  dictates.  On  the  other 
hand,  there  is  the  bait,  of  MEDO.  It  is  the  last 
mentioned  trap  that  the  American  strategists  are  trying 
to  drag  Pakistan  into."  And,  unfortunately,  a  certain 
section  in  Pakistan  was  also  favouring  the  MEDO. 
Warning  of  the  dangers  of  Pakistan's  joining  the 
MEDO,  Dr.  Mahmud  writes  that  "it  will  not  mewly 
be  a  serious  loss  to  Pakistan's  own  interest  but  also  to 
the  Arab-Asian  unity  as  such." 

The  military-ci/m-political  strategists  of  the  Big 
Powers  were  trying  to  divide  the  strategic  areas  into 
several  blocs.  That  would  weaken  India's  position 
which  was  a  great  danger  to  the  larger  Asian-African 
interests.  "If,"  he  asks,  "India  and  Pakistan  are  likely 
lo  V>^  m«ide  v^*^^^  ^ti  the  hands  of  big  powers  then  why 


4 

1 

1 


NOTES 


339 


not  evolve  a  system  of  common  defence  between  India 
and  Pakistan?" 

From  the  statement  of  the  Pakistan  Governor- 
General  it  seems  that  the  main  causative  factors  for 
the  necessity  of  a  change  were  two-fold.  Scarcity  and 
want,  prevailing  all  over  Pakistan  was  the  major  one. 
Foods  crops  had  failed  to  a  disastrous  extent,  and  cash 
erops  fetched  not  even  the  bare  costs,  so  low  were  the 
prices  and  so  poor  the  demand.  The  second  factor  was 
the  widespread  anti-Ahmediya  riots,  which  resulted  in 
thousands  being  killed,  women  being  raped  and 
abducted  in  thousands  and  loot  and  arson  being  rife, 
Lahore,  Karachi,  Sialkot,  Gujranwala  and  Rawalpindi 
being  the  worst  affected  areas.  Law  and  order  having 
collapsed,  martial  law  had  to  be  proclaimed  over  large 
areas.  It  is  said  that  over  10,000  persons  have  been 
killed,  either  in  the  riots  or  in  the  quelling  thereof  by 
the  military,  over  25,000  persons  are  under  arrest,  and 
that  more  than  5,000  women  have  been  abducted  or 
are  as  yet  untraced. 

The  second  factor,  though  far  more  disastrous  in 
its  consequences,  seems  to  be  an  outcome  of  the  first. 
In  the  past,  whenever  there  has  been  widespread  want 
or  discontent,  cries  of  jehad  were  raised  by  those  in 
ptower,  with  dire  consequences  on  the  poor  helpless 
Hindus  in  Pakistan.  Now  that  the  Hindu  has  been 
almost  completely  driven  out  of  West  Pakistan,  new 
victims  have  to  be  found.  The  Ahmediyas  are  well-to- 
do,  well-placed  and  a  mere  half -million  in  number,  ^ 
the  bolt  has  fallen  on  them  1 

It  would  be  interesting  to  learn  the  reactions  Qf 
Zafrulla  Khan,  ardent  champion  of  Pakistan,  at  home 
and  abroad,  both  before  and  after  the  Partition. 

Linguistic  States 

On  April  28,  at  Belgaum,  Prime  Minister  Nehru 
assured  the  people  that  a  Ck>mmission  on  Linguistic 
States  would  be  appointed.  The  Commission  would  be 
set  up  after  the  formation  of  the  Andhra  State  and 
watching  its  progress  for  "some  time,  say,  one  year,'* 
Shri  Nehru  told  a  public  meeting  of  50,000  people. 

Shri  Nehru  said  the  Commission's  terms  of  refer- 
ence would  include  feasibility  of  redistributing  States 
on  a  linguistic  basis  and  also  whethet  any  such  State 
after  the  formation  could  be  an  economic  and  viable 
unit. 

Shri  Nehru  added  that  the  Commission  would 
e3CBmine  all  aspects  of  redistribution  on  linguistic  basis 
and  recommend  measures  for  the  creation  of  these 
States.  Then  the  Government  would  draft  a  bill  on  the 
basis  of  the  Commission's  report  and  call  for  public 
views  on  the  bill,  he  said. 

The  Prune  Minister  expressed  himself  as  not 
against  the  formation  of  linguistic  States  but  said  :  ''I 
am  certainly  against  anybody  trying  to  draw  a  line 
between  two  peoples  living  together."  For  instance, 
he  said,  'Tn  Belgaum  itself  two  languages  were  being 


spoken  and  when  a  State  was  formed  on  the  basis  of 
one  language  they  could  not  drive  out  the  people 
speaking  the  other  language."  In  forming  linguistic 
States,  "we  should  not  become  instrumental  in  en- 
couraging communal  and  parochial  elements,"  he  said. 

Quite  so,  we  agree  on  that  point.  But  when  there 
is  an  attempt  to  suppress,  by  foul  methods,  the  use  and 
the  learning  of  a  mother-tongue  as  in  the  Bengali 
districts  of  Bihar,  or  an  attempt  to  deprive  a  very 
large  section  of  a  State's  population  of  their  rights 
because  of  a  difference  in  the  spoken  language,  as  in 
Assam  and  a  few  other  places,  then  what  should  be 
the  remedy  ? 

Shri  Nehru  said  :  "We  have  to  give  careful  thought 
to  social  and  economic  considerations  in  the  formation 
of  linguistic  States.  We  should  not  force  any  division 
anywhere  in  the  country  any  more.  We  have  to  see 
what  harm  has  been  done  to  the  country  by  the 
partition  to  create  Pakistan.  When  are  we  going  to 
learn  lessons  from  history  ?  Are  we  still  immature  ? 
Are  we  going  to  ask  for  our  weakening  by  demanding 
divisions  in  the  country  ?" 

The  Prime  Minister  impressed  on  the  people  the 
need  for  attaining  national  coasciousness  and  said  : 
"Are  you  going  to  gloat  over  achieving  linguistic 
States  and  call  yourself  Karnataki  or  Andhra  or 
Maharashtrian  or  are  you  going  to  be  known  as  an 
Indian  ?  We  have  a  sacred  duty  to  uphold  the  prestige 
of  the  country  and  every  citizen  must  be  Indian  first 
and  last.  Ours  is  a  vast  country  and  people  on  the 
Assam-Burma  border  or  in  Ladakh  in  Kashmir  may 
look  different  and  speak  languages  which  might  sound 
strange  to  others  of  the  country  but  it  is  a  fact  they 
are  all  Indians." 

Here  again  the  exhortation  is  misdirected.  If  the 
majority  in  each  State  could  be  persuaded  to  act  along 
fair  and  democratic  lines,  if  their  office-holders  could 
distinguish  between  right  and  wrong  in  the  treatment 
of  linguistic  minorities,  if  the  Centre  could  force  fair- 
play  on  depraved,  power-blinded  Ministers,^  then  there 
would  be  no  demand  for  linguistic  States.  In  the 
absence  of  all  that,  such  statements  are  mere  in- 
congruities. 

Prime  Minister  Nehru  made  pointed  reference  to 
the  demand  for  Karnataka  State  and  said  there  was 
never  any  doubt  about  the  case  for  a  separate  Karnataka 
State.  Karnataka  was  to  be  formed  by  merging 
Kannada  districts  in  Bombay  and  Madras  States  with 
Msrsore.  But  Mysore  did  not  accept  this  suggestion 
and  he  would  never  force  Mysore  to  accept  something 
by  force.  '*^herc  there  is  no  agreement  we  will  not 
force  the  issue  and  we  shall  leave  the  matter  to  the 
people.  When  all  the  concerned  agree  the  Government 
would  certainly  consider  how  best  it  can  be  brought 
about." 

He  deprecated  &  t^cadewirij  Vi  ^^«t^^    "<i5Nfc  ^^tf5i^^:wi.- 
ment  by  i«^^  Wid  \iMTi%«t-^f^«^.  '"^^  ^^^  ^^^«-  Vsv^cc^-^ 


340 


THE  MODERN  REVIEW  FOR  MAY,  1953 


State  is  being  formed  because  of  Pottl  Sriramulu'g  fast 
3'ou  are  in  a  fool's  paradise.  The  Government  had 
decided  to  fonii  an  Andhra  State  long  before  his  fast. 
If  anything,  his  fast  has  slowed  the  process  of  the 
formation  of  the  new  State." 

"Government's  policies  are  not  going  to  be  in- 
fluenced by  fasts,"  he  gave  a  warning  and  added,  "If 
we  are  to  decide  our  policies  this  way  then  tho  whale 
Government  will  be  a  farce.  We  are  not  going  to  be 
deterred  by  fasts  and  such  things.  I  am  not  going  to 
take  notice  or  take  seriously  any  fast  undertaken 
demanding  the  creation  of  Karnataka,"  he  declared. 

Prime  Minister  Nehru  said  :  "We  cannot  be 
childish.  Remember  our  policies  are  mature.  We  can- 
not be  coerced. 

"If  you  are  in  the  middle  of  an  ocean  we  could 
separate  you  and  form  a  State  but  you  are  in  the 
midst  of  other  people  who  are  Indians.  We  are  doing  a 
disservice  to  the  nation  by  propagating  linguifitic 
differences." 

The  West  Bengal  Pradesh  Congress  Committee  meet- 
ing at  Garbela  (Midnapore)  on  April  25,  last  urged, 
the  Indian  National  Congresai  and  the  Centtal  Govern- 
ment to  lake   early  steps  for  extending  the  boundaries 

of  West  Bengal. 

The  Committee  felt  that  the  urgency  for  extension, 
of  the  State  boundaries  rested  not  only  on  the  linguistic 
principle  but  on  other  factors  including  the 
administrative  necessity  of  connecting  the  three  separate 
parts  of  West  Bengal   and  refugee  rehabilitation. 

Earlier,  addressing  the  meeting,  Mr.  S,  N.  Agarwal, 
General  Secretary,  of  the  AICC,  expressed  the  hope 
that  the  Central  Government  would  appoint  a  high-power 
commission  to  study  the  question  of  redistribution  of 
Stales  dispassionately  an(J  present  a  plan  to  solve  the 
question  and  not  to  shelve  it. 

He  said  it  was  wrong  to  think  that  the  Congress 
desired  to  shelve  the  question  of  reorganization  of 
States  on  the  basis  of  language  and  other  considerations. 
The  Congressi  always  stood  for  a  more  rational  recon- 
struction of  States  in  which  language  would  natuaUy 
play  an  important  part.  But  there  were  some  other 
considerations  which  had  also  to  be  taken  into  account 
— economic  and  financial  factors  which  could  not  be 
neglected. 

The  reorganization  had  to  take  place  as  early  as 
possible,  but  there  was  "need  for  caution,  restraint  and 
broad  thinking." 

Mr.  Agarwal  said  they  should  regard  this  question 
primarily  as  a  matter  of  convenience  for  education  and 
administration. 

It  wafil  not  proper  to  talk  very  much  about  State 
cultures.  They  should  be  proud  of  "our  one,  rich  Indian 
culture.'*  If  they  could  emphasize  on  this  underlying 
national  unity,  there  was  no  reason  to  think  that  the 
reorganization  of  States  on  a  linguistic  basis  would  lead 
to  any  disintegration. 


The  Language  Controversy 

We  append  below  the  translatioa  of  Vinobaji's 
speeches  in  Manbhum  as  given  in  the  Harijan  of 
April  25  : 

"Here  in)  the  Manbhum  District  the  Hindi-apeaking 
and  the  Bengali-speaking  people  have  come  together. 
The  districts  which  lie  on  the  border  between  two 
provinces  and  where  therefore  two  or  more  laaguage9 
meet  one  another  are,  I  should  say,  extremely  lucky, 
because  the  people  have  there  the  God-given  opportunity  of 
loving  one  another  and  learning  not  only  their  own 
language  but  also  those  of  others.  But  quite  unfortunately 
we  find  that  these  different  languages  are  not  giveni 
each  its  due  place  and  honour.  One  of  them  is  sought 
to  be  imposed  on  the  people  in  suppression  of  others 
or  aU  are  equally  neglected  and  English  allowed  to 
retain  its  present  position.^ 

"Bengali  is  a  rich  language  and  its  modem  literature 
perhaps  stands  superior  to  that  of  any  other  language 
of  India.  On  the  other  side  Hindi  is  not  a  rich 
language  but  our  accepted  notional  language.  If  the 
people  of  the  area,  where  these  two  languages  have  met 
together,  demand  that  the  students  there  should  be 
taught  through  their  own  language,  their  demand 
cannot  be  dismissed  as  wrong.  It  is  quite  just  aod 
proper.  There  ere  at  present  two  or  three  different 
views  in  the  field  on  this  question.  There  is  a  power- 
ful section  of  public  opinion  which  holds  that  the 
provincial  language  should  be  the  medium  of  instructioa 
at  every  stage  of  education.  Others^  say  that  while  the 
provincial  language  should  be  the  medium  of  instruction 
in  the  primary  stage,  it  would  be  well  thereafter  to 
take  recourse  to  Hindi  for  every  purpose  for  which  it 
present  we  use  English.  Hindi  is  the  national  language 
and  if  students  all  over  India  receive  their  education 
through  it,  all  will  be  equally  benefited.  There  are  still 
others  who  hold  that  Ehgish  should  not  be  rejected  be- 
cause it  is  a  very  rich  and  widely  spoken  language.  It 
should  be  continued  as  it  is  at  least  in  the  university 
stage.  Thus  there  are  three  different  views  with  regird 
to  this  question  and  each  can.  count  among  its  advocates, 
distinguished  scholars  and  servants  of  the  country. 

''In  my  opinioni  while  the  entire  education  from 
beginning  to  end  should  be  imparted  through  the 
provincial  language,  the  national  language  should  be 
compulsorily  taught  to  all  along  with  the  former.  When 
professors  from  one  university  are  invited  to  another  for 
delivering  a  course  of  lectures,  they  may,  if  they  do 
not  know  the  provincial  language,  speak  in  the  natioml 
language.  I  have  expressed  this  view  quite  frequently 
and  I  feel  tthat  this  will  be  better  able  to  serve  cm 
J^est  interests  than  any  other.  This  will  not  rettfd 
Hindi  in  any  way.  On  the  contrary  I  hope  it  will 
promote  its  growth  and  expansion.  Most  of  thete 
provincial  languages  are  quite  developed  languages  aad 
they  are  possessed  of  the  genius  to  develop  new  «oid> 
and  expressions.     If  they  are  adopted  as  the  media  d 


NOTES 


341 


instruction  each  in  its  own  area  and  the  national 
language  is  taught  compulsorily  alongside  of  them,  the 
latter  will  not  suffer  any  diminution  of  importance  and 
both  will  enrich  each  other.  Unfortunately  there  is 
disagreement  among  the  scholars  about  it  and  it  has  led 
to  some  bitterness.  I  would  like,  however,  that  in  this 
part  where  fortunately  Hindi  comes  into  contact  with 
Bengali  which  is  a  rich  language,  the  latter  should  be 
compulsorily  taught  along  with  the  former.  I  would  go 
even  further  and  say  that  those'  whose  mother-tongue  is 
Hindi  should  be  compulsorily  taught  some  other  Indian 
language.  While  formerly  I^^merely  wished  that  this 
should  be  so,  I  tnow  msist  on  it.  I  am  sure  that  if 
those  who  are  concerned  with  this  question  will  look  at 
it  from  the  educaional  point  of  view,  they  will  agree 
about  the  desirability." 

—(From  the  speech  at  Purulia,  18-3-5S) 
"The  workers  in  the  Manbhum  District     are  greatly 
agitated  over  the  language  policy  of  the  State  Govern- 
mcnt.      Whatever   the  justification   for  their   feeling  of 
disoontent,  Bengali  and  Hindi  are  mere  words  after  all 
and  one  cannot  eat  words.     People  are  hungry  for  bread) 
and  hunger  will  not  be  satisfied  with  Hindi  or  Bengali. 
The  question  can  be      solved      only   through  love  and 
kindness.     Given  the  atmosphere  of  love  for  one  another, 
all  OTir  problems  can  be  met  quite  easily.     I  therefore 
urge   those  of  you   who  love   the   poor  to  apply   them- 
selves to  the  Bhoodan  work.      When  the  house  of  our 
neighbour  is  on  fire,  we  do  not  insist  on  the  solution  of 
cur  minor  differences  as  a  condition  precedent  to  offering 
our   services  for   extinguishing   that   fire.       There      are 
certain  things  which  cannot  brook  a  moment's  delay  and 
must  be  immediately  attended  to.     The  solution  of  the 
land-problem  belongs  to  this  class  of  things.      Bengali 
and  Hindi  are  both  old  languages.      Who  can  suppress 
the     Bengali;     of     Rabind!ranath     and     Chaitanya     and 
Ramakrishna?    There     is     therefore     no     question     of 
any   danger   to   the   Bengali   language.       But   the   land- 
problem  is  more  important  and  must  be  given  precedence 
over  others." 

—(From  the  speech  at  Garhjaipur,  20^3^) 
It  is  too  much  to  expect  power-drunk  people  to 
listen  to  the  words  of  rishis.  But  it  would  solve  a  world 
of  problems  if  Congress  authorities  could  absorb  a  little 
of  the  wisdom  in  the  above  quoted  words  and  enforce 
attention  to  them  from  the  aforementioned  political 
inebriates. 

Governmental  Inertia 

We  have  received  a  circular  letter  over  the 
signature  of  Shrimati  Mira  Behn.  The  letter  speaks  for 
itself.  We  append  below  the  part  relating  to  her. 
negotiations  with  the  India  Government.  The  letter  is 
addressed  to  the'  readers  of  the  Bapu  Raj  Pdtnka 
which  has  not  appeared  for  some  time.  We  agree  with 
Shrimatiji  in  regard  to  the  necessity  of  the  operation. 
But  where  is  the  surgeon  that  can  trim  into  shape 
the  swelled  heads  of  the  imworthy  ? 


'Tlease  forgive  me  for  my  long  silence,  and  let  me 
explain  as  briefly  as  possible  what  has  happened  during 
this  time  in  which  no  issue  of  Bapa  Raj  Patrika  has 
appeared. 

^Last  October,  as  horses  were  not  available,  I  had 
to  abandon  my  idea  of  riding  though  the  villages.  Fate 
had   quite   a   different   programme   in   store   for   me.      I 
accepted  it  as  it  unfolded  itself  before  me  day  by  day. 
At  the  end  of  October  I  went  to  Wardha  and  Sevagram 
to  meet  all  friends  there  and  discuss  the  situation.      It 
so   happened  that   Pandit  Jawaharlal  Nehru  came  there 
also  for  some  conferences,  and   I  took   the   opportunity 
of  putting  before  him  my  idea  of  a  Project  on  Bapuji*s 
lines  for  the  interior  of  the  Himalayas,  of  which  I  have 
spoken  two  or  three  times  in  Bapu  Raj  Patrika.     As  a 
result    of   our    talk    I    proceeded    to    Delhi    for    further 
discussions  on  the  subject.     These  discussions  took  some 
two  or  three  weeks,   and,   since   they  were   satisfactory, 
I  went  to  Lucknow  to  see  Pandit  Govind  Vallabh  Pant. 
From  there  I  had  to  go  all  the  way  to  Bombay  to  satisfy 
a   long-standing  call     from      Shri      Devadas  Gandhi  for 
assistance  in  a  documentary  film)  of  Bapuji.      This  was 
'  to   have   taken   only   five   days,   but   the   work      actually 
lasted  three  weeks.  From  there  I  took  the  train  straight 
hack  to  Delhi  to     continue     the     negotiations  for  the 
Project.      At  last  we  reached  the  stage  where  I  could 
return  with  the  papers  to  Lucknow.      I  thought  every- 
thing would  now  go  through  in  a  few  days  but  the  work 
took  over  a  month.      Inspite  of  my  sad  experiences  in 
the  past  of  the  Government  machinery,  I  had  miscalculated 
its    capacity    for    delays    and    complications !       At    last, 
weary  and  worn,  I  reached  Tehri  at  the  end  of  February 
for  a   final   conference  with  the  district  officials.    Again 
difficulties   arose.       It    was    beyond    me    to    go   back    to 
Lucknow,    so    others    took    letters    for    me,    and   I   came 
on  up  to  Gopal  Ashram.      Another  throe  weeks  passed, 
and    now,    as    I    sit    here    in    the    Ashram    writing   this 
letter       (March   22nd),       still    one    more    conference    is 
taking  place  in   Tehri,  which  the   Deputy   Commissioner 
Planning    has    come    from    Lucknow    to    attend,    but    to 
which   I    am    physically    unable    to    go,    as    I    am    quite 
worn  out   and  cannot  manage  a  two  days'  trek  on  foot 
and   horseback    down   burning   hot  valleys,      and      then 
another    two    days'    trek    up    again.       However,    I    have 
full  confidence  that  all  will  be  weU  in  the  end,  because 
the  Government  really  wants  the  Project  to  materialize. 
The  Government     itself  becomes     paralysed  by  its  owi^ 
machinery,  just  as  a  man  becomes  helpless  if  his  body 
does     not      function      properlv.      Surely  it  is  time   to 
perform  a  major  operation  on  the  diseased  body  of  the 
Government !" 

Peace  Prospects  Brighten  Up 

The  political  firmament  seems  to  be  distinctly  lesi 
overcast,  as  a  result  of  the  moves  and  statements  of 
the  successors  to  Stalin  in  the  Kremlin.    It  is  as  yet 


342 


THE  MODERN  REVIEW  FOR  MAY,  1953 


boo  early  to  deternaine  whether  it  is  but  a  temporary 
lull  or  whether  the  world  is  entering  into  a  new  phase 
in  international  relations. 

Statements  made  by  world  ^giires  on  the  situation 
as  it  develops  day-by-day  is  as  yet  very  cautious  as  no 
one  wishes  to  be  caught  out  in  a  state  of  undue 
optimism.  But  even  so  the  tone  of  euch  declarations 
is  clearly  more  hopeful  than  it  has  been  in  a  matter 
of  years.  President  Eisenhower  has  put  forward  some 
tests  in  a  speech  which,  if  fulfilled,  will  give  the  lull  a 
more  permanent  aspect.  Pandit  Nehru  speaking  at 
Belgaum  on  April  25  also  sounded  hopeful. 

Mr.  Churchill  said  that  the  Kremlin^s  recent  moves 
had  bi-ought  "sudden  hopes*'  to  the  whole  world.  He 
said  :  "New  men  have  obtained  a  supreme  power  in 
Moscow  and  their  wjords  and  gestures  and  to  some 
extent  their  actions  seem  to  be  token  of  a  change  of 
mood." 

Mr.  Bevau,  the  Left-wing  Britisli  Labour  leader, 
said  in  Paris  on  April  11  that  he  thought  the  laieet 
Rus^nan   peace   moves   were   dictated   by   self-interest. 

The  improved  situation  was  reflected  in  th6  almost 
unanimous  election  of  Mr.  Dag  Hammarskjoeld  as  the 
new  Secretary-General  of  the  U.N.  Another  indication 
was  the  general  agreement  in  the  U.N.  over  Burma's 
complaint  against  the  K.M.T.  forces  operating  on  her 
territory.  M.  Vyshinsky,  the  permanent  Soviet  delegate 
at  the  U.N.,  while  commenting  on  the  unanimous 
vote  in  the  Political  Committee,  is  reported  to  have 
said  that  "rays  of  sunshine  are  visible  through  the 
clouds." 

President  Eisenhower  in  his  first  major  foreign 
policy  speech  on  April  16  outlined  his  terms  for  a 
settlement  with  the  Soviet  Union  and  asked  the 
U.S.S.R.   to  agree  to  : 

1.  Sign  the  treaty  with  Austria  freeing  it  from 
economic  exploitation  and  military  occupation. 

2.  Free  and  secret  elections  looking  towards  a  free 

and  united  Germany. 

3.  Freedom  and  independence  for  eastern  Euro- 
pean nations. 

4.  An  end  of  the  flow  of  arms  from  the  Soviet 
Union  to  aggressive  forces  in  Asia  and  of  direct 
and  indirect  Communist  attacks  upon  the 
security  of  Korea,  Malaya,  and  Indo-China. 

5.  Free  elections  in  a  Unified  Korea. 

6.  Acceptance  of  United  States  disarmament  pro- 
posals now  before  the  United  Nations. 

The  United  States,  in  particular,  would  agree  to  : 
id)  Devotion  of  the  world  savings  from  disarma- 
ment to  a  global  fund  for  aid  and  reconstruc- 
tion including  the  Communist  world. 
(6)  An  end  of  the  present  'unnatural'  division  of 
Europe  including  expansion  of  the  benefits  of 
the  present  Western  Europe  community  of 
nations  to  include  the  Eastern  European 
nations. 

The  Prime  Minister  in  a  short  reference  to  world 

affairs  said  peace  had  not  yet  '*come  to  stay"  in  the 

d,  Lidia  had  to  be  careful  and  should  not  swerve 


from  her  path  of  neutrality  if  her  voice  was  to  be 
heard  in  the  councils  of  nations.  "All  we  want  is  peaee 
here  and  peace  elsewhfere.  If  we  can  do  anything  to 
establish  peace,  we  will  do  our  utmost." 

New  hopes  of  a  settlement  of  the  international 
disputes  have  appeared  on  the  horizon.  On  March  28, 
Kim  II  Sung,  Supreme  Commander  of  the  Korean 
People's  Army,  and  Peng  Te-huai,  Commander  of  the 
Chinese  People's  Volunteers,  sent  a  letter  to  General 
Mark  Clark,  Commander-in-Chief  of  the  United 
Nations  Forces  fighting  in  Korea,  expressing  their 
agreement  to  his  proposal  for  the  exchange  of  sick  and 
wounded  war  prisoners.  Two  days  later  followed  a 
statement  by  Chou  En-Iai,  the  Chinese  Premier,  who 
announced  on  behalf  of  the  Chinese  and  North  Korean 
Governments  their  acceptance  of  Gen.  Mark  Clark's 
proposals  and  declared  that  "it  is  entirely  possible  to 
achieve  a  reasonable  solution  of  this  problem  in 
accordance  with  the  provisions  of  Article  109  of  the 
Geneva  Convention  of  1949."  He  also  proposed  the 
reopening  of  the  armistice  talks  and  the  repatriation  of 
all  the  prisoners  insisting  on  repatriation  and  banding 
over  the  remaining  prisoners  to  a  neutral  State.  On 
March  31,  Marshal  Kim  II  Sung  supported  these  pro- 
posals. M.  Molotov,  on  behalf  of  tha  Government  of 
the  Soviet  Union,  also  expressed  "full  solidarity"  with 
these  proposals. 

As  a  result  of  this  it  was  agreed  to  exchange  600 
United  Nations  prisoners  for  5^00  Communists  and 
the  first  con^'oy  of  12  British  and  30  American  sick 
and  wounded  prisonere  exchanged  on  April  20.  The 
truce  talks  also  were  resumed  on  April  26  at  which  the 
Communists  made  the  following  suggestions  : 

(1)  Within  two  months  after  an  armistice  is 
signed  both  sides  repatriate  those  prisoners  insisting 
on  repatriation. 

(2)  Within  one  month  after  that  both  sides 
shall  "be  responsible  for  sending  the  remaining 
prisoners  to  a  neutral  Stat€  agreed  upon  throngh 
consultation  by  both  sides." 

(3)  Within  six  months  after  the  arrival  of 
prisoners  in  the  neutral  State  parties  to  which  they 
belong  shall  be  free  to  send  personnel  to  explain 
matters  relating  to  the  return  to  their  homelands, 
"so  as  to  eliminate  their  apprehension." 

(4)  Within  six  months  of  arrival  in  the 
neutral  State  those  prisoners  then  requesting  re- 
patriation shall  be  repatriated  by  the  neutral  State. 

(5)  After  a  six-month  period  any  prisoner« 
remaining  shall  have  their  fate  decided  by  a  political 
conference  dealing  with  the  entire  question  of  peace 
in  Korea. 

(6)  All  expenses  of  persons  during  the  stay  in 
neutral  State  including  travelling  expenses  shall  be 
borne  by  the  nation  to  which  the  prisoners  belong. 

Since  then,  there  has  been  an  impasse  over  the 
neutral  country  question.  U.  N.  proposals  suggest  that 
prisoners  unwilling  to  be  repatriated  be  kept  in  Korea 
or  their  present  quarters  in  the  custody  of  Switzerland, 
a  neutral  State.  The  Communists  say  that  they  want 
an  Asiatic  neutral  and  further,  they  require  that 


NOTES 


d43 


prisoners  should  be  transferred  to  that  State's  own 
terrain.  This  impasse  shows  some  signs  of  sohition  at 
the  time  of  writing. 

Cambodia  Must  Be  Given  Freedom 

The  Indo-Chinese  struggle  has  suddenly  taken  a 
serious  turn  for  the  French  forces.  The  T^os  area  has 
been  penetrated  deeply  by  the  Viet  Minh  forces  and 
there  does  not  seem  to  be  much  chance  of  stopping 
their  advance  in  the  future. 

This  situation  has  resulted  in  the  release  of  the 
pent-up  feelings  of  the  nationals  of  Indo-China,  sub- 
merged as  they  are  under  the  ruthless  colonialism  of 
France.  The  following  news  is  an  indicator  : 

The  Cambodian  Premier  Penn  Nouth  said  in  a 
statement  to  the  Press  at  Paris  on  April  29 
that  France  should  grant  his  country  the  same  inde- 
pendence that  Britain  had  given  to  India  and  Pakistan. 
He  said  he  was  making  this  statement  following  instruc- 
tions from  his  King,  who  wanted  to  clarify  the  declara- 
tions he  had  made  during  his  recent  stay  in  the  United 
States.  ,1 

"If  France  does  not  grant  Cambodia  the  attributes 
and  prerogatives  of  independence  which  the  whole 
nation  has  charged  the  Sovereign  to  demand,  the 
Cambodian  people  might  revolt  against  the  French 
authorities  if  difficulties  arose,  at  the  moment  when 
Vietminh  pressure  might  make  itself  felt  as  in  Laos," 
the  Premier  said. 

"If  France  has  the  wisdom  to  grant  in  time  the 
powers  we  are  claiming,  the  common  defence  against 
Communism  would  be  strengthened  and  we  would  win 
the  mass  support  of  rebel  nationalist  anti-Communist 
leaders,"  he  said. 

"Our  Sovereign  considers  that  the  French  and 
American  authorities  as  well  as  those  of  the  other 
nations  of  the  free  world  should  be  warned  about  the 
need  for  a  solution  to  the  crisis  in  Cambodia  which, 
together  with  South  Vietnam,  constitutes  the  last 
bs^tion  of  resistance  to  Communism,  which  will  sub- 
merge north  and  central  Vietnam  as  well  as  Laos." 

The  French  Minister  for  the  Associate  States,  M. 
Jean  Letoumeau  said  today,  conversations  with  the 
Cambodian  Premier  were  still  continuing.  There  were 
•no  problems  between  the  two  countries  for  which  a 
mutually  satisfactory  solution  could  not  be  found,  M, 
Letoumeau  said  in  an  interview  with  the  evening 
newspaper  Parish  Presse. 

Racial  Discrimination  in  South  Africa 

37,000  Indian  children  in  Natal  Province  of  South 
Africa  alone  were  refused  admission  to  sohools  this  yea? 
according  to  information  received  in  New  Delhi.  This 
is  considered  to  be  one  of  the  by-products  of  the  Apar- 
theid policy  of  the  South  African  Government.  African 
children  have  hardly  any  facilities  for  education.  Faci- 
lities in  their  case  exist  for  only  about  40%  of  the  child- 
ren of  school-going  age. 


The  reason  for  thousands  of  children  being  without 
schools  is  stated  to  be  the  neglect  of  the  Natal  Provincial 
Administration — a  body  composed  of  white  people— in 
building  sufficient  schools  to  meet  the  demand  over  the 
years. 

In  sharp  contrast  to  this  discriminatory  policy,  edu- 
cation is  compulsory  for  European  children  of  school-going 
age  under  16  and  European  parents  are  liable  for  criminal 
prosecution  if  they  neglect  to  send  their  children  to 
school.  This  policy  makes  it  obligatory  on  the  autho- 
rities to  build  sufficient  schools  to  accommodate  all 
children  but  there  is  no  such  policy  in  regard  to  Indian 
and  African  children  and  therefore  the  Administration 
does  not  feel  obliged  to  build  sufficient  schools  to  meet 
the  demands  of  the  Indian  and  African  children  for 
accommodation . 

The  second  big  factor  influencing  the  acute  shortage 
of  schools  is  the  fact  that  non-whites  have  no  say  in  the 
expenditure  policy  of  the  State  or  the  Province.  It  has 
always  been  the  policy  of  the  Union  Government  to  dis- 
criminate in  the  subsidies  allotted  for  European  and 
non-European  education.  Tbe  ratio  of  money  spent  by 
the  Union  Government  was  for  a  period  of  over  20  years, 
three  to  one  in  favour  of  the  European.  The  Province 
too  has  continued  to  follow  this  policy  of  discrimination 
and  figures  for  the  last  few  years  will  bear  ample  testi- 
mony to  the  fact  that  expenditure  on  European  education 
has  been  between  three  to  four  times  as  much  as  on  non- 
white  education. 

For  a  period  of  25  years,  when  education  was  subsi- 
dised by  the  Union  Government,  the  Province  of  Natal 
received  a  grant  of  more  than  £16  for  each  European 
child  but  only  £5  each  for  an  Indian  child.  This  policy 
of  spending  three  to  four  times  as  much  on  European 
education  as  on  Indian  education  has  been  continued  by 
the  Provincial  Administration  ever  since.  In  1947-48,  the 
Province  spent  £2^4,922  on  Europeani  education  and 
£541,148  on  Indian  education. 

In  1950-51,  the  amounts  were  £2,916,449  on  European^ 
education  and  £834,154  on  Indian  education.  The 
result  was  that  in  1951,  there  were  357  European  schools 
including  27  Government-built  schools  as  against  only 
199  Indian  schools  including  167  Government-built 
schools.  Last  year,  the  Natal  Provincial  Administration 
had  voted  £170,000  for  E?uropean  schools  in  the  Durban 
city  area  alone. 

The  official  records  support  the  above  statements-  of 
facts.  The  official  year  book  of  the  South  African  Union 
published   under   its  authority   says  at   page  341  : 

"European*  education  is  mainly  public  or  State  edu- 
cation, i.e.,  it  is  administered  and  financed  by  the  State  ; 
private  or  local  enterprise  playing  a  very  diminutive  role, 
while  non-European  education  is  mainly  State-aided 
education.  That  is,  it  is  partly  supported  and  controlled 
by  mission  enterprise.  The  relative  contribution  of  the 
State,  therefore,  for  non-European  education  is  very  small 
in   comparison   with   that   for   European   education. 


U4, 


THE  MODERN  REVIEW  FOR  MAY,  195S 


^'European  and  non-European  children  do  not  attend 
the  same  schools.  While  segregation  is  difficult  in  other 
respects,  in  education  it  b  complete." 

Even  in  regard  to  such  facilities  as  medical  inspec- 
tion and  joining  of  the  Cadet  Corps,  non-Europeans  are 
not  allowed  any  facilities. 

Kenyatta  Trial  Judgement 

Jomo  Kenyatta,  leader  of  the  Ken^^an  African 
Union,  was  sentenced  on  April  8  to  seven  years'  hard 
labour  in  prison  for  'managing  and  being  a  member' 
of  the  Mau  Mau  Society.  The  five  other  African 
leaders  charged  with  him  were  also  given  the  same 
sentence  for  assisting  in  management  of  the  society 
and  of  being  members  of  it.  Kenyatta  declared  that  he 
did  not  accept  the  verdict. 

Commenting  on  the  judgement,  the  London 
Times  wrote  :  "It  is  true  that  the  trial  took  place  in 
an  inconvenient  and  inaccessible  spot  so  that  it 
imposed  a  considerable  strain  on  all  those  taking  part." 
Still  the  paper  commended  the  manner  in  which  th* 
Kenya  Government  had  brought  the  African  leaders 
to  the  trial. 

The  Manchester  Guardian,  though  ''rather  sur- 
prised" that  all  the  convicted  men  received  equal 
sentences,  approved  the  Court's  verdict.  The  Dailyi 
Telegraph  wrote  that  the  African  leaders  were  "given 
a  trial  of  scrupulous  fairness." 

Mr.  Joseph  Murumbi,  General  Secretary  of  the 
Kenyan  African  Union,  commenting  on  the  judgement, 
said  in  New  Delhi  on  April  9  :  "Tlhe  ineflBicacy  of 
British  justice  has  been  amply  demonstrated  to  us  right 
through  the  emergency  in  Kenya,  tha  arrest  of  Walter 
Odede,  a  most  moderate  leader  in  Kenya  and  acting 
President  of  the  Kenyan  African  Union,  and  the 
judgement  in  the  Kenyatta  trial  proves  our  conviction 
that  the  settlers  in  Kenya  hold  the  reins  of  Govern- 
ment.'* 

Dewan  Chamanlal,  who  together  with  Mr.  D.  N. 
Pritt  defended  the  African  leaders,  said  :  "The  Magis- 
trate appears  to  have  misconstrued  the  evidence 
depending  for  his  verdict  on  solitary  prosecution 
witnesses  who  have  been  contradicted  by  the  very 
persons  named  by  such  prosecution  witnesses,  but  never 
produced  by  the  prosecution. 

"A  great  deal  of  absolutely  inadmissible  prose- 
cution evidence  has  gone  on  the  record.  The  conviction 
is  iw\ong.  The  sentence  of  seven  years'  hard  labour  is 
outrageous." 

He  said  that  an  appeal  would  be  filed  against  the 
judgement.  Mr.  D.  N.  Pritt  was  also  proceeding  to 
Kenya  to  prefer  the  appeal. 

Colonialism  dies  hard,  particularly  in  thfe  case  of 

ante-diluvians  like  Britain  and  France.  The  plain  fact 

Js  that  the  British  have    been    badly    shaken  at  the 

reaction  of  the  Kenya,  Africans  who  have  suffered    t^ 

dumb  agony  decadm    of    expropriation    and  mtMesg 


exploitation.  We  are  not  surprised  at  the  comments  in 
the  TinxeB  or  the  Daily  Telegraph,  They  have  always 
applauded  dragooning  of  helpless  people.  But  the 
reaction  of  Manchester  Guardian  is  rather  curious. 

India's  Case  for  Water  Dispute 

For  some  time  charges  and  countercharges  are  being 
made  over  the  Indo-Pakistani  water  dispute.  Pakistan  is 
pressing  for  arbittation  by  third  parlies,  while  In^a 
suggests  that  a  commission  composed  of  an  equal  number 
of  representatives  from  each  side  should  settle  the  dispute. 
India  considers  her  water  to  be  her  own,  and  there  is  no 
rule  of  international  law  imposing  any  obligation  on  an 
upper  riparian  Slate  for  the  benefit  of  a  slate  lower  down 
the  river.  It  may  be  pointed  out  here  that  the  USA 
was  not  prevented  from  building  the  Boulder  Dam  over 
the  Colorado  river  because  Mexico  was  adversely  affected. 
Such  water  disputes  between  the  upper  and  lower  riparian 
states  should  be  settled  by  bilateral  agreements  or  com- 
missions, and  not  by  arbitration. 

Notwithstanding  the  fact  that  India  has  unrestricted 
right  over  the  Indus  water,  she  entered  into  an  agreement 
with  Pakistan  in  1948  by  which  she  undertook  not  to 
reduce  the  supply  of  water  to  Pakistan  all  at  a  time,  but 
progressively,  so  as  to  enable  Pakistan  to  develop  alter- 
native sources.  India  claims  that  she  has  kept  this  agree- 
ment, but  that  Pakistan  repudiated  it  in  1950.  Pakistan 
stopped  the  payment  of  "seigniorage"  charges  and  the 
capital  costs  of  certain  works  which  she  promised  to 
deposit  with  the  Reserve  Bank  of  India. 

Taking  the  Indus  basin  as  a  whole,  Pakistan  has  2.2 
crores  of  population  and  4.5  crorc  acres  of  cultivable  area, 
and  India  has  in  the  Punjab  (I)  2  crores  of  population 
and  4  crore  acres  of  cultivable  area.  Pakistan  has  1.8 
crore  irrigated  acres  and  6.6  core  acre  feet  of  irrigation 
water  as  compared  with  India's  50  lakh  irrigated  acres  and 
only  90  lakh  acre  feet  of  irrigation  water. 

India  in  fact  has  not  yet  followed  her  rights  under 
the  1948  agreement.  There  are  only  two  canal  systems  in 
dispute  out  of  a  total  of  31— the  Central  Bari  Doab  from 
the  Ravi  and  the  Dipalpnr  from  the  Sutlej.  No  new 
canal  works  have  been  built  by"  India  to  use  Ravi  water, 
and  the  Harike  and  the  Bhakra-Nangal  works  which  will 
use  the  Sutlej  water  are  not  yet  ready.  The  Harike 
weir  and  canals  will  be  completed  in  1954,  and  the 
Bhakra  project  in  1959.  This  season  there  has  been 
drought  in  both  the  Punjabs  and  the  flow  of  the  Ravi 
and  the  Sutlej  were  below  45  per  cent  of  the  normal. 
Pakistan  consequently  received  less  water — and  this  i« 
purely  due  to  drought.  India  did  not  cut  water  supply 
to  Pakistan. 

Before  partition,  the  west  Punjab  and  Sind  were 
better  irrigated  than  the  east  Punjab.  The  British  pre- 
ferred to  undertake  irrigation  works  in  west  Punjab 
and  Sind,  as  they  were  partly  paid  for  by  selling  land. 
In  the  east  Punjab  land  bemg  mostly  privately  owned, 
ibe   coat   of   irrigation    works   had   to   be    paid  by  iSbtt 


NOTES 


M 


1  works  in  this  [ceioD.  Indie's  poinl  is  thai 
on  five  million  refugees  misrated  from  west  to 
ijab  after  partition  and  iher  bavo  to  be  rehabili- 
1  underdereloped  and  uninigated  areai.  On 
iriu  ground  India  requires  the  Indus  water  flow- 
lugh  her  own  territory  and  Pakistan  is  (JiUle 
ed  in  basing  her  claim  on  flrounds  which  re- 
[supported  by  international  law. 
the  six  livers  ii^  the  Indus  basin,  India  geta 
Iter  from  the  Indus  and  from  the  Jhelum.  The 
;arries  more  than  half  the  total  amount  of  water 
by  all  the  eix  rivers  put  together  and  these  two 
low  only  tbrough  the  mountainous  regions  of 
■  where  no  use  of  their  water  can  be  made, 
I  present  does  not  gel  anything  from  Chenub. 
>wever  hopes  to  use  3Vj  milHon  acre  feet  of 
water  by  erecting  a  tunnel  through  from  the 
to  the  Ravi  and  therefrom  a  link  canal  to  the 
Himachal  Pradesh.  India  will  however  make 
the  water  flotring  to  the  sea,  and  not  from 
I's  water.  The  Ravi,  the  Bes«  and  the  Suilej 
ave  among  them  less  than  one-fifth  of  the  water 
ndus  basin  and  this  water  India  expects  to  divert 
ikistan  in  due  course.  Pakistan  cannot  reason- 
idge  if  India  makes  use  of  this  one-fifth  of  the 
asin  water  as  she  will  have  the  rest.  The  Harike 
luld  divert  8^  million  acre  feel  of  Besa  water 
Bhakra  dam  would  store  1^  million  acre  feet 
:j  flood  waters.  Some  Hood  waters  of  Ravi  may 
:e  of  lime  be  diverted  10  the  Indian  Upper  Bari 

ler  1948  agreement  Pakistan  has  ludertaken  to 
canal  across  the  Punjab  for  the  pnrpose  of  bring- 
er  from  the  Indus  and  Jhelum  over  to  Pakistan 
id  Sutlej  and  this  twill  replace  the  water  that 
cut  off  by  India.  Pakistan  has  already  dug  a, 
id  another  will  be  completed  shortly.  But  instead 
Iding  up  the  other  canal,  and  necessary  cross 
Pakistan  is  now  engaged  in  using  its  Indus 
in  new  barrages  in  upper  Sind  and  at  Dehrs 
IChau  in  the  Punjab.  This  is  an  attempt  by 
n  to  keep  its  own  water  and  at  the  same  time 
India  imder  the  compulsion  of  international 
to  supply  her  with  Indian  water.  Pakistan  is 
ring  to  have  both  ways  to  her  advantage, 
ither,  in  recent  years,  there  has  been  a  conuder- 
itch  in  Pakistan  from  wheat  to  cotton  cuUivalion 
Hon  needs  water  foi  msluring  when  the  wheat 
Bt  it  for  sowing.  The  water  scarcity  in  Pakistan; 
fore  also  due  to  change-over  in  vegetalioo.  Sikhs 
partition  held  on.siderable  had  in  Pakiflani 
olonies  and  they  were  farmers  of  irrigsted  land. 
iislim  refugees  from  India  wjm  have  now  taken 
lace  are  mostly  labnurcr!'  and  a  !iinall  number  of 
ire  fanners  and  are  ueed  only  to  dry  farming. 
q's  case  therefore  for  more  water  from  the  Indus 
I  made  by  outside  wire  puJliogs  ia  order  juit  to 


keep      India   embarrassed,     tn   this  dispute      PaUitaii 
seems  to  be  a  scapegoat  to  b^iod-lhe  scene  poUtlo*. 

Taxation  Enquiry 

The  Government  of  India  have  set  up  ■  TaMtkm 
Fnqnhy  Comnusaion  to  investigate  and  report  on  tlM 
taxation  structure  of  the  country.  The  terms  of  reference 
of  the  Commission  are  as  follows ; 

(I)  To  examine  the  incidence  of  Caitral,  State 
and  local  taxation  on  the  various  classes  o( 
people  and  in  different  Stales. 
(2>  To  examine  the  suitability  of  the  present  sys- 
tem of  taxation— Oiutral,  State  and  local— with 
refrence  to  (a)  the  development  programme  of 
the  cotintry  and  the  resources  required  for  it, 
and  <b)  the  objective  of  reducing  inequalities 
of  income  and  wealth. 

(3)  To  examine  the  effects  of  the  structure  and  of 
taxation  of  income  on  capital  formation  and 
maintenance  and  development  of  productive 
enterprise. 

(4)  To  examine  the  use  of  taxation  as  a  fiscal 
instmment  in  dealing  wiih  inflationary  oi 
deflationary  situation. 

(5)  To  make  recommendations,  in  particular,  vrith 
regard  to  (a)  modifications  required  in  the 
present  system  of  taxation  and  (b)  fresh 
avenues  of  taxation. 

The  Government  have  indicated  that  they  expect  from 
the  Commission  far  more  than  a  report  on  taxable  capa- 
city and  distribution  of  tax  burdens.  The  appointment 
of  the  Commssion  was  long  overdue  as  in  the  changed 
political  set.up  a  thorough  investigation  of  our  toxationi 
structure  was  more  than  imperative.  In  Britain  recently 
a  committee  was  appointed  to  report  on  the  taxatioti 
structure  of  that  country  and  the  committee  has  already 
submitted  its  report. 

In  recent  times,  three  main  trends  in  taxation  of  a 
country  are  discernible  :  (i)  Ceniral  taxation  has  greatly 
increased  in  importance  as  compared  with  local  taxation  ; 
(ii)  progressive  income  taxes  levied  on  lolal  personal 
income  from  all  sources  have  tended  to  uki>  place  of  the 
older  systems  of  "scheduled"  laxes  levied  at  fixed  rales  on 
different  types  of  income,  which  have  proved  wholly 
inadequate  as  instruments  of  a  modem  tax  poUcy  ;  and 
'3)  in  the  field  of  taxes  on  outlay,  llie  most  important 
development  is  ihe  large-scale  ap  pit  cut  ion,  in  nearly  all 
countries,  of  general  taxes  on  production  and  turnover, 
and  a  corresponding  decrease  in  the  relative  imporlance 
of  the  tradilioDal  taxes  on  specific  commodities. 

In  India,  ihe  basis  of  taxation  is  crucially  important 
in  securing  greater  social  justice,  and  also  in  securing 
inlemal  slability  of  prices  and  incomes.  Taialion  in 
India,  as  in  olher  modei-n  States,  should  be  viewed  from 
three  broad  purposes.  Firstly,  comes  the  need  for  raising 
State  revenues  for  running  Ihe  administration  of  tha 
country.     Administrative  ^ui^^^^  m'^M^t  ^vi  *^cot  'CF^t^ 


346 


THE  MODERN  REVIEW  FOR  MAY,  1953 


tion  as  a  measure  of  delihcrate  democratic  instrument  is 
to  even  out  the  distribution  of  income  and  property. 
There  -should  be  the  realization  in  the  Indian  taxation 
ttructure  that  a  tax  should  not  so  fall  as  to  be  a  higher 
proportion  of  the  poor  man's  income  than  of  the  rich. 
The  third  major  aim  of  taxation  should  be  to  secure  inter- 
nal financial  stability,  that  is,  full  employment  without 
bringing  about  a  steeply  rising  cost  of  living.  Of  course, 
this  aspect  of  taxation  is  more  ignored  in  India  than 
observed.  It  may  be  pointed  out  here  that  in  the  United 
Kingdom  it  is  only  since  the  war  that  the  taxation  side 
of  the  budget,  has  been  deliberately  directed  towards 
securing  financial  stability,  and  that  this  has  become  the 
main  criterion  for  deciding  the  level  of  total  taxation,  and 
the  size  of  surplus  or  deficit  at  which  the  Chancelloe 
should  aim.  It  is  now  increasingly  being  realised  that 
the  size  of  the  Government  expenditure  on  capital  an^ 
current  account,  and  the  amount  of  private  incomes  which 
it  withdraws  by  taxation  is  bound  to  affect  decisively  the 
level  of  spending  and  hence  the  level  of  prices  and 
employment. 

The  achievement  of  full  employment,  reduction  of 
inequalities  of  wealth  and  income  and  the  fight  against 
inflation  or  deflation  should  receive  the  major  priority. 
The  other  objects  of  the  G>mmission  will  be  to  show 
what  are  the  evils  resulting  from  the  unplanned  develop- 
ment of  our  tax  system  under  pressure  of  expediencies  of 
different  types  during  the  last  two  decades  and  how  the 
system  can  be  improved  so  as  to  assist  the  development 
programmes  of  the  country.  As  regards  indirect  taxes, 
no  attempt  has  been  made  till  now  to  estimate  the  extent 
of  their  incidence  on  the  middle  classes  in  the  country, 
particularly  in  the  urban  areas.  These  are  within  the 
terms  of  reference  of  the  G>mmission  and  their  findinga 
will  be  awaited  witb  interest. 

Commonwealth  Development  Finance 

The  incorporation  of  the  "Commonwealth  Develop- 
ment Finance  Company  Ltd.'*  is  a  recent  event  of 
considerable  importance.  The  object  of  the  Company 
it  to  finance  the  development  of  economic  resources  of 
countries  in  the  Commonwealth.  It  may  be  remem- 
bered that  the  Commonwealth  Prime  Ministers'  Confe- 
rence in  London  in  December  last  made  recommenda- 
tions that  within  the  limits  of  the  Commonwealth  savings, 
development  should  be  undertaken  towards  expanding 
Ita  resources  and  strengthening  the  sterling  area's 
balance  of  payments  position.  The  formation  of  the 
Company  is  a  sequel  to  that  recommendation. 

The  Company  has  an  authorised  capital  of  £15  mil- 
lion, divided  into  8.25;  million  ''A"  ordinary  shares  of 
£1  each  and  6.75  million  ''B"  ordinary  shares  of 
£1  each.  The  ''A"  shares  are  to  be  stibscribed  by  the 
leac&ng  ii(dufltrlal»  commercial,  mining*  shippihg  and 
financial  interests,  and  the  ^'B"  shares  by  the  Bank  of 
England^  Although  the  whole  of  the  authorised  capital 
A  Imiog  offered  for  subsmpUon^  only  np  to  10  per  cent 
^iAo  cMjdtMl  wUI  be  cmIM  up  in  the  initial  itafet.  V^ 


Company^s  own  resources  will  however  be  inadequate  for 
its  business.  It  will  therefore  finance  its  projects  by 
borrowing  in  the  world  capital  markets,  including  the 
IBRD.  It  can  borrow  up  to  an  amount  equal  to  twice 
its  issued  capital,  that  is,  up  to  £30  million.  Its  operations 
will  be  mainly  financial  through  the  operations  of  this 
borrowing  power.  Sir  Frederick  Godber,  Chairman, 
Shell  Petroleum,  '"Shell"  Transport  and  Trading,  Trinidad, 
has  become  the  Chairman  of  the  Company.  The  projects 
seeking  financial  assistance  from  the  Company  will  have 
to  satisfy  three  conditions.  Firstly,  they  will  have  to  be 
shown  to  be  directly  relevant  to  the  sterling  area's  dollar 
balance  of  payments.  Secondly,  they  will  have  to  be 
shown  to  be  firmly  earthed  in  ordinary  commercial  prud- 
ence. Finally,  they  will  have  to  be  shown  not  to  have 
been  brought  to  the  new  company  as  a  means  of  by- 
passing the  ordinary  and  existing  channels  of  intemationa] 
finance.  In  short,  the  Company  will  be  the  finandal 
lender  in  the  last  resort  when  ordinary  sources  are  ex- 
hausted and  its  financial  assistance  will  be  directed 
towards  improving  the  sterling  area*s  dollar  position. 
The  Company's  aim  at  financing  the  exploitation  of 
the  resources  and  strengthening  the  balance  of  payments 
of  the  sterling  area  is  commendable.  In  the  eighteenth 
and  the  nineteenth  century,  British  capital  flowed  freely 
into  the  colonies  for  industrial  and  business  development. 
With  the  disintegration  of  the  colonies  and  the  abolitiooi 
of  the  gold  standard,  British  foreign  investment  progres- 
sively deteriorated  and  the  two  world  wars  completely 
exhausted  Britain's  surplus  resources.  The  sterling  area 
is  no  longer  co-extensive  vrith  the  British  Dominions  and 
Colonies.  British  goods  are  met  with  hard  competition 
everywhere  outside  the  Commonweath  and  Britian  is 
awakened  to  the  danger  of  the  economic  disintegration  of 
the  sterling  area.  She  sees  the  red  light  in  the  horism 
where  American  aid  is  gradually  infiltrating  and  this 
wonld  mean  ultimately  the  entrenchment  of  American 
goods  and  services  in  the  aided  regions.  This  Company 
will  be  the  regional  counterpart  of  the  IBRD  in  the 
Sterling  area  and  by  means  of  financing  it  will  strike  ita 
roots  in  member  countries.  It  will  be  just  a  counter- 
thrust  to  the  American  expansionism.  , 

Expanding  Internaiional  Monetary 
FuJuTs  Facilities 

While  presenting  the  annual  report  of  the  Fund 
recently  to  the  Economic  and  Social  Council  of  the  United 
Nations,  Mr.  Ivar  Booth,  the  chairman  and  managing 
director  of  the  International  Monetary  Fund,  made  a 
significant  comment  on  the  future  policy  of  the  Fund. 
He  indicated  that  directors  and  officials  of  the  Fund  had 
been  engaged  for  some  time  in  working  out  procedures 
designed  to  facilitate  a  more  extensive  use  of  the  Fund's 
resources  as  a  means  of  providing  secondary  reserves  for 
member  countries.  The  Fund  has  revised  its  scale  of 
charges  so  as  to  make  the  ose  of  its  resources  for  shortf 
period  less  expensive.  The  initiative  taken  in  June  19S2 
\o  maVib  "^UAidb^  tnangpnignta**  for  the  aale  of  cacraiclai 


NOTES 


M7 


elsiuni  haa  now  beeo  seneraliied.  If  a  member 
ry  expecis  to  experience  lemporary  balance  of  pay- 
difficulties,  it  may  now  eatabliih,  (or  a  period  of 
aQthB,  an  accounE  on  which  it  can  draw  in  caw  of 
These  developments  however  do  not  throw  tbe 
wide  open  to  incieaied  co-operation  between  the 
and  the  European  Payments  Union.  Mr.  Rooih 
ted  that  though  maay  proposals  were  made  for 
K  the  Fund's  Articles  ol  Agreement,  "there  was 
that  the  Fund  could  usefully  and  sensibly  do  thai 
.  at   present   prevented   from   doing  by   its  existinB 


le  main  hurdles  lo  its  more  effective 
monetsry  affairs  have  been  the  essentially  political 
ter  of  its  administraiion  and  its  dominant  concern 
the  danger  of  world  inflation.  The  late  Lord 
I  at  the  christening  cereniony  of  the  Brcttonwoods 
sounded  this  note  of  warning  that  if  these  two 
:ions  were  dominated  by  poUtical  considerations. 
rere  doomed  to  failure.  The  general  belief  among 
tions  are  that  these  two  are  now  the  national  pre. 
of  the  liSA  and  unless  the  power  and  influence  of 
tentially  political  executive  directors  ts  in  any  way 
shed,  the  IMF  will  go  the  way  of  its  predecessor,  the 
for-  International.  Settlement,  Basle,  Switzerland. 
Booth  has  issued  an  invitation  to  all  member 
ts  of  the  Fund  to  join  in  the  task  of  improvinR 
hniques  and  attitude*.  Members  should  take  this 
intty  to  put  forward  the  pleas  that  the  Fund  sbouM 
scted  toward*  achieveing  those  purposes  for  which 
created.  It  should  bo  the  clearing  house  in  the 
if  the  nations  and  increasing  facilities  for  overdraw, 
njld  prevent  the  world  trade  from  being  a  one-way 
which  it  is  now— all  gold  find  its  way  towards  the 
«n  coffer. 

ob  Peter  to  Pay  Paul 

«  Khadi  and  other  Hajidloom  Indvitriea  Develop. 
Additonal  Excise  Duty  on  Cklh)  Bill,  1953,  passed 
f  by  Parliament,  reflects  a  new  departure  by 
ment  in  the  sphere  of  taxation.  The  existing  prac- 

tbe  Cavernment  of  India  has  been  conliaed  to  the 

cesses  on  a  few  agricultural  commodities,  the  pro- 
ai  which  were  specially  used  for  the  purpose  o( 
h  and  intensiGcation  of  production  and  marketing 

commodities  so  taxed.  This  is  perhaps  the  Grst 
lat  Government  have  taxed  a  particular  commodity 

purpose  of  assisting  the  development  and  expan- 
:  other  rival   industries. 

the  statement  of  objects  and  reasons.  Government 
lat  both  the  Khadi  and  the  handloom  industry  have 
ite  place  in  the  economy  of  the  country.  Khadi  will 
ute  towards  the  relief  of  unemployment  and  provide 
ilementary  aource  of  UveUhood  to  the  agricultural 
ion  of  the  country,  and  the  handhwm  industry  will 
»  the  supply  of  textiles  in  the  country.  "Both 
idnstriea,  however,  have  been  suffering  from  many 
■pa  of  late,  mainly  in  finding  an  adequate  market 


for  theii  products.  They  have  lo  cater  (o  certain  apectal 
markets  and  to  individual  and  local  tastes.  For  thU 
purpose,  they  need  assistance  in  order  to  obtain  adequate 
supplies  of  cotton  and  yarn  at  reasonable  rates."  The 
purpose  of  the  Bill  is  to  encourage  the  adoption  of  im- 
proved melhods  of  manufacturing  khadi  and  other  band- 
loom  cloth  by  promoting  research  in  the  technique  of 
prodution  and  designs,  assistance  to  the  maintenance  of 
institations  which  h&%e  similar  objects,  improvement  of 
the  marketing  of  these  products  and  iotroductioa  of 
standardisation  and  qusUty  control  measures  in  the  produc- 
tion of  khadi  and  handloom  industries.  For  the  purpose 
of  financing  these  industries  towards  the  achievement  oE 
above-mentioned  objectives,  the  Bill  has  proposed  to  lerf 
a  cess  of  three  pies  per  yard  in  the  form  of  an  eidse  duty 
on  mill  cloth  other  than  cloth  exported  out  of  India. 

The  Bill  evoked  considerable  opposition  in  Parlia- 
menL  Nobody  would  deny  that  our  agricultural  popula- 
tion need  alternative  and  supplementary  sources  of  occu- 
pation ;  hut  will  the  spoon-feeding  measure  enable  the 
khadi  and  handloom  industries  to  stand  on  their  feet 
without  continued  aid  from  the  Govenun«it  ?  This  is  a 
debatable  measure  and  may  benefit  neither  the  handloom 
industries  nor  the  consumers,  not  to  speak  o(  the  mills 
who  stand  to  suffer.  While  the  Five-Ycar  Plan  leaves 
t«  private  initiative  and  enterprise  to  develop  our 
induatries,  it  ia  a  question  whether  Govemmeol  should 
place  planned  hurdles  before  the  large-scale  private 
industries.  In  u>  economic  order  which  is  neithen 
socialiatia  nor  communistic,  small-scale  industries  are 
doomed  lo  wither  away  against  the  speed  and  technical 
superiority  of  large-scale  industries  unless  they  have 
intrinsic  worth  of  their  own.  The  statutory  cut  in  the 
production  of  mill-made  cloth  has  already  shot  up  tho 
price  of  dhuiie*  by  a  sttbstantial  mar^n  and  by  levying 
a  ceis.  Government  vrill  unnecessarily  impose  a  burden  on 
the  commnnily.  The  khadi  and  the  handkram  indiutriea 
can  never  lio)M  to  compete  with  the  mills  nor  can  they 
be  expected  ever  to  fill  up  the  gap  in  the  shoit-fall  vf 
production  in  mill-made  cloth.  Government  shotild  have 
realised  the  plain  fact  that  the  cotton  textile  industries 
arc  vitii]  to  our  economy  and  instead  of  curtailing  tbelT 
production,  they  should  have  been  given  further  scope  for 
increasing  their  production.  It  would  have  been  much 
more  judicious  if  subsidy  were  given  to  the  khadi  and 
handloom  induairies — not  of  course  by  levying  a  ceas  on 
mill-made  cloth,  but  from  the  national  exchequer.  To 
impose  the  cess  is  to  punish  the  milk  and  the  consumers 
aa  well.  The  Covernmenl  suffer  frotn  a  defective  visioix 
in  their  approach  lo  our  national  problems.  With  the 
Lonsumera,  chcaimess  with  quality  ia  a  great  consideration 
and  this  advantage  ihe  khadi  industry  lacks  at  present, 
the  liandtoom  industries  if  properly  organised,  without 
fanaticism,  can  stand  on  their  own.  That  is  why  in  recent 
year;  the  demand  [or  khadi  products  is  progressively  oa 
the  decline.  But  handloom  indnstrie*  will  survive  and) 
til  protect  them  against  the  onslaught  of  the  speed  of  the 
mills,  industrial  cooperative*  should  be  formed  with  Sute 


848 


THE  MODERN  REVIEW  FOR  MAY,  1953 


assistance.  The  levying  of  the  cess  is  a  mere  stop-gap 
arrangement  and  the  evasion  of  the  real  problem.  It 
aeems  that  speed  is  a  bete  noir  with  our  Government.  No 
one  should  wonder  if  they  curtail  the  railways  by  taxing 
the  goods  and  passengers  in  order  to  preserve  our  bullock 
carts,  the  primitive  survivals.  The  handloom  industriesi 
will  appeal  to  selective  tastes  and  will  have  selecive 
markets — they  cannot  claim  to  command  general  markets 
and  they  will  survive  if  given  good  dyes  and  fine  yam. 

India  s  Adverse  Trade  Balance  in  1952 

In  post-war  years,  chronic  trade  deficits  have  become  a 
feature  in  India's  foreign  trade  and  the  year  1952  make$ 
no  exception  to  that.  In  1952,  India  had  a  deficit  in  her 
foreign  trade  to  the  extent  of  Rs.  170.93  crores,  as 
against  Rs.  59.06  crores  in  1951.  It  must  however  be 
pointed  out  that  the  total  balance  of  payments  deficit 
in  1951  was  Rs.  129  crores.  It  is  therefore  quite  likely 
that  the  deficit  in  our  balance  of  payments  position  in 
1952  will  be  considerably  higher  than  the  trade  deficit. 
The  total  imports  into  India  in  1952  were  valued  at 
Rs.  791.17  crores  as  against  exports  valued  at  Rs. 
620.24  crores.  In  1951,  India's  total  imports  amounted 
to  Rs.  843.03  crores  as  against  exports  of  Rs.  783.97 
erores. 

On  the  import  side,  the  value  of  imported  food- 
grains  in  1952  amounted  to  Rs.  233.87  crores  in  1952  as 
compared  with  Rs.  215.42  crores  in  1951.  In  the 
manufactures  group,  imports  were  marked  down  from 
Rs.  325.61  crores  to  Rs.  297.20  crores.  In  the  raw 
material  group,  imports  were  sligthly  higher  at  Rs.  233.68 
crores,  the  previous  year's  figures  being  Rs.  224.68 
crores.  The  import  of  vehicles  increased  from  Rs.  29.39 
crores  to  Rs.  31. 4P  crores  and  that  of  electrical  goods 
from  Rs.  9.16  crores  to  Rs.  12.92  crores. 

On  the  export  side,  there  was  a  marked  decline  in 
the  value  of  a  number  of  goods  exported  from  India.  Idi 
the  food  group,  the  value  of  exports  declined  from 
Rs.  162.50  crores  to  Rs.  146.46  crores — a  fall  of  about 
10  per  cent.  In  the  raw  material  group,  exports  dropped 
from  Rs.  160.83  crores  to  Rs.  147.78  crores.  In  the 
manufactures  group,  there  was  a  marked  decline  in  the 
value  of  exports — the  exports  declining  from  Rs.  416.86 
crores  to  Rs.  294.07  crores — a  fall  of  more  than  25  per* 
cent  Exports  of  tea  came  down  from  Rs.  96.85  crorea 
to  Rs.  80.90  crores,  the  quantity  decreasing  from  450^24 
million  lbs.  to  409.13  million  lbs.  Exports  of  mica  and 
quarry  products  dropped  from  Rs.  14.62  crores  to  Rt. 
10.49  crores  and  those  of  lac  by  nearly  50  per  cent  from 
Rs.  18.30  crores  to  Rs.  9.17  crores.  Despatches  of  manga- 
nese moved  up  from  Rs.  16.19  crores  to  Rs.  38.57  crores. 
Exports  of  jute  goods  declined  from  Rs.  240.09  croresf 
(1951)  to  Rs.  162.54  crores.  The  sharp  fall  in  the  prices 
of  jute  goods  and  the  substantial  reduction  in  the  export 
duty  on  them  are  responsible  for  this  marked  drop  in  the 
export  of  jute  products.     Exports  of  cotton  piecegooda 

w/w  dropped  from  R§.  94,07  crorci  to  Ri.  73.15 


The  UK  continues  to  be  the  best  customer  of  Indian 
goods.  Indian  exports  to  the  UK  in  1952  were  valucdl 
at  Rs.  126.48  crores,  as  compared  with  Rs.  196.14 
crores  in  the  preceding  year.  Next  to  the  UK  comes  the 
USA  which  imported  Rs.  119.76  crores  of  goods, 
as  against  Rs.  137.05  crores  in  ;1951.  Japan 
has  become  the  third  best  customer,  her  offtake  from 
this  country  being  Rs.  26.48  crores  worth  of  goods  as 
compared  with  Rs.  15.55  crores  in  1951.  Exports  to 
all  the  Commonwealth  countries  amounted  to  Rs. 
284.57  crores,  as  compared  vrith  Rs.  382.12  crores  id 
the  previous  year. 

In  the  sphere  of  import  trade,  the  USA  continueal 
to  be  the  best  seller  to  India.  It  has  now  become  the 
principal  suppUer  of  foodgrains  and  raw  cotton  to 
India  in  recent  years.  Total  imports  from  the  USA 
stood  at  Rs.  272.34  crores,  as  compared  witlv 
Rs.  20)1.69  crores  in  the  preceding  year.  Imports  from 
the  UK  rose  fix>m  Rs.  144.11  crores  to  Rs.  149.74 
crores.  In  her  foreign  trade,  India  is  a  debtor  to  both 
the  USA  and  the  UK.  After  the  stoppage  of  mineral 
oil  imports  from  Iran,  her  exports  to  India  sharply 
declined  from  Rs.  32.82  crores  to  Rs.  3.93  crores. 


t€ 


J9 


Rethinking  Our  Future' 

The  Science  and  Culture  for  April,  1053,  com- 
menting on  the  Five-Year  Plan,  writes  that  the  faihue 
of  the  plan  to  ensure  a  higher  living  standard  for 
the  people  was  '^mainly  to  be  attributed  to  the 
industrial  policy  adopted  by  the  planners  on  the 
advice  of  its  invisible  advisers,  for,  in  a  country  like 
ours,  it  is  only  a  bold  plan  for  forced  industrialisation 
which  can  pull  the  country  out  of  the  depression  in 
which  it  has  fallen." 

The  National  Planning  Committee  headed  by 
Pandit  Nehru  himself  and  including  Big  Business  had 
envisaged  a  200  per  cent  increase  in  national  wealth 
in  ten  years  whereas  the  present  plan  showed  an 
increase  of  30  per  cent  only  in  25  years.  Pandit  Nehru, 
the  paper  writes,  had  written  in  his  Discovery  of 
India  that  industrialisation  was  the  essential  pre- 
requisite for  the  solution  of  the  problems  of  poverty 
and  unemployment,  of  national  defence  and  economio 
reorganisation  in  general.  If  India  had  to  do  away 
with  the  extreme  pressure  on  land,  a  plan  was  neces- 
sary providing  for  the  development  of  heavy  key 
industries,  medium  scale  industries  and  small  indus- 
tries. 

The  paper  regarded  the  industrial  policy  of  the 
Planning  Commission,  headed  by  Pandit  Nehru,  as  sur- 
prising and  mystifying  in  the  content  of  the  well-known 
views  of  the  Prime  Minister.  The  Planning  Com- 
mission had  accorded  industrialisation  third  priority  i 
and  all  the  initiative  had  been  left  to  the  private  gector.    ] 

S^ummarising   its   findings    the    paper    writes :  i 

**(a)    The   plans   for     industrialisation     are   abso.  J 
lately  inadequate  and  on  ridiculously  small  scale.      ' 

^iV^   t\k«  Yi^T^ciSxsJi  C^mmiasion'i     claiiifieati<r 


WotiSb^ 


840 


of  industries  adopted  from  the  Government's  Indus- 
trial Policy  of  1948,  is  hopelessly  confused,  for  they 
have  laid  more  stress  on  consumer  industries  than  on 
capital  goods'  industry,  but  it  is  obvious-  that  con- 
sumer goods'  industry  cannot  flourish  without  the 
prior  development  of  capital  goods'  industry,  just  as 
irrigation  canals  are  of  no  avail,  if  the  river  feeding 
them  is  without  water. 

"(c)  By  consigning  the  development  of  indus- 
tries— consumer  as  well  as  capital — ^mainly  to  the 
private  sector,  the  Planning  Commission  has  com- 
mitted the  blunder  that  in  a  country  like  ours,  deve- 
lopment of  industries  can  take  place  in  the  same  way 
as  in  the  U.  K.  and  U.S.A.  out  of  the  motive  of 
private   gain." 

But  it  was  not  possible  without  a  colonial  empire 
T?hich  could  yield  the  surplus  for  capital  formation. 
The  only  alternative,  relying  on  the  policy  of  the 
Planning   Commission,   was   to   fleece   the   people. 

"We  submit  in  all  humility,"  continues  the 
editorial,  "that  the  present  planners  and  their  visible 
and  invisible  advisers  have  created  round  themselves 
a  Moral  Prison-House,"  and  "no  liberal  and  fruitful 
idea  can  penetrate  the  barriers  created  by  them." 

"In  fact,"  the  editorial  concludes,  "if  the  indus- 
trial policy  is  not  radically  altered,  it  is  feared  that 
India  will  remain  for  all  times  to  come  'a  producer 
of  raw  materials  and  raw  men'  as  it  has  always  been 
under  British   Imperialism." 

In  sliort,  this  much-vaunted  Plan  is  only  a  plan 
of  drift  and  meander,  with  no  promise  of  relief  for 
the  present  and  little  hopes  for  the  future.  We  agree. 

The  Industrial  Policy  of  the  Planning 

In  an  article  under  the  above  title  in  the  same 
issue  of  the  magazine,  Prof.  M.  N.  Saha  examines 
the  effect  of  the  Government's  industrial  policy  of 
1948  on  certain  classified  industries. 

He  first  takes  up  the  case  of  the  iron  and  steel 
industry  which  he  describes  as  'Uhe  key  of  hey  indus' 
tries"  The  iron-foundry  industry  was  almost  in  a 
state  of  collapse  because  the  country  required  at  least 
600,000  tons  of  pig  iron,  while  only  200,000  tons  were 
available  from  the  coimtry's  factories.  India's  require- 
ments of  iron  and  steel  had  been  estimated  to  b® 
2i  million  tons  in  1949.  The  Sub-committee  on  iron 
and  steel  of  the  Economic  Commission  for  Asia  and 
the  Far  East  in  1950  had  calculated  that  the  probable 
demand  would  be  2.9  million  tons  by  1954.  The 
estimates  were  clearly  inadequate  "if  a  more  pro- 
gressive industrial  policy,  as  was  wanted  by  the 
Prime  Minister  in  1942,  were  to  be  adopted." 

Prof.  Saha  felt  that  India  could  easily  consume 
10  million  tons  of  iron  and  steel.  Even  if  the  whole 
of  the  quantity  could  not  be  consumed,  she  oould 
earn  dollars  by  selling  it  outside  and  the  margin  of 
profit  by  export  would  be  about  30  crorcs  of  rupees 
per  million  ton. 


The  ridiculously  small  production  of-  iron  and 
steel  could  be  readily  appreciated  if  it  was  remem- 
bered that  the  U.S.A.  produced  110  million  tons 
annually.  The  U.  K.  forced  up  her  steel  production 
from  11.8  million  tons  in  1945  to  16.3  million  tons 
in  1951,  in  spite  of  the  fact  that  she  had  to  buy  ores 
from  abroad.  Soviet  Russia  provided  the  most  specta- 
cular example.  In  1920,  she  produced  only  half  a 
million  tons  and  by  1939  she  "built  up  an  industry 
producing  21  million  tons  of  steel  and  18  million  tons 
of  pig  iron.  .  .  .  Even  Australia  has  built  up  an  iron 
and  steel  industry  producing  2  million  tons,  though 
she  has  no  good  ores." 

Therefore  Prof.  Saha  regarded  the  members  of 
the  Planning  Commission  as  shortsighted  when  they 
planned  to  increase  the  production  of  iron  and  steel 
from  1.32  million  tons  to  2.30  million  tons  after  five 
years  through  private  sector.  That  was  the  speed  of 
the  tortoise  when  the  world  was  moving  with  the  speed 
of  Achilles. 

The  fixing  of  such  a  low  target  seemed  parti- 
cularly queer  when  it  was  considered  that  India  had 
advantages  in  the  field  of  production  of  iron  and  steel 
which  to  quote  Prof.  Saha,  "no  other  country  in  the 
world  has  got."  We  have  the  best  of  iron  ores  and  in 
plenty.  We  have  the  best  raw  materials  needed  for 
the  industry  within  economic  distances;  and  ex- 
perience of  the  last  forty  years  of  working  has  shown 
that  since  1943  we  are  producing  iron  and  steel  at 
half  to  two-third  of  the  cost  in  other  countries." 

"As  a  matter  of  fact,"  continues  Prof.  Saha,  "in 
1949,  the  cost  of  production  in  India  was  Rs.  166  per 
ton  which  was  the  lowest  in  the  world,  and  the  cost 
price  of  steel  was  less  than  that  of  imported  steel  by 
Rs.  400  per  ton."  As  for  technical  skill,  on  the 
testimony  of  the  Koppers'  Corporation,  one  of  the 
biggest  specialist  firms  in  Europe  and  America  in  the 
manufacture  of  iron  and  steel,  in  India,  "A  well-trained 
operating  organisation  has  attained  a  background  of 
experience  which  enables  it  to  function  with  very 
little  or  perhaps  no  guidance  from  non-Indian  techno- 
logists." 

He  then  illustrates  an  example  how  the  question 
of  forcing  up  production  of  iron  and  steel  was 
handled  by  the  Government  of  India.  In  1949,  the 
Ministry  of  Industries  in  a  communique  declared 
that  Government  intended  to  set  up  new  works  for 
increasing  the  production  of  indigenous  steel  by  one 
million  tons  a  year  and  that  decision  would  be  taken 
in  three  months.  According  to  Prof.  Saha,  "Complete 
plans  were  ready  to  start  two  factories  in  C.  P.  and 
Orissa  respectively,  and  sites  were  also  chosen,  but 
no  action  has  been  taken  for  4  years  ..." 

He  urged  the  Government  of  India  to  inculcate 
self-reliance  and  says  that  "the  growth  of  iron  and 
steel  industries  in  Soviet  Russia  and  Japan  should 
convince  the  Government  that  after  the  erection    o' 


ISO 


THE  MODERN  ?^VIEW  FOR  MAY,  195$ 


^iw  or  two  factoriM  with  the  aid  of  foreign  experts 
and  foreign  machinery,  the  technique  of  duplicating 
everything  can  be  evolved  if  there  be  the  will  for 
work."  India  was  in  a  much  better  position  than 
Soviet  Russia  had  been  at  the  initial  stages  and 
*^(rhat  Soviet  Russia  has  done  can  be  repeated  in  this 
eountry,"  provided  our  Government  develops  sturdy 
eelf-rehance.  *'But  in  tliis  countr>%  the  financial  jugglers 
are  mistaken  for  experts  and  on  account  of  the 
Government's  pathetic  dependence  on  them,  no  pro- 
gress has  been  so  far  possible." 

Prof.  Saha  commended  the  way  the  Soviet  Union 
financed  all  the  great  five-year  plans  amounting  to 
Rs.  50,000  crores  up  to  the  stoppage  of  the  third 
Five- Year  Plan,  a  period  of  13  years.  "This  was  done 
mainly  by  the  imposition  of  a  new  kind  of  tax, 
known  as  the  Turnover  Tax.  It  provided  60  to  70 
per  cent  of  the  capital  required  to  finance  the  pro- 
jects." The  turnover  tax  was  dismissed  in  a  single 
sentence  m  tiie  voluminous  report  of  the  Planning 
Commission,  However,  the  "Programmes  for  Indus- 
trial Development,  1951-1956"  recommended  the 
imposition  of  turnover  tax.  And  it  was  really  dis- 
tressing that  "the  Government  planners  have  taken 
four  years  to   realize  its  importance.*' 

The  Government  today  has  no  Brain-Trust  worth 
mentioning.  Private  advisors  of  the  calibre  of  Prof. 
Saha  or  John  Matthai  are  excluded  on  ridiculous 
political  considerations.  The  private  sphere  of  industrial 
enterprise  is  overrun  today  by  intrusive  elements  that 
are  mere  speculators,  with  no  background  of  industrial 
capacity  or  acumen.  They  understand  only  quick 
profits  by  adulteration  and  black-marketing. 

The  Government  relies  on  so-called  experts  in  the 
bureaucratic  sphere.  Such  persons  wero  discredited  even 
in  far  more  efficient  governments  abroad,  as  they  move 
extremely  slow,  and  plan  for  extravagant  expenses  in 
the  expansion  of  the  office-holders'  fi.tld  only,  regard- 
less of  expense  and  economy  in  production. 

Railway  Fuel  Economy  Enquiry  Committee 

The  Railway  Fuel  Economy  Enquiry  Committee, 
appointed  by  the  Government  in  October,  1951,  "to 
examine  the  supply,  consumption  and  reserve  stocks  of 
coal  on  railways  and  to  make  recommendations  for 
economy  in  expenditure  for  coal  used  as  fuel,"  have 
submitted  their  report  to  the  Government.  The  com- 
mittee was  presided  over  by  Shri  Durab  Cursetji 
Driver. 

The  Committee  revealed  an  mi  cresting  fact  that 
the  Indian  Railways  were  now  consuming  nearly  one- 
third  of  the  total  annual  coal  production  of  the 
country. 

This,  incidentally  reveals  the  urgent  necessity  for 

evolving  methods  for  the  effective  utilization  of  poorer 

grades  of  coal  and  Jignitc  for  railway  traction,    either 

Ar  comprehensive  electriScation  or  adaptation  ot  \at«^t 

'fucI^techniquG  for  boiler-Brittg. 


The  Committee  took  sixteen  months  to  submit 
their  report.  They  made  a  detailed  investigation  on 
the  various  aspects  of  the  problem  and  paid  special 
attention  to  the  problem  of  the  South. 

Regarding  increasing  the  production  of  coal,  the 
Committee  suggested  immediate  steps  to  be  taken  to 
develop  the  outlying  fields,  particularly  in  Vindhya 
Pradesh,  Madhya  Pradesh  and  Hyderabad  in  order  to 
meet  as  far  as  practicable  the  requirements  of  Western 
and  Southern  India  and  a  part  of  Raj:isthan.  Northern 
India  and  the  rest  of  Rajasthan  might  draw  upon  the 
coal-fields  of  Bengal  and  Bihar.  The  lignite  resources 
in  South  Arcot,  Madras,  should  be  developed  without 
delay  and  the  Government  should  give  high  priority  to 
it.  In  this  connection  steps  should  be  taken  to  draw 
upon  the  experience  and  knowledge  of  brown  coal- 
mining in  Germany,  where  the  problems  of  water  in- 
fiJtration  and  handling  had  been  solved.  The  Com- 
mittee also  suggested  that  Assam  and  Orissa  should  be 
self-sufficient  in  their  coal  requirements;  and  produc- 
tion of  high  grade  non-coking  coals  should  be 
increased  in  the  Raniganj  and  Karanpura  coal-fields  ia 
order  to  release  coking  coals  for  (a)  metallurgical 
purposes  and  (6)  feeding  the  export  market.  Different 
types  of  pilot  washing  plant  should  be  installed  at  the 
Fuel  Research  Institute  without  delay  to  obtain 
evidence  of  the  most  suitable  and  economical  types  ft^r 
coals  of  different  washability  characteristics  and 
government  should  explore  the  possibilities  of  ooal- 
washing  and  set  up  plants  at  selected  sites. 

An  official  committee  has  been  recommended  to 
be  set  up  under  the  Coal  Board  to  examine  in  detail 
new  proposals  for  coal  grading  and  pricing.  The  Fuel 
Research  Institute  and  the  Ministry  of  Railwaji 
should  bo  represented  on  this  committee. 

Regarding  looo  coal  supplies,  the  Committee's 
recommendations  were  : 

"The  railways  should  in  future  select  their  own 
coals  by  inviting  offers  from  collieries  and  by 
arranging  for  supplies  on  contract  basis. 

"A  standing  loco  coal  committee  should  be  set 
up  to  undertake  all  work  connected  with  the  fram- 
ing of  loco  coal  programmes,  inviting  offers  from 
collieries  for  scrutiny  and  acceptance,  and  the 
allocation  of  their  approved  offers  according  to  the 
supplies  and  transport  available.  The  committee 
should  consist  of  representatives  of  the  six  Rail- 
ways, the  Ministry  of  Railways  and  the  Coal  Com- 
missioner. The  Chairman  of  the  Railway  Board  or 
his  nominee  may  act  as  chairman  and  the  Chief 
Mining  Engineer,  Railway  Board,  as  member  secre- 
retary  of  the  standing  looo  coal  committee. 

"In  order  to  simplify  and  rationalise  transport 
and  to  ensure  regular  and  reliable  supplies  of  coal 
to  Railways,  steps  should  be  taken  to  introduce  the 
system  of  grouping  collieries,  with  distributing 
centres  to  serve  as  primary  receiving  points  in 
respect  of  supplies  to  railway  sones  ; 

"To  meet  the  fuel  requirements  of  the  South, 
the  Government  should  give  priority  to  the  deve- 
Xovmetife  ol  Ti\!t\\>w,  ?>vw©M:«m    and     coalfields     in 


KOtES 


351 


"The  Ministry  of  Railways  should  immediately 
idertake  the  devek>pment  of  the  junction  yards 
id  line  capacities  along  the  rail  routes  from  the 
>ove-mentioned  outlying  fields  to  the  South/' 

L  ''standing  coal  transport  planning  committee"  has 
been  recommended  to  be  set  up,  consisting  of  the 
sentatives  of  the  Ministry  of  Railways  and 
lotion  and  of  Planning  Commission  to  ensure 
due  importance  was  given  to  coal  transport  in  the 
mic  development  of  the  country.  Other  sugges- 
for  improving  the  transport  position  included  the 
ntment  of  a  railway  officer  of  senior  adminis- 
e  rank  who  should  function  as  Liaison  Transpoit 
r  and  make  day-to-day  allotment  of  wagons  in 
)oration  with  the  Coal  Commissioner,  and  the 
[ication  of  the  existing  practice  of  allocating  coal 
i  and  wagons  to  give  effect  to  regional  distribution 
aJ. 

'he  Committee  also  suggested  the  evolving  of  a 
e  and  effective  system  of  fuel  accounts  for  adop- 
on  all  the  Indian  Railways  and  to  enlarge  the 
of  railway  fuel  statistics  so  that  the  effects  of 
la  direct  and  indirect  factors  aHecting  coal  con. 
tion  were  adequately  brought  out  by  the  statis- 
figures. 

*«arly  action  should  be  taken  to  set  up  a  "standing 
ly  power  and  electrification  planning  committee/' 
>ting  of  representatives  of  the  Ministry  of  Rail- 
the  Planning  Commission  and  the  Central  Water 
Power  Commission,  for  ensuring  co-ordination 
g  the  authorities  responsible  for  industrial,  power, 
)Ort,  fuel,  and  other  national  developments  ; 
ting,  scrutinizing,  and  recommending  the  execu- 
3f  railway  electrification  and  dieseUsation  schemes 
specified  order  of  priority  ;  and  examining  the 
>ihties  of  indigenous  manufacture  of  machinery 
omponents  to  meet  the  maintenance  requirements 
^tric,  diesel,  and  other  types  of  traction, 
lore  attention  should  be  given  to  provide  proper 
.ng  facilities  and  stacking  ground  and  to  the 
late  stacking  of  all  supplies  of  coal  as  a  check  on 
mption  and  pilferage  ;  and  immediate  steps 
d  be  taken  to  set  up  (a)  six  Regional  Fuel  Con- 
Departments,  (6)  a  Central  Fuel  Directorate, 
be  Regional  Training  Schools,  and  id)  a  Central 
ing  School,  for  giving  effect  to  the  proposed 
•my  measures.  These  can  broadly  be  divided  into 
ontrol  over  consumption,  and  (&)  power  and  fuel 
ch. 

*he  control  measures  should  be  the  function  of 
•"uel  Control  Organisation,  and  power  and  fuel 
*ch  should  be  the  concern  of  the  railway  testing 
esearch  centre,  working  in  collaboration  with  the 
Research  Institute. 

m  Railtoays  and  the  Five-Yiear  Plan 

hri  F.  C.  Badhwar,  Chairman,  Railway  Board, 
I  that  competing  iDteregtB,    such    as     industry, 


agriculture,  trade  and  commerce  and  passenger  asso- 
ciations, were  naturally  pressing  for  those  railway 
facilities  which  affected  them  most.  Conceding  that  the 
majority  of  the  demands  were  neither  unreasonable 
nor  unjustified,  he  says  that  still  their  fulfilment  waa 
not  possible  within  five  or  even  ten  years. 
Besides,  the  railways  themselves  had  their  parti- 
cular requirements  connected  with  the  removal  of 
operational  and  engineering  difficulties  and  with  the 
need  for  achieving  self-sufficiency  in  respect  of  special- 
ised components  which  they  used.  Moreover,  the  nature 
of  the  country's  railway  requirements  had  also 
changed  since  partition. 

A  total  i^uai  of  Rs.  400  crores  had  been  allotted  in 
the  Five-Year  Plan  for  the  Railways,  "this  figure  being 
based  on  tlie  assumptions  that  the  Railways  will  them- 
selves contribute  320  crores,  representing  the  estimated 
difference  between  their  gro?s  earnings  and  their  total 
working  expenses  during  this  period,  and  that  the 
remaining  SO  crores  will  be  found  from  Central 
revenues. 

**During  the  first  two  years  of  the  plan  period, 
expenditure  of  a  capital  nature  on  Railways  hsot 
amounted  to  about  150  crores,  thus  leaving  approxi- 
mately 250  crores  for  the  remaining  three  years.  Rail- 
way programmes,  therefore,  have  to  be  contained 
within  an  average  overall  annual  expenditure  of  about 
83  crores  during  1953-54  and  each  of  the  two  succeed, 
ing  years.  Any  downward  fluctuations  in  net  earnings, 
or  tightness  of  funds  in  the  central  balances,  will  teni 
to  slow  down,  or  curtail,  such  programmes,  while 
increased  railway  revenues  will  enable  quicken  progress 
to  be  made,  or  additional  items  to  be  included." 

The  Railway  programmes,  according  to  Shri 
Badhwar,  "must  necessarily  concentrate  on  rehabilita- 
tion and  some  opearting,  technical  and  productivity 
improvements  next,  with  a  few  of  the  more  urgent 
expansions  being  added,  if  funds  permit." 

"Some  indication  of  the  benefits  that  has  already 
been  obtained  from  such  measures  is  provided  by  the 
average  monthly  net  ton  miles  carried  in  1052-53  as 
compared  with  1048-49.  The  increase  has  been  over  40 
per  cent,  though  the  number  of  locomotives  and 
wagons  in  the  total  holdings  of  railways  was  practically 
the  same  throughout  this  period.  The  increase  in 
performance  by  railwa3rs,  during  the  same  period,  of 
which  the  train-miles  run  is  an  index,  was  also  sub- 
stantial. The  monthly  average  passenger  train-miles 
went  up  by  about  16  per  cent  while  goods  train-miles 
rose  by  about  25  per  cent.  These  figures  show  the 
significant  efforts  made  by  railways,  since  partition,  to 
get  the  best  out  of  the  equipment  they  have  had  to 
work  with." 

Closely  related  with  this  task  of  tehabilitation  and 
improvement  was  the  task  of    training    th^  «^aSL  ^v^^^ 


m 


fME  MoMnt^  mnm  fok  mav,  1953 


that  ''there  haa  been  much  loose  talk  about  the  low 
productivity  of  Indian  workmen  without  a  fair  and 
objective  analysis  of  the  conditions  under  which  they 
liave  to  live  and  do  their  work  and  the  physical  and 
nutritive  factors  that  must  affect  them."  Provision 
had,  therefore,  been  made  '*to  obtain  increased  output 
and  higher  efficiency  from  the  existing  staff  by  better 
training  and  improved  working  and  living  conditions 
as  well   as   modern   equipment." 

"The  more  urgent  operating  improvements  being 
undertaken  include  the  provision  of  about  40  per  cent 
increased  line  capacity  between  Bezwada  and  Madras, 
various  items  essential  for  the  additional  rail  move- 
ments required  for  the  expansion  of  our  two  ste^l 
works." 

Next  in  importance  were  additions  and  expansioa'^ 
of  new  rolling  stock  and  new  lines.  According  to  Shri 
Badhwar,  "There  were  8,209  locomotives,  19,193 
passenger  carriages,  and  1,99,049  wagons  in  service  on 
March  31,  1951,  and  of  these  3,956  locomotives,  9,916 
carriages  and  73,371  wagons  will  be  overage  at  the  end 
of  the  Plan  period,  viz.,  on  March  31,  1956,  many  of 
them  being  of  obsolete  types."  On  account  of  financial 
limitations  "it  has  not  been  possible  to  plan  for  more 
than  1,444  new  locomotives,  6,160  new  passenger  coaches 
and  52,662  new  wagons  during  these  five  years."  He 
agreed  that  the  doubts  expressed  in  certain  quarters 
regarding  the  adequacy  of  the  provision  for  progressive 
increases  in  the  movements  of  goods  and  mineral  traffic 
were  "therefore,  not  without  some  foundation." 

Demands  for  now  lines  were  many,  but  the 
magnitude  of  the  problem  could  be  appreciated  only 
when  it  was  remembered  that  the  inclusive  cost  of  a 
new  line  through  average  terrain  was  near  about  at 
Rs.  4  lacs  per  mile — it  was  less  for  metre  gauge  but 
somewhat  more  for  broad  gauge — ana  on  this  basis 
each  100  miles  of  new  line  would  cost  about  4  crores. 
These  figures  did  not  include  the  cost  of  the  additional 
rolling  stock  that  would  be  required  to  work  those 
sections.  Where  mountainous  country,  or  heavy 
bridging,  had  to  be  faced  the  cost  might  well  rise  to 
about  nine  to  twelve  lakhs  of  rupees  per  mile.  "Con- 
struction to  austerity  standards,  designed  for  light  traffic 
only,  may  reduce  first  costs  by  10  to  15  per  cent," 
writes  Sri  Badhwar,  "but  there  is  still  the  question  of 
working  expenses,  i.e.,  recurring  costs,  to  consider  as 
new  lines  can  seldom  even  pay  their  way  for  the  first 
six  to  a  dozen  years.  Therefore,  finance  would,  neces- 
sarily,  restrict   construction   of   new   lines." 

"Electric  trains  would  be  introduced  in  the 
Calcutta  suburban  sections  which  had  reached  satura- 
tion  point  with  steam  traction.  The  extension  of 
electric  traction  from  Igatpuri  to  Bhusaval,  on  the 
main  Central  Railway  line  serving  Bombay,  would  also 
be  undertaken  before  )ong." 

The  Railway  Board,  after  careful  consideration  of 
the  various  aspects  of  all  the  problems,  had,  according 
"<?  S/ui  Badhwar,  decided    on  a    distribution  of  the 


250  crores  they  expected  to  get  for  expenditure  of  a 
capital  nature  during  the  next  three  years  under  which 
Rs.  103  crores  were  allocated  for  Rehabilitation,  in. 
eluding  steps  to  attain  self-sufficiency;  Rs.  33  crores 
for  operating  and  technical  improvements  and 
amenities  for  passengers  and  staff;  Rs.  30  crores  for 
additions  and  expansion  under  rolling  stock  and  new 
lines  (including  works  in  progress);  and  Rs.  4  crores 
for  miscellaneous,  including  investments  in  road 
services,  etc. 

The  "single  most  urgent  and  vital  requirement  of 
Indian  railways,"  says  Shri  Badhwar,  was  a  "blood 
transfusion"  of  about  500  new  locomotives  and  20,000 
new  wagons,  which  our.  existing  line  capacity  could 
easily  and  usefully  absorb,  would  enable  Indian  rail- 
ways to  move  fully  practically  all  the  goods  traffic 
offering  today.  "Without  this  replenishment,  however, 
it  may  take  some  time,  beyond  the  Plan  period,  to 
equate  the  carrying  of  Indian  railways  to  the  increased 
production  aimed  at  in  the  Five- Year  Plan,"  concludes 
he.  ^ 

Let  us  hope  that  the  occasion  will  arise  and  that 
the  Railways  would  be  able  to  cope  with  it  within  this 
century.  Our  stocks  of  optimism  are  nearly  run  out. 

AbolUion  of  First  Class  in  Railways 

First  classes  in  ail  the  Indian  railways  would  be 
abolished  by  October  1,  1953,  according  to  the  decision 
of  the  Ministry  of  Railways.  Various  factors  prompted 
the  Government  to  take  this  decision.  Shri  Lai  Bahadur 
Shastri,  Minister  for  Railwaj's  and  Transport,  writes 
that  economic  and  other  considerations  justified  the 
step.  Many  people  inside  and  outside  the  Parliament 
were  demanding  the  abolition  of  first  class.  In  other 
countries  generally  there  were  only  two  classes  whereas 
in  India  besides  the  air-conditioned,  there  were  four 
classes.  Again  he  did  not  doubt  that  a  large  number  of 
third  class  passengers,  also  favoured  the  measure  and 
the  number  of  passengers  travelling  by  third  class  at 
present  was  1,192  milhon  out  of  a  total  of  1,232  million 
passengers. 

The  abolition  of  first  class  coaches  would  release 
money  for  improvement  of  other  class  coaches.  Besides, 
the  first  class  traffic  on  ordinary  passenger  and  oUier 
branch  trains  was  very  poor.  Though  there  toauld  be 
some  immedifUe  loss,  he  was  sure,  in  the  long  run 
'*<even  from  the  financial  paint  of  view  this  mot;e  wiU 
be  found  to  be  a  sound  proposition," 

The  decision  to  retain  the  air-conditioned  coaches 
was  justified  on  commercial  grounds,  and  for  providing 
more  comfortable  travelling  facilities  to  foreign  tour- 
ists. According  to  the  information  furnished  by  Shri 
Shastri,  the  number  of  tourists  had  gone  up  from 
20,000  in  1951  to  more  than  25,000  in  19S2L 

He  had  proposed  a  gradual  abolition  as  "undue 
hastening  of  the  process  may  cause  substantial  loes.  At 
the  same  time  the  process  should  not  be  allowed  tA 
work  itself  out  over  an  indefinite  period." 


NOTES 


B63 


Ve  can  quite  realise  the  urgent  necessity  to  pro- 
some  sop  to  allay  the  ''popular"  clamour  generated 
lob  psychology.  But  why  hurrj'  into  undue  finan. 
[>8s  in  this  fashion  ?  It  will  not  silence  the  clamour 
St  corruption  and  inefficiency. 

es  of  Factory  Workers 

ri  Prem  Chand  writes  in  the  fortnightly  Economic 
w  that  the  rise  in  real  earnings  of  the  workers 
not  kept  pace  with  the  rise  in  money  earnings. 
5  there  has  been  a  rise  of  68.5  per  cent  in  the 
y  wages  between  1944  and  1949,  real  wages  have 
only  by  about  22  per  cent  during  the  same 
1.  It  has  to  be  borne  in  mind  that  the  rise  of 
r  cent  in  real  wages  has  been  arrived  at  by  taking 
\8  the  base  year  .  .  .  real  earnings  had  declined 
lerably  during  1939  and  1944— a  decline  which, 
ily,  has  not  been  compensated  by  the  abovc- 
oned    rise  in    real    earnings    between     1939  and 

comparison  of  the  indices  of  the  earnings  of  the 
y  workers  between  1939  and  1949  revealed  that 
had  been  a  narrowing  down  of  the  regional 
nces  in  the  levels  of  their  earnings.     A  similar 

though  IcFs  conspicuous,  was  also  indicated  by 
dex  number  of  different  industries. 

could  not  be  definitely  said  "that  there  has  been 
lition  to  the  total  welfare  of  the  factory  workers, 
le  to  say  so  involves  the  intricate  problem  of  the 
)er8onal  comparison  of  utilities.  Nevertheless  if 
mme  that  the  utility  of  money  to  lower  income 
J  is  higher  than  the  utility  of  money  to  higher- 
5  groups,  it  can    safely    be    concluded  that  the 

trends  indicate  an  increase  in  welfare  in  1949 
Qpared  to  1939,  in  so  far  as  the  factory  workers 
ncemed.  Of  course,  this  conclusion  is  subject  to 
mitation  that  possibly  real  earnings  of  factory 
-8  in  1949  were  lower  than  their  real  earnings  'n 
us  had  been  already  said." 

course  this  does  not  take  into  consideration  the 

of  subsidised  rations  where  such  systems  exist, 
y  do  in  a  fairly  considerable  section  of  laboui< 
:ain  areas. 

Oil  Refinery  at  Visakhapainam 

le  GoYemment  of  India  have  concluded  an  agree 
irith  an  American  firm,  Caltex  (India)  Ltd.,  for 
lotion  of  a  modern  oil  refinery  at  Visakhapatnam . 
ing  this  the  American  Reporter  writes  : 
liis  agreement,  the  third  with  a  foreign  oil  firm, 
le  basis  for  a  modern  petro-chemical  industry, 
g  numeroas  by-products  of  the  refineries  according 
Goverament  announcement.  'Direct  benefits  to  the 
exchequer  in  the  shape  of  taxation  are  also  likely 
considerable."' 

«  agreement  with  Caltex  (India)  Ltd.,  which  it  at 
an  important  distributor  of  petroleum  prodiicis. 


follows  the  general  lines  of  agreements  reached  in  1951 
with  the  Standard  Vacuum  Oil  Company  of  New  York  and 
the  Burmah-Shell  group  of  companies. 

*'Caltex  (India)  will  form  an  Indian  firm  to  own  and 
operate  the  proposed  refinery.  Indian  investors  are  to 
have  an  opportunity  to  subscribe  25  per  cent  of  the 
capital.  Construction  of  the  refinery,  to  have  an  initial 
annual  capacity  of  500,(X)0  long  tons,  is  expected  to  start 
within  two  years. 

'The  three  refineries,  when  completed,  will  have  a 
combined  ootput  of  some  four  million  tons  a  year.  The 
figure  is  about  equal  to  Indians  present  imports  of  refined 
petroleum. 

The  Government  of  India  has  given  Caltex  certain 
assurances  to  facilitate  the  project,  it  was  announced.  In 
return,  Caltex  has  agreed  to  a  programme  for  employing 
and  training  Indians,  using  Indian  tankers,  if  available, 
and  providing  suitable  housing  for  its  labour  force. 

"Caltex  affiliates!  are  producing  crude  oil  in  several' 
countries  within  economical     distance  of  the     proposed 
Visakhapataoiam  refinery.     Should     India's  oil     produc- 
duction   increase,   some   of   this      presumably   would   be 
refined  at  Visakhapatanam  also. 

**In  the  course  of  the  negotiations,  which  began  in 
1951,  the  company  surveyed  possible  refinery  sites  at 
Cochin,  Madras,  Calcutta,  and  Visakhapatanam.  Of 
these,  Visakhapatnam  proved  to  be  the  most  suitable, 
particularly  for  the  berthing  of  modem  tankers  drawing 
32  feet  or  more  of  water,  and  it  was  selected." 

We  realixe  that  the  oil-companies  will  benefit, 
some  few  undeserving  Indian  profiteers  would  benefit 
and  the  Government  of  India  will  have  some  more 
money  to  waste.  But  how  would  the  Man  in  the  street 
gain,  anyway  ? 

Conflict  in  the  Madras  Congress  Assembly 
Party  •    \ 

The  Bombay  Chronicle  reports  :  "Some  disturbing 
trends  within  the  Madras  Congress  Legislature  Party 
were  brought  to  the  fore  by  the  elections  to  the  Upper 
House  held  recently. 

"llie  bye-election  was  caused  by  a  writ  filed  by 
one  Mr.  Subramanya  Bhat  for  declaring  the  election 
of  a  pftnel  of  24  members  null  and  void  consequent  on 
the  rejection  of  his  nomination  papers  on  improper 
grounds.  In  this  panel  of  24  members  whose  election 
was  declared  null  and  void,  10  were  Congressmen. 

'The  Congress  Party  which  had  only  163  members 
last  year  put  up  only  10  candidates  then.  Since  the 
present  strength  of  the  Congress  Party,  is  170,  it  was 
decided  to  put  up  12  candidates  to  contest  this  bye- 
election.  The  Congress  Party  Secretariat  as^gned,  after 
very  careful  thought  and  planning,  the  minimum  num- 
ber of  members  required  for  each  of  the  12  CongresB 
contestants  to  come  out  successful.  Thus  each  Congress 
candidate  was  given  the  number  and  names  of  Congress 
Legislators  who  had  been  asked  to  vote  for  ^<!.Vl  ^^t^ 


854 


THE  MODERN  REVIEW  FOR  MAY,  1953 


of  them.  It  was  deviced  in  such  a  way  as  to  •nsure 
8ucc«8B  to  all  the  12  Congress  candidates.  But  on  the 
day  of  voting  the  entire  plan  went  awry. 

"Barring  Mr.  M.  Bhaktavatsalam,  who  got  all  the 
15  first  votes  assigned  to  him,  none  of  the  Congress 
candidates  secured  the  assigned  votes  in  full.  On  a 
calculation  it  was  found  that  28  Congress  Legislators 
failed  to  cast  their  votes  as  per  instructions  of  the 
Congress  Legislature  Party  Secretariat." 

Since  Rajaji  took  over  the  original  strength  of  the 
Congress  Party,  which  was  153,  was  increased  to  170. 
According  to  the  paper's  Madras  correspondent,  **Evep 
if  these  17  new  members  could  be  taken  as  having 
failed  the  Congress  candidates,  the  conduct  of  the  11 
original  members  who  seem  to  have  betrayed  Congress 
interests  requires  examination."  As  for  the  reasons,  the 
correspondent  adds  that  it  was  freely  rumoured  that 
money,  political  pressure,  communal  considerations 
and  personal  friendship  had  brought  about  this 
debaele. 

As  the  paper  remarks  :  "Whatever  it  is,  this  situa- 
tioii  provides  lurid  commentary  on  the  calibre  of 
Congressmen  who  are  members  of  the  Congress  Legis- 
laturt  Party." 

And,  what  is  even  more  significant,  it  shows  how 
soon  Pandit  Nehru's  chickens  are  loming  to  roost. 
You  may  fool  the  country  by  high-falutin'  sentiments 
expressed  at  pre>-election  speeches,  but  can  you  change 
the  thoroughly  debased  metal  of  the  Congress  thereby'' 

Bihar  M.L.A.  Proposes  Car  Advance 

The  Behar  Herald,  dated  the  11th  April  reports 
that  Mr.  Prabhunath  Singh,  a  Congress  ML. A.,  had 
brought  a  i-csolution  in  the  Bihar  Assembly  proposing 
that  the  Government  should  advance  loans  of 
Rs.  10,000  to  the  M.LA.'s  to  buy  cirs  to  tour  their 
constituencies.  He  had  also  demanded  a  car  allowance 
for  members  like  the  one  given  to  Deputy  Ministers. 

Commenting  on  the  proposal  the  paper  writes, 
"Loan  is  euphemism.  Once  the  ML.A.'s  get  Rs.  10,000 
from  the  Treasury  it  will  be  easier  to  draw  blood  out 
of  stone  than  to  make  them  repay  the  amount." 

The  Bihar  Assembly  docs  provide  a  good  few  out- 
standing examples  in  political  criticism. 

Ferment  in  Rajasthan 

Rajasthan  is  in  a  political  ferment.  The  recent  visit 
to  that  State  by  Dr.  Kailashnath  Katju,  the  Union 
Mitiister  for  States  and  Home  Affairs,  from  the  3rd  to 
the  5th  April  was  politically  significant,  writes  the 
Viffil.  There  had  been  much  agitation  against  the 
inclusion  of  Sri  Kumbharam  in  the  Cabinet  reconstituted 
by  thto  Prime  Minister,  Sri  Jaynarain  Vyas.  Even  a 
section  of  the  Congress  did  not  conceal  its  utter  dis- 
fust  for  Sri  Kumbharam.  In  this  context  the  object  of 
the  visit  was  presumably  one  of  solving  that  political 
tangle.  _ 

The  Vigil  reports     that      "Local     executives     put 
obstacJes  in  the  way  of  the  people  who  tried  to  place 


their  grievances  before  Dr.  Katju  who  was  always  kept 
aloof  at  the  instructions  of  the  Chief  Minister  of 
Rajasthan."  The  Chief  Minister  "rushed  to  Bikancr 
eight  hours  before  Hon'ble  Katju  and  ordered  the 
executive  officers  to  suppress  the  anti-Kumbharam 
demonstrations  at  any  cost.  .    ." 

Even  papers  wefe  influenced  to  blackout  the  news 
of  those  demonstrations.  But  all  sucli  attempts  failed 
The  people  were  able  to  put  their  views  before  Dr.  \ 
Katju  who  assured  a  public  meeting  held  at  Bikaner 
on  the  5th  April  that  he  would  apprise  Sri  Nehru  and 
his  colleagues  of  the  situation.  But,  the  Vigil  con- 
cludes, "All  this,  we  are  sure,  cannot  prevent  the  Chief 
Minister  from  including  Sri  Kumbharam  in  the 
Cabinet.  So  wooden  and  unresponsible  to  public 
opinion  has  he  become  that  he  shames  the  memoir 
of  our  foreign  masters."  I 

If  the  comments  be  correct  then  the  degeneration  | 
in  the  mentality     of     Sri  Jaynarain  Vyas     has    been 
lamentable.   But   then,  it   is  not     an  exceptional  ca« 
where  Congress  politicians  are  concerned. 

Lucknow  Hospital  Affairs 

The  Superintendent  and  the  Assistant  SuperinteadcBt 
of  ihe  Gandhi  Memorial  and  Associated  Hospital  have  b«a 
put  on  compulsory  leave  without  pay  and  ei^t  contractan 
suspended  for  their  involvement  in  a  conspiracy  to  dcfrnd 
the  hospital  funds  in  a  systematic  manner  covering  a 
period  of  three  years  beginning  with  194M9,  whick 
resulted  in  a  loss  amounting  to  Rs.  81,485  to  the  hoaiHtiL 
An  enquiry  committee  has  also  been  appointed  to  go  Sato 
the  matter. 

According  to  a     report  published  in  the     People  d 

April,  4 : 

"A  probe  into  the  irregularities  by  the  Local  Fuad 
Audit  revealed  a  very  clever  devise  adopted  for  ghriag 
contracts  to  a  favoured  contractor.  The  estimate  faf 
supply  of  costly  fruits  was  unduly  inflated.  The  con- 
tractor quoted  much  lower  rates  for  them  and  higher  for 
other  ordinary  fruits.  His  tender  naturally  was  bweit  I 
and  was  accepted.  In  actual  practice,  however,  the 
former  kind  of  fruits  were  purchased  in  negligible  quia- 
titie^  and  the  contrator  derived  huge  profits  by  supplying 
cheaper  fruits  at  higher  rates. 

'*Not  infrequently  the  tenders  of  the  favoured  coa 
tractors  were  accepted,  even  though  they  were  not  the 
lowest,  without  any  justification.  There  were  deHbeiate  | 
manipulations  and  alterations  in  the  Diet  Abstract  Sheets 
relating  to  supply  of  fruits.  The  lose  on  this  accenBl 
alone  amounted  to  Rs.   19,483  daring  the  three  years. 

''Similar  irregularities  were  noticed  ia  tlte  case  of 
other  commodities.  The  ration  card  was  haaded  oitrcr 
to  the  contractor  and  no  check  was  ever  esBraaed  la  see 
that  the  radons  drawn  were  not  miaaaed.  A  cainiiairtiw 
between  the  ration  drawn  and  that  actually  aaiiplMd 
the  hospital  by  the  contractor  dtaofeaed  diiffimaun  ui 
the  surplus  in  all  probahthty  wont  to  tfaa  iilacknugh 
Rupees  one  thousand  were  misappropriated 


NOTES 


OKA 


ing  ghost  diets  for  discharged  patients.  In  the  medical 
stores  the  accounts  were  maintained  in  the  most  irregular 
Bianner  and  in  the  retail  sections  medicine  costing 
Rs.   4372  were  fictitiously  shovm  as  consumed. 

''Eight  bottles  of  French  Brandy  valued  at  Rs.  240 
were  misappropriated  and  efforts  were  made  to  conceal 
msapproprlation  by  manipulating  the  stock-books. 

''A  huge  shortage  of  medicines  valued  at  Rs.  6,773 
was  brought  to  light  during  checking.  No  paper  accounts 
of  even  costly  medicines  like  streptomycine  were  maintain- 
ed. Medicines  for  the  private  use  of  the  Superintendent 
were  also  irregularly  purchased  out  of  hospital  funds." 

Free  treatment  '*was  extended  in  an  unauthorized 
manner  to  the  private  patients  of  hospital  doctors  and 
to  high-placed  and  influential  personalities  and  authorities. 
This  was  responsible  for  a  recurring  loss  which  totalled 
Rs.  16,647." 

The  report  put  the  responsibility  to  all  the  irregu- 
larities on  the  Superintendent  and  the  Assistant  Superin- 
tendent. In  fact,  some  of  the  irregularities  were  quite 
within  their  knowledge  but  they  failed  to  take  cognisance 
thereof.   To  quote  the  People  : 

''Even  the  rules  of  accounts  were  ignored  by  them. 
The  former  grossly  abused  his  position  and  bestowed 
favours  on  contractors  at  the  cost  of  the  hospital.  His 
daily  domestic  requirements  like  wheat,  coal,  vegetables, 
etc.,  were  supplied  by  the  contractors.  They  were  even 
required  to  pay  the  monthly  salary  of  his  servants.*' 

This  is  democracy  in  Pandit  Nehru's  home 
province. 

Expenditure  Habits 

The  fortnightly  Economic  Review  of  the  All- 
India   Congress  Committee   reports   the   following  : 

"The  National  Sample  Survey  for  the  period  of 
July  1948  to  June  1949  revealed  ths  spending  habits 
in  various  parts  of  India.  According  to  it,  an  average 
South  Indian  spent  Rs.  136.63  on  all  food  items.  Pan, 
tobacco  and  intoxicants  accounted  for  Rs.  9.61  and 
other  non-food  items  for  Rs.  56.31. 

"With  per  capita  expenditures  of  Rs.  5.98, 
Rs.  7.57,  Rs.  1.01,  Rs.  9.39,  Rs.  3.80,  Rs.  1.10  and 
Rs.  1.66  on  vegetables,  meat,  egg  ani  fish,  salt,  spices, 
pan,  utensils  and  amusements  respectively,  South 
India  ranked  first  in  respect  of  these  articles.  It  was 
second  in  the  matter  of  per  capita  expenditure  Qn 
edible  oils,  refreshments,  tobacco,  miscellaneous  cloth, 
toilet  service,  education,  newspapers  and  periodicals 
and  medical  service  Vith  Rs.  9.61,  Rs.  5.50,  Rs.  4.63, 
Rs.  1.67,  Rs.  1.37,  Re.  0.84,  Re.  0.16  and  Rs.  1.34, 
respectively.  It  stood  last  with  regard  to  per  capita 
expenditures  on  bedding  (Rs.  1.22),  foot-wear  (Re. 
0.54),  ceremonials  (Rs.  8.45)  and  house  rent  and 
taxes  (Re.  0.68). 

^'An  at;era^  N^rih  Indian  spent  Rs.  142M  on  all 
food  items  during  the  aaaie  period,  while  pan, 
tobaeco  and  intoxicants,  Mcomited  lor  Rb.  4tM  and 
other  non-food  items  Rs.  55.87. 


/'North  India  headed  in  respect  of  per  capita 
expenditure  on  pulses  with  Rs.  10.36.  It  was  second 
with  regard  to  per  capita  expenditure  on  bedding 
with  Rs.  2.55.  It  ranked  last  in  the  matter  of 
expenditure  on  refreshments  (Re,  0.53),  spices 
(Rs.  4.26),  toilet  articks  (Re.  0.58),  educational 
service  (Re.  0.32),  newspapers  and  periodicals,  medical 
(Re.  0.090),  medical  service  (Re.  0.043),  miscel- 
laneous household  articles  (Re.  0.81),  domestic  and 
other  services  and  utensils  (Re.  0.75)." 

Wc  do  not  know  how  far  accurate  these  figures  are. 
But  they  open  up  a  new  field  of  investigation  regard- 
ing the  standard  of  living  in  different  parts  of  India. 

Sonarpur  Scheme  '^• 

The  Weekly  W<est  Bengal  reports  the  completion 
of  the  first  part  of  the  Sonarpur- Arapanch  drainage 
scheme.  The  scheme  was  part  of  the  Master  Plan 
(mapped  out  by  a  committee  of  Technical  experts 
before  partition  for  solving  the  drainage  problem  of 
Greater  Calcutta)  and  was  initially  framed  for  the 
drainage  of  an  area  of  105  square  miles,  partly  by 
pumping  and  partly  by  gravitation.  Later  the  scope  of 
the  scheme  was  reduced  and  confined  to  an  area  of 
approximately  57  square  miles. 

I>rainage  by  gravitation  being  no  longer  possible, 
drainage  was  done  by  pumping.  Land  drainage  by 
pumping  was  a  novel  thing  in  India  though  the  system 
was  prevalent  in  Holland,  Italy  and  England  and  sonie 
other  countries.  The  Sonarpur-Arapanch  drainage 
scheme  was  the  first  project  in  West  Bengal  and 
perhaps,  in  India,  under  which  good  cultivable  lands 
turned  swampy  were  proposed  to  be  reclaimed  and 
brought  under  cultivation  once  again  by  means  of 
pumping. 

According  to  the  paper,  "Pumps  to  drain  off  the 
unwanted  water  on  land,  every  inch  of  which  is  now 
precious  to  West  Bengal's  farmers  are  working  full 
steam.  The  net  expected  yield  of  foodgrains  including 
rabi  crops  is  nearly  five  lac  maunds.''  In  addition  it 
would  be  possible  to  have  an  equal  quantity  of  straw. 
The  money  value  of  the  total  yield  was  estimated  at 
Rs.  44  Ucs  per  annum. 

The  main  feaures  of  the  scheme,  to  quote  the 
paper,  are  :  "(i)  Installation  of  four  electric  pumping 
sets  of  capacity  250  cusecs  each  or  a  total  capacity  of 
3,75,000  gallons  per  minute  ;  (tt)  Excavation  and 
improyement  of  cbrainage  channels  aggregating  25  miles 
in  length  ;  (m)  Tapping  electrical  energy  to  the  extent 
of  3,jOOB  k.w.  from  Majherat,  and  carrying  it  by  meao^s 
of  «n  overhead-  high  voltage  transmission  line  operat- 
ing  at  3ft  Kv;  tbe  length  of  the  transmission  line  will 
be  appratimately  10  miles  ;  (tt;)  A  number  of  strue- 
tuves  oonneeted  with  trs  drainage  system. 

ChandU  Smvoday a  Conference 

Sii  QanA  Bamafobai,  civing  .an  aeeount  of  the 
fifth  Sarvodaya  Sammelan.    haVd  ^\.    QXswo*^  Ha.   *^ 


356 


THE  MODERN  REVIEW  FOR  MAY,  1953 


Manbhum  district  of  Southeast  Bihar  on  March  7  to 
9,  writes  ia  the  Hanjdn  that  the  confcrcDoe  was  an 
object-lesson  in ''simplicity.  All  arrangements  were 
quite  simple.  The  two  thousand  delegates  attending 
the  conference  were  given  rooms  having  their  walls  and 
roofs  made  from  palm  leaves.  Simple  straw  called  pyal 
served  as  their  bed. 

"The  conference  sitting  twice  everyday,  was 
presided  over  by  Shri  Dhirendra  Majumdar,  the  well- 
known  president  of  the  All-India  Spinners'  Association. 
The  Sarvodaya  exhibition  was  opened  by  the  veteran 
and  indefatigable  constructive  worker  of  Orissa,  Shri 
Gopabandhu  Chaudhuri,  with  a  brief  speech.  The 
])residential  address  was  briefer  still.  Dhirendrabhai  (as 
the  president  is  lovingly  called)  drew  the  attention  of 
his  audience  to  the  high  hope  of  the  Indian  masses 
and  the  warning  of  the  death-man.  If  the  form^  was 
not  fulfilled,  he  declared,  the  latter  would  swallow  us 
all  ;  and  it  was  for  the  conference,  he  concluded,  to 
devise  ways  and  means  to  realize  that  hope.  Thereafter 
the  report  of  work  done  since  we  met  last  was  sub- 
mitted by  Shri  Shankarrao  Deo,  the  General-Secretarj^ 
of  the  Sarvodaya  Samaj." 

Among  the  distinguished  visitors  were  Dr.  Rajendra 
Prasad,  the  President  of  India,  and  Sri  Jayaprakasi 
Narain,  the  Socialist  leader.  President  Prasad  declared 
his  firm  belief  in  the  Sarvodaya  ideal,  but  felt  lost  and 
wayward  and  could  not  act  up  to  it.  He  confessed  that 
Ihe  expectations  of  the  people  has  not  been  realized  at 
(he  advent  of  Swaraj  and  the  future  also  was  uncertain, 
people  in  power  were  not  courageous  enough  to  attain 
the  desired  objective.  Sri  Narain  appealed  to  all  to 
rome  forward  in  Vinobaji's  "Bhoodan  Yajna"  move- 
ment and  asked  the  students  specially  to  abandon  their 
i^chools  and  colleges  for  one  year  for  the  sake  of 
"Bhoodan.''  Sri  Kakasaheb  Kalelkar,  President  of  the 
lewly  formed  Backward  Classes  Commission  of  the 
Goveinment  of  India,  called  upon  the  young  men  to 
come  forward  and  help  him  in  the  work  of  ameliorat- 
ing the  lot  of  the  down-trodden  and  the  oppressed 
without  which  there  could  be  no  Sarvodaya. 

In  a  hundred-minute  speech  on  the  first  day 
Acharya  Vinoba  Bhave  outlined  "the  objective,  the 
method  and  the  programme.  The  objective  was  to 
generate  an  independent  public  force  which  ran  counter 
to  violent  force  and  differed  from  legal  force/' 
According  to  Sri  Ramabhai,  "Vinobaji  remarked  that 
the  said  objective  could  be  achieved  by  following  a 
two-phased  method.  Conversion  or  thought-adminis- 
tration and  work  decentralization.  For  this  he  had  a 
four-fold  programme  :  (i)  organiiation  of  constructive 
work  institutions  into  one  well-knit  body,  (u)  collec- 
tion of  five  crores  of  acres  of  land  in  the  Bhoodan 
Yajna  by  1957,  iiii)  Sampatti-dan  Yajna  or  wealth- 
donation,  and  (it;)  SootanjaU  or  Yarorgift." 

~  iMany  women  attending    the    oonfwenoe  donated 
tJ^eir  cmMmentg, 


Clarifying  his  attitude  towards  Government 
schemes  and  political  parties,  Vinobaji  said  that  the 
essential  difference  was  in  approach  and  outlook,  biit 
he  discouraged  mere  criticism.  Criticism  must  be 
constructive.  In  the  concluding  speech  Vinobaji  dwelt 
upon  the  shortcomings  of  the  workers.  Again  to  quote 
Sri  Ramabhai,  "Firstly,  he  pleaded  for  tolerance  and 
humanity.  Secondly,  he  urged  upon  them  to  study 
and  continue  enhancing  their  knowledge  thoughtfully 
together  with  work.  Thirdly,  they  must  see  things  m 
a  whole  and  not  confine  themselves  to  the  solitary 
aspect.  Fourthly,  they  must  vitalize  their  daily  prayer 
which  was  more  like  good  behaviour  rather  than  act 
inspired  by  real  faith.  Finally,  he  a«ked  those  who 
could  devote  whole  time  to  Bhoodan  Yajna  woric  to 
give  him  or  the  provincial  conveners  their  names." 

Yehudi  Menuhin  on  Indian  Music 

Mr.  Yehudi  Menuhin,  the  'well-known  violinist, 
who  visited  India  last  year,  writes  in  the  American 
literary  magazine,  Saturday  Review  of  lAteralxire  that 
in  India  he  "found  there  was  so  much  new  and  satis- 
fying to  me  as  an  artist  that  I  cannot  resist  a  feeUng 
that  in  India  the  equilibrium  of  life  is  better  balanced 
than  elsewhere,  that  a  greater  unity  of  thought  and 
feeling  prevail  than  in  the  West.''  In  his  view  Indian 
music,  Indian  culture  and  Indian  philosophy  **are  quite 
self-sufficient,  soundly  conceived,  and  adequate  for  the 
needs  not  only  of  India,  but  capable  of  being  bene- 
ficial if  adopted  in  a  wider  sphere  of  humanity."  The 
essential  differences  between  the  music  of  India  and 
the  music  of  Europe  were,  according  to  him,  that  the 
Indian  music  "is  a  traditional,  crystallized  form  of 
expression  in  which  the  performer  and  auditors  partake 
of  a  resignation  to  environment  and  fate.  It  is  a  tnott 
contemplative,  meditative,  and  passive  form  of  music. 
It  does  not  allow  the  surges  of  emotion  and  fury,  the 
interplay  of  opposing  forces  to  mar  its  detachment.  It 
invited  the  listener  to  attain  a  state  of  meditation,  of 
oneness  with  God. 

"The  music  of  the  West,  of  course,  proclaims  and 
asserts  the  personality  of  two  individuals  :  one  absent 
(the  composer),  the  other  present  (the  performer). 
This  stimulates,  by  communication,  the  personality  of 
each  listener  in  the  audience.  It  spurs  him  to  proclaim 
in  like  manner  his  domination  over,  or  at  least  his 
wrestling  with,  his  fate  and  his  environment." 

He  thought  the  West  could  learn  from  the  Indian 
musician's  dedication  to  his  art.  The  intense  sensitivi^ 
of  the  Indians  to  rhythm,  the  freedom  of  their  melodic 
pattern  might  provide  new  resources  to  the  Weatem 
composers.  If  Indian  music  should  become  as  familiifr 
in  the  West  as  Western  music  in  India,  Mr.  Btandiiii 
was  of  the  opinion  that  'Indian  musie  would  nqv^ 
a  profound  r^uljustment  of  the  sense  of  time  by  which 
life  is  <mlered  in  the  West,  the  opening  up  of  an 
awarenon  of  completely  different  tangible  amd 
tangiblt  facton/' 


ASSEMBLED  INDIA 

By  PRABUDDHA  N.  CHATTERJEE 


»    n 


I  Government  in  India  has  ended  more  than 
are  from  now,  but  we  are  still  a  long  way  off 
Jiy  semblance  of  political  stability.  Of  course, 
;ision  of  India  has  been  a  tremendous  shock,  but 
len  our  house  could  have  been  put  to  some  sort 
er  by  this  time.  But  this  has  not  been  done. 
1  of  consolidating  what  remains  of  India  after 
>n,  fissiparous  tendencies  have  been  and  are 
allowed  to  grow.  Acute  dissensions  among 
it  peoples  in  the  provinces  and  in  the  country 
rhole  are  taking  serious  proportions — when  they 
have  been  wiped  off  at  the  outset  by  a 
sous  policy  of  reconciliation  and  consolidation, 
ot  only  impossible  but  actually  harmful  to  over- 
he  present  distrust  <knd  ill-feeling,  even  rancour 

peoples  of  India— and  the  blame  for  this  state 
igs  lies  on     the    Government  of    India  led  by 
ehru. 
tnsolidation  of  India  cannot  come  without  dis- 

of  the  claims  of  the  different  peoples  of  India, 
itruggling  for  self-realisation  and  self-develop. 
on  a  national  basis— yet  within  the  frame-work 
Indian  Union.  Let  us  be  frank  about  it  and  face 
The  aspirations  of  these  peoples  have  bee^ 
I  as  antagonistic  to  our  nation  by  Mr.  Nehru. 
\  this  so  7  Is  the  formula  of  linguistic  redistn- 

of  States  within  India,  embodying  these  aspira- 
-so  many  times  in  the  past  solemnly  adopted  by 
id  an  National  Congress — anta^mstic  to  the 
st  of  the  Indian  nation  ?  Will  the  acceptance  pi 
r-mula  disintegrate  India  7  The  answer  to  these 
)ns  depends  upon  a  careful  analysis  of  the  factor 
contributed  to  the  origin  and  the  growth  of  the 

nation  itself. 

hat  is  this  Indian  nation  7  India's  inhabitants 
from  a  remarkably  variegated  stock.  Her  citiiens 
e  people  of  pure  Aryan  origin  as  well  as  people 
Mongolian  and  Negroidal  bk)od.  Viewed  ^m  a 
>er8pective,  the  Indian  nation  is  not  simply  a 
ion  of  individuals;  it  is  also  a  collection  of 
3  and  subnationalities.  It  is  a  result  of  the  com- 
on  of  subnationalities  like  Bengalis,  Marhatis, 
!,  Tamilians,  Punjabis,  etc.,  with  one  another, 
existence — a  very  real  and  ancient  fact — must  be 
used.  Each  has  its  ''own  distinctive  culture  and 
atio;ti,  language  and  literature,  art  .and  arclhi- 
e,  names  and  nomenclature,  food  and  dress, 
ns  and  calendar,  character  and  appearance,  sense 
lue  and  proportion."  The  difference  in  these  re3- 
amo^  thein  probably  is  even  greater  than  any 
ponding  difference  among  the  nations  of  Burope. 
his  is  certainly  no  suggestion  to  parcel  out  India 
I    various    independent    subn^itionaliiiei.    Thit 

1  be  a  iicrilefs.    For,  however  ^ugr  the  Indians 

■  .   .  ...         ■  -  •  ■• 

I 


vaiy  among  themseLvee,  Indian    nationhood  is  a  Yeal 
concepts 

Neither  community  of  language,  nor  thai  of 
customs  and  culture  is  an  essential  ingredient:  of 
nationhood.  If  they  were  so,  Americans  in  the  United 
States  of  America  could  not  have  developed  into  a 
nation;  a  very  large  proportion  among  them  would 
'have  separated  long  ago  and  fused  with  the  British. 
On  the  same  assumption  the  Union  of  Socialist 
Soviet  Republic  also  would  not  have  endured.  The 
only  .element  that  can  be  called  indispensable  to 
nationality  ib  the  common  desire  among  its  members 
to  organise  themselves  into  or  lemain  a  separate 
independent  State.  Common  struggle  against  a  tyrja. 
nical  power,  foreign  or  domestic,  has  in  numerous 
cases,  welded  a  heterogeneous  people  into,  a  single 
nationality.  The  'esprit-de-oorps'  bom  of  the  uuit  d 
resistance  to  tyranny  breaks  down  the  barriers  of 
nairowDoas  and  prejudice  among  the  subjects,  and 
crsates  in  them  a  common  aspiration  to  build  a 
liberated  State  of  their  own— no  matter  how 
different  ihey  may  be  in  point  of  language,  customs, 
and  manners.  A  new  vision  opens  out  befon* 
them. 

The  history  of  India  has  witnessed  common 
sufferings  in  the  struggle  against  foreign  exploitations 
in  which  all  the  subnationalities  of  India  parUci- 
pated.  The  unity  of  Indian  history  is  the*  retolt  of 
the  battles  these  subnationalities  ^ght  in  common 
so  long  against  their  foreign  master?,  by  stirring  up 
discontent,  disturbances,  open  rebellions,  taking  and 
giving  lives.  The  aspimtion  of  the  Indian  snb- 
nationatities  to  form  a  commori  State  is  the  reward 
of  their  common  struts  for  independence  in  vm 
past. 

The  desire  for  a  united  State  of  India  thus  born 
of '  historical  antecedents  has  been  strengthened  and 
made  natural  by  the  peculiar  geographical  configura- 
tion of  India.  India  (with  Pakistan)  spontaneously 
forms  a  distinctive  entity  in  a  physical  map  of  the 
world.  The  lofty  mountains  on  the  north^  east  an4 
west  have  separated  her  from  the  rest  of  Asia.  In  the 
south,  she  la  encircled  by  waters  from  the  Indian 
Ocean.  This  maricedly  separate'  gei>graphical  entity  is 
the  second  important  basis  of  Indian  nationhood. 

There  are  also  certain  other  circumstances,  for 
example,  common  interests— commercial  as  well  as 
diplomatic— which  would  strengthen  ,  the  union  of 
different  subnationalities  of  Ih^  into     the     Indiali 

natkm. 

•  •  • 

NevertiidesB,  the  main  thing  is  the  desire  of  tl|e 
people  to  form  a  common  State.  Natkmalitsr  is 
^ps^ptiilly  a  spiritual  s^timaat .  whiA  t«isti.  ia   iH 


3ilS 


THE  MODERN  REVIEW  FOR  MAV,  1053 


Htad  of  man  a*  ^  fait  oceompU  in  spit«  of  polemics, 
nftco  in  divetwd  of  oontnatg. 

TIiui  then  should  not  b«  uy  dsfoetut  moiUlity 
'M  to  tli6  nationhood  of  IndU.  It  ia  not  a  brittle 
thii(  It  i>  the  outcome  of  political  faotoia  working 
for  a  Ions  time. 

But  thii  should  not  blind  anybody  to  the  varia- 
tioix  among  people  in  different  psrte  of  India.  On 
the  Gontnuy,  these  should  be  recognised  for  the  sake 
of  stability  of  the  Stale,  as  the  basis  for  the  forma- 
tioi  of  provinces.  Talking  of  parodiialiBm— parodiial- 
isok  would  be  weakened  rather  than  sluengthened  1^ 
this  policy.  If  the  detnands  of  the  eubnationalities  are 
leasonably  met,  their  self-centredne^  will  lose  its 
ed((e  and  they  will  be  able  to  live  tugethu  in  easy 
fraternity.  On  the  other  hand,  to  ignore  their  demands 
ia  bo  add  to  the  strength  of  parochialism.  Disappointed 
provincials  would  feel  that  their  pruvince  has  been 
btitrayed.  In  a  vast  country  like  India,  where  pro. 
vinces  difCer  so  much  from  one  another,  regard  for 
one's  piorinoe  is  comparable  to  regard  for  one's  coun- 
try. Uke  all  ^otism,  it  thrives  on  a  sense  of  grievance 
fRRn  being  unjustly  baulked  of  opportunities  for  self- 
raalisation  and  self-fulfilment.  The  dissimilarities 
with  other  peoples  are  tJten  emphasised,  the  mmilar- 
ities  overlooked  and  a  separatist  wttiroent  spring 
up.  The  bottom  will  be  taken  out  of  the  parochial 
chauvinism,  if  subnational  demands  are  met  half- 
WV>  People  will  then  learn  to  think  more  in  terms 
of  conciliation  and  compromise  in  matters  affecting 
prorinoial  interests,  and  strong  provincial  antipachie^ 
wih  die  a  natursJ  deatb. 

Now,  what  are  the  real  demands  of  subnational- 
itiea  T  It  is  this,  that  within  the  framework  of  the 
IndiiA  Union,  the  demographic  intepity  of  each  sub- 
natiinality  should  be  reoognised.  That  is  subnational- 
itiea  should  have  the  right  of  self-determination.  The 
gutdiag  principle  should  be  one  subnationality,  one 
piovinoe. 

'  llus  claim  may  not  have  been  made  so  dearly  in 
•0  many  words.  But  it  reflects  the  genera]  will, 
conscious  or  sub-consciouB, 

file  delimitation  of  provinciul  boundaries  in 
Xaiit,  is  not  scientific.  To  dnw  the  boundaries  on 
■uentifio  lines,  one  must  take  into  account  the  home- 
lands of  the  various  subnationalitiee. 

For  about  300  years,  India  wm  under  the  sub- 
jugation of  the  Britidi.  Today  we  have  entered  into 
our  heritage.  What  does  a  householder  do  after 
•jecting  a  trespaasBf  at  eonsidemble  expense  -  and 
■terifioe  T  The  trespasser  has,  let  ub  assume,  out  ol 
neglect,  or  minding  only  his  personal  conveniiin.^e. 
worn  out  the  floor,  set  up  a  partition  here,  demo- 
lidied  a  wall  there,  creating  on  the  whole  a  grotesque 
affect  "When  the  householder  comes  into  his  own.  he 
would  naturally  want  to  rehriuon  the  house  tastefully 
aa  MoeatiSe  Oia^  A«  would  like  to  narrange  the 
0^m  of  w»Jb  Mad  pititiott  ^  Kcure  the  symmcUy 


of  the  rooms.  Tie  time  has  eome  todajr  for  W 
Indians  to  sat  the  house  of  India  in  order.  Ita  rooms 
should  be  arranged  in  a  weU-cOnsidered,  el^ant  aod 
q^Btematio  manner.  This  means  that  we  diould  in 
many  places  diaatioally  alter  the  plan  of  thh  eratwhils 
nilers  of  our  country.  The  Britirii  were  not  interested 
in  all-round  and  lonnmetrical  development  of  India. 
Hence  they  planned  provincial  boundaries  in  their 
"Indian  Empire"  mainly  with  an  eye  to  administia- 
tive  expediency  as  suited  them.  They  did  not  bother 
for  the  consent  of  their  subjects.  Consideration  for 
the  political  progress  of  their  Indian  Eubjecta  certainty 
did  not  very  much  afiect  their  decision  in  this  matter. 
Hence,  it  is,  that  the  provincial  boundaries  are  so 
placed  pell-mell,  that  they  do  not  correspond  with 
the  hopes  and  aspirations  of  our  people.  It  is  tnie 
that  if  provincial  boundaries  have  now  to  be  adjusted 
systematically  on  the  basis  of  subnationality,  th«e 
would  be  eome  violent  changes  in  the  position  tt 
boundanes  of  some  existing  Provinces  or  'States.'  Bui 
ontM  the  process  is  complete,  the  ^stem  of  diviscn 
of  India  into  'States'  will  plainly  be  on  a  far  more 
logical  and  simple  foundation  than  is  the  ease  today. 
The  apprehensions  in  this  regard  felt  by  tha 
Linguistic  Provinces  Commission  under  the  chairman- 
ship of  Shree  S.  K.  Dar,  a  retired  Allahabad '  Hi|k 
Court  Judge,  were  ill-4ouiuled.  The  Commisaion  was 
appointed  a  few  years  sgo,  to  examine  the  prospects 
of  cresting  linguistic  States  in  the  Decean.  It  was 
alarmed  at  the  adverse  effect  which  the  poesible 
creation  of  any  new  <tf  additional  provinces  would 
have  on  the  general  economy  and  finances  of  India. 
It  expressed  concern  at  the  poanbility  of  splitting  up 
the  three  then  existent  provinces  of  South  India  into 
six  provinces  as  a  result  of  a  change  in  the  tlolut  quo. 
(Cf.  Dot  CammUtian  Report,  para  132).  But  then, 
apparently  it  was  not  ia  a  position  to  visualise  that 
some  unwanted  existent  States  could  disappcM 
altogether,  if  the  principle  of  subnationality  was 
properly  applied.  For  example,  at  present  there  afe 
the  following  'Sutes'  in  South  India :  (1)  Madru, 
(2)  Travancore^Coehin,  <3)  Coorg,  (4)  Myaoie, 
(5)  Bombay  and  (6)  Hyderabad.  Of  these,  Hyderabad 
should  be  divided  among  the  three  ,lcoplee  inhabiting 
that  'State'— Telugus,  Mamt^as  aod  Kannadigas— 
who  would  join  their  reapective  subnational  States  of 
Andhra,  Mahaiaahtra  and  Kamatak.  Mysore  and 
Travaneore-Cochin  should  go  to  form  the  major 
portions  of  the  'States'  of  Kamatak  and  Kerala  ree- 
peetively.  Thus,  out  of  the  six  cumbrous  and  mostly 
heterogeneous  'Stales'  will  arise  not  more  than  five 
compact,  well-knit  and  homogeneous  'States'  in  the 
South— Maharashtra,  Kunatak,  Kerala,  Tamilmd 
and  .\ndhra.  Likewise,  for  the  whole  of  India, 
actually  the  fact  ia — as  will  appear  later — that  the 
total  number  of  subnationalitiee  is  very  much  lew 
tbu  the  total  number  of  the  existent  Parts  'A,'  'B' 
u4  '^'  S^^  that  oompoM  tbe  IsdisB  Usioa.  T^aait- 


\^>^. 


ASSEMBLED  IKDIA 


900 


MimpUeatiOQa  ihoidd,  tberrfora»  ttiid..  to  b«  not 

tr  but  lesB,  if  miluuitioDAl  'Statet*  are  formad. 
^hat  would  be  the  criterion  of  a  aub^oationaliiy  7 
>uld  be  so  clear  as  to  admit  of  no  controver«7. 
lis  principle,  race  cannot  be  a  criterion  of  sub- 
lality,  for  in  India,  where  men  have  immigrated 
outside  from  the  begmning  of  history,  races  are 
ermixed  that  it  is  not  possible  now  to  determine 
sly  who  belongs  to  which  stock.  For  similar 
IS,  religion  or  sect  cannot  determine  sub- 
lality.  People  professing  different  creeds— Hindu, 
lone  contains  scores  of  sects  and  creeds— live 
lingled  with  one  another  so  that  to  attempt  to 
dine  subnationality  on  the  basis  of  religion  or 
would  lead  to  absurd  results.  Myriads  of  sub- 
lalities  would  then  be  found  inhibiting  the  same 

y. 

ben  there  are  the  criteria  of  language  and 
phical  configuration. 

anguage  is  the  main  proof  as  well  as  th&  main 
ler  of  culture.  In  these  days  of  spread  of  educa- 
t  is  the  symbol  of  civilisation.  People  must 
ige  ideas  by  understanding  one  another's 
ige,  in  order  to  know  one  another  and  be  able 
e  and  work  in  co-operation.  Hence  language  is 
lain  determinant  of  subnationality.  There  are 
languages  current  in  India  but  the  chief  ones 
i  easily  marked  out.  They  are  noted  in  the 
tution  of  India  and  enlisted  in  its  eighth 
lie.    They  are  as    follows :     Bengali,    Marathi, 

Hindi  (Eastern  and  Western),  Assamese,  Pun. 
frdu,  Kashmiri,  Gujarati,  Tamil,  Telugu,  Kannada 
(alayalam. 

sain  indeed,  geography  cannot  be  omitted  from 
"s  concerning  nationality.    People    speaking  the 

language  can  be  given  the  status  of  a  sub- 
ality  if  they  satisfy  the    test    of  common  resi- 

if  they  form  a  compact  geographical  entity, 
furcated  by  any  area  inhabited  by  people  speak- 
separate  tongue.  Nobody  can  seriously  insist  that 

island  of  a  particular  linguistic  group  is  dis- 
ci among  people  speaking  another  language,  that 
tic  group  must  be  given  the  dignified  appellation 
ibnationality.  It  is  on  this  ground  that  the  Urdu-* 
ITS  cannot  be  roognized  as  a  subnationality.  The 
ty  among  them  are  so  scattered  in  small  groups 
erent  places  all  over  India — ^in  some  of  the  big 
like  Delhi,  Lucknow,  Patna,  Calcutta,  Hyderabad 
ecunderabad  that  it  is  impoasible  to  recognise 
IS  a  distinct  compact  national  body  in  any  sense. 
)nsiderations  of  a  like  nature  prevent  small 
I  of  scattered  and  isolated  himianity  being  given 
ition  as  a  subnationality.  Some  'Adibacd' 
uled  tribes)  and  other  tribes  living  in  widely 
ed  areaa— for  example,  in  South  India^-cannot 
iistinct  subnationalities  by  themselves.  They  are 
oall  to  be  viable  and  self-eontained  unite. 

some  cases^  eonwderations  aiiaQg  from  histoii- 


cat  reasons  oanoot  altofsther  be  dlsnfsrded.  Tbs  olaim 
of  the  'Adibasis'  in  South  Bihar  and  in  some  eentnU 
regk>ns  of  India  to  a  separate  provin(^  of  their  own 
to  be  named  'Jharkhand,'  is  a  ease  in  point.  The- 
phenomenal  success  of  the  'Jharkhand  party'  in  South 
Bihar  in  the  recent  elections  show  a  genuine  and 
steady  popular  yearning  among  these  'Adibaais*  for 
self-expression  and  self-development.  They  are  a 
niunerous  people  inhabiting  a  large  and  a  compact  area. 
Now,  the  'Adibasis'  represent  the  original  inhabitants 
of  India  and  throuj^  entire  history  they  have  been 
repressed  by  a;  long  series  of  on-coming  invaders  ;  in 
the  result  they  are  amfong  the  most  backward  com- 
mimities  in  the  country.  Wherefore,  if  today  memories 
of  the  'raw  deal'  handed  out  to  them  throu^out  the 
past,  together  with  the  fact  of  geographical  conti- 
guity in  their  case  create  in  their  people  in  the 
'Jharkhand'  region,  mutual  sympathies  demanding 
embodiment  iii  one  compact  province  there  is  nothing 
extraordinaiy  about  it. 

Similar  memories  of  historical  association  entitle 
the  people  of  Rajputana  to  have  a  separate  province 
to  themselves.  They  may  not  have  a  recognised  azid 
well-developed  language,  solely  their  own  but  in  their 
case  also  history,  rather  than  linguistic  oonsiderations, 
should  be  the  main  factor  in  framing  a  province. 

Except  in  the  two  cases  mentioned  above,  com- 
munity of  language  is  one  of  the  essential  determinants 
of  subnationality  in  India. 

Applying  the  abovementioned  tests,  the  sub- 
nationalities  in  India  can  be  recognised  as  follows : 
Bengali,  Maharastrian,  Oriya,  Hindusthani,  Assamese, 
Punjabi,  Kariimiri,  Gujarati,  Tamilian,  Telugu,  Kanna- 
diga,  Jdalayalee,  Adibasi  (of  Jharkhand)  and  Rajput. 
Consequently,  the  following  should  be  the  Provinces 
or  'State?,'  as  units  composing  our  federation,— West 
Bengal,  Maharashtra,  Orissa,  Central  Hindusthan  (or 
Madhya  Pradesh  or  Madhya  Bhant  or  whatever  may 
be  the  suitable  name  that  can  be  thought  of),  Assam* 
East  Punjab,  Kashmir,  Gujarat  (or  Sourashtra>» 
Tamilnad,  Andhra,  Kartiatak,  Kerala,  Jharkhand  and 
Rajasthan.  The  'States'  should  be  treated  as  the  con- 
tracting parties  to  the  Federation  (or  Union)  of  India 
with  an  equal  status  and  while  the  Lower  House  of  the 
Central  Legislature  (House  of  the  People  in  the 
Parliament)  '  should  contain  representatives  on  a 
population  basis,  the  Upper  House  (Coimcil  of  States) 
should  contain  an  equal  number  of  representatives 
from  each  of  the  'States'  as  in  the  Congress  Senate  in 
the  United  States  of  America. 

Thus  re-adjusted,  a  'State'  or  Province  in  India 
will  contain  a  homogeneous  population  facilitating 
efficient  and  progressive  administration.  PePple  will 
then  be  familiar  with  the  wasrs  and  inclinations  of 
one  another  and  this  will  make  for  real  eelfTgovenu 
ment.  The  spread  of  primary  education  will  be  facili- 
tated by  the  fact  of  people  «^e»3iia5t  Nia^  «65S!kfc>saas5»^^ 

in  a  Province.  IX  \a  df^im^  ^M^  ^  igiSA.  ^5j«s^^>aB'n 


m 


tBE  MODEilN  RfiVlEW  S^^MAV,  1868 


t£i^^  iifflle  inotfeCT- tongue-  is  Bpotcii  in  j  Province, 
£ti'':tdk'of  Oitf'fPrftvntcial  Gbvemm^iit  vtHMc  fuubtitni* 
it'-irould  be-  to-  otTpniiff  tie  syttem  of  primary  educa- 
fesn  at  the  base,  would  be  rendered"  »  much  e»sior. 
Mahattna  Gandhi  was'  fbr  this  re&son  s  great  advocate 
of  reconstitution  of  t*rovince8  on  liogiuiatio'  baas. 
''  I'&is  is  not  a  pd^cy  of  cleavage,  it  is  not  formed 
on  Provincial  uumoaities  or  cmi  parochial  qute.  T^ig 
IB  simply  marshalling  the  people  of  this  country  on 
scientific  priuciplea,  is  different  linguistic  categories. 
West  Bengal  is  today  wanting  regions  like  Manbhum 
and  Dhalbhum  back  from  Bihar.  Some  political 
leaders  in  that  Province  cbarecteriie  this  as  nanow 
provincialism.  This  is  not  so.  This  is  nmply  sn 
aspiration  to  unite  all  Bengalis  living  in  contiguous 
areas  in  a  single  Province,  If  those  leaden  can  prove' 
tbe  eziatence  of  Hindi-epeakiag  regions  on  the  border- 
bnds  of  West  Bengal,  by  all  means  let  them  take 
thoee  regions  back  to  a  Hindi-tpeaking  Province. 
Bengalis  will  not  object,  Whether  any  existing  pro- 
vince  will  fose  or  gain  in  tonitoHos  by  tbe  poli^  of 
redistribution  of  Provinaial  boundaries  on  a  linguistic 
basis  i*  not  bo  important  as  the  fact  that  by  this  polioy 
the  Indian  Federation  will  be  cooftnictod  in  a  loiual 
and  orderly  manner,  a  ntioul  prlnoipls  will  ootsr  isto 
Uu  oompoiitlon  of  Iti  componut  puti. 

Whttavsr  ta  axlfting  provliioe  loMt  Or  gaini  la 
ma,  obviously  no  twritorjr  ii  going  out  at  Indift  I 
Therefore,  why  should  any  patriot  worry  ?  We  do  not 
support  "Provincial  Imperialism."  True,  in  diplomacy 
one  nation  tcies  to  double-cross  another.  But  diplomacy 
as  such  has  no  place  in  this  problem  of  ours  and  if  in 
Altering  Provincial  boundaries  on  linguislic  principles 
a  particular  region  is  to  be  separated  from  a  Province, 
AID  that  region  will  continue  to  form  part  of  Indian 
Union,  it  will  not  be  kmt  to  India.  Yet  some  people 
in  the  Province  of  Bihar  and  judging  from  appearances 
some  Of  the  men  at  the  helm  of  the  Central  Govern- 
ment have  become  so  nervous,  and  angry  at  the  sug- 
gestion of  separating  the  Bengali  areas  like  Manbhum 
from  Bihar  and  joining  them  to  West  Bengal,  that  they 
could  not  have  been  more  upset  if  some  malignant 
agents  have  footed  a  conspiracy  to  transfer  those  areas 
to  some  foreign  power  !  We  admit,  it  goes  without 
saying,  that  the  paramount  necessity  now  is  to  conso- 
lidate the  Indian  Nation.  But  we  affirm  with  no 
apolf^y  for  the  seeming  paradox,  that  this  will  be 
readily  achieved  by  the  recognition  of  the  rights  of 
subnationalities  in  India.  Denial  of  their  claim  will 
crcnk  a  ni.il.'i!ljn''tm'>n(.  a  seething  di'i-ontenl,  perhaps 
even  an  uproar.  The  disinteBration  of  the  entire  coun- 
try will  not  romc  out  of  the  recognition  of  the  prin. 
raple  of  linguistic  provinces.  To  repeat,  the  Indian 
Nation  ia  not  so  brittle  as  that.  Defeatism  or  un, 
reasonable  prejudice  is  what  la  troubling  Sri  Nehru 
^a/f  men  of  his  way  of  thinking  who  pretend  that 
^legjaoe*  to  one's  mbnatiooatity  is  subvermvo  ot  that 


R" -etwipeftB- -witb  ■  or"  in-  Miy"-diatn«r  tin^'mirirf 
altaglfutoe  Co'th^-gr^ter  conecptr  of  the'Tndisn'  ifattdli: 
''  We  must  not  be' Understood' tn  be  making  ft'fetisb 
of  the  provincial- language.  Let  eviry  Province  bo" 
compulsoniy  Ulingual,  in  the  cense  that  let  it  allow 
the  federal  language  to  enjoy  at  least  as  mutfi  impor-' 
tance  within  the  provincial  limits  as  its  own  mother- 
tongue.  Conceivably,  stringent  constitutional  safe- 
guards to  cope  with  discrimination  in  a  Provinos 
against  people  coming  from  other  Provinces  must  be 
made.  When  once  the  subnationalities  have  decided  to 
combine  in  the  Indian  Federation  as  coutncling 
parties  to  the  ConstituticHi,  they  must  part  with  power 
gracefully  and  without  stint.  But  in  tho  first  place,  it  is 
necessaty  that  at  least  their  status  as  parties  building 
Up  United  India  be  given  tangible  recognitioD  by 
incorporating  each  of  them  into  a  Province. 

Again,  many  Congress  leaders  insist  that  while  tha 
principle  of  linguistic  redistribution  of  Provmcos  naj 
be  sound,  this  is  not  the  time  to  create  a  controversy 
over  this  issue.  When  the  oountiy  will  settle  down  to 
normal  times  after  ten  years  or  so,  then  only'  can.  OM 
attoid  to  this  question.  If  this  problem  ii  tAckled  now, 
it  will  stir  up  mutual  antipathies  vmong  paoples  ol 
difTsmit  prorinoei  and  tiie  making  of  tbo  Indim 
Nation  will  be  retarded. 

Thii  doctiiM  of  mutcrly  iuctlvi^  ii  rtaUy  Uut 
of  irrMpOQiibla  wciplim.  '^iMa  Isadsn  would  dtfiM 
tbair  own  purpose  by  ponponing  the  solution  of  thir 
urgent  problem.  The  martyrdom  of  deathlen  pttrioti 
like  9n  Ramalu  of  Andhra  is  a  pointer.  Controvenias 
are  not  any  longer  to  be  created  over  the  problem  ei 
redistribution  of  Provincial  boundaries;  they  are  ready 
made.  The  whole  thing  has  already  taken  such  an 
ugly  turn  that  with  a  policy  of  drift,  people's  temper 
will  not  calm  down;  on  the  other  hand,  by  this  policy, 
it  will  became  more  prejudiced  against  and  suspicioas 
towards  the  'rival'  groups.  It  is  like  sitting  on  a  delved 
action  explosive.  Any  cause  of  this  type  of  inter- 
provincial  conflict  should  never  be  kept  alive.  If 
quarrels  and  bickermgs  over  this  question  and  the 
resulting  uncertainty  are'  to  continue  for  ten  yeais 
more,  the  accumulated  ill-feding  between  provinces 
and  provinces — among  subnationalities  thwarted  in 
their  aspirations— will  be  the  peril  of  India.  If  Provin. 
cial  boundaries  have  to  be  readjusted,  now  is  the  time. 
The  whole  world  is  in  a  state  of  flux  today  and 
people's  minds  are  accustomed  to — nay,  eager  for 
change.  People  will  put  up  with  much  now,  pOeS^le 
diaagreeu::en[s  in  these  stormy  days  are  all  ephemeral 
—\K-,>\-\-  v.]!l  -.v^-i  tliim  hII.  But  ten  yMrs  later,  when 
ono  i-:i[i  ,-\;iir(  MHiip  HTnoum  of  st.nbilily  in  the 
general  political  atmosphere,  if  the  ciuses  of  dissension 
persist,  Indian  nationalism  may  be  damaged  bey<Mid 
repair.  If  the  determmation  of  this  controversy  i» 
postponed,  people's  minds  will  be  agitated  by  ^  sense  of 
frustration  of  a  rightful  demand  and  this  is  not  conge^ 
nial'  to     oatiooat'  Ufa.-    Aa    discontent    and    qiianelB 


THlB'MIDt)iB  BAST  ANB  -THfe  COLD  WAR 


301 


ill^re&£^;  tiie  id<«  of  ^  completer  tep^rstjcm^  win  tpring 
U^ 'tfmoD'g  the  disappbinleiii  iubnaiioxiftiities:  Thos^wbo' 
refuse  to  attend  to  this  problem  umong-  prdviikees  now, 
those  who  would  vacillate  b^orfe  this  g^o^ing  inter- 
provincial  bitterness,  instead  of  adopting  a  firm  policy"* 
send  getting  it  over  soon — consciously  or  unconsciously 
they  are  compromising  India's  future. 

If  India  is  successfully  organised  on  the  basis  of 
federation  of  her  various  subnationalities,  mankind  will 
see  a  new  way  of  hope.  Europe  has  failed  in  comparable 


circumstances;  iio  have  the  Amerioa«.  We  shall  iee  mitC 
the  prelimiliartei'bf;  world-federation  in  Indisi:  Th*' 
distinct  entity  of  each  of  her  subnationalities  is  thusf 
the  gk>ry  of  India.  It  avoids  dull  uhiformity  and  makes 
her  a  world  in  herself.  By  adopting  a  well-known  adage, 
we  expect  India  to  save  herself  by  her  exertions  and 
the  world  by  her  example. 

Opponents  of  linguistic  redistribution  of  Provinces 
merely  retard  this  destiny  of  India. 


:0 


THE  MIDDLE  EAST  AND  THE  COLD  WAR 


By  KARL  LOEWY 


The  prospect  of  the  Middle  East  to  become  the  scene 
of  an  intensified  Cold  War  would  add  no  comfort  for  the 
countries  concerned  and  would  mean  no  news.  It  has 
home  the  fate  of  world-wide  political  fights  between  great 
powers  since  olden  times,  when  men  tirst  began  to  act 
in  history  in  this  part  of  the  Mediterranean.  Some  time 
elapsed  after  World  War  II  before  the  fronts  were  clearly 
divided  and  before  tho  lines  were  deployed.  Even  if  not 
•my  detail  is  fixed  ahready»  the  tendency  to  get  ready 
gad  th«  will  to  arrive  at  decisions  hu  become  icost 
apparent  since  the  change  of  government  in  the  U.S. 

In  the  wake  of  the  lightning  tour  of  Secretary  of 
State,  Mr.  DuUes,  to  Europe  an  inspection  of  the  Middle 
East  area  may  be  expected.  This  task  will  apparently 
be  allotted  not  to  a  member  of  the  Eisenhower-team— 
m  move  typical  for  the  future  course  of  the  American 
foreign  policy — but  to  the  beaten  rival  of  tlic  General, 
democratic  Adlai  Stevenson.  His  special  assignment  will 
he  to  probe  the  terrain  and  find  out  the  chances  for 
political  conversations  between  the  President,  Mr.  Ben 
Gnrion,  Premier  of  Israel  and  General  Naguib,  some  time 
during  next  summer. 

It  may  sound  strange  but  it  belongs  to  the  fundamen- 
tal elements  in  the  Middle  East  policy,  that  a  pact  foi 
the  defense  of  this  area  will  remain  incomplete  without 
a  Jewish-Arab  peace  treaty.  Strategically,  the  integra- 
tion of  Israelis  as  weU  as  of  Arabs  into  the  system  is  ol 
secondary  practical  importance.  Under  present  condi' 
tions  the  armies  of  the  Arab  states  and  of  Israel  would 
have  no  more  chance  of  a  successful  resistance  against 
the  military  machine  of  the  Soviet  Union,  and  in  this 
respect  they  are  of  no  less  value  than  the  armies  oi 
Holland  and  Belgium  against  the  aggression  of  Hitler's 
war-machine.  The  valuation  in  numbers  may  be  esti- 
mated from  a  discussion  of  a  military  treaty'  between' 
Syria,  Iraq  and  Jordan,  which  has  probably  already  been 
held  even  only  for  the  sake  of  theur  part  in  such  h  pact. 
Their  combined  manpower  is  18  brigades  with  55.000 
men.'  As  for  the  active  number  of  the  Israel'  defense 
•riBir  no  details*  art 'availMbki  irdsptada  ^  Oie'^Mtttlre* 


ments  of  the  day  since  the  Israel  army  is  organized  on  a 
basis  similar  to  that  of  Switzerland  and  may  draw  any 
able  man  or  woman  at  any  emergency.  The  Egyptian 
Army  is  a  machine  in  the  stage  of  erection.  It  may  be 
presumed  that  years  will  pass  before  it  can  be  used  with 
a  chance  of  success. 

The  state  of  tho  military  apparatus  in  this  part  ol 
the  work!  is  one  of  the  reasons  of  American  policy  to 
appease  political  opponents  of  the  Middle  Eut.  They 
gtiU  grope  the  problem  without  deciding  the  final  direction 
and  this  may  be  explained  partly  by  the  unholy  tradition 
of  the  British  politicians  here  to  keep  continuidly  moving 
those  o£Eering  favours  to  their  overlords.  The  question, 
what  advantages  may  be  extracted  out  of  moving  the 
British  bases  of  the  zone,  has  already  entered  into  lively 
competition  between  Israelis  and  Arabs.  The  consi- 
deration of  this  point,  though  an  interesting  and  even 
important  nuance  of  the  political  game,  will  never  become 
a  decisive  factor. 

In  order  to  arrive  at  the  final  clearing  of  the  Middle 
East  liituation  the  Western  democratics  will  see  themselves 
before  other  and  greater  tasks.  The  point  is  to  create 
the  conditions  which  would  lead  the  Middle  Blast  from  a 
narrow  particularism,  dominating  any  of  its  political  and 
economic  acts,  back  to  a  way  of  thinking  as  created  by 
destiny  for  its  great  periods  :  to  be  a  living  part  of  an 
ovemational  community. 

The  actions  of  American  policy  since  World  War  11 
are  no  efforts  to  get  influence  in  the  Middle  Blast  but 
rather  the  putting  forward  of  feelers  in  the  direction  of 
a  correct  aim  and  with,  unfortunately,  very  insufficient 
means.  The  first  practical  step.  Point  4  Aid  of  President 
Truman,  started  off  with  many  hopeful  beginnings,  could 
not  arrive  at  any  great  results  since  it  lacked  the  idea  out 
of  which  it  could  grow  from  a  bureaucratic  machine  into 
the  great  tool  for  an  aimed  policy.  Practical  results  wilt 
only  be  achieved  by  co-ordinating  the  political  problems 
of  the  Middle  East  with  the  philanthropic  purposes  of 
raising  the  social  standard  of  living  of  the  under-developed 
psoplss.  For  ibis  thb'natitral  sources 'of  the  MiddW  East' 


302 


THE  MODERN  REVIEW  FOR  AUY,  188S 


jM^;fiifickia*«n4.llifl|r.l^Te  to,.be  derdpped.  lo. their 
fnH  dispky  with  the  timultaneouft  effect  of  a  prefentive 
^gainst  World  War  HI :  The  rite  of  the  Mediterranean 
eountriet  being  pottihle  only  by  a  eyctematic  'Importa- 
Cion'l  of  men,  able  to  give  and  get  the  bleteing  of  a 
raised  standard  in  their  enriched  new  homeland — and  to 
protect  it. 

At  two  diametrically  opposed  cases  it  may  be  demon* 
Btrated  that  problems  of  population  policy  ftfe  beginning 
to  replace  other  questions  of  the  Middle  East.  Withdut 
solving  the  problem  of  the  Palestinian  refugees  it  will  be 
impossible  to  clear  the  Middle  East  problem  in  general : 
also  the  continuation  of  the  Israel  colonisation  will  have 
to  be  replaced  by  new  methods  based  on  experience  made 
imtil  today.  Too  long  these  have  been  considered  aa 
local  or  community  matters  of  certain  groups  only,  while 
actuaUy  they  consist  as  parts  of  the  international  refugee 
problem,  on  the  sensible  settlement  of  which  the  wellbeing 
of  all  humanity  depends.  The  fate  of  men  who  don't 
know  today  where  to  put  their  head  will  not  only  decide 
on  the  futuie  of  war  or  peace,  but  also  of  human  ciTili- 
nation :    To  Be  Or  Not  To  Be. 

Even  if  the  wishes  of  Jews  and  Arabs  seem  to  be 
oontrarily  opposed,  both  nourish  the  same  sources  out  of 
the  same  necessities.  From  the  course  of  the  matters  of  those 
banished  from  Palestine  as  of  those  who  remained  it  may 
be  seen  that  life's  necessities  are  stronger  than  pofitical 
principles.  The  Syrian  dictator  Shishakly  has  learned 
the  wisdom  of  his  Israeli  opponents  that  space  without 
people  is  of  little  avail  for  the  wellbeing  of  the  nation- 
just  as  people  without  space.  Thus,  the  thought  has 
ripened  that  means  have  to  be  tried  for  achieving  the 
settlement  and  stationariness  of  a  part  of  the  Palestine 
refvgees  in  Northern  Syria  with  the  help  of  soil  cultiva* 

^:0 


tioB  4iader  irtlcitloft  ;  a^  froa  tka  tape  tlKNiiH 

Uia  etll  of  Mr.  Ben  Gnrion  for  letting  go  2Vi  sflftn 

Russian  Jews  for  settlement  ia  Israel. 

The  same  system  of  "filling  op''  wiBta  tl» 
soothemmoet  and  the  weakest  point  of  the  anti-RiiSHin 
front :  Iraq.  Without  men  all  iu  resources  of  oil  «d 
its  favourable  position  would  be  useless.  On  143J520 
square  miles  live  only  S^  millions  who  would  aoc  eioi 
be  able  to  resist  aggression  by  their  neighbouring  wovBf 
tain-peoples  at  the  northern  frontier  if  they  wtfe  asaisteA 
by  Moscow. 

For  the  protection  of  the  open  flank  of  the  Middle  East 
there  exists  only  one  efficient  medium:  The  application  of 
the  old  experience  of  the  ""Chinese  Wall,"  of  the  ''Roman 
lines"  and  of  the  Austrian-Hungarian  military  frontier, 
namely  that  human  waves  may  only  be  halted  by  human 
dams,  beyond  which  a  new  prosperity  and  a  new  civili- 
sation flourish. 

The  next  stage  of  the  cold  war  in  the  Middle  Essl 
without  the  last  risk  of  an  armed  class  will  only  be 
terminated  by  a  policy  based  on  men  ;  only  thus  progress* 
ing  atomization  can  be  prevented,  which  would  aa  a 
matter  of  course  deliver  the  Middle  East  to  the  militarily 
stronger  opponent. 

A  continued  safeguarding  of  the  Middle  East  wiH 
come  easily  to  the  Americans  as  this  requires  two  means 
suited  to  their  mentality :  Educating  the  people  of  the 
Middle  ElMt  to  independent  thinking  within  spaces  bcTond 
their  own  boundaries  and  practical  completion  of  the 
psychological  war  by  introduction  of  methods  similar  to 
the  Tennessee  Valley  Authority  for  the  eoonomic  founda- 
tion of  this  part  of  the  world  which  has  not  yet  found 
its  i^ce  since  the  destruction  of  the  Ottoman  Empire. 

Nahariya.  Israel. 


INDIA'S  FUEL  PROBLEM 


By  SUKUMAR  MERH,  M.Sc, 
Lecturer  in  Geology^  University  of  Baroda 


An  early  fulfilment  of  India's  ambition  to  prosper  and 
become  great  depends  largely  on  an  all-round  develop- 
ment of  its  various  manfacturing— -both  agricultural  and 
joiiieral— industries.  And  the  large-scale  industrialisation, 
in  turn,  depends  chiefly  on  the  availability  of  various 
raw  materials  and  cheap  motive  power.  So  far  as  our 
resources  in  the  shape  of  materials  or  man-power  are 
.concerned,  we  do  not  lack  them  much.  But  we  are  severely 
handicapped,  compared  with  some  other  nations,  so  far 
as  the  resources  for  the  generation  of  cheap  motive 
power,  !.«.,  fuels  like  coal  and  petroleum  are  concerned. 
India  is  poorly  endowed  in  the  matter  of  these  essential 
mineral  fuels  which  are,  to  some  extent,  indespensable 
requirements  for  modem  mechanised  industries.  Some 
have  been  fuund  to  carry  a  wrong  impression  that  we  are 


in  possession  of  enormous  deposits  of  mineral  fuels  like 
coal  and  petroleum,  while  others  have  been  holding  an 
equally  erroneous  and  pessimistic  idea  that  our  fad 
resources  are  too  scanty.  It  b  my  intention  to  give  here 
in  brief,  a  critical  study  of  the  possibilities  of  India's 
fuel  resouroet. 

It  should  be  mentioned,  at  the  very  outset,  that  Uie 
use  of  forests  as  a  source  of  fuels  has  been  totally  raled 
out.  The  wood  in  any  form  should  definitely  be  not  used 
as  a  source  of  powei*  supply.  The  use  of  India's  vast 
forest  resources  as  fuels  is  not  onfy  criminally  wasteful 
but  also  disastrous.  Forests  should  exclusively  be 
reserved  for  more  profitable  purposes  to  f uznisb  Ttriotti 
raw  materials  to  a  number  of  new  indostriciw 


1KCU«  f  t£L  PROfiLfiM 


363 


Wt  JOM  Wifrmc  Om  Pkscious  Goal 

Very  often  we  hear  much  aboot  the  riehneM  of^ow 
coal  resonrcef.  No  doubt,  Nature  hat  bestowed  on  wu^ 
country  one  of  the  most  preciout  commodities  and  that  too, 
In  fairly  a  f(K>d  amount.  But  then,  we  must  also  know 
wiiere  we  stand  as  compared  to  the  other  countries'  coal 
resources,  and  our  needs.  On  ajiroad  basis,  the  total 
coal  production  of  the  world  approzimateil  nearly  1.5 
billion  tons  annually  and  India  contributet  nearly  30  to 
35  million  tons,  which  comes  to  about  2  per  cent  of  the 
total  production.  Thus,  we  see  our  production  in  that 
way  is  quite  insignificant. 

The  chief  uses  to  which  the  coal  is  put  in  our  coun- 
try are  for  producing  electrical  energy,  for  generating 
•team  power  for  rumiing  kcomotiYcs,  ships  and  various 
factories  and  woriuhops.  It  is  also  used  in  metallur- 
gical industries  for  smelting  various  ores.  A  small  per- 
centage is  used  for  generating  coal  gas.  Unlike  some 
foreign  countries,  it  finds  little  use  in  the  manufacture  of 
c^micals,  dyestuQs  and  synthetic  petrol.  The  present 
yield  of  coal,  no  doubt,  is  quite  sufficient  to  meet  our 
present  industrial  and  domestic  tequirements.  But  then, 
we  have  to  look  to  the  future  also.  If  we  aim  at  large- 
scale  mechanisation  of  Indian  life,  industrial  as  well  a* 
agricultural,  proper  attention  must  be  paid  to  the  various 
problems  coonected  with  our  coal  resources^ 

The  total  Indian  coal  reserves  of  different  varieties 
have  been  estimated  to  be  nearly  tOfiOO  million  tonSi 
The  workable  coal  is  estimated  to  be  only  20,000  milHop 
tons.  Of  these,  the  reserves  of  good  quality  coal  are 
restricted  to  only  5000  million  tons — out  of  which  nearly 
1500  million  tons  are  coking  coals  and  the  rest  are  non- 
coking.  At  present  most  of  the  coal  extracted  is  of  good 
quality  and  with  this  present  rate  of  consumption,  the 
reserves  of  good  quality  coal  are  likely  to  be  exhausted 
in  about  a  hundred  years'  time.  The  coking  coal  which 
ought  to  be  exclusively  reserved  for  metallurgical  pur- 
poses, is  at  present  mostly  used  for  other  purposes  and 
only  30  per  cenl|  of  the  yield  of  metallurgical  coal  baa 
found  proper  use  for  smelting  purposes^  India  has  in  ita 
possession  world's  best  iron  ore  deposits,  and  at  the  pre- 
sent rate  of  the  consumption  and  wastage  of  metaUui^ 
gical  coking  coal,  iron  smelting  industry  of  India  would 
come  to  a  standstill  after  a  hundred  years  or  so.  Evidently 
there  is  an  imperative  need  of  conserving  ■  the  coking 
coal  reserves  and  using  them  exclusively  for  •m^lfing 
various  ores. 

In  Indian  coal  mines,  the  coal  during  its  extraction 
U  handled  carelessly  and  wastef  uUy,  and  is  mostly  con- 
anmed  in  a  raw  state  with  little  or  no  processing.  Our 
mining  methods  also  need  a  lot  of  improvementSk  At 
present,  underground  workings  of  coal  mines  are  not 
properly  and  systematically  planned  and  they  are  respon- 
sible foi*  much  damage  to  the  mines.  Of  late,  somethittg 
Is  being  done  by  the  Government  in  this  direction  anA 
considerable  attention  is  being  paid  to  see  that  wasteful 
mining  methods  are  no  more  employed.  SliB  mnoh  mm 
imtiPi  to  be  doM^  tad  wo  cen  stve  this  precioiis  tad 


'  non-replenishable  asset  for  ottf  better  lise  In  future,  only 
if  coal-miners»  governments  and  public  in  general  oi^ 
operate  with  one  another.  The  good  quality  coking  coat 
should  exclusively  be  reserved  for  metalluxiKical  uses  only 
and  its  use  in  other  spheres  of  industry  should  be  drasti- 
cally cut  downr  if  not  totally  stopped.  The  non-coking 
coal  of  good  variety  has  been  found  quite  suitable  for 
manufacture  of  synthetic  petrol.  Some  of  our  inferior 
grade  coals  with  high  ash  content  which  have  been  found 
unsuitable  for  ordioflry  steam-raising  purposes,  can  be- 
come quite  good  for  this  purpose  when  used  in  pulverised 
form  or  as  screened  small  coaL  By  resorting  to  such 
practices  and  others,  we  can  save  much  of  our  high  grade 
coaL 

Our  coal  resources  need  a  planned  management  and 
mining,  proper  utilization  and  conservation  of  superior 
quality,  and  if  these  conditions  are  forthcoming,  Indin 
will  solve  her  fuel  problem  to  a  considerable  extent  and 
avoid  the  impending  crisis,  for  coming  several  hundred 
yean  or  more. 

Peteoleum  and  ns  ScBsrrruTEs 

The  oil  position  of  India  is  bad.  There  have  been, 
no  big  deposits  of  petroleum  in  this  sub-continent  and 
before  partition,  the  total  output  of  petroleum  ficom  the 
oilfields  of  Assam  and  the  Punjab,  was  hardly  sufficient 
to  meet  a  fraction  of  our  needs.  The  average  annual 
production  was  nearly  100  million  gallons,  which  is  very 
insignificant  as  compared  to  the  world  production,  being 
only  about  0.2  per  cent  of  the  total  world  output.  The 
jMutition  has  deprived  us  of  our  good  oilfields  of  the 
Punjab  and  we  have  lost  about  40  per  cent  of  oUr  oiL 
Strenuous  search  ia  being  made  in  Assam  for  more  oil, 
and  one  cannot,  at  this  stage,  say  definitely  what  the 
result  of  this  search  will  be.  The  whole  of  the  Himahiyai^ 
Terai  is  there  still  to  be  explored.  Who  knows  someday 
we  may  hear  of  big  reserves  of  this  precious  fuel,  being 
found  in  an  unknown  place  In  those  tracts.  But  there 
are  chances  to  the  contrary  also. 

Without  petrol,  a  country  is  apt  to  be  placed  in  a 
difficult  condition.  This  liquid  fuel  holds  a  key  position 
for  defence,  transpoh  and  industries.  With  the  industria- 
lization and  improvement  of  transport  and  communica* 
tion  facilities,  the  consumption  of  petrol  will  go  up  five 
or  six  times  its  present  figure.  Unless  we  produce  more 
oil  or  manufacture  substitute  fuels  and  resort  to  other 
sources  of  power  generation,  our  country's  wealth  worth 
milUons  of  rupees  wiH  go  out  for  securing  imported  oil. 
It  is  of  strategic  importance  also  to  be  self-sufficient  in 
some,  form  of  liquid  fuel  and  in  case  of  a  future  worid 
war,  the  possibility  of  which  can  not  be  totally  ruled  outp 
India  deficient  in  this  respect  would  hardly  survive. 

The  question  of  manufacturing  the  two  substitutes 
for  petroleum,  m.,  the  synthetic  petrol  and  power  alcohcd, 
should  be  taken  up  in  right  earnest  by  governments  and 
indc^Mrialists  both.  Different  manfacturing  processes 
hate  been  aoooesslnlly  tried  in  Europe  in  which  the  coal 
is  processed  to  liquid  fuel  The  processes  invoke  either 
hydiogeoation  of  cotl-tar,  or  cariKWiisaUon  of  coal  «c  thA. 


364 


THE  MODERN  REVIEW  FOR  MAY,  1953 


jgrAthesU  fcpm  .tyBA0$  cttolved  .during  the.    gasification  of 
ooaJL    During  the  last     war,  Germany     producedj     huge 

,  quai^tity  of  synthetic  petrol  out  of  inferior  qu^li^Y  coal. 
It  has  been  found  that  rougUy  five  tons  ,of  inferior  qua- 
lity coal  yield  about  one  ton  of  petroL.  According  to  Dr. 
V.  S.  Dubey,  the  petrol  thus  obtained  in  India  .will  be 
cheaper  than  imported  oil.  We  have  got  superior  quality 
coal,  amounting  to  about  3500  million  tons,  quite  suitable 
for  manufacturing  petrol.  Low  grade  coa)  reserves  are 
still  in  greater  amount.  It  is  quite  essential  that  a  few 
centres  of  synthetic  petrol  manufacture  be  established  in 
the  neighbourhood  of  coalfields  of  Bihar,  Bewa  and 
Hyderabad,  etc.  Besides  its  national  and  strategic  impor- 
tance, it  is  quite  an  economic  proposition  to  manufacture 
synthetic  petrol  in  India. 

In  addition,  it  is  also  desirable  \ha.l  the     soft-cot^e 

,  industry  be  so  reorganised  as  to  make,  it  obligatory  to 
redistil  the  crude  coal  tar.  This  process  yields,  as  by/e- 
product,  a  few  pounds  of  ben^l  per  ton  of  coaL  A«  a 
side  industry,  it  can  contribute  its  small  bu^  important 
share  of  liquid  fuel  to  the  country. 

Another  substitute  for  petrol  is  power  alcohol,  the 
manufacture  of  which  involves  the  utilization  of  agriciU* 
foral  products  for  conversion  of  their  starch  of  augar 
content  to  alcohoL  It  is  the  most  suitable  substitute 
liquid  fuel  that  can  be  produced  to  an  almost  unlimited 
extent  in  an  agricultural  country  like  India..  It  has  been 
found  to  be  the  best  alternative  fuel  for  internal  combus- 
tion engines.  In^dia  affords  vast  possibilities  for  the 
establishment  of  power  alcohol  industry.  With  the  exist- 
ing output  of  surplus  molasses  which  is  a  bye-product 
in  sugar  industry  and  has  no  market,  India  can  manufac- 
ture about  IS  million  gallons  or  more  of  power  alcohol. 
There  are  every  chance  of  the  development  of  sugar 
industry  in  near  future  and  more  and  more  molasses  will 
be  available  to  be  converted  to  alcohol. 

Another  important  source  of  alcohol  is  *Mahua* 
flower.  Its  trees  are  quite  common,  numerous  and  found 
in  almost  all  parts  of  India.  Even  the  existing  trees 
of  Mahua  supply  enough  flowers  so  as  to  give  us 
about  3.5  million  gallons  of  alcohol  annually.  Mahua 
trees  can  be  growx^  in  almost  all  parts  of  India  and 
their  plantation  on  a  large  scale  is  quite  easy,  and  once 
if  it  is  done  on  a  planned  and  extensive  scale,  withih 
a  few  years*  time,  a  large  fraction  of  our  fuel  need^ 
shall  be  satisfied  from  this  source  only. 

'  The  third  and  most  important  source  of  alcohol  afe 
starchy  materials  like  wheat,  rice,  potatoes,  etc.  Resources 
of  India  in  respect  of  these  materials  are  qUite  vast  and 
a  very  huge  production  of  power  alcohol  can  be  made 
from  rice,  wheat,  potatoes  and  other  starchy  agricultural 
products.  If  in  coming  few  years,  as  bur  irrigation  -facili- 


ties improve  ^and  large  areas  of  ^»ari:ea.land  .come  imdec 
cj^ltiva^on,  and  we  xaspit  to  large-scfale..agricultttral  enter- 
prizes  yielding  huge  surpluses  of  various  foodgrains  a^d 
(Cereals,  it  would  be  advisable  jto  reserve  a  certain  p^* 
ceiitag^  for  the  .distiUeriea^  Iluis  we  shall,  be  «Ua ^ 
produce  nearly  ,pr  even  more  than  hnndred  million  gattom 
,of  alcohol  jier  year. 

These  liquid  fuels — ^petroleum  and  its  substitntes^-rare 
of  .national  and  strategic  importance  and  a  well-planned 
vnifonn  countrywide  policy  in  regard  ,to  their  productiqa 
and  consumption  is  needed. 

Hydro-Electricity  to  Save  Our  Fuels 
To  us,  coaL  and  petroleum  have  been  the  two  diief 
and  important  sources  of  cheap  power.  But  as  we  Ifate 
seen,  we  are  not  in  a  happy  state  of  affairs  in  respeet  of 
these  resources.  If,  therefore,  wo  desire'  to  speed  up  tlie 
industrialization  of  India,  we  must  find,  in  addition  to 
what  have  been  suggested  above,  an  adequate  subatitnte 
as  a  source  of  motive  power.  And  luckily.  Nature  has 
provided  us  with  a  better  and  cheaper  substitute,  vix^  te 
-water  power.  The  vast  network  of  rivers  spread  throaglh 
out  the  length  and  breadth  of  this  big-eountry  fumidies 
us  with  a  perennial  source  of  power  in  the  form  of  bydio- 
electricity.  The  water  power,  transmitted  to  long  dBs- 
tances  as  electrical  energy,  offers  good  possibilities  bodi 
as  regards  the  quantity  available  and  the  cheapness  at 
which  the  power  can  be  supplied.  This  electrical  eneigy 
can  be  utilized  to  a  large  extent  in  place  of  coal,  petrol 
and  other  fuels,  thus  saving  them  for  restricted  and 
specialised  purposes  where  they  are  indespensable.  Apart 
from  this  benefit  of  the  conservation  of  fuels,  the  hydro- 
electric schemes  also  help  to  solve  various  other  prob- 
lems of  national  importance  like  flood-control,  irrigatioa, 
afforestation,  navigation  and  soil  conservation,  etc. 

It  is  a  matter  of  considerable  satisfaction  that  the 
Government  of  India,  realising  the  seriousness  of  the  fod 
situation  and  for  avoiding  the  impending  crisis,  has  given 
priority  to  various  schemes  for  producing  cheap  hydro- 
electric power  in  almost  all  parts  of  India.  It  is  expected 
that  in  about  ten  to  fifteen)  years'  time,  many  of  tlieae 
schemes  will  start  functioning. 

Our  Government  also  aims  at  formulating  a  National 
Fuel  Policy  for  the  whole  of  India  and  varioaa  steps 
have  also  been  taken  in  this  direction.  A  Fuel  Researdi 
Laboratory  has  also  been  established  at  Dhanbad  in 
Bihar.  It  is  not  necessary  here  to  give  a  long  list  of 
suggestions  in  that  respect.  But  before  I  close,  I  would 
like  to  assert  and  emphasise  that  the  guiding  principle 
in  laying  down  a  National  Fud  Policy  ahould  be  tlie 
interest  of  the  nation  as  a  vrhole,  which  dioold  be  aop- 
■rcme  and  should  not  be  weighed  tiown  by  the  oonddenh 
tion  of  huge  profits  o!  a  few  big  commercial  interetfti. 


I  • 


f« 


•*•  /       .V       i    '  ■       / 


CAtiUi;  ^dEALtti  tN  iNbkA 


Br  Pkv.  C.  B.  MAMOBIA,  ujl  (OaogJ.  Mxx>m. 

n 


Wakt  or  Pbopb  Cabb  or  Catom 

Another  important  cauae  for  the  deterioration  of 
Indian  cattle  is  the  want  of  proper  care  on  the  part 
of  tbe  Indian  cultivator.  He  does  not  take  aa  good 
care  of  his  cattle  as  his  Western  oonfere  does.  This 
is  because  of  their  poor  quality,  and  the  deterioration 
in  quality  is  due,  inter  alia,  to  lack  cl  adequate  caie. 
But  the  cultivator  feeds  his  bullocks  better  than  his 
oows  because  it  pays  him.  He  feeds  his  bullocks  better 
during  the  busy  season  when  they  work  than  during 
the  slack  season  when  th^  remain  idle;  further,  he 
feeds  his  more  valuable  bullocks  better  than  those 
leas  valuable  but  he  neglects  the  Indian  cow.  The 
general  neglect  of  the  cow  and  her  female  calf,  both 
of  whom  are  so  to  speak,  starved  from  birth  to  death, 
has  a  very  deleterious  effect  on  the  breed  of  the  cattle. 
Although  the  draught  animals  and  buffaloes  are  pro- 
perly fed,  the  cow  gets  next  to  nothing  of  stall 
feeding.  She  is  expected  to  pick  up  her  living  on  the 
bare  fields^  after  harvest  and  on  the  village  waste 
lands,  which  hardly  exist  in  a  number  of  villages,  and 
even  where  they  do,  they  produce  little  useful 
herbages. 


Tyj>e   of   cattle 
feed 


Total  prpduciion   Annual 
in  Britieh  India    ReqTHire* 
per  year      *  menU 
Million  tons   Million  to|is 
Roughages,  vit,,  fodder 
crops,  straws  of  cultivated 
crops  and  grasses  1(15  270 

Concentrates,  vis.,  oilcakes, 
cotton,  seed,  gram,  ceveal 
husks  and  bran  8.7  10 

This  continuous  imder-feeding  naturally  affects 
the  breed.  Though  a  cow  of  better  H|uality  is  better 
looked  after  than  ordinary  breed?,  a  larger  pro- 
portion of  Indian  cows  are  more  mismanaged,  as  they 
are  of  ordinary  breed  and  srield  abouc  only  a  seer  of 
milk  per  day  for  about  seven  montha  in  a  year.  It 
is  for  this  reason  that  he  neglects  his  oow.  "Broadly, 
it  would  be  true  to  say  that  if  there  is  any  fodder 
available  after  the  draught  cattle  are  f^  she  gets  it, 
or  share  it  with  young  stock;  for  the  rest  she  is  left 
to  find  food  whene  she  can.  Where  the  cow  provideif 
some  milk  for  the  household,  as  well  as  for  her  calf, 
cultivators  try  to  spare  her  two  or  tbree  pounds  of  * 
mixture  of  cotton  seed  and  bran  or  oilcakes  or  pulse, 
but,  when  her  milk  fails,  the  ration  ;s  withdrawn  and' 
she  is  tufned  adrift  t^  find  a  living    for    heisell  on 


granng/'^    This  nef^eot  reduces    milk  yiMs  of  the 
oow  and  the  quality  of  breed* 

In  most  Provinces  it  is  the  useless  and  un* 
economical  stock  which  forms  a  l^S^  ^^^  increasing 
proportion  of  th^  animal  population  and  this  haa 
complicated  the  problem  and  increased  the  difliculties 
of  the  stockowners.  The  number  of  cattle  is  too  large, 
in  the  words  of  the  Boyal  Com  mission  on  Indian 
.Vgriculture,  ''In  whatever  respect  Indian  cattle  may 
be  lacking,  they  do  not  lack  in  number.''*' 

But  the  faot  is  that  the  productive  value  of  the 
cattle  ia  not  commensurate  with  their  number.  In 
fact,  the  large  number  of  diminutive  cattle  are  a 
serious  drain  o^  the  country's  fodder  supply  and  eat 
into  the  prc^ts  from  agriculture.*^  Weight  for  weight, 
a  small  animal  consumes  a  much  larger  quantity  of 
food  than  a  bigger  animal.  Thus  an  animal  weighing 
fiOO  lbs.  is  estimated  to  consume  not  half  but  about 
two-thirds  of  what  an  animal  weighing  1,000  lbs. 
would  oonsunw. 

Their  poor  quality,  as  they  are  undersised  and 
weak,  compels  the  farmers  in  India  to  keep  a  large 
number  of  cattle  to  do  a  given  amount  of  work,  and 
this  creates  a  vicious  circle.  The  mcrease  in  the 
number  of  cattle  makes  impossible  their  proper 
feeding  and  this  leads  to  a  further  deterioration  in 
quality.  As  the  Royal  Oommiasion  has  summed  it  up 
so  well,  "The  worse  the  conditions  for  rearing  efficient 
cattle  are  the  greater  the  numbers  kept  tend  to  be. 
Cows  become  less  fertile  and  their  calves  become 
undendxed  and  do  not  satisfy  the  cultivator,  who,  in 
attempt  to  secure  useful  bullocks,  breed  mqre  and 
more  cattle.  As  numbers  increase  the  pressure  K>n 
available  supply  of  food  leads  to  still  further  poverty 
in  the  cow.  As  cattle  grow  smaller  in  siae  and  greater, 
in  number  the  rate  at  whidi  conditions  become  worse 
for  breeding  good  livestock  is  acoelerated.  As  cattle 
become  smaller  the  amount  of  food  needed  in  pro- 


19.  Thm  pra-wmr  CTtoff*  dally  yield  of  milk  of  oa«.tkIrd  of 
«fa^  cvwB  wm  I«m  ibaa  1  tb.,  of  aaoihor  58  per  coat  bottroea^  1  IK 
■■dSlb«.Midofthoratlc«  ibaa  4  Ibo.  In  tbo  cmo  «i  jWgii'lbloe* 
58  p«r  eoBt  jUHd  lets  tbaa  21  lbs.  Abovt  19  per  e«at  b4^w<uii  t  uid 
S  lbs.   and    tbo   NM   loM    ibaa   7  Iba. 

Sn.    a«p«ri   •/  lAa  Jloyal  Commi$aUm   «i   AgHemiturt,  p.   in. 

21.  Tbo  Ezpart  Cattio  Coouaittoa  (Boob^y  1940)  wrotat  **Tba 
aatCa  oi  dM  prorlaea  ara,  ao  tba  wbola,  aot  aa  aeoaooila  prapoii* 
tiatt'at  mm  80  par  aaot  aaa  oaly  ba  rafardad  ai  a  diala  aa  Ami 
aaoatry.**  Sfanllarty  dM  Boafd  ^  Baaaoaila  taqoiry  (la  1980) 
ftmafbad  Aat  aboat  90  pm  atal  af  tba  aawa.  la  tba  Bobtak 
aC.Sati  F^alabb  4a  Ml  Sif  to 


366 


t&E  MOt»£:&K  tt£Vl£W  tOR  Uk'i.  ISSS 


portion  to  their  aise  increawB."  But  the  religioua 
aEUflceptibilitios  lie  in  the  way  of  alaughtering  decrepit 
and  useless  cattle  and  henoe  the  cattle,  however,  weak 
ana  poor^  are  allowed  to  live.  The  number  of  cattle 
have  oecome  so  large  and  their  efficiency  has  Mkat 
so  low  in  India  as  results  of  the  process  having 
advanced  so  far  that  the  task  4>t  reducing  the  number 
of  useless  animals  and  of  reversing  the  pioceas  of 
deterioration  is  now  eitremcly  difficult.  In  several 
ways  religious  and  social  sentimente  have  aggravated 
the  difficulty.  To  kill  a  cow  or  a  bullock  is  a  deadly  sift 
in  Hinduism.  Hindus  object  to  sell  because  sale  is 
usually  10  a  butcher  and  leads  to  the  slaughter-house. 
Ratiier  than  selling  the  cattle  to  the  eattle-dealer  he 
sends  them  to  a  gounhaia  or  lets  them  loose  to  die. 
in  cne  case  breeding  can  be  eontroUed  and  in  the 
oiUer  dulls  wander  about 'the  fieldd  consuming  or 
damaging  at  least  three  times  as  mu;h  fodder  as  they 
need,  and  covering  as  they  please.  The  dilf^renee  is 
cf  great  importance  in  a  country  where  cows  afe  of 
all  sorts  and  good  bulla  far  too  few."  Unless  tbe 
Hindu  sentiment  is  abjured  altogether  the  Indiaa 
cultivators  cannot  take  a  praoticali  view  of  animal-' 
keeping  and  will  continue  to  preserve  antmala  many 
of  which  are  quite  useless  from  birth  to  deaths 

Lack  or  Gooo  BanMNa  Smol 

Another  important  csMse  for  the  deteriomtion  c^f 
the  quality  of  our  cattle  is  the  lack  of  good  breeding 
slock.  There  are  villages,  where  no  t>reeding  bulls 
are  to  be  found  and  the  result  is  tha«  frequently  the 
oultivatora  have  to  travd  about  sit  to  ei^t  ttile* 
to  uke  the  advantage  of  a  good  stud  bull  or  a  °i^^ 
buffak).  rhe  scarcity  of  the  stud  bulb- and  buffkkm 
is  due  to  the  fact  that  no  private  individual  maiar 
tains  stud  bulls  of  good  quality  for  to  do  sb  ia 
uneconomic  for  him.  Seeondly,  the  naethods  of 
scientific  breeding  ara  unknown  to  the  -  Indiati 
cultivator.  "i- 

Invesligations  clearly  riiow  that  the  ezistenee  of 
goitre,  ostemalacia  and  other  bone   titmbles,  emacia* 
tion,  birth  of  weak  calves  and  pica  are'  due  to  nnd- 
nutaition.   Animals   living  on  imperfect  diet  have   a 
'greater  tendency  to  infections  of  the  respiratory  and: 
gastro-intestinal  tract,  and  of  stone  formation  in  the 
bladder.  Other  types  of  losses,  such  as  those  resulting 
from  irregular  breeding  and  abortion  of  non«>infecttou8 
origin  are  also  due  to  faulty  dieting  deficient  in  calcium 
and  vitamin.  A  deficient  ration— vitamin  A  deficiency' in 
the.  diet  of  cows  is  also  found  to  prodAiqe  .  blindnc^ 
among  calves.     Prolonged     malnutrition     Or     famine 
leads  to  the  suppression  of  oestrus;  Thus  in  India. in: 
drought  yesrflf  yklage  cows-  do  not  bear  (Jaltes  or  bear 
tliem  dnly  in^'Alteriiative  years  or  ei^cii  6niy  oi^ce  in 
tjiii^  years  when  the  hody  reserves  for  n|ineia|s,  and, 
Qjther  essentials  are*  eatablished. . 


Catilc  DmAgn 

Cattle  diseases  are  also  responsible  for  the  deoay 
in  the  quality  of  our  cattle.  In  tho  Indian  viliacaife 
cattle  8u£fer  from  a  numbr  of  contagious  fatal 
diseiasee  Hke  the  rinderpest,  foot  and  mouth  diseasa^ 
anthran  and  black  quarter.  Animal  parasites  like 
round'  wcrms^  iat  worms  and  protozoa  also  cause 
wasting  diseases.  But  due  to  lack  of  a  sufficient  niunber 
of  efficient  and  experienced  veterinary  doctors,  cattle 
diseases  are  not  properly  diagnosed  and  treated 
resulting  in  heavy  cattle  mortality.  In^  the  words  of 
the  Royal  Commission,  "It  is  imieed  the  fear  of  kMi 
from  disease  that  tempts  many  to  keep  a  larger  stock 
than  is  absolutely  necessary  and  thus  increasea  the 
difficulty  of  feeding  cattle  properly."  Epidemie 
diseases  cause  tremendous  damage.  A  large  number  of 
cattle,  attacked  by  disease,  which  escaped  death,  find 
their  vitality  sapped  and  health  permanently  injured. 
This  affects  their  milking  qualities  and  their  ability 
to  produce  healthy  draught  bullocks. 

Inadequate  aa  they  are,  the  following  figurea  of 
reported  deatha  due  to  contagious  diseaaea  may  help 
to  g^ve  an  idea  bit  the  relative  importance  of  varioua 
(iiseasea: 

Qunng  the  period  of  1033-^4  tc  1937-3S,  the 
average  number  of  reported  deaths  was  about  31 
lal^  per  year.  Of  these,  the  proportion  acooimled 
for  by  the  various  diseasea  were  :  Rinderpest  MlA 
per  cent;  Qaemorrhagic  Septicsmia  18.5  per  cent; 
Btack  Quarter  5^3  per  cent  and  others  16.1  per  cent. 
It  wilt  be  noted  that  rinderpest  alone  accounts  for 
inore  than  lialf  of  the  total  number  of  deatha  due-  iff 
contagious  diseases. 

Th6  distribution  of  al!  reported'  deathsr  oyer  the 
various,  proviiices  may  be  seen  from  the  following 
figmres^* 

Average  No.  of  reported     Percentage  to 

<(^.;,,        death3;d¥ring  (1925-40)    Bovine  population 


(Thousands)^ 

Madras  62 

BombMT  19 

Bengal  23 

g.   P.  38 

ihar  and  Orisaa         19 

C.  P.  And  Becar          26 


in  1940 
0.28 
0.19 
6.098 
.118 
.095 
.19 


The  average  mortality  for  these  provinces  works 
out  at  17  per  cent.  The  ptovince  which  jnelds^  the 
heavier  rate  among  the  above  provinces  is  MadrasL 
la  oonaidering  the  variaUon  of  mortalitgr  from  year 
to  year^  the  Royal  Coinmissioon  on  Agrteulturs 
remarked  that 

"Rinderpest  ia  k  diseaa©  which  Ihou^  tih^n 
present  in  some  paft  of  the  country  ot  other,  iiss 
v^e^YCfi  of  virulence  from  time  to  time'  which  take 
,3  to  4  years  to  reach  their  crest.** 

,  On. the  other  band,  mortality  due  to  other  oouUf 
^ous  di^efaees  remains  fairly. stable  Irom  year  to-yeac; 


.MiMH 


lii     m 


22,    0«rliaf  t 


CATTLE  "V^TEALTH  IN  INDIA 


m 


J 


Lam  or  Ibcpbovehbrt  cr  Indian  CAmi 

There  are  fotir  aspecta  of  cattle  improvement, 
e.Q^  <a)  Feeding,  (b)  Breeding,  (c)  Management,  and 
(d)   Disease  control. 

Good'jeeding  :  This  will  clearly  show  the  magni- 
tude of  problem  of  providing  enough  of  nutrition  to 
our  cattle.  Therefore,  the  very  first  step  towards  the 
improvement  will  be  to  improve  enough  suitable 
feeds  for  the  cattle.  This  can  be  assured  through 
(a)  an  economical  uae  of  available  supplies  and 
ib)  an  increase  in  the  supplies  of  fodder  (more  parti- 
cularly those  suitable  for  milk  production). 

The  solution  of  the  fodder  problem  depends  on 
the  fact  that  bold  and  honest  efforts  are  made  towards 
its  realisation.  The  first  step  that  may  be  taken  in 
this  direction  should  be  to  make  the  most  efficient 
and  economical  use  of  the  available  supplies  of 
fodder.  This  necessitates  that  indiscriminate  graaing 
should  be  checked  and  that  the  agriculturists  should 
be  taught,  through  proper  propaganda  done  by  the 
various  .Agricultural  Departments,  the  advantages  of 
proper  grazing.  B^  ehould  be  induced  to  hay-making 
(acQording  to  the  Royal  Commiadon  on  Agriculture, 
^He  has  been  a  grass-cutter  but  never  hay-maker") 
and  proper  storage  of  diy  grass.  Feeding  value  of  the 
grasses  depends  upon  cutting  them  at  the  right 
stage  of  growth  which  will  not  only  improve  the 
quality  of  fodder  but  will  alao  materially  increase 
the  palatability  of  the  fodder  both  grass  and  straw 
beoauae  grass,  if  cut  before  it  becomes  overripe, 
would  be  more  tastful  to  the  cattle  and  of  greater 
nutritive  value,  but  when  the  grass  becomes  "dead 
ripe"  the  quality  of  the  straw  is  always  inferior  and 
will  not  be  liked  by  the  eattie.  But  the  cultivator  is 
ignorant  of  the  right  time  when  the  grass  is  to  be 
out.  It  is  the  duty  of  the  agricultural  officers  to  tell 
the  cultivator  the  stage  at  which  grass  may  be  cut 
to  Qonserve  the  feeding  vahie  of  the  fodders;  and 
that  experiments  should  be  made  to  secure  a  better 
and  more  palatable  straw  by  earlier  harvesting. 

(a)  Storage  of  Available  Fodder :  Further,  the 
cultivator  shouki  be  taught  the  methods  of  foddor 
storage.  The  preservation  of  the  fodder  for  dry  seasons 
in  the  form  of  silage  is  of  such  potential  vahie  in 
improving  the  nutrition  of  the  cattle  (particularly 
of  growing  stock  and  milking  cows)  that  every  effort 
should  be  done  to  encourage  its  production.  The 
gilo— whether  the  pit-silo,  starck-silo  or  the  tube-silo 
as  the  varieties  are — ^preserves  the  fodder  in  a  fresh 
and  good  state  making  it  highly  i^latable  for  the 
animal  to  eat  during  those  out  of  seasons  of  scarcity 
of  fodder.  Wherever  cultivators  have  resorted  to 
silage,  it  has  proved  of  great  value  in  feeding  his 
cattie  in  dry  season  but  the  progress  in  this  direction 
is  not  very  encouragmg. 

The  green  fodder  available  during  the  monsoon 
oaa  bo  eooMrvied  for  periods  of  fodder  acarctly  1^  Him 


method  of  silage.  The  process  consiifts  comtnonly  in 
digging  pits  of  a  given  sise,  filling  them  with  green 
succulent  fodders  and  weighing  them  irith  earth  or 
stones.  The  Ro3ral  Commission  on  Agriculture  esti* 
mated  that  a  pit  10  ft.  long,  8  ft.  wide  at  the  surfaee 
and  7  ft.  wide  at  the  bottom  and  S  ft.  deep  would 
hold  all  the  silage  that  a  cultivator  owning  3  or  4 
cattle  would  need  to  bring  his  stock  through  the  hot 
season  in  good  condition.  The  Bural  Co-operative 
Societies  should  undertake  to  conserve  fodder  through 
silage  for  distribution  during  the  dry  se%son.  The 
Forest  Department  should  permit  such  societies  to 
remove  grass  from  the  Reserve  Forests  free  of  cost 
for  ensiling  purposes.  The  Agricultural  Department 
should  assist  societies  undertaking  silage  making,  use 
of  mechanical  chaff-cutters  as  well  as  proper  account* 
ing'of  the  receipt  of  green  fodder  and  distribution 
of  silage. 

Supplies  to  deficit  axteas  from  surplus  areae  could 
be  organised  through  a  Basic  Plan  mutually  agreed 
to  by  Provinces.  Imports  of  cattle-feeds  may  also  be 
made  from  abroad  to  relieve  temporary  shortages,  if 
possible.  When  prices  of  concentrates  are  beyond  the 
purchasing  power  of  milk  producers,  supplies, 
especially  to  institutions  like  Co-operative  Milk 
Union  and  dairy  farms,  should  be  organised  aod 
subsidised.  The  production  of  succulent  fodders  and 
legumes  should  be  encouraged  to  the  maximum 
possible  extent  by  providing  facilities  of  irrigation, 
seeds,  manures  and  technical  guidance  to  the 
cultivator-producer.  Facilities  for  the  procure- 
ment and  distribution  of  green  and  dry  fodders 
to  areas  where  production  is  not  possible.  phouM 
be  provided  and  the  supplies  shouH  be  subsidised 
wherever  prices  are  high.  An  adfKiuite  and  regular 
supply  of  clean  and  sweet  water  which  is  very  neces- 
sary for  the  health  of  cattle  and  milk  production 
should  be  provided.  Wherever  necessary,  wells  should 
be  renovated,  new  wells  sunk,  water-raining  devices 
provided  and  water-storage  tanks  and  troughs 
constructed. 

(b)  Exlendon  of  Grating  Lands  '  To  solve  the 
problem  of  scarcity  and  shortage  of  fodder  supply 
effectively,  available  sources  of  fodder  supplies  will 
have  to  be  supplemented.  This  can  be  done  by 
(a)  making  additions  to  grazing  areas  and  ib)  the 
cultivation  of  fodder  crops.  As  already  said  above, 
the  scarcity  of  common  gracing  landi  is  common  in 
ahnost  all  villages.  It  is,  therefore,  necessary  that 
common  grasing  lands  should  be  restored  to  imme- 
diately. But  this  will  not  alleviate  the  present  short- 
age of  fodder,  for  the  immediate  tendency  would  be 
to  over-grase  the  areas  and  leave  them  barren  of 
herbage  within  a  comparatively  short  period.  But 
this  danger  of  over-grating  can  be  checked,  by 
reducing  the  number  of  useless  and  decrepit  cattle. 
Thus  addition  to    granng    lands,    supplemecLtA^  Vn 


868 


THE  MODERN  tlEVlEW  FOR  MAY.  19S3 


suitAble  measures,  will    hb    invaluable     in  eecuiing 
adequate  fodder  supply  for  feeding  our  cattle. 

(c)  CuUivation  of  Fodder  Crops  :  Besides  this, 
the  supplies  of  fodder  can  be  increased  by  the 
increased  cultivation  of  fodder  crops  and  leguminous 
crops,  such  as  berseem,  and  lucerne,  jowar,  arhar  and 
millets  and  various  exotic  grasses,  such  as  Napier 
grass,  Sudan  grass  and  Guinea  grass,  etc.  At  present 
the  tendency  is  to  put  more  of  area  under  cash  crops, 
which  give  better  returns  than  to  the  fodder  crops. 
All  possible  encouragement  should  be  given  to  the 
cultivators  to  induce  them  to  put  more  of  acreage 
under  such  crops  which  are  suitable  as  cattle-feeds. 
Crops  which  are  more  nutritious  and  have  better 
yields  per  acre  should  be  cultivated  in  order  to  get 
yields  per  acre  from  the  same  area.  Sir  Johan  Russel 
has  suggested  that  a  number  of  fodder  crops  should 
be  cultivated  in  India,  as  they  would  effect  greatlv  in 
improving  yields  and  in  total  output.  Legu*ii*'iou9 
fodder  crops  in  addition  to  increasing  the  qualify  of 
farmyard  manure  enhance  the  fertility  of  the  soil  on 
which  they  grow  ;  they  cannot  usually  be  fed  alone 
and  generally  are'  mixed  with  non-leguminous  crop). 
*The  feeding  of  these  fodder  crops  will  be  marked 
improvement  in  the  quality  of  the  cattle  and  their 
milk  yield.  The  fact  that  fodder  crops  are  used  as 
supplement  to  grass  probably  explain  why  some  of 
the  beet  developed  cattle  in  India  are  produced  in  dry 
areas  where  the  growth  of  grass  is  sparse.  The  cattle 
reared  on  coarse  rank  grass  in  the  wetter  parts  of 
India  are  of  poor  quality  and  of  little  use  either  for 
milk  or  draught.'"* 

(eO  Rdtdonal  Gthus^  :  On  the  village  pastuiv^ 
land  rotational  grazing  should  be  compulsorily  intro- 
duced everywhere.  On  account  of  over-grazing, 
pasture  lands  deteriorate  and  it  is  essential  that 
some  pause  should  be  given  to  grasses  for  recoup, 
ment.  ^f  one-half  of  the  pasture  lands  is  closed 
for  some  months  end  the  remaining  half  is  opened 
for  jrrazin^,  there  will  be  more  grass  for  the  village 
cattle,  and  at  the  same  time  tliey  can  have  exercise 
in  open.  At  present,  village  pasture  lands  are  more 
in  the  nature  of  exercise  grounds  and  provide  very 
little  grass.  If  the  policy  of.  closure  and  rotational 
grazing  is  introduced,  more  food  will  be  available 
for  the  cattle. 

(c)  Nutritive  Cattle  Feed :  Tlie  diet  of  the 
Indian  cattle  is  deficient  not  only  quantitatively  but 
also  qualitatively.  Hence  efforts  should  be  made 
to  increase  the  available  supplies  of  cattle-feed  rich 
in  protein.  Investigations  made  by  the  Imperial 
Council  of  Ajrricrltural  Research  have  shown  a  mix- 
ture of  oilcakes,  bran,  barfey  and  gram  husk  to  be  a 
good  protective  food. 

The  quantity  of  this  diet  which  is  suggested  is 


P.    49, 


\\  seen  for  the  first  3)  seen  of  milk  and  Uterealiqr 
half  a  seer  of  mixture  for  every  additional  one  and 
a  half  seers  of  milk.  The  UP.  Agricultural  Depart- 
ment have  recommended  a  mixture  of  50%  cakei^ 
20%  bran  and  30%  barley  and  have  found  that  three, 
fourths  of  the  protective  requirements  can  be  re- 
placed by  berseem  grass  at  the  rate  of  five  seers  for 
every  seer  of  mixture.  The  grass  serves  the  purpoie 
of  energy  giving  food  as  well.  Lastly,  it  is  also  pre- 
ferable to  give  the  cattle  Voihori  salt  up  to  one  per 
cent  of  the  mixture. 

Protein-rich  concentrates  such  as  cotton-seed  and 
linseed  cakes  are  by  far  the  most  valuable  sources  of 
nutrients  for  milch  cattle.  The  problem,  therefore, 
revolves  round  the  supply  of  oilcakes.  It  has  been 
estimated  that  there  are  available  in  the  countiy 
about  14  lakh  tons  of  oil-cakes,  and  about 
18  lakh  tons  of  oil-cakes  may  be  had  from  Sfl  lakh 
tons  of  oilseed.  In  order  to  ensure  gieater  inland 
supply  of  oilseeds  for  the  cattle  and  for  manuring  the 
fields,  it  is  necessary  that  the  oil-crushing  industiy 
should  be  developed. 

Cattle  in  the  rice  straw  areas  are  smaller  in  siss 
and  stunted  in  growth,  and  it  has  been  found  that  one 
of  the  factors  responsible  for  this  is  the  presence  of 
excessive  potash  and  its  onalate  salts  in  the  rice 
straw  which  has  adverse  effect  of  general  metabolism 
including  minerals  as  well.  It  has  been  found  out  by 
experts  working  et  the  Imperial  Veterinary  Researeb 
Institute  at  Garmukteshwar  that  the  treatment  with 
dilute  solution  of  caustic  soda  increases  t^e  nutritive 
vahie  as  well  as  its  palatability  as  by  this  process, 
potash  and  some  of  its  onalate  salts  are  washed  away 
and  fibre  is  made  more  digestible.  According  to  Mr. 
C.  P.  Wares,  the  food  eflBciency  of  the  stalks  can  be 
increased  by  25%  on  treating  them  with  alkaH. 

.    ' '  ' 

CATrLB-BREBDiNO 

*  

The  value  of  breeding  animals  by  scientifie 
selections  and  mating  has  been  recognised,  by  the  far- 
mers in  almost  all  progressive  countries.  But  unfoi^ 
tunately  very  little  attention  has  been  paid  by  the 
Indian  peasants  to  the  improvement  of  the  breed 
and  the  importance  of  breeding.  Cattle  are  hardly 
enclosed  and  good  and  healthy  cattle  are  allowed  to 
mix  with  the  weak  and  degenerate  tjrpes.  This  letdi 
to  a  steady  deterioration  in  quality.  Profesnonal 
cattle  breeders  existed  in  India  for  many  cai- 
turies  and  they  pursued  traditional  but  skilftil 
method  of  selecting  and  tending  cattle,  but  these 
herdsmen  practically  diFappeared  from  the  country 
owing  to  the  extension  of  irrigation  and  eoD- 
sequent  lack  of  common  grasing  grounds  in  most 
provinces.  Unlike  in  the  Western  countries,  ia 
India  the  bigger  landlords  have  hardly  attempted 
to  raise  good  breeds  of  cattle.  Attempts  at  improv* 
ing  the  cattle  by  the  selection  and  impvoveoMBt  of 
t}te  best    breeds  have  to  be  made  in    ^n&t  \sf  tt> 


CATTLE  WEALTH  IN  INDU 


m 


al  and  Provineial  Departments  of  Agriculture, 
are  govenunent  cattle  farms  in  the  various 
ices  (for  instance  at  Hosur  in  Madras  and 
r  in  Punjab)  in  which  ped^ec  bulls  are  bred 
'eared  and  these  are  sold  out  to  the  private 
9  and  individuals  in  the  villages. 

BmsDiNa  PoucT 

s  the  stock  of  milch  and  draught  animals 
decreased  considerably  ,  due  to  indiscriminate 
Iter,  it  is  essential  to  build  it  up  again  and 
should  now  be  taken  that  ineflficient  or  un- 
ble  breeds  do  not  get  multiplied.  This  is 
:  a  Ions  period  problem  and  calls  for  three-fold 
ires.     Firstly,  better  breeds  should  be     popula- 

The  cattle-shows  which  have     been     organised 
ffercnt  parts  of  India  by     the    All-India  Cattle 

Society  should  be  multiplied    manifold      Then 

are  hundreds  of  cattle-fairs  all  over  the  country 
the  work  that  is  being  done  by  the  provincial 
attthese  fairs  require  great  intensification.    The 

education  workers,  the  radio  broadcast  agencies 
the  veterinary  staff  can  and  must  co-operate  in 
direction. 

Material  progress  can  be  made  by  increasing  the 
>er  of  good  stud  bulls.  But  at  present,  the 
Der  of  such  stud  bulls  fit  for  breeding  is  very 
!.  It  has  been  estimated  that  against  our  require- 

of  250  stud  Jbulls  we  have  only  one  available 
this  purpose.  According  to  an  estimate  made 
he  Royal  Commission  on  Agriculture,  India 
ed  about  a  million  breeding  bulls.  The  pre- 
number  of  over  10,000  of  pedigree  and  approved 
represents  only  one  per  cent  of  the  Indian 
Irements.  Further,  the  number  of  new  bulls 
d  each  year  is  only  slightly  greater  than  that 
ed  to  replace  existing  animals  on  a  10  or  1* 
cent  basis  of  animal  wastage.  Dr.  Wright  suggests 

the  progress  in  this  direction  can  be  accelerated 
rovidinf^  a  large  number  of  approved  bulls  bred  in 
ge  condition  in  selected  breeding  tracts.  **The 
-bred  bulls  of  the  guaranteed  pedigree,  though 
}  reliable,  are  seriously  limited  in  nuihbcr,  un- 
?d  and  difficult  to  handle,  and  more  costly  to  rear, 
ge-bred  bulls,  on  the  other  hand,  can  be  reared 
Imost  negligible  <!!08t  to  Government.  Moreover,' 
Government  purchase  of  village-bred  bulls  for 
ibution  would  give  invaluable  direct  encourage 
t  to  progressive  breeders."  The  number  of  stud 
J  should  rapidly  be  increased,  for,  at  present  there 
thousands  of  villages  without  a  stud  or  a  male 
ilo.  This  acute  shortage,  to  some  extent,  can  be 

by  the  artificial     insemination     centres     started 

er  the  scheme  of  the  Indian  Ckrancil  of  Agricul- 

1  Heseerch.  These  centres  offer  two  advantages  to 

public  :     (1)   Approved  bulls  of    suitable  breeds 

be  availiWe  for  service     for    the  village  cattle, 

(2)  animals  which  ordinarily  cannot  be 


fully  impregnated  due  to  some  physiological  defect 
can  be  served  best  if  the  landlords,  well-to-do  and 
service-spirited  persons,  institutes  and  cattle  societies 
lend  a  helping  hand. 

Provision  of  Bbtxeh  Bbeedb 
Secondly,  arrangement  should  be  made  for  making 
better  breeds  of  bulls  available  for  the  purpose  of 
crossing  on  easy  terms.  To  meet  the  paucity  of  good 
breeding  bulls  in  the  country  full  use  should  be  made 
of  the  existing  organisations  and  institutions  tike 
Gatishalaa  and  Pmjaropoles.  It  is  estimated  that  there 
are  at  present  about  3,000  gaushalas  in  India  with  a 
population  of  over  six  lakh  heads  of  cattle  which  are 
being  maintained  at  a  cost  of  over  30  miUion  rupees 
per  annum.  Out  of  the  total  population  of  about  6 
lakh  cattle  in  these  institutions  there  are  about  20 
per  cent  (1,20,000)  classified  as  good  dairy  cattle. 
There  are  other  20  per  cent  (1,20,000)  good  for  breed- 
ing though  not  highly  productive.  And  the  remaining 
60  per  cent  (3,63,000)  are  old,  infirm  and  unfit  for 
breeding.  At  a  very  conservative  estimate  it  is  held 
that  when  recognised  on  improved  lines,  these  insti- 
tutions will  provide  about  25,000  males  fit  for  use  as 
stud  bulls  every  year  for  replacement  in  the  gaushala 
and  for  free  distribution  in  the  neighbourmg  areas  for 
the  improvement  of  the  village  cattle.  In  addition  to 
this,  there  will  be  about  the  same  number  of  males, 
available  for  bullock  work  and  60,000  improved 
female  calves  every  year." 

Caatration  oj  Inferior  Males :  Thirdly,  along 
with  the  provision  of  improved  stud  bulls,  it  will  be 
necessary  to  castrate  all  the  useless  and  unfit  males 
in  the  villages,  otherwise  the  good  results  obtained  by 
the  use  of  improved  bulls  will  be  undone  by  the  bad 
ones.  Not  only  scrub-bulls  but  also  uncastrated 
bullocks  used  for  carts  should  be  castrated  to  prevent 
damage  to  the  breed.  Ringing  of  bad  cows  so  as  to 
make  covering  impossible  should  also  be  introduced 
and  popularised.  No  improvement  worth  the  name  is 
possible  in  cattle-breeding  unless  it  is  rigorously 
supplemented  by  castration  of  useless  animals.  But  it 
is  unfortunate  that  in  view  of  the  large  number  of 
useless  and  decrepit  in  India  the  progress  in  the 
castration  of  the  inferior  males  is  rather  very  slow. 
Whatever  castrations  have  been  done  are  in  the 
Punjab,  CP.,  and  Berar.  Dr.  Wright  advocates  "the 
intensification  of  castration  measures  in  selected 
areas.''  He  says,  "A  policy  which  includes  (1)  the 
distribution  of  pedigree  bulls  (bred  in  Government 
farms)  to  selected  areas,  (2)  the  registration  of 
progeny  in  those  areas  (to  build  up  a  reservoir  of 
approved  bulls  for  further  distribution),  (3)  com- 
bined with  castration  of  all  inferior  male  stock  an<J 
(4)  if  possible  the  inoculation  of  all  local  stock 
against  rinderpest,  would  represent  an  ideal    method 


2S.    Dttar    Simb  t    XaoTj 
to  jMUfl.  pp.   9-10. 


pmidOom    of    Gmdakalm    md    Mmlmpoim 


830 


THE  MODERN  REVIEW  TOR  MAY,  1953 


<if  dfeotixig  iivestpck  improvement  in  India.''  India 
iiOUBt  adopts  a  definite  programme  of  reduction  of 
oattle  numbers  and  of  controlled  breeding.  With 
decreased  but  more  efficient  cattle,  the  expansion  and 
improvement  of  .  fodder^  cropping  and  pasturage, 
introduction  of  silos,  stall  feeding  and  controlled 
jprasing  in  favour  of  si4>erior  stocks  will  be  easier. 
What  should  be  Oub  Future  Bbezding  Polict  7 

Pr.  Wright  has  made  two  very  valuable  sugges- 
tions with  regard  to  the  formulation  of  breeding  poli- 
caes  in  the  future.  In  evolving  improved  breeds  of 
cattle,  the  aim  shoukl  always  be  to  evolve  a  type 
which  will  meet  the  local  requirements,  e^,,  in  the 
niral  areas  good  draught  breed  is  urgently  required 
but  in  the  vicinity  of  the  town  good  milking  breed 
is  needed.  Further,  cross-breeding  wiih  sires  of  heavy 
milk-yielding  European  breeds  is  not  always  durable 
under  Indian  conditions  because  the  latter  have  been 
bred  to  make  effective  use  of  the  smallest  quantity  of 
food  which  may  be  more  economical  under  the  condi- 
tions prevailing  in  India.  Therefore,  the  right  policy 
in  India  will  be  to  select  the  best  species  of  the 
indigenous  cattle  and  improve  them.  ^  Although  an 
attempt  has  been  made  to  find  specific  breeds  suitable 
for  different  regions  such  t3rpe8  as  8ahiwal,  the 
Hariana,  the  8indhi  Gir,  Ongole,  and  the  Malvi  may 
be  generally  recommended.  Thus  inter-prOvincial 
movement  of  cattle  is  essential  but  they  should  not 
be  allowed  to  carry  contagious  diseased  Quarantine 
station  should,  therefore,  be  established  on  the 
important  cattle  routes  as  has  been  done  in  CJP. 
under  the  Rinderpest  Act,  1089. 

We  may  conclude  this  section  by  quoting  the 
Royal  Commission,  "If  the  number  of  cattle  were 
not  exceeded,  if  a  sufficient  area  of  grasing  land  could 
be  found  to  carry  the  existing  stock  easily  in  normal 
seasons,  if  provision  were  made  for  supplementary 
fodder  in  the  year  of  scarcity,  then  it  would  not  be 
a  difficult  task  for  skilled  graziers  to  effect  marked 
improvemtnt  in  the  quality  of  the  cattle.'' 

Betteb  Management 

There  are  several  a?p«^  of  management  which 
improve  the  efficienry  of  milch  cattle.  The  calving 
Ihtcrral  of  village  cows  is  18  to  20  months  and  18.03 
months  for  fh«5  buffaloes  more  than  half  of  which 
period  is  dry."  By  skilled  management  it  is  possible 
to  reduce  the  dry  period  by  at  Vast  3  months  which 
win  improve  prodtiction  by  a  minimum  of  15  per  cent. 
In  seven  important  breeds  the  averaprp  yield  dtiring  the 
lactation  period  was  found  to  be  1.73  Tbs.  for  cows 
and  3.99  lbs.  for  buffaloes  but  the  experimental  results 
«*>ow  that  milch  cattle  have  tremendous  potentiality 
and  the  yield  can  b*5  trebled.  The  results  of  some 
experiments  are  tabulated  here  : 


.Gaotnol 

BrMd  «l 

▲vtnsii  h«Uti«i      W>li  ■iiijtii 

•s^eriment 

cattle 

yield  under  Tilbge 

conditions                 (la  Ibo.) 

New  Delhi 

Sahiwal 

1344           Over  «500 

Kamal 

Hariana 

986                    3608 

Madras 

Ongole 

1236           Over  3000 

Chharodi  and 

Surat 

Kankrej 

920         Up  to  2500 

J^  as  (2909). 


li      •/    AgHadhtni    Bit— yci,      WtetUmmmu 


CoNTBOL  or  Cattlb  Diseases 

Considering  the  vast  size  of  the  country  and  the 
quantity  of  cattle  veterinauy  aid  at  present  available 
in  rural  areas  is  extremely  inadequate  and  unsatia* 
factory.  According  to  the  Royal  Commission,  there  ia 
only  one  qualified  veterinary  surgeon  to  about  1.8 
million  cattle  and  whatever  veterinary  aid  there  is,  i> 
supplied  by  the  officer  employed  in  the  districts  who 
has  little  knowledge  of  animal  husbandry.  For  curing  the 
diseased  cattle  the  number  of  veterinary  hospitals  hai 
to  be  increased  manifold.  There  should  be  established 
in  each  district  a  Central  Veterinary  Hospital  with  a 
number  of  dispensaries  serving  the  subdivision  Cf 
the  district.  Qualified  surgeons  should  also  be  sent  out 
for  touring  the  districts.  An  adequate  and  efficient 
provision  of  veterinary  aid  will  require  many  trained 
research  workers  and  a  large  army  of  qualified  surgeoM. 
This  objective  can  be  secured  with  much  leas  dffieulty 
\i  the  Central  Government,  the  Local  Boards,  Zamin- 
dars  and  individual  philanthropists  join  hands  in 
furthering  the  cause.  Cheap  medicines  should  be  pre- 
pared "by  concentrated  research,  and  experiments  ob 
the  indigenous  plants  and  herbs  should  be  made.  Pre- 
ventive treatment  should  also  be  given  particular 
attention.  Sanitation  of  sites,  where  cattle  are  kepi 
needs  greater  emphasis.  The  urine-wiled  earth  and 
litter  as  also  the  dung  sbould  be  removed  daily  to  tha 
field  or  the  manure  pit.  Adequate  mitrition  and  good 
breeding  should  also  go  hand  in  hand. 

DAnrr  Indttstbt  m  Iirou 

Dairy  farmine  in  India  is  still  in  its  infancy,  ll 
has  not  yet  received  the  attention  paid  \p  it  in  the 
Western  coimtries  like  Denmark.  Sweden,  Norway, 
New  Zealand.  Australia  and  the  U.S.A. 

Thp  dairy  industry  in  modem  fime^  began  in  India 
in  1881  wh«5n  cream  separators  were  first  introduced. 
Thf>  first  hrec-srsle  dairv  farm  wa««  fttart»d  hv  the 
^militarv  in  1891  at  Allah'^bad.  and  the  development  ol 
more  diiry  farms  led  to  the  rr^tion  cf  the  post  of  Im- 
perial Dairy  Expert  in  1920.  The  Expert  bas  helped  to 
stimulate  the  use  of  modem  methods  of  handling  milk 
and  factory  methods  in  general  dairying  practice  psHi- 
cularlv  in  the  development  of  butter.  The  psstnrag 
and  hottlinsr  of  milk  has  al«o  been  encouraged. 

The  poor  milkine  quality  of  the  local  breeds  ^ 
cattle,  the  inadequacy  of  the  fodder  supply,  tht 
absence  of  non-enforcement  of  laws  to  previrtit  the 
adulteration  of  milk  and  ghee,  tbe  absence  of  quick 
and  reliable  methods  of  detectint  adulteration  have  al 
prevented  the  developmoDt  <A  dB&ry  f aivdBg  In  iMlii- 


J 


d^ttLE  W£ALt£[  ti7  TtttHk 


«7i 


FoHowing  are  some  of  the  difficolties  of  the  daiiy 
mdustry  in  India : 

(1)  The  trend  of  the  itaiiy  industry  has  bee& 
baeed  on  European  interests  in  India  and  on  European 
practice  and  little  effort  was  made  till  recently  to  meet 
the  real  needs  of  the  population.  But  if  the  daiiy- 
fiarming  is  to  be  successfully  practised  in  India,  it 
should  produce  things  which  are  demanded  by  the 
large  mass  of  Indians.  The  piecemeal  introduction  of 
the  Western  methods  and  the  attempts  to  produce 
Western  products  required  by  the  army  and  the 
Europeans  have  been  looked  upon  with  indifference  by 
the  predominant  majority  of  the  Iryots.  According  to 
Vr.  Wright,  **What  is  needed  in  Indian  dairying  ia  a 
new  outlook  and  a  new  technique;  an  outlook  which 
recognises  the  special  nature  of  Indian  problem  and  a 
leohnique  which  is  designed  to  solve  these  problems." 

(2)  The  factory  system  of  dairyuig  so  characteris. 
tic  of  Denmark  and  other  Western  countries  is  totally 
tiBsuited  for  India:  The  typical  Indian  cultivator 
posee*?cs  only  one  or  two  milch  cattls  and  the  tropical 
eiimate  and  the  poor  means  of  transport  in  India  make 
it  very  difficult  for  the  Collection  of  milk  from  a  number 
of  farmers  and  the  hiindling  of  milk  in  large  quantities 
in  ir  few  big  centres;;  Moreover,  the  milch  cows  are 
often  transported  to  cities,  milched  dtirmg  one  lactation 
and  then  slaughtered,  the  result  being  the  unnecessary 
1668  of  useful  milking  animals.  Much  needs  to  be 
done,  therefore,  to  improve  the  nrban  supplies  of  milk 
and  milk  products. 

With  a  view  to  develop  the  dairy  industry  Dr. 
Wright  has  suggested  that  attention  should  be  concen- 
trati^  on  the  production  of  indigenous  milk  products 
and  not  on  products  of  the  Western  origin.  Secondly, 
steps  should  be  taken  to  ensure  that  an  adequate 
supply  of  milk  and  milk  products  is  available  for 
consumption  by  the  rural  population;  thirdly,  any 
atteippt  to  introduce  improved  methods  should  be 
effected  by  evolutionary  changes  of  technique;  fourthly, 
the  combination  of  producers  on  a  village  industry 
basis  should  prove  the  most  effective  form  of  dairy 
oiKanisation  in  India;  and  fifthly,  any  improvement  in 
production  should  be  supplemented  by  the  provision  of 
improved  marketing  facilities,  and  stricter  control  on 
the  quality  milk  and  milk  products  on  the  part  of 
public  health  authorities  is  required. 

Daibt  Products 
Estimates  of  milk  production  in  India  are  very  wide,  . 
Oliver  and  Valdyanathan  estimated  it  at  1,000  million, 
maunds  (35.7  million  tons).*  Dr.  Wright  considered 
this  estimate  excessive  and  placed  the  figure  at  80O 
million  maunds  (29.4  million  tons).  Keport  on  market, 
mg  of  milk  gives  the  estimate  as  744  million  maunda 
W;3  million  ions). 

■         »'^T^»^P^-»^W»i»^-^^—i— ——«[»— M—  lllMl  <('■■.  .■<!» 

.  .....*.-- »•■  «-"■  •  -•.«« 

37..  4M«i|m«iiis  of    th0    Annual      Comtrlbmtiam    0/    Uv^atoek      f» 


In  the  value  of  mdic  produciioti  India  stands  neri 
only  to  U.S.A.  and  her  output  is  four  times  that  of 
Great  Britain,  five  times  that  of  Denmark  and  six 
times  that  of  Australia  and  seven  times  of  New 
Zealand."*  But  in  relation  to  the  needs  of  her  popu« 
lation,  the  production  and  consumption  per  head  of 
population  varies  from  8  to  9  oisl  per  day  and  are 
among  the  lowest  in  the  world."  It  is  55  ois.  in 
New  Zealand;  45  oss.  in  Australia;  43  ozs.  in  Norway; 
40  OTS.  in  Denmark;  30  oss.  in  U.K.;  35  ots.  in  Canada; 
33  oss.  in  U.S.A.;  35  ozs.  in  Germany,  Holland  and 
Belgium;  30  oss.  in  France;  29  oss.  in  Switzerland  as 
against  only  6  ozs.  in  India. 

In  India  with  its  tropical  climate  and  vegetarian 
diet,  ''milk  is  frequently  the  only  available  source  of 
first  class  protein  while  it  has  to  support  a  considerable 
proportion  of  the  mineral  constituent  and  vitamins  of 
the  diet."  Milk  supplies  exactly  those  elements  which 
Indian  dietaries  lack  and  according  to  Dr.  Wright,  the 
output  of  milk  in  India  will  have  to  be  doubled  t^ 
provide  for  even  the  minimum  requirement,  vU.,  ^ 
oss.  per  head  per  day.  The  seriousness  of  the  plight  of 
growing  infants  in  our  country  who  have  to  be  fed  on 
milk  becomes  patent  when 'we  learn  that  ill-nourished 
women  of  middle  classes  have  often  not  got  nearly 
enough  milk  to  supply  the  needs  of  the  growing 
infant .•  The  following  table  gives  the  quantity  of  milk 
produced  and  consumed  in  different  parts  of  India:* 

Province            Daily  production  Daily  connimption 

per  head  in  oss.  per  head  in  oss. 

Assam                           1.4  2.3 

Bensal                          3.1  1.9 

Madras                          3.5  1.6 

Bombay                        4.7  4.0 

U.P.                             4.7  5.0 

C.  P.                           6.1  0.8 

Bihar  &  Orissa             6.4  3.2 

Punjab                         18.3  9.0 

The  bulk  of  the    milk  supply  of  the  country     is 

produced   in  rural   areas.     It     has*   been     estimated 

that  only  5  per  cent  of  the  milch  cows  and  less  than 

6  per  cent  of  milch  buffaloes  are  kept  in  towns  and 

cities."  But  whole  milk  and  ghee  are  in  general  little 

used  in  villages  in  the     greater  part  of  the    country. 

Even  in  tracts  where  much  larger  quantities  of  milk  are 

produced,  16  per  cent  of  families  do  iiot  consume  any 

milk  or  milk  products  at  all.    Conditions  in  the  other 

Tuml  parts  of  India,  where  production  is  much  less, 

shoukl  be  still    worse  as    regards  the  production    and 

consumption  of  milk  and  milk  products*     Only  the 

butter-milk  or  Lassi  wh^ch  remains  -after  the  fat  has 

been  removed  in  the  preparation  of  ghee  is    usually 

consumed  in  the  villages. 


Wright  :    Report    M    tkt    Ow^pmmi    •f 
te    /imMc,    p«    L. 
29.    Ibid,   p.   1. 

as.    Htrntik    BmttetU^    Conoor,    p.    IS. 
SI.    Wr^t  !    Op,    C/l.,    pp.    lSS-191. 
SS:  ~ '  Rvpoft  on  "tkif  mwnt^ni^^^  mt^  #•   •••••r  p..  •^ 

SS.    iHid,   p.   St.  ' 


IM#f 


in 


THE  MODERN  REVIEW  FOR  MAY.  1963 


Aa  Mr,  Duokh&m  haa  pointed  out,  ''The  cattle  popii^ 
iktion  of  India  is  the  largest,  the  most  dense  per  acre 
of.  the  cultivated  area  and  per  person  and  probably 
one  of  the  least  efficient  in  the  world.  In  fact,  the 
average  annual  milk  yield  per  head  of  milk  cattle 
amounts  to  only  7,005 lbs.  in  Australia;  5,305 lbs.  in 
England  and  3,4d3  lbs.  in  Australia ;  5^  lbs.  in 
Germany,  7,755  in  Holland,  5^  lbs.  in  Scotland; 
6,4d8  lbs  in  Switserland;  3,105  lbs.  in  Canada;  i;216 
lbs.  in  U.S.A.;  5,857  lbs.  in  Jap^;  5,118  lbs.  in  New 
Zealand;  2,663  lbs.  in  Egsrpt  as  against  only  756  lbs.  in 
India."^  Thus  it  is  clear  that  the  milk  yield  of  cows 
in  India  is  small  compared  to  the  yield  of  the  fat 
glossy  skinned  cows  in  the  rich  pastures  of  Northern 
Europe  and  America. 

Marketing  surveys  show  that  out  of  total  milk  out- 
put one-third  is  consumed  as  liquid  milk,  and'  of  the 
remainder  22%  is  turned  into  Khoa,  Dahi,  and  other 
indigenous  products  and  25%  into  Ghee.  Ghee  is  of 
special  importance  in  the  Indian  dairying  economy 
since. it  has  good  keeping  qualities  and  can  conveni- 
ently be  manufactured,  stored  and  transported  under 
existing  conditions.  Since  this  product  leaves  the 
greater  and  more  valuable  part  of  milk,  viz,,  the  non. 
fatty  matter  (solids)  contained  in  the  Butter  Milk, 
for  the  use  of  the  cultivator  and  his  family  and  at 
the  same  time  provides  him  with  a  cash  sale,  the  pro- 
ducers in  general  turn  their  milk  int*}  ghee. 

Ghee  is  generally  made  out  of  the  buffalo  butter 
which  is  heated  for  more  than  8  to  10  hours  so  as  to 
remove  the  moisture  by  evaporation.  The  ghee  is 
under-bdiled  because  in  over^boiling  it  loses  miieh  of 
its  weight.  It  is  prepared  by  heating  butter  over  a 
slow  fire  until  an  oil  is  formed  that  rises  to  the  sur- 
face,  while  the  refuse  settles   down. 

In  this  method  of  production  10  to  15%  of  fat 
may  be  lost,  viM.,  retained  in  the  Lassi  used  by  the 
cultivator.  The  use  of  cream  separator  gives  a  great 
outturn  of  ghee  per  unit  of  milk  but  there  arc  two 
difficulties.  One  is  that  the  bye-product  is  skimmed  milk 
which  the  Indian  cultivator  does  not  like  to  use  and 
the  other  is  that  the  ghee  produced  in  this  way  is 
inferior  in  quality. 

Ghee-producing  areas  are  UP.,  Rajputana,  Bengal, 
CP.,  and  Northern  districts  of  Bihar  and  Madras.  It 
is  interesting  to  note  that  ghee  is  made  in  areas  where 
extensive  lands  are  available  for  pasturage  and  in  the 
fringes  of  the  forest  where  the  pressure  of  population 
is  not  great.  The  annual  production  of  ghee  in  India 
is  estimated  at  over  8  lakh  tons  valued  at  Rs.  77 
crores.  Of  this  quantity  nearly  62^  is  produced  in 
Indian  Provinces  and  the  balanue  in  Ptates.  Three-fifth 
of  the- ghee 'production  is  concentrated  in  Northern 
and  Western  India  and  the  remainihg  two-fifth  is  scat- 
tered in  the  rest  of  the  country.^  Taking  the  couiitry 
na  a  whole.  India  prpduoias  8.9  mounds*  of  ghee  per 
f     ,      •  '  •  ■  ...-.-■ 

H.    Daettaa  t    AnkMi    tim$bmnirr    bt    BHthk    SmflM,    p.    180. 


square  mile»  21.i  suuinds  per  viUaii^  and  3.6  maunb 
for  a  hundred  persons.  Of  the  total  i^iee  productioa 
30%  is  retained  by  the  producers  for  annual  conmimy 
tion  and  70%  is  marketed.  The^  percentages  haTt, 
however)  slight  variations. 

India  imports  about  66000  maunds.  of  tfiee  mostlj 
by  land  frontier  routes  from  Nepal,  but  the  trend  of 
imports  during  the  last  few  years  has  shown  a  down- 
ward tendehQT.  India  also  exports  some  ghee  maiohr 
to  Straits  Settlements.  Burma,  Federated  Bialaya  Statfli 
and  to  Africa. 

To  enable  consumers  to  obtain  supplies  of  pure 
ghee  the  Directorate  of  Marketing  and  Inspection 
inaugurated  its  "Agmark  Scheme"  in  1087  which  has 
progressed  steadily.  Some  of  the  other  main  recom* 
mendations  are  as  follows  : 

1.  The  production  and  consumption  of  ghefi 
should  be  accelerated  by  increasiiig  milk  production 
and  by  the  introduction  of  improved  methods  of  milk 
fat  extraction  under  village  conditions. 

2.  The  units  of  sale  should  be  standardised  bf 
a  rigid  enforcement  of  Weights  and  Measures  Act. 

3.  A  regular  system  of  controlling  ghee  niarkBti 
should  be  introduced  by  the  establishment  of 
regulated  markets,  and  cheap  credit  facilities  should 
be  provided  to  producers  by  organi^ng  co-operative 
ghee  sale  societies.  i. 

4.  To  ensure  uniformity  in  the  different  provin- 
ces in  the  enforcement  of  food  control.  Provincial 
Govermnents  should  promote  Central  legislation  for 
the  hygienic  control  of  food  production,  distribution 
and  sale.  The  above  recommendations,  if  stricUy 
adhered  to,  will,  we  hope,  produce  the  desired  conse- 
quences. State  regulatidn  of  a  commodity  of  such 
high  nutritive  value  is  highly  desirable  firom  consi- 
derations of  public  health  and  hygioie  and  its 
va^t  trade  possibilities. 

Otheb  Milk  Puoocib  . 

About  95  million  mds.  of  milk  is  utilised  for 
manufacture  of  Khoa,  Dahi  or  other  indigenous  milk 
products  valued  at  about  80  crores  of  rupees.  Indigo* 
nous  milk  products  'release  more  per  pound  of  milk 
than  milk  itself',  Khoa  is  practically  eiv^porative 
milk  reduced  to  a  pasty  food  and  is  used  for  making 
certain  sweetmeats.  It  keeps  good  only,  for  three  or 
four  days  but  with  the  addition  of  sugar  it  can  be 
kept  for  3  or  4  months.  Rubree  is  a  wnilar  milk 
product  with  a  large  content.  Malai  is  another  milk 
product  and  all  these  are  popular  in  North  India 
mainly.  •   '  » 

Dahi  is  the  foundation  of  India's,  g^iee  industry 
and  it  is  the  simplest  .device  for  piesbrving  mUk  in  a 
hot  climate  as  sourness  checks  putrefactive  changpw. 
In  certain  districts  limited  quantitiee  of  niparated 
milk  are  available  and  are  used  for  tn^lqjftg  casein 
being  thus  lost  as  a  source  of  nutriment. 

deiieli^^ 


The  Indian  School  of  Mines  and  Applied  Geolucy,    Dhiinbad,   the  Silver  Jubilee   celebra- 
tions of  which    were    inauguratfd     on     March   S    Different    types   of   safety   Jampa   used 
by   the   miners  were  on  display   nl   the  school 


!0ibet3     of     the     Turkish     PiirliamentarV    DeJtB^ilion   i 
in  Delhi  on  March.  8 


■ived   at   the   Palsm  Airport 


HUMANITY  ON  THE  MARCH 

By  Pbot.  8UBHAN8U  BIMAL  MOOKHERJI,  MJi. 

Mb.  Jambs    GBinrrpHS,    Colonial    Secretary    in    Mr.  would  be  there.  It  is  fiymptomatic    of    a    process    of 

Attlce's  Labour  Cabinet  (1945-60),    pointed  out  in    a  hifltorical  evolution  which  will  follow  its  course, 
party-political  broadcast  on  28th  February,   1953  :  Indo-China  consisting  of  Cochin  China,     Annam, 

"There  are  1600  million  people  in  the  world  whose  Cambodia,  Tonking  and  Laos  forms  a  part  of  France's 

skins  are  a  different  colour  from  ours.  That  is  twice  empire  overseas.    After  the  collapse  of  France  during 

a^  many  as  the  whole  of  the  white    population    of  ^^  ^^  ^^^  .^.     ^^^     temporarily     under     Japanese 

the  globe  and  all  of  them  one  after  the  other    are^.,        i»oi.L       tn-i/v  •  *     ii 

demanding  the  right  to  order  their    lives  in  their  control  and    by     September,  1940,    was     virtually     a 

own  way.  .  Japanese  colony.  France  collapsed  under  the  stress  of 

This  awakening    of    the     coloured     humanity     is  a  total  war.  She  miserably  failed  to  defend    her    own. 

indeed  the  greatest  challenge  so  far  of  the  20th  century,  frontiers  against  the  Nazi  invaders  from  the  east  and 

The  coloured  man  has  lost  his  fait'i  in  the  so-called  her  happy  hunting-ground  in  South-East  Asia  against 

civilizing  mission  of  the  white  man    and  is  in  revolt  those  from  the  Land  of  the  Bising  Sun  in  the  north. 

against  white  domination.  That  this  revolt  has  followed  French  imperialism  failed  to     protect     the     people  of 

closely  in  the  wake  of  World  War  II  Is  not  in  the  least  Indo-China  and  forfeited  its  right— if  it  had  any— to 

surprising.  That  war  pricked  the  balloon  of  the  white  rule  them. 

man's  superiority  to  the  non-white    once    for  all  and  Indo-China,  however,  was  in  no  mood  to  accept  a 

exposed  the  utter  hollowness  of  the  claim  to  any  such  yellow    master    for    the     white.    Popular     resistance 

superiority.  A  former     U.S.A.     Under-Secretary     for  stiffened.     The  party     of     Viet-Minn     (Independence 

State,  Mr.  Sumner  Welles,  rightly  remarks  :  League)  was  formed  under  the  leadership  of  Dr.  Ho 

"The  nature  of    the    defeats    suffered  by  the  Chi  Minh  by     the    amalgamation    oi    half  a    dozen 

Western  nations  in  1942  dealt  a  final  blow  to    the  parties,  t^.,    the  Annamite     Kuomintang,    the     New 

concept  of  white  superiority."  Annam  Party,     the  Communist     Party,     the    Youth 

Another  very  important  factor  in  the    awakening  League,  the  Peasants'  Association  and    the     Natipnal 

Df  the     coloured    peoples    is    psychological.    History  WorkeFs'  Association.  The  party  declared  : 

records  that  "Against  international     fascism     and     for    the 

All  genuine  revolutions  are     'directed    against  jiberty  of  aU  nations  the  Viet-Minh  ranges  itself  on 

the  power  and  privilege  of  an  exclusive  group,  liven         ^^  J^jg  ^£  ^^c  democratic  forces  in  its  struggle  for 
the  most  submissive   people   cannot  stand,  in  the         survival." 

long  run,  the  rule  of  others  with  whom  they  have  ^m.     ir-  *  ■»#•  u  ^  t  t        *u     *      *•««  *k 

no  community  or  counsel  of  spirit,  into  whose  ranks  ^e  Viet-Minh  went  from    strength     to  strength. 

they  cannot  be  admitted.  They  can  be  temporarily  The  Japanese  tried  to  crush  it;  but  failed.  Japan  next 

kept  in  check  by  force  and  diplomacy,  but  such    a  sought  to  create  a  division  in  the  ranks  of  the  Indo- 

Bubjection  can  never    be    indefinitely    maintained,  Chinese  themselves  by  setting  up  the  Empire  of  Viet- 

even  through  the  most  ruthless  forms  of  slavery,  xr«.^    t  j    i      /  ^  -  a     ^  «4.  a^o*       :» 

^{The  Stakes  oj  Democracy  in  SoulK-East  Asia  by  Nam.  Japan  declared  a  puppet  mdependent  State    m 

H.  J.  Van  Mook,  p.  74).  Annam  on  March  11,  1945.  Annam  was  re-named  Viet- 

The  post-war  fermentation  in  the  coloured  colonial  Nam  on  June  30.  The  Annamites  rose  in  arm^d  revolt. 

world  is  nothing  but  an  inevitable  stage  in  the  process  immediately  after  the  surrender  of  Japan  to  the  United 

of  historical  evolution.    In  not  a  few    places  has  the  Nations  in  August,  1945,  and  declared  Viet-Nam  to  be 

coloured  man  broken  his  fetters.    Today  he  is  taking  a  republic.  The  'Emperor'  of  Viet-Nam  abdicated   and 

the  first  lessons  in  his  career  as  a  free  man  after  long  went  over  to  the  rei$ublic.    When  British  and  Indian 

years  of  political  tutelage  when  he    was  a    "hewer  of  troops  landed  in    Saigon  under    General    Gracey  on 

wood"  and  "drawer  of  water"  in  the  land  of  his  birth.  September  13,  the  Writ  of  the  Republic  of  Viet-Nam 

In  not  a  few  places  again  he  is  still  in  shackles.  But  he  ran  over  the  whole  area  from  Annam  to  Cochin-China. 

is  no  longer  prepared  to  submit  to  the  yoke.  His  white  The  Viet-Minh  welcomed    the     Anglo-Indian  landing. 

masters  are  determined  to  hold  him  down  and  h6  is  nO  But  within  a  little  more  than  a  week  the  British  and 

less  determined  not  to  be  held  down.  That  is  the  whole  the  Viet-Namese  troops  were  running    at  each  other's 

trouble.  Unrest  and  conflict  in  Indo-China,  in  Malaya,  throat.  The  French,  eager  to  re-establish  their  autho- 

in  North  Africa,  in  East  Africa  and  in  South  Africa  are  rity  over  Indo-China  (Viet-Nam),  staged  a  come-back 

all  to  be  attributed  to  this  determination  and  counter-  at  this  juncture.  But  a  sea-change  had  come  over  Itido- 

determination.  It  is  fashionable  in  some  quarters    to  China  duriiig  the  war.  She  was  not  prepared  to  submit 

blame  Soviet  Russia  for  the  world-wide  unrest  today;  again  to  foreign    yoke.    Frabce    wais    determined    to 

But  it  is  only  fair -to  remember  that  in  the  last  analysis  re-impose  her  authority  upbn  the  former:  A  strugi^ 

this  unrest  is  the  manifestation  of  the  spirit  of  the  age  was  thtis  inevitable.  The  oonfliot  whi6h  ttow  beg^  liM 

in  which  W  BmK  Soviet  Union  or  no'  Soviet  Union,  it  b«en  rightlr  descrft^ed  aa  a  ^ar  without  e|id.^    tte 


374 


THE  MODERN  REVIEW  FOR  MAY,  1«53 


Viet-Minh  under  the  leadership  of  Dr.  Ho  Chi  Minh 
18  the  spearhead  of  this  anti-Frenoh  and  anti-imperia. 
list  strugsle. 

France  missed  the  bus  in  South-E^ast  Asia.  She  had 
a  chance — ^none  too  bright,  however, — of  reaching  a 
settlement  immediately  after  the  war.  The  Communist 
element  within  the  Viet-Minh  was  not  then  all- 
powerful.  The  Nationalist  groups  were  ready  and  able 
to  lead  the  coimtry  towards  democratic  self-government. 
But  France  suppressed  them.  The  Nationalist  elements 
in  despair  went  underground  or  joined  the  ranks  of 
the  Communists.  The  results  have  been  disastrous  for 
the  French.  When  the  French-sponsored  State  of  Viet- 
Nam  was  ushered  into  existence  in  December,  1960, 
with  ex-Emperor  Bao  Dai  as  the  head  of  the  State, 
there  was  little  talent  to  call  on. 

The  war  in  Indo-China  has  been  pretty  expensive 
for  France.  More  than  30,000  French  soldiers  have  been 
killed  and  missing  and  about  60,000  wounded.  Viet- 
Nam  has  suffered  an  additional  30,000  killed 
and  wotmded.  The  Viet-Minh  casualties  according 
to  the  French;  are  220,000  killed  and  about 
400,000  wounded.  The  French  further  claim  to  have 
captured  230,000  prisoners  of  war.  Yet  the  end  of  the 
conflict  seems  to  be  as  remote  as  ever. 

More  than  25  per  cent  of  France's  military 
budget  for  1053  is  ear-marked  for  Indo-China.  About 
12  divisions  of  French  Union  troops — ^France  has 
another  12  divisions  in  Europe — and  1  aircraft-carrier 
— ^France  has  only  2— are  tied  down  in  Indo-China. 
About  16  squadrons  of  French  aircraft— France  has 
45  squadrons  in  all — are  in  combat  in  Indo-China  and 
on  duty  in  North  Africa.  The  weeping  eczema  in 
Indo-China  has  thus  dangerously  weakened  France  in 
Europe.  The  French  are  inextricably  caught  in  Indo- 
China  like  the  Americans  in  Korea.  Half  of  Indo- 
China  has  already  fallen  to  the  Viet-Minh.  The 
French  still  hold  Hanoi,  the  Red  River  Delta,  a  few 
ports  on  the  coast,  Saigon  and  certain  parts  of  Laos 
and  Cambodia.  A  French  army  officer  remarked 
recently  : 

"Even  the  Thai  country,  one  of  the  most  loyal 
areas,  is  being  overrun.  And  there  ia  little  we  can 
do  about  it!* 
The  last  sentence  is  a  frank  confession     of    the 

utter  hopelessness  of  the  French  position. 

If  the  Frenoh  position  in  Indo-China  is  desperate, 
that  of  the  English  in  Malaya  is  not  a  very  hopeful 
one. 

Romantic  Malasra  1  Time  and  again  has  it  played 
a  significant  role  on  the  stage  of  world-history.  In 
6,000  B.C.,  the  ancestors  of  the  modem  Papuans  and 
Australian  aborigines  went  to  Papua  and  Australia 
by  way  of  Malaya.  The  ancestors  of  the  modern 
Malayans  poured  into  the  peninsula  from  Yunnan  in 
China  in  2,000  B.C.  They  spread  over  Sumatra,  Java 
and  other  places  in  Greater  India  later  on.  In 
historical  timet  the  Buddhist  fiftiri  Vijayia  Empire 
m^tshH4  M  MipM  M  iidrthem  Malaya  aad  oob* 


trolled  therefrom  the  Straits  of  Malacca.  The  glory 
of  Shri  Vijaya  was  laid  low  by  the  Hindu  Majapahit 
Eknpire  of  Java  in  the  14th  century.  Hinduism  was 
the  national  religion  of  Malaya  till  the  I5th  centuiy 
when  it  was  supplanted  by  Islam,  which  has  remained 
the  predominant  national  religion  till  today. 

Malaya's  connection  with  her  present  rulen 
dates  back  to  the  dose  of  the  I8th  century  wh^ 
Francis  Light,  an  English  ship  captain,  obtained  the 
lease  of  Pennang  from  the  Sultan  of  Kedah.  This  wu 
but  the  proverbial  thin  end  of  the  wedge  and  step  by 
step,  slowly  but  surely,  Malaya  became  a  British 
colony.  At  the  time  of  the  outbreak  of  the  last  war 
Malaya  was  divided  into  (a)  the  Straits  Settlements 
including  Singapore,  Pennang,  Malacca,  Nanning  and 
Province  Wellesley  ;  (b)  the  four  Federated  Malaya 
States,  viz.,  Perak.  Selangor,  Negri-Sembilan  and 
Pahang;  and  (c)  the  five  Unfederated  Malaya  States, 
vis.,  Johore,  Kedah,  Eelantan,  Trenggannu  and  Perlis. 

Malaya  was  invaded  by  Japan  on  December  8» 
^941.  By  January  31,  1942,  the  British  troops  hid 
retreated  to  Singapore,  which  capitiilated  two  weeks 
later  (February  15).  Malaya  passed  under  Japanese 
occupation.  It  was  re-conquered  by  the  Allies  in  194S. 
England  now  proposed  to  set  up  a  Union  of  Malaya 
which  was  to  comprise  the  whole  of  Malaya  with  the 
exception  of  Singapore.  All  powers  enjoyed  by  the 
Sultans  of  Perak,  Selangor,  Negri-Sembilan,  Pahang, 
Johore,  Kedah,  Kelantan  and  Trenggannu  and  Perlis 
were  to  be  abolished.  There  was  no  mdication  of  any 
desire  on  the  part  of  Britain  to  transfer  power  to  t& 
people. 

The  proposed  Union  was  vigorously  attacked  ia 
England— within  Parliament  and  without^-as  well  as 
in  Malaya.  An  open  letter  published  in  the  London 
Timti  under  the  signature  of  17  high  officials  retired 
from  Malaya,  and  an  ex-Chief  Justice  and  4  ex- 
Governors  of  the  Colony  condemned  the  plan  as  *an 
instrument  for  the  annexation  of  the  Malaya  States^ 
formulated  "without  regard  to  democratic  principles.* 
In  Malaya,  the  Mala3rans  registered  their  protest 
against  the  proposed  Union  by  wearing  mourning  for 
a  week.  The  Malayan  Nationalist  Party  and  the 
organised  labourers  launched  a  vigorous  campaifp 
against  it.  White  Hall  gave  way.  A  mixed  enquiiy 
committee  composed  of  officials  and  Malayan  repi^ 
sentatives  was  commissioned  to  draft  a  new  constitu- 
tion for  Malaya.  The  committee  recommended  the 
formation  of  a  Federation  of  Malaya  and  the  reten- 
tion  of  Singapore  as  a  separate  administrative  unit 
llie  Federation  of  Malaya  was  inaugurated  on 
February  1,  1048.  A  British  High  Commissioner  is  the 
chief  executive  of  the  Federation.  He  is  aided  by  aa 
Executive  Council  of  official  as  well  as  non-offictsl 
members.  Singapore  is  outside  the  Federation. 

The  constitutional  reform  falls  far  short  of 
Malayan  national  aspirations.  The  oonseqiient  ^ 
eontsot  hat  found  mpiBMteft  h  tht  tmmitk  idMl|« 


mJMANITYON  THEMARCaS 


S7S 


16  ao-caOed  Cooammbt  ba&ditB,  miMtly  mmnb^rB 
le  Malasran  People's  Anti-Jap  Anny  CMPAJP.) 
lised  during  the  last  war.  The  Chinese  were  th^ 

objects  of  oppression  during  the  Japanese  occu* 
n  of  Malaya.  In  consequence  they  formed     the 

of  M.P.A.J.A.  The  majority  of  them  wera 
tnunists.  The  M.P.A.J.A.  were  liberally  assisted 
tie  South-East  Asia  Command    (S.E.A.C.)   with 

weapons  and  ammunition.  They  fought  th*^ 
lese  in  the  hope  that  an  Allied  victory  would  be 
^ed  by  democracy  and  self-government.  It  has 
unfortunately.  The  progressive  nationalist  and 
nunist  elements  therefore  took  up  arms  against 
Federal  Government.  The  insurrection,  which 
;d  in  June,  1948,  is  now  more  than  5  years  old. 
activities  of  the  insurgents  are  marked  by  ban- 

and  acts  of  terrorism  directed  against  the  white 
ers  and  other  supporters  and  collaborators  of 
jrovernment.  They  demand  democracy  in  and 
ation  of  Malaya.  The  rebels,  according  to 
il  estimates,  do  not  number  more  than  a  few 
and.  But  the  fact  that  they  are  holding  out  for 

than  5  years  against  the  limitless  resources  of 
[Jnited  Kingdom  supplemented  by  those  of  the 
A.  proves,  if  it  proves  anything  at  all,  that 
*  the  official  figures  are  inaccurate  or  that  the 
yan  people,  a  considerable  section  of  them  at 
rate,  are  behind  the  insurgents. 

Lecent  advices  seem  to  indicate  that  the  situa- 
in  Malaya  has  been  steadily  improving.  But  at 
cost  7  A  despatch  from  Singapore  dated  March 
953,  says  that  a  total  of  714  Indian  inhabitants 
alaya  and  their  1038  dependants  have  been  re- 
ited  to  India  eince  the  declaration  of  the 
;ency  in  July,  1948.  It  reports  further  that  under 
;ency  regulations  the  Malayan  Government  had 
.  into  custody  29,828  persons  of  all  races  of 
I  26,618  had  been  released  or  repatriated.  The 
number  includes  24,000  Chinese,  129  Indo- 
is  and  12  Ceylonese.  The  Federal  Government 
[alaya  maintained  at  the  time  7  detention  and  3 
•ilitation  camps  at  an  annual  cost  of  six  million 
s  dollars  (about  £780,000).  We  wish  the  despatch 
;iven  an  idea  of  the  loss  of  life  and  property  on 
sides  ! 

Ln  awakened  people  cannot  be  held  down 
st  its  will  for  all  time  to  come.  Malaya  is  awake. 
)ower  on  earth  can  possibly  stop  its  onwacd 
1  to  the  goal  of  freedom  and  democracy, 
f  Great  Britain  has  her  hands  full  in  South- 
Asia,  she  has  then  equally  so  in  East  Africa. 
Mau  Mau  disorders  in  Kenya  Colony  have 
led  alarming  proportions.  A  state  of  emergency 
>een  declared  in  Kenya  in  the  third  week  of 
)er,  1952.  British  troops  have  been  rushed  to 
*e  order  and  the  Governor  has  been  armed  with 
)rdinary  powers.  . . .  ' 

Mau  Mau  ditordar  is  Keayik's  reply  to    ths 


white  niMtear'B  shctVcighled  and  •Uig>«B*pd  ''No, 
No"  to  ^11  ^er  legiUmato  demands.  It  has  been  desv 
cribed  as  a  secret  society  of  the  Kikuyu,  politically 
most  mature  and  conscious  of  the  Kenya  Africans. 
By  and  large,  the  Mau  Mau  is  a  political  movement 
like  any  in  history.  This,  together  with  "some  other 
less  active  secret  organisations"  are,  according  to  the 
special  correspondent  of  the  London  Times  in  Nairobi, 
''offshoots"  of  Kikuyu  Central  Association  founded 
about  30  years  ago  '*to  advance  political  aims  and  to 
exploit  of  the  land-hunger  of  the  tribe."  The  Asso- 
ciation was  proscribed  on  the  outbreak  of  the  war  in 
1939  for  its  alleged  ''anti-British  and  anti-Oovemment 
activities."  According  to  the  above  correspondent, 
the  Mau  Mau  is  the  secret  wing  of  the  Kenya 
African  Union  which  "conducts  a  campaign  above 
ground  for '  political  power  and  authority."  The  mem- 
bers of  the  ^nion  are  mainly  liberal  xiationalists. 

The  Mau  Mau  activities  are  essentially  the  pro- 
test of  the  suppressed  African  humanity  against  racial 
and  economic  discrimination  and  "in  support  of 
equal  rights  for  Africans."  The  movement  is  un- 
doubtedly a  violent  one  and  has  certain  characteristic 
features  "the  roots  of  which  lie  deep  in  the  culture  of 
Africa."  But  it  is  certainly  not  more  violent  than 
most  of  the  freedom  movements  known  to  history. 

The  Mau  Mau  owes  its  origin  to  causes  political 
as  well  as  economic.  For  one  thing,  since  the  Euro- 
peans began  to  settle  in  Kenya  at  the  turn  of  the 
current  century,  Kenya  "has  experienced  the  worst 
kind  of  raw  imperialism."  For  another,  governmental 
efforts  to  make  life  more  worth-living  for  the  Africans 
have  been  "too  little  and  too  late." 

Kenya's  mixed  population  is  composed  of  38,000 
Europeans,  123,000  Indians,  24,000  Arabs  and  5,450,000 
Africans.  The  first  are  economically  far  better  off 
than  the  others.  All  of  them  are  not  well  off,  however. 
But  the  2,000  European  farmers  live  well  and  judged 
by  African  standards,  even  luxuriously.  Most  of  the 
land  in  Kenya  was  held  in  common  by  the  native 
tribes  before  the  arrival  of  the  Europeans.  The  pro- 
tectorate of  Kenya  was  established  id  1895.  All  land 
was  declared  to  be  government-owned.  Land  was  thus 
taken  away  from  the  children  of  the  soil  and  they 
were  deprived  of  their  only  means  of  livelihood. 
They  got  nothing  in  return,  except  for  buildings  and 
standing  crops  in  certain  cases.  The  European  settlers 
possessed  themselves  of  16,700  square  miles  of  the 
most  fertile  tract  in  Kenya.  The  native  Africans,  to 
whom  this  extensive  area  belongs  by  all  accepted 
canons  of  justice,  equity  and  morality,  are  not  allowed 
to  own  land  in  it  and  the  poorer  soil  left  to  them  is 
wholly  inadequate  for  their  sustenance. 

The  Kenya  African  is  as  helpless  politically  as 
he  is  economically.  He  counts  no  more  in  the 
Colony's  political  life  than  in  the  economic.  38,000 
Engiiah  settkm  ^eoi  42  out  of  56,  t.c.^  75  per  cent  of 
th«  xnambcn  of  the  Colony's  Legislative  CoundL  Th« 


376 


THE  MODERN  REVIEW  FOR  MAY.  1953 


Africans,  who  oonstitute  neaiiy  9J-  per  ^  oeat  of  th« 
population,  have  on]y  6,  (i.e^  leiB  than  11  per  cent) 
representatives  I  The  African  has  no  vote.  His  repre- 
sentatives (!)  are  selected  by  the  European  settlers 
through  the  British  Governor.  Offences  against  whites 
by  blacks  are  far  more  drastically  dealt  with  than 
those  by  whites  against  blacks.  Forced  labour  existed 
till  1946.  A  ten-year  development  plan  outlined  in 
1946  was  so  halting  that  even  the  Economist,  no 
friend  of  the  colonial  peoples,  was  constrained  to 
remark  : 

''If  the  plan  is  carried  out  as  it  stands  there 
is  little  prospect  for  the  Africans  of  a  reasonable 
ration  of  that  most  essential  of  all  commodities — 
hoi>e."— 'Economist,  August  24,   1946. 

The  colonial  office  inaugurated  some  time  back 
a  long-range  scheme  for  improved  African  education 
with  plans  for  three  training  centres  for  African 
women  teachers.  To  be  effective  all  such  efforts  should 
have  been  made  25  years  ago,  if  not  earlier. 

Little  wonder  that  the  repressed  and  tormented 
humanity  of  Africa  is  trying  to  hit  back  and  to  hit 
as  hard  as  it  can.  The  Mau  Mau  disorder  is  but  a 
flame  of  the  mighty  conflagration  that  threatens  to 
engulf  the  whole  of  Africa — East,  North  and  South. 

The  prospects  are  dismal  and  depressing  in 
Kenya.  The  following  eye*witnes8  account  speaks  for 
itself: 

''A  foretaste  of  thig  (Briti^  Settler)  raj  is  the 
complete  banning  of  meetings  and  the  suppreanon 
of  the  vernacular  press  to  prevent  the  Kenya 
Africans  from  canying  their  message  of  non- 
violence to  the  masses.  The  situation  in  Kenya  is 
deplorable  and  shocking.  Violence  .  .  .  has  now 
given  rise  to  a  situation  which  is  so  shocking  that 
terpor  has  been  let  loose  on  the  guilty  and  ttie 
innocent  alike." 

An  ordinance  authorises  English  settlers  to  shoot 
an  African  at  sight.  According  to  the  above  eye- 
witness, shootings  of  Africans  by  the  settlers  are  daily 
occurrences,  the  usual  pretext  being  that  the  men 
shot  at  did  not  halt  when  asked  to  do  so  or  that  they 
were  trying  to  run  away.  No  magisterial  or  judicial 
trials  are  held  against  whites  who  shoot  and  kill 
Africans  "and  there  are  never  any  questions  asked 
either."  Laws  are  made  and  unmade  by  fiats  of  the 
Governor.  The  Evidence  Act  has  been  changed.  A 
statement  made  by  an  unnamed  witness  is  very  often 
considered  to  be  valid  in  a  criminal  trial. 

The  Mau  Mau  activities  are  the  beginning  of  a 
genuine  revolution  in  East  Africa.  Her  Britannic 
Majesty^s  Government  should  bear  in  mind  that  a 
people,  however  docile  and  peaceful,  cannot  be 
indefinitely  held  down  in  subjection,  nay,  not  even 
through  the  most  barbarous  repressive  measures. 
They  will  do  well  to  remember,  and  remember  in  their 
own  interest,  that  confidenee  in  the  honesty,  cfficiencT^ 


lair-xnipdedneee .  and  strength  of  the  ruleiB  je  tU 
principal  bulwark  of  any  government — alien  or  otho^ 
wise.  Consent  and  co-operation,  not  ooercion,  is  the 
real  baais  of  the  State.  The. gods  of  White  Hall  mutt 
awake  to  the  realities  of  the  situation.  They  mittfc 
reconcile  themselves  to  a  reversal  of  values  that 
confronts. the  white  man  in  Asia  and  Africa. 

North  Africa  too  is  in  ferment.  The  Frendi 
Union  has  a  rather  hot  time  in  that  part  of  the  Daik 
Continent.  France  has  reacted  to  the  rising  tide  of 
unrest  there  with  severe  repressive  measures.  She 
replied  to  the  Casablanca  riots  in  Morocco  last  year 
with  mass-arrests,  when  the  whole  ''general  stafr*  of 
the  'Istiqlal'  (Nationalist  Front)  was  rounded  up. 
But  repression  is  no  solution  of  popular  discontent, 
which  is  only  driven  underground  by  repressive 
measures.  The  situation  seems  to  be  rapidly  going  out 
of  control  in  Tunisia  too  where  "everybody  is  a 
Destourian  (the  Nationalist  Party  of  Tunisia)  or 
else  ready  to  become  one."  France  has  sought  to 
pacify  Tunisia  by  too  little  conces^ons  and  too  late. 
Britain's  experience  in  India  should  have  been  an 
eye-opener  to  colonial  powers  everjrwhere.  It  has  not 
Morocco  resents  French  rule  as  much  as  the  steadiljr 
increasing  number  of  French  settlers  in  Morocco.  The 
following  figures  are  revealing.  Till  1939,  French 
settlers  in  Morocco  numbered  iOO.OOO.  They  were 
305,(X)0  in  1946  and  more  than  400,000  in  1950.  the 
number  has  doubled  in  a  decade  1  Does  France  seek 
to  convert  Morocco— and  more— into  %  Freneli 
Australia?  The  suspicion  might  not  be  altogether 
unfounded. 

The  down-trodden  humanity  black  and  bnnm— 
of  the  Union  of  South  Africa  too  has  turned  against 
its  white  tormentors.  The  best— should  we  say  the 
worst?— efforts  of  Dr.  D.  F.  Malan's  Nationalist 
Crovemment  have  failed  to  crush  it.  The  non-violeot 
struggle  of  the  Africans  and  the  Indians  in  South 
Africa  has  forged  a  bond  of  union  among  the  noa- 
whites  of  the  Union.  They  are  united  today  as  thev 
have  been  never  before.  A  final  show-down  betwe^ 
the  rulers  and  the  ruled  is  not  far  off. 

The  conflicts  in  Viet-Nam,  Malaya,  East  Africa, 
North  Africa  and  South  Africa  are  not  to  be  regarded 
as  stray,  isolated  incidents.  A  common  string  lUDS 
through  them  all.  They  are  important  and  si^iificsot 
episodes  in  the  super-drama  of  our  epoch— the 
struggle  for  human  emancipation — ^which  is  steadily 
mounting  to  a  climax.  The  sands  of  time  are  fast 
running  out.  The  long-suffering  millions  of  Asia  and 
Africa  are  on  the  march.  Frederick  Lee  rightly 
points  out  in  The  Signs  of  the  Tknes  : 

"They  hardly  know  where  they  are  going,  h«* 
they  are  fully  determined  to  be  on  thc^  way  ia 
one  direction  or  another.  Their  eenses  have  made 
them  dissatisfied  t^rith  things  as  they  are  and  ha^ 
been." 
'  li  ]       .  .    _  '  .••■.-         .^  .'      .  .  .  • 


SPAIN  TODAY 


Bt  MADAN  GOPAL  GUPTA,  m.a.. 
Lecturer  in  PoUdcs,  Allahabad  UniverMity 


With  194^32  sq.  miles  of  area  and  a  little  more  than  28 
millions  of  population,  Spain  occupies  a  considerably 
important  position  in  the  global  strategy  at  the  present 
juncture.  This  strategic  importance  of  the  Spanish 
peninsula  was  amply  illustrated  by  the  keen  interest  which 
Italy,  Germany,  France,  Britain  and  the  U.S.S.R.  took 
in  the  Spanish  Civil  War  which  served  as  a  prelude  to 
the  Second  World  War  ;  and  by  the  interest  which  the 
Western  powers  more  particularly  the  United  States  have 
taken  in  the  issue  of  Spain's  admission  into  the  United 
Nations,  after  1945w  The  U.S.  policy  since  that  year 
may  broadly  be  said  to  have  been  one  of  containment  of 
G>mmunism  at  home  and  abroad.  That  explains  the 
Marshall  Plan,  the  Truman  Doctrine,  and  the  Atlantic 
Pact  and  the  subsequent  Nato.  That  also  explains  the 
keen  interest  which  the  USA  has  shown  in  all  key  areas. 
For  the  defence  of  Europe,  the  U.S.  interest  in  the  con- 
trol of  Gibraltar  is  understandable  and  the  e£Fective  con- 
trol of  Gibraltar  in  the  American  calculations  involves 
much  more  than  the  British  base  on  the  Rock  itself.  It 
implies,  that  is,  that  Spain,  Spanish  Morocco  and  French 
North  Africa  should  be  friendly.  That  explains  the  vital 
importance  of  Spain  in  the  West  European  citadeL 

But  will  Spain  fit  in  what  is  glibly  called  the  *Tree 
World"  ?  The  problem  before  the  American  statesman- 
thip  is  one  of  reconciliation  between  the  United  Nationft 
obligations  and  the  dislike  of  Franco  dictatorship  on  the 
one  side  and  security  interests  in  the  containment  of 
Communism  on  the  other.  But  in  the  attempt  to  recon- 
cile them  the  'Tree  World''  Ia  thoroughly  exposed.  What 
then  is  "Spain  today"? 

Spain  Today  is  Franco's  Spain.  The  Spanish  state 
was  formally  established  by  General  Franco's  victory  on 
Ist  April,  1939.  On  3l6t  March,  1947,  General  Franco 
announced  that  Spain  is  to  become  a  monarchy  vrith  a 
regency  Council  and  himself  as  the  Head  of  the  State. 
On  July  6,  1947,  this  was  approved  by  a  Referendum  in 
which  out  of  a  total  of  17  million  voters  more  than  14 
millions  voted  for  it.  But  this  does  not  mean  that  the 
General  is  popular.  In  fact  the  important  difiFerence  be- 
tween Franco  and  Mussolini  or  Hitler  is  just  this  :  the 
Duce  and  the  Fuhrer  were  popular  with  their  people. 
Franco  is  not.  For  instance  in  1945  it  was  estimated  by 
foreign  diplomats  that  over  85%  of  the  Spanish  people 
were  against  his  regime.  The  truth  is  that  Franco 
governs  by  the  use  of  political  bribery,  terror  and  the 
policy  of  thorough  suppression  of  all  opposition.  The 
basis  of  his  supremacy  is  a  negative  coalition  of  divergent 
elements — ^the  Falange  Party,  the  military,  the  clergy, 
and  some  landowners,  and  industrialists.  They  are 
bound  together  not  because  they  have  common  interests 
bmicd  on  a  common  fascist  programme.  They  all  are 
boutid  together  by  their  oommon  fear  of  popular  npiis* 
l&f  a94  tba  lom.ot  tli«lr  pdiUtftn  m4  tmrftrt    Im  i 


letter  dated  Jan.  19,  1950  the  U.S.  Secretary  of  State, 
Dean  Acheson  writing  to  Chairman  Connolly  of  the 
Senate  Foreign  Relations  Committee,  said  that  *'the 
internal  position  of  the  present  regime  in  Spain  is  strong 
and  enjoys  the  support  of  many,  who  although  they  might 
prefei)  another  form  of  Government  or  Chief  of  State, 
fear  that  chaos  and  civil  strife  would  follow  a  move  to 
overthrow  the  government."  Thus  we  may  conclude  that 
his  power  rests  upon  a  coalition  of  the  elements  that  com- 
prise the  15  or  20%  of  the  population.  Let  us  analyse 
the  character  of  the  elements  which  form  the  basis  of  hi9 
power. 

The  most  important  is  the  Falange  which  is  Spain's 
only  legal  political  party  and  is  without  doubt  fascist  in 
methods  and  organization.  It  was  on  19th  April,  1937 
that  the  various  political  groups  in  the  Nationalist  Move- 
ment were  united  by  Franco  into  one  single  political  party 
— the  Falange.  The  single  party  is  ruled  by  a  National 
Council  composed  of  100  members,  and  has  about  100,000 
paid  officials  "ranging  from  the  heads  of  Spain's  syndi- 
cates and  the  Qvil  Governors  of  the  provinces,  to  secret 
agents  and  gangs  of  uniformed  ruffians,  paid  to  maintain 
order  and  terrorize  resistant  elements  of  the  population.** 
This  party  has  been  called  ''a  carbon  copy  of  Hitler's 
Nazis."  And  what  are  the  sources  of  income  of  this  single 
political  party? 

Apart  from  an  annual  state  subsidy  to  the  tune  of 
more  than  20,000,000  dollars  the  party  receives  huge 
amounts  from  the  people  in  the  form  of  tributes.  Every 
business  firm,  every  industrial  labourer  and  every  peasant 
has  to  pay  to  the  party  funds,  and  people  are  obligedt 
by  law  to  work  without  pay  for  the  party.  This  is 
counted  as  **social  service."  And  all  jobs  in  the  State  are 
controlled  by  the  party  with  the  result  that  worst  corrup- 
tion prevails  with  the  government.  Indeed  according  to 
an  American  commentator  : 

"The  country  today  is  gripped  by  a  parasitical 
bureaucracy  so  corrupt  as  to  make  our  spoils  system 
and  local  political  machine  appear  saintly  in  compa- 


»» 


ri'on 

Further,  this  Falange  have  also  organized  the  stu- 
dents in  what  is  called  the  "Youth  Front"  and  their  regu- 
lar seminars  are  held  where  the  virtues  of  totalitarianism 
and  the  decadence  and  vices  of  ''liberal  democracy*'  id 
taught.  The  ranks  of  the  Falange,  th*en  provide  the  most 
important  source  of  strength  to  Franco. 

The  basis* of  state  being  fear,  army  plays  a  dominant 
role  in  the  actual  working  of  the  Spanish  state.  The 
budget  as  reported  in  the  New  York  Times  dated  Jan.  3, 
1951,  indicated  that  well  over  50%  of  the  total  expendi- 
tures of  the  State  annually  go  to  defense.  The  Budget 
for  1952  provided  7,401,677^91  pesetas  for  the  army, 
navy  and  air  force  Le^  32.5%  of  the  total  ordinary 
budget*  This  is  in  addition  to  standing  militia  (territo* 
Hal  amy)  wldoh  emmm^  U^^  ^  "^  ^it^i^awtt  \ni^^a»fe^ 


878 


THE  MODERN  RSVIEW  FOR  MAT»  Un 


Tbus  tlie  total  eipendltnre  oo  defease  in  Spain  oMnei  te 
57%  of  the  budget.  But  defense  against  wliom  ?  Where 
la  the  external  threat  ?  And  since  it  does  not  exist,  the 
army  is  used  for  the  ruthless  suppression  of  democratia 
movements  within  and  the  whole  structure  rests  on  heapa 
of  jealousy,  fear,  hatred  and  war  hysteria.  The  Spanish 
army  is  the  largest  army  in  Europe,  outside  Russia  and 
Yugoslavia.  There  are  19  divisions  including  one 
armoured  division  and  one  independent  cavalry  division 
in  Spain.  In  addition  to  these  there  are  independent 
cavalry  brigades  in  Morocco.  This  huge  army,  nearly 
double  that  of  France  and  treble  that  of  Italy,  has  20,000 
Generals  and  Officers,  one  for  every  20  soldiers.  In 
addition  to  this  huge  army,  there  is  the  navy  of  a  consi- 
derable size  and  an  independent  airforce. 

The  rank  and  file  of  the  army  and  navy  have  republi- 
can sympathies,  although  the  elder  Generals  are  monar- 
ichists  while  the  younger  officers  are  Falangists.  The 
Generals  therefore  are  often  reported  to  be  in  conspiracy 
against  Franco  to  enthrone  Don  Juan.  Thus  the  Army 
and  ihe  Falange  are  jealous  of  each  other.  Realizing  the 
Army's  power  and  the  loyalty  of  the  Falange,  Franco  has 
used  the  latter  as  a  check  upon  the  former  and  has  wisely 
maintained  and  strengthened  the  Falange.  Althougfci 
the  Falangist  militia  was  formally  dissolved  on  20th  Decem- 
her,  1943  General  Franco  is  constanty  arming  the  loyal 
members  of  the  Falange.  But  though  Franco  rather 
depends  upon  the  Falange  for  his  powers,  and  distrusts 
the  army,  and  the  army  in  its  turn  has  contempt  for  the 
Fascist  Party,  yet  the  officers  generally  support  Franca 
because  he  has  given  them  a  vital  position  in  the  country's 
economy.  In  the  Hispanic  Aderican  Report^  Vol.  Ill,  No. 
3  of  March  1950,  p.  4  (a  monthly  review  published  under 
the  Direction  of  Ronald  Hilton  by  Stanford  University)  it 
is  pointed  out  that  army  officials  now  control  public  works, 
banks,  entertainments  and  many  basic  occupations  iUf 
Spain's  economy.  A  second  reason  why  the  army  gener- 
ally supports  Franco  is  their  fear  that  the  moment  the 
terroristic  regime  of  the  Falange  and  Franco  is  gone, 
there  shall  be  a  popular  up-surge  which  will  sweep  off 
the  Franco  order  lock,  stock  and  barrel. 

The  third  basis  of  the  power  of  Franco  is  the  Church. 
Franco  himself  is  a  devout  Catholic  and  most  of  the 
Spanish  too  belong  to  the  same  faith.  The  Church  stands 
against  all  progressive  movements  and  is  a  hot-bed  of 
reaction  and  opportunism.  From  1936  to  1945  the 
Spanish  clergy  was  solidly  behind  Franco.  But  in  1945  • 
they  expected,  that '  the  Allies  having  defeated  the  Axiti 
Powers  would  crush  the  Fascist*  regime  of  Franco  as  weD. 
So  the  Church  now  made  some  attempt  to  dissociate  itself 
from  Franco  in  the  hope  that  it  could  escape  the  people's 
vengeance  if  Franco  is  ousted.  For  instance  during  the 
series  of  General  Strikes  that  occurred  throughout 
Northern  Spain  in  the  spring  of  1951,  priests  were  report- 
ed to  have  given  open  support  to  the  strikers.  The 
Catholic  workers'  weekly,  To,  was  suspended  for  approv- 
i4y  ibtf  Barcelona  strike^  But  this  should  not  be  taken 
a^  4Mcti  .mmr  lore  betwem  the  Gkttneh  and  the  peopWs 


...It..  This  la  ibear  eppoftunlam  on  the  ptrt  of  Ai 

Church.  Recently  in  January  1952,  Franco  appointed  aoae 
Catholic  advisers  to  advise  him  in  varlona  econonio 
matters. 

A  fourth  source  of  Franco's  support  cornea  from  dis 
landowner!  whose  titles  and  privileges  are  fully  guaranr 
teed  and  whose  grip  on  the  land  and  on  the  peasant  is 
fully  secure.  They  support  Franco  probably  not  so  nmch 
because  they  are  Fascists  as  because  they  fear  that  if 
Franco  goes,  they  may  follow.  Probably  they  would  haie 
supported  Constitutional  monarchy  but  they  knew  that 
such  a  system  involving  such  nuisance  as  open*  electioDs 
could  lead  to  a  return  of  the  Left  to  power  and  the  conse- 
quent loss  of  their  privileges  and  power.  As  with  the 
landowners,  so  with  the  industrialists  and  commercial 
classes.  Although  they  would  like  to  reform  the  govern- 
ment, they  on  the  whole  support  Franco  under  whom 
"their  profits  have  quadrupled,  while  the  Falange  keeps 
the  workers  in  his  place,  insures  low  wages,  and  prevents 
strikes  and  Unions."  This  will  be  clear  by  a  brief  des- 
cription of  the  economic  organization. 

The  economic  policy  centres  round  vertical  Symdl- 
cates  or  Trade  Unions,  established  under  the  Charter  «l 
Labour  by  the  law  of  8th  August,  1939.  This  law  substi- 
tuted the  local  and  provincial  Syndicates  of  pre-war  dayii 
By  another  law  of  23rd  June,  1941,  these  Syndicates  wees 
classified  in  26  branches  o£  production,  each  working 
within  its  own  respective  economic  sphere.  In  these 
branches  there  is  no  place  for  the  individuaL  The  indtvi- 
dual  is  replaced  by  the  producing  concern  as  a  wholes 
made  up  of  the  capitalists,  managers,  experts  and  ths 
kbour.  The  vertical  syndicate  is  invested  with  authority 
and  hierarchy  and  the  appointments  made  from  top  Is 
bottom.  At  the  top  stands  the  -National  Delegate  of 
Syndicates,  who  is  responsible  for  his  conduct  to  tfas 
Minister  who  appoints  him.  Production,  wagea»  pnoei^ 
and  the  distribution  of  domestic  and  foreign  goods  aif 
strictly  controlled.  No  new  industries  can  be  established 
without  the  Government  permission.  ! 

In  this  economic  structure,  what  is  the  condition  «f 
the  masses  ?  Here '  we  shall  see  the  depth  and  scope  «f 
the  people's  movement  in  Spain.  Fear  being  the  bssb 
of  the  state,  the  Spanish  upper  classes  which  constitols 
about  20%  of  the  population  have  only  dread  and  con* 
tempt  for  the  masses.  The  average  per  cainta  incoas 
in  Spain  is  about  one  rupee  and  annas  eight  per  day  tf 
120  dollars  a  year.  A  Farm  worker  to  buy  two  loaves  of 
black  bread,  with  which  he  must  feed  a  large  fanulyff 
will  have  to  spend  a  full  daily  wage.  The  urban  woikcfi^ 
per  capita  income  is  about  one  rupee  ten  annas  but  black 
market  prices  keep  him  in  a  constant  state  of  povotf, 
and  since  the  war  there  often  has  been  employment  odj^ 
3  or  4  days  a  week  due  to  the  power  shortage  and  disni^ 
tion  of  the  economy.  An  average  derk  used  to  cant 
about  20  dollars  or  200  pesetas  a  month  during  the! 
World  War  and  there  baa  been  no  improvement 
then.  In  January  1952,  a  man's  anita'  ooatwaa 
800  pesttaa  or  80  doUtfi.  n  eheap  firir  of  ahoan  dboM  IS 


fltAHJ  tOl>AV 


m 


dollars,  eggir  3  dollars  a  dozen.  Since  1945  wages  have 
increased  (and  this  is  according  tof  the  official  figured 
whose  veracity  may  be  challenged)  300%  while  pricesl 
during  the  same  period  have  gone  up  by  7009(>.  In  thisf 
background  all  schemes  of  social  welfare  do  not  reliere 
the  gkom  of  the  worker.  A  decree  published  on  28th 
December,  1948  extended  relief  as  family  subsidy,  old  age 
pensions  and  health  and  maternity  insurances  in  which 
workers  contribute  S%  and  employers  13%.  Wh^ 
acttially  happens  is  that  out  of  their  meagre  daily  wages 
the  workers  have  to  place  5%  at  the  mercy  of  their 
merciless  employers  and  they  release  the  amount  if  the 
workers  have  behaved  well.  Whereas  during  the  war 
women  and  children  were  employed,  with  the  end  of  the 
war,  the  boom  collapsed  and  the  cessation  of  the  German 
purchases  broke  the  Spanish  economy.  Secondly,  one 
of  the  worst  droughts  in  Spain's  history  has  caused  a 
•evere  shortage  of  electric  power.  Since  1945  it  has 
been  reduced  by  40%.  In  1950  Madrid's  factories  were 
reduced  to  a  nine-hour  week  and  hydroelectric  reserves 
were  down  to  less  than  5%  of  capacity^  because  electri- 
city was  provided  only  3  or  4  days  a  week  and  even  when! 
it  was  provided,  it  is  generally  cut  off  during  certain 
hours  to  ease  the  k>ad.  The  city  of  Malaga  suffered  from 
joch  an  acute  power  shortage  that  it  has  been  obliged 
to  rent  an  Italian  ship  to  generate  electricity  for  the  city. 

Thus  industries  and  small  business  vidiich  depend 
heavily  on  electric  power  have  been  hit  hard.  But  the 
worker  is  doubly  hit.  He  has  suffered  the  lose  of  half 
of  his  income  because  he  is  paid  by  the  day.  And  he 
suffers  further,  for  inflation  has  steadily  whittled  away 
his  purchasing  power.  From  November  1,  1950  te 
October  31,  1951  alone  prices  have  increased  by  20.8% 
without  any  corresponding  increase  in  the  wages. 

If  the  droughts  have  resulted  in  the  fall  of  electricity, 
they  have  also  led  to  tbe  failing  of  crops  because  of  lack 
of  fertilizers.  In  the  production  of  olive  and  potatoes 
there  has  been  a  fall  of  75%  in  1951.  The  production 
of  oranges  fell  in  1950  by  about  65%  of  what  it  was  in 
1949.  In  1950  it  was  384  metric  tons  while  in  1949  it 
was  872  metric  tons.  Fodder  became  so  scarce  that 
livestock  had  to  be  slaughtered  and  sold  for  meat.  The 
peoples'  miseries  became  wors^when  in  1950  Argentina 
refused  to  continue  wheat  shipments  under  the  FrancO' 
Feron  trade  agreement  of  1946. 

As  with  economics,  so  with  education.  The  entire 
education  is  regulated  by  the  State.  In  1951  about  40% 
of  the  people  just  could  not  read  or  write.  Religious 
teaching  has  been  brought  back  again  to  its  former 
•tanding. 

How  have  the  people  reacted  against  this  cruel  back- 
ground ?  Immediately  after  Franco's  victory  in  the  Gvil 
War,  the  Spanish  people  could  not  organize  following 
poverty,  sickness  of  war  and  diulhisionment.  But  dur- 
ing World  War  II  which  the  Spanish  people  viewed 
gs  a  war  of  democracy  against  Fascism,  thm  was  an 
gfidenoo  of  a  graator     democratic     niovement.Ia  1945 

e«t  tm  tnop»  IW  Dimcigtig  .jMiiaMi 


and  the  National  Union.  The  first  group  loosely  organiz- 
ing the  various  factions  of  the  old  Popular  Front  has 
pinned  its  faith  in  the  process  and  cult  of  liberal  Demo* 
cracy  of  the  Western  type.  Its  most  important  ingredient 
is  the  Spanish  Socialist  Party,  which  Is  an  organization 
of  disgruntled  middle  class  elements  and  is  anti-Franco. 
Quite  an  important  section  consists  of  the  opportunist 
clergy.  The  programme  of  the  Democratic  Alliance  in- 
cludes gradual  nationalization  of  key  industries,  equitable 
distribution  of  wealth,  restoration  of  constitutional 
machinery,  land  reforms,  checks  upon  the  political  powei 
of  the  Church,  a  decrease  in  the  size  and  political  influ- 
ence of  the  army.  Representative  Government,  and  its 
activities  consist  mainly  of  publishing  anti-Franco  litera- 
ture; During  the  Second  World  War  it  vigorously  sup- 
ported the  Allies  with  the  pious  hope  that  after  the  Wai 
they  would  oust  Franco  and  instal  them  in  power.  It  is 
strangely  against  the  other  group— the  National  Union. 

The  National  Union  is  the  Communist  group  of 
Spain.  It  contains  50^00  active  members  as  against 
200,000  members  of  the  Democratic  Alliance,  and  is  much 
better  organized  than  the  Democratic  Alliance.  It  main- 
tains a  printing  press,  distributes  considerable  literature 
secretly,  maintains  ito  tie  with  the  Communist  Party  of 
France  and  through  it  with  Russia.  Its  leaders  are  mea 
of  integrity  and  valour  and  are  fine  organizers.  It  has 
wide  mass  contact  although  a  vast  majority  of  the  Spanish 
people,  being  wedded  to  Catholic  faith  distrust  their 
ideology.  The  blunder  of  the  Spanish  National  Union  as 
of  the  Indian  Communist  Party,  it  may  be  suggested,  has 
been  their  failure  to  explain  to  the  people  that 
Communism  is  quite  compatible  with  local  practices  and 
religious  beliefs.  As  it  is,  the  people  only  distrust  the 
Na^nal  Union.  Probably  it  is  precisely  this  distrust 
that'  caused  the  other  Popular  Front  parties  to  reject 
Communist  overtures  for  collaboration  and  unite  instead 
in  the  Democratic  Alliance.  But  where  the  National 
Union  failed,  America  did  the  job,  for  many  Spaniards  have 
turned  in  despair,  from  the  opposition  forces  which  they 
have  come  to  associate  with  the  United  States,  to  the 
Communists.  The  USA,  it  should  not  be  forgotten,  is 
patronizing  the  Franco  regime.  (To  this  we  shall  shortly 
turn).  In  his  letter  to  Chairman  Connolly  of  the 
Senate  Foreign  Relations  Committee,  dated  January  19, 
1950,  Dean  Acheson  said,  **There  is  no  sign  of  an 
alternative  to  the  present  government".  The  Ameripan 
position  can  best  be  understood  by  what  an  underground 
worker  of  the  Democratic  Alliance  said  :  ''For  the  moment 
our  greatest  enemy  is  Franco.  .  .  .  The  allies  of  our 
eaemies  are  our  enemies  too  ....  So  the  questioa 
we  ask  the  Americans  is  this :  Whom  do  they  prefer 
to  have  on  their  side — ^Franco  or  the  Spanish  people  ? 
They  cannot  have  both  ?"  It  can  be  surmised  that  left 
to  themselves  the  Communist  party  will  be  able  to  capture 
a  good  many  seats  in  the  General  Elections.  The  popular 
Movement  in  Spain  has  got  to  be  slow  because  evea 
though  Franco  is  .a  Fasoist  dictator,  the  country. is  npt^ 
Skiaoo^s  asesBdsBflr  Is  ls»  snluniitML  bas  ^^a^L 


38e 


THE  MODERN  REVIEW  f OR  MAY.  1953 


the  esoentialfl  of  the  Spanish  Mciety.  There  has  nerer 
beSen  in  Spain  uriuLi  may  be  called  a  Fascist  Rerolntion 
like  Gennan  or  the  Italian  revolutions.  Thos  the 
traditional  class  stracture  has  been  frozen.  The  sitoationi 
is  more  or  less  Uke  Indian  where  the  political  change 
has  not  touched  the  under-currents  of  society.  It  waif 
different  with  China  where  Chiang's  mismanagement,  the 
presence  of  a  powerful  enemy,  and  the  vastness  of  the 
land  where  pockets  could  be  developed  with  wide  and 
deep  contacts  with  the  people,  could  lead  to  a  speedy 
conquest  by  the  Communists. 

It  has  been  pointed  out  in  the  foregoing  pages  that 
the  US  Government  is  patronizing  the  Franco  regime. 
Immediately  after  the  establishment  of  the  United  Nations 
Organization,  Spain  applied  for  admission.  On  9th  Febru- 
ary 1946,  the  General  Assembly  concluded  that  the  Franco 
Government  of  Spain  was  not  eligible  for  membership. 
On  12th  December,  1946,  the  General  Assembly  in  a 
resolution  recommended  that  '*If  within  a  reasonable  time, 
there  is  not  established  a  government  which  derives  its 
authority  from  the  consent  of  the  governed,  committed 
to  respect  freedom  of  speech,  religion  and  assembly,  and 
to  the  prompt  holding  of  an  election  in  which  the  Spanish 
people  free  from  force  and  intimidation  and  regardless 
of  party,  may  express  their  will,  the  Security  Council 
consider  the  adequate  measures  to  be  taken  in  order  to 
remedy  the  situation"  and  that  ''all  Members  of  the  UN 
immediately  recall  from  Madrid  their  Ambassadors  and 
Ministers  Plenipotentiary  accredited  there.** 

In  November  1947,  as  a  result  of  the  US  manouvres 
the  Assembly  passed  another  resolution  expressiong  con- 
fidence that  the  Security  Council  would  exercise  its  res- 
ponsibilitiea  under  the  Charter  as  soon  as  required  by 
the  situation  in  Spain.  During  the  first  quarter  of  4949 
several  resolutions  were  introduced  but  all  of  them  failed 
for  not  being  supported  by  the  necessary  majority  of  two- 
thirds.  These  proposals  ranged  from  a  proposal  that  UN 
member-states  have  full  freedom  of  action  as  regards 
their  diplomatic  relations  with  Spain  to  a  proposal  that 
all  UN  members  cease  to  export  arms  and  ammunitions 
to  Spain  and  refrain  from  entering  into  any  agreements 
with  the  Franco  Government. 

But  despite  the  fact  that  the  UN  Resolution  of  1946 
has  never  been  modified,  it  has  been  systematically  broken 
by  member  states  led  by  USA.  Thusf  at  the  present 
moment  8  members  of  the  UN  have  Representatives  of 
ambassadorial  rank  in  Madrid  and  22  others  have 
Ministers.  The  US  has  also  given  considerable  economic 
assistance  to  Franco.  A  series  of  dollar  loans  have  been 
granted  to  Franco,  by  the  Chase  National  Bank.  In  1950, 
the  US  also  authorized  a  loan  of  62,500,000  dollars  to  be 
channelled  through  the  Economic  Co-operation  Administra- 
tion. On  February  12,  1951,  the  US  E«xport  and  Import 
Bank  extended  credits  totalling  dollars  12,200,000  to  Spain. 
As  usual,  strings  and  conditions  were  attached  to  these 
loans-— e.^.,  the  simplification  of  export  and  import 
oontrola,  the  abolition  of  restrictiont  limiting  foreign 
/bfmtmw    t»   2S  ptr    MBt    ptrticipirtiMi    ia    Spaaiih 


enterprises,  and  a  revaluation  of  Spanish  curreacy.  Tlw 
the  effort  of  the  USA  has  been  to  dishonour  the  UN 
Resolution  of  1946  to  establish  dipbmatic  and  eoonoaas 
relations  with  Spain,  to  enlist  Spain  in  the  chain  of  ths 
Nato.  If  Spain  has  not  been  admitted  in  the  UN,  it  is 
because  of  the  Soviet  Veto  and  if  she  is  not  yet  inchidBd 
in  the  Nato,  it  is  because  of  the  pressure  of  wodd 
opinion.  Spain  occupies  an  important  strategic  positiai 
and  is  rich  in  minerals.  She  produces  Lignite  (1315671 
metric  tons)  ;  Copper  Ore  (252026)  ;  Iron  Ore  (3038692) : 
Lead  Ore  (51^91);  Managanese  Ore  (19038);  Potash 
Ore  (1,013,333)  ;  Rock  Salt  (308,228)  ;  Sulphur  Ore 
(51,082);  Tin  Ore  (1423);  Zinc  Ore  (118422);  Wolfran 
Ore  (784)  ;  Mercury  (33571).  The  world  shall  watch 
the  struggle  of  the  popular  forces  against  corruption, 
reaction  and  feudalism,  with  keen  interest. 

No  survey  of  Spain  Today  shall  be  complete  vrithont 
a  reference  to  the  Spanish  Empire.  The  colonial  possessions 
of  Spaini  are  located     largely     in  Africa.     The  Spanish 
Morocco  inchiding  Ifni  territory,  Spanish  protectorate  of 
the  Northern  and  Southern  zones,  constitute     an  area  of 
1845^  sq.  miles,  with  1309702  of  population.    In  addition, 
there  is  the  Spanish  Sahara  and  Spanish  Guinea  with  an 
area  of  116,261  sq.  miles  and  210582  of  population.  Thest 
areas  are  governed  directly  by  the  Spanish  Government 
which  is  politico-military  in  character.      Morocco  at  tht 
present  moment  is  divided  into  3  Zones — the  French,  the 
Spanish  and  the  Tangier  internationalized  zone.  Even  the 
Tangier  2V>ne  came  to  be     controlled  and     occupied  bf 
Spain  on  14th  June,  1940,  after  the  fall  of  France.  It  wsi 
only  in  September  1945  when   the  Spanish  GoYemment 
was  requested  by  Great  Britain,  the  USA,  the  USSR  and 
France  to  evaciate  the  territory,  that  on  October  11,  1945, 
iniernational  rule  was  restored.    Later  on,  March  8,  1948; 
Italy  was  re-admitted  to  the  Control  Committee. 

These  colonial  possessions  are  a~  source  of  tremendous 
revenues  to  Spain.  Guinea  alone  in  1950-51  exported  to 
Spain  113,201  metric  quintals  of  cocoa  valued  at  30 
million  pesetas;  63834  metric  quintals  of  coffee  valued  it 
31  million  pesetas;  215966  metric  quintals  of  vegetablei 
and  fruits  valued  at  21.8  million  pesetas  ;  and  44|858 
metric  tons  of  wood  valued  at  9  million  pesetas.  On  the 
whole  30  per  cent  of  the  Spanish  exports  of  raw  material 
oome  from  the  colonies.  Among  the  Nations  of  these 
regions  the  American  missions  are  enthusiaBtically  st 
work.  The  Spanish  treatment  of  the  Natives  consists  ol 
brutal  suppression  of  all  revolts,  perpetuation  of  privikgee 
and  vested  interests,  economic  and  industrial  strangnla- 
tion  with  the  result  that  it  is  a  world  of  ignorance,  sttf- 
yation  and  intrigues.  Surprisingly  the  colonies  have  not 
been  placed  in  the  category  of  trust  territories. 

What,  then,  are  the  alternatives  before  the  progressife 
forces  of  the  world  ?  Much  attention  has  not  been  paid 
towards  a  country  which  is  heavily  armed  (it  has  ^ 
largest  army  in  Europe  if  we  leaye  out  USSR)  whidi 
crushes  all  signs  of  democracy  coming  np  and  vhieh 
pcrpetoates  a  regime  based  on  mounting  pri¥llegei»  Idh 
UBf  stindtfdt  of  Bviag  md  friadlag  afepbteliaa   VM 


TBAKKAR  BAfA  AND  flfS  ACCOWJTS 


981 


is  wotae  li  ihe  fact  ilial  it  is  making  capital  out  of  the 
East-West  Cold  War.  The  USA  ia  its  war  hysteria  hu 
not  onljr  established  diplomatic  relaiioiu  with  Spain  and 
has  supported  her  candidatiue  for  admission  to  the 
United  Nations,  she  has  also  sanctioned  huge  losju  to 
Spain  so  that  she  may  serve  as  a  bulwark;  agsinst 
Gunmunism.  In  this  ugly  baclcground,  it  is  necessary  tQ 
expose  the  real  character  of  Franco's  aegime  sud  to 
create  world  vpinion  so  that  the  United  Nations  Resolu- 
tion of  1946  may  come  to  be  honoured  by  member  slates. 
It  is  a  pity  that  even  in  this  case  Soviel  Russia  should 
have  been  found  on  the  side  of  the  people  and  the  oldest 
and  richest  Democracies  of  the  World  on  that  of  the 
Dictator  !  * 

1.  Th«  Spanish  Government  and  the  AiU  :  Docu- 
ments, U.S.  Department  of  State  Publication 
2483. 

2.  Carlton  J.  M.  Hayes  :  The  U.  S.  and  the  apotn. 

New  York,   1951. 

3.  The  Statesman  aitd  Nation,  December  2-3^  I9B0. 
B.  Daridaon's  eeriea  of  article^ :  "^Ani^ 
Journey." 


4.    The  New  York  Times,  April  1,  iW;  Jan.  3,  1851; 

Feb.  7,  8,  1051;  Dec.  1,  1951. 
8.    Hispamc  American  Report,     Vol.     Ill,     No.     3, 

March,  1950. 

6.  "Manifeato  to  the  Spanish  People"  (N.  Y.  Timet, 

March  33,  1945). 

7.  Harpei't  Migazine,  September   1651. 

8.  Crevea :  A  Hietorv  of  Spain,  New  York  and 
London,  1950. 

9.  Gerald  Brennan  :     The  Spanish  Jjobyrinth,     2nd    . 

Ed.,  London,   1950. 

10.  Coles  :    Spain    Everlasting,    I/indon,    1915. 

11.  Ganivet  :      Spain  :    An    Interpretation,      London, 

1946. 

12.  Hamilton  :      Appeasemenl's    ChiUi  :      The   Franco 

Regime  in  Spain,  New  York  and  London,  1M3. 

13.  Hayes  :  Wartime  Mission  in  Spain,  1942-45, 
New  York,  1945. 

14.  Madriaga  :    Spain,   London,    1942. 

15.  Merriam  :  The  Rise  of  the  Spanish  Empire  in 
the  Old  World  and  in  the  New.  4  Vols,  Nsw 
York,  1918-34. 

16.  Peere  :  Spun  in  Sdipae,  19S7-S9,  London,  1943. 

17.  Templewood  :      Ambastador   on  Special   Afitfion, 

LoDdon.  1H6. 

,  Psiilln   Depl.,   AUibibsi 


THAiCKAR  BAPA  AND  HIS  ACCOUNTS 

Bt  k.  s.  shriram. 

Forking  Secretary,  Harijaa  Sevak  Sangh,  Delhi 


Mj  Connection  with  Shri  A.  V.  Thakkar,  affectionately 
called  "Bapa,"  dates  hack  to  1932  after  the  Epic  Fast  of 
Mahatma  Gandhi  over  the  Communal  Award  when  the 
All-India  Anti-Unloucbability  League  later  changed  to  the 
All-India  Harijan  Sevsk  Sangh  was  founded,  till  his 
departure  from  this  mortal  world  on  the  19th  January, 
1951.  I  travelled  with  him  all  over  the  country  otct  and 
over  again  and  lived  with  him  for  s  major  pari  of  these 
19  years.  Even  with  so  many  years  of  close  contact,  I 
do  not  think  there  is  anything  that  I  can  write  about  Bapa 
-which  his  numennis  co-workers  and  the  general  pubUc 
do  not  know.  He  did  not  keep  anything  secret  or  per- 
eonal  from  his  friends  and  co-workers.  He  gave  himself 
up  for  the  service  of  the  poor  and  all  who  knew  him 
knew  his  work  and  the  life  he  led.  He  was  s  strict  disci- 
plinarian and  very  punctilious.  About  money  matters 
and  accounts  be  was  extremely  strict  and  any  one  who 
made  a  slip  lost  his  sympsthy  for  good.  He  would 
always  impress  upon  social  workers  that  unless  one  is  a 
(ood  accountant  he  cannot  be  a  good  social  worker. 
When  he  was  not  out  louring  he  will  not  go  to  bed  before 
be  had  seen  and  signed  the  daily  Cash  Book  for  that  day 
and  written  bis  diary.  On  return  from  tonrs  he  will  go 
ibiou^  the  cash  book  for  all  those  days  he  had  not  seen 
though  it  would  have  been  checked  and  signed  by  hiq 
awiilnnt  It  was  dne  to  tbia  strictness  about  money 
^atWs  ud  ■ccooBU  that  ttwn  wit  mHj  one  cue  of  lapie 


during  his  long  stewardship  of  nearly  twenty  years  of  the 
Harijan  Sevak  Sangh.  Bui  that  too  was  detected  in  time 
and  the  loss  made  good  to  the  pie  by  those  who  were 
responuhle  for  the  management  of  the  branch  and  the 
branch  was  reorganised.  To  Thakkai  Bapa  the  person's 
position  in  social  or  political  field  or  his  connection* 
with  high  personages  was  of  no  consequence.  To 
him  he  was  more  than  an  ordinary  criminal  who  abused 
the  trust  placed  in  him  or  mismanaged  pubbc  funds 
placed  at  his  disposal  or  let  others  to  mismanage  owing 
to  his  lack  of  supervision.  In  that  particular  instance  he 
was  so  upset  that  he  decided  to  band  over  the  man  to  the 
police,  but  Bapu  who  was  informed  of  the  same  managed 
to  recover  the  whole  amount  and  had  the  branch  reorga- 
nised irilhout  taking  recourse  to  the  law  court. 

Though  he  was  Bapu's  lieuienant  he  did  not  imbibe 
the  art  of  begging.  He  was  so  shy  that  he  seldom  approscb- 
od  people  for  donation.  He  made  an  exception  in  the  case 
of  his  President  Shri  C.  D.  Birla  and  J.  K.  Birla,  with 
whom  he  maintained  the  most  cordial  relation  till  hia 
last  day.  Whenever  he  realised  that  a  genuine  case 
needed  aid  he  would  etraigbtway  go  to  them  and  mention 
ihc  amounl  he  wanted  and  I  do  not  know  of  an  instance 
when   ihey   denied   him  liis  demand. 

In  his  late  seventies  he  used  to  be  under  pbysica] 
discomfort  if  he  had  to  walk  a  long  distance  owing  to  catar. 
act  in  both  eyes  and  otbei  trOublet.  But  he  would.  ^ 


THE  MODERN  REVIEW  FOR  MAY,  1953 


think  of  keeping  a  car.  li  vim,  I  believe,  modest;  and 
Dot  ibe  expcDaes  becanse  hie  pteaident  to  vrhom  he  had 
1»  go  now  and  tben  a  distance  of  ntulj  12  miles  br 
tMiga  or  buB  in  conoeclioii  with  the  work  of  the  Sangh 
or  with  the  programme  and  movemente  of  Bapa,  had  many 
times  pressed  him  to  keep  one  of  his  cars.  He  would 
put  off  the  offer  wilh  a  smile  ihal  he  did  not  need  a  cai; 
to  go  about.  It  was  only  during  the  Conslihient 
Assembly  days  when  he  was  80  years  thct  he  was  prevail- 
ed upon  to  accept  a  car  whicli  he  maintained  out  of  the 
allowance   he  received   from   the  Conslifjent  Assembly. 


Thakkar  Bapa 
If  he  was  ■  bard  task-master  with  bis  co-workers, 
be  was  none  the  less  with  himself.  Even  at  the  age  of 
75  be  could  ait  at  times  for  sis  to  seven  hours  at  a  stretch 
at  bis  table  writing,  dictating  and  issuing  instructions 
witbcnit  once  leaving  his  chair.  Till  bis  last  day  he  was 
actively  directing  half  a  dozen  different  activities  like 
tbe  Harijan  Sevak  Sangh,  the  Kasturha  Gandhi  National 
Memorial  Trust,  the  Bharatiya  Adim;ati  Sevak  Sangh,  the 
Displaced  Harijans  Rehabilitation  Board  (Government), 
Pbffd  Mad  Famine  Relief  Work*  of  tbe  Servants  of  India 


Society,  etc.  Whenever  he  went  on  tour,  he  bad  at  tina* 
to  work  for  all  these  different  institutions  but  he  wM 
meticulously  careful  in  distributing  his  touring  expense* 
to  all  these  different  activities  in  proportion  to  tbe  work 
he  was  able  to  do  for  them.  He  maintained  this  prindple 
to  the  last  day  even  in  dividing  the  postage  expenses  h* 
incurred  in  correspondence  carried  on  from  his  sickbed 
in  Bhavnaear.  Hi's  greatest  ambition  was  to  do  more  and 
more  work  fo*  the  poor  and  suffering  humanity  and  his 
difficulty  was  to  pass  a  day  without  any  work.  The 
hardest  shock  to  him  must  have  been  the  realisation  dur- 
ing his  lasi  illness  that  he  could  not  move  out  any  more 
and  ihal  he  had  to  be  in  bed.  But  even  in  bed,  he  did 
not  e'^e  up  work,  because  the  urge  to  do  more  work  wa* 
strong  and  work  was  there  in  abundance.  He  called  a 
band  of  workers  from  the  Servants  of  India  Society  aad 
th:^  Bhil  Seva  Mandel  to  bis  bed::ide  at  Bhavnagar  and 
gave  them  clear  instructions  to  go  and  do  Flood  Relief 
Work  in  Assam  in  collaboration  with  the  Goveromeni.  His 
second  work  was  to  call  two  of  hie  important  workers 
from  Ranchi  in  Bihar  and  directed  ibem  to  start  welfare 
work  for  the  Musahrs  (Harijan  serfs  who  are  sold  with 
the  land  by  one  landlord  to  another)  and  secured  tbe 
neces.'ary  funds  for  three  years  from  the  Gandhi  Smarak 
Nidhi.  The  third  and  last  was  to  request  the  Harijan 
Sevak  Sangh  to  start  a  welfare  centre  for  Nayadis  of 
Kerala  who  number  only  about  900  in  Kerala  but  ihey 
are  unapproacbables  and  unseeables  and  he  felt  that  some 
welfare  work  for  tbem  was  essential.  The  first  is  over 
while  the  other  two  are  going  on. 

Now  to  bis  own  finances.  In  October,  1932,  when 
Bapu  asked  him  to  take  up  tbe  Harijan  work,  he  was  one 
of  the  senior  members  of  the  Servants  of  India  Society 
and  was  getting  an  allowance  of  Rs.  SO  per  month  witb 
second  clafs  travelling.  From  the  day  he  became  tbe 
General  Secretary  of  the  Harijan  Sevak  Sangh  he  took  to 
third  class  travelling  which  he  kept  up  for  nearly  IS 
years  touring  all  over  the  country  over  and  over  again. 
He  did  not  spare  (he  bullock  carl  even.  He  was  prevailed 
upon  to  change  to  a  higher  class  only  during  his  last  days 
owing  to  old  age  and  ill  health  or  whenever  he  had  to 
travel  on  behalf  of  iha  Government.  From  the  Harijan 
Sevak  Sangh  he  took  only  his  travelling  expenses  duriai 
his  long  service  of  nearly  twenty  years.  Out  of  hii 
meagre  allowance  which  increased  to  Rs.  225  by  19S1 
be  paid  his  house  rent,  water  and  conservancy  and  bonae 
tax  to  the  Harijan  Sevak  Sangh.  It  was  -under  his  own 
strict  orders  that  the  office  recovered  from  bim  these  daei 
till  his  last  day.  Out  of  his  allowance  on  an  average  « 
third  of  it  went  to  the  poor  and  needy  every  month  during 
all  these  twenty  years.  Occasionally  when  he  found  thai 
one  of  his  staff  members  was  in  financial  difficulty  due  K> 
uckness  or  some  other  cause,  he  would  give  bim  a  hun|> 
gum  out  of  his  meagre  allowance  according  to  his  needs. 
During  the  later  part  of  his  life,  bis  genetosit;  increased 
to  such  an  extent  that  he  curtailed  bia  physical  needa  la 
save  more  out  of  bis  personal  allowance  for  Bivinf  to  At 
needy.     Some  of  tbe  beneficiariei  were  poor  ud  « 


A  PILGRIMAGE  TO  DARKNESS 


383 


of  his  family.  When  Bapa  died  on  the  19th 
ry,  1951,  there  was  a  credit  balance  of  Rs.  54^15*9 
i  personal  account  with  the  Harijan  Sevak  Sangh 

was  paid  to  those  ladies  as  part  of  their  February, 
aid. 

member  of  the  Servants  of  India  Society  parts  away 
his  private  properly  when  he  becomes  a  member 
le  gets  only  his  maintenance  allowance  from  the 
r  as  along  as  he  remains  a  member.  All  his  earn- 
nther  from  Government  or  any  other  source  after 
ig  the  incidental  expenses  connected  with  that  work 
o  the  Society.  During  the  tenure  of  Thakkar 
membership  of  the  Constituent  Assembly  and  other, 
ittees  he  had  a  separate  account  opened  in  the  name 
Servants  of  India  Society  and  all  the  allowances 
?d  were  credited  into  that  account  and  expenses 
;ted  with  that  work  only  were  debited  to  that 
It.  The  balance  was  sent  to  the  Society  every 
r.  He  did  not  touch  a  single  pie  out  of  his  earn- 
r  his  personal  use  or  even  for  any  public  cause  be- 
according  to  him  that  was  the  property  of  the 
its  of  India  Society.     When  he  was  ill  in  Bhavnagar 

:0: 


this  account  waa  closed  under  his  histructioiis  and  the 
balance  waa  sent  to  the  Servanta  of  India  Society,  Poona. 

Unlike  many  public  workers  and  leaders  he  did  not 
keep  any  private  or  Gupt  account.  He  never  asked  any 
one  for  himself.  His  wants  were  few,  he  dressed  simply 
and  ate  frugally.  During  his  last  days  he  further  reduced 
his  personal  needs  to  the  minimum  to  the  sorrow  of  hia 
friends  and  co-workers.  Thus  when  he  died  on  the  19th 
January,  1951  there  must  have  been  some  savings  out  of 
his  few  months'  allowance  which  he  received  direct,  after 
meeting  his  food  and  medical  expenses  in  Bhavnagar, 
but  not  sufficient  to  meet  his  funeral  expenses. 

Except  for  a  warm  shawl  presented  by  the  workers 
of  the  Kasturba  Trust  on  his  80th  birthday  the  wordly 
belongings  he  left  behind  were  very  few  and  valueless. 
At  the  most  they  would  have  fetched  about  Rs.   35. 

In  the  field  of  Social  Work  he  was  a  giant  and  be- 
cause of  his  connection  with  the  big  and  the  rich  many 
may  still  be  under  the  impression  that  he  must  have  been 
financially  very  well-o£^  but  facts  are  otherwise.  Could 
one  leave  a  more  illustrative  example  of  one's  life  who 
was  so  strict  about  balancing  the  accounts  of  others  ? 


A  PILGRIMAGE  TO  DARKNESS 


By  AJIT  KUMAR  DUTTA 


the  pages  of  a  book  in  a  quiet  library  comer  to  a 
ratlvely  unknown  spot  in  the  wide  world  outside 
>ng  way  off,  like  a  voyage  to  a  new  country  across 
charted  sea.  Prior  to  departure  this  was  the  sort 
isation  disturbing  the  mind.  The  destination  wa^ 
r-off,  only  about  a  hundred  miles  from  the  city,  the 
f  education  and  culture,  in  the  dark  interior  of 
un  district.  The  trip  was  short  in  a  sense  but  the 
)logical  gap  was  not  easy  to  compass.  The  parti- 
idea  behind  was  to  meet  some  "patuas"  or  village 
painters  in  their  natural  surroundings.  A  long- 
bed  dream  was  coming  true  and  no  doubt  there  was 
ing  of  thrill  and  adventure  too  in  it. 

few  are  still  alive  and  enacting  their  roles  in  the 
onal  style,  though  the  society  instead  of  opening 
irt  in  grateful  appreciation,  far  less  honouring  them, 
med  its  back  to  them.  They  are  left  to  cold  neglect, 
ion  and  death.  These  "patuas**  are  the  illustrious 
jearers  of  the  folk-culture  of  the  land. 
'at**  or  scroll-painting,  a  bright  shiiving  star  in  the 
lent  of  traditional  art-styles  of  Bengal,  has  been  a 
m  of  mass  education  for  a  very  long  time.  like 
'  ''panchaU"  or  **kathakata,"     all  other      different 

of  popular  entertainment,  ''pat"  too  has  its  distinc- 
ppeal.  The  religious,  pseudo-rehgious  and  other 
r  stories  propagated  through  this  medium  had 
ilf  some  far-reaching]  effect  on  the  mass-mind, 
ays  are,  no  doubt,  changing  but  probably  the  ser< 


vice  of  this  medium  isi  still  essentially  needed  to  fulfil 
the  purpose.  This  poses  a  question  for  serious  thinking, 
whether  this  glorious  as  well  invaluable  ingredient  of  our 
cultural  pattern  will  have  such  a  tragic  end  or  this  should 
be  given  a  fresh  lease  of  life. 

The  scroll-paintings  could  be  seen  even  two 
decades  ago,  throughout  the  length  and  breadth  of 
the  country,  depicting  a  wide  variety  of  stories,  including 
the  "Krishnalila,"  "Ramlila,"  *'Chaitanyalila,"  "Dasavaiar" 
as  well  the  achievements  of  '*Satyapir,"  **Manikpir"  oi 
that  of  a  "Ghazi.^  But  today  the  sphere  has  been  greatly 
narrowed.  Not  to  speak  of  the  ordinary  ones,  the 
''Kalighat  pats"— tha  producu  of  a  very  powerful  and 
'^modern**  school  of  painters — could  not  survive  the  challenge 
of  cheaper  litho-prints  combined  with  the  unsympathetio 
attitude  of  the  art  connoisseurs  of  the  country.  But, 
amazingly  enough,  a  few  **patuas**  and  a  number  oi 
wonderful  ''pats**  are  still  scattered  here  and  there.  Not 
to  apeak  of  canalising  the  tendencies  of  these  artists  and 
serious  attempt  at  reviving  this  once-great  tradition,  even  no 
systematic  effort  has  so  far  been  made  towards  the  collec- 
tion of  the  works. 

Banta,  a  small  village  in  Rampurhat  sub-division,  i^ 
still  inhabitated  by  a  group  of  "patua"  families.  Most 
unfortunately,  however,  nonei  of  the  ten  heads  of  adnlta 
knows  painting.  Most  of  them  are  cultivators  and  at  off* 
season  go  out  with  their  family  "pats'*  to  near-by  villages 
and  even  to  towns,  to  have  some  extra  earning.     A%  \Sd«5\ 


tt4 


THE  MODERN  REVIEW  FOR  MAV.  IftfiS 


mifold  tha.ieralli  «od  ihour  them  to  the  people,  ihey  eltW  It  wu  the  hamsdoB  daw.    The  bright     WKH^H 

-  matt  or  narrala  wiUi  ■ceompuument  of  miuic  tli«  na-  appeared  to    mry  the .  promise  of  a    rofr  fntv^  ^ 

jKciiTc  alories.    The  "patuB-*angit«"  or  the  sccompanyiog  horinn  ncbing  to  a  vitta  of  delightful  BdveBtore. 

e  moatly  •elf'CompoKd  or  handed  down  aroma  penraded  the  loul  with  a  sweet     ea&ea*. 


ha 


Sri  Durga 
By  Rakhal  Chitrakar 
from  generation  to  generation.  These  are  invariably 
present  with  "pflls"  anj  of  absorbing  interest  as  speci- 
mans  of  folk -lit  era  tuie.  On  enquiry  it  -was  reveal- 
ed thai  a  large  section  of  the  public  still  had  much  love 
for  the  "pats."  The  "painas"  are  rewarded  either  in 
cash  or  ia  Itind  like  lice  or  paddy,  particularly  during 
the  harvesting  season.  It  was  added  that  in  nrbait 
areas  a  section  of  the  public  was  interested  in  buying 
"pats."  In  this  Kgard  of  showing  some  deeper  intereat 
in  their  afhir,  they  had  their  greatest  experience  about 
two  decades  ago.  They  had  at  that  time  in  their  midst  a 
guest  in  the  person  of  the  bte  Curusaday  Dutt,  the  theil 
District  Magistrate,  who  was  better  known  as 
the  "Cuniji"  of  the  Bratachari  Movement  than  for  his 
Tuoneeri^g  activities  in  the  Geld  of  Bengal  folk  an  and  cnl- 
farv.  AnjWMj,  tince  tbea  ao  "outsider"  bad  beep  aiumi 
tif»e  "fiMtaat"  tp  entire  aiwDl  their  IM, 


Prom  a  Daaavatara  (Ten  Incarnaiions)  pal 
By  Banku  Cbitrakar 
clear  prospect  under  the  sunlit  pure  blue  of  the  sky,  tbe 
mind  was  wafted  over  to  soaring  heights.  But  not  fat 
long.  A  poisonous  snake  was  busking  in  tbe  stuuhioe 
in  front.  Was  it  not  doubly  dgnificant  ?  It  came  aa 
a  warning  to  walk  cautiously  as  well  to  look  at  thinga 
in  their  proper  perspective. 

Sraddba  is  an  adjacent  village.  It  can  legitimatetr 
feel  proud  of  the  "patuas"  living  there;  some  arc  still 
active  and  ptirsuing  their  profession  in  face  of  heavy  odds. 
Was  it  a  Cheshire  cat's  grin  in  hia  face  ?  We  were  not 
quite  sure.  But  we  were  sure  and  still  aure  as  it  ia 
still  ringing  in  our  ears,  a  deep  sigh,  followed  by  a 
duster  of  words,  "Yes,  1  still  paint  and  even  1  am 
training  up  my  eon  in  my  hereditary  profession."  Was 
it  B  sense  of  regret,  shame  or  repentance  or  a  feieling  ol 
Sridtt,  I  could  not  make  out  what  tbe  expression  conveyed. 
Bu  \  uia\&  V«cV,  \\.  -><<«.>  u^  va^  v*s'^'V>    It  cane  ovt 


A  PILORIMAGe  TO  DAKEN1S8 


CH 


frnn  ilie  Bpi  of  Sri  BuVd  CUtraktf,  the  leiilla{  firiaK  retthii  in  a  dirk  eonier  of  tlia  cetmtir,  uuppnedated 

'^aliu*  of  tlio  locality.    After  a  brief  and  heavy  pauie,  and  nnnmg.      Ho  baa  the  henattr,  ^oMritr  and  inw- 

be  waa  ■  bit  nonnal.    In  a  tons  of  utter  diaappointment,  grity,  much  more  than  can  be  aeon  in  a  product  of  tb» 

be  grcatlr  regretted  that  in  about  a  couple  of  years'  time  modern   aopbisticated  eiviliiatioa  and  thai   i»   why  be  u 

be  hod  tbe  opportuniiy  of  painting  only  a  few  "pala,"  which  atill  treading  over  the  path  of  his  forefatbera. 


Another 


were  even  not  of  a  high  order  and  to  hia  aalisfaction,  dmpiy 
because  tbe  people  were  not  willing  to  pay  higher  prices  ! 
Naturally,  he  has  to  look  for  other  openings  to  maintain 
bimaelE  and  his  dependants.  He  keeps  himself  engaged 
in  painting  "chslachilras"  or  backgrounds  of  tbe  images 
and  modelling  the  tame.  In  a  sense  he  is  probably 
fortunate.  As  yet  be  haa  not  turned  a  tiller.  The 
demand  for  his  "pats"  mainly  lies  with  his  kinsmen,  who 
also  decide  the  subject  to  be  painted.  In  techniipie  and 
method,  this  artist  is  conventional  and  makes  n*e  mostly 
of  local  indigenfouB  colours.  He  was  greatly  moved  when 
we  left  him.  His  only  and  earnest  request  was  to  sea 
him  again,  if  poaaible  and  that  was  all  I  He  was  obviona- 
tr  alMdr  this  tine.     Ha  knew  b's  orde*)— t)ia  [«te  qI 


But  why  tbia  tragedy  awaits  Sri  Banku  Chitrakar  and 
bia  like  ?  After  all  tbey  possess  some  creative  talent. 
They  are  untrained  in  the  modem  sense,  but  the  spon- 
taneous pourings  of  these  half-educated  or  imeducated 
artists,  are  definitely  a  matter  of  pride  to  any  sensible 
society.  But  they  are  dying,  chieBy  because  the  society, 
particularly  the  members  of  the  upper  strata,  with  all  ita 
capacity,  education  and  sympathy,  has  turned  its  back  ta 
them.  But,  on  all  counts,  this  end  is  neither  "historical" 
tux  "natoral."  In  many  Western  countries  with  a  greater 
degree  of  change  in  their  socio-economic  structure  vre  find 
ibeir  indigenous  artists  properly  rehabilitated  and  en- 
couraged to  ContintM  ^iwM  ^ftaVtMnNi^  "Vo.  *iw«.  "^rfajeak 


3«  THE  MODERN  REVIEW  FOR  MAY,  1953 

ImpoTUnt  lofe  in  their  rctpeciive  country'iindutlrial  Lfe.     countries  of  the  present  timet,  why  thould  we  be  tailiac 
In-  the  IJnited  Stale*  coniinuaus  reeearch  ii  being  ctrried     in  out  duties,  partjcutaily  after  the  achievement  of  on 


on  to  collect  materials  and  g 
original  Mouaiain  and  Red  Indian 
all,  in  the  post-Revol'jiionary  Riis:^ 
famous   icon-makers   have   been   sui 


lease  of  life  I 

Ms  and  crafts.  Above 
1,  ihe  internalionally 
cessfully   rehabilitated. 


=  {or 


If  these  be   true, 


:  ol   such   industrially   advanced 


independence?  It  should  be  a  particular 
all  to  see  that  every  culiural  activity  in  every  comer  at 
our  land,  not  only  continues  unhampered  hut  lltrives  and 
prospers,  so  that  there  may  nwl  be  any  divergence  be 
profession   and    practice. 


-;0:- 


OLD  MEMORIES  OF  BURDWAN 

Talitgarh  and  Hamambari 

By  NIRMAL  SINHA,  m.a. 


The  fort  ai  Tahl  situated  be!v»een  Talit  and  Burdawn 
Railway  Station  and  wiihin  a  short  distance  lo  the  west 
of  the  Crand  Trunk  Road,  has  a  lingular  form  of  its  own 
which  can  hardly  fail  to  excilc  ihe  wonder  of  sightseers. 
To  say  ibal  il  is  circular  in  lotm  will  be  an  over-simpli- 
fied description.  Actually,  on  its  fringes  (he  fori  has  the 
shape  of  a  full  bll>^^med  lulus,  defended  hy  an  earthwork 
rampart,  with  12  mounds  at  tegular  intervals,  and 
encircled  by  a  moat  about  23  ft.  wide. 


Talitgarh  moiind  and 


In  1910,  when  J.  C.  K.  Peierfon's  Burdu:an  in  the 
Bengal  District  Gazetteer  was  pubUshed,  there  were 
traces  of  masonry  at  the  northern  gateway,  and  in  ihe 
citadel  and  some  of  the  bastions.  Now,  the  ruins  of  the 
gateway  are  the  only  remains  of  the  masonry  which  might 
have  once  given  the  fort  an  appearance  of  impregnability. 
A  broken  24-pounder  cannon,  half-buried  in  the  soil,  i« 
still  visible  near  the  gateway,  while  others,  which  were 
perhaps  once  mounted  on  the  mounds,  are,  1  am  told, 
kept  at  Burdwan  by  the  Raj   family. 

It  is  interesting  lo  note  that  the  moat  is  connected 
to  the  Banka  river  on  the  south-east,  which  suggests  the 
provision  for  a  back-door  escape  for  the  defenders  of  the 
fort  in  case  of  an  irresistible  attack.  The  space  inside 
the  fon,  approximately  over  half  a  square  mile  in  extent, 
Arms  ihe  cultivated  }and»  ol  the  Tatilgarh  village.  There 
*re  aiao  rhrec  large  and  &ve   small   tanks   inside.      Neat 


the  northern  gatevray  of  ihe  fort  bul  beyond  the  moat  is 
another  village  called  the  Mahabat-garb  village.  Ii  may 
be  hazarded  that  this  village  has  derived  its  name  from 
Jehangir's  general,  Mahabai  Khan,  who  came  to  Bengal 
in  pursuit  uC  the  rebel  prince  Shahjeban  in  1621-22  A.D. 
and  was  shortly  afterwards  appointed  the  Subahdar  oi 
Bengal.  This  village  outside  the  fort  is,  therefore,  older 
than  the  TaUtgarh  village,  which  grew  up  presumably  with 
the  decay  ol  the  fori  and  the  subsequent  letting  oul  of 
the  lands  inside  by  ihe  Burdwan  Raj  family.  There  are 
about  forty  Bagdi  and  Bauri  faniii:es  in  these  twj  small 
villages  at  present. 

Tradition  holds  ihal  the  fori  was  built  by  the  Burd- 
wan Raj  family  lo  protect  the  10)  Siva  temples  at  Nawa- 
bhat,  conslrucled  by  Maharani  Adbirani  Bishnukumari 
Devi,  wife  of  the  late  Maharaja dhiraj  Tilak  Chand,  in 
IT88.  Bul  on  the  very  face  of  il  this  tradition  is  un- 
acceptable, because  of  lis  known  use  in  earlier  times. 
The  Raj  family  found  refuge  in  this  fort  against  the 
periodical  incuisions  of  the  Bargis  from  1741  to  1751 
iPelerson's  Burdwan,  p.  191).  To  go  back  further  it  is 
likely  thai  the  fori  played  an  important  part  when  Prince 
Shabjehan  invaded  Burdwan  city  probably  in.  1622.  The 
IS  taken  by  the  Prince  who  stayed  there  for  a  short 
0  recruit  Afghan  soldiers  for  his  army  (Charles 
t's  History  of  Bengal),  Besides,  it  was  perhaps  in 
this  fort  at  Burdwan  that  Prince  Azim-u-Shan  stayed  for 
nearly  three  years  from  1699  lo  1701  after  the  slaying  of 
the  Afghan  rebel,  Rahim  Shah,  and  the  subsequent 
Buppresaion  of  revolt  started  by  Sobha  Singh  and  Rahim 
Shah  in  1696   (Slewatt's  Hislory  of  Bengal,  p.   216). 

Thus,  it  is  certain  that  the  fort  was  built  some  time 
towards  the  end  of  ihe  16th  century  A.D.  or  in  the 
beginning  of  the  17th  century  A.D.,  and  not.  as  tradition 
holds,  in  the  middle  of  the  18th  century  A.D.  That  it, 
like  many  other  old  forts,  is  a  mule  witness  lo  the  storms 
which  had  blown  over  Burdwan  for  centuries  admits  of 
no  doubl. 

Hauambahi 
Another   hislotically    interesting   spot   at   Burdwan   is 
the    Hamambari   or   the   washing   bouse,   situated   on   the 
Ahibhusan  Mukherji  Road  near  Borhat.     Now  a  demure- 


OLD  MEMORIES  OF  BURDWAN 


S8? 


looking  structure,  wirh  en  ordinary  froniage,  but  marked 
out  by  its  peculiar  ehape,  the  Hamambari,  Btraugely 
CDtnigh,  is  associated  by  local  tradition  with  the  name  o( 
Raja  Man  Singh.  Although  slightly  reconditioned  by 
the  forbears  of  its  present  occupant,  Sri  Nagendra  Nath 
Bandopadhaya,  the  Hamambari  is  a  one*9toTied  stnictuie 
containing  three  rooms.  On  the  roof  there  is  a  cupola, 
and  to  its  left,  a  tomb-shaped  bit  of  masonry.  The  room 
under  the  cupola  is  round  and  has  a  bell-shaped  ceiling. 
The  other  two  rooms  on  either  side  of  the  round  room  are 
rectangular-shaped  and  have  an  awning-like  ceiling. 
Nagenbabu  told  me  that  there  had  been  a  covered  staircase 
at  the  back  of  this  house  leading  to  the  large  bathing  tank 
behind  and  that  it  was  demolished  by  hii  great  grand- 
father about  150  years  ago. 

The  large  tank  will  be  about  300  hy  30  yards,  bridged 
over  in  the  middle  by  a  path  known  as  the  Dighi-pol. 
Very  near  the  Hamambari,  to  its  south-east,  is  the  Banka 
river  which  no  doubi  supplies  water   to  the   lank. 

Sri  Harendas  Sarkar,  a  local  medical  .  practitioner. 


Dalkisor  river  and  not  many  miles  distant  from  the  pre- 
sent city  of  Calcutta  and  encamped  there  during  iho 
rainy  season  (Stewart's  History  of  Bengal,  p.  116) .  The 
above  iradilion  is  given  credence  to  because,  according 
to  premeditated  plans,  the  army  of  Sayid  Khan  was  asked 
to  form  an  alliance  with  Man  Singh's  forces  at  Burdwan 
(Stewart,  p.  US). 

The  foregoing  facts  show  that  Man  Singh's  name 
cannot  be  associated  with  the  Hamambari.  In  fact,  many 
royal  personages  came  to  Burdwan  since  the  third  decade 
of  the  16th  century  A.D.  and  their  claims  to  being  asso- 
ciated with  the  Hamambari  are  slronger  than  those  of 
Raja  Man  Singh.  Raja  Todar  Mall  was  al  Burdwan  in 
1574,  awaiting  the)  instructions  o[  the  Khan-i-Khanan 
Munim  Khan  for  the  course  he  should  pursue  against 
Daud  Khan.  Then,  Subahdar  Azim  Khan's  deputy, 
Fariduddin  Bokhari,  stayed  in  Burdwan  in  1583-84  tu  ileal 
with  the  Afghan  rebel  leader  Kallu  Khan  (Stewart,  pp. 
112-113).  But  their  claims  to  the  Hamambari  are  not  very 
strong,  for  Raja  Todar  Mall  stayed  in  Burdwan  for  too 


RuinK  of  ibr  Talitgirb  gateway 
read  a  paper  on  ihe  Hamambari  in  the  Burdwan  Sabitya 
Parishad  in  1936.  Relying  upon  the  local  tradition,  be 
attributed  the  construction  of  the  Hamambari  and  the 
excavation  of  a  part  of  the  tank  (the  other  pan,  it  is 
aaid,  was  excavated  by  Azim-u-Shan)  lo  the  local 
aulborilies  of  the  pargana  of  Burdwan  in  anticipation  of 
the  probable  stay  of  the  Subahdar  of  Bengal  aad  Bihar, 
^aja  Man  Singh,  there  who,  in  1589-90,  was  making  pre- 
parations in  co-operation  with  his  deputy,  Sayid  Khan, 
(or  the  recovery  of  Orisaa  from  the  hands  of  the  Afghan 
Chief  Katlu  Khan.  But  we  know  that  Man  Singh  went 
Anragh  Bnrdwan  to  Jdtanabad,  on  the     banka  of  the 


The  Hamambari 

short  a  lime  and  Fariduddin  Bokhari  was  loo  busy  with  the 
Afghan  menace  to  ihink  of  having  a  Hamambari.  As 
(or  Prince  Shahjehan  who  captured  Burdwan  city  after 
a  short  siege,  probably  in  1622,  and  recruited  Afghan 
■oldiera  there  for  his  army,  the  construction  of  the 
Hamambari  and  the  excavation  of  the  large  bathing  tank 
cannot  be  ascribed  to  bim,  because  his  short  stay  ia 
Burdwan  was  wholly  devoted  to  preparing  for  a  show- 
down with  the  imperial  forces  under  fbrahim  Khan  Fateli 
Jimg,  the  Subahdar  of  Bengal  and  Bihar. 

Having  diapensed  with  the  claims  of  these  important 
peraoDBfes  through  the  process  of  eliminaiion,  only  Aurui- 


M 


Tafi  MOtoERN  REVIEW  FOR  MAY,  19S3 


ceb's  gividwti,  Azim-U'Shaii,  reniuiu  to  eiiftce  our 
■nention.  Beton  this  prince  came  lo  Burdwu  it  tb« 
end  of  1097,  Zibbardtwl  Khan,  Mn  of  the  lecalled  Snbah- 
dar  Ibrahim  Khan,  had  cantoned  thae.  He  loielil  have 
had  the  Hamambaii  erected  and  the  tank  excavated  at 
Burdwan  for  the  use  of  the  nevf  royal  governor,  Asm-n- 
Shan.  Stewatt  in  hia  HUtory  of  Bengal  relate*  that  while 
Anm-u-Shan  amused  himaelf  at  Buidwan,  lUhim  Shab 
nvaged  Nadia,  Hooghl;  and  then  eacamped  within  a  few 
miles  of  Burdwan.  The  Hamambari  at  this  time  mishl 
have  catered,  much  to  the  pleasures  of  the  royal  Subahdar 
■nd  bu  harem.  Then,  after  the  death  of  Rahim  Shah  and 
th«  subsequent  auppression  of  the  Afghan  revolt  in  1698, 
Azim-u-Sban  might  have  bathed  in  Hamambari  tank  be- 
fore proceeding  to  pay  his  respects  to  the  tomb  of  Piv 


Bahram  Saqqa  (Stewart,  p.  216) .  Tradition  lita  It  dl  ] 
Prince  Asm  added  to  the  siie  of  the  tank.  He  cooU  I 
bne  done  thia,  in  view  of  the  fact  that  he  atayed  in  A* 
fort  at  Burdwan  for  nearly  three  years  till  1701  toA  «M 
inalrumental  in  building  the  Shahi  moaqne  tboe. 
Incidentally,  inside  the  Shahi  mosque,  iriiich  ia  near  the 
Raj  palace  in  the  city,  there  is  a  detached  clab  of  tfoH 
with  inacriptions  on  it.  The  date  given  thereon  is  IHI 
A.H.  (1699  A.D.),  which  continns  the  fact  that  Azin-B- 
Shan  had  it  built,  as  it  is  slated,  at  the  espress  wish  ol 
his  grandfather  Alamgir. 

Therefore,  if  the  Hamambari  was  biult  at  Burdwan 
for  the  use  of  any  royal  personage,  he  was  Azim-u-9>n 
and  not  Raja  Man  Singh  or   any  of  the      othen  aaoied    I 


AROUND  THE  WETTEST  VILIAGE  IN  THE  WORLD 
Cherrapanji 

Bt  M*job  8.  C.  DIXIT 


Rainfall  Rhoobd 
CREBBApiTNJ^-Lat.  25  d^.  17  N,  Long.  91  deg.  47  E-- 
ia  tt  village  on  the  southern  spur  of  the  Khaai  Hilli 
in  Assam.  From  ita  height  of  4,30D  ft.  it  oommanda 
the  plains  of  Sylhet.  These  Hills  are  divided  into 
twenty-five  petty  States.  The  Raja  is  called  Stem. 
Cherra  means  lacerated  ;  it  ia  a  email  State.  Funji 
meana  a  village.  This  village  is  famous  for  the  heaviest 
known  rainfall  in  the  world,  Scienlisla  have  a  sjieciil 
interest  in  many  natural  features  of  this  region.  The 
world's  bighp?' — 458  inciies — avenge  rain,   fallg  on  this 


Escarpment  (E.  face) 

pluvial  spot.  In  1938,  53S  inches  of  rain  was  recoiled 
by  the  end  of  August.  In  1861  it  haa  shot  up  to  906 
inches  of  which  S03  inches  fell  in  June  and  July.  A 
fall  of  41  inches  in  34  hours  was  recorded  in  1876. 
This  is  an  area  of  climatic  accident  with  established 
rseurring  wet  apell.  It  rains  in  torrents  and  the 
phenomenal  precipitation  is  measured  in  feet  rather 
tiMa  iaetat.    It  ta  tach  of  nia  vDounti  to  100  toiw 


of  water  on  an  ^cre  ot  Und  or  3323jOOO  «drie  tot 

of  water  on  a  square  mile,  impginp  the  droichint  it 
receivea,* 

If  the  plaoe  had  been  on  the  equator,  wie  bstJt 

rams  may  be  aci'cpted  as  a  geographical  axiom,  but 
Cherrapunji  ia  beyond  the  Tropic  of  Cancer.  Run- 
fall  amounting  to  40S  inches  is  known  to  occur 
Biboundi  od  the  rqiiatorial  Cimarooa  motintain 
slopes  facing  Un-  C,\ili  of  Guinea.  Motmt  Waialcale 
in  the  Hawaiian  Islands  ia  said  to  have  the  ave-Jet 
rainfall  of  476  inches  per  year.  In  our  own  couctry, 
Mahabaleshwar  (4,500  ft.)  on  the  WHiem  Ghad 
facing  the  Arabian  Sea  receives  292  inches  of  r»iu  Og 
the  average.  Jowaj  (4,661  ft.)  35  milea  N.-E.  of 
Cherra  gets  237  inches  of  rain.  Denning  (in  S^dlj-a 
district)  an  unknown  spot  gets  about  300  inchta  of 
rain  distributed  evenly  over  ten  months— leavini 
Decerober-Januaiy  diy. 

The  LuiD 

Cherrapunji  overlays  a  tableland  about  Uuaa 
miles  long  and  two  miles  wide.  On  its  three  sides  the 
rocky  perpendicular  escarpments  drop  sheer  4,0M  ft 
down  almost  lo  the  sea-Ievel  in  the  plains.  In  th( 
Xorth,  the  height  steadily  rises  up  to  6.441  ft.  at 
Sbillong  33  miles  away.  The  isokted  local  hiUocb 
about  Cherra  are  70  to  300  ft.  high  with  strikingtr 
roundish  knolls.  It  is  the  atmosphere  which  works  likei 
potter  on   this  land. 

Why  is  there  such  a  deluge  of  rainT  The  cVmate 
of  Cherrapunji  is  determined  by  its  location,  altitnda 

•  MoBtkl}  ud  UBul  niRiiuli  of  nlnUl  (ii  lukH)  u  GkoS 
■n  t  juurr  o.ra.  r^mtn  l-H.  VnA  t.»,  Apm  x.n,  Mr 
so.**.  In»  iM.ts.  IilT  M-M.  JUnM  n.llil  Biinalw  <tj(. 
<HUim  U.«l,  HsnabM  l.n  tal  Dum*m  t.«.  TmsI  «I« 


An«:iiiND  The  wettest  village  in  The  World 


and  it"  200  miles  di-ttnce  from  tlie  Baj  of  Bengal 
I.atitude  coiinU  verj  little  It  is  fed  bv  the  \apourE 
lu  direct  ind  deflerted  j>iicelii  of  air  nsing  from  the 
Bay  and  the  Siindnrhana  tbe  largest  delta  in  the 
Afjrid    'WlieLi   tht    mirm   wm  i   blons   agunat    the   Hills 


PoBt-Oace-ciim-Obsen 


"""U, 


forced    i 


The  humid  ajr 
arisina  fiom  thi,  -KHithem  and 
western  (nramin  plains  is  eondrnsed 
by  refngerntion  Run  fulls  when 
the  air  i"  cooled  (o  the  point  when 
It  ooutd  no  more  hold  all  the  vapour 
It  suspends  While  the  air  rises  it 
expands  and  in  the  proeesa  of  ex 
pansjon  it  loses  ita  heat  at  the  'die. 
of  5  5  dcg  F  for  cirh  1 000  ft  of 
ascent  This  leada  to  doudinesa 
The  loss  of  temperatuic  of  the  wini 
wet  air  la  the  pnncipal  factor  wi  ch 
precipiUtes  the  relief  runfall  The 
heavy  raiM  o'Cur  on  Ihe  windw^ti 
side  where  Cherrapunji  faces  tn' 
Bay  The  prevalent  S  1\  winds 
from  April  to  October  bring  m  the 
largest  volume  of  humid  air  from 
the  sea-leiel  contributing  the 
greatest  amount  of  periodical  ram 
The  heiv\  rainfall  iv  orojrraphic  and 
hit  bv  monsoon 

The  total  mmibei  of  rainv  dijs  in  the  }ear  at 
Cherrapunji  la  one  hundred  ind  sixtv  November  to 
Ftbniarj  is  the  dr\  sjwli  In  the  equatorial  Africa 
P1V  at  Diiila  (I'»l  4  deg  N)  with  le^e  than  half  the 
amount  of  rainfall  Ihc  number  of  iiiid\  dt\s  is  212 
m  a  year  II  mean?  thit  the  egiialornl  region  has  a 
longer  but  less  intense  wet  period 

Cherrapunji   le   t   meteorologist  s   migic   place      Of  ^ 

wonder      The   aieragc   veloulj    of  nind   at   the  height     C<uh 


of  monsoon  m  J  meJuh  does  not  exiecd  --ix  milc>. 
per  hour^not  strong  enough  to  keep  i  windmill 
working  or  blow  awaj  the  roofa  Such  light  breeze 
condition  approximates  the  Horse  Latitudi  The 
lowest  tcmjeuture  ever  touched  in  Januarj  w  ts  34 
ilcg  r  Hence  the  iillige  escapes 
snowing  b>  2  deg  F  One  inr  h  of 
rain  amounts  to  len  inches  of  snow 
The  conaequencea  of  clouds  in  1 
cold  if  combined  would  be  H  -i 
layan  The  highest  maximum  tcm 
perature  does  not  move  ove,  82 
deg.  F,  in  MayJunc.t  These  Hills 
are  in  a  seisraal  zone.  In  1897,  (Ivy 
were  devastatingly  shaken. 

The  rainfall  is  measured  near  iIk. 
Post  Office  on  an  automatic  rain- 
gauge.  The  Post  Master  at'^cds  to 
various  atmospheric  readings  us  a'-i 
honorary  meteorologist.  The  P"£t 
Office-cum-Observator>-  has  a,  baro. 
meter,,  wet  and  dry  thermome'^rs 
and  OD  its  roof  stands  an  anemo, 
meter.  On  the  wad  hangs  a  cha't 
showing  difTerent  kinds  of  cloudi 
Hi)    T.  9    Uui  to   forecast   the   coming   of  rains   sy 


The  Rain  Gauge— tu 


lis  aid    Thiik  and  dark  "Cummulonimbiis*'  clouds  are 
1  portent  md  Cherra  has  enough  of  them. 

The  heavy  rsinfall  gives  a  peculiar  charm  and 
ittraction  to  the  village.  There  are  numerous  small 
ind  big  waterfalls  ranging  from  30  ft.  to  650  ft.  to  the 
east  and  the  west  of  the  plateau.  These  local  falls  arc 


390 


THE  MODERN  REVIEW  FOR  MAY,  1653 


seasonal  snd  narrow.  Tliey  fall  in  ciwcjides  over  bluffa 
and  boiililcr^.  Easily  approachable  Mawmuhih  fnlls 
are  pleasing,  pjctiireeque  and  fit  for  a  week-end  picnic. 
There  are  many  streamlets,  und  rivulets  formed  whe" 
it  rain??.  They  present  a  dendritic  pattern  of  drainage 
on  ihe  map.  From  the  brows  of  the  eaparpment8 
open  out  punoramic  views  of  marshes,  and  nullahs 
«'ilh  a  net-work  of  streams  down  on  Ihe  Sylhet  plains. 
\'ipwe(l    in   blue   liaie   and   light   t\w   irenerj'   is   grand. 


North  Cherrapiinji  entrance 

StranKe  as  it  may  sound,  the  scarcity  of  water  during 
the  dry  period  create)*  a  (iiniine.  Water  is  in  short 
supply  at  a  place  where  it  rains  th^  heaviest  in  tlie 
world.  All  the  water  shojvered  on  Cherrapuoji  imme- 
diately run  off  to  swell  Ihe  Surmn  and  the  Padm.i  on 
their  way  to  the  Bay.  So  the  cycle  of  evapoi-ation  ii^ 
soon  completed.  The  rapid  flow-out  renders  the 
village   safe   from   floods. 

The  inlier  rocks  of  the  Kha.ti  Hills  are  very 
ancient— granites  and  gnei^es  belonging  to  the  ear- 
liest geological  period.  They  are  older  tiian  (he 
Himalayas  before  whom  they  stand  as  dwarfs.  At 
(me  time  these  hillH  must  have  stood  like  isUnda  in  the 
midst  of  u  vue^  aquatic  surroundings.  The  Surma,  the 
Panida  and  the  Brahmaputra  even  now  mark  out  this 
area.  'Kie  red  sandstone  found  here  is  hard  and  has 
resisted  weathering.  Limestone  overlaid  by  good  cosi 
depO"ils  is  a  marked  feature  made  prominent  by 
white  anil  bbck  bands  seen  on  cuttings.  This  deposit 
lion  is  of  Ihe  Tertiary  period.  If  lime  could  remain  in 
the  Krounil.  it  would  make  the  soil  iilkatine  but  it  i^ 
washed  out.  The  coal  is  quarriable  and  cheap  foi' 
want  of  export.  In  old  daj^  iron  was  smelted. 

Cirotto*  are  formed  in  the  lime-bearing  hills.  Lime 
drips  away  with  watpr  in  ahundaiiCLv  These  nntunil 
cave*  with  Iheir  peculiar  eroded  stones  are  Inrgp  and 
form  lung  dark  tunnels.  After  enlering  one  of  these 
Mrw  a  sense  of  suffocation  comes  on.  It  i?  dangerous 


to  go  in  with  a  flambmiu  ah  we  toanil  ta  o 
fusion.  Tlie  m;ip-maker  has  alluringly  marki 
subterranean  hollows  a.s  ''cavce"  reminding 
Rllora  and  Ajanla.  We  had  the  Survey  map  I 
Hit  by  iti  symbolic  shorthand.  The  people  he 
a  tradition  (hat  one  of  these  ca\e»  was  once  it 
by  a   i>ython. 

The  Plant  Life 
like  Chcrrapunji  on^'  may  e» 
dense  evergreen  forest  of  i 
type.  But  there  is  no  fi 
Cherra.  The  plateau  is  un( 
dry  and  covered  with  co&n 
grass.  The  hriivy  iiiuuilation 
phints.  There  is  no  lop  noil 
tion  and  the  luterific  land 
barren  and  do'.  The  open 
and  the  hills  lovcrcd  by  sho 
(tras,  almost  iim  .■  aa  atij 
of  a  large  pirk  rcminisc 
Poona   in  Ihe  be^l   uf   seasoni 

The  flora  oi  ,,  locality 
wilh  the  lf.tilud..  The 
temperature  and  llie  edaphie 
fashion  its  type,  A  particul 
of  vegetation  often  occurs  i) 
continuous  narrow  strips 
east  to  west.  In  Che 
it=clf    there    i^    nothintt      ve 


Here  lies  Scott 

-taiiding  fxcept  it.H  barren  and  open  . 
However,  tlie  serrated  slopes,  iu  many  ro.< 
ravines  and  gullies  are  tceniing  with  plants,  k 
ihniT  plants  are  unfamiliar  lo  a  suh-tropjeal 
Here  is  a  t  lea  sure-house  for  a  plant  hunter.  I 
.scatlcrerf  the  beauty  and  magnificence  of  pi 
unsuspected  in  the  jilains  below.  The  flora 
Khasi  Hills  is  famous  for  its  specific  ni: 
superiorily.  In  1850,  Dr.  Hooker  collected  ai 
as  2.000  flowering  plants.  150  ferns,  many  Bry 
and   other   lower  plants  within   the  radius  of  tei 


l;:uund  the  wettest  village  in  the  World 


from  Cherra.  The  pxhuberanee  of  ^'egetatlon  in  these 
ever-damp  hills  owes  its  existence  to  ii  number  of 
iiulluhs,  gorges,  liills  und  roi-ks.  The  cartographer  lias 
lumped  and  kbelled  thei'e  plants  into  "fairly  dense 
mixed  trees  and  undergrowth."  The  fsmiliur  pine  Irec 
of  ShillODg  is  named  Pinus  Khatiaiui — a  pine  peculiar 
nnd  endemic  to  these  hills.  Podocaipus,  Yew.  Oak  and 
other  conifers   thrive   in   the     dry     soil   of   this     area. 


fsniily  UScitaminactat)  hold  its  own  with  nearly 
forty  broad -leaved  representatives.  Wild  plantain 
fruits  (Old  al  Clierra  are  golden  in  colour  but  insipid 
and   full   of   large     black     seeds.     Ottoriferoug   Laurola 


loquat.   and   wild   berries 
(Tfjimt)   are  exported  as  spices. 
]>erennial  hardy     phint     common 
here  on  wet  bi 


FuDcrc! 


(Menbl,) 


Eribotrya — the 
Taroala  leaves 
Suxijraga  diiaHt  a 
in  England  grows 
kfl.  Special  fan-palm 
the  Khasi  Hills  iCkamoeropi 
KkoBiana)  inhabits  rocky  cliffs. 
Cycas  pectinate  looks  like  a  palm 
hut  quite  of  a  different  cIbsb  a!» 
finds  a  home  here.  A  species  of 
L.vcopodium  (clavalum?)  grows  in 
such  profusion  that  it  is  used  as 
wrappers  for  decorative  purposes  on 
festive  occasions.  Insectivorous  utri. 
cularias  abound  in  wet  places. 
Mosses .  and   lichen?  rover  the  trees 


Nine  miles  nortli  of  Cberra,  near 
the  26-milestonc,  lliere  is  a  village 
named  Sohrarira  (S.SST'ft.).  It  is  a 
botanist's  paradise.  Rhododendrons, 
Magnolias,  Palms,  Oaks,  and  India 
Rubber   trees     grow     bom     to     the 


There   are  nearly   litteen  species     o( 

bamboos  and     150  Idnds     of  other 

grasees.     The  bajnboo     is  woven  li- 
the web  of  life  on     this     land.     It 

provides  all     sorta     of     articl<»  for 

daily  use.  Its  many  and  varied  uses 

muM  be  seen  to  be  believed.  They 

are  used  as  pipes,  containers,  vrsels, 

bottles,  and  weapons.   Long   shields 

made  from  bamboo  strips  are  used 

for     protection     from     rain.     Dead 

bodies  are   carried    accompanied  by 

music   from   bamboo    pipes.      Voung 

shoots  are  edible.  Houses  and  huts 

are  built  out  of  them.  Verily,  bam- 
boo  is  A  supreme   gift  of  nature   to 

the    primitive    people.     The   orchids, 

plants  with  a  rich,  showy  and 
frequently  fregrani  flowers,  domi- 
nate with  250  species.  They  are 
found  on  rocks  and  trees.  The  terrestrial  orchids 
are  common  in  the  wet  months  while  the 
epihytes  flower  just  after  it.  The  ornamental, 
half-hardy  and  profusely  flowering  Balsams  are  in 
abundance  with  varieties  in  all  spectral  colours. 
Clumps  of  distinctive  screw-pines  or  Paudanus,  grace- 
ful palms  (A'tnga  Ptnnale  :  Rattan)  pop  up  from  the 
fisstuvs  in  the  rocky  slopes.  Wild  plantains — Kairem 
of  the  Khasis—and  its  near  relatives     of  the  ginger 


Green  and  glamorous  Shillong 
soil.  Further  up  a.  tiny  hamlet  of  Mawpblang 
(6,138  ft.)  two  miles  west  of  the  road  from  the  It-mile- 
stone, has  a  fine  wood  providing  another  Elysium  for 
a  plant  lover.  At  this  true  mountai.i  height  honey- 
bees have  field  days  alt  over.  Lae  is  produced  by 
insects  on  fig  trees.  Reaiu  is  tapped  from  the  pines. 
The  tribal  people  hold  the  oak  and  rhododendrons  in 
reverence  and  are  reluctant  to  destroy  them.  Like  the 
Sikkimesc  the     Khasis  have     their     own     names  (or 


THE  MODERN  REVIEW  FOR  MAY,  1953 


plants  and   birds.   TIjo   Cliena   clan   ot    llie   Khakis     is 
kaonn  as  Diengdoli— a  name  of  a  tree. 

To  an  ecologist  unfamiliiir  with  plants  of  tlie 
(cmperJte  I'egion  llie  jJenlificatioD  of  plunts  is  tanta- 
liuiiig.  Tlic  feeling  of  Mlrangeiiess  is  oppressive.  He 
struggles  to  recognise  a  few  of  tiiem.  Botany  in  Indm 
is  concentrated  on  the  tropical  planlct  of  the  plains, 
Wjiat  is  hidden  behind  the  uorthern  temperate  bills 
ia  untouched.  At  (licsc  lower  than  true  iTionulain 
heights  a  foiC'^t  of  familiar  Indian  trees  is  lonkoil  for. 
Surprisingly  the  eye  meets  the  temperate  flora  of  tlio 
middle  latitudes  having  European  genera,  Tbo 
botanical  frontiers  of  Sikkini  aod  far-otT  Malaya 
toueh  the  Khasi  Hills.  The  occurrence  of  European 
forms  of  pLints  in  the  Khasi  Hills  is  not  an  isolated 
instance.  Wallace  was  stnick  by  this  peculiarity  ol 
plant  distribution  on  the  volcanic  peaks  of  Java  very 


a  elope 
ucnr  IIk^  liiquutor.  Darwin  baa  explained  1 

discontinuous   occurrence   of     plants     in 


Huts 

i  typo  ol 

second 

r  of  Ihc  Origin  of  Species.  Here  %re  isleU  of 
temperate  plants  wl  in  a  gfoon  grassy  belt.  The  trees 
are  evergreen  and  their  leaves  have  a  glossy  shine. 
The  temperate  forest  is  deciduous  but  this  one  is  not. 
Unlike  the  evergreen  tropical  forest  the  trees  oie 
small;  there  are  no  huge  lianas  and  there  is  no  want 
of  undergrowlli.  There  are  no  buttreas-root«  and 
drip-tli>s,  the  special  oulfits  of  trees  of  the  rain 
forest,  Tlie  ecological  demarcation  of  alpine  vegeta- 
tion above  10,000  ft.  is  not  respected.  In  these  Hills 
the  alpine  plants  may  be  seen  at  5,000  ft.  near 
Lyngiong.  ten  miles   N.-W,  of  Cherja.    A  species  of 

■  Rhododendron  is  even  bold  enough  to  come  down  to 
2,000  ft.  level  on  the  banks  of  tlie  Bor-pani.  How 
different  from  textual  dogma  1  I^antana  the  alien 
intruder  has  become  a  successful  pest  and  thrives  in 
biHKing  glory. 

At  Cherra  Ihere  is  no  cultivation— not  even  of 
rice.  Little  south  at  the  foot  of  the  hills  towards 
Sylhel  there  arc  orchards  of  small,  sweet-sour  oranges 
and  pineapples.  Birds  and  animals  are  scarce.  There 
are  no  herds  of  cattle — cows  or  buffaloes.  TTie  Khasia 

J/ie  the  Dyaks  of     Borneo  and   (he  Malay  have  no 


tasic  for  milk  and  ghee.  They  do  not  plough  fields. 
There  are  snakes  but  they  are  harmless. 
Tun  Pboplg 
Chcriapunji  w;is  a  business  centre.  There  is  a 
long  ropc-wuy  to  ciiiiy  goods  to  Sylhel  plains  for 
expoi't  Id  Calcutta  but  the  new  frontier  has  made  the 
line  almost  idle.  Every  eighth  day  th^  hillmen  have  a 
market  day.  Here  was  the  headquarters  o!  the  Hills 
up  to  1864.  It  was  then  a  gateway  to  Assam  from 
Bengal.  It  is  connected  with  Shillou^  by  a  good  tar 
L-oad.  There  stands  a  monument  of  David  Scott  who 
died  in  1831  as  an  A«cnt  to  the  Govemor-Geneml  tif 
the  N".-E,  Frontier  of  Bengal  and  Cominisaioner  of 
Revenue  of  Assam.  All  the  whiteman's  virtues  are 
enumerated. on  the  marble  tablet  set  in  a  Able  stole. 

There  are  veij'  f<'w  villages  of  importance  in  tbtsc 
6,152  square  miles.  In  an  area  where  the  density  of 
population  is  less  than  35  inhabitants  p^"  square  mile 
there  is  no  dearth  of  living  space.  The  hamlets  a[« 
M-allercd  and  hidden  from  view  by  the  undulation! 
of  the  ground.  The  Khasi  villages  have  prominoit 
{Menhir)  stone  slabs  vertically  erected  ae  funenal 
monuments.  The  Iribe  is  ,diritbMl  animistic.  Tlitr 
bum  {dqw  bury)  their  d&id  ■  and  fnopitiale^!,lbe 
supernatural  by  sacrificing  a  cock.  Their  "animixn" 
consists  in  the  fear  of  the  unaeeo  and  the  super- 
natural spirit.-'.  Fortune-telling  is  done  by  egj- 
breakjng;  so  they  take  omens.  They  worship  aD*^ 
|>ropitiate   their   anceators. 

The  Khasis  derive  their  identity  from  Kha-Chais 
presumed  to  ha\e  migrated  somewhere  from  Indo- 
China.  They  have  Mongoloid  features  but  appear  to 
be  A ustric- Mongolian  mixture.  Their  skin  appears  to 
be  cream-coloured  at  Cherra  but  in  the  bazar  darker 
skin  shades  are  noticed.  They  are  *hort  in  stature, 
have  high  cheek  liones,  large  nostrils,  slightly  oblique 
(slit)  eyes,  broad  shoulders  and  muscular  appearance. 
A  fat  Khasi  is  a  rarity.  They  keep  a  tult  of  hair  like 
a  broad  pig-tail.  They  go  about  the  hills  with  goal- 
like  agillly.  They  are  outdoor  open-air-loving  people 
fond  of  gambling.  They  are  fond  of  chewing  betel- 
leaf  with  lime  and  raw  arcca-nuU-.  Even  distance 
usetl  to  be  meainired  in  terms  of  time  taken  to  masti- 
cate a  leaf  and  nut.  Both  the  sexes  wear  tnrrinis. 
The  old-style  male  still  wears  a  jacket  closed  by 
loops  of  strings.  They  speak  a  dialect  akin  to  Burmese 
Mon-Khmer  of  AustrJu  origin  which  has  conimoa 
elements  with  the  Mund^xs  of  Centnil  India  and  the 
inhabitants  of  Cambodia  and  Annam.  We  fully 
realized  this  while  performing  iMintomime  in  a  vilteje 
to  get  ouf  bearings. 

The  Khasis  have  affinities  with  the  primitive 
people  of  Malaya.  Tliey  have  certain  ciisLoms  in 
common.  When  a  baby  is  bor«  the  placental  cord  is 
cut  with  a  sharp  atrip  of  bamboo  and  preserved  till 
the  naming  ceremony  is  over.  They  have  neither  » 
sickle  nor  a  pottx-r's  wheel.  The  KhaaU  are  said  to 
have  come  to  Assam  before  the  Christian  era.  AsrtU 


AROUND  THE  WETTEST  VILLAGE  IN  THE  WORLD 


is  ou  (lio  thi'psiiolj  of  Suuth'Eiiat  Aai».  To  underatuod 
the  tribes  and  culture  ot  Assam  it  is  necessary  to 
know  the  primitive  culture  of  Indo-Chiou  and  tlie 
Malay  Arrliipeliigo.  Siam,  Cambodia,  Malaya,  Java, 
Sumatra  and  Bali  were  tile  colonies  of  India  during 
tlie  modiuvul  period  barely  five  himdred  years  ago. 
The  uni\'ersal  use  of  rice-brew,  betel-leaves,  areca- 
nuts,  b:inana  and  bamboo  in  this  moist  leech -infested 
l:ind  are  tlie  cultural  links  ."till  exi^lmg.  Cowri  waa 
their  current  nati\'e  coin  to  the  end  of  the  eighteenth 

The  special  tribal  drink  is  "laopaoi"  brewed  from 
rice.  They  ha*'e  no  food  taboo.  They  are  expert  bow- 
racD.  They  hid  proved  their  toughness  against  the 
troops  oC  the  East  India  Company  in  a  dispute  over 
the  building  of  road  to  Gaubati  in  1S27. 

Their  oval-roofed  huts  in  remote  locations  are 
built  on  slopes  protected  by  the  hills  at  the  back— 
liirge  yellow  flowers  and  white  fruits  of  the  gourd 
plant  garnish  them.  They  are  constructed  from  local 
bamboos,  wood  and  gra*".  The  thatching  of  the  roof 
(omw  down  well  o*er  the  side  walls.  But  during  the 
last  few  decudfti"  galvanised  iron  sheets  have  sup- 
pressed the  light  prodticls  of  the  land.  Most  ot  the 
huts  are  now  made  from  iron  sheets  which  give  a 
lUsty  I'orrugated  ap|iearantc.  Even  kerosene  cans  are 
beaten  flat  and  pressed  into  service.  These  sbeeta 
absorb  66  per  cent  of  the  sun's  heat,  resist  white  ante, 
fire,  water,  »nd  earthquakes.  They  have  become 
popular  as  building  matei'ial  even  beyond  the 
Himalayas.  Tlie  Khasj.s  like  the  elephant  and  the  rhino 
ni-e  ncclimati;ed  to  live  in  perennial  humid  atmos- 
phere. One  feels  living  in  hydrosphere  during  rains. 
Humidity  prtrvents  evaporation  from  plant  and  animal 
bodies.  Such  climate  is  not  normal  for  human  health. 
The  articles  of  food  and  wear  (like  sugar,  salt,  leather, 
paper)  deteriorate.  Mists  and  f(^  tut  down  visibility 
and  interfere  with  transport.  The  climate  dictates  the 
mode,  of  life  and  the  people  become  weather-bound 
:n  their  daily  work.  Days  and  week-s  have  to  be 
passed  in  monotonous  atmosphere.  In  this  latitude 
2L.-t  of  December  h:is  insolation  for  ten  hours  but  it 
extends  by  three  hours  in  six  monllis.  Alas,  when 
that  liapjien.-:  in  June  clouds  seal  off  the  sun, 

Anionic  the  Kh:isis  the  number  of  women  is 
tliglitly  higher  lliau  men.  It  is  a  society  based  on 
matriarchal  iiilicrilancc.  After  marriage  a  son-in-low 
dwells  in  bride's  house.  It  is  the  youngest  dakighter 
in  a  family  who  inherits  the  i-ank  r.nd  much  of  the 
wenlth  of  iiurenl.s.  Each  family  traces  its  ancestry 
from  n  feiii ale-progenitor.  Women  are  free  from  the 
dawn  of  civilization  in  matrilineal  society.  The 
marriage  ties  are  neither  very  fast  nor  divorce  difficult. 
This  has  led  tii  certain  amount  of  promiscuity.  The 
Khasi  women  are  known  for  their  Hollywood  sexua! 
hsbits.  There  are  a  few  Anglo-Khasis  in  Assam. 
Venereal  disease  is  said  to  be  high.  Their  Siem  is  a 
commoner.     He  is  elected  by  the  adult  males.     This 


is  a  Cambodian  tradition.  He  has  no  civil  list  or 
privy  pui'sc  and  toils  for  his  daily  bread  like  his  tribe. 
The  Khiisia  inaUTially  differ  from  the  Nugas  and  the 
Bodo  Races  in  their  laws  of  inheritaaee.  The  Khosi 
clans  are  exogamo'.ia. 


Men  all.  Cherrapunji 

Under  the  Uuion  Jack  the  Khusis  like  other  bill 
Iribea  of  Assam  were  under  the  special  administrative 
protection.  The  Government  had  banded  over  tl'e 
education  of  the  district  to  the  Welsh  Presbyterian 
Mission  in  IS41,  The  mis>ionaries  found  a  secure 
base  for  their  "preach  and  proselytize"  operation, 
froielytizaliou  through  education  was  the  policy  aided 
and  abetted  by  the  late  State.  The  evangelists  claim 
to  have  saved  all  the  Khasi  souls.  Later  the  Roman 
Catholic  Mission  entered  to  salvage  the  residual  souls. 
The  Khasis  have  lost  their  tribal  coherence  and  com- 
pactness they  once  bad.  A  modem  Khasi  is  an  anae- 
mic imitation  Eurasian.  His  dress  and  customs  are  not 
his  own.  It  is  amusing  to  see  him  aping  the  Yankee 
mannerisms  after  the  last  war.  Instead  of  merging  the 
Khakis  into  the  general  Assamese  culture  the  evange- 
lists have  put  them  further  apart  by  introducing  the 
Roman  Script.  The  great  weakness  of  the  western 
intruders  is  to  create  cleavages  in  a  solid  social  group. 
They  have  not  sliown  synthetic  perception  in  India.  If 
there  is  a  feeling  of  separate  political  identity  amongst 
the  tribes  of  Assam  it  is  of  the  mysterious  spiritual 
blowing.  The  grafting  of  alien  culture  ha:;  divided  a 
house  against  itself. 

Shillono 

The  road  leading  to  Shillong  is  awe-inspiring.  Its 
many  twists  and  turns  and  hair-pin  bends  above  a 
thousand  feet  deep  gorges  keep  passengers  in  dramatic 
suspense.  There  is  a  one-way  traffic  regulated  by 
proper  timing  at  the  gates.  The  road  risks  are  driven 
home  by  a  skull  and  bones  painted  on  notice-boards. 
The  surprise  is  that  very  few  accidents  orcur  in  spite 
of  ramshackle  pasaenger-ctim-goods  transport  speeding 
over  the  rOad.  The  Khasis  are  good  drivers  and  have 
mechanical  aptitudes. 


394 


THE  MODERN  REVIEW  FOR  MAY,  1953 


Shillong  has  the  distinction  of  being  the  only  town 
in  the  midst  of  1^839  villages  in  the  Khasi-Jaintia  Hills. 
Its  old  name  Yeddo  was  scraped  as  it  is  also  a  Jap 
place  name.  Shillong  is  the  name  of  a  peak  and  ^ 
part  of  Mylliem  State.  This  capital  of  Assam  is  without 
history  and  any  geographical  importance.  It  had  the 
climatic  comfort  and  home  effects  for  the  British 
rulers.  ShiWong  is  a  middling  town  in  the  rain  shadow 
of  the  Cherra  Hills.  The  rainfall  is  82  inches.  Full  of 
coniferous  and  other  trees  it  appears  green  and 
glamorous.  The  hills  neither  produce  food  nor  con- 
sumer's goods  for  the  town.  Its  life  line  extends  to  far- 
off  Calcutta.  These  few  square  miles  of  upstart  political 
settlement  in  no  way  reflects  Assam  or  pulsates  with 
its  blood.  It  has  scenic  charms.  The  Khasis  believe 
that  a  spirit  resides  in  the  Shillong  peak  as  in  many 
other  hiljs  around  them. 

Every  eighth  day  the  hill-folks  have  a  market 
day  at  Shillong.  On  this  day  the  bazar  embodies  the 
microcosm  of  the  hills.  The  women  are  traders  and 
Fhop-keepers.  From  early  morning  hillmen  stream  in 
with  huge  conical  baskets  carried  on  their  backs  and 
supported  by  a  band  on  forehead.  This  is  a  common 
way  of  carrying  load  all  over  the  northern  hills. 
Potatoes  first  introduced  in  1830  are  now  leading  the 
market   produce.   Pineapples,  peas,  papayas,  pumpkins. 


:0:. 


oranges,  tejpat,  betel-leaves,  chillies,  cabbages,  and 
radishes  are  heaped  in  open  stalls.  Pigs  are  a  part  of 
the  show.  The  women  wrap  themselves  in  a  piece  of 
cloth  like  a  shawl  thrown  over  othej  garments,  walk 
without  foot-wear  and  carry  about  children  on  their 
backs  with  a  stooping  posture.  The  Khasis  relish 
**Sophlang"-tubers  produced  by  a  .  leguminous  plant 
Rhynccosia  vestita.  It  is  reputed  to  stimulate  the 
digestive  system.  The  octave  bazar  is  the  right  place 
for  an  introduction  to  these  simple,  cheerful  inhabitantf 
and  their  manners.  They  are  at  peace  with  the  world 
and  themselves.  The  Kliasi  Hills  are  remarkably  free 
from  violent  crimes — a  tribute  to  their  character.  Here 
is  Utopia  where  the  people  do  not  pay  house-tax  or 
land   revenue  and  laugh  with  you. 

BmUOGRAPHY 

Brooks,   C.   E.  P.:    Climate  in  Everyday   Life    (1950), 

Ch.  X,  pp.  201-209. 
Giit,  (Sir)  Edward  :  History  of  Assam   (1926). 
Gordon,   (Major)  P.  R.  T.:   The  Khasis  (1907). 
Hooker,     (Sir)     J.     D.:     Himalayan  Journals   (1906), 

pp.  484-501. 
Imperial  Gazetteer  of  India,  Vol.  XV   (1908). 
Nath,  R.  M.  :     The  Background    of    Assam     Cxdture 

(1948). 
Wadia,  D.  N.  :  Geology  of  India   (1949),  p.  249. 
AVallace.     Alfred     Rus>ol  :      The     Malay     Archipelago 

(1898),  pp.  91-92. 


JOHN  DEWEY— FAMOUS    AMERICAN  EDUCATOR  AND  PHILOSOPHER 


The  death  of  John  Dewey  on  June  1,  1952,  ends  the 
career  of  one  of  the  foremost  educators  and  philosophers 
of  all  time. 

Called  "America's  most  characteristic  intellectual 
expression,"  John  Dewey  influenced  educational  practices 
in  the  United  States  and  many  other  countries  for  more 
than  two  generations.  He  also  achieved  world-wide  fame 
for  his  influence  on  contemporary  thought  and  as  a  cham- 
pion  of  progressive   causes. 

After  the  death  of  "William  James,  Dewey  was  re- 
garded in  the  United  States  as  the  leader  of  the  prag- 
matic movement  in  philosophy.  Often  referred  to  as 
the  philosopher  of  the  plain   man,  it   was  said  of  him  : 

"There  is  hardly  a  phase  of  American  thought  to 
which  he  has  not  made  some  contribution,  hardly  an 
aspect  of  Ajmerican  life  which  he  has  left  uninterpret- 
ed. His  influence  has  extended  to  the  schools,  the 
courts,  the  laboratories,  the  labour  movement  and  the 
politics  of  the  nation." 

Dewey's  philosophy  was  based  on  experience  (instead 
of  tradition  or  dogma)  as  the  ultimate  authority  in  know, 
ledge  and  conduct.  He  had  complete  faith  in  the  scienti- 
fic method  of  inquiry  and  the  power  of  human  intelli- 
gence to  create  a  better  society. 

Dewey  was  frequently  referred  to  as  the  foremost 
educational    philosopher    in    America,     tlis    writings    in- 


clude many  books  on  education,  which  have  been  tran- 
slated into  several  languages.  He  was  widely  known 
outride  the  United  States,  and  was  invited  to  Mexico, 
China,  Japan,  Russia,  Turkey  and  South  Africa  to  aid  in 
educational  programmes. 

Accordng     to  Max     Eastman,  noted     author,  ''John 

Dewey is  the  man  who  saved  our  children  from  dying 

of  boredom  as  we  almost  did  in  school.**  It  was  largely 
due  to  his  teaching,  said  the  Encyclopaedia  Britannica, 
that 

"The   centre   c)f   gravity   shifted    from    the    subject- 
mnttcr  of  instrurtion  to  tbo  child  to  be  taught.  As 
a    consequence,    the   school    began    to    change   from   a 
place  where  children  prepare  for  life  to  a  place  where 
children  live." 
As  the  father   of   the   progressive  educational   move- 
ment, Dewey  had  a  running  battle  with  traditional  edu- 
cators for  more  than  half  a     century.     Even  during  the 
last  years  of  his  life,  his  theory  of  progressive  education 
was  challenged  frequently.     In  replying  to  these  chaUen- 
ges,  Dewey  cited  the  results  of  his  theories  : 

"Our  public  schools  are  far  more  democratic  to- 
day than  they  were  50  years  ago  .  .  ".  Children  receive 
more  freedom  in  the  class-room  and  are  permitted  to 
take  a  greater  part  in  school  activities  than  they  were 
at  the  turn  of  the  century. ..  .Basically,  the  gap  exist- 
ing between  the  progressive  and  the  traditional  school 
has  narrowed   considerably  in  recent  years." 


t» 


.1'1H\  DEWKY— FAMOfS  AMERICAN  KDltCATOn   , 


lewey  believed  iliat  ihe  mair.  problems  confronling 
iiion  revolved  around  the  Isck  of  inspired  teachers 
he  need  (o  idduce  capable  students  to  enter  thp 
ing  profeMion,  plus  the  need  for  increasing  bolh  the 
ge  and  the  monetary  rewards  of  teaching. 
ohn  Dewey  wag  bom  on  Oclobcr  20,  1859,  in 
igton,  Vermont,  where  his  father  kepi  a  general 
He  finished  high  school  and  entered  ihe  Univeraity 
Ttnoni  at  15.  He  graduated  at  19  vriih  the  highest 
I  on   record   in   philosophy, 

at  a  while  he  was  a  school-teacher,  but  after  his  first 
;  was  published  by  the  Journal  oj  Speculative  Philo 
,  be  decided  to  be  a  philosopher.  So  he  borrowed 
from   an  auni  and  entered   the     graduate  school  of 

Hopkins  University  in  Baltimore,  Maryland.  The 
rear  he  won  a  scholarship  and  also  got  a  job  leaching 
istory  of  philosophy  lo  the  undergraduates.  Later, 
t  a  job  as  instructor  of  philosophy  at  the  Universit)' 
chigan,  where  he  fell  in  love  with  Alice  Chjpman,  one 
■  pupils,  whom  he  married  in  1886.  £zcept  for  one 
It  the.  University  of  Minesota.  Dewey  spent  10  years 
1  University  of  Michigan,  becoming  head  of  the 
iment  of  philosophy  in  1SB8. 

a  1894.  he  was  invited  to  head  the  combined  depart- 
of  philosophy,  psychology  and  education  of  Chicago 
rsity.  There  be  founded  the  famous  Dewey  Labora- 
cbciol,  where  he  put  into  practice  his  ifaeoty  of  "team- 
f  doing," 

1  1904,  he  became  professor  of  philosophy  at  New 
1  Columbia  University.  Foil  owing] ''his  retirement 
e  early  1930's,  Dewey  continued  -lo  receive  his 
I   salary    as   professor  emeritus   in      residence   until 

In    1932   he   was  appointed   honorary   president   of 

George  School  of  Social  Science  in  New  York, 
"ewey  also  was  for  some  lime  president  of  the 
can  Psychological  Association  and  the  American 
iation  of  University  Professors  as  well  as  honorary 
lent  of  the  American  Philosophical  Association,  the 
lal  Education  Association  and  the  Progressive 
It  ion  Association. 

n  June.  1948,  Dewey  was  awarded  one  of  the 
lonorary   degrees   conferred   by   the  New   School  for 

Research  in  New  York— Doctor  of  Human  Letters, 
iferring  the  degree,  the  school  described  him  as  the 
est   of   iiving   American    phil.i-ophers."      Dewey   has 


been  similarly  honoured  by  several  othei 
in  America  and  abroad. 

He  was  the  typical   professor  in   that  he  was  i 
minded   and   careless   about   his   appearance.    He 
bothered  much  about  exercise  for  he  thought  biaiii 
was  jiul  as  good,  if  there  was  eoongli  iif  it. 


John  Dewey 

The  Deweys  had  six  children  and  one  of  his  biogra- 
phers has  said  it  vras  the  children,  clambering  over  him 
while  he  worked  "who  kept  the  problems  of  philosoplir 
thoroughly  mixed  up  in  bis  mind  with  the  problems  of 
rtlucation." —  VSIS. 


398 


THE  MODERN  REVIEW  FOR  MAY,  1953 


which  aims  at  specialisation  and  intensification  almost 
from  the  very  beginning.  The  inclusion  of  modern 
subjects  like  Mathematics,  History,  Geography  and 
Civics  as  well  as  of  modem  literature  in  the  old-type 
curriculum  will  make  it  rather  too  difficult.  It  is  feared 
this  will  detract  rather  than  attract  students. 

In  fact,  the  current  system  of  general  education 
even  with  its  modern  methods  has  not  succeeded  in 
securing  students  for  Sanskrit  in  an  appreciable  num- 
ber. The  standani  of  examination  is  generally  not  high. 
The  minimum  requirement  is  such  that  students  may 
pass  in  Sanskrit  in  the  B.  A.  standard  with  little  know- 
ledge of  the  language  and  its  gramm<ir.  I  have  known 
Bengali  students  graduating  with  Sanskrit  as  a  subject 
who  are  hardly  conversant  with  the  Devanagari  Script. 

In  these  circumstances  it  may  appear  to  be  surpris- 
ing that  the  number  of  students  taking  Sanskrit  is  fast 
decreasing  from  year  to  year.  It  is  gathered  that  in  the 
seventies  of  the  last  century  ''Sanskrit  was  taken  up  as 
the  second  language  by  more  than  half  the  candidates 
(at  the  Entrance  and  FA.  examinations)  and  if  the 
lower  provinces  of  Bengal  simply  be  considered  the 
proportion  rises  to  three-fourths  of  the  candidatest'' 
in  spite  of  the  fact  the  subject  was  considered  to  be 
difficult  at  the  time.  The  deterioration  in  the  present 
state  of  things,  sad  and  disappointing  no  doubt,  is  the 
introduction  of  modern  subjects  of  definitely  superior 
market  value. 

But  this  is  no  consolation.  We  cannot  remain  satis- 
fied with  the  conditions  as  they  are.  We  must  devise 
ways  and  means  as  to  how  Sanskrit  may  be  made 
interesting  and  attractive  to  students  as  well  ns  the 
people  at  large.  We  have  to  improve  the  mode  of 
teaching  to  make  it  impressive.  As  matters  stand  at 
present  students  are  scared  away  by  the  intricacies  ot 
grammar  on  which  undue  emphasis  is  laid  both  in  the 
class-room  and  the  examinations.  It  is  true  students 
manage  somehow  to  get  through  the  examinations 
in  spite  of  their  negligence  and  ignorance  of  the  rules 
of  grammar.  But  they  imbibe  little  regard  for  the 
subject.  The  selected  texts  are  not  the  less  respocisible 
for  this  state  of  things.  Grown-up  students  who  have 
developed  some  amoimt  of  literary  sense  begin  Sanskrit 
with  beast  fables  of  the  PcmchatarUra  and  the  Hit^ 
opadesa  and  proceed  by  stages  to  the  Raghuvimw, 
Kumarasambhava,  Bhattikatrya,  Kiratarjuniya  and 
Sisupala-biidha,  There  is  much  in  these  works  which 
has  no  appeal  for  present-day  students. 

Modem  taste  and  utility  needs  be  taken  into 
consideration  in  selecting  texts  for  students.  And  there 
is  no  dearth  of  materials  in    the    extensive  field     of 

f  General  Report  of  Fubtie  Instruction  in  Bengol  for  1871«72,  p.  10. 


Sanskrit  literature  to  suit  the  taste  and  requirements 
of  the  present  age.  Specially  prepared  selections  frc^ 
well-known  works  including  those  mentioned  above 
may  be  useful  in  this  connection.  Only  change  of  books 
or  parts  of  them  from  year  to  year  will  not  serve  any 
purpose.  A  little  co-ordination  between  different 
universities  may  be  of  help  in  this  matter.  Some  atten- 
tion should  be  given  to  things  of  current  use,  €.g^ 
Vedic  mantras,  hymns,  sections  of  epics  and  Puranas 
regularly  used  in  Hindu  homes  but  of  which  our 
young  folk  learn  nothing  in  their  schools  and  colleges. 
It  is  rather  curious  that  the  old  and  almost  forgotten 
sacrificial  application  of  Vedic  mantras  has  to  be 
learnt  with  great  assiduity  without  having  any  idea  of 
their  present  use  in  dififerent  popular  rites.  Many 
mantras  used  in  these  rites  are  not  even  prescribed  to 
be  read. 

Whatever  be  the  texts  some  interest  may  still  be 
created  by  drawing  attention  to  the  value  and  impor- 
tance of  the  works  in  the  history  of  literature,  by 
appealing  to  the  literary  sense  of  the  students  with 
reference  to  portions  of  marked  poetic  excellence  and 
particularly  by  pointing  out  the  bearing  of  the  works 
on  the  life  and  culture  of  the  present-day.  Special 
stress  requires  to  be  given  on  the  close  relation  between 
Sanskrit  and  the  modem  languages  of  the  country 
which  are  connected  with  one  another  through  the 
bond  of  Sanskrit  which  has  given  them  a  large 
percentage  of  their  words,  some  used  in  their  original 
sense  and  form  while  others  in  a  modified  way. 

There  is  just  a  possibility  of  attracting  students 
to  the  rules  of  Sanskrit  grammar  in  so  far  as  they  are 
required  for  the  correct  appreciation  of  the  sense  of 
words  and  expressions  of  modem  Indian  languages  and 
for  the  formation  of  new  words  often  necessary  for 
expressing  new  ideas.  A  text-book  of  grammar  with 
special  emphasis  on  this  topic  will  also  be  welcome 
to  the  large  number  of  litterateurs  of  the  country  who 
are  eager  to  learn  Sanskrit  out  of  sheer  necessity,  if 
for  nothing  else,  and  are  dissuaded  for  want  of  suitable 
books  on  grammar  which  is  supposed  to  be  the  stumbl- 
ing block  to  the  study  of  Sanskrit. 

Making  Sanskrit  a  compulsory  subject  in  the 
curriculum  of  studies  will  be  of  little  avail  if  at  the 
same  time  it  cannot  be  made  more  attractive  and  its 
value  and  utility  strongly  impressed  on  the  people  at 
large  through  the  publication  of  popular  works  dealing 
with  different  aspects  of  the  language  an'cl  the  ridi 
literature  enshrined  in  it.  The  encouragement  of 
intensive  study  in  the  traditional  form  also  depends 
in  a  large  measure  on  the  public  interest  that  can  be 
evoked  and  resulting  patronage  that  can  be  secured  in 
this  respect. 


THE  DAWN  SOaETY  OF  CALCUTTA 

(1902.1907) 

Bt   Phof.   HARIDAS   MUKHERJEE.   m.a. 


Foundation  of  the  Dawn  Society 
One  of  the  greatest  achievements  of  Satis  Mukherjee's 
life  (1865-1948)  was  the  foundation  and  organisation  of 
the  Dawn  Society.  Ini  the  evolution  of  Mukherjee's 
creative  life  the  Dawn  Society  (1902-07)  represented  the 
third  great  landmark,  the  first  two  being  the  foundatioil 
of  the  Bhagavat  Chatuspathi  (1895)  and  the  establish- 
ment of  the  journal,  The  Dawn  (1897).  The  Society  was 
founded  in  July  1902,  the  same  year  which  witnessed  the 
passing  away  of  Swami  Vivekananda,  the  '^patriot-saint*' 
of  modern  India.  The  Society  derived  its  name  from  the 
title  of  the  magazine,  the  Dawn,  It  is  a  mistake  to 
think  that  the  Dawn  at  once  became  the  mouthpiece  of 
the  Da^  Society  (July  1902) .  Even  after  the  establish- 
ment of  the  Dawn  Society,  the  magazine  both  formally  and 
materially  continued  to  function  as  the  organ  of  the  old 
Bhagavat  Chatuspathi  in  whose  name  the  journal  was 
printed  and  published.  Thla  process  continued  down  to 
July  1904.  During  this  period  (July,  1902— July,  1904) 
the  office  of  the  Davoi  magazine  was  situated  at  79,  Puddo* 
pukur  Road,  Bhowanipur,  Calcutta,  while  the  office  of  the 
Society  was  located  at  22,  Sankar  Ghose's  Lane  in  the 
premises  of  the  Metropolitan  Institution,  now  the  Vidya- 
sagar  GiUege. 

Mr.  Amit  Sen's  statement,  viz^  "Jn  19Q3  was  founded 
the  Dawn  Society  with  its  organ  in  the  Dawn**  (Notes  on 
Bengal  Renaissance,  Bombay,  1946,  p.  51)  is  an  inaccur- 
ate information.  It  is  inaccurate  on  double  grounds : 
first,  the  Dawn  Society  was  founded  not  in  1903  but  in 
July  1902  and  secondly,  the  Society  at  that  time  had  no 
apecial  organ  of  its  own.  The  Society  found  its  organ 
only  since  September,  ;1904  when  the  journal  was  re- 
atamed  as  The  Dawn  and  Dawn  Society^s  Magazine.  This 
name  the  journal  retained  even  afteii  the  dissolution  of 
the  Dawn  Society  (1907)  down  to  November  1913.  Be 
it  noted  that  the  activities  of  the  Dawn  Society  were 
reported  in  the  Society's  Calendar  during  July,  1902-^ 
July,  190<^— and  not  in  the  Dawn  magazine. 

The  Dawn  Society  had  ita  Permanent  President  in 
Mr.  Nagendra  Nath  Chose,  F.R.S.L.,  Principal,  The 
Metropolitan  Institution,  Editor,  the  Indian  Nation  while 
its  General  Secretary  in  Satis  Chandra  Mukherjee,  M.A., 
B.L.,  Editor,  the  Dawn}  Ideologically,  its  programme 
was  much  larger  than  that  of  the  older  institution, 
Bhagavat  Chatuspathi,  and  it  aimed  at  a  comprehensive 
training  of  the  students, —  literary,  religious  and  voca- 
tional.  The  defects  of  the  system  of  University  Educa- 
cation  were  sought  to  be  removed  by  this  institution. 

Aims  and  Orjects  of  the  Society 
In  the  first  place,  the  Dawn  Society  sought  to  impart 
religious  and  moral     instruction  to  the  college  students. 


This  kind  of  instruction  was  not  given  in  any  college 
under  the  University.  The  sponsors  of  the  Society  conse- 
quently thought  it  desirable  to  undertake  this  respon- 
sibility upon  their  shoulders.  Character-building  thuf 
became  a  most  important  item  in  the  ideological  complex 
of  the  Dawn  Society. 

Secondly,  the  Society  souglit  to  supplement  even  the 
ordinary  academic  education  imparted  in  the  various 
colleges.  Nagendra  Nath  Chose  observes  that  '*the 
literary  education  which  is  given  in  our  colleges  is 
imparted  in  a  way  which  is  not  always  desirable  ;  at  any 
rate,  it  is  received  by  the  students  in  a  way  which  is  not 
always  desirable,  and  that  we  may  describe  as  entire  pas- 
.sivity  on  the  part  of  the  student"'.  It  was,  therefore, 
intended  by  the  organisers  of  the  Dawn  Society  that  under 
it  the  students  should  be  trained  in  a  manner  so  as  to  enable 
them  to  fimction*  as  self-conscious  agents  in  the  classes. 
The  students  were  to  be  trained  ''in  the  methods  of 
assimikting  knowledge,  of  digesting  knowledge,  of  writing 
out  the  substance  of  what  they  hear,  and  of  discussing 
the  subjects  on  which  they  have  heard  lectures."  Such  a 
method  was  hardly  pursued  in  literary  education  m  any 
coUege  of  the  time,  whether  private  or  Government. 

With  these  objects  as  stated  above  the  Dawn  Society 
was  originally  founded.  But  after  a  short  time  when  the 
Society  was  progressing,  the  scope  of  its  activities  wa^ 
widened  in  the  directioui  of  the  Industries.  Vocational 
trainmg  since  then  became  an  integral  part  of  the 
Society's  ideology. 

Activities  of  the  Society  : 
General  as  well  as  Moral  aInd  Religious 

From  the  very  inception  of  the  Davm  Society  (July 
1902),  it  began  to  hold  iu  two  Weekly  Classes.  Two 
days  in  the  week  weie  permanently  fixed  respectively  for 
the  General  Training  Class  and  the  Moral  and  Religious 
Training  Ckss.  In  the  ktter  class  Pandit  Nilkantha 
Goswami  regularly  delivered  lectures  in  Bengali  on  the 
Gita.  His  expositions  were  so  sweet  and  lucid  as  to  make 
a  deep  appeal  to  the  hearts  of  the  students. 

In  the  General  Training  Class  Satis  Mukherjee  was 
the  chief  worker.  Lectures  were  delivered  in  English 
and  on  a  variety  of  topics  such  as  economic,  historical 
and  philosophical.  Whatever  might  be  the  topic  of  dift- 
cussion,  he  alvrays  laid  in  course  of  his  lectures  a  perma- 
nent stress  on  moral  and  spiritual  values  as  central  to 
good  creative  life.  He  was  an  inspired  talker,  full  of 
aparidmg  ideas  and  imagination.  With  him  'patriotism,* 
^self-sacrifice*  and  *duty'  were  some  of  the  constant  watch- 
words, and  the  pupils  of  the  Society  often  unconsciomly 
imbibed  that  spirit  from  their  great  teacher  whose  ideal- 
ism was  infectious  as  it  were. 


1.     "System   o£   Work   and    Training   under   tbe   Dawn    Society**   by 
N.    N.    GlioM  ami    9.    C.    Mulihrrjee    (Tht   Dmwn,  December,    1902). 


2.  Mr.  N.  N.  CboM*t  apeecb  on  tbe  occaaion  of  tbe  Dawn 
Society's  annttal  prise  dirtribution  meeting,  beld  on  34tb  July,  1904. 
{The  Dawm  fid  Dmwn  Society**  Mmtuine,  Septemlber  1904,  Pact  IV, 
pp.    1-5). 


THE  MODERN  REVIEW  FOR  MAY,  1953 


400 

Both  in  the  Moral  and  Religious  Section  and  the 
General  Section,  proper  steps  were  taken  to  encourage  the 
■nidems  to  as^milato  the  ideas  disseminaled  in  the 
Masses.  They  were  required  regularly  to  wrile  out  the 
substance  of  what  they  had  heard  and  to  discuss  what 
they  had  aheady  been  taught.  They  were  provided  vritb 
certain  Eiercise  Books  immediately  after  lecture*  to  write 
down  the  substance  of  ihem  in  those  Books  which  were 
called  "Record-Books."  Extracts  from  those  Books  were 
alao  published  in  1903  in  the  Dawn  Society's  Calendar  for 
1902.  Since  September,  1904  the  Society  found  its  organ 
in  the  old  Dawn  Maganne  whose  one  section  (Part  Vii 
was  regularly  devoted  from  that  time  onwards  to  the 
publication  of  eitracls  from  the  "Record- Books." 
IndusttuaI  Section  of  the  SoaeiY 

Nert,  we  may  turn  to  the  Industrial  Section  of  the 
Dawn  Society.  To  promote  a  genuine  interest  in  the 
students  in  the  native  industries  of  India,  a  Swadeshv 
Stores  was  opened  under  the  auEpices  of  the  Sodety. 
This  Industrial  Section  was  organised  by  Mr.  K.  B.  Sen, 
1  -wcU-known  cloth-merchant  of  Barabazai  at  that  time 
and  by  Mr.  J.  Chaudhury,  the  Managing  Director  of  the 
Indian  Stores.  The  members  of  the  Dawn  Society  were 
taught  to  study  the  maiket-rale,  rise  and  fall  of  prices 
nd  other  economic  facts  about  daily  Indian  life.  A 
fairly  large  museum  was  maintained  by  the  Dawn  Society 
triiere  various  kinds  of  Indian  home-products  were  kept. 
The  atudents  were  taught  business  in  the  way  of  buying 
and  selling.  They  had  to  sell  the  home-products,  previ- 
ously placed  at  the  disposal  of  the  Industrial  Section,  at 
particular  hours  from  4  lo  7  P.M.  They  had  also  "^o 
keep  Tegular  accounts  of  their  income  and  expenditure 
and  afterwards  lo  explain  accounts  to  members  of  the 
BuunesB  Section  of  the  Society."  Thus  an  attempt  was 
made  to  generate  in  the  students  ■  personal  interest  in 
the  native  industries  of  India.  Besides,  the  students 
were  provided  with  facilities  to  become  buMnesft^tperls 
under  such  practical  dieciplioe  of  buying  and  selling 
bome-made  commodities. 

Nagendra  Nath  Chose  informs  us  that  in  comec 
tion  with  the  Swadeshi  Stores  of  the  Dawn  Society  leC- 
luiers  were  also  occasionally  organised  and  eihibitiont 
mn  held.  In  1903  one  Industrid  Exhibition  was  held 
at'  the  Calcutta  Univeisit]^  Institute  and  another  at  the 
Metropolitan  Institution'.  The  Swadeshi  Stores,  Indus- 
trial  Lectures  and  Industrial  Elxtubilions — these  three 
loBether  effectively  served  to  popularise  Indian  home- 
manufsctures  among  the  classes  and  the  masses.  In 
course  of  the  year  1903  ah>ne,  about  Rs.  lOjOOOj-  (Ten- 
thousand)  worth  of  home-made  goods  were  sold  by  the 
Lidustrial  Section  of  the  Dawn  Society.  Sreejut  Haran 
Gu>ndr&  Cfaakkdar.  the  seniormost  student  of  the  Dawn 
Society  and  aiv  active  worker  in  its  Industrial  Section, 
infwms  the  present  writer  ihat  'one-anna  profit  per 
rupee"  was  the  ideal  and  ptaotici.-  uf  the  Society  to  cover 
the  expenses.  The  students  were  not,  however,  pennilted, 
■s  Nagen  Chose  tells  us,  t<i  make  any  personal  profits  out 
if  the  sales  they   made.      Whatever  profits  there  would 


have  remained  after  meeting  the  primary  expenses  of  the  ,1 
Industrial  Section  in  connection  with  Exhibitions,  print-  f 
ing  hand-biU*,  circulating  notices  etc.,  were  distributed  I 
in  prizes  (in  arlielesl  lo  the  best  and  most  legulai  J 
iludent-cuslomers  of  indigenous  goods.  But  no  me 
was  allowed  to  take  a  single  pie  for  his  labour,  as  elevlj  I 
sircsaed  by  Nagen  Choee,  iKe  Permanent  Ptewdent  of  ( 
the  Dawn  Society,  in  bis  public  lecture  on  24tb  July,  1901 

CBATinnoos  SotvicES  of  the  Society 
Another    moat     characteristic     feature  of     the  Dawn 
Society  requires  to  be  carefully  noted.    The   Society  led 
by  Satis  Mukherjee  did  not  charge  "a   single   pic«  as  « 
fee  payable  from     any     single     member."    The     servicet   I 
rendered  to  llie  sludenla  were  wholly  free  and  voluntary,   j 
There  was  no  admission  fee  nor  there  was  any  subscrip- 
tion, to   pay.     Whatever      money   was   required   for      th( 
mainteiiance   of  the  Society,   for   scholarships   and   priaci 
to  the  most  meritorious  students,  was  all  obtained  through 
(he  generous  gifts  of  some  of  the  public -spirited  citizens  of 
(^leulta. 

All    these    features   taken    together   were   responaibk 
for  the  unique  role  the  Dawn  Society  played  in  CalcBlU 
at  the  beginning  of  the  present  century.    If  by  edueatioi 
we  meaa  the  fullest  development  of  the  latent  powers  ol 
the  individual,  then   it   was   best   served  under  the  D>"a   J 
Society.     Here  the  moral,  intellectual  and  practical  sida   ! 
of  man's   nature    were   cultivated   and   trained   etm^1las^   > 
ously  and  with  equal  cmphaws.     Here  the  boys  were  re 
quired  in  everything  "lo  be  their  own  servants,  their  own 
treasurers,  their  own  clerks." 

The   Dawn   Society   began   its   work   only   since  Jul? 
1902,  but  in  Jess  than  two  years  it  had  been  able  to  impreii 
public   imagination,   of     the     country.    By      1903-Oi     iIk 
SocieJy  was  recognised  as  one  of  the  best  cultural  institu-    | 
tious  of  Bengal,  enjoying  the  confidence  and  support  ol    I 
men  like  Sir  Gooroodas  Banerjee.  Dr.   Rashbehari  GhoM,    * 
Honllc  Mr.  Justice  Chandraraadhab  Chose,  Honlle  Mi. 
Justice   Ashutoeh   Mukherjee,      Rabindra   Nath      TiEotb 
Sister  Nivcdiifl,    Dr.  J.  C.  Bose  and    Dr.  P.  C.  Roj*. 
The  splendid  record  of  work  done  by  the  Dawn  SodMJ 
was   admired   in   noblest   language   by   Sir   Gooroodas  is    i 
course  of  his  Presidential  Address  at  the  Society's  Amaiil    ' 
Priii:,   Medal   and   Certificate   Distribution-   Meeting,  beU 
at   the   Calcutta   University      InMilute   on   July   24^  IM. 
His  speech  was     published  in  the  Bengalee,     edited  b; 
Surendia  Nath  Bancrjea,  on  August  11,  1904  and  ezlracln] 
in  the  Septemhcr,  1904  issue  of  the  Dawn.  In  that  speeci 
GooroDitas  fci^lingly  observed  ; 

"If  hi^lp  is  deserved   ty  any   pubUc   in.stituIion  ia 

Calcutta,  it  is  emphatically  done  so  by  a  public  ituti- 

lulion   like  this,  which  is  worked   solely  on   a  phiUa- 

ihropie  basis,  whose  active  workers  all  work  for  Imt." 

He    also    apecially    con|7atuIaied    the    Dawn    Socidr 

upon  its  having  for  its  Secretary,  "a  gentleman  of  tlerf 

and   varied   euittire,   of   uncommon   aptitude  for   leachiat  j 

and  of  earnest    devotion   lo   duty,"   like  Sreejut      Siioi  | 


THE  DAWN  SOCIETY  OF  CALCUTTA 


«a 


Chandra  Muklier)e«  ai  well  as  upon  it*  htviog  for  iu 
Presideol  "a  srholar  of  rare  ability  and  attainmenta  and 
a  man  of  higb  character"  like  Mr.  N.  N.  Chose.  No 
■apect  of  the  Society's  work  drew  more  reverential  tribute 
from  Sir  Cooroodas  than  "the  impeTMHial  agency  of  the 
non -remunerated,  non-remuaeralion-seddng  labour"  of  its 
BClWe  workers. 

"This,"  observed   he,  "ha»  a  vahie  of  its  own,  a 

moral  value  far  above  the  best-skilled  labour  that  you 

can  enlist  in  your  service,  if  that  labour  is  to  be  hired 

only  for  money  and  not  for  love." 

Almost  a  similar  reverential  Iribule  was  paid  to  the 

Dawn   Sociely's  work  by  Dr.   Rashijehari   Chose  as  early 

as  July,   1903  when   the  Society  had   ju^I   completed   one 

year  of  its  career.    In  course  of  his  Presidential  Speech 

at   the   Annual   FVize-Distribulioi^   Meeting   of   the   Dawn 

Society    (held   on    19th   July,   1903),   Dr.   Chose    felt   no 

hesitation  in  characterising  the  Society  as  "unique  in  its 

character"  and  observed  : 

"It  Is  impossible  not  to  wish  success  to  a  society 
whose  object  is  to  supply  the  deficiencies  in  the  edu- 
cation of  our  young  mra." 

Students  or  the  DaIwn  Societt 
The  Davm  Society  except  b  these  annual  prize-Eiving 
meetings  before  the  public  carried  on  its  normal  work  in 
a  quiet,  silent,  private  and  unostentatious  manner.  Its 
constructive  woric  was  so  briDiant  and  effective  as  to  draw 
steadily  lo  itself  an  Jncreasmg  number  of  coUegO'Studenta 
who  represented  diverse  districts  of  the  then  undivided 
Bengal.  Haran  Chandra  Chakladar  (Historian  am) 
Anihropologist)  was  the  earliest  and  the  seniormost  pupil 
of  the  Dawn  Society.  When  the  Industrial  Section  was 
organised,  he  was  placed  in  charge  of  that  Section  by 
Satis  Mukberjee.  Next  to  him  in  age  were  lUdht- 
kumud  Mukherjee  (HistorianI,  Rahindra  Narayan  Chose 
(Historian  and  Principal,  Ripon  College.  Cakulla), 
Benoy  Kumar  Sarkar  (Historian,  Sociologist,  Econonisl 
and  Philosopher). — all  of  whom  conatituted  the  inner 
circle  of  Satis  Chandra  Mukherjee.  With  these  boys 
eocept  Mr.  Haran  Chandra  Chakladar  Mukherjee 
lived  in  a  hoiue  situated  at  38|2.  Stub  Narayan  Daa  Lane, 
Calcutta.  They  were  some  of  his  most  gifted,  most  be- 
loved pupils. 

Beaides  this  inner  circle,  there  was  a  large  number 
of  Recognised  and  Ordinary  Members  on  the  basis  of  their 
xegnlarity  of  attendance  and  the  amount  of  work  done 
in  the  Society.  Among  such  members  the  more  itnportanti 
figures  were.  Kiahori  Mohan  Gupta  (Principal,  Daulatpnr 
College  and  Kaviraj),  Prafulla  Kumar  Sarkar  (founder- 
editor,  Anandtt  Bazar  Pairika  and  social  philosopher). 
Rajendra  Pra.'*ad  ( Tolirical  leader  and' the  first  President 
of  Free  Indian  Rppublicl,  Soutindia  Narayan  Dull  (Atior 
Bey,  High  Couri.  CIslcutlal.  Cirija  Prasamia  Sanyal 
(Advocate,  High  Oiurt,  Calcuita),  L'prndra  Nalh  Ghosfaal 
'Historian)  and  Sobhamaya  Dull  ((Government  Pleader. 
,  East  Pakistan).  The  number  of  the  irregular 
r  pupils  of  the  Society  was  also  considerable. 
The  late  PKife^anr  Nripeodia  Chandra  Banerjee   (Edur.u. 


tionist  and  Politieal  Worker),  aldiough  not  a  Recognised 
Member  of  the  Dawn  Society,  was  very  closely 
aasocialed  with  it  while  be  was  a  student  of  the  FVesidency 
College,  Calcutta. 

"1,"  writes  Banerjee  in  bis  aulobiographr.  ^i 
the  Cross  Rttads  ((^cutta)j  'Vas  not  of  the 
inner  circle  but  1  attended  many  of  the  special  lec- 
tures arranged  for  the  beoefit  of  the  advanced  scholan 
and  learners  by  the  Dawn  Society  and  Sreejut  Satis 
Mokherjee  presided  over  one  of  the  meetings  of  our 
Graduates'  Union  when  I  was  reading  a  paper  and 
admired  it  with  the  constructive  comment  that  I  must 
concentrate  my  ycamjng  lo  sen'e  India  in  otte  objec- 
tive and  ihtn  only  I  would  achieve  something  tangible." 
Hia  acquaintance  with  revered  Sails  Mukherjee  was 
considered  by  him  as  "the  most  precious  result"  of  his 
literary  venture  as  a   student. 

Dawn  Societv  as  a  Hakbinceb  of  the  SwAbESHi 

MOVEUENT 

In  a  umilar  manner  Satis  Mukherjee  furnished  vital 
urges  of  noble  life  and  action  lo  numerous  other  cotlege- 
pupils  of  Calcutta  and  outside.  The  alpha  and  omega  ot 
Mukherjee's  creative  idealism  was  the  remaking  of 
tadividnals  through  education.  Himself  a  hfe-kng 
bachelor  and  a  self-denying  soul,  he  sought  to  inluse  that 
spiritual  qiulity  of  his  character  into  the  hearts  of  those 
who  rallied  round  him.  Under  him  the  Dawn  Society 
became  an  organisation  for  the  cultivation  of  patriotic  and 
Swadeshi  spirit,  By  promoting  the  sale  of  indigenous 
goods,  by  popularising  the  home-made  products  in  N 
variety  of  ways,-^jectures  and  Exhibitions,— by  publish- 
ing notes  and  news  on  native  Industries  of  India,  and, 
above  all,  by  training  up  a  band  of  active  workers  aflame 
with  Sawdeshi  spirit,  Mukherjee  served  as  a  harbinger  ol 
the  Boycott  aud  Swadeshi  Movement  of  1905.  The  Swadeshi 
Movement  declared  itself  not  earlier  that  August  7,  19(S, 
bnt  the  forces  in  favour  of  the  Swadeshi  Industries  had 
been  set  in  motion  by  Mukherjee  through  the  Dawni 
Society  about  two  years  ago  (1903- 19D&).  Mukherjee'* 
pioneering  work  in  the  Swadeshi  Movement  has  hardly 
ncejved  as  yet  proper  recognition  from  historians  and 
researchers  on  modem  Bengali  history.  But  from  all 
accounts  of  the  Swadeshi  period  the  unmistakable  fact  that 
engages  attention  is  that  Satish  Mukherjee  was  a  central 
figtm  in  the  hectic  daya  of  the  Bengali  Revolution  ol 
190S.  Few  of  our  national  leaders  could  foiesoe  an4 
embody  the  creative  ideologies  of  the  Revolution  of  1905 
■a  fully  and  effectively  as  the  silent,  self-sacrificing  Satis 
Mukherjee  who  was  an  "inspired  fanatic"  of  Vivekananda 
brand.  The  National  Council  of  Education  (March  11, 
1906)  had  long  agoj  been  fore-sbsdowed  in  tbe  Dawn 
Society  (July  1902)  whose  economic  and  patriotic  activi- 
ties during  190^-05  served  is  ■  prelude,  a  pre-vision  to  the 
Boycott  and  Swade>.hi  Movement  (Augutt  7,  1903).  His 
trained  pupils  of  iIih  Dawn  Society  became  active  prota- 
gonists and  workers  in  the  Swadeshi  cause  as  soon  as  the 
BengaU  Revolution  formally  began. 

Dawn  Society  Ii«  OiitmipMUUtT  Views 

The  role  of  tbe  Dawn  Society  {\9IXUn)  n  the 
eduraiiooaj   progieK*  and  cultural  tranalormaliDn  of  the 


402 


THE  MODERN  REVIEW  FOR  MAY,  1953 


Bengali  race  forms  a  chapter  by  itself  in  the  wider  history 
of  the  nation.  During  1902-07  it  functioned  as  a  most 
powerful  formative  force  in  the  world  of  Bengali  aspira- 
tions and  creativities.  Its  history  is  so  organically  linked 
up  with  the  Bengali  Revolution  of  1905  in  all  its  phases, 
— economic,  political  and  educational— that  the  genesis 
and  the  ideological  complex  of  that  epoch-making  Revolu- 
tion can  hardly  be  understood  without  grasping  the  ideaa 
and  activities  of  the  Dawm  Society.  The  Society  was 
most  active  and  perhaps  at  the  height  of  its  influence  and 
reputation  during  1905-06.  In  an  editorial  article  on  the 
Dawn  Society  as  published  on  August  6,  1905, 
Narendra  Naih  Sen,  the  Editor  of  the  Indian  Mirror 
observed  : 

"The  Dawn  Society  of  Calcutta  is  a  unique 
institution  in  this  countr>%  for  an  all-round  trainina  of 
our  young  men  outside  the  school  and  the  college. 
Babu  Satis  Chandra  Mukherjee  is  the  life  and  soul  of 
this  Society,  and  not  only  the  students,  but  the  entire 
educated  community  of  Bengal,  will  remain  deeply 
grateful  to  him  for  his  silent,  unostentatious  and 
noble  work."  !  » 

In  early  July   1905  the  Davm  Society  organised  an 

impressive  Exhibition  of  knitting  hand-machines  and  hand« 
looms  in  the  premises  of  the  Metropolitan  Institution. 
From  editorial  reports  as  published  in  the  Bengalee  (edited 
by  Surendra  Nath  Banerjea)  Bud  the  Amrita  Baxar  Patrika 
(edited  by  Motilal  Ghose)  on  July  17,  1905,  we  come  to 
learn  that  the  Exhibition  was  attended  by  over  d(X)0 
persons  among  whom  were  noticed  jPrincipal  D.  B. 
Havell,  Mr.  Narendra  Nath  Sen,  Honi*ble  Bhupendra  Nath 
Bose,  Sister  Nivedita,  Dr.  Ptankrishna  Acharya  and  others. 
"From  2-30  P.M.  to  5-30  P.M.  the  work  went  on  magnifi. 
cently.  But  the  time  for  the  closing  of  the  Exhibition  being 
fixed  at  6  P.M.  and  there  being  no  additional  men  to  relieve 
the  workers  in  charge  of  the  machines,  many  were  not 
shown  the  demonstrations.  We  would  request  the  Dawn 
Society  to  hold  another  exhibition  of  this  nature  which 
should  not  be  limited  to  one  day,  but  should  extend  to 
at  least  three  days*'^.  From  these  accounts  it  is  clearly 
suggested  that  the  Industrial  Exhibitions  of  the  Dawn  Society 
were  a  tremendous  success  and  drew  the  admiring  attention 
of  thousands  of  men.  Other  performances  such  as  athle- 
the  performances  (under  the  leadership  of  Satis  Chandra 
Basu  of  the  Bharat  Anushilan  Samiti)  and  perfor- 
mances on  the  (kamophone  marked  the  function 
and  amused  the  public.  Mr.  £.  B.  Havell,  the  distingu- 
ished art-critic  and  art-historian,  who  was  present  at  the 
Exhibition,  delivered  a  short  speech  in  which  he  spoke  in 
high  terms  tlie  practical  work  the  Dawn  Society  was  doing. 
By  1904-05  the  Society  had  come  to  be  knovm  all  over  the 
country  as  a  unique  type  of  cultural  organisation,  an 
object  of  deepest  pride  and  highest  admiration.  This 
is  sufficiently  borne  out  by  the  comments  and  reflections 
of  the  leading  contemporaries  of  the  country  such  as  Dr. 
Rashbehari  Ghose,  Djinesh  Chandra  Sen,  Sir  Gooroodas 
Banerjee,    Rabindra    Nath    Tagorc,    Hircsidranath    Datta, 

4,     The     Dawn     Society's     Exhibition       (Tkt    Dawn,       New     b'fit*. 
Vol.     II.     IQOr,.r,     r.rl     IV;    pp.    R.«). 


Ashutoah  Mukherje^  Dr.  Jagadish  Chandra  Bofle»  Kriahaa 
Knmar  Mitra  and  others. 

Towards  the  end  of  July  1905,  Dr.  J.  C.  Hose  ex- 
pressed deepest  satisfaction  at  the  remarkable  work  of 
the  Dawn  Society  in  a  letter  (30th  July)  written  to  Satii 
Chandra  Mukherjee,  the  Secretary  of  that  Society.  As  a 
historical  document  about  the  work  of  the  Da¥m  Society, 
thict  letter  is  of  great  importance  and  hence  is  quoted 
below  : 

**Dear  Satis  Babu. 

1  always  regret  that  owing  to  pressure  of  work  I 
am  not  able  to  come  to  your  meeting  and  see  your 
Dawn  students,  but  I  read  your  magazine  and  I  am 
keenly  interested  in  your  work.  I  am  proud  of  voui 
boys  and  the  results  they  produce.  As  a  small  ex- 
pression of  my  deep  regard,  I  shall  send  you  twenty- 
five  rupees  to  be  used  in  prizes  or  in  any  other  way 
you  like,  if  you  will  send  a  peon  to  take  the  contribu- 
tion on  Monday  evening. 

Yours  very  faithfully^ 
J.  C.  Bose." 

In  connection  with  the  third  annual  Prize-Distribu- 
tion Ceremony  of  the  Dawn  Society  held  at  the  Univcr- 
•ity  Institute  Hall  (30th  July,  1905,  Sunday),  the  distin- 
guished men  who  had  graced  the  occasion  with  theix 
presence  all  reiterated  their  greatest  regard  for  the  Dawn 
Society. 

The  number  of  prize-winners  in  the  C^neral  Sectioa 

of  the  Society  was  nine  and  in  the  Magazine  Section,  ten. 

The  winners  in  the  former  Section  were  all  from  among 

the  local  workers  and  Recognised  Members  of  the  Society, 

while  those  in  the  latter  Section  belonged   to   diCEerent 

regions  of  India,  viz.,  Pabna,  Tamluk,  Calcutta  (Bengal), 

Bhavanagar  (Gujarat),  Chingleput   (Madras  Presidency), 

Bombay  and  other  places.  The  principal  prize-donors  on  that 

occasion  were  Gooroodas  Banerjee,  Rashbehari      Ghosh, 

Ashutosh   Mukherjee,   Hirendranath   Datta   and   Jagadish 

Chandra  Bose  all  of  whom  cherished  for  the  Dawn  Society 

a  genuine  love  and  regard.     Sir  Gooroodas  Banerjee  in 

iooorse  of  his  Presidential  Speech  on  that  occasion  (July 

dO,  1905)    brought  into  bold  relief  the  real  significance 

and  value  of  the  woric  done  by  the  Society. 

''The  capital  of  the  Dawn  Society,  from  the 
ordinary  point  of  view,"  remarked  Gooroodas,  "is  not 
collected,  as  in  other  societies  from  subscriptions  from 
members.  Self-help,  though  not  declared,  is  the  silent 
motto  of  the  society.  The  capital  of  the  Dawn  Society 
is  not  a  sordid  pecuniary  capital,  but  a  capital  of 
intellect,  massive  intellect,  well-directedf  and  well- 
balanced,  like  the  intellect  of  the  learned  gentleman 
on  my  right  (Mr.  N.  N.  Ghose,  Permanent  President) 
and  the  learned  gentleman  on  my  left  (Babu  Satis 
Chandra  Mukherjee,  Secretary)"'. 
In  conclusion;  it  need  be  added  that  Satis  Mukherjee 

arranged  for  the  boys  of  the     Dawn  Society     frequent 

general  lectures  delivered  by  persons  like  Rabindranath 

Tagore,  Dinesh  Chandra  Sen,  Brahmabandhab  Upadhyaya, 

Sister  Nivedita  and  others.    Many  speeches  of  Rabindra- 


5.  Dawd  Society  Priie-dittribution  Ceremony  (fAe  Bvh^I—, 
AtiffUMt  1,  190S.  Reprinted  al«o  in  the  D4iwn,  New  Series,  Vol.  IL 
190S4.    Pari    IV.    pp.    IM. 


A  SUMMAllV  StlftVtlY  Of  AtlT  JOtJMAtS  I^  I^lA 


^ 


natb  and  Dinesh  Sen  such  as  delivered  before  the  Society 
have  been  permanently  recorded  in  the  pagea  of  the 
Dawn  and  Dawn  Society s  Magazine  (New  Series  :  Vols. 
I-n.  1904-1906).  In  his  speech  before  the  students  of 
the  Dawn  Society  (February  25,  1906),  Rabindranath 
expressed  his  unhesitating  moral  support  to  an  institution 
like  this  which  was  wedded  to  constructive  ideology  and 
work  from  the  very  beginning  of  its  life-history.  He  made 
a  powerful  plea  for  constructive  work,  which  even  though 
unostentatious  and  modest  at  the  beginning,  was  of  far 
greater  consequence  than  a  big  enterprise  undertaken  at 
the  gush  of  momentary  excitement.  He  painfully  record- 
ed how  much  he  had  expected  from  the  Swadeshi  Move- 
ment (working  since  August  7,  1905)  and  how  much  he 
bad  been  shocked  at  the  huge  wastage  of  national  energy 
in  the  excesses  of  anti-British  excitement.  Real  and 
solid  constructive  work,  emphasised  he,  could  only  be 
accomplished  through  silent,  patient  and  sustained  toil 
and  sacrifice.  The  Dawn  Society  as  led  by  Satis 
Mukhezjee  was  declared  by  Tagore  on  that  occasion  to  be 
OD  ideal  institution  well  calculated  to  train  up  young 
men.  A  few  lines  from  his  original  Bengali  speech  are 
reproduced  below  in  order  to  drive  home  to  the  readers 
the  high  esteem  in  which  Rabindranath  held  the  Dawni 
Society : 


^phl  ^SPTR  m4)^«I^    «rmT^  Tnt  l     ^n%i^i9  ^ 
«irp^sT   fm     «n,    ftwr-wq*^     m    National 

fJR  !T&  ^*q  Tlfe^T  «Tf^   3r^nf  ^5RTT   ^*T^ 

c[w%  1i?t5WTOi  L..«ft3r  ^iR  3riW^  >5l\:  ^'ft:  Tuit 
3r>iRhElfiiR  H^n  ^ft'n  ^ife^sr  l"    (6ee  p.  64) 

These  lines  from  Rabindranath  breathe  the  spirit  in 
which  the  leading  contemporaries  of  Bengal  of  the  early 
twentietl^  century  viewed  the  work  of  the  Dawn  Society 
as  led  and  inspired  by  Satis  (Chandra  Mukherjee 
(1865-1948) . 


:0:. 


A  SUMMARY  SURVEY  OF  ART  JOURNALS  IN  INDIA 

By  KAUNDINYA 


m 


In  1941  was  started  a  Miscellany,  with  topics  on  Art 
predominating,   under     the     title     Art   and    Culture, 
edited  by  Dilip  Kumar  Das  Gupta  and  printed  at  the 
British  India  Press,  Bombay.  The  role  and  policy  of 
this  journal,  a  Quarterly   issue,  was  suggested  rather 
than  stated  in  an  inspiring  editorial  from  which  we 
quote  some  passages  to  indicate  the  editorial  aims  : 
"The  world     is     passing     through     tremendous 
changes;  our  civilization  and  governments  are  being 
changed  overnight  ...     A    new     social  order,  a 
different  economic  system  and  political  regime  may 
take  ihe  place  of  old  ones;  the  outward  structure  ot 
the  present  civilisation  may  go,  and  even  human 
inatincta  may  change  for  the  better  or  worse,  but 
Art  will  oiUlive  everything  and  so  will  the  cultural 
heritage  of  mankind.    Art    and  culture     have     no 
geographical  or  national  barrier.  Pi:re  art  is  a  thing 
of  beauty;  it  has  a  universal  appeal,  be  it  a  Negro 
song,  an  Italian  sculpture,  or  a  Chinese  painting. 
The  same  holds  good  for  culture,  which  is  so  very 
essential  for  the  understanding  of  one  nation  by 
another.  It  is  the  lack  of  culture  which  was  at  the 
root  of  the  religious  wars  in  Europe,  the  Crusades 
in  the  Middle  East,  or  the  present  misunderstanding 
between  Hindus  and  Muslims  in  India.  .    .  Some- 
itimes  civilisation  is    confused     with    culture    and 
therefore  it    is  necessary    to    distinguish    between 
them.  Civiliiation  means  a  developed  or  advanced 
0tate  of  human  society.  Culture  is  just  the  intellec- 
tual side  of  civilisation;  it  represents    humanity's 
effort  to  improve  itself  in  the  jpbere.of  intellectual 
aehieveoieBt.  Culture  demancb'   pettection  and    an 


endless  pursuit  of  knowledge  for  its  own  sake.  .  .  , 
The  present  war  has  placed  social  life  Jn  a  state  of 
chaos.  But  in  spite  of  the  precarious  conditions 
imder  which  we  are  living  today  there  are  stiU 
artists  who  are  optimistic  enough  to  forge  ahead 
for  the  progress  of  art  and  culUir*.  Culture  through 
art  is  the  finest  achievement  of  man  and  it  bears 
a  truly  religious  sigiiificance,  for,  the  appreciation 
oj  art  is  a  spiritual  discipline  for  all  of  us.  *Art  is  a 
central  necessity  in  life,  an  immovable  substantive 
and  it  should  occupy  a  position  ot  at  least  equal 
importance  with  science  because  of  its  service  in 
both  the  expression  and  the  control  of  the  most 
dynamic  force  in  human  nature,  the  force  of  feeling." 
.  .  .  We  are  today  (1941)  fighting  for  our  political 
freedom  mainly  for  this  cultural  emancipation,  for 
it  is  culture  which  India  values  more  than  anything 
else,  since  the  days  of  Buddha  and  it  is  through 
culture  that  India  will  again  send  her  messa^ 
throughout  the  world.  Engravings  and  frescoes  m 
Ajanta  and  Ellora  brought  to  life  by  Uday  Shankar 
through  his  dances  and  by  Nanda  Lai  Bose  through 
his  paintings  in  Santiniketan  show  the  immortal 
character  of  Art.  India  is  proud  of  having  such 
masterpieces  of  the  ancient  days,  revived  by  our 
modem  artists.  And  India  will  once  more  send  her 
message  to  the  world  in  the  different  aspects  of  Art. 
be  it  through  the  literature  of  Tagore,  the  philo- 
sophy of  Radhakrishnan,  the  religious  teachings  of 
Vivekananda  or  the  cult  of  non-violence  of 
Mahatma  Gandhi.  Art  and  Culture  as  twin  sisterp, 
fighting  for  the  same  cause,  will  thus  reach  the 
common  goal  for  human  emancipation;  and  India 
in  tbe  veiy  near  future  will  Va.m^  Ni;^  ^^^as^  v  ^qm^ 


ViSP 


jM 


f He  Moi>fiRj4  njiview  von  may,  1053 


part  in  this  achievement  and  for  the  establishme{^t 

of  &  new  order  for  the  entire  world." 
«  We  have  made  rather  lengthy  quotationa  from  the 
editorial  of  the  first  number  of  this  Journal  as  it 
contains  some  profound  and  valuabb  observations  on 
the  functions  and  uses  of  Art,  which  could  not  have 
reached  many  people,  and  which  will  bear  repetition 
today,  as  Art  continues  to  be  treated  as  a  forbidden 
fruit  in  our  colleges  and  universities,  and  there  is  very 
little  active  interest  in  and  patronage  of  art  amongst 
the  so-called  cultured  section  of  our  people.  Though 
not  exclusively  devoted  to  the  visual  arts,  the  journal 
included  in  its  first  number  a  variety  of  cultiwal  topics, 
publishing  at  least  four  important  articles  on  the  Fine 
Arts,  (1)  "Manifesto  for  a  People's  Theatre"  by 
Bharati  Sarabhai,  (2)  "The  Yoga  of  Art"  by  Dr.  G.  8. 
Arundale,  (3)  "An  Analysis  of  Kathakali  Dance"  by 
Padmanabhan  Thampy,  illustrated  with  five  photo- 
graphs demonstrating  the  abhinaya  poses  of  Gopinalh 
and  his  troupe,  (4)  "Contemporary  Indian  Art  Ex- 
amined," a  trenchant  criticism  by  an  Englishman, 
Leyden,  of  the  Tagore  school  of  painting,  from  which 
we  extract  a  typical  passage  : 

"Abanindranath's  art  is  conditioned  by  his 
romantic  nostalgia  for  the  lost  paradise  of  eastern 
poetic  tradition  from  -the  great  Indian  epics  to  the 
Arabian  Nights.  His  paintings  are  dreams  in  which 
figures  emerge  from  the  ha«c  of  his  wash  back- 
grounds to  convey  moods,  sentiments,  or  passions. 
Tlieir  associations  are  literary,  their  appearance 
imreal.  His  figures  are  evolved  from  the  symbolical 
anatomy  of  religious  imagery.  His  followers  develop 
and  refine  the  formal  and  decorative  aspect  of  his 
compositions.  Chughtai,  Roy  Choudhury  and  Ukil 
were  absorbed  by  the  rhythmical  possibilities  of 
line"  (so  were  the  whole  body  of  Chinese  -and 
Japanese  painting).  "They  are  often  side-tracked 
into  the  merely  omamenta),  and  come  dangerously 
near  to  illustrators  like  Aubrey  Beardsley  and 
Dulac.  Much  of  their  work  has  the  sentimental 
melody  of  a  Lied  and  not  the  beat  and  depth  of  a 
real  poem." 
We  are  not  aware  if  an  Asiatic  critic  was  ever 

permitted  to  sermonize  and  comment  on  any  phasrs 
of  European  art,  ancient  or  modem ;  I  can  recall  an 
only  exception  in  the  case  of  a  monograph  on  Botti- 
celli by  a  Japanese  critic.  But  our  editors  have  fallen 
into  the  pernicious  habit  of  inviting  European  critic- 
isms of  Indian  contemporary  art.  Most  expressions  of 
art  are  spiritual  manifestations  and  religious  expres- 
sions and  it  is  not  possible  for  any  foreigner,  however 
eminent  (Ha veil  not  excepted),  to  live  under  the  skin 
of  an  Indian  artist  with  his  spiritual  likes  and  dislikes, 
his  prejudices  and  idiosyncrasies,  which  latter  even 
offer  a  strong  and  vital  inspiration  to  his  art- 
expression.  It  was  not  possible  for  Leyden  to  measure 
the  place  and  status  of  Kri8hna4ila  themes  in  the  art 
complex  of  Acharya  Abanindranath  Tagore,  just  as  it 
is  not  possible  even  for  Indian  Christians  to  plumb  the 
motifs  ol  European  painting  in  such  themes  as  the 
Cruci/irion  or  the  MaUr  Dolorota.  Contemporary 
^oreiga  criticimn  of  modem  lodjan  piBdntinc  hM  uol 
^  coatimd  the  mind  ot    Ihditna    and    pTevtoled 


tham  from  arriving  at  a  just  estimate  of  the  prodoB^ 
tions  of  their  fellow  Indians,  but  has  also  embarraaad 
the  producers  and  creators  of  art.  Art  can  only  thrtfit 
and  prosper  by  negotiating  with  and  reacting  to  thi 
criticisms  of  members  of  the  same  society,  living  tlia 
same  manner  of  life,  in  identical  psychosocial  atmot* 
phere.  There  was  a  time,  when  Indian  nationals  having 
lost  their  own  national  and  spiritual  consciousnea 
were  unable  to  appraise  the  quality  and  character  of 
Indian  art,  and  sought  help  in  the  words  of  Havell, 
Margaret  Nobel,  or  James  H.  Cousins,  but  today  \te 
have  plenty  of  qualified  Indian  critics,  competent  to 
appraise  and  evaluate  the  productions  of  our  own 
artists,  and  we  should  refuse  to  be  guided  and  patro- 
nized by  foreign  critics.  Like  criminals  in  Sessions 
Comts,  we  are  prepared  to  be  iudged  and  condemned 
by  our  own  £ellowmcn.  And  one  should  like  to  make 
an  appeal  to  our  learned  editors  to  commission  Indian 
critics  to  praise  or  blame  their  own  fellow-artistB. 
Unless  there  is  a  direct  relationship  built  up  between 
the  Indian  artists  and  his  Indian  public,  the  pulse  of 
art  will  not  beat  with  a  healthy  rhythm. 

Art  and  Culture   bravely  pursued  its  useful  career 
with  more  emphasis  on  general  culture     than  on  art^ 
for  several  years   (1941^45),  publishing  many  interottr 
iog  articles  on  various  phases  of  culture,  not  specialif- 
ing  in  any  phase  of  visual  art  and  never  reproducins 
any  masterpiece  of  Indian  art.  This  will  be  evident  if 
we  refer  to  som«e  of  the  leading  articics  that  figured  in 
its   successive     numbers.     "Man   versus   Machine"  by 
Saroj  Kumar  Das;  "Art  without  Representation"    by 
Bireswar  Sen  ;     "What  was  Known     about  India  in 
Mediaeval  Europe"  by  Sheikh  Rassol;  "South  IndiaK 
Dance"  by  Haren  Ghose;  "What  Freedom  Means  w 
Me"  by  M.  D.  Japeth;     "The  Chau  Dance  of  Sci«t- 
kella"   by   Haren  Ghose    (illustrated);     "A     MtofM 
Version  of  a  Vedic  Motif"  by  0.  C.  Gangoly  with  a 
very  interesting  illustration  from  a  Moghul  miniatun 
from  the  India     Office     collection;     "Mahatma"    by 
Humayun   Kabir;   "Auguste  Comte  and   the  EeligiQa 
of  Humanity"  by  Saroj  Kumar  Das;  "Earth  Hunger" 
by  Girija  Shankar;  "Aesthetics"  by  M.  S.  Bandfaw%; 
"Hindu  Elements  in  a  Musalman  Mosque,"  a  remtik- 
able  article  by  S.  Bose,  illustrated    with  a    series   of 
excellent  drawings  from  the    carvings  of  the    Kulub 
Mosque  at  Delhi,  a  remarkable  article  which  shouUi  be 
reprinted. 

Without  serving  in  any    adequate     measure    tki 
cause  of  art,  in  a  short  career  of  only  five  years,- thi 
Quarterly  abruptly  came  to  an  end  in  1945,  when  tl*| 
editor,  abandoning  his  journal,  joined  a  dance 
as  an  impresario,    demonstrating  that    his    faith 
pictorial  art  and  in  other  major  phases  of  cuKora? 
very  weak  and  shaky,  collapsing  with  the  first 
of  a  chance  of  a  lucrative  employment.    This 
end  is  very  typical  of  the  fate  of  mpst  art-jqunn^ 
India,  aa  we  will  find  in  the  courae  of  our  revieim 


Book  Reviews 


Books  in  the  principal  European  and  Indian  langiiagpa  are  reviewed  in 
The  Modern  ReiMie.  B\it  reviews  of  all  books  sent  cannot  be  guaranteed. 
NewfTiaiiers,  puriodiealg,  school  and  college  text-books,  pamphlets,  reprint*  of 
magazine  articles,  addresses,  etc.,  are  not  noticed.  The  receipt  of  books  received 
for  review  cannot  bo  acKnowledged,  nor  can  any  enquiries  relatinn  thereto 
answered.    Ko  criticium  of  book-reviews  and  notices  ia  published. 

Editor.  The  Modim  Rci-irw. 


ENGLISH 

EXGAI,  XAWABt*  i  Tyiu'laud  by  Jaduixith 
:   from    three    Feriian   .U.Sii.       Asuilic     liopiety, 

ta.  1052.  I'p.  iv  +  iSb: 

he  Asiatic  Society  of  Bengal  is  to  be  congra- 
i  on  having  started  its  memorial  scries  on  the 
ten*r>-  of  its  founder  Sir  WilUam  Jone^,  with  this 
e.  It  ie  indispensable  to  every  student  of  the 
i  of  B:ng^il  and  Bihar  under  the  Nawab  Viceroys 

18th  century,  and  the  solid  historical  truth  hera 
ed  by  the  contemporaries  of  Alivardi  iai 
id-Daulab  will  correct  many  of  the  legends    to 

10  our  novel  readers  and  atilhora  of  ao-ciilcd 
ica!  dramas  in  Bengali.  The  three  most  valuubi^ 
n   accounts   of   the     mccessora   of     Murghid  Quli 

I,  (i.e.,  from  1727  to  the  battle  of  Flasscy)  are 
^resented  for  the  first  time,  ail  from  monuscripw, 
having  been  printed  or  trunsUted  before;  indeed 
of  these  three  has  been  used  by  any  writer  on 
1  history.  One  of  tliese,  tlic  eulog)-  on  Ru^iain 
(the  son-in-law  of  Nawab  ijhujn  Khan)  h.ta  been 
■ered  by  Sir  Jadun.ith  Siirkiir;  it  is  unique.    The 

two  biographers  of  Alivardi  and  tiiiraj,  namely, 
ullah  and  Ghuliiin  Husain  T:ib;itabai,  were  not 
y  of  Alivardi  or  Siriij  anil  wrote  from  hearsay  ; 
inc  of  Ihcni,  numely,  Ghulaiti  Ilusain,  w:is  the 
i-  of  6iraj  and  ho-^tilc  to  the  house  of  Alivirdi 
ml  Nawab's  breaking  oCT  a  match  between  hifl 
r  and  the  hi^tDrian'ii.  The  works  of  thei<c  two 
■  authorities  arc  already  available  in  Eriilish, 
It  no  writer  can  henceforth  plead  his  inabii'ty  lo 
aU  the  contemporary  Indian  i^ourccs  on  the  iaier 
bs,  as  an  excuse  for  the  defects  in  his  uwu 
Mition. 

"he  volume  unfold^^  the  character  of  Alivardi  in 
Lnesa  as  a  veteran  general  and  shrewd  statesman, 

11  as  a  tender-hearted  gr:indfathcr  and  father.  The 
ly  of  hia  last  years,  when  he  was  worn  out  by  his 
ess  toil  to  keep  the  Maratha  raiders  out  of  lleu- 
id  Bihar  and  death  played  havoc  right  and  left  in 
mily,— ia  fully  unfolded  in  the  narrative  of  Yui-uf 
he  son  of  this  Xawab's  coni^Liuit  companion.  We 
here  quote  one  other  tragic  incident : 

v'hen  after  the  murder  of  Siraj,  "his  bo.lv  was 
I  on  an  elephant  and  paraded  through  th«  town 
urrhidabad  with  ignominy,  and  the  elupbiint 
id  at  the  house  of  his  mother,  she  ru.-<hed  o-i:  with 
feet  and  head  and  flung  herself  at  the  feel  oH'w 
,  but  the  servants  of  Khadim  Husain  iihia 
ily  turned  her  back.  .  .  .When  Siraj's  body  was 
It  thrown  into  the  market  »iuare  and  nobody 
d  to  wuh  and  bury  it,  Miria  Zain-ul-abidin 
wal   .    .    .  br^vinf    the     risk  of  death  senteace, 

10 


bathed  it,  encloi^l  it  in  a  cofTm.  and  buried  it  by  t^a 
side  of  Alivardi's  tomb."   (p.  78). 

Mir  J.ifar.  an  readers  of  Macaulay's  essay  on  CUvq 
know,  used  to  be  eallcd  Clive'a  jackius.  The  taunt  wr>i 
earlier,  as  Karam  Ali  shows  (p.  78) :  "After  the  difJri- 
bution  of  the  treasures  of  Siraj,  Mir  Jafar  and  Mirai 
dii'ided  between  themselves  the  wives  and  concub'IiLa 
of  the  dead  Nawab.  Although  both  father  and  sio, 
under  tlie  stimulation  of  brute  passion,  a^cd  for  '■Ha 
h.ind  of  the  honoured  wife  of  Siraj -ud-Daula  (Lutf-iui. 
nisa),  she  dechncd  and  sent  this  reply:  'Having  ridden 
an  elephant  belore,  I  cannot  now  agree  to  ride  on  an 
a«8*!" 

N.  B.  R. 

THE  GOSPEL  OF  NARADA  :  Bu  Duncan  Orem. 
leei,  MA.  (Oxon).  The  World  Gospel  Series,  Vol.  7. 
The  Theoeophieoi  PubUthijn/  Home,  Adyar,  Madm- 
IDSl.  Pp.  ctcr:r  +  m.  Price  Rs.  B-8. 

This  valuable  monograph  follows  the  Unci  of  its 
companion  volume  in  the  above  scries  entitled  TJu 
Gospel  of  the  Grciilh  Sahib  by  the  .-amc  autlior,  which 
was  noticed  i.-v  us  in  the  preceding  number  (Ai-til 
:9fl3)  of  The  Motiern  Hi-view.  Tlie  work  consists  firstly 
of  a.  long  Introduction  of  over  ISO  pagi-s  cont^ininK  un 
exi'dlent  esp<K!ition  of  the  fundaiiientnl  doctriiiei  cf 
Vaishnavism  undrr  the  heads  "God."  "Creation," 
"Man."  "Tlie  Path  of  Devotion."  "Full  Surrender"  artd 
the  "Final  Goal"  :iii  well  a^^  the  significance  of  ths 
"Divine  Name"  and  ''The  Divine  Play"  (Lila)  in  iha 
scriptures.  This  is  followed  by  a  neat  summary  of,the 
diiclrines  in  the  form  of  a  brief  Vaishnava  Catechism. 
The  text  consists  of  translations  of  two  well-known 
Vaishnava  textn,  namely,  the  Nnmila  Pancharalra  and 
the  Narada  Bhakli  Sutrtii  accompanied  with  the 
author's  illuminating  comments  and  explanatory 
notes.  To  the  above  the  author  adds  in  the  form  of  an 
Appendix  extracts  from  the  letters  of  a  modern 
Vaishnava  saint  Thakore  Harannth  {died  1927),  about 
whom,  however,  we  have  no  other  information.  Like 
its  companion  volume  on  the  Granlh  Sahib  the  work 
concludes  with  a  good  inde^  and  a  valuable  biblio- 
graphy. 

While  wc  have  nothing  but  praise  for  the  excellent 
fashion  in  which  the  author  has  handled  his  subject, 
we  find  it  difficult  to  follow  him  in  some  of  his  state- 
ments in  the  Introduction  relating  to  the  historical 
development  of  Vaishnivism.  He  regards  (p.  xviii)  >a 
"a  ftnnge  and  baFelc!^  a^.°umption"  the  view  that  tho 
Vedas  are  older  than  the  Furanas  and  the  Agamas.  In 
favour  of  the  historicity  of  Krishna  he  mentioDi 
{p.  xx)  inter  alia  the  di^coven-  of  "many  fith  centuiy 
images  including  one  of  Radhakrishna"  in  the  archm. 
logieal  excavations  at  Paharpur  in  "the  Rajihahi 
district  of  Benpl."  Now  apart    from     the    fact  that 


405 


THE  MODERN  REVIEW  FOR  MAY,  1853 


Paharpur  lies  in  the  Dinajpur  district  of  East  Pakistan, 
the  author's  desiription  is  slightly  inaccurate.  For  the 
Paharpur  sculptures  representing  various  incidents 
from  Uie  liie  oi  Kri-hna  cannot  bu  older  than  the  date 
of  tLe  uionunieui  wliich  hae>  been  ascribed  to  the  time 
of  Kin;;  Diiurniapala  in  the  latter  p-irt  of  the  8th 
centur>'  A.1-).  Again,  liie  hdy  figured  along  with 
Krishna  in  one  of  these  s-rulpturcs  may  as  well  be 
identified  with  eJtlier  Kukmmi  or  Sityabhama,  the 
wives  of  Krishna.  Few  Indologists  will  agree  with  the 
autliors  view  that  the  hito.st  redaction  of  the  Maha- 
bharata  '*can  hardly  be  hiter  than  250  B.C."  (p-  xx)  or 
that  **the  cult  of  Kri-hiia  was  well  developed  in  the 
South  by  al>out  210  A.D."  (p.  xxiv>  or  that  "the 
Ajivikas  were  really  Bhag.ivat:is  or  Vaishnavas" 
(p.  xxv). 

U.  N.  Ghoshal 
DASA  POI   (The  Ten  Idylls)  :  A  lyrical  poem   in 


Chcuioellor,  Utkal  Utiiversity,  Cuttack.  Illuairated  with. 
a  series  of  six  drawings,  one  photogarvure  frontispiece 
wid  five  oriififtfd  plu^t^yraphs  reproducing  thirty-six 
leai*€8  oj  an  illustrated  manuscript  ol  the  text.  Calcutta 
{Miss  6.  Bosc,  MA.,  34/1  Pratapaditya  Road,  26), 
1952,  i7ts.  8j  X  10  ins.  Edition  limited  to  one  hundred 
copies  only.  Pp.  7U.  Price  Rs.  50, 

Profestor  O.  C.  Gangoly's  edition  and  translation 
of  an  illustrated  manuscript  of  this  popular  old  Oriya 
poem  is  a  work  of  love. 

Damodar  Bhanja  had  been  Raja  of  Bamanghati 
in  the  fcoond  half  of  the  ISlh  centurj*.  Condemned  to 
a  pas:!ivo  role  between  his  Maratha  overlords  and  the 
British  at  Midnapore,  he  devoted  his  leisure  to  poetry, 
and  has  left  us  this  delightful  story  of  the  loves  of 
Kadh:i  and  Kri.^hna  which,  though  less  famous  than 
the  works  of  L'pfndra  Bhanja.  c.iu  well  vie  with  Jaya- 
devas  gl«jrious  Gitagovindn.  However,  it  reveaLs  siltti- 
cient  origin  dily  of  its  own,  being  inaobted,  if  at  all. 
rather  to  the  lalier's  Piyu.^ihn-Lahurl.  Like  in  most 
poems  of  the  18th  century,  the  mystic  subjeet  is 
rather  a  pretext  for  a  delicate  and  colourful  description 
of  erotic  Mntiments  in  their  iut.-rplay  with  the 
beauties  of  nature,  which  has  not  lost  anything  of  its 
freshness  (lcspir»>  ihe  old  tradition  on  which  it  is  based. 

For  his  edition  of  the  text  Professor  G:ingoly  has 
consulted  Pandit  Yamnsvani  ^Sanna  of  Puri;  his  tran- 
sl.uion  is  a  pleasure  tu  read,  and  Lt.-C-oloncl  Chinta- 
moni  Acharyya,  the  Vi'.t^-Chancellor  of  Cuttack 
Univer.Mty.  has  (-(^ninbuted  a  vuluible  introduction  on 
the  literary  background  of  ()ri>^a.  As  .so  far  onl>' 
selections  from  Oriya  pootry,  and  esi>fcially  from 
Upendra  P»h  inja,  have.  Im-ci  nride  accessible,  this  first 
complete  tran-lar-on  of  a— ratlu.'r  short— Oriya  work 
represents  a  Iindniark.  For  though  Oris>a  has  pliij-cd 
a  rcmaikabl"^  rul.-  in  Indian  cultural  <l«>v»?lopmcnt, 
very  lit'le  i-j  known  c\cn   to  tlio  intcrcMed  outsider. 

Thi-j  i•^  »!ie  ca-e  :iI-o  with  Oriya  art,  of  which— if 
we  Iravi-  i-i  1.-  ').,;  t«  :ii|'lc>  of  Bhubaiirswar.  KnUarka 
and  I'm-j  wkewi-..  only  few  ex.inii»leH-  hivo  been  jiub- 
liJ'fii  in  I{  1)  nni.MJiV  }]i.:to]j  ,.ij  Oii^.sn,  The  Jo^'nml 
o  th,  h"i.;:i!  S. •.'■/,/  (ij  Orrt'tnl  Art,  and  .•^>:nc  lirtle 
ruTe.>>::.!f  ;.  :'.;lil,-t<  and  cat.iK:gii-js.  The  palnileaf 
ni.Miti^crip'  on  v.!i-:.']i  thi-;  rditio:-  i.-,  ba.-c'l.  had  once 
be.in  one  of  t!a^  t!ea>ure<  nf  \\;v  well-known  B.  N. 
Trca-;i:ywii!a  Collrr»ion  in  B«Jhil.nv  which  now  has 
found  it-  way  into  tho  Nitional   Miiscum  at  Delhi. 

lU  Ulustruiions  eugrived  with  s     steel    •ttyhw  are 


"Primitives/'  in  the  good  as  well  as  bad  aetue  nf  Ai 
word,  naive,  mannered,  often  grotesque  and  yet  of  ll 
intensive  vitality  and  exprefsiven^  and  perfect  dsd^ 
rativc  balance.  There  are  indications  (especiilly  tli9 
central  kmpstands)  that  they  were  inspired  by  stsa 
performances,  but  their  style  represents  a  local^ 
evolved  variety  of  the  old  Vijayanagar  tradition,  in  iti 
turn  connected  with  the  pictorial  an  of  ancient  Bengi^ 
and  Ori^.^^a.  and  in  maiked  contrast  to  Mughal  and 
Ki.il'Ut  art,  though  it  shai-es  some  of  the  "primitive'' 
characteristics  of  that  latter. 

To  our  age  which  has  left  naturalism  to  the 
camera,  and  in  art  seeks  intensity  of  expression  and 
decorative  perfection,  the  art  of  the  old  Oriya  manus- 
cripts again  has  become  a  valuable  inspiration.  It  i9 
but  a  pity  that  the.'^c  illustrations  could  not  be  executed 
on  a  .'^niewhat  larger  scale. 

However,  printing,  plates  and  exterior  make-up  of 
the  book  are  excellent  and  highly  to  the  credit  of  Miss 
S.  Bose,  a  pupil  of  Professor  0.  C.  Gangoly.  Un- 
fortunately the  book  is  rather  expensive,  as  it  could 
be  brought  out  only  in  a  hundred  ccpies.  We  hope 
even  the^e  few  may  sell  bo  well  that  a  second  edition 
may  make  this  fine  little  book  available  to  a  wider 
public. 

H.   OOBEI 

THK  TWO  WORLDS  :  By  Shnman  Nartxyan, 
Agancal.  Published  by  Hind  Kitab4,  Ltd,,  Bombay^ 
Pp.  175.  Price  Rs.  3-12. 

The  book  gives  us  the  tour-impressions  of  Shrimaa 
Xarayan  Agarwal,  Principal  of  the  Sakseria  Commerce 
College  of  Wardha.  He  along  with  his  wife,  a  daughter 
of  the  late  Jamnalal  Bujaj.  started  ou  their  tour  on 
April  17,  1919  and  returned  to  India  after  about  fiv« 
months.  During  these  months  they  crammed  ixnpres- 
sion.'5 — the  writer  did,  which  have  found  expression 
Very  often  in  unbjilanced  language.  He  appears  to  be 
suftVring  from  a  prejudice  against  the  ** American  Way  " 
the  hc-ieht  of  which  is  reached  in  page  19  where  he  says: 
**ln  the  name  of  'democracy,'  the  Americans  are  trying 
to  uproot  the  indigenous  culture  and  religion  of 
Japan,"  And  wiiat  follows  requires  positive  proofs  to 
believe.  "The  MacArthur  regime  has  prepared  detailed 
plans  to  convert  the  Japanese  ma.sses  to  Christianity 
within  the  next  two  or  three  decades."  Again  in  p.  2^ 
"Bt.fore  the  war,  the  Japanese  young  men  and  women 
hated  the  Kngli.^h  language;  now  they  are  'crazy*  about 
it."  .About  the  lialiaas  he  says,  *'The  Italian  people  are 
bad  bu.^inrssmrn  into  the  bargain"  (p.  137).  "The 
Italians  are  incapable  of  putting  their  shoulders  to 
the  wheel." 

These  indictments  of  whole  peoples  are,  we  are 
afraid,  the  .^urcst  wavy  of  creating  "two  worlds* 
in.«<tead  of  tho  "one"  which  seei-s,  imaged  and  saints  have 
been  preaching.  We  are  .^jrry  that  a  follower  of 
Gandhiji  .sliould  have  yielded  so  ea.«ilv  to  his  prejudice 
again.<t  modern  civilization  and  certain  of  its  marks 
and  not  e.-*.  lie  s^hould  at  least  observe  restraint  io 
talking  of  other  peoples. 

SuREsu  Chandba  Deb 

MYSTICS   AND   MV.STICISM  :     By     Sri  P.  JV. 

Srim'n^nrh'in,  }f,A.  pHblishcd  by  Sri  Krishna  Library, 


ji':,,or, .  Mnti  n.<  4.  Pp.  .;j/.  Price  Rs,  8. 

The  au:!i(^r  is  an  emeritus  professor  of  philosophy 
.1  i'(rnier  Pnucii-al  of  Pachaiappa's  College,  Madras. 


.U 


He  has  to  his  cr^lit  one  dozen  learned  volumes  — 
Hin.lu  philo.-.o|iliy  and  religion.  Some  of  his  books  have 
already  run  into  the  second  edition  and  received  OM*- 
ful  HttentioD  of  serious  readers.  The  booka  bear  dtltONl 


1 

( 

I 

I 

i 


BOOK  REVIEWS 


407 


•tamp  of  his  life-long  study  and  mature  thinking.  In 
1805,  he  came  in  contact  with  Santananda  Saraswati 
and  later  on  with  Swami  Ramakrishnanandu,  a  direct 
disciple  of  Sri  Ramakhshna  Puramahan^a  and  lastly 
with  Mm.  Kapi>tiialam  Dci*ik  icharya.  He  conducted 
his  Vcdantic  studies  over  half  a  century  under  the 
guidance  of  thesse  three  erudite  teachers  of  which  the 
last  one  inzstrueted  him  to  pubUsh  in  English  in  the 
light  of  European  philo.-sophy  and  popularise  the  essen- 
tials of  Visisthadvaita  Darsan.  The  worthy  disciple 
undertook  the  heavy  task  entrusted  to  him  by  iji.« 
preceptor  and  sketclied  an  elaborate  scheme  of  ten 
bookn  of  which  the  one  under  review  completes  the 
list.  Prof.  Sriniva.^achari  ij?  now  one  of  the  greatest 
livinc  authorities  on  Visisthadvaita  find  his  works  on 
this  school  of  Vedanta  are  extraordinarily  profound 
and  original.  His  noble  purpose  in  writing  these  books 
is  to  "."crve  the  t-nu.'-v  of  intor-n-ligious  and  inter- 
Vcdantic  understand inp."  as  wrll  as  "to  restore  the 
balau'c  in  Indi\n  philo>oi»hy  whieh  i.<  now  over- 
weighed  on  the  sid«j  of  Advaita."  He.  therefore,  inter- 
prets mystiei.s:n  from  the  standpoint  of  Visisihadvaita. 
The  presint  b»iok  is  divi»led  into  si.K  chapters 
besides  an  inirodu'tion.  a  bibliography  an»l  an  index. 
In  the  first  chapter  current  misconceptions  about 
mysticism  are  clarified.  In  the  .H-cond  chapter  mysti- 
cism is  df'fmed  from  a  broad  viewpoint.  In  the 
author's  opinion  mysticism  i^  both  an  attempt  and 
an  attainment  and  the  Vcdantic  term  'Brahmanu- 
bhava*  is  more  adecpiate  than  the  term  'intuition'  to 
expres.s  the  meaning  of  mysticism.  In  the  exalted 
state  the  mystic  is  deified.  BrahmanisLd  or  oned  with 
the  chosen  Deity.  In  the  third  and  fourth  chapters  a 
historical  and  comjnirative  study  of  mysticism  is 
made  from  Christian,  Islamic,  Buddhist  and  Hindu 
views.  Therein  it  is  pointed  out  that  Sufism  has  been 
greatly  influcncul  by  Vedanta.  In  this  connection 
short  accounts  of  Sri  Itimakrishni*  Paramahansa, 
Raja  Ram  Moiuin  Roy.  .Swami  Vivekananda,  Sri 
Aurovindo  Oho.sh.  Mahatma  Gaudhi  and  other  modern 
mystics  are  added.  The  fifth  chapter  en  Bridal  mysti- 
cism is  immensely  interesting  and  mstructive.  The 
last  chapter  deals  with  mysticism  as  the  only  true 
philosophy  of  religion.  The  author  concludes  that  in 
the  mystic  union  the  .'?elf  is  deified  but  not  destroyed 
and  that  my- tic  union  meiliatcs  between  t heist ic  exter- 
nality and  monistic  identity.  This  cU-arly  shows  that 
he  lean*!  inorc  on  Visi<th;idv  »ita  than  on  Advaita  and 
badly  feels  the  o\crwi«ij£ht  of  .\dvaita  in  modern 
Indian  ]ihi!n-nT.hy.  Adv.iiia  pfrhaj):^  fulfils  tlie  philo- 
sophic iietMl  of  the  air«'  Wi-  live  in.  But  the  direct 
experieU'-e  of  Sii  HMunkri-iina.  Mi-i.'-tiT  Krkhart, 
Man<JU'  an«l  oi'iim-  my-ti'-s  ti'll-s  cli'arly  of  final  iden- 
tity. The  KuMia  Upmi-liad  d'»-ciibi's  the  mystic 
union  a^^  pi:re  watiT  is  niixi'd  with  pure  witcr  in-epar- 
nbly.  Wlia*'V'T  thr  ••nnrlnM(>Ti  iiiny  be.  tlii-:  l^ook  is 
a  verif  ibic  en- yrldp.rd;;,  of  my.-tiii^iii.  It  is  a  vc-ry 
informative  aiid  in-trc..'i!v»».  «1»  jm-ihI  il.h-  and  comjjre- 
hen.sive    guidr    nu    thr    suliji""t. 

S W  \  M r     J  \«;  \1>IS\V  MLVNA ND.\ 

DIRKrTOHV   nr   WKLKAHK     ACKNCIK.^     IN 

r;RE.\Ti:u  ('AurrrA  and  .<iu\ikktan  :  Pub- 

lishcil  hu      Inil.ii'!,    ('(n-fi  r,  „rf   ni    <in  ial   Work.      W'tst 

Pp.  IfUi.  Pria    /^•.  J. 

This  is  a  Din  clo:v  nf  so- ial  -irviec  orjranisiition-^ 
divided  into  eij^!it  main  ^r'v.ip-.  '"/j..  C''»:Tiinini  'y 
Organ i'^at ion.  rOcnnotni,'  \V»-'f.T'\  I'Mui-aion.  Handi- 
capped, H'^nl'h,  Ilotj'tinp.  So';i:il  H  f'>trn  nnl  Youth 
Wtlfare.  t?orifll  trerketij  will  T"*-.!  *'.    ♦.  :'?«f.-!  ri.!'.  ?.:♦'';.' 


book  for  their  work.  Social  senrice    has    been  given 

priority  In  our  National  Planning  and  as  such  its  orga* 
nisational  aspect  roqu'res  more  co-ordination  among 
workers  in  the  different  fiolds.  This  handy  volume, 
in  spite  of  its  impcrfecfous  as  a  pioneor  publication, 
will  be  a  helpful  guide. 

LAND.  LANDLORD  AND  LF.(;l.SLATION  :  By 
A^i.^ir  Ahmed  Khan.  Puhliahcd  by  tha  Universal  Pttb- 
lyurs  Ltd.,  Liickn&w.  Pp.  100.  Price   Rs.  S'12. 

A  book  of  thirteen  chapters  dealing  with  Zi^mindari 
.system,  Co-operation,  Agriculture  anii  Planning  with 
si>#eial  reference  to  TTltar  Prad'sh.  As  the  subjects 
were  discussed  in  th!>  light  of  pie-independence 
conditions,  the  force  of  the  author^  arguments  is  mostly 
lost  in  the  new  set-up. 

TOWARD.^  (IHKATKR  INDIA  :  By  Cavt.  M. 
R.  Gyfdn.  Published  bu  Mnmnn  Chand  Hukym 
Chiud,  Rohtah.  Pp.  187.  Price  i?.«.  2. 

Here  is  a  book  eontauiinjj  eijrhte.  n  talks  jrivcn  by 
an  ex-military  officer  to  younp:  ni»  n  and  stud'^nts  on 
subjects  hke  Discij^line,  S.  lf-n»-pLit.  Ff «i.rles.*ncss. 
Obedience.  ("Jood  manners.  Lf»yaUv,  ( tc.  The  virtues 
required  from  our  youth  aftr  th,»  attainment  of 
FrefKlom  have  been  presented  in  such  a  homely  manner 
that  they  will  be  <ffectiV(.  on  the-  minds  of  young 
readers  for  whom  the  book  is  nu?ant. 

A.    B.    DuTTA 

WHAT  SHALL  WE  DO?  :  By  'vln  06wiir« 
Hindu:"  Thompson  and  Co.,  Ltd.,  Printers  and  Pub- 
Htihers,  3,i.  Broadway,  Mctdras.  Pp.  vi  -f  S12  +  ^^' 
Price  Rs.  4- 

The  author  of  this  book  has  studied  the  vorious 
pif)blems  of  present-day  India  for  a  number  of  years 
from  the  Hindu  point  of  viiw.  Hf  ]»ubr.''htd  a  book 
called  Gi-nvc  Dnngtr  to  the  Ilindu.-i  in  19 tO.  In  the 
work  under  review  he  has  gom«  th-  whole  h  ngth  of  the 
political,  social,  provncial.  linffui<Ti''.  cultural  and 
religious  a.-ix-cts  of  post -part  it  ion  India.  He  has  exposed 
with  facts  and  argumen's  th%  d'llomacy  of  the 
Britisher.'*,  the  mentality  of  the  Muslims  and  policy  of 
the  CouKrcss.  He  has  .-hown  very  clearly  tliat  though 
the  MusUms  never  hesitated  to  say  that  they  are 
mentally  and  fundamentally  different  from  the  Hindus 
and  other  Indian  nationals,  and  never  desisted  from 
acting  on  that  principle,  it  wa«*  the  Oozgo'X  poliev  of 
phnatin^  them  for  more  than  a  pcni-iation  that  India 
is  I  xpcricniiim  tmc  of  tlw  worst  disa-ier-a  in  i's  history 
eM'ii  afti'r  partition.  Th  .  incajf-ul  i^'le  sufferings  of 
In<lia  an<l  the  Hindu<  an*  jirimanly  due  to  rank  com- 
munal sjiiri*  of  th«'  Muslims,  who  liar-pcnrd  to  be  a 
mnority,  thoui^h  ilu-  b:i:.«^-t  ime,  a:i  ong  many  other 
groups. 

.S'.».  Till-  a:ith(ir  p''S-  a  quf-tlon — a-  thci  title  of  his 
book- --whirls  i-  li'inir  a-k*  d  l»v  t'aou-and^  oi  Indians 
and  IIin<l'!*-.  Will  part'titin  and  s- culai'Z.ilion  <olve  all 
the  y)ro].|(  UH  wiii'h  hiv.  In  "U  r».k  »i  u;»  ?  Tho-..;  load- 
ers of  th«'  Hindr.s  who  a?'*  out  to  iniprovf  the  «'Ondi- 
tion  of  India  a-  a  isnintry  nnd  di-!' inrl  ih«*  clani"!  of 
tho  Hindu-:  a<  a  fonmi'in'.ty  'l.-'Mld  iio  w  II  t(i  .-ifudy 
t/ie  basil*  pn»l)jini  \tr:  \\\  W  *)\\i\  i»'-iMlncatii)n.  The 
author  d<-«nc>  ].iai-i-  aiui  ii  >•  book  <  iiuinnndatiou  for 
fo,u-<:n.^   th"    att   n'i«»:i   nf   .all    •<«•:■•(  iiicd. 

R.  B.xsr 
BENC;  \LI 

THKIUC.A  THA  :  /^/  />'/..?  v;...  Shlhhh.njm,  .Ur/Z/a- 
hfiflhi  <^nrivty,  .;-.4.  Bauhim  Chatt^rji  St..  Cnlcutta  12. 

Tin-  ils'h  lit»rarv  h^Tilis^!-  wo  '•:«'».  in  th*  old 
laUKuauc's  of  our  lancj.  *\,j..  Siti-I.im.  l*ali  and  the 
Prakrits.  {-  moj'fly  inacn >»Jihle  to  •!.•••  sirt:"rnl  read»T 
'\9  *!•••>    1*"W  •>f  'hrm   h'sv*'  hi'rn  trfin^ja'p*!   int.i  tjjrvlrr*^ 


40B 


THE  MODEfil^  REVIEW  FOR  MAY.  IflSS 


Indian  langmtges.  This  is  espedaUjr  the  case  with 
Buddhist  texts.  It  is  therefore  gratifying  to  note  that 
commendable  attempts  are  of  late  being  made  by 
individual  scholars  as  well  as  by  institutions  like  the 
Mahabodhi  Society  of  Calcutta  and  the  Buddhist 
Mission  of  Rangoon  to  remove  this  anomaly  to  some 
csctent  through  translations  of  well-known  Buddhist 
works  in  Bengali.  One  of  the  latest  fruits  of  these 
attempts  is  the  volume  under  review.  It  contains  a  free 
translation  of  the  Therigatha  accompanied  by  detailed 
accounts  of  the  Theris  (nuns).  It  is  encouraging  that 
the  book  is  passing  through  a  second  edition.  It  may 
be  mentioned  here  in  passing  that  the  work  was  tran- 
slated for  the  first  time  into  a  modem  language  by 
the  eminent  Bengali  scholar,  Bijaychandra  Majumdar 
who  rendered  it  into  Bengali  verse  about  fifty  years 
back  and  published  a  volume  containing  the  text, 
translation  and  annotations.  The  absence  of  any 
reference  to  this  pioneer  and  scholarly  work  in  the 
present  volume  is  a  matter  of  regret. 

Chin'Taharan  Chakravarti 

AGAMI  (Part  D^Majhi  (the  Boatman)  :  By 
Dipendranath  Bandyopadhyay.  Bengal  Publishers, 
Bankim  Chatterjee  Street,  Calcutta  12.  Price  Re.  l-A- 

A  short  novel,  depicting  life  in  an  East  Bengal 
village  before  and  during  the  hectic  days  of  the  noto- 
rious Hindu-Muslim  riots.  If  it  is  the  work  of  a  boy 
in  his  teens,  as  has  been  mentioned  in  tlie  publisher's 
Introduction,  it  imdoubtedly  promises  a  bright  future 
for  the  author.  He  commands  a  simple  racy  style, 
suitable  for  a  narrative.  In  his  attitude  towards  life 
and  his  portrayal  of  characters,  he  has  shown  com- 
mendable catholicity  of  mind. 

D.    N.    MOOKEBJEA 


HARAim 

MI  DARUDIA  KASA  JHALON  T  :  By  &  ». 
Karandikar,  ill  Chami  Road,  Bombay  4.  Pp,  M 
Price  Rs,  S, 

"How  I  became  a  drunkard  and  how  I  gave  up 
drink*'— such  is  the  theme  of  this  moving  autiK 
biography  of  an  addict.  It  is  excellent  pro-prohibiti«m 
propaganda,  for  it  can  considerably  strengthen  thd^i 
who  are  addicted  to  the  ruinous  social  vice,  in 
question,  in  their  resolve  to  be  free  from  the 
throttling  thraldom  of  the  bottle. 

O.  M. 

HINDI 

AHUn  :  By  Lalchand  Bismol.  Prithvi  Theaint, 
Bombay  4.  Pp.  167.  Ptioe  Rs.  4-^- 

A  three-act  play,  written  with  deep  feeling  and 
stage-worthy  in  every  senae.  The  tliemo  is  the  partition 
of  India  with  its  concomitant,  at  once  trying  axui 
tragic,  that  the  millions  were  compelled  to  leave  their 
ancestral  homes  and  hearths  and  migrate  to  regions,  for 
a  long  time  unknown  and  unsympathetic.  The  play 
opens  on  a  pre-partition  scene  of  prosperity  in  the 
Punjab,  moves  into  the  tearful  surroundings  of  a  relief 
camp  and  closes  on  a  Refugee  camp,  where  the  ei*t- 
while  prosperous  family  round  which  the  story  moves 
with  the  tampo  of  tension,  struggles  to  rehabilitate 
itself  in  order  once  more  to  enter  the  streani  of  life. 
Ahuti  is  a  moving  drama,  depicting  the  suffering  and 
self-immolation  of  the  people  of  a  province  as  a  price 
of  the  country's  freedom. 

G.  M, 


TEACHINGS  OF  SWAMI  VIVEKANANDA 

A  choice  collection  from  the  eight  volumes  of  THE  COMPLETE  WORKS  OF  SWAMI 
VIVEKANANDA  which  gives  us  a  elimpse  into  various  aspects  of  the  Swami'a  teachings  and 
their  strength  and  sublimity  which  nave  deeply  influenced  the  minds  of  people  all  over  the 
world.  This  is  a  companion  volume  to  the  TEACHINGS  OF  SRI  RAMAKRISHNA  (Pages  401. 
Price  Rs.  5)  and  is  excellent  for  presentation  purposes. 

Pocket  Size  Pages  272  Price  Rs.  3 

MY  LIFE  AND  MISSION 

By  SWAMI  VIVEKANANDA 

It  gives  in  the  Swami's  own  words  a  vivid  picture  of  how  his  great  heart  bled  for  the 
suffering  millions  of  India  and  his  plan  for  the  uplift  of  his  motherland  to  the  position  of  her 
past  glory 

Pages  47  Price  As.  10 

RELIGION  AND  DHARMA 

By  SISTER  NIVEDITA 
A  collection  of  inspiring    essays  of  enduring    value    written  to  arouse  the  young  men  and 
women  of  India  to  fulfil  the  great  mission  awaiting  them  of  building  up  a  new  India. 

First  Indian  Ed.  Pp.  152  Price :  Ord.  Rs.  2,  Sup.  Rs.  3-8 

WEB  OF  INDIAN  LIFE 

By  SISTER  NIVEDITA 

The  dftlicRte  strands  of  the  web  of  Indian  social  life  and  its  ideals  have  been  laid  bare 
here  with  masterly  dexterity  and  keen  ineight. 

Pages  324  Price  :  Ord,  Rs.  3-8  ;    Sup.  Rs.  5 

ADVAITA     ASHRAMA,   4.  Wellington  Lane,  CALCUTTA  13 


■".—  'wi'mi 


■■iMiP*MiV^«~wBi^iMiv^<qc*««t«o««Mmfa*«>-^>qi« 


'W^"  fci 


mt^m^fmm 


BOOK  REVIEWS 


4C0 


GUJARATl 

rANGADHARA :  By  Mn.  Ratan  Behen  H. 
jr.  Printed  at  the  Beghagdi  Mouj  Prest,  Bake^ 
Lane,  Bombay.  1948.  Cloth  cover.  Illustrated 
I  {Shiva's  head  from  which  Ganges  cascades 
).  Pp,  68.  Price  Re.  1-8. 

1  53  short  poems,  Mrs.  Ratanbehen  expounds 
lements  of  bhakti,  which  alone  can  lend  to 
la  (salvation).  Jnan  and  karma  are  not  looked 
3e  by  her,  but  she  gives  prominence,  in  easy 
ati  stanzas,  to  bhakti  and  satsang.  companion- 
5f  saints.  A  very  learned  Introduction  from  the 
if  Mr.  Gordhnndas  Engineer,  a  noted  follower  of 
jhacharyn  and  hi??  creed,  points  out  the  credit- 
portion  of  the  l>oems  which  are  all  not  of  a 
m     quality.      The     young     poetess     calls     for 

ragemcnt. 

J 

UKH.VA  STDDPTAXTA  :  By  Mnvji  Damji  Shah, 
?<f  at  the  Kishorp  Printing,  Bombay.  1049.  Paper 
,  Pp.  24.  Price  eight  annas. 

Tie  elements  which  lead  to  happiness,  physical, 
il.  economic,  etc..  are  described  here,  which,  in 
pinion  of  the  writer,  are  sure  to  attain  their  pur- 
if  put  into  practice  properly. 

1)  LIFE  OF  SHRIMAD  VALLABHACHARYA- 
l)  RHAG.WAXNT  .SARJAX  LILA.  (3)  APANE 
N"  AXE  HANE'  SHUK  :  By  MohanUd  V.  Gandhi, 
lal  G.  Shah,  MA.,  and  K.  K.  Shat^tri.  All  three 
thcd  by  the  Suddhadwatt'samsad,  Ahmedabati, 
Thick  cardboard.  Pp.  4B8,  28$,  41.  Price  Rs.  6, 
,  An.  0. 

hrijut  Manilal  C.  Parekh  is  known  to  all  Guja- 
aR  a  close  student  of  Christianity,  and  at  one 
it  was  thought  that  ho  ha*!  become  a  Christian 
le  liked  to  be  known  a?  a  Hindu  Christian.  But 
8  nothing  of  the  sort.  He  had  dived  deep  into 
)rinciples   of  the   creed   and   published  books  on 

He  has  nullified  the  belief,  if  fver  it  had  taken 

by  writinjf  a  ver>'  detailed,  and  fair  and  impar- 

uojnaphy   of  that   preat    AcharvA.  V.illahh.  whose 

has  taken  root  in  Gujarat.  Kathiawad  and  M  ir- 

The  first  book  is  a  tnin'lation  of  Manilal 
:h's  book,  and  i^  commendable  from  every  point 
»w,  information,  details.  follow<Ts.  etc.  The  second 
is  written  by  Mr.  J.  G.  Siiah.  loni?  since  known 
c  propoiinder  of  the  Vallabh  erfcd  in  Gujarat, 
leans  of  books  and  i»ropa>«mda.  and  thi.s  parti- 
work.  "Beauties  of  (Jods  Creation."  he  has  based 
le  cotnnientary  Subodhini  on  th.»  Third  Skandha 
•ter)  of  Shrimad  Bhaevat,  Followers  of  the 
luavitc  creed  an.-  boinul  to  apprcfiate  it  and  the 
iition  thereof  by  nir.ans  of  apposite  illustrations, 
third  book  by  Mr.  Sha-tri.  :*  religious  and 
•ch  student  tells  us.  as  to  where  we  are  at  ]>re.sent 
what  would  hapjjen  to  us  heraft.-r.  It  is  a 
tive  work  and  also  hHpful  in  understanding  the 
nt   situation  of  our  ''ountry. 

1)  BHAKTI  POSH  AX  :  fiif  pnn  hh  G.  (\  Vakil. 
r  coi'tr.  Pp.  122.  Prue  Re.  1. 

2)  .<nRI  HABIRAT  SHIK^HAVAIJ.  Pnrt  I  : 
\f.  V.  GnMhi.  B.A.,  LL.IK  Mudaaa.  Pnpvr  cover, 
m.  Pricr  /?(...  /. 

:3)  VATIKA  VIXODE  :  Bi,  Xamtiam  Muleravi 
tri.  Paptr  cover.  Pp.  10  -j-  fi4  4-  5?.  P^ce  f^ot 
iofyed. 


(4)  ANYA  ASHRAYA  AME  ASAMARPTT 
TYAG  :  By  Sundardas  Virbhanudas  of  ThatUtha 
{Sind).  1948.  Paper  cover.  Pp.  66.  Price  not  stated* 

All  four  backs  published  by  the  ShuddhadvaU 
Samsad,  Ahmedabad. 

This  quartette  of  books  relates  in  some  way  or 
other,  to  the  texts  of  the  Vallabhachar^-a  creed.  Daya- 
ram,  the  last  of  the  poets  of  old  Gujarat,  wa«  a 
devotee  of  this  creed  and  has  written  numerous  poeffla 
thereabout.  One  such  is  Bhakti  Poshan,  and  it  is  ably 
edited  by  Mr.  Parekh  with  suitable  commentaries.  Hari 
Rai  was  one  of  the  leading  saints  of  this  creed  and  he 
has  written  a  book  of  teaching  called  Shikshavali, 
"Pushti  Margo  Nirupama"  is  the  subject-matter  of  this 
book,  and  the  contents  are  very  instructive.  Vatika 
Vinode  consists  of  several  plays,  actually  staged,  bearing 
on  the  principles  of  the  creed,  while  the  last  treatise 
is  written  by  a  Bhatia  follower  of  thu  creed  at  Nagar 
Thattha  in  Sind,  which  set.s  out  the  tact  that  there  is 
no  other  Aaraya  (Refuge)  wave  that  of  Gopijan 
Vallabh.  if  you  seek  salvation,  and  that  further  you 
must  sacrifice  yourself  to  attain  mokshu.  All  four  books 
arc  books  presented  as  gifts  to  readers  bv  the  Samsad. 

SOMXATH  :  By  Ratnamanirao  Bhimrao,  BA. 
Pubbshed  by  the  Gujarat  Sahitya  Sabha,  Ahmedabad. 
1949.  Thick  card-board.  Illustrated  jacket  (depicting 
Somnath).  Pp.  267.  Price  Rs.  4> 

The  age^ld  and  holy  temple  of  Somnath,  which 
Mahmood  of  Gazni  destroyed  and  looted,  is  under  the 
auspices  of  Sardar  Vallabhbhai  Patel,  H.  H.  the  Jam 
Saheb  and  the  Gujarat!  Sahitya  Parishad,  whose  mem- 
bers  proceeded  to  Prabhas  Palan,  from  its  session  at 
Junagadh  in  January,  I&IO,  will  soon  be  restored  to  its 
pristine  prestige  and  glory  and  a  large  fund  is  being 
raised  for  the  purpose.  At  such  a  time,  this  book  comes 
in  handy  and  opportune.  In  ten  chapters,  the  history 
of  Prabhas-Somnath,  and  of  the  holy  places  in  its 
neighbourhood,  like  Dehotsarga  where  Sri  Krishna 
gave  up  his  life  due  to  being  shot  by  a  shikari,  a&d 
Damodar  Kund,  the  holy  pond  near  and  at  the  foot 
of  Gimar  hill,  Mr.  Ratnamani  Rao  has  tried  to 
convey  the  details  of  this  fascinating  subject.  There 
arc  photo.s  and  appendices;  texts  of  inscriptions  and  a 
verbal  index  add  to  the  value  of  the  book. 

K.  M.  J. 

SHAURYGATARI^AX  :  By  Ramanhd  Vasawftof, 
Dcsai,  MA.  Published  h\j  R.  R.  Srth  and  Co.,  Princess 
St.,  Keahnh  Bog,  Bovibay  2.  October,  1951.  Price  Rs.  5. 

Shri  R.  V.  Dcsai  is  today  a  leading  novelist  in 
Gujarati  and  this  is  a  work  of  his  mature  age.  He  has 
read  a  number  of  prasasii.^  or  eulogistic  vcrscg  and 
chronicles  and  also  <'onsult(.-d  the  oral  tradition  and 
then  proei-edt'd  to  writn  this  novel  on  Rana  Pratap  of 
Mewar.  Of  the  ditrieulties  in  the  way  of  making  it  a 
perfectly  historical  novel  he  is  well-aware  and  he  cites 
the  case  of  there  beinj;  no  information  in  history  about 
the  name  of  Pratap'.s  Maharani. 

One  of  the  clia])ters  eontains  a  powerful  description 
of  the  fij:ht  betwefii  Man  Sinha  and  Pratap,  the  former 
on  elephant  and  Prataj)  on  C'hailak. 

Tlie  last  ••'(•ene  describing  Rana  Pratap  s  exit  from 
this  world  and  its  reaction  on  .Akb.ir  has  been  very 
ably  depicted.  The  silent  tears  that  welled  forth  from 
Akbar's  eyes  were  his  homage  to  prowe.«js — ^whence  the 
name  of  the  novel,  a  name  justified  widely  throughout 
the  book. 


Calchtmtco's 

NEEH  TOOTH  PASTE 

The  following  letter  from  an  American  lady  about  the  qnalit;  of  NEEU  TOOTH 
FABTB  U  very  conTJDcing: : 

Seattle,  Vashlnston, 
April,  IS,  iQjS. 
Gentlemen, 

Enclosed  please  And  Bank  Draft  for  another  supply  of  NEEM  TOOTH  PASTE. 
My  dentist  shakes  his  head  and  cannot  understand  why  |  no  longer  need  to  come 
in  every  six  months  to  have  my  teeth  cleaned. 

It  seems  lidiculous  to  send  all    the  way    to  India  for  tooth  paste,  when  there  are 
so  many  brands  on  the  market  here,  but  he  admits  now  that  it  is  worth  the  trouble. 

That  with  diet  and  other  factors  the  same  I  have  found  something  that  is  preserving 
my  teeth  that  I  otherwise  would  have  lost  in  a  few  more  years 
Again  I  thank  you. 

Yours  very  truly i 
Sd/-  (Mis).  A.  W.  Hunter. 
The  secret  of  the   wide  popnlaiity  of   NEEM  TOOTH  PASTE   lies  in  the  fact  that 
it  conteiriB  all  the  antieeptic,    germicidal,   aalringent  and    deodurieing  propertieB  of  Neem 
TvifCB.    wpll-known    lo    the    Indians    from    ancient    times.    It    also    conUins    natural 
CHLOROPHYLL  present  in  Necm  irith  all  its  beneficial  properties. 

The  S.  F.  (Calchemico's  Trade  name  of  a  chemicnl)  content  of  NEEM  TOOTH 
PASTE  Bpeciallv  prerentB  cnriea  and  pyorrhoea  and  Ihe  high  grade  medicinal  precipitated 
Calcium  and  Mngnesium  Carbonate  and  other  pure  ingredients  Ufed  as  a  base  belp  to 
remove  the  acid-forming  bacteria,  which  causes  tooth-decay.  The  soap  content  is  also 
minimum  end  is  free  from  animal  fat. 

THE  CALCUTTA  CHEMICAL  CO.,  LTD. 

35,  PANDITIA  ROAD,  CALCUTTA-89 


HUHCLASS  HE(H 


r-EKrwraED 
CASTOR     OIL 

LA  BONNY  SNOWfrCBEAM 
RENUKA    TOILET  POWDER 


[■■.minj.»j!ijjiij.i»iiJ4|| 


INDIAN  PEiaCDICALS 


In£aiiB  in  Malaya 

I.    I.    S.   Kanwar   observes  in   Careers   and 

es  : 

Jia's  link  with  Malaya  and  othrr  adjacent  countries 
ih-East  Aftia  dales  back  over  2,0Ji)  years.  The 
ina,  which  was  written  al>out  the  1st  century  A.D, 
a  reference  to  Ivadvipa,  a  land  eom})ribing  sevea 
US,  abounding  in  gold  and  silver.  Although  Hindu 
s  did  not  permit  emigration,  Indiaa  traders  ven- 
cross  the  Bay  of  Bengal  to  ply  their  trade  in  gold, 
does  and  camphor.  Stories  of  Malayans  fabulous 
soon  spread  in  India.  Indian  scholars  familiar 
inskrit  accompanied  the  traders  to  study  the  land 
its  aspects.  Ihe  inhabitants  began  to  appreciate 
octrines  so  much  that  gradually  they  found  them- 
converted  to   Hinduism  and  Buddhism. 

Hindu  Lnfluencl 
art  from  the  fact  that  Buddhism  had  a  great 
:e  on  the  country,  Malay's  history  up  to  the  10th 
is  rather  obscure.  The  estabhs>hment  of  Buddhism 
i  rite  of  the  Shrivijaya  Empire  in  the  7th  century 
which  lasted  for  700  years.  In^  the  early  part  of 
h  century,  Malaya  was  invaded  by  Raja  Rajendra 
om  Chulu-Mandala  (mociern  Coromandel)   in  southt 

Rajendra  Gihi,  who  roigncil  there  from  1012  to 
1. 1).,  carried  on  a  friendly  trade  with  Kedah, 
dependency  of  Shrivijaya.  Twenty-years  later  the 
lip  fell  through,  and  Cola  led  an  armada  across 
r  of  Bcn^ial  to  raid  the  scattcreil  Shrivijaya  ports. 
>i  only  conquered  Kedah,  but  also  the  rest  of 
ya. 

hough  Cola  hinisiclf  did  not  remain  in  Malaya 
%,  his  nanu;  is  revorrd  in  Malaya,  for  tho  name 
Ian  is  to  this  day  given  to  the  Prince;?  of  Perak 
In  1084,  a  Chula  document  once  more  speaks  of 

relations  with  Malaya.  Trade  went  on  for  cen- 
nd  Indian  merchants  wt-nt  to  the  country  in  large 
s.  In  the  16th  century,  when  the  Portuguese  begaa 
iblish     themselves     there,  the     Indian     merchants 

great  influence  on  the  policy  of  the  State  of 
I.    Consequt-nily,   in    15')9,   when   the      Fortuguc^e 

Sequiera  came  to  Malacca,  they  advised  the 
ms  to  refuse  trading;  rights  to  the  Portuguese. 
y  was  this  advice  taken,  but  it  caused  the  Malaccan 
ra  (Prime  Minister)  to  arrest  the  Portuguese, 
ther  evidence  of  Indian  influrnoc  is  the  Pahang 
)f  the  17th  century.  He  was  a  mixture  of  the 
n  Muslim  and  the  pre-Malaccan  inhabitant.  In^ 
;ion,  influenced  by  Buddhism  and  Hinduism,  he 
.  abandoned  tin?  practice  of  making  sacrifices  to 
e  Hindu  goddess. 

The  K\o[)i;s  aNd  Emicration  La^ws 
vas  not  until  the  advent  «»f  the  19th  century-  that 
began  to  emigrate  nn  u  Miniewliat  organised  basis 
ts  Setllenic'nt«i  the  first  npot  being  Penang,  where 
re  employed  on  eoconui  plantahima  and  later  in 
apioca  and  sugar-cane  gardens.  Due  to  ths 
of  emigration  laws  emigration  continued  witliout 
:h  for  a  long  time.  However,  when  tho  Starit^ 
ntt  vere  separated  from  the  control  of  the 
flat  of  India  in  1867,  emigratioo  was  regulated 


through  an  Emigratioa  Act.  Most  of  the  emigrants 
belonged  to  the  illiterate  labour  class,  and  as  their  nam- 
ber  increased  rapidly,  it  became  necessary  for  the  Indiai^ 
Government  and  that  of  the  Staits  Settlements  to  take  an 
irierest  in  their  welfare.  Thereafter,  the  Indian  Govern- 
ment sent  reprctentatives  periodically  to  look  into  the 
conditions  of  ln(iian  labourtTi,  there. 

In  1922,  a  revised  Emigration  Act  came  into  force 
bringing  under  its  control  emigration  not  only  to  Malaya 
but  also  to  Ceylon.  Further  interest  by  the  Indian 
(government  was  shown  when  it  appointed  a  Standing 
Committee  to  give  suggestions  and  advice  on  various  as* 
poets  of  emigration,  esiiecialiy  the  basis  on  which  Indian 
labour  was  to  be  employed  in  Malaya  ;  an4  the  terma 
on  which  emigration  was  to  be  permitted.  As  a  result 
of  its  constructive  work  Malayan  and  Indian  representa- 
tives were  brought  together  in  1923,  to  decide  on  the 
terms  on  which  unskilled  labour  was  to  be  permitted  to 
emigrate.  The  agreement  reached  being  favourable,  there 
was  no  change  in  emigration  laws  until  1938. 

In  1938,  certain  alterations  were  eCFected  in  the 
Emigration  Act  to  bring  unassisted  emigratioa  under  the 
control  of  the  Indian  Government,  w)io  could  then  stop 
it  when  expedient.  The  newly  amended  Emigration  Act 
came  into  force  in  December,  1939.  It  was  a  good  augury, 
as  its  main  purpose  was  to  protect  the  interests  of 
Indians  not  only  in  Malaya  but  also  overseas  elsewhere. 

Indians  aj(d  Commerce 

In  December,  1943,  Indians  in  Malaya  totalled  750,000 
whereas  by  1947  for  various  reasons,  their  number  had 
decreasetl  to  605,000,  the  majority  of  whom  worked  on 
lubber   estates   and   coconut   plantations. 

Indians  arc  found  in  all  walks  of  life  ;  there  are 
lawyers,  b:i6inessm?n,  petty  traders,  labourers,  clerks,  cattle* 
breeders,  engineers,  doctors,  servicemen  and  policemen,  to 
mention  a  few.  In  almost  all  Government  department, 
Indians  are  employed  in  different  capacities.  A  number  of 
tliose  who  retired  prematurely  during  the  Japanese 
occupation  were  n^nstated  immediately  Malaya  was 
rcoccupied  by  the  British. 

In  the  less  important  professions,  there  are  Indiaa 
tjixi-drivers,  hawkers,  watchmen  and  money-lenders.  PrioP 
to  World  War  II,  the  money-lender  in  Malaya,  though 
a  boon  to  many  a  borrower,  was  an  unpopular  personality, 
as  he  was  harsh  in  his  terms,  charging  lather  high  rates 
oi  interest,  until  the  Government  restricted  his  activities. 

On  the  mainland  of  the  Malaya  Peninsula,  a  fail* 
number  of  Indians  have  interests  in  landed  property,  and 
in  rubber  and  coconut  plantations.  Business  connected 
with  sports  goods  is  virtually  dominated  by  them.  They 
arc  also  engaged  in  profitable  trade  in  cloth  and  piece- 
goods.  On  the  whole,  Indian  traders  are  respected  by 
Lusinessmen  of  other  communities. 

CosMaroi.iTAN  Community 
Indians  in  Malaya  are  organised  in  various  ways, 
though  on  no  definite  hard  and  fast  lines.  There  is  an 
Indian  Chamber  of  Commerce  besides  other  organisations 
composed  of  people  coming  from  different  parts  of  India. 
Sports  associations  and  clubs  exist,  some  on  a  sect  basis, 
while  others  are  mixed.  Prior  to  World  War  II,  there  was 
an  Indian  Advisory  Board,  a  nominated  body,  whose  res- 
ponsibilities were  to  advise  the  Malayan  Government  on 
matters  concerning  tho  Indian  population*   Today,  the 


m 


TflE  MODERN  REVIEW  FOR  MAY,  1968 


Lidiaiu  an  pofitkallf  vnitod  under  the  banner  of  the 
Malayan  Indian  Congress,  formed  after  the  terminationi 
of  the  war. 

Community  life  among  Indians  in  Malaya  is  a  goodi 
eiample  to  their  countrymen  at  home.  Devoid  of  reli* 
giona  fanaticism,  they  meet  at  the  same  table  and  eat  the 
common  food  served.  £3ducation  in  Malaya  being  of  a 
high  order,,  the  Indian  has  greatly  benehted  by  it. 
About  50  per  cent  of  the  Indian  population  is  literate. 
Long  residence  in  the  country  has  taught  the  Indians  to 
be  broad-minded,  tolerant,  open-hearted  and  considerate 
towards  the  religions  and  custonis  of  others.  The 
Hindustani,  Punjabi  and  Tamil  spoken  by  them  has  a 
sprinkling  of  Malay,  English  and  even  Chinese  words. 
Many  Indians  speak  more  tiian  three  languages.  Constant 
mixing  with  other  races  has  made  them  thoroughly  cosmo- 
politan and  they  have  inter-married  with  the  many 
nationalities  that  reside  in  the  country.  Sometimes  inter- 
marriage has  occurred  for  two  or  three  successive  gene- 
rations, as  a  result  of  which  the  latest  product  has  neither 
much  knowledge  of  nor  the  desire  to  return  to  India.  In> 
some  cases,  contact  with  relations  in  India  has  been  lost. 
Those  who  are  without  their  families  in  Malaya  return 
to  India  every  two  or  three  years  to  renew  their  family 
ties.  When  in  Malaya  they  send  legular  remittances  iot 
the  upkeep  of  their  families  at  home  in  India. 

Speaking  of  Indians  generally  it  can  be  said  that 
they  have  played  a  great  part  ii>  the  economic  develop- 
ment of  the  country.  It  is  due  to  them  that  rubber  pro- 
duction reached  such  high  levels  in  post  war  years, 
while  they  have  worked  equally  well  on  the  coconut 
plantations. 

PoLmCAL    ACTI>-ITIE5 

Prior  to  World  War  II,  political  activity  was  taboo. 
Iherefore,  it  was  not  until  the  Japanese  conquered 
Malaya,  that  interest  in  politics  was  roused  amongst 
Indians.  Japanese  propaganda  constantly  reminded 
Indians  of  their  patriotic  duty  towards  India,  and  though 
this  was  primarily  for  Japan's  own  benefit,  there  wa^ 
some  response,  as  a  result  of  which  the  majority  of  the 
Indian  community  remained  loyal  to  the  British. 

On  the  close  of  World  War  II,  Malaya  was  put  under 
a  military  form  of  government  by  the  British  and  a  num- 
ber of  Indians  were  prosecuted  for  pro-Japanese  activi- 
ties. The  old  office  of  the  government  of  Indians  Agent 
which  had  been  clo&ed  since  the  Japanese  occupation^ 
again  started  functioning  in  September,  1945,  and  in, 
order  to  have  closer  contact  with  Lord  Mounibatten'st 
headquarters,  the  Indian  Government  appointed  a 
Kepresejitative  and  Liaison  Officer.  The  appointment 
was  necessary  in  order  to  watch  Indian  interests  in 
Malaya  in  general,  and  in  particular  of  those  Indians, 


who  had  been  prosecated  for  thehr  connection  with  Mm 
the  India  Independence  League  or  the  I.N. A. 

Apart  from  this,  the  condition  of  the  Indian  labo^ 
ing  claas  had  deteriorated,  mainly  because  maay  hai  I 
been  deported  by  the  Japanese  to  work  on  the  constrae*  ^ 
tion  of  the  Burma-Thailand  railway.  Ihose  wlio  sa^  ' 
vived  the  ordeal  were  in  terrible  straits,  especially  wha  I 
Japanese  currency  ceased  to  be  a  legal  tender.  In  addi-  -] 
tion,  there  was  an  acute  shortage  of  basic  essentiaiii  ! 
including  cloth  and  medicine. 

Three  medical  missions,  two  sponsored  by  the  Indiift 
National  Congress  and  one  by  the  Government  of  India 
were  sent  to  Malaya  to  render  medical  aid.  Due  to  the 
above  activities  and  interest  expressed  by  the  Indian 
Government  and  the  Indian  public,  the  whole  situation 
influenced  the  Malayan  Government  to  revise  their  policy 
towards  Indians  in  Malaya,  who$-e  position  in  August 
1947,  was  sitrengthened  by  the  appointment  of  Mr.  John 
Thivy  as  the  Indian  Ktpret»entativc. 

Evil  of  Dual  Nationality 

The  vital  problem  facing  the  Indians  in  Malayn 
after  India's  independence  has  been  the  question  as  to 
whether  they  should  adopt  Malayan  citizenship  or  re- 
main with  India.  The  crux  of  the  question  is  that  most 
of  them  desire  the  benefit  of  both,  that  is,  to  remain  u 
Indian/  citizens,  while  simultaneously  claiming  certain 
rights  by  virtue  of  their  residential  qualifications.  Dual 
citizenship  for  obvious  reasons  is  neither  desirable  nor 
possible.  Recently  the  Indian  Ptime  Minister  made  it 
clear  that  in  so  far  as  citizenship  was  concerned,  tha 
Malayan  Indians  must  decide  one  way  or  the  other,  and 
there  was  no  middle  way. 

The  future  is  partly  in  their  own  hands.  Since  the 
majority  work  on  the  rubber  plantations,  the  presenl 
rubber  slump  has  had  adverse  effect  on  their  livdifaood. 
Will  they  tide  it  over  as  they  have  done  in  Malaya'f 
past  history  ?  Should  they  choose  to  remain  in  Malayi 
the  country  of  their  adoption,  they  have  to  be  one  witll 
the  Malayas  for  the  future  good  of  the  country,  in  whose 
legislature  they  are  already  adequately  represented. 

It  has  been  suggested  that  the  Indian  comjnunity' 
may  well  act  as  a  balancing  force  between  the  Malayu 
and  the  Chinese.  And  in  order  to  proiluce  a  favourabk 
reaction  from  the  Indians,  it  is  not  in  the  interest  of 
the  country  that  the  Federation  should  pass  legislation  ta 
permit  more  Indians  to  qualify  for  Malayan  ritiy. 
ship  ? 

Malaya  has  been  promised  self-government  in  the 
near  future,  and  this  can  only  be  secured  by  bringiag 
about  harmony  amongst  all  communities. 


BANK  OF  BANKURA  LTD. 

36,  Strand  Road,  CALCUTTA 

Interest  on  Saving  Deposit  S<>/o  Per  Annum 
Interest  on  Fixed  Deposit  3Vo  Per  Annum 
for  1  rear  &  over  1  yc^r  4*^/0  Per  Annum 


Branches : 

College  Sq.,  Cal. 
Banbura. 


CSairman  3 

lAGANNATH  KOLAY 

MPt 


INDIAN  PERIODlCiU^ 


il3 


(jirbtians  in  the  Naga  Hills 

V.  B.  I.  Anderson,  an  American  Baptist 
lary  in  Kohima,  Assam,  ivrites  in  the 
U  Christian  Council  Review  : 

he  hills  of  ABsam,  where  roads  are  few,  and  com- 
ons  almost  nil,  is  a  group  of  more  than  76,000 
urch  members,  about  whom  very  little  has  been 
the  outside  world.  Once  they  were  head-hunters* 
orshippers,  drunkards,  opium  fiends.  Today  thi:» 
ring  Cliristian  group  has  reached  an  astunishing 
self-support,  is  providing  for  the  evangelization  of 
md  is  largely  handling  its  own  administrative 
Ji  of  this  has  come  about  within  less  than  eighty 

ra«  not  until  1876  that  the  first  missionary  ven- 
'  into  the  Naga  Uiib  and  risked  his  life  to  make 
istian  message  known.  Dr.  E.  W.  Gark  was 
God  to  lay  the  foundation  for  the  work  of  evange* 
the  Naga  Hills.  But  it  was  a  slow  movement  at 
[e  met  with  opposition  from  all  quartets; 
uefs,  bloodthirsty  villagers,  yes,  even  the  British 
look  a  stand  against  the  only  power  that  has 
effective  in  dealing  with  head-hunters.  But  the 
itinued  and  the  present  strength  of  Christianity 
aga  Hills,  the  virile  faith  and  devotion  of  tlie  hill 
1  continue  to  be  a  testimony  to  all  men  that  tlie 
of  God. 

even  after  eighty  years  some  of  the  early 
I  remain.  The  greatest  obstacle  to  a  united 
in  the  Naga  Hills  is  the  division  caused  by  the 
iguages.  There  are  not  less  than  15  large  groups 
ch  the  Scriptures  and  other  Christian  literature 

translated,  and  in  addition  to  these  there  are 
ber  of  dialects  and  variations.     The  geographical 

is  a  handicap,  for  in  some  sections  there  are 
ns  of  communications  among  the   hill     villasies. 

miles  west  of  Kohima,  the  Mzieme  and  others 
beginning  to  receive  the  message.     The  same  ia 

miles  in  the  other  direction,  among  the  Eastern 

Around    Mokokchung,       Manipur    hill    tracts, 

^okha  and  Kohima  the  churches  are  well  estab- 

Bot  even     though  stronu  in     numbtTA  there  are 

occasions  when  the  members  can  meet  together 
!r  into  a  fuller  fellowship  as  Christians. 

advantage  is  the  democratic  rule  which  is  com- 
the  villages.  This  can  easily  be  transferred  into 
:h  life,  as  the  Baptist  Mission  encourages  a  large 
of  self-government  and  in  no  way  interferes  with 
ramme  of  the  local  church  and  the  administration 
Mociations. 

success  achieved  in  the  work  among  the  Nagas 
leen  in  numbers  as  well  as  in  degrees  of  self- 
and  self-govemment.«.  In  the  latest  published 
:  statistics  (1950)  we  learn  that  during  that  year 
than  7JMS  new  converts  wen;  baptized,  making 
membership  in  the  churches  76,222.  This 
does  not  include  children  in  Christian  homes, 
B  not  yet  asked  for  and  received  baptism.  Mak- 
ugh  estimate  of  such  children  as  being  at  least 
of  the  Christian  community,  we  may  conclude 
Naga  Baptist  churchf^&  would  reach  the  figure  of 
100,000  present  and  prospective  members, 
elf-support  they  have  reached  the  higlie>i  of  any 
.  Assam,  perhaps  in  India.  I'he  Ao  (rihr>  alone 
nnual  budget  for  their  work  of  pvan.ae1i>iin  educa- 
1  production  of  literature  which  mounts  up  to 
00.  Figures  are  not  available  for  all  the  rest 
ribes»  nor  is  it  necessar)  to  work  out  detailed 
• 
American  Baptist  Foreign  Mission  Society  main- 


tai*4S  liz  statioiis  in  this  aeetion  of  Aaaom.  The  total 
anaual  appropriatlont  aside  from  salaries  of  misaionaries, 
is  Ks.  34vO00  from  the  General  Society  and  Rs.  tfiOO  itom 
the  Women's  Society.  Aside  from  the  regular  work  of 
e/angelism  and  education,  one  hospital  and  one  leper 
colony  is  maintained  by  the  Mission. 

The  administration  of  the  work  is  now  largely  ia  the 
hands  of  the  National  leaders,  who  by  means  of  ohurch 
council  meetings  and  annual  As:sOciationai  gatherings, 
formulate  policies  and  carry  out  the  necessary  details  of 
their  organized  work.  All  of  these  groups  are  also  Inte- 
lested  in  evangelism  among  the  border  tribes,  and  the 
Aos  particularly,  have  for  many  years  supported  evange- 
lists to  headhunting  villages.  Their  visits  have  not  only 
brought  thrills  to  tlie  men  who  were  prepared  to  lay  dowA 
their  lives  for  these  savages,  but  have  also  given  a  good 
harvest  in  souls.  Among  the  Konyak  Nagas,  as  well  aa 
iimong  the  Eastern  Angomis  and  the  Sangtams,  two 
nuii%n:;l  leaders  are  in  lull  control  of  tlie  M'ork  and  doing 
'try  well,  'liic  kon>ak  work  is  a  special  project  support- 
ed by  the  recently  organized  Council  of  Baptist  Churches 
of  Assam.  The  marvellous  success  in  this  area  haa 
bi'ouglit  on  a  wave  of  persecution,  which  the  young 
churcnes  have  endured  patiently.  The  number  of  bap- 
tisms in  this  frontier  field  was  6ti8  last  year  (1950). 
Ihen  there  are  the  Changs,  Kalukcngyus,  Yimcbongre 
and  many  other  tribes  stretching  all  the  way  to  Burma. 
Them  also  we  must  bring. 

Methods  of  evangelism  are  varied,  to  suit  different 
conditions.  The  touring  of  the  missionary,  climbing  the 
mountain  slopes  to  bring  of  the  Word  ot  God  to  the  viliagea 
located  on  the  very  top  of  the  mountains^  has  been  the 
most  effective  method  of  reaching  tlie  people.  In  the 
churh  services,  in  the  homes,  around  the  evening  fires, 
out  in  the  open  street,  in  tact  wherever  an  opportunity 
offered  itself,  Christ  has  been  proclaimed  and  men  have 
heard  about  His  blood  shed  for  the  remission  of  ains. 
'Ihe  religion  in  all  of  these  tribes  is  largely  animistic  and 
filled  with  fear  and  superstition.  The  old  taboos,  some 
of  them  mobt  primitive,  have  had  to  yield,  and  social  cus- 
toms, built  up  around  the  religious  beliefs,  have  also  had 
to  give  way  lor  the  new  light. 

None  of  the&c  tribes  had  any  written  language  or  any 
record  of  their  origin  and  past  history,  so  the  missionaries 
had  to  reduce  the  dialects  to  print  and  produce  books  for 
their  schools.  Evangelism  thus  worked  hand  in  hand 
with  education  and  a  Christian  teacher  whose  love  for 
God  was  genuine  did  not  lack  opportunities  to  bring  the 
children  to  Christ. 

Later  as  the  church  was  able  to  support  a  regular 
pastor  the  work  was  organized  on  the  basis  of  group 
evangelism,   when  happy  converts  set  out   to  visit  other 


T.  B.  IS  NOT  INCURABLE 

An  inwifUion  by 

Bnjvaidya  Kaviraj  Pranacbarya 

Dr.  PRABHAKAR  CHATT£RJ££,  m.a.,  d.bc., 

JAKSHMARI 

A  Un'q'ie  medicine  for  stippni;  contionoui  ferer 
ou^h,  tiaenoptysis,  boarseaees  of  voice,  ni^ht  sweat.' 
avHfdim  to  food,  diarrboia.  damiKea  m  the  lungs 
and  loHH  of  wei^^ht  by  destroy  nj^  the  T.  B.  KPrms. 
Ic  IS  mii.*h  morn  elf^itivo  than  any  medicine  imported 
f  on  abroad.  Xu  neroas  patimts  hare  had  a  oomplete 
re'.ovory.  Full  pMrticuUrs  with  pre<«erip*ion  on  re(\a^«.t.-. 
172,  Bjwbazar  Siraot,  Oalca(i&-L2^eW^\^<^\  ^n^sv^^s^^^ 


414 


THE  MODERN  REVIEW  i^Gll  MAY,  19S3 


villftfiies  and  to  dng  and  pray  for  their  enemies.  In  the 
deauk  tzihe  during  the  years  between  193040  the  additiona 
of  conyerts  took  on  mass  movement  proportions,  some 
YHn  seeing  more  thai^  2,000  converts  added  to  the 
chnrehes.  Paid  evangelists  have  been  used,  but  ve^ 
sparingly,  their  work  very  often  given  largely  to  the  task 
01  organising  churches  and  supervising  the  instruction  of 

In  xecen,t  years  the  Sunday  Schools  and  the  Christian 
the  converts. 

Badeavour  Socielies  have  been  the  means  ot  enlisting  the 
youth  in  villages  >vhere  the  church  had  becoroe  established. 
In  almost  every  >illage  where  there  is  a  church,  substantial 
and  permanent  houses  uf  worship  have  hnen  erected. 
Tliese  have  always  been  paid  for  by  the  people  themselves, 
some  giving  cash,  others  providing  free  labour. 

The  importance  of  regular  Bible  conferences  and  well 
attended  annual  meetings  can  never  be  over-emphasized, 
ft  was  at  such  jzatherings.  sometimes  attended  by  4  to 
5,000  people,  thai  the  true  nature  of  the  Clu-istian  Gospel 
became  known  and  the  vrotk  of  the  Christian  church  bnilt 
up  to  its  present  Iiigh  standard  of  trac-liJnf;  and  practice.  A 
vigorous  oppo-sition  to  all  forms  of  demon- worship,  poly- 
gamy, consumption  of  liquor  and  other  vices,  formerly 
so  common  among  the  Nagas,  has  made  no  small  contribu- 
tion to  the  work  of  evangelism,  showing  the  true  life  of 
the  churches  and  ntntiibutiong  to  the  general  welfare  and 
decent  behaviour  of  the  members. 

.\nother  aspect  of  Christian  empha:>is  lia^  been  that 
of  stewardship.  From  the  very  beginning  the  converts  weri: 
told  that  they  were  expected  to  contribute  a  tithe  of  their 
income.  Whether  in  ca^ll  or  kind  this  has  Ijcen  the  goal, 
and  every  member  has  been,  urged  lo  give  liberally.  This 
has  helped  to  solve  the  problem  of  dealing  with  greedy 
money-lenders  and  unscrupulous  traders.  The  churched 
built  granaries  as  well  as  houses  of  ^vorship.  Paddy  and 
livestodc  became  commodities  v\iih  the  Christians,  for 
feeding  the  poor,  or  selling  and  providing  loans  to  those 
who  needed  this  help. 

The  discipline  \Nithin  the  church  has  always  been 
rather  strict,  and  thu<4  the  moral  ^tandards  have,  been  high. 
There  are  cases  of  defection  to  demon-worship  ;  adullciy, 
or  return  of  poTy|!ami>ts  to  former  v\i\eft  ;  lack  of  inte- 
rest or  failure  lo  livi?  up  to  the  Chrislian  confession. 
Perhaps  the  giavcsi  pndjlem  has  been  that  of  intoxicating 
liquor,  mostly  the  liome-brewed  ricebeer,  against  which 
the  churches  liavr  taken  a  very  >trong  slantl 
since  the  earl\  year-  uf  Christian  evangcUsm. 
But  there  ha?  ne\er  been  a  vjmv  largo  number  who  have 
fallen  by  the  wavside  and  n'turned  to  the  old  supersti- 
tions and  sinful  li\in;r. 

The  Naga  >outh  of  io«Iav  is  \rry  a(ii\r  in  CIiriMian 
work.  They  aic  in  tin-  leail  in  the  villa;ic  churches,  a- 
well  as  in  the  .-lation:  work.  Many  arc  al-o  active  a^ 
doctors,  n.urseff,  or  inidwives  in  J>oth  (rovernmt!nt  and 
Mission  hospital^.  OiIu'r>  air  t-midov rd  a-  teachers, 
IKilice  constable>  and  -oldiers  l)>  the  Indian  Government 
and  a  few  have  reached  lii^rli  rank-i  in  these  professions. 
Education  i-^  the  ifojl  of  the  many  hoys  and  girls  in  the 
«chools  and  a  f'V\  of  llicro  amhiliou-  >oinig«ters  have 
even  manain-il  u,  ^iM  in  tin-  I'.S.  \.  lor  specialized 
traininjj. 

Cod  li.ii  done  wr.ndirs  in  lli»-  \ui:a  Hill-.  Lei  n'> 
••nc  ?-ay  that  the  Wi^ia?  are  nvMli;]*  of  \iriue  and  devotion, 
rather,  many  of  ilicm  im.-  vcr\  hinnan.  and  not  all  are 
*rood  nicndici--  i.f  ilu-  •  luuilv.'-t.  Hut  ih»^y  are  liberated 
liv  ihr  iiidvy  (.f  C.ni\  from  their  fornii-r  lii^i-  aivl  .-a\apt' 
n^od'i  t»t  jifr  ;njd  .'iic  now  hlruiijilinir  li»>\ard  a  l»«'!lcr  day 
anil  i>  mon-  iMdi^htened  future. 


iiAX. 


The  crest  which  adorns  tho  llteratore^ 
forms  and  advertisements  of  the  Hindus- 
than  since  its  inception  has  a  story 
behind  it.  The  map  of  India  in  oiitliDe 
serves  as  the  background  of  the  romaotic 
history  of  India's  strugglctfor  economic 
freedom — and  the  Hindiisthan  can  rightly 
claim  that  it  has  done  all  the  pioneering 
works  with  an  outlook  of  national  semce. 
It  is  Indian  in  ideal  and  outlook^  Indian  in 
capita  t  and  management — it  is  cent  per 
cent  fndian  in  everything  so  to  spe4ik. 
The  crest  therefore  ser^^es  to  throw  into 
relief  the  patriotic  endeavoiir!of  the  g;reat 
men  of  the  tunc  to  bring  economic  salva- 
tion to  our  nationals. 

The  crest  is  the  symbol  of  econonnic 
security,  protection  and  peace  and  is 
significantly  tied  up  with  the  life  of  our 
nationals. 


HINDUSTHAN 

CO-OPERATIVE  INSURANCE  SOCIETY,  LTD., 

HINDUSTHAN  BUILDINGS. 

4,  Chiitaranian  Avenue,  CALCUTTA- 13 


FOREIGN  PERIODICALS 


ulh  Africa— Laud  of  Gold  and  Dieeord 

John  Nevin  Sayre  wrileu  in  Unity,  January- 
ruary,  1953  : 

Jisconl  was  not  laikiiiu  in  South  Africa  l»f»re  tliB 
ic  of  colli  aud  Uiauiondit  ilnre.  Inii  ihe  discover)' 
ich  riches  has  niuliiplied  ilie  friction  and  vasrly 
licainl  ihc  counlry's  pn.blems.    Had  ilie  new  wtaliU 

coiilrolled  and  csph-ired  tor  ilm  iraprovnmiiit  of 
'  standard:',  wlucoiiou.  and  the  beUermnit  of  all 
.n»  o[  the  peopl.'.  it  mijtlit  lia*e  lessened  tlic  discord 
io  there  could  liuve  brcii  a  Biiiritual  pcrccptiun  of 

human  jiJ'tiic  and  a  foli  ute  of  bve  and',  buinan 
rbiandine.  South  Africa  miglit  today  be  Ifading  the 
t  in  the  glory  of  a  multiracial  Christian  i^eiety. 
I'oday,  South  Afriians  are  keenly  aware  of  the  cri*i« 
fh  vhich  their  nation  is  going.  Ahhougli  lliey 
to  Tk.-Hcnt  i)ui!ride  rtiiici»ni  and  the  myth  that  only 
race  lani  he  to  blame  fur  ihe  snrry  slali-  of  race 
tau,  ihey  ari-  iml  eomplacenl.  Indeed,  fear  of 
Ic  that  may  come  ujioii  lliR  eountry  prvadc-  all 
IS.  Moat  of  those  wc  interviewed  d.-rlare'l  that' 
ilions  were  gelling  worse,  and  some  of  ihcni  fell 
they  were  at  a  lIe^|lcratu  stage.  As  one  man  said  : 
arc  ]jvin£  on  two  vokanocB,     eithtr  one  of  which 

soon  cxjilode."  One  was  the  prowing  tension  be- 
I  whiten  and  non-whites  ;  the  ntlier  was  the  danger 
.Fil  war  botween  the  two  principal  white  pmup^. 
I  was  surprising  l»  find  ll)at  on  lite  itsychnlogiial 
Itropaijanda  front  lh«  old  war  helwcen  the  Itoi-rs  amV 
Iritifh  is  ^tiU  t'oin^  on  and  lieing  fanniil  ti<  frcsl) 
illy.  Cfpeelally  by  ihi'  Mabn  gDvemminl.  One 
I  have  thought  rhjt  tht-  dlvisiuiis  caused  I>)  that  uar 
loUK  ago  been  healed  by  genciuui  acts  of  Britain's 
ibeU-Bannerman  government,  ilic  setting  uii  uf  the 
:al  Union  ol  Smith  Africa,  and  the  long  yearfi  of 
e  to  the  Union  by  General  Jan  Smuts.  Bui  this  i% 
be  catc.     Tlicre  wi.?  a  eeclion  of  the  Bocr»  wlio  in, 

heart*  newr  uceepled  ibifcaT,  who  rcgardi.'il  Smutft 
"Quisling,"  who  liidcd  ihcir  time  but  win-  busy 
Aing  Boer  a-.j>iratiiin^ .  Tl  is  llicy  wlm  liav-'  taken 
.■ad  in  apartheid,  whu  t'liiip  lu  lliu  Airihami  lanizu- 
ind  wlio  pot  rontnd  of  tin-  )Lovcfninent  in  1948  after 
.'  death.  This  hai^  crrHlrd  ii  -idil  n"l  only  Iwlwefn. 
h  and  Dulch  SoiiHi  \!rlran>.  hiii  in-idc  lli.>  M'ilia- 
iroup  itself. 

)r.  Malan  and  ih.-  \alioii;ili-l  Parl>  piup.w:  to 
■  an  Afrikaner  ci.unin'  and  [lOr^-lhly  iiii  iiiiJi:ii.-n'lcnl 
*eparutc  from  llic  Briiifh  runniiotiwallli.  Thfy  do 
rUit  the  Brili;.h.  aiv  Ii'-rtil''  t«  th-  Unileil  Nation?. 
rar  ihe  rntnmimi:.! -  wIuim-  Sf'ulh  African  Party  lliey 
outiiweil.  Tlnij-  \iaw  iirjiti-aliy  anncxiil  Snulh 
Africa  and  ^ccni  in  naiit  ^lill  mi>ti-  teiriluiv.    Ti''"< 

to  build  up  a  iiuislir  rai.i'  and  a  nia-tix  Innguat"*. 
ccep  non-white  inhatiilmiiv  "in  ihcir  plaif."'  Thc\- 
ghtening  up  the  0I1I  oinlroU  nf  segrct!ati<in  and  pro- 
iling  ntT*  "ine.!,  Tliry  dii  not  intend  thai  uicmbpr* 
rk-skinneil  lui*'-  uikI  nalixn?  ?lmll  ever  ln'  iidnijti''rl 
3  privileger  of  rili/j>n>1iip. 

'hf.  natives  arc  to  iu»e  a  hnmflami  in  '■■pjraii- 
iries.  «onirwli;it  lil-r  \iiiuican  In'Mnn  rtirrvarion-. 
:   ibev   arr-   ii>   lii<-   iimh-r   liilmt      iltci.'iptiiir,   whkb, 


liowcver,  is  fnially  eubjeci  to  white  cuntrot. 
ihem  will  work  the  (arms  of  while  South  Africans.  Otberft 
who  labor  in  the  mines  and  the  big  cities  are  to  be 
lioused  in  adjacent  iwercgatcd  "locations" 

The  Maltui  government  appears  quite  willins  to  kiib- 
vert  the  d-^ciiuonK  of  the  country'^  juilgeij  and  tno  Sonthi 
African  constitution  if  these  stand  in  the  day.  Aftbongh 
llie  present  goverumcni  was  nut  v.ued  into  office  bj  ja. 
majority  of  the  nation's  white  elccluratc,  il  hopci  (0  win 
a  majority  at  tlie  next  election.  The  iVatidnalists  kaovr 
v.hal  lliey  want,  believe  that  tlii-y  arc  religiously  and 
pal  riot  ieally  riglil,  do  not  care  for  lisil  lilxrties  and  arc 
luling  by  dictaioriul  method:;. 

'IV  United  Party  was  ihe  part)  nf  (^eni-ral  StUUta. 
ll  i-  opposed  to  a  number,  but  mil  all,  of  the  above 
niiasurus.  About  7U  per  ceui  uf  ii^^  members  are  vbite 
Ajriktiners  (nut  .Africans.)  ui>t  liic  rest  ure  white  SoulU 
Afriransl  largflj  o|  British  I'Mrarlioii.  ]i  vrishei  to 
uphold  the  courts  and  cun'-liiuiiun,  and  demands  an  im- 
inediatti  general  elitiiiuu.  It  wuiitg  to  slay  within  ibe 
Commonwealth.  It  is  wjlling  ti>  liavi:  Soutli  Aliica  • 
liilinjLiial  coiiulty,  but  fi-ar^  Inal  Enjili^li  may  be  crowded 
i.ut  of  [he  schools,  univeriiiii'r,  and  government  by  the 
Alrihaiuii  language,  pushed  by  Ajrihrner  .Nalionalism. 

This  parlv  oppu^es  lltu  abroguiiou  of  civil  Ijbeitie* 
and  llie  withurawul  of  the  limited  fraiu-bii^e  rights  fal 
tlic  ''colurt'd''  pcripV  whii-ii  iiine  lieui  in  existence  for  a 
number  of  years  in  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope  Colony.  It 
'fciir«  the  encroachiuunl  uf  ^iatiouali-t  dicialorship,  awl 
in  the  present  crisis  has  h<H.-u  buildiug  uj>  a  group  known 
a.  the  "Torcli  Cuniiuandos.''  Ireatlii^  by  ".Sailor"  Malau. 
a  i'uu>iu  uf  ihe  Priun'  Minister.  The  ;!ovirniuent  cbarfu 
tlii?  {{roup  with  iicing  "Tubversitc,''  and  there  an-  uminuun. 
cbnhes  between  it  and  tile  luUd'  which  ari-  played  u|( 
>st  daily. 
United  Pait>  wuuld  be  split  »ide  open  If 
tlie  issue  of  aesiinilation  between  races  and  the  estenuon 
uf  votes  to  all  racial  groups—whether.  ouiri^U  or  by  a 
gradual  mclhod^^Iiuuld  be  jiressed  upon  it .  Conse- 
quently, on  lluE  guc^ion  ]l  is  in  a  UL'ak  position  as  cuni- 
pcir.'d    to   ihi-   NaJli.iLali:-!:-'   firm    jiuli.  y   of   ii'grcgation . 


DiscRinm  tniRATuiiErriiCMiti 
HIMALAYA  DRUG  Co. 
88i,im»n»iiM.ii«M*.  M- 


416 


THE  MODERN  REVIEW  FOR  MAY,  1953 


TboM  who  are  funlllu  with  race  iinuijcma  in  lbs 
ilhcn  United  State*  ihoiUd  reoliie  that  South  Africa's 
nee  pcoblein  it  far  more  aenie.  The  eatimated  total 
pMiulBtioa  of  South  Africa  it  UJOOOOX),  and  there  ara 
onV  31,500,000  whites.  Granted  that  t..e  9,500,000  non- 
wiijtea  are  not  united,  that  they  arc  without  arms  init 
anorganiKd,  and  foi  lhe  uiofI  part  amazingly  patibnt,  the 
idiitn  know  what  a  disaster  it  wuuld  be  if  tlii'se  millioQ^si 
were  to  withdraw  thdr  lahor.  Such  a  fear,  played  upon 
by  frequent  news  slorles  of  crimes  aEainst  whites,  make* 
Ofi  wUla  groups  jittery.  It  intcusifics  lhe  bitlemcM 
when   the  whiles  oppose  each  olher. 

If  now  lhe  wliite  parties  should  fly  at  each  other's 
tbraala  in  exasperalion,  il  would  he  madness.  Gut  when) 
emotions  get  lo  the  boiling  point,  madneu  can  happen. 
It  hardly  lookd  as  if  such  an  cxtreniiry  will  be  reached. 
If,  however,  the  Uniled  Party  were  to  be  viclorious  in 
tbe  next  elcclion,  it  would  eonftilute  an  important  eain. 
Ill  belief  in  law  aud  conslilulional  procedure  would  leave 
the  way  open  for  peaceful  methods  of  change. 

The  campaign  of  civi[  [lixobedicnce,  alnnp  the  lines 
ol  the  crusades  led  formerly  by  Mahatma  Gandhi  in  India 
and  South  Africa,  has  been  dramatic  and  thus  far  singu- 
larly unaceompanipd  by  outbreaks  of  violence  again^tt  the 
while  Tcgime.  Upwards  of  5,000  demonstrators,  native 
Africans  and  resident  E^st  tndians,  have  violated  segrega- 
tion laws  In  a  spirit  ol  non-violence,  and  have  suReied 
arrest.  The  campaign  is  le<l  both  by  the  AfricHn  National 
Congress  and  the  South  African  Indian  Congress.  For 
once  the  non. whites  have  come  together  in  strong, 
challenging  action  lo  fhow  their  unwillingneiis  to  accept 
a  second-class  ciiiTcnship,  The  movement  has  been  a 
Ereat  welling  up  of  protect,  and  in  the  main  non-violent, 
though  there  have  been  violrnl  outbreaks  between  whiles 
and  native  Africans,  as  nt  Port  Etiaabeth  in  October. 
Tfae«e  exceptions  do  nut  necessarily  indicate  a  breakdown 
fn  tlie  non-violent  campaign,  for  liiey  have  happened 
before,  and  are  not  as  a  rule  connected  with  the  present 
non-viulrnt  demonstrations.  It  i;  too  early,  however,  (or 
lical  judgrrenis  on  the  cBRiimign's  ullimatp  value.  Yet 
when  .Mohandas  Gandhi  liepun  in  South  Africa,  on  his 
coi^paign  a  third  of  a  ceniury  apo,  il  l.'o^nj  like  a 
forlorn  liopf.     G'.d  ha^  often  uy-d  the  weak  of  thii  world 


whom  it  waa  powible  to  meet,  ad  ihoM  -who  «m  ati 
represent  just  a  sample  of  natioD^Iy-kaowB  Si 
Africana  who  are  coaapienana  for  tbelr  aenlai  I 
mulU-racial  stale.  There  la  ■  lUll  vider  dial*  d 
nameg  are  written  in   heaven. 

In  the  forefront  of  the  voluntary  orfaoiaatiaM  ' 
have  turned  the  light  on  race  relations  and  Mrim 
their  betterment,  is  the  South  African  Inatittlte  irf  I 
Relations,  now  in  its  twenty-third  year.  In  a  ni 
statement  to  the  government,  it  ryprcaard  its  b 
position,  and  set  a  standard  for  future  work  and  h( 
5'iaid  the  Institute,  the  true  basis  for  a  aettlemeu 
the  race  question  is  wrapped  up  in  these  printiptea : 

1.  Belief  in  the  value  of  the  individual  human  bi 
and  his  right,  by  virtue  of  hia  being,  to  tfae  fnl 
expression  and  development  compatibte  with  aim 
rights  of  other  individuals  within  the  pattern  of  •  di 

2.  Belief  in  the  values  of  demoeratia  aacictj  i 
its  accepted   freedoms,  rights  and  dutiea. 

3.  Acceptance  of  the  brotherhood  of  pian  Is 
Qirislian  interpretation. 


1   the  - 


nhile 


'ity   ^jvupi    a-id      individuals 
,     ,  ..   nuhi-ruilnl   soetctv   that   will 

move  in  ih';  diieiiifm  ci  (.'ra.liial  •.'Xfnfion  of  democracy 
and  livil  righti  for  all.  'Ihe.'-e  are  the  lcav>.n.  They  are 
fi-w,  th'-y  ujj.'  s  puratiJ  from  iai.;i  oil"."  by  vast  di^l.incci. 
ami  th'-y  cni.nd  opain-t  trrtirc  »<\<h.  But  they  are 
valiant  fnr  ;rulh.  Tlii-f  group?  have  nutlured  such 
pcrMins  as  Alan  Palcn.  Micliael  Si...ll,  Snalor  E.  H. 
KIuok^  Hon.  Mareant  Ilallin^cr.  Mr^.  \.  W.  Hnemle, 
Rtv.    A.   W.      BInxall,      Kev.    |[.    I-.    Jiino.l.  K.v.    Kay 

E.  Phillip*.  I;r.  W.  .1.  v..  Mcars,  Dr.  Ellen  Il.llman, 
Principal  R.   11.   W.   Shq-lierd.  Dr.  .1.   Muir  Grieve.  Dr. 

F.  W.  Fox.  Maiir:ip  W.t.h.  Dr,  Alan  Tiivlor.  Bishop 
Wilfrr!  T'.-irk'r.  \l-n\y<\  C:-!!.!!:..  :.i..|  rim.ii'.l  Mljn.kuhi. 
Titers    nf    v-irii.ii--    -.i.. .,       -.•■.k.^t.-.I    almni    rlic       euuntry 


H^    AMRUIANJAN 


THE 'ATOM  BOMB' PAIN  BALM/ 


RINGWORM  OINTMENTll^ 

THE  COSMIC  RAY' FOR  ALL  SKIN  DISEASES'  I 
AMRUTANJAN  UTD..P0.BOXNO.6e25. CAL.7 


FOREIGN  PERIODICALS 


417 


Uideef 


What  it  Is 
■le  United  Nations  International  Children's  Emcr- 

Fund  is  part  of  the  United  Nations,  created  by 
rcneral  Asiembly,  11  December,  1946.  It  was 
Jt  into  beinip;  to  meet  the  emergency  nerds  of 
B,  particularly  in  the  war-devastated  countries, 
i  the  name  time,  to  further  child  health  rmrjyoses 
Uy.  Under  that  double  mandate,  the  Fund,  in 
e  years  of  its  operat'on,  has  brought  and  is  bring- 
1  to  millions  of  children  and  mothers  in  Africa, 
the  Eastern  Mediterranean  area,  Fn»^T»e,  and 
America.  In  this  undertaking  UNICEF  has 
nancial  support  from  governments  and  peoples 
hout  the  world. 

An   Interkatiox*l  Co-operatt^-h 
fICEF  is  an      international      co-operative  on   be- 
f     children.     If.     receives     contributions     from 
es  able  to     hHp  with  monev,     goods  and  Sf»r- 

It   then    distributes    that    aid    to    countries  for 
I  maternal  nnd  child  welfare  projects  for  whioh 

needed.    The  aid    so  given    is    on  a    self-help 

0  enable  the  assisted  countries  to  meet  their 
lildren's  needs,  in  fo  fsr  as  possible,  usinsr  the 
es'  own  re«^ourceR.  Many  of  the  countres 
ig  the  Fund'**  hrip  for  thpir  chiM^'en  are,  at 
ne  time.  makin£!  substantial  contributions  for 
rk   in   other  countries. 

M  aid  is  given  solely  on  the  basis  of  need, 
t  Trgtrd  to  race,  creed,  nationality  status  or 
il  belief. 

What  rr  Dots 
'  the  most  part,  UNICEPs  help  is  now  being 
y  the  economicsDv  underde\'eloped  countries  to' 
hem  to  deal  with  long-p'pnrl'nnr  maternal  and  child 
md  welfare  prnblems.  UNICEF.  at  the  same  time, 
ig  larjte  numbers  of  childem  in  emergency 
IS  brought  about  bv  natural  catastrophe^,  or  in 
instances,    by     political     di«IocationH.     All  aid  is 

1  close  collaboration  with  oth<T  Unifcfi  Natlonn 
ition«»,  notably  the  United  Nations  Department  of 
Affairs,  the  Technical  Assistance  Administration, 
rid  Health  Organization,  and  the  Food  and 
ure  Organization. 

!  sunplies.  emiinment  and  other  forms  of  aid  now 
rovided  by  UNICEF  fall  into  the  following  maiifi 
?8  : 

istance  to  countries  for  the  building  and  exoan- 
their  basic  maternal  and  child  welfare  services. 
•*  provider  imporfcd  eauipment  and  supplies  for 
I  and  child  health  centres  and  rural  clinics.  It 
n«  in  the  tra'nin^  of  local  child-care  personnel 
[ding  supplies  and  equipment  for  training  centers. 

By  Prof.  HARFDAS  MUKHERJEE 

BENOY  KUMAR  SARKAR 

(K  8tndy) 
With  Foreword  by 
Dr.  Radhakumud  MookerjJ,  M.P. 
se  Rs.  2/-  Board-bound  Rs.  2-8 

SATIS  CHANDRA  MUKHERJEE  and  the 
DAWN  MAGAZINE  (f897-19l3) 

Price  As.  8 

Das  Gupta  a  Co.. 

5i/a,  College  Btreet»  Calcutta 


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At  any  a^e.  R4.  50  for  3  weeks  coune ;  Bs.  200  for 
onnaolete  course  of  12  weeks. 

OOVfH:  OeaerRl  all-mnod  tonic  for  men  h  womeii. 
Rd.  7  8  for  one  week  ;  Ra.  22-8  for  3  wetka ;  Bs.  UO 
for  13  weeka  com  pi-  te  ooorae. 

BIOSriL  HORMONE  CREAM:  Genuine  hormone 
treairnaQt  for  reaioriofr  tbe  frenhneaa  ard  fiimniBS 
of  youth  to  the  aieed.  wrinkled  akin.  Women  of  €0 
re^Mn  oomplezion  like  women  of  20.  Indicated  for 
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Po4ttiT'ly  irrowa  new  hair  and  atopa  falling  bairi 
daidrtiflT.  ichi*ig  analp,  etc.  Ra.  3-8  per  bottle.  81M- 
BOOGli  HAIR  OfL:  A  delightful  ideal  hair-dresaing 
and  tonic  for  onrrecti  «n  of  yarious  hair,  sealp  and 
brain  troabtes.    Ra.  3-8  per  bottle. 

LUNE60N :  The  most  effective  nerre  and  hraia 
Bed  aire  tonic,  indicated  for  mfutal  and  nerrona  dis- 
orders. Immediately  ealma  and  iootbea  bifeh  mental 
and  nt^rvona  tenainn.  Ck>ntaina  no  in]nriour,  depresalng 
or  habit-formine  drufira  Ra.  4  pf  r  packet  of  50 ;  Bs*  70 
per  packet  of  1000  tableta.  (Hoapital  packing). 

DIBNIL:  The  mo«t  effective  oral  remedy  indicated  Ib 
the  treUmeit  of  Diabetea  Mellitus.  Rs.  15  per  packet 

SILVIT4:  For  aridity,  heart-burn,  sour  stomach, 
dvapepaia,  wind  and  failneaa  after  meals,  etc.  Rs.  4 

NOVUM :  The  moat  potent  and  effectiTO  "period 
reicnUtor"  for  fem«l<*a.  indi'*atpd  in  the  treatment  of 
Amenorrhoea.  (Pwodic  Diaorderf).  Reatore*  the 
female  p«»riodic  cycle  aur«ly,  qu'ckW,  aafelv.  NOVUM 
8r^ff»^EX.  R«».  l?-a  NOVf^M  FORTE,  Rs.  50; 
NOVOM  SUPER  OONOENTRATED,  indicated  onU 
for  menoDau^al  tronKIn  and  npnt-r^^enic  horivone  df-ff- 
oiencv.  Ra.  21.  CI  VITA  :  MUST  BE  TAKEN  tonic 
with  NOVUM  to  prevent  aidn  rpactiona  and  haaten 
reiiults.  Ra.  19  per  ptcket  of  100 ;  Rs.  4-12  per  packet 
of  25;  Also  available: 

INDULABO  PASTE    INJECTION   TREATMENT  for 

reeiatered  and  Qualified  Physiciana  only.  Full  parti- 
culars sent  on  request  to  physicians  only. 

PREGNO:  An  ideal,  non-irreaav  and  delicately  per- 
fumed preparation  for  FAMILY  LIMITATION, 
Ideally  auited  for  the  mont  faatidioiin  woman.  Rs.  9-8 
for  comnle^e  outfit :  R«  7-8  for  "Refill". 
EXPERT  MEDICAL  ADVICE  :  We  have  opened  a 
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sincere  «*td  gennme  advireand  treatmrrt  given  for  all 
yonr  SEX  and  FAMILY  LIMITATION  problems. 
Oonsnlt  personally  between  5-30  to  9  P.M.  on  any 
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POST  BOX  323  (M.R.C.).  0pp.  Lloyds  Bank 
61/263,  Hornby  Road,  Fort,  Bombay  1.  'Phone :  242972 


418 


THE  MODERN  REVIEW  FOR  MAY,  19§3 


Assistance  in  the  prevention  and  control  of  communi- 
cable diseases  largely  affecting  children,  such  as  tuber- 
culosis, yaws,  whooping  cough,  diptheria  and  trachoma, 
Tbi8  help  18  given  to  enable  (rovernments  to  initiate,  ami 
eventually  carry  oa  independrntly,  large-scale  campaigns 
against  those  common  diseases  vhicli  are  responsible  for 
much  childhood  suffering  and  death  in  the  IJNICEF- 
aided  countries.  UNTCEF  provides  vaccines,  drugs,  in- 
secticides and  imported  equipment,  while  at  the  start  of 
a  campaign,  the  World  Health  Organization  provided 
services  of  international  teams  to  train  local  teams. 
UNICEF  is  also  extending  aid  to  the'se  countries  so  that 
they  can  dcvi.'lop  their  own  production  of  anti-hiotics, 
vaccines  and  insecticides. 

Provision  of  mUh\  fish-liver  oils  and  other  protective 
foods  to  assist  supplementary  vhiUl -feeding,  programs.  The 
piograms  art*  of  two  kinds  :  i\)  Those  (»f  an  emergency 
nature  following  natural  disasi'-r- -flood-,  earthquakes, 
drought,  and  the  like,  andjor  the  di'^loialion  brought  about 
by  war  ;  and  (2)  those  of  a  long-ranisi'  rharacter  under- 
taken toi  biuld  up.  the  connlryV  cliild-fecding  senices, 
through  schools  and  muh-rnal  and  i-hild  welfare  centers. 
The  second  are  chavarteristic  of  the  UNICEl'^-assisted 
operations  in  Central  America  uurl  in  ccrrain  African  and 
Asian  countries,  and  are  undcriaken  in  on-operation  with 
the  Food  and  Agricultun-  O^^ani/ation. 

Provision  of  equipment  to  help  countries  (onserie 
and  distribute  their  hrnl  milk  suitplies  for  the  henefit  of 
rhildren.  UNICEF  providi;s  certain  iuqiortcd  equipmenl 
for  milk  drying  and  pasieuri/ing  plants,  bitltfing  and 
other  processes  in  the  handling  and  distribution  of  local 
milk  supplies.  The  govc^n^u*nl^  of  the  as^i^t^•d  countries 
provide  the  rest  of   lh«*  equipment,   the   building>.  labor. 


etc.,  and  undertake  the  distribution  of  the  milk  ao  pi^ 
cessed  to  the  neediest  groups  of  the  child  populgf ioD. 

Protnsion  of  rate  materials  for  children's  clothing  mi 
shoes  and  institutional  supplies  and  other  a^,  UNICEF 
provides  the  eotton.  wool,  andjor  leather.  Manufaclmiaf 
coi^ts  are  assumed  by  the  governments.  The  6nifliiftj[ 
articles  are  distributed  free.  Soap  is  also  provided,  and 
simple  medicines  for  maternal  and  child  welfare  ccoten. 

Special  assistance  for  handicapped  children. 
T'NfCEF  i«i  i»roviding  suppbrs  and  equipment  for  use 
in  the  <*aro  and  rehabilitation  of  children  suffering  from 
physical  or  mental  handicaps,  in  many  instances  u  i 
result  of  war  injuries;  and  is  also  helping  to  provide 
training  opportunities  and  guidance  for  thoife  responsible 
for   their   cart*. 

How    IT    WORK!» 

Thi*  Kun<l  i^  cunlndled  by  a  26nation  Executive 
Buaid.  This  XWaik]  acts  upon  requests  from  government 
for  international  aiti  for  child  welfare  projects.  It  then 
allotato  contributinji!?  reeciveii  by  the  Fund  among  those 
pr«>jt.M-ts  which  it    approvee. 

\  grncrul  agreement  is  cntcre<l  into  betwttn  ihcw 
Fund  and  th*-  govenuntnt  of  the  receiving  countir. 
showing  how  the  international  aid  i^^  to  be  used.  The 
Fund,  and  in  tuin,  the  government,  accept  responsibility 
«»n  behalf  of  the  donor  countries  for  the  pro|)er  tise  of 
all  re-ource<.  Ml  I  NICEF  supplies  ate  diMributed 
f n  r   to   the   rocipiints. 

V?i!('KF  niiL  in  all  ex  re  jit  emerMeneies^  is  matched 
in  value  by  the  iioicniment  of  the  recipient  country^. or 
hy  some   loluntary  ufiencv   uithin   the   vmuitry. 

This  help  often  umkcN  iiosi'ible  undertakings  that 
nihtrwi^t'  could  no!   be  attempted;   for  example,  with  the 


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assiirahce  of  retrain  fo«<l  siippUcfr  from  UNICEF, 
especially  much-iieeded  milk,  «cbool  lunch  progranriB  have 
been  initiated,  and  thtis  the  needi«st  groups  of  children 
arc  reached  in  a  praclical  ami  efficient  manner. 
Similarly,  in  the  maternal  and  child  health  field,  with 
UNICEF  providing  medical  Mipplies  and  equipment,  and 
other  United  Nations  agencies  providing  the  necessary 
technical  assistance,  cmmtric'-  are  a  Mo  i<»  undertake 
Ilirge-scalc  prevention  or  difca^r-rontrol  programs  that 
otherwise  would  not   be  feasible. 

UNICEF  aid  iru  all  instance  is  used  to  fill  the  nee.i 
in  such  a  manner  as  to  reach  the  largest  possible  number 
of  children  in  ways  that  will  be  of  lasting  benefit  to  the 
whole  structure  of  child  health  and  welfare  services 
within  the  assisted  countries, 

;  UkICEF   in    1M)I\' 

UNICEF  began  operation*  in  India  in  1919  with  a 
modest  JMilk  Distribution!  Scheme.  Today  UNICEF 
continues  emergency  feeding  programmes  but  lays  greater 
emphasis  on  helping  GovcrnmeniA  with  progrjftnmes 
calculated  to  make  a  permanent  contribution  iri  Child 
Welfare.      Guiding  principles  are   that  : 

Aid  is  given  without  discrimination  on 
ffrounds  of  race,  creed,  nationality  or 
political  beliefs 

IJNICEF's   aid  must   be   matched   by  at 

least   equal   effort    tvithin    the    recipient 

country. 

To     assist     countries     in     buildinj;  ut»     their     ba^io 

Alatemal  and  Child  "Welfare  Service?,  or  to  a&"*)si  in  the 

control  and  the  prevention     of     eomnumicablc  diseases, 

UNICEF  aid  may  taken  the  form  of  Midwives  Bags  or 

Importuit  To  Advertisers. 


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equipment  to  manufacture  Penicillin  and  DDT;  Hospital 
and  Laboratory  cquipmMit  or  Drugs  and  Diet  Skipple- 
ment!^  for  Rural  Clinics.  Syringes  and  microscopes,  buses, 
bicycles  and  jeeps  and  s>ucb  otber  items,  which  for  lack 
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from  a  countr}''s  own  resources. 

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liNlCEF  contribution  to  dale,  in  support  of  Health  and 
Relief  programmes  in  India. — Unicef  Bulletin, 

m 

Ohina^s  First  Five-Year  Plan 
of  Construction 

"A  new  ejwch  begins  for  China''  is*  the*  title  of  an 
editorial  in  the  New  Year  issue  of  People* s  China,  a 
fr.rlnightly  Kngiish  language  magazine,  on  the  nation's 
first  five-year  planned  economic  <:on«lruclion  beginning  in 
1953.      Full  text  of  th<'  editorial   follows  : 

1953  will  mark  the  beginning  of  a  nrw  epoch  in  the 
long  history  of  the  Cliinese  people. 

The  rehabilitation  of  Cliinesr  c<.'onc»ny  after  decaded' 
of  internal  and  external  war-s  hai^  been  completed.  Now, 
cnergie^^  are  being  turned  to  the  large-scale,  planned 
economic  construction,  which  will  tran^iform  China  from 
agricultural  into  industrial  country. 

During  the  three  year-  :*ince  they  established  their 
owii  slate  and  the  government,  the  liberated  Chinese 
Ijoople  have  engaged  in  two  ta^ks  of  tremendous 
magnitude:  helping  the  Koreun  |)eo|>le  repel  American 
aggres^ion  wliich  has  threatened  their  own  borders,  And 
rebuilding  political.  economi<-  anfl  cultural  life  of  the 
countn'. 

Roth  task-i  have  beea  w«'ll  carried  out.  In  Korea, 
the  aggressors  ha\e  been  pushed  back,  with  vast 
ca'-u allies,  to  the  38th  Parallel.  At  home,  we  have 
completed  agrarian  ,  reform  amcmg  '128  million  rural 
people:  reached,  and.  in  eeriain  fields,  surpassed  pre-war 
l-Toduction  peaks  in  boili  agriculture  and  indoBtry: 
i>alanred  budget,  stabilised  prices  and  built  new  railwaya, 
»oad>.  faetorie;*.  mine-  and  huge  water  conservancy  woiks. 
Wage-  of  Cliinoe  workers  in  various  industries  have 
risen  between  65  and  120  per  cv.nX  since  1942,  and  peasant 
incomes  have  impro\ed  >iill  more.  We  are  engaged  in  a 
great  effort  to  end  illiteracy .  Kducation,  literature  and 
arts  are  flourishing. 

Economic  consequences  of  centuries  of  misrule,  how- 
ex  er,  are  not  to  be  completely  overcome  in  the  space 
of  three  year?.  Tnduatrially,  China  is  still  we^.  In 
order  to  di^elop  production  further  and  build  a  Hdli 
more  prospen.»us.  still  stronger  country,  we  need  many 
m  w  faet»»rie«  and  mine- -and  we  must  re-equip  the 
t  sisiino  nncn  with  the  latent  equipment.  First  of  all,  China 
must  develop  her  hea^y  indusJiy  -the  prereqidsite  to 
qiiiek  industrialisation . 

The  job  ahead  \^,  therefore,  of  gigantic  proportions. 
Hut  the  Chine-e  people  are  certain  that  they  can  do  it, 
and  do  ii  well.  Their  confidence  n^sts  on  sure 
f<iundation-  -ricfi  natural  rc-ounre^  of  their  country, 
cieati\e  initiative  of  hundnrd-  oi  millions  of  liberated 
mm  and  women,  superior  advantages  of  people*^ 
ilemocratie  system,  wi-*-  lead»'rs!iip  of  the  Communist 
Party  headed  li>  (ihairniar^  Mao  T-elung,  selfless  help 
of  llie  .Soviet  Ifnion.  and  unity  with  the  entire  camp 
of  peace   and    lemocracv. 

To  accomplish  the  work  thai  lies  before  tlicm,  the 
(.'iiinefc  pe<»ple  need  peace  throughout  the  world.  WaE 
lM-ing*<  destruction.  Cimstruction  requiroe  a  peaceful 
cnxironjncnt.  The  (Ihinese  people  love  peace  because 
their  hopes  for  future  are  inextricably  bound  up  withr' 
it.      Thai   is  why  the  Chinese  people  regard  it  as  their 


0D 


THE  MODEBN  MTVIEW  FOE  MAY,  196) 


dnw  J«  oontinoe   to   fi^t   for   i 
MtUaoeot  of   r 


liuuu   ~   -w—   -1  J"**   ■"^      reuonible 

[   the   Korean   qucMion  »nd   to   demind   an 

iiw-fin  aa  i"ll  as  to  eipoM  effom  of  all 

tboae  lAo  coatinue  in  one  wajr  or  another  to  saboUBO 
the  KoMan  armiatice  talka  and  to  attempt  to  ipread 
war  funbei  afield.  _  _,__ 

Thia  is  aUo  why  the  Chineae  people  Uke  an  acUve 
pan  in  defence  of  peace  evi-rywhcru.  and  why  they 
iupport  the  decisions  of  the  Congress  of  the  Peoples  for 
Peace  which  has  just  concladcd  in.  Vienna  and  rc.oice 
in  its  great  succeM.  People  of  China  belike  that 
peaceful  coexisicnce  between  countries  having  diflerent 
poliUcal  and  economic  lystcms  is  nor  only  posaible  but 
necessaiy.  and  they  arc  ready  to  trade  with  other  conn- 
triea  on  the  basis  of  equality  and  mutual  benefit. 

InduBlrialiBatLiin  will  brinR  prosperity  and  happiness 
to  the  475  million  Chinese  people— one- (ourth  of 
mankind— and  is  bound  to  conlribuie  to  the  welfare  of 
aD  hnmaniiy  and  secuiiiy  and  stability  of  the  whole 
world.— if/iinAua  Kews.  Jan.   2,  1953. 


^a^^^^r 


Toild  HeaMi  Di^  \ 

Mr.  David  K.  Morae^  Director-Gensal  of  tka  XtW-  J 
national  Labour  Oiganiiation,  in  a  mraaa^  '£'^ 
"WorU  Health  D^,"  celebrated  by  tke  WaM 
Health  OrBanisation  on  7  April,  appealed  *»  »ht 
employers  and  workers  of  the  usty^lz  Mauibatntttw  of 
iIlb  l.L.O.  to  make  this  "holiday  of  heallh"  a  MHCaH. 
Mr.  Morse  said  :  This  year  the  W.H.O.  baa  di- 
gested the  theme.  Health  means  Weahb.  TUa  fits  b 
aptly  with  the  I.L.O.'s  current  proBTanune  to  bdp  ia^ 
crease  the  productivity  and  earningi  of  indgattT  and 
labour,  especially  in  the  less  developed  countriea.  F«r 
what  can  do  more  to  teduce  production  and  prodDCtfarity 
than  preventable  sickness  or  avoidablo  aoddeu  la 
industry^  aBriculiure  or  the  home  ? 

"The  W.H.O.  and  l.L.O.  are  already  wwUai 
hand -in-hand  through  joint  committees  and  othar  meaamet 
to  reduce  venereal  disease  among  aeataiera,  lo  pnride 
i-eller  &rit  aid  and  medical  services  at  sea,  and  to  aaul 
public  health  services  and  occupational  health  ezpena  la 
proteclinf!  workers'  health. 

■•The  W.H.O.  baa  Hkcwno  baaa 
moat  helpful  in  laboor-Tmw  ■inmmt 
government  diacnasiona  of  the  pro- 
tection of  the  health  of  wotfcera  in 
places  of  empkyment  al  dia  I.L.O.'t 
General  Conference  last  Jnacb  The 
subject  will  be  befora  tba  19U 
conference  for  final  action. 

"In  1954  the  eonftrene*  will  ladli 
ways  to  iinpcove  vocaticmal  pdiahJIWat- 
ion  of  the  disabled. 

■World  Health  Day  19S3  can  do  a 
great  deal  to  kelp  niake  these 
programmes  for  the  better  liealik  of 
workcn     better      understood."— JFifO 


Yngoalsvfai 

George  V.  AQca,  new  Amsicaa 
ambassador  to  India,  belietei 
Yugoslavia's  break  with  the  So«i0U  is 
complete  and  irrrvocable. 

In  an  interview  with  Hargnerita 
HiE!gina  published  in  Simday'a  JVev 
York  Hrrald  Tribune,  AmbMMdof 
Allen  said  one  only  has  to  be  in 
YuROblavia  and  hve  vrith  those  peo|Je 
to  fei'I  the  intensity  of  their  hatred 
ueainsl     the    Soviet    Union    and    tbs 

The  ci'i'ence   of   the   qnairel,  ASm 

said,  was  the  isi'ue  of  Yngoala*  aallona' 
M>vcrei|Enty.  "The  break  eaue  bBtWSt 
ol  ihf  eSoTis  of  the  Soviet  tinioa  to 
dominate  Yugoslavia,"  he  aud. 

He  KHid  that  there  has  been  a  marked 

drparl'jre     within      YugoslKTia     inn 

boiiet  praclire — especially  in  the  field 

of  aurieulture.   He  commented  : 

"The  force<]  collectivisation  of  land 

IS  discnnlinueif  about  18  inontha  ago. 

*eems  quite  possible  that  the  goiera] 

!it';m  of  collective  farms  in  Tugoalavit 

ill    be   supplanted   by   a   i 


a  c4M>pHMin 
Scamuaaviia 


ind  published  by  Nibaran  Chandra  Das,  PrahaJ     Preaa,  Calcalta. 


RLUiiunaudu  ChaHerji 


1 
i 

Hi 

If" 

THE  VILLAGE  SINGER.^ 
By  SalindraQath   Lah.L 


HE  MODERN  REVIEW 


JUNE 


1955 


LXXXXm.   No.  6 


Whou  No.  558 


NOTES 


oronation  of  the  British  Queen 

i  Coronation  of  Queen  Elizabeth  II  of  Britain 
r  dominions  will  take  place  on  June  2,  as  has 
mounced.  This  will  be  the  first  Coronation  of 
ih  Sovereigpi  since  the  separation  of  India 
le  Imperial  domains.     Likewise,  this  will  be 

0  occasion  on  which  a  British  Sovereigpi  will  be 
sd  as  the  "Head  of  the  Commonwealth."  Let 
)  that  these    two  augur  an  era  of  peace  and 

1  on  earth.  There  are  still  Tory  Die-hards 
eam  of  imperial  splendour  of  the     days  gone 

there  are  many  others  of  that  ilk  that  do 
han  dream.  Colour-prejudice  is  still  rampant 
3a  and  mediaeval  methods  of  colonialism  are 
ng  practised  in  Kenya,  South  Africa  and,  to  a 
stent,  in  Malaya.  In  Iran  and  Egypt,  Britain 
i  with  retribution. 

us  hope  that  the  new  Queen  will  decide 
for  peace  and  justice  and  equality  for  all  the 

of  God,  whatever  be  their  colour,  creed,  or 
er  namesake  was  a  patron  of  pirates  and 
rers,  who  brou^t  much  booty  to  their  own 
it  sowed  the  seeds  of    unrest,    repression  and 

that  brought  endless  misery  to  untold  peace- 
ions  over  a  period  of  four  centuries.     Those 

pillage  and  rapine  have  been  glorified  by 
sd  historians  and  by  numberless  authors 
3reed  wtas  that  of  black  untruth.     In  reality 

in  that    island's  story.    Truth  has  been  the 

glory."  Let  us  hope  that  a  change  of  heart 
e  place  with  the  coming  of  a  new  Queen  and 
Id  will  be  allowed  to  forget. 

Prime  Minister  has  gone  to  attend  the 
ion  celebrations  and  also  a  conference  of 
Qwealth  Ministers.  At  the  time  of  going  to 
e  find  a  piece  of  news  in  the  daily  press  which 
a  iDdieate    tUt    Dr.  Malan  of  South  Africa 


has  gone  to  this  conference  in  a  truculent  mood.  We 
know  little  about  the  others  but  are  told  that: 

''The  Commonwealth  Prime  Ministers  face  seven  major 
political,  economic  and  defence  problems  at  their  week's 
conference  beginning  in  London  on  June  3,  usually  reliable 
sources  said  on  May  21. 

The  conference,  on  the  morning  after  Queen  Eliza- 
])eth'8  Coronation,  will  open  with  a  discussion  on  recent 
developments  in  Soviet  policy.  This  will  be  followed  by 
an  examination  of  West  European  afiairs. 

Other  international  issues  to  be  discussed,  according 
to  London  sources,  concern  the  Far  East,  South-East  Asia 
and  the  Middle  East. 

The  conference  will  be  presided  over  by  Sir  Winston) 
Churchill  and  attended  by  the  Prime  Ministers  of  India, 
Pakistan,  Ceylon,  Australia,  New  Zealand,  South  Africa 
and    Southern  Rhodesia. 

The  formal  meetings  will  tackle  political  and  eco- 
nomic questions  but  greater  value  is  expected  from  the 
informal  exchanges  between  individual  Prime  Ministers 
on  such  subjects  as  defence,  which  will  not  be  explicitly 
disclosed  in  the  official  communique. 

One  session  of  the  full  conference  will  be  devoted  to 
a  survey  by  Mr.  Butler,  Chancellor  of  the  Ekchequer, 
of  the  progress  of  the  Commonwealth  economic  plan  for 
increasing  production  and  expansion  of  world  peace. 

This  was  drafted  by  the  Commonwealth  Prime 
Ministers*  Economic  Conference  in  London  last  Novembeit 
and  December.     Its  details  are  still   secret." 

In  our  little  sub-continent,  the  peoples  of  India 
and  Pakistan  are  more  eager  for  the  consequences  of 
another  conference  about  which  there  is  much 
speculation: 

1l  has  been  agreed  that  the  Prime  Ministers  of 
India  and     Pakistan  will    meet  in    LondoiaL    ^»s^ 

m0ldll«     Wfh  IL     ClQWB»3S2klQSl<b    VMN^Aft^  \!^   ^^^  \^^i&^ 


4M 


THE  MODERN  REVIEW  FOR  JUNE,  1953 


Was  ever  ruled  by  Bihar  in  the  past,  being  oblivious 
of  the  fact  that  the  reverse  whs  the  case,  and  shame- 
lessly gloated  over  the  fact  that  his  forefathers  were 
employed  by  the  Moguls  and  the  British  as  faithful 
watch-dogs  that  licked  the  boots  of  the  conqueror 
and  bit  the  rebellious  fighters  for  freedom  in  Bengal. 
Brasenness  seems  to  have  been  the  watchword  in 
the  Bihar  Assembly  debates,  of  which  we  append 
some  extracts  below.  Brazen  mis-statement  of  facts, 
brazen  utterance  of  half-truths  and  lies  and  over  all 
a  brazen  attempt  to   retain  ill-gotten  gains. 

The  high-lights  in  the  Bihar  Assembly  debates 
were  as  follows: 

Dr.  Srikrishna  Sinha,  Chief  Minister,  initiated 
the   debate   thus: 

"That  this  House  do  proceed  to  express  its  views 
upon  the  reference  made  by  the  Government  of  India 
through  the  State  Gvoemment  of  Bihar,  on  the  sub- 
joined resolution  passed  by  the  West  Bengal  Legis- 
lative Assembly,  namely.  This  Assembly  is  of  opinion 
that  in  order  to  solve  the  problem  of  rehabilitation 
of  the  refugees  from  Eastern  Pakistan  and  protection 
of  Bengali  culture  and  heritage,  the  State  Government 
■hould  request  the  Government  of  India  to  invite 
the  President  to  recommend  the  introduction  of  a 
Bill  in  Parliament  to  (i)  increase  the  area  of  West 
Bengal  and,  (ii)  diminish  the  area  of  Bihar  in  com- 
pliance with  the  provisions  of  Article  3  of  the 
Constitution." 

Then  followed  the  moving  of  an  amendment  by 
Sri  Laxmi   Narayan  Sudhan^shu* 

Long  speeches  followed,  by  the  mover  and  by 
others,  mostly  confusing  issues.  Then  followed  an 
amendment  by  Sri  Sris  Chandra  Banerjee  of  the 
Loke  Sevak  Ashram  in  Manbhum: 

Sri  Srish  Chandra  Banerji  (Lok  Sevak  Sangh)  mov- 
ing his  amendment  recalled  the  statements  issued  by 
Bihar  leaders  in  1912  conceding  that  Manbhum  should^ 
be  returned  to  Bengal  as  it  was  a  Bengali-speaking  area. 

Sri  Murali  Manohar  Prasad  (Congress)  challenged 
Sri  Banerjee's  statement  and  Sri  Banerjee  showed  a 
booklet  in  support  of  his  contention.  The  Chair  after 
seeing  the  booklet  ruled  that  Sri  Banerjee  was  correct. 

Thus  at  least  one  fact  was  attested  and  many  lies 
nailed. 

Initiating  the  second  day's  debate  on  the  Bengal-Bihar 
boundary  in  Bihar  Assembly  on  May  13,  Sri  Srish  Chandra 
Banerji  (Lok  Sevak  Sangh)  traced  the  question  of  language 
in  the  district  of  Manbhum  and  narrated  how  since  the 
Congress  came  into  power,  they  systematically  tried  to  sup- 
press Bengali  language  in  Manbhum. 

Sri  Banerji  appealed  to  the  House  to  listen  to  his 
arguments  dispassinoately  and  try  to  understand  the  situa- 
tion in  Manbhum.  He  held  that  he  was  in  favour  of 
formation  of  States  on  linguistic  principles.  Particularly 
£o  tbe  border  areas,  the  re^femorcation  of  boundaries 
ra#  aecetBory  to  include  MB  £ar  as  posaiblcp  the  majontj 


linguistic  group  with  the  State  which  bad  that  particular 
JaiQguage  spoken  within  its  territories. 

Speaker  Varma :  'Then  it  amounts  to  Pakistan's 
demand  of  creation  of  States  on  religious  ground*— 
Hindus  will  live  in  one  State  and  tbe  Muslims  in  the 
other?*' 

We  are  lost  in  admiration  of  the  appositeness  of 
Speaker  Vanna's  nmile. 

On  the  third  day  the  piece  de  remtance  was  put 
in  press  columns  thus: 

'^May  14— This  day's  debate  was  initiated  by  Sri 
X!hunka  Hembrom  (Jharkhand)  who  was  in  possession 
of  the  House  yesterday.  He  said  he  agreed  with  Sri 
Srish  Chandra  Banerji's  grievance,  and  in  the  same 
way  the  Hindi  protagonists  were  systematically  crush- 
ing the  Santhali  language  in  Santhal  Paraganas  with  the 
active  help  and  support  of  the  Government.  If  it  was 
true  that  Bengali  language  was  being  crushed  in  Man. 
bhum,  it  was  equally  true  that  in  Santhal  Parganas 
also  the  same  activities  were  being  repeated  with 
renewed  vigour  to  suppress  the  Santhali  language. 

"He  held  that  there  was  nothing  in  common 
between  the  scheduled  tribes  living  in  Santhal  Parganas 
and  the  Bengalis  in  West  Bengal.  Therefore,  he  would 
oppose  the  demand  of  the  West  Bengal  Legislature  to 
smjcL  the  border  areas  of  Bihar.  But  he  would  equally 
oppose  that  part  of  Sri  Murali  Manohar  Prasad's 
amendment  which  soiight  to  annex  the  districts  of 
Darjeeling  and  Jalpaiguri,  etc.,  with  Bihar.  It  would 
be  anti-democratic  to  ask  any  State  to  cede  certain 
territories  for  the  benefit  of  another  State,  ho  con- 
cluded." 

Sri  Chunka  Hembrom's  tangi  is  truly  double- 
«dgedl 

The  finale  came  with  the  following  resolution  and 
its  amendment,  together  with  a  lot  of  verbal  iMitg- 
gadacio  and  swashbuckling,  more  ludicrous  than 
impressive. 

^That  having  carefully  considered  the  resolution 
of  the  West  Bengal  Legislative  Assembly,  this  Assembly 
places  on  record  its  considered  view  that  neither  on  the 
score  of  rehabilitation  of  the  refugees  from  Easteiti 
Pdkstan  nor  on  that  of  protection,  of  Bengalee  culture 
and  heritage,  is  there  any  case  for  (I)  increasing 
the  area  of  West  Bengal  and  (II)  diminishing  the  area 
of  Bihar,  and  therefore  this  Assembly  regrets  its 
^inability  to  agree  with  the  resolution  of  the  West 
Bengal  Legislative  Assembly." 

Sri  Murali  Manohar  Prasad  (Congress)  next  moved 
the  following  amendment: 

''This  Assembly  is  further  of  opinion  that  the  Sute 
Government  should  request  the  Government  of  India  to 
Itake  steps  for  the  incorporation  in  Bihar  of  the  whole 
of  DazjeeliDg  and  Jalpaiguri  and  .parts  of  Birbhum, 
Bankura,  Dinajpur,  Malda,  Murshidabad  and  Midnapur  i 
on  grounds  o£     administrative     convenience  and  linguis* 


KOTES 


42S 


it  the  limit  of  brazen  impudence  and  mendacity 
at  forward  in  the  proposal  to  make  Calcutta  a 
lly  administered  area. 

-ess  Defeat  at  Calcutta 

Sudhir  Chandra  Roy  Chowdhury,  the  Ptaja 
it   Party      candidate,   who   was   supported   by   all 

parties,  was  on  Monday  declared  elected  to  the 
bengal  Assembly  from  the  BortoUa  (Calcutta) 
lency,  defeatuig  his  Congress  rival,  Mr.  Nirmal 
a  De,  by  5,667  votes.  The  bye-election  was  held 
idiy  the  21th  May. 

•.  Roy  Chowdhury  got   12,397  votes  against  6,730 
by  Mr.    De.      The  third  candidate,  Mr.    S.    C. 
[ndependent),   secured  only  243  votes, 
le  election  result  is  an  index     of     the     public 

and  confidence  in  the  present  administration  in 
Bengal.  As  a  further  pointer  we  append  the 
ag  news-item  which  appeared  on  the  24th  May: 
tins  between  Ranaghat  and  Krishnagar,  on  the 
I  section  of  the  Eastern  Railway,  were  provided 
med  guards  on  Saturday  as  a  result  of  the  inci' 
n  which  train  drivers  were  assaulted  by  members 

travelling  public. 

two  instances  reported  on  Saturday  evening, 
irere  stopped  by  passengers,  who  pulled  the  alarm 

near  Bimagar  Station,  about  55  iniles  from 
ft.     As  a  result,  the  trains  ran  behind  schedule. 

tta  and  Sao  Paulo 

e  significance  of  the  Calcutta  defeat  may  be 
by  the  following  piece  of  international  news 
)peared  in  the  Worldover  Press  on  April  17th: 
»  Paulo  :  Caught  between  low  wages  and  constantly 
feting  prices  for  necessary  goods,  the  people  ol 
azilian  city  erupted  into  political  revolt  and  beat 
emment-backed  mayoralty  candidate  by  aok  over- 
ag  vote.  It  ivas  a  protest  against  nation-wide 
>n8  which  have  been  causing  a  steadily  mounting 
snt.  The  announcement  of  a  price  freeze  was 
1  by  further  rises  all  along  the  line.  As  fax 
s  last  Christmas,  talk  was  universal  about  the 
»  empty  pockets  after  providing  a  simple  Christmas 

2h  nuts  as  walnuts,  filberts,  etc.,  have  been  bring* 
U  over  a  dollar  a  pound,  and  raisins  from  Argen- 
rabia  or  California  cost  in  some  cases  as  much, 
ave  nm  to  about  ten  cents  (U.S.)  each,  with 
up  to  SI. 20  per  i^ound.  A  sack  of  com,  which 
^  sold  for  $2.18,  has  gone  up  to  $4.65.  Meat,  which 
idant,  and  therefore  should  be  reasonably  priced. 
It  of  all  proportion  to  other  foods,  such  as  codfish, 
lough  the  latter  is  brought  all  the  wcqr  from 
.  Even  from  the  itinerant  street  vendors,  who 
taxes,  tripe  costs  around  25  cents,  a  rate  unheard 
lis  country. 


Perhaps  the  most  outrageous  anomaly  is  the  fact  that 
bananas,  grown  in  Brazil  and  exported  to  Argentina,  can 
be  bought  in  the  neighbour  country  for  a  little  over  nine 
cents  a  dozen,  while  here  where  they  are  grown  they  cost 
30  cents.  The  mood  of  the  public  can  be  readily  under* 
stood. 

Land  Reform  in  Burma 

Land  Reform  is  the  Order  of  the  Day.  We  have 
any  number  of  schemes  here  in  India  fpr  the  abolition 
of  Zemindaries  and  large  holdings  of  land.  But  what 
ia  to  be  done  after  that?  ^Our  Marxian  friends  are 
content  with  "Expropriation,"  that  is  to  say  with 
the  punishment  of  the  children  for  the  Marxian  "sins" 
of  their  distant  forefathers.  The  fact  that  innocent 
peoplt!  who  bought  land  out  of  their  hard-earned 
savings  at  a  very  much  later  day  would  also  be 
punished  for  no  reason,  does  not  count  with  them,  so 
besott^  are  they  with  that  foreign  and  non-Indian 
creed  of  himsa,^  The  Government  of  India  and  the 
State  Governments  are  concerned  only  with  the  fat 
jobs  the  process  will  provide. 

We  neither  possess  land,  nor  are  we  in  any  way 
advocates  for  the  landed  gentry.  We  would  only  like 
optimiim  production  from  the  land  thus  acquired  and 
the  betterment  of  the  agrarian  population.  The 
Burmese  scheme  given  below  seems  to  have  som« 
pointers  in  that  respect: 

The  Burmese  Minister  for  Land  Nationalization, 
Thskin  Tin,  on  May  24th,  announced  details  of  a  plan  to 
redistribute  10  million  acres  of  rice  land  to  peasants 
throughout  the  country.  He  was  speaking  in  Mandalay 
at  the  cbsing  session  of  the  seventh  anmial  conference 
of  the  Socialist-sponsored  All-Burma  Peasants  Organi- 
zation. 

The  plan,  covering  a  10-year  period,  would  bring  in 
a  "new  order  for  peasants,"  Thakin  Tin  told  his 
audience.  Neither  the  AFPFL  nor  the  ABPO  would 
have  a  hand  in  the  work  of  redistribution,  which  would 
be  carried  out  by  land  committees  elected  by  the 
villagers  themselves.  A  long  period  of  preparation  wai 
inevitable,  because  10,400  elections  must  be  held  in 
Burma  proper  alone  for  the  appointment  of  72300  land 
committee  members.  Technial  and  administrative 
training  for  these  personnel  might  cause  further  delay. 

Thakin  Tin  said  that  by  the  end  of  this  year  it  was 
expected  to  elect  300  land  committees,  whose  members 
would  be  trained  in  preparation  for  the  work  of  redis- 
tributing 200,000  acres.  Each  family  would  be  given 
about  10  acres. 

Five  peasant  families  would  be  banked  together  to 
form  mutual  aid  teams  in  order  to  work  their  holdings 
on  a  co-operative  basis.  Each  family,  however,  would 
receive  separate  shares  of  the  produce  as  well  as  cattle 
farming  implements. 

The  Government  hoped  to  have  200,000  mutual  aid 
teams  ifQxkuk§  10  miUioD  acres  by  1955. 


4^ 


THE  MODERN  REVIEW  FOR  JUNE,  1953 


The  10-year  plan  would  be  realized  finally  witE  the 
development  of  multipurpose  co-operatives  and  co- 
ordination of  agriculture  with  industry.  Producers* 
oo-operatives  would  have  to  be  further  grouped  into 
much  larger  units.  Thus  collective  farms  of  up  to  1,000 
acres  are  likely  to  appear,  according  to  the  wishes  of 
the  peasants. 

India  and  the  Soviet  Bloc 

Sri  Gopalan,  the  mouthpiece  of  the  C.P.I.,  y<Mn 
on  a  mifision  of  thanksgiving  and  fealty  to  the  new 
Muscovy.  Prior  to  his  departure  he  used  to  spout 
forth  fire  and  brimstone  at  the  name  of  Nehru  and  all 
that  it  stood  for.  On  his  return  he  is  singing  in  a 
strange  key  as  the  following  press  report  shows: 

"Sri  A.  K.  Gopalan,  leader  of  the  Communist  group 
in  the  House  of  the  People,  who  had  returned  recently 
after  an  eight-month  tour  of  U.S.S.R.  and  China,  said 
that  there  was  a  strong  feeling  in  both  Russia  and  China 
that  if  India  took  a  firm  stand,  there  would  be  no  question 
of  war  and  there  would  be  peace  in  the  world. 

The  people  of  these  countries  believed  that  the 
question  of  war  or  peace  entirely  depended  upon  India  : 
U  India  stuck  to  the  policy  expressed  by  the  In(Han  Prime 
l^Gnister  and  others  in  some  of  their  speeches,  they  fdt, 
there  wotild  be  no  question  of  another  war. 

Both  in  Russia  and  China,  the  Communist  leader 
said,  there  was  a  great  respect  for  India  and  Indian  culture. 
In  many  places,  he  found  evidence  of  the  people's  interest 
in  India.  In  Leningrad  there  was  a  museani  called,  ''The 
Hermitage**  in  the  Winter  Palace  and  four  big  rooms  of 
that  museum  were  utilised  for  exhibiting  Indian  art  and 
books  on  India  and  many  epics  like  the  Ramayana  and 
the  Mahabharata  translated  into  Russian.  In  TasBkend 
museum  also  there  was  an  India  Hall,  he  added.  The 
people  of  these  countries  felt  that  if  India,  China  and 
Soviet  Union  joined  together,  they  would  be  able  to  pre* 
vent  world  conflict. 

There  was  a  strong  desire  among  the  ordinary  people 
to  know  and  understand  India  better.  Prime  Minister 
Nehru  was  widely  known  both  in  Russia  and  China  and  all 
his  speeches  both  in  Parliament  and  outside  were  very 
thoroughly  examined  and  scanned  by  the  people.  In 
Russia,  Sri  Gopalan  said,  there  were  some  persons  who 
knew  India  and  her  affairs  better  than  many  of  the 
Indians.  Prime  Minister  Niehru's  tribute  to  Marshal 
Stalin  in  Parliament  after  his  death,  was  widely  publi* 
cised  in  Russian.  Press  and  broadcast  all  over  the 
country. 

In  China,  even  ordinary  people  knew  that  Niehru 
was  to  India  what  Mao  was  to  China.^ 

Burma  and  Nationalist  China 

The  following  revealing  comments  appeared  in 
the  Worldover  Press  for  April  17th: 

Communist  peace  moves  in  China  Jtmd  Korea  havs 
rought  a  sense  of  liope  and  relief  to  inosf  of  ifie  wOTii, 


but  they  have  caused  chills  of  dismay  to  Chicfir  U 
shek  and  his  Formosa  Nationalists,  not  to  mentioiL  di 
China  Lobby  based  in  the  United  States.  i£  m  psHi 
should  be  worked  out  in  Korea,  and  some  meliiod  si 
mutual  toleration  be  arranged  between  the  Ghinan  Ctak 
munists  and  the  West,  it  must  mean  political  curtiiii 
for  Chiang. 

It  if  high  time.  Chiang  has  been  a  costly  venton 
for  American  policy.  Before  his  defeat  on  the  mainlanH, 
he  had  received  something  like  a  billion  and  two-thiitii 
dollars  from  the  U.S.,  and  while  it  is  not  widely  realiae^ 
he  has  since  then  been  getting  more  aid  per  capita  thai 
any  other  ''country.**  Since  he  retreated  to  Formosa,  hi 
has  had  al>out  (257  million  in  various  forma  of  economie 
assistance,  not  counting  military  help,  which  is  a  aecnt 
because  such  outlays  are  not  listed  by  separate  nations. 
There  is  no  reason  why  Chiang's  people  on  Formoii 
should  not  be  aided ;  but  as  an  investment,  it  has  beet 
high  for  its  demonstrable  value  to  the  West. 

The  devious  role  played  by  Chiang  and  his  coliorti 
has  never  been  better  illustrated  than  by  what  has  beea 
happening  in  Burma.  In  1949,  when  Chiang's  armks 
were  defeated  on  the  mainland,  a  division  of  about  1^/000 
to  12,000  men  took  refuge  i^  Bunda,  where  they  holid 
up  and  for  a  long  time  were  virtually  lost  to  the  sii^t  d 
the  world.  They  were  not  invisible  to  the  hanied 
Burmese,  however,  who  have  been  waging  a  twofold  eoa- 
ffict  against  the  Communists  and  against  the  Karens^  die 
latter  demanding  a  separate  state.  The  Burmese  goveni- 
ment  granted  this  Karen  plea,  but  has  been  unable  ts 
agree  over  the  exact  boundaries  the  new  state  will  have. 
All  that  was  difficult  endugh,  but  the  Chinese  Nationalists 
within  their  borders  brought  them  new  trouble. 

It  has  been  a  theory,  and  little  else,  among  some 
Americans  that  genuine  and  successful  guerrilla  activity 
against  the  Chinese  Reds  might  be  stirred  up  by  outside 
aid.  The  Nationalists  on  Formosa  have  been  in  more  or 
less  constant  touch  with  the  ''lost  division"  inside  Burma, 
egging  it  on  to  attacks  on  the  Red  Chinese  border.  A 
handful  of  American  adventurers  intervened,  smuggfing 
in  arms  and  military  equipment  from  Thailand,  next  door 
to  Burma.  The  Thai  regime,  historically  unfriendly  to 
the  Burmese  and  dominated  by  a  none-too-trustworthy 
leader8>hip,  was  ready  to  play  this  game.  It  all  looked 
very  dramatic,  a  sort  of  cloak-fflid-dagger  onslaui^t 
against  Chinese  Communism. 

It  changed  markedly,  however,  when  the  Chinese 
Nationalists  in  Burma  began  to  drop  their  fight  against 
Communists,  and  turned  against  the  Burmese  themsehes. 
As  so  often  with  Chiang  Kai-sh^*s  forces,  they  proved 
to  have  scant  loyalty  to  principle.,  They  looted  the 
icountryside.  They  seized  town  after  town.  FinaSy, 
they  engaged  Burmese  government  forces  in  open  fighting. 
When  their  soldiers  were  captured  by  the  Burmese  re< 
gulars,  they  were  found  to  possess  up-to-date  AmeikaD 
rifles  and  other  war  equipment.    The  Buruica^,  -aii|M4 


it  tlia  eonalvlfli  Aiutteuu  who  «n»    Mipoulble,  did  wuidcnd.    I&  d«t«naliiltu  qiiMtlwi  nktlog  to  y^ 

not  Uy  bUme  on  the  U.S.  gorenUBsit,  aeefft  that  ther  JLtlon.  it  vould  be  opea  to  each  gf  the  poniM  to  HQia^tl 

lelt  Wuhlngton  could  ud  ihouU  .oootrol  lu  cltUont  «  vainer.    In  the  mm  of  a  difEerence  ot    opinion,  tha 

who  were  doing  the  pbttlng.      Wuhlngton  in  fact  .did  mattes  may  be  referred  to  n  third  valuer  nominated  br 

ftothlng.  md  WOMB.     If  the  aober  W*iKutgton  PoU  ia  fcoth  paitiea  br  agreomeW,  or  failing  auch  agreement,  bj 

orarect,  the  U.S.  Central  InteHigenco  Agencr  waa  aea  the  Central  Government. 

in  on   the   icheine,      working      through  iia   agenu  in  -j-he  Commitiee  obeerves  that  property  exempted  from 

Thailand,   and   certainly  in   caboola  with   Chiang.  ^  ip,y  gj  ^  j^ty  will  not  be  taken  inio  account  al  a^ 

So  here  we  have  ii  the  U.S.  backs  Chiang,  against  for  the  purposes  of   esiaie   duty.     The  Commiuee  pro. 

the  advice  ol  mfornied  experts  on  Asian  problemB,  against  poae»   that  properties   held  by   the      deceased   as   trustee 

most  of  its  alliea  in  the  West,  and  doea  nothing  to  caU  off  should   be    exempted   from    the   levy   of   duly.     Where   ■ 

Formosa's   support   of   the      anli-Burmese      Nationalisls.  trust  has  been   declared  by  the  deceased  and  he  himaell 

When   the   Nationalists  on      Formosa  were   charged  with  i"  the  trustee,  he  should  deliver  possession  and  enjoyment 

doing   damage  to   the  Western   cause,   they   merely   used  of  the  trust  property  to  the  beneficiary  at  least  five  year» 

the  excuse  that  they  couldn't  control  the  guenillas  inside  before  his  death  in  the  case  of  ordinary  tnisls  and  one 

Burma.     It  this  is  a  fact,  it  speaks  even  worse     thiols  year  in  the  case  of  pubUc  charitable  trusts  ii  he  desires 

for  Chiang.     For  that   ba*  been   his  trouble   all  aking—  ^^  ^  "•"'  property  should  not  he  considered  bia  own 

hU  men  deaerted  in  drove*  to  the  Communists  becaQsa  property  at  the  time  of  his  death.    In  the  case  of  minor, 

nearly  everybody  was  fed  np  with  Y'™,  and  the  lOjXX)  in  lunatic,  etc.,  however,  the  aenunption  of  possession  and 

Burma  hare  no  real  interest  in  blm  now.  enjorment  of  property  by  a  legal  guardian,  or  other  per 

8  entitled  to  take  charge  of  the  property  is  assumptigik 


Aroused  to  drastic  action,  Burma  has  lately  broken 


of  poweuion   and  enjoyment   by   the  beneficiary. 


oS  ,l.h  ih.  U.S.  «a  ™,»oB,c  „d    «.d  ««1  ««pl  ^          ^  n^  ^^j„  ^,              j,^  ^  ^^^  (^^ 

m  m.™.    Tb,.  I.  .  .an  .1.P,  fo,  U..  .,d  bo«>  J.™  ^^^  ^^^  ^„  ji„„^^„   ^j,  ^  ,  j„,„^  i„ 

w»  midliimi  ad  .failn,  ud  Bmu  „r=l,  n«<U  ,1.  ^^^  ^  ^^^  j^^j  ^  „^„j  „      ,_  j„,„  ^^ 

But  Ihm  m  .omc  Uunu.  m  ^If-raipcctmi,  pcopk  «u>  (t,„„„  ,k,  ^^„,,    ,„j„^ 

Uk..    Chiui     nl™.     to     ell     o«     bl.     uU-Bom  ,,,  ^   ji.pouUon  m.  mdc  on   lio  pm  ol  ih. 

(isiilk^  uid  w  fu  u  uroio  koo«,  rofu«.  lo  .top  j,,^,,^  ^  ,^|,  ,„jj„„i„  j,              „            .,  „^ 


aiding  them.    Washington  goes  on     patting  Gtiang  on 


paid  to  him  for  bis  a 


di,  b.cl.    No  »oiid«  th.  B»me»  .W  .puok.    It  ,,,,  ,^^  ^^^^  ,^  „nomrf  in  .  fidnd.„  cp- 

nay  b.  hoped  ihnt  .  scnnino  Ko.mn  «itonnt,  J  ,1  ^^  ,^^_j  ^  ^^  ^^^^^  ^^  ^  _  di.po.ition  mnd. 

tome.  Wo  do.1,,  n,.,  n«,p.^  tlo  .bolo  P"--!"!";  t,  u„  „j  ,„  „j,  .          rf,     „, 

of  renewed  ctKipention  between  Bnim.  uid  the  Uniteit 

Slates.    Bnl  Kimewbere  along  the  line  Wadtington  will.  The .  Commitiee  observe,   that  allowances  for  quick 

in  the  vemacular,  bare  to  get  wIm  to  IImU.  raccesaion  should  not  be  confined  to  land,  and  busineea 

Wadiinglon  'ne«l.,  In  our  opinion,  nU  tb.  wWom  •»*•  ""  <^  "°""  »«"  >'"  '  '""  »""''"  «'  l"™"" 

it  can  (et,  for  ito  dsiling.  with  the  po>pl.  ol  th.  East  «'»  ''T^  "7.  onl,  ^.uUb.g^  did  not  obuin  tb.  bene. 

it  of  this  pioviaion.     Tne  clause  should  therefore   be 

r.  ,     r\  ,     wj-tj  amended  to  cover  all  properly. 

tstate  Duty  BUI  The  main  defect  of  the  BiU  is  that  it  wiU  adve«el, 

Tho  Etfate  Duty     Bill,  as  reported' by     the  Select  affect  Dayabhaga  property  a«  cootpared  with  Mitakshara 

Committee,  was  presented  to  Parliament  a  tew  days  be>  property  where  coparcenary  system  prevails.    Before  (Ae 

fate  the  close  of  the  Budget  Session.  The  Select  Committee  £state  Duty  Act  becentet  effective,  U  is  essential  that  the 

baa  recommoided  thai  the     exemption   limit  should  be  Hindu  law  of  inhtritance  should  be  modified  by  bringifig 

Ka.  50,000  in  the  case  of  an  interest  in  property  belong-  lAe  Mitakshara  aystem  of  succctsion  on  the  same  footing 

fag  to  a  Hindu  joint  family  and     Bs.   TS^KX)  in  Other  ,  yilA  that  of  Dayabhaga. 
caaes.    The   scale  of  rates  will  tie      detennined  by  a 

•eparate  measure  which  will  be  introduced  in  Parliament  The   Tea  BUI 

liefore  the  Bill  is  passed  into  law.     The  Committee  has  In  the  Budget  session  recrnlly  ciincluilcd,  Parliament 

proposed   that   agricultural   properties .  ailoated   in   States  passed  ihe  Tea  Bill.    Under  ibis  new  measure  the  Covem- 

which   have   not   passed   the  requisite  reaolntiona,   shoulc!  ment   of   ln<l>a  have  acir.iired   wide  powers  lo  control  the 

also  be  included  in  the  properties  passing  on  dpatb  for  tea    industry.      But    the    MinL&lcr     for    Commerce    and 

the   purpose   of   determining   the  rate   of   duty,   although  Industry  has  made  it  clear  tbat  ibc  CovcrnmenI  have  no 

ao  duty  willhe  actually  Jetied  upon  such  agriculloral  hwds.  intention    to   jnterffre    with    industiy,    provided    it    "paid 

The  Select  Committee  anggeats  that  the  adgilaiatra-  decent  wages  lo  labour,  paid  taxes  to  Covemroent  and, 

ticn  of  the  Act  may,  for  the  first  few  ye)Wa,.be.  left,  to  in  short,  played  a  fair  gair.e  within  the  four  corners  of 

the  Cantial  Board  oI.Bsvenne  and  thereafter  the  .gneatlon  of  the  la»*."  The  Commerce  Minister's  references  to  the 

^ftilhir  mm.  ^gpO^tK  tphnyl  |^'>||^  bfl  HI . nj  jflff , hf  foreign    interests    howeier    will    cause     some    surp^ 


4tt 


Tfifi  MOt)£ftK  ixmm  FOR  JUNE,  1663 


inumach  u  they  ite  in  conflict  with  the  Gcrernnieat'f 
policy  of  giving  ooncetsiont  to  foreigner!  for  invettment 
in  Lidit.  During  the  debate  on  the  Tea  BiU  the 
Commerce  Miniiter  itated  that  two  factors  compelled  the 
Gorernmetit  to  become  ^  conadout  and  ddiberate 
partner*  in  thit  industry  rather  than  abdicate  ito  righu 
in  favour  of  the  Indian  or  foreign  interests  that  are  to 
be  found  in  the  industry.  The  first  factor  is  the  industry's 
inability  to  tide  over  the  crisis  after  an  uninterrupted 
period  of  prosperity  extending  to  21  years.  The  other  is 
that  80  per  cent  of  the  industry  is  in  the  hands  of  the 
people  'Vho  are  not  sons  of  the  soil."  The  curious 
feature,  however,  ivas  that  he  conceded  tliat  "the 
elimination  of  the  foreign  element  does  not  produce 
something  better  ...  I  know,  if  they  go  away,  their 
estates  will  fall  into  the  hands  of  people  who  are  less 
interested  than  they  are.  It  will  do  no  good  to  the 
industry,  nor  to  labour/' 

The  main  problem  facing  the  industry  is  one  of 
fijnance.  The  Indian-owned  gardens  are  in  crisis.  The 
reasons  given  for  this  state  of  affairs  are  that  these 
gardens  were  acquired  at  a  relatively  late  stage  when  all 
the  better  lands  had  been  occupied  by  the  E^iropeana 
and  Indian;  gardens  have  found  a  lot  of  difficulty  in 
obtaining  finances.  Since  January  of  this  year,  there  has 
(been  some  recovery  in  the  prices  of  tea.  The  wages 
reduction  coupled  with  restricted  production  in  1953  and 
the  running  down  of  stocks  in  the  UK  are  to  a  oertain 
extent  responsible  for  the  improvement  in  the  industry's 
position  in  recent  months.  But  the  stable  equilibrium 
is  yet  to  be  reached. 

India  is  fast  losing  her  tea  market  in  foreign  countries 
because  of  better  propaganda  and  better  sentimental 
support  for  Ceylon  tea  and  also  for  the  higher  prices  of 
Indian  tea.  Increased  offtake,  domestic  and  foreign,  is 
the  only  answer  to  the  present  crisis  and  to  encourage 
larger  consumption  prices  should  reasonably  come  down. 
Despite  the  crisis  of  over-production  and  periodic  cries 
that  prices  of  tea  are  going  down  alarmingly,  the  prices 
of  tea,  particularly  in  domestic  market  have  not  come 
down.  Unless  the  owners  of  gardens  are  prepared  to  be 
satisfied  with  a  lower  rate  of  profit,  the  tea  industry  will 
^continue  to  be  in  the  doldrums.  Further,  it  is  time  to 
reconsider  whether  India  should  continue  to  be  a  member 
of  the  International  Tea  Agreement.  The  Agreement 
seems  to  be  detrimental  to  the  tea  industry  of  India  as 
there  have  been  falling  exports.  It  may  be  stated  here 
that  the  Government  of  India  have  decided  to  reduce 
India's  exports  of  tea  during  the  year  1953-54  by  nearly 
)15  per  cent  This  decision  has  been  taken  as  a 
consequence  of  the  fall  in  demand  and  its  e^ect  on 
prices.  Under  the  International  Tea  Agreement,  to 
which  India,  Pakistan,  Ceybn  and  Indonesia  are  parties, 
istandard  export  quotas  for  the  four  countries  have  been 
fixed.  Althou«^  India's  quota  is  348.25  million  lbs.  a 
year,  the  actual  export  quotas  vary  from  year  to  year, 
^caardii^  to  umima  percentage  of  the  standard  quota, 


filed  unanimously  by  the  Intematlomd  Tea  Coittfldtlii 
This  peroentago  was  125  for  1949-50,  130  for  19500, 
IdS  for  1951^  and  1952-53.  For  1953^  India  bi 
decided  to  reduce  it  to  115  per  cent;  in  Tiew  ai  tki 
fact  that  last  year's  export  quoU  was  very  iinrealistis, 
India's  exporta  in  the  current  year  will  Uiiia  come  to 
d99M  milHon  lbs.  as  against  470.13  million  fixed  foi 
195253. 

Railtuay  Fuel  Economy  Committee  Report 

The  Report  of  the  Railway  Fuel  Economy  Enqairy 
Committee  under  the  chairmansiiip  of  Mr.  D.  C.  Drifci 
is  very  illuminating.  The  report  reveals  that  ths 
consumption  of  coal  on  railways  absorbs  about  33  pci 
cent  of  the  country's  total  production  and  largelf 
determines  the  conditions  of  production,  supply  and  trans 
port  of  coal.  Total  intake  of  coal  by  railways  stands  si 
about  10.5  million  tons,  of  which  83.5  per  cent  is 
consumed  by  locomotives,  9.5  is  used  for  non-loco 
purposes,  and  the  remaining  7  per  cent  is  lost  in  handKag 
and  pilferage.  The  annual  expenditure  <m  railways  cool 
amounts  to  Rs.  30.5  crores,  of  this  Rs.  16.8  crores  is 
the  cost  of  coal  at  the  pithead  and  Rs.  13.7  crores  to 
transport  and  handling  charges.  The  break-up  of  Rs. 
16.6  crores  indicates  that  coal  consumed  by  locomotrrei 
amounts  to  R»»  14.0  crores,  coal  consumed  in  non-Iooo 
|>urpooes  costs  Rb,  1.6  crores  and  R».  1.2  crores  ar« 
losses  on  account  of  handling  and  pilferage. 

The  Conunittee  holds  the  view  that  the  coal  consump 
tion  by  the  railways  (including  losses)  can  be  reduced 
by  about  20  per  cent  by  adopting  proper  economy 
measures  as  recommended  in  the  Report.  As  long-tenn 
measures  towards  fuel  economy,  the  Driver  Committee  hsi 
fecommended  alternative  uses  of  electric,  diesel  and  gss 
turbine  tractions.  Electrification  for  a  section  of  railr 
ways  is  reconmiended,  as  for  instance,  suburban  servioeo 
in  the  Howrah  and  Sealdah  Divisions  and  main  lines 
between  Burdwan  and  Gaya,  and  Gaya  and  Moghubani 
in  the  Eastern  Railways,  between  Igatpuri  and  Bbusaral 
in  the  Central  Railways,  between  Quilon  and  Emakulam, 
Madras  and  Trichinopoly,  Madras  and  Bangalore  and 
Madras  and  Bezwada  in  the  Southern  Railways,  between 
Virar  and  Ahmedabad  in  the  Western  Railways  and 
between  Delhi  and  Ambala  in  the  Northern  Railways. 
Diesel  traction  is  preferred  on  the  Saurashtra  sectioa 
(Gondal  Division)   of  the  Western  Railways. 

The  Driver  Committee  estimates  that  the  demand  for 
coal  will  gradually  increase  from  34  million  tons  to  52 
million  tons  by  1961.  It  has  made  the  suggestion  tliat 
production  of  coal  in  India  must  be  developed  on  i 
planned  basis  region-wise  so  that  the  ten  xones  iala 
which  the  country  has  been  divided  for  the  purpose  ol 
coal  supplies,  attain  self-sufficiency  as  far  as  practicaUa 
Emphasis  b  given  on  the  development  of  the  outlyiaa 
fields,  especially  in  Vindhya  FVadesh,  Madhym  Prsdeoh 
and  Hyderabad  State  in  order  to  supply  to  a  conaidonblo 
extent  to  Western  and  Southern  India  and  a  part  oi 
Rajaathan.  Northern  India  and  the  ireat  oi    8i^ 


NOTES 


429 


aw  upon  the  coalfields  of  West  Bengal  and  Bihar, 
riorily  should  be  given  to  the  development  of 
nite  resources  in  South  Arcot,  Madras.  Coal  bells 
>am  and  Orissa  must  be  developed  so  that  they 
eel  the  requirements  of  these  States.  Production 
;h  grade  non-coking  coals  must  be  increased  in 
nigunj  and  Karanpura  coalfields  in  order  to  release 

coals  for  metallurgical   purposes   and   maintaining 

to  the  export  markets.  Government  collieries  at 
I,  Deulbera  and  Talcher  are  to  be  developed  and 
•d   by     acquiring  new   area?.       Government   min'^s 

be  opened  up  in  Karanpura  and  Korba  coalfields 
uiring  new  properties.  The  Committee  urges  upon 
vcmment  to  expedite  the  development  of  Talcher, 
•ni  and  Madhya  Pradesh  collieries, 
e  Committee  suggests  for  the  setting-up  of  a  stand- 
lilway   Power   and      Electrification   Planning   Com- 

consisting  of  representatives  of  the  Ministry  of 
rs,  the  Planning  Commission  and  he  Central  Water 
)wer  Commission  for  ensuring  co-ordination  and 
)n  of  railway  electrification  and  dieselisation 
J  in  a  strict  order  of  priority. 

?  A  Fair  Day  at  Night 

ainment  of  self-sufficiency  in  foodgrains  production 
*n  haunting  the  imagination  of  our  Government  for 
years  and  periodic  declaration  of  speculation  is 
boat  the  date  on  which  India  would  attain  such 
Iciency.  But  nature  invariably  inervenes  to  thwart 
ainment  of  the  goal  either  by  flood  or  drought 
hquake  and  in  consequence  the  goal  of  self-suffi- 
in  foodgrains  production  is  put  off  till  a  further 
The  Food  Minister  Mr.  Rafi  Ahmed  Kidwai  is 
I  towards  decontrol  as  he  thinks  that  actually 
»  not  deficient  in  food  production.  But  others  in 
J  hold  the  opposite  view  that  India  is  a  deficit 

in  food  production  and  as  such  control  must 
e.  In  this  country  statistics  are  both  inadequate 
iccurate  so  each  side  produces  figures  in  support 
case  which  is  in  conflict  with  that  of  the  other. 
OTemment's  own  figures  do  not  tally  and  the  real 

is  shrouded  in  mystery.  This  much  however  is 
that  the  control  of  foodgrains  production  and  dis- 
a  in  India  creates  artificial  scarcity,  and  the  feel- 
fidespread  that  to  attain  self-sufficiency  control 
?o. 

omenting  on  the  latest  estimates  of  production  of 
cereals,   including   rice,   jowar,   bajra.   maize   and 

1952-53,  Mr.  Kidwai  is  reported  to  have  said  that 
i  now  rapidly  approaching  self-sufficiency,  if  she 

already  done  so.  He  proposes  to  bring  down  the 
•rice  of  rice  by  exporting  Indian  rice  next  year, 
d  rice  only  amounts  to  150,000  tons  and  accord- 
he  Food  Minister  no  more  is  needed.  The  carry- 
allcd  about  the  same  quantity.  There  is  plenty 
with  traders  and  procurement  this  year  has  been 
aial.     It  is  not  likely  to  be  less  than   1,500,000 


tons.  In  Mr.  Kidwai's  opinion  India  does  not  require 
more  than  800,000  tons  of  wheat  this  year,  although  she 
is  importing  1,800,000  tons. 

In  this  connection  it  should  however  be  remembered 
that  India  rice  imports  only  amounts  to  2|3  per  cent  of 
its  domestic  production,  while  in  1951-52  she  imported 
ifheat  to  a  very  much  larger  percentage  of  her  internal 
production  of  wheat.  India's  rice  imports  being  negli- 
gible,  she  can  now  stop  import  of  rice  and  to  encoura-ic 
further  production,  control  should  be  withdrawn.  Imporf 
of  wheal  should  however  be  continued  for  some  time  un 
til  the  food  position  is  fully  assured. 

Arab  Collective  Security 

The  Treaty  of  Joint  Defence  and  Erononiic  Co 
operation  signed  by  the  stales  of  the  Arab  Lrague  ha^ 
acquired  in  recent  months  nmch  importance.  It  mav 
be  recalled  that  the  drafting  of  the  Treaty  was  completed, 
on  April  13,  1950,  and  in  June  of  that  year  there  were 
five  signatories.  Iraq  and  Jordan  did  not  sign  until 
February,  1951  and  the  treaty  came  into  force  from  April 
1952.  Kerim  Tabet,  formerly  press  counsellor  to  King 
Farouk  and  for  some  years  the  power  behind  the  Egyptian 
throne,  was  largely  responsible  for  developing  the  idea 
of  tbis  Arab  Defence  Pact.  This  was  an  attempt  by  Kinu 
Farouk  to  prevent  a  developing  relationship  hot  ween 
Syria  and  Iraq.  §  King  Farouk  did  not  want  \he 
Hashemite  kingdom  of  Iraq  exalted;  and  King  Ibn  Saud 
was  afraid  that  a  greater  Iraq  or  Jordan  might  encourage 
the  Hashemites  to  try  to  recover  the  Hedjaz. 

The     treaty     provides     that     the     signatories     will 
endeavour  to  settle  disputes  between  themselves  or  othei 
powers  by  peaceful  means.     Members  will  however  coma 
to  the  aid  of  any  signatory   slate  or  states  subjected   to 
aggression   and  take  steps   to   repel  the   aggression.      A 
permanent    Military  Commission    composed  of    represcn- 
tatires  of  the     general     staffs    of    the     armies  will  bf 
formed  to  draft  plans  of  joint  defence.     However,  as  it 
stands,  the  treaty  is  quite  ineffective.    It  is  however  being 
regarded  as  the  political  instrument  which  may  be  used 
to  break  isolation  of  Arab  states.      The  Arab  pact  will 
■ow  be    used  by  the    Western  Powers  as  the     basis  for 
regional  defence   scheme.       Mr.    John   Foster   DuUes   h 
said  to  have  come  to  the  conclusion  that  the  Middle  East 
Planning     Organisation  should  be  set  up  at  Cyprus  in 
parallel  with     the    Arab     pact,    in     the    hope     that  the 
planning  centre  would  be   used  in   time  by   the  Arab^. 
The   Arab   leaders     believe     that     in     time    the   liaison 
between  their  defence  system  and  that  of  Turkey,  Greece 
and  Yugoslavia  might  lead  to  actual  integration.     What 
the  Allied  Powers  want  is  the  facilities  granted  to  them 
to  use  the  territories  of  the  Arab  states  rapidly  in  time 
of  war. 

The  Arab  world  hopes  that  the  new  regime  at  the 
United  States  will  give  up  President  Truman's  policy  of 
giving  Israel  a  Benjamin's  portion  of  all  its  official  aid 
to  the  Mid<lle   East .      But  all   the  Arab-s^aki^*^'  ^^<^ 


430 


THE  MODERN  REVIEW  FOR  JUNE,  1953 


do  not  have  this  grievance  with  equal  intensity — because 
beneath  their  superficial  likeness  they  remain  highly 
parochial  in  their  interests.  Mr.  Dulles  finds  in;  the 
easterly  oil-bearing  countries  greater  concern  with  turning 
new  wealth  into  national  advancement  and  social 
upliftment.  In  Egypt  there  is  a  greater  concentration 
on  ''national  aspirations,"  which  look  forward  to  getting 
rid  of  one  foreign  power  while  seeking  large  sums  of 
money  as  loan  from  another.  In  the  states  bordering 
Israel  he  was  faced  with  the  formidable  problem  ol 
Arab  refugees. 

This  flotsam  of  war  was  so  long  being  ignored  by  the 
Western  Powers.   The  Arab-Jewish  question   presents  one 
of    the    worst  of    the  world's    refugee    problems.     Living 
on   the   dole   of   the    United    Nations    there    are   874,000 
listless    indigents,    plus    a    further    120,000    even    more 
listless  people  on  the  rugged  hills  near  the  Israel  border. 
The  latter  have  not   lost  their  homes  and  therefore  are 
not   getting  any   dole — but   they   have  lost   all   means  of 
earning    what    need    to    be    a    fair    livelihood.     These 
malcontents   number    more    than    half   the   population   of 
Jordan  and  constitute  11  per  cent  of  Lebanon's  population. 
The  misery  in   the   hills  thus  reflects  the   full  impact  of 
the  refugee's  role  in  Arab  relations  with  the  West.  This 
is  a  very  serious  danger  and  so  long  as  it  persists  there 
can  be  no   hope   for   peace  on   the   Arab-Israel   frontier. 
There  is  therefore  little  hope  of  solvency  for  either  Israel 
or  Jordan  and  the  mutual  confidence  required  to  create 
a  Middle     East     defence     organisation     will  be    hard  to 
achieve.     In  this  background  any  Western  aid  now  being 
given  or  planned   will   pay  no   dividend. 

Although  the  UNRWA  has  so  far  settled  2.369 
breadwinners  (about  12,000  people),  what  escapes  notice 
is  the  ever-increasing  number  of  refugees  at  the  rate 
of  25,000  babies  a  year.  The  Arabjewish  problem 
presents  great  difficulty  to  be  solved  and  the  Middle 
East  will  hang  in  the  air  without  having  sided  with 
jny  power  bloc  in  the  real  sense. 

Freer  Exchange  Market 

Since  18th  May,  the  foreign  exchauge  market  in 
several  countries  of  Europe  received  some  freedom 
towards  free  operations  in  certain  respects.  Authorised 
banks  in  Belgium,  Denmark,  France,  Germany,  Holland, 
Sweden,  Switzerland  and  the  United  Kingdom  are  now 
being  allowed  to  arbitrage  freely  in  their  respective 
currencies.  Formerly,  the  exchange  market  in  these 
fountries  had  to  operate  with  bilateral  clearance.  A 
British  bank  in  possession  of  French  francs  could  sell 
them  in  Paris  for  sterling  but  not  for  guilders.  A 
Belgian  bank  requiring  guilders  had  to  obtain  them 
in  Amsterdam,  although  the  crosF-ratcs  concerned  were 
cheaper  in  London.  The  foreign  exchange  balance 
arising  from  this  rigid  bilateralism  were  passed  on  by 
each  bank  to  its  respective  central  bank.  These  balances 
were  converted  once  a  month  into  a  truly  intra- 
European  multilateral  system  by  the  compensations  of 
y  European  PnymeDts  Union.     Tliis  multilntenHsm 


operated  at  the  central  bank    level     and     com 
banks  had  no  power  to  undertake  multilateral  paymeHn 
Since  18th  May,    it  has  been    made     effective  it 
commercial  banking  level  also.    This  arbitrage  is  i» 
tricted   for   the   present   among  the    authorised  bank 
Individual  traders  must  continue  to  obey  the  directiTs 
of  exchange  control  in  their  own  countries.  A  Britii 
trader,  for  example,  will  not  be  allowed   to  settle   B  4 
French  francs  or  sterling  if  he  is  dealing  with  Fruice.  j 
and  he  must  deliver  the  proceeds  of  any  ezpoits    to 
France  to  the  Exchange  Control.    The     structure    of 
exchange  control   therefore     remains   unchanged.    The 
trader,  however,  can  now  enjoy     the     advantage  of  a 
somewhat  closer  range  of  dealing  prices  in  Europeu 
currencies  and  of  an  integrated  structure  of  exchange  | 
rates.  Under  the  previous  bilateral  system,  there  were  j 
considerable   discrepancies   in   cross-rates   of   exchange. 
Now  arbitrage  being  possible   among   these  countries 
the  operations  of  the  authorised  commercial  banks  will 
correct   these  discrepancies — ^for  each     bank   naturally 
seeks  to  buy  exchange  in  the  cheapest  market. 

In  order  to  facilitate  such  arbitrage  operations,  full  i 
automatic  transferability  has  been  granted  betwem  \ 
the  balances  held  on  account  of  authorised  banks 
within  the  circuit.  This  new  development  will  not  have 
much  effect  on  Britain.  Britain's  trade  wHs  mostly 
done  in  sterling,  and  autx>matic  transferability  oi 
sterling  had  already  largely  been  conceded  to  these 
countries,  either  by  prior  membership  of  the  transfer- 
able account  group  or  by  the  extension  to  them  of  the 
veiy  liberal  administrative  transferability  that  U 
enjoyed  by  all  EPU  countries.  This  automatic  trans- 
ferability has  now  been  reciprocated  and  extended  by 
all  these  seven  countries  within  the  group. 

For  the  present,  this  arbitrage  will  be  limited  to 
spot  transactions.  No  exchange  parties  have  been 
changed,  but  a  general  and  uniform  realignment  ol 
buying  and  selling  limits  has  been  fixed  between  these 
countries.  As  far  as  possible  these  limits  have  been 
placed  at  I  per  cent  on  either  side  of  the  parity.  TTiis 
is  well  within  the  limits  permitted  by  the  Intematiooa)  a 
Monetary  Fund  and  approximately  equal  to  the  ff.78  I 
to  S2.82  spread  in  the  sterling-dollar  rate.  Under  Uk  ^ 
new  system  the  turnover  of  compensations  handled  by 
the  European  Payments  Union  may  show  some  con. 
triiction.  Now  with  arbitrage  operations  between  these 
countries,  much  of  the  clearing  that  was  used  to  be 
done  monthly  through  EPU  will  be  done  instead 
day  by  day  and  through  the  market.  The  net  position 
of  any  country  in  EPU,  however,  will  not  be  changed 
except  to  tlie  extent  that  commercial  banks  hold  kiger 
amounts  of  European  currencies  in  their  working 
accounts. 

Prices  of  Raw  Jute 

The  position  of  raw  jute  prices  has  been  steaf^'^^ 
going  down  from  the  beginning  of  this  yen 
Assam  bottoms  it  is    now     fluctuating 


i 


( 


< 


NOTES 


431 


lis.  20  u  maund.  Th«  price  of  hessian  has  noyvv  gone 
down  below  Rs.  40  for  100  yds.  and  for  sacking  below 
Rs.  90  for  100  bags.  During  the  control  period,  the 
average  price  of  Assam  bottoms  was  Rs.  35  per  maund 
and  the  market  price  for  hessian  was  Rs.  55.  Jute 
goods  passed  for  shipment  in  January  1952  were  84,000 
tons  and  for  January  1953,  47,000  tons.  Jute  goods 
passed  for  shipment  in  February  1952  were  52.,000  tons 
and  for  February  1958,  36,000  tons.  Jute  goods  passed 
for  shipment  in  March  1952  were  74,600  and  for 
March  1953,  70,829  tons. 

In  our  April  issue,  while  commenting  upon  the 
Indo-Pak  Trade  Pact,  we  predicted  that  the  inevitable 
result  of  the  pact  would  be  the  lowering  of  the  prices 
of  Indian  raw  jute.  We  have  to  note  with  regret  that 
this  has  come  to  be  true.  Not  only  the  falling  prices, 
the  Pact  will  adversely  affect  India's  bid  to  achieve 
self-sufficiency  in  raw  jute  production.  It  is  a  pity  that 
the  Commerce  and  the  Industry  Minister  of  the 
Government  of  India  ignored  this  aspect  of  the  prob- 
lem and  put  forward  rather  vague  pleas  for  the  down, 
ward  trends  in  raw  jute  prices.  He  says,  "It  is  very 
ilifficult  to  explain  the  slump  in  this  trade.  There  has 
imdoubtedly  been  a  changeover  all  over  the  world  to 
bulk  handling.  Another  important  reason  was  the 
phenomenal  price  that  was  ruling  for  jute  goods  in 
1951  which  diverted  the  demand  into  substitutes  be- 
^«ides  encouraging  the  setting-up  and  expansion  of  jute 
mills  in  other  parts  of  the  world.  This  has  happened 
in  Germany  and  Italy.  Pakistan  has  set  up  new  plants, 
Philippines  has  gone  in  for  a  plant  and  there  are  also 
talks  that  plants  are  coming  up  in  the  Middle-East. 
Many  of  these  plants  concentrate;  on  the  production 
of  sacking.  It  is  difficult  to  say  whether  we  should  look 
to  a  situation  when  the  demand  for  sacking  would  slow 
down  or  would  at  least  remain  stationary." 

Pakistan  has  got  only  three  working  jute  mills  and 
her  raw  jute  production  remains  a  surplus.  Offtake  of 
Pakistimi  jute  by  continental  mills  was  not  encourag. 
ing  enough  and  in  her  own  predicament  she  sought  the 
Indian  market.  While  Pakistan  was  faced  with  falling 
jute  acreage  and  production  as  well,  India  came  out 
as  a  saviour.  But  India  forgot  that  her  own  jute  prices 
and  jut€  production  would  steadily  fall.  The  inevit- 
able is  happening  as  India  alk)wed  herself  to  be  used 
AS  a  cat's  paw  to  pull  the  Pakistani  jute  from  its  crisis. 
This  is  the  main  reason  for  the  falling  prices  of  Indian 
jute — other  factors  are  secondary,  if  not  illusory.  The 
Indian  jute  mills  are  now  to  a  great  extent  dictating 
and  consequently  forcing  down  the  raw  jute  prices 
having  been  assured  of  supply  from  Pakistan. 

Th€  Dullfis  Visit 

The  short  visit  of  Mr.  Dulles  has  caused  little  stir 
in  the  actual  mass  of  politically  minded  people.  The 
reason  is  that  no  motives,  beyond  those  of  an  explo- 
ratory nature,  were  ascribed  to  it.  Mr.  Dulles  himself 


gave  away  little  to  the  press,  as  regards  the  results  of  his 
exploration.  All  that  the  reporters  could  get  out  of  him, 
were  contained  in  the  following  statements  that 
api)eired  in  the  diily  press.  We  give  some  short  extracts 
bolrw:  ♦ 

At  a  Press  conference  in  New  Delhi  on  May  22,  Mr 
Dulles,  U.S.  Secretary  of  State,  eqcprcssed  his  conviction, 
that  India  was  acting  according  to  her  best  judgment  in 
promoting   democracy   in   the  world      and   stemming   the 
spread  of  totalitarianism. 

There  w  re  no  two  opinions  on  this  que^ion,  he  said. 
Difference.^  at  times  existed  as  to  whether  the  policies  fol- 
lowed by  India  could  produce  the  desired  result,  bu't  not 
on  ih?  question  whether  India  was  opposed  to  the  spread 
of  Communism. 

That  the  present  U.S.  Admini^ration  would 
continue  to  recommend  India  for  financial  assistance  to 
supplement  her  own  resources  for  the  execution  of  the 
Five- Year  Plan  was  implicit  in  one  of  his  replies. 

H"  said  that  the  friendly  relations  between  the  two 
countries  would  result  ^'in  continuing  co-operation  and  kid 
for  the  Five-Year  Plan." 

Mr.  Dulles,  unlike  Sir  Winston  Churchill  and  Mr. 
Nehru,  doubted  the  efficacy  of  a  conference  of  leaders  of 
the  Big  Powers  at  the  present  stage.  He  wished  to  see 
Russia  and  her  supporters  withdraw  from,  what  he  called, 
wars  of  aggression  in  Korea  and  Indo-China.  His  other 
condition  was  restoration  of  independence  to  Austria. 

Asked  whether  he  could  give  an  assurance  that  the 
U5.  Government  would  extend  "such  assistance  from  time 
to  time  in  a  manner  politically  acceptable,  so  that  at  no 
stage  will  the  Five-Year  Plan  be  held  up  for  lack  of  funds," 
Mr.  Dulles  said  :  *^It  would  not  be  practical  for  any 
American  Government  to  give  an  assurance  that  at  no 
stage  would  the  Five-Year  Plan  be  held  up  for  lack  of 
funds,  and  I  do  not  think  that  your  Government  ask» 
for  or  expedts  any  such  assurance. 

"My  conversations  here  with  your  leaders  and  your 
Planning  Commission  have  made  it  clear  that  your  nation 
itself  expects  to  provide  mos^  of  the  funds.  We  at  home 
in  the  United  States  have  plenty  of  long-term  proiec^ts  foF 
ourselves  which  are  being  held  up  for  lack  of  funds.  We 
wonld  very  mnch  like  to  have  a  guarantee  that  they  would 
not  be  held  up  for  lack  of  funds,  but  we  cannot  get  it. 
And  when  we  cannot  gdt  it  for  ourselves,  would  we  be  in 
a  position  lo  give  such  a  guarantee  to  any  other  people  ? 
We  do  hope  that  the  effoils  which  the  Indian  nation  itself 
makes  an  J  the  financial  position  of  the  USA  and  the 
friendly  relations  between  our  people  will  resuh  in  conti- 
nuing co-operation  and  aid  for  your  Five- Year  Plan, 
which,  of  course,  I  should  add,  involves  the  co-operation  of 
our  Congress  which  has  control  of  the  appropriation  of 
funds." 

Giving  his  views  oiu  Communism,  Mr.  Dulles  said  : 
'^Democracy  means  rule  by  the  people.  Rule  by  the  people 
can  only  work  when  the  people  are  educated  and  when 
they   exercise   such   self-restraint   and  ^i"«s«*ss5v  \».  "^^ 


432 


THE  MODERN  REVIEW  FOR  JUNE,  1953 


the  moral  law.  Wherever  those  conditions  exist,  demo- 
cracy works  unless,  it  is  physically  crushed  out  by 
>iolrnce.  such  as  is  often  used  by  militant  Communism 
or  militant  Fascism.** 

A  correspondent  asked  how  it  was  that  a  great  Power 
like  the  USA  was  "constantly  haunted  by  the  fear  of 
Communism,*'  while  a  weak  country  like  India  was  not. 

Mr.  Dulle?  said  that  the  U.S.A.  was  not  afraid  in 
the  sense  that  the  question  seemed  to  suggest.  "We  are 
entirely  confident  of  our  strength  and  of  our  power.  We 
have  no  doubt  whatever  that,  if  the  Soviet  Communist 
rountries  i^liould  start  a  general  war,  the  end  would  be 
their  total  destruction.  The  thing  about  which  we  are 
•let'ply  concerned  is  that  there  exist  threats  to  peace  and 
the  possibility  of  war  which  would  bring  with  it  untold, 
inisory  and  destruction. 

"We  are  concerned  primarily  because  of  three  facts 
which  I  do  not  think  can  be  denied.  The  first  is  that 
Soviet  Communism  is  an  absolute  dictatorship  which 
teaches  and  preaches  that  its  goal  is  to  spread  its  system 
throughout  the  entire  world.  Secondly,  the  absolute  dicta- 
torship maintains  a  huge  military  establishment,  enlisting 
vast  numbers  of  manpower  in  its  armed  services,  far  more 
than  any  other  nation  in  the  world.  Thirdly,  its  Govern- 
tnent  is  not  restrained  by  any  moral  principles  because 
they  have  an  atheistic  creed  and  they  deny  the  existence 
of  such  a  thing  as  a  moral  law.  Wherever  such  a  com- 
bination exists  in  this  world  we  believe  that  it  is  foolish 
not  to  take  precautions.  But  the  taking  of  those  precau- 
tions should  not  be  identified  with  fear." 

The  Communist  Partj'  of  India  and  its  fellow- 
IrvHolIers  Iricd  to  whip-up  some  anti-U.S.A.  demons- 
( rat  ions  in  order  to  show  their  Iwld  on  the  people. 
Thorr.  were  i^olnia]  demonstrations  in  some  cities, 
including  Xew  Delhi,  us  the  following  press  reports 
show : 

A  procession  of  several  hundred  persons  organized  by 
the  Kanpur  District  Communist  Party  paraded  the  streets 
of  Kanjirar  on  May  20,  carr>'ing  black  flags  and  an  effigy  of 
Mr.  Dulles,  and  raising  slogans  of  "Dulles  go  back"  and 
"Down  with  Dulles." 

Later  a  public  meeting  passed  a  resolution  urging  the 
Government  of  India  to  **explain  whether  Mr.  Dulles  has 
been  invited  on  behalf  of  the  Indian  Government  by  Mr. 
NVhru  agaiuist  t*he  wishes  of  the  people  of  India." 

A  pabHc  meeting  organized  in  New  Delhi  on  May  21, 
by  the  Dulles  Boycott  Committee  passed  a  resolution  urging 
Mr.  Nehru  to  '*make  it  clear  to  Mr.  Dulles  that  the  Indian 
people  want  an  immediate  end  of  the  Korean  war,  for 
which  a  basis  has  been  provided  by  the  proposals  put 
forward  by  Korean  and  Chinese  spokesmen." 

Mr.  B.  D.  Joshi,  M.L.A.,  of  the  Praja  Socialist 
Party,  presided. 

In  Calcutta,  the  effort  ended  in  a  flop,  as  al-o 
elsewhere.  Tlie  jwople  could  not  be  persuaded,  anyhow, 
that  the  visit  was  anything  but  an  informal  and 
ncndfy  one. 


Significance  of  Mr.  Dulles*  Tour 

The  Times  commenting  on  Mr.  John  Foster  DulW 
'consultation  tour,"  including  the  "the  first  visit  to  the 
Middle  East  by  any  U.  S.  Secretary  of  State  in  office" 
noted  that  the  2May  tour  "speeding  from  E^gypt  and 
Israel  as  far  east  as  India  and  Pakistan,  embracing  no 
fiwer  than  12  capitals  .  .  .  will  be  watched  yMi 
t^ympathy  by  the  wliole  free  world."  The  paper  regretted 
that  Mr.  Dulles  was  arriving  in  Egypt  after  the  inter- 
ruption of  the  Anglo-Egyptian  negotiations  on  the 
Suez  Canal  zone.  If  Britain  were  to  quit  the  zone 
without  proper  safeguards  that  "could  undermine  the 
foundation  of  any  subsequent  military  planning  on 
terms  of  realistic  strategy." 

The  paper  continued,  "Mr.  Dulles  may  hardly 
have  time,  in  so  brief  a  sojourn  in  Egypt  to  unravel 
this  tangled  knot,  though  he  will  recognise  that  until 
the  canal  question  is  settled  and  the  hardly  less  vital 
problem  of  the  Near  East's  refugees  tackled  and 
solved,  his  successive  hosts  may  listen  with  no  more 
than  polite  attention  to  any  exposition  of  grand 
strategy  or  economic  reconstruction. 

"Turkey  and  Israel,  on  the  Western  fringe,  and 
Pakistan  on  the  Eastern,  will  ofifer  effective  resistance 
to  an  aggressor  if  given  sufficient  aid.  But  almost 
certainly  such  resistance  will  not  be  offered  withiu 
the  next  decade  by  the  large  area  between  them." 

In  its  view  Mr.  Dulles  would  only  succeed  in  his 
efforts  for  the  formation  of  a  Middle  East  Defence 
Organisation,  if  he  could  effect  a  union  of  Western 
and  Arab  interests  which  was  absent  at  present. 

Naturally  enough  great  importance  was  attached 
to  his  visit  to  New  Delhi.  Mr.  Ned  Russel  wrote  in 
the  New  York  Herald  Tribune,  "It  is  significant 
that  the  longest  visit  of  the  tour  will  be  at  New  Delhi 
wiiere  Mr.  Dulles  expects  to  have  some  long  and 
tnomentous  talks  with  Premier  Nehru.  He  will  be 
there  four  days."  He  added,  "The  DuUes-Nehni 
talks  may  well  influence  the  trend  of  events  io 
South-east  Asia  and  the  Far  East." 

Foreign  Capital  in  Egypt 

Exploitation  is  the  root  cause  of  all  tensions  and 
suspicions  between  the  West  and  the  East. 

Dr.  Fouad  Ibrahim  writes  in  the  Proche-Orient : 
"Eg>pt  will  take  a  long  time  to  forget  the  results  of 
foreign  capitulations  and  the  intervention  of  Euro-, 
pean  finance  in  determining  her  national  politics.  It 
must  not  be  overlooked  that  foreign  capital  hokls  the 
strings  of  industry'  and  foreign  competition  is  most 
evident  in  the  agricultural  field,  specially  with  regard 
to  cotton." 

Tracing  the  history  of  the  investment  of  foreign 
capital  in  Egj-pt  Dr.  Ibrahim  writes  that  "The  techni- 
cal assistance  granted  by  Prance  to  Mob*"*— '  Ali 
made  the  We.«tem  powers  realise  the  iinj: 


NOTES 


433 


Vom  a  military  ^<i  Well  as  aa  economic  view- 
re  was  hardly  any  competition  from  Egyptian 
and    foreign     capital     rapidly     flew   into     the 

ami  foreign  societies,  backed  by  their  own 
cnts,  were  granted  concessions  to  carr>'  out 
vorks  in  the  Nile  Valley.  To  quote  Dr. 
,  ''Investment  of  British  capital  figured  in  the 
nd  when   Khedive   Abbas  granted   the   conces- 

railway  communications  between  Alexandria 
ro,  to  England.  The  advent  of  Said  Pasha's 
ice  to  the  throne  marked  a  favourable  turn 
ich  influence.  The  Khedive'^  friendship  for 
Dpened  the  way  for  the  renewal  of  the  Suez 
enterprise,  which  although  several  times 
i  by  the  Sainte  Simonien  Society,  had  been 
ly  turned  down  each  time  by  the  Cairo 
»ent. 

w,  however,  that  the  final  project  of  its 
1  was  agreed  upon  in  1854,  the  inflow  of 
L'apital  into  Egj'pt  reached  its  peak.  The 
nal  Company  sold  207,111  shares  in  France 
,505  shares  were  put  aside  for  England, 
the  United  States  and  Russia.  The  latter 
abstained  however,  and  Said  Pasha  profited 
them  for  himself.  It  was  these  same  shares  as 
ahers  belonging  to  the  Khedive,  which  Ismail 
Id  to  England  in  1875. 

^pendthrift  nature  of  both  Said  and  Ismail 
as  to  prove  a  primjordial  factor  in  encourag- 
gn  finance.  The  State  on  one  side  having  to 
Lo  the  Khedive's  luxurious  caprices,  on  the 
Bfering  from  the  /oreign  capitulations  imposed 
;as  not  able  to  draw  these  eixpenditures  out 
icome  derived  from  taxation.  The  State  had 
way  out  but  to  make  a  loan  and  a?  the 
resources  of  the  countiy  itself  were  limited, 
application  could  be  made  to  no  other  but 
apital." 

?nding  of  money  and  usury  were  prohibited 
m  law.  Eg>'pt  was  deprived  of  Banks  and 
stablishments.  So  once  again  an  appeal  had 
ide  to  foreigners  and  their  capital  and  as  a 
;ypt  found  herself  amidst  an  important 
3f  Banks  and  Credit  Establishments.  "The 
this  new  fruit,  reaped  by  foreign  capital,  was 
vhen  in  1898,  the  National  Bank  of  Egypt 
)lished  by  London  finance  men  and  in  1880, 
t  Foucier  Eg>'ptien  by  the  Suarez  Brothers. 

British  occupation  of  the  country,  which 
own  justification  in  the  slogan  of  having  to 
oreigners  and  their  property,  marked  the 
se  of  the  history  of  foreign  investments  in 
Investment  increased  rapidly,  while  in  1884 
its  did  not  register  more  than  6  million 
a  1014   the  figure  recorded  was  71.253  million 


There  was  a  decline  in  foreign  investments  after 
the  declaration  of  the  Termination  of  the  Protectorate 
and    the   Independence    of   Egypt.   Compared    to    1917 
which    registered    71,253,000   pounds   of   foreign   invest- 
ment,  1937  saw   only     45,183,000  pounds.     With     the 
abolition   of   Foreign    Capitulations    at    Montreaux    in 
1937,   the   era    of   discrimination   which    had   been     all 
favourable  to  the  foreigner's  position  to  the  detriment 
of  Egyptian   interests  was  brought     to  an   end.     The 
Egyptian  State  at   last  had   the   right   to   claim   taxa- 
tion. The  law  of  1947  limited     the     participation     of 
foreign  capital  in  anonymous  society   to  49  per  cent. 
Other  legislative  measures  were  adopt^jd  aiming  at  the 
Egyptianization   of   employers,    oflftcials    and    labourers 
of   the  specified   industries.     A     later     legislation     in 
February,  1952,   however,  marked  a  p:\rtial   retreat    in 
the  face  of  strong  criticism  and  stipulated   the  parti- 
cipation of  foreign  capital   in  anonymous  societies  at 
51  per  cent  as  compared  to  49  per  cent  in  1947. 

U.S.A.  and  Kashmir 

In  an  editorial  comment  on  the  subject,  the  Leader 
of  May  20  writes  that  the  statements  of  Mr.  Ad^ai 
Stevenson  in  New  Delhi  and  Karachi  were  self- 
contradictor>'.  In  New  Delhi,  he  had  said  that  the 
American  people  had  the  warmest  regards  for  India, 
whereas  in  Karachi  he  had  said  that  he  vyould  make 
bold  to  state  that  the  position  of  Pakistan  on  Kashmir 
was  better  understood  in  the  United  States  than  that 
of  India.  India  would  reasonably  resent  the  statement 
inasmuch  as  that  statement  meant  that  America's 
sympathies  were  with  the  aggressor. 

The  paper  comments  that  'It  is  now  easy  to 
understand  why  the  Security  Council  whose  attention 
was  drawn  to  Pakistani  aggression  in  Kashmir  as  long 
as  January,  1948,  has  not  yet  been  able  to  settle  the 
Kashmir  question.  The  United  States  dominates  the 
Security  Council  and  the  United  States'  sympathies  are 
with  Pakistan.  Because  of  the  United  States'  sympathy 
the  Security  Council  has  not  yet  passed  a  resolution 
on  Kashmir  on  the  lines  of  the  resolution  it  passed  on 
Korea  on  June  27,  1950." 

The  reason  for  this  favourable  U.  S.  treatment  of 
Pakistan  by  which  she  had  been  accorded  an  equal 
status  with  India  on  Kashmir  could  only  be  explained 
by  the  fact  that  the  Pakistan  rulers  were  more 
amenable  to  American  wishes.  Mr.  Stevenson  had  in- 
directly  admitted  that  the  U.S.A.  was  looking  for 
military  bases  in  South  East  Asia.  That  proved, 
continues  the  paper  that  ''Sheik  Abdullah  was  right 
when  he  said  that  the  Pakistan  Government  had  pro- 
mised the  United  States  bases  in  Kashmir." 

Mr.  Stevenson's  statement  of  sympathy  with 
Pakistan  was  all  the  more  reprehensible  because  it  had 
been  made  at  a  time  when  Pandit  Nehru  and 
Mr.     Mohammed     AH     were  aboui.ta  hskv^s;    Vsrsw^^s^ 


434 


THE  MODERN  RfiVIfiW  FOR  JUNE,  1953 


to-hcart  talks  on  Kashmir  and  other  issues.  It 
imtumlly  gave  weight  to  Communist  allegations  that 
the  United  States  wanted  to  prevent  India  and 
Pakistan  from  coming  together  because  she  had 
-her  own  axe  to  grind  in  Kashmir. 

Vs.  Air  Bases  in  Pakistan 

The  Leader  in  its  issue  dated  thr  2l^t  May  rq)Orts 
the  following  : 

'Tokyo,  May  19. — lu  a  series  of  secret  talks 
between  Pakistan  and  the  U.S.A.  efforts  are  being 
imule  to  have  U.S.  air  ba."-es  in  West  Pakistan  and  in 
return  for  this  Pakistan  is  trj'ing  to  get  new  arms  from 
the  U.S.A.  to  build  up  her  Army  into  a  well-drilled 
and  efficient  lighting  unit,  siiys  an  article  published  in 
ICnglisli  Mciinichi  here. 

"The  U.S.A.  doKs  not  want  to  strike  this  deal 
with  Pakistan  at  the  cost  of  alienating  India,  the  paper 
adds.  During  his  stay  in  Karachi  and  New  Delhi,  Mr. 
Dulles  will  make  efforts  to  have  some  fort  of  r\p- 
prnachmeut  between  the  two  countries  so  that  it  may 
be  easy  for  the  U.S.A.  to  make  the  bargain  with 
Pakistan." 

Air  bases  in  Pakistan  would  enable  the  U.S.A.  to 
be  within  an  easy  air-striking  distance  of  strategic 
Russian  manufacturing  centres  and  great  oil  fields. 
No  other'  bases  in  the  world  had  such  strategic 
value.  And  Pakistan  was  quite  willing  to  offer 
them  to  the  U.S.A.  provided  she  was  supplied  with 
new  arms.  A  strong  Pakistani  Army  was  not  undesirable 
to  the  'free  world"  but  at  the  ^ame  time  it  could 
provide  an  offensive  punch  for  a  show-down  fijjht  with 
India  over  Kashmir.  And  thai  was  the  rub,  because 
the  I^S.A.   could  not  ignore  India. 

Eisenhower  on  Foreign  Aid 

President  Eisenhower  in  a  message  to  the  U.  S. 
Congress  urged  for  an  extension  of  the  Mutual 
Security  Programme  in  1954.  The  programme  presented 
l)y  him,  included  approximately  S5.250  million  for 
military  weapons  and  direct  military  support  to  other 
countries  and  about  S550  million  for  technical, 
economic  and  development  aid.  The  total  expenditure 
under  the  programme  was  about  SI ,800  million  less 
than  provided  in  the  Truman  administration's  1964 
Budget. 

Defining  the  policies  he  proposed  the  CJongress  to 

adopt,   the     President     declared   that   the     U>S.A.  and 

her  friends  must  be  ready  to  build  up  their  defences, 

over  a  prolonged  period,  if  required;  at  the  same  time 

avoiding  the  dangers  of  a  too  rapid  militarj^  build-up 

which   might  seriously     dislocate     the  economy.     The 

U.S.A.  should  undertake  help    to  other  countries  with 

l)articular   attention   to   the   Far  East.     Lastly,     since 

/6  WS8  "Jinpofisihle  to  forecast  precisely  the  year  and 

moment  when  the  point  of  mnximum  military  dai^ct 

JJJ^V  occur^  the  only  prudent  course  cfills  for  a  steady 


military  build-up  with  oiir  lii^rtiiers  throughout  the 
workl,  sustained  and  planned  so  a^  to  use  our  joint 
capabilities  with  maximum  efficiency  and  minimum 
strain." 

American  Criticism  of  Nehru 

Several  U.  S.  Congressmen  criticized  Mr.  Nehru V 
statement  that  a  solution  was  more  likely  to  be  found 
in  the  Communist  proposal  than  in  the  latest  U.N. 
command  counter-proposals.  Democratic  Senator,  Mike 
Mansfield,  a  member  of  the  Senate  Foreign  Relations 
C-ommiltee,  said  that  Pandit  Nehru  failed  to  under- 
stand the  situation  and  was  wrong.  A  Republican 
Senator,  Everett  Dirksen  said  that  other  nations 
should  remember  that  the  U.S.A.  was  carrying  the 
lion's  share  of  the  load  in  blood  in  Korea.  Those 
nations  must  accept  a  greater  responsibility  if  their 
words  were  to  have  greater  effect. 

The  Leader's  special  correspondent  in  New  York 
wrote  on  M:iy  18  that  Mr.  Nehru's  opinion  on  the 
Communist  proposals  on  Korea  had  appeared  in  large 
headlines  which  put  him  in  the  position  of  outright 
support  for  those  proposals.  According  to  that  corres- 
pondent, "Hearst's  journal  American  said,  'Mr.  Nehni 
for  Red  plan  to  end  Korean  war.*  The  headline  in  the 
Scripps-Howard  World  Telegram  read,  'Neutral  Indi:\ 
backs  Red  Truce  plan  against  U.S.A.*  The  word 
'neutral'  was  in  quotes.  Radio  news  broadcasters  are 
saying  that  Mr.  Nehru  'endorsed'  Communist  pro- 
pusaLj." 

"First  reaction  from  certain  Washington  quarter?," 
wrote  the  correspondent,  "has  been  to  question  India's 
qualifications  to  act  as  neutral.  .  .  .  There  are  other 
observers  who  are  questioning  the  wisdom  of  Mr. 
Nehnfs  observation  at  a  moment  when  India  has  been 
accepted  by  both  sides  as  a  neutral  und  proposed  by 
the  U.N.  side  as  Chairman  and  the  real  neutral  among 
the  neutrals." 

But  a  more  critical  view  was  taken  about  Mr. 
Nehru's  willingness  to  welcome  any  solution  acceptable 
to  the  parties  concerned,  the  implication  of  his  state- 
ment being  taken  to  me.in  that  no  matters  of  principle 
were  involved  and  that  India  would  not  even  stand 
by  voluntary  repatriation  if  the  Communists  made 
enough  of  a  fuss  about  it. 

Indo'China    ' 

The  struggle  in  Indo-China  has  been  shown  up  in 
quite  a  new^  light  by  King  Novodom  Sihanoug  of 
Cambodia.  The  entire  situation  has  been  admirably 
summarized  in  the  following  letter  to  the  New  York 
Times  by  Sardar  J.  J.  Singh  of  the  India  League  in 
U.S.A.  The  only  point  we  would  mention  in  this  con- 
nection is  that  Britain  did  not  leave  India  voluntarily  a? 
is  supposed  in  many  quarters.  .The  liquidation  took 
pUcG  tiCter  long-drawn  struggle  culminaintg  in  the 
^\2  d\^V\\vV)awvie*  ^wvvcv'^j  ^\\\0v\  iv?. '^\\V\%\\.  divi?*ions  were 


I 


^ 


NOTES 


435 


used  for  }'eai:«  to  dragoon  the  Indians.  The  effort  was  in 
vain,  although  over  10,000  Indiana  were  shot  and 
atrocities  of  all  kinds  perpetrated,  which  resulted  in  the 
disaffection  of  the  Indian  Army.  This  last  was  the 
deciding  factor  in  the  decision  to  quit  India,  which  act 
was  done  with  the  best  of  grace  possible  under  the 
circumstances. 

France  is  even  a  more  obdurate  colonial  power,  so 
the  pressure  must  be  even  greater  before  she  will  seo 
rca^-on.  We  append  the  letter  below: 
To  The  Editor  of  the  New   York  Times, 

"Vietminh  forces  are  spreading  across  Laos,  one 
of  the  three  Associated  States  of  Indo-China,  and 
Luang  Prabang,  its  capital,  has  already  been 
surrounded. 

"In  Vietnam,  another  one  of  the  three  Associated 
States  of  Indo-China,  the  see-saw  war  has  been  going 
on  for  the  past  six  years  between  the  Vietminh  forces, 
under  the  leadership  of  the  erstwhile  Nationalist 
leader  Ho  Chi  Minh,  and  the  French-Vietnamese 
forces.  The  third  State,  Cambodia,  has  virtually 
served  notice  on  the  French  that  unless  complete 
freedom  i<  guaranteed  to  Cambodia  its  fall  to  Iho 
Communist   forces   is   a  certainty. 

"King  Norodom  Sihanoug  of  Cambodia  created 
a  sensation  when,  in  his  recent  press  conference  in 
New  York,  he  bluntly  stated  that  unless  Cambodia 
became  as  free  as  'India  and  Pakistan,'  he  would  not 
be  able  to  lead  his  people  against  Communist  invad- 
vx^.  Notwithstanding  the  displeasure  and  threats  of 
the  French,  this  warning  was  repeated  by  Cambodain 
representatives  in  Paris,  and  now  the  Cambodian 
Cabinet  has  issued  the  following  communique  :  *The 
Khmer  nation  (Cambodia),  provided  complete  inde- 
pendence is  accorded  it  by  its  powerful  friend,  is 
ready  to  fight  fiercely  to  the  last  extreme  against  the 
Communist  invader,  in  perfect  co-operation  with 
France  and  with  the  assistance  of  the  powerful  allies 
with  whom  Cambodia  shares  the  ideal  of  peace  and 
liberty. 

"Against  all  these  dangerous  developments  in  the 
three  States  of  Indo-China  the  only  steps  so  far  taken 
are  to  send  more  United  States  arms,  as  recenly 
announced  by  Secretary  of  State  John  Foster 
Dulles.  ^ 

**  Independent  Asian  observers,  who  loathe  world 
communism  as  much  as  any  of  the  Western  nations, 
nre  of  the  opinion  that  just  giving  greater  economic 
and  military  aid  to  the  French  will  neither  solve  the 
problem  of  Indo-China  nor  stop  the  Communist 
invaders.  I  know  of  no  Asian  leader  who  would  be 
willing  to  compare  the  Communist  march  into  Laos 
with  the  North  Korean  march  into  South  Korea.  In 
their  eyes  the  struggle  in  Indo-China  has  been  going 
on  for  several  years  and  it  has  been  a  struggle  to 
wre8t   freedom   from  French   colonial  rule. 

"There  is  no    gainsaying    the  fact    that  Ho  Chi 


Miuh,  even  though  he  may  now  be  in  tlie  hands  of 
I  lie  Communists,  is  still  a  highly  respected  name  in 
all  of  Indo-China,  and  he  has  followers  spread  all 
over  Indo-China.  When  I  was  in  Indo-China  last 
year  I  was  told  that  it  was  a  well-recognized  fact  that 
"Bio  Men"  were  everywhere  and  many  Vietnamese, 
living  in  territory  under  the  French  rule,  were  secretly 
contributing  large  amounts  of  money  to  Ho  Chi 
Minh's  funds.  Recently,  on  his  visit  to  Indo-China, 
Gen.  Mark  W.  Clark  said,  *The  enemy  is  everywhere, 
coming  through  the  walls,  the  ceilings  and  the  floors.' 
This  sort  of  situation  cannot  be  combated  simply  by 
sending  additional  United  States  arms. 

"Many  have  stated  this  before,  and  the  time  has 
come  to  state  it  again,  even  more  forcefully  :  the 
French  must  make  a  definite  declaration,  just  as  the 
British  did  in  the  case  of  India,  setting  a  date  for 
Indo-China  to  be  completely  free.  Only  sitch  a  decla- 
ration, perhaps  with  the  backing  of  the  United 
Nations,  will  destroy  the  enemy  from  'the  walls,  the 
ceilings  and  the  floors.'  There  is  no  gi'eater  deterrent 
to  the  spread  of  communism  in  Asian  countries  than 
the  spirit  of  nationalispa  and  the  pride  of  being  a 
sovereign  nation.  It  is  this  spirit  of  nationalism  and 
dedication  to  safegiiarding  the  sovereignity  of  their 
countries  which  has  stopped  Communist  forces  in 
their  tracks  in  the  newly  freed  nations  like  India, 
Pakistan,  Burma  and  Indonesia. 

"The  situation  is  deteriorating  rapidly.  I  would 
urge  the  United  States  delegation  at  the  United 
Nations  to  call  for  the  immediate  reassembling  of  the 
General  Assembly  for  the  sole  purpose  of  discussing 
the  Indo-China  situation." 

J.  J.  Singh 
New  York,  May  5,  1053. 

Events  in  Tunisia 

Tunisia  is  in  revolt.  The  French  imperialists  have 
let  loose  an  orgy  of  violence  and  fraud  to     maintain 
themselves  in  power  and  the  recent  municipal  elections 
were  a  mere  smokescreen     to     cover     up  these  facts. 
Giving  the  background  of  the  local  election?  in  Tunisia, 
the  Vigil  says  that  the  country  had  been  under  martial 
law  for  the  past  15  months.  The  Sovereign,  the  Bey, 
was  a  virtual     prisoner    in  liis     palace;  the  so-called 
"Baccouche  Cabinet"  was  illegally  constituted  and  the 
members  of  the  leg^l  Chenik  Cabinet  were  deprived  of 
powers  or  in  exile.  The  government  was  in  the  hands 
of  the  French  Resident-General  who  used  the  French 
army  and  police  to  enforce  his  order.  According  to  the 
writer,  "A  regular  campaign  of  extermination  is  being 
waged  against  the  nationalist  movement — the  Destour 
Party — and  against  the  free  Trade  Unions.  In  this  task, 
as  is  now  well-known,  the  army  and  the    police    are 
aided  by  the  French  terrorist  organisation  known  as 
the  Red  Hand,  which,  protected    by     the     Resident- 
General  and  his  high  police  officers^  KywsL  <5.Q.'^E»5fii!v.  -osxss.- 


436 


THE  .MODERN  REVIEW  FOR  JUNE,  1953 


ders  and  attacks  on  life,  and  property  with  impunity. 
This  organisation  has  struck  over  100  times  in  the  last 
few  months  against  the  Trade  Union  leaders,  even  the 
children  and  the  private  physician  of  the  Bey,  and 
many  others  including  the  legal  Prime  Minister, 
M'hamed  Chenik  .  .  .  There  are  two  permanent 
military  tribunals  functioning  in  Tunis:  they  pronounce 
about  20  heavy  sentences  each  week;  13  have  been 
condemned  to  death  since  last  December.  Executions 
and  hard  labour  are  given  on  the  basis  of  summary 
investigations  and  on  'confessions*  extorted  by  means 
of  the  most  brutal  and  disgusting  forms  of  physical 
torture,  a  fact  admitted  by  the  International  Com- 
mission on  concentration  camps  which  visited  Tunisia 
recently. 

"Thus  imder  these  conditions  any  sort  of  election 
would  be  suspect.  But  the  French  left  nothing  to 
chance.  The  night  before  the  district  elections  were  to 
be  held  in  April  last,  police  squads  scoured  the  district's, 
and  arrested  all  k)cal  leaders  *as  a  temporary  measure.* 
The  next  morning  the  authorities  used  the  troops  ami 
the  police  to  drive  the  people  to  the  polls;  the  boycott 
was  wide.-prcad  however  and  the  Bey  issued  a  strong 
protest  against  these  practices  which  by  tome  mis- 
calculation on  the  French  part,  reached  the  outside 
press.  Less  than  9  per  cent  of  the  electorate  voted  and 
the  'elections'  proved  to  be  a  complete  fiasco." 

The  resistance  of  the  Tunisians  to  these  elections, 
according  to  the  writer,  was  not  wholly  due  to  the  fact 
that  the  countr>'  was  under  a  military  dictatorship  and 
the  popular  leaders  were  all  in  jail.  There  was  an  "even 
more  important  principle  at  stake,  the  very  principle 
in  fact,  upon  which  the  Franco-Tunisian  negotiations 
broke  down  17  months  ago.  It  is  the  principle  of  co- 
sovereignty  whereby  the  French  are  trying  to  force  the 
Tunisians  to  accept  the  French  colonialists  in  their 
country  as  partners  in  the  country's  sovereignty. 
Timisians  have  at  all  times  refused  to  admit  thw 
theory/'  their  basic  stand  being  th'it  Tunisia  was  a 
sovereign  State  in  treaty  relations  with  France  and  as 
sucli  no  foreigner  had  the  right  to  vote  or  stand  as 
candidates  m  any  Tunisian  election.  "Thus,"  says  the 
writer,  "even  if  internal  conditions  had  been  more 
favourable,  the  Tunisians  would  have  opposed  the 
olot'tions  all  the  same." 

labour  Victory  in  Local  Elections  in  U.K. 

Commenting  on  the  Labour  Party's  gains  in  the 
local  elections  in  England  and  Wales  the  Conservative 
Yorkshire  Poi<i  writes:  "The  fact  must  be  faced  that  the 
conrcrvatives  have  suffered  a  defeat.  No  good  will  be 
done  by  attempting  to  extenuate  it." 

The  Labour  Daily  Herald  described  the  results  as 

a   "formidable   swing  to   Labour,"  and  says   that   the 

"Tories  should  not  be     so     surprised"    because     Mr. 

BuDer^s  budget  had  paved  the  way  for  it.  Housewives 

''frere  stW  suffering  from  the  effects  of  his  first  budget. 

Te  deliberately  pushed  up  food  prices  and  bus  fareB. 


He  helped  to  push  up  the  rates.  Memories  are  not  so 
short  as  the  Chancellor  hoped.  And  the  voters  who 
remembered  the  past  also  looked  to  the  future." 

The  Liberal  News  Chrtmide  pointed  out  that 
Labour  could  not  feel  it  was  on  the  right  i*oad — ^"for 
the  electorate  may  have  been  voting  against  some 
grievance  rather  than  in  favour  of  a  defined  pro- 
gramme." 


Display  of  Indian  Art  in  U.S.A. 

The  USIS  reports  :  "Nine  centuries  of  Indian 
paintings,  arts  and  crafts  are  now  on  display  in  a 
special  gallery  devoted  exclusively  to  Indian  art  at  the 
well-known  MetrO{K)litan  Museum  of  Art  in  New  York 
City."  The  galler\'  would  be  open  indefinitely.  Most 
of  the  paintings  displayed  belonged  to  the  Moghul 
School.  There  were  a  number  of  paintings  belonging 
to  the  Rajput  school  also. 

"Painted  cottons,  gold  jewelleiy  and  a  marble 
support  inlaid  with  semi-precious  stones  from  the 
audience  hall  of  the  Delhi  palace  complete  the  exhibit. 
Of  special  interest  to  Westerners  is  a  17th  centur>' 
painted  cotton  depicting  European  figures — including 
an  equestrian  statue  of  England's  Charles  I."  The 
display  also  included  gold  anklets,  necklaces  and  brace- 
lets from  the  17th  to  19th  centuries. 

It  is  reported  that  the  Metropolitan  was  i>arti- 
cipating  in  discussions  looking  toward  the  circulation 
in  the  United  States  of  a  major  Indian  art  show. 

In  addition  to  the  Metropolitan,  several  other 
large  museums  in  the  United  States  had  collections  of 
Indian  art,  the  largest  being  housed  in  the  Museum 
of  Fine  Arts  in  Boston.  Chicago,  Kansas  City  and 
Seattle  were  other  American  cities  whose  museums 
Were  noted  for  their  collections  of  Indian  art.  Accord- 
ing to  the  report,  "Political  developments  in  India,  as 
w^ll  as  in  other  parts  of  Asia,  hav^  heightened  an 
already  lively  interest  among  many  Americans  in  the 
arts  of  these  areas." 

Fascism  in  Action  oji  Indian  Soil 

Mr.  Mario  Rodrigues  of  the  Goan  People's  Party, 
who  had  escaped  from  a  Portuguese  jail  in  Goa  in 
March,  gave  a  description  of  the  conditions  in  Goan 
jails  before  a  number  of  Bombay  newsmen,  reports  the 
Leader.  According  to  the  paper,  he  said  that  '*Thc 
Panjim  'quarter  general'  is  a  sort  of  Gestapo  head- 
quarters in  Goa  where  political  prisoners  are  first  taken 
after  arrest  for  interrogation.  The  usual  practice  is  to 
keep  the  prisoners  without  food  or  water  for  days 
together  and  subject  them  to  beating  with  a  rubber 
band  which  does  not  leave  any  mark  on  the  surface  of 
the  skin  but  results  in  severe  muscular  pain  and  does 
not  allow  any  sleep." 

He  declared  the  Goan  resistance  movement  was 
planning  to  go  into  "direct  action  in  the  near  future*' 
«L%ams\i  VYi^  PoTVw^^Qib  ^to^vtLV&itation  in  Oca. 


I 


m 


NOTES 


437 


Famine 

Acute  Mcarcily  and  famiiiu  fomlitiou.K  are  prevail- 
iug  ia  certain  part'-  of  the  foiintry.  Early  in  May,  Mr. 
Xehru  took  up  a  tour  of  the  scarcity  affected  areas  of 
Mahara^^htra.  According  to  a  PTI  despatch,  the  entire 
area  along  the  145-mile  route  of  his  tour  through 
Ahmednagur  and  Nasik  lay  barren  with  the  soil  almost 
reduced  to  dust  in  the  ab-ence  of  rain  in  the  past  two 
years.  Everywhere  people  gathered  to  tell  their  distress 
to  the  Prime  Minister. 

In  Riijasthan,  according  to  a  report  published  in 
the  Lender,  it  was  officially  stated  that  22.66,659  ]}CO\Ag 
were  affected  by  sciucity  in  Bikancr  Jodhpur  «nd 
Udaipur  divisions.  The  Rajasthan  Government  had 
decided  to  provide  Rs.  10  lacs  for  relief  measures  in 
addition  to  Rs.  37i  lakh-^  for  relief  rnd  Rs.  30  lakhs 
for  taccavi  loans,  provided  in  the  current  year'? 
budget. 

Mr.  Motichand  Khazanchi.  a  Congress  member  of 
the  Rajisthan  Slate  Assembly,  reported  after  a  tour  of 
several  villages  in  Bikaner  district  that  he  found 
people  eating  bread  made  of  barks  and  leaves.  Many 
people  hid  no  i)urchasing  i)ower  and  wer(»  therefore 
roorting  to  the  use  of  barks. 

The  Government  had  opened  relief  centres  in  the 
form  of  construction  of  road«,  excavation  of  tanks  and 
repairs  and  construction  of  wells  and  tanks  to  provide 
employment    to   the   affected  ])eople. 

In  West  Bengal  too  about  7  lakhs  of  people  in  the 
Sunderban  area  are  affected  l)y  scarcity.  This  year  there 
has  been  a  i)cirticularly  acute  shortage  of  drinking 
water.  The  weekly  ]V(;ft  Bengal  reiwria  that  the 
Ciovernment  had  launched  ui)on  a  programme  of  road 
construction  and  sinking  of  tube-wells  in  the  area.  A 
lakh  of  rupees  had  already  been  sanctioned  for  test 
relief  and  a  proposal  for  a  further  sum  of  Rs.  7i  lakhs 
for   the   purjMDse   was   under   examination. 

Lack  of  purchasing  power  is  the  main  factor  in  all 
the  distre.ss  in  the  scarcity  areas.  There  is  no  attempt  as 
yel  to  tackle  this  problem.  In  the  matter  of  relief  alj*o 
uuich  has  been  left  to  chance,  thereby  leaving  loop- 
holes for  w.iste  and  theft. 

Survey  of  Middle  Class  Economy 

Interesting  data  have  been  revealed  by  an  enquiry 
conducted  among  the  middle  class  families  of  Madras 
City.  According  to  Dr.  B.  Natarajan,  Economic  Adviser 
to  the  Government  of  Madras,  who  conducted  the 
.survey  of  the  living  conditions  of  middle  class  families, 
61  per  cent  of  the  middle  class  families  in  Madras  City 
lived  beyond  their  means  and  31  per  cent  saved  out 
of  their  incomes. 

The  sample  survey  covered  1,336  families  with  a 
total  population  of  7^,  out  of  the  40,000  families 
assessed  to  professional  tax  by  the  Madras  State 
Government.  The  families  were  stratified  into  five 
groups,  namely,  those  with  an  income  (1)  between 
Rs.  100  and  Rs.  199  per  mensem,  (2)  between  Rs.  200 


and  Rs.  299  p.m.,  (3)  between  Rs.  300  and  Rs.  399 
p.m.,  (4)  R'^.  400  and  Rs.  499  p.m.,  (5)  between 
Rs.  500  and  Rs.  599  p.m.  and,  (6)  Rs.  600  and  over. 

The  Survey  revealed  that  while  deficit  budgets 
-were  found  in  all  the  strata  of  the  middle  clas?*,  the 
percentage  of  .suri)lus  budgets  increased  with  the 
increase  in  incomes.  **The  average  expenditure  per 
family  exceeds  average  income  in  the  ca^^^e  of  familie.«j 
who.se  incomes  range  between  Rs.  100  and  R*<.  399  per 
month  and  income  exceeds  expenditure  slightly  in  the 
case  of  families  enjoying  a  higher  income.  The  extent 
of  over-reaching  the  income  is  the  highest  in  the 
income  group  betwtn^n  Rs.  100  and  Rs.  199.  Against 
an  average  income  of  Rs.  152-8  per  month,  the  familie.^ 
in  this  group  spend  Rs.   169-3." 

The  Survey  also  revealed  that  th«^  average  >ize  of 
the  family  got  larger  with  the  rise  in  income — 4.72  in 
the  first  group  rising  to  8.75  in  the  sixth.  The  .sex 
composition  of  the  families  matched  each  other,  the 
average  family  of  5.8  persons  being  made  up  of  1.8 
men,   1.8  women.   1.1   boys  and   1.1   girls. 

"Literacy  which  stahds  at  75  per  cent  for  all  the 
groups  together,  is  relatively  higher  among  the  three 
higher  income  groups  than  in  the  low^^r  income  groups. 

"Earners  in  all  the  families  \mder  survey  totalled 
1.976  of  whom  1,848  Were  men  and  128  women.  Although 
the  average  number  of  earners  increased  from  1.1  in 
the  first  group  to  27  in  the  sixth  the  percentage  of 
earners  to  population  does  not  vary  widely  a«  between 
the  different   income  groups. 

"The  1.336  families  made  a  total  monthly  income 
of  Rs.  3,75.581  the  average  working  to  R**.  281.  The 
average  income  of  the  different  groups  varies  from 
Rs.  153  in  the  first  to  Rs.  793  in  the  sixth..'' 

The  total  expenditure  incmred  by  all  the  families 
in  the  sample  was  Rs.  386.623.  an  average  of  Rs.  289-7 
per  month  per  family.  It  was  revealed  that  "Expcndi* 
ture  on  food-grains  is  the  largest  .single  item  in  all  the 
income  groups  to  Rs.  298  in  the  .sixth.  The  second 
largest  item  of  exf>enditure  is  the  miscellaneous  group 
which  includes  education,  recreation,  domestic  services, 
etc.  It  varies  from  Rs.  38-6  in  the  firf-t  group  to 
Rs.  243-8  in  the  sixth." 

"Expenditure  on  housing  figures  as  the  third 
largest  item  in  the  lower  three  groups  while  it  i^ 
expenditure  on  clothing  in  the  higher  thre^  groups. 
Expenditure  on  furniture  is  the  lowest  for  all  groups. 

"While  the  average  expenditure  on  toilet  requisites 
varies  from  Rs.  3-2  in  the  first  group,  to  Rs.  12-4  in 
the  sixth  group,  religion  and  charity  command  only 
between  Rs.  l-«  and  Rs.  7-14." 

Food  and  Population 

M.  Vasily  Nemchinov  writes  in  the  News  and  Views 
from  the  Sd{xnet  Union  :  "For  a  long  time  now  the 
food  problem  has  been  attracting  world-wide  atten- 
tion. The  discussions  on  this  subject  have  brought  out 
two  aspects :  the  inter-relation,  ol  Ics^^  \»x<5Anv!(;S>^^  "^s^ 


438 


THE  MODERN  REVIEW  FOR  JUNE,  1953 


giowth  of  population,  and  over-production  in  some 
areas  accompanied  by  acute  shortage  and  hunger  in 
others." 

The  report  of  the  U.N.F.A.O.  for  1951-52 
recorded  that  food  production  in  the  Far  East  was 
down  by  10  per  cent  compared  with  pre-war  times  and 
in  the  Latin  American  countries  by  about  8  per  cent. 
Mr.  Dodd,  Director  of  the  FAO  .declared:  "If  half 
the  people  in  the  overcrowded,  underdeveloped  areas 
of  the  world  were  to  die  today,  there  would  still  nc^t 
be  enough  food  to  provide  a  decent  diet  for  those  that 
were  left." 

Some  saw  the  remedy  in  a  reduction  of  the 
population.  Their  suggestions  ranged  "from  compulsory 
birth  control  down  to  destructive  wars.  That,  in  fact, 
is  the  solution  offered  by  Vogt,  Pendell,  Pitkin  and 
other  American  Neo-Malthusians." 

According  to  the  writer,  "These  plans  are  un:K)und 
in  their  very  fundamentals"  because  "they  are  based 
on  the  erroneous  theory  that  there  is  a  limit  to  the 
potentialities  for  increasing  food  production."  In 
his  view,  widespread  hunger  i^  not  due  to  any  immu- 
table factors  inherent  in  the  nature  of  human  rela- 
tionships. "Food  shortages  in  many  countries,"  says  he, 
"spring  from  defects  in  their  social  and  economic 
systems.  If  the  survival  of  semi-feudal  relationships  in 
agriculture  are  eliminated  and  if  agriculture  is  freed 
from  the  un!?upportable  burden  of  land  rent,  the 
situation  will  change.  Bold  industrialisation  of  the 
economically  backward  countries  coupled  with  employ- 
ment of  the  achievements  in  agronomy,  chemistry, 
biology  and  other  sciences,  would  mean  a  radical 
change  for  the  better  in  their  agricultural  development 
too." 

Delimitation  Commission  Recommendations 

The  Delimitation  Commission  of  India's  proposals 
regarding  the  number  of  seats  in  the  House  of  the 
Peoi)le  and  State  Assemblies  on  the  basis  of  the  1951 
census  were  published  on  May  18  in  the  Gazette  oj 
India  Extraordinary,  reports  the  Press  Trust  of  India. 

According  to  the  report,  "The  number  of  elective 
seats  in  the  House  of  the  People  is  proposed  to  be 
raised  from  495  to  500 — the  maximum  permitted  under 
the  Constitution.  Bombay  is  to  get  four  more,  the 
residuary  State  of  Madras  and  the  new  State  of  Andhra 
together  two  more  than  the  present  undivided  Madras, 
Mysore  two  more  on  the  assumption  that  the  major  ^ 
part  of  Bellary  district  will  be  transferred  to  Mysore 
when  the  Andhra  State  is  formed  and  Travancore- 
Cochin  and  Rajasthan  one  more  each.  Punjab, 
Vindliya  Pradesh,  Delhi,  Himachal  Pradesh  and  Ajmer 
will  have  one  less  each  in  the  popular  elected  Chamber 
of  Parliament. 

"In  the  majority  of  cases  the  existing  strength  of 
the  Legislative  Assemblies  has  been  maintained  un- 
altered but  the  Commission  has  found  a  change  neces- 
sary in  a  few  States. 

''After  the  formation  of  Andhra  State,  Madras    is 


to  have  an  Assembly  of  245  and  Andlira  an  Assembly 
of  168  members. 

"Explaining  the  basis  of  the  allocation,  the  Com. 
mission  says,  taking  the  Part  'C  States  first,  four  ol 
them,  Tripura,  Manipur,  Kutch  and  Bilaspur,  whicli 
have  no  Legislative  Assemblies,  have  to  be  allotted 
the  same  number  of  seats  as  they  have  at  present, 
namely,  2,  2^  2  and  1  respectively.  Coorg  also  must 
obviously  continue  to  have  one  seat  as  at  present.  On 
the  All-India  average  of  7.22  lakhs  per  seat,  the  States 
of  Vindhya  Pradesh,  Delhi,  Himachal  Pradesh  and 
Ajmer  cannot  continue  to  enjoy  the  weigh tage  they 
have  at  present  in  tl^e  House  of  the  People. 

"In  each  of  those  cases,  the  number  of  representa- 
tives has  been  reduced  by  one  so  that  these  four  States 
get  5,  3,  2  and  1  respectively,  or  11  seats  in  all.  The 
representation  of  Bhopal  which  has  a  population  of 
8,  36,  474  cannot  very  well  be  reduced  from  2  to  1,  and 
accordingly  the  present  number  of  2  has  been  retained 
for  that  State.  The  total  number  of  seats  allotted  to 
the  Part  'C  States  thus  comes  to  21. 

"The  allocation  of  the  remaining  479  seats  among 
the  Part  *A'  and  Part  'B'  States  has  been  made  strictly 
on  the  basis  of  the  latest  census  figures  in  the  following 
manner.  The  total  population  of  these  States  cornea 
to  351,099,040  which,  divided  by  479,  gives  an  average 
of  732,983  per  seat.  The  population  of  each  State  is 
divided  by  this  latter  number  and  the  nearest  integral 
number  of  seats  allotted  to  that  State.  Similarly,  the 
number  of  seats  proposed  to  be  reserved  for  the 
Scheduled  Castes  and  the  Scheduled  Tribes,  if  any,  in 
each  State,  has  been  calculated  strictly  in  accordance 
with  the  provisions  of  Article  330,  fractions  less  than 
one-half  being  ignored  and  fractions  not  less  than 
one-half  being  taken  as  one. 

"Madhya  Pradesh  and  Rajasthan  have  at  present 
a  comparatively  high  multiple  of  8.  The  Commission 
proposes  to  maintain  it  in  both  the  States,  mainly 
because  of  the  low  density  of  population  163  and  117, 
respectively,  per  square  mile  and  poor  communications. 

"The  Commission  has  specified  June  3,  1953,  as 
the  date  before  which  any  objections  or  su^estionS 
have  to  be  submitted  in  regard  to  its  proposals.  The 
Gazette  ako  publishes  minutes  of  dissent." 

Recommendations  of  tks  Bar  Committee 

The  All-India  Bar  Committee,  set  up  by  the 
Government  of  India  in  1951  with  Justice  S.  R.  Das 
of  the  Supreme  Court  as  Chairman  and  seven  other 
members,  had  reconunended  the  creation  of  an  all-India 
Bar  Council  consisting  of  (a)  two  Judges  of  the 
Supreme  Court  who  had  been  advocates,  to  be  nomi* 
nated  by  the  Chief  Justice  of  India,  (b)  the  Attorney- 
General  of  India  and  the  Solicitor-General  of  India  as 
ex-officio  members,  (c)  delegates  from  the  State  Bar 
Councils,  and  {d)  three  members  to  be  elected  by  the 
Supreme  Court  Bar  Association  from  out  of  their 
number  who  should  ordinarily  be  resident  in  the  State 
of  Delhi  and  practising  in  the  Supreme  Court. 


NOTES 


439 


The  Coniinitteea  work  aud  recommendations  had 
a^umed  'the  continued  existence  of  the  present  legal 
system  in  India,  out  of  which  present  legal  profession 
has  grown  up/ 

The  PTI  reports  that  the  Committee  recommended 
that  **For  the  first  two  elections  the  delegates  from 
State  Bar  Councils  will  be  elected  on  the  following 
basis:  (1)  each  State  Bar  Council  will  elect  one  from 
anvong.^t  their  number,  (2)  each  State  Bar  Council 
having  on  a  prescribed  date  more  than  1,000  advocates 
entered  on  its  register  will  elect  one  additional  member 
who  shall  not  be  a  member  of  that  Bar  Council. 

"Excepting  the  judges  and  the  ex-officio  memberg, 
the  other  members  of  the  all-India  council  would  hold 
office  for  six  years. 

"The  all-India  Bar  Council  should  maintain  a 
common  roll  of  advocates;  prescribe  qualifications  for 
admission  of  advocates  and  the  fees  to  be  paid; 
consider  cases  where  the  State  Bar  Council  is  of  opinion 
that  application  for  admission  of  any  candidate  should 
be  refused;  prescribe  rules  of  professional  conduct  and 
etiquette;  prescribe  the  procedure  for  enquiry  into 
ctises  of  misconduct  by  State  Councils  and  hear 
appeals;  and  lay  down  standards  of  legal  education 
and  other  such  matters. 

"State  Bar  Councils  will  be  set  up  for  each  of  the 
Part  'K'  and  Part  *B'  States.  Vindhya  Pradesh  and 
Madhya  Pradesh  will  have  a  common  State  Bar  Coun- 
cil. Delhi  and  Himachal  Pradesh  will  be  attached  to 
the  Punjab  Bar  Council,  Ajmer-Merwara  to  Rajasthan, 
Bhopal  to  Madhya  Bharat,  Kutch  to  Saurashtra, 
Manipur  to  A?sam,  Tripura  to  West  Bengal,  and  Coorg 
to  Mysore. 

'*Each  State  Bar  Council  shall  consist  of  two 
Judges  of  the  High  Court  who  have  been  advocates 
to  be  nominated  by  the  Cftiief  Justice,  the  Advocate- 
General,  or  if  there  is  no  such  office,  the  Government 
advocate  or  standing  counsel,  and  15  elected  members. 
The  bar  councils  of  Assam,  Orissa,  Saurashtra  and 
Pepsu  will  only  have  one  Judge  instead  of  two  and 
10  members  instead  of  15. 

"The  seats  in  the  State  Councils  will  be  so  distri- 
buted  that  interests  of  those  practising  in  the  High 
Court  of  the  State  and  in  the  district  courts  will  be 
kept  in  view." 

The  Committee  had  also  recommended  the 
present  dual  system  in  the  Supreme  Court  and  the 
creation  of  a  system  of  acting  advocates  for  the 
Supreme  Court. 

The  Committee  had,  however,  expressed  the  view 
that  no  case  had  been  made  out  before  it  for  the 
abolition  of  the  dual  system  as  it  obtained  in  the 
Bombay  and  Calcutta  High  Courts.  The  system  in 
those  two  High  Courts  could  continue. 

The  Committee  had  suggested  a  uniform  quali- 
fication for  admission  to  the  roll  of  advocates  under 
which  a  person  seeking  enrolment  must  possess  a  law 
degree  in  addition  to  a  degree  in  arts,  science  or  com- 
merce. The  person  concerned  should  also  have  under- 


gone a  further  period  of  one  year's  apprenticeship  and 
pa:<sed  an  apprenticeship  examination.  State  Bar  Coun- 
cils, or  in  case  of  their  inabiUty  the  Univei'sities  in  the 
State,  should  hold  such  examinations. 

India  s  First  Mercury  Mine  Discovered 

The  Hiiavada  in  its  issue  dated  May  5  contained 
a  report  to  the  effect  that  presence  of  large  deposits  of 
mercury  had  recently  been  detected  in  one  of  tlie 
manganese  mines  in  Ticora  tahsil  in  Bhandara  district 
in  Madhya  Pradesh.  According  to  a  staff  reporter  oi 
the  paper,  the  mine  which  was  privately  owned  had 
been  temporarily  closed,  following  the  discovery  of 
mercury  and  some  of  the  big  bosses  of  the  mining 
industry  of  M.P.  were  frantically  trying  to  secure 
fresh  contract  of  that  particular  mine.  It  was  not 
known  if  the  Government  of  India  were  aware  of  the 
discovery. 

Mercury  being  in  the  category  of  rtrategic 
materials,  its  value  as  a  potential  dollar  earner  was 
immense.  Therefore  it  should  justly  be  considered  a 
national  asset  and  the  mine  should  be  nationalised,  the 
report  add^. 

What  is  of  even  more  importance,  in  our  opinion, 
is  that  the  mine  should  belong  to  the  nation  and  the 
products  be  carefully  husbanded  for  future  emergencies. 

Future  of  Hyderabad 

The  People  reports  that  a  meeting  of  the 
Hyderabad  Pradesh  Congress  Committee  would  be 
convened  shortly  to  decide  the  future  of  Hyderabad. 
It  was  significant  that  the  secretaries  of  the  Andhra, 
Kamataka  and  Maharashtra  P.C.C  's  had  also  been 
invited  to  attend  the  meeting.  According  to  the 
political  correspondent  of  the  paper,  ''The  question  of 
settling  the  future  of  the  State  has  become  necessary 
to  reopen  in  view  of  the  inability  of  the  Andhra 
leaders  to  select  a  capital  for  their  nev/  State.  They  are 
openly  saying  that  Hyderabad  will  be  the  logical 
capital.  Kannadigas  and  Maharashtrians  agree  that 
Hyderabad  belongs  to  Andhra.  It  is  also  conceded  that 
if  the  Andhra  State  is  coming  a  Visaia  Andhra  State 
will  not  remain  far  behind.  Why  should  not  the 
Government  face  the  inevitable  ?  Why  should  money 
be  wasted  on  the  building  of  a  camp  capital?" 

It  was  also  being  strongly  contended  that  if  the 
Maharaja  of  Kashmir  could  go,  there  was  no  reason 
why  the  Nizam  of  Hyderabad  also  should  not  quit. 

Preservation  of  Wild-life 

Science  and  Culture  writes  :  "In  recent  years  pro- 
tection of  Nature  and  preservation  of  wild-life,  parti- 
cularly various  types  of  animals  living  within  the 
sylvan  surroundings,  attracted  world  attention  due  tc 
fast  depleting  wild-life  in  different  parts  of  the  globe. '^ 

In  India,  the  diminution  of  natural  resources  wae 
particularly  evident  where  the  wants  of  a  vastly 
increased  population  had  been  met  by  uncontrolled  and 
unwise  encroachment  on  natural  resources  leaduig  to 
the  consequent  disturbance  of  the  delicate  balance 
bctw^cen  man  and  his  iwAak^A.  ^BsSx^-^ssxieoNsi  ^^^Sj^  h^^^^^ 


440 


THE  iMODERN  REVIEW  FOR  JUNE,  1953 


detritment  to  tlie  productivity  of  the  soil  through 
erosion,  etc.  Though  a  number  of  ,State  Governments 
had  framed  laws  againi«t  indiscriminate  shooting, 
"poaching,  hunting  with  flashhghts,  netting,  trapping, 
dynamiting  and  various  other  methods  of  destruction 
of  wild-life  with  modern  weapon  and  motor  traasport 
have  of  late  become  rampant,  as  a  result  of  which 
some  of  the  wild  fauna  are  on  the  verge  of  extinction. 
This  apphes  also  to  plant  life.  Plant  hunters  of  India 
and  sometimes  from  countries  overseas  in  their  fre- 
(luent  botanical  raids  have  rendered  our  countryside 
and  forests  almost  denuded  of  orchids,  primulus,  lilies 
and  many  other  horticulturally  and  medicinall}-  valu- 
able plants  well-known  for  their  beauty  and  healing 
properties'.  J:5ome  of  the  rare  species  of  plants  too  are 
almost  going  to  be  extinct." 

In  the  view  of  the  paper,  "A  wise  pohcy  of  wild-life 
conservaiton  should  also  provide  for  :  (1)  Adequate 
laws  of  protection,  (2)  adequate  areas  as  permanent 
sanctuaries  or  refuges  for  species  in  their  known  habitat, 
and  (3y)  adequate  organization  to  enforce  the  former 
and  administer  the  latter.'* 

The  Government  of  India  in  a  resolution,  dated 
the  4th  April,  1952,  announced  the  constitution  of  a 
Central  Board  for  Wild  Life  under  the  chairmanship 
of  the  Maharaja  of  Mysore,  ''with  a  view  to  prevent 
tlie  extinction  of  any  species  and  their  protection  in 
balance  with  natural  and  human  environment."  The 
Board  was  to  devise  among  other  things  "ways  and 
means  of  conservation  and  control  of  wild  life  through 
co-ordinated  legislative  and  practical  measures.   .    .    .*■ 

Dr.  Sunder  Lil  Hora  writes  in  Science  and  Culture 
that  the  inaugural  meeting  of  the  Board  was  held  at 
Mysore  from  November  25  to  December  1,  1952.  Four 
Technical  Committees  were  formed.  Their  recom- 
mendations were  now  before  the  Government  for 
consideration.  The  recommendations  included  the  pro- 
posals for  the  setting-up  of  National  Parks  and  Sanc- 
tuaries, tlio  nppointmenf  of  State  Wild  Life  Boai-ds, 
and  co-ordination  of  the  activities  of  such  dv='i>artments 
as  Forests,  Agriculture,  Scientifi;-  Research,  Transporta- 
tion, Information  and  Broadcast ine;  in  matters  of 
publicity  and  education  of  the  public  concerning  wild 
life.  It  was  also  suggested  that  the  transport  of  livinv: 
animals  and  birds  caught  in  India  should  be  prohibited 
from  1st  April  to  30th  September.  excoi)t  for  exchange 
of  animals  for  zoos,  movements  of  circuses,  etc. 

Ignorance  of  Cnndidates 

The  ITttar  Pradesh  Publir"  Service  Commission  in 
a  review  of  the  combined  competitive  examination, 
1951,  says,  "Quite  a  number  of  candidates  showed  a 
most  deplorable  lack  of  knowledge  of  everf  elementary 
geography  and   science." 

Out  of  the  696  candidates  who  had   appeared     in 

the    examination.    106,    including   four   scheduled    ca«te 

mndidn^r^.  were  called  for  the  tnva  voce  test.  Four  of 

fhe    12  women     (candidates    who    had     sat     for    V\\e 

oxummafion  were  called  for  viva  voce  test,  but  tiotvc 

w^ro  found  suitnhle  for  appointment. 


According  to  a  summary  of  tlie  review  published 
in  the  Leader,  some  of  the  candidates  did  not  hare 
any  sense  of  composition  of  Hindi  and  coiumitt«l 
incxcusiible  spelling  mistakes.  The  genei-al  quality  of 
the  essays  was  good.  There  were  a  few  really  very  good 
scrii)ts.  Some  candidates  appeared  to  possess  only  a 
superficial  knowledge  of  day-to-day  developments  and 
their  expression  lacked  precision.  The  standard  of 
the  answer  papers  on  general  knowledge  was  definitely 
below  what  one  might  fairly  expect  from  univeraty 
graduates.  The  poverty  of  the  general  knowledge  of 
the  candidates  was  really  shocking. 

Exploitation  of  the  Unemployed 

The  Clarion,  a  Calcutta  weekly,  has  drawn  the 
attention  of  all  concerned  to  the  racket  that  is  goiug 
en  with  the  unemployed.  Driven  by  hunger  and 
humiliation  persons  out  of  employment  for  long 
periods  often  grasped  at  anything  that  might  comc  their 
way.  People  with  good  qualifications  often  accepted 
jobs  canying  salaries  far  below  those  paid  to  imskiUed 
labourers.  But  even  when  a  man  got  a  job  there  was 
no  certainty  that  he  would  get  his  remuneration.  Tbc 
paper  gives  a  characteristic  description  of  this  practice. 

According  to  it,  there  were  employers  whose  aim 
was  to  run  their  businesses  as  far  as  possible  on  unpaid 
labour.  To  quote  the  paper,  *'An  unemployed  persoii 
after  fruitless  search,  which  may  extend  over  many 
months,  is  called  for  an  interview.  Usually,  he  is 
ushered  into  a  one-room  office,  furnished  with  tlic 
minimum  of  tables  and  hearing  all  the  appearances  o! 
a  mushroom  concern.  Even  if  he  is  not  impressed  by 
what  he  sees,  there  is  always  the  gnawing  hunger  of 
months  and  the  terribly  bleak  outlook  of  continued 
unemployment  to  goad  him  into  taking  a  chance.  The 
prospective  employer  knows  these  things.  They  arc, 
in  fact,  his  trump  cards." 

The  job-seeker  is  driven  to  accept  the  minimum 
remuneration  and  is  required  to  do  all  kinds  of  work, 
His  \\x)rk  is  generally  never  specified  nor  does  he  ever 
receive  an  ajipointment  letter.  *'The  month  passes  bnt 
no  pay-day  arrives.  A  newcomer  to  a  firm  is  usually 
reluctant  to  earn  the  reputation  for  being  troublesome 
l^articularl.v,  ju>t  when  starting  his  career  with  • 
concern.  So  ho  rather  diffidently  approaches  the  boas. 
He  is  informed  that  the  matter  is  being  looked  into. 
This  takes  about  a  month  by  which  time  the  nexi 
pay-day  should  come  along.  It  does  not,  and  if  the 
employee  goes  on,  it  is  quite  po.ssible  that  the  next 
month  will  also  prove  pay  less." 

In  some  cases,  there  is  delayed  payment,  but  in 
most  cases  the  i>oor  employee  never  gets  his  salary. 

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SARVODAYA    AND  MAItXISM 

Br  Pbof.  S.  N.  ACARWAL,  m.p. 


At  a  recent  meeting  in  Madura,  Prof.  J.   C.   Kumarappa 

is  stated  lo  have  observed  that 

"Candhiji's  ideals  were  already  in  practice  in 
Russia  to  a  certain  eiten}"  and  that  "tliough  the 
Rusaian  ideal  was  not  Sarvodaya  in  the  fullest  sense 
of  ibe  term,  the  social  order  iri  Russia  today  very 
much   approii mated    in    certain   respecU   to   GaodhiaD 

We  are  sorry  to  find  that  during  the  last  few  montha 
th«  learned  Professor,  consciously  or  unconsciously,  has 
been  in^ilrumenlal  in  creating  great  confusion  of  thought 
in  the  public  mind  about  the  twin  ideologies  of 
Candhiam  and  Communism,  li  is,  therefore,  no  bngei 
desirable  to  allow  his  statemenis  and  utterances  lo  go 
unohallenged. 

It  is,  undoubtedly,  true  that  we  are  all  dissatisfied 
with  the  Capitalist  way  of  thinking;  Capitalism  as  a  creed 
and  ecmomlc  philosophy  is  now  dead  a*  dodo.  We 
■re  alao  fully  ctmscicrns  of  the  fact  that  the  prevailing 
MWIOinic  conditions  in  India  are  far  from  satisfactory 
and  that  the  pioblema  of  poretty,  unemployment  and 
economic  IneqnaBiiea  need  be  taclcled  with  a  sense  of 
urgency.  Leaders  of  ,  dlQerent  pohtical  parties  are 
P'ldaaDy  realising  the  inevitability  of  Gandhian  approach 
to  most  of  onr  economic  maladies  and  the  dynamic 
philosophy  of  Sarvoday  1*  being  increaEingly  appreciated 
frith  ■  senw  of  reafiim  and  practical  commonsense.  But 
to  suggest  even  vaguely  that  Sarvodaya  and  Maniam 
are  dmllar  in  certain  respects  and  that  GandliisDi  is 
being  followed  in  Russia  is  to  render  great  disservice 
both  to  Sarvodaya  and  hbndsBl.  The  two  fdeolo^es 
■TC,  indeed,  poles  asunder  and  their  basic  principles 
are  almoat  diametrically  opposed  to  each  other.  Shri 
K.  G.  Maafaniwala,  the  well-known  authority  on  Gandhian 
thought,  look  special  pains  to  write  a  series  of  articles 
in  the  flori/an  to  strongly  repudiate  that  suggestion  thai 
"Candhiam  is  Con^muniam  minus  violence."  These 
articles  have  since  been  published  in  the  form  of  a 
booklet  entitled  Candhi  and  Mvx. 

"Gandhism  and  Marxism,"  observes  Shri 
Mashruwala,  "are  as  distinct  from  each  oilier  as  greeii 
bom  red,  though  we  know  that  to  the  colour-blind 
evpn  green  and  red  might  appear  alike." 

It ,  is.  certainly,  a  matter  for  regret  that  '  Prof. 
Kumnrappa  appears  lo  be,  of  laie,  euRering  from  such 
a   cldurbliji-bpf*. 

Acharya   Vinoba  Bhave   has  also      been,     repeatedly 

Ir-lling  us  that   the  "two  ideologies  arc  irrecondUblc  and 

the    differences    bclwern    them    are    fundamental,"      On 

being  lold  lliai  Gandhism  differed  from  Communism  only 

in  its  strict  emphasis  on  non-violence,  Vlnobaji  remarted  ; 

"Two   p-Tsons    were    m   physically   alike   that   one 

coiilj   have   well    servfd   as   the   duuble   ot   the   othci 

in    a     poliiiral     fraud.        But      ibrre     was     a   dipht 

'  diSamoe;   oae  breaUtad,  the  ether  did  Bol." 

Achaiyn  Vinoba  Bhave  has  atated  sever^  time*  d^f 
"UltiBMtalj'  it  will  beCaadbiim      with      wUii% 
wis  tare  iu  tiitJ  of  sttengili.'* 


According  lo  him,  there  is  greater  similariiy  between 
Marxism  and  Capitalism  because  both  attach  great 
importance  to  material  needs  and  physical  welfare  rather 
than  to  moral  standards  and  spiritual  well-beug.  Mahatma 
Gandhi  also  regarded  Botahtvism  as  "the  necessary 
resuh  of  modem  materiaHstic  civilization"  and  stated: 
'7ii  so  far  as  it  is  based  on  violence  and  denial 
of  Cod,  il  repels  me." 

Gandhiji  alwaya  detested  ihis  "mad  race  after  money 
and  material  goods"  and  laid  great  stress  on  a  hi^M 
^Standard  of  Life'  rather  tbait  merely  a  high  standard 

Tlie  fact  of  the  matter  is  that  Sarvodaya  and  Marxism 
are  basically  dissimilar  and  any  altempt  lo  -reconcile 
them  is  bound  to  prove  futile  «nd  even  hazavdous.  To 
Gandhiji,  spiritual  vdues  were  of  the  essence  in  all 
aspect*  of  human  existence;  to  the  Marxists,  religion 
and  philosophy  are  the  "opium  of  the  poor."  Tlie  first 
word  of  religion,"  said  EngeK  "is  a  lie."  Lenin  regarded 
it  aa  "one  of  the  aapecis  of  spiritual  oppression."  The 
Marxist*  regard  hfind  as  "a  derivative  of  Mailer."  To 
them  the  conception  of  a  Soul  and  spiritual  values  ere, 
more  or  ksa,  fantastic  non-aense  and  betray  bourgeois 
mentality.  Moreover,  Gandhiji  attached  great  imporunce 
to  the  meana  and  methods  and  never  believed  in  ibc 
theory  of  ends  iuslifying  the  meana.  While  the  Mahatma 
inalated  on  Truth  and  Nan-violence  eveq  for  the  achieve- 
ment of  Indiu  Swaraj,  Lenin  thought  it  necessary  "to 
use  any  ruae,  cunning,  unlawful  method,  evasioi}, 
concealment  of  truth"  for  the  achievement  of  his 
objectives . 

"Even   though   Russia   has   many   achievpm.-nl*   In 

her   credit,"   wrote   Gondhiji    in    1942.   "her   work   will 

nni  endure  unless  her  methods  are  clean." 

Mahttmajl  was  convinced  that  permanent  good  could 

never  be  the  outcome  of  untruth  and  violence.     Writing 

in  the  Hvijim  as  laie  as  1946,  Gandhiji  observed  : 

"'Hie  Communists  seem   to  have      made      trouble- 

sbooling  their  profession.     1  have  friunda  among  them. 

r-3tr.e  oflhjm  are     bke     sons     lo  me.      Bui  it  see.-n* 

tbey   do   not    make   any   dislinclion   between    fair   and 

foul,   truth    anrl    ftiWhood.      They    deny   the   ehaige- 

But   their  reported  acts  seem  to  ausloin  it.   Moreover. 

they    seem    *o    take    their    instructions    from    Russia, 

whom  Ihey  regard  aa  their  spiritual  home  rather  than 

India.      I   cannot  eounlcnance  this  dependence  oa   an 

ouloide  power," 

While    Gandhiji    firmly   believed    in    "the    esMntial 

goodness  of  human  nature"  and  preached  the  change  of 

heuta  raihet  than  the  breaking  of  hetfds,  Stalin  was. of 

definite  view'  that  "yon  tnnot  c<mquer  the  enemy  vrith- 

oat  teammg  lo'  hate  Urn  with  all  the  power  of  your 

•OnL" 

ntnn  is  one  more  Maentfal'  Afference  between 
Sirvada^  and  Hanlsm.  To  Gandhiji,  democracy  Win 
tie  Very  basitf  of  a.  n<»L''^\'««.  »iA  %«pitA»i».  «**=! . 


44^ 


THE  MODKKN  RRVIKW  ToR  .lUNK,  IftSS 


But  lo  llw  ManutB,  dcmouacy  iu  "■  bourieois  conception 
wbkh  tbo  rerolnlionary  proletariat  riu«i  overthrow" 
(Lcnifl).  Tratikf  also  endorsed  this  view  by  aiminp 
domocracy  "u  a  wretched  and  vrorlhless  masquerade." 
It)  Lia  book,  The  Stale  and  Revolution,  Lenin  made  it 
quite  clear  that  the  Communiita  leek  "»n  opportunity 
to  enisb.  to  amuh  to  btia,  to  wipe  oS  the  face  of  the 
cutfa  the  botugeow  (tale  machinerr,  ereii  ile  republican 
variety."  While  Candhiji  advocated  the  eittabliihment 
of  a  dijccniralised  socio  economic  order  basfid  on  cottage 
Indostrialitm  and  village  cooimunily  life,  the  Marxists 
viauaUne  a  "dictatorghip  of  the  {^letariat"  founded  on  a 
hlfthly  centralised  slate  and  a  mechanised,  industrialited 
wciely.  The  ultimate  aim  of  Marxism  ia  itaid  to  be  the 
<ttab1i«hment   of   a   clasflesa   society   in   whicli   the   Slate 


Khali  "wither  away."  But,  as  PruC.  Aldous  UnW 
observes  in  hii  Ends  and  Means,  such  a  higbly  centnlM 
Stair  "may  be  imashed  by  war  or  oveitnmed  bj 
revohitioD  from  below;  there  is  not  the  smallest  teaiM 
to  (suppose  that  ii  will  wiifaer  away." 

It  ia  no  use  labouring  the  point  further.  It  '» 
clear  as  daylight  that  the  two  ideatogies  at  Saivodaya 
and  Marxism  are  funfdamenlaUy  diSeTeat  ,&om  oA 
other.  Any  attempt  to  create  confusion  of  tboo^t  at  a 
lime  when  the  two  modes  of  thiDldng  are  engaged  in  a 
lltanic  struggle  for  survia]  in  India  and  outside  is,  la 
say  the  least,  un-Candhian.  Ve  would,  therefore, 
earnestly  amwal  to  Piof.  Kumarappa  not  to  allow  hif 
personality  to  be  misused  by  any  poUtical  group  for  its 
own   ulterior   motives. 


FEDER.'VUSM  IN  THE  NEW  CONSTITirnON 

Br  IQBAL  NABAIN  SRIVASTAV.A.  m.a., 
Dept.  of  History   aifi  Political  Science,    Agnt  Cotlege 


The  nrw  Con..tilulion  of  India  is  federal  in  its  paltem. 
In  its  federalism  It  is  al  oDce  old  and  new,  orthoboi 
and  unonbodox.  It  is  old  in  so  far  as  it  adhere  to 
the  broad  principles  of  federalism.  It  is  new  in  m 
far  a«  it  marks  a  departure  not  only  from  the  exiating 
federal  constitutions  of  the  world,  nay,  from  the  theory 
of  federalism  itself.  Comparatively  speaking,  it  Is 
more  unBke  America  and  less  unlike  Canada.  Agdn. 
it  is  at  once  similar  and  different  from  the  Act  of  1935, 
which  is  according  to  some,  it*  foster-father. 

In  a  ivay  llie  ffderalisin  of  the  new  Constitution  of 
India  la  a  type  by  itself.  In  it  the  consembly-gods  have 
tried  to  combine  the  advantages  of  a  unitary  goremmeni 
during  emergencies  with  ttie  advantages  of  a  federation 
in  nomal  limes.  Our  constitution  is  miqae  in  so  fai 
a«  it  can  be  both  federal  and  unitary,  federal  in  normal 
iiii.e«  and  unitary  in  days  of  emergenry.  Federal  Coven- 
ment  ir  knoHn  to  be  a  weak  gOTemment — too  weak  to 
Ftund  emrriienrics -as  it  parcels  power  into  too  many 
bands.  In  the  view  of  a  phiktsopher  critics  allege  thai 
a  ho!i*r  divined  witliin  itself  cannot  stand,  when  the 
iwn*  descend  En  torrents  and  tbe  overwhelming  floods 
come,  when  tbe  diseennioni  within  and  the  aggrewive 
shocks  from  without  put  its  stability  to  test.  Natnrally. 
t)irrr((ir>-.  in  a  federal  system  of  goveriunenl  provision 
bus  to  be  made  to  meet  emergencies,  if  it  b  to  be  woiVed 
out  as  an  ideal  (fslem  of  govertunent.  Onr  constitution 
>cpretrnt«  one  of  tbe  most  elaborate  eSorta  to  remove 
this  weaknrsn  of  a  federal  eyatcm.  Our  constitution,  as 
already  '-lul'il.  is  such  that  it  can  be.  federal  and  unitary 
accoiding  to  cireiunstaiice»— federal  in  Dormel  timea, 
and  unitary  during  emergencies.  It  u  in  this  way  that 
our  constitviion-iuken  have  tried  to  make  up  the 
Keakness  ol  .a  federal  sysieoi  of  government  during 
energest  circumslaoce*  [hat  retjuire  quick  deciuon  sad 
*Ul/  quicker  Mctha.     Not  oa)j  thii  oui  constitutlaa  is 


not  a  federation  with  a  biaii  tuMurds  the  autoaoniy  of  tba 
uniia.  It  pride*  in  it«  prejudice  for  the  centre.  TUt 
haa  been  done  with  the  speciiic  purpo!«  of  nieetini 
emergenciea  and  emphatiaing  the  ncc<L  of  natiotul  uni'r 
and  alability  against  the  cenlrifugal  teoilencie«  oF  out 
country.  In  a  word,  our  coc^liiution  prondes  foi  a 
flexible  federation  with  a  ptonouuced  unitary  bias.  Aa'l 
this  Is  unorthodox  cnougli,   if  not  unique   in  itself. 

Aivalled  by  this  unotlliodoxy  of  out  federal  >,>.trn> 
some  critics  have  gone  lu  the  ••xlent  of  saying  that  oui 
conalltiition  U  not  federal.  To  thrm  it  it  a  unitary  sUI' 
covered  in  a  fMleral  ckiiliinii.  K,  C,  Whrarr.  f"f 
example,  is  of  opinion  that 

"Our   cflDsIitiition   e^lablisln-s   indeed   a    system  of 

):ovrrnmeni    whirh    is    ai    most    quasi -federaU      ahnoat 

d<^volutii>narv'  in    i-hararirt;       s       unitary    slate   wiA 

!>iibsidiary  federal  fi-aiures  rather  than  a  federal  "Male 

with  mbsidiary   unitary  features," 

This  estimate    of    our    federaUsm    is  baaed  oa  the 

orthodox  view  of  the  theory  of  federalism.      It  ignom 

expediency    as   a    great    pohtical   iaclor    which    most   be 

appUed  to  modify  the  precepts  of  political  theory  la  theii 

pnuAlcal  operation.     Tlie  god-fathers  of  our  consiitutioa 

bave   applied      ihis      yard-stick   in   thdr      orientation  of 

fpdTBlism, 

Theorctirally  speaking,  it  ha^  all  the  ckssic  feature 
of  a  federation.  It  enjoys  the  supremacy  of  the  conslituliun 
There  it  also  clearly  marked  distribution  of  powtn 
between  the  centre  end  the  component  uniii.  .^  federil 
iudiciary  has  also  been  established  and  it  enjoys  vital 
fic.wi-ts  ii'-  ihr  oj-todian  of  our  cunslituiion  and  the 
guardian  of  our  Fundamrniu!  Righf.  Uut  the  uniqil' 
federeUsm  of  our  ronstitntion  and  the  ^ppcial  needs 
and  situation  of  our  country  have  blinded  some  new  and 
uncommon  features  with  this  cla»UG  texture  of 
federalism.  These  feature?,  which  may  appear  to  i 
abminnul,   can   he   analysed   as   follow* ; 


FEDERALISM  IN  THE  NEW  Ct^NSTfTUTION 


M3 


(0  In  Process  of  Fmihatio.s 
Our  fedenlion  has  been  Ctnarflan  ralher  ihan 
Americui  in  ihe  mode  of  ils  foimition.  A  Mtn\  union 
can  be  formed  eilher  through  the  process  of  intcsrati«n 
or  diunlegration.  In  the  case  of  the  former  process,  il 
mar  be  formed  hy  ■  voluntary  agreement  between  a 
munber  of  sovereisn  and  iodependent  stales,  aa  in  the 
U.S.A.  In  the  case  of  the  latter  process,  the  provinces 
of  a  onilary  slate  may  be  broken  up  to  he  united  again 
into  a  federal  union.  Here  thus  we  disintegrate  in 
order  to  iDtegiate.  This  has  been  true  of  Canada 
where  the  provinces  had  no.  separate  or  independent 
ttdaUaee^  tpm  from  the  colonial  fovemment  of  Canada 
and  where  ibe  tnioD  was  not  formed  by  any  agreement 
iietwMii  them,  but  by  an  Act  of  the  British  Parliament 
i^ikli  broke  up  the  proriooet  of  Canada  to  rejoin  them 
under  a  federation.  India  also  like  Canada  had  a 
ibonntfilT  imitaiT  covatitntion,  until  the  Government  of 
I^a  Act  of  1935.  The  conatitntion  then  was  to 
eattraSaed  that  the  provincial  sorenmentt  were  merely 
the  afefita  of  the  Centnl  Goremment.  The  Act  of 
1985  prorided  for  a  federal  cmutilotiov.  At  the  Joint 
FuKuKntaTr  Committee  pat  it,  the  federal  syslem  In 
b&  waa  te  be  ■«•  up  lij  creating  aatonomeu*  units 
and  eombining  ibero  into  ■  federaiio*  by  one  and  the 
same  Act"  But  in  fact  the  Act  of  1935  did  not  succeed 
in  breakfaig  the  iron  framewnrii  of  uiitariam  in  India. 
The  fedentien  preecribed  by  Ibe  Act  of  19%  died  still 
bom.  Thoofh  f^ovindal  Antenomy  wai  practised,  it 
was  more  a  Sction  than  a  fact.  The  Centre  atill 
retained  everbearing  control  on  the  province*  through 
I  he  GovemM-General's  special  responsibilities  and  the 
GorenMr'a  power*  of  individual  judgment  antt 
discictioii,  in  the  exttcJM;  of  which  he  was  under  (he 
direct  supervision  of  the  Goveraor-Ccneral.  la  a  word, 
•■ven  under  the  Act  of  1935,  the  Provinces,  aye  not  even 
Aa  aaOn  atatee  (with  Fvameuntcy  hanging  a*  the 
hword  al  Damocles  above  their  bead)  were  aovereiga 
states  like  the  States  of  American  Union.  The  picaeat 
Union  of  India  too  is  net  the  reiult  of  any  compact 
between  Incfependent  and  antanomeiu  states.  In  faoL 
the  provinces  as  independent  nnite  had  no  part  in  the 
making  of  our  conathution.  Our  constitotion  waa 
framed  by  the  rqiceeentativca  of  the  people  of  India 
iriie  fbnned  the  Conatitimt  Assembly  and  framed  the 
federal  omsiitntion  of  India.  In  it*  formation  thoa  otu- 
Coastitmioa  reaemblea  the  cOBstitntlen  of  Canada  as 
w*!!  BB  iht  Act  of  1985  irilb  one  impoilsnt  diffrrmee  th»i 
the  latter  were  imposed  by  a  British  Statute,  while  tht 
fi.rnier  is  s^lf- imposed  !iy  the  peopip  of  our  country 
themselves. 

(ii)  Thb  Note  of  UfOFOBMirv  *ni)  Ci:hih4iism 
Tlin^ugliuui  our  (JonMilulion,  there  is  a  recurring 
note  of  imifonnity  and  centralism.  \s  ah'eady  stated, 
ihv  object  of  the  fromers  of  the  Constitution  of  India 
baa  been  to  build  a  strong  central  authority  which  may 
be  able  to  re*i»t  external  aggrewioD  and  also  to  check 
ibe  play  of  intenuil  dieraplive   forces  and  thus  aliieM 


nur  naM^rni  staled  With  this  end  in  view  a  set  of 
provisions  lo  strengthen  the  Centre  on  the  one  hand 
and  lo  secure  national  uniformity  and  solidarity  on  the 
otlier  have  ^ter.a  incorporated  in  the  tent  of  out  Consti- 
tution.    These   pmvisiona   are   tlie   following  : 

(1)  Onr  Constitution  provides  for  one  ciilzen^ip'- 
the  cilizenshiji  uf  India.  In  contrast  to  this  the  Ameri- 
can Constitution  creates  a  dual  ciiiienship.  Here  our 
constitution  is  Omadian.  This  provision  is  made  to 
■trengthen  a  hepw  of  naiinnal  unity  amons  the  Indian 
people. 

(2)  Our  Constitution  pruvides  that,  though  the 
L'nion  and  the  States  shall  have  their  own  public  services, 
tlw  state  officials  shall  tdminiater  the  Slate  as  well  ai 
the  Union  laws.  In  the  same  way.  the  members  of  the 
Union  Services,  while  working  hi  a  Stale,  will  also 
oeoole  state  law.  Article  258  of  the  Constitution  even 
provide*  for  the  delegation  of  the  Union  executive  func- 
lion*  lo  the  Stale*.  Likewise  there  will  be  no  separate 
system  of  federal  co-jrts  for  the  udminibtration  of  federal 
laws  in  our  country.  The  State  Courts  will  administet 
both  tile  State  and  Union  laws.  Thu;  our  constitution 
has  aroided  a  plear-cut  bifurcation  in  the  admininlratioii 
of  the  Union  and  the  Slates  as  in  the  U.S.A.  Il  does 
«ot  enale  ■  double  set  of  officials  snd  a  double  system 
of  courts.  -Here  our  constitution  is  unbke  Ameiica  and 
like  Canada.  Our  Constitution-makers  have  followed  the 
Canadian  model  to  avoid  unnecepstry  waste  of  money  in 
bning  double  *eta  of  administration  and  above  all  to 
create  a  sense  of  hannony  and  national  unity  betwe^ 
the  Stairs  and   the  Union   Governments. 

(3)  Then  iherc  are  certain  provisions  with  a  defi- 
nite bias  towards  centralism.  FirOly,  residuary  powers 
are  vested  with  the  Centre.  Secondly,  the  ronstilulion 
Bpecdfieally  makea  it  a  duty  of  the  States  to  execute  tho 
Union  laws  and  to  cAtcise  their  executive  povrer*  In  a 
way  as  not  lo  tnlerfeie  with  the  executive  power*  at 
the  Union.  In  this  reqtect  the  State  shall  l>e  under  the 
directions  of  the  Union.  If  a  state  fails  to  carry  out  the 
direciioiu  of  the  Union,  the  Constitution  empowers  the 
Unira  to  aupenede  the  Stale  Government  concerned. 
This  provision  of  our  Conslilutiun  re-echoes  Section  126 
of  the  Government  of  India  .^ct  1935  which  laid  down  : 

"The  executive  authority  of  ever>  prorinen  shall 
be  so  exercised  as  not  to  impede  or  prejudice  the 
exercise  of  the  executive  euihoriiy  of  the  Federation, 
and  the  executive  authority  of  the  Federation  shall 
extend  to  the  giving  of  such  directions  to  s  Province 
.1-  niii)  M|ipf,ir  to  ilic  FVdi-nl  (^'vni-iriii  to  be  necee- 
Asry    [or   llial   purpose.'' 

It  will  be  noted  here  that  thi^  pkn  kI  Union.direo- 
tives  lo  the  States  is  totally  Eorei^  to  ilie  s^rii  and 
leller  of  the  American  Constitution.  Thirdly,  the  Governor 
of  a  Province  cm  reserve  a  State  Bill,  for  the  lignifcrJ- 
tion  of  the  assent  of  ihu  President  whi.  can  even  die- 
alluK  it.  Ilrrc  again  our  Conslituiion  is  a  repBoa  of 
the  Act  of  19SS,  and  failbfQlly  follows  the  Canadian 
moikl.  Fourthly,  the  Covcinor  of  a  Stile  shall  be 
■ppoinled  by  iho  fteaideni  of  thr   Uni<in  *vA  AaO.  >m.VA. 


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THE  MODERN  REVIEW  FOR  JUNE,  1953 


office  during  the  pleasure  of  the  President.  This  provi- 
sion again  is  repugnant  to  the  constitution  o{  the  U.S.A. 
but  exists  under  the  Canadian  Constitution.  Lastly,  the 
Union  Parliament  can  assume  to  itself  the  legislative 
powers  concerning  any  subject  included  in  the  State 
list,  if  the  Council  of  States  by  a  simple  resohition  of 
two-third  of  the  members  present  and  voting  declare 
that  such  legislalioa  is  necessary  in  the  national  interests. 
Thus  even  in  normal  times  the  Union  Parliament  can 
disturb  the  distribution  of  powers  as  laid  by  the  Consti- 
tution. This  cannot  be  justified  on  the  ground  that  the 
Council  of  States  has  representatives  of  the  Slates.  In, 
our  Constitution  there  is  inequality  of  Slate  representa- 
tion in  the  Upper  Chamber.  Obviously,  therefore,  this 
provision  is  a  serious  blow  to  the  status  of  the  States 
who  are  in  fact  left  at  the  mercy  of  the  majority  in  one 
of  the  Houses  of  the  National  Legislature.  This  provi- 
sion appears  over-bearingly  prejudiced  ia  favour  of  the 
Central  Government  and  is  open  to  the  danger  o! 
being  misused.  In  our  Constitution  thus  unlike  America 
the  National  Government  can  transfer  to  itself  any  of 
the  powers  belonging  to  the  States  by  an  almost  unilate- 
ral action.  Yet  in  view  of  the  fact  that  some  of  the 
States  in  India  (particularly  the  native  states  of  the 
once  'princely  India*)  do  not  have  either  healthy  demo- 
cratic traditions  nor  well-developed  party  system,  thidi 
provisiort  has  to  be  tolerated  as  a  transitional  feature. 
But  as  our  democracy  ^ws  in  years  in  the  States,  the 
parental  guardianship  by  the  Centre  shall  become  grow- 
ingly  intolerable  as  well  as  superfluous. 

(iii)  The  Emerce.xcy  Phoviso.NS 
A  unique  thing  ai»out  our  Federal  system  is  that  it 
can  become  unitary  under  emergencies.  The  President 
Is  empowered  to  issue  a  proclamation  of  emergency.  When 
such  a  proclamation  has  been  issued,  the  power  of  the 
Union  executive  to  give  directions'  to  the  Slate  executive 
will  extend  to  any  amd  every  matter,  notwithstanding 
any  provision  in  the  Constitution.  The  legislative  power 
of  the  Union  Parliament  will  also  automatically  extend 
to  matters  in  the  State  List.  Thus  by  a  mere  scribbling 
of  the  President's  pen,  the  Federal  India  would  become 
unitary.  Thus  the  authors  of  our  Constitution  have 
imparted  to  the  federal  system  the  strength  of  a  unitary 
system  during  emergencies.  This  is  a  unique  achieve' 
ment,  nay  a  contribution  to  the  theory  of  feredalisro 
itself. 

(iv)  Unique  Di^tbibution  of  Powers 
In  the  scheme  of  the  distribution  of  powers  also  our 
Constitution  differs  from  other  constitutions  of  the  world. 
The  principle  followed  In  the  distribution  of  powers  in 
the  federal  systems  of  the  world  has  been  ''Enumeration 
aaid  Residuum.^  This  principle  hes  taken  the  foUovring 
two  shapes  in  practice : 

(i)  One   is   the   enumeration   in  a  list   of   powers 
assigned  to     the    federal     centre,     leaving  all 
powen  not  spedSed  in  the  list  (ije.  T«&d\i«vy 
powers)    to  the  federal  units. 
(iij  The  other  ia  the  enumeration  in  a-  U&l  oi  xVit 


powers  assigned  to  the  federal  units  and  leaving 
the  residue  with  the  Centre. 
In  India's  federal  scheme  under  the  new  Constitutioii, 

as  under  the  Act  of  1935,  the  principle  of  the  Statnton 
allocation  of  powers  both  to  the  Centre  and  the  Units 
through  a  system  of  'lists'  have  been  adopted.  The 
three  Usts  are  "The  Union  List,''  "The  Sute's  List," 
and  "The  Concurrent  List."  The  residuary  powers  aw 
vested  vdth   the  Union  Government. 

(y)    Unfederal   ReI'RESENTATIONS 

•'Federal  State,**  write©  Dicey,  "is  a  political 
conirivance  intended  to  reconcile  national  unity  and 
power  with  the  maintenance  of  State  rights.** 
And  so  to  cater  to  the  state  rights  and  to  gnarantce 
to  the  component  units  an  equality  of  status  in  die 
federal  family,  the  states  are  usually  granted  equafitf 
of  representation  in  the  Upper  House  of  Legisiatvc, 
irrespective  of  their  size  or  population.  This  has  bea 
true  in  America  and  Australia.  But  in  our  ConatitotisB, 
like  the  constitution  of  Canada,  there  ia  no  equality  of 
jepivaentation  to  the  Council  of  Sutes.  As  given  ia  the 
Fourth  Schedule  "the  number  of  State  represeaUtivei 
to  the  Upper  House  varies  from  X  to  SI."  Our  Uppet 
House  does  not  only  have  representatives  of  the  State  hot 
twelve  nominated  members  also.  This  make  ear 
Constitution  unfederal  in  representation  in  the  Americta 
sense  and  yet  federal  in  the  Canadian  sense. 

(vi)  Unique  Position  or  the  Piibsidknt 
Our  President  further  goes  to  make  our  ConstitutioD 
diflSer  all  the  more  from  other  federal  conatitutiotts  d 
the  worhf.  Unlike  the  Canadian  Governor,  he  is  not 
appointed  on  the  advice  of  the  Union  Ministers.  Ha 
will  be  elected  by  the  members  of  the  Union  PaiHameat, 
and  of  the  Legislative  Assemblies  of  the  States.  His 
emergency  powers  are  not  known  to  any  other  head  M 
any  federal  government  of  the  world. 

im)  Ak  Integrated  CoNSrrruTioN 
Lastly,  in  a  sense  our  constitution}  is  an  integrated 
one  by  which  the  Constitutions  of  the  Union  as  well  at 
those  of  the  States  have  been,  prescribed.  In  contrast  ts 
this,  the  'Constitution  of  the  US.A .  simply  drew  up  the 
constitution  of  the  National  Government.  The  authoci 
left  the  states  to  continue  or  preserve  their  orgini) 
constitutions  and  in  the  case  of  new  admissions  to  the 
Union  to  draw  up  their  own  constitution  by  a  conventioa. 

*The   Spates   of   the   Indian   Union,**   writes   Shi 
Ehurga    Das   Basu,   '*shall    have   no   rights   or   powers 
anterior  to  or  apart  from  this  constitution.'* 
To  sum  up,  our  Constitution  is  federal  in,  ciaeaof 

and  spirit  in  spite  of  its  pronounced  and  at  timea  otif 

hearing  unitary  bias.     Thus  it  is  wrong  to  suppose  thM 

our  Constitution  is  like  a  pyramid  which  begins  with  • 

hroad  federal  base  and  narrows  upwarda  to  erabe  iaia 

a  single  unitary  top.    In  fact,  our  Constitution  proiidBS 

£oK  a  flaxible  federal  atructwe  which  can  be  atreldMl 

or  bent  so  as  to  meet  emergenciea  without  breaking  in 

framework,      and   when   the   ein^rgcnay   baa   ptaiod»  ll 

casL  ^"^  Vms^  Vs^  \v&  iold  like  a  tree  wboaa  ca^ 


BASIC  EDUCATION  FOR  DEMOCRACY 

Bv  Phof.  PRABODH  CHANDRA  GOSWAMI,  m.*.  bt. 


Problem  op  Ba^ic  EDin:ATiON  in  the  kew  setup 
One  of  rhe  reccat  innovstions  in  the  i^ducational  worlit 
ii  Basic  rducation.  It  was  introduced  liy  Mahalma 
Candhi,  file  Father  of  the  Nation,  and  was  givEn  to  ihe 
Indian  Gmgrc^s  loi  execution  >t  the  lime  of  cetting  )ijt 
minislriee  just  after  the  constitutional  reforms  of  1935. 
At  that  lime  there  was  tnueh  critci^m  about  the  type  oC 
(ducatiuti  wbtch  created  only  slave  nieniality  and  made 
only  ijBice  aB^<^lants.  It  was  too  literary  aud  not  practi- 
caL  It  created'  un-emiiKiyment  o(  the  educated  els^s  and 
niaile  the  |>euple  vrban-mindeit.  All  the  evils  of  India 
were  attributed  to  il.  5o  Congress,  which  was  loudest 
in  rriticisind  the  old  type  of  education  in  India,  could 
DM  be  satisfied  with  it  and  jumpeil  al  the  Baeic  c<lijca- 
lion  of  Mahatma  Candhi  ;  and  since  then  different 
Congress  ministries  in  different  States  have  been  experi- 
scenting  with  ii. 

Even  then,  the  pnigresa  o(  Basic  education  in  the 
country  is  not  rapid.  It  is  rather  slow.  Slowneis  is  due 
In  a  great  extent  to  the  lofty  ideals  inherent  in  its  con- 
ception. It  is  considered  as  a  means  to  a  new  social 
order  liased  on  Truth  which  is  same  as  Love,  positively, 
and  Non-violence,  negatively.  It  is  patternett  alter  u 
ideal. whieh  is  basically  the  ideal  of  lite  and  culture  of 
Fndia  of  tbe  past  but  yet  an  ideal  wHkIi  is  not  quite  \» 
harmony  with  life  that  we  see  anound  us.  New  India  i4 
agog  with  some  sort  of  restleesness — some  yearning 
after  change — change  for  aoiite  higher  status  the  measuT' 
ing  rod  of  which  has  become  money. 

India  ■  is  astir.  There  is  movement  everywhere. 
People  are  moving  from  the  villages  to  the  towns.  They 
are  leaving  agriculture  to  become  vendora,  day-labourers, 
and  even  loaferr-.  Government  loo  is  iribving.  Innumer- 
able schemes  arc  con^ttnily  being  thrown  at  the  public  by 
the  Government  for  the  betterment  of  the  country.  New 
posts  are  being  created.  Officers  are  constantly  moving  from 
old  potta  to  new  ones.  II  they  cannot  move,  they  become 
Kelless,  rcstlessneH  causes  irretponsibility ;  irres- 
ponaibility,  inefficiency.  Undu  such  an  environment  of 
change  and  restlessness,  irresponsibility  and  ineScieacr, 
creation  uf  tome  new  Miciaj  order  where  there  is  onl) 
sefcnily  and  no  rc»(let«nes.s  ri>sponsihiliIy  and  no  diMun 
tent,  luve  and  no  fighting,  is  bound  to  be  slow  and  halting. 

Some  of  us,  even  ail  of  us,  do  not  like  this  stale  of 
aSair;!.  But  it  is  we  who  set  the  ball  rolling.  We  weie 
not  satisRed  with  the  old  order  where  there  was  no  life 
but  inertia,  no  freedom  but  oppression,  d»  p'owth  bui 
atagnation.  We  wanted  lo  build  a  new  social  order.  We 
were  uU  unanimous  about  the  nrcet»ty  oE  building  a 
new  social  order  and  if  we,  in  our  over-en  I  husiasm  lo 
build  il  in  one  parlicular  way  or  the  otlior,  do  not  create 
chaos  and  confusion  aa  some  Beclioua  of  the  followers  of 
ihat  great  Marx  teem  in  do,  we  shall  cerlainfy  see  a 
new  social  order  evolving  duriuE  our  very  life-time  ;  but 
it  wiU  not  be  the  new  social  order  as  envisaged  by  you 
ilooe  ot  me  thae,    IS  there  it  Id  bo  tteiaocracy  in  the 


country  and  if  in  democracy  we  should  allow  the  growth 
of  different  ideaK  such  a  social  order  can  never  be  the 
bocibI  order  after  a  set  pattern  of  one  group  of  sodal 
reformers  only.  Social  order  in  democracy  is  ever  in  tlie 
process  of  being  evolved,  and  it  will  ever  be  changing. 
An  edttcatboal  system  designed  to  sen  e  a  social  order  of  ai 
given  pattern  can  never  bring  in  democracy  and  at  the 
same  time  succeeil.  In  democracy  there  cannot  he  the 
imposition  of  any  mode  of  life  however  desirable  it  may 
be  for  the  time  being.  A  new  social  order  of  a  given 
patlem  cannot  be  created  and  an  educational  »)»tcni 
with  such  an  ideal  must  fail  as  the  ideal  behind  it  is  ever 
nnrealixable. 

Then,  do  we  come  to  the  conclusion  llut  Basic, 
education,  which  was  designed  as  a  means  to  a  new  social 
order  as  envisaged  by  the  Father  of  the  NaliuTi,  is  uselets; 
aitd  tbe  espenditure  of  lakhs  of  rupees  tpenl  by  the 
Covernmeni  on  Basic  education  is  a  large  national  waste? 
The  New  SociaI  Ofdix 

It  ia  said  that  the  Father  of  the  Nati<m  was  an, 
Idealist  and  even  an  anarchist.  He  wanted  the  full 
development  of  the  individual  and  lor  this  he  wanted 
complete  freedom.  But  he  cannot  hv  an  anarchist  of 
the  Western  type.  He  wis  not  an  anarchist  with  a  gun 
In  his  band  but  love  in  his  heart,  lie  was  not  out  lo 
create  conSict  but  bring  in  hatraoy  and  mutual  under- 
standing. By  the  full  development  of  the  individual  he 
understood  the  drawing  forth  of  all  that  is  divine  in  man. 
This  is  done  when  the  individual  followa  a  moral  code— 
a  code  of  dniy  based  on  truth  and  love.  Freedom  of  the 
individual  is  freedom  within  the  bounds  of  duly.  A  rieli 
man  is  only  a  trustee  and  is  not  free  to  U'e  his  wealth 
as.  he  hkcs.  A  married  man  is  not  free  to  u-e  his  wife 
for  the  satisfaction  of  his  passion.  This  freedom  is  not 
given,  not  because,  the  problem  of  problems  in  India  is 
the  problem  of  over-population — in  that  case  this  may  be 
allowed  with  contraceptive* — but  because  the  Father  of 
tbe  Nation  was  for  all  purity.  For  the  full  development 
of  the  diviiM  in  man  purity  is  an  esaential  condition.  He 
conaidered  cleanliness, — and  by  cleanhness  he  meant  llic 
oleanlinesB  of  the  body  as  well  as  of  the  mind,  inner  a« 
well  as  outer,— as  next  to  godbnese.  He  thought  that 
the  Divine  in  nian  can  grow  only  in  a  medium  of  perfect 
■rarity  ;  and  it  is  the  duty  of  liie  individual  first  of  all  lo 
prepare  luch  a  ntecBum  and  then  to  use  iiis  freedom  for 
the  full  blossoming  of  hit  divine  self. 

Fceedom  i»  ol  course  eMcnlial  and  iliere  cannot  be 
the  blossoming  of  the  individual  without  it.  But  the 
Ireeduin  ol  one  must  not  imoii  the  o|ipri.:r>ioii  of  llic 
other.  Any  form  of  oi-pretsion—Budal,  poliiiral,  or 
economic — has  no  place  in  his  echeme  of  social  order. 
InetpiaUty  of  any  form  is  nothing  but  another  name  of 
tyranny  and  o]>pre»Jon.  Unloucbobility  is  a  form  of 
social  inequality.  It  is  a'so  an  exgre«6i<l1^.  -^^  xkv&  'vki- 
tleatilioesa.  CA-nVia\vsa\wia,  v'i^^'v^'^  **>  »Ka\>Kiv&vi,  ''ijs.sJA 
individvM,\  herisna  -,  wa  ^wae  *\a  tia      's'^aR*.  Ssn.  X>.  "w-  '^ 


446 


THE  MODERN  REVIEW  FOR  JUNE,  1953 


new  social  order.  For  the  sake  of  political  decentralisation, 
he  advoc4ited  the  cause  of  panchayat  raj  and  co-operative 
commonwealth.  For  the  sake  of  economic  decentraliza- 
tion, he  advocated  the  cause  of  spinning  and  other  handi- 
crafts. If  we  only  limit  our  wants  and  passions  and  if 
wc  only  utilise  oiu:  time  properly, — spending  eight  hours 
on  spinning  and  gardening,  eight  hours  in  mental  and 
recreational  activities,  and  the  last  eight  hours  of  the  day 
in  rest  and  sleep, — it  is  possible  not  only  to  drive  out 
want  and  poverty  with  handicrafts  alone  but  also  to  lea<^ 
a  life  of  art  and  culture.  Again,  in  an  economic  order 
with  handicrafts,  everybody  will  have  to  work  with  hand 
and  brain,  and  there  will  be  no  class  distinction  between) 
manual  and  brain  workers — a  distinction  which  causes  a 
barrier  between  man  and  man. 

Besides,  the  development  of  the  individual  which  is 
the  rock  of  his  philosophy  and  which  means  the  integral 
development  of  the  personality — an  all-round  development 
of  body,  mind  and  soul — ^¥rill  be  possible  when  the 
individual  works  with  his  muscles*  thinks  with  his  brain, 
feels  with  his  heart,  and  prays  with  his  souL  In  the  new 
social  order  the  hand- worker  also  will  be  the  brain- worker 
engaged  in  comnranlty-prayer  and  sins^ng  witlb  the  mu»c 
of  the  charkha.  The  individual  will  thus  be  a  fully 
developed  individual  capable  of  malntaiiung  a  proper 
balance  between  his  physical,  mental,  and  spiritual  growth. 
Basic  Education  as  a  Mea^s  to  a  New  Social  Oboer 

Basic  educationists  consider  education  as  a  means  to 
a  new  social  order.  like  aU  educationists  in  the  world, 
they  consider  education  as  nothing  else  but  life — it  is  a 
process  of  living.  They  believe  in  a  particular  mode  of 
life  and  this  involves  a  particular  form  of  social  order  to 
which  Base  education  is  a  means.  In  Basic  education, 
they  have  given  prominence  lo  the  following  as  they 
coni^ider  these  to  be  essential  for  achieving  the  new  order : 

L  Safai :  It  means  inner  as  well  as  outer  cleanli- 
ness. It  prepares  the  mcdiimi  in  which  the  individual 
is  lo  grow.  Work  of  a  scavenger  is  a  noble  profession 
as  it  prepares  the  very  ground  for  the  DWine. 

2.  Common  kitchen  :  Freedom  is  essential  for  growth. 
Inequality  of  any  form  is  a  door  to  tyranny  and  oppres- 
sion- There  is  an  element  of  the  Divine  in  every  man. 
Untouchability  and  class  distinction  must  not  remain  evea 
when  we  take  food.  Besides,  inter-dining  breeds  a 
sense  of  cme-ness — a  sense  of  harmony  which  is  so  essen- 
tial in  a  form  of  co-operative  society. 

3.  Commonity  prayer :  It  develops  our  sense  of 
harmony.  Our  soul  expands  and  emotions  get  stimulated 
in  the  right  direction. 

4.  Spuming,  weaving,  agriculture,  and  carpentry  : 
These  are  essential  for  a  decentralised  economic  structure 
and  for  maintaining  the  proper  balance  between  manual 
and  mental  work.     Decentralised  economic  structure  prc- 

parea   the  ground  ior  self-sufficiency — self-sufficiency   of 
ihe  ittdindaal  and  the  country.  Self •snffidency  makes  \be 
ladhidnal  and   tlie  conntiy  independent  of  otherft.lii&epcAr 
dcDce  IB,  of  course,   the  core  of  the  new  •oaal  ot4«. 


5.  Correktion  in  teaching  :  Reading,  writing,  aritk- 
metic  and  other  school  subjects  are  to  be  correlated  vitk 
craft  activities.  Integral  development  of  personality  beiag 
the  aim  of  Basic  education  as  well  as  of  all  educatioiial 
systems  of  the  world,  such  correlation  is  a  very  essential 
factor  not  only  in  Basic  education  but  also  in  all  the  pro- 
gressive systems  of  education  of  the  world. 

Introduction  of  crafts  and  teaching  through  them 
will  go  a  long  way  lo  solve  the  problem  of  finance — solve 
the  'paradox'  that  arises  from  pursuing  a  policy  of  pnln- 
bition  and  thus  diminishing  incomes  from  excise  dotia 
and  a  programme  of  compulsory  primary  education  and 
thus  increasing  expenditure  on  welfare  activities.  Ve 
cannot  but  fail  to  see  how  the  missionary  schools  earn  s 
lot  from  craft  work  in  them.  Besides,  these  will  make 
our  pupils  productive  and  not  mere  book-womi8>.  It  wiH 
remove  a  great  defect  in  our  educational  system.  It 
will  make  our  pupils  village-minded   too. 

OmciSM  OF  Basic  Educatio.n  as  a  Mlans  to  the  New 

Social  Order 
Basic  education  is  a  means  to  the  social  order  tf 
envisaged  by  the  Father  of  the  Nation.  If  wc  aie 
ancere  and  have  faith  in  the  new  social  order,  we  caa 
certainly  realise  it  through  Basic  educatioii.  But  an 
we  all  sincere  and  have  faith  in  the  new  order  ?  Sa«e 
of  ns  are  not  certainly  sincere  in  our  belief  and  oertamlf 
consider  this  social  order  as  the  order  of  the  mediaev^ 
age.  Some  of  us  do  not  think  that  all  men  and  womca 
will  learn  the  art  of  self-control  and  will  thus  aohe  the 
problem  of  over-population,  nor  do  we  think  that  nwR 
and  women  have  learnt  to  limit  their  wants.  Some  of  its» 
thus,  think  large-scale  production  is  essential  to  realiie 
freedom  from  want.  If  that  is  so,  what  is  the  good  sf 
learning  spinniiife  and  weaving?  All  of  us  will  noi 
become  spinners  nor  weavers.  There  are  innnmeraUe 
occupations  besides  spinning  and  weaving  to  which  we 
want  to  fit  in.  Why  should  spinning  and  weaving  akae 
get  so  much  prominence  and  not  other  crafts  ?  Beiidei) 
cotton  can  be  spun  and  woven  in  the  mills  and  that  toe 
quickly.  So  where  is  the  place  of  hand-spinning  wai 
weaving  ? 

If  these  views  are  sincerely  held  by  a  section  of  Ae 
pubtic,  then  the  introduction  of  Banc  education  for  At 
creation  of  a  new  social  order  is  an  imposition  hy  At 
State.  Let  those  social  reformers  who  believe  in  the  lev 
social  order  work  for  it  but  at  the  same  time  othen  atfl 
also  have  the  same  freedom.  Different  people  will  wiA 
differently  and  a  social  order  will  be  evolving,  where  evtiT 
body^s  aims  and  aspirations  inll  get  some  eTprcaglii 
Such  evolution  is  an  essential  feature  of  democracy.  IVi 
why  should  the  State  choose  only  one  mode  of  Ble  ill 
discard  others  ?  Will  it  not  be  an  impoution  of  Roirftf 
type  which  some  of  us  are  so  loud  to  condemn  ?  WIv 
call  it  democracy  ?  It  is  out  and  out  autocracy  rf  > 
^EH)^^^ — «L  ^arty. 


\ 


I 


BASIC  EDUCATION  FOR  DKMOCRACY 


44? 


it  ion  iroM  all  sections  of  the  coinmtinity.  The  next 
a  different  party  with  a  different  conception  of  social 
'  gets  into  power,  it  will  be  discarded  without  mercy, 
nditure  on  Basic  education  will  be  national  waste. 

DemocraIcy  and  Basic  Educatiom 
Ekiucation  is  Hfe  and  life  is  education.  Life  is  a 
opment  of  everything  that  is  in  the  man  to  be.  But 
can  develop  only  in  stages  and  in  sequences.  A 
grows  to  a  seedling  and  a  seedling  to  a  tree.  A 
blossoms  and  produces  fruits.  A  child  grows  to  an 
scent  and  adolescent  to  an  adult.  An  adult  manies 
preserves  the  race.  Stages  are  there  as  surely  as 
he  sequences.  Proper  food  and  drink  are  essential 
he  growth  of  a  child  as  these  are  necessary  for  the 
th  of  a  tree.  A  child  has  a  mind  and  it  requires 
il  food.  A  child  has  a^rsonality  and  it  requires  a 
1  environment.  A  tree  cannot  ^ow  in  a  shady 
I  and  even  if  it  can  grow,  it  will  not  grow  to  its 
shape.  A  child  cannot  get  its  personality  developed 
society  where  there  are  too  many  taboos  and  dicta- 
A  society  where  every  individual  Is  allovred  to  grow 
s  own  way  is  a  democratic  society, 
^t  a  society  cannot  grow  outside  ourselves,  as  we 
ot  grow  outside  it.  The  relationship  between  the 
idual  and  the  society  is  mutual ;  they  act  and  react 
>n  the  other.  The  individual  gro«i^  into  a  tyrant ; 
lemocracy  vanishes;  the  growth  of  an  individual  be- 
8  a  myth. 

rhe  society  is  an  organism  as  surely  as  the  man  is. 
living  cells  In  man  grow  and  they  grow  in  mutual 
onship  to  one  another.  The  better  is  the  mutual 
onship,  the  better  is  the  growth  of  the  cells  and  the 
lism.  When  the  mutual  relationship  is  broken,  the 
lism  dies  and  with  it  the  cells.  Similarly,  the  belter 
*  growth  of  the  individuals,  the  better  is  the  fprowth 
le  society  in  which  they  live.  The  growth  of  doc- 
im  and  no  mutual  adjustment  are  sure  to  bring  an 
to  democracy  as  a  cancerous  growth  of  a  cell  brings 
id  to  the  individual.  Thus,  the  basis  of  democrAoy 
iitual  adjustment  and  mutual  toleration. 
3ut  what  is  the  bone  of  contention  in  democracy  ? 
do  we  so  often  fall  out  and  break  each  other^s  head  ? 

are  the  problems  about  which  all  of  us  are  interest- 
id  so  are  to  quarrel  about  ?  These  are  the  problems 
K>d,  cloth  and  shelter.  These  are  the  fundamental 
s.  These  problems  become  easy  of  solution  if  all  of 
xe  fully  acquainted  with  them.  The  prftnary  Te- 
le of  coming  to  an  agreement  is  knowledge.  Know- 
)  will  give  us  proper  understanding  and  mental  4d- 
lent  which  will  make  the  basis  of  democracy  secure. 
So  if  we  are  de«rous  of  making  the  basis  of  demo- 
r  strong  and  stable,  it  is  essential  that  everybody  has 
or  understanding  of  the  vital  problems  round  about 

cfeth,  and  shelter.  A  great  many  persons  are 
Sed^  in  occupations  rounci  about  these..  £ven  the 
Mtion  of  a  railway  drirer,  or  a  painter  can  be  Hoked" 
e  activities  about  fooo,  cloth  and  shelter  Jb^canici  vli 
re  a  dnver  to  more  food  mm  one  plioe  to  anqthir. 


W  U  -^  J 


■^411     u;,i 


and  a  painter  to  beautifully  paint  on  the  walls  of  our 
houses.  The  first  picture  in  the  history  of  man  was  drawn 
in  a  cave  ¥rhere  he  used  to  live  in.  Thus  if  we  under- 
stand properly  the  social  «gnificance  of  the  activities 
round  about  food,  cloth  and  shelter,  we  can  understand 
the  sQioal  significance  of  other  activities  as  well  and  miter 
more  intimately  mto  the  ideals  bdiind  our  social  life  and 
culture.  If  we  understand  the  problem  of  food  in  Japan, 
we  understand  the  conflict  between  the  yellow  and  the 
white  in  Australia.  If  we  understand  the  dependence  of 
IndiiB  agriculture  on  the  vagaries  of  Nature,  we  under- 
stand the  fatalistic  outlook  of  the  Indians.  If  wo  un- 
derstand the  problem  of  acute  poverty  in  Russia  before 
and  Immediately  after  the  revolution,  we  understand  the 
rise  of  Dictatorship  in  the  land  of  white  bears.  In  short, 
an  nnderatanding  of  most  of  the  problems  of  the  day  depends 
on  our  understanding  of  the  life  about  our  most  funda- 
mental wants.  The  basis  of  world  peace  rests  on  such 
understanding.  The  basis  of  world  peace  is  the  basis  of 
world  democracy.  Autocracy  establishes  itself  only 
through  chaos  and  anaidiy. 

The  educatioii  which  provides  such  a  basis  of  un- 
derstanding may  rightly  be  called  Basic  Education  ;  for 
it  gives  «  basis  on,  which  democracy  can  be  built.  It 
gives  a  basis  for  the  growth  of  personality  too,  as  only 
in  democracy  a  man's  personality  can  grow.  Without 
democracy  life  is  no  life  for  there  is  no  development  ; 
without  some  sort  of  Basic  education  democracy  is  short- 
lived lor  there  is  no  mutual  adjustment.  So  if  we  want 
to  live  and  live  in  democracy,  Basic  education  of  some 
sort  must  be  tlic  education  for  all.  Sooner  it  is  provided 
better  it  is  for  die  country. 
EtBiNTUl  FiKATURE^  OP  Basic  EdXicatioh  for  Democracy 

The  most  essential  features  of  Basic  education  foH 
democracy  are  the  basic  crafts  {Le^  agrioulture,  spinning 
and  weaving,  and  carpentry  >  and  teaching  through  these 
crista  during  the  stage  of  compulsory  education.  We 
shall  have  to  teach  children  passing  through  the  stage  of 
compidsory  education,  Le^  between  the  years  6  and  12, 
through  actiTities ;  for  during  this  period  they  past 
through  a  stage  of  development  during  i^ich  they  can- 
not ak  in  the  class  room  and  listen  to  a  teacher  but  dur- 
ing wiiieh  tbey  want  some  activity  to  be  engaged  in.  A 
child  can  of  course  be  disciplined  with  a  rod  and  compelled 
to  sit  in  the  room  but  he  cannot  be  disciplined  to  learn. 
If  we  attempt  to  teach  children  at  this  stage  through 
lectures  and  not  through  some  activity,  they  are  bound  to 
be  falli^es  and  wastage  as  these  are  already  in  our  pre- 
sent-day schools. 

All  edncatSonistf  throughout  the  world  know  this. 
Pirojecl  method  in  America  and  C^ompte^  method  in 
Rnasia  are  based  oh  dds  pr^ciple.  Americans  andl 
Russians  agree  at  Ic^^  on  this  point,  however  tliey  may 
diikt  ma  others!  Main  methods  of  educa|i<m  in  both  the 
oimittxiea  are  liase^  pn  the  principle  known  as  education' 
thrpiigh  ietf^ty.    Qnr  "Btiiic,  educatioh  U  sIm^  v^M&ua^ 


•  i[\    lU    '^■ 


\V 


44S 


TltE  MODERN  RKVIKW  FOR  JUNE,  1953 


Boiic  educRlion  ihere  is  such  wlrclioR.  In  the  Bimb 
eduralion  for  rlie  new  aociil  order,  emphasis  is  given 
mainly  on  one  aclivilir,  i.e.,  spinning.  For  ihe  sake  of 
giTing  variety  and  more  ibormigh  underslindinB  of  the 
diflercnl  ■s]>ecls  of  our  social  pioblems,  in  Basic  education 
for  demmracy,  empha;i»r  is  given  on  three  activities,  i.e, 
Rpianlnfi.  gardening,  and  building.  When  activities  we 
selected,  and  are  limited  to  «  few,  problems  of  organiu- 
tion,  administration,  and  finance  alto  become  easy. 

It  is  to  he  clearly  umlerstood  that  we  do  not  intro- 
duce, agrirullurr,  spinning,  and  carpentry  in  our  school* 
to  make  our  pupils  farmers,  spinners  and  carpeuten. 
They  wiM  fit  into  different  occupations  found  in  society 
•nd  will  learn  ihes-j  according  to  their  liking  and  special 
aptitude.  Provision  must  Iw  made  for  such  training  but 
this  is  morr  a  problem  of  seronilary  and  technical  edu- 
cation liian  ihat  ,.f  primary  education.  The  inlroiluctioB 
of  the  crafts  dneg  not  mean  thai  a  child  i,  to  learn  less 
of  language,  literature,  mathematics  and  other  school 
*ub,rc1s.  The  aim  is  rather  to  leacli  more  of  these  and 
children.     We  have  selected 


tliete  crafLs  because  these  a 
I  then 


ilheb 


of  society 


n  our  children  will  leam  about  all  the 
basic  problems  of  the  day.  understand  the  social  signi- 
ficance of  our  activities  and  thus  enter  into  our  ideds  and 
culture  more  intimately.  Be»ide^  practice  in  these  will 
make  ihem  nwre  productive,  will  give  the  necesJary 
training  ro  their  hands  and  fingers  which  will  serve  them 
Uter  in  cue  they  become  expert  locbniciaas.  Before 
one  leam*  to  handle  ■  delicue  machinery,  OBe  should 
liave  proper  skill  of  hi-  fingers.  The  stage  of  romping  can 
come  only  after  the  stage  of  crawling.  So  even  for  thow 
wiio  want  to  build  our  econoisk  structure  on  large-ieale 
production,  Basic  education  U  not  useles«  if  they  have 
only   faith  in  democracy. 

Education  lor  dcinucracy  is  not  a  new  concept. 
Prof.  Dewey  hss  written  volumes  on  this,  and  haa  set 
up  inaliluiiong  for  this.  But  whereas  Prof.  Dewey  ia 
sKghtly  vague  about  the  activities  to  be  inirodvced,  we 
are  not  so.  Besides,  he  has  not  also  pushed  so  far  in 
his  metliod  the  idea  of  education  through  activity  as 
we  have  done  in  ours.  In  tbese  respects  Basic  educa- 
tion i.f  our  cont^epiion  is  even  a  step  ahead  of  that  takei% 
by  Prof.  Dewey. 

Basic  Education  toh  Deuocracv  *)nd  for  the 

New  Social  OitDEn 
Education  through  crafts  features  in  Basic  education 
for  deiuortaiy  a-i  well  as  for  the  new  social  order.  Id 
hoth,^  rralt.  arc  consUl.-icd  t.i  l.u  tlu;  moai  importatil 
activities  through  which  all  other  stbool  lubjecis  »ip  to 
he  taught.  Besidrs  craft  activities,  there  are  other  im- 
portani  fi-aiures  in  the  Basic  education  (or  the  new 
widal  otdrr.  f^.,  Safai.  lomm.m  kitchm  and  coiiiiiiuiiity 
prayer.  Bui  Safai  i;  even  now  an  important  tl.ing  that 
Wf  warn  to  see  in  all  our  «-hook  Safai  «ill  always  b-; 
riere,  oely  it  need  not  ftave  any  moral  Bignificanco  in  the 
«..«i^  .^ar^tioa  for  t/em«or«cy.  .Smilotly.  »llh<iutt\v 
<"c  ,Bd„-„ging  wlU  be  thtn,  riwM  need  not  U  1«  &a 


form  of  prayers.  Similarly,  opportunities  for  inlS' 
dining  will  arise  even  in  our  Basic  schoola.  Win 
vegetables  will  he  grown  in  the  school  fieUs,  pupils  wiB 
naturally  like  to  have  occasional  picnics  with  theit  an 
products.  But  we  need  not  insist  on  common  Utdiea 
a»  the  most  important  |iart  of  Basic  education,  and  thni 
convert  all  our  schools  to  residential  ooea  which  is  aa 
impoHHtble  proposition  uniler  ihe  present  conditions  of 
financial  stringency. 

Thu.s  Basic  eilucaliou  for  democracy,  provide*  all  tbt 
imriortani  features  of  Basic  education  for  the  new  Mcial 
order.  One  may  be  used  as  ■  step  to  th«  other;  hot 
yet  may  not  lie  adjunct  to  it.  Essential  features  will  be 
the  same  in  Ixith,  the  difference  will  be  only  in  lc«tf 
emphasii  on  ideals  in  one  than  in  the  other. 

When  that  is  the  ca^e,  the  progress  of  Basic  educatioa 
will  lie  rapid  for  we  shall  face  less  opposition  from  the 
teachers  and  the  public.  If  we  do  not  over-emphaBM 
the  programme  oi  inter-dining,  no  opposition  need  cobm 
from  those  nho  do  not  like  such  practice  on  grounds  of 
religion  and  custom.  If  we  do  not  make  our  educatioul 
system  adjunct  to  any  mode  of  life,  there  need  noi  be 
anv  op|H>r^iti(>n  irom  tlw-'^c  wlin  arc  not  in  tone  with  cbc 
I'hilusophy  of  Gandhiji.  If  we  du  not  stigmatise  tb< 
old  teachers  as  no  good  (or  Basic  education  and  as  hat 
ing  no  revoluliriiury  outlook,  we  need  not  be  dcpriird 
of  their  help  and  co  iiprralion.  What  wa  shall  require  dI 
iliein  iH  only  a  slight  thangc  in  their  edaratlonal  practice,  ^ 
They  wrro  formerly  leaching  Arilhmelio  with  slicks  and 
bead*,  iu»v  tlicy  will  lie  required  to  teach  through  sltven 
and  srrdlingi.  This  U  not  a  fundamental  change  even 
in  melliod  ;  it  ih  only  u  change  iu  material. 

The  work  for  the  Government  will  be  easy  ;  for 
Hiiat  »ill  he  required  ut  them  is  only  the  introduction  of 
the  Basic  ctaft&  in  all  our  school*  in  the  first  stage  and 
ti-aclung  through  thev  crafts  in  the  second  stage.  The 
wliolff  problem  of  educaliunal  reconstruction  in  the 
lirimarj  slagi:  may  thu>i  he  given  in  a  succinct  phrss! 
"From  cilucalion-cum-crort  to  education  ihnu^  craft." 
Thus  there  will  not  he  any  confusion  about  Bina 
education  and  all  irrc'pon.Elble  talk  about  it  will  slop. 
People  will  nil  longer  talk  of  two  types  of  education— one 
fur  the  children  of  the  peasants  and  the  other  (or  the 
children  of  the  minislers.  Administration  will  be  an 
easy  juK  for  no  more  abstract  ideals  will  be  allached  ti 


t  i>ul 


?  things  will  be  given  lor  e^tetO' 
s  will  be  smooth  as  the  (cachrn 
altogether  different  method  in 
miy   a   new     material   with  his 
ore  harmony  and  underslandin; 
group*  of   teachers   will  nol 
Biiciol  workers  and  diScr- 


will  be  asked  not  to  learn  a 
ulucalion  hut  to  handle  o 
old  l<>ol.  There  wiU  be  n 
.  among  all  teachers  as  or 
r»nsi<ler  iherasehes  ai  vlfle*' 
ent   from  others. 

In  such  an  nimi-sphere  of  harmony  and  no  opposition, 
the  fulurc  of  Basic  education   and   wilh  it   the  future  of    | 
democracy  in  the  world,     cannot  hut  be  quick,  sure  and    , 
stable.     If  democracy  is  our  aim,  then,  there  is  no  donbl 
l\ia\  n^tv^tuce  in  Ba-ic  education  U  a  good  iove«tiwil    I 


TH£UJ«/>. 

A  Better  Lei^iie  o£  Pbfttotu  7 

Bt  Dr.  G.  p.  SRIVASTAVA,  k.a.,  llj.,  Ph.D.  o.p.v..  b.t.  a.  ft  l>.. 

'  pfople*.   to   the   eHiQuutioii   of   lynumr  snd  (Imry. 

opproMion  and  kMolerance.     We  irill  Welcome  thoUL 

as  thcj  mif  cbooae  to  mioe,  into  «  world  familr  ot 

Democratic  Natloni.*" 

But  the  detail*  of  the  machinery  ud  working  ol  the 

new  worU  organiulion  were  thruhed  onl  and  completed 

at  the  Dambuton  Oaka  Conference  ia  October,  19U  aiu) 

its  charter  waa  finallr  ugiied    at  San  FraaciKo  on  June 

36,  1946. 

The  U.N. O.  la  an  improveinem  ovei  its  predeceuos 
both  in  respect  of  iti  orguuMttoo  and  tunctlMU.  The 
Leagve  of  Nations  had  as  it*  aim  the  promotion  ol  inter- 
niTii^i'  peace  and  securitr.*  But  the  purposes  of  the 
estabiiahmcnt  of  the  U.N-0.  are  set  forth  in  Article  ) 
of  the  United  Nsitims  Charter,  The?  are :  to  maintain 
intematiciial  peace  and  secoritj,  to  tikevelop  friead^ 
relationa  among  nation*  based  on  the  principle*  of  equa- 
litr  and  lelf-determiBation  of  people*,  to  achieve  inter- 
national  co-operation  in  •ohing  international  problems  ol 
eotawmic,  social,  cultural  or  humanitarian  nature  and    U 


i*  a-popnlw  b^ief  ll>*>  ^  U.N.O.|  1*  a  new 

of  the  Ireagne  of  Nation*  which  wa*  started  aftei 
It  WorU  War.  It  is.  thoefore,  thought  that  ti  1* 
ter  than  the  Lngne  and  that  it  mu*t  go  the  wa; 
:  organisation.  In  fact,  same  prophets  of  pean- 
ire  never  tired  of  repeating  that  sooner  or  later  it 
oeet  it*  inevitable  doom.  There  i*  no  doubt  that 
N.O.  i*  not  «  perfect  mecbanitm  and  there  are 
tns  shortcomings  in  it  but  that  does  not  wonuit 
ief  that  there  are  no  virtue*  in  it. 

the  League  was  based  on  Wilsonian  idealiun  the 
I.  is  based  on  the  practical  realiBio  of  the  late 
9it  Roosevelt  of  the  U.S.A.  and  the  British  Prime 
n,     Mr.  Winston     ChuichilL    The  germ     ol  the 

of  Nations  is  found  in  the  fourteen  points  of 
nt  Wilson  which  be  enunciated  during  the  coarse 

first  world  war.  Ther  were  prceented  by  him  to 
igress  on  January  8, 1918  in  an  address  to  that  body 
rated  the  basis  of  the  negotiation*  for  the  peac« 
ent  of  1919.  Hie  fourteenth  point  ran  tbtu :  "A 
I  association  of  nalioos  must  be  formed  undu 
;  covenants  for  the  purpose  of  affording  nninal 
tees  of  political  independence  and  territorial  Inte- 
o,  great  and  small  state*  alfhe.'"  These  ptunts  of 
,  were  also  based  on  what  is  commonly  knOwn  ai 
tindple  of  self-determination  of  naiiona.  These 
lunding  ideals  were  no  doubt  discarded  by  the 
lakers  and  the  new  world  organisation  was  tied  to 
iace  settlement  of  1919  which  proved  unfortunate 
my  ways.  Bnt  the  U.N.O.  is  based  on  the 
c  Charter     signed  by     President  Rooseveh     and 

Minister  Churchill  on  August  14,  1940  on  the 
««*  five  yean  before  Japan  signed  the  armistice 
H  United  Nations  Declaration  signed  on  January, 
!  by  26  nation*  which  formed  the  wartime  eoaUtian 
[  the  axi*  power*  and  vrfiich  intudentally  formed 
iclevs  of  ttie  new  world  organisation,  the  need  far 

pBtabljghHient  wa*  recognized  by  the  Foreign 
en  of   Ihe     United  Slates     Great   Britain  and  the 

Union  when  they  met  in  a  ronterence  ol  Moscow 
October    19    to  OclobBf  30.    1913.     In   the  commu. 

which  was  releaseil  by  ihera  on  November  1,  19« 
Icclared  that 

"They  reraenire  the  necesaiir  of     eslahli^liins:  at 

earliest  praclitable  date  a  general  iniemBtiunal 
inUstion.  based  nn  xhe  prlnd|>]e  ni  ihe  savereigiv 
aliiy  ot  all  rpace-loving  siiate*,  anil  open  lo  mem. 
■hip,  by  alt  such  slate*,  larne  and  sijiall,  fnr  ihr 
ntensnce  of  intenisiional  peace  and  security.'" 
le  communique  of  the  Teherna  Conference  whirh 
Itrnded   by   the   big    three   slslpamm   of   Ihe   viorld 

on  December  1,   19M  also  declarivl  ; 

"We  shall  wek  the  co-operation  and  active  narti- 
ition  of  all  tialinna,  largf  and  minll,  whose  peopli^ 

heart  and  mind  are  dedicated,     a»  are  our  ovra 

r.    8.    Suuiulu  1      fade    DaanHHU 


hanBoiiise  the  actioas  of    nations  in  the    attainment  af 
these  objecta. 

The  League  of  Nation*  bad  three  principal  organs 
tu,  an  assembly,  a  council  and  a  secretariat  which  wet* 
mentioned  >>  Article  2  of  the  Covenant.  But,  bcudes 
these,  there  were  two  other  world  orgaiii*ation*  which 
wve  attached  to  the  League,  tu.,  the  Permanent  Court 
of  Inteoiatianal  Justice  which  was  provided  for  in 
Article  14  of  the  League  Covenant  and  the  lotemaiioiuj 
Labonr  Organisalion.  But  the  UJf.O,  baa  not  only  a 
Cmeral  Assembly,  a  Security  Council  and  a  Secretariati 
but  also  an  J.:<<<iii>ii<i<  uikI  Social  Council,  a  Trusteeship 
Coum-il  Bnu  t!u'  l.'riJi''<l  Vations  Educational  Sdenti&o 
and  Cultural  Organiulion.  The  Tmateeship  Council  aad 
the  U.N.E.SX.O.  are  not  entity  new  orgaiuBatMn& 
Thp  &rst  has  teplaccJ  the  Penaaneot  Mandates  Com- 
mission  and  the  second  han  been  tubatituled  fw  the  Com 
miitec  on  InicikcTual  <i!o.operati(m  of  the  League  of 
Nations.  Bui  the  Economic  and  Social  Council 
is  an  entirely  new  orgaiiiBatian.  Ii  has  beest 
created  with  a  view  to  promoting  the  economic  and 
social  bellerinent  of  ilie  people  residing  wilhin  the  lem. 
tonal  jurisdiction  of  the  variouo  member  slale»,  li  was 
realised  at  tlie  timn  of  the  formation  of  the  new  world 
organisation  that  its  aim,  viz^  ihc  establishment  ol 
InteraatJonal  peace  and  «ecurity  cannot  be  achieved 
without  removing  economic  and  Mitial  causes.  Thus 
ihc  U.N.O.  has  gone  one  step  further  ihan  the  League 
of  Nations.  It  aims  al  preparing  a  more  solid  gro-jnd  on 
which  the  new  structure  of  world  government  is  based. 
Funhetmore,  ihe  U.N.E.S.C.O.,  which  is  an  amplified 
and  improved  form  of  the  Commiiiee  on  Intellectual 
Co-operation  of  the  League  of  Nations,  aims  at  creating  • 


4S0 


THE  MODERN  REVIEW  f  OR  JUNE,  1963 


pi^dM^oglcal  Udi  for  woild  peace.  It  aliiu  u  buiHint 
a  defence  as&iiitt  derasUtjiig  wirt  In  the  minda  of  men. 

The  iMgne  of  Ffatlcuu  ituled  with  tome  budkapR. 
tiM  i«rr  conBtiT  whow  Pralclent  bad  taken  the  iultiBtivc 
for  the  formation  of  the  League  did  not  jidn  it  Pieeldent 
Wllaon  *u  Ttny  keen  to  Join  ibe  Leagne  bnt  the  U-S.A. 
Coanitntion  providet  thai  the  Prendent  ihall  enter  inta 
treatiM  with  foreign  countries  with  the  advice  and 
Mnwnt  of  the  Senate'.  The  Senate  did  not  want  American, 
participalion  in  European  affairs  as  after  the  war  the 
U.S.A.  reverted  to  the  poUcj  of  isolation  towards  Enrope. 
Therefore,  the  Senate,  or  to  be  more  exact  the 
'Irreconcilable'  Senators  under  the  leadership  of  Henry 
Cabot  Lodge,  laid  down  their  own  conditions  for  joining 
the  League.  Those  conditions  were  not  acceptable  «ven 
to  Preaidenl  Wilson.  Naturally  they  could  not  be 
acceptable  to  the  other  allies  of  the  U.S.A.  The  resuh 
was  that  the  U.S.A.  signed  a  separate  peace  with  the 
defeated  central  Powers  and  she  did  not  join  die  League 
of  Nations.  Odier  important  countries  outside  the  Leagne 
frere  Germany  which  joined  it  in  1926  and  the  U.S.S.R. 
iriiich  joined  it  in  1934,  This  time  atl  the  sponson  of  the 
idea  of  the  U.N.O.  are  its  members.  It  is  fortnnate 
in  keeping  within  its  fold  the  leaders  of  the  two  power. 
iioea,  the  U.S.A.  and  the  U.S.S.R. 

The  League  Covenant  prorided  for  voluntary  with, 
drawal  of  membership.  According  to  Article  1  of  the 
Covenant,  any  member  could  withdraw  from  the  League 
after  a  two  years'  notice.  But  the  U.N.  Charter  does 
not  provide  for  withdrawal  of  members.  It  can,  there- 
fore, be  argned  that  kgslly  a  withdrawal  is  not  potrible, 
ahhougji  it  is  difficult  to  predict  as  to  what  action  the 
U.N.O.  would  take  if  a  counirr  withdraws  its  member- 
diip.  Recently,  South  Africa  threatened  to  sever  her 
icomection  with  the  U.N.O.  but  after  a  temporary 
iMycoit  of  the  General  Assembfy  she  resumed  her  seat 
in  it.  It  should  also  be  noted  here  that  at  present  the 
U.N.O.  is  not  in  a  position  to  force  any  member  to 
remain  within  its  fold. 

Both  the  Cenrrsl  Assembly  and  the  Council  of  thf 
League  acted  on  the  unanimily  rule.  If  a  decision  v.a*. 
arrived  at  by  simple  majority  it  was  not  binding.  No 
donbt,  there  were  some  exceptions,  a«  for  elample,  in 
matters  of  procedure  only  a  simple  majority  was 
required.  Moreover,  the  Asaemhiy  could  admit  3  new 
member  by  a  two-thirds  majority  and  amend  the  Covenant 
of  ihe  League  by  a  bare  majority.  But  no  amendment 
would  be  valid  until  it  has  been  ratified  by  alt  llie 
mpmbeiH  of  ihr  Council  and  a  mo.'ority.  of  ibe  members 
of  the  League.  The  U.N.O.  has  discarded  the  principle 
of  unanimily  of  all  members  a?  it  h  difficult  to  atlain. 
It  has,  therefore,  substituted  it  by  the  unanimity  of  the 
ftig  five  which  was  arrived  at  between  the  big  three 
atotesmen  of  the  world  at  ibe  Yalta  Conference  which  met 
in  Crimea  from  February  4  to  February  11,  1945  and 
rhlch  is  papahTJy  known  u  the  big  Eve  veto. 

AirkU  11.  SetUaa  t. 


Uodtt  the  League  unctioiis  were  primarily  ( 
which  mean*  that  In  the  firat  lutance  only  trade  and 
commercial  inlanonrte  with  the  aggieaSor  cenntiy  wooU 
he  itopped  and  miBtary  laoctlou  would  be  applied  lata 


The  aanctioiu  tmder  the  U.N.O.  are  abo  priaiarily 
economic  bnt  if  the  Security  Council  feels  that  they  would 
be  inadequate,  It  may  take  neb  action  by  air,  sea  « 
land  forces  as  it  considers  necessary.  In  such  an  evea- 
tuaUty  it  may  call  upon  the  member  slates  to  coniribnls 
military  forces.  For  this  purpose  it  has  been  pnmded 
with  the  expert  assistance  of  a  Military  Stafi  Committee. 
Without  entering  into  the  merits  of  the  question  it 
may  be  asserted  that  the  action  of  ihe  U.N.O.  in  coming 
to  the  military  help  of  South  Korea  when  she  became  an 
object  of  aggression  of  North  Korea  on  June  25,  I960 
constitutes  a  landmark  in  the  history  of  International 
Organiution.  It  is  the  first  instance  of  a  world  orgnniaa- 
tjen  using  force  to  fight  aggression.  No  doubt,  it  was 
poauble  because  ihe  U.S.A.  was  interested  in  it.  But 
the  U.N.O.  failed  to  act  in  a  stmibr  case  m  Kaohmir 
where  Pakistan  committed  an  act  of  aggression  agafnal 
bidia. 

Moreover,  recently  an  attempt  has  been  made  by  some 
powers  under  the  leadership  of  the  U.S.A.  to  provida 
thai  tn  case  -  the  Security  Council  which  is  primarilr 
responsible  for  the  mauilenance  of  peace  and  prerentioB 
of  aggression  is  paralyted  by  tbe  exercise  of  the  *et« 
power  and  is  ptevented  from  taking  action,  the  General 
Aasemhly  should  be  called  inio  sesdon  at  twentr-foor 
hours'  notice  to  discuss  tbe  matter  and  take  suitabia 
effective  action.  Sudi  an  emergency  aession  of  the 
General  Assembly  wo>n]d  be  caUed  if  the  Security  Council 
so  decides  by  a  majority  of  seven  voles.  Tbe  FV>IiticaI 
Committee  of  the  United  Nations  passed  a  reaoluton  to 
this  effect  on  October  18,  1950.  Thereupon,  the  General 
Assembly  set  op  a  CoUeclive  Measures  Committee  to 
amdy  the  measntes  which  would  be  taken  inchiding  the 
oantrihntion  of  armed  forces  of  tito  various  membs 
autes  and  to  submit  its  report  to  the  sixth  session  of  the 
General  Assembly  held  at  Paris  at  the  end  of  ihe  last 
year.  Consequently,  the  Political  Commillee  passed  a 
resohilion  sponsored  by  eleven  members  under  the  leader- 
ship  of  the  U.S.A.  on  January  8,  1952  at  Paris  calling 
on  the  member  states  to  help  in  the  formation  of  a 
'ahadow  army'  which  would  be  ready  lo  fighl  aggresuoq 
in   any   pan   of  the   world.     The   resolution   slates: 

"£ach  should     lake     such     further     action   as  \i 

necessary  10  maintain  within,  lis  national  armed  forces 

elements  so  trained,  organised  and  equipped  that  they 

oould   promptly  be  made  available  in  accordance  with 

its   const ituliooal    processes,   for   services   as  a    United 

Nations  Unit  or  Units." 

But  what  is  regrettable  is  that  this  decision  was  not 

arrived    at    unanimously    due   to    the    fact    that    there   ia 

cunsideidble    misunderstanding    he)  ween    I  lie    two    power. 

blocs  represented  in   the      U.N.O.,      one  of  which  b 

a.    hi\krt(  U  st  libi  CniuM  t\  At  Umm  >V  HMmu, 


tbb:  d.  n.  o. 


at 


nentlf  in  the  ninoritT  and  whicli  hat  nerj  leaioii 
ink  that  the  new  move  is  directed  agtliut  he*.  The 
ubment  o[  in  interaalional  Mimy.n  ibe  reaponubility 
B  Security  Council  ander  Article  43  «f  the  United 
nil  Chaiter.  But  Mr.  Faster  DuIIm,  the  U.S. 
Meniative  at  the  fifth  wutoo  of  the  CeneTil  Amembly, 
ked: 

"The  SecnritT  Council  ahould,  of  cgmse.  have  its 
ittce  to  exerdw  it*  primary  reipoiuibiliiy  to 
ernalional  peac«  and  accuritx.  But  if  it  tsib  then 
!  General  Assembly  has  a  duly  promptly  to  conudei 
)  aituatioa."  , 

be  League  could  not  take  the  initiative  in  any 
r.  It  could  not  discuu  any  matter  unleu  it  was 
ht  befote  it  by  a  member.  But  the  Security  Council 
Itelf  take  the  initiative.  In  fact,  it  is  the  duty 
e  Secretary  General  to  bring  any  matter  to  tbo 
h»  of  the  Security  Council  if  he  thinks  that  it  i> 

to  threaten  international  peace  and  gecnrity'. 
rom  the  above  it  sfaould  not  be  inferred  thai  the 
0.  cannot  be  further  improved.  In  fact,  it  can 
a*  a  real  instrument  of  world  peace  if  the  foUowing 
u  are  effected  in  ita  oganisatim  and  working, 
imly,  it  should  be  global  and  not  hemiapherical. 
Meat  the  question  of  the  admisaion  of  Rod  Chins 

to  have  become  an  ohsesaian  with  some  people  bnt 
ily  China  but  also  Germany  and  Japan  should  be 
ht  in  the  U.N.O. 

ecoudly,  it  sfaould  bo  a  forum  of  die  people  and 
be  governments  ot  the  rarioiu  countries  because 
[iremmentfl  are  engaged  in  the  game  of  power- 
»  while  the  people  want  peace.  Moreover,  the 
unents  are  also  very  touchy  in  regard  to  (lueations 
cedence  and  prestige  which  often  lead  to  war. 
hirdiy,  a  vrorld  governmrnt  can  only  succeed  if  the 
unenta  of  the  member  slates  give  up  their  national 
ignty  which  should  be  pooled  at  one  place,  i.e^  UNO, 
mrthly,  the  govemmenls  of  the  member  states 
I  give  up  real-poHlik  or  power-politics.  At  present 
re  firing  in  a  stale  of  nature.  They  should  recognize 
iHoiuiI  law  and  order  their  conduct  in  conformity 
It. 
ifthly,  the  politcal  parties  in   the  various  countries 

•re  members  of  the  United  Nations  should  adopt 
omotion  of  the  objects  of  the  U.N.O,  as  an  iniegral 
if  their  political  programmes.  In  this  respect  lbs 
and  objects  of  the  Indian  National  Congress  are 
satisfactory*.  Moreover,  Article  51  of  the 
tution  of  India  provides  as  a  directive  principle  o| 
policy  that  the  state  shall  endeavour  (a)  to  pronMte 
itional  peace  and  security,  (b)  to  maintain  just 
ooourable  relations  between  nations,  (c)  to  foster 
t  for  international  law  and  treaty  obligations  and 

AiiJife  A  of  ihc  U.  N.   Ounar. 

Aftkl*  I  el  Ibe  CooMlMllta  of  Ike  Isdlu  NaliaB^   Chsim 

wa  u   It*  aaiHi     th*     MibUakuii     •!   "W*rU   Pewr*  awJ 


(d)  to  encourase  settlement  of  iniemational  disputes  by 
•fUtratlon.  But  what  is  desirable  is  that  such  proviiiona 
should  be  incorporated  in  the  constitutions  of  all  countries. 

Sixthly,  although  the  principle  of  veto  or  the  unanimity 
of  the  big  fivo  is  an  improvement  over  the  unanimiiy  of 
all  the  members,  it  jirevents  the  L'-N.O.  (lom  function- 
ing aa  the  effective  instrument  ot  world  pt^acE.  That  is 
why  there  ia  a  proposal  to  assigo  tlie  rrspon sib i lily  for 
the  maintenance  of  world  peace  to  the  Crncral  Ae^mbly 
hk  case  the  Security  Council  is  prcv«nled  from  laking 
action  1b  any  matter  due  lo  the  use  of  veto,  power  by 
any  of  the  big  five  members.  So  long  as  the  principle  of 
equality  of  member  stales  is  not  concedrd,  the  U.N.O. 
cannot  accompli^  much.  It  may,  therefore,  be  E^iiggesled 
that  the  important  deciuons  of  the  U.N.O.  should  not 
be  arrived  at  l>y  the  unsnimity  of  the  big  five  but  by 
a  two-tbirds  majority  of  the  members  present  sod  voting. 

Seventhly,  an  inteniational  gOTemment  without  an 
intarnadonal     police  force     and  army  is     worse     than 

Q^itbly,  the  five  enemiea  of  world  peace,  vit^  nalionat 
ism,  imperialism,  mititarism,  racialism  and  social  injus- 
tice should  be  aboUshed  from  the  world  to  pave  the  way 
for  a  world  goreniDMat  in  the  real  sense  ot  the  term. 

Fatally,  the  U.N.O.  is  only  a  mechanism.  No 
nwchaniam  can  work  aaiisfactorUy  unless  the  men  who 
work  it  are  in  right  earnest.  Therefore,  the  ultimate 
solntioii  lie*  in  improving  hunuD  nature  which  is  the 
spring  of  all  human  action  and  which  is  responsible  for 
moat  of  the  ills  of  our  present-day  world. 

la  the  words  of  ^  Alexander  Cadogan,  a  former 
British  reprcBenlative  on  ihe  Security  Council  : 

"A  hundred  per  cent  reliance,  if  thai  were  Dos- 
fible,  ou  tlie  cRiticncy  ot  the  Unileil  Naiiuns,  a  cer- 
tainty thai  the  purpotes  atid  principlts  of  il»  ehartei' 
would  lie  served  sad  obscrve<l.  would  almusl  usher 
in  the  millennium.  We  sliould  certainly  be  living 
in  a  very  different  world.  Bui  there  is  no  such  cer- 
tainly, there  can  be  no  such  Teliancc." 

Bnt  there  is  no  cause  for  despair  because  the  U.N.O. 
i*  a  real  attempt  at  establishing  a  world  parliament  at 
man.  In  fact,  it  constitutes  a  mighty  experiment  in  world 
govanamt  whose  novelty  doea  not  lie  in  the  fact  that 
it  outlaws  war.  That  task  was  accomplished  by  the 
Kellog-Briaad  Pact  of  1928  which  permitted  the  waging 
of   war  in   self-defence. 

fiut  "the  impprtant  innovation  in  the  present  United 
Nations  sinielure  is  the  collective  attempt  to  create  a 
political,  economic  and  military  machine  powerful 
enough  lo  make  it  unnecessary  for  any  country  to  be  in 
a  position  in  which  it  has  to  wage  war  in  self-defence.'* 

In  the  opinion  of  Doliveit,  "The  thdted  Nations 
Orga^aation  is  potentially  and  aMually  micb  Maatf^ 
than  the  League  of  Natiuu.™ 

».    LhK   Ddtml  >    nt    Omtud    Huiau.  i,  U.> 


ON  THE  CENSUS  OF  PAKISTAN 

By  JATINDRA  MOHAN  DATTA,  ux..  ti..  rxsM.  (Load.) 


In  the  Cennis  of  1941  the  Muhammaduu,  especially 
of  Bengal,  inflated  their  numbers  under  the  inspiration 
of  Mr.  A.  K.  Failul  Haque.  Hia  speeches  were  almost 
direct  appeals  for  inflation.  A  proteat  meeting  at  the 
Town  Hall  waa  held  under  the  preddency  of  Sir 
Nripendra  Nath  Sircar,  former  Law  Member  of  the 
Viceroy's  Council;  and  Mr,  Haque  had  virtually  to 
apologise  by  writing  a  personal  letter  U)  Sir  N.  N, 
Sircar.  While  the  Hindus,  who  boycotted  the  Census  of 
1931  under  the  Congress  guidance,  were  asked  to  have 
themselves  counted,  they  were  aba  asked  not  to 
inflate  their  numbers.  The  All-Bengal  Census  Board 
under  the  presidency  of  Mr.  N.  C.  Chatterjee  issued 
daily  appeals  in  the  preas  not  to  inflate  but  to  have 
themsch'Bs  correctly  enumerated;  the  Muhammadans 
acted  otherwise. 

That  the  Census  of  1941  was  an  Inflated  <me  is  the 
opinion  of  competent  observers  and  competent  autho- 
rities. Mr.  M.  W.  M.  Yeato  in  the  AdmimtlTa- 
tion  Report  on  the  Census  of  IWl,  says  at  p.  21 : 

"In  one  major  City.  Lahore,  communal  passions 
were  violent  enough  to  destroy  the  value  of  the 
enumeration  record  ...  It  was  not  the  enumera- 
tors who  wrecked  the  Lahore  Census.  It  was  the 
ale  tbeouelves.  Any  ewsus  reposes  on  the  house- 
!rs'  truUifulnees  and  in  a  ^dah  country  Uiis 
is  all  the  more  so." 

In  another  place,  writing  about  the  mother-tongue 
and  subsidiary  language,  he  says  : 

"Muslims  were  told  to  return  their  mother- 
tongue  as  Urdu  and  many  caws  were  brought  to  my 
notice  where  men  who  manifestly  knew  nothii^  of 
that  language  but  were  Muslims  by  faith  persisted 
in  returning  it  as  their  mother-tongue  admitting 
that  they  had  been  'told'  to  do  so.  It  this  is  how 
leaders  imagine  they  can  misuse  a  census  then 
there  is  not  muah  hope  for  India." 
In  another  place  he  observes  that 

"Nothing  will  make  ms  believe  that  the  number 
of  persons  actually  literate  in  Urdu  is  anything'like 
so  greet  as  the  number  who  returned  it.  The  only 
effect  of  such  misguided  seal  is  to  destroy  the  very 
facts  it  is  Bouglii  to  oljliilii." 
We  need  not  miiliiiily  qiiotatiooj..  Mr.  R.  A. 
Gopalaswarai,  the  Rcgi-lnir-Gcnoral  of  India  for  1951 
in  Census  o/  Indii.—Papcr  No.  I  of  1953.  notes  : 

"In  the  1911  Census,    as  is    generally  known, 

there  vraa  competilion  between  communities  in  pnrts 

of  Bet^l   and    the   Punjab,   with     the     result   that 

numbers  were  inflated."    (p.  I). 

Yet  on  the  basis  of  the  1941  Census  which    was 

Mcepted  as  correct  by  our    political    leaden    of  the 

Congress  and  of  the  Mudim  League,  the  partition    of 

Bengal  and  of  the  Punjab  took  piMe. 

The  Pakistin  QovenuneOt  now  admits  in  their 
Ceimu  Pamphlet  No.  3,  that  there  has  been  an  In. 
flatlon  of  the  number  ef  HuallinK  Let  lia  #vt  (Iw 
flfum  (n  IhI  Bofili 


Year 

1081 
1911 
19^1 


(The  figures  ore  in  OOO'a) 
Muslims  Hindus 

2,48,97  1,07,12 

2,95,77  1,1908 

3,22,27  8Z;» 


OUmq 

7;a3 


The  Pakistan  authorities  ny  at  page  31  of  their 
Cennu  Report,  IQSl  : 

"Assuming  that  the  rate  o{  increase  in  the  Muslim 
population  has  t>cen  rising  fairly  regularly  it  would, 
appear  tiiat  in  1941  the  total  strength  of  the  Muslim 
element  wa<i  between  270  and  280  lakhs." 
In  another  place  they  say  :    (Set  p.  33) 

"The  Aluslim  increase  include  7  lakhs  of 
persons  who  reported  themselves  in  the  1961  Census 
as  Muhajirs,  but  the  total  uiuaigraut  element  wtHiM 
appear  to  be  between  16  and  20  lakhs." 
In  Statement  U,  they  have  given  the  adjusted 
communal  tompariscn  as  follows  : 

Adjusted  communal  comparison  (in  Itdche) 

Total        Muslims       Hindus     Otbcn 
Adjusted— 

19U  386  270  109  7 

19&1  421  322  M  & 

V«riations  +36  -|-62  —15  —3 

The  percentage  of  Muslims  in  1941  was  73.3. 
The  total  populattOQ_  of  East  Bengal  (as  now 
constituted,  ix.,  including  a  portion  of  Sylhet)  wu  in 
1941  4,22,77,000  and  in  1051  4,19^,329;  Inchiding 
l^fiOa  reporting  their  nationality  as  Indian.  Thus 
there  has  been  a  net  decrease  of  —OX  per  cent  of  the 
rctorded  population, 

If  we  deduct  the  20  lakh  Muslim  immigrants  from 
the  total  recorded  population,  the  net  decrease  would 
be  —6  per  cent.  In  their  adjusted  fisures  for  |9tl, 
they  have  reduced  the  population  from  423  Ukhs  to 
380  lakhs,  ifi.,  by  37  lakhs;  and  distributed  this  amoog 
the  Mi'uli^w  and  the  Hindus  by  26  lakhs  and  10  lakhf 
respectively.  The  Muslim  inflation  is  thus  26  lakfaa. 

According  to  their  own  admission,  the  Muslims  in 
East  Bengal  inflated  their  oun^r  in  1941  by  some  10 
per  cent. 

In  (he  rase  of  ihc  I'akii^tan  Piiaj.ib  they  admit 
infljtion  of  Muslime.  From  Diagram  I'  given  at  p.  87, 
the  umouui  of  inSation  of  (he  Muslims  i?  of  the  order 
of  10  Iflfchs.  The  nuuiber  of  Muslims  in  the  Punjab  in 
J951  is  183,93  thous:.nds;  of  thfse  4SS3  thousands  are 
said  to  be  Muhiijirs.  The  natural  population  in  1951, 
including  llie  intet-censal  normal  increa-'e,  is  IbiB 
135.11  I.houaiuds.  Thus  the  iuflaliou  is  m  the  order  Of 
some  7  or  8  per  cent. 

We  shsU  no*  by  to  give  tome  brojd  etaUstiiAl 
lictaila  of   l'nkietan'4  popul.itiou. 

___iUtion 

Pakistan  (e«tlrel  ZJUMt  sq.  taiiM 

Bm(  Bengal  S4;wl 


Populatio 


oruffi  acKSds'  wmaa&tks 


4» 


IsL&t  Bengal  as  per  cent 
of  Pakistan  14.9  %  M.6  ^ 

Religiow  Compouiion  (09  percerUagea) 

Muslims    Caste    Scheduled    Chris-  Others 
Hindus    Hindus       tians 
85.9  5.7  7.2  0.7       0.5 

76.8         10  12  0.3       0.9 

97.1  0.5  1.1  1.3 

Density  of  Population  (per-  $q,  mile) 

'akistan  206.9 

^t  Bengal  772.8 

^injab  298.7  (next  best  in  density  to 

East  Bengal) 


Pakistan 
]ast 


V'est 


u 


tt 


Percentage  oj  Mu$Unu 
Palofttaa 

Punjab  flflr.7-^ 

Sind  96.8 

N,  W.    F.    P.  99.8 

Baluchistan  96.6 

Karachi  96    -1 

East  Bengal  76.8 


86.9 


97.1 


PercenUige  of  MtuOnu  in  Districts  of  E,  Bengal 


Test  Pakistan 


107.8 


Percentage  of  Literacy 

Pakistan  13.8 

-    West  Pakistan  9.7 

East  Bengal  16.9 

East  BeDgaFs  percentage  is     exceeded     in  federal 
|[arachi  alone,  where  it  is  31.3  per  cent. 

Population  details  of  East   Bengal 
rfuslims  3^^,639 

Caste  Hindus  41,87^ 

Scheduled    Hindus  60JB2;ifO 

Jl  Hindus  92^,603 

Buddhists  8,18^1 

Hu'istians  lj06;5O7 

^rsis  ..115 

!Hbai  ao;a78 

^hers  10i2O6 


btnl  population 


Area  in  sq. 

piiles 

3^65,907 

52,900 

81,239 

54^1 

812 

13315 

27,242 

62,987 

15^ 

50,443 

6,050 


4,19,92,329 

Popuialion 
Total 


1.  Dinajpore 

2.  Euigpore 

3.  Bogra 

4.  Rajshahi 

5.  Pfed>na 

6.  Kushtia 

7.  Jessore 

8.  Khuhia 

9.  Bakerganj. 
10.  Faridpore 
U.  Dacea 

12.  Mymensingh 

13.  Sylhet 

14.  Tipperah 
14  NMJdudi 
16;  Chitta0ong 
17l  flm  TVacts 


64.6 
79.8 
87.3 
80.4 
83.7 
91.6 
69.7 
54.6 
79.6 
70.T 
78.8 
82.9 
67.7 
81.3 
84.2 

77.3 
6.3 


Pakistan  7^13^ 

Baluchistan    Districts  6,02 

Baluchistan  SUtes  5JS2 

East  Bengal  4,19,32 
Federal  <>pitdl  Area,  Karachi      U23 

N.-W.F.P.  32^ 

Tribal  Area  96,«» 

Punjab  M8,16 

Bahawalpar  18,22 

Sind  46,06 

Khairpur  3,19 


We  sumxnarifle  bek>w  tlie  main  sUtietical  data: 
(in  900*8) 

Mualima        Caate         Scheduled    Christians    Othens 

Caste  Hindus 
54^1 


5,91 
6,43 

10,78 
38,17 
26,41 

41,49 
3j09 


Caate 

Hindus 

43,49 

3 

9 

41^ 

5 


6,41 
4 


3^ 


1 
2 
1 
1.34 
7 


50JS2 

13 

2 

19 

U 

3,20 

3 


1,07 

21 

4 

*^ 

2 


•^ 


Tl^  number  of  Sikhs,  if  any  in  the  Piihjab,  is  less 
haji  35  persons,  and  in  Sind  leas  than  12  persons, 
"bus  one  may  say  there  are  no  Sikhs  in  Pakistan. 

The  number  of  Muhajirs,  i,e.,  Muslima  who  have 
ligratcd  to  Pakistan  and  of  Literates  are  as  follows  : 


Muhajirs 
(in  OOO^s) 


^akiatan  ,  71^ 

iast  Bengal  7,01 

"unjab  4832 

te^awalpur  3,71 

L-W.F.P.  51 

Vibal .  Area  — 

ltd  5^1 

M^UfUu  89 

Uaral  SaraoU       M 


Literates   Literates  as 


(inOOO's) 


1,08,74 

71,08 

19,28 

1.10 

2A1 
33 


m 


'  per  cent 
of  total 
population 

13.8 
16.9 
10.2 

6.0 
.7.8 

1.3 
10.8 

•.a 


From  these  data  W6  may  guess  the  difficulty  of 
Pakistan  in  equating  East  Pakistan  with  West  Pakiston. 
East  Pakistan  has  56  per  cent  of  the  population,  70 
per  cent  of  the  literates;  90.5  per  cent  of  the  Hindus 
in  Pakistan,  but  only  15  per  cent  of  the  area.  East 
PakiaUtn  is  densely  populated,  while  West  Pakistan  is 
thinly  peopled.  But  90  per  cent  of  the  Muhajixs    are 

in  'West  Pakistan.  In  this  context,  it  is  not  di^cult  to 

understand  that  there  would  be  occasional  shortages 

of  food  iQ  East  Pakistan.  But  it  is  not «  little  wupdt^ 

ing  that  W^t  Pakistan,  with  her  large  inrigated  areas 

and  %  large  food  surplus,  has  thought  h  fit  to  export 

fbod  rather  than  sand  it  to  Bast  Paidstaii  in  her  times 

ofdifflcultgr  and  has  bow  bscomis^  Ugl^  iM(dt  in  fpod 


f>v 


t:i; 


fOODeKDBIJM 

Bt  p.  c.  bansil 


To  fonn  a  correct  appraisal  of  the  food  problem,  we 
should  know :  lit 

(a)^  The  total  production  of  all  the  food-graina 
in  the  country ; 

(6)  Orerall  quantity  necessaiy  to  fe^  the 
nation ;  and 

(c)    Total  supply  available  for  consumption. 

As  for  (a)  we  can  only  rely  on  the  existing  food 
statistics  supplied  by  the  Directorate  of  Economics  and 
dtatbtics,  Ministry  of  Food  and  Agriculture,  although 
tiie  figures  supplied  by  them  are  in  no  way  satisfactory. 
They  have  been  imderestimated^  both  in  the  case  of 
surplus  as  well  as  deficit  States. 

Taking  1950  as  the  normal  year,  we  have  already 
discussed'  at  length,  that  the  existing  production  is 
more  than  sufficient  to  meet  our  normal  requirements. 
It  would,  however,  be  sufficient  to  repeat  that  against 
the  home  production  of  nearly  50  million  tons  in  that 
year,  our  requirements  could  not  'be  more  than  43 
million  tons  under  any  circumstances.  The  fault 
therefore  lies  at  (c)  above— the  actual  supply  avail- 
tble  for  consumption. 

Causes  or  this  Maladt 
To  enable  us  to  judge  for  ourselves  the  circums- 
tanees  which  led  to  this  dismal  condition,  as  it  tfdsts 
today,  let  us  have  a  hurried  glance  over  the  last  de- 
eade  or  so  and  see  for  ourselves  as  to  when,  where  and 
why  this  trouble  started.  Rice  imports  fh)m  Burma 
before  its  separation  in  1937  were  not  a  ssrioos 
matter  and  were  in  fact  a  normal  feature  of  one  part 
of  the  country  catering  for  the  needs  of  ihe  other,  in 
the  best  economic  interests  of  the  nation.  The 
matters  took  a  serious  turn  only  after  1942  when  the 
cotmtry  was  threatened  by  the  clouds  of  war  from  her 
eastern  borders.  India  as  a  whole  \k  no  doubt  self- 
sufficient,  yet  it  has  deficit  pockets  in  the  South  and 
the  East,  the  areas  where  there  was  a  sort  of  complete 
chaos  in  the  early  40's.  There  was  a  complete  para- 
lysis of  the  transport  and  communication'  system. 
And  there  were  transport  bottlenecks.*  To  make  the 
position  still  worse,  the  Government  of  India  had  con- 
ferred on  the  Provinces  concurrent  powers  under  the 
Defence  of  India  Rules,  to  exiprcise  the  power  of 
prohibition  of  movement  and  of  requisition  of  food- 
grains  on  the  29th  November,  1941. 

This  was  followed  by  a  control  on  the  price  of 
wheat  on  December,  1941.  And  that  too  not  only 
against  the  wishes  of  surplus  States  of  the  Puniab 
and  UP.,  but  at  the  risk  of  their  flagrant  opposition. 
Controls  are  good  and  are  an  essential  safeguard  in 
emiergennee  of  the  Hjrpe  we  were  lacing  in  the  40^s, 
but  they  must  be .  acoompanied  by  their  essential 
attributes.    The  key  to  the  success  of  food  controls 

L    Gfm  M9M  P09i'  Bmtmky  CammImm  Bm^^tu  IfSS,  f .   US. 
JL    "Food  Fact^Am   iU^rite**    bjr    P.    C.  Bunn.    TAt   UoUm 
tor  (ktobmr,   JMti 


lies  in  obtaining  control  over  supplies  at  their  somee 
and  all  along  the  channel  of  dirtribution,  unless  th^r 
reach  the  sonsumer  at  the  fixed  rate  and  in  quantiiks 
sufficient  to  meet  his  normal  requirements.  > 

The  wheat  control  order  of  1941  lacked  thm 
pre-requisites.  The  controls  were  half-hearted  and 
haphasai4 ;  there  was  no  administrative  machinery 
strong  and  capable  enough  to  carry  cut  the  orden  of 
the  Central  Government.  And  worst  of  all  no  heed 
was  paid  to  the  side  of  distribution  for  another  one 
and  a  half  year,  when  the  matters  h^d  taken  a  turn 
which   was   beyond  repairs. 

These  were  the  critical  days  in  the  matter  of  the 
food  problem.  The  disease  required  an  expert  diag- 
nosis. It  is,  however,  a  pity  that  the  cardinal  mis- 
take then  committed,  could  never  be  rectified.  Woik- 
ing  on  the  prevailing  psychology,  the  Government 
fooussed  their  attention,  if  at  all,  on  the  production 
aspect.  Mr.  N.  R.  Sarkar,  the  then  Food  Member, 
met  the  delegates  of  the  Provinces  and  States  on 
April  6,  1942  at  a  Food  Production  Conference  and 
^MS  it  was  decided  to  launch  the  Grow  More  Vood 
Campaign  imder  the  auspices  of  the  Advisory  Boaid 
of  the  Imperial  (now  Indian)  Co\mcil  of  Agrioultoiftl 
'  Hesearch.  «  ^^ 

Nobody  would  object  to  increasing  the  eiisiins 
level  of  production,  but  the  emphasis  at  the  moment 
was  called  for  on  the  conservation  of  the  existing 
stocks,  which  were  more  than  sufficient  to  meet  the 
requirements  of  the  people  and  their  fair  distribution 
by  some  high  power  Central  authority. 

It  was  late  in  the  day— September  1942->that  the 
Sixth  Price  Control  Conference  evolved  a  Basic  Plan 
for  the  Centralised  purchase  of  food-grains.  The 
Ration  was  astir  with  August  movement  and  eveiy- 
thtng  and  anything  done  by  the  Government  was 
opposed  tooth  and  nail.  The  fate  of  the  Basic  Plan 
jifaj^  thus  written  on  the  wall.  The  ghastly  drama  of 
the  Bengal  Famine,  responsible  for  a  toll  of  nearly 
1.5  million  lives,  was  Uie  direct  result.  Mr.  Afssl 
Hussain  described  this  position  as  a  ^virtual  Dunkirk* 
on  the  food  front  in  Bengal.  'The  whole  countiy  was 
poitelled  out  into  innumerable  blackmarkets.**  What 
to  talk  of  the  ordinary  consumer,  even  the  Govern- 
ment was  forced  to  purchase  its  normal  military 
requirements  of  food-grains  from  the  blackmarket. 

Under  the  threat  of  this  impending  famine  and 
echoes  of  food  shortage  from  all  comers,  attempts 
were  first  made  to  introduce  rationing  in -Bombay  on 
May  2,  1943.  Mr.  Kirby,  the  then  Rationing  Adviser 
to  the  Government  of  India,  was  able  to  announce 
by  March  1944  that  population  under  rationing  had 
inoreased  to  25  millions,  and  by  the  end  of  1961,  it 
had  awollen  to  136.75  million. 

a.  Pt.  1..  CV^v  o».  CU,  >,.Xl. 


ftiinfodb  pliOBLtiii 


455 


for  ratlcmlng  to  b0  fUccMsfuIi  ii  ii  necwwy 
that  the  Qovommoit  must  haw  the  neo— iiy  itocki 
with  than  for  difltribution.  Procurement  thus  comee 
am  a  coronary  to  rationing.  The  wrong  premiaes  that 
the  eountiy  m  iuffering  from  a  ahortage  of  produc- 
tion—on which  the  Government  had  been  working 
80  far,  was  again  responsible  to  lead  them  into  a 
dismal  abyss.  Agreed,  that  the  deficit  or  even  the 
surplus  provinces  were  not  prepared  to  resort  to 
procurement;  it  is  neverthelees  a  fact  that  no  serioua 
e£forts  were  made  by  the  €rOvemment  to  evolve  an 
efficient  machinery  for  procuring  the  necessary 
amount  of  grain  from  the  home  resources.  They 
resorted  to  an  easier  course  of  imports— the  only 
other  alternative.  When  rationing  was  once  intro- 
duced, the  Government  under  its  Welfare  State  ideal 
was  duty-bound  to  meet  its  commitments  for  provid- 
mg  the  necessary  amount  6(  food  to  the  rationed 
population.  It  was  never  realised  that  the  funda- 
mentals of  our  food  policy  in  the  sense  of  reducing 
imports  depend  upon  procurement  up  to  the  required 
standard.  No  effort  was  made  to  win  the  co-operation 
of  the  public,  and  the  position  has  not  changed  even 
today.  The  Prime  Minister  in  his  foreword  to  the 
Provincial  Development  Programme  said  ;* 

Tnfortunately  this  lack  of  sense  of  co- 
operative effort  is  largely  absent  in  the  country, 
today.  .  .  .  This  prevailing  psychology  of  the 
masses  has  to  be  changed.  This  is  no  easy  task, 
but  none  the  less,  it  is  an  essential  one,  if  substan- 
tial progress  is  to  be  made." 

Thb  SoLunoN— Masieb  Plast 

It  IS  now  clear  that  the  problem  became  acute 
because  of  the  wrong  distribution  system.  An  increase 
in  production  is  welcomed,  but  the  short-term 
solution  lies  in  increased  procurement,  proper  distri- 
bution and  conservation  of  the  existing  stocks.  Thus 
observes  Dr.  V.  K.  R.  V.  Rao  :* 

'T  eaimot  help  feeling  that  part  of  the  failure 
of  Government's  food  policy  in  the  dii'ection  of 
diminishing  imports  has  be^  due  to  their  mistaken 
notion  that  an  increase  in  production  would  lead 
to  an  equivalent  diminution  in  imports  and  ,  a 
rather  naive  confidence  in  their  abilit3r  to  bring 
about  such  an  increase  in  production  in  the 
immediate  post-war  period.  Increase  in  production 
is  undoubtedly  important;  but  it  is  essentially  a 
long  period  programme.  The  essence  of  food  policy 
in  the  short  j>eriod  Is  procurement,  if  it  is  to  have 
a  significant  effect  on  prices;  and  that  procurement 
has  been  inadequate  is  clear  from  the  fact  that 
domestic  procurement  is  hardly  10  per  cent  of 
domestic  production,  while  the  popukition  rationed 
is  of  the  order  of  3D  per  cent." 
For  the  solution  of  the  problem  it  would  thus  be 
necessary  to  modify  the  existing  i^tem  of  distribution 
and  procurement,  etc.,  and  give  an    opportunity    to 


t.   Dr.   Cyaa  OmmA  ;  ^mlmtM  thfHimpmmi . 
1    rrwMwiW  ■Miwi  W  Br.  T.  K.  t.  t. 


trade  to  function  in  the   normal    channels,  with    of 

cotuve  neeeseaty  safeguaida  for  the    interests  of    the 

consumer  al  large.  We  cannot,    thersfore,    remove  all 

sorts,  of  controls  at  once. 

We  need  nol^  however,  be  fri^tened  by  the  bitter 

esperienpes  of  December,  1M7  Decontrol.  The  sudden 

'go  back'  at  that  time  was  not  the  result  of  any  well* 

laid  policy,  but  as  correctly  concluded  by  the  Eastern 

Economist  (Annual  Number,  IMS)  : 

''The  closing  weeks  of  the  year    1947  saw    the 

retreat  from  rationing  just  as  a  matter  of  defeat  as 

the  authorities  could  not  maintain  the  basic  ration 

.  of  even  10  ounces.'' 

The  opening  stocks  with  the  Government  for  the 

year  1948—646  thousand  tons— being  the  minimum    in 

the  rationing  history,  naturally  the  Government  could 

not,  under  the  circumstances,  meet  the  requirements  of 

the  situation,  and  have  an    effective    control  of  the 

grain  market. 

The  country  would  thus  be  divided  into  four  self- 

suflficient  contiguous  lones  as  follows.  Free  movement 

of  grains  wouki  be    allowed    within    the  sone.    The 

interests  of  low  paid  people    in    the    cities  would  be 

safeguarded  by  the  provision  of  fair  price  shops  on  the 

Cseehoslovakian    model    and     those     of     the     non* 

producing  classes  in  the  rural  areas  by  legislation  that 

at  least  two-third  of  their  wages  would  be  in  kind,  if 

they  so  desire.    The  Fair  Price  Shops  would  supply 

at  least  50  per  cent  of  the  quota  in  coarse  grains. 

Four  Zonk 

The  areas  constituting  the  four  sones  and  the  food 
position  is  shown  against  each.  Production  figures  have 
been  taken  for  the  year  1060  and  the  requirements 
have  been  calcuhited  at  the  rate  of  11.5  tons  for  100 
persons  as  already  worked  out  by  us  by  various 
methods.  (This  comes  to  about  13.3  oss.  per  adult 
per  day  on  the  basis  of  85  per  cent  adult  equivalent). 

1.  North-Westem  Zone  :  Areas^  A  K,  Himachal 
Pradesh,  Bikspur,  Punjab,  Pepsu,  Rajasthan,  Ajmer, 
Kutch,  Saurashtra  and  Bombay. 

The  Fopd  Position 
Surplus  States 

Popvkitloa     ffac  prodactloa 
TCTTitory  is  mlllioM      iadudiag  fna    RequiremeaU    Sttrplot 

after  Bskiaf  aa 
allowance  at  12  112  p.o. 

'—(In  thousand  tons)—' 

4.41  785  460         325 

12.64  2884  1449       1085 

3.40  OM  402         252 


J^  K 
Punjab 
P^ 
Himachal 
Pradesh 


0.08 


106 


114 


52 


el  *i  Uei 


ToUl  surphis     2564 
JkAdt  Spates 

FttpslaliQB     TIal  pvmwMmi 
TmtUmf  tertttlaw     tecladlofgnnB    K^qahmamU    IMcIt 

t— (In  thomsind  tons)—' 
DMH  :    1.74     ^27       >         lUL       X!»^ 

BUHip^U     .•.         •>»      .V.     W  >s^ 


4M 


m&  UGbt&if  mnim  fo%  ivim,  im3 


Kutcb 

.67 

25 

fltturaditara   ' 

4.14 

390 

fioibbty 

»M 

3tt)8 

Ajmtf 

M 

» 

4» 
80. 


40 


»5        Ortov 


^  ■  i,".' 


T^ta^^*^    l4|»' 
'    Net  Chirphifr—lOtO  thoutend'tdns 
f.    CenfTtil  Zofi«  :  A7«a»— Ma^yi  Bharat,  MidlOu- 

Pradeflh,  Hyderabad,    Mysore,    Coorg,    Bhopft)    aiiA 

TravancoitHCocfain. 

The  Fbod  PonOon 

Suiplu^  States 

PopuUtioB     Net  prodaetSoB     ' 
tarrilory  iti  miUiooi      taiclndiac  gram    lU<plirt^^t»    Smpltta 

i— (In  thousand  tons)— ^ 
Madhya 

Bharat  7  95  1054  920  194 
Madhya 

Praiieeli  21.25  4042  2430  .    1582 

Bhopal  .84  122  90  26 

Cooi«  .23  32  20  0 


^  f 


Total  florplus  1748 

-       ■  Deficit  Siatei^ 

fopttkMM.   N«tim4)ic||0B 

T«rTilpr7                in  milUoM      iactttdiaf  gram    RcquixapiMito  Deficit 

t— (In  thousaad  tons)--^ 

Hyderablid         1S.65            1907               2144  887 

Mysbre               9.07            ^688               1€85  850 

IVavaneore. 

CkH^in             9.28             224               1009  745 

total  deficit  1982 


We  are  left  with  a  net  deficit  of  about  2  lakh  tons. 
But  a  closer  study  of  the  •  individual  States  would 
reveal  that  the  deficit  positicm  is  not  so  pcasiniistie. 
Hyderabad  has  never  b^en  supplied  with  more  than 
one  lakh  tons  of  food-grains,  the  fifure  for  the  year 
1960  being  91  thousand  tons.  This  view  is  further  eon- 
finned  lay  a  P.ri.  newa,  dated  March  22.  1901,  which 
gives  the  views  of  an  ofikial  of  the  Hyderabad  State 
who  said  that  the .  normal  annual  deficit  of  the  State 
was  I  lalEh  tons  of  food-grains.  We  would,  therefore,  be 
fully  justified  iti  taking  the  normal  outside,  require' 
ments  of  Hyderabad  ^t  a  maximum  of  1  lakh  tone^ 
The  whole  of  the  net  deficit  is  thus  wiped  oflT  and  we 
are  left  with  a  surplus  of  about  5  lakh  tons. 

Similar  is  the  case  pf  TravaiioorMUochin,  which 
producer  as  much  as  7  to  K)  lakh  tons  of  tapioca  and 
has  never  imported  from  outside  more  than  3  lakh  tons 
of  food-grains.  After  makipg  adjustment  on  the  above 
lines  we  find  that  eVen  this  fone  will  have  a  net  surplus 
of  ^bbut  9  lakh  tons. 

a.  Eastern  Zone  :  i^rea^— Assam,  r  Manipur,  iWei^ 
Bengal,  Tripura,  Bihar,  Oriam,  and  Madrae.  •  -     "-J' 

The  F6od  PoeUi&h  ' 
Shuphis  States 

/•    K  I— (In  thousand  tons)-— I :. 

AaBa«|./etochidiiir        r 

ti%alartft>     9.60  1880     "       lOiS        mr. 

Trfeum  .04  m       =         75         «* 


West  Bengal .  24,81  3300 

:'----14.04    •> 


43«7 


t. 


2858 


454 

184 
195 


i 


*■■'*. 


^      -    Totta^jwiipl^.   1354 
Deficit  States   .        /^ 


TMCttaff 

Manjpur 
Madras 


la 


.58 

57.0 


U-(Ia  thoiissad^tmisM 

48  K         19 

5833  055ft        722 


Total  •defieit      741 
Net  8urplu8--019  thousand : tons.- - 

At  the  top  of  this  huge  surplus^  the  production  of 
fish  in  tMs  Bone  is  as  much  as  9.5  miltion^mAunds  and 
a  huge  production  of  subsidiary  foods  13ie  tapioca, 
i^weet  potatoes  and  potatoes.  ' 

4.  Northern  Zcfne  i  This  zone  is  to  tomprise  of 
Uttar  Pradeedi  ahd  Vindhya  Pradesh,  whli^  have  a 
population  of  03.21  and  '  S.57  millittH,  raspeetlvely, 
with  a  net  production  of  8770  and  405  thoueiiiDd  tons, 
against  their  normal  requiremiNits  of  7260>4uid  040 
thousand  ton.^,  respectively.  This  leftveft  ies  «IM  a  huge 
surplus  of  more  than  13  lakh  tons  of  foM-gnuas  which 
shOtoM-be  kept  as  a  reserve  under  the  eonthrt  'Of  Oentrs 
to  meet  any  emeiigency  in  any  part  OT'ibl^  eountiy. 
The  demaild  for  the  Defence  Services'  antf  CMIieries 
which  tt  of  the  order  of  2  hikh  tons  a)ikl%-'t^e  direct 
req)bnaft>il!ty  of  the  (Centre  can  also  hi  xhH  !C^  of 
the  huge  surplus  of  this  sone^ 

PMHnCnSITES    TO  THE    PtAK 

Before  embarking  on  tKe  implementation  of  the 
plan,  it  wouldj  however,  be  QeceqfBary,  .that  proper 
storage  facilities  are  immediately  provided  at  least  at 
every  Tahsil  Headquarters  and  as  the  areas*  constitut- 
ing each  abne  would  be  a  little  large,  it '  Would  be 
essential  to  make  arrangements  with  the  Hallway 
Ministry  to  reduce  freight  charged  fOr  loh(i 'dktaaoes 
and  give  top  priority  to  the  mqvem^l  of  I|)<bd-gra5na. 
The  whole  of  our  administrative  machiiieipr'  WtQ  require 
a  complete  oveiiiaQling  and  full  jn^a-Si^^'^^j^  irell  as 
iati^Ministerial  co-ordinatibn  pbtaix^  '!!3^ia.:|ast  but 
A0t  the  least,  every  effort  will  have  to  be  mfetdb  to  win 
tile  co-operation  of  all  the  parties  nol^i^iPcaMlted  in 
thk  Qovemment  by  the  formation*  of  , a.' ;'Noii-pwrty 
Food  lB*ront.  Each  sone  will '  be...  jfy^idfi.Vff^  the 
administrative  control  of  a  ^osdiiCottiiBlEaiO&er,  who 
will  have  lin  advisory  ieommittee;  wpttskaie^  bf  All 
idii^des  of  opipfOp  in  the  area  and  '>iQ  ippAat  the 
Ifnion  pood  Minister,  with  the  dlA^-^tO)-d^.  'Alyelop- 
•MiU.'  He  wfll  'also  be  represented  -Hi  the  FciaA.lliDi?- 
len^vCWtefeneesL  as  iauA  when  Uttisfr'^xb'  hM.  ■*■ 

,  £79tt4  will  be  made  1^  i/y^lu^^^^^'*  exisluig 
pflydicil6gy,  of  the,  people;  iM  k!  ieff^^m^  prbpaganda 
m^cMnei^.tetW  tli^  puitsbse.  if '{ks^tis  tUs  may 
he  dWii  undc^  the  Nbri-parftr  *Fttod  Front.  Food 
import^ .  wpuld^  not  J^  aV>PP!^  ^9("^^V^^^^  ^^^  would 
biit4«dAtO|d  fQr  ihe  .l^e  l^eiiig  4^,iii«tM^^  away 

with-tbe  two  Of  irti  tho  mm^  thw  lymmj  i  ,«:  : 


w 


-i.f 


A 


'gkIA'    Ei^^jLf 


1 


Siligiiri  StatjoD  Bumng  which   was  built  in  l»l.  H  >*     "i"»^     «wA>;vft  ".toto  Ww  \>^\v.v>,  tA  -^Sku  «*. 
architecture  and  um«av\\e^i 


THE  POSITION  OF  WOBO^  IN  MEDIEVAL 


Bt  Db.  ROMA  CHAUDHURI 


position  of  women  during  the  Middle  Agei,  is 
1  a  very  interesting  study.  The  Ancient  Age  and 
liddle  Age,  roughly  called  the  Vedic  Age  and  the 
i  Age,  present  an  interesting  contraist,    spemlly 

regard  to  the  question  of  women's  position, 
tion  and  progress.  Due  perhaps  to  political 
i  mostly   (if  not  entirely),  at  the  end  of     the 

period,  the  golden  age  of  women's  all-roimd 
38S  and  emancipation,  a  marked  tendency  was 
id  in  society-elders  and  law-givers  to  put  a 
int  on  women's  freedom,  both  phsrsical  and 
il,  and  confine  them  more  and  more  within  the 
sanctuary  of  a  homo.  The  inevitable  result  was 
women,  deprived  of  their  birth-rights  of  educa- 
and  freedom  came,  at  the  s.ime  time,  to  bo 
red  of  their  inherent  social,  legal  and  political 
.  The  start  to  this  wholly  regrettable  and  un- 
ntable  process  of  the  subjugation  of  women  wag 

in  the  1st  ccptury'AJD.  by  the  most  cel^rated 
incient  Smntirhara  or  Law-giver,  Manu.  Hence, 
'uld  not  bo  very  wrong  to  hold  that  from  the 
3  the  18th  century  A.D.,  this  downward  trex4d 
e  cultural  life  of  the  country  continued  un* 
d,  leaving  a  perman^t  blot  in  our  national  life, 

due  to  Herculean    efforts  of  the    great    Raja 

Miohun  Roy,  the  father  of  modem  India,  the 
rd  trend  in  women's  progress  and  emancipation 
iarted  afresh,  and  is  still  continuing  through 
jngrudging  service  of  libenl-minded  social 
!rs  and  reformers. 

(ut  while  it  is  undoubtedly  true  that  the  position 
>men  in  medieval  India  during  the  Smriti  Age, 
ing  from  the  absolutely  panicky  and,  as  such, 
■sighted  policy  Qf  the  then  heads  of  society,  wiU 
remain  a  matter  of  deepest  shamo  and  sorrow  for 
I,  yet  it  also  cannot  be  denied  st  the  same  time 
the  picture  is  often  overdrawn.  For,  even  during 
Dark  Age,  streaks  of  light  are  not  wanting  in  the 
of  very  just  and  liberal  provisions  for  safeguard- 
women's  fundamental  rights  to  equality  with  men 
1  spheres:  domestic,  social  and  political.  This  is 
mble  not  only  during  the  age  of  early  Smritis,  but 
IS  in  that  of  later  Smritis,  represented  respectively 
le  famous  SmarUia  Manu  (1st  centuiy  AJ3.)  and 
unandana  (15th  century  AD.).  Farther,  from  the 
re  of  society  as  painted  in  the  literature  of  those 

as  well  as  from  the  invaluable  Uterary  contri. 
ns  of  women  during  that  time,  we  come  to  know 
even  during  the  Middle  Age,  women  of  India 
not  wholly  deprived  of  education  and  freedom. 
Smriti  Age  has  been'  condemned  enough— and 
y  80.  But  it  is  now  time  to  turn  our  attention  also 
lis  underncurvent  ol  liberalism,  thig  seoae  of '  fair- 
and  justice  which  ibrtunately  never  (orsook  tv 
under    ihB    9mUM^  '  V^(^^ 

^tm."  ■■:  }   ; .  ::;..\' il  ;/,:-.*\^....  i;ii_ti  W 
r 


Only  one  or  two  instances  from  the  early  Smritis, 
as  well  as  from  Sanskrit  literature  of  medieval  India 
are  given  here  to  illustrate  the  above. 

• 
The  PoBinoN  of  Womsn  in  YAJNAVAixTA-SMsm 

Perhaps,  next  to  Manu-Smriti,  the  Yajnavalkya. 
Smiriti,  composed  approximately  in  the  2nd  century 
AD.,  is  the  most  celebrated  and  ancient  one.  The 
views  of  this  Smriti,  regarding  women  are  very  similar 
to  those  of  the  Manu-Smriti.  In  the  manner  of  the 
Manu-Smriti,  it  also  asserts  that,  of  the  five  objects 
of  great  veneration,  vix,,  Ritvik  or  one  who  performs 
orifices,  Upadhyaya  or  one  who  teaches  only  one 
part  of  the  Vedas,  Acharya  or  one  who  undertakes 
initiation  and  teachings  of  the  Vedas,  Ouru  or  one  who 
imdertakes  all  the  Vedic  rites  fpoija  gifrbhadhqna  to 
upamyam  and  then,  teaches  the  Veda,  ifather  and 
mother-— each  succeedii^  one  is  to  be  honoured 
more  than  ea<?h  preceding  one,  and  thus  mother 
is  the  most  honoured  of  all  (Yaj.  .35).  Like 
Manu  again,  he  recognises  'Gandharva'  marriage 
as  a.  legal  one  (V.  51)  and  enjoins  grown-up 
daugUtem  to  ehoose  their  Ownhftisbat^ji,^  if  tlnote'be  no 
one  to  give  them  in  marriage  to  /suitable  bridegrooms 
<Yaj.  M).  Yajnavalkya  aupports  the  pimotice  of 
Niyoga  also  (V.  6S-69).  He  recommends  bigamy  only 
under  certain  special  circumstances,  t*is.,  only  when 
the  present  wife  is  a  drunkard,  suffering  for  a  long 
time,  cunning,  barren,  harsh,  etc.  But  if  a  husband 
remarries  even  when  the  first  wife  m  living,  he  will 
have  to  pay  an  adequate  maintenance  for  her  (Yaj.- 
Sm.  78).  If,  however,  a  man  remarries  even  when  an 
obedient,  qualified,  sweet-tempered  wife  with  sons  ^ 
yving,  he  will  have  to  make  -over  a  tliird  of  his  own 
property  to  her  (Yaj.  70).  Of  course,  exactly  after 
Mtou,  Yajnavalkya,  too,  holds  that  women  are  never 
fit  for  independence,  but  must  always  be  controlled  by 
fathers,  hud[>ands,  sons  or  relatives  (Verse  85). 

As  regards  women's  right  to  property,  however, 
Yajnavalkya  holds  advanced  views,  in  comparison  with 
those  held  by  later  law-givers.  He  enjoins  that  those 
wives  who  have  no  strudhana  of  their  own,  should  be 
given  equal  shares  with  their  sons  by  them.  (V.  117), 
If  the  sons  divide  their  father'^  property  after  his 
death,  they  should  also  give  an  equal  share  to  their 
mother  (V.  126),  and  an  one-fourth  share  each  to  their 
unmarried^^sisters  (V.  127). 

Although.  Yajnavalkya  denies  freedom  to  women, 
he  does  npt  go  to  the  length  of  vilifying  them-  lilra 
Manu.  On  the  contrary,  he  bows  down  to  them  as  the 
greatest  4qymbQl.t)f  puritgr^— The  Moon  b»8  .given,  .them 
chastity^  the  OanMartm  AiiifpiQicm  e^^  [  the  Fire 
an  all-round  pm-ity— ^h'teee  It  is  thaifc  -wwneii  are  emt^ 
piiia  (Vv:^>.^iK»#rdinft^  Vwhq  ..'irili(r'^»«'k 


•■*  V 


4S6 


THE  MODERN  REVIEW  FOR  JtJNE,  1««3 


Atri-Sicbiti 
This  is  a  well-known  Smriti,  oo)niK>sed  approxi- 
mately in  the  2nd  century  A.D.  In  this  Smriti»  no 
accounts  are  found  as  regards  the  position  of  women. 
But  what  strikes  us  here  is  its  repeated  emphasis  on 
thQ  inherent  and  essential  purity  of  ^omen  as  a  clase. 
We  find  here,  first,  exactly  the  same  verses  as  found  in 
Yajnavalkya  Smriti  (V.  292),  emphasising  the  all- 
round  purity  of  women  (Atri  V.  139}.  Then  again  in 
verses  188-108,  it  is  said  that  being  ever  pure,  women 
are  never  polluted  even  by  immoral  gratification 
(V.  188).  One  of  the  greatest  blemishes  of  later  Hindu 
society  was  to  ex-communicate  as  impure  even  those 
women  who  were  forcibly  abducted.  But  Atri-Smriti, 
in  a  right  spirit  of  justice  and  fair-play,  enjoins  that 
abducted  women  are  never  to  be  discarded  as  impure, 
even  when  men  of  other  castes  or  foreigners  are  res- 
ponsible for  this  heinous  crime,  not  only  that,  even 
when  this  leads  to  illegitimate  child-birth.  (V.  191,  197). 
In  another  place  also,  he  eulogises  women  as  ever  pure 
like  the  flow  of  water  or  the  grains  of  dust  blown  up 
by  the  wind  (V.  238).  Atri-Smriti  alao  salutes  the 
mother  as  the  greatest  gum  (V.  149)  : 

'nfei  **'hpqL^  ^n^  sn^  ^nj:  it  ip:  i" 

VnHNU-SMBrn 
This  is  also  a  well-known  Smriti,  composed 
approximately  in  the  2nd  century  A.D.  the  main 
interest  of  this  Smriti  centres  roimd  the  fact  that 
amongst  all  the  Smritis,  it  for  the  first  time  refers  to 
'Widow-burning/  though,  by  no  means  as  a  compuU 
sory  custom.  The  verse  is  as  follows  : 

"A  woman  should  be  protected    by    her     father, 

husband  and  sons  during  childhood,  youth  and 

old  age  respectively.  If  her  husband  dies,  she 

should  either  follow  him  to  the  funeral  py», 

or  lead  a  fife  of  chastity.''*  (V.  14). 

But  as  regards  the  proprietary  rights  of  women,  the 

Vishnu-Smriti  holds  an  advanced  view.    In    the  17tb 

chapter,  it  enjoins  as  foQows  : 

"If  a  man  dies  without  a  son,  his  property  would 

pass  to  the  following  in  order  of  preference  : 

wife,  daughter,  father,  mother,  brother."t 

Thus,  Atri-Smriti,  though  not    0i)     liberal    as  to 

allow  the  wife  a  share  in  her  husband's  property  when 

her  sons  are  living,  is  at  least  just  enough  to  allow  the 

same  to  her  or  to  her  daughter,  to  the  exclusion    of 

Qther  male  relatives. 

It  is  also  libera]  enough  to  recognize  the  Qandharva 
form  of  marriage,  and  like  Manu  and  Yajnavalksra, 
feoommends  that  after  waiting  for  three  years,  gibwn- 
tip  girls  should  choose  their  own  husbands  (V.  24.40). 


In  common  with  other  Smritis,  it  too,  recognises  thrtt 
great  gurus  for  a  man — Mother,  Father,  and  Teacher 
(31.1).  ,  1- 

PAHASARJL-SlCim 

This  celebrated  Smriti,  composed  i4>proximatd7 
in  the  6th  century  A.D.  contains  the  only  verse,  found 
in  the  Smritis,  enjoining  re-marriage  for  women  under 
certain  circumstances  : 

"If  the  husband  be  lost,  dead,  has  embraced  ascetic 
ism,  be  impotent,  ex-communicated,  then,  in 
time  of  the  above  five  kinds  of  disasters, 
women  can  marry  again.]** 

As  well-known,  the  famous  reformer  and  philan- 
thropist, Pandit  Isvara  Chandra  Vidyasagar  legalised 
widow-marriage  on  the  strength  of  this  verse. 

Parasara-Smriti  also  holds,  in  common  with  Atri« 
Smriti,  (188  ff)  tJhat  as  women  are  ever-pure,  even 
abducted  women  are  not  to  be  ex-communicated  and 
discarded  (10.24,26). 

In  a  rather  humorous  verse,  Atri-Smriti  forcibly 
raises  its  voice  against  the  senseleas  discarding  of 
women  as  goods  and  chattels.  It  points  out  that  a 
man  who  discards  his  innocent  and  virtuous  wife  will 
have  to  be  bom  as  woman  seven  times  and  repeatedly 
suffer  from  widowhood  (4-15).  In  another  well-known 
Smriti,  w.,  Katyayana,  too,  the  same  thing  is  men- 
tioned, xAz.,  that  if  an  innocent,  venerable  wife  dies 
after  being  insulted  by  her  husband,  then  she  will  be 
bom  as  a  man  thrice,  and  the  husband  will  be  bom  as 
a  woman  (20.13).  j 

It  is  clear  from  the  above  that  in  the  age  of  eariy 
Smritis,  even  to  a  late  time,  women  were  not  ^tirely 
deprived  of  their  fundamental  birth-rights  to  education, 
property  and  freedom,  though  their  position  had  much 
deteriorated  from  that  in  the  Vedic  Age. 

PosmoN  OF  Women  as  Reflected  in  Sanskxr 

LlTBBAirUBB 

Literature,  it  is  rightly  said,  is  the  minor  of  the 
soul  of  society.  From  that  standpoint,  position  of 
women,  as  reflected  in  the  well-known  literature  of 
the  Middle  Ages,  is  indeed  a  very  interesting  study. 
Just  one  or  two  examples  mainly  from  the  Sanskrit 
dramatic  literatiure  which  abounds  in  female  characteis^ 
are  enough  to  illustrate  this  fact. 

In  Kalidasa's  first  drama  Malavikagnimilra  (4lh 
century)  there  are  quite  a  large  number  of  highly 
educated  and  cultured  female  roles.  Here  we  firat  meek 
the  great  woman  scholar  and  ascetic  Fandita  Kiudd» 
greatly  honoured  by  all,  including  the  king,  for  her 
deep  and  wide  learning,  profound  and  penetratiBg 
power  of  judgmait,  as  well  as  Uer  intensely  affectionate 
and  unsdfish  manners.  This  shows  thai  eiren  in    the 

4WA WSk  ^VWV  WW^\  WWW  ■ 


•  4th  oaBtuiy  A.D.  Asceticism- and  the  lif e  pt  a  celibMe  .i)iifniU!i  siid^liAr  grest,  grief  at  her  ioKed  ■Mpuatiw 

student,  were  kllowed  to  women.  The  heroiHe  ttl  tliie  trom  her  beolvod,  the  king.  All  the  three  ars  i-ightly 

drama,  Malavika,  too,  ia  a  fearned  and  accomplished  compEoient^  by  the  love-lorn  king  himeeU,  and  AVeu 
young  lady;  and  the  Queen  Dharini,    too,    has  brna '  Viduaaka,    Vichaksbaua'a    constant    cpponenC    admits 

delineated  as  no  leas  perfect.  Vichakahana  and  her  Eister  Sulakshana  to  be  "Mahitala- 

In     Bhkvabhuti's     JUalat^ModAoui     (7th  century  Sarasvati"  and  "Tribhuvana^Saraavati"  or  the  goddess 

A  J).),  we  meet  with  a  femafc  ^ae^Jj^  of  »eat  repute,  of_  lerning  on  earti  and  in  the     three    worlds  respec- 
vit.,  Kamandaki,  a  Buddhisf'AtAt,'  k.    4hom  ^lAffiJ 'JtlT^^Jin-aiJii^bJi' Vl^>e,  again,  when  Karpuramanjaii 

flocked  together  students  from  difierent    parts  of  the  meets  the  king,  Kurangika,  her  companion,  reads  out 

country  for  learning.  The  heroine,  'Ma{at{,~  a"  learsea  --to  the  '  kiAg'li  'poem     cnmposed  by  Karpuramanjari 

young  lady,  is  foimd  to  paint  the  picture  of  her  beloved  describing  the  moon,  which  also  charms  the  king  by  its 

with  the  greatoet  eue'aiid  proficiency:  nis  two.asoidtk  j«reetaees  of  tuguaget  d^th- oi -awouinc  mtd' vmid^' 

disciples  of  Kamandaki,  vix.;  Sajvlamim  and  BuddbA-  and  urigiDality  <A  idMSt'Thua,  in  the  Xarpnroman^tn 

-mkshita,  Malati's  friends  and  oompaffiona  aU  r^presiDt  ire.  find  many  insl&nees  of:  women' attaining  that  Jiiib 

a  very  bright  picture  of  wcmea'a  freedoAi  and  profren  :«tiuidard  Df  ^ducationAl  efficiency  so  as  ev«k  to  be  able 

in  thow  days.  to  compose  excellent  poems  at  a.  moment's  noUcct  ' 

In  Banabhatta's  Kadamban  (7tii  century  AX>.>,  a  ;      In8tanee»  may.  be' multiplied  from  elOEWid  fiwiskrit 

■fuaoQs  prose  work,  tte  threA  celebrated  feidile  eliarM-  riKp-ks  of  mediewl  ]»diq'  to  ,«bow    .that  th6    fetml^e 

ten,  vtt,     Kadambaii,     MabaavetA     and '  PatoUakha,  obacsetefB  painted  there  .do  iodaod  etaud  out  U  bright 

povMMd  of  great  learning  and  ftiadom,  alM  eiiow     a  cininplas  of  the  height  ^  Utaras;  perfection  and  moT^l 

blight  side  of  society.  M&hureta.  ia  deaonbAd  havliig  ««c(^aQe  to  which.  Indian    women    of    those    dkys 

her  body  purified  by  the  wearing  of  a  fiwiJinta-nb?  or  .^eBQbwd;  fb^.^  were  all-  wett^^ueatsd,     versed  is    tke 

-boly  tbnad  of  initiatwn,  and  eipcrtl/   playing  <ob'«  fine  arts,  like  musi;;.  dancing  and  ^Mnting,  amdexptMe 

flut«.  The  holy  Uiread  proves  that  sba  was  entitled  'to  in  the  art  of  writing  poetry,  and  witty    conversation. 

•^  aiiidy  of  the  Veda*  avwelL  •--■■•  /  Further; -tley.^cnibyed^ful) '  fi^edooi'    at    thbugi^  and 

Tbi    fftmous    drama  Ji(KiMt>ali'^y>ilnbin«-':(7l^  onevameni,  were  at  perfeot  t^Mtrt^  to  <:hoOBe  their  «*ni 

Mtttuiy)  dqiicU  the  herfue-SBKarikdaa     paim^^Titf  UMJaode^utnd'did  Bo,  bfa  B:  matter  of  ^t,  afDer -moret 

•UfeiJika  pioture  of  the 'kiBE;«fter: seeing  him  atasithily  im««Usgs  with'  then'  snitmi,  or-in' tha  open  eourte    kr 

'^1%  one*,  ahd  bor  Iriod  Suvngata  painting  ^ei  :By  '««a^ffii>a»i.«abft(i.      Thus,    'adult«aarriage    «>d  'lov^. 

ctiie  Bid*  ef  thekmg'a  piebtre  at  siimametiit's.atilitt. 'As  udUKrHaga  wer«'the'6ifly  fortns  of  nUrrlaee    known- to 

'tisaa),sll  AeJacfies^  here  tob,  hav«  been.  dtiiUsbfid  aa  -tbw  otasai<»l  Sansknt  lllentttre/espectally,  draitiM.-Jn 

'vary  4aBliSed  and  cultured  DBsi.       -   .  -'   v  c  :  '   ^\  a  WiTdi>  tfame  «iKitrouswo»ien  of  Sanskrit  UMttWfe 

-':       lu mother'' stall  later  cUvna  bypIUliasdEfaiVK^  «>u.,  !'SKm-rto  movti  in  m' beatitiAl  4lr«(kiit  vAiftd  of  their  Ofvn 

\iddhi^-Scia.B)ian.pka  (IQib  e«itmy  A^J,  tbe:hetOii|e  .labova  the  actual  social  world  of  e very-day  hte  whiM 

Mriganka\-ili    wuWs   aui  h      t'eajitilul      poolrj'      in    the  the   law-givt'rs  wirp   imTt;it.inRly   depriviug  wonion     of 

difficult  X'.iidharbhi  stj'le  and  Sikharioi  metre  as  to  gain  th«r   fimdamental   rights  of     frtedouv     ami    education 

tho  higbeat   junia;  from  the  king.  She  is  «1ho  depicted  and  confining  them  to  the  narrow  limit*  of  thtir  own 

as  un  expeii   painter  painting  her  own     jiicture     on  homeji  only.  But  literature  cannot  entirely  be  cut  off 

,or>-»Lai-*all3  foi'  the  king  to  see.  from   life   but   rather     roftecU  the     preaeiit     trend     Of 

Another  celebrated   Prakrit  draau.  Kiirpum-'iiaiijari  socinty,  Tlie  cliiwactera  iwrtrnywl   ht^re   arc.  no  doubt, 

:by  EajaBckhara  also  viiiUly  porlraya  t.  very  brigliL  and  by   thpmselves  imaginary,  in  the  emj-"^     thnt     they  do 

:encouraging   picture   of   the     bigli     standard   of   educa-  not  eland  tor     any     lii'ing     person.     But,     still     lh«' 

tional   protieieac.v   altuiiiqU   by   soma   wOmBii   of   those  represent  thp  proto-tyiids  of  actual  men  Bnd  wom*^  aa 

days  (lUth  i:cntur>-  AJJ.).  In  this  drama.  aJl  tlic  ladiea  fotmrf  at  the  time  in  wx-iety     and     that     n.lone  is  the 

have  been  described  an  highly  learned,  nio='t   of  them  (isoret  of  their  appBala  l«  the  readers.  Merely  impOsFflblc, 

being  experts  in   the  difficult     art     oi     poetry -writing,  abtolntdy  faJitastic  personaliticB  and  git'.iatfona  pannot 

Thus,  even  the  royal     maid-acnant     Viehaksliana    is  liold  the  attention  for  long  or  rouse  the  prOi)pr  spnti- 

found     lo     compose     poems     regarding     the  Malot/a-  mente  on     propir*   occa-iionfr,     Hcn'^e,     the     univerjsl 

Bafnirana  or   the  Bpring-breeze  and   recite   tbera   before  permanent  nppi-al  of  thone  literary     gera.''  of    S[inKkrit 

.  the  king,  queen  and  \'idusuka,  and  is  highij'  praised  by  literature  ia  based  on  the  fact  that  they  did  represent 

the  king  for  her    poetic    abiliiiea,    fitting  her     name  actualities  and  poseibiiities  in  those  days.  Thus,  there 

"Vichakshuaft"  or  a  clever  maiden.  Her  supreme  clever-  can  be  no  doubt,  that  even  during   tho  Middle  Agee, 

neaa  and   resdy   wit  are   admirably     displayed  in     her  a   clft.=a  of  people  belonging  to     the     higher  strata     Of 

palyful  repartcea  with  the  Vidusaka  before  the  king  and  eotiety  remained  unaffected  and  unpirtiirhpd  by     th'' 

the  queen  in  this  seeue.     Later,   Vichakshaoa     herself  iinjwl  Smritl-laws  and  rulings  and  conlinupd  to  cdtifW* 

hands  over  to   the  king  three     poems     composed     by  (heir  girls,  as  before,  give  them  freedom,  in  particular, 

Karpuramanjiiri,  heraelf  and  her  elder  sirter  Shulakshgna  when   grown  up  a  free  choice  of  e'0<in»- 
d«cribing  the  love-lorn  sute  of  Ihe  heroine  Karpuia,  'ia  t^  -ki-j.  V^-  S»  '^'i  tai^e^i^'Cxoxx  v<i  ■'wq    ■*:>««*-  "^ 


4M 


TBfi  MODERN  REVlEW^  FOR  JUNB,  1083 


India,  women's  birth*ri|^t  to  education  and  freedom  great  avalanche  of  sudden  frigbt  and  belple0BBe«  ihit 
were  never  entirely  jeopardised,  never  entirely  ignored  seemed  to  sweep  away  the  just  and  firm  foundatioiw 
and  trampled  under  foot,  even    in  the    face  of    that  of  our  social  life  during  those  ages; 

:0:- 


A  REBEL  MAGISTRATE  OF  BIHAR 

Bt  p.  C.  boy  CHOUDHURY.  uji^JU 


[The  Wahabi  Movement  that  aimed  at  the  overthrow 
lof  the  British  power  from  India  had  one  of  its  two 
storm-centres  in  Patna.  It  was  in  charge  of  MauWi 
Ahmedullah,  a  Deputy  Collector  and  Income-tax 
Assessor  of  Patna  City. 

He  was,  however,  exposed  in  a  Criminal  case  at 
Umbailah  and  was  arrested.  He  was  tried  in  1865 
for  treason,  conspiracy  and  attempt  to  wage  war. 
He  was  convicted  and  all  his  property  at  Sadickpur 
in  Patna  City  was  confiscated.  His  career  is  unique 
and  is  disclosed  below.  The  writer  has  gone  into  the 
authoritative  papers  for  the  etotyj 

Maulvi  Ahmedullah  of  Sadickpur,  Patna  City, 
was  appointed  a  Deputy  Collector  and  Income-tax 
Assessor  under  Government  Orders  No.  2677  of  421st 
September,  1860^.  Before  that  he  had  been  appointed 
by  Govemmmit  Orders  No.  301,  dated  the  0th  June, 
1853  a  member  of  the  Paina  Committee  of  Public 
Instruction.  While  he  was  in  Government  employ- 
ment as  a  member  of  the  Patna  Committee  of  Public 
Instruction  along  with  a  few  other  relatives  he  was 
arrested  by  the  then  Commissioner,  William  Taylor, 
during  the  Sepoy  Mutiny.  William  Taylor,  the  Com- 
missioner of  Patna,  had  secret  information  imd  was 
miorally  convinced  that  the  small  but  strong  sect  of 
the  Wahabis  in  Patna  City  had  a  lot  to  do  with  the 
Sepoy  Mutihy.  He  had  put  the  arrested  Wahabi  in 
a  bungalow  under  his  personal  surveillance  and  he 
ruthlessly  executed  in  a  public  manner  a  few  of  the 
■upposed  conspirators  at  the  Public  Place  now  knKmn 
as  Bankipore  Maidan.  Taylor  was  later  on  persuaded 
to  release  the  other  Wahabi  suspects  induding  Maulvi 
Aihmedu^ah.  Taytor  had  to  pay  dearly  fcr  the  fiim 
steps  he  took  to  stem  the  tide  of  the  Seppy  Mutiny 
one  of  which  was  his  action  against  the  Wahabis. 
Taylor  was  removed  from  the  Commissionership  and 
later  he  resigned. 

When  Maulvi  Ahmedullah  was  appointed  a 
Deputy  Collector  in  1860  it  was  obviously  not  known 
that  Ahmedullah  was  already  in  a  big  tonspinicy  Of 
the  Wahabis  to  throw  out  the  British  from  India. 
One  centre  of  the  operation  ^  the  Wahabis  was  in 
Mulkah-Sittana  and  the  other  eentre  was  in  Patna 
under  the  operational  guidanoe  of  Maulvi  Ahkn6dttllah« 
Deputy  CoUeCtot  mi  jBoome-tax  AasetfO^^ 


with  a  number  of  aliases  guided  the  operations  of  the 
Wahabis  in  their  move  against  the  British,  and  his  field 
of  operations  went  beyond  the  limits  of  India^  fron- 
tiers. At  his  house  a  weekly  meeting  used  to  be  held 
usually  after  evening  prayers.  The  members  of  the 
committee  were,  besides  Maulvi  Ahmedullah,  his 
biother  Matdvi  Yahiya  Ali,  Chief  prieflt  and  corns' 
pcmdent,  Abdul  Rahim,  relative  and  assistant  to 
Yahiya  Ali,  Abdul  Gufoor,  a  confidential  servant  of 
Maulvi  Ahmedullah,  treasurer.  There  was  another  veiy 
important  member  of  the  Committee,  Elahi  Buksh, 
who  acted  as  th^  banker.  The  house  of  Ahmedullah  wai 
referred  to  as  a  chota  godawn  in  the  correspondence. 
A  regular  system  of  code  words  was  used  in  all  Wahabi 
correspondence  and  everyone  of  the  conspiraton  had 
an  alias.  The  battle  was  referred  as  Mokardama  (suit 
or  elftse  in  court).  Gold  mohurs  were  called  red  rubies. 
The  remittance  of  money  was  mentioned  as  the  price 
of  books.  The  money  transactions  were  very  largB 
as  Elahi  Buksh's  books  ak>ne  shew  Rs.  20,000  in  drafts 
in  one  year  sent  through  him  independent- of  other 
remittances  in  gold  mohurs,  which  were  aent  by  a 
private  messenger  or  ktnM, 

Maulvi  Ahmedullah  had  his  secret  agents  in  ftH 
the  important  places  of  Bengal  and  Bihar.  One  Haji 
Badruddin,  a  hide-merchant  of  Dacca,  was  the  most 
active  agent  and  all  the  collection  from  the  eaat  used 
to  come  through  him  and  was  forwarded  by  him  to 
Patna  through  one  Phagu  Lai  on  whom  drafts  were 
drawn.  In  Calcutta  there  was  one  Abdul  Jubber  of 
1»ahalla  Mooreeganj  who  used  to  go  out  on  preaching 
miseion.  Maqshud  Ali,  another  agent,  was  a  Muktear 
in  the  Hi^  Court  and  had  also  a  house  in  Patm. 
Ahmedullah  had  his  agent  in  important  distHcts  like 
ftibna,  Rajshahi,  24-Parganas,  Jessore,  Fkiidpur, 
Murshidabad,  Maldah,  Rangpur,  Monghyr,  Tlrhut 
(Musaffarpur),  Bihar,  Arrah,  Buxur,  Banaras,  Allaha- 
bad, Kiinpur  and  Meerut  besides  other  places.  Patna  was 
the  si^rm-centre  but  the  men  who  fomented  the  cons- 
piracy acted  in  great  secrecy.  Ahmedullah  had  speci- 
iilly  appointed  komdi  or  messengers  to  carry  informa- 
tion and  mon^y  to  and  from  Mulkah-Sittana.  Among 
the  kohddB  the  morie  important  were  Samsuddin  of 
J3eobun  in  Saharanpttr  district,  Abdul  Rahman  of 
Kaithal,  Kitamuddin  of  Thaneswar,  Hidaetulh^,  a 
Kashtnki  resident  Of  Jaminu  and  othen  BeskieB  die 
iDadtMi]^  ollSks^  CcoXt^  C^\fistS&.\ii6^  %SsEnttdy  msMmlA 


A IGESEZ/  SCAOffiTRAtS  or  BIHAiE 


m 


in  l^atna  there  was  one  'Elahi  Baksh,  a  Muktear,  who 
tiook  an  active  part  in  Wahabi  movement.  Maulvi 
Umair  and  Abdul  Rahim,  the  two  merchants,  were 
employed  to  dispose  of  the  hides  and  skins  given  as 
#dba^  in  Jehad  war  fund.  Saycd  Ali,  a  partner  of 
Monohor  Das,  a  banker,  was  useful  in  remitting  money 
to  Sittana.  There  was  another  Elahi  Buksh  who  later 
on  was  convicted  and  sentenced  to  transportation  for 
being  in  the.  conspiracy.  He  turned  to  be  an  important 
witness  against  Maulavi  Ahmedullab.  One  Nandlal,  a 
resid^t  of  Fathua  and  tkikadar  of  villages,  was  a 
clever  forger  and  was  employed  wherever  his  talents 
were  required. 

There  appears  to  have  been  a  general  move  at  the 
instance  of  Ahmcdullah  throughout  the  districts  of 
Bengal  (which  comprised  Bihar,  Orissa  and  Assam) 
fcr  the  realisation  of  gakat,  a  contribution  for  the  war 
fund.  Through  the  agency  on  the  political  side  as  well 
as  through  the  prcaehers  the  Muslims  were  constantly 
reminded  that  they  have  to  raise  a  jehad,  a  holy  war 
of  Muslims;  against  the  kafirs  or  infidels.  In  their  cor- 
respondence Christian  and  British  troops  were  ealled  the 
heirs  of  Rookallah  (Jesus  Christ)  deceased.  One  of  the 
leading  principles  of  Wahabism  was  the  expectation  of 
an  Imam  (guide  or  prophet)  who  will  lead  all  true 
believers  to  victoiy  over  infidels.  These  two  tenets 
make  the  Wahabis  fanatics  and  men  and  money  were 
constantly  and  ruthlessly  raised  in  expectation  of  the 
Imam  and  the  duty  of  fekad.  Maulvi  AhmeduUah 
wsis  the  pivot  of  these  activities  and  fully  utilised  his 
opportunity  as  a  Government  aervant  to  further  the 
Wahabi  conspiract^r.  Great  care  was  taken  by  Ahmed- 
ullab to  ^prevent  the  possibility  of  suspicion  as  to  the 
share  he  had  in  Elahi  Buksh's  business.  When  he 
became  a  Deputy  (I!olIector  and  Income-tax  AsseBSOx 
Jie  tranflferred  his  share  to  the  name  of  the  office 
treasurer,  Abdul  Gafoor.  All  letters  from  Bengal  appear 
to  have  been  received  through  a  book-«eller  in  Patna 
and  ail  letters  received  from  friends  on  the  frontiers 
were  received  through  Elahi  Buksh.  On  the  arrest  of 
Elahi  Buksh  at  Umballah  (a  stoty  which  will  be  dis- 
closed) the  last  meeting  of  the  committee  was  called 
by  Ahmedullah  at  his  Sadickpur  house  ^^  it  was 
decided  to  destroy  the  whole  of  the  correspondence 
and  they  Were  ah  destroyed.  But  tho  papers  that  had 
been  seized  in  connection  with  the  trial  of  some  of  the 
Wahabis  at  Umballah  give  out  a  lot  of  secrets  of  the 
Wahabi  movement  guided  by  Maulvi  Ahmedullah. 

For  a  proper  appreciation  of  the  Wahabi  move- 
ment, it  is  necessary  to  indicate  briefly  what  Wahabism 
is.  The  secjb  of  Wahabis  takes  its  name  from  Abdul 
Wahab,  a  seceder  from  the  orthodox  Mohamedan  faith, 
who  acknowledged  Mohammad  as  a  great  and  good  man 
but  denied  his  divine  character,  Abdul  Wahab  was 
bom  at  Elhautia,  a  village  five  or  six  days'  ioumey, 
south  of  Deraiyeah,  the  capital  of  the  province  of 
Nejd.  He  preached  that  Mohammad  the  proiihet  was 
A  mortal,  and  ha-  preached  lor  jJl  the  aatkMM  of  the 


world  and  not  for  one  onbr*-the  Arabs.  Be  lednoed 
Mahomedanism  to  pure  Deism  and  made  several 
prohibitions  concerning  sooial  and  religious  habits,  such 
as  the  use  of  opium,  wine,  tobaopoand  the  use  of  the 
rosaries  for  prayers  and  would  not  allow  the  deifica*- 
tion  of  any  saints  or  graves  of  the  saints.  This 
reformed  creed  made  great  progress  among  the 
nomadic  Arabs  or  Beduins.  The  creed  received 
great  enrouragement  under  Saud,  the  grandson  of 
Mohammad  Ibu  Saud  who  conquered  Mec|ca.  It  is 
not  necessary  to  follow  the  growth  of  Wahabism  and 
how  it  affected  Turkey  and  Egypt  at  one  time.  The 
death  of  Saud  was  the  forerunner  of  the  ruin  of  the 
Wahabis.  But  even  when  the  power  of  the  Wahabis 
was  bpoken  Wahabism  was  not  exterminated.  Wahi- 
bism  had  a  great  follower  in  Syud  Ahmed  who  was 
a  native  of  R&i  Barielly  and  began  his  life  as  Sowar 
imder  Amir  Khan  Pindarry.  Ahmed  received  his 
religious  training  under  one  Shah  Abdul  Asix  of 
Delhi.  Sjrud  Ahmed  quickly  attracted  a  large  number 
of  followers  and  became  a  religious  teacher.  His 
influence  in  Bengal  was  great  and  the  doctrines  that 
he  preached  were  almost  identidal  with  those  of  the 
Arabian  Wahabis.  Ahmed  came  to  Patna  and  made 
many  converts  and  appointed  his  agents.  The  Chief 
agent  appointed  in  Patna  was  Shah  Mohammad 
Hussain  in  whose  house  he  stayed.  Mohammad 
Hussain  had  been  given  a  sanad  empowering  him  to 
appoint  his  suoccftors.  This  sanad  was  later  traced 
to  be  in  possession  of  Yahiya  Ali  who  was  convicted 
in  the  Umballah  case  and  was  the  brother  of  Maulvi 
Ahmedullah.  Syud  Ahmed  also  visited  Calcutta, 
Bombay,  Barielly  and  after  he  had  acquired  a  large 
number  of  followers  he  travelled  in  1824  through 
Kandahar  and  Kabul  preaching  among  the  Yusufjahi 
tribes  on  the  Peshawar  borders.  He  also  inflamed 
Barakasi  sardani  and  ppoclaimed  religious  war  against 
the  Sikhs  whose  power  in  Punjab  at  this  time  had 
been  very  great.  Their  fight  with  the  Sikhs  brought 
only  temporary  and  occasional  success.  Ahmed  was 
defeated  and  fled  into  Sumt.  He  afterwards  acquired 
great  influence  among  the  Pathans  through  Futtah 
Khan  of  Panchadar.  A  general  insurrection  later 
occurred  when  the  Pathans  rdbelled  against  him  and 
Syud  Ahmed  was  forefed  to  fly  to  Hazara  where  he 
was  joined  by  the  remnants  of  his  followers.  In  1830, 
they  were  again  defeated  by  the  Sikhs  under  Sher 
Singh  and  Syud  Ahmed  was  slain.  Those  of  his 
followers  who  had  escaped  and  found  their  way  to 
Sittana,  a  village  belonging  to  Syud  Akbar  Shah  who 
had  been  a  friend  of  Syud  Ahmed.  After  Syud 
Ahmed's  death  some  of  his  followers  came  back  to 
Bengal  and  gave  out  that  he  had  disappeared  by  a 
miracle  but  is  still  alive  and  would  come  forward  as 
the  Imam  at  some  future  time.  This  rumour  reached 
Patna  and  some  of  the  Pfttna  Wahabis,  namely,  Maulvi 
Billait  Ali  imd  Inait  Ali,  started  for  traeimc,  <vsJL  6:^^ 


uua 


TaSlSfODeRtflllBYH^f^.FPSiJtQiCEA  ld53 


Mnute^aiil  pMphet.-.'EicthNut'stoiiee  of^tnirflclf  Jfiefe 
'apnnd  '■nd  the  tvo  Patn&  pilgricna  returned  preacbiaK 
I  Jebad  through  the  Aief  cities  and  towns  of  Upper 
'Indift.  They  had  been  once  arretted  on  the  frontier 
-tot  having  ftttonpted  to  orekte  a  dj0twbanc«  unong 
^Ihc  Kb«|Bn  tribes.  They  were  sent  b»tk  under  custody 
'.to  their  homes  and  in  Patn&  tliey  were  under  iecurity 
land  tile  otder  wm  tb&b  they  should  not  leave  Patna- 
'.But  MBM  time  after  Enayet  Ali  noa  arreatad  in  Raj- 
'Sbahi  and  in  1850  be  was  turned  out  of  the  diatiict  and 
MDt  back  to  Patna.  Enayot  Ali  was  again  bound  down 
by  the  Magistrate  of  Patna  and  hia  surety  was  Maulri 
'  Awteeah  Ali,  a  Wababi  of  Sadikpur,  father  of  Iradut 
Hunain.    From  the  proceedings  of  tbe  Punjab  Board 

-  of  AdminiatraticH),  dated  12tii  May,  1881,  both  Enayet 
-and   Willayut   Ali   were   found  to  be  nn  the  frontier 

fomenting  trouble.  In  1^2  the  British  Government 
Wem  cODvinotd  that  there  waa  an  attempt  on  the  p^ 
'Of  the  Wababi  fanatics  to  tamper  with  tbe  4tb  Segi- 
Dlent  of  Native  Infantry  at  Rawalpindi.    This  oone- 

-  piracy  bad  loriginated  in  Patna  and  many  of  tbo  Sadik- 
pur  Mualugas  wei^  found  at  Sitta^in  Siriat.  By 
.this  .time  men  with  arms  and  money  from  Patna  were 

"Mnstqiitjy  going  in  small  batches  to  the  frontier  for 

'ji^ining  the  .Jebad. 

In  early  I8S8  on  the  repreeeatatnn  nf  the  Punjab 
'OOveninmit  thii  Msgiatrate  of  Patna  learohed  ike 
-bouw  of.  Hosseiu  Ali  Khan.  SomeiHnr  the  news  that 
"Aere  weukl^aeeMth  had  reached  bis -cars  and  all 
'  fhfr  oorTe^Obdenoe .  ih  the  tiouaa  w«re 'destroyed.  Tbe 
lifa^tnte  of  Patna  in  hiB  letter  to  Government  man- 
.tiftned  that  Jehad  was  being  preaMied  from  tlt«~  house 
-Qf  Billait  AH  and  that  the  Wahabia  whM  in  leagie 
-with  tha-police.  Lord  Dalhrniae,  the  Oovenioc- 
QeDeraV  reoocded  a  minute  on  the  ^SSth  Angiiat, 'US2 
■U>'  the  effect  .  that  treasonable'  eorrespondance 
v^as-  being  carried  on  between  Patna  and  the 
'furatter  wae  known  to  .Oovemment  and  tiiat  the 
Patna  conspirators  should  be  cfcsely  watdied.  Bnt 
'4t  appaars  that  the  watch  was  exbtemefy  wnk.pw- 
babtr  due  to  tlMfectlhat  UiB.police  amS  in  leafuaL.irfth 
■-the  fccal'  Wahabi».Mi..-Bitn»-     ;:.:   -    '  -..      -".ni   :::j7:i 

There  w!is  n  proscmtion  in  1SS3  at  Ran-alpitKii 
"where  cnn  Mohammnd  Wulty  was  convicted  for  tiy- 
^bxg  to  tamper  with  (be  4tb  Kative  Infantry  Regi- 
'niwit  of  Rawalpindi.  In  this  oasc  also  the  narnes 
of  Ahmcdullah  and  other  residents  frf  Patna  were 
montioaed  ns  forwarding  supplies  to  the  fanatics  in 
'  the  frontier?.  On  the  7th  September,  1862  the  fnna- 
'  ^CB  attacked  the  camp  of  the  Guide  Corps  at  lopee 
but  were  repulsed.    It  has  been  mentioned  : 

^  "This     bostile   band   of     Hindustsoi  »nd   Bon- 

giilee  fanatics   wbich  has  dost  ihfi     British  Govem- 

'  *     ment  so  muph   trmihip,  treaaiiie,  and  blood  appears 

from   an   llie  inTomiatioa  on   reoord   to   hav?   li^d 

i  .      tU     rooi  IB     Pabaa     wbfre     llicM     ficuticr     di»luT- 

/. ,     baticea   had    been    fomented    and    aupplies    of    men 

ao/f  money  regularly  traaBmifled    t»   the  HilU  by 

!A»    'family  of  tbe     MauWis  io     Sadikput     "whose 


.  :-  miiHwe':  »nd    a»eiune«- h__,  .__-t-_ 

greater    part    of    howet    Beng^J,    Behar,    North- 
Western  Provinces  and   the  punjab." 

During  the  Sepoy  Mutiny  of  UG7  tbe  Wabdiil 
were  again  io  the  limelight  in  Patoa  but  tbe  bn 
action  of  Comnuanooer  Taytor  nipped  the  tioiMa 
-  in  tbe  bud.  Moreover,  tlie  Wababis  of  Patna  bad  |1- 
ready  been  invited  to  (o  to  the  hiUa  aod  msk*  n 
Mtaek  on  the  Biitidi  frontior  and  for  thia  leaKa  tbav 
I  remauted  mere  und^ground  in  S^^y  Uutiny  daya. 
'  '  Aft«r  the  Mutiny  tbe  Wababis  in  PatM  re- 
doubled their  aclivKiea  and  tbousands  of  viltatn 
from  different  parts  of  Bengal  started  coming  to 
Sadikpur.  From  there  they  were  deqwtched  in  small 
batches  to  Mulkab-Sittana  hilla  thiQUgti  UmbaUa 
wbera  they  were  led  to  believe  that  Imam  Syv^ 
Ahmed  would  ^pear  and  lead  them  to  victory,  la 
:  U63  fogr  Bengali  Muslims  were  arrested  in  Kaanl 
OQ  their  way  to  Umballa.  One  Gussn  Khan,  an 
Eeufaye  in  Military  service,  was  approached  by  fosr 
-Bengali  Muslims  to  join  tbem  as  Uw^  was  iping  to 
be  a  fight.  Guian  Khan  arreated  Uiem  but  tbe 
..Ma^trate  released  the  mm.  Two  UKUitha  later  a 
.  disturbance  broke  out  on  th«  frontier  .u  Ng|Mtid 
v,by  the  Bengalis,  Qn  Uuui  Guaan  Ithap  asoartauMd 
.  throu^  hiaeon  who  w^  sent  to  UulkafviKttsna  tb>t 
the  .fanatics  on  the  hilla  wwe  anaiiitad  wHi  iDet|a||d 
.  arms  by  Mohammad  Jaffir  of  Tbaoeawar.  0n4his 
igforaiatian  Mohammad  JaiHi^  :bouae  waa.  aewchwl 
-and  a  lot  «f  corre^wndence  .vera  discovoMd.  3i0t 
^had  absoonded  but  .waa  Jaler  arrested  at  Ali|^uh-is 
.isempany  ofsome  Wababis  of  FatAa.  llk^i^ ,  nun  gate 
out  that  tiiay  were  the  ^ervanta  of  SlaU  Boksfa  and 
a  telegtsm  ns  sent  to  the  Patna  Magistrate  to  anett 
rElabiBuk^.  Among  the  oorreepondenoe  aeiaad  in 
',^lfir'a  house  «  letter  waa  found  advising  Mnl^aaiiisH 
-fibuXec  that  the  rosariea  composed  ttf  luVs  and  jmall 
,~r^' beads  numbmng  300  and  cayotal  beads  numbeiins 
.^^  be  doepa^ched  from  Patna.  At  Hie  same  ^t^ie.oos 
-^fs^ip  of  Thaneavar:  wsa  aireeted  cofniog  ifi^ 
^fika.]bovi^l■<^  Umballa  ^nd  had ,  in-  faia  p  swenpoiB  two 
biif^ls^  j^n, which .gpid.Epoh^n:W^  sewn  .UXtyj^  -^ 
aJMimbq;.':j,wUli.,^he  .jttiinb^.  of  , ;b^i|(  Bfrt^ /j»  .^ 

fater  j^M'W.r^nd  ,Mr,.f.  p,.,Sayw4f»*v»*Mi^'»*(»:J' 
aJ^^rJVM-aakcd  to  pursue  the  matter. 

'"■■'  "RsreQShaw'a  final  report  after  Oie  oonvietioB  of 
Ahnedutlah  is  an  important  document  aad  is  dated 
'«tfe  I  Hay,  Mes.  Be  folkmcd  up  das*  .aseartaiicd 
trton:  the  UmbaHa  Trial  whuh  had  resnlted  intha  ecn- 
'■Vlotlon  and  tjanaportatioii  for  lil»«{'  UehaamadJIbifi 
bmI  tea  «tlM»aWM«  wbwn  were  Yab^a  AK,  His 
nbwtkWr  ^  Abdul  :Rahim,  ^  aeph«w,.  "BiiiA  8aU, 
''iMaka*--»iii  AbdUl  Gnfcw,  •  ctmOdsntiid  aarvaatadd 
.'IMaaarerii :  Mr.-  RavenihniF  aeascted  fbaga  .-Lah 
•"^MasMwid  found  ssvsisl  ^antiios  of-dwfta^  Us.'teeki 
i-^ionp^Bnoa  oudUttuF  idMeat  -.lEfeU:BiMkarte.'M 
'•4«de  «NM«Dk&.'<te.  "    -"^-^  '  I  liiiqH  * 


A  tM&L  MAOlBVRAte  OF  filSAil 


4dd 


Patnft  and  a  lengthy  statement  was  obtained  from 
Lim.  The  statement  of  Elahi  Baksb  was  a  complete 
vindication  of  the  theory  that  the  pivot  of  the  move- 
ment was  Maulvi  Ahmedullah.  Elahi  Buksh  was 
brought  to  Patna  from  TTmballa  jail  and  was  kept 
soncealed  in  the  bungalow  in  the  compound  of  Mr. 
Ravenshaw.  Ahmedullah  of  course  had  been  arrested 
Immediately  on  the  starting  of  the  enquiry. 

Ravenshaw  had  worked  hard  for  months.  Ahmed- 
ullah was  put  in  the  dock  for  trial  on  various  charges 
of  treason  and  was  convicted  by  the  Judge  and  the 
lentence  of  death  was  passed  on  him.  The 
Committing  Magistrate  was  Mr.  Monro  who  had 
relieved  Ravenshaw  as  the  Magistrate  of  Patna  and 
the  Judge  was  Mr.  Ainslie.  Ahmedullah  was  defended 
3y  W.  Makenzie. 

The  case  came  up  to  the  High  Court  for  oonfirma- 
ion  and  the  sentence  of  death  passed  by  the  Judge 
vas  ^mmuted  to  transportation  for  life. 

The  judgement  of  the  Hi|^  Court  was  delivered 
m  April  13,  1866  by  Justices  C.  B.  Trevor  and 
[>.  Loch. 

There  were  four  charges  against  Ahmedullah, 
iamely»  that  he  had  attempted  to  wage  ^^^  against 
ihe  Queen,  that  he  had  abetted  waging  war  against 
he  Queen,  that  he  had  collected  and  abetted  colleor 
ion  of  men  with  the  intention  of  waging  war  against 
he  Queen.  The  Sessions  Judge  had  found  him  guilty. 
Kiter  discussing  the  evidence  at  some  length  the 
earned  High  Court  Judges  came  to  the  cfondusion  : 

''We  think  that  the  fact  of  the  existence  of  a 
conspiracy  in  Patna  for  waging  war  against  the 
Briti^  is  proved  ;  that  in  furtherance  of  that  coa^ 
piracy  a  Jehad  against  the  Crovemment  was  pre- 
ached and  that  men  and  money  were  forwarded 
aciofls  the  frontier.  We  have  evidence  that  some 
of  the  men  thus  sent  Joined  the  rank  of  the  ^m- 
batanta  at  Sittana  and  fou^t  against  the  British 
Government.  We  have  evidence  also  that  money 
in  gold  mohurs  and  hoondees  for  the  support  of 
the^  rebels  was  remitted  to  Mohammad  Jaffir  at 
Thaneswar  and  Mohammad  Shufi  at  Umballa. 
We  find  that  the  prisoner  was  a  constant  atten- 
dant at  the  preaching  in  the  house  of  Abdul  Rahim 
at  Patna  proclaiming  a  Jehad.  We  find  that  he 
was  cognisant  of  ana  consenting  to  the  conspiracy 
and  to  the  acts  dione  in  furtherance  thereof  and 
Uiough  it  may  not  be  possible  to  point  to  any  one 
act  in  particular  as  proved  to  have  been  done  by 
him  directly  in  furtherance  of  the  objects  of  that 
conq>iracy  3ret  the  conspiracy  being  proved  and  his 
connection  with  it,  the  acts  of  each  of  his  co-cons- 
pirators  done  in  pursuance  of  the  common  object 
are  his  acts  and  therefore  to  be  held  as  evidence 
ai^ainst  him.  We  think  that  the  evidence  before 
UB  is  sufficient  to  support  the  conviqtion  of  the 
prisoner  under  section  121  of  the  Penal  Code  upon 
the  second  count  of  the  charge.  But  as  we  do  not 
find  from  that  evidence  that  the  prisoner  took  a 
more  active  part  in-  this  conspiracy  than  othen 
who  have  been  cKmvicfted  and  sentenced,  we  dee- 
Une  to  confirm  the  sentence  of  death  passed  by 
the    Qetsions  Jtadge  but    direct  tbit  the    priiOBei 


Ahmedullah  be  transported  for  life  and  forfeit  all 
his  property   to   government.'' 

So  ended  the  famious  trial  and  the  writer  is  i|Ot 
aware  of  any  other  trial  in.  which  a  Magistrate  ii 
India  had  been  found  guilty  and  convicted  for  treason* 
Mr.  Ravenshaw  pursued  the  case  with  meticuloiit 
care.  Ravenshaw  appeared  before  the  Magistrate 
and  the  Judge.  Although  in  the  High  Court  he  could 
not  argue  the  case  himself  he  entrusted  it  to  another 
Advocate  and  instructed  him.  Ravenshaw's  final 
report  indicated  that  altdiough  the  backbone  of  ths 
Wahabi  movement  was  broken  by  the  conviction  o( 
Ahmedullah  there  were  other  Maulvis  who  were  pre* 
aching  treason  at  various  places  and  going  under- 
ground frequently.  He  also  referred  to  the  activities 
iof  the  Ferisie  sect  in  Lower  Bengal  whose  doctrines 
were  much  allied  to  the  Wahabi  creed. 

It  may  be  mentioned  here  that  the  properties  oi 
Ahmedullah  at  mahalla  Sadikpur  in  Patna  City  were 
confiscated  and  made  over  to.  the  Patna  Munici* 
pftlitgr. 

The  story  of  Ahmedullah  discloses  certain  pecu* 
liar  features.  It  is  difficult  to  comprehend  how  a 
man«  who  had  been  suspected  as  a  rebel  and  was  sent 
away  under  surviellanc^  from  the  Punjab,  who  had 
been  arrested  in  Patna  during  the  Sepoy  Mutiny  as  a 
suspect^  oould  have  been  appointed  a  Deputy  Collector 
and  Incometax  Assessor.  It  is  also  clear  that  th« 
police  efiiciency  was  questionable  because  in  the  very 
heart  of  Patna  City  meetings  were  held,  hundreds  o£ 
Bengali  Muslims  uned  to  come  to  the  Sadikpur  house 
of  Ahmedullah  and  very  little  was  known  on  the  8ur>* 
face  till  AhmedullahVl  trial  occurred.  One  is  almost 
led  to  believe  that  the  police  were  in  tacit  league 
with  the  Wahabis.  It  is  diffiicult  to  appreciate  how 
with  all  the  lack  of  transport  and  communication 
facilities  such  a  great  and  ramified  conspiracy  oould 
be  fostered.  All  this  will  show  that  there  was  H 
fanatic  zeal  almo.st  verging  on  religious  insanity 
wiiich  inspired  the  Wahabis.  Successive  repulses  sat 
lightly  on  them  and  there  was  no  decline  in  ccmtri- 
bution  in  the  shape  of  men  and  money  for  an  end 
which  was  being  kept  up  by  the  fiction  that  a  man 
who  had  died  wKmld  appear  as  the  Imam  and  wage 
a  successful  war  against  the  infidels.  The  hold  of  the 
Wahabis  was  indeed  very  fijm  on  the  Moslems  of 
Bihar  and  Bengal  as  shown  by  the  fact  that  lacs  of 
rupees  were  s^t  to  Mulk-Sittana  every  year  from 
Patna  and  this  continued  for  several  years.  Wahabism 
was  a  d3^namic  creed  and  the  non-Wahabis  aIso  contri- 
buted liberally  to  their  fund. 

It  is  probably  not  known  to  manjr  tiiat  the  pre» 
sent  Patna  City  Municipality  office  is  ntuated  on 
^e  land  on  which  hia  house  abood,  the  house  thai 
served  as  the  phu»  for  the  meeting  aadtke^tescvA^ 


'  A  SilC(£SS^tJt  tlNtV^BSlUr  StIBtU£R  SESSION 

Br  ALFBED  S.  SCHENKUAN, 
AcUng  DepMy  DvtctOT,  fyUemalion^   InttHvU    of  Bdveatioiuii  Science*,   UnhttrtUy  of   Vtreeht 


"If  the  Eaat  had  been  uuhutnaliied  uid  not  the 
Wwt,"  Hid  a  qtMker  st  th«  Univenitiea  of'tkn 
Netherlands  1903  Sinoiner  SeMton,  'Hben  this  acnon, 
inatcad  of  being  held  at  Leiden  in  Hollftnd,  would 
bare  bcMi  held  at  Beuarea  or  Jokaxta."*  The  <)uip 
wu  mftde  in  answer  to  a  question,  by  Dr.  Tjan  Tjoe 
Som,  new  PrDfesBOr  of  Cbineae  Fhiloaoi^y  at  the 
University  of  Indonesia.  He  was  one  of  ahnost 
two  dosen  professors  and  experts  who  spoke  on  su^ 
subjects  ss  the  meeting  of  East  and  West,  the 
Population  Problem,  Social  Movements  in  East  and 
West,  and  the  Development  of  Understanding  between 
these  two  great  areas,  etc.  The  lecturers  came  from 
Indonesia,  from  India,  and  of  course  from  Holland. 

But  this  Summer  Session  was  lot  for  lecturers 
only.  Its  succeSB— aod  this  sucoess  wtis  considerable- 
was  in  large  measure  due  to  the  complete  partidpalion 
of  the  members  of  the  Seesion.  These  membcn  came 
from  16  countries,  from  Europe,  from  Asia  (Indisi, 
bulonesia,  Palcistan,  Japan,  Iraq),  from  Africa,  and 
bom  the  U.S.A.  tM  Canada. 

Hie  soanon  was  not  "meant  to  be  a  training 
Murse  from  which  the  studnits  return  home  with 
Rsdy-made  solutions."  It  was  raUier  meant  to  funo- 
tion  Bs  "a  meeting  place  where  pemons  trota  various 
parts  of  the  world  could  exchange  information, 
opinions  and  nperiowes."  The  organisers  of  the 
<auT«e  tried  to  find  a  way  best  to  bring  about  this 
ex-hange  of  opinions..  They  thought  that  such 
exchange  (in  the  words  of  the  Vico-Chrirman,  Dif.  G. 
W.  Locber)  should  "not  be  Umited  to  incidental 
personal  talks  but  should  form  one  of  the  most  essen- 
tial parts  of  the  program."  Therefore  they  "worited 
Mt  a  ^Btem  of  discussion  groups  as  functional 
elements  of  the  session.''  It  is  the  place  and  manner 
of  working  of  these  discussion  groups  that  we  alutll 
describe  here. 

Vow,  the  writer  presents  this  Kport  as  an 
•insider,"  for  he  was  a  Discussion  Advisor,  one  of 
three  cfficklly  appointed.  But  he  wns  also  in  a  ^fry 
Pea!  aenaj  au  "outsider."  For  be  was  an  American 
dtiEen  working  in  a  Dutch  UoiverBiti".  Hp  saw  things 
therefore  with  two  eyes,  one  being  that  of  an  orga- 
niser, the  other  an  obsen'cr'j  eye.  This  report,  the 
product  of  such  dirbotomous  vision,  combines  in 
itself  both  the  insid?  and  outside  points  of  view. 
From  the  inside,  the  reporter  writes  as  a  participant 
In  the  making  of  import.iot  decisions  ftnd  as  one, 
therefore,  who  went  through  the  upa  and  downs  that 
BO  with  the  making  (and  the  not-m^kinj;)  of  parti- 
cular decisions.  From  the  outsido,  ho  reports  as  one 
who  saw  things  from  a  different  bnckgroimd  and  with 
Uienfore  a  different  point  of  view,  Tbis  "two-in-one" 

•  ttu^    m^  rnfm    rtrld. 


outlook  meant  that  he  could  be  at  the  same  time 
planner,   critic,   and   proselytiser. 

Let  us  turn  from  the  reporter  to  the  local  scene. 
Univerailiea  just  like  any  other  inalitutious  have  their 
Otta  hijjiories  aud  traditions ;  natioiial  educational 
systems  likewise  have  roots  that  go  fur  back.  The 
Dutch  universities,  which  have  long  ,  u.l  liistinguiabed 
histories,  show  some  of  the  bad  points  .i.)  woil  as  the 
good  point-'?  of  adherence  to  traditioa.  As  in  most 
other  European  univcraKics  the  lecture  method  has 
assumed  the  stiitus  of  a  syslcm.  And  aa  in  most  cases 
of  set  and  crystallizwl  sj-stcms,  ibc  aiiherence  to 
tradition  is  so  much  dnmandrd  that  there  tan  be 
little  real  examinalion  either  of  the  traditioa  or  of 
the  merits  of  the  system. 

Lack  of  financial  resources,  of  course,  is  in  aO 
countries  a  handicap  to  education.  But  financial 
stan'alioa  is  too  often  used  as  a  clOak  and  shield  to 
eicuse  Uck  of  imagination  and  to  cicuse  the  uE- 
willingneas  to  tamper  with  tradition.  There  is  a  mis- 
conception that  .\merican  universities  can  "do  so 
much"  because  they  havc  monej";  this  arises  from 
the  publicity  given  to  "new  roovements,"  Yet 
American  profcssora  are  ba.sicaUy  just  as  conser- 
vative as  professors  anywhere  else:  new  methods 
though  conclusively  proved  better  tl.an  old  find  it 
just  as  bard  to  secure  acceptance  in  tic  U.S.A.  as  in 
educationally  oonservativo  Holland  or  Britain  or 
India.t  Professors  Jn  every  couatrj-  are  jiiBt  about 
equally  committed  to  their  status  roles  and  to  the 
pseudo-security  ot  the  teaching  method  which  makes 
them  authority  figures. 

Universities,  when  they  do  advance  in  eduealioiial 
method,  do  ao  more  because  of  the  willinsnesa  of 
their  professors  (or  ot  some  of  them)  to  examine  the 
relevance  ot  old  traditions  and  ot  traditional  methods 
than  bec!iu9e  of  any  supply  of  money.  In  the  experi- 
ment to  be  reported  on.  for  instance,  there  was  a 
reasonable  amount  of  financial  starvation.  Certainly 
this  Dutch  Summer  Session  was  not  backed  by 
Ibousanda  of  doll.irs  or  of  guildar^.  But  the  Com- 
mittee which  decided  the  policy  of  this  course  was 
made  up  of  merobors  forward -looting  and  venture- 
some :  the  perjona  in  charge  ot  the  dny-to-day  work- 
ing of  the  course  were  willing  and  ansious  to  try  new 
things.  That  is  why  its  history  teaches  us  much  in 
the  details.  TTiat  it  could  develop  mj  Bucrcssfully  in 
the  brief  ppsce  of  two  years  teaches  us  how  much  * 
small  group  of  peraons  can  eecomplisa  when  il«  mem- 
bers are  open  to  new  ideas  and  piggestions. 

The  1952  topic  ot  the  couree  was  the  same  as  that 
of  the  previous  year.    The    writer  ivaa  on  the    •taff 

I  ben  ikil   lb*   iMInt*  >TaUii  k^ 


A  SUCCESSFUL  UNIVERSITY  SUMMER  SESSION 


465 


also  in  1951,  so  that  both  he  and  th^  topic  (Eastern 
and  Westnt  World)  had  ahcady  beea  tried.  In  both 
years  the  assignment  of  thi.s  futu'liuniKnre  was  -o 
organize  "worki^hcps"  (small  discussion  groups)  but 
the  1952  experiment  was  the  more  successful  because 
there  was  ah'eady  the  experiencr^  of  the  previous  year 
to  learn  from. 

After  the  1951  .-ession  thc»  writer  i)rei)ared  a  ie- 
port  for  the  Chairman  of  tiie  Course  in  which  some 
nine  points  were  made.  These  wer,*  summarized  as 
follows  : 

"(1)   Use   ever>'   device   possible    to     d  velop    in 
the  student  members  (from  llic»  start)   a  feeling     of 
belongingness,  of  belonging     to  a     group  ;      to  this 
end  everyone   must     know     ever>'one     as   soon     -^s 
possible.    (2)    One   individual   should  be   givrn   clear 
responsibility    for   seeing    to   the   sniccessful     organi- 
zation of   the  discussion   i)eriods,     and     (3)    discus- 
sion policies  should  be  decided  on  the  basis  of     a 
well-fcrmulated      philosophy    of     education    for    the 
coui-se.    <4)     Assuming  the  approval   of  a     "Work- 
shop"    plan,     then  the     real  lead-^rs  of  the     small 
groups     should   not   be     api)ointed   but     should   be 
elected  "by  their  peers" — though  there  can  be  some 
manipulation   of   the   chance   method  of      assigning 
places  in  the  workshops.   (5)   Thcr»»  was  too  much 
planned  this  year.     Next  year  let  the  students  plan 
a   goodly    number   of    their   own    evenings   and   cut 
down  too  on  the  number  of  lectures.   (6)   It  would 
be    educationally    (and    financially    also)      desirable 
to  have  a  longer  summer  session — either  one   term 
of  four  or  five  weeks,  or  two  terms  of  three  weeks 
each.    (7)    To   have   a   larger   student   enrollment   it 
is  necessary  to  use  advertizing  and  more  than  one 
kind.      (8)    Travel    scholarships    (as    from    England 
or   France   to    Holland)    should   be   offered;    this    is 
in  itself  good  advertizing  for   very  little  outlay   of 
money.     (9)   There  should   be   some  speakers   from 
the  Ea.st." 

It  is  relevant  to  give  this  summary  here  becau.^e 
mo.st  of  the  points  were  acted  on,  '^.s  we  shall  see  in 
detail  further  on.  To  quote  again  from  the  report, 
from  the  section  preceding  the  summary  (above) :  "I 
mak^  my  suggestions  boldly  and  without  adulteration 
— also  without  apology — because  it  is  only  thus  that 
Xh'j  contrasts  can  be  brought  out;  and  contrast  is  a 
veiy  effective  way  of  increasing  rei-eptivity — as  wf^U 
08  of  increasing  retrenchment!"  Whatever  the  reason, 
there  was  great  receptivity  to  new  ideas  on  the  p\rt 
of  the   1952  Committee. 

To  give  additional  background,  we  quote  one 
further  passage  from  the  Report  to  the  1951 
Chairman  : 

"I  make  the  recommendation  that  the  ])hilo- 
sophy  of  education  for  the  entire  course  be  re- 
examined. While  I  accept  as  inevitable  the  dis- 
missal of  my  formulation  (that  education  is  best 
which   educates     least )      as     too     Utopian    ( ! ) ,     1 

suggest  a  compromise  betwem  this  point  of  view 
and  the  extreme  example  of  the  coaservativo  (or 
kindergarten)  philosophy  :  'In  the  afternoons 
someone  must  summarize  each  speech  of  the  • 
morning  and  then  ask  if  there  arc  any  questions.' 
Perhaps  a  better  way  of  Muting  the     antithesis  is 

r 


to  say  that  there  must  be  some  compromise 
between  the  idea  that  all  discussions  in  an  after- 
neon  must  be  directed  at  an  expert  (or  experts) 
on  "ludl:^tri-lliz;ition  of  India."  "Nationalism  in 
the  West,"  or  what-not,  and  the  opposing  extreme 
thai    the   more   aimless   the   disciisMou   the   better. 

"My  own  feeling  would  be  somfthing  like 
this.  There  must  be  some  modification  of  the 
exheme  academic  position  1  at  it  is  only  'facts' 
and  'learning'  that  count.  We  must  g?t  away  from 
the  idea  that  there  are  experts  an  I  nf)n-^xperts;  in 
a  course  on  'Eastern  and  West^r'i  A\  orlv.  me  of 
us  is  (Xpert.  And  yet  I  need  but  rite  Uij  sell- 
demonstrated  pseudo-expertness  of  various  'stu- 
dents' from  India,  England,  Egypt,  Canadi, 
America  (if  you  wish  to  place  me  here),  etr.,  to 
sliow  that  psychologically  we  all  have  need  of  b^ing 
experts    ... 

"Specific  recommendations  :  It  is  impossibU\ 
witii  the  limited  time  available  and  with  the 
number  of  ^ubjects  covered  in  the  hntures.  to 
(xpcct  the  stud  nts  to  read  in  ordt  r  to  have  back- 
ground on  which  to  base  sensible  discu*<sion.  It  is 
impossible  to  have  -atisfactory  hir(f^  meetings  for 
asking  questions  of  th -  duly  constituted  expert  or 
the  day-  It  is  impos-iible  ou  fiumriii  grounds  to 
have  officially  appointed  expert.s  in  the  several 
small  groups  that  are  contemi)l;'t''d  here.  The 
solution:  Have  :.s  discussion  topics  subject^  on 
which  everyone  already  has  some  ideas,  i.e..  (in 
many  cases)  in  which  prople  already-  feel  them- 
selves to  be  expert. 

"In  this  connection  I  suggest  liere  centering  at 
I'Mst  several  of  tlie  disi  u.^sions  around  answers 
'.vritt(»n  by  the  students  thein<"lvcs  to  certain 
questions  given  them  at  tlie  very  bcuinnitt//  vA  th<^ 
cour.-e  (at  a  definitely  scheduled  tinuO.  Certain 
(|uestions  of  tlje  que-^tionnaire  w.^  used  this  year 
might  well  serve  as  starting  ])oints  for  four  ur  fi\  p 
meetings.  .  .  Different  methods  (ould  be  worked 
out  (or  would  be  worktd  out  l.\v  the  group-  them- 
selves)   for  successful   discussion    .    .    . 

"A-.suming  always  the  cxi-;leucc  of  suiall 
discussion  groujis  and  th»'  ab-ence  of  otht  i  illy 
api)ointed  kaders.  there  comes  up  the  qu'stion  of 
le.der.'hip.  My  own  solution  woul.l  be  to  n  ly  on 
the  leaders  'arising'  in  each  group;  tliey  will  lOme 
from  the  soil.  This  dofs  not  mean  th  it  in  our 
"purely  by  chan^'c''  distribution  of  studtiiis  into 
the  different  groups  tliere  canncl  hr  a  certain 
sel^Mtion.  The  person  chiirg'^l  with  organizing  the 
workshops  should  in  some  way,  at  registration 
time,  hive  occasion  to  meet  all  the  studr-nU  and 
to    form    ]»reliminary    impressions. 

"Complet'^ness  of  reporting  i«  quins  that  I 
state  here  that  I  was  not  entirely  happy  with  two 
of  the  'leaders'  who  this  year  cnm<'  to  tht^  fore  in 
two  different  groups.  That  they  were  selected  b.^' 
the  grouj)s,  however,  cannot  be  questioned;  and 
personality  conflicts  (or  i)referen^-es)  are  incvit'^ble 
consequences  of  democratic  organization.  (>n5 
method  of  minimizing  the  dauber  cf  'wron^:' 
leaders  would  be  to  ask  each  group  on  ih^  fir-t 
two  or  three  day-:  to  elect  ditlierent  tctnporanj 
chairmen    b'^foro    making   the   final    sele'ction. 

"In  any  case  some  of  the  difficulty  this  year 
was  due  to  the  schizophrenia  already  referred  to, 
to  the  fact  that  the  role  of  the  small  groups  was 
never  really  adequately  explained,  etc.  We  did  say 
that  the  groups  would  have  the  right  to  dr^cide 
themselves     vi\\\\l     \^     ^'ft.    ^n^^     n^^\^    ^^>^\.^^\J2v^ 


466 


THE  MODERN  REVIEW  FOR  JUNE,  19o3 


absence  of  concrete  examples  all  the  groups  fell 
back  on  the  traditional  and  simply  decided  to 
'discuss   the   lectures.' 

^'Sitggestion  :  The  groups  might  spend  the 
first  week  say  in  discussing  the  written  answers  as 
noted  above.  Then  in  the  remaining  weeks  they 
might  each  concentrate  on  one  topic  (or  problem) 
to  be  selected  by  themselves,  from  among  the 
lecture  'subjects'  or  elsewhere.  By  defiinition,  the 
power  to  determine  one's  own  destiny  means  just 
that.  It  would,  I  think,  be  a  good  idea  for  the 
workshop  organiaer  to  write  out  and  to  give  in 
advance  to  every  member  of  the  course  a  memo- 
randum expressing  the  Administration's  ideas  on 
the  iwssibilities  of  the  small  groups." 

With  this  as  background,  we  turn  now     to     the   1952 
plans  and  organization. 

There  was  a  committee  charged  with  the  making 
of  policy  and  with  the  selection  of  lecturers,  staff,  etc. 
On  this  committee  there  were  representatives  of  the 
diflferent  Dutch  universities.  The  Chairman  was  the 
Rector  Magnificus  of  the  I-^iden  University,  Professor 
J.  H.  Boeke.  The  person  responsible  for  the  day-to-day 
operations  of  the  committee  was  Dr.  Locher,  the 
excellent  VLcc-Chairman.  We  had  discussions  before 
the  session  began  about  the  philosophy  of  education 
that  would  guide  us  and  there  was  almost  complete 
agreement  in  advance,  and  during  the  seseion,  about 
this  philosophy.  This  was  in  contradifttinction  to  what 
We  have  already  termed  the  schizophrenia  in  the  1951 
session — where  different  persons  followed  different 
guiding  stars.  The  agreeqient  in  advance  on  philo- 
sophical and  methodological  considerations  accounted, 
as  much  as  anything  else,  for  the  success  of  the  course. 

It  was  agreed  before  the  session '  opened  that  there 
would  be  discussion  groups  and  Discussion  Advii-ors. 
The  points  made  in  the  quoted  paragraphs  (above) 
about  the  methods  of  selecting  discussion  leaders  were 
adhered  to.  There  were  six  groups,  of  16  or  17  mem- 
bers each.  Ea/'h  of  the  three  Discussion  Advisors  was 
"responsible"  for  two  groups  (though  each  kept,  to  a 
greater  or  lesser  degree,  in  the  background). 

At  registration  time  all  of  the  participants  in  the 
course  wore  interviewed  for  "potential  leadership 
ability."  The  division  of  the  entire  membership  (of 
100  -f)  into  the  six  gi*oui)s  was  made  in  part  hap- 
hazardly, with  an  attempt  to  have  where  possible 
equal  numerical  representation  of  different  countries 
in   each    group.   The   "potential    leaders"   were    divided 

-up,  and  six  persons  were  chosen  by  the  Discussion 
Advisor  to  ho  temporary  Chairman  for  the  first  day. 
It  was  made  clear  that  each  group  would  have  to 
pelect  a  different  chairman  for  tho  second  afternoon 
and  that  the  final  organization  of  the  group  would 
be  decided  only  on   the  third  day. 

In  general,  the  lectures  were  held  in  the  morn- 
ing?— sometimes  one,  sometimes  two.  The  small 
groups  met  usually  for  one  hour  or  one  hour  and  15 

miniiteR  in    thn   early  afternoon.     Tho   discussion   was 
usually  on   tho   morning  speech   or  speeches.   And  \\^^ 


quality  of  the  discussion  depended  on  fAcUirs  sikli 
as  the  personalit}'  of  the  Chairman  for  the  day,  the 
specificity  or  haziness  of  the  topic,  the  need  for 
factual  information  as  opposed  to  mere  opinion,  etc. 
(The  discussion  of  the  place  of  women  in  the  East, 
for  example,  was  more  solidly  grounded  than  the  talk 
about  "Political  Relations  between  East  and  West"). 
After  the  discussion  in  the  groups  there  was  custo- 
marily a  meeting  of  the  entire  membership,  for  an 
hour  or  so,  and  questions  were  asked  of  the  morning 
speaker  or  speakers.  This  question  period  was  judged 
by  the  students  to  be  in  general  less  successful  than 
the   small   group   meetings. 

Each  group  decided  on  its  own  type  of  organiza-v 
tion.  Two  of  the  workshops  chose  a  rotating  chair- 
manship; one  choFe  a  Chairman  and  two  Vice- 
Chairmen;  the  niost  popular  form  of  organization 
was  two  joint  chairmen — one  from  the  East  and  the 
other  from  the  West.  It  should  be  remarked  that  the 
original  selection  of  potential  leaders  by  the  staff 
more  often  than  not  proved  to  be  poor.  No  potential 
leader  can  be  a  leader  in  this  type  of  discussion  group 
if  he  talks  too  much  !  And  the  very  qualities  which 
impressed  the  Discussion  Advisors  at  first  sight  in 
several  cases  inhibited  group  members   from   talking  ? 

On  the  first  day  after  Saturday  and  Sunday 
registration,  there  was  the  giving  of  the  questionnaire. 
.\bout  one  hour  was  given  to  answering  the  questions 
(in  writing).  Then  the  purpose  and  working  of  the 
groups  was  explained  by  the  Vice-Chairman. 

Two  days  later,  on  Wednesday,  the  whole  after- 
noon was  given  over  to  the  reading,  and  discus^ioD. 
of  selected  answers.  The  time-table  of  this  afternoon 
will  make  clear  what  was  accomplished  that  day. 
From  2  p.m.  to  2-20  the  writer  read  selections  from 
the  answers  to  the  question,  "You  h.»ve  never  visited 
the  East.  How  would  you  describe  as  simply  a? 
possible  your  impressions  of  what  the  East  consists 
of?"  Then  a  representative,  each  from  Ceylon,  Egypt, 
India,  Indonesia,  Ii*aq,  Pakistan,  the  Sudan,  gave 
spontaneous  comments  about  the?e  answers.*  After 
this,  from  about  2-50  to  3-15  there  was  general 
discussion,  from  the  floor;  this  was  not  alway? 
restrained    and    reached    5ome    boiling    temperatures. 

A  fifteen-minutes  pause  and  rest,  and  then  from 
3-30  to  3-45  reading  of  answers  to  the  question. 
"Before  you  came  to  Holland  (or  to  some  other 
Western  country)  how  would  you  have  described  as 
simply  as  possible  what  the  *West'  consists  of?"  Then 
spontaneous  comments  from  a  representative  each 
of   Britain,   France,   Holland,   and    the   U.S.A.    Again 


*  The  aniiwer*  arc  revealing.  They  give  as  good  a  collecUiiii  of 
stcrrotypeii  at  one  could  hope  to  get  anywhere.  Some  of  them.  »f 
cour«e,  show  great  insight  and  undervtanding.  There  it  no  vp^ct  to 
give  more  than  one  or  two  aamplea  here.  A  European  ttadeBt 
rharacterizcd  America  a«  :  "Death  of  a  Sal  *«inaii.**  A  X>ntchiii>i) 
wrote  of  the  East  :  "A  mysterious  people;  their  thovghts  ire  ^I'l* 
iV\fleTen\    \tow\    tj\\T%,   \>Mk\  V^k^   ^^Tw    tV%T«Lctera.'' 


WOMEN  IN  INDIA'S  FREEDOM  MOVEMENT 


467 


goiioral  liibtussiou.  Finally  the  reading  (briefly)  of 
belections  from  the  answers  to  the  two  questions:  "If 
you  are  American,  how  did  you  visualize  Europe 
before  you  came  here?"  and  "America  is  'West.'  But 
if  you  have  never  before  been  to  America,  how  do 
you  visualize  itT'  The  discussion  at  this  point  wafi 
also   most   "unrestrained"! 

The  formal  meeting  broke  up  at  5  p.m.,  but  the 
discussion  of  differences  and  of  newly  discovered 
similarities  went  on  at  a  formal  tea,  the  next  item 
on  the  program,  and  then  on  into  the  evening  and 
into  the  rest  of  the  session.  At  one  stroke  people  had 
been  made  to  know  each  other.  Two  dozen  students 
had  six)ken  at  this  meeting,  and  others  had  had  their 
feelings  and  opinions  voiced  by  the  reading  of  those 
smswers.  No  longer  were  persons  fro.n  many  different 
countries   <!Omplete   strangers    to    each    other. 

And  so,  even  thus  early  in  the  Session  had  we 
accomplished  a  ^reat  part  of  our  aim.  We  had  always 
wanted  the  Summer  Course  to  be  "a  meeting 
place  ...  for  the  exchange  of  information,  opinions 
and  experiences."  The  "inoculation  by  questionnaire" 
provided  the  conditions  which  facilitated  this  exchaiige 
of. views.  The  time  given  over  for  the  use  of  the 
workshops  in  the  next  days  was  now  more  construc- 
tively used  because  some  of  the  tensions  existing 
between  nationalities   l>ad  been  dissolved  away. 

To  be  sure,  there  were  still  the  tensions  between 
inilividuil^'.  But  they  were  no  longer  a  problem  of 
East- Weft  relations;   they  were  nOw  rather  a  problem 


of  human  relations.  There  was  still  sufficient  ignor^ 
Hnce,  and  prejudices  gak)rc.  But  the  total  environ.- 
ment  now  favoured  the  attack  on  ignorance;  improve- 
ment could  be  made.  There  were  still  points  to  be 
smoothed  out  in  the  organization  of  the  groups.  But 
in  no  case  can  ideal  running  of  a  society  be  achieved 
instantaneously;  from  here  on  at  least  we  had  a  co* 
operative   tackling  of  our  problems. 

The  six  groups  structured  themselves  differently. 
But  the  final  achievements  differed  from  case  to  case 
not  so  much  because  the  formal  committee  organiza, 
tion  varied  but  because  group  characters  were  diffe» 
rent.  Each  group  had  its  own  individuality  ;  this 
was  the  result  of  the  interaction  between  the  perso- 
nalities of  the  individual  members.  The  different 
gioups  had  different  members.  But  the  members  of 
the  1952  Summer  Session  of  the  Universities  of  the 
Netherlands,  regardless  of  the  groups  into  which  tlifv 
happened  to  have  been  placed,  were  pretty  unani- 
mously convinced  of  the  desirability  of  the  small 
"workshop"  meetings. 

Not  only  were  the  members  of  the  course  enthu- 
siastic about  the  small  groups,  however.  They  were 
enthusiastic  about  the  whole  Session — about  its 
organization,  atmosi^ra,  and  accomplishments.  In- 
deed, this  1952  course  "Eastern  and  Western  World" 
was  in  a  very  real  sense  a  workshop  for  forging  the 
now  undivided  world  of  the  future.  Tlie  course  v)(is 
after  ali  a  training  course  for  the  bringing  in  of  this 
better   world. 


:0 


WOMEN  IN  INDIA'S  FREEDOM  MOVEMENT 

By  JOGESH  C.  BAGAL 


Tub  part  played  by  the  women  of  Bengal  in  our 
freedom  movement  cannot  be  overestimated.  They 
gave  proof  of  courage  and  heroism  even  in  the  middle 
ages. 

In  the  early  days  of  British  rule.  Rani  Sankari  of 
Binsberia,  Hooghly,  and  Rani  Bhabani  of  Natore  and, 
later  on,  Rani  Rashmoni,  Maharani  Swarnamoyi  of 
Kasimbazar,  Murshidabad,  Maharani  Saralkumari  of 
Putia,  Raj  shah  i,  Rani  Bindubashini  of  Mymensingh,  to 
name  only  a  few,  left  their  mark  in  the  annals  of  the 
province  as  patrons  of  learning  as  well  as  administra- 
tive heads  of  resi>ective  families.  Their  liberality 
flowed  in  different  channels.  In  times  of  scarcity, 
famine,  flood  and  epidemics,  they  opened  their  coffers 
for  the  relief  of  the  poor  and  the  distressed,  and  won 
recognition  of  their  unstinted  service  from  the  State. 

Maharani  Swarnamoyi  went  even  one  step  further. 
Our  political  aspirations  received  a  rude  shock  at  the 
hands  of  the  British  Government  when  they  ahnost 
closed  the  doors  of  the  Civil  Service,  the  "Steel  Frame" 
of  Indian  administration,  in  1876.     The  newly  started 


Indian  Association  took  up  the  matter  and  carried  on 
agitation  against  this  governmental  measure  through* 
out  the  countrj'  and  it  was  also  considered  necessary 
to  move  the  English  people  at  home  on  this  subject. 
The  Association  had  no  money.  Maharani  Swarnamoyi 
stepped  in  and  donated  a  few  thousand  rupees  for  tho 
purpose.  With  this  money  of  hers  the  Association 
deputed  Barrister  Lai  Mohan  Ghose,  later  President  of 
the  Indian  National  Congress,  to  England  to  conduct 
agitation  there.  The  British  people  came  to  know  of 
the  actual  state  of  affairs  then  prevailing  in  India  from 
the  spirited  speeches  of  Lai  Mohan  Ghose. 
In  the  Pre-Swadeshi  Days 
It  is  noteworthy  that  even  in  the  early  years  of 
the  Congi'ess  Indian  women  evinced  particular  interest 
in  its  affairs.  We  fijid  two  Bengali  women,  in  the  person 
of  Swamakumari  Devi  and  Kadambini  Ganguli,  at- 
tend the  Bombay  session  of  the  Indian  National 
Congress  in  1889  along  with  eight  other  Indian  and 
European  ladiaa.    Twt  ^'^»^\^xjsss^  qV  'Cjw^sfc  \:^^>a^^^ 


THE  MODERN  REVIEW  FOR  JUNE,  1953 


attended  ils  C^loitla  scssiou  the  fiUowing  yeir  as 
full-fledged  delcgaU'S.  Kudambini  U»ngiili  dflivcial  " 
short  i^pcefh  in  t)ic  ojien  Congress  v.hilr  moving  the 
vote  of  thanks  to  the  President  Sir  PhcroKshuh  Mehl". 
Annie  Bcsant  referred  to,  this  event  in  her  How  India 
Wro-uyht  jor  Fncdum  (p.  116)  in  Ihp  following 
felicitating   terma  : 

"One  of  the  ludv  deleaalps.  Mr.".  Kndambini 
Ca_n>.'uli.  v,ii,i  i-aJled  ou  to  move  the  vote  of  thinks 
to  tho  Chairman,  the.  first  woman  who  siuike  from 
the  Congri-Js  iilalfoiin.  a  .■'ymhol  that  Imlia's 
freedom  would  u|>lift  India's  'Woiuanhcod.'' 
Both  Ka<l:ijn'tLLii  and  Swarnakiimari  were  urdint 
RTiliportrr-,      of      llii;      Congri--^      niovrnicnt      in      il^ 


Kadambini   Ganguli 

Thi:  fiifii  wonirm  lo  speak  from  tlie  Congress 

plfttform 

early  stagr.  Mi.",  Uangiili  was  the  principal  organiser 
uf  the  tt'i)n»i;V  (.'onfercni-e  held  during  the  Calcutta 
Spssiou  of  thr  Cougreis  in  1006,  .Slio  worked  liard  us 
Pre-ident  of  the  Calcutta  branch  of  the  Transvaal 
Indian  As-oviation  formed  to  help  the  pa.-sivc 
rc-istan.e  niovmienl  .-larted  ^fre-li  bv  M,  K.  C.ndhi 
in  Tr,in-vaal,  South  Afrlia,  in  190S,  She  al-o  visited 
with  Pod  Kamini  Roy  ilie  coal  mines  of  Bihar  and 
Urissu  in  1922  lo  report  on  the  condition  of  the  women 
lulwurer?  there,  She  dicrl  full  of  year"  and  honours  in 
1933. 

Swarnakumari   Devi's     great     eonlribution   in     the 

pnlilieal  .sphere  was  her  long  and  arduou*  seniec  in  the 

cau.se   of  Sw,tde-hi,     Long   before   the  Swadwhi   move. 

.•/rent  .^K-.innkiimuri  Devi  had     taken     up  lier  iwn  to 

mu.'c  the  uu'ionn}  ronsciou^ncss.     In  a     song     whv.'^i 


Ijecarns  famous  she  a^-ked  people  to  lake  the  vow  u( 
Swadewhi  and  reaohed  lo  u:e  country-made  goods  even 
if  they  weie  inferior.  Swamakuman  was  also  a  pioocei 
amongst  women  in  organising  annual  esbibitiong  o[ 
home  industries  for  women  under  ih:  auspices  of  the 
taklii  Samiti.  It  was  a  practical  effort  lo  revive  our 
i!yinK   industries. 

It  would  not  be  an  exaggeration  to  sjy  that 
Siva rnaku  man  was  eniinently  responsible  for  having 
pri^pired  the  ground  for  the  Swadeshi  movement.  So 
that  when  the  call  tame  women  took  up  the  tonstnic- 
iWv  work  of  fostering  national  arts  and  crafts  by  llic 
lonsttnt   use  of  Swadeshi   goods. 

Sarala  Devi  and  the  Nkw  Spibit 
This  intense  patriotism  ot  Swaruakumaii  Devi 
i'ouiul  a  forceful  outlet  in  her  daughter  Sarda  Devi, 
later  known  as  Sarala  Devi  Chaudliiinmi.  When  still 
young  her  literary  writings  elicited  pnii^K  not  only 
from  Rabiiidranalh  Tagore  who  was  her  uncle  but  also 
from  that  great  no\'eli!'t  Bankim  Chjndra  Chalterjec, 
the   Hishi   uf  'Bjnde   Mataram', 

Much  of  her  girlhood  was  spent  in  Wo-i<ni  India 
with  hiT  uncle  Salyendranatli  Tagore.  There  she  t.^w 
the  Marhallas  laying  great  emphasw  on  courage  and 
valour  and  worshipping  i^hivaji  a,*  their  national  hero. 
Their  feslivala  were  also  attended  by  physiial  and 
military  exploits.  All  (his  made  a  deep  impression  on 
ihc  spirited  nature  of  Sarala  Devi  and  she  wanted  to 
introduce  the  heroic  aspects  of  tjie  Maharastra  festi- 
vals in  her  own  province.  She  iiad  already  taken  up 
Ihe  editorial  charge  of  Bhamli.  Through  the  pjges  of 
the  Bharali  she  ajipcaled  to  her  countrj-men  lo  culti- 
nip  courage  and  face  danger  and  even  death  in 
prc.ervirig  felf-rcspei t,  both  iudivjdttal  and  nationjl. 
She  gavo  |irac1ival  jiuipe  to  her  ideis  by  establishing 
a  centre  of  physical  cultm-e  at  her  place  in  Ballygunge. 
CalcultS,  ;ind  employed  Professor  Murtaja  lo  pvt 
instruclioii  in  it  lo  the  young  men.  .\  number  of  phyi-i- 
ca!  culture  centres  grew  up  in  different  parts  of  Calcutta. 
She  even  projiosed  to  ihe  aulhorilies  of  the  Congress  iu 
1902-J  to  organise  an  exhibition  of  physical  feats  at 
the  time  of  its  annual  sessions.  The  new,-*  ot  l)er 
endeivonrs  at  tile  rejuvenation  of  youth  in  Bengal 
spiead  far  and  wide.  It  w.is  Ihiough  her  efforts  that 
Ihe  minds  of  the  youths  of  Bengal  tmderwent  a  radical 
'hmjie  and  got  prepared  for  the  reception  of  the  New 
Spirit,  the  sjnril  of  defying  our  so-called  maslcrs  wlio 
-lood  in  the  way  of  our  national   independenre, 

Sarala  Dc\i  adopted  some  new  methods  which 
served  lo  biin^  about  a  psychological  change  in  our 
people,  loo.  She  eompo.-ed  nitional  song;  and  gave 
them  tunes  so  that  we  could  sing  them  in  chorus. 
During  the  CuUutta  ses.sion  ot  the  Indian  National 
Coa.nrcss  in  1901   her  famous  song— 

"iK^n  nl«?(^*ft  flu  «iSt  1  »iif  tn^  ^s^n" 

■^Mi  «xb,%  v^i  chorus  hy 


WOMKN    IX   INDIA'S  FKEEDOM   IIOVEIIENT 


4(>9 


fifi: 

c-^-ix  1 

,t->voN»     uf     diEEri-oi 

II      provii 

ii'us.     Like      till' 

Gi) 

[lujjati 

imd     tlie     Sluvaji 

^■(Ka(> 

of     Mrtli;ira3tril 

Wur 

::!«  D< 

ivi  organised  in   1903  unnivcii 

saiy  meetings  in 

me; 

mory 

of    our    liei-ocs,    siir 

U    a^      P 

ruta[iuditya    aiid 

Udi 

iiyaditj 

.-11.   lo   in^'l^il■e   llie   v 

■oudis  of 

Ikngal  Willi     a 

•ifU 

-(■    of    1 

iKitinn^il  iiriile  and  i 

(ell'-l'es|H:c 

t.  The  B-^ogohe, 

yiii, 

M.»<< 

(liciipili    wci'kly). 

iV.»-    /, 

nlia    and      olliei 

naliuQHli-l 

!    pajicrH   of   111.'      li 

u.e   .[.okH 

;    liigbly   of   llii^ 

?.io 

v-p    l>f 

Sarala    Devi.    Bepii 

1    CImadr 

a    Pill    wrulc    ic 

Iii-i   .\'eic    India  :  ' 

"As     tletpssily     is     tlu;      Motlier  ot   lTi\ention, 

Hiiiala  Devi  in  the  niotluT  of  I'Miajjudilya  to  men 

l!ir  necessity  of  u  Hiro  for  Bengu!" 
Tiie  fult  ot  liei'oi.-iii  ;ind  hero-wonsliip  rocoivcd  au 
iiiipt-liis  ivh(-n  FtofrsijOL  Ksliirodo  PiJisud  Vidyabini>de 
j[id  dramali'^i  and  atlor  Amaiendraniith  Dulta 
fiWc  VLnt  to  Ihew;  naliounl  feelings  in  their  dram;is  on 
Prilapadilya.  h\  l!»3i,  ilaialii  Devi  introduced 
VifisKimi  Biat-i,  :i  vow  of  touiage  and  self-sarrifite,  on 
r)i<;  Malia^taml  (by  of  thn  Darga  Piija.  An  exliibiliun 
of  I'liywical  featu  nils  orn^tnised.  Motiier.'-  tied  the  rakki, 
or  ctremuuial  thread,  round  the  vtrhls  a!  their  v/oan 
:tnd  diinghters  as  n  token  of  their  vow.  But  the  main 
]i.trt  of  the  ceremony  centered  round  tlie  sword, 
worship.  A  .-word  vins  pluced  in  the  midst  of  tlic 
meeting-ground,  decorated  with  flowers  and  paste  of 
.-jindal  wood.  Youni;  men  used  to  offer  uiijiili  (offerings 
rif  flowers)  to  the  sworrl  with  the  ehanting  of  a 
Siii-krit  sluti^i  (voi-so)  compo.red  for  the  occar<ion.  This 
.-iliilru  refeired  to  the  hci'oes  of  our  rafe  and  their 
exploits  from  Kri.-hna  auj  Hatnach.iudra  down  to 
I'niliipjdifya  and  Sitaram,  Tlii^  ceremony  was  very 
much  ap(>reci;ited  by  the  peo[)le.  and  the  Bengali  youth 
got  (ticmsBhes  rethrislened  in  tlic  cult  of  valour  and 
cuuraice.  us  their  forefathers  did  in  (he  |>ast.  Sarala 
Devi  (omposcd  a  song  under  the  eantion  "Virastami" 

Sanla  Devi  al.-o  did  nmch  tor  Swadeshi.  She 
opened  a  sture  of  eountry-nuide  goods  in  C.di'ulta 
and  gave  il  the  name  of  "Lak.-limir  Bhaiidar."  The 
authorities  of  the  Congress  UK-d  to  hold  iadusli'tal 
exhibiliont!  along  with  the  Congre.'^  sessions.  In  the 
Bomb-iy  exhibition  of  1904  S:irala  Devi  fcnt  some 
speeiuiena  ot  Swadeshi  goods  on  behalf  of  t|ie 
"Lakshmir  Bhandar."  The  Bhandar  obtained  a  gold 
medal  from  the  exhibition  authorities  on  aecotint  of 
the  tiupei'ior  quality  of  the  specimens  exhibited. 


n^  9  an  «%  Rcinif  «i<d«  arxir  fliirt  ^  i 
la  f(a  m  ^  <hq  tif«r,  vMii  «if  ^it*  ««% ; 

K\m  JW  VK  %K\  in    BR  e^M  «I5H  ««%    ^  I 

in?  H^  5W  ^^  "fWflt  &■  srnD  f^^«»iiifi  rt 
vnm  «iv  mis  nn  vt  m^  *jy<iy%  mm  ||  m^ ," 


Murrtfd  lo  the  popular  Arya  &aiiiaji>t,  lea<l<T, 
Kaaibluij  Dulli  Chaudhiiry  in  1905,  Sarala  Devi  had 
lo  Icai.-  IScngal.  Henceforward  tlie  P.^njali  hi'cjime  liir 
field  <jf  lier  aclivili.-s  but  her  coutic^  tion  with  the 
(■onKrc>s   was   hfelong. 

.Vn  account  of  the  politicid  wlivilies  of  woliich  iu 
thi.s  [leriod  will  be  iu<-omplete  if  we  leave  out  Miss 
Mai^iifl  K.  Noble,  an  Irish  lady,  known  in  India  a- 
Sister  Nivedita.  She  got  her-elf  iniliittd  into  Hinduism 
by  Swaiui  Vivck.nandEi  in  1898.  and  ..doiited  India  as 
her  motherlanrl.  Bengil  became  Ih:-  eenlie  of  her 
aclivilies.  Aicordinj!  lo  Roiiiesh  Cljuiirtcr  Dult.  once 
President  of  Ihe  Congress.  N'iveditn  wss  "a  lady  who 
is  now  one  ot  us.  who  liies  our  life,  fhari^s  our  joys 
and  somiffi.  ptrtakte  ai  aiir  triuls  Ai.d  troubles,  nnd 
I'ilioiiT*  Will,  m  tn  thr  ■■.,»•*  of  our  MotlierUind."* 


^ 


r^"^ 


Swarnakumari   Deii 

In  politico  Nivdlihi  was  far  ahe;.d  of  her  times. 
She  had  had  atlihations  with  the  Irish  levohilionary 
party  of  tire.il  Britiiin.  India's  depemiencc  oB  Britain 
distressed  her  iniieh.  She  came  into  contact  with  Sarala 
Devi  who  oflen  wen',  lo  Behir,  and  was  adiuainted 
with  ihe  metho<l  of  her  work.  But  she  fmmd  a  more 
coniJiTiial  conu'aile  In  Sri  Aurohindo  who  was  organis- 
ing Wi'stprn  India  for  revolution:! r.\'  work.  Her  visit  to 
Barodii  in  1992.  made  il  pos-ible  for  h'T  to  fORie 
in  close  contact  with  him.  On  her  return  to  Calcutta 
Xivedila  gave  away  her  library-  ot  ('aluable  books  on 
the  i'evolulionar>'  and  nationalist  movpinenis  of 
different  countries,  about  two  liundrcd  in  nnniber,  to 
the       (.'cntre       of    the       rcvohitionatv       iPA.v;v*A».*.      "-^ 


•    Life  nivl  W° 


d  a,  t,  Bi.vi-\. 


470 


TUB  MODERN  REVIEW  FOR  JUNE,  1953 


Bcngiil,  silu;iU-d  tlitn  ut  108  Upper  Circular  Road, 
C:ikuttu.  It  was  here  that  ahe  often  delivered  lectures  to 
ihe  young  men  on  the  natiosalist  movements  of  other 
(■times.  It  has  now  been  revealed  that  Nivedita  was  i 
member  ot  tiie  National  Revolutionary  Council  of  Five 
with  Sri  Aurobindo  an  one  of  them.  Swami  Viveka- 
Danda  knew  of  her  revolulioniiry  leaiiinga.  He  wished 
that  she  should  eschew  politics,  otherwi«  his  miBsion 
work  might  be  hampered.  Nivedita,  however,  did  not 
Rive  up  politics.  Within  a  fortnight  after  the  death 
(1902)  of  (he  Swami,  she  severed  her  connection  with 
ihe  Ramakrishna  Mission,  with  a  view  to  have  a  free 
hand  for  herself  a-i  well  U  lo  save  the  mission  from 
:iay  entanglement. 


.Sirala  Devi 

Besides  being  a  revolutionary  oi  a  high  order, 
Nivedilu.  during  the  Swadeshi  days,  took  up  the  pen 
to  louse  in  ud  a  taste  for  the  cultivation  'of  our  National 
art,  arcliitucture,  literature  and  history — our  national 
educalkin  and  odture.  She  discovered  a  meaning  in 
every  trifling  thing  of  Bengal  and  interpreted  it  to  the 
people  in  her  inimitable  style.  Her  books  on  th^e 
subjects  have  become  classics  in  English  literature, 
Thougli  tihe  did  not  Join  the  political  movement  or  any 
political  parly  publicly,  lier  heart  was  always  with  the 
advocates  of  the  revolution.  She  actually  went  to  the 
court  in  1907  to  stand  surety  for  Bhupendra  Nath 
Dntfa,  youngest  brother  of  Swami  Vivekananda,  who 
was  arrested  for  sedition  as  editor  of  Juganlar  and 
Mibsegiieat}y  tonvicted  to  one  year's  rigorous  im- 
Ijrisoniaent.  When  workmg  to  relieve  the  (amine- 
n'rken  people     of    Backergunge,     Nivedita  spoke  at 


women's  meetings  and  preached  Swade^ihi  uuiougA 
them.  She  asked  them  to  take  to  the  charkha  Doi  ■ 
other  u-oful  handicrafts.  The  cult  of  the  charkha 
was  being  i>renched  in  Bengal  in  the  Swadeshi  days 
long  before  Mahatm;\  Gandhi  took'it  as  the  syrabel 
of  his   movement. 

The  Swadeshi  Moveuemt 
On  the  3rd  December,  1903,  there  came  the 
proposal  for  readjustments  in  the  Madras  and  Bengil 
Presidencies.  This  created  a  storm  of  aptation. 
Rabindranath,  in  his  famous  address  "Swadeshi  Samaj,'' 
delivered  in  August,  1904,  su^ested  the  establiBhrnent 
of  jmrallel  government.  Women  also  played  their  part. 
Sar.ila  Devi  and  Sister  Nivedita  strove  hard  to  Lotuss 
the  spirit  of  patriotism  in  thp  rank  and  file  and  it  is 
creditable  that  Bengali  women  effectively  played  their 
part,  in  both  the  Swadeshi  agitation  and     the     revolu- 

The  Government  of  India  passed  orders  on  20th 
July,  1905,  to  the  effect  that  Bengal  would  be  divided. 
This  ga\c  rise  to  a  wave  of  diEC0nt«nt  throutftout 
Bengal.  Meetings  were  held  in  the  remote  mofuseil 
districts  end  proposals  on  Ihe  boycott  of  Briti^  goods 
were  mooted  everywhere.  On  7th  August  1905,  a  large 
meeting  was  held  in  the  Town  Hall.  Here  the  compre- 
hensive boycott  resolution  was  passed.  Hie  actual 
partitioning  of  Bengal  came  off  on  16th  October,  1906, 
This  day  wa.''  a  day  of  mourning  for  the  Bengalees  and 
WHS  commemorated  by  abstaining  from  all  sorts  of 
work.  Sacred  threads  were  fastened  round  the  wrista 
of  brother  and  brother  and  sister  and  sister,  which 
caino  to  be  known  as  Rnkhi^Bandhan.  Women  observed 
ninndkan,  abstinence  from  cooking,  as  a  protest  against 
this  autocratic  measure.  In  Jemokandi,  a  village  in  the 
Murshidabad  district,  about  five  hundred  women 
attended  a  meeting  on  the  memorable  16th  October 
and  read  out  in  chorus  Baiigalakshmir  bfata  katha 
written  for  the  occasion  by  Acharya  RamendrasundiT 
Trivedi.  In  this  bmla  katha,  Ramendrasuodar  asked 
the  women  of  Bengal  to  make  up  their  mind,  once  for 
all,  to  use  nothing  but  countrj'-made  goods  in  pu/w, 
brutaf,  domestic  ceremonies  and  festivals  as  also  in  our 
everyday  life.  Poet  Girindra  Mohini  Dasi  composed 
a  poem,  "Banganarir  Rakhi-bandhan,"  in  which  she 
besought  her  sisters  to  resolve  like  Draupadi  not  lo 
dress  their  hair  till  the  partition  ot  Bengal  was 
annulled. 

I  Like  Girindra  Mohini,  Poet  Kamini  Roy,  Man- 
kumari  Basu,  Hironmoyi  Devi,  and  Kumudini  Milru 
(later  Mrs.  Basu)  tried  to  infuse  the  Swadeshi  spirit  lo 
our  countrymen  and  women  through  their  poems  and 
essays  in  Bengali.  Some  went  even  a  step  further.  To 
make  Swadeshi  successful  a  few  of  our  Sisters  organised 
meetings  in  their  houses  and  mahallas  and  undertook 
lo  introduce  charkha  or  spiQning-wheel  in  the  lenana. 
Hironmoyi  Devi  wrote  to  the  effect  that,  besideB 
\i07i:oL\.  ol  ^oTe\^  %<ki^%,  eo\an  of  the  women  bad 
rt80\ve4  to  TBSOrt.  \,t>  s?«fliw.%  iviyw.  S^iit  %SSO(i  ti<ii4Ks, 


WOMEN  IN  INDIA'S  FREEr)OM  MOVEMENT 


4M 


Anuilirr  b>tih  of  women  liad  introduced  Mayer  Kaula 
Mliiit  in.  putting  hfindMs  of  rice  ia  a  pot  in  the  DAme 
of  our  MothniUind)  in  tiieir  farailiea  with  a  view  to 
liclping  our  national  (und.  At  some  plaoea  in  the 
inofuwil  women  took  prominent  part  in  organiaing 
Swadeshi  Mclas,  exhihitionis  of  country-made  goods. 
One  such  was  organi^d  in  Majilpur,  24-Perganas,  by 
Biisiantabnla  Home  and  Poet  Girindra  Mohini  Dasi. 


Nath  Dutt  of  Juganla,-  wafi  tonvifted,  as  its  editor,  (or 
one  year'»  rigorous  imprisonment  on  21th  July,  1907. 
In  this  connection  women,  about  two  hundred  in 
numhor,  jissenibied  in  the  house  of  Dr.  Nilratan  Sircar 
on  the  following  9th  August  and  gave  expression  to 
tlieir  distress  in  no  uncertain  terms.  Lilahati  Mitra, 
wife  of  Krishna  Kumar  Mitra  and  aunl  of  Sri  Aurovindo 
piesided  over  the  meeting  and,  according  la  previous 
amngements,  an  address  was  presented  to  tlie  mother 
of  Bhupeadra  Nath  and  Vivekananda.  It  should  be 
noted  here  that  Lilsbali  wa^  an  ardent  wpporter  of 
the  Swadesiii  cause  like  her  husband  and  patiently 
bore   the   brunt   of   offioial   vagaries   and    repression    for 

The  prosecution  of  Sandkya,  another  principal 
adioi'ate  of  fre<4om,  and  the  trial  of  its  editor 
Hnihiiiiib:?ndhab  lTp«dhyi,ya  also  sent  a  thrill  into  'he 
[lec.plp.  Brahmabundhab  died  while  his  trial  was  on,  on 
the  morning  of  !he  27th  October  1907.  Heniangini  Dasi, 
wife  of  Dr.  Simdari  Mohan  Das.  together  wit-li  a  few 
other  ladie-",  went  out  of  their  way  to  appear  before 
I  he  funeral  proeession  and  paid  their  lust  respects  to 
•  the  dejiarted  leader.  Heman^ni  mftdt  a  short  «peech 
on  heh.lf  of  the  womon  of  Beligfll.   U.o" 


Sister  Nivedita 

In  the  twelve-month  that  followed,  the  Swadeshi 
spirit  spread  far  and  wide.  Side  by  side  with  the 
Congress,  a  Women's  Confercnre  was  held  in  the 
Belhunc  College  grounds  on  29th  De<;ember,  1906, 
presided  over  by  Lady  Chimanbjii,  the  Maharani 
Gaekwar  of  Barodo.  Needless  to  add,  the  women  of 
Calcutta  look  much  pains  ia  making  the  conference  a 
success.  In  her  pr&'tidential  address  I^ady  Chimanbai 
laid  special  strc-^  on  the  manner  of  progress  the  women 
of  Bengal  had  made  dtiiing  the  years  of  the  Swadeshi 
movement.    Her  actual  words  were  : 

"I  know  how  the  ladies  of  Bengal  have  helped 
and  supported  the  Swadeshi  movement  which  is 
now  spreading  fast  over  Northern  India  and  the 
Punjab,  over  Gujarat  and  the  Dectan,  over  Madras. 
Mysore,  and  Travancorc,  everywhere  over  this  great 
continent." 

The  PcBSECLtioN 
The  Swadeslii  movement  brought    in  its  wak 
insatiable  thirst  for  liberty.  Sandkya,  Juganlar.       b 
mkti,  and  Bnnde  Mataram  (the  English  daily)     ga 
expression  to  I  he  New  Spirit  day  in  and  day  ou     Th 
Govei-nment  could  net  remain  idle.  They  first  tr   d 
gag   the   PreM   and   arrested      one     after   anothe 
editors  and  printers  of  the  above  journals.  Bhupendi* 


m 


THE  M()Di:RX  KEVIKW  for  JUNE.  1953 


Tlie  pei-sfciilions  bid  ^-Iraidy  set  iu  riit!ile->«ly,  Tiif 
Alii>oro  Rtiitil)  (.'hso  und  the  ileportalion  of  our 
icuowned  li';iiiei-s.  siii-!i  ;is  A-inini  Ktinior  Dull  and 
Kii,-liii;i  Kiimnr  Mitni.  sIiohtH  ttic  ^liffening  of  liotli 
the  n:(tion;il  sjiiril  iinrf  thp  iidmiiu-tr:ition.  Mrc. 
Miiifpircl  K,  Miii-Dou;ilil,  wlio  iircoiiipniiied  iifi' 
hiL,-).:iinl,  Mr,  R:iiiK\v  M^icDnti^ild,  ill  1339-10  l<i  India 
:ind  lmiv.d  l!i(.  coinilir,  in  nn  :irtiH.-  to  Thr  ^f<^,hn• 
}{.  rieir  Uk  Au>;ihi.  1010.  lofeirrd  (o  (iu-  "trcmen.loiw 
■  Slir  wnitp: 

■■wv 


{Mre 


-The  %vomen  arc  craving  foi  __  .  , 
to  tukt  some  purt  in  tliL'  liiovrmtnl.  of  ^ftairs. 
'I'ake  for  in-stiiUL-u,  llic  ri\vii<lcidii  movruinit.  This 
loulii  not  have  BU''ferdrii  in  thci  Way  jl  h.i.«  done 
willmut  Komrn.  Thrj-  have  mectiliR^  in  <"iich 
olhei-"-  home,  utid  dtlerimln:  outy  to  l>ii\-  KoodTi 
nmiic  Jl  home,  aud  nol  l«  buy  gnnd-  nimli-  liy 
foi'eigncr;'.   .   ,   , 

"The  wompti  in  t.be  Zrnmm-  I't'.'n  du  not 
know  liinv  to  irad  or  wrile,  but  in  spile  of  this 
llic  .SH-,,dc.>'hi  moirinonl  i,-=  s|n-(>:idinp  vi-ty  imidi 
in  Hip  !il;i''e.-  whore  one  woiikl  hardly  thirk  there 
wonid  lie  oii|>orlLinily  for  il-^  RTOwth." 


Tllf:    iNTiaLDDR 

Tlie  fSwadeshi  niovpsnent  continued  for  several 
yi'MS.  Tlic  aiilhoritiPN  found  that  represHion  could 
no(  .-icrve  their  piiriwae  effeclivniy.  It  only  drove  tlie 
i-evolnlionaries  iinderiuoiind.  The  cronomic  eftect  of 
(hr  Iwiymlt  vrnn  nl-o  bcinit  fril  in  England.  For 
the-!c  reasons  t\e  'settW  fa^f  was  -M  Isst  'nasetlled.' 
Th;!l  i*.  llie  p,-.rtition  of  BenR,".!  whs  anoulied  in  Deceni- 
IxT.  1911,  :ii;;i  both  Ihr  Ben^alK  wtie  united.  Thing: 
s'':'iiie()   lo  aetllc  down   for   the  time   being. 

Thougli  grounds  for  the  Swadesbi  movement  no 
longer  pxltitpd,  slill  the  n-pirationa  of  Uwsc  more 
foinard  could  not  re«  satiMfipd  till  complete  freedom 
w;.-'  achieved.  Tlic  ret-olutionary  apirit  was  abroad. 
It  -pieail  lliroiiglioiit  India  liy  now.  The  British  must 
111'  diivcii  oiil,  and  that     with     the  fire-arms.     The 


iiiiple  women  of  our  villaftes  ca 
ho-^e  drcaiiicii!  of  n:itiona1  fretdi 
iini  ^irose.  It  Ls  now  a  1riii>ni  lo  si 
(livilieM  voidd  spread  so  widely 
(■■i:iic>n  Itelpeil  Ihrni  unsnidpinstl; 
kvis  DiikHril>,il:i  (1 
ii'iiiner  piftol   and 


to     the   aid   of 


(liat  rrvolutio 

I    Bengal     be< 

'.    One  such  wc 

wiio   w.u*   arre.sled   lor   kci 

for   three   years'  rigorou^^ 


prisnnmcnl  in   1916.  She  wrote  lo  her  hiuJband  froai 

I.  not  lo  lii-c  hrart.  for  three  ye;irs  would  pass  away 

no  time. 

In   Indim   poliliis   anollicr 


She   1 


I   began   to   lake 

T      of      B?ng  i!i 
dortor  ! 


N.iidu  (ChatlopadliyayO.  D..ught( 
paii-nt!-.  she  cLnse  ;i  .■^oulli  Indian 
l.ii>.l.and  and  livd  iti  H.vderalwd.  A  poet  of  i-cpiili- 
ana  :in  oraliir.  sh:'  was  askfd  l>y  llie  late  Goi'aU 
kri.-hn.i  (kikhalr  to  tak^  lo  polili,-*  wi.erfby  rbe 
would  !»■  alilc  tr.  srne  our  nioilirland  more  effcc- 
lively.  ^iii'  j. lined  the  Unmbiiy  Congr?s-  in  1915  and 
had  li:i'  liiini'tn  of  moving  a  ic-whilion  on  i«lf- 
(loverniueiii .  In  llie  Calruita  Congres*  of  1917 
[ne-idrd  our  liy  Mrs.  Anuie  Be>anl,  S.ii-ojini  niado 
lifr  m:irk  liy  making  -m  ilhiminatinK  speeeli.  Aa  a 
riieinlier    nf    the      Home    Rule   l.eagu;-.     she     went   to 


nd 


lid 


aded 


mini 


auUiorilics  there  for  I  he  giant  of  politieiil  rights  to 
Indian  \vom:ii.  Hir  .sister  Mrinulini  Challop^dh.vay.i 
work.'d  for  llii'  eaiise  of  Home  Rule  in  Madr>is  in 
(■o-o|ieiaiiiiii   willi    Mrs.   ,\nnie   Be<ant. 

?:irala  l)e\i  niaudhurani  eonlimled  her  polilieal 
work  in  ihe  I'aiijab.  J>ho  conducted  and  edited 
Hii'iliixlliiiii.  an  Urdu  weekly,  in  conjunction  with  her 
husband,  R;(mbhuJ  Dulta  (.'h;iiidhur>'.  This  wnw  lunied 
intii  a  dailv  later  on.  During  the  troublous  days  ol 
the  Martial  Law  in  the  Panjab  (1918.19).  Sarala  Devi 
ClMudhiirani  did  yeoman's  service  tc  the  cause  of 
rj;ii-  sulTcrinK  lirethren  over  there  even  afler  the 
dc[>ortiition  of  her  hu.-'band,  Raiubhuj.  When  the  call 
of  Malmlma  Gandhi  came,  it  was  Sirala  Devi 
C'haudhurani  who.  amongst  Indian  wonwn,  first  res- 
VOndcd   lo   it.      Sli!'     lent     her     cordial      support     to 


WOMEN  m  INDIA'S  FREEDOM  MOVEMENT 


473 


The  N'o.N-co-opEitAnoN'  Movement 
The  NoB-to-operatioa  proposal  was  mooted  by 
Mohandas  Karamchaud  Gandhi  for  the  redreaa  of  our 
national  grievances,  and  waa  approved  by  the  special 
session  of  the  Indian  National  Congress  held  ia 
Calcutta  in  August  1S20,  and  ratified  in  ite  plenary 
session  at  Nagpur  in  the  following  December.  Women 
of  Bengal,  like  their  sisters  in  other  provinces,  began 
to  roEpond  to  the  call  of  Mahatma  Gandhi.  They  did 
not  hesitate  to  come  fonwrd  to  take  part  in  the 
mcvement  along  with  men.  Sarojini  Naidu  wag  in 
"England  then.  She  acquainted  the  British  public 
with  the  causes  of  our  grievances.  Miss  Jyotirmoyi 
Ganguli,  as  captain  of  the  women  volunteers  of  the 
special  Congress,  had  given  sufficient  proof  of  tlie 
organising  powers  of  the  dat^hters  of  Bengal. 

With  the  progress  of  the  movement  Bengali  women 
stood  side  by  side  with  men,  regardless  o^the  conse- 
quences. They  attended  public  meetings,  gave  libenlly 
to  the  Swaraj  Fund,  took  to  charkha  and  hawked 
khajidar  from  door  to  door,  Basanti  Devi  accompanied 
her  husband,  Desldjandhu  Chittaranjan  Das,  in  his  tour 
throughout  the  districts  of  Bengal,  and  asked  her 
sisters  to  contribute  their  share  in  the  national 
struggle.  Boycott  of  foreign  gocds,  especially  cloth, 
was  the  main  item  of  the  programme — as  before  in 
1905, — and  women  rose  as  one  even  in  remote  villages 
to  make  it  a  success. 

As  the  movement  grew  in  volume,  the  bureaucratic 
wrath  also  increased.  Section  144  prohibiting  public 
meetings  as  well  as  ordinances  banning  volunteer 
organisations  were  proclaimed  in  Calcutta.  The  Con- 
gress decided  to  break  these  orders.  '  Basanti  Devi, 
Urmila  Devi  and  Suniti  Devi  were  arrested  in  Calcutta, 
while  hawking  khaddar  on  the  TlIi  Dccemiwr,  1921.  At 
their  arrest  popular  resentment  ran  so  liigh  that  the 
Government  were  compelled  to  leleafc  them  aiier  a 
few  hours'  detention.  Tliis  was  the  Erst  time  that 
women  were  arrested  in  any  non-vioient  political 
work.  In  the  absence  ot  DeshabandhTi,  Basanti  Devi 
carried  on  the  work  of  her  husband  as  President  of  the 
Bengal  Provincial  Congre.^  Committee.  She  also 
presided  over  the  Bengal  Pi^vinciiil  Conference,  held 
in  Chtttagong  on  April  to  and  16,  1922.  Reference  in 
her  presidential  addre-^s  to  the  necessity  of  countil- 
cntry  to  conduct  the  Non-co-flperation  movement 
from  within  the  Council  Chambers,  was  the  signal  for 
(he  birth  of  a  party,  later  knoivn  as  Swaraj  Parly.  She 
also  referred  in  her  address  to  the  imprisonment  of 
Sabitri  Devi  of  Darjeeling  for  political  activities. 

To  rouse  political  consciousness  in  women,  a 
Women's  Organisation  was  started  by  Tfrmila  Devi, 
sister  of  Deshabandhu  known  «a  'Nari  Karma  Mandir.' 
An  able  and  sincere  band  of  women  workers  centred 


round  this  Mandir,  the  most  notable  being  Hema- 
prabha  Majumdar,  wife  of  Basanta  Kumar  Majumdar 
of  Comilla.  The  main  function  of  this  organisation 
was  to  carry  on  the  constructive  work  of  the  Non-co- 
operation programme,  such  as  political  education, 
spinning  and  weaving  and  buying  and  selling  khaddar 
from  door  to  door  by  women.  But  it  was  soon  drawn 
into  the  vortex  of  the  movement.  When  men  were 
arrested  in  thousands,  the  Nari  Karma  Mandir  took 
upon  itself  the  work  of  convening  meetings  in  the 
public  parks  of  Calcutta  in  defiance  of  the  prohibitory 
orders.  Women  had  now  to     face    the    baton  of  the 


Urmila  Devi 

sergeant  and  the  tal'ii  of  the  police.  It  was  at 
one  of  these  meetings  that  Uemaprabha  Majumdar 
received  injuries  at  the  hands  of  the  police.  6he 
showed  so  much  gallantry  at  tiie  time  that  Desha- 
bandhu used  to  say  ot  Hemaprabha  :  "She  is  the  only 
'man'  ouL'ide  jail."  Mohini  Devi,  an  old  Ifld)',  also 
dedicated  herself  to  the  cause  of  the  country.  She 
walked  barefoot  all  along  the  streets,  canvassed 
khaddar,  attended  public  meetings  snd  spoke  whenever 
needed.  It  m.iy  be  noted  here  thiit  it.  was  iiiiiinly  due 
to  the  women  of  Contai,  district  Midnaporc,  that  the 
movement  there  under  the  leadership  of  fiirendra  Nath 
Sasmal  was  tremendously  successful. 

{To  be  continued) 


PRE-HISTOKK  ROCK  PICTUftES  IN  BELLARY 

Bv  RICHARD  CHINNATHAMBI,  m.a. 


ItOCK  engravings  on  ihe  Peacork  Hill  some  five  mile* 
bortfa-easl  of  Bellary  town  have  been  mmiioned  in  the 
original  Government  Manual  o{  the  Dislricl,  dated  1872. 
Mr.    Fawcelt   read   B    paper   on   Ihe   subject   before   the 


get  a  dried-up   pond    and    a    series    of   rock   terrace* 
with     washed-oul  ash,  etc.      On     the     edge     of     the 
escarpment  and  on  the  steep  (ace  of  the  rock  yon 
have  the  drawings." 
Failure  to  follow  the  direction  will  entail   i 


right 


Congress  of  Orientalists  in  1892  and  illuairaied  it  with 
photographs  taken  by  him.  Till  the  year  194B  when 
Dr.  S.  Stibba  Rao  excavated  ihe  silc  on  top  of  the  Hilt 
for  evidence  of  prc-bistoric  settlement,  no  atlention 
was  paid  to  the  rock  pictures.  Dr.  Subba  Rao  mentioned 
about  tbeir  existence  in  bi4  thesis,  "Sione  Age  Cultured 
«f  Bellary."  Instead  of  the  vague  description,  "higt^ 
up   among   ihc   dark   rocks  which   form   the   crest  of  the 


fruitless  combing  of  the  HitI,  such  as  I  had  lo  go  tbrongh 
and  wc  might  come  only  across  crude  copies  of  the 
originals  as  well  as  the  present  art  of  the  sheiAerd  boys 
on  the  stray  boulders.  In  the  monthly  maganne  of  the 
Royal  Anthropological  Inslilule.  London,  dated  September 
19S1,  Mr.  D.  H.  Gordon  has  drawn  attention  to  these 
rock'  engravings  with  a  view  lo  determine  thrir  age. 


Motor  cnr  as  represented  by   the   modern 
shephfrd   boy 
trap  dyke  on   the   northern  end  of  the  hill   ....   are 
a    large    number    of    rough    fig  ores,    pictures    or    gralTli 
....,"   found    in    the    District    Gazeleer,   Dr.    Subba 
Rao  directed  : 

"You  have  to  go  up  the  Viitalsppa  Cult*  from  ■.,  "  '™™''  "■"■="■"  '''""""'""'  •""*"'  ™  "•"  "~ 
the  valley  in  betwwn  the  Sannara.amma  Hill  and  "''«'«  *"•"*  P'oufhmg  the  fields  beW.  He  loved  « 
the  Vitlalappa  Gutla,      If  you  go  to  the  top  you  will      <=■"'«   H"'    'nd    he    pictured     two    riders   setting   tbeip 


Art  of  the  Shephixo  Bors 
e  modem  shepherd  boy  idling  on  the  rock  at  tbe 
foot  of  the  Peacock  Hill  has  scratched  on  the  bouldeis 
what   passed   before   bis      eyes — the      motor  car  and  tbe 


rnE-HISTORIC  ROCK  PICTURES  IN  BELLARY 


4ra 


■nimalt  at  each  other.  He  knew  also  thai  bulls  some 
limes  fought  over  a  cow  and  he  pictured  that  loo;  onl; 
he  presenicd  ihe  other  sex  schematically  by  a  well-knowi 
syriibol.      By   adiiing   a  trident  and   a  crescent   moon  h' 


The  humans  are  slill  slick  figures.  I  am  inclined  ta 
date  it  as  after  the  end,  of  the  Megalilhic  period 
300  B.C.  This  is  supported  by  another  picture  where 
three   men   are   obviously   driving   away   fiomething.      The 


Cittle  fight— deeply  grooved  lines,  N"ote  a  poor 
imitation  nearby 
brought  in  the  idea  of  Siva  and  Parvati.  There  caD 
b«  no  doubt  that  these  scralchings  by  the  shepherd  boys 
are  very  recent  but  in  one  picture  the  lines  are  deeply 
grooved,  about  Vj"  aud  the  fact  that  the  modem  shepherd 
I  boys  has  drawn  a  poor  imitation  of  it  nearly 
onfr  emphasises  the  archaic  ;  nature  of  the 
original.  It  implies  domesticated  animals  and  if 
only  a  afaepherd  boy  watching  the  field*  had  drawn, 
this  fine  grooved  jucture  of  a  cattle  fight  it  couU  not 
have  been  earlier  than  10,000  B.C.  by  wliich  time  "moM 
of  mankind  was  at  the  Neolithic  level"  (H.G.  Wells). 
Higher  up  on  the  rocks  thzre  is  another  example  of  the 
domesticated  animal  with  very  king  horns  and  there  ia 
the  faint  impression  of  a  human  beyond  its  tail.  One 
gets  to  the  conclusion  that  the  bumm  was  driving  it 
along.      It  is  definitely   not  a  hunting  scene. 


Two  stick  men  fighting  with  bows  and  orrowa 

two  figures  on  the  left  look  like  later  imitations  and  the 
one  near  the  human  hand  is  possibly  the  older  original 
which  was  copied.  But  a  sword  and  shield  can  clearly 
be  seen  on  another  boulder;  only  the  man's  h:;ad  looks 
like  a  bird's  with  prominent  beak.  The  figure  Is  repeated 
on  stiti  another  rock.  The  body  is  pecked  which  i^ 
clearly  visible.  These  two  bird'men  are  unique  among 
the  pictures  depicted  on  the  trap  dyke  and  may  be  the 
represntation  of  a  supernatural  friend  or  helper  (lotem). 
Sbx  Motif 
It  is  very  rare  to  find  sex  motif  in  rock  pictures, 
■ays  Mr.  Cordon.  The  Peacock  Hill  pictures  are 
exceptions.  I  noticed  two  slick  figures  front  to  front 
in  an  unmislakahle  altitude.  This  pose  is  uncommon 
even  among  savages  and  the  drawing  may  be  of  very 
recent    origin,    but    on    a    boulder    lying    almost    on    the 


Three  men  driving  away  aomet-hiag 
plain   there   is   a   picture,   grooved  well,   of   sexual   inter- 
Bows   AND   Ahrows  course  between  a  man   standing  and   i 
On  the  stray  boulders  at  the  foot  of  the  Hill  there      I    found   the    motif   repealed    i 


:  further  indications  of  a   later 

ro  bumans  aie  shown  as  fighting  with  bows  and 


prostrate, 
bas-relief   on   one   of 
!  rock      the   stones   used   for   constructing   the   main   wall   of   the 
irrowi.     upper    fort    on    the    Bellary    rock.      lUidiKt   ■»*   '«•  ■*»>^ 


tK 


THE  MODERN  REVIEW  FOR  JUNE,  1953 


rocks  we  have  humana  depicted  in  line  bui  with  exagge- 
rated eeuitals.  There  can  be  no  other  tnoiive  than] 
the  sheer  exuberance  of  life  that  must  have  impelled 
the  pre-hutoiic  artist  lo  indulge  in  representation  of 
the  sex  act. 


distance  of  time  the  maiks  of  chipping  could  have  dis- 
appeared due  10  the  weather,  if  at  all  the  figures  were 
drawn  by  pecking.  Mr.  Fawced's  view  that  th«  fignns 
are  the  result  of  bruiiung.  rubbing  a  hard  piece  of  rock 
a£ain«t   Ihc   surface   to   give   this    shading,   ia  borne   oat 


PEOCtnC   OR   BRtnSING? 
I  examined  some   of   the  famous   three-homed   cattle 
nterred  to  by  Mr.  Gordon.    At  close  quarters  it  is  diiG- 


Sex-act  between  a  man  standing  and 
a    woman   prostrat« 

further  by  the  smalhieM  of  the  Ggnrea,  The«e  examples 
of  bruising  are  found  on  only  one  rock  pnteL  A  typical 
Bpecimen  of  pecking  is  however  found  on,  auotlier  nek 
anrface.  There  is  no  mistaking  the  method  tued  by  the 
artist.  The  surface  bears  marks  Kke  those  nude  on 
grinding-stonee  renewed  by  iho  stone-amitha  in  South 
Indian  homes.  It  is  arguable  thai  the  mc-hiiloric  man 
adoptfj  bruising  first  for  Jrawinp  figures  Mmr  he 
Ihoueht    ol    [locking    il,c    -iiaLV    bouiidcl    by    thr    outline 


Human  figure  with  aword  and  shield  and  bird's 

head  on  top  of  rock  pane!.  Nole  abo  aen-act  front 
to  front  of  two  stick  figures  on  left  of  panel 

colt  to  make  out  the  figures:  but  from  some  distance  the 

figures  are  clear.     They  look  a  shade  brighter  than  the 

surface  in  coaliguitj.     To   the  touch   the  surface  of  the 

/tgnrci  is  also  indistinguishable   in   ils  finesse   from     the 


CbUIc   fight 
grooved  by  him.    In  fact  one  figure  of  a  human  nude 
a  rock   sheUer   was   found   scooped  cut  uniformly   lo 
depth  of  Vi".     This  would  have  been  the  natural  reso! 
of   very  close   pecking. 


PRE-HISTORIC  ROCK  PICTURES  IN  BELLARY 


them,    on    one   i 
shepherd   boys  i 


erhanging   lock    panel   inaccessible      lo     nuous   occupation    from 
wootlcutlers,  very   high   up   among   the     ycata  ago,  Is  borne  oul  i 


tery   early   times   about      4O;00O 
01  merely  by  tbeae  rocb  pictnies 


Sex-act   in    the   ba«-rel)ef   on   Etone    used    for 
cooatnictiiig  ring  wall,  Upper  Fort,  Bellary 
Rock 
clilf».     All  the  excitemnu  of  going  into  an  art  gallery 
newly   opened   can   be   experienced   by   merebr  guing   at 
these  woDclerful  creations  of  the  itone-age  man.  Ve  see 
an  elephant,  a  camel,  deer,  antelopea,  king-bomed  cattle, 
what  seems  a  tribal  dance  of  stick'tnen,  hand  in  hand, 
a   bng   row   of   stick-men      marching  alon^      alick-men 


Examples    of  bruising— nock   pane! 


Esamplc.s  of  bruising.  Closc-up 
but  even  by  the  yield  of  pre-hisloilc  implements  of   the 


Human  figure  with  exaggerated  genital.  Note 

a  faint  figure  raised  on  a  T  stand  to  the  left. 

BpIow  there  is  an  antelope  with'  long   horna 

and  tines 

excitedly  running      about  an  antelope  or      long-horned 

animal— a  roundup  possibly.     All  that  we  associate  with 

Bushmen   art    we   notice — only    there    were    no    Bushmen 

here.    The  art  tradition  in  Peacock  Hill  has  a  very  early 

Palaeolithic   origin.     That    "sub-men"    sought    shellec    in 

ibe  svck  crevice*  of  then  iow  granite  bills,  and  contt- 


Exainple    of    bruising.    See    caltle-hke    shading 

on   (op   right  centre 

HoHKifjo  AKD  Harappa 

If  the  three-homed  animals  in  the  rock  panels  remind 

ono   ot   riw>  MxAwtt.      \icV»n«R  'A«.  Vw^'a  sJv  ^e«.      is»*s^ 

dep'icUd  oa  W.aT*OTa  ttmtven  ■ew.V'3^'  «A  ■it* "^-^^W^ 


478 


THE  MODERN  REVIEW  FOR  JUNE.  1953 


■lands  on  which  figures  of  oxm  art  shown  raised  bring 
to  mind  such  representations  on  Mahenjo  Daro  sealiogs, 
we  can  argue  ihat  it  was  a  later  an  Iradition  brought 
to  Bellory  which  was  a  centrifugal  focus  of  pre-historli^ 
cnltnrM.    "It  has  been      proved,"  uys  L.    Adam,  "by 


analysis  of  the  patination  (chemical  change*  on  ^  U 
slun  of  the  rock)  ii  is  difficult  to  conclude  the  exact  «|c  ! 
of  these  rock  pictures.  He  would,  any  way,  put  it  dowi  ^ 
to,  tentatively,  the  first  half  of  the  first  nullenniuin  B.C  1 
The  Peacocic  Hill  therefore  holds  a  priceless  art  trewntc  | 
for    Us.        Bui    it    has    nut     been     pruiecied     hoin    the  I 


Typical  examplee  of  peciing  :  cattle  wilh  long 
horns    and    cgmpletely    pecked    body    on    left 

archaeological  research  that,  even  in  pre'hisloric  times, 
conimerdal  relations  extended  over  distances  as  wide  as 
from  the  Mediterranean  to  Sweden,"  and  cites  bow  glass 
l>eBds  from  ancient  Egypt  found  their  way  to  Africa, 
Etuope  and  Asia. 


vandalism  of  the  quarry  men.     Out  of  the  260  dykes  in 
BelJary  district  the  Peacock  Hill  akme  is  endearing  to 


ir.ginal   Pcii^ock   Hill 
50,000  YeAs  Oli> 


Nandi 
ligeti 


Fawcett  mentions  the  figui 
before  a  Ungam  on  the  rock  panel.  There  i 
quite  near  and  obviously  very  recently  drawn.  Thi(, 
group  Fawcett  would  not  put  down  to  slune-age  men. 
^r.  Gordon  says  it  might  ha\e  been  executed  ai\ywhere 
''n  the  7lb.  century.  Mr.  Cordon  further  worn*  t\ia\ 
pending  tangible  proof  of   the   age   of   the   rock   iiom   a- 


with  our  pre-historic 
While  no  one  minds  the  surface  collection  of  stone  aiea, 
celts,  hammer  stones,  scrapers  and  other  implement*  bj 
cell-hunters  it  would  be  a  grave  injustice  to  poitaity 
no:  to  take  measures  lo  protect,  under  the  Anci<at 
Monuments  Preservation  Act,  the   trap  dyke  on   Peacock 


MfittCHANtS  IN  VEPIC  AND  ttfittOlC  INDIA 

By  SURESH  PROSAD  NIYOGI,  f.r.  econ.  s.    (lond.) 


ly  part  of  the  Vedic  Age  was  an  age  of  economic 
ciency,  i^.,  of  primitive  economy.  So  there  was 
•pe  for  trading.  The  principal  means  of  livelihood 
^edic  Aryans  was  agriculture  and  cattle-breeding. 
,  the  beginning  of  various  trades  and  industries 
traced  in  the  Rigveda.  References  are  particu- 
quent  to  the  labour  of  the  worker  in  wood  wh« 
I  a  carpenter,  joiner  and  wheelwright  in  one; 
tion  of  chariots  and  metal  utensils  was  also  his 
.  The  Rigveda  also  refers  to  tanners  and  skins  of 
prepared  by  them,  sewing  and  plaiting  of  mats 
iss  or  rags,  weaving,  etc. 

Yayurvedic  society,  however,  was  highly  developed 
see  the  introduction  of  the  principle  of  labour. 
dOth  Chapter  of  the  Vajasaneyi  Samhita  a 
of  trades  and  vocations  like  those  of  rope* 
jewellers,  potters,  cultivators,  weapon-makers,  etc.. 
tioned.  References  of  traders  and  their  guilds  are 
i  wanting. 

excess  of  production  in  certain  localities  induced 
-.  mdtk  to  carry  them  to  other  places  where  these 
r  disposed  of  on  profit.  In  this  way  there  arose 
ial  enterprise  and  we  find  the  mention  of  mer- 
I  the  Rigveda  and  the  use  of  the  verb  kii  denoting 

'• 

ei;BUy  speaking,  in  the  Vedic  Age  we  find  three 
)f  merchants — the  Vaisyas,  Panis  and  Brahma- 
these  three  the  Vaisyas  were  the  most  superior. 
Rigveda,  Sankhayana  Aranyaka  and  Aitareya 
I  the  Vaisyas  have  been  praised.  In  the  highly 
d  society  of  the  Yayurveda  we  find  that  the  pro- 
f  trading  has  been  assigned  to  the  sons  of  Vaisyas 
Dts) .  In  the  Vedic  literature  we  also  find  the 
apati  meaning  the  leader  of  the  Vaisyas,  i.e.,  the 
ts.  This  clearly  ii^dicates  that  the  Vaisya  mer- 
rere  organised  and  the  Visapatis  were  the  chief 
:s  of  thtir  organisations. 

Panis    were    another    class    of    merchants.     We 
;now,  however,  who  the  Panis  were.      The  wordi 

derived  from  the  verb  pan  meaning  barter, 
ans  that  a  pani  is  a  merchant  (pani  banih 
.  According  to  the  evidence  of  the  Vedic  lite- 
hese  Panis  were  a  rich  and  enterprising  merchant 
ely  devoted  to  the  cause  of  gain  either  by  trade 
;h  usury.  Roth  and  Zinner  say  that  they  were  a 
r  merchant  class  who  neither  worshipped  the 
r  revered  the  priests.  According  to  Hillebrandt 
e  the  Pamians  of  Strabo.  Ludwig  thinks  that 
'e  aboriginal  merchants  who  went  in-  caravans  to 
ind  North  Africa.  They  were  attacked,  by  the> 
so  they  had  organisations  of  their  own.  From 
IS  however,  it  appears  that   the  Panis  stole  the 

(cows)  of  the  Aryans.  The  Aryans,  on  the  other 


hand,  with  the  help  of  their  national  gods  attacked  and 
defeated  them.  According  to  Prof.  Macdonell,  the  Panis 
were  usurers  (Bekanata)  of  Babylon  or  of  aboriginal 
origia.  They  were  very  rich  and  did  not  give  an} 
offerings  to  Aryan  gods,  hence  they  were  an  object  of 
intense  dislike. 

The  Panis  were  no  doubt  exploiting  aboriginal  oi 
foreign  merchants  having  no  faith  in  Vedic  gods.  They 
were  detrimental  to  the  peace  and  happiness  of  the 
Aryans.  The  discontent  of  the  people  voiced  by  the 
Risis  will  be  evident  from  the  following  Irnes  of  the 
Vajasaneyi  Samhita:  "Let  the  Panis  bringing  about  miseries 
and  who  are  hostile  to  the  gods  clear  out  from  the 
country.**  The  Panis  were  Shylock  traders  and  no  doubt 
practised  dishonest  trade  in  the  country,  otherwise  the 
popular  feeling  would  not  have  been  like  this.  According 
to  the  commentator  Mahidhara,  Panis  were  those  mer- 
chants who  exploited  others  with  their  goods  and  henco 
were  monsters. 

From  a  verse  of  the  Rigveda  it  appears  that  the 
Panis  had  no  faith  in  the  religion  of  the  Aryans.  Accord- 
ing to  Sayana,  the  Panis  were  like  hunters — society  wad 
their  victim.  The  discontent  of  the  people  and  the  greed 
for  money  of  the  Panis  may  also  be  proved  from  the  follow- 
ing lines  of  the  same  Veda  :  "Oh  Indra  !  while  bestowing 
upon  us  wealth  do  not  behave  with  us  like  the  Panis.** 
This  clearly  indicates  that  the  Panis  exacted  money  from 
the  people. 

Brahmanas  in  the  Vedic  Age  did  not  generally  carry 
on  trade.  Put  sometimes  they  were  compelled  to  take 
lip  trading  as  a  means  of  their  livelihood  under  extremely 
emergent  circumstances.  Thus  in  the  Rigveda  we  find 
that  Dirghaaravas,  a  son  of  Usij  and  the  sage  Dirgha- 
tama,  a  Brahmin,  was  forced  to  adopt  the  profession  of 
a   tradeii  due  to  the  failure  of  rains. 

In  the  Atharva  Veda  we  have  some  information  about 
the  early  merchants  and  the  articles  they  exchanged.  A 
verse  shows  that  the  Vedic  merchant  was  an  adventurous 
wanderer,  who  moving  from  place  to  place  risked  not 
only  his  goods  but  also  his  life  for  gain.  So  we  see 
'hat  the  merchants  are  praying  to  their  national  god 
Indra,  so  that  he  might  be  their  guide  and  leader,  chas- 
ing ill-will,  wild  beasts  and  highway  robbers.  The  mer- 
chant's main  function  was  to  sell  and  exchange  his  goods 
foi*  those  of  another  locality.  He  seems  to  have  been 
the  forerunner  of  the  Sarthavahas  and  caravan -leaders 
of  the   Heroic   age  and  early  Buddhist   age. 

In  the  Vedic  literature  we  find  the  words  Ganas  and 
Vratas  which  mean  guilds  or  corporate  unions  in  classical 
language.  The  word  Ganapati  meaning  the  leader  of  d 
guild  is  also  found  in  the  early  Vedic  literature.  But 
it  i&  doubtful  whether  all  these  were  merchants'  guilds. 
In    the   Aitareya    Brahmana   vie   fsA  >!««.  nr^x^  ^-w.'^^kv 


m 


THE  MODERN  REVIEW  EOR  JU^fi.  Id53 


In  the  history  of  the  merchants*  organisation  ■  Bhaga 
the  god  of  fortune  is  regarded  as  traditionally  the  first 
Sresthi  (being  of  the  gods)  as  the  war-god  Indra  is  re- 
garded as  the  king  of  the  gods.  A  passage  of  the  Taittiriya 
Brahmana  states  that  Bhaga  desired  to  be  the  lord  of  all 
earthly  and  supernatural  powers  and  the  leader  of  the 
mercantile  guild  of  the  gods.  He  was  chief  among  the 
equals.  This  indicates  that  the  merchants'  guilds  were 
formed  at  that  time  with  persons  standing  on  equal 
footing. 

The  origin  of  the  word  Sresthi  is  traced  back  to  the 
word  Srestha.  In  the  Chhandyogyopanishad  it  has  been 
used  to  mean  a  leader.  In  the  Aitareya  Brahamana  we 
find  that  the  word  has  been  used  to  mean  supremacy  or 
leadership  through  capacity  or  merit.  The  word  Sresthi  ia 
also  found  in  other  Brahmanas. 

Now  who  is  Bhaga  ?  Bhaga  is|  the  god  of  fortune 
and  is  one  of  the  twelve  Adiiyas.  In  the  Zend  Avesta 
Bhaga  stands  for  prosperity.  His  other  qualities  are 
dignity,  distinction,  fame,  glory,  etc.  All  these  indicate 
that  the  leader  of  the  merchants'  guild  must  have  been 
prosperous,  dignified,  and  should  also  have  qualities  like 
distinction,  fame,  glory,  etc. 

In  the  later  Samhitas  and  Brahmnas  the  term 
Sresthi  is  often  used  to  denote  a  wealthy  merchant  an4 
lending  of  money  with  interest  was  the  common  commercial 
transaction  as  Sresthi  was  a  special  name  of  money- 
lenders at  that  time. 

The  growth  of  trade  facilitated  the  growth  of  stand- 
ards and  measures  of  exchange.  In  course  of  time  a 
metallic  currency  grew  up  and  displaced  barter.  In  the 
Brahmanas  we  meet  with  the  Satanama,  a  piece  of  gold 
equivalent  in  weight  to  a  lOO  Krishmal.  *  During  the 
period  of  Grihya  Sutras  an  extensive  trade  was  carried 
on  and  trade  and  commerce  were  living  activities  of 
corporate  life.  The  Vaisyas  were  primarily  seen  to  be  the 
commercial  class.  The  rite  of  Panyasiddhi  or  success  iv 
[trade,  in  which  a  portion  of  the  particular  article  of 
trade  was  cut  off  and  sacrificed  with  the  words,  "If,  Oh 
God,  we  carry  on  trade  to  acquire  new  wealth  by  means 
of  our  (old)  wealth,  let  Soma,  Agni,  Brihaspati 
and  Indra  bestow  lustre  thereon,"  was  performed  by 
them. 

Form  the  point  of  view  of  economic  history  it  was 
the  age  of  guild  enterprise  and  marked  the  transition 
from  individual  enterprise  to  that  of  corporate  activity. 

The  growth  of  the  town  and  town  life,  the  development 
of  commerce,  the  greater  demand  for  manufactured 
articles,  all  these  contributed  to  the  growth  and  volume 
of  industry.  The  artisans  and  traders  organised  guilds 
and  further  developed  their  corporations  which  aimed  at 
securing  better  opportunities  for  the  realisation  of  thei| 
ideals.  Almost  all  the  industries  were  organised  into 
guilds.  Men  of  the  same  trade  or  occupation  bound  them- 
selves  to  each  other  by  the  formation  of  corporate  organi- 
aationa  known  as  guilds.  In  ancient  India  the  movemenl 
towards  the  guild  organisation  began  towards  the  lalet 


part  of  the  Vedic  Age.  It  was  during  this  period  that 
the  guilds  came  to  play  an  important  part  in  the  various 
aspects  of  social  life. 

The  recent  discovery  of  the  records  of  the  settlemcnl 
of  some  branches  of  the  Aryan  race  in  Syria  and  Sumeria 
worshipping  some  of  the  oldest  gods  of  the  Vedic  pattern, 
the  discovery  of  the  presence  of  indigo  in  the  clothes  of 
some  of  the  Egyptian  mummies,  the  discovery  of  Indian 
cedar  in  the  palace  of  Nebuchadnezzar  and  of  the 
Indian  teak  in  the  temple  of  the  moon-god  Ur — all  these 
point  to  the  existence  of  commercial  and  cultural  inter- 
course between  India  and  some  of  the  nations  of  antiquity 
(say  3rd  millennium  B.C.) .  The  excavation^  at 
Mohenjo-Daro  throw  light  on  the  probable  Indo-Sumeria^ 
intercourse  on  the  Indus  Valley  and  confirm  this  race 
contact  of  the  past.  In  the  Satapatha  and  Taittiriya 
Brahmanas  there  is  mention  of  the  boatman,  the  oarsman 
and  the  poleman.  This  indicates  that  there  was  existence 
of  trade  with  Babylon.  On  linguistic  ground.  Prof. 
Niyogi  of  the  Banaras  University  thinks  that  the  Panis 
were  merchants  from  Phoenicia  and  with  that  country 
there  was  regular  commercial  intercourse  at  that  time. 

The  economic  history  of  the  Heroic  Age  throws 
much  light  on  the  mercantile  organisation  in  ancient 
India.  The  chief  characteristics  of  the  age  were  :  (1) 
the  rise  of  town  life,  (2)  the  growth  of  crafts  and  the 
organisation  of  the  craftsmen  into  guilds  and  (3)  the 
development  of  trade,  both  internal  and  external.  As  a 
result  of  these  developments,  political,  mercantile  and 
crafts  guilds  were  organised.  In  the  Ramayana  we  find 
words  like  naigama  which  means  merchants  in  Sanskrit 
According  to  Jayaswal,  Naigama  means  *'the  association 
of  the  city  merchants."  They  were  highly  organised  and 
occupied  an  important  position  in  the  economic  and  poli' 
tical  life  of  the  city.  Moreover,  in  the  Ramayana  we  find 
that  Ramachandra  was  welcomed  by  the  head  of  a  mer- 
chant guild  on  his  entry  to  the  city.  This  indicates 
that  the  chief  of  the  merchant  guilds  played  an  import- 
ant part  in  the  political  and  social  life  of  the  city.  His 
position  was  something  like  that  of  a  modem  Sheriff. 

The  Mahabharata  throws  much  light  on  the  organisa- 
tion of  merchants.  In  the  Aranya  Parva  (Book  HI  )  we 
find  reference  of  caravan-traders  and  their  organisatioa 
(Sartha) .  In  the  forest  Damayanti  met  a  band  of  met- 
chantsi  (maha-sartha)  proceeding  towards  the  kingdom 
of  Chedi.  Sartha  means  a  band  of  merchants  and 
maha-sartha  a  very  large  band  of  merchants.  A  maha- 
sartha  consisted  of  the  chief  merchant,  fellow  merchants, 
elephants,  horses,  chariots,  attendants,  etc.  Sarthavaha 
was  the  leader  of  the  Sartha  {sarthasya  neia)  and  he  was 
the  Chief  Executive  (President)  of  the  Sartha 
(sarthasya  mahata  prabhu  sarthavaha)   (M.B.  HI. 61. 120). 

The  merchant  had  a  wandering  habit.  The  travel  and 

journey   of   the   merchants   in   an  organised   way  is  the 

further  development  of  the  adventurous  Vedic  merchants. 

tYvvs  coivvVivM^d  ^v^Tv  u^  to  the  Maurya  age  when  the 

meicVkwaX^^  ^BV]5\d%  V-eA  ^€vx  qhtdl  ^^anco^  \kik&a^ 


HOW  CORONATION  SERVICE  LINKS  UP  WHOLE  OF  BRITISH  HISTORY 

By  LESUE  G.  pine. 
Editor,  "Burke's  Peerage"  London 


The  Coronation  of  Queen  Elizabeth  11  links  up  the  whole 
of  British  history.  She  will  be  crowned  in  London^ 
Westminster  Abbey,  which  was  buih  by  Edward  the 
Confessor  nine  centuries  ago;  and  she  will  be  the  39tW 
sovereign  to  be  crowned  there  since  William  the  Conqueror 
in  1U66.  Both  Edward  and  William  were  Her  Majesty's 
ancestors,  and  long  before  the  time  of  either  of  them 
the  Queen's  lineage  extends  into  the  dim  centuries  of  the 
early  Ctiristian  era. 

Edward  the  Confessor  was  the  successor  of  Egbert, 
King  of  Wesscx,  who  in  829  became  the  acknowledgeci 
overloid  of  the  other  kings  in  Britain.  Egbert's  claim 
10  rule  depended  upon  his  being  of  the  royal  house  of 
the  West  Saxons,  descended  from  Woden  a  great  chief 
who  ruled  the  ancestors  of  the  Angles  and  Saxons  when 
they  were  in  their  original  continental  homes  in  the  3rd 
century  A.D.  Thus  the  ancestry  of  Queen  Elizabeth  Ilj 
can  be  traced  for  well  over  a  millennium  and  a  half; 
for  the  Kingdom  of  WedSex  became  in  time  the  Kingdom 
of  England  and  this  in  tun^  expanded  into  the  United 
Kingciom,  the  Empire  and  the  Commonwealth. 

Act  of  Recognition 
Edward  the  Confessor  was  succeeded  by  Harold,  who 
was  akin  through  his  mother  to  King  Canute.  Harolc^ 
was  elected  by  the  Witan  or  Great  Council,  and  thia 
{esXUt0  in  the  history  of  Britain's  monarchy  is  preserved 
m  the  Act  of  Recognition.  This  takes  place  in  the  Abbey 
at  each  Coronation,  before  the  beginning  of  the  actual 
bervicc  when  the  Archbishop  of  Canterbury  turns  to  the 
huge  congregation  and  presents  to  them  their  undoubted 
sovereign  Queen  EHzabcth  II  and  asks  them  if  they  are 
ready  to  do  their  homage  to  her.  The  great  shout  of 
•*God'  Save  Queen  Elizabeth"  which  is  the  response,  is, 
as  it  were,  the  historic  echo  of  the  shout  of  the  early 
Saxon  tribesmen  as  their  King  was  Hfled  high  for  all 
to  sec 

We  know  that  Willam  the  Conqueror  was  crowned  ii^ 
Westminster  Abbey.  At  his  Coronation  there  was  a  fight 
between  his  Norman  and  his  Saxon  subjects,  and  buildings 
near  the  Abbey  were  set  on  fire.  Nevertheless  West- 
minster Abbey  was  estabhshed  as  the  Coronation  place 
for  all  future  kings.  When  the  boy  king  Henry  III  wa$ 
crowned  in  Gloucester  Cathedral  because  the  French 
controlled  Westminster  he  had  to  be  crowned  anew  in  the 
Abbey  on  its  liberation. 


Edward  I,  son  of  Henry  HI,  was  the  first  sovereign 
to  bear  an  English  name  after  the  Conquest;  the  old 
Saxon  line  had  been  united  with  the  Plantagenet  blood 
a  century  earlier.  When  the  Plantagenets  were 
replaced  by  the  Tudors,  under  Henry  VII,  the  blood  of 
the  ancient  princes  of  Wales  back  to  King  Rhodri  Mawr 
(844^878)  was  xmited  with  the  Enghsh  fine  in  the 
children  of  Henry  VIL  Again,  the  Tudors  intermarried 
with  the  Stuarts  of  Scotland  and  so  James  VI  of 
Scotland  succeeded  his  cousin  Elizabeth  I  as  James  I 
of  England.  Through  the  Stuart  line  alliance  was  reached 
also  with  the  Irish  Princely  lines  back  to  Brian  Boru,  King 
of  Ireland,  who  was  slain  at  the  Battle  of  Qontarf  in 
1014. 

Ancient  Ritual  and  Ceremonies 
Thus  the  Coronalioo  of  Queen  Elizabeth  II  is  the 
hallowing  of  one  who  sums  up  all  the  royal  inheritance 
of  Britain.  Little  wonder  that  the  Coronation  contains 
ancient  ritual  and  ceremonies.  The  service  goes  back 
to  the  time  of  Egbert,  and  the  great  Ofl&cers  of  State 
hold  positions  dating  to  the  Norman  Conquest.  The 
E^rl  Marshal  who  orders  the  Coronation  arrangements 
is  the  Duke  of  Norfolk,  and  the  Office  has  been 
hereditary  in  his  family  since  1677.  The  Lord  Great 
Chamberlain,  the  Marquess  of  Cholmondeley,  represent* 
the  De  Veres,  Earls  of  Oxford,  the  last  (and  20th)  of 
whom  died  in  1702.  The  Archbishop  of  Canterbury's 
right  to  crown  the  sovereign  was  last  confirmed  700 
years  ago. 

Captain  I>ymoke  who  will  bear  the  Royal  Standard, 
of  Engiand  in  the  Coronation  Procession  is  the  Queen's 
Hereditary  Champion.  Formerly  his  forbears  used  to 
ride  into  the  Coronation  Banquet  clad  in  armour  and 
defy   any  who   dared   challenge   the  Sovereign's   title. 

The  Royal  Standard  of  Scotland  is  borne  by 
Viscount  Dudhope  whose  ancestor  bore  it  at  the  Battle 
of  Bannockburn  in  1314.  Such  is  the  heritage  of  Britaii^ 
which  will  be  present  as  in  a  Hving  tableau  at  the 
Coronation.* 


*  There  is  now  considerable  interest  in  the  ensuing  coronatioo 
ceremony  of  the  British  Queen.  We  are  indebted  to  the  Britlih 
Information  Services  for  sut>pl7ing  us  with  authoriutive  material 
contained   In   this  article  on   the   Roya]   lineage   of  Britain.— Eo.,   M-H' 


9 


A  SUMMARY  SURVEY  OF  ART  JOURNALS  IN  INDIA 


By  KAUNDINYA 


IV 


In  April  1920,  began  ihe  advetilurous' career  of  a  vety 
interesting      Quarterly     journal,     edited     by     Mrinalini 
Chattopadhyaya      (sister  of  Sarojini   Naidu)      under  the 
significant  caption  of  Shama'a  which  is  a  Persian    wordl 
for    light    (published    from    Aghore    Mandir,    Santhome, 
ivla<  ra^) .  As  suggested  in  the  editorial  in  the  first  issue, 
"Shama^a  heralds  the  dawn  of  a  new  era  in  art,  literature 
and   philosophy;    it   will,   as  far   as  possible,   survey  the 
trend  of   modern  thoughts  and   study  the     contemporary 
developments  in  these  subjects  ;  it  will  attempt  to  serve 
as  a  suitable  vehicle  for  the  creative  expression  in  prose, 
poetry,  drama,  painting,     sculpture     and  musio  of  both 
East    and    West.      Translations   from   rare   and   valuable 
works  in   the     various     vernaculars      of     India  will  be 
published  with  a  view  to  popularizing  them  among  the 
bnglish-knowing  public/'     This  indeed  was  an  ambitious 
programme.     Let  ns  see  how  far  the  editorial  view  was 
iulnued  to  cover  the  triple  expression  in  Art,  Literature 
and     Philosophy.     For  the  last     section  the     following 
articles  were  published  in  the  first  year:    (1)   ''Krishna — 
the  lime  and  the  Man''  by  the  great  savant  philosopher 
of  Benares,  Dr.  Bhagwan  Das, — a  series  of  four  articles 
which  deserve  to  be  reprinted  and  republished,   (2)   *The 
Philosophy     of     Rabindranath     Tagore''     by     Sarvapalli 
Kadbakishnan,  criticized  by  J.   B.   Raja  with  a  rejoinder 
by  Prof.  Suryanarayanan,  (3)   'The  Last  Journey  of  Lin- 
Lang"    by    F.    H.    Davis — a    profound    and    picturesque 
parable  describing  the  Chinese  poet's  encounter  with  the 
Eight  Immortals  of  Chinese  Heaven  :   "When  you  turned 
a    goldhsh   into   a    lady's    slipper,    the    sole   was    missing. 
Tiie  soul  is  also  missing  in  you,  and  so  we  give  you  a 
new    name — Shih    Ch'inghus    (stone    from    Heaven).      To 
ttiis  one  of  the  Eight  Immortal?  replied  :  Perceiving  that 
our    exquisite    language    and    our    exalted    courtesy    are 
wasted   upon   you,  lei   us   sum   iij)   our   meaning   in   three 
blow-like  words  :     "Go  to  Hell."     And  Lin-lang  went  to 
Hell  exceedingly   swiftly."  Literature   is      represented   by 
eeveral  articles  of  which  the  outstanding  ones  are  :    (1) 
Itie   Future  of      Literature  in      India"   by      Satyavrata 
Mookerjee,   (2  "Symbol  and  Metaphor  in  Art''  by  James 
H.    Cousins,    13)    "Love  Poetry  of  the  Punjab"  by  Bawa 
Budh   Singh    and   a   remarkable    travelogue   by   Sir   John 
Woodroffe,  "White  and  Gold,"  describing  a  thrilhng  visit 
to   the   iNigo  and   Gosho   Palaces   from   Maruyama.      The 
emphasis     of     the    editor    was    on    topics    of    Art    and 
several  articles  by  an  English  critic,  Rupert  Lee  and  by 
B.  A.   Ross,  commenting  on  the  many  manifestations  of 
Art  in  Europe :  "The  Victorian  Age  produced  a    morass 


of  sugary  comfort  and  amiableness  indulged  in  by  meti 
so  much  that  they  became  guys  of  sentiment  agauist  this 
sentimentality.  So  that  the  brutal  tap  was  turned  on, 
and  for  fifty  years  it  will  be  the  thing  to  be  brutal  and 
emotionaL*'  ^  i  / 

Art  is  represented  by  several  articles,  the  out- 
standing ones  being  the  "Art  of  the  People'*  by  Radha 
Kamal  Mookerjee  and  the  '*Work  of  J.  D.  Fergusson"  by 
the  famous  English  critic,  Charles  Marriott.  The  editor 
treed  to  high-light  Art  by  providing  a  distinguished 
masterpiece  as  a  frontispiece  in  every  number — "Hermes" 
(Athens),  "Benzaitan''  by  the  17th  century  Japanese 
master  Yukinopu  of  the  Kano  School,  and  a  beautiful 
colour  plate  of  Fergusson's  *'Rose  Rythm,**  an  outstanding 
masterpiece  of  the  Ehglish  Mordemistic  School  in  which 
the  distinction  between  Eastern  and  Western  Art  is 
sought  to  be  obliterated. 

In  the  second  volume  (1921),  Art  is  high-lighted 
by  Aurobindo  Ghose*s  famous  dissertation  on  the  Netional 
Value  of  Art,  and  a  series  of  reproductions  of  painting 
and  sculpture  :  *The  Offering"  by  Andree  Karpels,  a  colour 
plate  of  a  Moghul  miniature  "Princesses  Playing  Polo" 
and  a  photogravure  print  of  ''Shiva  and  Parvati,"  a 
Nepalese  copper-gilt  image  with  a  descriptive  article  by 
0.    C.   Gangoly. 

In  the  third  volume  (1922),  Art  is  covered  by  fouf 
remarkable  articles  of  permanent  value.  Sri  Aurobindo 
Ghoses'  famous  essay  on  the  Revival  of  Indian  Art. 
''Modern  Movements  in  Japanese  Painting,"  by  James 
H.  Cousins,  "Toys"  by  Stella  Kramrisch  and  "The 
tantric  Basis  of  Indian  Art"  by  N.  K.  Dewal.  The 
reproductions  of  masterpieces  are  outstanding  items, 
providing  frontispieces  for  the  four  numbers.  The  first 
is  a  fine  linear  copy  of  the  famous  piece  in  the  Imperial 
Museum,  Tokyo  :  "Three  Wine-Tasters"  (Sakyamuni, 
Confucius  and  Laotze) . 

Lowering  over  a  jar  of  wine,  which  is  "life," 
Sakyamuni  tasted  it  and  declared  it  bitter,  Cx>nfucius 
,said  it  was  sour,  Laotze  declared  it  sweet.  The  second 
frontispiece  is  a  fine  copy  of  a  Moghul  miniature 
(Collection  of  Maharani  of  Vizianagram),  representing  two 
Greek  philosophers,  Aristhoo  and  Hakeem  (Aristotle  and 
Plato) .  The  third  frontispiece  was  another  remaikable 
Moghul  miniature  of  a  "Saint"  from  the  same  collection. 
The  fourth  one  was  borrowed  from  the  same  collection, 
illustrating  "Jogiya  Ragini,"  a  duplicate  of  the  same  in 
the  Boston  Museum  and  the  Calcutta  Art  Gallery. 

1\i^    iouxvVi    NCiVim^     C1924)      is     rather    weak   in 


PSYCHOLOGY  IN  INDUSTRY 


483 


contributions  on  Art :  (1)  "The  Art  of  Ramprasad"  (the 
last  representative  of  the  Moghul  School  at  Benares)  by 
N.  C.  Mehla  and  (2)  "Comments"  by  0.  C.  Gangoly 
on  two  remarkable  examples  of  Moghul  miniatures,  (a) 
Jahangir*s  Embassy  to  Shah  Abbas  and  (b)  Portrait  of 
Munawvrin  from  the  Rothenstein  Collection.  The 
frontispieces  arc  provided  by  two  mediocre  examples  of 
the  copper-gilt  Buddhist  Images,  a  reproduction  of  "Shiva'' 
by  Ram  Prasad,  the  finest  reproduction  being  the  famous 
Gupta  masterpiece  of  "Kartikeya'*  (Bharat  Kala  Parisad) 
annotated  by  N.  C.  Mehta. 

In  the  seventh  volume  (1927),  the  contributions  of 
Art  are  represented  by  (1)  **The  New  Art  and  the 
Kinema"  by  W.  G.  Raffe,  (2)  "The  Achievement  of 
Prince  Spotoku"  by  W.  G.  B.  Murdoch,  (3)  "The  Modem. 
Theatre  and  Histrionic  Art,  and  (4)  "The  Caves  of  India" 
by  Dr.  K.  N.  Sitaram.  The  frontispieces  are  rather 
poor  and  archaic  :  "Mahisasuramardini  of  the  Magadha 
School"  (?)  with  comments  by  N.  C.  Mehta,  A  late 
Tibetan  Banner,  of  mediocre  merits,  and  the  famous 
brome  tryp  tych  of  Yakushih  Nyorai,  The  Buddhist 
Aesculapiu  by  Tori  Bushi  in  the  Horuiji  Temple,  Nara. 


The  last  volume  (1928)  certainly  reveals  signs  of 
anaemia  with  articles  on  the  Art  and  the  Camera  by 
W.  G.  Raffe,  "A  Prince  of  Decorators"  (Ogata  Korin) 
by  W.  G.  B.  Murdoch,  and!  "Chera  Patronage  of  Arts 
and  Letters"  by  A.  Govinda  Wariyar. 

The  frontispieces  are  represented  by  a  collection  of 
Jain  Bronzes  from  a  Khalapur  Temple,  and  a 
reproduction  of  Dr.  P.  Ray  Chowdhury's  "Lotus  Pond" 
in  the  Treasury  walla  Collection. 

It  is  apparent  in  this  summary  survey  of  the  ambitious 
venture  of  Mrinalini  Chattopadhyaya  and  her  brilliant 
editing  of  Shama*a  that  she  failed  to  fulfil  her  ambitioq 
to  build  up  a  live  Journal  of  Art,  embracing  both  the 
Eastern  and  Western  phases,  for  want  of  adequate 
readers  and  subscribers  to  provide  moral  and  material 
support  to  a  laudable  effort,  foredoomed  to  failure 
owing  to  the  small  number  of  educated  persons  in  India 
with  any  manner  of  interest  in  Art .  To  what  is  this 
malady  due  ?  We  shall  endeavour  to  answer  the  query 
in  subsequent  sections  of  our  survey. 

To  be  c/)ntinu€d 


:0 


PSYCHOLOGY  IN  INDUSTRY 

By  SANTASIL  BISWAS 


WuNTD  is  the  father  of  modern  psychology-.  He 
snatched  away  psychology  from  the  domain  of 
Philosophy  and  gave  psychology  a  start  of  progress  on 
oxperim^ental  status  in  his  laboratoi-y  at  Leipzig  in  the 
year  1879.  It  is  a  red-letter  day  iu  the  histx)ry  of 
modem  experimental  psychology.  The  scope  of  psycho- 
logy has  widened  further  and  further.  It  has  extended 
to  newer  and  larger  fields  of  application,  such  as 
education,  medicine,  law  and  industry. 

Industrial  psychology  is  nearly  thirty  years  old, 
not  more.  But  within  this  short  time  it  has  travelled 
a  great  distance.  It  is  now  full  of  po risibilities  suggest- 
ing new  solutions.  The  aim  of  industrial  psychology 
may  be  said  tio  be  in  short,  "Minimum  labour  maxi- 
mum output,"  i.e.,  effective  work  in  place  of  hard 
work. 

Modern  industry  implies  three  factors  :  Capital 
(including  Machinery),  Organisation,  and  Labour. 
However  great  may  be  the  part  played  by  machinery 
in  industry  labour,  i.e.,  the  man  behind  the  machine 
remains  and  will  remain  for  ever  an  important  factor. 
Industrial  psychology  is  concerned  with  this  human 
factor  in  industry. 

Industry,  as  we  broadly  define  it,  means  and  in- 
cludes factory,  oflfice,  worksihop,  institutions,  occupa- 
tions and  professions  wherever  man  is  concerned  with 
some  job.  Industrial  psychology  deals  with  this  human 
aspect  in  relation  to  job. 

The  main  problem  of  industry  at  the  present  day 
j>  industrial  labour  unrest  which  involvtee  strike,  labouT- 


tumover,  absent  ism,  etc.  Fisher  and  Hanna  foimd  on 
research  that  millions  of  dollars  were  wasted  in  the 
year  1931  only  on  account  of  labour-turnover  in  U.S.A. 

There  are  many  psychological  reasons  behind 
these  labour-situations.  One  thing  \^  maladjustment, 
i.e.,  'misfit'  in  industry.  Modern  psychology  can  render 
definite  help  towards  the  solution  of  the  problem  by 
means  of  vocational  guidance  and  vocational  selection. 
How  are  these  done  by  the  psychologists? 

Psychologists  have  devised  many  tests  whioh  have 
collectively  proved  to  be  the  acrurato  measuring  rod 
of  mental  qualities,  traits  and  other  psychological 
requirements  found  out  by  job-analysis  nf  any  parti- 
cular work.  Job-analysis  is  a  very  important  thing. 
Thore  are  several  techniques  of  job-analysis,  t;t>.. 
individual  psychographic  method,  questionnaire  method, 
job-analysis  by  test,  job-analysis  by  activity  and  job- 
psychographic  method.  The  ln«t  is  the  best  method. 
By  this  method  the  psychological  traits  and  requirc>- 
ments  are  arranged  in  a  profile  called  'job-profile*  in 
such  a  way  that  at  a  glance  even  a  layman  can  under- 
stand what  are  wanted. 

Vocational  selection  is  not  a  diffictilt  task  to  a 
psychologist.  He  arranges  a  battery  of  tests  accordingly 
for  recruits.  An  ex-ample  will  make  all  these  more 
clear.  Say,  a  psychologist  is  to  select  some  motor- 
drivers.  On  iob-eaalY«»  Vi^  ^^^^  ^"^^  sn^^  A^^^-^^^ 
are  m^iAy  t^^mx^.  ^^^  ^V^^^  ^^^  ^^  "^^  ^^.^'^-^^  ^^ 
a\8o  \iid\c«XeA  >w^swi  \ 


THE  MODERN  REVIEW  FOR  JUNE,  1963 


(a)  High  concrete  intelligence  (i.e.,  intelli- 
gence required  to  deal  effectively  in  concrete  eitua- 
tiona  of  life)  is  to  be  aaaessed  by  i'cTformanoe  tests, 
e.g.,  Pass-aloBg,   D^arbora-formboard  tests,  etc. 

(b)  Medium  abstract  intelligence  is  to  be 
assessed  by  xhe  application  of  Form  M  or  L  of 
Terman-Merill  test  (veibal). 

<c)  Steadiness  is  to  be  assessed  by  the  'dott- 
ing- test.  .      _ 

(d)  Quick  perception  and  reaction  time  is  'o 
be  assessed  by  Heap's  Chronoscope,  an  apparatus 
by  means  of  which  evtn  .001th  pan  of  a  second 
for  reaction  can  be  recorded, 

(e)  Another  important  thing  to  be  detected  is 
whether  the  person  who  is  to  1^  selected  is  'acci- 
dent-prone.' Accident-pioneness  denolea  an  un- 
conscious wish  to  be  involved  in  accidents.  A  very 
large  number  of  people  sifTer  from  A.  P.  which  is 
the  result  of  maladujsted  Aedipua  complex  (Freu- 
dian theory).  It  these  accident-prone  people  become 
drivers,  (hey  are  found  out  to  be  very  rash  ft°<l 
reckless  drivers  who  dp  not  consciously  care  a  whit 
for  dangers,  because  they  entertain  in  their  un- 
conscious mind  an  urge  for  some  cceidents  to  hap- 
pen. This  A.P.  or  nccident-proneness  can.  to  some 
extent,  be  detected  by  tile  psychologist  by 
behaviouristic  study  and  by  the  application  of  some 
tests,  such  as  word-association  test,  etc. 

'Vocational  guidance'  is  just  th^  opposite.  It  is 
fitting  the  job  to  the  man.  It  every  One  in  society 
could  havf  been  given  vocational  guidance  then  Wie 
necessity  of  vocational  selection  would  not  have 
remained  but  unfortunately  that  is  not  possible.  In 
some  par(«  of  U.S.A.  and  U.K.  vocational  guidance 
has  boon  introduced  for  all  at  the  primar>'-school- 
Icaving  age, 

Environmcntjil  conditions,  physical  and  mental, 
have  aUo  beou  responsible  for  trouble  in  workere. 
Physical  environment  includes  illumination,  air- 
movement,  sound,  etc.  Proper  adjustments  are  very 
necessary  to  keep  t!ie  «'orker  physically  and  mentally 
all  right. 

There  should  be  optimum  light  inside  the  factory 
or  the  office,  because  light,  both  too  high  and  low, 
have  bad  effects  not  only  on  the  worker's  physical 
condition  direc'ly  producing  eye  strain  but  also  on  hia 
mental  condition  resulting  in  tiredness  and  irritation. 
But  unfortunately  in  most  of  the  industrial  places  this 
aspect  is  neglected  totally.  Air-movement  should  also 
be  adjusted  properly  because  the  stagnant  air  in  the 
room  damages  the  mucous  linings  of  the  lungs  and 
facilitates  the  brec<iing  ground  of  "tocteria.  Workers 
become  fatigued  more  rapidly  bringing  in  all  ita 
nece^'sary  mental  effects,  e.g.,  increase  of  fault,  absent- 
mindn?p9.  etc.  Noise  too  has  a  great  iiervous  strain  on 
the  workers  specially  doing  mental  work.  Though  the 
habit  to  work  under  noisy  conditions  become  ndjusfed 
yet  it  does  not  altogether  remove  the  distracting  effect 
on  the  mind. 

Though  aU  these  things  are  common  senj^  still 
n-L'  Deglpct  them.  But  psychology  advises  not  to  neg^e^t 
/ice  rnvironincntal  conditions,  because  these     iaCWio 


have  a  direct  effect  as  well  ao  an  accumulated  ^SmI 
upon  the  minds  of  the  workers,  greater  troubles  EUtli 
as  labour-turnover,  abseDtism,  etc.,     following    in    it> 

Mental  environment  implies  human  relationship.  . 
Factories,  offices,  firms  and  technical  organisationii 
should  be  sympathetic  to  workers  and  be  humanly 
organised.  At  Howthorae  Plant  of  Western  Electric 
Co.,  Chicago,  from  1927-32  investigations  were  made 
on  tho  causes  of  unrest  among  labourers.  Over  20,000 
workera  were  interviewed  and  it  was  found  thai  the 
unsympathetic  behaviour  of  the  bosses  or  the  authority 
was  at  the  root  of  all  the  troubles.  How  a  factory  is  to 
be  humanly  organised  requires  psychological  knowledge 
and  experieooe.  Mere  stereotype  imitation  does  not 
become  fruitful.  Something  on  this  point  neetb 
elaboration. 

First  of  all  we  should  have  a  clear  knowledge  of 
what  (he  workera  want  from  their  Cismpany.  Some  of 
the  chief  wants  may  be  enumerated  as  follows : 
(1)  Good  pay,  (2)  Security  of  job,  (3)  Good  behaviour, 
(4)  Cheap  ration,  (5)  Sympathetic  and  patient  hearing 
of  their  grievances,  (6)  Comfortable  woricing  condi- 
tions, (7)  Good  supervision. 

On  the  other  hand,  nepotism,  snobbery  on  the  part 
of  the  superiors  as  well  as  obstacles  to  production, 
poor  routine,  stool  shortage,  defective  machinery,  in- 
adequate supply  of  mateiials,  frequent  changes  of 
work,  congested  working  space,  etc.,  are  resented  by 
the  workers.  And  these  cause  an  wastage  in  which  the 
potential  energy  is  lost. 

One  thing  which  encourages  labou::  towards  output 
is  the  identification  with  the  firm.  The  identification 
could  be  brought  about  by  the  su^estions  gf-vtia 
below  : 

(i)  Display  or  exhibition  of  the.  workers'  own 
products. 

fit)  Orgunising  garden  parties  and  excursion 
parties  where  the  workers  get  some  scope  to  mix 
freely  and  on  equal  terms  with  their  seniors  as  well 
BE  their  juniors  (in  staiua). 

(t'lt)  Publication  of  magazines  both  from  the 
side  of  the  workers  and.  the  authority  of  the  ccn- 
forn  which  will  heip  to  express  and  understand  the 
view-points  of  each  camp  and  of  esch  other. 

(iv)  Declaration  of  prizes  for  better  sugges- 
lion  for  improvement  of  products,  etc. 
The  primary  cause  of  industrial  unrest  is  the 
feeling  of  inferiority  grown  in  the  conscioua  or  un- 
conscious minds  of  workers  due  to  the  lack  of  identi- 
fication with  the  firm.  With  the  growth  of  the  conscious 
feeling  among  the  workers  the  neceseity  of  industrial 
relat'on   department  comes  ia. 

Fatigue  is  another  problem  of  induatrial  psycho- 
logy. Fatigue  may  be  ii>ni  t'hy?iral  rnd  meutnl.  It  if 
the  natural  outcome  "f  r:iti!iniipd  work.  The  physio- 
logical cause  of  fafigii  i--  iLe  deposit,  of  lactic  acid  in 
the  muscles  when  the  niiisrle.'j  work  for  a  cerla.in  length 
ot  \\mc,    ^\i\,  vVc  ^>\-i?\vi\  ^iV^sife  ^«cU  the  nienVvl 


A  COUPLE  OF  CONSTITUTIONAL  ISSLTS 


485 


bteadin«59,  increases  faults  and  increases  accident- 
liability.  The  only  remedy  of  fatigue  is  rest.  It  requires 
experience  to  determine  how  suitable  rest-pauses  are  to 
be  ananged.  There  are  variations  in  individuals  regard- 
ing susceptibility  to  fatigu-e.  The  capacity  to  resist 
fatigiiability  can  be  measured  in  the  laboratory  by  an 
apparatus  called  Ergo-graph.  Thus  it  has  been  possible 
to  test  a  man's  working  capacity  beforehand.  The 
remedy  for  mental  fatigue  and  boredom  is  rest  and 
change  of  work.  Change  may  be  called  the  sauce  of 
work  as  variety  is  the  sauce  of  life. 

The  study  and  scaling  of  labour-attitude  is  a  very 
important  matter  and  industrial  psychology  renders  us 
this  help.  Psychologists  have  devised  som&  standard- 
ised sets  of  questionnaire  as  well  as  some  techniques 
for  this  purpose.  In  US.A.  extensive  and  successful 
work  has  been  done  by  D.  Hou?er  and  R.  B.  Hersey. 
This  is  an  industrial  age.  *Accide>nt — how  to  pre- 
vent it'  has  been  a  burning  question  of  the  day.  The 
problem  of  "accident-pronensss"  has  already  been 
discussed.  I  shall  now  deal  with  accident-liability 
briefly.  Frequency  of  accidents  can  be  minimised  by 
the  following  physical  and  psychological  means. 

(1)    Protected  machinery  :   This  is  an  impor- 
tant step. 

(2)  Propaganda:  "Safety  first"  propaganda  with 
all  available  prycholoeical  techniques  should  be 
taken  recourse  to  in  order  to  touch  at  the  very  root 
of  the  people's  mind  and  crpate  proper  alertness 
therein.  This  is  very  valuable  for  preventing 
accidents. 

Apart  from  this  a  person  is  often  faced  with  a 
situation  either  in  a  factory  or  outside  it,  where  a 
moment's  dcicision  may  save  a  great  disaster.  A  psycho- 
logist will  always  select  the  most  f'krt  and  quickly 
decisive  persons  hy  means  of  psychological  tests,  to  act 
under  dangerous  situations  demanding  such   tjrpes. 

Incentives  to  work  are  required  for  the  better- 
ment of  products  in  quality  as  well  as  quantity.  But 
unfortunately  there  is  no  single  incentive  which  can 
appeal  to  all  persons  at  all  times.    The  age,    sex  and 

:0 


type  of  the  worker  and  the  nature  of  the  job  have  to 
be  considered.  The  incentive  must  bo  in  proper  form. 
Man  dees  not  always  work  for  money  alone.  There 
are  other  considerations,  such  as  sentiment,  passion, 
opportunity  for  companionship  (due  to  herd  instinct), 
sympathy,  love,  fear,  anger,  competition,  fellow-feeling, 
a  chance  to  express  oneself  and  opportunity  to  earn 
leisure  after  work,  etc. 

Researches  have  been  made  by  the  Applied  Section 
of  Psychology  of  the  Calcutta  University  ;  it  has  been 
found  on  research  in  U.S.A.  and  also  in  our  country 
that  the  demand  for  **higher  wages"  is  not  the  main 
thing  that  is  at  the  bottom  of  labour  strikes  and 
labour  unrest  in  all  cases,  though  apparently,  judging 
by  slogans,  it  seems  to  be  so. 

Availing  psychological  knowledge  and  techniques, 
if  proper  valuable  incentives  could  be  given  to 
workers,  the  condition  of  labour  will  improve.  It  will 
help  employers  and  employees  alike  by  increasing 
the  output  as  well  as  by  diminishing  labour  tension. 

Advertisement,  or  "selling  in  print'  as  it  is  defined 
by  Daniel  'Starch,  and  propaganda  are  very  important 
weapons  in  the  hands  of  persons  connected  with  modem 
industry  and  commerce.  The  aim  of  advertisement  or 
propaganda  is  to  put  things  in  such  a  way  as  to  touch 
the  mind  of  the  customer  so  that  the  customer  will 
unconsciously  think  of  the  articles  advertised  at  the 
time  of  purchase.  No  doubt  it  is  the  psychological 
thing  that  the  advertisement  is  to  serve.  Advertise- 
ment should  be  made  in  such  a  way  and  such  techni- 
ques should  be  adopted  <is  to  associate  tho  conscious 
need  of  the  customer  with  the  commodities  and  also 
to  secure  in  him  convictk)n  and  sccondaiy  desire 
stimulating  action  on  his  part.  For  these  industrial 
psychology  can  render  great  practical  help. 

I  have  just  touched  upon  merely  a  few  aspects  of 
industrial  psycholo^,  not  all.  Industrial  psychology  is 
a  progressive  science.  The  more  it  will  advance  the 
more  it  will  be  applie<l  in  actual  situation  and  in 
practice. 


A  COUPLE  OF  CONSTITUTIONAL   ISSUES 

By  G.  M.  shah,  m.a,  LL.D. 


CmZKNSHIP 

Birth  is  now  one  of  the  universal  criteria  on  which 
citizenship  has  come  to  rest;  citizenship,  to  express 
otherwise,  is  a  birth-right.  Only  adults  cannot  claim 
citizenship;  babies  bom  as  well  as  bred  are  likewise 
entitled  to  citizenship  that  grants  them  civic  rights  like 
those  to  proper  op-bringing  and  education. 

The  present  Constitution  of  India  does  tacitly 
recognise  brith  as  one  of  the  criteria  of  citizenship  of 
the  whole  of  India,  other  such  criteria  being  parentage  and^ 
residence.     Article  5  of  the  Constitation   provides  that 


any  person  who  is  domiciled  in  India  and  who,  what  is 
more,  possesses  either  of  the  following  qualifications,  viz., 

(1)  he  or  either  of  his  parents  was  bom  in  India,  or 

(2)  he  was  ordinarily  resident  of  India  for  not  less 
than  five  years  immediately  preceding  the  commencement 
of  the  Constitution,  is  a  citizen  of  India  at  such 
commencement. 

No  doubt,  under  Article  10  of  the  Constitution,  every 
person  who   is  a   citizen   under  the      above      provision 
continues  to  be  such  citizen,  subject  to  the  ^rQvv».<\'&a^  ^^ 
aivf  \aNi  \\i«X  T£i«:^  \i^  tci<qJ^^  \!P«i  '^«s^«sftKc\.\  -^^  -^oss^^ 


486 


THE  MODERN  REVIEW  FOR  JUNE.  1953 


bom  on  or  after  the  date  of  the  commencement  of  the 
Constitution  as  a  citizen.  The  effect  of  the  Article  5 
is  then  mainly  retrospective;  children  born  on  or  after 
the  26th  January,  1950,  having  no  immediate  domicile 
in  India  acquire  no  citizenship. 

The  remark  of  Shri  Mehboob  Ali  Beg  while  moving 
the  amendments  to  the  proposed  citizenship  articles 
during  the  discussion  in  the  Constituent  Assembly  that 
they  are  not  exhaustive  and  that  some  provision  should 
be  made  to  cover  cases  that  might  arise  during  the  period 
between  the  commencement  of  the  Constitution  and  the 
enactment  of  legislation  on  citizenship  by  Parliament  may 
well  be  recalled  to  mind  in  the  current  context.  Article 
11  of  the  Constitution  has  hence  laid  down,  in  general, 
that  Parliament  will  be  entitled  to  make  any  provision 
with  respect  to  the  acquisition  and  termination  of 
citizenship  and  all  other  matters  relating  to  citizenship, 
which  is  the  seventeenth  matter  in  the  Union  List  in  the 
Seventh  Schedule  of  the  Constitution.  No  provision  how- 
ever is  made  in  this  regard  either  in  Part  XXI 
(Temporary  and  Transitional  Provisions)  of  the 
Constitution  or  by  the  Parliament  hitherto.  Very  recently 
the  Citizenship  Bill  is  said  to  be  placed  before  the 
Cabinet;  passage  of  it  however  does  not  seem  to  be 
due  in  the  current  session  of  Parliament.  Such  kind  of 
legislation  for  the  persons  born  in  India  on  or  after  the 
26th  January,   1950  remains  then  overdue. 

'J 

NuifBERS 

Article  343  (1)  of  our  Constitution  lays  down  as 
under : 

*The  official  language  of  the  Union  shall  be 
Hindi  in  Devanagari  Script. 

The  form  of  numerals  to  be  used  for  the  official 
purposes  of  the  Unian  shall  be  the  international  form 
of  Indian  numerals.** 

There  was  much  heated  controversy  before  the  issue 
of  the  Union  language  was  settled,  say,  compromised. 
Protagonists  of  English  fought  a  very  tough  battle  before 
Hindi  bad  the  constitutional  recognition  as  '*the  official 
language  of  the  Union'' ;  some  sort  of  pacification  for 
them  was  considered  expedient  by  Parliamentarians  of  a 
compromising  nature.  Munshi-Ayyangar  Formula  was  an 
oatcome.  The  pacification,  unfortunately,  not  only  cost  us 
much  time  and  money,  but  eventually  led  us  to  a  curious, 
unpracticable,  rash  and  awkward  compromise;  the  most 
unbefiitting  part  of  it  is  the  constitutional  form  of 
numerals. 

**The  international  form  of  Indian  numerals*'  has  a 
long  evolutionary  history — too  long  to  be  accommodated 


at  the  present  occasion.  Suffice  it  to  say  that  it  is  noiv 
English  and  no  more  *'Indian.^  Deadlock  is  turned 
into  a  wedlock  of  '^Internationally  India  numerology*' 
and  "Devanagari  script  of  Hindi.*'  How  this  hackneyed 
mixture  looks  will  be  apparent  from  some  recent 
publications  of  Deccan  Hindustani  Prachar  Sabha,  which 
has  most  readily  honoured  this  part  of  the  Constitution! 
Even  an  Indian  well-versed  in  Devanagari-Hindi  which 
is  constitutionally  sought  to  be  the  **lingua  Indica"  stops  at 
every  moment  the  numbers  prop  up  before  his  eyes,  ta^, 
though  being  nationally  Indian,  he  is  not  usually  aware 
of  the  internationally  Indian  numerals! 

Impracticability  ia  most  evident  in  speaking  the 
official  language  which  includes  numbers.  There  may 
be  a  constitutional  form  of  writing  the  numbers — ^that  is 
nothing  but  English  ;  there  is  no  constitutional  form  of 
pronouncing  them.  How  should  we  pronounce  when  some 
number  is  there,  say  **2S"  (this  is  the  international  form 
of  Indian  numbers,  as  adopted  by  our  constitutionalists  ! ) 
— *'twenty-five*'  or  "Pachis"  ?  Isn't  it  awkward  both 
ways — ^I  mean,  the  Hindi  pronunciation  of  a  number 
when  it  is  in  internationally  Indian  form,  or  the 
internationally  Indian  pronunciation  (?)  of  a  number 
when  the  entire  language  is  Hindi  ? 

This  medley  is  meaningless.      Clauses   (2)    and   (3) 
of  Article  343,  inter  alia,  read  as  under  : 

"(2).  .  .  .  Provided  that  the  President  may, 
during  the  said  period,  by  order,  authorise  the  use 
of  the  Hindi  language  in  addition  to  the  English 
language  and  of  the  Devanagari  form  of  numerals  in 
addition  to  the  international  form  of  Indian  numeraU 
for  anv  of  the  official  purposes  of  the  Union.** 

"(3)  Notwithstanding  anvthin?  in  this  article. 
Parliament  may  by  law  provide  for  the  use,  after 
the  said  period  of  fifteen  years,  of 

(a)  the  English  language,  or 

(b)  the   Devanagari   form   of   numerals, 

for  such  purposes  as  may  be  specified  in  the  law." 

It  is  still  vrise  and  befitting  for  Indians  to  request 
their  President  and  Parliament  to  legalise,  not  after  the 
period  of  fifteen  years  but  as  immediately  as  posribk, 
the  use  of  Devanagari  form  of  numerals,  not  in  addition 
to  the  international  form  of  numerals  but  instead  of  it 
and  not  only  *'for  any  of  the  official  purposes  of  the 
Union**  or  '*for  such  purposes  as  may  be  specified  in 
the  law,**  but  for  all  purposes.  We  ought  not  to 
speculate  on,  and  await,  any  recommendation  in  this 
regard  for  the  Commission  and  Committee  of  Parliament, 
which  are  to  be  constituted  at  the  expiration  of  five  or 
ten  years  from  the  commencement  of  the  Constitntioo, 
as  provided  in  Article  344   (1)    and    (2)    (d) . 


5^%4 


-^^^ 


ANCiENt  HOUSE-PLANNING 


By  Dr.  Y.  D.  SHARMA 


The  discovery  of  Kautilyals  Arthashastxa  in  1905  evoked 
world-wide  interest  for  many  reasons.  For  the  first  and« 
in  fact,  for  all  time  it  gave  conclusive  proof  that  the 
achievements  of  India's  ancient  savants  were  not  restricted 
to  the  speculative  domain  of  philosophy  and  metaphysics. 
For  the  author  of  the  Arthashastra,  the  so-called  Indian 
Machiavelli,  was  without  doubt  a  statesman  of  no  mean 
merit.  He  was  an  idealist  to  some  extent,  as  most 
thinkers  are,  nevertheless  he  was  a  practical  man  with  a 
rare  insight  into  the  affaira  of  men;  and  what  is  most 
significant,  he  was  not  wanting  in  a  secular  approach  to 
the  problems  of  actual  living.  , 

Among  the  best  illustrationa  of  his  practical  wisdom 
and  legal  acumen  is  the  part  ol  his  work  that  deals 
with  Civil  Law,  especially  the  section  relating  to  the 
building  of  houses — ^not  the  building  of  temples,  palaces, 
fortresses  or  secretarial  offices,  which  are  also 
described,  but  the  construction  of  dwelling  houses  of 
averge  citizens. 

The  Dharmasutras  consisting  of  aphorisms  on  law 
and  custom  which  preceded  our  author,  do  not  say 
a  word  on  this  subject.  The  Smriti  codes,  which 
followed  him,  contain  only  a  few  haphazard  and 
scattered  notions.  This  indiflbrent  attitude  of  the 
contemporary  writers  to  what  must  be  regarded  as  an 
important  civic  consideration  brings  out  the  Arthashastra 
in  its  proper  perspective. 

Considerate  neighbourliness  is  apparently  the  first 
and  the  last  principle  of  Kautilya's  code.  A  drain  ox 
a  pit  for  dirty  water  discharged  from  the  interior  oi  a 
house  was  never  allowed  to  be  built  within  less  than 
three  feet  of  the  neighbour's  wall.  Fire-places,  water- 
stands,  hand-mi  Us  or  husking  mortars  could,  if  necessary, 
be  installed  nearer,  but  even  they  were  to  be  kept  cleai 
of  a  neighbouring  house  by  at  least  a  foot.  No 
construction  of  a  litter.pit,  drain,  staircase,  ladder  oi 
privy,  was  permitted  to  interfere  with  the  public  right 
of  way,  except  in  a  temporary  emergency,  when,  foi; 
instance,  a  privy  could  be  put  up  for  a  woman  inf 
confinement  or  a  drain  laid  to  carry  off  the  water  during 
a  ceremony  or  festive  occasion. 

A  public  path  of  at  least  about  four  feet  was  always 
left  between  any  two  buildings,  although  the  eaves  ol 
two    projecting    structures    could    sometimes    be    allowed 


to  overlap.  At  Taxila  in  the  city  of  Sirkap  and  at 
Sisupalgarh  in  Orissa  large  blocks  of  dwellings  are,  in 
fact,  noticed  to  bei  separated  one  from  the  other  by 
narrow  lanes.  In  order  possibly  to  guard  privacy,  no 
doors  or  windows  were  allowed  to  face  those  of  an. 
opposite  house,  unless  between  the  two  houses  intervened 
a  royal  highway  or  main  thoroughfare. 

The  main  entrance  of  a  house  obviously  opened  on 
to  the  street,  but  at  the  time  of  repairs  a  small  side-doot 
could  also  be  opened  into  a  lane. 

A  neighbouring  house  was*  never  allowed  to  suffer 
damage  from  rain  water  from  an  opposite  house.  The 
roof  of  a  structure  was  either  covered  with  mats,  so 
that  the  rain  water  slowly  dripped  down,  or  a  parapet 
was  built  at  the  edges  of  the  roof  to  collect  the  watei 
and  divert  it  through  an  opening  to  a  harmless  spot.  A 
drain  was  always  kept  open  while  it  rained,  the 
consequences  of  closing  a  drain  during  the  rain  and 
releasing  it  afterwards  being  obviously  annoying  and 
harmful.  Any  damage  to  another  person's  house  with 
water,  mine  or  faeces  was  punished  with  a  progressively 
increasing  fine. 

Whether  Kautilya's  code  was  really  written  about 
the  third  century  B.C.  may  be  a  disputed  question;  it 
is  evident,  however,  that  the  laws  related  therein  are 
surprisingly  progressive  and  enlightened.  They  partake 
in  a  measure  of  what  would  now  be  termed  house- 
planning.  Yet  Kautilya's  main,  object  appears  neithet 
sanitation,  nor  generally  the  comfort  and  convenience  of 
the  citizen.  His  principal  concern  is  with  the  removal 
of  those  causei  that  lead  frequently  to  discord  and 
friction  and  mitigate  against  neighbourly  conduct.  It 
is  with  that  end  in,  view  that  he  conceded  that  the 
owners  could  build  their  houses  as  they  liked  provided 
they  did  so  by  mutual  consent  and  avoided  all  that  was 
undesirable  and  unpleasant. 

Whatever  may  be  Kautilya's  aim,  some  of  his  laws  are 
certainly  in  advance  of  many  a  modem  municipal  law 
and  bye-law.  The  city-fathers  of  our  present-day  towns 
could  take  ai  leaf  with  advantage  from  this  ancient 
manual.  Even  our  own  city  of  Calcutta  would  take  on 
a  cleaner  appearance  if  damage  to  buildings  with  water, 
urine  or  faeces,  as  Kautilya  put  it,  was  strictly  forbidden; 
and   actually  stopped. 


m-r'W^^''^^ 


SURGERY  IN  SOtlTH  POLE 

By  p.  K.  BANERJEE,  n.  k.  i.  (Sweden) 

It  is  a  page  torn  from  the  saga  of  pioneering  zeal  and  superhuman  determination  in  the  facd 
of  heavy  odds,  confronting  the  British-Norwegian -Swedish  South  Pole  expedition.— Translated  into 
English  from  the  Swedish  Monthly  AUt. 

I  found  him  eight  days  later  when  I  examined  his  eye  ; 
but  I  could  do  nothing  at  that  time  since  our  post  was 
three  weeks'  journey  from"  Maudheim.  When  we  returned 
to  our  headquarters  on  the  30th  of  May  I  found  that 
the  condition  of  his  eye  was  very  bad  and  so  I  at  once 
got  in  touch  with  eye-specialist  professor  Sven  Larsson 
of  Lund  over  the  radio  for  consultation.  What  I  had 
apprehended  auring  the  course  of  my  continued  treatment 
of  his  eye  now  appeared  to  be  confirmed.  The  condition 
of  his  right  eye  was  found  to  have  deteriorated  to  such 
an  extent  that  the  patient  ran  the  risk  of  losing  his  left 
eye  as  well  with  total  blindness  as  an  unavoidable  conse- 
quence. Only  the  removal  of  the  injured  eye  could  save 
the  patient.  After  making  a  thorough  consultation  with 
Professor  Larsson  I  finally  decided  to  perform  the  opera- 
tion within  a  week.  It  was  a  most  tragic  situation 
since  I  had  never  before  performed  such  an  operation 
and  since  nobody  elso  in  Maudheim  had  any  experience 
in  assisting  at  such  an  operation.  I  at  once  started 
making  all  the  necessary  preparations  and  I  instructed  only 
a  few  members  of  the  expedition  for  not  causing  a  feel- 
ing of  nervousness  in  the  camp.  Photographer  Stig 
Hallgren  was  given  a  thorough  grounding  in  the  art.  of 
applying  anaesthetic  and  he  started  experimenting  on  me 
and  others  with  giving  vitamin  injections.  Geologist 
Fred  Roots  was  selected  for  doing  the  job  of  a  surgeon*a 
assistant  and  he  was  given  instructions  in  details  as  to 
how  he  should  proceed  with  the  job  of  handling  different 
surgical  instruments.  Glaciologist  Walter  Schytt  was 
initiated  in  the  art  of  nursing  and  was  also  entrusted 
¥dth  the  task  of  managing  the  instruments  table.  I 
took  upon  myself  the  task  of  making  the  necessary  sur- 
gical instruments  for  performing  the  operation  and  I  was 
successful  in  making  an  instrument  from  a  thick  steel 
wire  which  was  filed,  cleaned  and  finally  fitted  with  a 
little  handle,  taken  out  of  a  dentist's  instrument. 

When  everything  was  ready,  Reece  was  informed  that 
an  operation  was  necessary  and  he  gave  his  consent  to  it 
We  decided  to  go  into  action  tbree  days  later.  Sledge- 
driver  Peter  Melleby  made  an  operation  table  from 
sledge  boxes  and  an  oxygen  mask  from  weasel  skin. 
Surgical  towels  were  made  from  pieces  of  bed-sheets 
and  linens  which  were  previously  throughly  sterilised 
like  surgical  instruments.  The  job  of  checking  the 
patient's  blood  pressure  was  given  to  telegraphist  Egil 
Rogstad  after  he  had  been  instructed  how  he  should 
proceed  with  this  job.  Regular  rehearsals  were  made 
as  to  how  everybody  should  co-operate  during  the  time 
of  actual  operation  and  how  the  whole  process  of  sterili- 
sation should  be  put  through  without  the  slightest  hitch 
taking  place  anywhere.  Everything  was  ready  by  the 
Qlst  of  July  and  we  had  now  at  our  disposal  all  that  a 
//t//e  hospital  might  require,  except  that  there  were  no 
femaJes  to  play  the  role  of  nurses. 

At  about  2  o'clock  I  put  on  my  glovefl  and  procetded 


with  the  task  of  sterilisation  together  with  my 
Three-quarters  of  an  hour  later  Reece  made  a  bold 
into  our  chamber  for  lying  down  on  the  operation  taUt 
and  he  broke  the  silence  by  bursting  out  with  the* 
few  words  with  a  spirit  of  resignation  not  unmixed  wlA 
great  fear  :  "Fellows,  I  am  completely  overcome  witk 
fear,"  Immediately  after  I  began  applying  anaesthetic  to 
him  and  when  he  had  become  completely  unconsdous, 
Hallgren  took  over  from  me  so  that  I  was  now  free  to 
change  my  gloves  for  starting  with  the  actual  operation 
of  his  injured  eye.  Silently  for  a  minute  I  went  thiongll 
all  the  details  of  such  a  risky  operation  with  the  utmoit 
care,  according  to  the  very  helpful  instructions  thil 
I  got  over  the  radio  from  professor  Sven  Larsson  of 
Lund.  It  was  the  most  dramatic  moment  of  my  lifo 
and  I  began  to  wonder  whether  I  would  at  all  be  snccot- 
ful  in  finding  out  the  right  spot  for  cutting  off  the  optical 
nerves.  Slowly  but  surely  Hallgren  had  brought  wcf 
patient  into  a  deeper  sleep  for  a  complete  anaesthoria. 

Now  with  my  operational  knife  I  made  my  finl  cat 
through  the  pupil.  Roots  was  by  my  -side  to  assist  me 
without  betraying  any  feeling  of  nervousness.  Scfaytt 
was  there  to  pass  on  the  necessary  instruments  with- 
out fumbling  in  the  least;  Roggstad  kept  on  checking 
the  patient's  blood-pressure;  meteorologist  Goesta 
Liljequist  kept  on  taking  down  notes  as  to  the  pube* 
beat  of  the  patient  and  Hallgren  all  the  time  k^ 
himself  busy  regulating  the  application  of  the  proper 
quantity  of  anaesthetic.  A  tense  feeling  o|  expecUtioa 
not  unmixed  with  fear  had  now  reached  its  cfimas. 
Suddenly  I  found  the  first  eye-muscle  which  I  at  once 
took  out  with  my  improvised  instrument.  Immediately 
afterwards  I  could  cut  out  all  the  muscles  of  the  eye. 
And  the  most  dramatic  moment  came  when  I  was  looking 
for  the  optic-nerve.  The  only  sound  to  break  the  grim 
silence  reigning  all  around  was  the  ticking  of  a  camera 
in  the  background.  After  an  hour's  slow  operatioik 
I  could  cut  off  the  optic-nerve  and  then  take  out  iht 
entire  eye-hall. 

Now  I  sUrted  with  the  work  of  stitching  the  muscles 
and  closing  the  wound  with  a  membrane.  After  two 
bom's  and  forty  minutes  off  intense  tension  I  got  • 
feeling  of  some  relief  when  the  operation  successfaSy 
ended,  and  we  could  then  congratulate  one  another  lor 
mutual  assistance  rendered  so  thoroughly.  But  there 
still  remained  the  question  what  would  be  the  condition 
off  the  patient  in  the  next  few  hours.  Sudden  incretae 
in  the  patient's  pulse-rate  at  night  gave  came  lor 
anxiety.  But  the  temperature  could  bs  reduced  with  an 
injection.  On  the  following  dny  to  our  great  joy  a 
tired  but  happy  patient  received  us  all  by  his  bed-dde. 
His  left  eye  was  now  out  of  danger.  After  making  a 
complete  recovery  he  could  once  again  participate  in 
fL  new  i^e^%!&-«x:^^'CL^Ti^  Vlvc^^  1^^  iSl  ^oirlat     ciA 


Book  Reviews 


Book*  in  the  principal  European  and  Indian  languages  are  reviewed  in 
The  Modern  ftevkw.  But  reviews  of  all  books  sent  eaunot  be  guaranteed. 
Xfwspapers,  periodi<'aii>,  «-hool  and  college  text-books,  pamphlets,  reprints  ''I 


iiingazine  article*.  addrc.«*n>,  etc  a 

lor  review  i-Hiinol   hi'   acknuwlcciged,  , 
i'ns\vrrf-(l.     No  niliii-lii  iif  book-rcvie 


THK  GUI'TA  I'dLm^  :  H;  V.  II.  R-imirlwdrti 
DikMtnr.  /'io/r*.-or  of  Indi,,,,  llUlnrt,  „„d  Af,:h,Ka- 
togji,  Vnirtr^ily  i>f  Mml-nn_  I'lihlnhi,/  hj/  ll,f  Uiiivfr- 
litg  of  Madras.  1952.  Pp.  W.  I'lire   R".  IS. 

This  work  docs  cif-dit  to  tlie  autlior's  indiwlry  and 
learning.  But  unror'imittely  it  Ih  not  possible  for  us 
to  agree  either  with  his  mrlhi)d  uF  irealnient  or  with 
his  argumentu  and  com-lution!'  on  many  ni:iterlal  points. 
He  divides  his  work  into  ^-ven  I'liiipter:?  which  arc 
sub-divided  into  sections  i.sic).  In  the  first  chapter 
dealing  with  the  historical  sources  Ihc  author  mentions 
under  the  head  of  coaleinponiry  literature  the  dj'nastic 
liBts  of  the  Purnnas.  the  Smritia  of  Vynsa,  Hnrita, 
Pitamaha  and  Pulaslya,  K^imandaka's  Nitisara,  the 
SetubandhakH\'>'B,  the  Kaumudimiholeava.  the  Dcvi- 
'  chandraguptam  and  the  Mudrarak-shasa.  Even  admit- 
ing  the  author's  literorj-  chronology  to  be  correct,  it  is 
difficult  lo  understand  the  relevancy  of  these  documents 
(other  than  the  Nitisara)  in  a  work  limired  as  its  title 
shows  to  the  eontemporarv  political  in.<iituitons.  Fioni 
this  standpoint  the  authors  last  i-hapi»'r  (Cliap.  VII) 
entitled  Religion  u]>tM'!irii  to  he  quite  out  of  iilace.  As 
for  the  Nitisara,  thi'  author's  arRiuiieiil  Ciiji.  14-13)  fur 
identifying  il.«  author  with  .'^ikhiir»svamin,  the  minister 
of  Chundraguptii  II.  are  c|iiitc  uncunviucing.  Nor  do 
we  think  thai  the  aulhor  ha.i  .i«ii-eiiied  iu  djs|.roviiig 
'pp.  lfl-39)  the  furrtnt  view  which  ascribes  Kalidasu 
lo  the  Gupta  Age,  and  pusliing  back  his  dsUe  lo  the 
first  eeniurj-  B.C.  'in  the  last  days  of  Ih'e  Sunga  ni|e.' 
Chapter  II  hearing  the  inapiiroi>rLite  title  "Estcnt  of 
the  ilnijiire,"  which  deaN  with  the  political  history  ot 
the  |>eri<Hl  contains  a  niiiulicr  of  ra.'h  staleiiirnt-i  not 
warranted  bv  the  facts.  Thus  the  author  (pp.  72-73> 
identiHes  Chandra  of,  the  Mi-hanili  Pilhir  Jnseriplion, 
ChaiMlravarman  of  the  f^usunia  Rock  Insi-ripfion  iiud 
even  the  kinic  of  the  hitler  name  in  the  Mandator  Ins- 
cription of  the  lime  of  Naravannan.  wilh  Chandravar- 
man  of  the  Allahabad  Pilhir  la'^eription  of  Saiiiudra- 
gupla.  .Again  he  descrilws  (p.  8S>  Chandragupta  U's 
empire  aa  c^omprisiug  "ihi-  wholi-  nf  Hindustan"  (sic)  and 
"reaching  thr'  farlhcsl  limits  of  the  i.urth-west,  up  (o 
Balkh."  "With  iho  foundation  of  thr  Giijita  Empir*?." 
he  says  in  another  place  (p.  106).  "Ilu'  Indian  colonies 
(in  'Farther  (sic)  India  ami  Insular  India")  innsferrcd 
their  allegiami'  to  Ihe  (iupti  i-iiiitrors."  Similar 
to  the  above  arc  the  nilthor'a  slii1euiem«  in  Chapter  V 
bearing  the  title.  "Militarj-  Org;mi-«iiion."  namely,  that 
Sammir.igupta  "'conriucrcd  Kashmir  ami  Afghanistan," 
but  made  uo  (urthor  advance  "hecausi:  the  Intpr- 
nntional  law  of  the  tim<>  !is  mider~-tjiod  in  Hindu  India 
prevenlod  him  from  marchiim  to%vards  the  territories 
which  were  beyond  the  i>ale  of  Bliaratavarsa"  (p.  199), 
and  that  the  Guptas  ''continued    the    policy  of    the 


noticed.  Tlie  receipt 'of  books' receive d 
'nt|uincs    relating    thereto 


tlniTOR,  7Vif 


I    Rrl- 


Hkir 


e^lablishmn 


■    X.il! 


credit  I 


"f    Cupt; 


ludia 


iy. 

p.  200).  Tlie 
I  Iocs    more 

.       -     —    -.- -al  judgment. 

iiH!  Gupta  empire,  he  si:.vs  (pp.  92-91)  in  aecordance 
witli  the  anci-nt  Hindu  couceijfioii  of  empire  (u 
illivstrju-d  by  Itinia's  treatment  cf  Sugiiva  afl«r  hja 
vieloiy  over  V.itii  subordinaied  ih^'  Oomiuaiing  motive 
to  the  coaceiitiou  of  uiiiviT..i.-il  welfare.  Agiin  he 
oKseives  (pp.  93-97)  that  the  melhods  of  conquest  of 
Sa:nudraEiipt.t  and  his  siiecewors  followed  the  concept 
of  digvijaya  which  "is  akin  to  the  dhnnnarijaya  of 
Kautil.va  and  Ar«ka,  and  aUo  ot  the  Mahsbhatnta" 
and  wJiich  lo'nilted  in  "a  voluniar\-  union  of  SCatea,  or 
a  loo.'e  lonfedsraiion  whei-e  the  liKviv  of  the  individual 
was  not  sacrificed,  though  he  was  a  unit  in  the  group." 
The  author's  further  judgments  (p.  ga)  on  the 
nature  of  tlie  Gimta  empire  are  expressed  in  the  same 
romantic  style.  "The  Gupt.,  empire  achieved  what  we 
cannot  achieve  even  in  tlic  twentieth  centurj-.  Through 
the  institution  of  the  caste  economv  and  by  tho 
fixjtion  of  M'cvirw.  the  Gnjila  empire  en-ured  the 
working  ofecunomic  ilertiiHTucy  wilh  pnhtie.il  frec- 
'ius  indu-iii'ies  and  ihiouBh  a 
LiTclmiif  iirBanisiiii.li,  the  Slate 
Gnptii 


network  of 
allownl  evr 


led   t 


of      lh( 


wilh   1, 


■■  Tlie  Gupi 
■    i;i:i.=n 


of  thi 


.spirit  which 

rclicious   and   cultural." 

rch-.  iri-iV}'  liT\r 

ni'Kition    (Ch.   V)tlie   ai 
Kamandak.'t'^  Viiisaia  < 


fundaii: 
tho 


in  hi^ 
try  was  run  On 
upir^  had  not  the 
of  I  he  nineteenth 
it  inlliicnced  by  & 
viilvi-il  a  national 
"nily,    political, 


rntrrit  administration 
r  on  m:lit.tr>'  orga- 
s  extensively  «pon 
i-  of  hi^  whollv  un- 
convincimt  artiMiient  th.K  ■'ihi-  jioliiv  of  the  Guptas 
was  based"  upon  ii  1 1..  lOSI.  and  .ixiin  Ihil  il  was  "a 
Manual  on  imlilirs  and  ^idiiiini-lration"  piepnred  at 
the  inst.in'-e  of  Cluindmitupfa  II  bv  hi.;  minister, 
.■^:kluiiasv,.imin  (]..  190).  E.pmlly  unerinvincing  ,ire  the 
Hulhnr's  an!iim~iits  for  charartiTisiug  tlm  Gupta 
imiierial  E<>vertimeiil  w  a  cin-lilutioua!  nion^irchv 
(p.  112).  Till-  eriliiels  apj.lie.l  lii  ih.-  Gupta  emperors 
(and  specially  Pnuuidrimipi,;)  he  sivs  tp.  114)  "have 
notliiiiK  til  dn  wi;|,  ih'-  divine  tlieurv  ,if  kin?s  aa 
promulgTtcd  in  ^ww  of  nur  law-hnoks  .  .  .  The 
hiirlii-st  soveir'inn  of  the  ftale  was  the  eomiiion  law  of 
the  land,  fornmhued  liy  the  ehosen  i-epresi-nt stives  of 
the  people.  Ihe  sage<  and  spi.re  of  ancient  Tndi^i."  Other 
cliecks  and  liahiii.-es.  the  author  ■■outiniu-s,  were 
inipiwd  by  the  Royal  Council  which  was  "not  merely 
an  advisory-  Vniv"  feMi,  "mi  'wwiwA'w 


490 


THE  MODERN  REVIEW  FOR  JUNE,  1053 


organisation"  to  whoso  authority  the  king  often  bent 
his  will  (pp.  150-151),  and  the  sabha  which  was  '*a 
popular  assembly  wherein  sat  the  representatives  of 
ihe  people,  citizens  of  the  capital  and  of  the  rural 
parts"  and  which  was  "similar  to  tho  Pau.-a-Jauapada 
organisation"  of  the  Maur>'a  period  (p.  151). 

From  the  foregoing  observations  it  will  appear  that 
the  present  work  fails  to  give  us  a  truo  picture  of  the 
political  institutions  of  the  imperial  Guptas  in  t:omc 
essential  re>pe('ts.  ThLs  is  not  to  deny  that  the  author 
(pp.  152-189  and  228-278)  his  mide  useful  studies  of 
the  details  of  the  Central  and  Provincial  administration 
of  these  rulers.  Useful  also  for  purpose  of  reference 
is  the  list  of  Gupta  Inscriptions  which  Uio  author 
has  given  us  in  an  Appendix  after  the  transcript  and 
translation  of  Fleet  in  the  Corpiuit  Iiiscriptionum 
IndicCLTum,  Vol.  III.  We  have  noticed  a  few  misprints 
of  which  the  most  serious  is  abrotjaUd  for  finnyated 
(p.  115).  The  paper,  print  and  general  get-up  are 
«atisfactor>^  and  there  is  a  gi)od  index. 

U.    N.    GlIOSHAL 

OLD  CALCUTTA  CAMEOS  :  By  B.  V.  Roy, 
MA.  Distributor:  Asoka  Libr<icy,  15-5,  Shyama- 
eharan  De  Street,  Calcutta,  Pp.  xiii-^JU.  Price  Ri<.  4. 

Calcutta  has  grown  from  a  cluster  of  petty 
pestilential  hamlct.«»  into  the  foremost  city  in  Asia. 
The  story  of  this  i)henomenHl  giowth  is  shot  through 
with  romance.  Here,  from  the  days  of  Mughal  rule, 
the  European  people  of  different  nationalities  mingled 
with  the  native  population  dmwn  from  different 
parts  of  India.  Hore  the\-  bargained  with  each  other 
at  the  commercial  counter,  and  jostled  in  the  nautch 
parties.  Here  the  Sahibs  competed  with  the  Indian 
noblemen  in  maintaining  a  hnrem  for  the  "Hindoo- 
sthani  female  friend.''  enjoying  the  inebriating  smoke 
of  hookah,  and  taking  joy  rides  in  "Moyurpankhi" 
boats.  Here  the  first  Indian  (possibly)  Riija  Rtm- 
iochan  took  tho  fam-y  of  attiring  himself  in  "buckskin 
breeches,  hunting  frock  and  jockey  cap":  here  was  the 
lullaby  composed  to  make  fun  at  the  trumpery  of 
Warren  Hastings  and   Lord   Wellesley: 

**Hathi  piir  howdah,  ghcrra  par  jeen 
Jaldi  bahar  jntn  f^nhih  Warren  Hastings," 
The  clarion-call  for  political  liberation  was 
sounded  here,  the  movoments  for  social  and  religious 
reform  had  their  seed-bed  a.s  well  in  this  city.  Y-t 
stningely  enough,  no  rciuliiblc  arcouut  of  this  city 
has  been   written   up   to   the   present  times. 

The  hand-book  under  review  offers  sketch  of  a 
few  aspects  of  life  of  this  city  undfr  >uch  titles  as 
(1)  The  Englishman  and  His  Housihold.  (2)  Bengali 
Society:  Its  Manner-^  and  (.'ustoms.  (3)  Crimes  anti 
Punishments.  (4)  Plays  and  Playhouses.  <n)  Knirli.^h 
and  Bensali  Theatres,  and  '•o  on.  Thr*  aiithor  carefully 
gleans  many  intero-sting  bits  of  informal  ion  from  con- 
teniporaiy  writing-;  but  owing  to  his  limitation.-*,  the 
pages  do  not  ulow  with  lifo.  Vnv  tlios*-  who  would  like 
to  get  a  bird'^^-ey."  view  of  old  Cilcutta.  its  fa.*<hions. 
and  tasip-*.  ilu'!  >;inall  book   woulil  bp  -tuitablo. 

N.  B.  KoY 

noLDKx  .irHir.KK  vor.rMF  ;  roTTON"  c^>t.- 

LKDK  .   OMIIATT. 

Thr  Cotton  ('^^^f'^rn.,  Claiihati.  wt-:  formally  oprnp<l 

on   the  27'h    M  iV.   IHOl.  ?^\urr     llun     if      ha-     had     a 

chrniuiTrd    cuu'ii'.   Fr<>in    a    ]»r('Tnirr   '•n|l,ir«'    in      .\-'-:nn 

imd»'r  fh»»  C«!'iitla  X^nix fruity.   i<    h-i-   liow   Iwrorin'   llf 

ntifhri-.'  nf  t)iv  Ci'\u)ii\\\  r'''/ii\r  r-i:y.  i-n-  ,mly  iiiiiv.M«.itv 

j^f  \^^:\:n.   Thi-  lohmw  cotii  lii}^  i  }>iirf  lustovy  o\  \W 

Cotton  CoJIcszt*  fnir,^*}jr..r  u-.'ni     ;i     !':nninvt  accounl    ^\ 


higher  education  during  the  nineteenth  century  as  weft    <] 

as  a  few  reminiscences  and    sketches  of    the  teacfaen    .. 

and  students  of  the  College.    The  his^tory     of  fai^     ^ 

education  in  Assam  in  the  19th  centur3'  is  closely  li&sd     i 

up  with  that  in  Bengal.  Brilliant  students  from  AsBsm,     < 

such  as   Ananda  Ram  Barua,  got  themselves  educated    ^ 

in  Calcutta  colleges  and  became  prominent     members     ' 

of  the  society  in  after-life.  Educated  Bengalis  went  out 

to  A.<*sam  as  they  did  elsewhere,  maybe  as  servants  of 

the  .Stite.  But  they  took  prominent  and  active  part  in 

disseminating  higher  education  and  culture     according 

to  thqlr  light  in  different  places.  Some  of  them  went 

there   as   teachers  al.'^o.     To  speak     disrespectfully  of 

these  sojourners,  without   mentioning  the   good   thing**     j 

done  by  tliem.  is.  to  say  the  k?ast,  disappointing.  It  ia 

strange  that  the  history  of  higher  education  in  Aflsani 

does  not  contain  even  a  single  reference  to  the  services 

rendennl  by  the  Bengalis  during  the  last   century.  Tht 

artifle  in  question,  of  course,  does  not   fail  to  include 

quotations  from   officials  speaking     ill  of  the   Bengali 

race  !   The   virus  of  provincialism   even  in  the  spherr 

of  education  is  ver\'  much  deptorable.  The  volume  ij. 

il  last  rated. 

•  •  • 

JOGESH    C.    BacKL 

1.  THE  SPIRIT  OF  INDIAN  CULTURE.  Pp,  76      ' 

2.  MORAL  AND  SPIRITl'AL  F0U7CDATI0N? 
OF  PEACE,  pp.  7S. 

By  Dr.  B.  L.  Atreya,  M.A.,  D.Litt.  PublMed 
by  International  Standard  PubUcatiom^,  Banarag  5, 
India.  Pricv  not  mcntinned. 

Dr.  Atreya  is  the  Professor  of  Philosophy  and 
Head  of  the  Department  of  Philosophy,  Psj'chology 
an(l  Indian  Philo.sophy  and  Religion  at  Banaras  Hindu 
University.  He  is  the  author  of  several  outstanding 
work.s  on  Indian  Philosophy  and  culture  in  English- 
Hindi  and  »Sjin>krit.  As  the  author  of  monumental 
works  on  the  Vogavasistha,  a  ver>'  voluminous  Sans- 
krit .scripture,  he  is  well  known  all  over  India.  As  a 
Birla  Visiting  Professor  he  visited  Ui$.A.  in  1948  and 
Japan  in  1951  and  delivered  lectures  in  many  places 
of  those  two  foreign  countries. 

In  the  two  booklets  under  review  are  collected 
some  of  his  papers  read  at  the  Indian  philosophical 
Congre.'^s,  Indian  Science  Congress  and  similar  learned 
I'onference^  a<  well  as  contributed  to  the  Benaros  Hindu 
rnircriiity  Journal,  lUusti'atcd  Weekly  and  other 
imi»ortanl  magazines.  The  first  booklet  contains 
three  essays  on  Indian  Philo.<»oi>hy  and  CultiU'C.  One 
of  them  deals  with  the  distinctive  features  of  Indian 
Philosophy  and  was  read  at  the  tenth  International 
Congn\ss  of  Philo.sophy  htdd  in  1948  at  Amsterdam 
and  publi.-iicd  in  the  Procwdings  of  the  .same  Con. 
gres-i  hy  North  Holland  Publishing  Comp.4ny  of  that 
city.  Another  css.iy  is  on  the  spiritual,  moral  and 
social  a-pocts  of  Indian  culture.  It  is  approved  and 
a«*i<'pt«*d  lor  p':blic.ilion  by  the  Uncsco  under  il3 
sclif.'iu-  o\  cultural  inquiry.  The  second  booklet  con- 
tains Mvtn  coays  on  the  foundation^  and  ethics  of 
peace. 

The  ten  e--ays  of  Dr.  Atreya  contained  in  these 
I  wo  Imok-  a'c  tliought-provoking  and  well-written. 
During  )ii>  lOur  n)uud  the  world  he  met  many  educated 
people  m  Kuu)|  c  and  America  who  are  eager  for  s 
knowjcdgv"  of  Indian  Pliilo.sophy  and  Culture.  One 
inllfgc  siudriif  of  California  wrote  to  the  author 
tint  In  lnlif'v<Ml  .Mrongly  in  the  Indian  ideal.^  pre-  .j 
sented  m  (he  (lita.  U|>ani.shads  and  other  Vedanta 
srri|,iurf<.  Thi-  oh-ifrvatitm  of  an  American  student 
•ijiould  ho  an  eye-opener  to  those  Indian  youths  who 
v\\^^  Yv>v\vi^^  Vv)x  Nvi!*l.«;ni  ideals. 


BOOK  REVIEWS 


491 


ANTHROPOLOGY— THE  STUDY  OF  MAN  : 
<f.  C,  Dube,  MA.,  PhJ), 

Dr.  Dube  has  specifically  limited  the  scope  ^i 
handbook  to  the  itse  of  general  readen^  and 
•rsity  students.  Within  the  brief  space  available, 
luthor  has  touched  the  main  topics  of  physical 
cultural  Anthropologv'  and  has  also  discussed  on 
problems  of  field  work.  The  general  rpader  may 
ssured  to  have  a  comfortable  passage  through 
[lages,  for,  the  author  maintains  a  simple,  non- 
ical  style  in  presentation.  For  the  university 
nts.  the  munouvering  of  facts  is  inadequate     to 

it.  a  text  book  in  the  real  sense  of  tlic  term, 
it  can  very  well  supplement  a  standard  text  book 

BtMif,   Krtisb(r   or   Gobfcnwciif'.r)    for   subsidiary 

'he  cha]>t('r  "Anthropology*  and  Tribal  Wei  fan? ' 
Dcen  well-written  indicating  the  author's  first- 
knowledge  of  the  problems.  Along  with  presen- 
i  of  problems  typical  to  India,  Dr.  Dubo  has 
to  acquaint  us  with  the  measures  in  tribal 
listration  taken  by  the  governments  of  U.  S. 
British   Africa. 

n  contrast,  the  <'hapter  *'Art  in  Primitive  Society'' 
clarity  in  cla.s.<ification  of  facts.  Th'>  author  has 
some  exami>les  of  primitive  art  but  has  failed 
mnect  them  properly  in  fimctional  or  evolu- 
•y  link.  Finally.  I  point  out  a  mistake  in  definition 
e  glos-saiy  : 

AccHltumtuni — .\  process  in  which  two  societies 
el  upon  each  other  and  the  culture  of  one  ia 
letely  changed  under  the  influence  of  that  of 
er." 

his  definition  actually  means  "Assimilation,** 
?is,  acculturation  has  been  defined  by  Herskovits, 
n  and  R-dficld  as — "Acculturation  comprehends 
phenonifUn  which  results  when  groups  of 
duals  having  different  cultures  come  into  conti- 
first-hand  contact  with  sub'Sequent  changes  in 
iriginal  pattern  of  either  or  both  group.s.  Here 
>r  complete  change  nor  change  in  the  pattern 
ly  one  party  in  the  contact  is  implied. 
'r.  Dube's  definition  of  family  as  simply — ^**a 
ral  kinship   group" — is  rather  vague. 

S.  C.  ^isn.K 

lOSPEL  OF  THE  DIRTY   HAND  :   Bu  K.  M. 

hi.  Piiblifihcd  by  the  Mitmtru  of  InformntiOh 
Hffmdcastti)(j,  (Jortnifm  ut  of  India,  Xcw  Delhi. 
S/,.  Piia    lU.  2-8. 

Ir.  Munshi  .i^  Minist»<r  for  Food  and  Agriculture 
lit  a  new  lit**'  in  lii^J  (lojiartmen-  by  his  untiring 
V  :in(l  this  publication  contains  36  sperchrs  he 
ml  be!  ween  May  22.  19.50  liwd  March  2.1,  1»52. 
ugh  an  idtali>t  and  a  pliilos<)]»her  and  a  man  of 
urc,    Mr.    Munshi    proved      liimself    no    1«  ss      a 

when  lie  introduced  Vnna  .Mnhofnavn  or  Tree- 
ng  Wi«ck  for  the  wlioli-  of  Indii,  Anv   reader  of 

pages  will  be  struck  by  the  optimism  and 
•'iasm  which   ihoy  contain  and  the  Oosprl  of  ihr 

Hand  will  inspire  liini  with  :i  new  outlook  in 
rs  of  Mgricultur,.  and  food  p'-nrl\iction  in  thn 
ry. 

:AKL     MARX     .WI)     VIVEK.WANDA  :  Bu 

Chniuliti    Bhiittarharyyn,       PuhJishrd       hij  the 

f,    lii.    rppvr   Ci'cnhr    Road.   Calcutta.    Pi).  JOtj. 
lie.  i-S. 

'his  i-^  Jin  atiempt  fo  show  lint  Karl  Marx,  the 
Opher  of  dialpcti<-  milerijilisni.  was  a  spiritualist 
t  like  ^wnini  Yivrkntifiwh — the  Vcdantist .  In 
of  the  f'cfl   and  iinrcie     effoit*  of  the     kavned 


author,  the  way  of  his  explanation  will  hardly  be 
acceptable  either  to  the  students  and  interpreters  of 
the  Marxian  or  Vedanta  philosophies.  Of  course,  no- 
bud.v  will  dispute  the  contention  that  these  two  great 
persons  of  history  were  sincere  in  their  philosophic 
convictions,  kind  and  sympathetic  towards  human  misery 
and  uncompromising  in  their  efforts  to  ameliorate  the 
conditions  of  human  races  irrespective  of  country, 
colour,  race  and  religion.  In  the  major  portion  of  the 
book,  the  author  has  advocated  the  preachings  "of 
Vivekananda  although  in  the  first  portion  (p.  3)  he  des- 
cribes himself  as  a  convert  to  Marxism  (since  14th 
March.  1952).  If  Vivekananda  was  a  Marxist  and  Karl 
Marx  a  Ved:inti.Mt  or,  leaving  a.side  a  juggler>'  of  words, 
if  both  were  one  and  the  same  in  spirit,  there  would 
have  been  a  new  world,  not  of  ideas  but  of  actions  aa 
the  author  envisug's.  While  we  appreciate  the  aiithOr 
in  his  pious  education,  we  are  afraid  he  is  not  likely  . 
to  find  a  sufficient  mmibor  of  supi>orters  to  his  views. 

A.  B.  DVTTA 

BENGALI 

KABI-K.\THA  :  By  ^'tdhir  Chandra  Kar.  ^pm" 
ka^ifin,  S  CirCHu  Ranqt \  Calcutta   /9.  Pricv  lis.  SS. 

In  this  interesting  work,  the  author  narrates  his 
reminiscence  about  Rabindranath.  whose  close  asso- 
ciation he  had  the  fortune  to  enjoy,  first  as  a  Ubraiy 
assistant  at  Santiniketan  and  later  as  his  private 
secretary.  A  good  writer  himself  Sj.  Kar  has  carefully 
revealed  the  strong  yet  deli^^ate  loving  soul  of  Gurti- 
deva  through  many  apparently  trivial  incidents.  Thia 
intimate  storv  of  the  poet  s  daily  life,  though  personal 
in  resjject  of  the  exp)ericnces  described,  is  sure  to  prove 
universal  in  its  appeal. 

D.  N.  MOOKERJBA 

HINDI 

XI8ARG0PACHAR  ASHRAM  :  Published  by 
BaU:oba  Bhflve,  Managing  TruHee,  Sinargopachar  Oram 
Sudhar  Tmst,  Vrali  Kanchan,  Dw^  Pooiia.  Pp.  122. 
Price  twelve  anruu. 

Nisargopachar  Ashram  is  the  name  of  the  Nature 
Cure  Centre  started  by  Mahatma  Gandhi  at  Urali 
Kanchan  on  the  Solapur-Poona  line,  17  miles  from 
Poona.  at  the  end  of  1946.  It  was  Gandhi's  last  pet 
child.  He  wanted  to  nurse  it  for  four  months  in  the 
vear.  He  could  not.  He,  however,  kept  him.self  m 
touch  with  it  by  post.  Twenty  such  letters  given  in 
the  book  givp  the  reader  an  idea  of  what  he  wanted 
the  institution  to  be.  Morarji  Desiii.  president  of  the 
Trust,  .^'ts  forth  iti  :i  few  able  words  Gandhiji's  con- 
ception of  Nature  Cure,  in  his  preface  to  the  book,  and 
sjiys  that  the  .\shram  is  conducted  on  thos^  lines.  An 
account  of  its  reverses  and  achievements,  as  nKo  its 
modest  plan  for  the  future,  is  given  in  re-;t rained  words 
bv  Balkoba  Bhave.  Chapters  on  Cow-keeping,  Agri- 
culture. Nutrition  und  PreiK.rjition  of  Food,  may  strike 
one  extraneous.  But  tlipy  are  not.  For.  Nature  Cure  is 
not  'selling  cure*  to  the  patient  but  leaehing  him  the 
right   wav  of  living. 

The  liospital  has  two  wings.  Outdoor  and  Indoor. 
The  indoor  hospital  has  twenty  bed".  14  for  male  and 
6  for  female  patients.  Three  and  a  half  years*  expe- 
rience h:»>  beon  encouraging,  .\lniosi  all  the  j»atients 
treated  got  ciued.  the  account  claims.  Treatment  is  con- 
fined to  en'Mua,  fast.  >un-bath,  -itz-bath.  hip-bath, 
mud-bath,  hot-water  foment  ition.  b  danced  diet.  There 
is.  of  course,  the  reliance  on  Ranii-nama.  Cost  of 
treatment  is  low— food  charge  plus  R-.  31  per  menscin 
charged      for     bed,     i\\o«sc\vvviQ     ^^V,     v^V^...      '^'^^^'^^^^ 


492  THE  MODERN  REVIEW  FOR  JUNE,  1953 


TEACHINGS  OF  SWAMI  VIVEKANANDA 

A  choice  collection  from  the  eight  volumeB  of  THE  COMPLETE  WORKS  OP  SWAMI 
VIVEKANANDA  which  gives  ub  a  glimpse  into  various  aspects  of  the  Bwami's  teachings  and 
their  strength  and  sublimity  which  have  deeply  influenced  the  minds  of  people  all  over  the 
world.  This  is  a  companion  volume  to  the  TEACHINGS  OF  SRI  RAMAKR18HNA  (Pages  401. 
Price  Rs.  5)  and  is  excellent  for  presentation  purposes. 

New  Enlarged  Edition  Pocket  Size  Pages  272  Price  Rs.  3 

MY  LIFE  AND  MISSION 

By  SWAMI  VIVEKANANDA 

It  gives  in  the  Swami's   own    words   a  vivid    picture   of    how    his  great  heart  bled  for  the 

suffering  millions  of  India  and  his  plan  for  the   uplift   of    his  motherland  to  the  position  of  her 

pristine  glory. 

New  Edition  Pages  47  Price  As.  10 

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I 


Hig^hly  Appreciated  Bv  George  VI  King  of  England. 
JYOTISH-SAMRAT  PANDIT  SRI  RAMESH  CHANDRA   BHATTACHARYA.  JYOTISHARNAB,   lCB.l.8. 

(London)  of  Internationa)  fame.  President  of  the  world-renowned  Baranashi  Pandit  Maha 
Sihba  of  Banaras  and  All  India  Astrolofncal  and  ARtronomical  Society  of  Calcutta  baa 
won  unique  fame  not  only  fn  India  bat  tbrongbont  the  world  (e.  fr..  in  England,  Amaiica, 
Africa,  Australia,  Cbiua,  Japan,  Malaya,  Java,  Singapore,  etc.)  and  many  notable  renont 
from  every  nook  and  corner  of  the  world  have  Bpnt  nnsolicited  teetimoniala  acknowiedgiDg 
his  mighty  and  supernatural  powers.  This  powerfully  gifted  greateat  Astrologer  &  Palmist, 
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Yofcic  and  Tantric  powers  can  heal  diseases  which  are  the  despair  of  Doctors  and  KaTirajaa, 
rrdresBint;  the  pernicious  inflaence  of  CTil  stars  and  planets  can  help  to  win  difficult  law 
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Despaired  persons  are  strongly  advised  to  test  the  powers  of  PandltJI 
WONDERFUL  TALISMANS  rGUAPANTEED).    In  case  of  failure,  money  refunded. 
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I    prosperity,      honour    and    fame  in    life.    Price    Rs.  7-10.    Bperial    Rs.  29-11.    Soper-Special  Ra,  129-11. 
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-i»ij 


BOOK  REVIEWS 


493 


from  R.".  70  to  Rs.  75  por  im-nscin  por  \x*i\  arc  not 
charged  from  pitients.  For,  ihai  woul-l  make  tirutment 
prohHiitivc  to  middle  cKias  and  poor  patirnls.  Rid* 
patients  seeking  nuo  njay  lighten  ihis  biii-dm  by 
voluntarily  paying  tho  e  t'Xi)cn*rs  for  themselves  as 
well  em  for  tho.-e  who  c:innoi  afford  to.  The  book 
deserves  roadiiig.  and  the  institution  encouraging 
support. 

BiRKNDRANATII    CiVIIA 

CUJARATl 

SORATHA  BAVXI  :  Bu  Bhaktknn  Dulahhai 
Bhayohhni  Kng.  Printcil  at  the  Ssnra.-irt'trH  Printing 
Frcss,  Bhartintjnr.  104S.  Thick  cord-board.  Uhistratid 
jacket.  />/).  5(J.  Pnce  Re.  1. 

Bivan  means  fifty-two  and  Bavani  means  a  eulogy 
consisting  of  fifty-two  ^funz:»>.  Dull  Bava  Kmr  is  a 
householci  word  in  OniMrat.  Katliiawid  and  Cut'ii.  His 
poems  in  tlip  Charanic  stylr  havi'  i>rov(M|  of  imnieuse 
delight  and  thry  give  vahiable  information  to  his 
reader?,  ratlu-r  hearers,  for  \\o  [<  m  iii-s  Ix-sj,  wh»Mi  he 
reeites  them  him>elf.  with  api)Ositr  pesturrs.  A  C'haran 
|)crforms  tin*  functions  of  a  eomi-poot  to  princes.  Thi-s 
particular  puein  is  written  in  praise^  of  Shii  SamaldaR 
Gandhi,  who  rescued  Jim:igid  from  ])assing  into  the 
hands  of  Pakistan  and  thus  won  a  hnuel  to  his  crown, 
though  a  Banin  and  unused  to  fimctions  where  the 
sword  gives  the  final  decision  and  not  the  i)eii. 

SWATANTRYA  PRABIIAT  :  B,j  \ath,d'il  Date, 
PrincipaU  Guruknl.  Sonuodh  (Sfturashtn).  Printed  at 
the  Swatantrya  Prc'^t*,  Ranpur.  194S.  Paper  cover. 
Pp.  32.  Price  six  annaa. 

Mr.  Nathulal  has  a  penchant  for  writing  short 
poems.  Fifteenth  of  August.  1947,  being  our  Indepen- 
dence Df^y.  inspired  Irim  to  write  verse.s,  eolebratini; 
that  happy  day  and  Gundhiji's  crown  of  achievement. 
A  few  other  poems  are  also  printed  along  with  those 
connected  wiih  this  day.  all  of  them  well-conceived. 

(1)  I)A\  DHARMA  PAXCHACHAR  :  By 
Mnniiuklihhtii  Kmit  ('hand  M^hto,  Printed  at  the  A. 
Af,  Printrrs  I'rc.^cs.  Ahmtdabad,  lO^V,.  Cloth-bound. 
Pp.  2(fO.  Price  lie.  1. 

f2)  SHRIMAD  RAJCHAXDRAXl  JIVAX- 
REKHA:  By  the  same.  Printed  nt  the  t^nme.  1949, 
Cloth-bound.  Pp,   lOc.  Prin    Re.  1-4. 

Both  liiese  books  are  iiubli>hed  by  Dr.  Bhagvan- 
da.-*,  tlie  son  of  the  diM-ea>«\l  author,  who  has  left  a 
name  behind  him  as  a  not  id  writer  on  Jaiua  philosophy. 
The  first  book  deals,  as  'u<  titlo  implies,  with  the 
merits  of  Dan  dharity)  and  lli(^  fi\'9  Arhara.^ — jnan, 
darshana,  ehariira,  tapa.^  and  rirtjii.  Their  jnopricty  is 
set  out  luriiliy  and  clearly.  Ii  ini'ludcs  an  analytical 
essay  on  .Sw.imi-v.u.-Mlya  under  the  i£irb  of  wliicli  rich 
nnd  elab(M:ifc  .asir  dinners  cillnl  Xokarashi  Dumers 
are  given  in  the  pre-rni  time.-.  Tlicse  Dinners  are  men- 
outward  shells,  he  s;iy-.  the  nnv  i<  (lilYercUJ,  riz..  love 
proving  mic  the  principles  of  fraternity  in  otle-r  w«m-<1s 
and  that  is  forgulteii.  The  .-e«ond  bt»ok  lontain^  the 
outhnes  of  the  life  of  Shrecmat  R;ij  Clnndra.  a  noted 
Jaina  jihilo-ophcr  anri  writer,  t!ic  (ir.rw  of  Mahatnia 
Gan'lliiji.  He  died  r«arly  m  lite  i\ini  accom|.li^hin« 
much. 

MAXDAKIXI  :  li./  Dr.  M .  V.  >u.aiya.  Printed  at 
the  V'lsnu  Sadi  P  ecs.  Boyn'na<t.  79.;.'.'.  Khadi  rloth-hoitnd ^ 
Pp.  198.  Price  li\^.  10. 

Dr.  .Suraiya  has  a  pen■^•h:lnf  for  translating  <*' 
rather  rt«ndering  into  (Ju.iira'i  Ner-e.  noted  Knghsh 
poems.  Fie  has  had  s«'\en  such  U»  his  credit  till 
now  :    U)  \Vuid.«sWorlh«i  "We  are  Seven."     ^2)     Gold- 


smitii's  -The  Hermit,"  t3)  Gold.Muith^  "Tho  Deserted 
Village,"  (4)  Grey's  "Elegy  Written  in  a  Country 
Churchyard. '  (5)  Tennv.<on's  "Enoeh  Arden,"  (6) 
Kcat's  '  '-Isidiella."  und  (7)  Longfellow's  "Evan- 
geline.'* He  has  i-eprinied  thcin  all  in  a  collected 
form  in  this  book  and  called  it  Mandakinl,  the  celestial 
river,  brought  down  on  earth  by  King  Bhagirath  to 
wash  out  the  .«ins  of  his  ancestors.  As  is  usual  with  all 
publications  of  Dr.  Suraiya,  a  Muslim  knowing  so  much 
about  Hindu  life  and  philosoi)hy;  a  bevy  of  young 
ladies — who.^e  ]»hotographs  adorn  the  publication — have 
contributed  their  opinions  and  apjjreciations  which 
figure  in  the  work,  with  a  very  well-written  introduc- 
tion by  Prof.  Dr.  Bij'in  Jhaxcri,  a  well-known  rising 
Gujarat i  writer. 

OAXDHI  CilTA  :  7^//  Chandulnl  Brcharlnl  Paid 
Print*  d  at  the  Bhafjirnf  Sint/hji  Electric  Presx,  Gondal, 
19.'/,).  Khadi  rloth-bound.  Pp.  12',.  Priee  not  mtutictncd. 

The  compt'f^er  was  the  Director  oi  State  education 
in  Ciondul  State  before  its  inlegraiion  with  the  unit  of 
Snurashlri   Stite.   His   father   had    great    love   for   Gila 
and  he  has  inheiited   it    and  the     result     ist  thi&i  small 
treatise    in     verse,     j»ublished     by     Shrimati     Savitri 
Chandulal  Patel.  of  (iita   Bhuvan,  Gondal.     Gandhiji'a 
benefifc^nt  activities  have  been  divided  into  18  sections, 
in  imitation  of  those  in  the  Hhagvad  Gila     and     the 
dialogues     are     hold     between     CJandhiji,     Jawaharlal, 
Rabindran.ith.  Charles  Andrews.  Horace  Alexander  and 
various   other   well-known     leaders     in     thought     and 
action.   In  one  place,  Gandhiji  describes     himself  like 
this  : 
"I  am  a  worshipper  of  Truth,  Ahimsa  is  my  pledge, 
I  desire  Peace  and  Love  everywhere, 
I  consider  that  Salvation  lies  in  Brahmacharya 
(.•elibacy).*' 

Mr.  Patel  has  accomplished  his  ta.«k  well. 

DHARATIXAX  CHHORT':  Phbli^dird  by  the 
Xnrchitan  &ihityn  Mandir,  Ahnudabnd,  19 ',9  Clothe 
bound.  Illustrated  jacket.  Pp.  18.1  Price  Rs.  2-8. 

This  is  an  unusual  composition.  It  is  a  novel,  the 
main  object,  of  which  is  to  accentuate  the  sense  of 
service  and  -acrifice  amoncst  our  countrymen.  Seven 
different  writers,  Krishnaprasail  Bh.itt,  Kusiun,  Shivani 
Sundaram.  Mukund  P.  Shah.  Bh.igilal  C.  Shah  and 
Palash  have  eaeh  contributed  to  the  weaving  of  this 
wel)  of  a  si(»ry.  in  .<uch  a  way  that  they  luve  been  able 
to  put  foith  a  harmoni«>u<  whole  and  not.  a  conglo- 
meration of  difTerinjr  ideaN  or  i«le  i>.  It  is  commendable 
for  this  reason  at  least.  The  title  means  Children  of 
the  Earth. 

K.  M.  J. 

DIWADI  :  B}/  Rnmn,dal  Ba.^anihd  Ih  sai.  M.A, 
Piddishtd  h'j  M(.<>r.<.  R.  R.  S(  tJ,  and  Ci».,  BookRclUrs 
fcnd  I'uhlshiry.  PHnri  .<^  SV'"/.  J\'.nb  Bar;.  Bombay  S, 
Oct  fib*  r   /.''.>/.   Pric,    R.<.  .'T. 

Sri  De.-ai,  liie  w«'ll-kno\vn  littcrati.ur  of  CJujarat,  has 
in  this  \oIume  pre<enle«!  to  the  n'aders  21  short  stories 
the  first  of  whi<h  ha^  stamped  its  name  on  the  collec- 
tion. This  \ohime  i-*  the  fifth  (»f  his  collected  short 
storic*:.  Thir  stories  arc  more  or  less  social,  and  the  last 
which  i<  na:Me,l  •■"Why  did  I  luM  ninrry  amin"  relates 
to  a  \vi(h»\ver  hcin^r  ^c^>traitled  from  conlractin<£  second/ 
marria«ze  hy  the  spirit  of  the  deail  wife  through  the 
voice  of  a  bird  or  throiifih  the  dreams.  The  stories  show 
a  simplicity  of  ^t\le  and  construction  anfl  show  the 
authur'»i  retention  of  his  ii^ual  -kill  e\en  i\hen  he  has 
retiretl  from  active  government  ser\ic«'.  The  readers 
will  wtdcome  the  volume  for  its  sympathetic  treatment 
of  human  character  and  a  certain  hlend  of  humour  and 
pathos.  V  .  ^,  *tit» 


c 


INDIAN  PERIODICALS 


*i^.».- 


Tbe  Sister  Nivediia 

Swami  Yatiswarananda  wriles  in  The  VedarUa 
Kesari  : 

Sister  Nivediia  wa^  indeed  the  choicc-ji  fluwcr  of 
womanhoiKi  whiih  Swami  Vivekananda  brought  from  the 
West  and  offered  at  the  feet  of  hii  Divin**  Mastrr,  the 
Holy  Mother  and  Mother  India.  I  did  not  have  the 
cp^rtunity  of  knowin^i  the  Sifter  per:^onaliy  but  had 
the  good  fortune  of  >;ecir.p  her  twice  ami  getting:  \vn> 
indelible  pictures  on  my  mind.  In  1V06  man\  of  us 
young  men  heard  her  roaring  like  a  lione^^  and  giving 
a  fiery  (<pecoh  calling  us  all  to  national  service.  The  other 
picture  I  got  was  in  the  Ldbodhan  office  b  1*>11  when  she 
came  to  meet  the  Hoiy  mothtr  to  whom  *«he  wa?  a  *Khoki* 
— a  dear  little  daughter.  The  fiery  lioness  was.  like  a 
quiet  lamb  :  in  place  of  the  d>namic  personality,  we  saw 
a  quiet  soul  radiating  purity^  fincerity  and  devotion 
which  she   possessed   abundantly. 

Later  1  had  the  opp<irtunlty  of  learning  about  her 
from  the  monastic  disciples  ol  Sri  Kamakrishna  and 
Swami  Vivekananda,  from  M..  I'mm  Mi.-s  Macleud  anil 
others  who  knew  her  and  al.-!>o  from  her  remarkable 
bc'oks,  particularly  The  Master  An  J  Satu  Him.  From  all 
these  sources  i  came  to  understand  that  Kamnkri^hna- 
Vivekanaaiia  came  for  the  whole  world.  That  is  the 
reason  why  the  Kamakri>hna-Vi>ekananda  iM(»vement 
started  from  the  \ery  beginning  as  a  world  movement 
encompassing  both  the  Ku>t  and  the  VVcst.  which  un- 
doubtedly are  part.-,  uf  a  greater  whole.  It  was  not  due 
to  an  accident  but  through  the  Divine  will  that  Swami 
Vivekananda  went  to  America  and  delivered  hi?  univer- 
sal message  of  Vedanta  at  Chicago,  U.S.A.  in  1893 
only  7  years  after  the  passing  of  Sri  Ramakrishna.  It 
was  the  Divine  will  again  that  look  him  t(»  England  in 
1895  as  well  as  in  18%  and  brought  him  into  contact 
with  Miss  Margari't  N«d»l»'.  a  brijihl  rd'i.ationi.-t  and  an. 
intrepid  seeker  aflt-r  rnitli  who  iatrr  luramr  lii.*  spiri- 
tual daughter  and  rei-ei\»Mi  from  him  ihr  nam'*  Nivfdita 
--the  Dedicated. 

Most   fasrinatin'^   if?   ilu^  sloiv    of  the  life  of 
\ivcclita. 

Miss  MarganM  Nohir  thai  w;i-  the  name  of  the 
SiMer  befr»r»-  *h«-  tMnk  tin-  \o\\  «»f  liff-loiii!  Hrahma'4iar)a 
and  Service  trorii  In  r  Ma^lrr-  v.a>  dfdirat<Mi  to  God 
r>en  befi»re  >he  »\a-  Imuh.  Hit  in«»lhri-  a  la«lv  of  yreat 
devotion  -  ffll  ^«'riou>l>  ill  lntori'  tin-  hirfh  of  ihi-  her 
first  daujiht' r  in  1M(>7  and  i)ra\rd  to  llu-  lord  tn  -parr 
her  for  tli**  -ak»'  of  ih«  ihijil  uiin'i!  -In-  d«<'iratrd  !••  His 
s<r>icf'.  \-.  iat*  r  rxMit-  •■a?pi'  to  >lio\>.  h>  llw  will  of 
Providrrn  I'  ili»-  nirl  wa-  !••  li-.i-  a  lifi  ••!  ctuwrtraliou 
de\(iliMl    In   ilir   -i|\iii    li    {'..m\   ao  I    Mi-   ihiMiin, 

Lilll '  Mari::ii«!  uuu  iu!"  a  uiil  uf  rair  prr.-tinalily 
and  r.in'i  iiit- si' t  iu,:l  |m.\\'1-.  Sh«-  ciiiii-  to  o\infr  a 
{!i»'al  in!' T«-'  in  « .i-i.  .■linn.  mid«.'r\>«nl  trainin::  a-  aJ 
ttatluT  in  Fiii'-I.ii'.d  .'ii«!  -t.trl' d  .i  -•  l:ool  of  Ih'i  ov.n  in 
li.!''2  willi  a  \-.v.  fii  i»aIi-<'  Iht  id'-ai-  'd  « .liii-.if  i<iis .  S!:«' 
wa-  t"!:**  it\  »li»'  iio-t  a<ti\f  anil  •  nihii-ia-lii  la«K  i^lur-a- 
/'>'///-/-•.  />//'■/>•-/#'#/  ///  ■//'♦'  /I'lV'-r  .i;»fdi«  alii«;i-'  <»f  i-d.in  a- 
//"/i,j/  thf,rii'^.    hJnn    -//r    *  .n/'«-    iindn    lli*-    !!an'-(i»rm'mv:. 

tnfhnntf    ..f    <u.inti    V- •■/.,i/iiM./.i    d'iriiij:    hi-    fn -i    ■»-»•.    lo 

^onfhtji   III   y<7'/J. 


Miss  Noble  was  an  earnest  seeker  after  Truth,  yearn- 
ing for  the  deeper  and  univcrbal  truths  of  religion,  bold 
enquirer  and  a  deep  thinker.  She  possessed  a  keen  and 
critical  mind  that  could  account  a  truth  only  after  a 
thorough  test  and  analysis.  Many  were  the  new  striking 
ideas  hhe  got  from  the  Swami  :  (i)  Body  and  mind  pre- 
dominated by  the  self — the  spirit  in  man.  iii)  The 
^wami  stressed  not  faith  but  experience  of  truth — ^'II  i« 
well  to  be  born  in  a  church  but  bad  to  die  there.*  (iii) 
.Man  progresses  not  from  error  to  truth  but  from  truth 
to  truth — from  lower  truths;  to  higher  truths.  She  dis- 
puted some  of  the  assertions  of  the  Swami,  raising  con- 
troversies. The  'Hindu  Yogi*  in^tcad  of  feeling  offended 
was  glad  at  heart  on  the  discovery  of  the  superior  stuff 
she  was  mad«»  of.  I^ter  on  he  said  :  'Let  none  regret 
that  they  were  .difficult  to  convince.  I  fought  my  Master 
for  six  years  with  the  result  that  I  know  every  inch  o£ 
the  way.'  Mi-s  Noble  resisted  her  Master  only  to  be  con- 
quered by  him  heart  and  soul,  and  before  the  Swami 
left  England  she  began  to  address  him  as  'Master.*  The 
remarkable  breadth  of  his  religious  culture  and  the 
irresi-tible  eharm  of  his  personality  came  as  a  great 
revelation  to  her.  Her  scepticism  yielded  place  to  a 
great   faith   in   her   Master. 

The  Swami  visited  England  for  the  second  time  in 
18%.  Miss  Nobk  now  got  the  opportunity  to  hear  and 
know  him  more  intimately.  She  recognized  the  heroic 
fdire  of  the  Swami  and  his  great  love  for  his  motherland 
and  desiied  to  make  herself  the  scvrant  of  his  love  for 
his  people. 

The  Master,  Swami  Vivekananda,  discovered 
the  rare  worth  of  the  disciple . 

He  had  plan?  for  bringing  about  the  regenen* 
tion  of  Indian  women,  through  proper  education.  As 
the  Swami   said   later  : 

"We  want  that  (education  by  which  character  is 
formed,  strength  of  mind  increasetl.  the  intellect 
expanded,  and  by  which  one  ean  stand  on  6ne  s  own 
fi'ft.  Hi>tory  and  the  Puranas.  housekeeping  and 
art-,  thf  du'iies  of  lionie-Iife  and  principles  that  make 
ftir  the  di  Nelupint-nt  of  eharaeier  have  to  he  taught 
will,  the  help  of  inodi-rn  >rience.  .  .  .  The  noble 
qualitie-   i»f   Sita.   Sa\ilri.   Damayanti,   Lilavati,  Khana 


INDIAN  PERIODICALS 


495 


and  Mlra  siiouJd  be  bruughl  homi*  to  their  Illind^ 
and  they  should  be  inspired  tu  mould  their  own  live^ 
in  the  light  of  these  ....  Then  only  there  will 
be  the  reappearance  of  such  ideal  characters  as  Sita, 
Savitri  and  Gargi." 

\ 

With  the  help  of  whom  was  he  to  inaujiurate  the 
women*5  movement  ?  One  day  he  told  Miss  Noble.  '*1 
have  plans  for  the  women  of  my  country  in  which  you, 
I  think,  could  be  of  great  help  to  roe.'^  She  knew  now 
that  she  heard  a  call  which  would  change  her  life.  She 
decided  to  go  to  India  and  readily  got  the  permission  of 
her  mother,  who  had  dedicated  hrr  to  the  service  of  God 
even  before  her  birth. 

The  Swami  wrote  to  his  disciple  about  all  the 
difncultie<^  she  would  have  to  face  in  India  but  she 
remained  undaunted.  Seeing  that  she  was  determined  to 
come,  he  wrote  to  her  later  on  : 

"Let  me  lell  you  frankly  that  I  am  now  convinced 
that  you  have  a  great  future  in  the  work  of  India. 
What  was  wanted,  was  not  a  man.  but  a  woman,  a 
real  lionehs,  to  work  for  Indians,  women  especially 
.  .  .  India  cannot  yet  produce  great  women,  she  must 
borrow  them  from  other  nations.  Your  education, 
sincertiy,  purity,  immense  love,  determination  and 
above  all  the  Celtic  blood  make  you  just  the  woman! 
wanted." 

Miss.  Noble  landed  at  Calcutta  in  January  1899.  Her 
ticining  began  soon  after  her  arrival  in  India  ami  during 
the  next  birthday  of  Sri  Ramakri^^hna  s-he  was  initiated 
into  Brahmacharya  and  was  given  the  name  Nivedita  by 
which  she  became  known  all  the  worhl  over.  At  the 
beginning  of  her  coming  to  India,  she  joined  the  brothers 
of  the  Ramakrishna  Order  in  conducting  plague  relief 
work  in  Calcutta  and  rendered,  service**  whirh  endeared 
her  to  the  people.  A  party  of  American  frientls  and 
atudents  of  Swami  Vivekananda  arrived  from  America. 
The  Swami  took  Nivedita  on  an  extensive  tour  along 
with  them  for  giving  her  a  deep  insight  inlo  Indian 
thought  and  culture  and  aUo  a  personal  training  for 
the  work  he  wanted  her  to  un<lcrtake  for  the  won^en  of 
India. 

Nivedita  had  now  to  pa^s  through  a  terrific  conflict 
of  ideals.  She  was  in  constant  clash  with  her  Master 
who  wanted  to  give  her  a  new  mould  by  destroying  her 
self-sufficiency  and  preconceived  notions.  This  period  of 
training  made  her  feel  most  unhappy  but  still  she  never 
thought   of   retracting   her   [)roferred    servic-cs. 

The  Swami  too  liad  accepted  her  wholeheartedly  and 
wrote  to  her  before  she  came  to  Imlia  : 

**1  will  stand  bv  you  unto  death,  whether  you 
work  or  not  for  India,  whether  you  gi\c  up  Vedanta 
or  remain  in  it." 

Her  suffering  was  the  travail  of  a  new  birth  and 
happily  it  «'nded  soon.  One  Jay  the  MuMer  said  :  'Let 
us  begin  a  new  life."  Fb*  wholeheartedly  blessed  his 
'n.ost  rebellious'  disciple.  It  was  a  nmment  of  wonderful 
sweetness.  A*  predicted  by  Sri  Haiuakrislina.  the  touch 
of  the  Swami  brought  a  new  knowledge  and  awakening 
to  the  di-ciple.  By  destroying  the  pergonal  relation,  he 
bestowed   on    her   the   inii>er.sonal    vision. 

After  her  most  profitable  lrav<'Is  Nive<lita  rclurnetl  to 
Calcutta  in  November  1899  and  started  a  jiirls'  school 
for  gaining  experience.  She  lived  with  ihe  Holy  Mother 
end  her  community  of  ludy  women.  They  exerted  a 
great  influence  on  her  lib.-  ami  thought  revealiui:  to  hei* 
the  intensity  and  extensity  of  Indian  spiritual  culture  and 
the  jdeaJ  and  glory  of  Indian  womanhood, 


The  Swanii  was  thus  able  to  make  a  place  for 
her  in  orthodox  Hindu  society.  She  was  now  to 
live  the  life  of  a  Brahmin  Br^dimacharini . 

Not  by  remaining  as  a  foreigner  but  by  identifying 
herself  with  the  hfe  and  thought  of  the  Indians  could 
she  work  for  the  welfare  of  Indian  womanhood.  During 
their  voyage  to  flngland  in  1899.  the  Swami  made  the 
ideal  very  clear  to  her  : 

"You    have   to    set      yourself    to      Hinduisc   your 
thoughu.    your    nuedi<,    your    4X>nceptions    and    your 
habits.   Your  life,  internal  and  external,  has  to  become 
all    that    an   orthodox    Hindu   Brahmacharini   ought   tu 
be.   The  method  will  come   to  you  if  only  you  desire 
it   sufficiently. '' 
•Nivedita's  close   toui.-h   with    the   great   perj^onality  of 
her  iMasfer   during   the   vtiyagi*  and    stay   with   American, 
friends  in  America  and     Europe  enabled  her  to     under- 
stand   his    wonderful    mind    and       personality    and    also 
the  depths  of  Hindu  religion  and  cuhure.   Before  leaving 
Europe   the   .Swami   called    her   and       blessed      her   roost 
heartily  : 

•*Go   forth   inlo   the  world,  and   there,   if   I   made 
you,  be  destroyed  I     If  Mother  made  you,  live  !" 

Nivedita  came  back  to  India  at  the  beginning  of 
1902  as  if  to  receive  the  final  benediction  of  her  Master 
who  passed  away  in  July  of  the  same  year.  She  now 
resumed  her  school  work  and  was  cordially  accepted 
by  the  people  she  came  to  .^crve.  She  was  helped  ia 
her  educational  work  by  an  .American  fellow- disciple, 
Sister  Chri«*tin(\  who  really  shared  the  greater  portion 
of  her  school  burden.  The  two  Sisters  tried  their  beat 
to  create  there  an  ideal  Indian  environment  and  drew 
not  only  little  girl^*  up  to  the  marriageable  age  but  alsu 
a  large  number  of  married  women  and  widows.  The 
students  were  helped  to  imbibe  the  highest  Indian 
ideals,  tradition  and  customs  al(»ng  with  their  general, 
education.  The  great  educational  experiment  of  which 
the  golden  jubilee  was  celebrated  recently  proved 
to  h*i  eminently  sucre*.sful.  Hut  it  was  unfortunate  that 
while  m.my  admired  the  institution,  few  came  forward 
to  support  it  financially.  Nivedita  the  Tapasvini  had 
to  make  the  greatest  saerifires  for  the  mIiooI.  She  hail 
to  live  in  a  small  house  without  comforts  and  had 
often  to  deny  h<'r'*elf  e\en  tli"  barest  necessities  of  life. 
.She  buried  herself  mo>tly  in  her  literary  work  undertaken/ 
for  the  maintenance  of  th»*  school.  The  life  of  privation* 
brought  her  a  s«'riou-  illness  in  l*X)5.  She  recovered 
from  it  but  later  got  an  attack  of  malaria  when  she 
visiietl  the  fli»oil  and  faminr  '•Iriekeu  area  in  East 
Bengal  in  1906.  Her  niagnifiernt  health  broke  down  and 
couM  not   be  regained   thereafter. 


bauk  of  baxkura  ltd. 

36,  Strand  Road,  CALCUTTA 

Inleresl  on  Saving  Deposit  2"/o  Per  Annum 
Interest  on  Fixed  Deposit  30.0  Per  Annum 
for   t  year  &  over  1  year  4^/0  Per  Annum 


Brancfies  : 
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Chairman : 


496 


THE  MODERN  REVIEW  FOR  JUNE,  1953 


Sister  Nivedita  lived  an  intenseley  active  life. 
Besides  attendiiin;  to  her  school  and  literary  works,  she 
used  to  give  addresses  to  various  audiences  in  Calcutta 
and  elsewhere,  spreading  the  dynamic  message  of  her 
Master  and  laying  bare  before  all  the  glory  of  Indian, 
religion  and  culture,  history  and  art.  Besides  these, 
she  became  a  centre  of  great  personal  influence  by  the 
high  ideals  of  her  deep  religious  culture  and  spiritual 
nationalism,   intense   sympathy   and    selfless   service. 

Sister  Nivedita  inspired  imany  leaders  of 
political  thought,  nien  o{  letters,  scientists,  artists, 
journalists,  teachers  and  students  alike. 

Nivedita  spent  the  Ia!«t  thrt'e  year**  of  hor  life  in 
England  and  America,  and  returned  to  India  during  the 
first  half  of  1911.  But  sho  came  buck  only  to  pass 
away  in  October  of  tht^  same  yar  in  the  lap  of  hex) 
adopted  motherland  for  who;re  sorvicp  hhe  had  oifered 
her  body,   heart    and   soul. 

'The  boat  is  sinking  but  1  shall  see  the  Sun  rise," 
saying  these  words  her  i-oul  went  to  the  abode  of  light 
and  immortality. 

It  was  a  blessing  that  the  Sister  cho<4e  to  be  a 
writer  rather  thun  a  speaker.  In  her  immortal  w(»rks  she 
revealed  the  greatness  of  the  spiritual  and  cultural  heritage 
of  India  with  a  unique  sympathy,  introspection  and 
power.  Are  we  the  children  of  Mother  India  proving  to 
be.  true  to  the  great  ideal  the  Sister  lived  for,  worked 
for  and  aied  for?  Our  young  men  and  women  should 
study  the  illuminating  works  of  the  Sister,  imbibe  hex 
ideas,  mould  their  Hfe  and  character  and  try  to  bring  in 
a  new  order  in   the  country. 

It  was  the  most  earnest  desire  of  Swami  Vivekananda 
to  inaugurate  a  movement  for  the  regeneration  of  Indian 
womanhood  and  to  carry  on  this  great  work  he  wished' 
to  see  our  women  imbibing  the  ideals  of  Sita,  Savitri  and 
Maitreyi.  Uv  al^o  wanted  cultured  anni  fearless* 
Brahmacharinis  who  would  lead  a  life  of  perfect  chastity- 
and  spirituality,  renunciation  and  s«'rvice. 

"The  celibatf  nuns,"  said  the  Swami,  **will  be  teachers 
and  through  such  devout  preachers  of  character  there  will 
be  the  real  spread  of  female  education  in  the  country." 

it  wa^  a  pity  that  the  Swami  (X)'jld  not  fmd  among 
the  daughters  ot  India  a  !>in<:ic  soul  to  enihody  the  ideal 
which  the  Swami  had  in  view  but  he  wa««  fortunte  Ini 
discovering  in  a  noble  dau;j;hter  of  the  West  the 
potentiality  of  a  Garjii.  one  who  was  to  realise  the  ideal 
of  a  lifr-lon^  Brahmaeharini,  a*!'  ho  dreamt  of.  and  also 
to  interpret  Hindu  c.ilture  for  the  benefit  of  other?.  Her 
the  .Swami  trained  with  infinite  jiatience  and  aflection, 
her  the  Swami  held  a^  an  iileal  of  a  new  type  of  woman> 
hood — an  ideal  he  einbodie?.  in  his  blessing!;  to  the 
spiritual   daughter   of   his  : 

**The  Mother's  heart,  the  hero's  will, 

The  sweetness  of  the  southern  breeze, 

The  ^acred  eharrn  and  strenjilh  that  dwell 

On   Aryan   altars,    flaniini:.   free  ; 

All    these    ln'   vours.    and    nianv    more 

No  ancient   sane  could  tlreaiii  before-  - 

Be  ihou   to   India's  fulure   son 

The   nii'trc"*:.   «»'r\ant,    frienel    in   one." 

May  the  wouien  of  India  lo\ingly  treasure  and 
cherish  the  noble  idiMl.  and  prove  l>y  their  life,  thought 
and  action  that  a  rejieneiated  womanlio<Kl  does  always 
stand  for  a  regeneratecl  nation  and  for  a  regrneraled 
world . 


The  crest  which  adorns  the  literature, 
forms  and   advertisements  of  the  Hindus- 
than    since    its    inception    has    a    story 
behind  it.     The    map  of  India  in  outline 
serves  as  the  background  of  the  romantic 
history  of   India's    strugglelfor  economic 
freedom — and  the  Hindusthan  can  rightly 
claim  that  it  has    done  all  the    pioneering 
works  with  an  outlook  of  national  service. 
It  is  Indian  in  ideal  and  outlook,  Indian  in 
capital  and    management — it  is  cent  per 
cent   Indian    in    everything  so   to  speak. 
The  crest  therefore    serv^es  to  throw  into 
relief  the  patriotic  endeavourlof  the  great 
men  of  the  time  to    bring  economic  salva- 
tion to  otir  nationals. 

The  crest  is  the  symbol  of  economic 
security,  protection  and  peace  and  is 
significantly  tied  up  with  the  life  of  our 
nationals. 

HINDUSTHAN 

COOPERATIVE  INSURANCE  SOCIETY, LTD., 

HINDUSTHAN   BUILDINGS, 
4,  Chitlaranjan  Avenue,  CALCUTTA-' 3 


Indian  periodicals 


497 


Literolure  and  Freedom 

R.  M.  Fox  writes  in  The  Aryan  Path  : 

When  iwUL-F  came  tr>  p;urii|>i.>  ihe  firsl  inipuNc  wa^ 
to  cry  "Neier  ai;ain  !"  Gazinjc  thruuch  ilic  drifliiii! 
■moke  at  ihr  dt'bris  ■>(  »pl>'iideii  citii's  it  js  mil  turiirisin;; 
lliBt  srmiliivc  ub^i-ricr?  till  ilii-  mini  t<a  uHiniiin^  iiuiuun 
M.lidarily  and  prolcelioft  againsl  the  Hcn^lisi  cruelty  o( 
war.  Kiru^iiiiiia  vran  lii'iiDuniril  as  an  eviili'nn'  «f  bar- 
barous atavUiii  unwoi'thy  o!  ei\\[uid  man.  An  Am'-ricaa 
invMligalor,  inicnt  on  M-rvin^  liis  Irtlow'.  caught  llie 
spiril  of  Ihi'  lime  in  the  liilr  of  hij  bnuk.  One  Watli. 
For  a  mnmi-m  it  loukuii  ai-  thuii^h  humanity  nas  wiMin^' 
to  accept  the  view  that  ue  mu-l  all  make  ihc  bi-hl  of 
living  loEflher  in  iliie  world  «(■  Blinre,  irrtspei-tivi'  of 
riifferrnci^s   of  colour,   crcrd   anU   »>cial   (i|>inic>iia. 

This  Eccmeii  a  ■wis*  tiecision  for  a.  war-turn.  raRS*"'- 
limping  world  to  inuke.  Ihrn:  was  n'i  miirh  lo  do  in 
the  way  of  rcbuildinj;  and  rchabilil.itiun .  The  siik  and 
rhe  wounded,  the  ili.oplai'id  gu'rsiins.  the  ilii-uitundEi  of 
orpIiaoK,   reiitiircil  allcntinn. 

Suddenly  all  ihii  wa»  ehuntiid.  lii^lead  of  one  world, 
we  were  ranfronteit  with  two  worhU  in.  |>erpeliinl  contlicl. 
The  cohl  war  in  m^ely  a  liim;  of  preparation  for  hot 
warfare,  with  its  prngramiiii'  of  anniiiilation—  invanim, 
napalm  bombs,  the  atom  bomb  and  alt  ihei-e  other  waya 
of  maas  killing  which  the  clever  ^cifiili:-!!]  are  perfecting 
in  secret,  with  no  expense  spared. 

If  llie  world  choo'cs  lo  follow  the  path  nf  dettruc- 
tion  rather  than  the  path  of  r-rcatjvc  ailtenlurc  it  must  be 
heeauHf  the  mukeri'  of  piihlii:  opiuinn  Imve  rccommeDded 
■  hat  cour-H-.  Writem  I'annut  I'lade  ihiir  n>|H>nMl>ility  in 
this  matter.  It  i*  true,  of  iimrw.  that  then;  has  never 
been  a  lack  of  pi'n^i  lo  MTM'-ignoble  raui>es.  Nari 
Germany  had  it-  full  <|u>'ia  of  prufi'^ntrs  and  pundit?: 
ri'ady  to  advoi'Uii-  and  iiistifi  ii-  uor-i  i-\ee-tc»,  its  racial 
dotniuBtian  and  it*  brutal  tyranny.  Before  the  Miller 
malady  overlook  Cenr.any  one  could  ini-et  bandn  of  young 
people — youthi  and  t:irl>-  wanderin);  uhm;;  thi-  mounluin 
liatiiEi,  pienickiiif-  in  the  wind-,  ^.truimnin);  puitiir-  and 
-iniiinK  of  tin-  Bli>ri<.'*  of  iiaHire  utid  peace.  Thi-  Wantlej- 
vogcl  morenicnt  hud  it>  thou.:anils  id  ailhercno  and,  had 
it  bei<n  allowed  to  develup  frifidy.  miehl  have  niad<: 
Germany  a  land  <>!  d'-lniieraev  and  peace.  After  tli': 
Second  Worlil  War.  loo.  the  {ndin;;  f'.r  di»iinuaiiieni  wa» 
wldmprcad  in  the  lunil.  'lbi»  wa-  i  ni'oiirn:;>'d  to  b:-ftii\ 
with,  but  now  the  militari'ts  havi;  in-i-Ied  that  the 
Germans  taU  their  fdac-  in  the  rank<  of  tlio.fi.  who  ^tand 
for  3  division  of  tiie  world  on  lines  uf  war  and  lialrcd. 
In  limes  of  niMial  tcnsii>ii--s[icli  a-"  luir  nwti 
— tliR  forces  of  icpiojisiini  are  nclivr. 


The  parallel  between  {liis  earlier  after.war  period 
and  our  own  limes  is  very  cloi-e.  But  America's  lole  in 
tbem  has  been  quite  diflercni.  'Ihc  newly  estabhahcd 
United  States  gave  an  impetus  to  the  revolutionary 
movement  in  France  and  hel|H'd  to  clear  away  iho-e 
nnmaniB  of  feudalism  wbirh  still  clutieted  the  alauo 
in  iJuro|H;.  'loilay  America  takes  iiic  kad  in 
re»ii>ting  any  influence  lliat  comes  citlier  directly 
from  the  mighty  upheaval  in  Hu>.sia  ur—likc  the  variouSi 
national  iiiuvcmenis  in  A:?ia — takci  it4  li^i-  nut  of  fiiuilar 
fi'rce*  in  a  changing  worlil.  The  fpceiaclo  of  Ameticu 
vainly  trying  to  sweep  bark  tile  lido  v>ilh  a  brooiu  hai 
its  comic  side  but  when  there  is  an  utum  bnillh  tied  lo 
the  broom  it  ceases  to  be  funny. 

I'anie  rei>rcs'ion  ha*  b^-in  the  k-:T.- nolc  of  recent 
years.  Men  and  women  who«e  only  crime  is  that  they 
have  been  sensitive  to  Bullering  anil  B'xnal  iniuHlice. 
have  been  hauled  up  before  bUlanI  commiitee*  for 
investigation  of  their  i>cliefs.  Mr.  1'runun  himself  has 
suggealcd  that  peopU<  mi^hl  be  afraid  tn  put  their  notnea 
to  tlie  Declaration  of  Indeiiendencc — the  foundation 
diicuini'nt  uf  the  Stales— for  (i:ur  of  iiDpri^en'tieut  or  loss 
of  employment.  And  this  rule  of  leraor  has  been  carried 
fui  in  llie  name  of  '"Free  Socieiy." 


11 


ihr 


>  when  ibi-  world  wu'=  shaki'O  by  the 
French  KMohilioo.  lu  Briiaiii  ihrT..  «i-x,-  .-, 
of  the  laws  atiuiiis]  a  free  pre-s  and  fri'e 
llie  iiiflucno-  of  th.'  I'r'-n.'li  l{e,obiiin 
rcprci'-ion  can  never  prevenl  ihe  uduiii 
muvemenl   l>..rn   of   il ,;-.U   of   the   liiu- 


Nnpoleo 


mA    AMRIHANJAN 

kJfe=SvS,l         THE 'ATOM  BOMB"  PAIN  BALM/ 


Estd-1893 


RINGWORM  OINTMENT  ^^vp 

THE 'COSMIC  RAY' FOR  ALL  SKIN  DISEASES' 
^AMRUTANJAN  LTD■.P0.BOX^>O.<.'^^^■^l.■vl1 


498 


'o 


niE  MODERN  RKVIKW  ViHi  JINK,  iyo3 


This  wave  of  repression  1$  parlirularl\  haiiuful 
to  writers  who,  to  do  their  best  work,  need  scope 
for  the  exercise  of  a  free  creative  spirit. 

American  writers  of  an  oarlirr  ajjso.  ^^^h  as  KithTson. 
'I'horeau  and  Whitman,  would  alnioAt  certainly  have  come 
into  conflict  with  thi;  present  orpan.s  of  repression.  One 
Vionders  whether  men  likf  Theodore  Dnnser.  Jack  London 
and  Sinclair  Ix-wis  mi^iht  not  find  themsrivcs  in  fsaoj  if 
ibey  penned  their  hitin;;;  fjoriai  criticisms  in  (»ur  era.  Fn^ui 
the  !(tandi)oint  of  intellectual  rrc4>d<>ni  the  wurld  has  taken 
tt  slop  backward.  When  nu-n  are  '  imprisoned  ui 
^ictimizi'd  fur  th*='ir  »i<»rial  opinions  the  whole  of  the 
intellectual  life  of  ihc  time  is  poisoned,  f«ir  boncM. 
ftarlei<ii  criticism   bectjme*   impos*ibb*. 

This  situation  will  confmnt  ihr  Iniernational 
tlnnferencf  of  the  P.K.N.  repres«'ntinj£  the  writer*  ot 
man>  ]an<i>  when,  in  UaV^,  it  meet?  in  Dublin.  Will 
this  (]onferen<if  stand  for  the  frer  spirit  of  literature 
not  only  in  tin-  Kast  but  in  the  West  as  well,  where  it*- 
voice  should  be  more  eff»-cliv<'  ?  .Nfeelinjs  in  Dultlin.  the 
capital  of  n  country  n<.t  nfHcialK  linked  with  the  I  nited 
Nations,  the  conferene  should  siM'ak  with  the  greater 
fiecdom.  ()n«^  hope^  that  tht^  re>ptm«iible  •»i>okesinen  of 
literature  will  not  run  a  wax  from  the  i*sii(»  bv  merely 
mcuthin;£  partisan  platitude^  about  the  "Free  Society"  of 
the  West,  for  all  writers  worthy  of  their  pens  kno^\ 
\ery  well  that  the  '*free  world"  of  which  they  speak 
does  not  exist  except  as  an  aspiration  in  the  mind-  and 
honest  men. 

A  Cbine-ie  \ioman.  Dr.  Han  Suyiu,  who  re«'ei\ed 
her  medical  traininj;  in  London  and  has  friends  in  the 
Fm^X  and  the  We^^l.  has  >iaid  with  fitting  ditinily  what  <h* 
feeU  is  true  aboi«t  the  "intelh'ctuals"  of  her  race  who 
have  ben  con<l<-mned  for  >tavin{r  in  China  instead  o1 
joining  t)ie  irek  to  Honjz  Kon^  or  Pornio^a.  In  her  book 
,"f   Many-Spfendonn\l  Thinfi  she   wiites: 

*"'riu-\  remained  to  -crve  th»'ir  people.  Tlie>  belie\fd 
Iieyond  political  end>.  beycmd  ^ar>^  anil  balan^'C'^  ol 
power,  Th»y  di«l  not  join  their  \oii'i"?  to  lh»'  -small 
indifi^anant  choiu<:  of  those  \\ho  pnllul(>  the  word  of 
freedom  WiXU  hope  f<>r  a  third  wmld  war  to  ri- f^-iabli'-h 
an  order  i\*'i\(\  lonji  ape." 

Frwdoni   is  itideod  a  jewel   iM^yoiid   \i\'\rv  hut 

lo  invoke  il  as  a  so<  ial   hlud^eoii   lo   inciease  llu 

strife  in  the    world    d«H*v    not    helj)  the  cause  of 

literal ure  (»r  of  triilli. 

If  oin*  can  'ptak  nf  llu-  spirit  ol  liiriature  and  tht 
pliTiiM'  Hrill  ha-  il  nil  an  inn  il  is  tie*  ta.-k  an«l  privilejii 
of  uritri<  to  lih  th<-  lamp  nt  luub  i>tandin«i  hi;:h  >^o  that 
its  biani-  mav  lij;;lil  I  he  >\hole  path  of  human  endeaxoin*. 
'r»derali«»n.  a  -f-n-e  ..f  human  «-olidarily,  a  ropeei  for  thf 
'ipiuion>i  id  ulhi'i«»  bo\vfv»*|-  vslili-jv  tlifse  dilTei  from  our 
•  \ui-  ibi-    i-    ihr    true    -.pirit    of    liti-ialure. 

Oui  ;:rcat  inrilajn-  of  liliTalure.  nf  art  and  i»f  ilraina. 
i«.  \aln.d>l»'  beia'i-f  \\  i-  an  »\|ite-.^ion  ol  the  liuinaii 
«:[iiril  1 1  ll'i-re  i-  n«»  belief  in  that  expri'-^^ion.  thfie 
is  no  rea-«iii  l<'  rua'^nif  ihe  book^.  pla%s  ami  plcttue- 
lliat  liavr  e(iM!'-  dnwn  fo  u>  tbMni;Lh  the  aire«i.  Thi* 
intellectual  int»";-'rily  of  llu  wiiler  i-  not  (nily  e<*;i»"niial 
foi  hi-  own  \M»fk:  il  i-.  r-'iMiliil  jl-o  for  the  health  ot 
-nriei\.  I  nif'*-  ih«*  wiiifi  jr'iard-  bii*  ind<-|>endence  In 
uill  n«H  bf  all«'wrd  in  ♦•!np}»!-«i/#'  the  onencs-.  of  tin 
VMirlil,  the  \\rvi\  fur  fri»n«U]ii;  b'-lvn-en  T!a»»t  ami  We*.i. 
t»ii  lioih  -iiles  ot  iln  Iron  (!urtain  iliat  hanjrs  acr«»»i!-  lh« 
vnrld  iIhti'  I-  fear.  *u-|iii:it»n  and  i;.'uoian«c  wbi<li  can 
I-'  •  \| 'nil -d  liv  \nl;:ai  s- -h-d  iiil»ii'-l  lliat  pridit  by  war. 
Not  b\  bt.<oM'.in;j!  partisan-  « an  *\rli*t-  Im-*i  --i-rxe  lln-i' 
'.Hit  hut  i,ith*r  h\  i!lii\sln;j  /i»«.''-iiirl  all  lh«»«.r  \\!(0  wau! 
//'    /'////r/  ///,.    //,'•    'lujtlK     t,(   lU,     fiitiili-    wllieb    wiU    eWewV 

''-   ^"'"'.^A'/yV^    t,.   inrhhU'   tin-   Vii'i     ind   th«.    WcM. 


OUTSTANDING 

PRODUCTS  OF 

HERIING    8e    KENT 

ROYAL  OONIM  :  Saper  riUUtiD/;  Ionic  for  Mmx 
and  WoMBN.  Reitorei  yonthfnl  Tigonr  nnd  fitolity 
at  anv  age.  Ra.  50  for  3  weeki  conne ;  Ra.  200  for 
complete  oonrie  of  12  weeki. 

OOnIM:  General  all-round  tonic  for  men  k  women. 
Rb.  7-8  for  one  week  ;  Ra.  22-3  for  3  weeki ;  Ra.  90 
for  12  weeka  complete  conrae. 

BIOSTIL  HORMONE  CREAM:  Genuine  hormone 
treatment  for  reatoring  the  freshneaa  and  fixmneea 
of  youth  to  the  aged,  wrinkled  akin.  Women  of  00 
re^in  complexion  like  women  of  20.  Indicated  f6r 
wnnklea,  linea,  bagginesa,  bad  colour,  disfiguration, 
blemishea  and  akin  diaordera  (acne,  pimplea,  etc.) 
Ra.  5-8  per  tube. 


SIMBOOGI  HAIR  LOTION:  An  unfaUing hair-giower. 
PoaitiTely  grows  new  hair  and  ttopa  falling  hair, 
dandruff,  iching  acalp,  etc.  Ra.  3-8  per  bottle.  SIM- 
BOOGI HAIR  OIL:  A  delightful  ideal  hair-dzeaains 
and  tonic  for  correction  of  Tarioua  hair,  aealp  and 
brain  troubles.    Rs.  3-8  per  bottle. 

LUNEGON :  The  most  effectiTe  nerve  and  brain 
sedttife  tonic,  indicated  for  mental  and  neryona  dia- 
orders.  Immediately  ealma  and  loothea  high  mental 
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or  habit-formingdrugs.  Rs.  4  per  packet  of  50  ;  Ra.  7u 
per  packet  of  1000  tablets.  (Hospital  packing). 

DIBNIL :  The  most  effectiTe  oral  remedy  indicated  In 
the  treatment  of  Diabetea  Mellitua.  Ra.  15  per  packet. 

SILVITA :  For  acidity,  heart-burn,  sour  stomacb. 
dyspepsia,  wind  and  fullneaa  after  meals,  etc.  Ra.  4 

NOVUM :  The  most  potent  and  effectiTe  "period 
regulator"  for  females,  indicated  in  the  treatment  of 
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SIMPLEX,  Rs.  12-8.  NOVUM  FORTE,  Ra.  50; 
NOVUM  SUPER  CONCENTRATED,  indicated  onh 
for  menopauftal  trouble  and  oestrogenic  hormone  defi- 
ciency. R«.  21.  CIVITA  :  MU8T  BE  TAKEN  tonic 
with  NOVUM  to  prevent  side  reactions  and  haaten 
results.  Rs.  19  per  packet  of  100 ;  Rs.  4-12  per  packet 
of  25;  Also  sTailable: 

INDULABO  PASTE    INJECTION   TREATMENT  for 

regbtered  aod  Qualified  Physicians  only.  Full  parti- 
culars sent  on  requeat  to  physieiana  only. 

PREGNO:  An  ideal,  non-greasy  and  delicately  per- 
fumed preparation  for  FAMILY  LIMITATION. 
Ideally  suited  for  the  most  fastidious  woman.  Rs.  9-8 
for  complete  outfit :  Rs.  7-8  for  ''RefilP'. 
EXPERT  MEDICAL  ADVICE  :  We  have  opened  a 
"Clinical  Dept."  under  the  direct  superTision  of  quali- 
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your  SEX  and  FAMILY  LIMITATION  problems. 
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INDIAN  PEUIOD1CAIJ5 


499 


BriUun-8  National  DaiUes 

Wiliiain  Clark  oh^enes  in  The  Indhn 
Review  : 

A*»  a  jouriiuliit,  1  b<'lit.'>e  tliul  niOM  i>i:upie  do  not 
turn  lo  ncH>])aper<  primaril>  ior  news  biil  for  comment 
au(i  for  entertainment,  uml  to  H'e  how  their  familiar 
pap<*r  trfals  th«'  news.  That  i^  why  there  U  plenty  of 
room  for  the  ten  national  papers  which  arc  all  equally 
available  in  every   corner  of  Britain. 

The  importance  t'f  thi>  comment  and  play  of  the 
newfc  in  reflected  in  tlur  regular  review  of  the  Ptv^s  on 
the  BBC's  Overfieas  Ser\ice  which  deals  mostly  with  the 
4omment  of  the  new>pa|HM>,  or  the  way  in  which  they 
treat  the  new*.  Who  th'cides  this  'i  Wht)  it*  responsible 
for  the  altitude  oi  the  Pre*i:i  Y  What  doch  it  mean  when 
foreifsn  journalists  in  l.imdon  cable  home  that  "public 
(•|iiiiion  as  rctleited  in  the  I^e-ryi**  lakes  this  or  that  view? 
fs  there  an>  rr-Jation  between  pid)lie  opinion  and  Pres*} 
opinion  f 

Perhapd  it  would  be  be^t  if  I  tried  to  answer  these 
(fuestion>  by  taking  up  the  paper>  one  by  one,  as  1  do 
each  morning.  I  normally  begin  the  day  with  The  Times. 
This  is  the  oldest  L(»ndon  paper,  the  most  famous,  and,  I 
belic\e.  by  far  the  mttst  influential.  Yet  its  circulation 
is  only  a  little  more  than  a  quarter  of  a  million  in  a  field 
where  there  are  paper**  with  circulation*  of  four  million. 
But  The  Times  i>  the  national  paper  of  record :  it 
attempts  to  fiive  a  tl:orou)ih  «iur>ev  of  all  the  news,  giving 
v\ei^ht  to  thosf  itenw  that  are  of  serious  national  impor- 
tance. People  read  The  Times  because  they  want  the 
news  fully  reported,  and  a>  a  result  of  thi-i  high-level 
n-ader^hip  thr  editorials  in  Tht:  Times  can  carry  great 
weight.  Often  the  editorial*  are  explanatory  rather  thari 
driving  a  lead,  but  when  The  Times  decides  to  be  really 
definite  it  ean  »x«Tt  the  j[reale.>t  iiiniicufc.  Who  decides 
that  ? 

In  fart  (lUf  nin-t  «a>  it  is  ainio''t  entirel>  the  Edituc 
ind  his  numerous  abU.*  and  expert  as.-i.Mants.  The  i)0wer 
iiehind  the  Kditor'-i  chair  i-  the  thirf  proprietors,  the  two 
mm  \\ho  actually  own  llw  propnly  of  The  Times.  The> 
an*  (Itdnnel  Jtihn  Xslor.  who  buu^ht  the  control  in  1922 
from  the  i-^tate  of  the  late  Lord  NorthclifTe.  and  Mr.  Johnr 
Waller,   who^e   pn-al-gn-algranfather   founded   The  Times. 

The.-e  two  men.  with  the  ilirectors  of  The  Times 
Publishin*;  Tlinnpany.  are  n*»«pnn-ible  fur  appointing  the 
Editor  a  \et\  important  deri-ion  imleed  luit  in  practice 
they  do  not  inlerfen-  witii  liini  once  he  is  appointed. 
The  oivnership  of  The  Times  in  a  (inam  ial  sens**  is 
^■parated  from  the  rdiloria)  control  by  ru^lom,  and  in 
fart  a  special  arrangement  ha-^  beni  nia<le  to  try  to  en- 
•'ure  that  the  finaneial  control  will  never  pa**^  intti  hands 
which  will  M<t'  The  Times  a^  an  in«*tnnn«ni  nf  per*«onal 
polie> , 

Olil^POKKN    AND    LiBlJlAL 

The  second  paper  I  ])ick  up  is  tlu^  Manchester 
Guardin,  ami  you  nia\  \ery  will  a^k  wh\  1  include  a 
^'provincial  paiK-r  ?'*  But  the  '"M.  (p."  a**  it  is  familiarly 
known,  undoubledl)  rank^  a<  one  of  tlu*  national  papers. 
I  read  it  for  two  rea.«on<  :  it  ha^  a  ruiall  but  brilliant 
foreign  staff,  and  it  is  faniouA  for  its  oul:«poken  and  libe- 
ral editiirials — I  mean  liberal  in  a  bmader  sense  than  thw 
IJberal  Parly,  though  the  (Guardian  \>  generally  regarde*! 
as  pro-Liberal  Partv,     WIm  cfintnd-  the  fdiloriaU  rif  the 

Again  the  an-^wer  is  the  Editor,  bccaus**  the  financial 
control  and  nwnt"r>hip  of  the  ]»ap'T  has  been  placed  in  A 
trust,  which  appoints  the  Editor  luit  then  leav-.s  him 
free  to  run  the  paper.  I  -^av  "leave*  him  free,"  but  it 
would  be  unreal  to  pn^tend  that  an  Editor  is  really  free 
to  make  iust  what  he  lik('.<i  of  the  r*a/)er.  A  great  paper 
}ike  the  Cuanfian  An*,  a  tradition  whii.'h  it  cannot  ignore 
if  ft  wafi  siiffdfnly  to  rhnnfit-  it*,   mtirv  p<dic\    or   to  put 


on  a  new  character  it  might  very  easil)   Iom*  the  respect 
and  ultimately  the  support  of  its  reader*". 

The  third  "quality^  paper— that  is,  papers  designed 
^lo  ^uil  the  more  serious-minded— is  the  Dfdiy  Telegraph, 
\\liich  has  a  circulation  of  about  a  million.  Thia  paper 
is  owned  by  Lord  Camro-ic,  a  brother  of  Lord  Kenwley 
who  (»wns  a  chain  of  provincial  dialies  and  Lord  Camroso 
also  has  the  title  of  Editor-in-Chief.  As  owner  he  is 
a  majority  stockholder  in  a  joint  stcK-k  compony  and 
MS  he  can  control  the  financial  actions  which  lie  behind 
newspaj»er  production.  A.s  B(litor-in-Chief  lie  ean,  and 
doe»s.  control  the  iKilicy  of  the  pa|K*r. 

On  the  whole  the  i>olicy  of  the  Daily  Telegraph  i4 
fairl>  predictable  :  ]>olitically  it  favours  the  Conservative 
Party,  and  in  foreign  affair^  favours  a  strong  Britain  ini 
doM-  association  with  the  United  States.  That  hasid 
p<dicy  is  perMmally  laid  down  by  the  K«litor-in-Chief, 
bul  the  Editor  who  look*  arler  tht-  papir  day  after  day 
can.  of  course,  exerciser  control  within  limits.  So  in 
lhi?»  ca?e  we  have  an  txample  of  the  fmanciai  owneB 
being  also  the  editorial  controllrr  of  the  eomment  and 
lht»  tone  of  his  paper. 

iV.'MILY    ProPUITILS 

.•\  fairly  similar  case  is  the  Daily  Mail.  This  i»  also 
a  papt-r  with  rightwing  tendencies  but  it  is  more  designed 
for  the  man  in  the  street,  it  is  more  ''popular"  than  ihc 
Daily  Telegraph,  it  co*.t>  Irss.  an«l  it  ha-  a  circulation  of 
about  two  mill'on.  In  fact  the  Daily  Mail  was  the 
pioneir  of  all  popuhir  journalism  at  the  turn  of  the 
centur>.  when  it  was  built  up  by  Alfred  ITarmsworth. 
whci   latcrr   becam**   Lord   NorthclifTe. 

It  i**  still  owned  by  the  Harii!*\\orlIi  family  ttt-dav. 
and  that  {lerhaps  illu-tratr^  rather  well  a  feature  of  the 
Brili-h  new^jpapiT  world.  Nfany  iievvspapei'i  are  family 
properties  :  The  Times,  as  1  mentioned,  has  been  partly 
in  the  hands  of  the  Waller  family  since  its  foundation  ill 
the  eighteenth  century:  the  Manrhe.ster  Guardian  ha* 
be«-ii  »h)-*cly  as^xiated  in  owncr-liip  v\itli  the  .^ott 
family:    ihe    Daily    Mail    ]•<   a    Flarmsworth    pro|>erty. 

Lord  Rolhcrnwre  rnntnds  the  fmanrial  side  of  the 
l)ail\  Mail  an<l  its  a-isoriat'-d  pap»T-.  the  Kienin;:  .Yciff 
and  .S'w ////«>  Dispatrh.  But  Xa^tA  Koihrrmerc  aUo  ha** 
eonsidcrable  fditorial  <onin»I  of  hi"  pap«i-.  Hi-  told  the 
Press  Ciiimmission  in  T>17  that  the  ]iolicv  |iur>ued  by  his 
Londi»n  papers  was  initrely  in  hi^  l)and>.  He  ha4>  an 
offin-  in  the  newspaper  building  and  he  talks  to  the 
Kditoi  of  thi-  Dailv  Mail  almoM  rvi-rv  day:  he  talks  ti» 
the  Editor  of  the  Finiin/a  \ew.s  ami  ihr  Sunday  Dispatrh 
at  l«a*t  omv-  a  weok.  j»nd  \Nh"nr\iT  a  mattir  "F  iniporlanci" 
«'iMni"«i  up. 

What  that  means  in  1a<i  i<«  th.il  uliimutely  the  poliry 
and  editorial  line  ni  the  Daily  Mail-  and  the  other 
|.aper---dr'prnds  nn  I/ord  Rolhermere.  but  he  receiver 
advice,  whieh  must  count  vt;ry  highly,  fmm  hi-  Editor, 
and   other   member*  of  his  -taff. 

History  of  the  Indian  Association 

B:^  logesh  Chandra  Bagal 

Indispeniahle  for  the  hlHtory  of  Tndia'ii  Kreidom 
movement.  Hii^hly  npokeu  of  by  Si^holais  and  the 
Prcflii.    Price  Ri.  7  b.    Foreign  lU.  10 

Some  Aspects  of  the  Constitution 
of  India  As  i(' 

fly  Professor  D.  N.  Bancrjea. 
Ucu'l  of  ihe  DtpL  ftf  Politi^^s,   CahuHa  I  miwsUif. 
To  y  had  Of— 


ftfie^^  a^oiecia^e^C  m  ^ome  i  a^i^ect^.. 


The  letter  from  an  American  lady  is 
convincing  about  the  supreme  quality 
of  NEEM  TOOTH   PASTE. 


It  contains  intrinsic  principles  of 
NEEM,  and  natural  CHLOROPHYLL. 
well-tnown  lor  antiseptic,  germicidal 
and  deodorant  properties. 


Ihe    •or 

d  ifip 

%IV^.^^ 

B  no*  <■'"' 

„r.»°' 

'.^gV"'^*'",'; 

1  oltlBI"" 

'"'  B  very  truly, 


y  THE  CALCUTTA  CHEMICAL  CO.  LD. 

CALCjrTJI-2f' 


P..rl,di's 

III,   paTiiT  «hi<h  It.  nio-l  4«iu|.irlfly  wiilr..lM 

by  ..ne  n,l,n 

is  ilic  /Jk'/i-  Hiprrif.  which  i:.  "..wn.d"  l.y 

Ur.1  H.-inir 

inlrrr.!   in   t 

r'  -hi.H'  lit  ili'T  i(>m|>,in\ .     Lbnl  Diat.-rljniik 

i-  nol    ll..' 

.nii,id.i:r   .lir,.l,>-    i-f   hi-  r..-iii<any    ta-   l..r.I 

Roth'TIII.  ■■' 

.<  ol    l,j.i:    II,'   i~   ii>.|   :■   ilifrliT  nl    fi!h    lie 

\*  ii.,i  r..i;:.. 

iiiClii.l     l;.^   1.....)   <:.iii-r„-,     i-   ol    lh«   /M/j- 

TKhgTai'h  J  ■ 

ill   hvr.   il     li.<~  n't-T  had   un  uflin-  in  that 

J.ii:   Kia-  !• 

!.!;.!:.■    ill    Vl..->   •<»■■■,    ih.-ii   li.m-rs  ili.'   fli^iU 

Ex;-H>:.       11 

\-.-   >'r>    liii!'    r..i:  al   i '.nn'c Tt.m  willi   l)i<^ 

I.ai..r.      Y.l 

ill.'    pi)iiii!i;ni   ..f    ill.'   runiiMiiv   onii-   siiviiiiioil 

ir   u|.  I.y  ..,> 

■-•M   ■■|i.i.|..,,i,-,.,!lv      I,,„i    H.js.Tl,n...k    i,   Ih.- 

j'ai>.T."      *!!. 

.  ■L.-.s-.   I    ll.iuk.  «l:nt    is  iriic  -f  all  ni-ws- 

..,:,  .:i,ii..i   ..11  ^^\^,  run-   i,   l,v   l.ioking  HI  il, 

:;■   -i:   ■■    a)    il-   '.lil-niil   liii.nr.l. 

Fi.- :,-,,. ■ 

I.i!   l!',>sMi.-..  k'-   .-n'vM  i,  fo  r'-r«"n:.l  it 

■  _   -.1   .vvl    ,1    ....i,.ti..:,   „i   t|,.-_Hii-y   „flii» 

|iiiT,.'|.;    il    i- 

l>rM.(„.,..n,; 

■-•.    -il'-  ■    ir"  |..'.M-''tl.,,;    ',!..'.'■■  "T"rj''M.P.; 

■    "'iV'i-'";. 

1   'h;.l  .■.i-ir'>'-;..T.v/'tJ-r'iH,liry   „[  the 

/■:/'■.-//.-„.■ 

ft  i^.    ll.i  ■-. 

\     r.-,=    <„..-.,.;,     -I.,;'  Ill'-    1-m|:..V    nf    III.;    popi-r 

-hii'l     Iv      1'  1 

li:.-.--,l    l-.v    (11-    1  alinir    Pdrly    jn-l    lliv 

II<rnl^    V 


llii'   oigan   of   lh>'   Labour   Parly,   and   il   i»   iW   to   thai 

One  ol  ilic  paiKTs  I  always  glance  at  with  intemt 
it  iIk'  Daily  Worktr.  It  g\\fi  me  i<imply  and  wilhoot 
fu---  llir  ^:'■l!1llllllli^t  Party  lini-.  It  <l.irs  not  wuvfr. 
ir  (lors  not  dnubt,  though  il  MunotimcB  is  a  day  oi 
tuu  late  in  making  itii-  -Jiarp  tuiTi't  ilcinandirJ  of  knil 
Iiorty  m.-iiili.rs.  The  Worker  U  owned  by  a  ciM>|>erative 
w«i.-lv  -allrit  ilir  IViijiW  Priming  Socii-ly.  PIjBcj- 
U  \i\>\  d.iKn  !■>    III.-  Oimniuni-l   Parly. 

At  lh<^  olhrr  |ioIc,  I  would  ]iut  Ihe  StKt  Chrenidr, 
nhirii  i-  u  J.iiiiTMl  Purly  imrir,  liul  iHYausi'  ^f  At 
^i>iiil1nr.>..  of  thai  Parliatni'nrary  party  il  niaintuiiis  a 
vory  dctacliid  atliliide  to  musl  parly  politics.  Tk 
cvnii'r>hip  nf  lliis  lupcr  i'  ai^in  rrally  vt^trd  in  a  funiily. 
the  Qiiuker  Cadbury  family,  but  ihey  tiave  made  a  tnut 
'lut  !•[  llii'tr  iiuni'T^liip,  and  Una-icial  cuntrul  Hvm»  to  ii< 
i'\  rli-il  |iy  tlic  Cadliury:''  numinec.  Lord  Laylon. 

I  ant  iii'w  ttfl  ai  ihc  bottom  nf  my  pile  with  the  hn> 
i.i.lun-  pllll^rs  the  Daily  Mirror  and  ihr  Daily  Skttck. 
Till-  Mirror  is  .i  \i'r\  pii^ular  paiier  with  t.  oirculaliiHi  iit 
jl.niit  f.i'ir  irilli-ii.  .mil  a  slightly  1efl-nf-cniit«  virwpoiiil. 
Il  i-  i.iiii.il  liy  a  iiublijr  rompany,  and  it  is  wry 
liurd  t'.  know  v.hon'  the  financial  control  is  mUy 
KiiinJ:  I  i..lic-vr  ili<-  cunirol  of  ihe  Daily  Mirror  \» 
.",.ii..|  t.i:iiii|j  fr'.:i.  ili"  rditnrial  office.  Finallv.  the 
Daily  Sl.-cl'h.  nhiih  lias  rliangcd  hands  in  the  last 
!i"'nl!i  ■  it  li.i-  1>-Ti  M.ld  by  Kemrfry  newspapetf  and 
liiii-lii  U-  .h:-  tl'-;'y  ,l/,,.7  nimpauy.  It  is  too  eail>-  t* 
,-jy  «l;Hi  il?  iiolii)  will  *ctlk'  down  to,  but  it  wtuit 
l"i-rrMi-  Il  will  1.1-  a  •■lii.'hlly  right-of -centre  verMon  of 
111.'   Diiilv    Mirroi: 

A.  I  l:nl>li  n:y  ii.-i  imptr  each  moniing.  what  !  ofren 
I.  'A^  ,-\  \-  \\viV  'm  ^i\\-iTO  \Vw.  Trader  haa  a  vety  Itw  ni 


FOREIGN  PERIODICALS 


m^Mm^^^ 


Civil  Dii»obedicncc  in  South  Africa 

John  Hatch,  author  of  Dilemma  in  Soutit 
Ajrica  and  Professor  of  history  in  the  University  of 
Glasgow  and  an  authority  on  Snulh  African  affairs, 
\vriU!s  in  the  Jeuisli  Frontier,  March.  1953  : 

During  tlie  six  months  botwt'cn  thr  rn«l  of  Juno  1052, 
an'i  ihf  end  of  ih«?  y<'ar,  Siloj  African^,  hulian*  and 
Colourods  (ix'iiplf  of  mixrd  df^-iint)  win»  impnson«d  in 
ihe  Inion  of  South  Africa  for  drlibc rat'ly  bn-akinj;  law.-*. 
Dunng  ihis  porioij  a  v\rllorj:ani?fd  ranii»aij!n  for  ihe 
flcliberalv^'  breach  of  law  wan  conducted  by  an  artion  com- 
cnittcr  !H*t  up  by  the  South  African  Indian  Congress  and 
the  African  National  Confsr'-'S  and  it  has  bct-n  announced 
that  thisi  campaii^n  is  to  be  continued  and  int'-nsifuvl  dur- 
ing 1953.  IVlranwhile  the  South  African  Nationalist 
Governmr;^!,  un<l«T  Dr.  Malan,  has  announced  that  it 
intends  to  introduce  new  le^iislation  early  in  1953  to  tak»* 
drastic  powers  to  .su|vpre5.s  the  movcmenl.  At  the  same 
lime,  during  the  last  few  weeks  of  1952,  tw«>  new  feature:*' 
ol  the  r>ituation  apjuarcd,  when  first  widespread  rioting 
dcv^'loped  in  Kiniberlcy.  Pore  Bliz-abeth  and  L'aNl  London, 
and  then  a  han«lful  of  Euroi>ean-^^.  led  by  Mr.  l*alrick 
Duncan,  son  of  a  fonni-r  Covenior-(/eneruI  of  the  I'nion. 
look  part  in  the  law-breakinji  eompaiirn. 

The  ba<*k{:ro!iiid  to  ibis  unhappy  prospect   for  South 
Africa   in   1953   is  the   complicated  raeial  composition  of  its 
population  aufj  the  psycholo;:>  of  it-  different  racial  groups. 
The  racial  siiuiiien  in  Sinith   Afiira   ha*  s(»nu  tinu-.-^  been 
roinjiared    with    that    of   tht-    I  nittd    Siatt-s    «if    Anu-ricn. 
The  coniparirron   is.   liow«'\er.  quite   faUe.   for   wher«j-i  the 
■Vmerican  Negro  is  in  a  miaMrily  «;t   l«:s>  than  one  to  t«'n. 
the   ;\on-Kuit»peans   df   Suuth    Afriea   con.-titute   four-liflh- 
of  the  tofal  population  of   the   i'>untry.  Out   of  a   popula- 
tion of  12'.j   million,  only   slijrhtl)    mon-  than  2\   millions 
are    whiles.     >  i-i    it    i-»   \\\\>   >niall    uhitf    minority    which 
rcntrofs  every  aspcet  of  the  jioliiieal.  M»cial  and  economic 
life  of  the  nation.      Pailianient.   for  in*«t.incf.  i-  crniipu'«ed 
i^f   an    upper   hou-e,    the   Soaale,   and   a    V>\svr   hoii>e,   the 
House   of   Assembly.        Both    Ifou-e-^   admit      only    white 
rppresenlali\es.     In  tin-  fornnr.  out  of   Wi     Sfiialors  foui 
only    are    indireetly    eh.eted    by    tin-    \S^  *    million    African 
inhabitants   whilst   of   ihr    15 J      Member.-  of  the      lower 
house,  only  llirte  an*  elerted  by  Afiican-  who  Ii\e  in  the 
('ape    Province.     Tin*    reinainlnjr    b)rtyf«.ur   *^r■nal(^r-    and 
.156   Members   of   the    Ilou-e   «»1    A^ptnbly      r«'pr»'sent    the 
white  ciM/ens  phin  an  eb  elorale  of  h-.--  tli:«n  5().00()  Tape 
Coloureds    (whom  lb'    Goxernnumt.   incid<  iitally,  lias  bt-en 
trying  to  remo\e  from   ih«'  common  roll  fur  the  past  two 
years.)     In  social  life,  ronifdete  Hgregation  of  tlie  races 
is   enfon-' d    by     the    white     cnmnM'nity     an<l.    of   eom^f, 
•social  faciliti«'s  for  the  Non-Europeans  arc  greatly  inferior 
to   those    provided    fr.r    whiles.     In    vm'vs    aspect    of    the 
entertainment   world,  in.  pMbli*'   tran>|»ort   vrhi<les.   in   th«: 
post  ofTiCf's  anil   tfl''phc»n«"  booili^.   in   n  ^i'lrn'ial  .-nea-.  in 
all   BOcicliirs  and   groups,   in   re-taurants  anl   luitels,  even 
in  churches  and  on  the  beaches,  on   jinrk      b.-neh«'s  anrl 
station    scats,    strict    segregation    i-*    cnfoe.el.      \    whole 
complexity    of    laws    pnrvenu    tin*    \<'n-lviro|H»ans     from 
htcoming  skilled  workcra,  i^hiht   the  barriers  to  the  pro- 
fett9ionfi  are  vvn    high   ami   u^iiallv    salaries    are      mucU 


lower,    and    trade    union    organization    of    the    African    i» 
nf»t  rec<igni/ed  by  law. 

This  national  iK>li(y  of  ifegregation,  with  the  inferiof 
n.b"  allotted  to  the  Non-Kuropean.  has  develo])ed  from 
the  historical  influences  of  the  pa-l  three  hundre<l  years, 
slucr  Dutchmen  first  settled  at  the  Cape.  Gradually  the) 
d«  \«'lojied  an  insularity  of  characU-r  wiiich  became  e^'cr 
ntorc  deeply  imb'i<*d  with  the  con\ietion  that  the  wliilc 
*»kin  wa**  a  bajljie  of  inherent  superiority  and  that  racial 
luiilN  was  iheir  <livine  n*<|Min-ibility.  The  fact  that  many 
•  :f  ihem  had  colored  anet-jtor'^  fiom  the  tarty  days  of 
racial  mixture  was  and  is  ignored  ami,  if  anything,  the 
knowledge  of  it  prom(»tes  an  evtn  greater  racialist 
fanatiei^m.  It  was  largely  the  abhorrence  with  which 
I  Key  \iew-.'d  the  povvibility  of  being  treated  on  the  basil 
i.f  «.MiuaHty  with  the  non-white  people*,  that  led  the  Boerst 
in  the  ISM)^  to  retreat  from  British  rule  and  found  their 
own  n»'w  stales  of  the  Transvaal  and  the  Orange  Free 
.*^lati'  on  (constitutions  based  upon  the  declared  principle 
of  *'\o  ''quality  in  Chuich  or  State."'  Since  the  Union 
of  1910,  which  linkcil  th«'s«'  twj>  former  Boer  Kepublicn 
with  the  British  Cape  Colony  anrl  Natal  in  a  united 
South  Africa,  thi*  d'^i'ply  ingraine<l  color  prejudice  of 
ih»^  Boers,  or  Airikanors.  ha^  grad.uallv  but  steadily 
infiltrated  among>t  ihe  British  do«icen<iants  an<l  the  otlief 
white  settlers  until  tinlav.  with  hardly  any  exception;!, 
the  whole  white  community  support?,  the  prineiple  of 
i.rrniancnt    while   »-uperiority   and   su|>remacy. 

This  f«r.'ling  has  al-o  be«n  gn-atlv  aggra\ated  bv  tlie 
faci  that  throughout  tliiv  crnlury  South  Africa'  ha^ 
!--radu3lly  bej-n  undergoing  I  he  pioce**.  ol  an  indu.strial 
nvohiiion.  A«  a  con.-<qu»ni  e,  an  increasing  str'^am  of 
.Von-Kuropean^  have  been  h'a\ing  the  countryside  for  the 
towns  to  provide  the  basis  of  a  national  labor  force. 
Tln\  iiroce^N  ha->  been  greatly  accebratcd  over  the  last 
fifl'.en  years,  an<l  between  19.56  and  1951  the  total 
population  of  \(m-Europeans  in  the  four  largest  eilics  rose 
fi'.m  613,783  !o  1.307.095.  more  than  doubling.  whiLl 
the  a\erage  i»opulalii.n  incn  a«ir  of  the  nation  wa*  only 
two   p.T     cent      per     annum        One     «»f     the   inevitable 


DIABETES 

atCUt-ieadUufChtmisU. 
DESCRIPTIVE  lITERATUREfREtFROM 

HIMALAYA  DRUG  Co. 

251.  HORNBY  HQM.EQMW.  v» 


MS 


THE  MODERN  REVIEW  FOR  JUN*E,  1953 


conBequeaceii  ol  thia  pruortB  hab  been  ihal  u  incKiunii 
munber  of  Non-Europeann  have  Mcured  educatioDBl 
t^ipOTtimitiea  a»  well  ui  economic  and  political 
cvii«riousnei4,  which  had  grratly  aegravated  the  fear  of 
the  whiiet  that  tbrir  privibrgcd  poution  will  be  under- 
mined.  Aj»  a  fmall  iiiiniirity,  not  only  in  iheii  couniry. 
but  in  a  C'lntincnt  wiih  nearly  200  milhcn  Africaiu,  tlii? 
fear  ban  led  to  incteaainBly  dc*>iM^foii"  measures  to  preieni- 
ihfir  pu»ition  of  supremicy. 


time  lu  liuie  ^vmi  waruing  of  the  ■pieadincpoitOB  bdm 
ibe  social  surface.  AitemptH  at  trade  uniim  oruniniim, 
various  political  movemenis,  and  orianized  demcnitii' 
tions  have  shown  an  increaun|!  development  ol 
irpani/alional  expcrieace. 


whibt 


Durmi;    this    period    Mnte    I'JiO,    . ..._     —  , 

lanaticiBm   of    ihe    Botin    has     been    steadily   »preadine 
tbonighout  thi'  nation,  the  atrilude  of  the  Non-Euioi>eBnt> 
baf  undergone  a  eorre^|iondini:  ehange.  From  ihe  middle 
of  labt  century  up  tn  the  time  of  Unioii  tliu  Non-Europe' 
ans  could  be  broadly  diiided  into  two  MClion^.      in  the 
iwo   norlhern    Boer    Republic*    and    in    Natal    lli'y    hail 
very  laruely  been  funed  lo  accept  a  position  of  eompkie 
MTtitude   to,    liic     while     mailers.       In     ihf     Cain;   they 
incrm^inKly    eni'oyed    a    degree    of    parliii-r;hip    niih    ih*.' 
tirliite  man  in  which,  ulibou^h  ihc  -Non- 
Eurupean   Kai<   veT>    much  of  u  junior 
partner,  there  was  >oni<^      uppurtunii) 
for  him  to  develop  in  eiiilixalion   and 
Ihuf  Iv  EBin  tile  n'>|iei:t  and  etcn  ilir' 
frkndiJiip   of   ihi'    Hliile-'.    In    |N)lilic~. 
fnr     ini-tanre.     no     dix'riminatiun     on 
jiruumlF  iif  ciilor  na~  ixTntitteil  in  lite 

Sini-e  ivm.  Iiiiwe\er,  ilic  whole  irend 
•i(  ^uulh  African  iwliry  haf  been  tv 
enforce  ever  more  ri^id  iMlor  liar-  anil 
progni>»i\rl)  (o  diminish  ihe  right"  nf 
cjlizeniihip  of  ihe  Non- Europeans.  Ar< 
a  conH-<[Uence,  and  in  view  of  theii) 
increasing  polilieal  and  economic  con- 
i'ioui>neTis.  tile  Non-CuropeaUA  hav; 
bnen  ^teailily  forced  into  a  ■'lrut[(!li' 
with  th'-  white  crimmunily.  In  thi- 
•phece  of  oritanizulii'ii  they  iiriian  fmiii 
r\trenif  weAni?*.  fur.  withimt  capital 
or  iba  mran^  of  ttallirrini:  i(.  hindered 
nil  all  '^ide-  hv  re^lricliie  li-)li«)aliiiii 
iriiii'li  wao  enlirely  i-tinlr'dlid  by  lln- 
whilVK  wtlli  ii-r)  lillte  e.ViHTienee  ol 
organi/uliiHi  and  with  ia~t  diMani-Cr 
M!|)aru1in|i  ihi-  main  url>an  ciiilers  the 
NoD-Eumpeant  havi-  Iiunlly  bc-n 
equipiird  to  coiubat  die  n--uuree«  nf 
modern  stale  power.  (In  ihe  .ilbir 
hand,  ihey  have  Ihi-h  a-'i^iinl  by  ihi' 
liBMC  facts  of  Siiulh  'Vfriiiin  naiiona) 
life,      fn  spite  uf  th>'      i-<>iMaiit      and 


Yel  protest  has  been  largely  iueSectivc  and  the  weak 
basic  foundations  noted  aboi'e,  tt^ethcr  with  auspidoH 
and  jealousy  between  different  iribci  and  between 
Afrtcunis  Cuhiureds  and  Indians,  has  prevcoled  any 
loc  considerable  succew  attending  aucb  movcmenlii.  Man- 
while,  developing  cHpitslitrm  atid  increasing  disctimina* 
tion  ha»  lightened  llio  economic  Hlranglehold  of  the  white 
lomniunity,  whil;'!  leiii'-Iatiun  has  liieadily  decreased  iht 
political  intluencc  of  the  Non- Europeans.  It  has  been 
Ihe  majur  effecl  of  Dr.  Malan's  Natioiialis!  Government 
tincc  19'18  lo  accelerate  all  ihcbe  processes  leading  to- 
wardii  lieighlcned  racial  ten.-ion  aud  to  drive  all  aMtioni 
uf  the  Non  Euro] lean  eiiniinunily  lo  mi;lect  tlieir  mutual 
yiii-pieinn'  and  conflict:^  in  order  lo  recognize  ihrir  common 


^e(,fe/^^ 


fovrish  altenipts  .if 

(cm    of    -^esriBiitioii 
South    African    na1i< 
constantly  d>-iiiai)ilrd 
•■f   cheap   ii)du>lrial 
consequent  iiicrra-.iii 
of  .\iin-Europi-an<<    ii 
aidrJ     their      H-lf<'< 

lu  imp. 

upon    l) 

na\    -I'u 

furth- 

lab'>ur 

'•■  a  pat- 
omy  'lm< 

*«me     lime,     ihrviipli      tlie     u|ipullin(.- 
houMUit.  heahh.  and   -o.ial   ...n'llilon- 
«f  th"   N..n-Eur'.|ican    urban    Watimis. 

fuel  has  Wn  added  lu  lli..  -tm.ld.rinc 
fire-  of  di^iconlent. 

I'ariuv  iiii-thiH}-  of  pmlrrt  fiaii-  he.-ii 
trrmptriL     Sirih-.      llir     hatniUK     of 
'.''■•:  ri..ni«,fm.;,t  .,{  ta\>-<.  -,/uaftcr-' 

_,^,SIRMR  8  SONS 

Mm,167X/l  BOWBAZAR  STREET  CALCUTTA,(AMHERST  STREET 
S  BOWBAZAfI  STREET  .JUNCN}  OPPOSITE  OUR  OLD  SHOW  ROOM 

L    6RAHCH  HIKDUSTHAN  HART.BALLYGUNQE  IJai/B.RASHBIHARI  AVENUE   J 


FUKKUUN  PEK1U1>1GALS 


6(» 


liuMilil>  iuvirards  tlie  whilt'a  and  ihe  necessity  to  combine 
in  one  common  struggle.  The  Nationalist  Government 
han  not  basically  altere«i  the  traditional  prinripleft  of  South 
African  white  policy,  but  it  has  stated  them  in  more 
uncompromising  language  and  used  more  drastic  anc^ 
>pectacular  action  than  ever  before.  Its  Mixed  Marriages 
Act  made  illegal  any  marriage  l>etwecn  European  and 
Non-European,  whilst  its  amendment  to  the  Inimorality 
Act  made  any  sexual  union  between  European  and  Non- 
European  a  criminal  offen*«e.  The  Group  Areas  Act  is 
designed  to  force  Noii-£urop<^anA  into  strictly  segregated 
residental  and  bu«inrss  areas,  whilst  the  Populationl 
Registration  Act  codified  the  racial  i>rigins  of  every 
inhabitant  of  the  Union.  ,The  Suppression  of  (!i»mmunisni 
Act  gave  the  government  powers  to  remove  any  of  its 
opponents  from  public  life,  to  suppress  organizations  and 
newspapers,  on  the  grounds  of  aiming  ''at  the  encourage- 
ment of  feelings  of  hostility  between  the  European  and 
Non-European  races  of  the  Union.*'  Finally,  in  the 
Separate  Representation  of  Voters  Act,  an  attempt  wa*j 
made  by  the  government  to  remote  the  last  of  the  Non- 
European  voters  who  had  survived  on  the  common 
electoral  roll  from  the  days  of  Cape  libera]i«»m,  and  to 
^parate  permanently  those  SOAK)  Cai>e  Coloured  voier?i 
from  the  European  electorate.  This  Act  has  temporarily 
been  held  up  by  the  decision  of  the  Appeal  Court.  That 
is  to  be  made  an  is.>ue  of  c<mfidence  in  the  govt-ni- 
ment  at  the  general  election  to  lie  held  in  April  of  this 
year.  At  the  same  time,  by  a  multitud«t  of  uew 
regulations  and  a  more  rigitl  enforcement  and  interpretation 
of  former  rules,  the  Nationalists  have  attempted  to  enforce 
the  principles  of  s<>greg«ition  in  every  asiH'ct  of  national. 
lo<«a1,  and  personal  life. 

The  suppres».i<»n  of  a  minorit\  b>  a  majorit)  in  tin* 
slate  eventually  leads  to  a  social  'Tuplion,  even  if  th*' 
con8e<iuence  be  martyrdom.  In  tluj  final  resort  mjn  will 
.>acrifice  their  lives  for  s<'lf-n*>pect  and  iKTsonal  liberty. 
But  in  South  Africa  it  i-*  a  nujority  who  have  been 
subjected  to  tyranny.  For  every  white  man  there  are 
fi\'c  non- whites,  and,  thuujsh  all  th**  f<»rces  of  the  slate  arc 
held  in  the  hands  of  the  European-*,  such  rubjerlion  cannot 
permanently  hr  niainlained  will' out  conflict.  Thisi  i- 
particularly  «h>  in  a  wurld  in  which  the  Non-Europeaoi 
peoples  are  becominj:  incroasinjily  eon«^iuus  of  their 
national  and  human  aspiration  and  takinpr  nn  oM-r 
greater  part   in  national   and   international   life. 

Since  1918,  therefore,  a  new  pha»e  of  stru^JfiJe  ha- 
developed  amonjisl  the  Non-Europfan-.  in  South  Africa. 
The  old  weaknt>«'es  hlill  reni.'Mn.  but  le*son«*  havf  been 
learned  from  the  e\neri«iuM-s  <d  the  |»ast.  \bove  all. 
the  different  Non-European  conimunitie.,  have  been  forced 
to  learn  by  hard  experi«n<v  that  onK  hv  dropping  their 
differences  and  vvagini  a  eonr«Tt»*(l  •.iruji;i1i'  ran  ihev 
hope  for  any   success. 

One  w«'ap«»n  onl>  lir-  iii  ili<-  hand  »f  thf  Non- 
European  communilv.  Debarred  from  any  oppoi'tunity  rd* 
securing  conMitutional  reiln-**.  ^>ith  ail  capital,  le<>i^lation. 
and  the  mcinj*  of  forn-  in  the  hand*  of  the  vvlules,  the 
Non-Ehiropeans  have  only  \\\r  value  of  their  labor  to 
n«e  in  the  slrug;:le.  The  whit**  comniunily  eon-^tanth 
fmpresses  upon  iht^  worM  ihe  arpinient  that  they  havt 
built  up  in  Sou'h  Africa  a  fimndation  of  while  civilization 
which  ha.H  brought  lo  that  country  the  benefits  and  com- 
forts of  we*.tern  soeit-ty.  Yet  that  civilization  ha*i  been 
built  a-s  much  by  non-white  lalwr  powers  as  by  white 
initiative  and  capital.  an<i  it  can  only  e.xi'^'t  so  Ion;::  ak 
ibat  non-white  labor  force  i^  willjnp  tn  continue  iu 
operation. 

The  main  aim  of  the  \on- European  leaders  over  the 
last  few  years  has  been  to  expo-je  this  fact  to  the  mas* 
of  the  non-white  i»opulation.  Tn  June  1950  a  first  national 
attempt  was  ina<!c  on  these  lines  by  the  organization  of 
a  one-iiay  national  poUtiral  '*tnkp  sj  a   means  of  pTole*l- 


ing  against  discriivinatory  legislation.  The  strike  wav 
by  no  means  one  hundred  per  cent  auccessful.  but  its 
main  effect  was  to  demonstrate  to  hundreds  of  thousands 
of  Non-Europeans  the  importance  of  their  place  in  South 
African  society.  A  similar  attempt  was  ma^e  in  1951, 
and,  immediately  following  it,  a  joint  committee  was  set 
up  by  the  African  National  Congress  and  the  indiair 
National  Congresb  to  organize  a  nvjre  serious  attempt! 
to  protest  against  the  whole  dis(Timinalor>'  structure  of 
South  African  life  and  to  demand  that  th<r  Non-Ebropean 
should  be  recognized  as  a  full  and  equal  South  Africaiv 
citiz(.>n.  The  fact  that  it  was  i)ossible  for  the  main 
organizations  of  the  Africans  and  the  Indians  to  come 
together  in  this  joint  enterprise  was  in  itself  a  most 
significant  dem.mst ration  that  the  two  sections  of  the 
Non-European  community  which  had  been  most  hostile 
to  each  other  wee  now  realizing  the  common  object  of 
their  immed*^       iuis. 

The  '^  -ade  by  this  joint  conmiitlee  were  fully 
approv  „y  the  annual  conferences  of  the  African 
National  Congress  and  the  Indian  National  Congress 
held  at  the  end  of  1951  and  the  beginning  of  1952 
respectively.  It  was  now  clear  that  the  African  Congress 
had  quite  changed  its  character.  It  had  been  mainly 
an  organization  which  passed  resolutions,  organised 
deputations,  and  held  personal  consuhations  with  the 
authorities.  A  change  had  come  at  the  conference  ab 
the  end  of  1949  when.  Dr.  J.  S.  Moroka  replaced  Dr. 
Xuma  as  President-General.  Dr.  Moroka  is  a  medical 
iloctor  from  Thaba  Xchu  in  the  Orange  Free  State  and 
rpiittt  conservative  in  bis  i)olitical  outlook.  His  ap- 
cestors  actually  received  land  from  the  Vootrekens  in 
platitude  for  their  help.  Yet  he  realized  that  the  only 
method  of  combating  the  ]K)IIcy  of  the  Nationalists  was 
to  lead  an  active  organization  and  to  associate  with  the 
»rganizations  of  the  other  Non-Europeans.  The  Indians 
have  for  long  been  the  most  exi>erieneed  in  organization 
and  have  shown  the  greatest  initiative  in  tactics  and, 
lerl.  by  Dr.  I)adcH>  in  the  Transvaal  and  Dr.  Naiekei* 
in  IVatal,  were  trying  to  dev*»lop  a  strong  and  active 
\i»nEun»pean  organization. 

The  plan  laid  down  by  tht  two  Cunirre-ise^  was  mm-ii 
fffectively  for  the  fiist  tjine  in  Fcbruarv-  1952  when  a 
letter  was  sent  to  the  Prime  Minister.  Dr.  NIalan  demanding 
that  all  discriniinaloiy  legiftlatioa  be  repealed.  The  Prime 
.Mini»-!er  inevitably  refu-ed  to  entertain  any  such  idea  and 
\%arned  ihr  (!onpre««^es  that  the  Government  would  usf 
all  I  he  powers  of  the  -late  to  suppress  their  activities  if 
th»  Ian  wa^  broken.  A<-cordinj!ly  the  seeon<l  move  in 
the  eampai^^n  wa-  made  on  April  6ib,  when  mass  meetings 
of  \on-Euroj)ean.-  were  called  ibroughout  the  country 
on  the  very  sam-  dav  that  the  white  eommunily  wa-i 
eelehratinji    the    trrcfntf-narv    of    the    landing    of    Jan    van 


T.  B.  IS  NOT  INCURABLE 

An  invention  by 
Rajvaidya  Kaviraj  Pranacharya 
Dr.  PRABHAKAR  CHATTERJEE,  m.a.,  d.8c., 

JAKSHMARI 

A  Unique  medicine  for  stopp'nfi;  continuous  feror, 
cough,  haemoptysis,  hoaneneu  of  voice,  night  sweat 
arersion  to  food,  diarrhoea,  damages  in  the  longs 
and  loss  of  weight  by  destroying  the  T.  B.  germs. 
It  is  much  more  effective  than  any  medicine  imported 
from  abroad.  Numerous  patients  have  had  a  com|>lete 
recovery.  Full  iMurticnUrs  withpTeseri^tl(\^<^'^T«Q^suNfiv.'. 


m 


'1^ 


rilE  MODKIIN  KKVIKW  FOR  JUNE.  1953 


RieSeeck'  fo  found  the  fir»t  white  i^ettlement  in  S<miH 
Africa.  Tlic  piocess  of  organization  continued  until  the 
cainpfaififn  proppr  began  on  June  26th,  now  established 
a6  **Ercedom  Day"  amongst  the  Non-Europeans,  from  it  a 
uw  as  the  day  of  general  strike  in  the  two  pre\'ious 
years. 

Mftny  of  thosi'  who  have  studied  and  ob^'rved  African 
organisation  at  first  hand  did  not  birlievt-  that  thii?  campaign 
cotild  ever  succeed  in  it-  priniar>-  oljjcetj*  lor  more  tlian 
a  few  weeks.  The  aim  i.l  its  orgunizer?.  was  to  emulate 
the  achie\ement  of  Mahatma  Gandhi  in  India  by 
organizing  and  controlling  thousands  uf  their  people 
ddiberately  to  break  discriminatory  law-**,  to  court  arres^ 
biit  to  offer  no  shadow  of  r«>9i^tance  or  violence.  The 
leaders  were  obviounly  acting  with  <"ominnn  sen=e  in 
this  objective,  for  they  retoiiiiizcd  that  tht'ir  pi-^iph* 
had  no  defense  against  \io]i'nc(*  untl  would  only  sufTt^i 
severely  if  it  were  prov.iketl.  Yet.  t!iou;;h  they  might 
have  sense  on  their  s.ide,  they  had  set  lhem^elves  a 
tremendous  ohjeetivf.  Gan«llii'<*  achievement  wu-*  immense, 
but  he  had  the  advantage  of  the  tradition  of  oriental 
passivity.  No  such  tradition  exi>tt'({  amongst  the  Africans 
nor  had  they  anything  likr  the  same  experience  of 
organization  and  tradition  in  discipline  which  had  been 
enjoyed    by   their    Indian    predecesH»rs. 

In  spite  of  tlnse  fact-,  the  Mn-ngih  ot  organization 
and  the  maintenan«-e  of  di^<'ipline  ^ince  thi*  eam])aign 
started  on  June  26th.  has  astounded  the  world.  During 
that  lime,  whilst  over  8,(X)0  r»'sislers  liave  been  impri-oned 
and  still  more  arrested,  no  violence  at  al)  was  offered, 
ft  hhouM  be  further  remem!)fri'd  that  lh<'  South  African 
police  force  is  accu^tunifd  to  dealing  quite  brutally 
with  it»  Non-EurojH'an  pri^tmers  and  many  charges  have 
been  made  of  iH-trfaimi*nt  acrordfd  to  these  .  registers 
in  prison. 

It  has  been  clr*ar  from  tin*  start  that  a  monr  eflicient 
(organization  has  been  created  here  than  ha«  ever 
previously  been  kno\>n  amongM  tlie  \on-Enro|»eans  of 
South  Africa.  Obviously  working  to  p.  "-I't  plan,  groups 
have  gone  into  acti«.ii  in  -iircessive  areas,  occupying: 
♦teals  reserved  for  European^*,  u.-ing  European  counter-* 
in  post  <iffiees  or  brrakinp  th«'  lurffw  anii  cro-.in^i 
prohibited  fjvaitiers,  a|)p<  ariiig  in  thi*  "ilrfi't.^  wilh««ul  pa"^-e« 
and   entering   locatiiin-s    without    permits. 

Meanwhil»\  thi'  (ioMTuinint  h.i>  h:*conM*  inrrfa'-ingN 
restive  in  ih**  fari*  of  iliis  ihnat  to  tlje  |)rivilegt^d  po-i 
tion  of  the  white  eoniTiiiinity .  At  fir^t  it  tri«'d  'o  tn-al 
if  lightly  and  irppO'^'d  « nl\  ii:iM  ^-mlfnee-.  'J'lun  ii' 
l)fgan  to  ihri-aliii  tl*.*-  )»ad«T.-  ant!  artiKit-.l  a  n-nnhtr  of 
ihim,  Dr-.  Mon.ka.  Da«loo,  anil  \ai«'k«'r.  iiml»*r  the 
Sup|>n-si«»n  r»f  Coir.inuni--m  .\«l.  It  is  .-ijiMifManl  !o  noli- 
that  in  c<»rnitting  tht  rn  aru!  >«  nl'iiciu'^  llu-in  to  nine 
month*  iinp-isonnunt.  -u-jh-m«IkI  f«.r  I\n«»  year-.  lh<  iu«.lg«' 
indicated  ihut  thev  wen*  giiil!>  cf  "Skstutovy  (lommunisni."* 
which,  h''  -aid.  had  n'»tliinL'  to  il"  with  "Oiimiiiiiii-in  a-, 
it  in  rommrwilv  IvIioami."  At  lln-  ^^atnc  t'uv.r.  flojginj: 
-ent»*ne»*s  vvn*-  injpn-rd  upon  .'iini<«i  n  -l-l«r'.  Imt  -till 
thf  movr.iienf  ;:allu'n«l  iii'i.!i)«-r)lun!.  -|'!<  .ilinii  fruji  th*' 
TraU'-vaul.  th-    Cap.-  jui-I  ilir  ()i.iii:n-  I  :•  •"   ^'Ial•^ 

III  thv  nii«i-t  of  il'i'  r.n':i  ;ii:«ii  ''.-.ri-  ii«illu.i  orrurrrd 
ill  Kiii'lff-r!"  y.  Port  l*Ji.'.l.«  :}i  .ii'.!  I!a-t  I  niul«»ii.  hut. 
tliough  th'*  g<.\i"rni!iin!  ha-  iiii-.  Ii.'.i-I  •.••  link  it  with  th*; 
<ampaig!i  of  ]«a— iv.-  i«-i-i.  mm-,  it  Im-.  rnnipN  Irlv  fail- il  !•• 
do  <o  and  it.  i-  •'l»\ii'i«.  tlr.!  i!.i-  \i<»'*nii-  ha^  hai.'!|"irtl 
i\ithfr  than  a--i'l««l  lli*-  r'--i-!aii»  ••  rnoM  n'l  i.i .  IIhwimi, 
it  jiavf  th«-  ;.'(i'.'Tii!::«  m:  l1i<-  i-m  ii«-«-  «•!  l»:n!Min^  al!  nnaii 
thori/.'d  UH'lin::-  iii  At'ii*;!!!  an-.i-.  i--Mini.'  ..fltr-  to  ;h> 
pfdiri-  to  fu''  at  lln*  I'.a'I'T-  of  Mn\  |M»i.ii"'.t|  jinjj..  i»n.| 
prtparini:  n*w  l".i:i-lati(»n  m.-skin-j  it  a  -«••.•.  i-  o'f'n---  'o 
/V/A//V //;.•.'/<"  //;  Of;:, in:/*:'}  d.lj.ir.u  ••  «  t"  I'v  .m.l  ljr»in;f 
fKtwti^   .'/I   J  nu  ln'iii]   n   v/jf/    o/"     4.;.f  .-••  n»':.    in   anv    i\v»  a> 


in  spite  of  this  reign  of  terror  which  the  Govcftt- 
uient  is  threatening,  the  movement  has  Gontinued  nidt 
although  suspended  over  Christmas,  is  to  be  intensified 
during  1953.  A  significant  development  of  it  has  been 
the  participation  of  a^  handful  of  Europeans  who  have 
thus  giv«'n  prai-tical  lienionstration  of  tlie  support  whieh 
a  tiny  minority  of  the  .whites  feel  for  the  revolt  against 
oppre«sion  conducted  by  the  Non-E?urupeans.  At  the 
same  time,  at  the  end  of  1952,  Dr.  Moroka  was  replaced 
as  President-General  of  the  African  National  Congreif 
by  Mr.  Albert  LuthuH,  a  chief  from  Natal  who  was 
dismi-'sed  by  the  government  from  his  chieftaincy  because 
of  his  support  of  the  campaign.  He  announced  to  the 
confeience  that  his  policy  would  be  *'Never  to  resort  to 
force,  to  invite  more  Euroi>eans  to  volunteer  and  lo  alk>w 
nothing  to  stand  in  the  way  of  my  people's  freedom."* 

It  would  be  unrealistic  to  imagine  that  this  campaign, 
or.  indeed,  an>  thing  which  the  Non-Europeans  can  do, 
is  likely  lo  had  lo  the  e-tabli>hment  of  their  equal  rights 
with  Eurojieani.  or  to  a  prospect  of  the  achievement  of 
such  an  aim  in  the  foreseeable  future.  Not  only  the 
Nationalist  (;ovi-rnment,  but  both  the  United  Party  and 
the  Labor  Parly  which  form  the  opi>osition,  have  com- 
pletely eondemnrd  the  campaign  and  »land  solidly  on  the 
principle  of  rontinu»-d  wh^e  suprenuicy.  What  the 
campaign  is  doing,  liowever.  is  lo  cement  the  Non-Europ« 
ean  alliance.  gi\c  it  experience  of  struggle,  and  mature 
till'  self-conscio'j-ness  of  the  Non- European  people.  Al 
thr  same  time,  it  i**  focu-sing  overseas  opinion,  particularly 
amongst  non-wiiite  pi-oples.  upon  condition^  in  Soutli 
Africa,  and  is  gaining  the  sympaiheti*-  support  of  \fricans 
elsewher*  on  ;lie  continent.  Sueh  supjiort,  sympathy, 
ami  piThaiis  assistance,  may  well  be  of  vital  importance 
in  the  i-lruggh's  which  clearly  lie  ahead  in  thi>  unhappy 
country  where  racial  tension**  have  become  so  taut,  for  it 
inu«*t  be  obvious  that  n<iw,  in  the  second  half  of  ih-' 
twi-ntielh  crntury  when  a  Dr.  Bunche  has  won  a  Nobt-l 
Peace  Prize  an<l  ln'coine  Director  <if  the  United  Naticr.* 
Trusttc?hip  Division,  when  a  Nehru  lead>  nearly  a  fifih 
of  the  worldV  [lopulation  in  India,  and  a  Kwamc 
Nkrumah  has  hf^eimie  the  first  Prinu*  Ministrr  of  the  Gold 
Cltiast.  ihr  pcoplc'i  with  colori*<l  skins  cannot  anil  will  wj 
longiT  remain   snond   ••la-'s  citizens   of  the  world. 


I9.>t  ILO  Session 

1951  lln  Si\-sion  lo  Di.si-iiss  Seven  Items 

Tin*  (lo\i  iiiin<.'  lio<i>  of  the  Inttrnalional  Labour 
nigani>ation  ha-  •J(ri«h'tl  that  >t\en  items  are  to  be 
in.hirlid    i!'    th.'   ainnda   of  the    ILO's   g«.neral   Conference 

in    Vi:y\. 

Tiiv  -.—ion   All]  he  liehl  beginning  June  '2  al  Geneva. 

The  "iteluiiral  (jUKtliin-  to  he  consideied  niU  h' 
ih  p»i!al  -lUiil'ii-  ft»r  hieaehe-  if  contraet-  «d  employ- 
im  nl.  <2'  ill'  e«»n«lition^  of  migrant  worker*  in  uniler- 
dox'Oop.il    eoun!ri«-,   .-.nd    •.'>!    voeational  rehabiHlation  «»f 

the     ili-:i|i|»il. 

\  r|i-'.Mi--ioii  oi  holi'ljv-  with  pay.  whieh  i:?  :Kehedult'«i 
lo  hr'/in  at  the  IT-*,  -fv-iiin.  will  be  taken  up  again  in 
1' VI  if  ll'e  \'''.\  e.inting  dec  iiies  lu  follow  the  usual 
*'i|iiiiii|f    «li-i  'i-'ion"    I'loet  i!iir»*. 

lie  (M.vuniiiLi  rMMJN  as-n-d  that  the  ll.OV  teehnicai 
.•^•-i-ta:i'«  pro;.Mar.Miie  woulil  he  re\iew»'d  by  the  1951 
ConOi'-'U'"  oM  «li'-  h:i-i-  oi  a  report  whieh  the  Covernins: 
\\f\\    will   -liliMiii. 

Ij...    ^;w,i/,n    \%i!l    al-o    lii  hale    a   re|  <»rl    In    Diierior- 

(;«n  T'l  D.r.i.!  \.  M'T-i .  ti^  the  ILO's  annual  budget. 
ami  exaiiiu'-  tlie  n  asMi' r  ii-  whieh  countrif?»  are  fulhllins 
tl'ir  ol«!i;;.'«'ior.-  !•»   i.naiil   to  the  ILO's  Convention^  8n«l 


/^:::'-./    ;.:../    •  ■:' 


1    »  \- 


Nii,..^rv   v'\vuvV.   \>-.   V- •:.   -^  Vvv-.  ^v>\..c^\:3.. 


V, 


NDED.   BY  - 


RAMANAND^.^I^e&'AT'lfl 

THE 


DERNREVIE 


aaaiHmiimi^jUiiattMiaiig 


JUNE 

Sarvodajn  and  Mandun  •  y.^^ 
Federaliim  in  the  New  CooBwatm  : 


1953 

5*  ft,  AgmwA 
iqbal  Narain  SHvaatava 
Bade  Ediication  for  Democracy  t  Prabodh  Chandra  GottBOnU 

The  U.N.O.  :    A  Better  League   of  Natioiu  ?  i  G.  P.  Srivaatava 

On  the  Census  of  Pakistan  i  Jattndra  Mohan  Datta 

He  Food  Problem  t  P.  C.  BamU 

He  Position  of  Women  in    Medieval  India  :  Ronui  Chaudhurt 

A  Rebel  Magistrate  of  Bihar  :  P.  C  Roy  Choudhmy 

A  Successful     University     Summer  Session  :    Alfred  S.  Schenkman 
Women  in  India's  Freedom  Movement  (iUu$L):  JogeA  C  Bagal 

Pre4iisloric  Rock  ncture»  In  Bellaty  (Ubut,)  t 

^  Richard  CldnniMtamhi 

Merchants  in  Ve£c  and  H(»<oic  India  i  Sure»h  Pratad  Niyogi 

How     Coronation  Serrice  Unks  op  Whole  of  British  History  i 

testte  G,  Pine 
A  Summary  Survey  of  Art  Journals  hi  India  :  Koundinya 

Psychology  in  Industry :  SantOMit  BUwa* 

A  Couple  of  Conatitutioiml  Issues  t  G.  U*  Shtit 

Andent  Honse'Planning  t  Y.  D.  S^auM 

Snqery  In  Sonth  Pole  t  jjnivbrsitY  OP  MICHIGAN         **•  ^*  ^"'•^i" 
PBNBRAL  LIRRART 


EDiTOR^  KEDAeN^T||^CHATT£(lil 


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aamBamaaammmmmmmmmemmKsa 


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Real  Socrots  of  Lovo  ft  Marria^  1    8 
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REFERENCE  BOOKS 

Standard  Guide  to  Better  English 

by  Prof.  A.  N.  Bhandari.  u.A. 
ETntirely  newpubiieation  giving 
1001  modem  english  usages, 
treasui^  of  words,  purpoeeful 
propositions,  idioms,  phrases, 
synonymsy  rules  of  grammar, 
principles  of  punctuation, 
common  errors,  words  com- 
monly spelt  wrongly  with  ABC 
of  Journalism  and  to  XYZ  of 
public  speakiDg,  etc.  4    8 

SUndard  Book  of  Modem  Inter- 
views (Viva-voce)  i953  ed.  4  0 
Standard  Book  of  Idioms, 
Unseens  ft  Prods  Writfaig 
—helpful  advices  are  given 
in  this  book  to  those  who 
are  wondering  for  success 
in  exams,  it  want  to  improve 
their  language-'374  pages* 
well  bound  4    8 

Standard  Book  of  General  Know- 
ledge—A self  contained  refer- 
ence l)ook  for  all  competitive 
exams,  held  in  India  3    0 

A  Handbook  of  Evervday  Letters, 
by  Prof.  P.  N.  i^anda,  m.a. 
covering  entire  field  of  letter 
writing  and  having  555  ready- 
made  letters  in  business,  love, 
society.  Polities,  Home,  Office, 
etc.,  etc.  3   0 

Chambers's  20th  Century  Dic- 
tionary—New mid  Coitury 
Version  1952  ed.  just  out      16   0  I 

Oxford  Concise  Dictionary— 
EogJand  Printed  ed   Latest  13    2 

Dictionary  of  Crossword  ft  Por- 
muUtlon  Charts— A  best  book 
for  solvers  of  common  sense 
X-words  Sq.  words^  BMDO 
ft  My  words  competitions         3    0 

Competitors'  Companion— Cross- 
word permutation  1    8  : 

Guide  to  Office  Routine  ft 
Drxftfaig  5    0  ' 

Now  Oxford  Poeket  Dictionary, 
from  Eng.  to  Eag..  Urdu  and 
Hindi  meanings.    1000  p'ges  3    0 

Nahmda  Hindi  to  Hindi  Pkt. 
Dictionary  3  12 

Nalanda  Vidbal  Hfaidi  Shabda 
Sagar,  20z30x8'sizA  1556  pp.  16  12 

Tyjpical  Essays  for  literary  as- 
pirants by  S.  N.  Choudhery     8  12 

EKctionary  of  Phrases  by 
8.  N.  Ohoudhery  3  12 

All  India  Matricuktion  Standard 
Essays  ft  Letters  by  E.  Sagar  3    4 

Selected  Questions— 3000  Quota- 
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REFERENCE  BOOKS  Bi.M. 

How  to  Phiy  Cricket  by 
Don  Bradman  3    4 

World  Athw.  Poeket  size  by 
RandMcOally  8    8 

Complete  Ready  Reckoner  con- 
taining tables  of  daily  wages, 
monthly  income,    rant,  com- 
mission &  discount— 144  pp.   2    0 
UndtrsUnd  Your  Children 
by  Bhatia  5  15 

The  Craft  of  Writing  7    8 

Words  Wo  MisspoU  7    8 

A  Desk  Book  of  Error  in  English  7    8 
CoUogo  Current  Essays  S    0 

Treasury  of  English  Essays        8    0 
A  Dictionary  of    Synonyms  ft 
Antonyms  5    Q 

Pitman  Shorthand  Instructor     4    8 
Key  to  Above  8    4 

PALMISTRY  ETC. 

A  Handbook  of  Palmistry  and 
Astrology  illus.  by  fi.  B. 
Nayaner,  A  practical  guide 
on  twin  sciences  of  palmistry 
&  astrology  it  a  best  l)ook 
for  betrinners  3  18 

The  Hand  of  Man  by  Noel 
Jaquin  10    0 

Aatrology  Howto  make  and  read 
your  own  HoroACope-^Sephrial  3  13 
Your  Hand- A  Practical  guide 
to  self  hand  analysis  3  18 

Palmistry  Made  Easy  by  Indian 
Palmist  3  18 

Napoloon  Book  of  Fate  5    i 

Hypnotism  by  Axel  Wayne 
Bacon  12 

Tbo  Science  of  Hypnotism  6 

Hypnotism  Simplified— Stephen 
Martin  5    0 

Practical  Palmistry  by  Baint  de 
Germain  3  18 

Practical  Astrology  by  do  8  18 

:  Astrology  by  Alen  Lf>o  11    4 

;  Hands  ft  How  to  Read  Them 
i    by  Bene  8  IB 

I  Book  of  Numbers  by  Oheiro    7    14 
I  Language    of    Hand      by     do 
— iUustrated  U 

You  ft  Your  Hand  by  do  6 

Wbon  Wero  You  Born  by  do 
Guide  to  Hand  by  do 
Palmistry  for  All  l>y  do 
Comfort's  Palmistry  Guide  by 
Oheiro,  illus. 

Laws  of  Scientific  Hand  Read- 
ings by  Benhaim  (Over  800 
illustrations)  IG 

Nnmberology  by  Morris  2 

Numbordogy  for  Everyone  by 
Montrose  7 


8 
0 


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4 
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4 
9 
6 
6 
6 


8    4 


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coHninn  ns  iuhb  im9 


PaotmsriBCB— THE  VILLAGE  SINGER  (tn  fti/oe»)— SaHndranath  Laha 

NOTES: 

SABVODAYA  AND  MARXISM-Pcof.  S.  N.  Asatwal,  m.p. 

FEDERALISM  IN  THE  NEW  CONSTITUTION— fatal  Narain  Sr!»a>la»a,  mjv. 


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441 

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Batl".  SlilTaesi,  [hud  asd  sweUing  ate  enied  in  '" 
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KONCnA  TAILAfl 

(MIXED  WITH  IVORY  POWDER) 

Stops  falling  of  hair  immediately. 
Cures  baldness  &  dandruff.  Oiowi 
new  hair  abundantly  and  keeps  the 
brain  cooL  It  is  high  claas  hair  ft 
brain  tonic  Big  Phial  Rb.  7,  Small 
Rb.  2.    Postage  &  Packing  eztn. 

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WOMEN  IN  INDIA'S  FREEDOM  MOVEMENT  Wlusl.)  -  lojesh  C.  Bl«<il 
PHE-HISTORIC  ROCK  PICTURES  IN  BELLARY  (i//UJ/.)— Richard  Chinnalhambi,  M.A. 
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Leslie  G.  Pine  ■181 

A  SUMMARY  SURVEY  OF  ART  lOURNALS  IN  INDIA-Kaumllnia  4S2 

PSYCHOLOGY  IN  INDUSTRY-Sanlssil  Biswas 
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KUCHER    TAILA 

<Oil  of  Abrus  PrecatoHus) 
A  SURE  remedy  for  fallioK  haira,  baldneaB,  daDdrnfi 
ftod  ftli  kinds  ot  hair  diaeaEea.    For  Oomplioated  ca«e8, 
eoDsnlt      Hiiirdiiieaae    Bpecialir^t    Dr.    N.    G.    Baan 

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JOURNALISM&STORY-WRITINO 

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S^ae    IS 


FEMALE  TROUBLES 

Take  "Govt  Regd."  "BITU-KARI"  (Mixture)  which 
regnlafea  monthly  period  within  a  day.  Action 
speedy.  Quite  harmless,  Price  Ks.  2-4, 
Special  (Strong)  Rs.  8,  Extra  Special  Fta.  15. 
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Specialist  In  Female  Disease 

Dh.  b.  n.  CHAKRAVORTY. 

^eiui— l.Latspath  Hossaln  Lane,  Bcllaghata,  Cul.-lO 
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GOLDEN  OPPORTUNITY 

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doinTB  and  reg^atea  monthU  counio  at  any  ata^o. 
a».  %  Spccixl  B*.  J,  Extra  sSpt^dal  Rri.  10. 

Braid  Food :— Infallilile  remed;  for  Blood  PiMaaie, 
Sadden  Ocrobral  Hemorrhage,  Epilopsy,  etc.  Coola 
tho  brain.  sUmalatei  imaipnatiun  and  mcniOTy. 
IndiapaQsable  to  etudenta  and  intellectuala.      Ka  3 

Hydrobil :  -  For  ajieedy  rocOTory  of  Hydrocele  at  any 
atai;e  making  it  normal  and  paiulem.  Rs.  5 

Calaracto :  -Foi  aure  remoTal  of  Oatirict  at  any 
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Qwr  ia  HUre  to  regain  (ornior  clear  oye-i>it;bt.  iia.  'S 

Dt.  C.  Bh  ATTACH  A  ajEE,  ISO,  Aahuuish  Mukberjoe  Kd., 

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0.  N.  Uookerjee  &  Ca.  or  other  respeciablo  Dni^  Houbos 

TsTROLOGfCAL  BUREAU 

(Of  Prof.  S.  C.  Muberjee,  m.a.) 
BANiRAS-l   (U.  P.I 

We  fallow  the  be^t  priuoiiilei  of  Hindoo  AnlrolORy 
H  well  aa  tha  Ptdleuimu-I'lacidian  Syi^temk  m  amended 
and  elaborated  by  oiir  Ioii|{  oipetionne  cftendinj; 


detailed,  Ra.  20.  First  quentloD,  Ra.  4  ;  each  aacceediag 
gnety,  Eta.  2.  5  years'  Oenraal  Ontline  of  oventB,  Bi.  6  ; 
10  7ean',  Ba.  10.  Bhri.^oo  HambiU  Readlnpi.  Ba,  E5 
■na  kbore.  Aattolodcal  Leaaona  (Fall  Oourae) :  R«.  90  ; 
Ba.  12.fl  per  aat.  Send  date,  time  and  plaoe  o(  birth, 
adding  whether  married  or  tiufA^  Reanlta  per  V.P.P. 
FiDipeetna  free.  Etii,  1892  (formerly  at  KaliKhat, 
OalontU). 


TABLETS  :  AMPOULES 

AHTIOOUQH  Slow  Sucking  Sweet  Ttblet. 
OAPITIN  for  all  Pains. 
OHHOTA  OHAHDBA  tor  inaanity. 

Write  !ct  160  ItBiDa  CetalogDe. 


KHADI  PRATISTHAN 


N.    C.    SETH. 

Antiquarian  Bookaeller 
II 5- A,  larait  Pramanicli  Road,  Calcutta>6 
SCARCE  BOOKS.  Prices  on  AppHcalion. 

Moor  :  The  Hindu  Pantheon.  105  full  page  Plates.  ISIO 
Coltis  MauTice  -.  Quest  For  Slta.  Of  Ravana  the  Datk 
Angel  f?  his  Paradise  at  Lanka.  Of  Hanuman  £*  the 
Divine  Vultures  Jatayus  and  Sampati  with  drawings 
by  Mervin  Pealce.  Limited  to  500  copies. 
Memoircs  Of  Babar  by  Erslcine  and  Leydon. 
Grindlay  :  Sccneiy,  Costumes  and  Architectute  Chiefly 
on  the  ^K'estern  Side  of  India.  36  Colouied  Acquatint 
Plates,  Folio.  London.  1830. 

An  Account  of  an  Embassy  of  Court  of  The  TESHOO 
LAMA  In  Tibet  by  Turner.  London.  1800 
An  Account  Ol  AN  Embassy  To  The  Kingdom  Of  Ava, 
by  Symes  in  3  vols.  Full  Calf.  London.  1800 
The  History  of  Trial  of  ICarrcn  Hastings.  Lond.  1796. 
Journal  of  a  Route  Across  India,  through  Egypt  to 
England,  in  the  year  I8I7  by  Fiticlarence.  Lend.  1BI9. 
Kebber :  Narrative  ot  a  Journey  through  Upper 
provinces  of  India.  In  2  vols,  London.  1828.  Printed 
on  Special  Paper  Size  I2"x0",  8  Plates,  25  Wood 
Engravings.  Printed  on  special  Paper,  12  copies  only 
printed  on  this  Paper.  IICO  pages. 
Bengal,  also  Fort  St.  George  and  Bombay  Papers, 
presented  to  the  House  of  Commons,  from  the  East 
India  Company,  relative  to  the  Maiatha  War  In  1803 
with  Plans.    1804.  Siie  l7"xH" 

Ruskin :  Modern    Painters    in    6  vols.    Large    Edition 
Size  12"x8"  weight  about  15  seers. 
Malcolm  :  Life  of  Lord  Clive  in  3  vols.  1836 
Bengal  Past  and  Present  vols.  I-XVI 
Winterniiz  ;  Histoty  of  Indian  Literatuie.  Vol,  I 
Elphinstone  :  An  Account  of  the  Kingdom  of  Katiul 


Uany  Phyiidana  claim  to  eure  Piln  peimanently 
wlthont  any  gnarantee.  On  the  contrary,  1  gnarantee 
to  cue  PileB  permanently  on  a  money  baok  naiantee 
no  mattn  what  itage  youra  haa  reaehed.  Ton  will 
ECt  matTGllona  rceulta  from  my  remedy.  Fries 
Ba.  12-13-0  per  bottle. 

THE  DEAF  HEAR 
*Th«  ParmaDiDt  Care,  No  Ralapae. 

Deaf  People:— Very  earieat  method  to  restore  the 
aeooracy  ot  nearing  power  qnlte  mairellonily.  No 
matter  if  there  le  any  derangement  ettabliabed  In  the 
appaiatni.  GUARANTEED  and  Beeognlaed  "EHE- 
EALD  PILLH  AND  EAPID  AuBALDROP." 
(Seed.)  ( Oombined  treatment )  Ra.  37-13-a  Full 
conrve.    Trial  oonrae  Ra.  18-1^. 

LEUCODERMA— The  only  inTentlon  np-to-data 
rocognised  and  praiaed  from  ooaat  to  eoaat  for  nniqoe 
onre  of  white  patehea  only  by  internal  nae.  HiitcH- 
logieally  Demonitrated  and  UNANIMOnBLY  ad- 
mitted. "LEtlCODGRHINF'  (Begd.)  Ba.  S6-13-0 
per  bottle.  Perfect  Onre  ia  gaaianteed.  No  matter  If 
congenita  or  lalf-aeqnlred. 

ASTHMA  CURE— Ton  loiely  expect  for  radloal 
eore.  Yon  tried  so  many ;  bnt  they  were  reliering 
■f;onta.  It  ahall  cure  yon  pennanently.  No  relapee 
gnarantoed.  Any  chronic  nalnre  or  type  of  aathina 
and  bioitchitia,  colic  pain,  pilea  and  niitala  are  alao 
cured  ancdeiafnlly.     Per  week  Sa.  13-13-0 

CATARACT  (wiihoat  biufa)— No  matter  ripe  or 
unripe  No  matter  however  old  the  patient.  Onn 
Onaranteed.  No  Nick-bed  or  hoapitaUiBtion,  Partlea- 
lan  Free.    OIts  full  partleolan  and  hiatory  to 


CONTENTS-r(Con(liio€d} 


BOOK  [REVIEWS : 


Paoi 


489-4S5 


IL  N.  Ghoshal,   N.  B.  Ro^i   logesh  C  Ba^al*    Swami  lagadlswarananda,   S.  C 
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FEMALE  DISEASE 

Take  Ready  Mixtubk  'RITtf-UDAYA"  (Patent) 
it  brings  back  Monthly  flow  and  remoTes  all  other 
troubles  amaiingly  in  a  d(^.  Rs,  3,  V.P.  Re.  1, 
Special  (Btrong)  R».  9,  Extra  Special  Ra.  18 
V.P.  Ra.  2 

Femak  Dimate  Speeiaiui 

Da.    B.    CHAKRABORTV. 

M.B.  (Homoeo)  MJl.lt.A 
Bead  0$c«  :  116,  Amherst  Street,  CALC1TTTA-9 


POLIO 

(FaralyaiB,  "Eta  or  Eye  Trouble, 
Mental  Disorder  and  DamboeBS 
or  Stammering  —Developed 
through  fever) 

CoDsnlt  the  first  successfnl 
physicisD  of  Folio  : 

KAVIRAJ  OM  PRAKASH, 

114-E,  Karaala  Nagar,  DeIhi-6 

Send  Rb.  1-7  for  an  illustrated 
booklet  upon  Folio. 


NOTICE! 

Purchasers  &  Local  agents  of  the 
Modem  Review  of  Delhi  and  New 
Delhi  area  are  hereby  requested  to 
contact  with  our  Sole  Selling  Agents  : 

MESSRS  CENTRAL  NEWS  AQBNOY, 

12/90.  Connanght  CircnB, 
NEW  DELHI.    (Phone  44762) 


FEMALE  DISEASE 

Use  RITU-BAN   Govt.  Regd.  MMuce 

Harmlessly  it  brings  back  Monthly  Flow,  easy 
dolivery,  in  a  day,  no  matter  why  and 
how  long  snppreaaed.  Ra.  3,  V.P.  Rfl.  1-4 
•RITDBAN"  Strong  No.  2,  Ra.  10.  Extra  Special 
Ra.  16.  V.P.    Re.  1-12  Ejitri 

Da.  M.  M.  CHASBAVOETT,  m3.(h.),  ljls. 
U/1/1,  Russa  Road,  Ealighat,  GALCDTTA.-26 


8wt¥t  c*^  «f %W      ^  *\  ^tl 

P-26,  Baja  Basanta  Bof  Road, 
CALCfUTTA. 

"  Amour  tha  miiken  of  moima  BnpH 
BftmBBKDtU  Skbn  wUI  ilwftn  Docnpj  u  bononm 
pbM.  x  X  K  Uka  ttftatf*  tiu  Ute  Hr.  OluttariM's 
Miliu  WM  eHvlUllT  oonitinetlTe.  x  x  By  pnblliniiif 
uili  oiBioHlnK  bfogmphy  ol  her  htbet,  Srljnkta 
B«nta  Dart  hu  done  t  fieat  wrrloa  to  Baigal  and 
dtriTBliTely  to  tho  whole  oonatrj.  x    x  No  ons  — " 


fatnn  writen  ud  atDdenti." 


—BindiuthaH  aumdard. 


fn  Bennll  of  the  Ute  BamuiMida  OhattOMiuiyayi. 
X  X  Tba  lite  itory  of  laeb  •  man  1>  DRtorally  Unked 
op  with  the  mda  onrrenti    of  oontemporuy  natiookl 


op  WlU 
hbtory 


adequately  eorcced  thia  widei  backgroniid  In  dellne- 
atlnk  the  tndlTldnal'a  lUe.  Ute  ityle  li  reatralned 
and  Baa  a  homely  crmoe,  and  a  muabei  of  fine  photo- 
giaphi  hare  gieatly  enhanced  the  Tslne  of  the 
Tolnoia.  We  an  anre  the  book  will  be  read  with  piofl- 
by  thoae  who  wlah  to  atndy  the  cmrenti  and  oroaat 
eumta  ol  Bencal'a  hiatory  loi  the  lait  halt  ■  oeutnty 
with  iriileh  Ramananda  waa  Intimately  aiaooiated." 
-Amrita  Bmw  Pairilu. 

Aw  te 


PRABA5I 

Oldest,  Illustrated  & 
Cultural  Bengali  Monthly 


Sir  Jadunath  Sarkar*8  Works 


Bi.  Aa. 

..   10  0 

_  10  0 

-  10  0 
...  10  0 

-  &  0 
„     »  0 


Pall  Ol  the  Mughal  Empire.  Snd  ad. 

Vol.  I,  1739—1764 

Vol.  II.  17H— 1771 

Vol.  til,  1771—1768 

Vol.  IV.  1789— 160.1  ... 
MDtfhat  Admltiiatratlen,4th  edaenlargod  - 
Acccdotea  ol  Anrnngzlb,  3rd  od.  ~~ 

India  throacb  the  Aifca,   4th  ad.  greatly 

cnlar^ud  .-    2 

Chnltanya  i  hia  lITe  nod  teaching*,  Sid.  ad,  S 
HUtory  of  Aarnnftzibi  5  to!*.,  aold  iiepar>tely 
StndlcB  In  Anrangclb'a  Rclxn  _.    S 

SHIVAJI,  4th  Pditian.  _  10    0 

House  of  Shivajf,  nrd  nJ..  ('iilnrRort;  ,.     A    0 

PfTlW^  <  TfT»[1  >  ...     1 

M.  C.  SARKAR  a  SOMS- 

CoU«ffo  Socare.  Calcutta. 


Hind:  Aurangzib.  C93  |)p  ...     7 

Hindi  Shivaji,  2m\  .d.  L''3l  pp.  ...     2 

From 

HINDI  GRANTH  RATNAKAR, 

Hlrabaah.  Bombay  4. 


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