University of Northern Iowa

The United States of India Author(s): J. Z. Hodge Reviewed work(s): Source: The North American Review, Vol. 214, No. 791 (Oct., 1921), pp. 450-460 Published by: University of Northern Iowa Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/25120844 . Accessed: 17/02/2013 07:25
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THE UNITED STATES OF INDIA

BY J. Z. HODGE

The

United

States

of India

is the world's

newest

and most

in democracy. Without observation, experiment unexpected and the miracle has been wrought, but not without significance, and politi of internal centuries division after this ancient people

cal childhood
The "white brown." "Aryan to a large extent

rises to the dignity

burden" Long mistress the reverts

of national
back ward house,

self-consciousness.
shoulders Britain, will do her of the now own

man's

to the of Great India

fragile in her own

thinking and determine her own destiny, a junior partner, for the time being, in the family of nations that comprise the British The emergence of India in the arena of world politics Empire.
is an event we dare not ignore. Lord There is challenge as well as

appeal
University Indian

in the new
a year sentence: statesman,

call of the East.

ago, summed Meston, up the stands

Speaking

at Cambridge
Anglo following with crossways, or the

a distinguished in the situation at the

illuminating

"India

feudalism
Events Indian

behind
have moved

her and untried

since came then: into being

democracy
the on Legislative January

in front of her."
Assembly, 1, and from

Parliament,

same date the Provincial Legislative with the democratic administrations

The ordinary citizen of the West

Councils took their place of the world.

does not readily least associate

democracy
romance most

with
stands

India.
for the of political

To
"mild

him this old land of mystery

Hindoo," the for princes, assertive rulers and mortals;

and
and "sun

subservient

dried bureaucrats," complaining millions;

ships and the constant system inexplicable

lording it with ease and dignity over un for religious fanaticisms, spiritual dictator
clash called for a weird, creeds; conflicting on which ladder social Caste?"a of

every man
face

kisses

the feet of the man

him"; for dumb,

above him, and kicks

patient peasants allied

the
to

of the man

below

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THE UNITED

STATES OF INDIA

451

a kindly soil, but exposed to drought and flood that too often for sages, philosophers and ascetics who, far spell famine; removed from the whirl of modern life, have lived on the uplands to the supremacy of spirit; for sacred animals and and witnessed
sacred rivers, Juggernaut cars and fantastic processions; for

Sikhs and sturdy Gurkhas picturesque and surprised the Kaiser; for Empire Havelock and masterful administrators for the Taj at Agra, by general consent
ing ever made where by human "ever hands, upon the and Lucknow,

who came to the help of great soldiers like Henry like Warren Hastings; the most beautiful build
the ruined roof Residency the Banner at of

topmost

England
fascinations; womanhood,

blew";
for

for mutinies,

intrigues,

deceits,

flatteries

and
and

idols, contrasts

ghosts, superstitions, and contradictions,

illiteracy, seditions subtle

enslaved

splendid
snakes officials, Tommy and into on

loyalties,
and

abounding
tourists, "Kim."

wealth
and the India

and grinding

poverty;

for
and

mosquitoes, and planters and

elephants

tigers, and Ganges as

missionaries the Himalayas,

Atkins

a picturesque

appendix

to Great Britain
the way our ken.

we have
to

long known,

but India politically

is a new planet that

alive
swims

self-government

India?a of modern

This is surely the greatest political miracle Nation! times. For what is India? She is not a country but
comprising within her wide borders three hun

a sub-continent,

dred and twenty million people, three times the population of the United States of America, speaking 147 languages and dialects
and and Under presenting civilization the as marked as are divergences on to be found of Caste she of the race, custom religion, continent of Europe. 2,378 separate

dominance

represents

blocks of humanity having no essential dealings with each other in the great human relationships of dining and marrying. What is there for democracy in a soil like this where the doctrine hope
that "men are born free and equal" is negatived at every turn?

This

that patriotism has found a way of surely is the miracle, bridging gaps that seemed eternal and lighting up these separate human blocks with the glory of a common citizenship. The
name and her her sons children and love to give her?has the day as has serted herself, daughters respond;

Motherland?the

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452
unashamed

THE NORTH AMERICAN REVIEW

the meanest native of Hindustan
India's but

dawned when
and self-consciousness here to recall

may
rise it will

lift his head

to national be sufficient

say, "I am an Indian." is an impressive study, the outstanding landmarks.

We

shall be safe to begin with

decision into India and minute of then, sown was made to

1836.

It was
the to Western ranks of

then that the

of teaching education. as one of the

momentous English Lord Macaulay's decisive tutions were

introduce

to open the gates in this connection history. and the The following seeds

documents

democratic

insti

passage

from Macaulay

reads like fulfilled prophecy now: "It may be that the public mind of India will expand under our system until it has outgrown
that jects we that by good system; government a capacity into for better government; can that educate having our sub become

instructed in European knowledge they may in some future day demand European institutions. such a day will ever Whether
come I do not know. But never will I attempt to avert or retard

it; whenever
history." side to most cation the

it does come,
That day and Mr. shield, has

it will be the proudest

come. There Gandhi?one the country's

day in English
other and edu

the is, of course, of India's greatest of English

perplexing sons?regards as the beginning of his

introduction degradation.

It marks the dark days of the Our next landmark is 1857-8. to the British Crown. and the transfer of government Mutiny India had become too big a proposition to be run by a Company.
The royal proclamation of November 1, 1858, is meet to rank

with Magna
sanction "It and race is further

Charta,
inspiration our will or creed

and

the following

passage

has provided

whatever

an eloquent for many Indian oration: so far as may of that, be, our subjects be freely to and admitted impartially

offices in our service, the duties of which they may be qualified The by their education, ability and integrity to discharge."
Indianization Rule. We pass Occident. of hope on to the Russo-Japanese War, which vindicated the of the public services is an older slogan than Home

right and demonstrated

the door When for

the ability

of the Orient
Russia the effect

to stand up to
she a opened in India was

Japan conquered all Asiatic and peoples,

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THE UNITED
widespread
exciting

STATES OF INDIA
Here, if anywhere,
the

453
light on the
cause lies in

and profound.
of the National

we
real

cause

movement:

the natural evolution of a great people, fostered in the main by the generous'spirit of British administration, fed by the constant inflow of western ideas, strengthened by the untiring efforts of like Gokhale, Surendra Nath and others, patriots Bannerjee and enriched by the sanctions of the Christian Gospel. It is a short cry from the Russo-Japanese War to the World War which determined decisively India's place in the sun. Her con tribution in men, money and munitions will rank with that of of the Allied Nations, and her chivalrous bearing during any
these The won of conflict for her the years war did not create India's fitness admiration for a of the world. of for to larger are worthy it revealed it. government: "They serve as the preamble should do this" might well measure

responsible we whom

the historic statement of British policy in regard to India made in the House of Commons on August 20, 1917: "The increasing
association of Indians in every of branch of administration with and the gradual development to the progressive institutions, self-governing of responsible realization government a view in India

as an integral part of the British Empire." We light on our last landmark in the Government of India Act of 1919, under which the British Parliament laid the founda tions of a new Constitution for India. The inauguration of the new Legislatures the Duke of Connaught at the beginning by
of the present the structure and paved the way for year completed the exercise of responsible Under her new Constitu government. a central tion India of the possesses government consisting

of two Council, and a Legislature Viceroy and his Executive 33 elected and 27 nominated Chambers?the Council of State of and the Legislative of 103 elected and 41 members, Assembly
nominated members. Differences of opinion between the two

Chambers Assembly
possesses Provinces, inated

will be decided in joint sittings. The Legislative will be the House of Commons of India. She also
Provincial each with Legislatures. a Governor There and Executive are eight Council, Governors' appointed

by His Majesty,
members

and a Legislative
as follows:

Council

of elected

and nom

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454

THE NORTH AMERICAN REVIEW

Madras.Elected Bombay. Bengal. United Provinces. Punjab. Bihar and Orissa. Central Provinces. Assam. " " " " " " " 98 86 " 113 26 " 100 23 " 22 71 " 27 76 " 32 36 39 Nominated " 29 25

"

14

It will

be observed
of elected on

that
the

these Councils
and herein pre-reform

have
they

a marked
mark The an

pre
im

ponderance mense advance

members,

Councils.

following

smaller provinces will be administered by Chief Commissioners: British North West Frontier Baluchistan, Province, Delhi,
and Ajmere-Merwara own scheme of reform. can State, is vaster. but in population, and Isles Lord Sinha, is an Indian, and Burmah Coorg; Province An Indian will formulate her resembles an Ameri the British Governor,

for example, equals Bengal, first whose Bihar and Orissa, has as many people as France.

have made a brave Councils Provincial Legislative The Bombay Council has already decided to extend beginning. The myth of the "unchanging East" the franchise to women! These
is surely in danger.

Before
barriers ence castes, To meet munal based of

India's
had to be separate Sikhs, the

new political
surmounted.

day could begin many

Chief among these was proper, clamoring the situation and Moslems, for

stubborn
the exist Out

communities?Hindus Christians, exigencies of was etc.?all the

recognition. of com principle constituencies grounds were

representation on communal

adopted than rather

special

geographical

illiteracy was another difficult hurdle. Widespread Roughly speaking, only 12 per cent of the people are literate, and franchise was therefore a difficult the framing of an acceptable created.
proposition. was born over After of much much discussion?the was certain whole finally residential reform scheme on males tax pay discussion?it possessing conferred and

21 years is class

of age,

ing qualifications
standard better

that

have
to lets

been
loose an

generally
the

approved.
and

The
the voters.

low enough It artisan.

include

farmer average of six million army

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THE UNITED

STATES OF INDIA

455

of India Act does not confer complete self The Government but it makes it possible within the next quarter of government;
a century. While the provinces have practical autonomy in

matters of local import, within tive is still to a large extent

administration and "Transferred" into the two subjects of the

the Central Parliament the Execu all powerful, and the division of
of great departments is an expedient dictated "Reserved" by and caution

and the exigencies

to the defense

of a lopsided
country,

situation.
maintenance now

In matters
of law

relating
order,

tariffs, land revenue

have the decisive say, in no

and Imperial
although uncertain over credit, the

affairs, the Executive

from onward Indian

will still
public

opinion
to express moment. have

speaking
itself Then,

through
under control

its elected
manner "Transferred" education, local

representatives
on these subjects industries,

will be able
of high will Indians agriculture, and pub is now

matters

effective

sanitation, lic works.

cooperative Briefly, bodies

everyday

bodies government work of government in the control

in Indian hands,
future, popular

Indian minds
will have

will

largely frame the laws of the

of the purse,

a say

and government
people.

will more

and more

conform

to the will of the Act does not apply

roughly, two

It has to be remembered
to the territories under the

that the Reform

rule of native

princes;

In these States for the most part feudalism still fifths of India. is hardly in favor; but the omens indi prevails and democracy
cate that these ancient aristocracies will in due course follow the

lead of British
nobly realized: ing many Eastern

India.
"This

Then will Lord Meston's

great powers, at one sub-continent varying in their in their common

vision

splendid be
in

of the

daughter civilization,

future, compris as status political to the Brit

their natural

gifts, vying with

each other

in the growth of a new

allegiance

It is a kindling ideal. ish Crown?the United States of India." These Indian reforms have been violently assailed from two opposing camps, those who hold they go too far, and those who hold they do not go far enough. But they have commended themselves to men of good-will in Britain as in India, and there is
a general chance. desire Great to give Britain's this a fair in democracy adventure great to the world, in India is open and record

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456

THE NORTH AMERICAN

REVIEW

he who reads that relate to publicist sum

will find much to criticise, notably in the pages " but the record stands. Let an Indian Amritsar"; it up. Speaking recently in Chicago Mr. Rustom
said: Russia, constant and then a well of "To three have times found as a continent as as the populous strife, without transformed

of Bombay, Rustomjee, without big as Europe United or settled States, torn by

internecine to have

government,

peace it within

into generations commonwealth democratic

three

peaceful, governed, is an Indian nations,

prosperous, achievement

without parallel in the history of mankind." It would be rash, however, to imagine that the millennium had dawned in India, or that this great sub-continent had been made There are at least two men finally safe for the British Empire.
acing see. movements First, there on foot whose Khalifat ultimate trend no one can fore is the or Mohammedan agitation,

born of the blow to Moslem prestige inflicted by the World War, fanned into fierce flame by the seeming hardness of the terms of and embittered by the alleged the peace treaty with Turkey, statesmen. It is without doubt of British broken promises fed from Turkish and Bolshevik sources, whose hatred of Great is implacable, and it derives immense prestige from its Britain sullen and alliance with Indian Nationalism. Seventy million
disillusioned tage to India Moslems as she within emerges her gates are the an beyond embarrassing but crossways; heri let us

take comfort
game during

in the fact that Mohammedan

the war.

India played

the

The
can

other movement
be

is difficult
personalities

to define; but
Headed by in the world one

its significance
of the most K. to-day?M.

hardly and masterful amazing

over-estimated.

Gandhi?it
breathes the

makes
spirit

a direct
of revolution.

appeal for

to the heart
the

of India

and
non

Called

"non-violent,

the its immediate object cooperation before the end of 1921 by securing of complete self-government but it of a comprehensive the application policy of boycott; stands for something bigger than that: it aims at the setting up of an Eastern civilization, and issues a challenge to the dominion It assumes It is the uprising of the soul of India. of the West. it protests and the East spiritual; is material that the West movement" it has

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THE UNITED
against railways, factories and

STATES OF INDIA
hospitals as emblems of an

457
alien

civilization whose blighting influence must be stayed, and urges a return to primitive with vehemence simplicity as exemplified like Tol by forgotten sages and preached by modern prophets of the time it voices the current discontents and Ruskin; stoy
and thereby casts a wide net; it stands for "soul force" as op

and stoops to conquer by "passive posed to material might, the time being the religion of resistance." Patriotism?for
educated the India?plays "Indianization of an important is an India" in the movement and part attractive Largely slogan.

through the restraining influence of Mr. Gandhi the movement is not yet distinctly racial, but it is heading that way, and therein lies danger. On the other hand, this new Eastern civilization with its emphasis on the things of the spirit and its insistence on Mean the Gospel of Self Help may prove a blessing to mankind. it calls for vigilance and understanding. while, The new India brings her old problems into the light of day;
but the caller custom air of a new time plays upon them and gives soften; enforced prom

ise of healing.
relax,

Caste
unbend,

under
and

the discovery
religious

of brotherhood

must
social widow

animosities and

reform, now blessed with

of early marriage, the sought; and India's natural industrial of the

elbow
seclusion

room, will hasten

of women

the abolition be steadily

at developed, the same

hood; the goal of free and compulsory

resources age, of the now

education must
country must protected be

opening,

time from the evils of Western industrialism?India may lead the way in the "humanizing the spectre of of industrialism"; famine and poverty must be laid by the wise spread of the co
operative of credit movement, trust the introduction of better methods

of farming, the cultivation

irrigation; mutual

of cottage
among

industries and the extension

her peoples must be estab

lished, and the reproach

removed.

of her fifty million

"untouchables"

be

of India" is no small proposition. Hap clouds threaten, the auguries are on the pily, though danger The appointment whole auspicious. of Lord Reading as Viceroy was one of Lloyd George's happiest As a former inspirations. Lord Chief Justice of England he carried East with him the maj The "United States

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458
not a lawyer the

THE NORTH AMERICAN REVIEW

sentiment.
by "Sir, situations country, it may not exercise

esty of law, in India a strong and enduring

of Bengal and who, when questioned

Was India?"
appeal

it

an apprehensive

tourist,
made

"What would
historic

you do if the Russians

unanswerable reply,

invaded
I would

to the High Court"?

flame in riot, spread pede side into

Apart

from religious animosities

and

that may

and bloodshed, is essentially India for law and the masses,

acute

regard among of the

agrarian a law-abiding order, while undoubtedly the and

end that may this wide a stam steadying

avert a

will

influence.
European break but

Lord Reading,
new as well Government as Indian,

be it further noted,
forces thereby creating

is rallying

to the

of moderate

opinion, a breakwater

of informed thinking
not prevail. Another singularly

against which
happy choice

the forces of extremism may

was the selection of A. F.

as President of the Indian Legislative Assembly. He is Whyte, tact and success the business of the handling with understanding, and helping to win for that body a distin Indian Parliament guished place among the legislative assemblies of the world. We do well to remember also that while all Indians revere Gandhi the In patriot saint, all Indians do not follow Gandhi the politician. this old land, seething as it is with new life, the man of moderate views is not to be despised. He holds the key to the situation,
and fair is prepared chance. he to give the present system of government a

Another from the standpoint of the important consideration British connection is the sentiment of kingship, deep-seated in the Indian mind. The Rajput, India's traditional fighting man, craves no higher glory than to die for his King on the field of
battle; Lloyd and George, the however peasant, in the sleeps well he may suspicious consciousness great be that of Mr. he is a

subject of King George. Great Britain may still cast anchor in the good-will of the Indian peasant, and find her anchor hold. It is quite true that
the apostles high of present non-cooperation of living pressure are to sow taking the of the advantage seeds of discontent,

and the "credulous mass" is for the time being agitated and dis is half turbed; but I think the mood will pass. The peasant

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THE UNITED

STATES OF INDIA

459

Under the British Raj awake and doubtful about Home Rule. he has enjoyed security of tenure and impartial justice; he has
wit roads, post enough offices,?he to recognize banks, is the the value of cooperative hospitals, user of post greatest railways, settled good and government in the universe, cards law courts,

?and his love for foreign cloth will survive many boycotts; his faith in the governing capacity and working honesty of his edu
cated brethren is somewhat thin, and on the whole he is content

with things as they are, provided prices fall and he is left undis turbed to till his fields. Nor is it just to dismiss Mr. Gandhi as a dangerous and head
sees no to reason and impervious are unquestioned, His and patriotism path sincerity we may common and here He has more strike surely ground. a man than once proved who knows when himself of affairs and how to compromise, the view that he and Lord Read and I hazard strong revolutionary but his own. who is

that will be honorable ing will yet arrive at an understanding to both. India has need of all her sons in these tremendous days.
There remains one last reflection in this connection: never Great

Britain
that

can hold India only with

she has not yet out

the good-will
She

of the people,
has and

and
never

good-will

forfeited.

could hold
round there

this great

sub-continent
200,000

by

the
who

sword
muster

alone.

In

numbers, leaving are not more than

the Eurasians, Europeans service,

(of whom and

100,000, are 75,000

British
good-will,

soldiers)
fair

in all India, a proportion

dealing, justice,

of 1 to 1,600.
elbow-room

Surely
plus

humility will make India safe for the Empire against all comers. Where does America come in? It is worth recalling that the myth of the wealth of India started Columbus on his momentous
of discovery voyage now turn to discover grounds, there are that ended in America, however, reasons and it is America's sentimental the United India. certain Apart material from why

States
East.

should keep track of these fast moving

Indian public opinion strongly

events
to

in the Middle
a revision of

inclines

her fiscal policy, hitherto free trade, and we may take it for granted that a modified tariff will be instituted in the near future,
in which event American imports which are valuable and con

siderable are likely to be adversely

affected.

Again,

the burning

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460
of foreign

THE NORTH AMERICAN REVIEW

cloth were in Bombay, manufactured under Mr. Gandhi's came policy from of boy America,

cott,
these

leads to the reflection

articles

that

the raw material

probably

from which

where anything that bears adversely on the cotton industry is not to be treated lightly. The emergence of India has also a direct bearing on the thorny problem of Asiatic immigration. the Indian himself is not much given to emigration, but Happily he will demand a hearing when the question arises in the forum of world politics; for the educated Indian is determined to remove the Nor must the reproach of inferiority from his brethren. of India from the standpoint of the Anglo-Japanese importance With India disturbed, and in the mind Alliance be overlooked. it would be an act of folly for of some hastening to revolution, to give up that Alliance unless something more Great Britain
comprehensive and enduring can be guaranteed in its place.

Finally, the United States of America has a still higher stake in the future well-being of this new democracy in the Middle East.
the last During men of devoted of the and century and women a noble succession up to this present to spend left her shores their have

lives in the service

bearers order stations, such there torch

of India.
of education,

Heralds
healers their schools

of the Christian
of the sick and

Gospel,
succour

ers of the needy,

they belonged
and to-day

in the truest
work and

sense to the high

appears. Mission colleges?against revealed

of nation-builders,

orphanages, hospitals, is no law and no Monroe

Doctrine?have

the

true America to India and built up for her a reputation that com and moving pictures have impaired but not under mercialism throbs the Indian Church, Behind the Indian Nation mined. and American in the creation of which American missionaries churches have had a worthy share. Here we light on the supreme Indian Church, an States of India?an import of the United and the possible passing of Christianity, Eastern interpretation to the from the West of the spiritual leadership of the World
East. J. Z. Hodge.

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