India is ready to be satisfied with crumbs of reforms, the idea of Federation becomes impracticable and impossible. And eliminating the idea of Federation, Home-rule has no meaning. Besides, there are enormous difficulties in the path of any scheme of imperial Federation or Britannic Alliance.
Firstly, common decency itself demands that there should be no king and its parapharnelia of slavery. It is not merely sentimental, but involves material questions as well. The growing democratic spirit will not let the throne remain as it is. The Indian people may very well demand that why not let an Indian Prince sit on the throne of the Empire. Of course, Indians do not want any King, Kaiser, or Czar.
Secondly, owing to the hostile attitude of the Colonies towards Asians particularly Indians, free intercourse between various parts and India will be obstructed.*
Thirdly, equal partnership presupposes equal and proportional representation to a Parliament superior to the present British Parliament. It is not known if the present Parliament will renounce its historic position. Then, again, even a moderate calculation is made, it will be found that India with her 315 millions will have a controlling voice in the Parliament which no Englishman will allow to happen. India a ruling factor in the Empire is an impossibility.
Fourthly, distances, economic conflicts, racial differences and various ideals ingrained into the people owing to environmental conditions will be in the way of any sort of Federation.
Fifthly, Federation is itself another phase of Pan-Anglo-Saxonism to which India cannot be a partner.
What M. Victor Berard, Secretary of the Revue de Paris, said several years ago still holds good. He said:
"Imperialism has for its object the two Anglo-Saxon hemispheres, the world-wide 'Pan-britannic' empire. After the break down of Pan-Slavism, the Pan-Latinism and whilst Pan-Germanism is slumbering, Pan-Britannism looms ahead fully prepared to pilot the destinies of the United Kingdom and threatens those of the universe.
"This question is indeed a serious matter for the whole world. Found an English or rather Anglo-Saxon Empire, Briton is the recognised term which embraces all the Britons of the world. In other words, all English-speaking individuals and communities; tack India on to Canada, Australia to Egypt, out of these scattered pieces fashion an Imperial mantle for the old Mother Country; federate republics and monarchies, self-governing states and vassal colonies, free peoples and dependent, subject multitudes, by a slender but infrangible thread, cause English will, at all hours of the day, to pass from one to the other, and English force to display its might throughout the length and breadth of the world; in short, reconstruct, on an enlarged plane, with two-thirds of the white humanity, an Empire comparable to that of the Romans; such an imperialism as that is a positive menace to the entire world."
India, by nature, is opposed to such policies.
The points I have presented, though not exhaustive, plainly prove that it is neither desirable nor possible to have the connection of India with Britain. If India is compelled to associate with England, it can be only on the basis of equality and proportional representation, which means that India will rule the Empire — not England. It is an absurd proposition, at least for the present.
India as an integral part of the British Empire will be disastrous to the peaceful progress of a great many countries, directly or indirectly controlled by England. Ireland, India, Egypt, Persia, Mesopotamia, China, and other countries as separate entities will have better opportunities to form a real League to destroy militarism and imperialism and establish peace than remaining in a bondage of forced cooperation.
If the people of the world have come to the stage when adjustment of relationship must be made in such a way as will lead to peace and harmnony, the question naturally arises why the world must suffer for perpetuation of imperialism of forty millions.
Secession and dismemberment of the British Empire should, therefore, be the best solution of the much mooted world-question.
—SURENDRA KARR.
*See editorial "Home-rule or Independence?"
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