THE DOMICILED COMMUNITY . IN INDIA. [To THE EDrrOR or
THE " SPECIATOR.")
Sre,—I thought that possibly a few words about the Reforms Report might be of interest I write as one who is specially interested in that body of English and Anglo-Indians settled down in India, who are known as the Domiciled Community, who are being faced with very difficult problems. The authors of the Reforms Report have in an amiable way suggested that the Community should engage in political activities, and should care for India as a whole. I have just been examined by the Reforms Committee as a witness on behalf of the Domiciled Community, and I should like to give my impressions. The Reforms Committee did not seem to have come to India in order to learn or to face the real problems, but merely to work out the details of a scheme that has not yet been sanctioned by Parliament. They showed no desire to learn who the Domiciled Community were (beyond a definition of terms), nor what had been their difficulties with regard to engaging in political activities (for they are mostly Government servants), nor on what lines they would be likely to engage in political activities in the future, nor what will happen if they are not fairly treated by Indians, nor what help they would be to the Constitutional development of India if Englund cared for them and understood them. Parliament has been promised the sfullest opportunity for discussion, but I am afraid that the Reforms Committee will, as far as the Domiciled Community is concerned, return to England with no more knowledge than they started out with, beyond a few statistics and definitions of terms.
The Domiciled Community corresponds largely to the artisans of England. Politicians in England would never dare to treat the artisans in such light-hearted fashion, yet every thinking Englishman in India realizes that the position of those who are domiciled will be a very grave one in the not distant future. I feel sure that if the artisans of England realized this they would insist on a serious problem being treated in e serious way, and possibly when the Territorials return to England they will help to enlighten people in England on the subject, more especially-as the Domiciled Community contains a very large number of old soldiers--I am, Sir, Ae.,
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