16 FEBRUARY 1940, Page 16

* * * faced by this Indian bogey. For some

thirty lectures I bore this question with bright charity, answering with polite and incisive liberalism. Yet I recall that on one evening at Dayton, Ohio, my patience failed. A woman rose from the audience, and in a voice palpitating with uplift asked the inevitable question about India. Mr. Nicolson,', she said, ' when you return to Europe cannot you do something to ease the fate of the poor Indians?' Which Indians?' I rejoined, unpardonably, ' yours or ours? You must realise that the two problems are distinct. For whereas we educated and multiplied our Indians you practically exterminated yours. It would be very difficult for us at this date to adopt the solution which has proved so successful in your country and to confine the aborigines of India to reserves.' It is only fair to the citizens of Dayton to add that they appreciated this rejoinder and gave me a resounding cheer."