Letters to the Editor
[In view of the length of many of the letters which we receive, we would again remind correspondents that we often cannot give space for long letters and that short ones are generally read with more attention. The length which we consider most suitable is about that of one of our paragraphs on "News of the Week."—Ed. SPECTATOR.] COLOUR BAR [To the Editor of the SPECTATOR.] SIR,—I have read with interest the letters written by D. P. R." and "I. C. S. (Retd.)" in last week's Spectator. I can bear testimony to the truth of the instance quoted by "D. P. R.", this time from South India. I have seen service under two British officers in the revenue department of the Government. The District Headquarters at my home town is two miles outside the municipal boundary. The covenanted Civil Servants, both British and Indian, have their bungalows near the offices of the Government. This also is the case ef the residences of superior servants of the departments of Justice, Police, Forestry, and even in the ease of the local branch of the Imperial Bank. To put it in a nutshell, this heirarchy of officials lives in actual isolation and is far removed from the social setting of an historic town mentioned by Pliny in his Geography and containing an intelligent population of nearly forty thousand souls.
I can vouch for the conscientious manner with which these flicials discharge their duties and even when I was a mere quill-driver I enjoyed the opportunity of mixing with them in a game of tennis, hockey and other outdoor sports. But I must emphasize the fact that these officers have neither the opportunity nor the inclination to invite social intercourse even with the cream of the local community.
A young Indian civilian, a brilliant Oxford graduate, ilewly posted to my district revealed to me in unambiguous terms that his orders were that he should avoid the town as much as possible. I was then unable to see the reason for this rigidity of social relationships, but I drew the con- clusion that a certain amount of rigidity in social intercourse between the officers and the ordinary folk, otherwise. than in a purely official capacity, would enrich the grandeur supposed to be the prerogative of Steel Frame. •
The question of cheap labour as being the cause of colour prejudice has been mishandled by "I. C. S. (Retd.)." I would request him to peruse my memorandum on "The International Aspects of Indian Emigration" (East and West, Ltd., London), and my paper on "Indian Labour in Ceylon" in the current issue of the International Labour Review of Geneva. His conclusions could be proved to be without foundation. Strangely enough, the Indian labourer in Ceylon with a stabilized wage of anything between forty and fifty cents a day, gains in social stature. I would also ask him to tell me whether the Japanese workman in California, Hawaii, and other American possessions suffers from this invidious disability. My own view of the question, which I have formed after four years' sojourn in this country and on the Continent, is that the political subjection of India by Great Britain and the innate conservatism of the average English man and woman have a lot to do with colour bar, Witness the treatment of the non-White races on the Continent. On a former occasion you have editorially adverted to the unique appointment of M. Diagne, an African, to the Deputy-Secretaryship of the French Colonial Office. He officially represented the French Government at the XIV International Labour Conference, and in social esteem I can truthfully say that M. Diagnc excelled almost everyone of his fellow delegates 'to the Conference.
There is only one solution of this vicious problem. Make India politically free and the average Indian would rise in the estimation of the White races. Witness the case of the Japanese. Japan being a world power, the colour question does not pester her nationals. Finally, educate our present masters in this country. A new orientation of the present lefective synthesis of Indian and world thought is a great and
Urgent necessity. . .
India is always deeply indebted to the Spectator, for the statesmanlike attitude which • it has adopted towards her political freedom. Indians are no less grateful to the Spectator for the humanity of its views and for thrashing out this invidious question. It is journals like the Spectator which can prevent a colour war in the world.—I am, Sir, &c., National Liberal Club, S.W. 1. LANKA SUNDARAM. National Liberal Club, S.W. 1. LANKA SUNDARAM.
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