The Riots in Bombay The sanguinary communal riots which raged
in Bombay during last week-end provide one further example of the value of the presence of small detachments of British troops, whose intervention can be attributed to no motive but the defence of law and order. The original cause of the outbreak was Moslem anger at the construction of the assembly-hall of a Hindu temple in the neighbour- hood of a mosque. The work was impeded by Moslems the moment it was begun last Thursday, and the rioting spread till by Monday over fifty deaths were reported, while the wounded were at least ten times as many. The Durham Light Infantry had repeatedly to fire on the mob, but the situation appears now to be in hand. One significant feature of it has been the readiness of Hindus closely identified with the Congress Party to forget all ideals of non-co-operation, and appeal for protection to the armed forces of what Mr. Gandhi terms "this Satanic Government." The elections for the provincial legislatures under the new constitution are impending. What has happened this week in Bombay is a sobering reminder of the responsibilities the new Indian administrations will have to face, for law and order will henceforward be in their keeping._
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