things stand to-day in the world of political affairs. This should be combined, at the same time, with a patient willingness to put each fresh promise given to the test, in order to find out if it is genuine.

A weak and feeble reliance upon Europe is only likely to increase Europe's greed for possession,-such is her present frame of mind and her vital need of fresh resources after the terrible waste of war.

Yet disinterested help from Europe, when sincerely offered and on equal terms, should not be refused. There is a real danger to-day, in countries that have been under complete or partial subjection to Europe for a long time and wherein an exclusive spirit of nationalism has been awakened, that a pride of absolute aloofness should, with the swing of the pendulum backwards, take the place of the former servility. Both are incompatible with true freedom and brotherhood. The pride of aloofness may engender a spirit of segregation no less harmful to the Body of Humanity than the segregation caused by colour or caste. The words of the Buddha have continually to be remembered,"Evil cannot be overcome by evil, but only by good."

CHAPTER VIII

THE MODERN WORLD)

BRITISH IMPERIALISM IN INDIA AND AFRICA

S this book will reach my own British fellow countrymen, it is necessary to come nearer home and to consider the question of British imperialism, as a world power, in relation to labour. Here, above all, an Englishman needs to be on his guard against the cant of self-congratulation and selfpraise. For it is not difficult for us to take the flattering unction to our soul that we are philanthropists and world reformers, while in reality money is the main object we are seeking.

A new cult of the British Empire has increased this danger of auto-intoxication. The newspaper press throughout the civilised world has been employed to represent that, whatever may be happening elsewhere, within the British Empire, at least, an area has been found for a league of equal nations, where the strong members do truly support the weak, and the ideal is made practical, that "where one member suffers all the members suffer with it, and where one member is honoured all the members rejoice with it."

But when we come to study hard facts and to look critically at promises and professions, then we find out

that in reality there is an ever increasing dis-harmony and dis-location within the British imperial system, which patchwork remedies will not heal. In reality, this dislocation has been growing more acutely painful, dividing the White Race from all the other races. For the White Race is everywhere, by its popular voice and popular action, claiming and asserting its own right to be racially segregated in every respect from the nonEuropean Races. Such complete racial segregation is incompatible with the idea of membership in one body and mutual sharing of a common life. Within the White Race itself, as it is spread over the world in the selfgoverning Dominions, there is actually existing to-day a harmony and unity. These white Dominions are one body, with many members suffering and rejoicing together. Even such European races as the Dutch in South Africa, or the French in Canada, can find their place ultimately within that one body of the White Race.

But with India the case is altogether different. There is no disinterested welcome to her within the one body as a fellow member. There is no mutual sharing in a common life. Rather, there is a profound dislike of Indians by the White Race in the Colonies, and an equally profound distrust. From all the self-governing Dominions Indians are excluded as residents and citizens. South Africa and Australia are markedly sending invitations at the present time to Englishmen,

who have spent their lives in India, as desirable colonists and citizens; but if any of these Englishmen wished to take an Indian friend to reside with him, he would be refused. Even in England itself there have been signs of increasing colour prejudice against the very few Indians who go over there for study. What is, perhaps, the most glaring example of dis-location is in the tropical areas of Northern Australia, which are almost uninhabited and separated from the south by a desert. These tropical areas are strictly prohibited to any one who is not a European even though he may belong, by birth, to the so-called British Commonwealth. A Greek or an Italian may enter,—and efforts are made to get such emigrants from Southern Europe, -but Indians, who are called "fellow citizens of the Empire," are excluded. To speak of equal status under such conditions is absurd.

Everywhere, throughout the British Empire, the White Race is dominant. Everywhere the White Race has its own privileged position. Everywhere the members of the White Race can appeal successfully for special legal rights and sanctions. Everywhere, in spite of the Reciprocity Agreement, the White Race has still the absolute power of immigration freely accorded. Meanwhile, side by side with this special position of privilege allowed everywhere to the White Race, the policy of segregation is being relentlessly carried out against the Indian. Insults are daily heaped upon

those Indians who have gone abroad and become domiciled in the Colonies. For the most part, they are treated with hatred and contempt by the white colonial residents. This hatred and contempt shows every sign, in certain areas, of becoming a fanatical religion.

There has been, during recent years, a distinct and appreciable increase of this hatred of the Indian throughout Africa and in other parts of the Empire. Things have gone from bad to worse. The arrogant and insulting treatment which the White Race has increasingly shown is felt like iron entering into the soul. It is deeply resented; and the resentment leads to fresh dislike. It is true that there was a temporary wave of kindlier sentiment during the last stages of the Great War. But from the moment that the claim to be treated decently as equal citizens of a Commonwealth of Nations was openly made by Indians, a stiffening began to be noticeable in all the Colonies and some of the Dominions, and a determination to keep the Empire' White' has been asserting itself ever since in wider and wider circles and ever gaining fresh ground. There has also been sedulously propagated the dread of what is called an 'Asiatic' invasion. And this dread, wherever it advances, breeds fresh hate.

But, in the end, far more serious than this racial and political inequality of the Indian,-though most intimately connected with it,—has been the persistent and