VI

HINDUS AND MAHOMETANS

(At the India office.  January, 1909)

[A deputation of the London Branch of the All-Indian Moslem League waited upon the Secretary of State, in order to represent to him the views of the Mussulmans of India on the projected Indian reforms.]

I am delighted to meet you to-day, because I have always felt in my political experience, now pretty long, that it is when face answers to face that you come best to points of controversial issue.  I have listened to the able speech of my friend Mr. Ameer Ali and to the speech that followed, with close attention, not merely for the sake of the arguments upon the special points raised, but because the underlying feeling and the animating spirit of the two speeches are full of encouragement.  Why?  Because instead of any hostile attitude to our reforms as a whole, I find that you welcome them cordially and with gratitude.  I cannot say with what satisfaction I receive that announcement.  If you will allow me, I will, before I come to the special points, say a few words upon the general position.

It is only five weeks, I think, since our scheme was launched, and I am bound to say that at the end of those five weeks the position may fairly be described as hopeful and promising.  I do not think that the millennium will come in five more weeks, nor in fifty weeks; but I do say that for a scheme of so wide a scope to be received as this scheme has been received, is a highly encouraging sign.  It does not follow that because we have launched our ship with a slant of fair wind, this means the same thing as getting into harbour.  There are plenty of difficult points that we have got to settle.  But when I try from my conning-tower in this office, to read the signs in the political skies, I am full of confidence.  The great thing is that in every party both in India and at home—­in every party, and every section, and every group—­there is a recognition of the magnitude and the gravity of the enterprise on which we have embarked.  I studied very closely the proceedings at Madras, and the proceedings at Amritsar, and in able speeches made in both those places I find a truly political spirit in the right sense of the word—­in the sense of perspective and proportion—­which I sometimes wish could be imitated by some of my political friends nearer home.  I mean that issues, important enough but upon which there is some difference, are put aside—­for the time only, if you like, but still put aside—­in face of the magnitude of the issues that we present to you in these reforms.  On Monday, in The Times newspaper, there was a long and most interesting communication from Bombay, written, I believe, by a gentleman of very wide Indian knowledge and level-headed humour.  What does he say?  He takes account of the general position as he found it in India shortly after my Despatch