Lord Hardinge on the South African Situation
volved, and ready with all courage and patience to endure those penalties. In all this they have the sympathy of India—deep and burning—and not only of India, but of all those who like myself, without being Indians themselves, have feelings of sympathy for the people of this country.
But the most recent developments have taken a very serieus turn and we have seen the widest publicity given to allegations that this movement of passive resistance has been dealt with by measures which would not for a moment be tolerated in any country that claims to call itself civilised.
These allegations have been met by a categorical denial from the responsible Government of South Africa, though even their denial contains admissions which do not seem to me to indicate that the Union Government have exercised a very wise discretion in some of the steps which they have adopted. That is the position at this moment, and I do feel that if the South African Government desire to justify themselves in the eyes of India and the world only one course is open to them and that is to appoint a strong and impartial committee, upon which Indian interests shall be fully represented, to conduct a thorough and searching enquiry into the truth of these allegations; and as the communique that day appeared in this morning's papers will show you, I have not hesitated to press that view upon the Secretary of State. Now
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