8
GREAT BRITAIN MUST BE SUPPORTED
The views that India should support Great Britain in the War is expressed by Dr. B. R. Ambedkar, President of the Independent Labour Party, outlining the parties attitude, in a statement to the press—Editors
The Executive Council of the Independent Labour Party has authorised the President of the Party to issue the following statement defining the attitude of the Party towards the European War.
Ever since the War was declared, there has been a stream of statements flowing from representative Indians expressing their views as to the duty of Indians in this War. Although there is a preponderance of opinion that India should join the war on the side of Great Britain there is no enthusiasm. On the contrary, there is noticable quite a degree of hesitancy and unwillingness to throw in their lot with Great Britain. It is obvious that if help is to be rendered then there must be no lukewarmness or unfriendliness.
Between the lukewarm who are prepared to do no more than co-operate for the purpose only of inactive defence and the unfriendly anything except cause passive obstacle anything by way of real help will be neutralized. It is, therefore, necessary to enlist the support of all classes and sections, and for that it is necessary to examine and understand the reasons which are responsible for this want of enthusiasm.
Chamberlain’s Lethargy
Analysing the causes of this want of enthusiasm it appears to the Independent Labour Party that it undoubtedly arises from the conduct of Great Britain and France in the past. Great Britain and France have been very slow in taking action against Germany.
Instead of putting down the aggression by Germany on the first available opportunity by collective action they have allowed Germany to commit acts of aggression one after the other and have pursued the policy of appeasing Germany of sacrificing the life and liberty of nations particularly Czecho-Slovakia whom it was their sacred duty to protect. Hitler has been allowed five victories and Poland may be his sixth.