TNT History Archives: Japanese "Asia Alliance" Against Europeans (1912)/Part VI

//Ed. Note: Japanese writer Hasan Hatano Uho addressed
the tricky prospect of including India in his "Asia Alliance",
deriding English colonialism in India and writing 
hopefully about 'imminent' Indian independence.  Two 
years later, though, Japan allied with England in WWI.//

Japan-England WWI Alliance click here for details.

5)India

The prospect of India’s independence approaches reality with each 

new day.  The Italian-Ottoman War and the savagery in the Balkans 

has had a great effect on the Moslems living in India.   Also, the 

atrocities perpetrated by the Russians on Iran have markedly increased 

Indians’ enmity toward Europeans.  

But not just the Indians.  It is impossible for anyone with even the 

slightest sense of humanity not to be agrieved.  The English 

government  is implementing very violent measures against the 

Indians and amplifying this pressure lately to rid the Indians of their 

hope of freedom.  If two Indians are seen chatting on the street a 

policeman immediately intervenes.  Indians in France and America 

are in constant contact with their brethren in India and are waiting for 

an opportunity.

Not long ago the “Vatan” newspaper published in India contained a 

very frank and important article.  The number of intellectuals in India 

willing to sacrifice themselves, their families and everything else for 

the sake of their homeland  is significant.  They are keeping an eye 

out for opportunities and, certainly, if there is a small explosion 

somewhere it will quickly spread throughout all of India and they will 

gather under their national standard.

“Vatan” newspaper wrote:

“Recently an English secret agent was murdered in “Mimosin” by 

an unknown person in broad daylight but the killer has not been found, 

despite the English government having offered a big reward to any 

informants.”  The situation is becoming evermore serious.  Why are 

the Europeans worried that the Balkan War appears to be a religious 

and racial war?  The march of events shows us that nothing stands still 

in this world.  There is no such thing as permanence and perpetualness.

There was a time when the world thought that God only embraced the 

white Europeans but that time has now passed.  It is clear that henceforth

Easterners are the one’s in God’s graces.  Recently an Indian merchant 

living in Yokohama told us that during the Ottoman-Italian War an 

Indian could not mention the prospect of a defeat of Italy.  In fact, one 

day a telegram came about the Italians’ defeat and if the English police 

saw even the slightest smirk on the face of an Indian he would be arrested 

and punished.  As if the Italians were Britain’s friends, saying “how dare

 our Indian citizens show pleasure about the defeat of our friend!”

andaman islands penal colony click here for details.

Actually, the English government is not satisfied with just keeping 

Indians quiet.  The “Panti Matarım” newspaper published in India ,

reported that many Indian intellectuals sentenced to hard labor on the 

Andaman Islands are punished in the most severe ways the English 

can come up with: a prisoner must extract 30 okka (1 okka = 2.8 lbs.) 

each day in the oil factory; or stack 1,300 bricks in the brick factory 

daily; or clear 40 yards of land for tea agriculture.  In other words, 

though, there are thousands of Indians who are willing to sacrifice 

themselves by bearing these punishments for the sake of the defense 

of their homeland.  However much the English government wants to 

pursue its divide and rule policy among the religious factions in India, 

it must bear in mind that the effect of such policies is only temporary.

Lately, the people of India have become aware of this policy.  A 

recently published declaration talks about the 1857 rebellion and 

makes this plea to all Indians: “Hey brothers! Hey Moslems! Hey 

Brahmins! Hey Zoroastrians! Hey everyone else!  Rise up! The 

English tyranny in India cannot continue.  Anymore it is untenable.  

Now they’re even desecrating our sacred religions.  If we remain silent 

about this, God will not approve.  Let us unite, chase the English from 

our homeland and rid ourselves of this enemy.”

The El-Hilal newspaper in Calcutta says: “Recently in Calcutta, the 

Moslems and Hindus gathered together at a mosque and arrived at the 

following decision:

“Hey brothers, the policy that states have been following toward the 

Ottomans shows that the Europeans’ main goal is to destroy all 

Easterners.  From now on we have to unite against this great enemy.”

After taking all these facts into consideration we should not doubt that if 

the Japanese government makes a call for an all-Asia alliance then the 

intellectuals of India will immediately extend a hand of support because 

the nationalist movement in India is very important. How pleasing the 

words “Republic of India” are to the ear. What a lovely name!

//END of PART VI//