The part being taken by Indian troops in the fighting in Libya and in Italian East Africa was recently highly praised by the new commender-in-chief in India, General C. J. E. Auchinleck. These men have done magnificently during the early stages of the advance in Libya, taking a leading part in the attacks upon Sidi Barrani and Sollum, after which they were mostly transferred to the Sudan front, where their work hes been just as good. Indian troops led the British pursuit of the Italians from Kassala to Keren, and are now Playing an important role in the siege of that stronghold. Indian troops have cut the roads from Keren both to the north and the south. Mahrattas, Gurhwalis, end Baluchis are among those which have been engaged. In Abyssinia, Indian pioneers heve proved their courage under fire, constructing roads while under Italian machine-guns, displaying great bravery in carrying on their work despite the danger to which they were subjected. The Indian army ig being rapidly expanded to meet the needs of the present war and public opinion in India, though divided in one respect—that of the means to be used to suppress Hitlerism in the world—is unanimous in its opposition to the tyranny represented in the Nazi creed. Indian troops are also playing an important part in the defence of Burma end Malaya, it being reported that there are no fewer than 40,000 of them on the Burma boundaries, ready to meet any sort of invasion threat, These men ere well trained and well seasoned for the type of warfare they may have to wage in that part of the world, and should be enough to give the General Staff of eny country which has invasion designs plenty of food for serious thought. India, in short, is speedily becoming one of the most important of the Empire's war resources. With the growth of munitions factories, India is now in a position to supply its own augmented forces with every type of arm except heavy artillery and perhaps heavy tanks. Every other arm, including field artillery, can be and is being manufactured in India itself. Manufacturers are also turning their attention to supplying foodstuffs for Britain and the British forces overseas. It is expected that large quantities of Indian margarine wil] shortly be available for export to England. The political differences which have been manifest since the outbreak of the war, between the viceregal government and the Congress Party, seem to be more apparent then real. Certain elements in the Congress Party appear io be willing to make assistance in the war a political bargaining point. But the majority of the Indian people are not interested in this type of manceuvre. They perceive clearly that, should the Nazis be victorious, there will be an end of all Indian parties, including the Congress Party; and that Indien aspirations to freedom will be postponed for at least a hundred years. Though they may not all be in sympathy with the British Raj, they nevertheless can appreciate the fact that the British are fighting for Indian freedom as well as the preservation of the British Commonwealth of Nations.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.