The Call of The Motherland: Writings and Speeches 1923–1929 (Vol 5) (Netaji Collected Works), by Subhas Chandra Bose.

................................................................................................

The Call of The Motherland: Writings and Speeches

1923–1929 (Vol 5) (Netaji Collected Works),

by Subhas Chandra Bose.

................................................................................................

Even the task of looking at contents and preparing a skeleton format for a review is a little daunting, making one realise one is looking at a mind and life, and that of a great person who thought and wrote copiously, through a life that consisted more of action and orientation thereof - and this, only during the known part of his life!

If researches related to Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose are correct, this known and public part was only the younger half of his life; there was a subsequent part, hidden from public, by his intention as much as due to other factors that interacted with the said intentions, and during this part, if he wrote, it's yet to come to light. One may only attempt to guess at his stature as it grew during this part, since it's as unseen as remote, hidden peaks of Himaalaya ranges.

Reading writings of Bhagat Singh was daunting enough, and he was executed at a tender age of 23. Subhash Chandra Bose lived longer even upto the publicly known part, and this is only a small part of what he wrote, compiled by a section of his large Bose clan.

One takes a breath before beginning to read. Impressive. Shows an open mind of a thinker, very capable of wide perspective, of learning, and of organisation, too, here.

Reading this, and aware of stature of Subhash Chandra Bose, as well as of his intellectual capability, often it's surprising, until one sees the dates and real uses that he was quite young at the time, and also, not over the influence of false theories taught by British with agenda of fraud for fracturing India, which at that time India had not realised as well, although a few had.

The title, The Call Of The Motherland, leads one to expect writings and speeches by Netaji that are forever in our memory in his short and succinct call for sacrifice and promise of freedom; but the title, while it brings his call to mind, hardly fits the collection as a whole, especially this volume, consisting as it does of his thoughts and notes regarding his prodigious and thought provoking reading.

As one reads on, it's not just matters he mentions, or people he describes, or persona of Subhash Chandra Bose is brought to one's mind vividly, but also the conditions that then prevailed in the nation, the trickery and sleight implemented by British in dealing with India such as detaining people without trials, habeas corpus or other rights, and after promising to release them doing so only far away from their home or province, where they had neither residence nor possibilities of earning a living, apart from continuous shadowing by police - and all this, to 'avoid crime', which meant, avoid any possibility of a protest against British government.

That such a government could not expect loyalty goes without saying. Brits misjudged India, majorly, in treating humans like dogs - or worse, actually. It was hubris that had them surprised at the strength of sentiment in favour of Subhash Chandra Bose and INA, forcing them to flee.

One has to wonder, what if these young people - Subhash Chandra Bose, Bhagat Singh, Chandrashekhar Azad, et al - had found a more invigorating, better mentor, instead of the dampening congress with the then leadership that curbed - or worse - most?

................................................................................................

Had one not read biographical works on Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, one would marvel at bring fortunate enough to find a compilation of his works by anyone in Bose family.

There are diverse opinions regarding the matter, depending on how one regards the question about the story of his airplane crash at Taihoku airport on 18 August 1945 given out publicly. Most of his family did not believe it, and the Congress led government of India was keen to garner support for the theory. Evidence not only there was none, but to the contrary, there was enough to indicate there had been no airplane crash that day at that airport. This had been for most part pushed under rug, and investigating without complying with official version is ridiculed even now, but risk to life is presumably less.

................................................................................................

Reading this, one begins to understand how he achieved the impossible success that he did later, how he commanded what level of loyalty, his later success that could only come from the complete dedication he commanded from his followers and indeed from anyone who had merely heard of him, or often, not even that - the Japanese, for example.

"DESHBANDHU AND NATION BUILDING , May 1927"

"[Netaji wrote this article in Shillong in May 1927. It is being published for the first time.—Ed.]"

"Deshbandhu had immeasurable mental powers and strength. All the opposing forces which appeared before him during his active life had to accept defeat in the face of his irresistible strength. He could direct his victorious forces in any way he liked and this we all know—but we must now know how he acquired such supernatural powers ? The power that surprised the British and his countrymen alike, was it inborn or was it acquired through Sadhana ?

"All power is acquired through Sadhana and that is at least my belief and what is apparently inborn even that is the result of Sadhana in previous incarnation.

"When Deshbandhu started practising in Calcutta as a barrister after returning from England, he was practically penniless and was weighed down by the debt that his father left him. He had just one asset, the asset of his inner self. He had the ability to plunge into work with all his being and mind. Depending only on such resources he started on his voyage on vast and tumultuous sea of life. He had his first opportunity during the Alipur Bomb case. When he took up the case he had no other thought in his mind. He not only laboured day and night but to meet family expenses he used to borrow without any hesitation and as long as the case continued he remained completely out of touch with his family. He told his family before hand that he should not be disturbed or bothered about family problems and during that time even when his son and daughters fell seriously ill, he never went to see them. The result of such absolute and undivided devotion to duty was not far to seek. The case brought him financial loss but he was crowned with the glory of success, the outcome of which was the beginning of a very lucrative practice. From then on he never had to worry about his profession."

Did Subhash Chandra Bose not realise, at least not until perhaps much later, about Sri Aurobindo? Because next, he says -

"Throughout his life whenever Deshbandhu accepted any responsibility he devoted himself wholeheartedly to the work. Until that assignment was completed he never thought of anything else. Those who are acquainted with his entire active life can cite innumerable examples in this regard. He acquired unlimited strength by being completely absorbed in this way in work. One has to give life in order to gain it. One who devotes his mind and soul totally to any work—who gives one hundred per cent of his being to it—finds a new opening for his soul and the source of unlimited strength. He himself fails to understand how he has gained such strength. The kind of realization that one does not achieve and the kind of treasure that he cannot secure by meditation, or Pranayam or by singing holy songs, can be easily gained by him if he can devote himself totally one hundred per cent—in Nishkama Karma—work without any thought to the fruits thereof."

A lot of truth there, but not all of it - none of what he discounts is as lesser an activity, if undertaken properly, as he may have himself too realised later.

Did Subhash Chandra Bose not realise, at least not until perhaps much later, about Sri Aurobindo?

................................................................................................

"When in 1921 I had the good fortune of coming to know Deshbandhu, he had given up the path of enjoyment and affluence and taken to the path of sacrifice and self-denial together with his family. Even then outsiders doubted whether Deshbandhu would be able to stick to that path in a long run and when in 1922 he supported the policy of entering the legislatures, those who are opposed to him started saying that Deshbandhu would now be what he was before. But those of us who knew the inner man to a certain extent, knew also that the policy of council-entry adopted by him was not a policy of retreat and, moreover, the path of renunciation and of non- co-operation that he had adopted was for good and that he would never deviate from it. As a matter of fact, he had not become a non-co-operater under a temporary influence. Even before 1921 he was mentally so prepared for renunciation that it did not appear to him to be at all difficult to give up his practice. He was led to the path of giving up all his wealth and of service to ‘Daridranarayana’ in response to the call of his ‘Swadharma’. This is why even while burdened with debts, after giving up his practice he was able to resist the temptation of accepting briefs worth lakhs and lakhs of rupees as his fees. After the Gaya Congress when he could not raise even a few thousand rupees to fill his empty coffers begging from door to door then some of his followers used to say that he could meet his needs by accepting one or two briefs instead of shamelessly begging from other people. But he never listened to such advice, because to him his idealism meant more than money. And to us at that time the greatest duty was to keep the policy of non co-operation unsullied. The truth is that man can manage to meet the demands of money but money can never compensate for the want of real men. And the result obtained by setting up an example by unwavering idealism without any money, can not be obtained by spending even huge sums of money. In every country of the world and in every age idealism is rated much higher than money. Great ideals create men and men collect money but money can never by itself alone can create real men or establish high ideals."

Again, an excess of emotion that stops him from seeing that this is only half correct.

What if everyone did that? Teachers, doctors, nurses, farmers, ... mothers and wives, everyone had stopped performing their duties of vocation, and simply took to what he's describing as idealism, exactly as he said Deshbandhu did? No growing or cooking of food, no teaching of young, no health care services? Who would benefit, who would suffer?

................................................................................................

"The nation is not a matter of mere imagination, it is a patent fact. As the individual is real, so is the nation. There cannot be any nation without individuals and there cannot be any individual apart from the nation. The nation has a collective soul, a culture, a past and a future. A nation has a sense of fulfilment and of sorrow, a nation is born—a nation also dies. He who fails to realise this cannot comprehend the true identity of a nation and to him patriotism is merely an empty word. The man in whom the real sense of patriotism is awakened overcomes the constraints of narrow individualism and appears before the people as the living symbol of the awakened nation. Inspired by patriotism he dedicates his life to the cause of the motherland and thus gains a fuller life. Blessed with this new life he can stand with his head erect and defiantly declare to the world community :

"“May all nations gain new life from mine and awaken”.

"I have this to say to young Bengal—if you want to be real men, if you want to create a new nation, if you want to bring into fruition the dream of a free India— then come, let us lose ourselves in this Sadhana.

"Shillong

"19.6.27."

................................................................................................

Some parts of the notes bring strong reactions. One wonders what Subhash Chandra Bose felt, thought, making a note of these.

"Indian Dislikes and the origin of Discontent

"x x “The Pax Brittanica, the universal peace, beneath which India sleeps and the benefit of which from the European point of view, it is impossible to exaggerate. Not only does it prevent invasion but private war and armed violence of every kind.” x x x The immense mass of the peasantry who benefit most directly by the British ways of ruling are, it must be remembered an inert mass. They are the stakes in the game not the players. It is for the right of taxing them that all Indian revolutions, wars x x x have occurred, x x x x It is the active classes who have to be considered and to them one rule is not and cannot be a rule without prodigious drawbacks. One of these of which they are fully conscious is the gradual decay of much of which they were proud x x x of Indian Art, of Indian culture, Indian military sprit. Architecture, engineering, literary skill are all perishing out, so perishing that Anglo-Indians doubt whether Indians have the capacity to be architects though they built Banares ; or Engineers though they dug the artificial lakes of Tanjore. x x x And the last and greatest one of the total loss of the interestingness of life. It would be hard to explain to the average Englishman how interesting Indian life must have been before our adven. x x x The whole continent was open as a prize to the strong, x x x x A brigand for Sivajee was no better, became a mighty sovereign. A herdsman built a monarchy in Baroda. A body-servant founded the dynasty of Scindiah. A corporal cut his way to the independent crown of Mysore. The first Nizam was only an officer of the Emperor. Ranjit Singh’s father was what Europeans would call a prefect. x x x x x Life was full of dramatic changes, x x x For all this which we have extinguished we offer nothing in return, nor can we offer anything. We can give place x x x but place is not power under our system.” x x x

"Yes, we do see around us several people who would have made their mark under these conditions but who either wither away in an unfavourable atmosphere or become criminals."

Most of the above is such garbage, and not only racist but casteist to the hilt, considering description of Shivaji and Maratha empire!

It was such fraud to cast India in terms of caste, when it really was European and British who were such humongous casteists!

Next paragraph is completely opposite in tone.

""This interestingness of life was no doubt purchased at the price of much danger and suffering x x The land was full of violence. Private war was universal x x x I question, however, if these circumstances were even considered drawbacks. They were not so considered by the upper classes or Europe in the Middle ages* x x I do not find that Texans hate the wild life of texas or that Spanish Americans think the personal security which the dominance of the English-speaking Americans would assure to them is any compensation for loss of independence. 1 firmly believe that to the immense majority of the active classes of Jpdia, the old time was a happy time ; that they dislike our rule as much for the leaden order it produces, as for its foreign character; and that they would welcome a return of the old disorders if they brought back with them the old vividness and so to speak, romance of life.”

Considering quotation marks at end, it's a question if this was comment by Subhash Chandra Bose. Else it seemed certain!

"“The great mutiny was not a mutiny but a revolt in which the armed class as was natural, took the leading share. The proclamation of the effete dynasty at Delhi—a proclamation accepted by Hindus as well as Mussalmans—showed its true object which was to restore the India which had been before the arrival of Europeans, x x The history of the Mutiny carefully studied is to my mind irresistible evidence of Indian dislike for white rule.”"

It certainly was a war of Independence.

As Veer Savarkar had said, long before anyone else did.

................................................................................................

And then, goosebumps!

"How the End will come

"“If we are to take the history of Asia for our guide, the British dominion in India should be overthrown by external violence exerted by some Asiatic people; just as the Alexandrine Empire was overthrown."

What 'Alexandrine Empire'? Does he mean in India, and were they so delusional? India retains no memory of any such thing. Even Greeks confess to not crossing Sindhu,

and being terrified of prospect of crossing Ganga, before making war on Magadha!

But, certainly, this part - 'British dominion in India should be overthrown by external violence exerted by some Asiatic people' - was prophetic! And it was Subhash Chandra Bose who had a major part therein, supported by Japan!

................................................................................................

Now, the title piece - and, it's only now that the editor or compiler and publisher see fit to disclose the original title!

THE CALL OF THE MOTHERLAND

(Desher Dak)

"One hundred and fifty years ago it was the Bengalees who showed the foreigners the way to penetrate India. Now it is incumbent on the Bengalees of the twentieth century to expiate that sin. The men and women of Bengal must now recover the lost glory of India. How to accomplish this task in the best possible manner is the problem with which the Bengalees should be primarily concerned.

"Though Mahatma Gandhi, the initiator of the nationalist movement, is a non-Bengalee, yet this movement has had its wider impact in Bengal than in the other provinces. This is my experience after touring Bihar, United Provinces, and Central Provinces."

Of tthose provinces, the last mentioned had seen a little better days, but the former two had been as crushed by invaders for over a millennium as Bengal; British arrival in Bengal had brought a fresh breeze and some respite, hence the prompt new life of reform, intellectual awakening, and more, that was perhaps better than the other provinces he'd seen.

But he isn't mentioning Maharashtra, perhaps for obvious reasons. Maharashtra had woken a great deal earlier, and until the last overseer of Maratha empire was no more, British admitted they couldn't be certain of their hold on India.

Of the earlier generation of freedom fighters who fought British in 1857, the most famous and well-known name is of Queen Laxmibai of Jhansi, a young woman brought up in Pune, the heart of Peshawa rule in name of descendants of Shivaji.

................................................................................................

"Though the Bengalees are not quite pioneers in other fields of life, yet this is my firm conviction that the Bengalees are in the forefront in the struggle for Swaraj. I have no doubt whatsoever in my mind that India is going to win Swaraj and that primarily the Bengalees have to bear the brunt in the onerous task of attaining Swaraj. There are many who lament that Bengalees have failed to be like the Marwaris and the Bhatias. I, on my part, always pray that may the Bengalees remain forever Bengalees."

He himself was to be the most visible and known cause of British fleeing, but British - and subsequent congress and associated governments hid that under carpet.

Truth was known to few.

................................................................................................

"Shri Krishna has said in the Gita “Sadharme Nidhanang Sreya Parodharma Bhayabaha”. One should rather die for one’s own Dharma but to change one’s Dharma is frightful. I believe in this saying. For the Bengalees t,o forsake their Swadharma is tantamount to the sin of suicide. God has not bestowed on us wealth but he has enriched us with the wealth of life. If we lose our richness of life in the craze for wealth, then we should better forego wealth."

Wish that weren't marred by Bengali transcription of Sanskrit words, changing them! It should've been

“Swadharme Nidhanam Shreyah Paradharmo Bhayavaha”.

................................................................................................

"Bengalees should always remember that they have a distinctive place in India—why only in India, in the whole world—and they have a duty to fulfil in keeping with that position. Bengalees have got to win freedom and as soon as freedom is won they have got to build up a new India. And that new India has to be built by the Bengalees through varied activities, in the field of literature, science, music and the arts, activities connected with the physical prowess and skill, athletics, and through charity and benevolence. It is only the Bengalees who have the power to bring about progress in every field of national life and also the instinct for cultural synthesis.

"I believe that the Bengalees have a character peculiarly their own. This special characteristic of the Bengalees has been manifested in education, culture and the inherent mental make-up of the Bengalees. There is a special feature also in the landscape of Bengal. Is there not something unique in the soil of Bengal, in her rivers and dales, in her skies, in her luscious green fields and in her ponds ringed by palmyras ? Has not this unique natural setting of Bengal added something to the character of the Bengalees ? Having been born in a land with such a tender soil, the Bengalees are so warm-hearted! Having been brought up against this beautiful natural background, they have become worshippers of beauty. Nourished by food and water provided by their well-watered, fertile and highly productive motherland the Bengalees have been able to show such creative faculties in literature and verse."

Herein, visible, a major difference.

From Shivaji on, Maratha empire stalwarts never had a view limited to their own land - perhaps, hence their rule extended far, and their victories included Attock.

But perhaps this changed, of course, for Subhash Chandra Bose, too, as he travelled and matured. After all, both the salutation cum slogan of Jai Hind and the national anthem are originally of his making and selection respectively. And what with his sojourns around the world subsequently, his view did encompass India as homeland and world as friends, not remaining limited to the province.

................................................................................................

"The wave of natural awakening that swept over Bengal two or three years ago has now no doubt lost its momentum, yet in no time the tide will return. The flood gates of nationalism in Bengal will again be thrown open. That flood will reawaken the spirit of Bengal again. The Bengalees will once again be mad for freedom and stake their all for it. The country will once again gird up its loins to win freedom."

Chattagram was soon after.

Wonder what Subhash Chandra Bose said then.

"Who can tell where is that fortunate one now who will assume the role of the high-priest of this undertaking and in what sort of Sadhana he may now be engaged?"

Bhagat Singh and his group, HRA, were surging ahead at this time.

"We do not know whether Mahatma Gandhi will lead this movement or a new seer will take his place."

When asked, in private, Gandhi did say that he undertook salt protest to wipe out the humongous influence and impression that the young group of Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev, Rajguru, Chandrashekhar Azad, et al had produced with the nation, at the time.

Jawaharlal Nehru had persuaded Gandhi to allow congress to adopt the slogan given by Bhagat Singh, Inquilab Zindabad, 'long live revolution', and subsequently congress managed to take it as if their own while Gandhi didn't even try to save the lives of those who had given it, reducing them eventually to a line in school texts, as was done to all but two names except where local governments and - or - cultures prevailed.

Thus for example Shivaji remained a major influence and object of reverence in Maharashtra, but was hardly mentioned in north, officially not given respect by central government, and - a shocking matter to an outsider - was described in derogatory terms in school history texts in Tamil speaking regions, following British putting down copied to a t.

................................................................................................

"But we must not wait with folded hands for answers to these questions. We must be prepared from this very moments for that new awakening. We have to take to Sadhana through a comprehensive process of contemplation, introspection, deep thinking, work, sacrifice, enjoyment etc., so that when the call comes we shall be ready.

"Mother Bengal demands a band of new young Sanyasins. Brethren, those of you who are ready for self-sacrifice, come forward. Our motherland can offer you only sorrow, suffering, hunger, poverty and the rigors of imprisonment. If you are prepared to swallow the position of suffering and poverty like the Nilkantha without a protest then come forward because the Country needs you. If God wills and if you eventually survive you will enjoy life in a free India. If you die in your holy task in the service of your motherland blessings of heaven will be upon you after your death. If you are real heroic sons of your motherland then come forward.

"Oh you, youthful harbingers of new life, it is you who have created the history of freedom in country after country. Will you be asleep when in an awakening world the message of freedom is ringing everywhere ? It is you who have for ever made “life and death” your slave, it is you who have in every country built temples of nationalism on the sacred base of sacrifice and it is you who have gladly accepted all kinds of suffering and torture and have offered service and devotion in return. You have never been after any gain, you have ever been untouched by fear and inspired with the message of freedom, you have embraced death like heroic soldiers. In recognition of your valour, your heroism and the strength of your character mother earth has put the mark of victory on your unblemished forehead.

"Oh you, the youth of Bengal! I invite you to the holy task of service to the country. Come running all of you, wherever you may be and in whatever situation ! The skies are reverberating with the sound of the holy conch of the Mother. There on the eastern horizon the arbiter of India’s destiny has appeared in the form of the newly rising sun. Blessed with the holy light of freedom, even China, Japan, Turkey, and Egypt are now standing with their heads erect in the comity of nations. Will you still be asleep and stupefied ? Arise, awake,—there is no time to lose. The sin committed by your forefathers in the eighteenth century by way of leading the foreign traders into India must be expiated by you in this twentieth century. The resurgent national spirit of India is today crying out for freedom. So I appeal to you all to come forward, to put on Rakhi—the symbol of brotherhood, and be initiated in the temple of the mother with the vow that you will put an end to the shame that afflicts our mother, re-establish India again on the high pedestal of freedom and recover the lost glory of our Holy Mother India.

"11 Poush 1332.

"(December 1925)"

................................................................................................

19. THE FUNDAMENTAL QUESTION, Oct’ 26

(Gorar Katha)

" ... But the difference between a man and a nation is that there are nations which fail to have a new life after death. A nation whose existence does not have any significance any more, a nation which has completely lost its life-force disappears from the face of the earth or if it at all survives somehow it leads a life similar to the life of lowly creatures—living somehow biologically but no impact of its existence is felt anywhere except in the pages of history."

" ... existence of India had significance in the past and has even now India has a message to give to the whole of humanity ; there is something in the culture of India which is essential to the whole humanity and if that is not accepted by mankind, world civilisation will fail to reach its true fulfilment. Not only that—our nation has something to contribute and to teach in the fields of science, arts, literature, industry and commerce to the world at large. The seers of India therefore kept alive with the utmost care the light of knowledge of India even through periods of darkness. We are their descendants, how can we die without fulfilling this national mission ?"

"Even certain nation which have descended to such a state regenerate themselves provided there is a purpose in their existence. Such a nation when engulfed by darkness somehow keeps alive the heritage of its culture and civilisation and does not lose its identity by merging itself with other nations. Then by the decree of Providence or Destiny a renaissance takes place in such a nation. Darkness gradually vanishes and the nation awakened from slumber opens its eyes once again; it regains its creative power. Then like a thousand-petaled lotus the life-force of the nation blossoms again and manifests itself in newer and newer forms, newer and newer ideas and newer and newer fields. The Indian nation has passed through so many deaths and resurrections and that is because of the fact that India has a mission and Indian civilisation has a purpose which has not yet been fulfilled."

"As I spent month after month in prison in a far-off country, this question used to arise in my mind often. What cause and what inspiration are making us all the more courageous instead of being disheartened by the burden of prison life ? I used to get the answer from within, the essence of which was this : “India has a mission and India has a glorious future; and we are the heirs of that India of the future. It is we who are creating the history of the freedom of India and will continue to do so in the future. It is because of this faith that we are able to put up with all sorrow and suffering, can disregard the gloomy present and can demolish the cruel facts or reality by striking them with the strength of our ideas. It is because of this indomitable, and unwavering faith that the youth power of Bengal can defy death itself.”"

Why did Subhash Chandra Bose term Burma, in particular Mandalay, 'far-off country'? It's contiguous with not only India but also specifically with was so with the then undivided, Bengal, and Mandalay was - is - close! This is apart from the considerations regarding whether Burma is really separate a land, or like other temporarily tourniqueted (after WWII and 1947) parts, a part of the ancient land that has always been known as India, Bharat and Aryavarta.

Mother and Sri Aurobindo do count it as part of India.

................................................................................................

"Last April while I was reading a Russian novel I heard an echo of my ideas. The Russian novelist has this to say to the Russian people through his hero :

"“There is still much suffering in store for the people, much of their blood will yet flow, squeezed out by the hands of greed; but for all that, all my suffering, all my blood is a small price for that which is already stirring in my breast, in my mind, in the marrow of my bones ! I am already rich, as a star is rich in golden rays. And I will bear all, will suffer all because there is within me a joy which ,no one, nothing can ever stifle ! In this joy there is a world of strength.”

"The man who makes ‘Nilkantha’ his ideal and says— the fountain of bliss is flowing freely inside me, so I can accept with all my heart all the sorrows and sufferings of the world; the man who can say—I am taking upon myself the entire burden of suffering and misery—because that is the way to discover the truth, that man indeed has attained spiritual realisation."

................................................................................................

"Now, it cannot be simply refuted that during the last two years Bengal is temporarily in the grip of pessimism and frustration. This has to a certain extent paralysed our vitality but now it is time to get rid of what is rotten inside us. There can not be a greater enemy than the one that lurks in the mind of man. So, you have got to first defeat the enemy within in the form of faithlessness and then we shall be able to defeat the enemy outside. Today the Bengalees have not to regain indomitable self- confidence. We must have faith in idealism. Our confidence in our own strength, firm belief in India’s glorious future and so inspired we shall conquer the conscience of the world."

"It is a matter of the highest satisfaction that Bengalees have now developed a wanderlust. Who would have believed even twenty years ago that the Bengalee would leave his home behind and would go out into the wide world on feet, on cycle, or swimming ? Such yearning to see unknown lands, to trade the unbeaten track, to know people yet unknown leads to the founding of empires. Nations who do not and cannot go beyond their narrow national limits inevitably decline. On the other hand, nations, who disregarding all obstacles and the fear of death, travel all over the world, develop physically and mentally day by day and become founders of Empires. When poet Dwijendralal sang—

"Amar a deshetei janma, jano a deshetei mori

"(I was born in this country and I want to die here).

"He put before us a wrong idea. It is now time for us to declare : “Ami jabo na, jabo na jabo na ghore, bahir karechhe pagol more”. (I will not keep myself confined to my home anymore, the wide world outside has intoxicated me)."

Latter is from Tagore.

................................................................................................

20. Statement being interviewed by a representative of “Forward” on the Statement of Dr. Moonje, 1.1.28

In short, Dr Moonje (shouldn't that be sort Munje?) made remarks regarding congress, Subhash Chandra Bose disapproves and takes him to task, states that personal opinions of his should not be taken as those of Hindus, and that congress represents the nation.

Congress threw him - Subhash Chandra Bose - out unceremoniously, only a few years later, as per wishes of Gandhi, despite his having been elected president with an overwhelming majority.

................................................................................................

21. Speech at Hartal Meeting, 4.2.28

"To-day we have tasted British sense of law and order. We hear in season and out of season of Pax-Britainica, but is it the Prototype of Great Britain ?” Lord Lytton gave expression to a bare truth when he had said, “England can do no good to India at her expense”.

"“The 3rd of February 1928 is a memorable day in the history of India’s battle for freedom. From sunrise to sunset we have had a clear vision of British character, I hope, we will not fail to have this lesson enshrined in our heart to the last day. The brute in them appears in its nakedness when there is an occasion for any least opposition from us. Language fails to give adequate expression to the lesson we have been taught. We may call it Goonda Raj, Police Raj or Military Raj.”

"“I am not a lawyer, I do not know what is the law of sedition. I am not in the least afraid to speak out what I regard as truth. The type of Raj as was evinced by the British Raj today is a bigger edition of goondaism. I bear no ill-will to the English.

"“To us all men are our brothers. If the British has the right to live as an independent nation we may have the same claim. The English, French, Afghans have the right to live; why should we be denied the same right.”"

Did he say, 'we may have the same claim'?

Did he say, 'may'?

Lokamanya Tilak had arrived far ahead, when he asserted in court, telling off the Brits - "independence is my birthright, and I shall have it"!

He was sentenced to Andaman, not Aga Khan Palace!

................................................................................................

"“The time has come when we should declare in no uncertain terms that we do no longer hold the British in awe. We have been familiar with their aeroplanes, machineguns, fixed bayonets, though not with sub-marines. I have been all along an optimist. In some respects, I think, we are superior to the English. We are the repository of strength. Though an optimist I could never think that the citizens of Calcutta could ever come out of the ordeal with so unique a success. Courage and self-reliance displayed by the young generation nay the old too, all prove conclusively how far the country has advanced. Ten years back such a tremendous success was an impossibility. 1928 and 1929 are rare opportunities which fall to the lot of a subject nation the Indians. This Commission is not a gift from the English. A compromise is sure to be forthcoming between the English and the Indians. If we be in a position to compose our differences, they would be bound to concede to our unanimous demand in toto. The fear of the Government lies in closing up our ranks. If only the five crores of Bengal stand to a man, our victory will be within our easy reach. Let this dying nation meet death not like sheep but as a man.”"

Most interesting, that reference to submarines!

He was the first person, subsequently, to not only travel in a submarine (and that too of a third country, neither his own, nor of the colonial empire) halfway around the world despite being a civilian, temporarily assigned a suitable designation specifically for the purpose - but then, as if thst wasnt unique en, be transferred to yet another submarine, of yet another nation, in mid-ocean - not by helicopter, but via a little boat - and all this, in midst of the then raging WWII!

In fact, the German submarine transporting him from a North German port through Atlantic (which has always not only known to be turbulent and otherwise too difficult, what with the Mid-Atlantic Ridge stretching from pole to pole and coiling around like a huge serpent - but, at the time, also heavily infested with allied warships too), had engaged with and sunk one such British ship, before rounding the Cape Of Good Hope, and then proceeding north up the coast of Africa, towards the rendezvous spot to meet the Japanese submarine.

................................................................................................

24. Speech on City College scandal protest meeting,2.3.28

"A charge is generally levelled against us. That it is we who generally provoke the youths of the country —a charge, which I have every reason to believe is beside the point at this moment. But the time is not far off when they will need provocation from us. Many are eager to know how do I regard this movement. It need not be told that I am at one with the youths of the country in freedom’s battle. I shall lay down my life at the feet of the hopefuls of the country in any movement that draws its inspiration from them. It is gratifying to note that Bengal has been seized with a new awakening—a new outlook on life. The present movement launched on by the students of City College as sequel to the arbitrary action of the college authorities in riding rough shod over the religious susceptibilities of the Hindu students has my warm and unstinted support. It is up to us to see that it is running in proper channel.

"I for my part am not hostile to any honourable compromise that the authorities may deem fit to arrive at although it would be simply hoping against hope."

Further part is incomprehensible, as it seemingly is accusation by Subhash Chandra Bose against Brahmins of imposing their creed - on Hindu students!

"The City College affair is after all easy of solution. The attempt that is being made in certain quarter to pass it off as something complex is in reality nothing but making a mountain of a mole-hill.

"I am reluctant to thurst my religious conviction on other Hindus as we are tolerant to a great degree and this toleration has not unoften its’ tendency towards inaction and inertness. It passes my comprehension how the Brahman gentlemen of light and leading could stoop so low as to force on the Hindu students their own religious faith."

It was far more comprehensible where Tagore had a thinker gentleman of his works elucidate on how the 'swadeshi' fanatics were robbing their own brethren - and not wealthy ones - in making bonfires of English goods which were bought before they began their movement.

................................................................................................

27. Statement bearing upon the City College affair, 18.5.28

This explains a lot about a speech that was given a bit before in this collection.

24. Speech on City College scandal protest meeting,2.3.28

The editor, perhaps instead of being chronological, might have clubbed the two together.

Another mistake, whether typo or not, should have been corrected there, but was left in. Here the matter becomes clearer.

"I am glad to find that attempts are being made to bring about a satisfactory compromise between the authorities and students of the City College. But the suggestions which have appeared in to-day’s papers do not appear to me to be on the right lines. It is no use restricting the freedom of worship of either the Image worshipping Hindus or of the Brahmo Hindus. I would rather urge that freedom worship be extended to both. The relation between the Brahmo Samaj and the rest of Hindu society bears no analogy to the relation between Hinduism and Christianity or between Hinduism and Islam. I look upon the Brahmo Samaj as a section of Hindu society. This belief of mine is confirmed by the present attitude of most of the prominent members of the Brahmo Samaj. It is now customary for the Brahmos to call themselves as Brahmo- Hindus and prominent Brahmo gentlemen have been taking a prominent part in the Hindu Mahasabha. It, therefore, behoves the Brahmo-Hindus to treat the image worshipping Hindus with great toleration and respect. Since the attitude and mentality of the Brahmo Samaj has undergone considerable change during the past ten years, I think we can expect a similar change in their treatment of their image-worshipping co-religionists."

So when one was mystified by Subhash Chandra Bose claiming Brahmans were imposing their faith on Hindus, it was in fact about Brahmo that he was talking about!

Which makes sense.

"I do not desire to enter into the controversy between the authorities and the students of the City College. It will suffice to say that from the legal point of view the students are in the right. This statement of mine will be borne out by a reference to the trust deed of the City College and of the Ram Mohan Roy Hostel. But I will not trouble myself. With the legal aspect of the problem I desire to plead for toleration and respect. So far the intolerance has been on the side of the authorities. If the authorities had shown greater tact, less vindictiveness and more toleration, no trouble would have arisen at all. However, it is not too late to retrieve the present position. I have put the broad issue before my Brahmo-co-religionists and shall await a response."

................................................................................................

Another milestone.

26. Presidential address at the Maharashtra Provincial Conference, Poona, 3.5.28

This speech seems - unlike the emotional, topical and local appeals his speeches in Bengal so far in this collection seemingly consist of - his first very comprehensive, intellectual and factual assessment of situations, of national and international matters, taking into account various viewpoints.

Was he informed by someone about how very different Pune was (and remained), from other provinces of his own nrighbourhood?

Or did he know intuitively, judging from - say - speeches and writings of Lokamanya Tilak and others of Pune?

................................................................................................

"Friends, I thank you from the bottom of my heart for the high honour you have done me by requesting me to preside over the deliberations of the Sixth Session of the Maharashtra Provincial Conference. You are probably aware that I did not at first venture to accept the kind invitation, but by referring to the old relations between Bengal and Maharashtra some of my friends touched a most tender chord in my heart. The appeal then proved to be irresistible and every other consideration had to stand aside.

"Before I proceed to place before you my view with regard to our present policy and programme, I would like to raise some fundamental problems and attempt to answer them. It is sometimes urged by foreigners that the new awakening in India is entirely an exotic product inspired by alien ideals and methods. This is by no means true. I do not for one moment dispute the fact that the impact of the West has helped to rouse us from intellectual and moral torpor. But that impact has restored self-consciousness to our people, and the movement that has resulted therefrom and which we witness today is a genuine Swadeshi movement. India has long passed through the traditional period of blind imitation—of reflex action, if you put it in psychological language. She has now recovered her own soul and is busy reconstructing her national movement along national lines and in the light of national ideals."

One might disagree with much therreon. India didn't suffer from torpor, but from barbaric invaders onslaughts fir well over a millennium, not only looting, massacring and enslaving hundreds of thousands routinely, amounting to hundreds of millions over the more than a millennium and half, but Aldo deliberate destruction of universities and temples, repositories of knowledge and culture, arts and libraries. Their assaults were aimed at a deliberate destruction of everything India stood for, especially knowledge and culture, art and wealth.

India wasn't vanquished, to their wrath, but fought through the millennium and a half, unlike other great nations of antiquity that fell before the onslaught within less than a century and were wiped out, including Egypt and Persia. Their names and lands remain, but original culture is long gone, unlike that of India, still living and thriving in continuity since ancient times.

This, they hate - hence the terrorists attacks.

................................................................................................

"I agree with Sir Flinders Petrie that civilizations, like individuals grow and die in a cycle fashion and that each civilization has certain span of life vouchsafed to it. I also agree with him that, under certain conditions, it is possible for a particular civilization to be reborn after it has spent itself. When this rebirth is to take place, the vital impetus, the elan vital, comes not from without but from within. In this manner has Indian civilization been reborn over and over again at the end of each cycle, and that is why India in spite of her hoary antiquity is still young and fresh."

This is balderdash, generalising from examples of Greek, Roman and perhaps Egyptian examples, but invalid just the same. India is a counterexample of this throry, still living since ancient Vedic era, and change of cutout does not amount to death of a civilisation - else West must have died when women began wearing trousers, or shorter skirts before that.

................................................................................................

"The charge has often been levelled against us that since democracy is an Occidental institution, India, by accepting democratic or semi-democratic institutions, is being Westernized. Some European writers—Lord Ronaldshay for instance—go so far as to say that democracy is unsuited to the Oriental temperament and political advancement in India should not, therefore, be made in that direction. Ignorance and effrontery could not go further. Democracy is by no means a Western institution; it is a human institution. Wherever man has attempted to evolve political institutions, he has hit upon this wonderful institution of democracy. The past history of India is replete with instances of democratic institutions. Mr. K. P. Jayaswal in his wonderful book, ‘Hindu Polity’, has dealt with this matter at great length and has given a list of 81 republics in ancient India."

True, and the most famous would be Vaishali, butchered by the West's darling, Ashok, until he saw results of his lust fir empire in the battlefield strewn with hundreds of thousands dead.

But there's more and deeper roots in India of the equitable distribution unlike elsewhere, in a caste system based on very different principles.

Elsewhere, it's wealth and power, race, gender, and aristocracy that tops a pyramid, with each strata - royals, nobles and so on, down to peasants, and finally other races and creeds, loading it over the one below, in every field of human endeavour. And women are held low.

India on the other hand classifies professions and separates wealth from power, placing each below intellectual vocations, and equating everyone within a class, so that any soldier is a king's equal, both lower to a teacher. Spiritual endeavours top the whole, while women are not only equal but also are worshipped as representative of Goddesses, who are on par with Gods.

No culture or creed can render its followers as democratic as Hinduism, in fact. Or factual or scientific.

................................................................................................

"The Indian languages are also rich in terminology required in connection with political institutions of an advanced type. Democratic institutions still exist in certain parts of India. Among the Khasis of Assam, for instance, it is still the custom to elect the ruling chief by a vote of the whole clan; and this custom has been handed down from time immemorial. The principle of democracy was also applied in India in the government of villages and towns. The other day while visiting the Varendra Research Society Museum at Rajshahi in North Bengal, I was shown a very interesting copper-plate inscription in which it was stated that civic administration in the good old days was vested in a committee of five, including the Nagar Sreshthi (i.e., our modern Mayor). With regard to village self-government, it is not necessary to remind an Indian audience about the village Panchayats—democratic institutions handed down to us from days of yore. Not only democratic but other socio-political doctrines of an advanced character were not unknown to India in the past."

And they have functioned through millennia, regardless of regimes, with the top five elected not only unanimously but regardless of caste.

................................................................................................

"Communism, for instance, is not a Western institution. Among the Khasis of Assam, to whom I have referred, private property as an institution does not exist in theory even today. The clan as a whole owns the entire land. I am sure that similar instances can still be found in other parts of India and also in the past history of bur country."

Hindu joint family is already halfway there, and still going strong where possible, limited only due to modern era where work takes an employee away (if one is not willing to stay on ancestral land in ancestral profession), and urban limitations on space are familiar to most. Nevertheless, sons don't automatically separate from parents on marrying, as in West, whether the older generation is still in a joint family setting or not.

................................................................................................

"I think it necessary at this stage to warn my countrymen, and my young friends in particular, about the attack that is being made on nationalism from more than one quarter. From the point of view of cultural internationalism, nationalism is sometimes assailed as narrow, selfish and aggressive. It is also regarded as a hindrance to the promotion of internationalism in the domain of culture. My reply to the charge is that Indian nationalism is neither narrow, nor selfish, nor aggressive. It is inspired by the highest ideals of the human race, viz., Satyam (the true), Shivam (the good), Sundaram (the beautiful). Nationalism in India has instilled into us truthfulness, honesty, manliness and the spirit of service and sacrifice. What is more, it has roused the creative faculties which for centuries had been lying dormant in our people and, as a result, we are experiencing a renaissance in the domain of India art.

"Another attack is being made on nationalism from the point of view of international labour or international Communism. This attack is not only ill-advised but unconsciously serves the interests of our alien rulers. It would be clear to the man in the street that before we can endeavour to reconstruct Indian society on a new basis, whether socialistic or otherwise, we should first secure the right to shape our own destiny. As long as India lies prostrate at the feet of Britain, that right will be denied to us. It is, therefore, the paramount duty not only of nationalists but anti-nationalistic Communists to bring about the political emancipation of India as early as possible."

And those attacks still continue, from opposition since 2014.

................................................................................................

"I have already hinted that I plead for a coalition between labour and nationalism (I am using ‘labour’ here in a wider sense to include the peasants as well). It has to be admitted that though we have passed resolutions from the Congress platform time and again regarding the desirability of organising labour, much has not been achieved in that direction."

That was to see more later. Congress wasn't as willing for organised labour, much less peasants, as Subhash Chandra Bose seems to think.

................................................................................................

"If we view the programme of the Congress during the last few years we shall find that only in our Khadi programme have we been able to offer to our masses something which means bread and butter to them. Khadi, I am glad to say, has brought food to thousands and thousands of hungry mouths all over India. Given money and organization there is plenty of scope for pushing on Khadi. There are lakhs and lakhs of poor Indians living on the verge of starvation to whom Khadi can offer a means of subsistence, But the appeal of Khadi cannot be universal. We find from bitter experience in some parts of Bengal that as soon as the masses are a little better off, their Charkhas lie idle and that the peasant who gets a better return from paddy or jute cultivation refuses to cultivate cotton."

Only natural, however short-sighted.

Later examples are agricultural lands turn to sugarcane or viticulture, instead of essential and vital grains, legumes and vegetables - and this, not in water-rich parts! So there's dual negative, or triple, as a result. Food for poor grown in poor soil no longer grown is bad enough, while depletion of soil doesn't help, and the cash crops aren't healthy for anyone.

................................................................................................

"Except when Congressmen have joined the Kisan movement, as in the U.P. or have taken up the question of jute cultivation, as in Bengal, or have undertaken a campaign for nonpayment of taxes in order to resist illegal taxation or oppressive legislation, as in Gujarat, we have seldom been able to make a direct appeal to the economic interests of the masses. And until this is done—human, nature being what it is—how can we expect the masses to join the freedom movement ?"

Is that reference to Gujarat about Bardoli, where farmers had approached Vallabh Bhai Patel for help, and he'd helped them organise, resulting in the success that had them give him the title of 'Sardar'?

................................................................................................

"There is another reason why I consider it imperative that the Congress should be more alive to the interests of the masses. Mass consciousness has been roused in India, thanks to the extensive and intensive propaganda undertaken during the non-co-operation movement; and the mass movement cannot possibly be checked now. The only question is along what lines this mass consciousness should manifest itself. If the Congress neglects the masses it is inevitable that a sectional—and if I may say so, antinational movement will come into existence and class war among our people will appear even before we have achieved our political emancipation. It would be disastrous in the highest degree if we were to launch class war while we are all bed-fellows in slavery, in order that we may afford amusement to the common enemy. I regret to say that there is at present a tendency among some Indian labourites to belittle the Congress and to condemn the Congress programme. This recrimination should cease and the organised forces of labour and of the Congress should join hands for furthering the economic interests of the masses and promoting the cause of India’s political emancipation."

Congress did this in Gandhian fashion, by inviting leftists to have thrir factions within congress, with disastrous results thereafter - with left taking over academia and media, and fraudulent propaganda against not only Hindus but even India, by three later Abrahamic creeds joining forces towards accomplishment of Macaulay policy goals of complete fracturing of India as ultimate goalposts, now preached openly at - for example - JNU.

................................................................................................

"Friends, you will pardon me if for one moment I ask you to lift your eyes from the realities of the present and attempt to scan the future that looms before us. It is desirable that we should search our hearts in order to find out what it is that we are running after, so that we and our succeeding generations may grow up in the light of the ideal and shape our course of action accordingly.

"Speaking for myself, I stand for an independent Federal Republic. That is the ultimate goal which I have before me. India must fulfil her own destiny and cannot be content with colonial self-government or Dominion Home Rule. Why must we remain within the British Empire ? India is rich in resources, human and material. She has outgrown the infancy which foreigners have been thrusting upon her, and can not only take care of herself but can function as an independent unit. India is not Canada or Australia or South Africa. Indians are an Oriental People, a coloured race, and there is nothing common between India and Great Britain from which we may be led to think that Dominion Home Rule within the British Empires is a desirable consummation for India. Rather, India stands to lose by remaining within the Empire. Having been under British domination so long, it may be difficult for Indians to get rid of the inferiority complex in their relations with England. It may also be difficult to resist British exploitation so long as we remain an integral part of the British Empire."

This rattled the then leadership of the Congress, until then content to plead for slight relaxation, unlike Lokamanya Tilak who hadn't asked but asserted that freedom was his birthright.

................................................................................................

"The usual argument that India without the help of Britain cannot defend herself is puerile. It is the Indian army—much more than the British army—which is defending India today. If India is strong enough to fight the battles of England outside her borders—in Tibet, China, Mesopotamia, Persia, Egypt and Flanders—she is certainly strong enough to defend herself from foreign aggression. Moreover, once India is able to free herself, the balance of power in the world will save India, as it has saved China. And if the League of Nations becomes a living organization with some sanction behind it, invasion and aggression will be a thing of the past.

"While striving to attain liberty we have to note all its implications. You cannot free one half of your soul and keep the other half in bondage. You cannot introduce a light into a room and expect at the same time that some portion of it will remain dark. You cannot establish political democracy and endeavour at the same time to resist the democratization of the society. No, my friends, let us not become a queer mixture of political democrats and social conservatives. Political institutions grow out of the social life of the people and are shaped by their social ideas and ideals. If we want to make India really great we must build up a political democracy on the pedestal of a democratic society. Privileges, based on birth, caste or creed should go, and equal opportunities should be thrown open to all irrespective of caste, creed or religion. The status of women should also be raised and women should be trained to take a larger and a more intelligent interest in public affairs.

"While I do not condemn any patch-up work that may be necessary for healing communal sores, I would urge the necessity of discovering a deeper remedy for our communal troubles. It is necessary for the different religious groups to be acquainted with the traditions, ideals and history of one another because cultural intimacy will pave the way towards communal peace and harmony. I venture to think that the fundamental basis of political unity between different communities lies in cultural rapprochement. As things stand today, the different communities inhabiting India are too exclusive.

"In order to facilitate cultural rapprochement a dose of secular and scientific training is necessary. Fanaticism is the greatest thorn in the path of cultural intimacy, and there is no better remedy for fanaticism than secular and scientific education. This sort of education is useful in another way, in that it helps to rouse our economic consciousness. The dawn of economic consciousness spells the death of fanaticism. There is much more in common between a Hindu peasant and a Muslim peasant than between a Muslim peasant and a Muslim Zamindar. The masses have only got to be educated wherein their economic interests be, and once they understand it, they will no longer consent to be pawns in communal feuds. By working from the cultural, educational and economic side, we can gradually undermine fanaticism and thereby render possible the growth of healthy nationalism in this country."

He was counting without abrahmic built-in fanatic structures - might as well hope to reconcile Marxists with US constitution and its fundamental rights and freedoms!

................................................................................................

"One of the most hopeful signs of the time is the awakening among the youth of this country. The movement has spread from one end of the country to the other end, as far as I am aware and has attracted not only young men but young women as well. The youth of this age have become self-conscious; they have been inspired by an ideal and are anxious to follow the call of their inner nature and fulfil their destiny. The movement is the spontaneous self-expression of the national soul, and on the course of this movement depends the nation’s future. Our duty, therefore, is not to attempt to crush this new-born spirit but to lend it our support and guidance.

"Friends, I would implore you to assist in the awakening of youth and in the organization of the youth movement. Self-conscious youth will not only act, but will also dream; will not only destroy, but will also build. It will succeed where even you may fail; it will create for you a new India—and a free India—out of the failures, trials and experience of the past. And, believe me, if we are to rid India once for all of the canker of communalism and fanaticism, we have to begin work among our youth."

What did he opine of HRA, Bhagat Singh, Chandrashekhar Azad, and the rest?

................................................................................................

"There is another aspect of our movement which has been somewhat neglected in this country—the women’s movement. It is impossible for one-half of the nation to win liberty without the active sympathy and support of the other half. In all countries—and even in the Labour Party in England—women’s organizations have rendered invaluable service. There are various non-political organization among women in different parts of the country, but I venture to think that there is room for a countrywide political organization among them. It should be the primary object of this organization, which will be run by women alone, to carry on political propaganda among their sex and to help the work of the Indian National Congress."

At the other extreme, Jawaharlal Nehru did not even ask Maniben, the then recently bereaved daughter of Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel, for cup of tea - after she'd handed over everything her father had saved, 3,500,000 rupees, a huge sum in 1950. She had devoted her life to freedom struggle and been to jail with Kasturba Gandhi, after she accepted congress ideals and work, and she had always spun everything she and her father wore, took care of him and his household, until he'd passed away. She was left destitute, but Jawaharlal Nehru, the then PM of India, didn't bother asking about her well being, after accepting the money Sardar Patel had left for the nation and Maniben had handed it over.

................................................................................................

"Our benign rulers and our self-appointed advisers are in the habit of lecturing day after day on our unfitness for Swaraj. Some say that we must have more education before we can hope to be free; others maintain that social reform should precede political reform; still others urge that without industrial development India cannot be fit for Swaraj. None of these statements is true. Indeed it would be far more true to say that without political freedom— i.e., without the power to shape our own destiny—we cannot have either compulsory free education or social reform or industrial advancement. If you demand education for your people as Shri Gokhale did long ago, the plea is put forward by Government that there is no money. If you introduce social legislation for the advancement of your countrymen, you find Miss Mayo’s cousins on this side of the Atlantic arrayed against you and on the side of your social die-hards. When you are working yourself to death in order to bring about the economic and industrial regeneration of India you find to your infinite regret and surprise that your Imperial Banks, your Railways and your Stores Departments are least inclined to help your national enterprises. You pass resolutions in your Municipalities and in your Councils in favour of Prohibition and you find that the Government meets you with a stonewall of indifference or hostility. I have no doubt in my own mind that Swaraj and Swaraj alone is the sovereign remedy for all our ills. And the only criterion of our fitness for Swaraj is the will to be free.

"How to rouse the national will within the shortest possible period is, then, the problem before us ; our policies and programmes have to be drawn up with a view to this end. The Congress policy since 1921 has been a dual policy of destruction and obstruction; of opposition and consolidation. We feel that the bureaucracy has entrenched itself in this country by erecting a network of organizations and institutions and by appointing a hierarchy of officials to run them. These are the seats of bureaucratic power and through them the bureaucracy has a grip on the very heart of the people. We have to storm these citadels of power and for that purpose we have to set up parallel institutions. These parallel organizations are our Congress offices. As our power and influence increase through the organization of Congress Committees, we shall be able to capture the bureaucratic seals of power. We know from personal experience that in districts where Congress Committees are well organized, the capture of local bodies has been possible without any difficulty. The Congress offices are, therefore, the forts where we have to entrench ourselves and whence we have to stir out every day in order to raid the bureaucratic citadels. Congress Committees are our army, and no plan of campaign however skilfully devised, Can succeed unless we have a strong, efficient and disciplined army at our command.

"Friends, you will remember that when, after the Gaya Congress of 1922, there was a tendency among a large section of our countrymen to concentrate wholly on the constructive programme to the exclusion of everything else, Deshbandhu Das pointed out in the manifesto of the Swaraj Party that it was absolutely necessary to keep up a spirit of resistance to the bureaucracy. He firmly believed that without an atmosphere of opposition it was not possible to push on the constructive programme or to achieve success in any other direction. But this basic principle we often seem to forget. “Non-co-operation is barren”—“opposition has failed”—“obstruction is fruitless”—these are catchwords which mislead the unwary public. The most tragic element in our character is that we do not look ahead; we are easily upset by failures. We lack the dogged tenacity of John Bull, and unlike him, we cannot therefore fight a longlasting game."

Love of argument might be another. Usually it's used against own, not other!

................................................................................................

"I have often been asked how the end will come, how the bureaucracy will ultimately be forced to accede to our terms. I have no misgivings in this matter for I have already had a foretaste of what will come. The movement will reach its climax in a sort of general strike or country-wide hartal coupled with a boycott of British goods. Along with the strike or hartal to bring about which labour and the National Congress will heartily co-operate, there will be some form of civil disobedience because the bureaucracy is not likely to sit idle while a strike is going on. It is also possible that there may be non-payment of taxes in some form or other, but this is not essential. When the crisis is reached the average Britisher at home will feel that to starve India politically means economic starvation for him. And the bureaucracy in India will find that it is impossible to carry on the administration in the face of a country-wide non-co-operation movement. The jails will be full as in 1921, and there will be general demoralization within the ranks of the bureaucracy, who will no logner be able to count upon the loyalty and devotion of their servants and employees. There will be a paralysis of the administration and possibly of foreign trade and commerce. The bureaucracy will consider the situation as chaotic but, from the point of view of the people, the country will be organized, disciplined and determined. The bureaucracy will then be forced to yield to the demands of the people’s representatives, for saving themselves from unnecessary trouble and anxiety and for restoring their trade with India."

Sounds like a dream, unlike the reality that was far more dramatic.

................................................................................................

"Our immediate task is among other things to make the boycott of the Simon Commission complete and effective. We, Congressmen, have never accepted the pernicious preamble of the Government of India Act, 1919. This Act has been forced down our throats but we have never owed willing allegiance to it; in fact we have tried our level best to non-co-operate with it. We take our stand on the sacred and inviolable rights of men, and the principle of self-determination. We maintain that it is for India to frame her own constitution according to her needs, and it is for Britain to accept it in toto. This procedure has been followed not only in the case of countries that have won back their independence but in the case of the self-governing dominions within the British Empire including the Irish Free State."

So the events that brought Bhagat Singh and his group into limelight, beginning with police beating old Lala Lajpat Rai as protests against Simon commission proceeded in Lahore, resulting in his death due to injuries, and the young vowing they'd punish the police officer who'd done this deliberately - that was yet to come as Subhash Chandra Bose was speakingin Pune.

................................................................................................

"The counterpart of this boycott, in fact its positive aspect, is the framing of a national constitution. The All Parties’ Conference has taken this matter in hand and all lovers of India should wish the Conference complete success. The Secretary of State for India has in a fit of pompous pride challenged India to produce an agreed constitution. If there is a spark of honour and self-respect left in us, we should take up the gauntlet and give a fitting reply by producing a constitution."

They could have played these games for ever. It was only the success of INA that brought a spirit to India, which frightened the Brits into fleeing.

................................................................................................

"I shall not tire you with any details of the constitution that should be drafted. I shall leave that task to our constitution framers and shall content myself by referring to three cardinal points. These three points are as follows :

"1. The Constitution should guarantee national sovereignty, i.e., the sovereignty of the people. What we want is government of the people, by the people and for the people.

"2. The constitution should be prefaced by ‘declaration of rights’ which will guarantee the elementary rights of citizenship. Without a ‘declaration of rights’ a constitution is not worth the paper it is written on. Repressive laws, ordinances and regulations should be unknown in a free India.

"3. There should be a system of joint electorate. As a temporary arrangement, there may be reservation of seats if that is found necessary. But we should by all means insist on a joint electorate. Nationalism and separate electorates are self-contradictory. Separate electorates are wrong in principle and it is futile to attempt to build up a nation on a bad principle. We have had a bitter experience of separate electorates, and the sooner we get rid of them the better for us and for our country."

................................................................................................

The then still young and filled with hope Subhash Chandra Bose was yet to realise that world was harsher than the Congress program of spinning to freedom made it sound.

"In order to enforce our national demand, it is necessary to take such steps as lie in our power, because a mere appeal to the sweet reasonableness of Britishers will be of no avail. Weak and unarmed though we are, Providence has in His mercy given us a weapon which we can use with great effect. This weapon is economic boycott, i.e., boycott of British goods. It has been used with great effect in Ireland and in China. It was also used to great advantage during the Swadeshi movement nearly 20 years ago and partly during the non-co-operation movement. Boycott of British goods is necessary for the revival of Swadeshi and for effecting our political salvation."

Or was it only that the brilliant young mind had known it, only, he knew that under the circumstances, he had to be circumspect in public speech?

................................................................................................

"It is also necessary that, while the political fight is going on, some of us should take up the work of village reorganization. In a vast country like ours there is room for a variety of talent, and scope for diversity of temperament.

"We must all be pained to notice that our masses, and particularly our labourers, are at present passing through a severe economic crisis. Drastic retrenchment is going on in the different Railways, and particularly in the railway workshops. I understand that several crores worth of railway materials are imported from Great Britain for our Railways whereas these could easily be manufactured in India if the workshops were extended. If an attempt were made to manufacture these goods in India, far from retrenching the existing labour staff, the administration would be able to provide employment for many more. But here again the interests of the Britishers and their industry have to be safeguarded at the cost of poor India.

"It is the bounden duty of all Indians, and of Congressmen in particular, to come to the aid of labour in their hour of trial. Let us try and help them with all the means at our disposal.

"Friends, we have reached a most critical stage in our nation’s history and it behoves us to unite all our forces and make a bold stand against the powers that be. Let us all stand shoulder to shoulder and say with one heart and with one voice that our motto is, as Tennyson said through Ulysses, “To strive, to seek, to find, and not to ... "

It's unclear why the Editor, compiler and publisher left the last word 'yield' out. The whole quote there is "Tennyson said through Ulysses, “To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield".

One wonders, was there much more? Did the editor edit out a lot more?

................................................................................................

28. Lecture at Opera House on the Mission of Young India, 22.5.28

Another goosebumps time, reading it today - when Young India and National Herald are under scanner by ED, Enforcement Directorate dealing with corruption, here under scanner for a matter of 2,000 crores worth national property being handed over to two private individuals for a paltry sum of 90 lakh, while it's worth well over 2,000 times that sum.

"They have made '3 lakh, 99 thousand nine hundred percent (399,900%) profit'", to quote a veteran (and much persecuted, by various congress associated state governments) current news anchor.

These estimated number given then by Dr Subramanian Swamy, regarding value of the property, are over a decade old, and by this time - when ED has just sealed the offices of National Herald - the value must have gone up several times over, by a factor of ten at a conservativeestimate, to at least 20,000 crores.

That the said 90 lakh was loaned by congress party to the said two individuals for the purpose, is another part of the scam.

One of the factors brought out, repeatedly, by Dr Subramanian Swamy, (to remind others and to answer those that said it was a private matter of the party), was that this was NOT a private matter, that the nation had contributed for The National Herald, and the Congress wasn't owned privately, either, but owed clean transaction to the nation as a political party, not supposed to indulge in commercial transactions or profit thereby, as was fine by renting out premises of The National Herald, after a declaration by the organisation to the effect that they did not intend to publish the said newspaper in future.

He reminded people that it was money that belonged to people of India that was given to Congress via contributions for the purposes of serious the nation, as per declaration of intentions, when it was proposed by the first PM of the nation.

And the person who signed the loan to the said two individuals, now expired, is being pointed at by them, claiming they knew nothing of the deal! Doesn't seem to occur to them that it wasn't exactly a gift, that they did sign some paperwork for loan, ownership, etc.

To crown it all, the person who exposed all this, Dr. Subramanian Swamy, has also exposed far more, including the various lies about their identity - a legal concern being, that the two, while taking benefits as elected MPs in India, including huge properties they occupy in New Delhi free of rent, its a safe bet that they might neither of them be citizens of India.

Dr. Subramanian Swamy went into details, in perhaps more than one speech, all available on YouTube, about how the mother - who took citizenship of India only well over a decade after settling in India as his wife, when her husband became an MP and so there would be legal problems if she did not do so, had, in fact, never surrendered her previous passport. Since India does not allow dual citizenship, this amounts to her committing a fraud and taking part in political institutions fraudulently.

Dr Subramanian Swamy had also said that the son, too, was registered by her over phone on the day he was born, as a citizen of her then country of citizenship, under quite another name than one he's known to India.

Since, it's also been discovered that the son, while living and doing business in UK, had filed tax returns in UK as citizen of UK.

Since she could have not had been fathered by her mother's husband, who, according to Dr Subramanian Swamy, was imprisoned for years in Siberia as a POW, and as he further exposed, she was born in Lusiana, a small resort town in Alps that was used exclusively for German soldiers during WWII, she is likely half German.

It's a good question how many other passports the family have each, legitimately, but it's a safe bet they are committing fraud in claiming Indian citizenship without surrendering previous other passports.

With all this background in present time, including that of the premises of the National Herald being raided by ED, after unsatisfactory sessions of questioning where reportedly neither of the duo - two successive presidents of the party, incidentally - responded satisfactrily, - with all this background in present time, then, now seeing this mention of the original times, when Young India was a fresh beginning, and Subhash Chandra Bose spoke on the subject, does bring goosebumps.

Subhash Chandra Bose goes straight into a spiritual realm here, as he seems to do often in this collection of his writings and speeches, rather than expounding merely about political and social matters in a manner limited to approval by left, atheists, et al.

................................................................................................

"“The Mission of Youth” is to create a new world for themselves and for humanity. Not every movement conducted by the youths do I deem as the youth movement but that which is born of an inner awakening and inspired by a new faith and visions of the society of the future. The mission of youth is the first to dream of a “kingdom within ye” and next to strive for its realisation in social and national life. I believe in the mission of youth for it is in the company of youth that the best in us finds expression. But the Indian youth is not sufficiently self-conscious. It has not grasped the full connotation of the movement. There is as yet but imperfect perception of Indian mission in the world. I hear the remarks from my young friends that our leaders have failed to give a proper lead. It is the duty of the youth to look around to study the needs of the situation and then take the work of reconstruction on hand and thus give the lead. Look around what created modern Italy. Surely the dreams of Mazzini and his band of co-workers and co-dreamers. What forces are moulding the destinies of Germany, Persia, China and other countries today ? The dreams of their youth. One shortcoming of the Indian, I repeat, is that it is not sufficiently self conscious."

Here, as often, one sees Subhash Chandra Bose going from spiritual realm to current state of affairs, to sphere of mind analyzing, and vital in inspiring his audience. It's all from heart, hence his following, loyal to the end.

................................................................................................

"“India’s mission to-day is two-fold (1) to solve her political, economic and social problems and (2) to make her contribution to the world civilization and to the solution of the world problem. To carry out this mission the Indian youth must be conscious of India’s historic past and must dream about her splendid future. And there must be burning desire to transmit these dreams into reality and to give expression to these ideals in collective life. The dominant ideals to-day, as I see them, are the federation of self-governing nations in political sphere and the federation of cultures in cultural sphere. And the world problem to-day is to bring about the federation of man and a synthesis of cultures. India can make her contribution to the solution of this problem only when she has solved her national problems."

As always in his speeches and writings, it's nation first, but reminder of humanity, of the larger world, always in the background, never forgotten, never in conflict.

................................................................................................

"“For a successful solution of her national problems the Indian youth must be fully conscious of the underlying unity of Indian society and the continuity of her civilization. As I visualise it, the Indian civilization is a mighty river flowing down the banks of the time reinforced at various intervals by different culture streams. From Kashmir to Cape Comorin, from Bengal to Gujrat it is one civilization. There may be outward diversities. Our histories have told us they are different. But we have to unlearn many things from history we have been taught by our alien historians. We have but to look to our past and develop a historic consciousness to realise the greatness of out civilization, its achievements in art, philosophy, religion and sociology, There is nothing Hindu or Muslim about it. It is the result of confluence of cultures. Look at the vision of Taj in moon-light and realise the beauty of the mind that conceived it. One of our Bengali novelists has exquisitely described it as “tears crystallised in stone” and if only the Moghuls had left nothing more behind them than the Taj I would be grateful to them. And what will the British Government leave behind them, when their domination is over ? Nothing but jails with their, ugly walls and hideous rooms."

He speaks of unlearning what was taught officially, and the very next bit is demonstrating the needs to fo so - as well as the counterpart thereof, of recovering the lost knowledge and awareness of the history of India, of pre BCE era stretching into antiquity that kept alive evolution and rising of Himalaya from ocean that vanished to North of India, and of era since then that saw horrendous destructions and horrors for well over a millennium, almost a millennium and a half, by barbaric invaders.

Gandhian strategy, of forgetting it all - including massacres that were not then in past, but recurring - on a hope of transforming a beast of prey by letting it devour all domesticated animals into satiety, as he put it - his terminology being slightly more explicit - succeeded neither then, nor later, into bringing a harmony, and that it never would, was obvious if one isn't forcing one's will upon realities as he did often enough. Congress continued the appeasement and lies, well beyond the era of innocence when Subhash Chandra Bose spoke this.

Was he unaware, though, of the moplah killings? British did clamp down on media. But Gandhi had written, of his expecting Hindus to forgive. And word must have leaked then, too, as it did in recent decades about Kashmir atrocities enforcing an exodus, ordered by jihadists who pronounced orders from mosque loudspeakers, giving options to Hindus and Sikhs that included converting, leaving or being murdered, but leaving was as per instructions, without properties - including women. And the ethnic cleansing was begun via murders of hundreds of males and abduction of women who vanished across the border that the bus carrying them crossed, never to be heard of subsequently.

India had clamped down, and although there was some independent media, it was all Abrahamic oriented, anti-India and anti-Hindu. Consequently the world received neither information nor an impression that the massacres, abductions and enforced exodus was of importance. This was quite as per Gandhian and British policy regarding moplah killings.

Nevertheless, people did hear of it, and it was known to have been a horror. Didn't Subhash Chandra Bose, of moplah killings in Kerala? It's not possible that he subscribed to the view that this was a non-sequitur!

Or was it merely that he didn't think it was relevant elsewhere, specifically in Bengal? That proved wrong much sooner than such an estimation by Gandhi if the latter had it about Gujarat, although attempted jihad in Gujarat was post that in Kashmir, encouraged by success in Kashmir - and elsewhere in Central Asia.

But Noakhali was much sooner.

................................................................................................

"“It is in harmonising different angles of view of synthesising different cultures that the special mission of India lies. Europe had tried to solve it, but how ? What is the record of England and other countries in Africa and Asia and where are aborigines who had come under the civilizing influence of Europe ? How is America solving her Negro problem? India had avoided that path and had attempted to solve it according to her lights. Harmonising of different ethnic groups was sought to be achieved through Varnashrama Dharma. But conditions have changed to-day and we need a higher and more scientific synthesis.”"

He certainly avoided mentioning the raptors in the room, but pretending they never existed didn't avoid them devouring 150,000 in Noakhali, much less further victims in North-West or elsewhere, including Godhra.

................................................................................................

"“So carry the torch and set ablaze the whole country with sacred fire of revolution, nationalism and patriotism. No power on earth much less the power of Great Britain can quench that sacred flame.”"

And it was his efforts, travails and more that did manage to result in exactly that.

................................................................................................

30. Letter to Pandit Motilal Nehru, 12.7.28

The letter from Subhash Chandra Bose given here is, as he mentions, in response to a telegram from Motilal Nehru.

It's unclear if the editor switched the order, or the next is yet another telegram from Motilal Nehru, perhaps in response to this letter.

................................................................................................

"BENGAL PROVINCIAL CONGRESS COMMITTEE

"Telegraphic Address “Bipiseesee”

"Phone No. 2952

"Barabazar"

"116 Bowbazar Street

"Calcutta, 12th July 1928"

"My dear Panditji,

"I was in receipt of your telegram last night. After my first visit to Allahabad I had sent a Circular to all the districts asking for information about the present composition of the District Boards. I am sorry I have not yet received replies from many of the districts. I am, therefore, sending you what information is available from an official document, viz., report on the working of the District Boards in Bengal, during the year 1925-26. This information is at least 2 years old. During the last two or three years, owing largely to the communal awakening in this Province, the elections to the district boards have been run on communal lines...... of this communal awakening is not so clear in the figures.... 1925-26 which I am sending herewith. The effect of the....... has been amply demonstrated in the recent district board elections in Eastern Bengal. In the election in Mymensing held about a year ago, out of 22 members not a single Hindu has been returned inspite of the existence of joint electorate. This is practically the case in Chittagong, Noakhali, Tippera, Barisal and other districts. In the election at Jessore held a few months ago Muslims have swept the polls and the offices of Chairman and Vice-Chairman hitherto held by Hindus have been captured by Muslims for the first time. As a result of this, I am told, Maulavi- Nawsher Ali, M.L.C., Chairman and Maulavi Abdur Rauf, M.L.C. Vice-Chairman, who were formerly supporters of separate electorate have now changed their views. I am also told that this has also influenced Sir Abdur Rahim who has till very recently been a staunch supporter of separate electorate. I met our new M.L.C., of Nadia this morning and he told me that in the next District Board election which will take place soon he expects that 75% of the seats will be captured by the Muslims. I am trying to collect information regarding the recent elections and shall post within a day or two what information is available here.

"With profund regards. I am,

"Yours respectfully,

"Subhas C. Bose"

................................................................................................

"Sj. Saral Datta, M.L.C. from Barisal tells me that in the last Dt. Board elections held 6 months ago, there were 4 Hindus elected and 16 Muslims. .

"S.C.B"

................................................................................................

Clearly they failed to foresee the coming massacres, despite the moplah killings, not much earlier in the century, in Kerala, and this election results.

All they saw was winning over some of those in favour of separate electorates. But this was only where they were in majority, and eventually got away with massacres.

None of them mentioned the discontent that must have prevailed in regions where they were not elected, for they were chiefly dissatisfied with a future where a nabob counted as one vote on par with everyone he looked down on. And that fuelled the partition, propelled by committing massacres, to begin with in Calcutta as per orders by Jinnah, and later at Noakhali to finish off Hindus during their greatest festivals.

That was only beginning.

Indeed, nobody observes caste and untouchablility as fanatically as followers of later Abrahamic creeds, so much so, they each preach a guarantee of everyone not of their own specific creed and believer of their specific god as certified bound for hell, regardless of virtues.

................................................................................................

31. Telegram from Motilal Nehru, 6.8.28

As per dates, these telegrams are later, not the one mentioned by Subhash Chandra Bose in his letter.

"TELEGRAMS

"SUBHASCHANDRA BOSE

"CARE BIPISEESEE CALCUTTA"

................................................................................................

"SORRY YOU ARE UNWELL REGRET CANT WAIT TILL TENTH ANSARI AND ALL MEMBERS EXCEPT SHUAIB APPROVE RECOMMENDATION SHUAIB ABSENT DISAGREES CHAPTER THREE INSISTS 1/3 MUSLIM RESERVATION CENTRAL LEGISLATURE STOP IN VIEW SHUAIBS DISAGREEMENT REST MUST STAND TOGETHER "

................................................................................................

"(2) I ADVISE YOU WIRE PERMISSION SIGNING WITH MAJORITY UNLESS IMPORTANT PRINCIPLE INVOLVED AND YOU PREPARED RECORD FORMAL DISSENT IF LATTER SEND KIRANSHANKAR IMMEDIATELY WITH DRAFT STOP PLEASE EXPEDITE DESPATCH BENGAL MAP SHOWING DISTRICTS STOP TATAS INVITE ME VISIT JAMSHEDPUR "

................................................................................................

"(3) EXAMINE SITUATION PERSONALLY WIRE IF LABOUR ALSO WILLING WILL NOT ARBITRATE BUT ONLY ADVICE IF PARTIES IN PROPER MOOD TO LISTEN

................................................................................................

"MOTILAL NEHRU

"ANANDA BHAWAN 6.8.28"

................................................................................................

The last one has a whiff of a stance just as haughty as his descendants exhibited.

................................................................................................

35. Statement on the death of Lala Lajpat Rai, 18.]1.28

"“It is not possible to say much when one’s heart is so full of grief, but I will recall with joy and pride his last services to his country. When the Simon Commission visited Lahore, Lalaji as the people’s champion went out at the head of the procession and gladly paid the price of leadership. Who can say to-day, whether the touch of the Policeman’s lathi had anything to do with his sudden death.”"

If someone elderly is beaten deliberately, forcefully and repeatedly by police, on head and body, with large wooden baseball bat-like instrument, and with an intention of teaching the elderly victim a lesson - is it fair to say what Subhas Chandra Bose says there at the end?

That last sentence was almost a recorded repetition of the British judgement absolving the police officer who had viciously inflicted the blows on head and body of the Punjab Kesari, Lion of Punjab.

Or was that a deliberate lie, fearing either reprisal by police, or by congress disciplinary committe for siding with the victim of British brutality?

Bhagat Singh and his group HRA now comes off as the only righteous in that they fid not equivocation on this murder of their much loved, revered, elderly leader by British brutality inflicted deliberately, but instead vowed to avenge it, in extreme contrast to the craven attitude of congress.

It's not that they didn't know. Jawaharlal Nehru writes in jis autobiography about not only bring there, but almost being kicked in head by a horse of another British police officer, except another protester pulled him away in nivk of time. He could have testified to the brutality.

Was this really written by Subhash Chandra Bose, or merely a declaration sent off in his name?

................................................................................................

"“Of late I had the privilege of meeting him twice, once at Lucknow and the other time at Delhi. At Lucknow he was one of those mainly responsible for the success of the All Parties Conference. I doubt if without him the agreement about the Punjab, Sindh and other controversial matters could have been arrived at. He followed up his work at Lucknow by an intensive campaign for popularising the Nehru Report. At Delhi he was given an ovation by the members of the All India Congress Committee and his speech in which he spoke with passion and indignation about the cowardly assault of the guardians of law and order made a profound impression."

Hence the assault against him, resulting in his death?

Did he have to die on spot before they'd admit it was due to blows on head snd body?

Would there be the same benefit of doubt haven if the victim were British and blows inflicted by an Indian?

Change that to appropriate change of identity, and ask if Gandhi would react with benefit of doubt, or opposite!

................................................................................................

"“Providence so willed that before he left us he made a gift of all his properties to the nation. This reminds me of the similar gift of Deshbandhu Das. This is how great men live and die. Lalaji was in the full possession of his powers and talents and died at the height of his fame and glory. He has left his countrymen weeping. As a death his was a happy death. But what about his enslaved countrymen ?”"

End of concern or sympathy for the elderly Hindu victim of British brutal attack?

................................................................................................

"Thus, except for white cotton goods the United Kingdom is being steadily ousted by Japan."

How much did this have to do with allies being far more vicious with Japan than with Germany at end of WWII?

"In India Bengal takes a predominant part each year in the distribution of piece goods imported into India. Bombay comes second but her share has been gradually declining during the last three years. Burma on the contrary has been showing a steady increase."

This is very surprising, especially considering the later growth of Bombay - Mumbai - and decline of Calcutta that were so far permanent trends.

Was prosperity of Calcutta entirely due to British?

Burma, too, cannot be said to have done well post WWII, so perhaps it was separation from mainland India that hurt it? Same is true, of course, of other two pieces tourniqueted away from mainland India - or Indian heartland, really, and also of Nepal.

"It is common knowledge that cotton manufactures form the staple export from Britain. But how far Britain depends on the prosperity of her cotton textile trade cannot be accurately realised in the absence of Statistical figures. In the following table, the values of the exports of the principal manufactured commodities for the last few years are given to indicate their relative importance :—"

Here he gives the said table. It shows British exports to India, China, Dutch East Indies, Egypt, Australia, Argentina, British West Indies, Africa.

Chief recipient of British exports was India as obvious from the table, to the tune of five to ten times as much as any other destination for British export.

No wonder UK economy went fown the drain post independence of India, with no more looting and no forced exports to India.

................................................................................................

"Importance Of The Indian Market For British Cotton Goods

"It is thus evident that cotton manufactures form the staple export from Britain. The most important market is Indian. How important it is will appear from the table below :—"

The table shows percentages of import from various countries, including UK, US, Japan, Germany, Belgium Italy, Netherlands, China, Africa, Turkey and more.

Percentage of total import for 1913-14 is 64.1 for UK, reducing to 47.7 for 1927-29.

"It is thus clear that the boycott of British piece goods on the part of Egypt or of China is a more fleabite compared even to a partial boycott on the part of India."

................................................................................................

"The question now arises, whether this is the most opportune time for declaring a boycott of British goods. Politics apart, there are purely economic reasons to conclude that this is so. From the table of Chief British exports from 1922 to 1926, it is abundantly clear that there is a steady decline in the value of most of the commodities for the last few years. The present unsatisfactory position was thus described by Sir Herbert Hambling, Deputy Chairman of Barclay’s Bank at the annual general meeting of the Bank held on January 19, 1928 last :— “Coal, iron and steel and cotton are not in a healthy condition....I some times wonder whether some of the older concerns have kept themselves really up to date in efficient organisation, modern machinery etc., or whether they have traded on their reputation of 50 years ago. I am inclined to think they have ignored changed conditions and the fact that for years past other countries have been forging ahead with modern machinery and with the most up-to-date methods in those very industries in which we were so pre-eminent years ago, when, in fact, we had little or no competition..... ” Unless therefore some drastic counter measure is adopted by Britain, British goods must continue to be ousted by competing countries."

................................................................................................

"Present Position Of British Cotton Industry

"The Union Bank of Manchester, which largely finances cotton mills in the area, has been obliged to reduce its rate of dividend for 1927 by as much as 2 per cent. Over two hundred concerns are heavily involved in bank overdrafts to the extent of £ 15 million sterling. From the classified list of the result of 310 companies for 1927 recently published, it appears that only 101 companies were able to pay any dividend at all, the average percentage distributed to shareholders being only 1.8. During the year new capital to the extent of over £ 4½ millions has to be called up in the spinning industry, and 50 companies were compelled to enter into schemes of arrangement which will preclude any distribution to shareholders for some time to come. The reported decision of a large body of manufactures for a reduction in wages and an increase in working hours clearly shows that the industry must be passing through an acute depression. For, this proposal has been made notwithstanding the fact that a proposal of a similar nature for coal mining industry in 1925 precipitated the General Strike. The gravity of the crisis may also be realised from the recent proposal to amalgamate a number of mills in one large combine or a series of combines aiming at standardisation of production on a massed basis similar to the spinning combines in Japan."

................................................................................................

"BOYCOTT AND TRADE COMMISSIONER

"Since the above was written, the question of boycott has been taken out of the field of academic discussion about its feasibility or its effect upon trade. For, in the middle of February, 1928, the Bengal Provincial Congress Committee declared a boycott of British goods in Bengal. This event has been chronicled by H. M.’s Senior Trade Commissioner in his report for 1927–28 in the following words—“Efforts were made by the Swaraj party in Bengal to reinforce their activities in opposition to the appointment of the Simon Commission by proclaiming a boycott of British goods. These efforts, however, have had little effect.” The Trade Commissioner has ignored the inconvenient fact that his review was for a period of twelve months (April 1, 1927 to March 31, 1928), out of which there was barely a month and a half, during which the boycott campaign was in progress. He has, however, been obliged to admit two facts. On p. 19 of his report, it is stated that “there is no doubt, however, that the racial feeling among the younger generation of Indians, particularly in Bengal, is bound to have some influence on the sales of British goods.” ... "

This is so ridiculous it's not funny. After all the looting, slave labour in all but name, derogatory treatment and atrocities meted out to India including racism from British, they accuse India of racism because India decides to stop being squeezed!

And prominent women writers of the day, otherwise supposed to be intelligent and much lauded for their writings, repeating this idiotic accusation, was a surprise when one came across it in process of reviewing their complete works, as it is now - did George Eliot just chime in because this guy was her own countryman, speaking of another race?

Probably so, for elsewhere she opined that England needed to find new territories to colonise to improve economy!

"Again on the next page, there is the grudging admission that “this feeling has probably been of assistance to foreign competition in strengthening their connections in the market, particularly in the case of Germany since the war.” ... "

Because Germany and Japan aren't better products, or US couldn't exceed production of Britain?

Arrogance did make them stupid, didn't it!

" ... He qualifies this latter statement by adding that “the business secured has, in most instances, been obtained owing to lower quotations or other solid advantages to the buyer.” But he does not point out why with their much vaunted superiority British industries should not be able to quote lower prices than the competing countries. For the fact should not be overlooked that the competition is not confined to one industry or two, which might be ascribed to special causes operating in those industries. How wide the competition is may be best given in the Trade Commissioner’s own words :—

"“Foreign competition now enters into practically every trade, including those which have hitherto been exclusively British. The outstanding features of the year have been intensified American competition in machinery, motor cars, rubber tyres, electrical apparatus and fents; increased shipments from Germany of dyes, chemicals, hardware, machinery, artificial silk and woollen piece goods; an advance of nearly 2 crores in the value of the imports of grey, white and coloured piece goods from Japan; larger purchases of Italian artificial silk yarn and piece goods, woollens and coloured woven and dyed cotton goods, and continuance of severe Bengal Competition in iron and steel and railway material.” (p. 23)."

"From the above it is evident that the prospects of British trade with India are not particularly bright, whatever the reasons adduced by the Trade Commissioner. The recent position is contrasted with the prewar position in the following table, the position in 1924–25, 1925–26 and 1926–27 having been already detained in the previous Section :—"

Here another table with comparative numbers for various countries - UK, US, Japan, Germany, Belgium, Italy, Straits Settlements, Netherlands, China, Persia, Arabia, France - which India imported from, in 1913-14 and in 1927-29 are given.

................................................................................................

LETTER TO THE EDITOR OF “INTERNATIONAL TIMES”, 13.8.27

"“My attention has been drawn to a statement in your issue of the 11th August regarding myself. There is no truth in your report that I am engaged in framing a Swaraj Constitution for India. I wonder where you picked up this interesting piece of information. I thought it was generally known that I had come here solely for the purpose of recouping my health. You could have guessed that if I had been fit enough to undertake a work of the kind to which you refer I would not have been wasting precious time at a fashionable hill station when so many of my compatriots are rotting in jail. I wish newspapers would take the trouble of verifying facts before they rush to print. I have no desire to remain in Shillong a day longer when I become fit for serious work. I shall be obliged if you publish this in the next issue of your paper.”"

"The Editor replying expressed sorrow if the news has wounded the feeling of Mr. Bose in any way. The Editor adds that Mr. Bose is the only man in India today who can draft such a bill as will have, popular support—‘Associated Press’.

"The news which was published in the “International Times” (as wired by the “Associated Press”) is as follows :—

"Shillong, Aug 11.

"The “International Times” understands that Mr. Subhas Chandra Bose is engaged in framing a Swaraj Constitution for India. The constitution, it is stated, will deal exhaustively with the relations with the native states under the Swaraj Government and their rulers, it is suggested, will remain as constitutional monarchs with an elected council to deal with the affairs of the state, while each of the states will have a representation in the Legislative Assembly."

That's bad enough, being incorrect; but next is such garbage!

"The statement which will be jointly signed by Mr. Subhas Chandra Bose, Mr. N. C. Bordoloi and Mr. Rohini Kumar Hatibarua will be in the shape of a Federal Commonwealth Bill and will be presented to the All India Congress Committee. About fifteen or more provinces will be created on a linguistic basis in addition to the Native states which will be represented to the Federal Assembly owing allegiance to the king."

This, for a man who, single-handedly, created enough of a following resulting in an army, that support in favour thereof had British flee abjectly, in a hurry, not bothering to keep order or safety of anyone in India!

"This Bill differs from Mr. Annie Besant’s Commonwealth Bill in that it will include the native states and that the Assembly will have a direct voice over the affairs of the Army and the Navy. Separate electorates will be abolished forming a joint electorate.—“Associated Press”."

It seems almost a tailored propaganda gambit, to make Indian patriotic sentiments go virulently against him, in favour of the preferred leadership within congress!

................................................................................................

22. Fervent appeal for workers, 22.2.28

"Acid Test of Desire To Be Free.

"Referring to the incident of assault he said “We feel that Swaraj is coming and they feel it too very well and this is why like the drowning man catching at the straw they are making the last attempt. These assaults, these oppressions are the last chapters of the history of our slavery. It is the acid test of our desire to be free. Born in an atmosphere of slavery the belief grows deep in our minds that this life of slavery will never come to an end and that Europe is destined to rule over Asia. Rome conquered Greece and Greece again conquered Rome. Who can say that history will not repeat itself ? “I don’t say”, he continued, “that we shall also conquer England. They are responsible for the struggle in which we are engaged. They wouldn’t allow us to enjoy that freedom and individuality which they themselves enjoy in their own country. Russia, Japan, Turkey and even that small territory of Afghanistan are free, but we, a nation of three hundred millions, are serfs at our names. It is time to tell them clearly that if they do not admit our right to be free, we shall apply all the available resources that we have at our command.”

"As regards the Simon Commission, he said, “it is Unthinkable how a foreign nation can be the judge of another Nation. What do you think the feeling would be in England, if we send seven of our countrymen to determine the fitness or otherwise of England to rule herself ? We should, therefore, reply to this insulting and humiliating challenge by putting forward the constitution, that is being made at Delhi and if they ask us to what is the standard of our freedom, our unhesitating and bold reply will be—“the will to be free.”"

................................................................................................

"Plea of illiteracy exposed

"“It is often pleaded by the enemies of our freedom that there is ignorance and illiteracy in a large scale among the people. But what is the percentage of education in Afghanistan, in Nepal and what was it in Russia before the Revolution ? How many poets are there in Turkey like Tagore, how many scientists like Bose and how far History, Literature, Fine arts and Music are developed there ? Still they are free while we are slaves.” “An European writer once said,” Sj. Bose went on, “if a foreign nation attacks Afghanistan, every man, woman and child will rise up and take to arms to defend their country. It is their grim determination to remain free, that makes conquest by outsiders impossible. The agony of bondage should be felt by every Indian.”

"“How many fall victims to diseases and famine every year ? When malaria, cholera and other epidemics take heavy tolls every year and money is demanded to extinguish these scourges they plead short of funds and again, when money is demanded for flood or famine relief the impudent reply is : Government is no charitable institution. There is no remedy to all these except freedom.”

"Sj. Bose quoted an English Economist who said that “boycott, not only stifles an industry but it has also a lingering after effect which causes the loss of markets.

"Boycott of British cloth will compel the British to ask for truce.”"

................................................................................................

15. Speech on Art and Nationalism, 13.12.27

This speech begins with statements that, apart from the personal bit, are very surprising.

"At the outset I must confess that I am one of those of my countrymen who lack in art consciousness. But that is not a matter of pride for me, as a matter of fact. It is just the other way about. There is no denying the fact that there is not much love for art in our country. Of course that does not suggest that we have not a few lovers of art amongst us. But that is hardly any criterion for testing the collective art sense of a country. Unless it filters down to the masses we cannot expect all round national consciousness."

But it's hardly true, or correct, an assessment of India! Even ancient temples of India - unlike some of the bare, severe places of worship of other, usually imported, creeds - are so replete with beauty of sculpture and more, of architecture, apart from the beauty of the very concepts and Deities worshipped, that seeing some ancient temples is very like being bathed in Light and Beauty, well past the limit of one's being saturated and satiated therewith.

In North India, mostly under invading barbarian regimes for well over a millennium and a half, that destroyed the said ancient temples - and quite deliberately, bragging about it in histories they wrote thereof - its rare to find such temples, and this seems to have been true of Bengal too.

There was another effect thereof, in that classical arts of music, dance et al had nowhere to go thereafter, but be an instrument of entertainment of males, practiced by vourtesans, whether in courts at higher end, or at establishments of courtesans at the lower. So result was that appreciation thereof, too, lost respectability as far as decent middle-class went, until revived by likes of Tagore family and Motilal Nehru, the latter by patronising and encouraging, former by much more.

But South India had not lost it so much, and there, temples exist since antiquity, as did the traditional worship of Deities, via not only sermons and other rituals but also arts. There, it took much less time for a revival and flourishing of the performing arts.

But poetry and literature had flourished through the said millennium and a half, everywhere in India, via the said worship tradition!

................................................................................................

17. The Dreams of Youth, 16.5.23

It's interesting to see the discourse of the young soul go from patriotic emotion to soul to mind. He begins with the idealism and youth, mind establishing a goal, to begin with.

"We have been born in this world to fulfil a purpose— to preach a message. As the sun rises to illumine the world, flowers blossom in the forest to spread fragrance, the river flows to the sea with the gift of ambrosial water, we too have come down to this earth with the ecstasy and full vigour of youth to establish a truth. The unknown and mysterious purpose which makes our otherwise worthless life meaningful must be discovered—and discovered through contemplation and experience gained in a life of action."

................................................................................................

Thence, he takes a leap of soul into Eternal -

"The high tide of youth has carried us here to make everybody taste the joy eternal (Ananda), because we are the manifestation of that bliss (Ananda-Swarup). We shall stride across the earth as the very embodiment of Ananda. We shall rejoice out of the Ananda which is in us and shall also make the whole world resound with our laughter. In whichever direction we may turn the darkness of sorrow will disappear, with our life-giving touch will vanish disease, misery and suffering.

"We shall inundate this vale of tears, this painful world of man with the flood of Ananda."

................................................................................................

He proceeds to attempt uniting, or at least, connecting.

"We have come with hope, enthusiasm, spirit of sacrifice and heroism. We have come to create, because it is in creation that Ananda lies. We shall dedicate our bodies, our minds, our lives and our intelligence. All the goodness, all the truth and all the divinity inherent in us will be manifest in our creations. We shall be sur-charged with the Ananda that comes from self-sacrifice, and the world will be blessed by tasting that Ananda."

................................................................................................

And then, brings in vigour of life, of Vital.

"We have come with eternal hope, limitless enthusiasm immeasurable energy and indomitable courage so none will be able to resist the flow of our life. Let mountains of faithlessness and despair block our path, let the inimical forces of mankind combine and stand against us, our onward joyous march will remain unimpaired."

And proceeds to return, but taking youth along.

"We have a particular religion of our own and we always follow its precepts. We are votaries of whatever is new, whatever is vital and whatever has not been tasted before. We bring newness into the old, motion into matter, novelty into maturity and the infinite into the finite. We are not always prepared to accept past experiences generated by history. Undoubtedly we are travellers to eternity, yet we always prefer the untrodden path—the unknown future is what we love dearly. We demand “the right to make blunders”. Hence many do not sympathise with our nature, we appear to many as wayward and turbulent.

"But in this lies our Ananda and in this lies our pride. Youth everywhere and forever is wayward and turbulent. Roused by unfulfilled desires we forge ceaselessly forward and we have absolutely no leisure to listen to sermons of the wise. We make mistakes, we fall in errors, we stumble but we never lose our enthusiasm and never retreat. There is no end to the turbulence we create because we are forever dynamic.

"It is we who create the history of freedom from country to country. We have not come here to apply the balm of peace. We have come to generate conflicts, to spread the message of struggle and to usher in revolution. We make our appearance with the sword in our hands wherever there is bondage, wherever there is superstition and dogmatism, wherever there is prejudice or narrow-mindedness. Our only business in life is to keep the road to freedom free from all obstruction so that the freedom-fighters can march along that road without let or hindrance.

"To us human life is a truth absolute. Therefore the kind of freedom we demand—without which life is utterly meaningless and to gain which we have been shedding our blood cheerfully through the ages, that freedom is allpervasive. We have come to preach the message of freedom in every sphere and field of life. Be it sociology, economics, politics or ethics, we want to bring the light of truth, the upsurge of Ananda and the fundamentals of liberalism."

................................................................................................

It's almost a clarion call of a finale.

" ... Today in every country of the world, especially where dark cold senility is casting its shadow the youth have come forward and are standing erect firmly and proudly. Who can tell with what divine light will they illumine the world ? Oh my youthful harbingers of new life, arise, awake, the streaks of dawn are visible already! "

"2nd Jaistha, 1330.

"(16 May, 1923)"

................................................................................................

"Two Royal Commissions re—physical deterioration were appointed lately. The findings incline to the belief that the people of Britain are not really deteriorating."

Fine, but then

"The Chinese are an inbred people."

?????

Surely a land with a population of over a billion since half a century, which couldn't have been much less than that of US now, one third of a billion, couldn't be 'inbred'?

By that definition isn't Europe 'inbred', since most marriages are within the linguistic communities? Or is Europe higher in population of every linguistic group?

Isn't US even more inbred, since most kids marry school sweethearts? And neighbourhoods don't necessarily change by planning?

Of course, the most inbred was what they termed 'The Royal Mob' themselves, the clan consisting of various descendants and other relatives by blood and by marriages, of the then house of Hanover that was then named Saxe-Coburg-Gotha until WWI, when the strong anti-German wave of sentiment in England, questioning loyalty of the royals, had them change the name to Windsor.

And the various intricate ties within that clan, of intermarriage galore, are mind-boggling. Wonder if any chart can can capture it in totality, unless it's a hologram?

On a side note, the constant hammering at India for her marriages arranged not only by families, but through priests who keep track of lineages of families, with specific avoiding of avoiding marriage between cousins upto seven generations in patrilineal line, and five in matrilineal ones, seems to be an attack at cultural structure, rather than promoting 'love' or will of young, as claimed by the said attackers.

................................................................................................

"Amongst the upper middle class, the physique is of a high order.

"The Metropolitan Police force consists of 17000 men. They must be 5ft: 9in: in height and of proportionate chest measurements and weight."

So, presumably the restriction specified for police recruitment was due to the fact that in poorer classes there were males shorter, thinner, far less well built?

Presumably this wasn't due to racial differences alone, or starvation alone amongst poor British, but a combination these two, and other, factors?

Various authors have, in fact, written of the then poverty amongst not only urban but rural poor, of both England and Germany; John Galsworthy for one, Upton Sinclair for another. Short, but definite descriptions.

There's reassuring noise about availability of healthy males from English stock, before he notes -

"The latest death rate amongst children under one year in England and Wales is 136 out of 1000. "

That doesn't sound like a healthy population, or even a developed nation.

Was 'upper strata' keeping all that was looted from India?

For some reason, the comment about Chinese is repeated!

"The Chinese are an inbred people."

Why did Subhash Chandra Bose write it twice in the notebook, even from text? Or did the text repeat it?

"Chap. II.

"Does efficiency depend on Physique?

"Efficiency means “intellectual ability, power to govern, to invent, to investigate scientifically, to promote useful enterprises, be they commercial, scientific or exploratory.”

"The physically weak man may possess mental ability of a high order but it is unlikely that their children will be so endowed. Besides, parents who are physically below normal standard are calculated to produce children still lower in the physical scale."

Sounds reasonable, doesn't it?

Wonder if modern generations, familiar with Stephen Hawking, would find this text above, as hilarious as it is?

................................................................................................

"Is Britain over populated

"The navy is manned not by British seamen alone but by German, Scandinavian or Dutch sailors.

"The presence of an apparent surplus population is but a local congestion. There is indeed room in the Empire for another 100,000 of home-bred British folk."

Meanwhile India was not only looted, but millions of Indians, especially and specifically in Bengal, were starved to death deliberately, by stealing harvest of India to feed the existing and 'another 100,000 of home-bred British folk'.

Subhash Chandra Bose notes text discussing infant mortality rates and reasons thereof, before this surprising final appeal.

"Size of Families

"“It was the numerous and virile population not politics and bayonets that gave us our oversea possessions.”

"We require at least that four children in every family shall reach adults years and this will only suffice if every man marries."

Was this what gave rise to deliberate German policy of encouraging large families of the right race and then attacking neighbouring lands for 'lebensraum', which, of course, England found in India, and Hitler intended to copy example thereof in treating Eastern European lands and people on the model of British colonisation of India?

Or was this a copy of an older practice by Germans who, while French and English crusades, reasoned that it wasn't necessary to go so far away and fight the harder battles against Muslims in Jerusalem, but went East instead - and massacred Prussian people, so much so, Prussian language is lost, and the world has forgotten that Prussians were not German, but replaced by Germans?

Arabs had similarly wiped out Persian libraries and massacred people, but not so thoroughly as Prussians were - Persian script was lost, and more, but people and language did survive.

................................................................................................

"The Conflict of Colour

"(Being a detailed examination of racial problems throughout the world with special reference to the English-speaking people.)"

Subhash Chandra Bose notes address as usual, presumably of the publisher. Or it could be that of the author, whose name and other details follow.

"St. Martin’s Street, London 1910."

"by B.L. Putnam Weale

"author of

"Manchu and Muscovite ; The reshaping of the Far East; The Truce in the East and its aftermath; The Coming Struggle in Eastern Asia; The Forbidden Boundary; The Human Cobweb etc. etc.

"Preface written in Peking, China June, 1910."

Next, complete table of contents of the book, before Subhash Chandra Bose notes the tables giving population densities around the globe, and noting comments. It's unclear if they are from text or his own.

"The great empty spaces of the world susceptible of immense development by population increase are—

"1. Siberia.

"2. Brazil & Argentina.

"3. Canada.

"4. Australia.

"5. Mongolia & Manchuria.

"These areas could support twice or thrice the present population of the world."

Either way, it shows thinking not quite mature enough.

Subhash Chandra Bose, of course, was quite young; but was the author not mature enough, or was it merely the race that was colonising the globe and squeezing colonies without a thought, that was responsible for the heedless idea?

Few places can be said to be certain to sustain population if they historically and until last century have not done so, which is true of every place mentioned in that list. Humanity has, and so have all living species, spread to whatever part they could, for life. If some parts lack density, it's with good reason. It may be less obvious than Sahara, that's all.

Besides, these empty places are lungs of the world, and changing them all into a Manhattan or a borough of London might bring an ecological disaster.

................................................................................................

"“The non-criminal, the correct life, is always the result of a complex interplay bet: ideas and counter ideas with the result that the thought of some unpleasant consequence inhibits the desire”. x x “The temperament with strong impulses may remain still quite well-behaved if the checking ideas are unusually strong too and the faint checks may be harmless if the desires are still weaker.” (If the impulses are too strong or the opposing ideas are too faint, crime may result.)"

This sort of lowering, or assumption of low instincts being common, or generalisation thereof, is only one of the symptomatic character of things severely wrong with psychology as developed in Europe, as opposed to India where perception of reality was first, foremost and last of importance.

Specifically in this question, for example, West is unable to see the possibility that there are, or even that there can be, those incapable of criminal conduct. But what then about concept of a Mary, the mother of the king of Jews?

Or to go to a concrete, real example, what about Buddha himself? No, it's not possible to imagine a circumstance where he would even have such an instinct.

A Westerner might insist that this is only faith, that it's incorrect. That's the blindness of Western mind, which merely turns its faith from an imposed monotheism to an elected atheism, the easiest option - the two being merely head and tail of the same coin, in hand of the said blind.

................................................................................................

"“It is not criminals that are born but men with poorly working minds” x x “There are minds which are born slow or stupid or brutal or excitable or lazy or quaint or reckless or dull—and in every one of such minds a certain chance for crime is given.” x x “The world is full of badly balanced and badly associating persons; we cannot deny that nature provided them poorly in the struggle for social extistence.”"

And here born the insistence that sympathy with criminals was the only option, else one was horrible oneself; this, carried out to exclude sympathy for victim, outrage at the perpetrated assault regardless of horror, is a cheaper alternative to the valour that might be required for action on part of the victim, or even the control that's necessary when outraged so one does not automatically go into lynching mode.

Cheaper, because a victim is vanquished and criminal surviving, generally; it requires very little from oneself to blame the victim, or sideline the whole issue by swiping the question of victim aside with scant lip service and make it about sympathy for criminal versus horror of a Lynch mob mentality, accusing anyone who's demanding justice, of the latter.

And such twisting has been seen in cases of gang rape and murder, as shown in example of a news anchor who advocated letting the chief perpetrator go "so he could help his mom get his several sisters married", or at the other end, of sympathy with suffering and plight of German rather than French or Jewish population of Europe, post WWI and WWII, respectively.

"In a school for criminal boys out of 200 boys, one hundred and twenty seven were deficient in their general make up either in the direction of feeble mindedness or hysteric emotion or epileptic disturbance."

Subhash Chandra Bose quotes statistics tabled in text.

"85 Cases— Father or mother or both were drunkards

"24 ”— parents insane

"26 ”— ” epileptics

"26 ”— suffering from other nervous diseases."

"Comparison of female students and female criminals. In memory tests, average student remembered a series of 7 letters or a series of 8 numerals, average criminal remember 5 letters or 6 numerals."

This is silly.

Besides, this is equating genders on the easiest and fraudulent possible grounds, while equality in really needed spheres is still far off a century later, not only in reality but often in what passes for scholarship in Western academia and reporting thereof.

Reality is that, as per research relating DNA to criminal conduct of severe nature, a double y predominates; but, same attitude that sides with known criminals every time, beginning with this realisation over a century ago that dome need help, further research and action related to the DNA correlation was stymied fuel to an outcry about branding those who had not yet committed any crime.

................................................................................................

"Students discriminated 2 compass points as 2 on the right forearm at a distance of 16 mile—criminals not less than 24. If students pulled at a hook as fast as they could their energy decreased in ½ min. by 1. 6 pounds and in case of criminals by 2.4 pounds. Criminals are recruited especially from the mentally inferior but society may find a place for the most stupid. “No one is predestined by his brain to the penitentiary”. Where there is total inhibition—it is no longer crime but insanity. Crime is only the chance effect of pathological impulses of the diseased mind. “The irresistible impulse may be directed against one’s own personality—leading to self-mutilation or suicide.”"

The beginning bit, about compass points, is unclear.

"Explosions of the diseased brain do not constitute crime. “In real crime we have to presuppose that the checking of the impulse by the counter-idea would have been possible if the available energy had been brought into play. Crime is thus not a disease.”"

It's unclear if the conclusion there is merely to avoid branding criminals as ill, to avoid them being seen or treated as capable of spreading crime as infection, or, without such a motive, it implies that there's weakness, not illness. Regardless, it's likely to be, and mostly has been, used in the former motive.

"Munsterberg has discovered by experiments in his Lab: that the impressive demonstration of an action gives to the impulse of the imitating mind the maximum of force. Imitation reinforces the energy of the impulse beyond any point which his own will could have reached. (Stories of crime have therefore a bad effect on weak minds)."

Which effectively counters the not infection attitude, factually.

Conclusion

"“Mere abstinence from stimulants, indeed, is no solution of the real problem.” xx “The complete suppression of it leads to mental explosions which bring man again to disastrous impulses and crime.” x x “A state of dullness and expectant attention is created in which the longing for contrast may intensify the desires to a point where the reaction is more vehement than under any stimulant.”"

One can clearly see the agenda here being of not to bring down wrath of alcohol industry, to reassure even, so as to keep the said industry in profits in perpetuity, while generating profits for another industry or two - psychotherapy, psychiatry, drugs related to psychiatric treatment, et al - apart from church, confessional or otherwise.

"Counter ideas

"The fear of judicial punishment is not a sufficient counter-idea to check the criminal impulse. More important are the influences which reduce the emotional and motor powers of forbidden desires, awake regularly and strongly the social counter ideas strengthen their inhibiting influence and weaken thus the primary impulse. “There far-seeing hygiene can prevent more crime than any law.” x x x “It is not the impulse itself but the inability to resist the impulse that is the real criminal feature.”"

In short, argument against judicial punishment, and for treatment not even as a sick patient, but on par with those of normal conduct and past, promoting psychiatric industry to the burgeoning levels by implanting thinking that everyone needs such help.

"To create a public life wh: is an example and an inspiration to the humblest wh: fills with civic pride the lowest means to abolish the penitentiaries. The public welfare must give to everybody through work, through politics, through education, through art, through religion a kind of life interest and life content in wh : money is meaningless. It is from this realm that the counter-ideas must be reinforced that automatically check the impulse to the immoral deed. Everything which strengthens family life and works against its dissolution, everything which gives the touch of sympathy to the forlorn helps • towards the prevention of crime. To make them feel that they are recognised as equal means to win them over to decency.” x x “There is really no condescension necessary for such acknowledgement. They are the equal of the unpunished.”"

Easier and cheaper than actual consideration of crime, of victims and their sufferings, of prevention of future victimisations, all of which attitudes have grown to levels assumed normal in public discourses, with any other alternative thought such as demand for justice being almost automatically branded 'right-wing', reactionary, et al, with pervasive establishment across the world in academia and media prevailing of Abrahamic-II, Abrahamic-III and Abrahamic-IV in tandem, working to impose an idea that everyone is equally guilty.

From the era when John Galsworthy wrote sympathising with solitary imprisonment suffering, to this horror of an Ayn Rand depicted scenario of a world, world has come a long way in a few decades.

"“The man who confesses puts himself again on an equal ground with the honest majority ; he belongs again to those who want health and justice; he gives up his identity with the criminal and eliminates the crime like a foreign body from his life.”"

That this is fraud is exposed with the simple noticing of the second word in the paragraph, which ignores the factual treatment meted out to females who have, in fact, not committed a crime, but might be normal or even victims. A mere confession is advocated as bringing a criminal on par with a normal male, but what about the female, victim or normal, treated as criminal by definition unless adhering to strictest limitations imposed by Abrahamic codes?

................................................................................................

"Confession living

"“Those who turn to the present and to the future cannot have a desire for true liberating confession. But it is different with those who have a vivid memory and whose mind is thus ever turning back to the past, xx A confession connects the present with the past and throws out the interfering intrusion of shame.” “If the experiment of the phychologist demonstrate the possession of a vivid living memory, the chances are strong that a confession is to be trusted. “Short punishment for the professional criminal is useless and harmful in every respect.”"

Clearly based, grounded, rooted in the church of Rome mindset, Abrahamic-II dressed in Abrahamic-IV garb with very thin veil of science to hide the said roots. It merely changes priests to psychiatric helpers, and 'everyone sinner' to 'no criminals'.

What it did do is deny actual victims of real crimes perpetrated, with accusations of 'victim mentality' against anyone unwilling to equate perpetrator with normal and sufferers of perpetrated with sick.

It's not murderer of your child who's criminal, and it's sick of you to say even that he needs help, it's you who need to pull up yourself and come to terms about your loss and dress it in rosette memories and shelve it and get back to normal partying and drinking, even if you can't be so great as to love the murderer of your child.

That might sound like caricature, but the horror is that it's almost not so - why, even Gandhi demanding that Hindu and Sikh refugees should be forced by the Government of newly independent India to return to their homelands across the border, that they shouldn't have fleet even if murdered, but died with love for the murdering 'brother' clear in their eyes, was manifestation of this thinking that had burgeoned even then, although not yet quite so universal at the time.

................................................................................................

"Hysteria

"Hysteria is a strangulated emotion and disappears when the forgotten emotional ideas are brought to conscious expression. One hysteric woman became mute after sunset, another could not take any food but liquids; another was constantly tortured by the hallucination of the tobacco odour. The woman who cd: not take solid food had been obliged years before to suppress her disgust when eating at the same table with a man who suffered from an ugly disease. As soon as this starting point was consciously associated again she was ready to dine like others. The woman who could not speak at night had sat once at sunset years before at the beside of her sick father ; she had vehemently suppressed every sound in order not to disturb him. As soon as this first scene was brought back to her mind, she regained her voice. The woman who smelled tobacco has long oet'ore heard by chance in a room of smoke that the man she loved was in love with another and she had had to suppress her emotion on account of the presence of other. As soon as she connected the smell again in consciousness with that strangulated emotion, the hallucination disappeared."

While the examples quoted are perfectly understandable instances of trauma, women have pointed out, decades ago, the misogyny inherent in the label 'hysteria', whereby being a woman is equated subconsciously with sickness - hyster being Latin for womb.

................................................................................................

Natural Welfare and National Decay

(by Wm. Me. Dougall, Professor of Psychology, Harvard University) 1921.

"Introduction

"Gaeton first stirred the conscience of Europe and America on the presentation of human qualities. This book presents a case for Eugenics from the psychological standpoint and on a broader historical background.

"The upper social strata as compared with the lower, contain a large proportion of persons of superior natural endowments. This proposition maintained by eugenists and supported by the writer has always been attacked by critics of Eugenics. With the aid of experimental psychology, two pupils of the writer Burt and English have confirmed this proposition."

"Chap. I

"The great war has solved the problem “whether in a clash of arms against some more primitive people we might not be overborne or swept away for sheer lack of nerve, of animal courage”. x x x “We now know that civilization and culture even in their worst forms do not necessarily sap the moral energies of man; rather we know that trained intelligence and disciplined will can withstand the extreme horrors of war far better than the cruder more animal courage of the primitive hunter and warrior.”"

Next seems to be a comment by Subhash Chandra Bose, short, succinct and hitting nail on head.

"Who fought for the British Mr. writer ?"

This answers the questions raised by the introduction, which, having introduced eugenics and stated candidly views about wealthy possessing all virtues, seemed unlikely to suit the reader who wrote these notes.

Subhash Chandra Bose notes and discusses about theory of the author -

"“Revolutions or Cycles of Civilization” or the “Parabola of peoples”—like the trajectory of a stone a long ascending curve, a flat summit and a steep decline.”

It's unclear if this is from text, and if so, surprisingly clear and honest. Also, of course, true.

"“The Aryan Race” is a myth—“a phantasy erected by racial prejudice on a basis on the study of Languages. Community of language was accepted in the face of all probability as evidence of community of race.”

"(Middle of the 19th century)

"Mill and the Association Psychology school were in keeping with the prevailing humanitarian sentiment against the assumption of racial differences of mind and character. They believed that education could level up all men."

................................................................................................

"Acc. to Mcdougall, the superiority of the white literates to the white illiterates is due not wholly or mainly to their schooling but rather to an inborn greater capacity for intellectual growth. Education, moreover, cannot explain the difference in intellectual growth between literates as a class and between illiterates as a class (If you reject the theory of difference in innate capacity, how can you explain the difference bet: white literates and coloured literates or bet: white illiterates and coloured illiterates)."

McDougall is ignoring social conditioning, and it's effect on DNA.

"Conclusion :—The higher the level of innate capacity the more it is improved by education."

McDougall gives various tables of statistics to support his conclusions that ehites are superior to blacks, and makes a statement about Indians. It's unclear what he's talking about, since he speaks of mixed races being superior to non white races. In this context, he's not using Indo-European, Anglo-Indian, or any known terms, so he's using the term Indian for natives of USA, fraudulently, as the 'whites' in US do.

................................................................................................

McDougall and other authors are ascribing 'superiority' of British and other European nations or races, an assumption or conclusion as questionable as that about superiority of a killer or rapist or thief over the victim, to 'Nordic race'; Subhash Chandra Bose questions this in his comments.

"Mcdougall—the predominance of Nordic blood—in the British.

"(Why have not all the Nordic races been equally advanced ? If the Nordic blood gives a Briton his restless wandering habit why does it not give the same to other Nordic races ?)"

A key factor here is geostrategic position of their lands, which neither takes onto account.

UK being a tiny island barely able to support population with agriculture, if that, depended historically much more on sea than land, for sustenance to begin with, and then trade by seafaring. This, unlike nations of continent of Europe with more and better land, freed it to deal with the globe, turning limitations into opening up instead.

Same had in fact been true of Vikings much earlier, and they had in fact not only gone adventuring down rivers into southeast Europe towards Asia, but gone in course of fishing in waters north and further northwest of UK on to discover and populate Iceland, Greenland, and even arrived on the new continent west, settling trading posts down to Massachusetts.

But short of a major migration out of Europe, and kept secret from other nations, this settling of the newly discovered continent didn't result in a major settlement and acquisition. They wrapped up and returned a bit before rediscovery by Columbus further down, and the major migration thereafter.

Norumbega tower, a relic of Vikings, can still be seen on Charles River. It's a bit short of Watertown, which is as per the plaque there, was the extent of settlements of trading posts of Vikings, from Canada down. They had named the continent Vinland.

................................................................................................

Hereon Subhash Chandra Bose sums up and comments, rather than quote from the text, for a while.

"Red Indians and Negroes—Mcdougall’s hypothesis

"“The Negro race is pronouncely extrovert; the red man are extreme introverts.

"The black race is more strongly gregarious and sociable.

"The red race is strongly self-assertive while in the Negro the submissive instinct is strong.

"The Red Indians have never allowed themselves to be impressed into the social system of the dominant whites.

"Viovenel and Hust in “La Courage”

"Negroes have the whole range of primitive sympathies exceedingly developed. This distinguishes them from the reds and the Malays. “Shaler” says that the Negroes unlike the Reds are capable of sustained labour. Mcdougall takes exception to this in the case of Oceanic Negroes.

Subhash Chandra Bose comments.

"Moral difference between civilized and uncivilized people ? The Burmans are not thrifty at all. Indians, as Mcdougall points out, are not thrifty in their marriage and other ceremonies— but they hoard cash and ornament. Mcdougall ignores the latter point about Indians for convenience sake."

................................................................................................

"Mcdougall holds that the primitive peoples are wanting in providence while the civilized people are thrifty. The acquisitive instinct is strong in the Alpine, the Nordic race and the Chinese; the Jews, Arabs and the Phoenicians; less strong in the Mediterranean race; stronger in the lowland Scots than in the Irish. This instinct acc. to Mc: is the basis of civilization and accounts for the difference in social stratification. Improvidence is marked in the Malay and the Negro.

"All the peculiarities hitherto assigned to races have certain instinctive tendencies with 2 exceptions :—(1) intellectual stature and extroversion—introversion. Mcdougall thinks that beside these instincts there are other innate inherited qualities wh: form the basis of character. Certain talents are found to be hereditary—others are found to be peculiar to certain races. The innate basis of these talents is not known e.g., whether it is a hereditary unitquality or a complex.

"Acc. to Jung, the innate basis of the mind comprises much that is a specific and differentiated. In the case of a nation, the “archetypes” are explained in their mythology and folk-lore, as well as in their dreams.

Subhash Chandra Bose comments.

"(The musical talent is more prominent in the Welsh than in the English)"

"Improvidence does not necessarily imply a low degree of Intelligence.

"Mcdougall thinks that Jung’s theory has not yet been finally proved — neither has it been disproved.""

Subsequently it has been admitted - at least, evident - that colonisation of Wales by English invaders had much the same effect on local population as slavery did on African-Americans in US, and while their own languages were lost to latter and retained with difficulties by the Welsh, music of their own sustained them. Hence that last mentioned difference.

This can be seen in India, too, especially in Goa, where Portuguese regime imposed ban on Hindu religion and carried it out with atrocities. Brahmins were executed simply for being Brahmins, so that scholarship suffered, as did Hindu traditional conduct, wrapped up at lightening speed in fear instead of the relaxed enjoyment elsewhere in South India. But Goa kept music.

Similar considerations, rather than race and DNA that Mcdougall et al ascribe them to, are why various nations differ.

Africans living in Africa aren't as Mcdougall claims above, while they physically are capable of sustained hard work as much as those transplanted in US by force through slavery, after abductions from their homeland. They adapted to new situations in latter case; former, at home, are on lands of plenty, for most part.

Similarly, comments about natives of continent across the pond (- named after a minor sailor, Vespucci Amerigo, without so much as by-your-leave, without asking the said natives for permission to change name of their homeland, without asking if they had a name for it ! - ) as introvert, and perception of them as not hard working, by European (and descendent of European migrantmigrants) commenters, does not take into account the similarities between them and, say, a wealthy lord amongst the British, who has never built a log cabin or personally farmed his acres. It's a question of necessity and sufficiency, and consideration thereof by oneself rather than others.

Subhash Chandra Bose comments.

"Dr. C.G. Jung’s theory of the “collective unconscious” carries the doctrine of racial peculiarities of the mental constitution much farther. The Coll: uncons : reveals itself chiefly in certain archetypes. The C.U. manifests itself in dreams and in states of mental disorder and colours all our thinking. The older and most fundamental of these “archetypes” are common to the human race; nevertheless different civilization have specialized their C.U. and differentiated the archetypes into forms peculiar to itself. Jung claims to be able to discover the racial origins of his patients by studying their dreams even when the physical marks are not apparent. (Jung’s view is that French cd : develop such a theory as his—bee: he is a Jew, his patients are mostly Jews and his followers are mostly Jews). Jung’s theory is not consistent with the neo-Darwinian principle that acquired characters are not transmitted. But this principle is by no means accepted by the scientific world. (In Chap IV Mcdougall has shown what qualities are peculiar to the three great races of Europe. In Chap V he has applied this hypothesis to the explanation of the differences bet: the different European Nations.)"

................................................................................................

"Mcdougall’s theory

"The innate potentialities—intellectual and moral—are richer than degrees of intelligence or degrees of the strength of instincts. The development of high degree of intellectuality or moral character presupposes or hitherto undefined innate and hereditary peculiarity. “This undefined basis of moral character is perhaps of all innate qualities the most valuable possession of any human stock.”

"Facts wh: lead to this theory.

"1. The Darwinian principle of selection is not adequate to explain the development of the human mind.

"2. Freud’s followers find evidence of certain constantly recurring symbols in dreams and fantasies wh: necessitate the assumption of innate factors in the mind. * “I am of opinion that these primal fantasies x x x are a phylogenetic possession. In them the individual reaches out beyond his own life, into the experiences of antiquity. It seems very possible to me that everything wh: is obtained during an analysis in the guise of fantasy was once realities in the primeval existence of mankind and that the imaginative child is merely filling in the gaps of individual truth with pre-historic truth”. (Freud—Gen. Introduction to Psychoanalysis)

"3. The perennial interest of children in things of wh: they have had no experience but which must have figured much in the imagination of their remote ancestors (European children are interested in goblins, fairies, ghosts, wolves, bears, caves etc).

"4. The existence and development of moral sentiments in children e.g., Alienists hold that some children are by nature insusceptible of moral training. Other children have a keen moral sense from the very beginning.

"5. Some nations are more truthful than other’s or remarkably chaste though not deficient in the sex impulse.

"6: The blending of widely dissimilar races leads to intellectual and moral degeneration. Shaler in “The Neighbour” says that an infusion of white blood improves the intelligence of his Negro but lowers his morality."

That last above, mentioned at least once before, is repeated here, and one must wonder if the author of this theory ever understood the implications regarding low morality of his race are at least as valid as his assumptions regarding high intelligence thereof - if not infinitely more so!

................................................................................................

"WE HAVE BEEN BORN in this world to fulfil a purpose—to preach a message”, reads the opening sentence of Subhas Chandra Bose’s 1923 essay The Dreams of Youth (Taruner Swapna). “One hundred and fifty years ago,” he wrote in The Call of the Motherland (Desher Dak) in December 1925, “it was the Bengalees who showed the foreigners the way to penetrate India. Now it is incumbent on the Bengalees of the twentieth century to expiate that sin.” ... "

Thinking of that era had digested the far more virulent and barbaric invaders of Abrahamic-III, but Abrahamic-II were different, of an era when travelling between lands faraway was easier and getting more so; consequently, unlike previous invaders, most of whom stayed on and were inexorably integrated to whatever levels, pretty much like new boarders do into a crowded train, these new invaders stayed not only determinedly separate after first century or so, but sent humongous quantities of loot back home.

This determination of maintaining not only a separate caste but also not making India home, was the undoing of a regime that was, arguably, not the worst of colonial regimes India suffered during past, for a millennium and a half.

But perception of Subhash Chandra Bose here is genuine, unlike that of some other keaders of congress who were determined to pretend that no atrocities were committed by Abrahamic-III against the indigenous of India, a stance maintained not only post moplah killings but post Noakhali, and even post Godhra. Also, perhaps, Bengal was different until later when separatists managed to sour it?

" ... This volume brings together Subhas Chandra Bose’s prison essays and notes, speeches and articles between 1923 and 1928, as well as his early 1929 monograph Boycott of British Goods. His letters of this period have been published in volumes 3 and 4 of the Collected Works.

"Perhaps the most important piece in this volume is Subhas’ lengthy prison essay on Deshbandhu Chittaranjan Das written in February 1926 containing insights into the fundamentals of his own political beliefs. “I do not think that among the Hindu leaders of India,” he wrote, “Islam had a greater friend than in the Deshbandhu. Hinduism was extremely dear to his heart; he could even lay down his life for his religion, but at the same time he was absolutely free from dogmatism of any kind. That explains how it was possible for him to love Islam.” It was this spirit of broad-minded generosity in the matter of India’s religious diversity that Subhas sought to emulate in his politics, a quality he found to be sorely lacking in most of the other nationalist leaders. ... "

Deshbandhu Chittaranjan Das was, as per Wikipedia, not quite Hindu -

"Das family were members of Brahmo Samaj. ... "

In those days, Brahmo Samaj were very strongly separated from Hindu mainstream which was known as Sanatana, and any contact between members of the two was avoided, abhorred by the orthodox. That Deshbandhu may have loved Hindus and Hinduism isn't in question, for roots of Brahmo people were all within the larger Sanatana community in Bengal.

Deshbandhu did not live to see the Calcutta massacre ordered by Jinnah, much less the Noakhali massacre of 150,000 Hindus during the biggest Hindu festivals of the region. Wonder if his views would then have changed, with perception of reality modifying idealistic dreams.

Most of those close to Subhash Chandra Bose or those who'd worked with him, attest to his ability to bring the two communities together and work together. His last companion on the journey to Taihoku, Habibur Rehman, remained steadfastly loyal to him, is the verdict of those who met him after August 1945, despite his subsequent decision to migrate after partition.

Wonder if Subhash Chandra Bose’s presence being known, if not his actual arrival, would have avoided the massacres, the partition, et al!

................................................................................................

The compiler and editor of these collected works, if it's Shishir Bose, isn't good at this job - to begin with, he writes paragraphs that are not only too long, but need to be broken up because subject, issue, changes several times within a paragraph, even the opening paragraph of his introduction.

................................................................................................

" ... This was not secularism in the sense of a separation between religion and politics, but a politics based on respect and reconciliation of religious differences. “That Swaraj in India meant primarily the uplift of the masses, and not necessarily the protection of the interest of the upper classes,” he emphasized, “was a matter of conviction with the Deshbandhu.” This too was an ideal not shared by many of the other front-rank leaders, but to which Subhas Chandra Bose was deeply committed. ... "

It's possible to believe, early as that era was regarding leftist revolution, that this was sincere, and not influenced by the intellectual fashion amongst Cambridge et al, as in some other cases.

But again, wonder if later he'd have changed regarding the leftists if not leftist, observing realities on one hand, and hypocritical conduct of leftists of India that was to remain consistently anti-India through partition and 1962, some of the worst times of the nation.

" ... To the large question whether “culture” was one or diverse, his answer was that it was “both one and many”. The Deshbandhu, he pointed out, was first and foremost a friend of Bengal. He “loved Bengal with all his life”, but that did not make him forget India as a whole. ... "

That answers much, and about both, about Deshbandhu Chittaranjan Das Gupta, as well as about his disciple, Subhash Chandra Bose, too.

................................................................................................

" ... The pursuit of Nyaya, a philosophical system developed in the district of Nadia in Bengal during the early modern period, had shaped the “logical and argumentative” strand within Bengal’s intellectual tradition. It was a talent that made Das a great barrister in the modern era, but he would have been a famous logician of the Nabadwip school had he been born a few centuries earlier. Nadia was not just the home of rational logic, but also effervescent devotion. Das thought it was “a matter of pride” rather than embarrassment that Bengalis were “susceptible to emotions”. ... "

Perhaps this perception about Bengal is due to British observation thereof, skewed as it was - as, usually, its bound to be - in favour of the observers and commenters, but whether it was accurate, or even fair, is questionable in the sense, isn't everyone emotional?

Are Tamil people less emotional, or Punjabi people for that matter?

Perhaps British said this about Bengal, only because Bengal was where they first landed, established themselves, and ruled from until New Delhi was built and capital shifted from Calcutta.

................................................................................................

" ... “The fulfilment of the Deshbandhu’s nationalism,” Subhas wrote with obvious admiration, “was in international amity; but he did not try to develop a love of the world by doing away with love for his own land. Yet his nationalism did not lead him to exclusive egocentricity.” C.R. Das’ unfulfilled dreams and hopes were in Subhas’ view his “best legacy”.1

"In Mandalay jail Subhas read voraciously and filled his prison notebooks with copious notes and analyses of the books of which he sought an incessant supply from family and friends. His markings on multiple volumes of Friedrich Nietzsche’s Collected Works showed that his interest in philosophy was still alive. He read Bertrand Russell’s works on industrial civilization and free thought. The great Russian novelists, Turgenev and Dostoevsky, figured on his reading list of European literature. The broad range of subjects he studied included European history, histories of empires and revolutions, social anthropology, political memoirs, comparative religion, psychology, criminology, exercise and dietetics, and the colour line in human relations. He became something of a specialist in Irish history and literature. He recorded in a marginal note that more human beings perished in Ireland during the 1840s famine than had fallen by the sword in any war England had ever waged. He transcribed Irish poems that touched him, such as P.H. Pearse’s “Renunciation”, “The Rebel” and “The Wayfarer” and Dora Siegerson’s “The Dead Soldier”. Pearse had been a leader of the Easter Rising and was executed by the British on May 3, 1916. Pearse’s lines about the rebel who came of “the seed of the people that sorrow” must have seemed especially poignant to Subhas:

"I say to my people that they are holy,

"That they are august despite their chains,

"That they are greater than those that

"Hold them, and stronger and purer,

"That they have but need of courage,and

"To call on the name of their God,

"God the unforgetting, the dear God that

"Loves the peoples

"For whom he died naked, suffering shame.2"

The mention of Mandalay reminds of various things, including the horrible conditions that Subhash Chandra Bose and others in that jail were subjected to; but as one reads that paragraph, a strong evoking is of the very strong similarity between diverse and deep reading that occupied two very diverse and yet very similar freedom struggle warriors - Subhash Chandra Bose on one hand, and Bhagat Singh on the other.

This shouldn't be surprising, except for the labeling and branding that congress and associated regimes have carried on, of all those that shined in the era amongst freedom fighters.

Apart from the two names pushed to the forefront consistently by the said regimes, others were either subjugated in life as well as in historical writing about them, at least as far as teaching of general knowledge and history to school students went; meanwhile those who were apart, not subjugated, were vilified in subtle or not too subtle manner.

Labelling them 'hot-headed youth', or 'misguided patriots', was the mildest way to do so, producing an impression that of all the freedom fighters, only two were of the learned thinkers variety.

So discovering that the two thus deified were mediocre at best, while amongst the subjugated were several first rate and far superior - such as Patel brothers, Rajendra Prasad, and, beyond all, Ambedkar - is as much of a surprise as learning even the reading list of Subhash Chandra Bose here and that of Bhagat Singh in his biography.

Net result thereof? Loss of trust in congress as an institution, and much more so in the regime's run or supported by congress.

After all, it wouldn't have cost that much to inform young students that those patriots, too, were such steller minds, and being highly educated wasn't limited to two names.

................................................................................................

"Going through pre-British Bengali literature we find that those who nourished Bengali literature in many ways did not all belong to the upper castes. A perusal of Dinesh Babu’s (Dinesh Chandra Sen.—Ed.) “Banga Bhasha O Sahitya”, makes this point very clear. Many people belonging to the so-called lower castes enriched the folk literature. This proves that during that period there was a vital link between society and literature. It is found that in the British period, votaries of literature were mostly from the upper castes, at least they were English educated. The present Bengali language is Firengi Bengali and the present Bengali literature is largely Firengi Bengali literature. That is why this literature is confined to a handful of English-educated Bengalees. This literature has not had wide currency amongst the people in general and this literature has not been nurtured by representatives of the people in general. This is why modern Bengali Firengi literature is somewhat superficial and appears to be sort of unreal; it has no intimate relationship with the life of the society. It lacks a vital link with society. This link with life—which has been severed under English influence—has to be restored again. Once again literature must reflect the joys and sorrows, aspirations and ideas and even the existing qualities and drawbacks of presentday society. Then our literature will become something live and people as a whole, irrespective of class, will be able to appreciate the beauty and grandeur of our literature."

This, again, is writing influenced by Abrahamic-II agenda of Macaulay policy, based on presentation of selective pieces either way as then taught young in schools.

Else he'd recall that, not only the greatest and most revered texts of India in ancient Sanskrit literature have authorship by not quite what British would define as 'upper castes', whether by definition of British and European castes, or by those as per Indian culture; but, even more so, the characters in the epics don't conform to European sense of rights and propriety, and instead behave with what's quintessentially Indian ethics, unless they are the out and out villains who perish at the end.

What's more, these epics more than any other texts since or before, define ethics of Indian society, and are accepted as such, even now.

If there's any truth in Subhash Chandra Bose’s writing above, it's more due to upliftment of Brahmins post arrival of British, who needed help and found the intelligent class ready to learn. This learning spurred the further growth, but then the accusations by Subhash Chandra Bose against Bengal literature post arrival of brits seems unfair and incorrect too.

Frankly it's impossible to see how the great literature of Bengal of that era on, until independence and later, fits his criticism. Bankim Chandra might have written not about social scene, but Sharatchandra, Ravindra Nath Tagore and later writers did; but certainly one cannot criticise Ananda Math as unreal, or divorced from society.

Who was Subhash Chandra Bose writing about? Or was he influenced by motivated criticism of others? Brahmo Samaj and missionaries, et al, following Macaulay policy?

................................................................................................

"In the continent of Africa only two religions are preached at present—Christianity and Islam. Why should Hinduism not be preached there? Sister Nivedita maintained that Hinduism must be aggressive. Swami Vivekananda was of the same opinion and with this idea he preached religion in Europe and America. If Hinduism is preached in Europe or America then they might change their views about the Hindus—Indian philosophy might influence Western philosophy—and the glory and prestige of Indians might go up. But people over there will never adopt Hinduism. On the other hand if Hinduism is preached amongst the Africans, they may adopt Hinduism. And if they adopt Hinduism they will do so in thousands."

Interesting. Wonder if his contemporaries in congress were aware of such views, and if this is why he was removed despite being elected twice with overwhelming popularity.

Unlike Abrahamic-II or Abrahamic-III, or for that matter, Abrahamic-IV, Hinduism does not lend to conversion so easily, any more than, say, democracy does, or physics or mathematics can do so.

It's a matter more of a transformation that must go deep taking roots, not one of peer pressure or worse seducing young to addiction. Libraries are open in US to public, but how many are exactly mobbing to read relativity texts by Einstein or anyone else, the way liquor shops had long lines during covid related curfew being relaxed slightly?

For one, Hinduism does not enforce or demand faith, but offers knowledge, as a university and its library does; and its just as possible to find one's own path to Divine within Hinduism as be a Nobel prize winning scientist without following seniors, but not trivial - on the contrary, it's about as easy as a single ascent of a peak in Himalaya, Andes, Alps or Antarctica.

But once achieved, Hinduism accepts fact thereof, unlike the later Abrahamic creeds who punish heresy with executions. And it's democratic, too - if you achieve union with God within, people know, but nobody is forced to do so.

................................................................................................

"The question may arise : what do we gain from this ? Firstly, what is gained by preaching the truth is always there. Secondly, Africans not yet civilized or only halfcivilized will be fully civilized in the light of Hinduism and civilization. Thirdly, by being aggressive Hinduism will acquire further strength and as a result of being preached in a different country will be compelled to shed many of its prejudices and dogmatism. India will attain a higher place in the comity of nations. If two hundred lakhs of Africans embrace Hinduism then undoubtedly the influence of the Hindus and of India will be quite powerful in Africa. If India wants to be a world power then the preaching of Hinduism will facilitate the process. Barring countries where Islam is the predominant religion, it is India that has preached religion and brought civilization everywhere in Asia—why should it be different in the case of Africa?"

He's forgetting how China, having converted to Buddhism after an emperor thereof had a vision in a dream, and had sent an emissary to India, reacted virulently to opine that, even if India is superior, nevertheless, China must keep her own ways; and it was due to Chinese advice and influence that some lands of South East Asia, uncertain at some point, went towards Islamic rather than Hindu as a matter of state religion. This would of course be even more so further away, and not only by China.

Meanwhile, was Subhash Chandra Bose unaware of desperate efforts by Abrahamic-II and Abrahamic-III conversion agencies to change demographics within India? Was moplah killings post his writing this? Were missionaries attempts to separate North East India and Central India from mainstream not yet known?

................................................................................................

"The land which lies to the east of Prayag has a seperate culture since ancient times. Though this culture has been influenced by Aryan Vedic culture, yet this culture has a distinctiveness of its own. The land which lies to the west of Prayag was the land of true Brahmanya Dharma. But the religion of the land to the east was based on egalitarian ideas. Repeated and serious attempts were made to bring this land under full influence of Brahmanya Dharma and with this aim in view Sagnik Brahmins well-versed in the Vedas were imported. But this eastern land never accepted the Vedic religion wholly and here the rigidity of the caste system is much less."

Surely this wasn't based on observation, or on India’s literature? Surely this was observations by non-Hindu outsiders, seeking to divide, and establishing the fraudulent theory of Aryan invasion or migration and other similar frauds, as per Macaulay policy of dividing India and branding anything good in India falsely as bad, and targetting Brahmins in particular? They preached that Vedas were import along with Sanskrit, Brahmins, Arya - and the unthinking believed the fraudulent outsiders!

No, there's no division East vs West at Prayag, or rven at the greatest living ancient city of ancient culture of India, Kashi. Once famous and great city, Pataliputra, is further East. And there were others, of ancient India, East of Prayag, including Mithila of Janaka.

................................................................................................

"The centre of this culture was formerly Magadha or Mithila. Patliputra was the capital. Magadha was dominant during the whole Buddhist period. Later when the influnce of Magadha decreased then the centre of culture shifted from Magadha to Gour. Even after losing its importance Magadha was for a long time the centre of culture. Not very long ago if one wanted to learn Sanskrit and the Shastras well, one had to go to Mithila. Later when the system of Nabya Nyaya was introduced at Nabadwip then the reputation of Nabadwip went up. It is a matter of historical research why the culture of Magadha declined and decayed. ... "

Culture of Magadha was flourishing with Hindu rule, upto Chandragupta Maurya, guided and helped by Chanakya. It certainly declined either wars waged by Ashok, and didn't recover post his conversion to Buddhism, which brought India down to fall against barbaric invaders as never until then.

" ... Whatever might have been the real reason it can be easily understood that those who were the backbone of society and those who carried the lamp of culture in their own hands and spread its radiance all over the place, were eliminated. ... "

Was he unable to deduce that it was precisely Brahmins who were, as he terms, 'those who were the backbone of society and those who carried the lamp of culture in their own hands and spread its radiance all over the place', and Ashok doing away with the culture was what brought on demise of Patliputra as a great centre of culture and Magadha as great kingdom?

Subhash Chandra Bose was intelligent. So inability to deduce this must be laid at his educators' head, the school for expat children of European children, with European faculty and staff.

" ... Many battles took place between the northerners and Magadha so that Brahmanism could spread over the eastern region. When in the post-Buddhist period Sankaracharya re-established Brahmanism Buddhist Vikkhus and Sramanas were victims of much torture. During that period many brilliant men of Magadha were eliminated also. After that during the Islamic period Magadha was again and again the scene of many political upheavals. All this caused a decline in the population of Magadha. And Aryans from North-West and tribal and aboriginal people from the South came to settle down in Magadha. Because of these reasons it is now difficult to discern the old culture of Magadha in Bihar."

All of that is clearly invention by British and other invaders, interested in fracturing of India, by creating fault lines even where there were none.

Not only he writes here of "Aryans from North-West", which is garbage, considering indigenous Indian tenets - and no one is more of an Arya than, say, Rama and his ancestors, who weren't 'from North-West' , but from as much East as Prayag, Ayodhya being slightly north thereof.

" ... For some time Kalinga too became a centre of culture. Just like Nabadwip, Purushottwamatirtha too gained prominence as a centre of culture. When Gour came under the domination of the Muslim nawabs Kalinga was still an independent country and the king of Kalinga attacked Gour and defeated the Muslim ruler of Gour."

He isn't mentioning his name, for some reason.

................................................................................................

" ... The greatest element in character is love of adventure. Driven by this love of adventure can man travel to distant lands and assert himself. With this greatest element other qualities mingle. ... "

There's Europe's influence, clear.

" ... Western nations were driven by love of money and the desire to establish trade and commerce to travel to distant lands and found empires. ... "

On the contrary, it was always poverty of their own lands and inability of the land to support a burgeoning population that drove dual swords of migrations overseas and trade leading to invasions of lands of others, unless, as in case of Mongolians, it was direct invasion without trade first.

" ... They had therefore to establish empires for the purpose of spreading their religion. ... "

Motive was never spiritual, but loot and enslaving of others; conversion amounted yo killing of other cultures and imposing that of invaders.

................................................................................................

" ... Only by undergoing hard physical strain will heroes be created. Once heroic men fond of adventure are created, a new nation will come into existence. Mr. Parag Ranj an Dey who travelled from Calcutta to Rangoon on foot alone through mountainous terrain is a man whom every Bengalee should respect. Is there a Bengalee who does net feel proud When he reads about him?"

There's the spirit that became familiar to India, later!

"Apart from this, efforts should be made to rouse in the whole nation the desire to excel in every kind of sport and physical feats. Of course we should pay more attention to our national games viz. wrestling, lathi-play, dagger play, ha-do-do etc. But why should we not try to excel in every kind of sport and physical exercise ? There is great glory in defeating the English in their own kind of games. So we must try to excel also in such games as tennis, football, cricket, hockey, boxing etc. We should remember that games like tennis, football etc., have now become international ; therefore by playing such games we are not going to lose our national identity.

"This very spirit of adventure is also needed in the realm of knowledge. Many relics of Buddhist civilization have been and are being discovered in Central Asia. In this work Germany, England Russia, France, Belgium and even Japan have taken part (Modern Review, June 1926.). But where is India where Buddhism was born ? Our attitude is “why bother about such odd things and spoil our comfortable life ? What is the good of roaming about the deserts of Central Asia ?” The fact is that we do not have the thirst for knowledge. Once the thirst for knowledge is roused, a man really goes mad. Then, in complete disregard of gain or loss, personal happiness or unhappiness, he moves from one corner of the earth to the other in search of Knowledge. If necessary, he undergoes all kinds of physical strain, faces all kinds of dangers and wanders through forests infested with dangerous animals and dry deserts devoid of life. One who has developed the thirst for knowledge, even in ripe old age, throws away domestic pleasure, comfort and tranquility, like Tennyson’s Ulysses, and rides turbulent seas in search of unknown lands. This is what Tennyson’s Ulysses says :

"“I cannot rest from travel, I will drink........

"Life to the lees.

"Old age hath yet his honour and his toil;

"Death closes all; but something are the end

"Some work of noble note may yet be done.

"Come my friends

"‘Tis not too late to seek a newer world.

"Push off and sitting well in order smile.

"The sounding furrows; for my purpose holds

"To sail beyond the sunset and the baths—

"Of all the western stars, until I die.”"

Ignatius Donnelly would ascribe that aspiration looking at Western star to a subconscious memory in culture of Europe reaching to before Egypt, to Atlantis, as he connects it in his work on the subject, and ascribes poetry and songs, ballads and more, of an Atlantic coastal Europe with not only sun and stars dropping into ocean connected to death or eternity but a memory of the fabled continent.

But Subhash Chandra Bose speaking of this is only from his perusing English literature, and has little to fo with either an actual observation or a cultural connection of longing with a star in Western horizon.

Poetry of Tagore and others, including film songs from Bengal, depict indigenous nature reflected, instead, in speaking of and imagery related to rivers, flights of birds, and of course, hills.

But when Bengal refers to distant hills, one may take time to realise it's Himalaya that's being referred to, albeit not by name.

................................................................................................

" ... But it is true that nowdays students are gradually becoming “good boys’.’ “Good boy” will not achieve anything. That he who is “good” at studies eventually attains prosperity—is an utterly wrong ideal. ... "

" ... I have observed that in university campuses of Europe when students walk in the streets they are full of spirit and enthusiasm as if they are dancing about (the same is true of women). Their faces are beaming with joy and they are bubbling with energy. They do not care a fig for the world—they are prepared for the struggle for life. But what about us ? We suffer from starvation, we lack health, energy and enthusiasm, we are even devoid of any sense of joy. Our faces are darkened by the gloomy shadow of joylessness. Our students are gradually becoming more and more ‘Bhadraloks’. Nowadays ‘Bhadralok’ students are gradually giving up such manly practices—as swimming across the river, climbing fruit-bearing trees, snatching fruits and eating them, going out on picnics, walking long distances—20/40 miles in groups, playing lathi, wrestling etc. But I say—if you lose Ananda what are you left with ? ANANDA marks the beginning of creation, it is the inspiration Of Ananda that promotes good deeds. That is why I am tempted to quote the poet of poets Rabindranath:

"Samasta timir veda karia dekhite haibe

"ek purna jyotirmoy ananta bhubane."

"(Piercing all darkness we must have a vision of the fully effulgent one radiating light that permeates the whole of infinity.)"

Is that from 'Ananda Dhaara'?

................................................................................................

"The English have taught us that in the pre-British era there was no peace or order—the British have brought them about. It is said that the greatest contribution of England is establishment of peace—“Pax-Britannica”. Having heard it repeatedly we have come to believe this claim. But what the English have established in India, is it peace or coma ? (apparently both look the same). As a matter of fact we are chained down from all sides by law. And under the pressure of this terrible bondage we are gasping on the eve of unpending death. Where is the freedom, where is the Ananda that existed in the pre-British period ? Go to the remotest villages, climb on to the top of the mountains, sail across the surging waves of the Indian Ocean, penetrate into the deepest of forests, go wherever you wish, you will find the demoniac representatives of the British crown proclaiming the glory of the law. There is not even one piece of land of one arm’s length in the whole of India which is not under this law and which is inaccessible to these watch-dogs of the British. No, it was not so in the pre-British period. We have been disarmed by the Government for our own good on the ground that if we had weapons we would be fighting and quarrelling with one another. As a result we are startled by the sound of the gun, we faint when a thief enters with a dagger in his hand and we run away to save ourselves leaving the women folk at the mercy of God when our houses are raided by dacoits. We have completely given up the practice of lathi-play and wrestling either due to fear of the police or for the sake of so-called gentlemanliness. Those in society who are endowed with strength and courage, who are fearless have no way out at present other than to take to the path of goondas. Even when we find amongst our own compatriots qualities which are necessary for winning wars, which can provide a nation with new ideals and enable us to establish empires, we are not in a position to make a good use of such qualities. As a matter of fact, because of this peace of the graveyard prevailing in India, we Indians today have become so powerless and unenterprising. Today, even if there is the wish and the power, Indians cannot simply set up a state or even part of a state by their own strength and intellect. If they even make an attempt to do so, instead of enjoying the world they will land themselves in prison. Nowadays only those make progress in life who are impotent, slavish and timid. The result is that today we do not enjoy life. We have lost all initiative and interest. Life has no romance left in it—and nothing extraordinary can happen in our life and today it is just a big but prosaic affair.

"11.5.1926"

................................................................................................

" ... In religious belief, the Deshbandhu was a Vaishanavite; but people of all faiths had a place in his large heart. ... "

One may understand how someone from a Brahmo background turned to Vaishnava for needs not satisfied by the dry diktats of a copy of Abrahamic-II, but since when is a Vaishnava not Hindu?

It's not possible that Subhash Chandra Bose means to say that Deshbandhu would refuse to respect other Deities of Hinduism, or that he'd say things lacking in respect.

So what it could possibly mean when he calls his mentor Vaishnava but not Hindu, is that, one, Subhash Chandra Bose was still strongly under influence of British divisive teachings and writings as per Macaulay policy, having been educated in a European run school meant for European children; and two, he's specifying that Deshbandhu was Vaishnava in the specifically Bengal stream that's about emotion, devotion, poetry and music.

................................................................................................

" ... Swaraj for the masses is not a new thing in the world. Europe preached this doctrine long ago ; but it is comparatively new in the field of Indian politics. Of course, thirty years ago Swami Vivekananda spoke in that vein in his book entitled “Bartaman Bharat”, but that message of the Swamiji was never echoed from our political platforms."

Vivekananda was well educated and might have read Marx, but his own writings and Speeches are unlikely to have sources elsewhere other than India and her ancient treasures, of spiritual knowledge.

................................................................................................

" ... The present-day Bengalee race is an admixture of Aryan, Dravidian and Mongolian blood. ... "

While a touch of the last mentioned is natural in East, Subhash Chandra Bose was only parroting the British fraud perpetrated as per Macaulay policy, when calling Arya and Dravida separate races. He was still young, and hadn't seen much, or thought about it.

It's a fact that trading posts, including ruins of ancient (BCE) Roman settlements, have been found on East coast of South India, and its a safe bet that any migration into India was never via land from North-West but via sea routes along Southern coast. This must have included Romans, possibly others (- Scandinavians? Vikings? -), Jewish traders, and African slaves, who had to be set free due to slavery not existing in India and there being no market, whereby they were a burden to feed unless freed. Tamil population shows traces of features of each, but when DNA related researches were carried out, there was no North vs South divide as preached by British.

The very term Dravid is geographical and a word in Sanskrit, which means related to water - its literally someone from land surrounded by water, a description appropriate for southern peninsula with ocean on three sides. While Arya is about Light, and relates to enlightenment, civilisation, culture.

Rama, definitely Arya, has always been described as dark hued. So was the mist beautiful woman of ancient India, Draupadie. Arya was never a term about physical colours. And plenty of North India people are dark, while equally plenty in South India are not only light skinned but light eyed and light haired as well.

Our relatives include numbers of each, also with no ex-Indian ancestry involved as of a few millennia.

................................................................................................

"Those acquainted with Bengal’s history and literature will admit that in spite of its belonging to Aryan culture, the culture of Bengal has assumed a distinct form of its own. Swami Dayanand’s Arya Samaj movement swept the whole of Northern India, but how was it that he could not get any footing on the soil of Bengal? And why do thousands of educated Bengalees adore and draw inspiration from Ramkrishna Paramhansadeva, the devotee of the goddess Kali? Why does the system of Dayabhaga prevail in Bengal ? Why did Buddhism, driven out from everywhere, find its last refuge in Bengal ? Why did Navanyaya, or New-logic, originate in Bengal ? Why did not Bengal accept Shankara’s Mayavada ? Why, after Buddhism was ousted from Bengal, did Achintya-Bhedabhedavada rise up as a protest against Shankara’s theory ? No sooner do we raise these questions than it begins to be clear that Bengal’s culture has something uncommon and unique about it. On its cultural side three strains are visible—(1) Tantra, (2) Vaishnavism and (3) Navanyaya and Raghunandan’s Smriti. On the side of Nyaya and Smriti, Bengal has a close kinship with Aryavarta; through Vaishnavism she maintains a life-line with the south, while through the tantras she has a relationship with the races living in the Tibetan, Burmese and Himalayan regions."

Subhash Chandra Bose is missing the obvious - one, each region retains influences of its own, which is only natural; Shankaracharya had for more lasting influence in South India, however respected elsewhere, which he is; Ramakrishna was a devotee of Kali, not by arbitrary choice but due to vision received, and worship of Kali - or any other Deity, for that matter, of India - is for from limited to any particular region. Nor is specific, different culture a characteristic only of Bengal.

"It was the influence of the Tantras which have taught the Bengalees to worship Shakti, ... "

Thats incorrect, to say the least, on several grounds. Worship of Mother Goddess, whether in Kali or Durga form, or Laxmi or Saraswati, isn't limited to Bengal, but is in most Hindu households a routine part of women's life, as well as of household and community worship during specific festivals. Nor is it necessarily related to practice or even learning of Tantra, any more than devotees of Shiva necessarily being monks or doing yoga at any level. Most of practicing Hindu households, everywhere in India, do carry on worship of the Mother Goddess in each of the at least three if not four forms, at least at specific festivals. Very few practice Tantra.

" ... It is because of the deep influence of the Tantras that the Bengalees as a race are devoted to mother, and this is also the reason why they love to worship the Supreme Being in the image of the Mother. People of other races and religions (such as the Jews, the Arabs, the Christians) worship God as father. Sister Nivedita thinks that in those communities, in which men occupy a more important position than women, people naturally contemplate God as father. On the other hand, in societies where women have precedence over men, people learn to worship God as Mother. Anyway, it is well known that the Bengalees love to think of God, —and why God alone, even Bengal and India—as Mother. We think of our country as Motherland, but the correct English expression is Fatherland, and our use of ‘Motherland’ is rather faulty from the point of view of English, usage."

Again, much of what he says about Bengal is true of India, and he's giving credit to tantra when it's incorrect. As for terminology, fatherland isn't English but German; Motherland is correct in English. What's more, there's Britannia and Germania, female names for lands personified, and latter is even a large statue on Rhine.

That abrahmic creeds are male dominated is largely true, except Judaism. Culturally Judaism is better balanced than later Abrahamic creeds.

................................................................................................

"Most of our great writers afford illustrations of this mother-cult in their writings.

"Bankim wrote :—

"“Hail O Mother; Well-watered, fruitful, cooled by the western breeze Green with crops, O Mother;”

"Dwijendralal sang:—

"“When that Mother India emerged out of the blue waters of the Sea.”

"And Rabindranath sang :—

"“Oh my mother-land let me lay my head at thy feet.”"

Maharashtra, supposedly dry compared to Bengal in emotion - just as it's a land of hard stone while Bengal is of water - in fact refers to a specific much loved male Deity Vitthala (a form or incarnationof Vishnu), and a very revered Saint, Jnaneshwara, as Vithaaie (Vitthal the Mother), and Jnaneshwara Maoulie, "Little Mother", respectively.

So expressing love for Divine in Mother form isn't unique to Bengal, but in fact, exceeded by the tough stone Maharashtra.

Incidentally, was Subhash Chandra Bose aware, that Shivaji's personal Deity was Bhawaanie of Tulajapur, even though his guru was Ramdas, who worshipped Rama, and Shivaji had also met Saint Tukaram, devotee of Vitthala, to pay obeisance due to the fame of the Saint? Bhawaanie had gifted him, Shivaji, a sword, blessed for his purpose of freeing India.

................................................................................................

" ... In Alipore Jail he used often to give us readings from Bankim Chandra. He was extremely fond of the three different images of the mother as painted by Bankim. He used to go into ecstasies over these descriptions. One could easily feel the depth of his emotions to see him in that state of ecstasy. His journal “Narayana” contained discussions on both Vaishnavism and Saktism. The few articles on Durga Puja published in that journal are full of profound thoughts."

" ... He did not at all accept the view of the Sankarites that women are the gateway to hell. ... "

There's a mistake there in understanding. This view belongs, not to Shankaracharya, or his followers, but Abrahamic creeds. Shankaracharya followers are for most part families, with normal Hindu lives and festivals, including worship and celebrations of Mother Goddess.

"Both his virtues and failings were peculiar to the race he belonged to. The greatest pride in his life was that he was a Bengalee. That was why he was so much loved and adored by the Bengalees.

"He often used to say that what makes the Bengalee is a compound of his good and bad points. He felt wounded if any one made fun of or satirized the Bengalees as being emotional. It was, he thought, a matter of pride, and not of shame, that we are susceptible to emotions."

It's hard to think of any part of India that can be labelled devoid of emotions, or unemotional.

................................................................................................

"In his love for the nation the Deshbandhu would not forget Bengal, nor in loving Bengal would he forget the nation. He loved Bengal with all his life, but the love was not confined to the four corners of the province. I have it from his non-Bengalee colleagues that within a few days of their coming to know him, they were attracted by his great heart. The Maharashtrians loved and respected him with the same ardour as they did Tilak Maharaj, for the people of Maharashtra too received from him equal sympathy and affection."

Indeed, Bengal found appreciation in Maharashtra during this era of freedom fighters and writings regarding freedom or reform being not restricted to Maharashtra, but seeing a surge in Bengal.

"The Deshbandhu used to say that Bengal should be the vanguard of the Swaraj movement. In 1920, Bengal had lost her lead of the movement. But thanks to his untiring efforts and labour, in 1923 she won it back. With the death of the Deshbandhu that lead has again been lost for Bengal. God alone knows when she will recover that position."

Was Punjab leading then?

"In the course of his defence of Sri Aurobindo in the Alipore case, the Deshbandhu had said in rich and powerful language :—

"“He will be looked upon as the poet of patriotism, the prophet of nationalism, and the lover of humanity. His words will be echoed and re-echoed......”"

................................................................................................

"Analysis of Books Read

"(Book 1)

"Ireland, A Nation

Mostly these are cryptic notes, but perhaps clearer to someone who has read the respective books.

But it gets to comprehensible level soon, so much so one begins to get a grasp of the horror that Ireland suffered, by slow but inexorable throttling that England subjected Ireland to, for centuries.

Some excerpts from notes by Subhash Chandra Bose -

"1.

"In Trafford’s time, attempts were made to suppress the Irish woollen trade.

"2.

"Later on, the export of Irish woollen goods to the colonies was prohibited and preventive duties were levied in England. In 1699, the Westminister Parlt: Prohibited by law the export of Irish manufactured wool to any country whatsoever.

"3.

"Owing to this destruction the harbours on the West coast of Ireland did not develop as seaports for export and import trade.

"The Cattle acts of Charles II’s reign had destroyed the Irish trade in livestock and provisions with England.

"5.

"A heavy blow was struck at Irish shipping and foreign trade by prohibiting the import of any goods from the Colonies wh : had not been first landed in England.

"6.

"The export of Irish glass to any country whatever was prohibited as soon as it was found that a thriving glass industry had grown up.

"7.

"Irish silk manufacture and Irish gloves were excluded from the English market.

"Effect on Catholics and Protestants.

"The Catholics excluded from industry wanted to fall back on the land, but their lands had been already expropriated. The Irish Protestants emigrated. Irish Americans fought in the American war of Independence and Irishmen also enlisted in the army wh: went over from the continent to fight for America."

It's unclear how this treatment of Ireland by UK was different from that intended for most of non German populations, and meted out to Jews and East Europe - at least, in Belarusia and Russia - by Hitler, except in planning ahead, lack of which couldn't have been much of a relief to Ireland.

"In 1783 the leaders of the Volunteers demanded a radical reform of the House of Commons but the representatives of the Rollen borroughs were (Ulster Presbyterians joined in this movement heartily) not willing. This refusal led to the revolution of the United Irishmen in 1798, which was influenced to a great extent by the French Revolution.6

"The revolution was put down with ferocity. General Abercromby, the Commander-in- chief of the forces said of them, “Every crime, every cruelty that could be committed by Cossacks or Calmucks has been transacted here.” Lecky the historian says, “the executions xxx were far less horrible than the indiscriminate burning of houses and slaughter of unarmed men, and even of women, by the troops.”

"The Irish Parlt. found the bulk of the money and the troops for the suppression of the revolt—nevertheless Pitt and the English Cabinet wanted to tear up the Renunciation Act. The Irish Parlt. was bribed to pass a unionist resolution. This resolution was carried by a majority of one only. It is said that only 7 members voted for the Union from disinterested motives. Archbishop Troy and the Catholic Bishops supported the Union on the understanding that the Catholics would at once be emancipated. But Pitt did not redeem this promise. (Cast- lereagh and Clare spent about a million sterling in buying over the patrons of pocket boroughs, promising Rs. 7,500 for each of this 84 seats to be disfranchised)."

Much of the fraud, renewing, and promises made with no intention to keep, were repeated against India as well. Would be a safe bet to say it's characteristic of Brits, on the whole, to lie and cheat, but not to avoid worse, only to extract with less trouble until its necessary.

"In his last speech against the Union Grattan quoted the following words of Romeo to Juliet with reference to Ireland :—

"“Thout art not conquered; beauty’s ensign yet

"Is crimson in thy lips and in thy cheeks,

"And deaths pale flag is not advanced there.”"

................................................................................................

"Chap. V.

"Byron said of the Union— “the Union of the shark with its prey.”

"Dr. Johnson said to an Irishman:—

"“Do not unite with us ; we would unite with you only to rob you.”

"Ruin in the nineteenth century.

"A. Population in 1800—

"of Great Britain—10,500,956

"Population in 1800—of Ireland—5,395,456

"Population in 1900—

"of Great Britain—36,999,940

"Population in 1900—of Ireland—4,458,775

"The union did not bring about an economic equality between England and Ireland as Pitt, Castleragh and others had foretold.

"B. Ireland instead of importing capital for her development, began to export capital. Landlords flocked to London instead of Dublin. After 1817 when the two exchequers were amalgamated, the treasury became absentee.

"C. In 1819-20, Ireland paid £ 5,256,564 as revenue and got back only £ 1,564,880. In 1911 Lord Macdonnell calculated that in 99 years (England) had in this manner got from Ireland a net profit of £ 325,000,000 excluding the cost of Irish administration.

"D. In 1800 in Dublin—91 woollen manufacturers and 4,938 hands

"In 1840 in Dublin—12 W.M. and 682 hands employed.

"(Acc. to Prof. Kettle the prime cases of it’s economic downfall were :—(1) over- taxation and (2) withdrawal of capital. In addition to this, during the 19th cent: population fled, fields went out of cultivation, people were evicted, thousands perished by famine, language and national culture sank into decay—Ulster wh : was nationalist at the end of the 18th cent: become unionist by the end of the 19th cent:)

"E. Bet: 1829 and 1858, 23 Irish land-reform bills were introduced and were rejected at Westminister (while 35 Coercion bills were introduced and passed during the same period)

"F. When Catholics were emancipated in 1829, a large number of them (viz. the 40 shilling freeholders) were disfranchised. Landlords who had hitherto let out their lands to 40 sh. freeholders after dividing them up—in exchange for their votes—now refused to do so. Small farmers were thus reduced to a miserable condition.

"Bright remarked G. that more human beings perished in Ireland during the famine than had fallen by the sword in any war England had ever waged.

"G. The famine of the forties carried away 729,033 persons acc. to the estimate of the Registrar General. About 200 persons—it is estimated—also died in ships while trying to escape.

"(The famine was regarded by Irishmen as Government-caused. Only the potato crop had failed and there was abundance of corn and cattle in 1846 and 47. If Government had prohibited the export of foodstuffs—as they had been advised—the famine could have been prevented. In order to pay rent to the landlords, foodstuff were exported. Further, Peel took the opposite step of removing the import duties on corn —with the result that the price of corn fell and the corn farmers were ruined. But the price did not fall sufficiently low to enable the famine-stricken to buy)."

"Fenians

"“Ireland instead of being permitted to make her own laws has been forced to resort to lawlessness in order to obtain suitable laws from what she regards as an absentee Parlt.” “English partisan historians found Ireland a nation and left her a question.”

................................................................................................

"Epilogue

"“England in Ireland is admittedly in the position of a housebreaker. There is no defence except that the thing has become a habit. Strategical reasons may have been some excuse in the old days before men fought to set the world free from Prussianism xxx. The moral sense of the world will no longer endure strategical reasons as an excuse for Imperial crimes.”

"A largely signed petition on behalf of ex-oficers and ex-soldiers was submitted to the Peace Conference.

"Lloyd George declared that England wd: not have an Irish Republic and he told the Convention which sat under Sir Horace Plunkett that they must not ask for Dominion Home Rule. Lloyd George also said that an Irish referendum was impossible owing to the difficulty of deciding the area for the referendum. But he had no difficulty in deciding the area three years earlier in the case of the Convention.7 England refused to allow the Irish question to go before the Peace Conference or a Conference of the Premiers and statesmen of the British Empire. Regarding the appeal to the Peace Conference, England was deaf not only to the demands of the Sinn Feiners but to the appeal of the Irish soldiers who fought in the British army in the war against Germany.

"“Irishmen at the present moment are in revolt against the shame of living in a conquered country. Republicanism is simply a determination to undo the conquest of Ireland."

"The Ulster question

"P. 240

"“The Ulster question is an invention of British statesman, xxx If she (i.e. Ulster) has been anti-national in recent years, she has been so in close collusion with British statesmen”. A writer in the New Statesman declared that even in the post-war threat to levy war on England, Carson was given his cue from inside the Cabinet. “The obstacle of Carsonism was not only rapturously engineered but rapturously financed from London. Political Ulster was made in London and it is gross hypocrisy to pretend that it is mainly an Irish problem.”

"The nationalist minority in Ulster is greater proportionately than the Ulster minority in Ireland. Excluding Belfast, there is a nationalist majority in Ulster. Outside Belfast 50.016% of the population are Catholic and 49.084 are Protestants. All Catholics are nationalists but a great number of the Protestants are not Unionists. In the 4 predo-minantly Unionist countries of Ulster, 30% of the people are nationalists. The entire Ulster Unionist population on the other hand is 20% of the population of Ireland.

"The traditional policy of the British Cabinet has been one of war on Irish patriotism and rewards for Orange sectarianism. Most of the prominent Unionists have all along been rewarded by the British Government and Lloyd George, too, has heaped honours on the fomenters of the Anti-Irish strife.

"Unionists like Lord Henry Cavendish Bentinck and Major Hills have been favourable to Irish freedom of late. Northcliffe supports a dominion form of Government for Ireland— in some respects an advance on the Asquitian scheme."

................................................................................................

Voices of the New Ireland

"(1) P. H. Pearse.

Subhash Chandra Bose quotes poetry for Ireland by poets presumably of Ireland. There's love, grief, and a sense that Subhash Chandra Bose saw his own Motherland and love thereof, here.

................................................................................................

"Voices of the New Ireland

"(2) Mrs. J.R. Green P 190.

"Books

"(1) Irish Nationality

"(2) The Way of History in Ireland (an essay rather)

"(3) Making of Ireland and its undoing

"(4) The old Irish World

"(5) “The Trade Routes of Ireland”— (probably an essay in “The old Irish World”)

"Every one who spoke Greek on the Continent at the time of Charles the Bald was either an Irishman or taught by an Irishman."

"From Lynch the author of Cambrensis Eversus to Dr. Joyce, authors have written Irish history from the Irish point of view but these have not found favour with the universities. Mrs. Green bids fair to do for Ireland as a whole, the Ireland of Art Mac- murrough and Margaret O’ Connor and the O’ Neills what Lecky did for the restricted Ireland of Swift and Grattan. In “The Making of Ireland and its Undoing” she has shown how the trade and culture of Ireland were destroyed by the civilizing agencies of Dublin Castle. In “The Trade Routes of Ireland” she has shown that the original Irish path to Europe was apparently not through England at all but directly overseas to Spain and Southern France and Scandinavia. Her great gift to the continent was not commerce but learning and religion. Irish monasteries built by Irish money spread all over Europe. In the middle ages, Spanish coin was almost the chief currency in Ireland, so great was the trade with Spain."

................................................................................................

A.E.,

Books

"A.E. the Editor of the “Irish Homestead”— weekly organ of the Irish co-operative movement."

The compiler and editor have forgotten to include this in index or table of contents, but this seems like a different author being written or noted about by Subhash Chandra Bose, given that there's a list of books after the cryptic initials.

"Gleanings :—

"“Every word which realy inspires is spoken as if the Golden Age had never passed. The great teachers ignore the personal identity and speak to the eternal pilgrim” (The Renewal of Youth)."

" ...The effect of the policy of our present public men is to turn the Irish into a race of economic babies, with their lips for ever nuzzling at the nipples of the state.” (Cooperation and Nationality)."

"The men in any rural district, united together, could make the land they live in as lovely to look on as the fabled gardens in the valley of Damascus. They could have fruit-trees along the hedge rows and make the country roads beautiful with colour in spring. This has been done in many a rural commune on the continent and there is no reason why it shd.: not be done here. Only let us get our men together, get them organised and one improvement will rapidly follow another. For all great deeds by races, all civilizations, were built up by the voluntary efforts of men united together. Sometimes one feels as if there were some higher mind in humanity which could not act through individuals, but only through brotherhood and groups of men. Anyhow the civilization wh : is based on individualism is mean and the civilization based upon great guilds, fraternities, communes and associations is of a higher order. If we are to have any rural civilization in Ireland it must spring out of co-operation.” (Cooperation and Nationality)"

"A.E.’s theory of literature will not allow of trafficking with ignoble types. His theory of painting is as unethical as Whistler’s ; his literary creed is nearer Tolstoy’s.

"In his essay “Nationality and Cosmopoli-tanism” he seems to hope for the coming of an Irish literature wh: will hold up heroic types for the imitation of the people. “The literature of a people is for ever creating a new soul among its people.” He sees no chance of anything good coming to Ireland from the pursuit of decadent European models wh: only disclose the old wolfish lust hidings itself beneath the golden fleece of the spirit. This is a protest against Yeats who wrote The Autumn of the Body to recommend French example to the Irish. As for English literature A.E. writes :—

"“English literature has always been more sympathetic with actual beings than with ideal types and cannot help us much. A man who loves Dickens, for example, may prove to have a great tolerance for the grotesque characters wh: are the outcome of the social order in England, but he will not be assisted in the conception of a higher humanity; and this is true of very many English writers who lack a fundamental philosophy and are content to take man as he seems to be for the moment rather than as the pilgrim of eternity as one who is flesh today but may hereafter prove divine, and who may shine at last like the stars of morning, triumphant among the sons of God.”

"It is less the literary critic that speaks in these sentences than the builder and maker of the Golden Age in Ireland. A.E. is a patriot who amid all his indignation dreams of Ireland such as Blake dreamt of England. Few voices so eloquent in the field of social prophecy have been heard since Mazzini’s and Ruskin’s. ... "

Interesting, seeing name of Blake, of whom Sri Aurobindo has a high opinion. Wonder if that's where Subhash Chandra Bose got it, or thought so himself independently. Couldn't have been official dogma in education by British, since it hasn't survived, but most of British theories have, despite being proven false since that time.

................................................................................................

" ... She was a born poet not made. She achieved art through artlessness. “She was so full of artistic impulse and achievement of many kinds and she arrived at so much art without any apprenticeship that the word “genius seems not inapplicable to her. The gifts came to her out of the air so to speak; real gifts and nothing acquired” 8There is a quality of freshness in her poems that x x makes one feel that she wrote them as naturally as she talked, without pause, blot or afterthought ...

" ... She, more than anyone else has sung the national lament of the dead insurgents :—

"The Dead Soildier.

"Look! they come the triumphant army!

"Over you hill see their weapons peeping.

"Still I spoke not, but my wheel sent turning;

"I closed my eyes, for my heart was weeping,

"my heart was weeping for a dead soldier.

"“Who is he who looks towards we ?”

"‘ ’Tis no man, but a gay flag flying.”

"Red was his mouth and his white brow thoughtful,

"Blue his eyes, how my soul is crying,

"My soul is crying for a dead soldier.

"“Kneel ye down, lest your eyes shd: dare them

"Kneel ye down and your beads be saying.”

"“Lord, on their heads thy wrath deliver.”

"This is the prayer that my lips are praying,

"My heart is praying for a dead soldier.

"Best cheer the path of the men victorious,

"For he is dead and his blade lies broken.

"His march is far where no aid can follow,

"And for his people he left no token;

"He left no token, the dead soldier.

"The way of the sword a man can follow,

"See the young child with his gold hair gleaming

"When falls the oak, must the acorn perish

"He lifts the blade and his eyes are dreaming;

"He dreams the dream of the dead soldier."

"Every broken and defeated people in Europe has poetry expressing just such passions."

................................................................................................

"Chap XIV.

"Former flag of Ireland—Green. Present flag orange-white green tri-colour. National anthem “The Soldiers “Song” Parnell always hated green as an unlucky colour."

................................................................................................

"Chap. XVI.

"The Witness of the Poets

"Pearse :—Author of “Songs of the Irish Rebels” being translations of old Gaelic songs.

"“The world hath conquered, the wind hath scattered like dust

"“Alexander, Caeser and all that shared their sway,

"“Tara is grass, and behold how Troy hith low,

"“And were the English, perchance their hour will come.”"

"According to Pearse, Irish hate of the English is “a scarcely less holy passion” than “Irish love of nature and of Nature’s God.”"

................................................................................................

"Sir Samuel Ferguson.

"Yeats said in his youth that Ferguson was “the greatest poet Ireland produced, because the most central and the most Celtic.” He was the author or original poems as well as a translator. The following is an extract from a translation of a poem by O’ Gnive the Bard of the O’ Neill written about 1580."

"The downfall of Gael

"“We starve by the board

"And we thirst amid wassail—

"“For the guest is the lord,

"“And the host is the vassal.

"“Through the woods let us roam,

"Though the wastes wild and barren,

"We are strangers at home ;

"We are exiles in Erin !

"And Erin’s a bark

"O’er the wild waters driven!

"And the tempest howls dark

"And her side planks are riven!

"And in billows of might

"Swell the Saxon before her—

"Unite, oh, unite!

"Or the billows burst o’er her."

................................................................................................

"The History of Civilization in Europe

"1st Lecture.

"History of European Civilization—part taken by France in the civilization of Europe —Two leading facts constitute civilization :—(1) the development of society (2) the development of the individual—the history of civilization may be considered under 2 points of view.

"1st Lecture.

"P. 3.

"“I think we may say that France has been the centre, the focus of European civilization. I do not pretend xxx that she has always and in every direction marched at the head of nations. At different epochs, Italy has taken the lead of her, in the arts ; England, in political institutions, and there may be other respects under which, at particular periods, other European nations have manifested a superiority to her; but it is impossible to deny that whenever France has seen herself thus outstripped in the career of civilization, she has called up fresh vigour, has sprung forward with a new impulse and has soon found herself abreast with or in advance of all the rest. And not only has this been the peculiar fortune of France, but we have seen that when the civilizing ideas and institutions wh: have taken their rise in other lands have sought to extend their sphere to become fertile and general, to operate for the common benefit of European civilization, they have been necessitated to undergo, to a certain extent, a new preparation in France ; and it has been from France as from a second native country, that they have gone forth to the conquest of Europe. There is scarcely any great idea, any great principle of civilization, which prior to its diffusion has not passed in this way through France.

"“And for this reason: there is in the French character something sociable, something sympathetic, something which makes its way with great facility and effect than does the national genius of any other people, whether from one language, whether from the turn of one’s mind, of manners, certain it is that one’s ideas are more popular than those of other people present themselves more clearly and intelligibly to the masses and penetrate among them more readily: in a word, perspicuity, sociability, sympathy are peculiar characteristics of France, of her civilization and it is these qualities wh : render her eminently fit to march at the head of European civilization.”

................................................................................................

"2nd Lecture.

"Unity of ancient civilization—variety of modern civilization—its superiority—condition of Europe at the fall of the Roman Empire—Preponderance of towns—The Christian Church—the clergy exercising municipal functions—the barbarians—they introduce into the modern world the sentiments of personal independence and the devotion of man to man—Summary of the different elements of civilization in the beginning of the 5th cent :

"2nd Lecture.

"1. Ancient Egypt was permeated by the theocratic principle.

"2. India — same.

"3. Commercial republics of Asia Minor, Ionia, Syria and Phoenicia were based and also on the democratic principle. The conclusion is that ancient civilizations have a character of unity in their literature institutions, ideas and manners,10 a strongly preponderating force governs and determines all. The co-existence and the combat of different principles have never in the histories of these peoples been more than a transitory crisis. The result has been a remarkable simplicity in most of the ancient civilizations.

"In Greece the simplicity of the social principle has resulted in a rapid development and early decay. In Egypt and India simplicity has led to a stationary condition. In modern Europe all principles of social organization, all social arrangements co-exist and press one against the other—as do powers spiritual and temporal, elements theocratic, monarchial, aristocratic and democratic. These various forces are in a state of continual struggle. Yet no one succeeds in stifling the others. Modern Europe presents us with diverse examples of political systems and social organizations thriving simultaneously. In the ideas and sentiments of Europe too there is the same variety, the same struggle. The same character reveals itself in modern literature which though inferior to ancient literature in artistic form and beauty is far more rich, vigorous and many-sided. Though inferior to ancient civilization in a particular development of the arts or letters, European civilization is incomparably richer.

"In Europe liberty has been the result of the variety of the elements of civilization and of the state of struggle in which they have constantly existed.

"There was at this time no country i.e., to say the country was wholly unlike that which at present exists.

"Rome was in its origin a municipality. The Government of Rome was the aggregate of municipal institutions. The Latin people consisted of a federation of Latin towns. The history of the conquest of the world by Rome was the history of the conquest and foundation of a number of towns—the country did not exist. Rome left nothing but immense monuments stamped with municipal character. The isolation and independence of these cities necessitated a unifying Empire.

"In Gaul, in Spain, everywhere to the West you meet nothing but towns, x x x Rome has left us nothing but immense monuments, stamped with municipal character and great roads wh: reach from one city to another. Municipal character of Rome promoted unity, made conquest easy—but maintenance was difficult after establishment of empire owing to lack of cohesion among towns. The Empire introduced unity and combination by means of a network and hierarchy of fuctionaires. This administrative despotism and military organization helped Rome to resist dissolution and disruption. When barbarian conquest proved irresistible, some emperors tried to see whether hopes of general liberty, a system analogous to that wh : we now call representative Government would not succeed better than administrative despotism.

"The provinces and towns refused the benefit; no one would nominate the deputies, no one would go to Arles, the place suggested for the meeting of the representatives. Centralization and unity were contrary to the primitive character of that society ; the local and municipal spirit appeared at the downfall of the Roman Empire, as in the cradle of Rome. Rome bequeathed 2 ideas :—(1) municipal idea (2) empire idea together with a uniform civil legislation.

"At the time of the fall of Rome in the 4th and 5th cent: there was a well-organised Christian Church with its institutions and magistrates. But for this church, Christianity would have sunk amidst the dissolution of the Empire in Rome—as it did in Asia and N. Africa under the invasion of the Moslems. The Christian Church conquered the barbarians and became the connecting link bet: the Roman and barbarian worlds.

"Between the municipal system of the Romans and that of the middle ages, the municipal-eclesiastic system interposed. The preponderance of the clergy in the affairs of the city succeeded that of the ancient municipal magistrates and preceded the organization of the modern municipal corporations."

................................................................................................

"The Barbarians

"Their character and the secret of their success.

"The barbarians were all Germans except some Slavonic tribes—the Alani. The Goths were more advanced and had milder manners than the Franks—but they were otherwise in the same stage of civilization. The taste for an adventurous career, full of uncertainty, inequality and peril; the pleasure of individual independence; the pleasure of enjoying oneself with vigour and liberty, amidst the chances of the world of life— these were the elements of their character. “The pleasure of feeling oneself a man, the sentiment of personality, of human spontaneity in its free development, notwithstanding an alloy of brutality, of materialism, of dull stupid selfishness—is a noble and moral sentiment which draws its power from the moral nature of man. This sentiment was introduced into European civilization through the barbarians. Liberty in ancient civilization meant political liberty, the liberty of the citizen—not personal liberty. 11

"Another element in barbarian civilization —military clientship—based on fidelity of individual to individual and loyalty of follower to his chief. This gave rise to the submission of vassal to suzerain—which was the basis of feudalism. In the ancient republics there was no relation between individuals and individuals but bet: individuals and the city."

................................................................................................

"3rd Lecture.

"Object of the lecture—all the various systems pretend to be legitimate—what is political legitimacy ?—Co-existence of all systems of Government in the 5th cent:— instability in the condition of persons, properties and institutions—there were 2 causes of this, one material, the continuation of the invasion—the other moral, the selfish sentiment of individuality peculiar to the bar-barians—the germs of civilization have been the necessity for order, the recollections of the Roman Empire, the Christian Church and the barbarians—attempts at organization by the barbarians, by the towns, by the Church of Spain, by Charlemagne and Alfred—the German and Arabian invasions cease—the feudal system begins.

"3rd Lecture.

"Four schools Of publicists :—

"(1) Monarchist (Abbe Dubos). The German kings inherited all the rights of the Roman Emperors. The acquisitions of the aristocracy were encroachments upon monarchy

"(2) Aristocratic (M. de. Boulainvilliers). After the fall of the Roman Empire, the conquerors who formed the nobility, possessed all powers and rights, kings and people despoiled them of their domain. Aristocratic organization—and not monarchy—was the true and primitive form of Europe.

"(3) Democratic (Abbe de Mably). Society belonged to the association of free men to the system of free institutions. Nobles and kings enriched themselves with the spoils of primitive freedom.

"(4) Theocratic. In view of her divine title, society belonged to the church. She alone was the queen of European civilization won over by her labours to civilization and truth."

"The proper view seems to be that power was not the exclusive possession of any one of these parties.

"The above 4 elements of European civilization pretend to have possessed Europe, but neither of them predominated. When a social form predominates, it is not so difficult to recognise it e.g., the prevalence of the feudal system in the 10th cent: The barbarian epoch was a chaos of all elements, a universal turmoil. The causes of this chaos were :—

"1. Material—the continuation of the invasion. The Thuringians, Saxons, Danes pressed on the Franks from the Rhine and they were in turn forced to enter Italy through Switzerland. In Gaul the Merovingran dynasty gave place to the Carlovingran12. In the South the Moslem Arabs began their conquests upon all the coasts of the Mediterranean.

"2. Moral—individual selfishness. Between the 5th and the 8th cent; the sentiment of individual liberty took the form of brutish selfishness.

"Strife and chaos existed :—

"Royalty was partly elective and partly hereditary.

"1. in the relations between different classes of men—e.g. free men, vassals, freed men, slaves.

"2. in the instability of the conditions of tenure.

"3. in the institutions of loyalty, aristocracy and democracy, wh : were co-existent.

"Causes of the termination of Barbarism:

"1. the inner nature of man and the law of Progress.

"2. Glamour of Roman civilization

"3. The Christian Church.

"4. Appearance of great men."

"Attempts to terminate barbarism :—

"1. Drawing up of the barbaric laws wh : up till then were unwritten.

"2. Revival of the municipal system in Italy and South Gaul.

"3. Through Christian influence, the principle of the equal value of men in the eye of the laws was established in the law of the Visigoths in Spain, where all men whether Romans or Visigoths were subject to the same law.13

"4. Efforts of great men—above all of Charlemagne."

"None of these attempts succeeded.

"Nevertheless by the 10th cent: the following achievements had been gained :—

"The invasion on the north and on the south had been arrested (this directed human activity towards sea-roving—as in the case of the Normans)

"Gradual establishment of settled conditions. Feudalism began to rise from the bosom of barbarism. Europe had to learn its earliest social form and organization (Feudalism) from the Germans."

"Political Legitimacy

"Political legitimacy is evidently a right founded upon antiquity, upon duration; priority in time is looked upon as a foundation of right, as the proof of the legitimacy of power.

"At the origin of all powers, says Guizot of all without any distinction, we meet with physical force. Yet no powers want to connect themselves with another kind of legitimacy—that of reason, justice and right."

Guizot wasn't familiar with Ramayana, Mahabharata, or India.

................................................................................................

"THE ARAB INVASION

"“The invasion of the Arabs had a peculiar character. The spirit of conquest and the spirit of proselytism were united. The invasion was to conquer a territory and disseminate a new faith x x. The power of the sword and that of the word, with them, were in the same hands. At a later period, this character determined the unfortunate turn taken by Massulman civilization ; it is in the combination of the spiritual and the temporal powers, in the confusion of moral and material authority that the tyranny which seems inherent in this civilization originated. This I conceive to be the cause of the stationary condition into which that civilization is everywhere fallen. But the fact did not make its appearance at first; on the contrary it added prodigious force to the Arab invasion. Undertaken with moral passions and ideas it immediately obtained a splendour and a greatness which was wanting to the German invasion; it exhibited far more energy and enthusiasm and far differently influenced the minds of men."

................................................................................................

"4th Lecture.

"obj : of the lecture— necessary alliance between facts and doctrines—preponderance of the country over the town—organization of a small feudal society—influences of feudalism upon the character of the possessor of the fief and upon the spirit of family—hatred of the people towards the feudal system—the priest could do little for the serfs—impossibility of regularly organizing feudalism:—

"(1) no powerful authority (2) no public power. (3) difficulty of the federative system—the idea of the right of resistance inherent in feudalism—influence of feudalism favourable to the development of the individual unfavourable to social order."

"4th Lecture.

"Elements of civilization :—(1) Development of the individual (2) development of society.

"Greatness of France.

"“The civilization of our country has this peculiar character, that it has never wanted intellectual greatness ; it has always been rich in ideas, the power of the mind has always been great in French society; greater, perhaps, than in any other. We must not lose this high privilege ; we must not fall into the somewhat subordinate and material state which characterizes other societies. Intelligence and doctrines must occupy in the France of the present day at least the place wh: they have occupied: there hitherto.”

................................................................................................

"The Revolution of Civilization

"Other Books by the Author

"(1) Personal Religion in Egypt before Christianity

"(2) Egypt 'and Israel

"(3) Arts and Crafts of Ancient Egypt

"Published by Harper & Bros. 45, Albemarle Street. 1911."

Did Subhash Chandra Bose really write down - along with the list of other works by the author of that book - that address of the publisher in his notebook?

"Chap I. (Meaning of Civilization)

"Civilization is an intermittent or recurring of recurrent phenomenon. “Its recurrences should be studied and the principles wh : underlie its variations shd: be defined.”

"The method of study is comparison

"Of the many subjects available for comparison throughout the ages, sculpture is the best, because it is available for a longer peiod.

"The Great Year :—the growth and fall of civilization Berossos, the Babylonian, wrote of the Summer and writer of the Great Year. The Etruseans spoke of the Great Year as the period of each race of men that shd : arise in succession. Their own Great Year of 1100 years came to an end in 87 BC. (See Plutarch’s Sulla)"

................................................................................................

"Chap VII (Conditions of Civilization)

"“There is no advance without strife.

"Man must strive with nature or with man if he is not to fall back and degenerate. The harder a nation strives, the more capable it will be. x x x x The northern nations accustomed to striving against climate thrive vastly where they get into easier countries. x x Hence all migration is from colder to warmer climates ? And within the same country, as in England at present, there is a steady flow of families pushing South.

"What about India?"

That last sentence seems from Subhash Chandra Bose’s own heart, his mind having written that brief summary of the chapter.

Oddly reminiscent of an old acquaintance, with a spouse from Southern India, who then lived in London, and visited India regularly, at least once a year. Once she'd said, she'd heard in England about opinion that civilisation is more in South, and she found it true of India as well.

"Civilization is evolved by a continual strife of ideas, ideals and personalities. In the case of any subject, as freedom of expression is attained, there is no more strife with difficulties and decay sets in. “The accumulation of capital in every form diminishes the need for striving. x x x The easier life is rendered, the more easy is decay and degradation. The maximum of wealth must inevitably lead to the downfall.”"

A slight mix there. Strife of ideas, ideals et al, suddenly gives way to ease of life considerations! It's known that latter ,if nit accompanied with the former, leads to decay, as would a generation of wealthy brought up only to enjoy the wealth.

................................................................................................

"Causes of Period

"What determines the spring, summer and autumn of the Great Year ?

"{For the effect of these changes in Western Asia and Greece, read proceeding of R. Geog. Soc. 26th May 1910— Mr. Huntingdon’s statement)

"(1) Periodical changes of climate. The American Expedition of Turkestan has brought to light regular cycles of wet and dry climate there. Such changes precipitate on the richer lands the pastoral races who live on lands too dry for agriculture. Increased dryness accompanies an age of migration. Famines some times precede and follow such movements. Examples—

"(a) The Hyksos movement from the Arabian plains was followed by famine in Syria and 7 years’ famine in Egypt.

"(b) The Arab movement started from a great famine in A.D. 600, followed by famines in 866, 873, 929, 966, 970, 1025, 1055, 1065, 1201, 1264, 1295."

Hence the subsequent repeated onslaughts of deadly assaults against other lands! Of course! They were desperate to find sustenance, deprived thereof by land they belonged to, just as Mongols have been, for much more number of centuries.

"This however does not account for—

"1. the regular phases already described

"2. a race keeping to its own phase when it has passed into a country of a different phase, as noticed."

There's now a discourse here, which it's unclear if it's writing by Subhash Chandra Bose, albeit based on the text, or notes from text.

"Factors in the Determination of Period

"(1) There is a normal rate of change produced by the process of the human mind."

Rate of change of what, and produced by what process?

"(2) Different activities grouped closely together in ancient times are now separated by several generations (probably because each subject is more elaborately developed now and absorbs all the best intellect for a longer time)."

That seems to relate to education and learning.

"(3) Rise of a new civilization is condition by the migration of a different people. Mixture of two different stocks takes time. The complete crossing to two races produces the maximum of ability. This is the period of maximum ability beginning 8 centuries after the mixture and lasting for 4 to 5 centuries in the different subjects. This is the basal cause of the length of period."

Such complete crossing may never happen. Two groups keeping apart is normal, for example in Uttarakhanda where Garhwal (pronounced Gadhwal - British, arriving in Bengal, forever confused, wrte r when d was pronounced in Indian words, even names, because Bengal pronounces d when r is written!) - remained separate from Kumaon, with populations quite distinct, although some mix may have come about; but it's true of not only Asia. For example in UK, at least one author of nineteenth to twentieth century has remarked about different races therein.

Did Normans ever mix freely with Saxons, much less with native Brits, of pre Anglo-Saxon migration era? For that matter, did Romans or Greeks mix with the natives of Judea, Galilee, Israel? If they had, would there be, as a consequence, no routine crucifixion, of natives, much less of a king thereof? Would, then, a different image be worshipped? Or would there be no church, no inquisition, no missionaries? No subsequent Abrahamic creeds, only one, melted into the mix of Rome and Greece?

"A dry period and famine may however precipitate a migration which cuts short a civilization as in period VI."

The following note, presumably by Subhash Chandra Bose, has been unaccountably split in two; perhaps he wrote it in nargin, hence the dplit. But if they did not produce this work as a photocopy of the notebook, the split in this text shouldn't have been kept!

"One generation —30 yrs. Each man has 10 ancestors a century ago apart from related marriges—and hence has 1 millions ancestors in 6

centuries 10 millions in 7 centuries and 100 millions in 8 centuries. Thus in 7 or 8 centuries in an ordinary sized country the full maximum number of different ancestors are blended and every strain of one race has crossed with every strain of the other."

That looks bad enough; it's far more so in the book, with a paragraph above, the third point quoted, inserted betwixt!

................................................................................................

"The Future

"The widening apart of the stages means that wealth of improvements can be accumulated later in each stage. The maximum of wealth in Europe promises in our own state to reach to near the end of one period, when an entire mixture with another race will be requisite. We do not see any tendency to shorten the stage of growth in the successive periods. So that the production of a new European Art and its subsequent activities cannot be expected for many centuries.

"There is no prospect of the people of the whole world being blended together—because

"(1) the conditions of climate will always make men black or white.

"(2) the conditions of the countries will always separate pastoral, agricultural and manufacturing communities.

"The present rate of speed which is paralel to the diffusion which must have taken place on the development of shipping is the effect of a sudden facility. It will tend to diminish as suitable conditions are found and established.

"“Yet if the view becomes really grasped that the source of every civilization has lain in race mixture, it may be that eugenichs will, in some future civilization, carefully segregate fine races and prohibit continual mixture, until they have a distinct type which will start a new civilization when transplanted. The future progress of man may depend as much on isolation to establish a type as on fusion of types when established.”"

That last paragraph, perhaps basis for Aldous Huxley's Brave New World, is a very contrived thought, perhaps natural to Teuton - therefore Anglo-Saxon - mind.

"“These results give some insight into the general meaning of historical conditions. The impression that civilization always comes form the East is due to the East being a few centuries ahead of the West in its phase. Thus on the rise of a wave, the East is more civilized: while on the fall of a wave—which does not attract attention— it is less civilized.”"

That conclusion, presumably in text quoted by Subhash Chandra Bose, is questionable. A high civilisation conquered by brute force of barbarian assault physically to be vanquished by massacres and loots isn't 'less civilized', but murder, as in a human killed by a hyena or a buffalo. Else, why is Rome worshipping a king of a conquered nation, two millennia post his execution - by themselves?

"“The cause of the constant struggle between the East and the West is likewise seen to be due to the difference of phases. If Mesopotamia and Europe were in the same phase there would be a balance of power as there is found the Mediterranean, when even a political ascendancy does not involve a change of population. But with Mesopotamia always leading, it is bound politically to overrun the West a few centuries before the rise of the West in each period. The Mediterranean was almost an Arab lake at the time of El Mamun ; Persia dominated all the civilized mediterranean in the sixth century B.C. Yet, on the whole, the West more usually controls the East, because from the time of its maximum during the gradual decline of each period, it is always on a higher plane than the East.”"

................................................................................................

"India

"“In some other cases also the period from one wave of greatness to the next can be traced. In India, Asoka had the greatest power known in ancient times including all India (except the southern lip) Kashmir, Afghanistan and Beluchistan. ... "

This is now known to be incorrect, and there were far greater ones, even amongst contemporaries but certainly in antiquity, denied by British historians deliberately.

" ... This rule was at its height in 250 B. C. The next great age of rule was on the completion of the Mogul Empire. (A.D. 1550). The interval is 1800 years.”"

It's also now known that Vijayanagara was far greater and longer lasting, bit British and subsequently congress supported regimes minimized it to a footnote, while placing Islamic rules on a pedestal despite being much shorter, and filled with atrocities.

................................................................................................

"The Phase belonging to folk not to land

"“Thus apparently in the case of the Etruscan in Italy and of the Greek in the East p- 18- and certainly among the Arabs in Spain, it is seen that the phase of an intrusive people is that of their source and not that of their new region. The phase of civilization is intercut in the people and is not due to the circumstances of their position.

"Etruscans.

"The Etruscans were foreign to Italy and they brought with them a civilization which was not that of the Mediterranean or of Western Europe. The Etruscan civilization was in a phase that was some centuries before that of Greece and Rome. Their great civilization shown by engineering works, great fortress cities and richly painted tombs, all vanished before the Imperial period. The most curious feature of Roman history is the disappearance of the civilization of Etruria. Etrurian sages themselves put their period as 1100 years, ending at 88 B.C. as quoted before. Their greatest power was about 600 B.C. and was that of the phase of Mesopotamian civilization.

"Bactrian Greeks.

"For 3 or 4 centuries the Greeks in Bactria show a civilization higher than the native. Fersia was far more advanced than Greece at 500 B.C. and probably at 400. For the Greek therefore to retain a superiority to the Eastern, implies that he kept his own phase, wh : was 2 or 3 cent: later."

"Spanish Arabs

"In the case of the Arabs in Spain the dates of political power, literature and decay conform entirely to the Mesopotamian phase and are contrary to the European. Political power came earlier and reached its height when Abder Rahman reached the middle of France in 732. By 1144 a democratic system set in, overthrowing rulers frequently by the power of vox populi. In 970 A.D. A1 Hakem filled a palace at Cardova with books sought from the entire known world. There were 6000 volumes catalogued and in order. Arab historians say that the Arab kings in Spain had elaborate gardens, literary academies, funds for endowment of learned men and the attraction of scholars from all parts of the world."

"“When the phase of each group of civilization has been further defined, it may be possible to use the phase of civilization as a criterion of the source of an invading people xxx. Possibly the phase clings to a race for ages.”

"In connection with this, it may be noted how the conquest and settlement of each country of Europe by Rome is reflected in its later history. The order of Roman influence was Italy, Spain, France, England, Germany ; and this is the order of political power of these countries in the last few centuries.”“

The notes continue with discussion and arguments regarding civilisations and dates thereof.

................................................................................................

"“In Egypt the change from period VII to VIII is particularly definitely fixed by the Arab invasion in 641 A.D. After the main body, other tribes of Arabs came in, down to the 9th century.” x x x

"“The break of the Vlth period is not well defined in Egypt but was made up of various immigrations, starting the Vllth period with Easterners, 950 B.C. Ethiopians, 750 B.C. and Libyans from then onward.”

"“The VIth period was brought in by the Hyksos migration 2600 B.C. There had been a filtering in of Eastern people before and 2 Mesopotamians even became kings of Egypt; also there was probably a constant flow of further immigrants as exemplified by Terak and Abram, about 4 or 5 hundred years later.”

Further notes discuss pyramid building related period, regarding which the then dates are now considered questionable.

"“The first striking feature is the much wider spread of the phases as the periods descend. This means that there are less intervals of barbarism between the civilization and that the civilization phase in each period is longer at each recurrence. This is in accord with the common idea that the world is getting more civilized as the ages go on, inspite of the crushing fact that in many kinds of civilization, the successive recurrences show no improvement. Egyptian construction is as good in the IVth period as anything done in the four later periods. Art is as good in the IVth or Vlth or Vllth as it has ever been later, though differing in its nature. Thus while the best work in art is no better in successive periods, the total amount of civilization is greater, because it is longer. The gain is in quantity and not quality.”"

That bit about 'less intervals of barbarism between the civilization' is completely unconvincing, if only because India has suffered barbaric invaders for well over a millennium and a half; also, civilisations that buil humongous monumental structures, whether in Egypt or Turkey or across South Atlantic, or even Stonehenge et al in UK, were succeeded by those who had no clue about them.

India continues since antiquity as culture and civilisation despite attempts by invaders to wipe those out, as was done in Persia and Egypt, but has lost much of knowledge of other than spiritual variety, what with Islamic invaders burning whole libraries at universities and in temples, apart from massacres of thousands of scholars at universities, wholesale destruction of temples, and more.

Where did those who build pyramids in Egypt or Mexico, or other humongous structures South thereof, or at Gobekliteppe, is completely unknown.

................................................................................................

" ... A strange feature of these successive periods is the sudden raid of northerners that breaks through to the south of Europe in the midst of the most flourishing age and leaves no permanent trace.”

"Examples :

"(a) 1527 A.D.—Raid on Rome and its sacking by the Germans under the Constable de Bourbon.

"(b) In 390 B.C. the Kelts laid Rome waste and in 179 they plundered Greece.

"(c) In the late Minoan II period or 1500 B. C. was the great catastrophe of the destruction of the Palace of Kuossos, apparently by barbarians.

"(d) The middle Minoan II period about the 12th Egyptian dynasty on 3300 B.C. is cut short by a general catastrophe. “

"Thus in four successive periods x x x x we see that southern Europe at its brightest has been suddenly clouded by a northern strom which has left no permanent change.”"

................................................................................................

"Stages of Government

"(1) At every invasion by a new people there must be strong personal rule. The holding together of the invaders, the decisive subjection of the invaded will require an autocracy. This period lasts from 4 to 6 centuries.

"(2) The next stage is an oligarchy when leadership is still essential but the unity of the country can be maintained by law instead of by autocracy. This stage varies in length —in Greece and Rome about 4 centuries, in mediaeval Europe about 5 or 6 cent.

"(3) Democracy wh: lasts for about 4 cent. During this time wealth continues to increase. When democracy attains full power, the majority without capital eat up the capital of the minority and civilization steadily decays. The consumption of the resources of the Roman Empire from the 2nd cent; when democrary was dominant until the Gothic kingdom rose on its ruin is the best known example."

................................................................................................

"Chap II

"The Periods of Civilization"

Here Subhash Chandra Bose has noted down short descriptions of each period.

"VIIIth Period

"The Arab.

"How base the style became is painfully seen in the Coptic sculpture (fig 26). The influences upon it was the decayed classical and the Persian art; and it is curious how the geometrical style of the Arab art is anticipated in the straight lines and mechanical curves of the coptic figures. In architecture the only work as in the citadels and fortifications of Cairo was contemporary with that of the Norman. The gate Bab-el-futuh was built in 1087, the period of the tower of London and Mailing Abbey."

................................................................................................

"Chap III

"The Periods of Civilization in Europe."

"VIth Period Late Cretan Age.

"Art of this period rivals that of the classical age. Examples—steatite* vases, fresco and relief work, gold cups and architecture also. This splendour suffered a catastrophe in the Dorian invasion. Those centres which were not occupied by the Dorians, as Cyprus and some cities on the mainland such as Althens, retained the decayed forms of their old arts.

"New art began in the dipylon vases. Rich spirals of the older art give way to fret patterns and geometrical decoration take the place of the free design of forms in action. Fresh styles of architecture arise and Asiatic influences supply new motives. About the VIIIth cent. B.C. sculpture advanced to its most expressive stage and almost its highest technical perfection (examples—statues of maidens on the Acropolis at Athens). To this succeeded the perfect freedom of work, in the figure of the piping maiden upon the end of the Ludovisithrone. The great mass of Greek sculpture fell off from this standard during several centuries. Then next come the still lower Roman copies of Greek work of weaving banality.

"VIIth period

"The northern immigrants brought new ideals with them into the mediterranean world; and an entirely different style arose, which in its vertical lines and lengthy figures recalls the preclassical work of Italy and the Athenciated style of celtic animals. About 1245 A.D. the height of perfection was reached. Then the art (in stone and bronze and seals of kings) began to decline. “Thus we see in early branch of sculpture and engraving how the latter part of the 13th cent: was the turning point when complete mastery was attained—and how continual was the decay after that time. The Renascence was but the resort of copying an earlier period owing to the decay and loss of the true style of the Vlllth or mediaeval age of Art. The history of copying— good, bad or indifferent—does not concern us here, ... "

................................................................................................

"Chap IV

"The Fluctuations

"Egypt and Europe Contemporary

"VIIIth Period

"The dates of the best-known buildings are as follows :—

"East (Egypt)

"England

"The massive Fortifications

"Cairo Gates-1087-91

"Tower of London— 1078 New Castle—1080"

The comparison continues further with an example each of four different phases.

"Curves of Egyptian and European Art.

The fall of classical work was uniformly continuous from about 400 B.C. to 200 A.D. ... "

There are further comparisons.

"Thus the order of development of the . successive phases of each period is usually the same though the intervals lengthened in the later ages."

Subhash Chandra Bose makes note of several other books 'in the series'.

................................................................................................

Social Organization

Subhash Chandra Bose gives a long list in bibliography before he begins notes in this chapter. Further on, there's notes about or from study related to social structures. They discuss clans, matrilineal and patrilineal systems, question of property, how these are dealt differently across the world, and so on.

................................................................................................

"Ex-Kaiser’s Memoirs (1878-1918)

"Chap I Bismarck

"Points of Difference bet: Bismarck & Ex- Kaiser William:—

"1. Wm. did not fully approve of the Treaty of 1878 for which Bismarck was in a measure responsible.

"2. Did not approve fully of the German Constitution which fitted in with Bismarck’s position as an autocratic chancellor.

"3. Wm. considered the foreign office to be too much dominated by Bismarck—men with independent ideas could not be trained there.

"4. Wm. did not fully approve of Kaltur Kampf in which, again, the land of Bismarck was visible.

"5. Bismarck did not have what Wm. considered to be a sound colonial policy—he wanted to use the colonies more for barter than for purposes of trade.

"6. Bismarck did not sufficiently grasp the necessity of having a Navy for protecting the colonies—and trade with the colonies.

"7. Bismarck did not pay sufficient attention to England—his attention was confined to Continental Europe.

"8. Wm. is of opinion that if in 1878, Bismarck had allowed the Turky to occcpy Constantinople—England would have been drawn into the war against Russia—and an Anglo-Russian understanding wd: hereby have been prevented (In 1886 Bismarck offered Constantinople to Russia, as also Dardanalles but the Emperor Alexander III scornfully refused the offer.)

"9. After Wm. became Emperor, he was Pro-Turkish in his sympathies but not Bismarck who was anti-Turk.

"10. Wm. as Emperor quarrelled with Bismarck i.e., progressive measures.—especially in socialist legislation. Bismarck was opposed to the Emperor’s convening a State Council with representations of owners and workers for discussing labour questions—and also to the convening to the International Socialist Congress at Berlin."

Next might be, it would seem, opinion by Subhash Chandra Bose.

"It appears to me that Wm. is anxious to show his sympathy for Labour in this book—e.g., he says—“I however wished to win over the soul of the German working man and I fought zealously to attain this goal.”

Neither the book, so far as notes by Subhash Chandra Bose go, nor himself, are taking into account the hidden reasons of the conflict that blew up into WWI - namely, cross-currents of emotions and more, running counter to calm thinking, as far as Kaiser Wilhelm and his personal relationship with his larger royal clan went, from British and Russian royal cousins to smaller German royals houses.

Strangely enough, discussion and notes about the book stop here. It's unclear if he found it uninteresting, unimportant to read the rest, or merely no worth writing about. But there's the publisher's name and address!

"Publishers :— Archibald Constable & Co. 2. Whitehall Gardens 1901."

................................................................................................

"Asia and Europe
by Meredith Townsend

"Preface

"“The struggle between Europe and Asia is the binding thread of history; the trade bet: Europe and Asia is the foundation of commerce ; the thought of Asia is the basis of all Europeans, but the fusion of the continents has never occurred and in the Author’s best judgement will never occur.”

"“The East bowed low before the blast, In patient deep disdain; She let the legions thunder past, Then plunged in thought again.” .

"Matthew Arnold"

That part is profound and wise. Next, bunch of remarks, since proven too optimistic at best. Or worse - downright racist.

"“Crossed with Arab or Hindoo, he (the negro) may have a future but uncrossed there is some source of failure in him— probably a defect of power to accumulate thought, which will leave him far behind.” “The suave and humorous American will possibly become the most popular of white men with Asiatics, xx Nevertheless the American will not rule the Asiatic. The fissure bet: the two races is very wide and as yet has proved unpassable. The American can never like anyone not of his own colour, he will never mix on a footing of equality with other. x x x Lastly the American has no interest in conquering Asia x x x x he does not believe sovereignty absolutely essential to trade.

”“It will be easier for America to acquire influence in Asia by protecting her from conquest than to begin conquering.”

"(e.g., in China)"

................................................................................................

"Introduction.

"Attempted conquest of Asia by Europe:—

"Also French and Portuguese

"(1) Alexander of Macedon (2) Romans x x x (3) Crusaders (4) Russia in the 17th century (Russia in Asia) (5) England in the 18th century (India)"

It's unclear if he opined next or noted it from text.

"“The white races in obedience to some law of which they know nothing increase with amazing rapidity and in Europe which is not a very fertile continent there is not enough wealth to go round.”

Either way, that's hitting the nail on head!

"“These trades again must be protected by sovereign rights over the markets.”xxx

"“If Europe can avoid internal war or war with a much aggrandized America she will be by A.D. 2000 mistress in Asia and at liberty as her people think to enjoy. I am unable with such light as I have from history to believe that this effort, the fourth within the historic period, will be permanently successful, the genius of the continents being too distinct."

"Attempted Conquest of Europe by Asia.

"1. A section of the Mongols over ran Europe up to France and on the plain of Chalons nearly overthrew the Romans.

"2. Arabs defeated Eastern Rome and Persia, extirpated the .Vandals of North Africa, conquered Spain. Later, they drove the pick of the European army out of Palestine.

"3. The Mongols conquered China, India and Russia and were about to defeat Australia.

"4. Persian invasion of Greece not mentioned here."

True, fourth; also, Arab defeat of Persia isn't or shouldn't be counted among Asia's conquest of Europe. If anything, Arabic land, at least the peninsula surrounded by Persian Gulf and Red Sea, is contiguous with Africa, and geologically part thereof, so it counts more as African conquest of Europe.

"The Turks defeated the Eastern Roman Empire and threatened all Central Europe.

"(“The Turk by the consent of all who have observed him, is the best individual soldier in the world”)"

Wasn't that already replaced by India, post WWI?

"Total population of Asia about 900 millions."

India exceeds that, in fact did around the new millennium.

"Difficulty of Conquering Asia

"1. Size of Asia and the difficulty of penetrating and garrisoning the Continent.

"2. There are in Asia 80 mill, of potential soldiers, one-fifths of whom can use arms.

"3. Asia is not an uncivilized continent."

"Europe’s attempt

"“I doubt if the attempt will succeed and- certainly it will not succeed without the infliction of a vast amount of misery, for which Government by Europe may or may not be a compensation.”"

It certainly was evident in India, so why was this a hypothetical question or theoretical discussion - unless, as was mostly done in US, 'Asia' was spoken of as region East of India?

"Indian Banking

"“I myself reed, for 10 years thousands of native hoondees or cheques every year, xx I never knew one dishonoured. I once asked the manager of the greatest European bank who I knew was making great remittances in native cheques to Bombay, if he were not occasionally afraid of such paper”. “No more”, he said “than I am afraid of the Bank of England notes.” I may add that Asiatic bankers seem to have defeated forgery and that they have devised a system of insurance for river traffic called in India “beema” which works excellently well."

Good to know!

Next discussion is about Arabs, asiatic patriotism and fanaticism, and then proceeds further.

"Fanaticism in the East

"“The English middle-class of today is singularly free from fanaticism.” x x x x

"“When Californians attack Chinaman, or English labourers pommel Irishmen or Marseillais artisans wound Italians, Englishmen explain their conduct by race-hatred or trade-Jealousy or political feeling; but when Arabs in Alexandria kill Europeans, they attribute the outburst to fanaticism.” x x x x x

"what about Hindu enthusiasm for prevention of cow killing ?

"“Every Eastern creed, Christianity included, with the solitary exception of Confucianism, puts the interest of the next world above the interest of this and calls upon its devotees to obey the Divine Law, even when such obedience is unsafe or contrary to the dictates of common sense.” x x x “The virtues of those three creeds” (viz., Hinduism, Buddhism and Christianity)” tend to self- abnegation and therefore except under most unusual circumstances xxx they excite no hostility. The virtues of Mohommedum are however of a different kind. There is in Mussalman countries religious enthusiasm, sometimes rising to fanaticism, that is breaking loose from the control of the judgement. xxx Their fanaticism such as it is, is not an overmastering impulse but only a passive belief and but little helpful when the hour of danger arrives.” x x

" What. about “Blackie” ?

"“Massacre in the east does not proceed from fanaticism, but from the cause which recently induced French artisans to attack Italian artisans—a boiling dislike of strangers, who speak another tongue, act on other rules and are horribly in the way. Of course the hatred of the Asiatic for the European is much more bitter than anything we find in Europe, though the Russian hatred for the Jew is akin to it; because the European in Asia unlike any other stranger in the world takes the top place, tries to drive the majority his way."

"Race-Hatred in Asia

"“If we are to take facts as evidence it might fairly be said that the less the white and the coloured races come into contact with each other, the less is the development of race-hatred, which only tends to become dangerous when they are interspersed and mutually comprehend one another’s strength and weakness.”

" xxx “It is in reason rather than Association that protection against race-hatred should be sought and would x x impress upon all Europeans in Egypt as well as in India x x x a change not of habits but of manners."

Presumably discussion here is regarding racism by Europe, and reaction from others?

................................................................................................

"Will England retain India?

"“The English think they will rule India for many centuries or for ever. I do not think so, holding rather the older belief that the empire wh: came in a day will disappear in a night.” x x"

"“If the Prussian conscription were applied in India, we should, without counting reserves or Landwehr or any force not summoned in time of peace have two and a half millions of soldiers actually in barracks, with 800,000 recruits coming up every year—a force with which not only Asia but the world might be subdued.”

"Acc. to Gibbon the population of the Roman Empire was 120 millions.

"There was a proposal before 1901 for having a negro army to garrison India.

"xxx “To support the official world and its garrison xxx there is, except Indian opinion, absolutely nothing, xxx If the brown men struck for a week, the empire would collapse like a house of cards and every ruling man would be a starving prisoner in his own house.” xxx There is no nation or tribe or caste in India which is certain in the hour of trial to stand by the white man’s side which has so to speak elected him as ruler; which were the garrison defeated or withdrawn could be trusted to die rather than the empire shd: fall, x x x x And the Empire hangs in air supported by nothing but the minute white garrison and the unproved assumption that the people of India desire it to continue to exist, x x x"

................................................................................................

"Indian Dislikes and the origin of Discontent

"Yes, we do see around us several people who would have made their mark under these conditions but who either wither away in an unfavourable atmosphere or become criminals."

Most of the above is such garbage, and not only racist but casteist to the hilt, considering description of Shivaji and Maratha empire!

It was such fraud to cast India in terms of caste, when it really was European and British who were such humongous casteists!

Next paragraph is completely opposite in tone.

"6This interestingness of life was no doubt purchased at the price of much danger and suffering x x The land was full of violence. Private war was universal x x x I question, however, if these circumstances were even considered drawbacks. They were not so considered by the upper classes or Europe in the Middle ages* x x I do not find that Texans hate the wild life of texas or that Spanish Americans think the personal security which the dominance of the English-speaking Americans would assure to them is any compensation for loss of independence. 1 firmly believe that to the immense majority of the active classes of Jpdia, the old time was a happy time ; that they dislike our rule as much for the leaden order it produces, as for its foreign character; and that they would welcome a return of the old disorders if they brought back with them the old vividness and so to speak, romance of life.”

Considering quotation marks at end, it's a question if this was comment by Subhash Chandra Bose. Else it seemed certain!

It was a war of Independence. As Veer Savarkar said, before anyone else did.

................................................................................................

Or to go to a concrete, real example, what about Buddha himself? No, it's not possible to imagine a circumstance where he would even have such an instinct.

................................................................................................

Subhash Chandra Bose quotes statistics tabled in text.

"85 Cases— Father or mother or both were drunkards

"24 ”— parents insane

"26 ”— ” epileptics

"26 ”— suffering from other nervous diseases."

"Comparison of female students and female criminals. In memory tests, average student remembered a series of 7 letters or a series of 8 numerals, average criminal remember 5 letters or 6 numerals."

This is silly.

................................................................................................

The beginning bit, about compass points, is unclear.

Which effectively counters the not infection attitude, factually.

................................................................................................

"Influence of stimulants

"Result of laboratory experiments

"The reaction time test gives smaller figures under alcohol. At the same time wrong reactions appear which did not occur in his normal state. Alcohol brings an improvement of motor energy but half an hour later the muscular effectiveness is decreased. Under alcohol associations take a longer time to form and the associative processes become non mechanical. External association strongly increase with alcohol but internal ones become eliminated. Mechanical memorising is at first greatly facilitated—whereas calculation suffers from the first. There is the strongest improvement in reading—the greatest difficulty in intellectual connection."

................................................................................................

Conclusion

"Counter ideas

From the era when John Galsworthy wrote sympathising with solitary imprisonment suffering, to this horror of an Ayn Rand depicted scenario of a world, world has come a long way in a few decades.

................................................................................................

"Confession living

................................................................................................

"Detection of crime

"At all times innocent men have been accused by the tortured ones, crimes wh: were never committed have been confessed, infamous lies have been invented to satisfy the demands of the torturers.”"

Next is a slightly cryptic note.

"“Association experiments” for discovering the paths of least resistance in the mind.” (If the outer association prevail, I have a type of mind before me other than in the case of a preponderance of inner associations). Or the time of the connection of ideas may be measured."

"Result of association experiments:

"(a) Associations of dangerous world take a longer time7

"(b) Dangerous word induce replies which directly implicate or implicate in the next few replies.

"(c) If the whole series of experiments is repeated again, the indifferent words will bring the same replies. The dangerous words will bring different replies because, (i) an emotional disturbance has been roused by them bringing fresh association to consciousness (ii) there will be an attempt to hide the crime still further."

Next, Subhash Chandra Bose quotes an anecdote from text, titled An Example of Detection.

................................................................................................

"Hysteria

................................................................................................

"Untrue Confessions

"Untrue confessions may result from :—

"(1) Possible promises or threats from other members of the community.

"(2) The self-sacrificing desire to exculpate others.

"(3) Persons suspected wrongly of a crime may in the face of an unfortunate combination of damaging circumstances prefer to make a false confession in the hope of a recommendation to mercy. Famous Boorn case in Vermont—the brothers confessed to having killed their brothers-in-law and described the deed in full detail and how they destroyed the body ; while long afterwards the murdered man returned alive to the village. The evidence against the suspected appeared so overwhelming that they saw only one hope to save their lives—by turning the verdict through their untrue confession from murder to manslaughter."

An obvious and known - even common - one, is simply a desire to attract attention. It seems unbelievable, but is quite often the case.

"The melancholic patient in a mental hospital feels remorse for sins which he never committed for crimes of which he never thought before. Years ago his friend died; now arises the illusion that he has poisoned him. The last fire in the town was laid by him ; he is guilty of the unpardonable sin."

This might be due to the Abrahamic-II insistence on a universal guilt. Some, more susceptible, fall prey to this, and the said melancholy factor is probably a non-sequitur, at best.

Subhash Chandra Bose quotes from text a 1906 case of a false confession to an assault and murder in Chicago, where the man who confessed recovered a week before it was too late. He ends by quoting what he kabels 'similar cases', although similarity here is of effect of a glint - of a revolver, eyeglasses or a brass lamp - on consciousness.

................................................................................................

Natural Welfare and National Decay

(by Wm. Me. Dougall, Professor of Psychology, Harvard University) 1921.

"Introduction

"Chap. I

Next seems to be a comment by Subhash Chandra Bose, short, succinct and hitting nail on head.

"Who fought for the British Mr. writer ?"

Subhash Chandra Bose notes and discusses about theory of the author -

"“Revolutions or Cycles of Civilization” or the “Parabola of peoples”—like the trajectory of a stone a long ascending curve, a flat summit and a steep decline.”

It's unclear if this is from text, and if so, surprisingly clear and honest. Also, of course, true.

"(Middle of the 19th century)

................................................................................................

McDougall is ignoring social conditioning, and it's effect on DNA.

"Conclusion :—The higher the level of innate capacity the more it is improved by education."

................................................................................................

"Ripley has shown in “Races of Europe” by maps that fair complexion and status (i.e., Nordic elements) predominate in N.E. France. Historical evidence supports this view. It is in this region that suicide is comparatively frequent. Morselli, the Italian alienist maintains that the Nordic race is more apt at suicide than other European races and that there is a high correlation between suicide and the use of the German language. Ripley suggests that the phenomenon of suicide is due to the fact that the Nordics occupy the regions of greatest industrial activity and prosperity, where large towns are numerous. Mcdougall’s theory is that the Nordics are more prone to suicide not as an accident or owing to industrial conditions—but mainly because they are constitutionally extrovert. The element of curiosity in them may also have something to do in the matter.

"In England suicide is less frequent in Wales, Cornwell and an area lying to the north of London. In all the 3 areas, Nordic blood is represented less. Devonshair and Cornwell (adjoining countries) are alike in all other conditions except frequency of suicide —Devon having a higher rate. In Devon, Nordic blood is more marked than in Cornwell. Suicide reaches its highest rate in Sussex the most typically Saxon country in England.

"Maps of the frequency of Divorce in Europe show that where the Nordic element predominates, divorce is more frequent. The sociable and extrovert race where injured by the faithlessness of his or her partner, does not resort to suicide or divorce but to homicide."

................................................................................................

"Mcdougall—the predominance of Nordic blood—in the British.

"(Why have not all the Nordic races been equally advanced ? If the Nordic blood gives a Briton his restless wandering habit why does it not give the same to other Nordic races ?)"

A key factor here is geostrategic position of their lands, which neither takes onto account.

................................................................................................

Hereon Subhash Chandra Bose sums up and comments, rather than quote from the text, for a while.

"Red Indians and Negroes—Mcdougall’s hypothesis

"“The Negro race is pronouncely extrovert; the red man are extreme introverts.

"The black race is more strongly gregarious and sociable.

"The red race is strongly self-assertive while in the Negro the submissive instinct is strong.

"The Red Indians have never allowed themselves to be impressed into the social system of the dominant whites.

"Viovenel and Hust in “La Courage”

Subhash Chandra Bose comments.

................................................................................................

Subhash Chandra Bose comments.

"(The musical talent is more prominent in the Welsh than in the English)"

"Improvidence does not necessarily imply a low degree of Intelligence.

"Mcdougall thinks that Jung’s theory has not yet been finally proved — neither has it been disproved.""

Similar considerations, rather than race and DNA that Mcdougall et al ascribe them to, are why various nations differ.

Subhash Chandra Bose comments.

................................................................................................

"Mcdougall’s theory

"Facts wh: lead to this theory.

"1. The Darwinian principle of selection is not adequate to explain the development of the human mind.

"5. Some nations are more truthful than other’s or remarkably chaste though not deficient in the sex impulse.

................................................................................................

"American Army Tests—Results

"75% of the population has not sufficient intellectual capacity to complete the high- school course."

Wonder if this resulted, decades later after WWII, in demands for lowering standards.

................................................................................................

"Anthropologic character of the immigrants (esp. Italian) to U.S.A.

“"The old Word in the new.”"

"E.A. Ross :-x x x “The mysterious decline line that came upon the American people early in the 20th century was the deterioration of popular intelligence by the admission of great number of backward immigrants.”

But - wasn't Fermi Italian, apart from a huge number of mathematicians of earlier era, including one whose work exhibits first known realisation of necessity of i, the square root of -1?

Surely someone essential enough to Manhattan Project couldn't have been of intelligence less than average Englishman?

Basically, it's the racism of Nordic races exhibited herein in this contention, where the difficulty of dealing with a new environment, new land, new people and completely different language, giving up everything one knew, is treated as non-sequitur, while standards of an English speaking and settled population are applied to immigrants who are judged and found wanting.

By the same standards applied to British migrants (- or, for that matter, any, even all, English speaking travellers around the world -) must be seen as extremely deficient in every way, especially since they rarely learn any language other than their own; and indeed, throughout the continent of Europe, they are seen as arrogant and ridiculous fools, clinging to illusions.

................................................................................................

Subhash Chandra Bose titles last part of notes from this text 'conclusions', but they seem to be those of his own thoughts rather than those from text.

"Conclusions.

"1. Have the different Indian races the qualities of the Nordic or of the Mediterranean races ? What about the Bengalis in particular ?

"2. Are the Bengalis introvert ? Are they more prone to suicide ?

"3. How does the law of the Parabola of People apply to India ? Are we decadent or have we again begun to ascend the upward curve ?

"4. Is inter-marriage likely to benefit the future stocks and if so, what kind of intermarriage ?

"5. There ought to be a mental survey of the people of India—or at least of the students."

And, as usual, he notes name and address of the publisher at the end.

"London and New York G.P. Putnam’s Sons 1906."