HAPPY INDIA 117 



if we held it by military power, and therefore as an 

 Englishman desiring to live a happy and comfortable 

 life, I am in no way biased in desiring to maintain 

 a great Empire in the East. 



But this I do think : that looking at India as a 

 whole, there is plenty of scope for the energies of the 

 Indian people in combating the great natural forces 

 of their wonderful country. The torrents that rush 

 from the mountains have to be controlled, the floods 

 and droughts have to be dealt with, life during ex- 

 cessive heat has to be made tolerable, life during 

 relaxing seasons of heat and moisture has to be main- 

 tained in vigour, wild animals have to be controlled, 

 including under that head the mosquitoes and other 

 insects which cause or carry disease. In a country 

 like India, where from 70 per cent, up to 84 per 

 cent, of the deaths are due to fevers and other pre- 

 ventable causes, there is plenty of work to be done 

 by those who desire to give themselves to the public 

 service. 



