222 REVIEWS OF RECENT BOOKS 



humanity would do well to gird up their loins and master the facts 

 here revealed. The use of propaganda and secret diplomacy will still 

 continue to becloud the issues, but the matter in a nut-shell is 

 whether might is right. We thank Mr. Millard for his able resume 

 of much complicated history. The angels are on his side. 



India in Transition. A study in Political Evolution, by his Highness 



the Aga Khan. Warner, London, 1918. 

 The author of this book (Aga Sultan Sir Mahomed Shah, g.c.s.i., 

 c.c.i.e., ll.d. Cantab.) is the leader of the Indian Mohammedan com- 

 munity and has given long and loyal assistance to the Indian Govern- 

 ment. Nevertheless he appears here as spokesman for a degree of 

 independence in Indian affairs which will undoubtedly seem excessive 

 to the more conservative student of political affairs. 



It is quite impossible within the limits of a review to indicate all 

 the proposals made but the mere mention of the inclusion of the ex- 

 German Colony of West Africa in the Indian Empire, the federalization 

 of India itself, the formation of an Indian Navy, and social reforms 

 of many kinds will show how extensive a programme is put forth. 



There is an impression among British people both within and 

 outside of India that the vast majority of the Indian peoples are so 

 unripe for self government that there is grave danger of anarchy if the 

 paternalism of the British Raj is too much diluted. While it may be 

 frankly admitted that it is very probable that the Briton is apt to 

 underrate the political ability of the Oriental and is given to confusing 

 the question of his own prestige with that of the expediency of main- 

 taining an "overlordship" in India, this problem of Indian autonomy 

 is one which must be dealt with very carefully. Nothing is more 

 certain than that just as a wilful child is capable of starving itself 

 to death, so a people swayed by mass-emotion may destroy the very 

 basis of its prosperity. The Aga Khan does not propose that 

 allegiance to Britain shall be given up but he certainly does con- 

 template an early development to a condition in which Britain is merely 

 the protector and adviser of India. Some critics of Britain's rule in 

 India are inclined to think that there is oppression in that country and 

 Bolsheviki, Sinn Feiners and Hearstites would gladly see a collapse 

 of the Indian Empire. It appears that among all these there is a gross 

 misapprehension of the great problem of government. Rapid changes 

 cannot be introduced without such a measure of anarchy that the 

 promised benefits are more than annulled by the miseries of disorder. 

 While the Aga Khan's suggestions are on the whole excellent, it is 



