THE INDIAN TELEGRAPH ASSOCIATION

To The Editor Of The Statesman

SIR, – I much regret that my circular to members of the Indian Telegraph Association bearing on the Afghan crisis has been misconstrued as suggesting that “some members have been lacking in zeal and public spirit.” Owing to the great depletion of staff to meet requirements in the various areas of war a very big call had to be made on the men out here, resulting in overstrain, which has been cheerfully borne for over four years, apart from other disabilities chiefly in respect of leave. The telegraph staff, unlike other workers, cannot be substituted even for a few hours, however much they may need respite, and must hold on till they go under. This overstrain, aggravated by a wave of sickness, epidemic and otherwise, is responsible for the large percentage of absentees. With the termination of the war and a gradual return to normal conditions the men naturally looked forward to brighter times, a prospect entirely destroyed by the unexpected turn of events in Afghanistan.

BARTON.

General Secretary,

Indian Telegraph Association,

Calcutta.

PITY THE POOR PENSIONER

To The Editor Of The Statesman

SIR, – The war has done more towards aggravating the impecunious condition of the poorer class of pensioners of the AngloIndian community than any famine has done during the last fifty years or more. A special feature of the present state of the country is that every conceivable article has risen in price whereas during “famines” only certain commodities are affected – notably grains. A question was asked in the House of Commons lately regarding the revision of the rates of Indian pensions and received the reply that the Government of India were dealing with the matter. It is no exaggeration to say that to men drawing pensions of anything less than rupees two hundred per mensem, living under great privations is the order of the day, and instances are not wanting where physically unfit pensioners have been compelled to work, to tide over their troubles in the hope that Government may before long ameliorate their deplorable condition.

A MEDALLIST.

THE ANGLO-INDIAN COLLEGIATE HOSTEL

To The Editor Of The Statesman

SIR, – An effort is being made to establish a hostel for AngloIndian in connection with one of the Indian universities. With regard to the lack of a college one needs only to consider the numbers of the Anglo-Indian community and the normal percentage of any population which continues its studies to the university stage to realise that the Anglo-Indian community cannot at present furnish even the minimum number of students with which a college could be run. With regard to the statement, as to the establishment of a hostel, the writer, if he has kept in touch with Anglo-Indian education, can hardly be unaware that there is, and has been for the last six years, such a hostel, the Anglo-Indian Collegiate Hostel, Allahabad. If the Anglo-Indian community would concentrate on this hostel and, showing for once unity of purpose, reject any scheme for duplication, they might hope in time to develop it into an Anglo-Indian college.

R.G. STEDMAN.

Warden, Anglo-Indian Collegiate Hostel,

Allahabad.

INCREASED RENTS

To The Editor Of The Statesman

SIR, – Now that the war is a thing of the past it might reasonably be hoped that the imposition of increased rents would cease, but it is still going on. In several large buildings owned by wealthy men, the increases represent something like 25 to 40 per cent, and the pretext is increase expense in upkeep. Nothing could be more insulting to the intelligence of the average man than to