1
S.W.I.
6th December, 1940.
CONFIDENTIAL.
Sir,
I am directed to refer to the letter from
this Department of the 6th January, 1933 P & J.(S)
1395/32 and connected correspondence relating to
the "Hindustan Qhadr", the organ of the Ghadr party,
published in San Francisco and to state, for the
information of Viscount Halifax, that Mr. Aroery's
attention has "been drawn to the objectionable
character of recent issues of this paper. Copies
of summariseri translations of the issues for May,
June and September, 1940, are enclosed.
2.      I am to refer to the following items in
the May issue:-
Comment on the Indian Mutiny. p.l.
Eulogy of Udham Singh Azad. p.2.
Eulogy of Madan Lai Dhingra
and reproduction of the
latter's statement. p.2.
Reference to the murderer of
Bhag Singh in Canada. P»3.,
and in the June issue:-
Reference to Udham Singh Azad.    p.2.
Approval of the murder of
Karra Singh in India.
p. 4.
As regards the September issue, apart
from a number of anti-British and defeatist
articles,/
The Under Secretary of State,
Foreign Office,
S.W.I.
articles, it will be seen that it contains
eulogistic references to Udhara Singh, the murderer
of Sir Michael O'Dwyer at Caxton Hall (items 1, 20
end 21 ), approval of the murder of a polios officer
in the Punjab (item 11) and alleged indiscipline in
the Indian Ana/ which Ohadr propaganda is claimed
to hare fostered (item 4). It will also be seen that
it contains criticism of recent and prospective
legislation affecting foreigners in the United 3tates
(item 9.).
3«     The claim of the Hindustan Ohadr   to have
fostered Sikh !    discipline In the Indian Army can be
substantiated by both direct anX" incSreat evidence. In the former
category may be placed the 'Open Letter to the Troops'
which appeared in the issue of the paper for February
1940 and of which a translation is attached. It was a
direct appeal to Indian Boldiers to coranit acts of
insubordination and mutiny* Such acts have indeed been
conmitted,   the most serious   being the refusal of a
Sikh mechanised squadron to embark on active service*
This and other acts of insubordination have all been
traced back to one focal point, namely the military
station of Meerut in the United Provinces, where the
Kirtl Lehr. assisted by funds remitted from Ohadr
supporters in North and South America (mainly California),
carried on the most intense anti-British propaganda and
directed special attention to the seduction of Indian
troops. The Communist group which was responsible for
this subversive activity consisted almost entirely of
oikhs financed by the Ohadr Party. Its leacing spirit,
Harmindar Singh Sodhi, was in fact at one time actually
Manager of the Hindustan Ohadr in San Francisco 8nd a
frequent contributor to that paper. The Immigration
Authorities in California instituted deportation
proceedings against him but allowed him to leave the
country voluntarily in 1934, whereupon he proceeded to
Russia to undergo a course of training in Communism
before finally making his way back to India for
practical work. It is clear from the above brief narration
of facts, as well as from advices which are being
received from India, that the Ohadr Party and its
newspaper/
newspaper   has made considerable efforts to undermine
the loyalty of Sikh troops and thus hamper India*s
war effort. These efforts have met with sufficient
success to call for stringent measures on the part
of Government for the protection of innocent
soldiers against such perversive influences*
4. Mr. Amery considers it desirable that such
restrictive steps as may be feasible should be
taken against this paper, and he would suggest for
the consideration of Viscount Halifax that copies of
these summaries might be communicated to His
Majesty's Ambassador at Washington with a view to the
matter being brought to the notice of the United
States Government, should a suitable opportunity
arise. It might be possible for His Majesty's
Ambassador to induce the State Department to suppress
this paper altogether, or if an approuch on these
lines is not considered practicable at least to
deny the Hindustan Ghadr and other Ohadr Party
propaganda the cheaper postal rates usually accorded
to newspapers in the United States, a step which, it
is understood was taken by the United States
authorities during the Great War of 1914-18 with
considerable effect.
5. A copy of a letter which has been
addressed to the Dominions Office is also enclosed.
I am, etc.*
(Sgd.} Silver.