Part 004 - PAMPHLET 001 004

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at 8s. 6d., which, by Indian standards, is a very high price, and yet they have already sold over 2,000 copies. I discovered that when I mentioned Dutt's name it found no response, but when I then mentioned R.P.D. a light came into their eyes, and you would have thought I had named some god. Oh, Shades of the Notes of the Month in the Labour Monthly! I spent all afternoon preparing my speech for the important public reception which is being given to me this evening in the Sunderbai Hall by the Bombay Committee of the Communist Party. It is the second largest hall in Bombay and seats 1,500. Long before the meeting started every seat was occupied. Every gangway was crammed with people sitting on their haunches. The back of the hall and the platform also were crammed, and my speech had to be relayed outside to hundreds who could not get into the hall. I was begged to make a long speech. Well, I did, because the comrades said it "was a special kind of audience and everybody understood English." I must say you could have heard a pin drop throughout the entire proceedings. At the end of my speech, which I am afraid lasted 1¾ hours, no one stirred. The chairman announced the meeting was at an end. No one stirred, only cries of "Please speak a bit longer." I was dead beat, however, speaking so long in such heat, even if I had been doing it in my shirt. The International was sung in Hindi. Still the audience did not move. So I emulated what Tom Mann used to do, and called for "Three cheers for a lasting peace that would be heard in Washington." That did it, and I am sure they could be heard in Washington. So ended one of the most impressive experiences in my memory. And so to bed, to get ready for my journey to Delhi tomorrow. December 16. I T'S been another of those times when you say "It's been quite a day." Left Bombay Airport at 8.30 a.m. after a journey from the air terminal office lasting about 45 minutes, which took us right round the Marine Drive and through many interesting parts of Bombay and its environs. I wonder just how many people sleep out in the streets all night in Bombay, and I also wonder if there is another place in the world where so many well-to-do citizens take their morning constitutional along the Promenade at 7 a.m.? The journey to Delhi seemed to me to be across one of the most barren stretches of land. Here and there you saw a few green patches which had been tilled, and now and again a cluster of villages. Arrived at Delhi Airport at 12.15 p.m., and as the plane was taxi-ing to the Reception Hall one of the passengers said: "I see we 6 are being greeted by Red Flags, who is going to take the lead?" Dead silence. I looked out then and saw a crowd and Red Flags. The plane came to a stop. Every passenger seemed to be bearing himself with a demeanour which said, "Well, it's not me." I finally emerged, and as soon as my feet were on the ground found myself once again surrounded by comrades, with flags, gar- lands, and bouquets. I thought to myself, "Fancy this happening at London Airport!" I was garlanded 25 times. I could hardly walk off the tarmac, which did not prevent me singing (to myself, of course) a favourite old ballad of my father's: "She wore a wreath of roses, the first time that we met." A short speech of thanks from me, and then off in a car to Delhi. I suppose it is about ten miles to the town, so I got a good chance to see this and that. Among which was the "Lodge," where the British Viceroy of India used to live. I wish you could all see it. What a palace! What grounds! And then, being what I am, I thought of all the people I had seen with nowhere to lay their heads, except on the pavement. A wash and brush up, and then went to see the Parliament House. A splendid building. I was able to obtain a seat in the Distinguished Visitors' Gallery, and listened for a short time to an interesting debate on the Special Marriages Bill. There had recently been an important by-election in South-East Calcutta, which everyone had expected the Congress candidate to win. To their consternation the Communist candidate, Comrade Gupta, won it hands down. Comrade Gupta is blind, but this dreadful affliction has not stopped him from giving a lifetime of service to the working class of Calcutta. I was proud to be introduced to him. Just before I got into bed a comrade came to see me. He showed me a newspaper in which it was stated the Ceylon authorities had distributed 10,000 copies of my photograph so that every police officer at ports and railway stations would recognise me if I attempted to enter Ceylon. I regret that no reward was issued for apprehending the body. But I had to laugh also. I remembered saying facetiously to the pressmen at Southampton that I would get into Ceylon by emulating the gentleman in the Bible who once parted the seas and walked through them. I suppose the Government of Ceylon took it seriously. December 17. I HAD begun to think that life had no more surprises for me, but I was mistaken. Left Delhi at 8.30 a.m. for Amritsar, and arrived at the airport at 10.30 a.m. While coming in to land I could see scores of red flags and a great crowd of people. 7