Untitled Document

Speech in Budapest
By Raja J.P. Bahadur Singh

[On the 14th of May, 1929, Colonel Raja J.P. Bahadur Singh delivered a speech at the CITY CASINO in Budapest Hungary, under the auspices of the HUNGARIAN CLUB. The speech was translated into the Hungarian language by DR. VAMBERI. Many members of the Hungarian Parliament were present. The following is the full text of the Raja Sahib's Speech: -]

Mr. Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen,

The people of Europe know much better than we, the people of the East, how the last Great War affected the mentality of the people all the world over. It may be due to economic pressure or any other cause, that people of every country, either of the East or of the West, are being divided into more and more parties, classes and creeds which, instead of settling their disputes through rational exchange of views and discussions, try to carry out their ideals by violent demonstration, rioting, rebellion and even civil war. I found that, inspite of the establishment of the League of Nations and so many peace treaties and pacts and several other institutions working for peace, all the antagonistic parties become ready to cut off each other's heads with the slightest excuse. Are not the violent actions of such people almost daily occurrences somewhere or other? Are not such happenings sufficient to cause distress, misery and even death to many? Are we born to suffer and die like animals? Vexed with these questions from day to day, I thought of finding out some means whereby we may be able to relieve these sufferings through the exchange of views with the people of as many countries as possible.

You people of the West have made such great progress in science and invention that we can to-day reach the farthest end of the Earth in a few weeks and get the news of the most far-off country in a few minutes. You have given up your old superstitions and so have we. But, whatever civilization we might have attained to and whatever scientific inventions we might have made, no one can deny or dispute such facts as 'Two and two make four.' In a similar way, no one can deny that we want to live and to make out life comfortable and happy.

Now, there must be some methods for the preservation of life and the attainment of comfort and happiness which we all desire. As for such methods, there are only two: one, by doing away with everybody that stands in your way; another, by persuading such people who stand in your way to unite and co-operate with you for the mutual preservation of life and for the attainment of mutual comfort and happiness. But we see that the former method is only applied by the lower orders of beings like animals and plants, while men being endowed with the capacities of reason and deliberation usually adopt the latter method. Even those who divide themselves into different groups, parties and classes have at least to unite with persons of their own way of thinking. Hence, no one can deny that, the bigger the number of unity, the stronger is that party or class and greater the chance of self-preservation.

But if a strong party or class satisfies itself with its superiority of position, it may enjoy the needed comfort and happiness. But if it goes to display strength, though it may get a temporary success, there must be injury, suffering and distress to some of its members. I say temporary success, for none of the greatest empires could retain their greatness for ever. To the weaker party, of course, there must be regular calamities to try its strength against the stronger. Thus, if he thinks rationally anybody will come to the conclusion that, if mankind as a whole realize the true fact peace, unity and co-operation with one another are the only surest means for every one's safety, comfort and happiness. This idea follows the realization and recognition of the fundamental oneness of humanity by one and all.

It was for this purpose, therefore, to work with individual persons of all different classes, creeds, parties and ranks of different countries, showing them through its members the utility of unity and co-operation that I started the Humanistic Club in India. But, as it cannot be made practicable by one man's effort or restricting one's activity to one country only, I have come to Europe with the entreaty to every country to make agreements for the exchange of ideas and to know the plans thought out by different social workers in different countries.
Though from a cursory view it seems the scheme is impracticable ad almost impossible, yet in no country either the government or the people like to be divided and fighting with each other. But for some reason or other, whether social, political, economical or religious, they are divided into several groups of parties, classes and creeds. Each one wants the upper hand over the other. As no two persons are ever seen to think alike, there must be differences of opinions. Yet if all the different units with their different ides, ways and means try to work for the common benefit of humanity of which each is a member, I don't see any reason why the methods will be impracticable then.

But we are very forgetful, and require a reminder for things we do not want to forget. It was for this reason that the preceptors of religions have prescribed either as a hymn or as a prayer something to utter morning and evening. It was therefore as a reminder to direct people's attention towards the welfare of humanity and to thing of a mans' duty as a human being, as also to find out the best means for self-preservation with comfort and happiness that I have been suggesting the establishment of a Humanistic Club in every country.
I can quite relies the difficulty in persuading people, especially the illiterate masses, but if some persons in every country take up the responsibility on their shoulders to remind people of their duties as human beings, I don't see any reason why they should not succeed in time to curb the mentality of such peoples as are ready to break the heads of other persons and endangering their own safety. The mind is after all a pliable thing and, it properly guided, nothing is impossible for it to obtain. We have only to find out how and when to present these ideas to the public. If it is rightly done they are sure to take up these ideas, just as they take up the bad ideas even at the risk of their lives.

One cannot prescribe the exact solution for remedying the troubles of every country; but some sort of institution like the "Humanistic Club" may be useful to devise the ways and means suitable to the circumstances and the tastes of the people with a view to bringing about peace and harmony among the different contending classes, parties, communities and creeds of its neighborhood. Self-preservation and the attainment of comfort and happiness must form the basis of the suggestions made by such an institution.

There was no time when people followed one religion throughout the world, and there was no time when people came under one ruler. Neither do any two persons look exactly alike nor do they think alike. There is nothing like uniformity in Nature. Hence, uniformity is monotony and diversity is beauty. If you therefore attempt to draw a dead line of equality or uniformity in anything you will be acting against Nature itself; and no attempt can meet with success if we try to go against Nature. Just as we cannot be successful if we try to demolish all the mountains and the hills of the earth to bring the surface of the earth to one level, so shall we never succeed in the attempt to brig about uniformity in the conditions and lives of men. Therefore, our attempts should be to bring about unity in diversity and not uniformity.

For, it is impossible to bring the whole humanity to a dead level of equality either in respect of wealth or positions or principles or thoughts. If we try to bring about such equality it will be done only at the expense of law and order, and hence at the expense of security and also self-preservation which is not desirable. Hence, what we must try to bring about should be equality of opportunity and not equality in all respects, which is impossible.
Now, the question arises whether the people are as yet ready to receive these ides and follow them. In the brief time that I have been in Europe I have met several persons who thing otherwise. But, if you only believe in the evolution in the conditions and ideas of men and if you persevere in your work to bring about peace and goodwill, there is every reason that you will succeed, if not to-day, at least in the days to come. Those who say that wars and battles will never disappear from the earth preach a doctrine that is wholly contradictory to the history of man's evolution. Was there not a time in the remote past when men lived like animals in caves and forests, suspicious and fearful of one another? But as time went on men learned more and more the utility of unity and co-operation till they formed themselves into little families and tribes, and then built village towns, cities, nations and empires, until to-day there is such an institution as the League of Nations. This thus shows that in history throughout the ages the evolution and progress of men depended on the measure in which they united and co-operated. Wars and battles must disappear if man has to proceed on his path of further progress unimpeded; and they will disappear if we only persevere in our work.

Peace is like a great house that you must build slowly laying stone on stone. Peace cannot be brought about all suddenly by a stroke of the pen, as it were. No amount of legislation, no amount of treaties and pacts, no amount of high oratory will establish peace and goodwill on earth until the whole of mankind realises the necessity of unity and co-operation in the interest of their own safety and comfort. That is why I have been suggesting throughout my speeches that peace must be built from the foundation beginning with the people- the general public, the men in the street and in the field.

TOP

» Europe

» Russia

»USA

» Japan

» China