Speech in Paris

On the 2nd of July 1929, RAJA JAI PARITHIVI BAHADUR SINGH. delivered a speech on the present conditions of the world, the causes thereof, the failure of religions and philosophies to rectify the error, and the organizing of new methods which he calls the HUMANISTIC METHODS. He relies for the expectation of success to his methods on the reasoning capacity of man as opposed to the instinctive nature of animals owing to which they use cunning or force to gain their ends. He brings, in support of his suggested methods, the progressive tendency of man whereby from a primitive barbaric state he has risen to his present advanced condition. True it is that very often he slipped back to the animal-nature bringing about wars, ruin and misery. Still, he possesses the deliberative capacity. Only, he has got to be reminded persistently of his qualities and potentialities as a Man. This is more essential and urgent now than ever before; because the recent Great War has brought out, not only the worst elements in man and proved the futility of War as a method for bringing about peace in the world, but it also, in addition to causing misery throughout the world, engendered much mutual suspicion and hatred. This is the state of affairs not only between the several nations, but also among the many parties and classes composing each nation. It is these latter, in the opinion of the Raja, that need rectification first. In this affairs, the LEAGUE OF NATIONS, with its inability to internal affairs of countries, cannot do anything. Hence, as Raja J.P. Bahadur Singh says, arises the need for such an institution like the HUMANISTIC CLUB and for opening Branches of it in as many places in the world as possible.

The lecture took place in SALLE des FETES du GRANS ORIENT de FRANCE.
DR. P. CHARPY took chair. The following is the full text of the Raja's speech:

Ladies and Gentlemen,

French people know better than anybody else how the last Great War has changed not only the economic and social conditions of the people but also the mentality of the world at large.

This change in the conditions and mentality of the general public is not restricted to one locality but is found in every part of the world. With this change, the spirit of fighting has come into greater evidence everywhere. If there is not regular war between two countries, there are either civil wars or clashes and fighting's between different parties, classes or creeds, or rebellions somewhere or other. India does not remain behind in this respect. To-day in India we find fighting either between employers and employees, or between Hindus and Mohammedans; and sometimes-spasmodic attempts are also made against law and order. All this is enough to show that humanity is slowly forgetting the progress it has made towards civilization.

There was a time when chivalry and bravery in war were praised highly both in the West and in the East. The pages of the history of Medieval Europe are full of accounts of such chivalry and knighthood. In India, among many other injunctions, I remember one old Sanscrit poem recommending the desire of conquest in the hearts of Kings. It runs like this: -
Asantushtaa dwijaa nashtaah,
Santushtaa iva paarthivaah,
Salajjaa ganikaa nashtaah,
Nirlajjaascha kulastriyah;
Which means that a discontented Brahmin or priest, a contented king, a bashful prostitute and a shameless lady of high family, these are all destined to ruin.

But the days when wars and battles were considered to be not only justifiable but highly honourable and commendable have now gone and people everywhere have begun to recognize, at least theoretically, the necessity of peace and the abolition of wars and battles by establishing institutions like the League of Nations and by signing peace-treaties and pacts. But, inspite of these attempts towars peace and goodwill, the mental atmosphere which was affected by the last great struggle in which millions of men took part remains unchanged. In other words, it seems to me that the impression made by so many fighting men in the mental atmosphere cannot be erased by attempts made by a few.

This is the reason why I thought of starting an institution in India by the name of the Humanistic Club for the purpose of establishing peace and goodwill on earth by reminding people of the progress that man has made in civilizations and by showing what would be the proper course for him to follow. For this, we have but to expose the simple truth of the Law of Self-Preservation, and show how peace, unity and co-operation are the best means for preserving one's life with comfort and happiness.

But, during the last few decades, Science and Invention have made such great progress in the way of shortening time and distance that to-day the different peoples and countries are not so isolated as they were in the past. Hence, on the one hand, unless these ideas of peace and goodwill are accepted by the whole or at least by the majority of mankind, lasting and universal peace will not be possible; and, on the other hand, unless such ideas are worked on the basis of the fundamental oneness of humanity, they will not be accepted by all men. I have therefore, instead of confining my activities to India, come to visit Europe, partly to present my ideas of promoting peace and goodwill to the people of Europe for their adoption if found suitable, and partly to know what the people of Europe think about this subject.

I have been visiting various countries in Europe for the last four months; but I am sorry to find that peace prospects are not very hopeful. I found that, inspire of the attempts of the League of Nations and other pacifist organizations, mutual distrust, suspicion, fear and hatred are lurking in the hearts of the people of different countries. The apparent friendship and goodwill is only superficial.

I have, however, found few persons everywhere who are willing to do all they can for the promotion of peace and goodwill among mankind. And, with the help of these few, I have been able to open either clubs or some sort of agencies for the Humanistic Club for the exchange of views on matters of common interest and benefit to all humanity.

The method that I propose to adopt in trying about peace is simply to remind every man how all-living beings, including men, want to preserve their lives and make that life comfortable and happy.
The lower order of living beings like animals, being denied of the faculty of reason and deliberation, make use of either cunningness or aggressiveness for the preservation of their lives. But man, being endowed with that capacity. can preserve his life in a better way than by the use of cunning or force.

For no one, whether of this country or that, whether of one race or another, whether of this religion or that, denies the fact of his being a member of humanity. Therefore, if we only keep on reminding everybody how as a human being he must make use of the capacity he is exclusively endowed with and think rationally before he acts, he is sure to realize for himself one day that unity, goodwill and co-operation are the only means for the preservation of life. For, even a fool will say that the less the enemies one has, the less is the danger to one's life. So, if a man wants to live, friendly attitude with other is more conducive to that end than enmity. Then, why should one adopt the animalistic method of which, even if it sometimes proves successful, the success is always temporary and the process risky?

As regards comfort, surely one can be more comfortable under the conditions of peace, unity and co-operation than under conditions of enmity, division an discord. Happiness, of course, is that state of life where there is no anxiety and sorrow; and this state of mind is only possible when one has none to fear, none to suspect, and none to hate. Hence, the very first condition for happiness is also peaceful and law-abiding attitude.
Not very long ago, circumstances obliged every country to make an attempt to rouse the fighting spirit in man. But now the time has come to make a similar attempt to extinguish that fire of fighting spirit, which is daily assuming more and more ugly shapes. This fighting spirit that was roused during the Great War has been the cause of splitting every nation into so many parties and classes antagonistic to each other; and, even where there are no wars between nations, there are always fighting between these parties, classes and creeds.

If the government of a certain country tries to bring about inter-national peace these parties stand in the way, causing inter-national ill-will by spreading antagonistic propaganda between one nation and another in the guise of patriotism. Therefore, it is necessary to unite these contending parties and classes of every country before we can be successful in uniting the countries themselves.

I am, however, fully aware that the task of creating a peaceful atmosphere on earth is by no means an easy one, but I must say that it is not impossible.

For, even the animals know the Principle of self-preservation, though they have not attained to the level of evolution that man has. And in man it is not only the shape, but the deliberative and reasoning capacity also, that differentiates him from the animal. But, inspite of the fact that every man wants to live and be comfortable and happy, and inspite of the capacity of reason and deliberation with which a man is endowed and with the use of which one cannot but be peaceful, there has been no time in the history of the world when there was no warfare and struggle between countries, religions, parties or tribes. So, an ordinary attempt made by a few persons here and there is not sufficient to curb and by degrees eradicate the age-old fighting spirit in man.

But, at the same time, to-day are we not in a better position than even a few decades ago to spread our ideas all the world over with facilities to talk to the people of any part of the world as if we were talking from one room to another in the same house, and with facilities to reach any part of the world within a few days?
Will not the people, who readily accept such ideas and principles as are harmful both to themselves and others, accept what is beneficial to themselves and their fellow-men? Are there not persons to-day amidst us who, if they take the thing seriously, will succeed in bringing about peace and goodwill by impressing on the minds of the general public the necessity for unity and co-operation among mankind in the interests of their own safety, comfort and happiness? If we can get the help of such men and women in increasing numbers, having the facilities that were not before, why should we not succeed in achieving what our ancestors in the past failed to achieve? If any of you, however, think that we have not yet reached that stage of Evolution when Universal Peace will be possible, you have at least to admit that we have reached that stage when an attempt can be made towards that goal. At any rate, attempts to reach Divinity are preferable to sinking to the level of the animal.

So, I have been making an entreaty to every country of Europe to extend co-operation for spreading this humanistic ideas by forming a Club and through its members to propagate the unifying principle in order to unite different parties, classes and creeds into one common family of humanity. If thus we manage to calm down the mental agitation of the general public of each country, inter-national peace will naturally follow.

Of course, the carrying out of this scheme is not so easy as it seems: for, we have to reach the minds of both high and low, rich and poor, capitalist and labourer. But, as far as I know, the method that I suggest cannot be unacceptable to any. The only difficult lies in finding out proper persons who can successfully organize such an institution and make it efficient enough to cope with the present need.

But, unless a beginning is made no end or result can ever be expected in anything. So, a beginning must be made; and I cannot upon the French people who recognized the necessity for Liberty, Equality and fraternity long ago, to co-operate with me for spreading the principle of peace, unity and co-operation for the safety, comfort and happiness of humanity all the world over.

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