Readers of this Journal might remember the fascinating study of the art of ‘Mukul Dey: Painter-Etcher’ by Mr. O. C. Gangoly in the May number of last year. It is now our privilege to introduce another Painter-Etcher this time from the South of India. Young Rama Mohan Sastri, who received his early training at the Andhra Jatheeya Kalasala, has won India-wide recognition as a talented painter in water colours. Art-critics like Dr. Stella Kramrisch and Dr. James H. Cousins, and connoisseurs like H. H. The Maharani of Cooch Behar and Mr. S. V. Ramaswami Mudaliar admired his productions, sent up to various art exhibitions allover India. Three of his works have also been exhibited in America and the continent of Europe and purchased by art-lovers. Of these, ‘Comrades’ represents young Sakuntala hanging on to her pet deer, loath to part from it. ‘An Indian Tree’ is a rendering of a huge, massive tree which stands against a sunset-sky, and looks like the Mathura temple in silhoutte. ‘Red Wine’ illustrates a passage from Omar Khayyam where the poet sings:

Of late, Mr. Sastri has developed a special talent for sketch portraiture. Sir C. V. Raman, Sjt. Nandalal Bose and Dr. Radhakrishnan, besides some distinguished Europeans, have sat to him. He has also devoted time and attention to a study of etching in its different aspects, his etchings being, in the words of Dr. Kramrisch, "forceful and original". He is, in addition, a most capable designer in the strict sense of the term. His beautiful design for the seal of the Andhra University is evidence of his talent in this direction.

This Painter-Etcher has kindly agreed to have some of his paintings and etchings reproduced in the pages of ‘Triveni’ and our readers may look forward to them in subsequent numbers of the Journal. We heartily commend the work of this South Indian artist, and trust that his example may serve as an inspiration to other young artists in this part of the country.

When ‘Triveni’ honoured itself by publishing a sketch of Sri Vedam Venkataraya Sastry Garu, we little dreamt that the end of the great Kalaprapurna was so near and that the very next number of the Journal would contain an obituary note about him. After long years of heroic struggle against adversity, the greatest of Telugu savants has passed away. His was a life literally dedicated to the cause of learning and his memory will ever be fresh in the hearts of his grateful countrymen. A suggestion has been put forward by the Krishna Patrika that a chair of Telugu Literature should be founded in his name by the Andhra University. This would certainly be far nobler than any memorials in bronze or marble. May the University have the wisdom–and the money–to carry out this splendid suggestion!

The Government of Mr. Ramsay MacDonald have taken the first step towards an enduring settlement with the Egyptian Nationalists by recalling that arch-bungler, Lord Lloyd. Naturally, speculation is rife as to what will or will not be done with regard to solving the problem of self-rule for India. The Free Press representative in London believes that attempts are being made to approach Gandhiji and Pandit Motilal. Mr. Shanmukham Chetty is positive that the Labour Secretary of State wishes to find a way out of the present impasse. If both sides are anxious for an amicable settlement, it ought not to be difficult to arrive at one. So far as the Congress is concerned, it has never stood against any proposals of a peace with honour. The olive branch was offered at Calcutta so long ago as December of last year. Far from accepting it, the Bureaucracy has started a campaign of repression against political workers, deprived by a viceregal fiat the right of the electorates to pronounce a verdict on the Simon Commission, and curtailed the powers of the Legislative Assembly and its President. There is not the faintest trace of a ‘change of heart’. All talk of peace under such circumstances is futile and, what is worse, likely to induce lassitude in the nation. As it so often turns out, preparedness for war–even a non-violent war like ours–is the best guarantee of an honourable peace. All efforts have therefore to be concentrated on the struggle for freedom which, in all likelihood, will be launched at Lahore on the last day of this year or the first day of the next.

The arrest, trial and conviction for ‘sedition’ of the revered Editor of The Modern Review reminds us of the poignant utterance of the late G. K. Gokhale that "even the tallest amongst us have to bend to the exigencies of the political situation". Fancy the premier journalist of India, ripe in age and in wisdom, being hauled up before a magistrate and sentenced like a common felon, just because he published in book-form a series of articles from a world-renowned publicist. The domination of one nation over another is an unqualified evil. It curseth the nation that rules as much as the nation that is ruled. Friends of humanity like Dr. Sunderland are concerned to point out that in the interests of world-peace and the cause of human progress, India ought to be freed from bondage. This is acclaimed as sedition. But for nearly three decades now, all sensible writers on the Indian problem, including eminent Englishmen, have pleaded for a change from other-rule to self-rule. The law of sedition is, however, so vague and so liable to misconstruction that no honest Indian publicist is safe, no, not even avowed dissenters from the Non-co-operation creed like Ramananda Babu. Disaffection–not mere ‘absence of affection’–towards the ‘Government established by law’ is fostered even more by the panicky prosecutions launched by Local Administrations than the writings of well-meaning friends of progress like Dr. Sunderland. But cases like those of Ramananda Babu and Annapurniah are symptomatic of a grave disease in the body-politic. No ‘criminal intent’ can be attributed to these patriots–representatives of the older and younger generations in Indian public life, and yet the law says they are criminals.

K. R.

Gandhiji told in clear and unmistakable terms that he would not adorn the presidential gadi and suggested that Jawaharlal might be installed in his stead. Young as he is, the honour is long overdue to Jawaharlal. There need be no niggardly bargaining for withholding the presidentship from him for one year or two years at the most. The charge of youthfulness cannot altogether vanish in a year or two. In spite of Gandhiji's definite utterances about the matter, the country wanted him and not his suggestions. And Gandhiji means what he says and does not swerve an inch from the path he chooses for himself. He repeated his refusal and

also his suggestion. The matter now naturally passes into the hands of the A. I. C. C. But there seems to be a feeling in the country, founded upon a misconception of constitutional propriety, that the A. I. C. C should support Sjt. Vallabhai Patel who, next to Gandhiji, was recommended by the largest number of Provincial Committees. But a simple logical truth should not be lost sight of in this connection. Had the committees that recommended the name of Gandhiji definitely known that he would refuse in spite of the united demand of the nation, who knows if they would not have recommended Jawaharlal himself or some one other than either Jawaharlal or Vallabhai Patel? In passing on to the next best man, as determined by the recommendations of the P.C.C’s, we will not have consulted the wishes of a majority of the P.C.C's which nominated the Mahatma. So the question is brought back to the original stage. Our suggestion to the A.I.C.C. therefore is that they should enter into the question from the beginning and take no note of the superficial verdict of the P.C.C's in favour of Vallabhai. We do not suggest that Vallabhai should not be elected, but we only attempt to analyse the situation.

The eyes of the Government are turned against Jawaharlal who is the future hope of the country. Moreover the country is likely to adopt the creed of complete Independence on the 31st of December. In these circumstances the election of Jawaharlal to the presidential chair means that the country is deliberately moving towards a policy of complete Independence. To the Government it will prove that Jawaharlal has the whole country behind him. In electing him to the presidentship, we will have invested the undisputed leader of the youth with a peculiar prestige and dignity. We will have sounded a note of warning to Parliament that they cannot afford to postpone, much less refuse, the Indian demand for self-rule. Gandhiji will always be with us, and whosoever might happen to wear the Congress crown, Gandhiji will continue to wield the Field Marshal's baton.

B. R. R.