NEW DELHI – OCTOBER 16TH, 1939
Through pre-arrangement J.Z. Hodge travelled to New Delhi to meet with Mr. E. Conran-Smith, Head of the Home Office of the Government of India, on October 16th. Hodge found him „very friendly and made me his guest for the day.“211 Since Conran-Smith was „a former Madras civilian he was familiar with conditions in South India and Malabar.“212 Hodge conveyed to him the activities of the N.C.C. and described the arrangements made for the four German Missions in India. In the case of each Mission, he raised points which might assist the churches in the absence of their missionaries. Cardinal for the continuing work of the German Mission churches and an enduring stability, was the requisite of gaining the release of certain German men, particularly those with long years of service and with unquestioned loyalty.213 Hodge appealed for the release of those brethren whom he knew personally. He „entered a plea for the release of the Rev. J. Stosch, President of the Gossner Evangelical Lutheran Church, and received an assurance that his case would receive sympathetic consideration.“214 He also „urged Government to consider favourably the request made for the release of Mr. Meyer … of the Schleswig Holstein Mission,“ and then „expressed the hope that special consideration would be given to the case of Dr. Gaebler, the Secretary of the (Leipzig) Mission.“215 There was no mention of a German Basel missionary.
The discussion on the Basel Society focused on the national character of the Mission. Hodge pointed out that though it was Swiss in name and headquarters, the Society had derived „most of its support in men and money from Germany.“216 For reasons of the war it sought to he recognized as a Swiss and neutral Mission.
Government warmly welcomed our proposals (a) to invite the Rev. J.H. Maclean, D.D., or some other distinguished British missionary, to reside within the area and help the present missionaries by his counsel, and (b) to secure the services of an English Manager for the Basel Mission Press, … Mr. Matthews, Assistant Manager of the Wesley Press, Mysore. …217
Though Hodge’s visit with Conran-Smith at Delhi was to be regarded as an informative meeting, the N.C.C. desired to make its position lucid. Hodge had a mandate to seek the release of the interned missionaries, and he could report:
… I was assured that when the matter was taken up special cases would be specially considered, and I was asked to submit a list, accompanied by convincing reasons for release in each case. What Government is mainly concerned with is not the exigencies of the work, but the conscious or unconscious influence the presence of (a) missionary may exert in developing an attitude of sympathy with the Nazi Government among the people. No missionary, I gathered, was likely to be released unless he disavowed all sympathy with Naziism. Government is now sifting the case of Jewish refugees; the question of the release of German nationals will be taken up later.218
Under miscellaneous items, Hodge entered a plea that in the event of repatriation to Germany the families should not be separated as in World War I.219 Hodge came away from New Delhi assured „that Government desired both the well-being of the missionaries and the maintenance of their work and welcomed the advice of the Council.“220