Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-05-13

That the worldwide interest In the
arrest Of Mahatrna Gandhi, leading fig-
ure in the Nationalist campaign IN
India, is to be found also in America
Is shown by the extensive comments
on the editorial pages in this country
The character of the man himself, the
cause he represents, the future Of India
and the patience that has been exer-
cised by the British government In
dealing with Gandhi and his efforts 10
overthrow British control are discussed
after long hesitation, doubtful
whether Gandhi at large or Gandhi IN
prison would be the greater menace to
British rule, the India authorities have
chosen their course" says the Dayton
Daily News, as 1t predicts that 1.-THE
devotion Of his followers will be In
creased" by his imprisonment. "WilI
this" the Detroit Free Press asks. add
fuel TO the fires Of rebellion he has
lighted? That Is q question which IN
terests not only 100000, 900 people IN
India, but in all the world" the Free
Press declares.
That 1.-THE arrest constitutes signal
triumph" from GandhiS own stand
point, Is the opinion Of the Kalamazoo
Gazette, since being an idealist to the
point Of asceticism, Gandhi places q
high value upon the efficiency OF
martyrdom as . weapon Of revolution: =
In similar vein the Brooklyn Daily
Eagle points out that "the Indian gov
erment has jailed O man, but cannot
jail his ideas. And 1t is entirely pos
sible that Gandhi In prison may be-
come more formidable than Gandhi at
The Springfield Republican thinks
that whether Gandhi's arrest was wise
Is one of those hard political problems
which usually can be answered only by
the event. British rule In India" IT
continues. sis legal fact Of long stand
ing; until 1t Is replaced, measures to
be considered wrong. But neither can
the efforts Of Indian patriots to win
independence be considered wrong"
Thus this paper sees mo clear-cut issue
of right and wrong involved, but only q
tangled question of expediency."
Although Gandhi had violated the
salt laws" he was not arrested for this
overt act, as were some of his followers,
and his own sons earlier, but was de-
tanned under the Bombay decree Of
1927. Under this law, the Richmond
News Leader explains, "for reasons Of
state the government may take into
custody any person against whom 1t
has not sufficient evidence to convict,
or any person against whom formal
legal proceedings are deemed unde-
sirsble. Where arrest Is ordered under
this decree, habeas corpus cannot issue.
and no appeal Is allowed. The govern
ment may hold or release at discretion,
with the single proviso that the per-
son so restrained by the state shall be
In the style to which
he is accustomed, and shall be granted
an appropriate allowance for the sup
port Of his family"
That the British have played a
shrewd and intelligent hand" Is the
statement Of the Providence Evening
Bulletin, which sees in their patience
q wise course that has broken up the
Gandhi melodrama, by refusing to play
the part of the villain" and thus has
aided moderate opinion from being
pushed, by pressure of popular tndig-
nation, into the camp Of the extremists"
These moderates may thus be ex-
pected Ito find In the Sirnons Report,
which is expected before the end of
this month, q reader and safer remedy
and q solution without bloodshed which
the British government as well as the
sober population Of India Is seeking"
says the New York Sun. This report
is to be followed by a round-table
conference in London, for concessions
to Indian self-government, with domin-
ion status the ideal in vew,- several
editors explained
1.-THE problem in India is the most
difficult, both because India contains
nearly sixth Of the worlds popula-
ton, and because, owing to the diver
sity Of its people, there Is no one to
speak for the country as q whole. The
process of working this out is one of
the greatest feats 10 be accomplished"
declares the Newark Evening News, dis
cussing self-government in that coun-
try.
Great Britain cannot loosen her
Indian government and turn its direc-
ton and conduct over TO bowling and