Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-04-06

: tablishing a monopoly on salt manu-
!. !" facture.
=. JALALPUR, India, April 5.-Tomor-
row is the long-awaited day for the
Headers of the civil disobedience CAM
spaign in India.
Al $50 o'clock in the morning Ma
hatma Gandhi and a group of his
faithful planned to wade into the
waters of the Gulf Of Cambay at Dandl,
near here, and begin the manufacture
OF salt in opposition to the government
monopoly.
Nearly month has passed since the
Mahatma and little party of followers
left Ahmadabad for the 165-mile maroh
to the sea. The party stopped in VII
lagos at night and at each one the
venerable Nationalist leader, whose title
means 1.-The Holy One," gained sup
porters and obtained designations ny
village headmen. The Mahatma ate III
tie but bits of dried fruit on the march
as is his custom, while some Of his fol-
lowers were stricken with smallpox and
other diseases, but the little band OF
survivors kept on.
First Dispbedience.
At Dandi tonight they were preparing
for the first definite act Of civil dis
obedience. AS the first step they will
wade into the waters Of the tidal
marshes and fill pots with salt water
These will be placed in the sun fol
evaporation Of the water, and the resi-
due Of salt will be removed for sale.
The first sales will be made In the
streets of Ahmadabad, with members
of the An-India Congress committee dt-
Yecting the hawking. The salt is said tc
be unedible, but the mere manufacture
and sale of it constitutes a breach Of
law and fulfills Gandhi'S aim.
The attitude Of the government has
not been announced. Viceroy Lord
Irwin. is understood to be avoiding
measures that would provoke disturb
anceS and the government does not
wish to give Gandhi the status of
martyr, but the British troops are on
the alert, nevertheless.
II the Nationalist succeed In their
first action Of the plan for non-co-
operation with governmental agencies,
they intend to follow in time with non
payment of taxes and resignation Of
native officials.
Presents Simpler Issue.
Although in his ultimatum to the
Viceroy last month Gandhi inveighed
against the salt tax as q disgrace to
the statute books, 1t Is understood that
he selected this particular tax for his
demonstration largely because 1t pre-
sents q simple and clear-cut issue.
Salt Is, of course, an article of uni
verSal consumption and its manufac-
ture in India Is controlled by the gov
eminent exclusively. The tax on salt
IS less than one farthing . pound, but
revenue from this source last year was
00o,Ooo).
Large quantities Of salt are obtained
from mines In various parts Of thu
country, but one of the principa
sources Of supply II the brine from ses
Water--in other words, the primitive
method of condensation which Gandh
intends. ia. employ.
Az many parts along the seacoast II
che district Of Gujerat, where thu
C7andhi demonstration Is planned, liz
large marshy tracts where the brine Il
ready to hand. It Is. free for all, anc
for the purpose Of embarrassing the
authorities the process might be car.
ried on by almost unlimited numbers Of
people In various sections Of the country
VIII Make Speeches.
-Four hundred police arrived here
today and 100 more went to Dandi
The Mahatma declared tonight that
he would address. meetings every eve
ming until arrested, so that his speeches
could be read nightly at the different
civil disobedience centers In the Surat
district.
He added that II he we're arrested his
place would be taken by Abbas Tyabji,
who is o retired high-court Judge OF
the state Of Baroda.
ENGLAND WATCHES CANDHI.