Evening star., 1932-01-07
NATIONALISTs TAKE COVER.
Country Appears Quiet-Lawyers Plan
81 to Ask Gandhi's Release.

BOMBAY, January 7.-India's Ma
tionalist forces, momentarlly stunned
by the severity of the sweeping reStric-
tive ordinances imposed upon them by
the government, appeared today to have
taken to cover.
: The country, thus far during the re-
newal of the civil disobedience CAM
paign, has been free from grave dis
orders or serious bloodshed and a
paralyzing reaction upon trade, espe-
ciaIly upon British goods, as result
Of the Nationalists' boycott, has been
theschief reaction.
. British leaders were confident of VIC
tory today. They expressed the con-
yiction that the government was capa-
. BE of dealing with any emergency. The
real feeling in the Indian mind, how
eyer, was understandable. Leaders of
. the Nationalist Congress who are still
outside of jail refrained from extreme
measures, but an ugly sullenness hung
in the air. e
Fear Hindu Moslem Strife,
One of the dangers looming in the
background was the possibility of re-
neWal of the strife between Hindu and
Moslem millions such as caused the
bloody CaWnpore riots last year during
each others throats until 1000 lay
dead
The "hartal" CLOSING of shops and
business houses was still complete,
after four days. Business in cotton,
piece goods and bullion remained COM
pletely shut down, and even private
business, a large volume of which con-
tinued during previous hartals is now
at a standstil.
The Stock Exchange opened today
however, and a meeting Of the Bullion
Exchange was slated for this afternoon
to decide what policy to adopt.
Bombay, center of the Nationalist
movement, had a normal appearance
except for the piekets in front Of shops
which sell British goods. The populace,
however continued apprehensiVe.
Viceroy Calls Leaders.
The government warned newspapers
that they must not publish anything
relating to the program of, or prepara-
ton for, the civil disobedience CAM
paign, whether as advertisements or
news. Severe prison penalties were
fixed for violation of the order.
ViCeroy Lord Willingdon called a
number of Liberal Indian leaders, in
cluding Sir Tel Sapru, noted peace
maker, to New Delhi today to secure
their support in carrying out the work
of the last round table conference to
which they were delegates These
leaders had pleaded with Lord willing
don before Gandhi's arrest, asking him
TO see the Mahatma, but the viceroy
already had closed the door to further
negotiation.
An application for writ of habeas
corpus for Gandhi will be made jan
uary II by Indian Nationalist attorneys,
calling for his presence before a high
court to test the legality Of his i'm
prlSonment under a regulation OF 1927.
Preparations were being made to re-
ceive the three round table conference
committees which will leave London
January IS for India and form a minia-
ture third conference here Like the
commission Of Sir John Simon which
the Nationalists boycotted, plans were
made to guard these commissions close
ly while they are here.
Whole Villages Fined.
Whole villages on the northwest from
tier. which is Tndias gateway, have
been fined under the repressive ordi-
nances for holding meetings attended
by Nationalist volunteers.
In this province ! 900 So-called Red
Shirts" members of Moslem patriotic
organization known as the "Khudai Xiii
Tamatgars servants Of GOd-offered
themselves voluntarily for imprison-
ment after they were threatened with
arrest. Their leader, Abdul GUITAR
Khan, declared the government would
be compelled to imprison 100000 of
them, for they would never renounce
their allegiance to Gandhis campagn
The government accepted the offer Of
the 1000 and is now forced to feed
them.
Gandhrs friends are deploring his
failure to visit the United States during
the time he was in Europe They say
If he had accepted one Of the hundreds
Ct invitations he received from Ameri-
can individuals. it might have saved
him from imprisonment and changed
the whole course of events.
He was disSuaded. they said, chiefly
by the advice Of Rev. John Haynes
Holmes of New York. his close friend.
DR.. Holmes told the mahatma the visit
would not be advisable because he
would be misunderstood and perhaps
nlisrepresented.
WOMEN ARE ELEVATED.