Evening star., 1932-01-03
Government Will Meet Any
Nationalist Activity, Says
Lord WiIIingdon.
SPURNS OFFER TO HALT
CIVIL DIsOBEDIENCE DRIVE
Viceroy's Decision Follows Seizure
of Calcutta Elk Mayor for Threat
of Bengal Campaign.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
BOMBAY, India, Sunday, January
3.-Negotiations for peace in India broke
down today, and the arrest of Mahatma
Gandhi was momentarily expected.
Viceroy Lord Wllingdon rejected the
MahatmaS terms for settlement and
informed the Nationalist leader that he
and the All-India National Congress
would be held responsible for any action
they might take
The government will be ready, the
viceroy said in telegram to Mr..
Gandhi, to meet any activity on the
part OF the Nationalists.
Expecting Arrest.
The Mahatma smiled as he read the
message. He expected, he remarked, TO
be arrested under a law of 1918 which
empowered the government to arrest or
deport any agitator without trial.
THE nation must respond to the
governments challenge" Gandhi said.
1T is to be hoped, however, that,
while people of all classes and creeds
will courageously and in all humility go
through the fiery ordeal, considering no
price too dear and no sdfferings too
great, they will observe the strictost
non violence in thought, word and
deed"
The Mahatma had told the viceroy he
would withhold plunging India into the
turmoil of another civil diSobedience
campaign if the viceroy agreed to an
interview with him for the purpose of
discussing the recent restrictive ordi-
nances put into effect by the govern
ment. This offer was turned down by
Lord Wilmington.
Before word of the viceroys decision
was received here, Subhas Chandra
Bose, former mayor of Calcutta and a
member of the Extremist Nationalist
faction was arrested for openly declar-
ing he would start civil disobedience
in Bengal Province as soon
as he arrived in Calcutta. He was
made captive on a Calcutta bound train
and was taken to a destination that
was not revealed by the authorities.
Bengal Unrest Is Grave.
AS grave unrest already exists in Ben
gal, government officials felt, it was ex-
planned. they had no alternative except
to intern the fiery former mayor who
was inciting the populace to revolt.
Just before he went to bed in his
tent last night, Mr. Gandhi received
a delegation from the powerful Bonn
bay Cotton Merchants Association. His
callers assured him the association
would not export single bale of cotton
from India if civil disobedience were
The Indian Gold Merchants Asso-
citation also gave pledge to the Ma
hatma that they would not export gold
from India until the present struggle
with the government has been settled,
because to do SO would be detrimental
to the best interests of the country.
The telegram addressed to Gandhi
by Lord Willingdon's private secretary
at New Delhi read:
His excellency desires me to ac-
receipt of your telegram of
January 2, which has been considered
by him and his government.
They much regret to observe that
under your advice the Working Com
mittee of the Congress has passed reso-
lutionS which involve general revival
Of civil disobedience unless certain con-
ditionS are satisfied, which are stated
in your telegram and resolutions.
Reform Is Intended.
They regard this attitude as more
deplorable in view of the declared in
tentlon OF his majesty's government and
the government of India to expedite
the policy OF constitutional reform con-
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