Evening star., 1939-11-09
Gandhi Adds Fuel
To Indian Fire With
Freedom Demand
Leader Rejects British
Contention Unity Is
Necessary First


Rejecting the British contention
that India must achieve unity before
acquiring dominion status, the
wizened, 70-year-old Hindu Nation
alist leader declared at Wardha
that only through freedom from
bondage" can his people solve their
internal problems.
"Once a declaration to free India,
not in easy stages but at once, is
made" Gandhi said, IAN interim
solution will be found easy. The
protection of the rights of minori-
ties will then become simple"
No Reply From Linlithgow.
He added that IF the time has not
yet come for acceptance of the
fundamental truth, I would suggest
that further effort to reach solu-
ton be suspended"
The utterance brought no immedi-
ate reply from the British viceroy,
Lord Linlithgow, who had announced
Sunday that he would continue his
efforts to reconcile differences be-
tween Gandhi's dominant All-1ndia
Congress party, the Moslem League
and the Indian princes.
Linlithgow has been seeking to
reform Indian governments which
resigned in six provinces In protests
against Britain's present refusal to
consider demands for dominion
status.
The viceroy disclosed he had Of
fered cabinet posts to members of
the opposing factions, but had met
with refusal.
Provinces Given Autonomy.
The present situation in India
dates back to April l, 1887, when the
all-India federation of II provinces
came into being under act of the
British Parliament Qndia act of
1880.
The act granted the provinces a
measure Of autonomy, permitting
them to elect their own governments
while the federal administration re-
manned in the hands of the British
Viceroy and an executive council.
The power Of the council are chiefly
advisory.
Gandhi's Congress party, Of which
Rajendra Prasad is president. took
control Of eight provinces at the
first election, and has agitated al
most continually since that time for
India's political independence.
The issue was brought to a head
last October II by British white
paper" written by Lord Linlithgow,
which said fatty that discussion Of
complete independence or dominion
status must be delayed for the dura-
ton Of the war in Europe.
Asked Eight Governments to Quit.
Gandhi Immediately asked the
Indian governments in the eight
provinces controlled by his party to
resign. All but two complied.
The situation was complicated
when the Moslem League, second
largest political party in India, in
dorsed the British white paper
while asking clarification on some
points.
The Moslem Leagues stand, as
voiced by it's leader, M. A. Jinnah,
apparently is based on the convic-
ton that the Moslem minority would
not get a fair deal in a national
assembly election-the first step in
giving Indians control of the fed
eral government.
In a long series Of exchanges with
the tall, debonair British Viceroy,
Gandhi has maintained that protec-
tion OF minorities should be left to
an Indian constitutional convention
Leading Fight 20 Years.
The 97-pound spiritual and polit-
ical leader of the Hindus, graduate
of the University of London and
one-time lawyer, has been leading
the fight for Indian home rule for
more than 20 years.
He was sentenced by the British
IN 1919 to serve a six-year term for
his activities, but was released after
two years because of Ill health. Sub
sequently he led his party in a pro-
gram of civil disobedience and pas
sive resistance, winning concession
after concession from Britain.
Several times Gandhi has begun
"fasts unto death" In protest against
British actions, but each time the
fasts were ended by fresh conces-
sions.
Lord Linlithgow, who is 50 and a
veteran Of the World War, took Of
flee as Viceroy on April l. 1896. He
has large personal following in
India for his work as chairman OF
the Royal Commission on Indian
Agriculture from 1926 to 1928.