The Waterbury Democrat., 1942-11-04

Boston, Mass, Nov. 4-Robert and Marie F'airbank, two Americans in far-off Sholapur, India, have heard clear over there the moanS of folks "in the States over gas rationing of few gallons a week.
 well, now" write Robert and Marie, flor the first four months of this past year we had a ration here that gave us gallons a month. From May on that was cut to 4 gallons a month. We could scrape along, but the gas did not come and so all pumps were forbidden to sell to anyone without coupons signed by the comptroller"
 So the Fairbanks, who are Con- gregational workers under the Am erican Board of Foreign Missions, Boston, did what lots of folks here have done, and will do,-they put up their car flor the duration" :" Travelling much of the time in their work among Indian villages, they bump and rumble about in tongas (two-wheeled carts drawn by pon- ies) and chatakadas (ox-drawr, springless vehicles). MT. Fairbank is the son of Dr. and Mrs. Edward Fairbank of Northfield, Mass.
 Fortunately they have not yet been reduced to riding donkey. On this point Robert Fairbank, who is six feet one, comments:
 T am afraid that if rode on a donkey I would wear out more shoe leather, by dragging my feet on the ground, than by walking!'
 If folks in America think their Christian missionary enterprise, or the Christian Church, in India is dead, they are much mistaken. MT Fairbank sends an encouraging re- port of new life stirring in the villages. His executive committee made up of a majority of Indian Christians, bought a truck chassis and powered it by putting into it Diesal engine. This they have used to move around the villages show ing movies, conducting simple clinics and other classes. Gas short age may curtail but not stop thii work.
 Working closely with Mir. Fair bank is a very fine Indian Christian who held good government posi- ton but who gave it up recently to enter Christian work. With a fint voice and good musical training he specializes in music.
 "He sings the bhajans, or hymns which the Indians love. People vii flock to hear him and listen by tht hour. They don't want to go home But a 15-minute sermon will ofter bore them to tears." writes MT Fairbank, thus establishing strong bond of sympathy between the In dian yillager and many of oui iaymen in American churches.
 Comments on the weather by MT Fairbank were sufficiently ancieni in date to get by the censor. Las year the people in his territor, suffered from drought and subse' quent famines. This year, writes MT Fairbank, they have had the beE rains in 36 years, resulting in goot crops.
 Politically, MT. Fairbank depre' cates Mir. Gandhis and Mir. Nehru'i attitude, feeling that India hal been promised self-government aTS self-determination after the war, promise which cannot and will no be broken" In such critical tim' Mir. Falrbank feels that mass civi disobedience results in "indescrib able confusion, if not chaos ans bitterness, which will take year to efface from mans memory.
 While travelling back to his hom' after 8 meeting in an adjoinlni city. there stepped into Mir. Fair banks train compartment 6 bil husky Sergeant with "U. s." on hi lshirt collar. At his first word Mr