Evening star., 1942-06-28
Accord With British
Lacking, India Stays
AIoof From War
Both Sides Are Showing
Disposition to Resume
Freedom Negotiations
Bx A. T. STEELE,

By A. T. STEELE,
FOREIGN correspondent OF The Star and
CHICAGO Daily News.
NEW DELHI. June 27.-There Is
still a disposition on both the Brit
ish and Indian sides to resume
negotiations on the issue of Indian
independence, despite the bitterness
ensuing from Sir Stafford Cripp's
recent visit. But the absence of any
sure-fire formula for an agreement
and the reluctance of either camp
to take the initiative. leaves Indian
politics stagnant. disunited and
aloof from the war effort.
Nazi Field Marshal Erwin Rom
mels Tobruk success reminded the
Indians that the Japanese Army,
sitting in India's eastern vestibule,
is not the only aggressor they need
to WORRY about Yet Indian news
papers have confined their COM
ments to demands for improved
generalship and biting criticism of
the phony optimism which preceded
the Tobruk setback. Not for long
did Tobruk distract the Indians
from their main concern-domestic
politics
The British have transfused con-
siderable reinforcements into In
dias defense since Burma's fall and
they want a great deal more. To
provide Egypt with supplies it ur-
gently needs, and at the same time
~ kann thu ctrn nf
materials moving to India, will not
be a simple matter.
Grateful for Successes.
Allied commanders here are crate
ful for the far-aWay American sue
cesses in the battles of the Coral
Sea and Midway Island and for
Chinese resistance to the Japanese
drives in Central and South China.
They figure that all these factors.
combined with the monsoon winds.
explain the recent Jap inactivity
In the Bay of Bengal, where the
japanese Navy for weeks has lin
tied operations to submarine forays
from the Andaman Islands.
With the Indian masses more or
less inert, the defense of India to-
day rests mainly on the British
Army, the Royal Air Force. the
American Air Force, the Indian
Army and some Chinese. An in
tense recruiting program with offers
OF bigger pay and wider opportuni-
ties Is bringing a flow of Indians
into the services.
What Is needed most to make the
Japanese task as difficult as possible
Is united front of Indian political
elements in the war effort and this
will be possible only when the
British and Indians have reached
some kind Of an agreement, tenn
porary or permanent. There is the
perennial problem. Mohandus K.
Gandhi, for instance, has the power
TO transform millions OF Indians
from the role of disinterested OBJ
servers of the war scene to active
participants.
Thousands of Indians, especially
among intellectuals, are supporting
the united front and would accept
some approximation of the Cripps
plan as a stopgap expedient until
tne war Is won. But they are a
small minority with little political
power and they recognize that
Gandhi's All-India Congress party
and M. A. Jinnah's Moslem League
must be won over before the masses
can be modified for the war effort.
Gandhi Still Feeling His Way.
Gandhi, who is saint, lawyer and
politician, all rolled into enc. is
still feeling his way. The demands
he proposes to make on the British
and the movement he intends to
launch If his requests are rejected
have variously been reported but it
is doubtful if they have yet taken
their final form.
The latest version of his con-
templated demands was published
today in the radical pro-united
front organ, Independent India.
which says Gandhi will demand:
l.. Repeal of the Salt Act.
2. compensation for families
forced to evacuate their homes for
reasons of military necessity.
3. Withdrawal of all foreigners.
including British, American and
Chinese.
Such a program would have
enough rice-bowl appeal to be un-
derstood by the simplest peasant.
Gandhi is too shrewd a politician
to make a final decision on an
issue of this Importance until he
has assured himself of maximum
support from factions and per-
sonalities under his wing. Holding
together the Congress, which he
dominates, has always been one of
his major preoccupations.
He is sounding out everybody and
has his ear cooked for repercussions
at home and abroad. Already he
has modified slightly his unequivo-
cal The British must quit India"
attitude OF few weeks ago. How |
ever, he seems in very determined !
mood and has the power to swing
the Congress majority to his view
point. whatever it may be.
1t is expected that Gandhis pro-
gram will be matched in its final /
form at the meeting of the Congress /
Working Committee, beginning July .
Is, at Wardha. Anything can hap |
pen during the incubation period. |
The British and Indians are closer /
in their points of view than the
vocal uproar Of this country would
indicate. The hope Of compromise,
though faint, is not dead.
Meanwhile the people of India
tend their fields and continue to
drive their oxen and disparage their
political opponents precisely as they
did before the war. In fact, the
average Indian is hardly conscious
this war is on.
lCnnyrtrht 1910 " Chicaen Daily NeTsl |