Evening star., 1943-02-21
Gondhi's ChoIIenoe

There is an epic touch reminiscent
OF Greek tragedy in the grim contest
which is being waged between Mo-
handas Gandhi and Lord Linlithgow,
the Viceroy of India. Armed only
with spiritual fortitude and the tre-
mendouS prestige exercised over more
than 200000,000 of his fellow Hindus,
the frail little aScetic, now in his sew
enty-fourth year, employs his most
powerful weapon, the hunger strike,
wagering his life on the outcome.
This is the tenth time he has made
the test during the past quarter CEN
tury. On all previous occasions
Gandhi has won at least a partial
victory. But this time it looks as
though he would pay the ultimate
forfeit.
For this there are two reasons.
One is Gandhis advanced age and
ebbing powers of resistance. The
latest reports from the competent
physicians attending him are that,
even though he should break his fast,
now in its twelfth day. he could not
recover. Since the fast-period is for
twenty-one days and there is little
prospect of Gandhi's renouncing his
plan, nothing but seeming miracle
could carry him through to the end
and then revive his fragile health. So
his slender hold on life rapidly
weakens while virtually all Hindu
India waits prayerfully and agoniz-
edly for the supreme crisis that
seems at hand.
The other reason is the basic ma
ture of Gandhi's latest challenge. At
a time when Britain and its empire
are engaged in a life-and- death
struggle with powerful enemies both
in Europe and the Far East, Gandhi
demanded what amounted to the
surrender of effective British author
ity over India, and implemented that
demand by tactics which produced
widespread disorders threatening the
very foundations of British rule when
japanese armies stood at Indias
gates. The failure of the Cripps mis-
sion year ago revealed the irrecon-
cilable attitude of Gandhi and other
Nationalist leaders. Rejecting broad
concessions offered by the British
government, Gandhi and his follow
erS showed they would be content
with nothing less than the transfer
of effective power into the hands of
the predominantly Hindu Congress
party despite the disruptive effects
upon the Indian Army and the like
lihood Of civil war by intransigeant
minorities headed by the warlike
Mohammedans
Faced with this unavoidable crisis,
the British government decided to
take up the challenge. Last August
Gandhi and the other Congress lead
ers were imprisoned, together with
some $4,000 of their followers, Sedi-
tious unrest was sternly dealt with,
and order was measurably restored.
1t has been, of course, a superficial
calm, imposed mainly by force. Yet
India's defenses have been strength
ened and the threat Of japanese
invasion has lessened. Certainly,
Britain's prestige has been height
ened, and in the East prestige is a
vital factor.
Whether Gandhi feels that his
cause has been losing ground and
that drastic action was needed to
resharpen the issue, no one can pre-
dict with certainty. 1t looks that
way. Yet there is no apparent yield
ing on the part Of the Viceroy or of
Prime Minister Churchill, both Of
whom are known to be men Of iron
determination. So this elemental
clash of wills continues. with the
ultimate tragedy growing more and
more probable.
Certainly. the death of Gandhi by
Self-immolation on the altar Of prin-
ciple would be a grave misfortune,
the consequences of which might be
little short Of catastrophe. Yet,
should the Viceroy back down and
grant Gandhi's demand for uncondi-
tional release, British authority
would be compromised and India
again would be thrown into turmoil
over the issue Of immediate inde-
pendence in wartime. This is nc ab-
stract contest between right and
wrong; it is choice Of evils. Britain
has grasped one horn Of tragic
dilemma For better or for worse, it
looks as though Britain will stand on
the decision which has been made.