Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1943-04-27
Gandhi Blamed
For Failure of
Grips in India
Democratic Women
Hear Official Outline
Native Problem
Bv Gretchen Smith.

Failure of Sir Stafford Grips
mission to India in March, 1912, wa
due largely to the adverse inf1uenc,
of Mahandas Gandhi, Sir Samue
E. Runganadhan, adviser to thu
Secretary of State for India II
London, declared yesterday.
Speaking at the weekly forum
luncheon of the Woman's Nationa
Democratic Club, Sir Samuel ex.
planned how the frail little Hind,
leader opposed acceptance OF Brit
aims offer of Indian independence
because he realized 1t would NEAR
midas full cooperation with the
British in the war.
"Co-operation with the British
would have meant money and mer
against Japan" the speaker ex'
planned. "Mr. Gandhi is the world.
greatest pacifist today. His doc
trine OF non-violence is more i'm
portant to him than the ndepend-
ence OF India" -%--- s.
Sir Samuel declared that Sil
sta1ord's offer would have met
with success in normal times but
that 1t came when British prestige
was at it's lowest so far as the wal
with Japan was concerned and that
the Indian political leaders believed
Japan would be victorious.
MANY of the Indian leaders
thought Britain's offer of independ-
ence was a last distress signal put
up for Indian support" Sir Samuel
explained. They said, Why talk
with Britain when tomorrow we may
have to negotiate with JAPAN"
Their demand for immediate in
dependence was encouraged by
Gandhi, the speaker added, because
he thought it would be possible to
negotiate with Japan, remain neu-
trail and gain Indian independence
Explaining that Gandhi's mflu-
ence was mainly spiritual and
existed principally among illiterate
classes in the Hindu villages, Sir
Samuel accused Gandhi Of using
spiritual sabotage" during "this
stage of life and death struggle in
India"
The speaker declared that the IN
dian Congress leaders also had a
wrong perspective of the war which
they believed was a conflict between
imperialistic nations and not a
struggle for the freedom of mankind
Even leaders who favor active
resistance to Japan do not realize
that Indian freedom itself depends
on the United Nations winning this
war" he commented.
Sir Samuel, native of India, who
received much of his education In
England and speaks English fiuently
declared that the greatest problem
of India today was not one to be
decided between Britain and India
but between the different Indian
parties. The disunion which exists
between the various Indian peoples
is due largely to the resentment OF
the minorities, including Moslems
Sikhs. Buddists and others, against
the Hindus. The caste system OF
the latter makes democracy impossi-
BILE, he pointed out.
In spite of the disunity in India
there are many millions of Indians
who are backing the war effort" OF
Great Britain, the speaker added
They realize that winning the
war is the first and most important
thing for India today" he concluded
THE matter of drawing up con-
stitution for a free India can wait
until the war Is won.''
The speaker was introduced by
Mrs. Allan Phelps. Mrs. Curtis
Shears, the president, presided
Guests included Lady Runganadhan
Mrs. John Graham, Mrs. James
Sonby, Mrs Phelps. Mrs Edward