GHANDI IN PRISON.

Press, Volume LIX, Issue 17812, 11 July 1923, Page 10

GHANDI IN PRISON.

* VIEWS STILL UNCHANGED. In the course of a lengthy statement in April to the Indian Press Shankarlal Banker, who was a prisoner with Gandhi in Yerovada Gaol, states that they were kindly and courteously treated by the prison authorities, and given the food they asked for. ' The doors of their ceils were left open, and they were allowed an unlimited supply of books from outside. Later they were both allowed) lights and bedsteads and recently Gandhi had been allowed a mosquito curtain. They had all the clothes and bedding they needed, and) were allowed to do handspinning on their wheels as a voluntary-occupation. Gandhi was keeping in good health, and had been hurt at hearing the rumour that he was suffering from melancholia. Banker refers, with regret, to the dark side of prison life, and, says that while animal comforts are looked after, Gandhi is mentally starved. The unnecessary isolation imposed upor him is severely felt by him, and he regards it as an additional punishment. Banker complains that political prisoners are not allowed the use of newspapers or magazines giving political news or opinions. Gandhi does not want any agitation for any special concessions. 'He is fighting for what he considers to be the rights of prisoners. He holds that civil resistors -when they go to, prison are like prisoners of war, an\J they may* and should fight for their rights m a becoming manner. Whatever way : the Government treats them makes no difference to the attitude of civil, resisters, who had to bear their lot fully in prison. Banker refers to the alleged flogging of Mulshi Peta prisoners m gaol, and says that Gandhi feels that no man should be armed with such wide powers as are vested in the superintendent of the' gaol. He says ,he understands that some Mulshi Petal prisoners gave unnecessary trouble. Concluding, Banker observes —"I have no massage frpm Gandhi either Eri/vate or public, but I can say that is views have undergone no change. He swears by non-violence, the charka Hindu-Moslem unity, and tie removal of untouehability. He spins regularly every day for four hours. He reads largely religious books. He has - read the Koran, and is reading the Bible. He devotes one hour, every day to the study of Urdu. He rises early *in the morning, and begins the day with Ashram prayer, and ends it similarly. He is firmly convinced that tile salvation of India is impossible unlessMandspinning becomes universal, for without that industry it is impossible to get rid of the growing pauperism of the millions of this land, and •without getting rid of that, India cannot regain or discover her soul."