LORD LOTHIAN IN INDIA

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22307, 22 January 1938, Page 13

LORD LOTHIAN IN INDIA

DAILY INTERVIEWS WITH GANDHI LONDON, January 20. The Bombay correspondent of "The Times" says that political circles are showing gr- -t interest in the Marquess of Lothian's conversations with Mahatma Gandhi at Sheogaon, Central Provinces, where he 13 living in mud hut adjoining Candhi's, and is partaking of the same food as members of Gandhi's settlement.

Interviews with Gandhi last only an hour daily owing to his poor health.

Lord Lothian, who was born in 1882, was one of the brilliant young men who assisted Lord Milner in the task of pacification at the close of the South African war. After a distinguished career in South Africa he returned to London, where he became editor of the "Round Table" in 1910 and. in 1916. Secretary to the Prime Minister (Mr Lloyd George). Retiring from political work when the Peace Treaty was concluded, he devoted himself to Christian Science.

He was Parliamentary Under-Secre-tary to the India Office in 1931-32 and chairman of the Indian Franchise Committee in 1932. Keenly interested in India, he travelled 7689 miles in that country as chairman of the committee. Lord Lothian -was the central figure in an incident in Bengal where the committee was met by a crowd shouting, "Go back. Lothian." Mingling-with them, he elicited their views on the franchise problem, whereupon jeers were replaced by cheers. Later, hearing that some of the demonstrators had been arrested, he secured their release.

Lord Lothian earned the gratitude of Moslems by securing the return to India of a holy robe on which is said to be inscribed the whole of the Koran.

Since 1925 he has been secretary of the Rhodes Trust.