INDIAN HOME RULERS

New Zealand Times, Volume LI, Issue 12022, 27 December 1924, Page 6

INDIAN HOME RULERS

GANDHI GIVES HIS SUPPORT HONOURABLE, EQUAL TERMS THE MINIMUM ACCEPTABLE. BOYCOTT TO CONTINUE. By Telegrnpn.—Press Assn.—Copyright Reuter’s Telegram. (Received December 25, 5.5 p.m.) DELHI, December 24 Mahatma Gandhi, in his presidential address to the National Congress, outlines a rough scheme for Swaraj (Home Rule), retaining the British connection on perfectly honourable and equal tenms; otherwise, he says he will not hesitate to sever the connection. He defends his pact with the Swarajists, and explains that he advises the partial suspension of tho non-co-operation order, in order to keep congressmen together. “As an individual,” he adds, “I cannot suspend it. As long as the Government remains what it is I must fight, non-violently, to the death against tho unholy attempt to impose British methods and institutions on India.” LANCASHIRE TRADE “IMMORAL” Gandhi dwells on the retention of the boycott of foreign cloth ; and reiterates his faith in hand-spinning and hand-weaving, which, while making the villagers self-sustaining and selfreliant, are fraught with the greatest political consequences j because they remove the greatest immoral tempta tion from the way of Britain. He considers tho Lancashire trade immoral, because it has been raised and sustained on the ruin of millions of India’s peasants, and the removal of the temptations would be good for India, Britain, and humanity.