GANDHI GOES HOME

Stratford Evening Post, Volume I, Issue 79, 12 March 1931, Page 5

GANDHI GOES HOME

A WONDERFUL RECEPTION IDOLISED BY HIS FOLLOWERS. CALCUTTA, March 11. Travelling in an ordinary third-class carriage like a humble coolie, Gandhi, clad in a khaddar and loincloth, had a wonderful reception at his home town, Ahmedabad, after a yea r of eventful happenings. At almost every station en route, hundreds of idolising followers struggled frantically to gain places on the footboard of the train. American journalists accompanying the train, mistaken for Britons, were jeered at and spat upon. INDIAN SELF-GOVERNMENT GANDHI’S GIGANTIC TASK CALCUTTA, March 11. “Puma Swaraj, or full self-govern-ment, will be achieved if Congress accepts the constitution drawn up at the next Bound Table Conference,” said Gandhi in an interview at Ahmedabad. Gandhi reiterated his pledge not to return to his settlement at Ahmedabad till India had achieved full self-govern-ment. The Calcutta Statesman says: “It is no longer a contest between the Government and Congress, but between the Indians themselves. Here Gandhi faces the biggest struggle of his life. The chief task is tc induce the Indian States to accept any other than the London plan and secondly, to bring Hindu-Moslem opinion into such coordination as will enable any kind of constitution to be framed and accepted by both. Neither Indian nor British Governments can give any help.” INDIAN POLICY CONSERVATIVE VIEWPOINT. STATEMENT OF THE FACTS. LONDON, March 11. Not unnatural confusion and controversy has been caused by the announcement of Mr Baldwin’s attitude towards the proposed re-assembling of the round-table conference in India. Mr Baldwin is being accused of surrendering to Mr Churchill. The facts are that Mr Baldwin’s 'action was dictated by disclosures that the Government was prepared for a great conference in India before the points raised at the conference in London were cleared up. An authoritative statement may be expected in the coarse of the India debate on Thursday. The Conservative spokesman has explained that the party is not opposed iu principle to another conference at a suitable time, but holds that it is futile to arrange another round-table conference in India under the existing conditions without adequate inquiries and the preparation of many questions loft partially considered from the conference in London. These inquiries suould be made quietly and informally beforehand. The Conservatives, there fore, think that Government procedure is wrong.