Mar. 23.
There is a feeling in the camp of the Nationalist leader, Mahatma Gandhi, that the morale of the Government of Indin i down.
This facts. First of all, Gandhi's followers point out that the major of Calcutta, Mr. Sen Gupta, who was conveyed to Rangoon for trial on a charge of sedition, in connection with a speech he made there some weeks ago, received a sentence of only ten days' imprisonment.
Secondly, they refer to the state ment made by Sir George Schuster, the Finance Member of the Government, in the Legislative Assembly; namely, that the Government has decided to refer the whole question of the Salt Tax to the Tariff Board the masses lo salt_at the lowest possible price, if the Salt Tax is abolished.'
Gandhi himself suggested that the morale of the Government, was collapsing when, in a speech at Bava, he expressed regret that the village elders had boycotted him and asked if they were afraid of a Government which feared to arrest him although he was openly out to break the laws speeches.
Gandhi also asked the village elders if they could not see, from tHe sentence imposed upon Mr. Sen Gupta, whether the Government was stronger or weaker than in 1857 or 1919. 2
If the Government could not touch him while he was heading 80 volunteers, Gandhi continued, how could it arrest him if he had 80,000.
In conclusion Gandhi appealed to Hindus and Moslems of both sexes to join him without fear because, he declared, the success of his movement also meant the lessening of the burden the Land Revenue constitute To-lay Gandhi told the leaders from various provinces who are consulting him about their plans for civil disobedience, that if the Government. did not resort to. the on. their campaign Of cit Gis; imprisonment of volunteers, but re: Gethorsea "the. provincial' ¢om- lied upon physical obstruction, the mittees of the All-India Congress Campaign of civil disobedience juitieed of the tin Congress} would be extended indefinitely concentrating as possible on Reuter. breaking the Salt Laws, when Gandhi has, reached his destination, broken the Salt Laws, and given the word for the campaign to com-In the event of the arrest of Gandhi before this occurs, the Committee has informed the provineial committees they will be free start the "civil disobedience" campaign immediately.
The Committe also passed a resolution cancelling the afl
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.