London, Sept. 13.
A threat by Mr. Gandhi to "fast unto death" as a protest against the Government's communal setti ment is made in correspondence released for publication to-day.
The feature of the Government's proposals, which has led Mr. Gandhi to adopt this course, is the special electoral treatment provided for the depressed classes who, although }within the Hindu system, are untouchable. For all other Hindus they cast pollution by touch and defile, food and water.
The Simon Report sai [state is indeed pitiable—living" on the edge of starvation and unaware of any hope of improving their of."
The Government's decision sought to place the depressed classes in a Position to speak for themselves through a certain number of members of their own choosing in the legislatures of seven out of the nine provinces, but in order to preserve vote in general Hindu constituent cies, The decision had not, however, been published on March 11, the date of Mr. Gandhi's first letter to Sir Samuel Hoare, Seoretary of State for India. In it Mr. Gandhi says that his jent_at the Round-Table Conference that he would re-ist with his life the grant of a separate electorate to the depressed Classes was meant to be a serious Statement. "I hold that a separate electorate is harmful for them and for Hinduism, whatever it may' be from a. purely political standpoint. Te appreciate the harm that separate electorates would do to them one has to know how they are distribut-fed amongst so-called caste Hindus and how dependent. they are on the latter. So far as Hinduism is con-learned, a separate electorate would imply vivisect and disrupt it, For me the question of these classes is predominantly moral and religious therefore respectfully inform his Majesty's Government that, in. the event of their deciding to create 2 separate electorate for the depress: ed classes, 1 must fast unto death. So far as I can see now, my dis: charge from imprisonment " would not make the duty of fasting any ess imperative."
Replying on April 12, Sir Samuel Hoare said that he realised fully the strength of Mr. Gandhi's feeling upon the question of separate elec-{torates, and promised that it would be taken into account before the Government decision was. given.
'A further letter from Mr. Gandhi to the Prime Minister, whom he addressed as "Dear Friend," written on August 18, after the Government says: "I have to resist your deci. sion with my life. The only way jean do so is by declaring & perpetual fast unto death from food of any kind save water with or without salt and soda. This fast will cease if, during its progress the British Government, of their own motion -or under pressure of public opinion, revise their decision and withdraw their scheme of com. minal electorates for the depressed classes, whose representatives should be lected by a. general electorate funder common franchise, no matter hhow wide it is. The proposed fast }will come into operation in the ordinary course from noon of September 20 next, unless the said d cision is meanwhile revised. I ask that chis "Teter andthe Teeth 'Sir Samuel Hoare be published. I begs publi: opi to be affected for their early. publication. T 7 my letters. fence, my Teqaert deeision'T have tater Sut fan of religion T have' no' other course fet open to met The Prime Minister, in a reply cabled on September expretges Surptite and sincere regret a Mey Gandhi's letter and proceeds:
"Tcannat help thinking sen have written "it under a misgnderniomte ing as to what the decision of His Majeriy's "Government as" regards the depressed chases' really "ict Plies, "We have always understood That you were inevocsbly opnesed to the permanent segregation the depressed classes from. the Hindu community, We also" knew that "your view was shared Uy great body of Hindu opinion, and Wwe therefore took' into' most Careful account when ie Were eon sidering the question "of "the "representation 1 depressed Whilst in view of. the 8 appeals which we have received from' depressed classes" organisations and" the" generally Admitted social" disebitities under which they labour and which" you have often recognised, we felt our duty to safeguard what we believed to be the right of the depressed classes to a fair proper: tion of representation in' legisla tures, we were equally careful do nothing that Would split off their community from the Hindu. world, You yourself stated in your letter of March 11. that' you "were not against their representation "in legislatures, "Under the Government's scheme the depressed classes will remain a part of the Hindu community and Will vote with the Hindu electorate on an equal footing, but "for" the first 20. years, while' stil remaining eloctorally'a" part of the" Hinds community," they ° will" receive through a limited number of special constituencies the means. guarding their rights and. interests that we are. convinced is necessary under the present conditions. Where these constituencies are. created, members of depressed classes will not' be deprived of their vote teneral Hindu constituencies, but, will have two. votes in order. that their Tmembership™ of. the Hind eciamunity"sheuld "remain unline "We deliberately decided against the creation of what "you describe as a communal electorate for. depressed classes. "As I undorstand your attitude, you propose to adopt. the extreme course of starving yourself to death, not order to, secure that the depressed classes should have joint electorates with other Hindus, because that, already provided for, nor to maine tain the unity of Hinduism, which also provided for, but solely to prevent the depressed classes, who admittedly suffer from terrible disabilities to-day, from being able to. secure a limited number of representatives of their own choosing to speak on their behalf in logislae fares which will have a dominating influence over their future.
'In the light of these very fair and cautious proposals. I am quite unable to understand the reason of the decision you -have taken and can only think you have made it under' a misapprehension of the actual facts. "In response to a very Keneral request. from the Indians, after they had failed to produce a settlement, themselves the Government, much against its will, undertook" to give a decision upon the minorities" question. Only cement of commtinities them= can substitute other elec toral endeavour to weigh the coning.claims on their just merits, As it would seem to me unfair if your present internment were to deprive you of the opportunity of explaining to the public the reasons for your action, T readily accede to your request for publica tion. "Let me, however, once ogam urge you to' consider' the actual details of the Government's decision and to ask yourself seriously whether it really justifies you im taking the action you contemplate."
Mr. Gandhi, replying on September 9, regrets that Me. Ramsay MacDonald put upon his contemplated step an interpretation which had never crossed his mind, and adds: "Without arguing, I' affirm that for me this matter is one of
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.