Show GANDHI BEGINS FAST rAsi OF THREE WEEKS Spiritual Leader Terms Ordeal Appeal for Justice NEW DELHI Feb 10 UP Mohandas K Gandhi spiritual spiritual spir spir- leader of the Indian nationalIst nationalist na na- na- na movement started a three week f fast as t Wednesday which he called an appeal to the highest tribunal for justice but w which h hie I c h the government termed a form of political blackmail The year old man who has abstained from food for eight periods periods pe pe- in a quarter of a century in passive demonstrations against British authority began his fast at M the fabulously appointed palace of the Aga Khan at Poona six Poona six months to the day after his internment internment internment intern intern- ment there Custom Customary ry Light Meal Gandhi started hi his fast at midday midday midday mid mid- day but first he partook of ot his customary light meal of goats goat's milk fruit juice and vegetables A government physician examined him before the meal The first indication that he had started the fast was the arrival of the P Poona ona police chief with i several officers to augment the guard at the palace gate Overlooking Overlooking Overlooking Over Over- looking the palace from a hilltop is the mansion where Gandhi fasted fasted fatted fast fatt- ed in 1933 He ha has led an active life while interned He unfailingly took morning and evening walks walles and made a pilgrimage to the cremation cremation cremation crema crema- tion shrine to drop fresh flowers in tribute to the dead Gandhi's present fast stemmed from his contention that he is not responsible for the violence and bloodshed throughout India last summer and and- tha e. e a. a ia wronged and innocent ent man The of India the Marquess of gow took the view that Gandhi and the nat nationalist congress were solely responsible and encouraged violence There can be no moral justification justification justification cation for tor the fast the viceroy wrote Ga Gandhi Appeal for Justice To that Gandhi replied It Ison is iso ison o on my part meant to be an appeal to the highest tribunal for jus justice ice which I failed to secure from you If I fall fail to survive the ordeal Igo I Igo Igo go to the seat of judgment in the rUll s faith of my innocence Posterity Posterity Pos Pos- Posterity will judge between you as the representative of ot the pow all erful government and me as a humble man who has tried to serve his country and hum humanity a n it y through it Gandhi declined a government offer of conditional freedom for forthe forthe forthe the duration of the fast It was understood that he had demanded unconditional freedom The government declined to accept accept ac ac- ac- ac cep responsibility for any consequences consequences consequences conse conse- as regards his health it was announced Government quarters reported that Gandhi was not embarking on one of ot his famous fasts to death but hoped to survive his self-imposed self ordeal In the interest of nationalist rule and would add the juices of citrus fruit to the water he Intends to permit himself the next three weeks It Is to be a. a fase fast fas according to capacity the government statement statement statement state state- ment said May lay Receive Visitors Gandhi interned at the Aga Khans Chan palace at Poona since last August was responsible for the u h ts He his w vS J Wednesday in inta a message to the the Continue r on Porte ate Fv f f n 1 Column u Six j 41 t c 4 MOHANDAS 1 J K GANDHI Begins Begins Bens Be Be- I gins ns new test of strength with Britain t A I GANDHI STARTS WEEK 3 FAST Continued from Page Pase Ont One viceroy of India India the Marquess of Linlithgow The weakened veteran of eight previous fasts in 25 years had been interned as a a. prime leader in the tho disorders which spread through India after the rejection by nationalists na na- nationalists of an offer of home rule after the war Sir Stafford I Cripps now British minister for aircraft production brought the offer to India in behalf of the British British Brit Brit- ish sh cabinet Immediate concern was felt among nationalists for the health of the frail spectacled almost toothless Gandhi who surrendered himself to police last August when riots broke out and was interned In n the palatial palace of the Aga Khan Chan leader of ot Indian at Poona Immediately after his Internment Internment Intern intern- ment Ghandi issued a call f for r passive resistance against British rule and d promised complete te success success success suc suc- cess within two months There w was S' S an outbreak at New Delhi the capital when on Gandhi's Gandhi's Gandu's Gandus Gand Gand- his hi's birthday October 3 nationalist nation nation- alist mobs tried to observe Gandhi week Ghandi has been weakened seriously seriously seriously seri seri- by his ascetic life his age and his recurrent fasts in the interest interest in- in terest erest of or his life work the freedom of India Indi for government by the nationalists In 1932 Ga Gandhi dh started his famous fatuous fa fa- fast fas unto death in protest against the governments government's grant of separate electorates to the Hindu untouchables the millions millions' of the depressed classes whom Hindus regard reg-ard as outcasts He ended that fast when Hindu caste leaders headers and the untouchables reached an agreement It was feared at the time of his internment last August that that he would start tart a fast because he told his followers Remember the slogan slogan we we get freedom or die Many nationalists died in riots Gandhi has fasted eight times in the last 25 years year the thelast last in 1939 when he threatened to fast unto death as the result of a dispute dispute dispute dis dis- dis- dis with the authorities of state This fast ended after five days when the vic viceroy roy intervened |