12 NOVEMBER 1921, Page 2

Mr. Gandhi, as the India Office- announces, on Friday, November

4th, definitely challenged the authority of the Indian Government. He caused the Alt.-India Congress Com- mittee to adopt a resolution declaring that as there were only a few weeks left in which to establish " Swaraj," or Home Rule, by the end of the year----as he had promised—the " nation must " demonstrate its capacity for further suffering and discipline." The Committee therefore " authorizes %every Province on-its own responsibility to undertake civil disobedience, including -nonpayment of taxes." Mr. Gandhi, as usual, appended conditions which; if literally observed, would make nonsense of -his, "Civil -resisters," for instance, "must know hand-spinning," must wear only hand span and ,hand= woven garments, and must maintain themselves if they threw up their Government posts. But the conditions will be ignored. The illiterate masses will know only that the " Mahatma " has ordered them not to obey the Government and not to pay taxes. How, then, is Mr. Montagu going to face this deliberate incitement to rebellion'?