Mr. Gandhi's Future If. as there seems every reason to
believe, Mr. Gandhi sur.-ives his fast, which is due to end on Monday, he may find himself in the rather new position, satisfactory to all parties concerned, of an unofficial collaborator with the Government of India. The fast was undertaken to call attention to the failure of sections of the Mahatma's followers to give fair treatment to the untouchables, and there is every prospect that on his recovery he will declare his intention to devote the rest of his days to the task of getting rid of the disabilities from which the untouchable class 'suffers. That is entirely in line with Government policy, and if the situation is wisely handled a welcome transition from non-co-operation to co-opera- tion, so far as Mr. Gandhi personally is concerned, may result. It would be a politic act if the political prisoners under detention were now released, particularly as most of their sentences are due to expire in the next month or two. Unfortunately Mr. Churchill and his friends seem to have intimidated the Government into immobility in such a matter as this, but even so the relaxation of tension in India may be carried further.
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