Canberra Times (ACT : 1926 - 1995), Tuesday 8 April 1930, page 1


GANDHI FAILS

TO AROUSE ENTHUSIASM

In Salt Law Revolt

it.

a ' ; . CALCUTTA, Smytny.,,;,1/;

Gandhi easily leads the field in amassing honours in the civil disobedience campaign, the opening of

which was heralded to-day with an at- tempt to break the Government's salt laws. *

Leading his small "army" of volunteers to the village of' Islands in the Bombay Presidency, he had the satisfaction of producing just over a ton of salt, which was by no means pala-table and comes under the Government relict of' unfit for human consumption.

The authorities have strictly followed the policy of ignoring- Gandhi's efforts and, greatly to his disappointment, he still remains a free man.

The police, however, took swift action in other districts of Bombay where they arrested Katari, one of Gandhi's chief lieutenants and 5,1 volunteers, following the "manufacture" of a small quantity of salt.

Reports from other parts of India prove that the opening of the campaign was reduced to a farce.

Efforts made in Dougal to stir up enthusiasm were I able. Along the banks of a salt lake ten miles from

Calcutta, 331 congress ¡yloluntJeersi weren't watched by 200 unenthusiastic villagers. They produced only eight ounces of'

muddy salt after three hours' work Using primitive methods of boiling the water in pots.

At Our to, in the Midnapore district, ;

the police quietly seized a small quan. . lily, of salt on the ground of publice, v health.

Congress leaders in Calcutta, after being supported for weeks by othernations by the extremist press, were unable to instil enthusiasm for the campaign into the public and the hoist-ing of the national flag at the Congress Headquarters at Calcutta, was witnessed by four people.

Other attempts to demonstrate proved

farcical. »