Shirer, William L.

[Mr. Shirer (1904-1993), a journalist and historian, was correspondent of Chicago Tribune in India in 1930 and 1931 and enjoyed the friendship of Gandhiji. He was the author of several books, including Gandhi: A Memoir (1979).¹⁵¹]

Telegram, (On or after May 30) 1931¹⁵² 

[Mr. Shirer sent a telegram on May 30, 1931, enquiring about reports that Gandhiji may not attend the Second Round Table Conference in London on the future political status of India. Gandhiji had reached an agreement with Lord Irwin, the Viceroy, in February and had agreed to participate in the Conference. The Indian National Congress designated him as its sole representative at the Conference, But difficulties arose as the Government failed to implement all the terms of the agreement and Gandhiji's efforts for a Hindu-Muslim ("communal") accord prior to the Conference were not successful.]

WILLIAM SHIRER 
CECIL HOTEL
SIMLA
YOUR WIRE. ALL REPORTS UNAUTHORISED BEING UNINTELLIGENT ANTICIPATION. SO FAR AS I CAN SEE ABSENCE COMMUNAL QUESTION BLOCKS MY WAY PARTICIPATION ROUND TABLE CONFERENCE. DELICATE SITUATION AND IRWIN-GANDHI SETTLEMENT MAKES MY IMMEDIATE LEAVING INDIA DIFFICULT. APART FROM THESE DIFFICULTIES I AM ANXIOUS ATTEND ROUND TABLE CONFERENCE AND TAKE FULL SHARE DELIBERATIONS AND PRESS CONGRESS DEMAND. AM THEREFORE SEEKING WAY OUT OF DIFFICULTY. BUT IF COMMUNAL QUESTION IS NOT SOLVED HERE AND SETTLEMENT DIFFICULTY IS OVER AND IF I AM REQUIRED TO PROCEED TO LONDON TO EXPLAIN CONGRESS POSITION TO RESPONSIBLE STATESMEN AND PUBLIC IN GREAT BRITAIN I HAVE TOLD FRIENDS I SHOULD HOLD MYSELF READINESS PROCEED LONDON. IN SHORT I AM ANXIOUS SECURE PERMANENT PEACE BY NEGOTIATION CONSISTENTLY WITH FUNDAMENTAL POSITION CONGRESS.

Cable, September 23, 1932¹⁵³ 

[On September 20, 1932, Gandhiji began a "fast unto death" in prison, following a decision by the British Government to institute electorates for "untouchables" separate from those for other Hindus, as requested by some leaders of the "untouchable" community. Gandhiji had warned that he would resist such a measure as that would divide the Hindus and make the "bar sinister" permanent. 
Indian leaders held urgent consultations and agreed on measures for the advancement of the "untouchables" and the eradication of untouchability. The British Government then withdrew its decision and Gandhiji ended his fast on 26 September.
Meanwhile, during Gandhiji's fast, Mr. Shirer sent a cable from Vienna that American opinion was "profoundly befuddled" by the fast and could not understand his wilfully throwing away his "undisputed political leadership of Indian nationalism by starving to death". He asked if Gandhiji was not dying for one class of Indians, rather than the entire nation, and for a religious principle that non-Hindus had no right to judge. Gandhiji sent his reply within a few hours.]

WILLIAM SHIRER
CHICAGO TRIBUNE
VIENNA (AUSTRIA)
THANK YOU. NOT SURPRISED AMERICAN BEWILDERMENT. IT HAS BEEN MY MISFORTUNE OR GOOD FORTUNE TO TAKE WORLD BY SURPRISE. NEW EXPERIMENTS OR OLD EXPERIMENTS IN NEW STYLE MUST SOMETIMES ENGENDER MISUNDERSTANDING. LAWS OF DECORUM IMPOSE ON ME RIGOROUS RESTRAINT IN LETTERS TO GOVERNMENT. LAWS OF JAIL ADMINISTRATION PROHIBITED CORRESPONDENCE WITH OUTSIDE WORLD. THESE I OBSERVED IN LETTER AND SPIRIT. PACT NOW IN PROCESS OF FORMATION [AMONG INDIAN LEADERS] WILL PROVIDE FAR BETTER AND LARGER REPRESENTATION THAN BRITISH DECISION. WERE I NOT SURE OF DEPRESSED MASS OPINION BEHIND ME AS DISTINGUISHED FROM THAT OF LEADERS I COULD NOT HAVE TAKEN FAST IN MANNER I HAVE DONE. AND EVEN AMONG DEPRESSED LEADERS SO FAR AS I KNOW VAST MAJORITY BEHIND ME. I WOULD COMPROMISE WITH LATTER TO FURTHERMOST EXTENT CONSISTENT WITH PARAMOUNT INTEREST DEPRESSED CLASSES. YOU MUST NOT BE STARTLED BY MY PRESUMPTION IN CLAIMING TO KNOW DEPRESSED INTERESTS MORE THAN LEADERS. THOUGH I AM TOUCHABLE BY BIRTH PAST FIFTY YEARS I HAVE BECOME UNTOUCHABLE BY CHOICE.
AMERICANS SHOULD KNOW THAT MY POLITICS ARE DERIVED FROM MY RELIGION. IF GOD HAS ORDAINED DEATH BY STARVATION I KNOW THAT IT WILL SET LAST SEAL ON MY POLITICAL LEADERSHIP. NATIONALISM WILL BE THE STRONGER FOR SACRIFICIAL DEATH. VAST MAJORITY OF INDIAN COMMUNITY HAS INSTINCTIVELY REALISED CORRECTNESS AND IMPLICATIONS OF THIS FAST. AM CONVINCED THAT REAL SELF-GOVERNMENT HAS BEEN ADVANCED BY THIS PENANCE AND IF GOD GIVES ME STRENGTH TO SEE THIS FAST THROUGH WITHOUT MIND OR BODY WAVERING ADVANCEMENT WILL BE STILL GREATER. HENCE EVERY DAY WELL PASSED IN EQUILIBRIUM BRINGS SWARAJ NEARER AS IT CAN BY NO OTHER STEPS.
THIS PREPARATION FOR DEATH FOR UNTOUCHABILITY IS VERITABLE PREPARATION FOR DEATH FOR WHOLE OF INDIA. 
FOR ME REMOVAL UNTOUCHABILITY IS INTEGRAL PART OF SWARAJ. I WOULD REJECT SWARAJ THAT EXCLUDED MEANEST SINFULLEST INDIANS FROM ITS HEALTH-GIVING BALM. FOR ME RELIGION IS ONE IN ESSENCE BUT IT HAS MANY BRANCHES AND IF I THE HINDU BRANCH FAIL IN MY DUTY TO THE PARENT TRUNK I AM UNWORTHY FOLLOWER OF THAT ONE INDIVISIBLE RELIGION. ACCORDING TO THIS REASONING MY SACRIFICE PROMOTES DELIVERANCE OF HUMANITY FROM UNTOUCHABILITY IN EVERY SHAPE OR FORM AND THEREFORE IT SERVED ALL RELIGIOUS GROUPS. IF THEN AMERICA WHICH HAS SENT ME THROUGH HER KNOWN AND UNKNOWN SYMPATHISERS SO MUCH SYMPATHY IN MY DISTRESS NOW UNDERSTANDS THE INWARDNESS OF THIS SACRIFICE I EXPECT HER TO MOBILISE WORLD OPINION IN FAVOUR OF THE SACRIFICE. THOUGH APPARENTLY CONCEIVED TO APPLY A CORNER OF THIS WORLD IT IS REALLY INTENDED TO COVER THE WHOLE WORLD.
THOSE WHO HAVE AT ALL FOLLOWED MY HUMBLE CAREER EVEN SUPERFICIALLY CANNOT HAVE FAILED TO OBSERVE THAT NOT SINGLE ACT OF MY LIFE HAS BEEN DONE TO INJURY OF ANY INDIVIDUAL OR NATION. MY NATIONALISM AS MY RELIGION IS NOT EXCLUSIVE BUT INCLUSIVE AND THEY MUST BE SO CONSISTENTLY WITH WELFARE OF ALL LIFE. I CLAIM NO INFALLIBILITY. I AM CONSCIOUS OF HAVING MADE HIMALAYAN BLUNDERS BUT AM NOT CONSCIOUS OF HAVING MADE THEM INTENTIONALLY OR HAVING EVER HARBOURED ENMITY TOWARDS ANY PERSON OR NATION OR ANY LIFE HUMAN OR SUBHUMAN.