845.00/1414: Telegram
The Officer in Charge at New Delhi (Merrell) to the Secretary of State
[Received August 8—4:29 p.m.]
580. The Viceroy’s Executive Council is now in session and it is reliably reported that a communiqué will be issued tonight giving Government’s reaction to Congress resolutions. It is also reported that arrest of Congress leaders may begin tonight or tomorrow morning without waiting for Gandhi’s letter to Viceroy which former stated yesterday he would send “not as an ultimatum but as an earnest plea to avoid conflict”. Gandhi also said that if he received a favorable response, then his letter could be the basis for negotiations. It is difficult to believe that the Government of India will make precipitate arrests without waiting for Gandhi’s usual letter when men like Sapru,29 Rajagopalachari and others are still bending every effort to avoid a struggle. It is believed that such headlong action would further deeply antagonize people of this country and possibly discredit Government even among moderates.
The only explanation is that the Government feels that plans (instructions to district committees) for launching the movement which have reportedly been confiscated will be put into effect before there has been time to consider Gandhi’s letter.
- Sir Tej Bahadur Sapru, President of the Non-Party Conference.↩