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of Indian freedom. The United States government tried to dissuade Churchill from making the speech in which he declared that the Atlantic Charter did not apply to India. Important men in Washington are working on the idea of a Pacific Charter, but they tell me that they have not got very far because the first principle of such a charter would be the end of imperialism, and how can we announce that while Britain holds India?”

“I am not interested in future promises,” he asserted. “I am not interested in independence after the war. I want independence now. That will help England win the war.”

“Why have you not communicated your plan to the Viceroy?” I asked. “He should be told that you have no objection now to the use of India as a base for Allied military operations.”

“No one has asked me,” Gandhi replied. “I have written about my proposed civil disobedience movement in order to prepare the public for it. If you put me some direct questions in writing about this matter, I will answer them in Harijan [Gandhi’s English-language weekly magazine. “Harijan” means “Untouchable”]. Only make the questions brief.” “If you knew anything about my writing you would know,” I preached, “that I always try to be brief, direct, and squeeze out all the water.”

“Jawaharlal told me about you before you

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