I
TALKED WITH
GANDHI
By LOUIS FISCHER
A radio interview with J. FRANK BURKE, KFVD, Los Angeles
Director, Citizens in Action, Inc.
Burke: Mr. Fischer. I am very glad that you are with us today, and I have been greatly interested, as I know so many of our listeners have been, in your book "Gandhi and Stalin” and I understand you are engaged in writing a book on Mr. Gandhi, and his life. I can conceive of no one more interesting to the public, and whose life and record at this time coming from your hands could be more timely, than the life of Mr. Gandhi. I've wondered as I've read your books and followed you, what has led you to take an interest originally in Mr. Gandhi.
Fischer: I first went to India in 1942 in order to see what India would contribute to the war. It was during the war. I was worried that our position in the Middle East was very weak and that the Japanese might come to India, and some people in Washington encouraged me to go and to have a look at the situation in India. Well, I went to India and I talked to the British officials. I talked to leading Indians, but I immediately realized that the biggest thing in India was Gandhi, and that if you didn’t know Gandhi, and that if you didn't understand Gandhi, you didnt' understand the political situation, you didn't understand India, and that you didn’t understand the future of India. So I went down for an interview with Gandhi. I thought I’d stay for an hour or two. He was living in a little village in the center of sizzling hot India. It was 110 all day. I thought I’d stay for an hour or
