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August

6-8-1918

Letter re. the Ali brothers from their lawyer Mr. Ghate, requesting Bapu to pay a short visit to Mataji (their mother).

Bapu's Reply :

• "Dear Mr. Ghate,

Please assure Mataji as also our friends that I am leaving no stone unturned to secure a quick but perfectly honourable release. I know everything about Mr.Mohammad Ali's illness. And I wish I could hasten the discharge even on that ground. But I hate to go on making appeals to the Government till we lose their respect for us. I take it that in due course they (Mr. Mohammad Ali and friends) will get copies of my correspondence with Sir William Vincent through Mr. Shueb. Sir William talks of a tribunal of inquiry. I do not want to boycott it. Before throwing in a very big agitation, I want to give the Government every opportunity of a proper and decent retreat. I hope the Brothers will, if called upon, appear before the Committee. Should however, an agitation become necessary I shall certainly interview the Mataji before embarking upon it. I suppose that is what she desires. Yours sincerely, M. K. Gandhi"

A resolution was passed at a meeting held in Dhulia that a split in the Congress is suicidal. Dr. Dev's brother wrote a letter in support of the resolution while forwarding it.

Bapu's answer:

• "Dear Mr. Dev,

I have your resolution about the threatened split. I do think we are overvaluing a mechanical and unnatural unity. If there are two separate parties representing two different policies, why should they not have their separate and distinct platforms ? Each may press its own policy for the country's acceptance. The people can only gain thereby. If one party goes stronger than another, the advent of Swaraj will not be retarded. If either is feeble or half-hearted, we should suffer and we shall deserve it too. The remedy lies in both becoming strong and firm. At the present moment there is so much hypocrisy among us. This corrupts the people. No one will be deceived by a patched-up peace between the different sections. Yours sincerely, M. K. Gandhi"

"Chi. Santok,

How is it that Rukhi falls ill off and on ? I know she was born weak, but the fact only means that greater care should be taken after her. Bringing up children is a great art. The parents have to practise austere vows and great self-denial. But even at the cost of all that trouble, I wish you made your children hale and hearty. I have already written to you that if you think the absence of turmeric is at the root of Rukhi's trouble, you may certainly introduce it in your diet or at least in the one prepared specially for her. If you can build her body thereby, we can give turmeric to others also. I wish you to make your children strong and healthy, even if you have to use some other condiments besides turmeric. Personally I think that Rukhi falls ill because she overfills her stomach or takes substances that do not agree with her. When she is convalescent, it will, I think, accelerate her recovery to full health, if she is given principally milk, rice and vegetables. For some time at least I fear she will not be able to digest wheat-bread. This is, of course, my own view. But your experience of her is certainly more reliable and has to be followed. All I wish is that somehow you must make her grow into a girl with an iron constitution.

Blessings, Bapu"

"Chi. Ramnandan,

I have your letter. I can give you the railway fare for going to home only by debiting it to your account. I will send you the return fare, if I can get it from the recruiting officers when you are called. I cannot ask you to come back before the government calls you. You were present yourself at the talk on Shyamji's case. Though I can understand your desire, I feel that saddling the Ashram with the burden of your travelling expenses is bad in principle. I feel that no one who wants to continue the attitude and dealings of a worldly man should be admitted into the Ashram. But neither do I like to say 'no' to you nor to pay your travelling expenses. That is how I am on the horns of a dilemma. You alone can help me out of it. If you desire to go under conditions stated above, you may show this letter to Fulchandbhai who will give you your fare for going home."

"Bhaishri Pranjivan,

I began reading your article on vaccination today. I have almost finished it though some part has yet to be read. The article is rather too long. Unnecessary references have often been given. With all that the article shows deep study and labour and is valuable. You have given an excellent idea of the numerous sacrifices of children's lives made at the altar of a superstitious insistence on getting them vaccinated. But you could have given a still more impressive view of the horror. One Goddess of small-pox has been laid aside, but another and a more terrible one has raised her head. Your article must be printed as a pamphlet and sent to every municipality. If, in order to make it more useful to the public, you can cut off parts of it and shorten the article, or if you can write another smaller one giving your views in brief and if you give me permission to print it, I wish to propagate your view. If you can write an original but short article in Gujarati also, we will print it for circulation. I will complete the reading of your article either today or tomorrow, but I saw the need of sending the above suggestion immediately and hence this letter.

Please send me just now a few copies of this article. I want to send them to several doctors to get their opinions. Vande Mataram, Mohandas"

• "My dear Charlie,

I shall be good this time and not accuse you of crimes against the laws of God and man regarding health. But there is no doubt that you need a curator euphemistically called a nurse. And how I should like to occupy that post ! If you cannot have a nurse like me who would make love to you but at the same time enforce strict obedience to doctors' orders. You need a wife who would see that you had your food properly served, that you never went out without an abdominal bandage and who would not allow you to over-worry yourself about bad news of the sickness of relatives. But marriage is probably too late. And not being able to nurse you myself I can only fret. I can do better if I pray and that is precisely what I am going to do. He must keep you well and free from harm, so that you may glorify Him in your strength, if such be His will.

I am quietly setting down to my task as if it was the most natural for me. The side issues do puzzle me but I shall soon cease to think about them. They are not before me for immediate solution. My life has never been fashioned thus. I have always declined to work out to my satisfaction all the possible deductions. I have taken up things as they have come to me and always in trembling and fear. I did not work out the possibilities in Champaran, Kheda or Ahmedabad, nor yet when I made an unconditional offer of service in 1914. I fancy that I follow His will and no other and He will lead me 'amid the encircling gloom.' It delights my heart to know that the Poet is himself teaching the boys. For me it is worth far more than his visit to America and I equally enjoy the idea of your sharing that burden of his. May God bless you both and keep you well. Do please convey my respects to Borodada.1

With love, Yours, Mohan"

7-8-'18

Bapu's letter these days are a clear evidence of his eagerness for the well-being of one and all. Here is a fresh testimony :

• "My dear Hanumantrao,

I am sorry about your health. I know that the greatest desideratum is exercise. And when there is little exercise, the food ought to be low, free from much nitrogen and fat. Wheat, fruit, rice and vegetables?these ensure good health. They may fail to give vigour. The later when wanted can be acquired by adding pulses including groundnuts. Can you not go to Bangalore or the Nilgiris ? If you can but get invigorating climate you will soon pick up. Baths and mental rest will do something for you, but will not give you the original frame. You ought yet to grow.

Devdas tells me you have been very good to him. I know he will miss you when you go away. Take a Hindi book with you in preference to any other literature. Do write to me after you get the change wherever it is.

Yours sincerely, M. K. Gandhi"

_______________________ 1. Elder brother in Bengali. Here Rabindranath Tagore's elder brother Dwijendranath, who was himself a great philosopher.

Shankarlal's telegram to Anasuyabehn. Petit has been made the Chairman of the Congress. Gandhiji must be persuaded to attend.

Bapu's letter to Shankarlal :

"I have read your wire to respected Behn (Anasuyabehn). I wish you did not worry over me so much. It is your love that impels you to urge my attendance. The sole reason for my attendance or absence will be good of the country. If I keep away it will never be in a huff or out of anger. Are you prepared to press for my attendance even though I feel certain that the country will be better served by my absence ?"

9-8-'18

Bapu began to go through Manilal Nabhubhai's works. He has already finished 'Kanta'. "The play is good," he remarked, "it shows powers of imagination, but there is an atmosphere of English literature about it and one hears echoes of one English piece or another. Tarla, for instance, resembles a character in an English play. One is reminded of Richard III or Macbeth?the former specially."

For 3 hours he continued his stroll on the evening of the 8th. Durga (Mrs. Mahadevbhai) joined him in the walk and he indulged in light talk with her : "You can keep pace with me, an old man now. But when I was in Africa and England I used to walk much faster but English girls beat me even then !" Then after some further walk he asked, "What do you think of the attitude of?" Our discussion in answer to this question, continued for 3 quarters of an hour. Then in one word he summed it up and called the attitude one of 'surrender'. The talk then drifted to Coates (a friend in South Africa); from it he recalled the incident of his being kicked by a policeman in front of the President Kruger's house. That led him to speak about Kruger himself. Bapu had a very high opinion for him. I compared Bismark's photo with that of Kruger. Immediately Bapu spoke out: "Can there by any comparison between the two ? Bismark was vanity and cruelty incarnate and cherished the ambition of conquering the world ! Kruger on the other hand was content to hold his own against a mighty power, but for that achievement he left no stone unturned. Nobody can approach him in fearlessness and tenacity of purpose. You can see strength of will depicted on the face in his photograph, but the lines of gentle nature are equally distinct." Then came the comparison with Gladstone's photograph. "His features do not indicate the iron resolution of Kruger. And how simple Kruger was ! His house was an apology for one. The railings of the balcony on the first floor cried out for repairs and the building itself was weaker even than the Anathashram we have put up in. And there was nothing much to say of the street on which it stood, except that it was not a dusty pathway. He spent his whole life in extraordinary heroism. And what a terror Bismark inspired ! But to Kruger the most insignificant man had an access for a free talk. Only the last action of his life I have not been able to understand. I mean his departure to England to ask for aid."

The talk turned : "I have often wished to tell you one thing, but I haven't. When you refer to me in any of your letters you must not use the word 'Mahatma'. There is no insult to me in avoiding the word. Even to Brijkishore Babu you must not write of me as 'Mahatmaji,' no matter if any other use, say 'Gandhiji,' look incivil and odd 'Mahatma' smacks of overmodesty on the part of a 24 hour's colleague. Moreover, the word will certainly jar upon outsiders' ears."

Dayaljibhai came on a visit. In the morning Bapu had a twelve miles' walk. He wrote to the Viceroy for the removal of restrictions which the Arms Act impose :

This extract gives the essence of what he wrote :

• "I must not conceal from His Excellency the thoughts that well

up within me. I meet these helpless men and women who were not always so utterly devoid of the martial spirit. I think that this condition must cause much searching of hearts among high-souled Englishmen." A letter of strong condemnation from Fulchandbhai (the Satyagrahashram accountant). The incurring exorbitant expenses of the Ashram are roundly denounced. The weaving department, the school etc. have devoured large amounts with practically no results. The inmates are not resolute in following up the ideals of the Ashram, the teachers are not mature and well-balanced in judgment and are not sufficiently strong in character. The Ashram activities deserve a ruthless contraction.

Bapu's reply :

"It is good you have written. I wanted your criticism. Rather, you should have spoken out earlier. Your criticism is largely true. But if there had been no Ashram full of faults as it is, no national work would have been done. The Ashram offers an attraction to good men to join it. The mistakes which the Ashram has so far committed prove that even good men have many faults. Had there been no Maganlal, there would have been no Ashram. His defects are only an evidence of my own. I too am still a novice, a learner, and I have often said so in perfect honesty and awareness. The activities of the Ashram are at once my hobby and a field of my experiments (of truth). Scrapping and re-forming are essential features of all experiments but only that way can we trace the source of all existence and it is only the speaker who can find. If persons like you do to the Ashram what oxygen does to the human body, the effect of the existence of carbonic acid gas in the Ashram body will be nullified. That gas is certain to be formed but it will be purified by the oxygen supplied by such as you.

As with the individual self (pinda) so with the universe (brahmanda). This is the Law. If you speak out to Maganlal and the teachers as frankly as you have done to me, things will be straightened out. I only wish you did not get fed up with the Ashram. If your criticism steels your heart and impels you to gird up your loins to free the Ashram from all impurities, it will prove to be a blessing, since it will be constructive and fruitful. It should not dishearten you in any way.

We are not going to make any library now. The construction of the school-building is still a far cry. I wish to be content at present with only the hostel building. In the weaving shed itself, we will build room to accommodate ourselves. I see the impossibility of doing away with the expenses after the teachers. But we will not have new teachers now except one or two whose addition seems to me necessary. Weaving and agriculture were introduced because the construction work was still going on. I am not at all sorry that we bought a very large piece of ground, but what pains me is our work in the weaving section. Its accounts must be like Caeser's wife above suspicion and so must its supervision be perfect. But that is exactly why Maganlal has been sent out.

Introduction of the Weaving of dhotis and saries is absolutely essential because they are prime necessities and among the buyers there are poor persons also. Besides, you can never make others totally ignore their sense of art and beauty. We are not going to neglect Khadi in any way. Our ambition is rather to recruit every weaver for our work. In this attempt some money may have even to be wasted.

This is only a cursory letter. I only wanted to show you the other side of the shield, besides the one you see. Both of us are right. Even a single man of high character can tilt the balance in favour of the Ashram's merits. I wish you cultivated that strength of character and used it for the Ashram's improvement.

We are certainly going to correct whatever is wrong about us and close that activity altogether which has deteriorated beyond repair. So was it done in South Africa and so in Champaran. We will not hesitate to do the same thing here, if we find it necessary. I have written away so much and yet so much remains to talk over ! Vande Mataram, Mohandas"

To Deodhar :

• "Miss Winterbottom is an old lady of high culture. She takes a

prominent part in many ethical movements. But, of course, Polak will be your guide, friend and philosopher. He will take you to all the Englishmen I know politically. Lest he forgets, remind him to take you to the Polytechnic, Barnardo's Home and allied institutions. Some of these at close quarters you may not quite like. You will, of course, approach them all with a critical eye. All is not gold that glitters. I wish you safe voyage, pleasant sojourn and a safe return.

I hope Mrs. Deodhar is better. Yours sincerely, M. K. Gandhi"

A long detailed letter to a man who had asked Bapu's advice on dietary :

"You will find answers to many of your questions, for instance, what fruits to take, if you read my book again. Experiments on the use of oil etc. are difficult to undertake. My experience tells me that not more than half an oz. of any oil should be taken. Olive oil is not available in these parts. Sesame oil (til oil) can be used in its stead, but while olive oil is entirely harmless, the former is not quite so. Dates and groundnuts are certainly difficult to digest but taken together with other dishes in a mean they can do us good. Almonds must be taken very sparsely. Many milk-products are not good for digestion. Groundnuts taken with guava etc. are fairly substantial but there is no good substitute for almonds. It is true that wheat is in a way a fruit, but in my book I have used the word 'fruit' in a limited sense and have taken care to give a definition of what I mean by 'fruit'. I may have written in it something about fruits being superior to vegetables, but I see that in India vegetables have to be taken. Pulses are hard to digest. Greater experience here shows me that for India the best diet is wheat and vegetables, but those who have to undergo strenuous physical labour may take pulses also. My opposition to the use of milk as spiritually harmful stands good, but in view of its merits as a tonic and of Indian conditions I think it impossible for us to give it up. For many years past I have myself ceased to take milk. In fact, I have taken a vow not to use it till death. But I cannot advise others to give up milk so long as I cannot find out an equally healthy and nourishing substitute. I had hoped that sesame seeds (til) and groundnuts taken together would prove to be as good as milk?and in some respects they have?but, I find, they are defective in some essentials.

This is my advice to you. If you are keeping good health, you may take wheat, milk, rice etc. for your usual dietary and during the fasts of the eleventh1 you may sustain yourself only on easily available fruits. You should also fast whenever your system gets out of order. As a daily physical exercise, you must go out for at least a 10 miles' walk in the early morning.

But one question has been left out still. It is much better to simply chew the seeds, like sesame seeds etc., than use the oils extracted from them. There is a likelihood of harm to the system if you take substances that contain more than one oz. of grease in all. Instead of giving up salt altogether I should advise you to drop it from your meals for two or three months in a year. I have begun to use salt for the last three days and am watching its effects. If you write to me, say after a month or two, I will let you know my experience. Yours, Mohandas"

After finishing the letter Bapu remarked, "It seems I must publish a supplement to my book "Guide to Health". I do not wish that everyone should read my book. I see that many readers misuse it "Thoreau excels Emerson. I see milk-and-water expressions in Emerson, whereas every sentence of Thoreau is an electric charge. His "Duty of Civil Disobedience" deserves to be read religiously every day. Our interest does not slacken even after a thousand readings." ______________________ 1. Hindu custom enjoins a fast on the eleventh day of both the bright half and the dark half of every lunar month.

10-8-'18

Telegram from Surendranath Banerji1 :

• "Present political situation and attendance or absentation

Special Session of Congress require special consideration and urgent decision. Invite your presence in Calcutta on 16th August at private conference of leaders different provinces."

Bapu sent a wire and the following letter in reply :

• "Dear Mr. Banerji,

I have your telegram redirected from Ahmedabad to where I am at present engaged in recruiting. A visit to Calcutta means at least a week simply in going and coming back. If I am to do my work at all satisfactorily, it is impossible for me to absent myself for such a long time, and at the present moment I dare not do so, for I have just heard from the Government that they have acceded to my proposal to open a training depot in Gujarat and to form a Gujarat Company. You will agree that I cannot leave this work.

But even if I could have come, I do not know that I would have rendered much assistance. I hold strong, and probably, peculiar views not shared by many of the leaders. I implicitly believe that if we were to devote our attention exclusively to recruiting, we should gain full responsible government in a year's time, if not sooner. And instead of allowing our utterly ignorant countrymen to enlist nolens volens, we should get an army of Home Rulers who would be willing soldiers, with the knowledge that they would be soldiering for the sake of the country, I do at the same time believe that we should declare our opinion about the Montague Chelmsford Scheme in unequivocal terms, we should fix the minimum of our demands and seek to enforce them at all costs. I consider the Scheme to be good in its conception. It requires much modification. We should have no difficulty in arriving at a unanimous conclusion. I should like a party in the country that would be simply pledged to these two propositions, helping the government on the

___________________ 1. A great Bengali leader and orator.

one hand in the prosecution of the war, and enforcing the national demand on the other.

I do not believe that at a critical moment like this we should be satisfied with a patched-up truce between the so-called Extremist and the so-called Moderates each giving up a little in favour of the other. I should like a clear enunciation of the policy of each group or party and naturally those who by the intrinsic merit of their case and ceaseless agitation make themselves a power in the land will carry the day before the House of Commons. Yours sincerely, M. K. Gandhi"

After this letter was finished I asked him if this same view of the situation has been submitted by him before all leaders (Moderates as well as Extremists) and in the same words. He replied, "Certainly. I have gone so far as to say to the Extremists, even if you can do only as much as I suggest, you need not mind if the Moderates abstain from attending the Congress."

11-8-'18

Note from Prof. Jevons entitled "India's Part in the War." He proposes increment in taxes in general and salt tax in particular. He also suggests that there should be unity in India to help it prosecute the war vigourously.

Bapu's reply :

• "Dear Prof. Jevons,

I have gone through your note. I like it in the main. We should supply as many men as may be needed and this, not through the official agency, but by Home Rule organisations. If we do this we have Home Rule. I do not agree with your financial side. The comparison between England and India is hopelessly misleading. England can afford. India is poverty-stricken. A few have enriched themselves during the war. But the masses ? I have come in the closest touch with them in Kaira and Champaran. They have nothing. In Kaira the exorbitant demands of Government have impoverished a people who were once rich and powerful. In Champaran the planters have sucked the life-blood out of the people. You talk of a ries in the salt tax and send a shudder through my body. If you knew what is happening to the people owing to the tax you would say, 'Whatever else is done the tax must go today.' It is not the heaviness of it which oppresses, but the monopoly has artificially raised the price of salt and today the poor find it most difficult to procure salt at a reasonable price. To them salt is as necessary as water and air.

As for the publication of the note, I think it need not be. The Reformers have no faith in the Government and they feel that even now there is no honesty in their dealings with the people. It is a curious phenomenon. We do not trust you and yet we want you. It shows a consciousness of the wrongs done to the people but their utter incapacity to remedy them. Enslavement of the nation is thorough. The Englishmen have not deliberately meant it, but they could not have done more if they had. I only cling to England because I believe her to be sound at heart and because I believe that India can deliver her mission to the world better through England. If I had not this faith, I so thoroughly detest her act of disarming India, her haughty and exclusive military policy and her sacrifice of India's riches and art, that I should declare myself a rebel.

I did not want to give you a long letter, but my pen would not be checked.

Yours sincerely, M. K. Gandhi"

12-8-'18

Mr. Horniman (Editor, 'The Bombay Chronicle') requested Bapu to be the Chairman of the Reception Committee of "The Humanitarian Conference," and added, *"I write this to ask you NOT to refuse on any account."

Reply :

• "I have your peremptory letter. Though it was written on the

8th it was received yesterday. I suppose we have to put up with these vagaries of the Postal Department during this time of stress. Really I am recruiting?mad. I do nothing else, think of nothing else, talk of nothing else, and, therefore, feel ill-fitted to discharge any Presidential function save upon recruiting. Will you not, therefore, excuse me ? Yours sincerely, M. K. Gandhi"

Invitation from Behn Rasikmani, Secretary of the Hindu Stree Mandal (Hindu Women's Association), to Ba to preside over its Annual Celebration as well as their Dadabhai Jayanti (Birthday Celebration of Dadabhai Naoroji). Bapu's reply which was similar in spirit to what he gave formerly to Mrs. Dorothy Arundale on a similar request

"I could read your letter to my wife only yesterday. There has, therefore, been some delay in the reply, which you will please forgive. Though each of us, is independent and enjoys equal rights, we have divided our functions for the sake of convenience. My wife, besides, was totally illiterate at the time we married. After a good deal of effort I taught her something but, owing to many reasons, not at all to my satisfaction. I am sorry, therefore, that your invitation cannot be accepted. My wife cannot prepare a lecture herself; nor, do I think, can she read well enough for the Presidential Chair a lecture written out for her. She has no knowledge of your activities besides and cannot tell me what she would like to put in her lecture. We, both of us, therefore, beg to be excused by you all.

Vande Mataram, Mohandas"

"Bhaishri Fulchandbhai,

We had a very important talk yesterday and if even a single person assiduously sees that my instructions are carried out, the Ashram can immediately attain the position which you so very rightly wish for it. The only individual who can do so is no one but yourself at present. You will, therefore, hold the necessary meetings and solve the questions that have arisen.

Upto 5-45 yesterday I was a wise man and gained something in health. With fear and trembling, however, I gave up the fast at that time and invited deep physical suffering on myself. I did not observe a proper restraint even in choosing the quality of food with which to taper off my fast and took 'ghens' (rice porridge). Had I sipped only a watery extract of some boiled vegetable, I would have been saved from terrible consequence of my indiscretion. The result is that today I have not the strength even to stand up-much less to walk about. I have almost to drag myself to the latrine, where in passing the stools I have such excruciating pain that I would fain scream out. But despite all this agony I am happy. I see the full picture of the condign punishment immediately meted out to me. And I am certain that my pain will subside at 5-45 today. A twenty four hours' punishment is definitely not too heavy for the blunder I committed in the manner of breaking the fast. And it is because I have fasted today that I expect to escape with that light punishment. You need not be anxious at all. I believe I shall be free from this trouble tomorrow and if I keep a careful watch on my diet henceforth, I am going to recover completely within 3 to 4 days.

Vande Mataram, Mohandas"

17-8-'18

Terrible illness from Monday to Saturday. Acute dysentery. Only on Saturday he seemed to feel some relief. After 'The Times of India' report, "He can still do recruiting work" was read to him, he began to dictate letters : A long telegram to the Viceroy, a letter to the Private Secretary to the Governor of Bombay, a letter to Collector and some others.

"Chi. Devdas,

I feel better today than ever before during the period of this illness. But I cannot leave my bed for some days more. It has been an agonising experience, all undoubtedly richly deserved. The punishment has already been exactly in accordance with the crime. You need not be anxious about me. There is nothing lacking in the attendance bestowed on me. Ten are eager to serve when one is required and everyone is pouring out all his heart's love on me. Your presence, therefore, is not a desideratum though, naturally, I cannot fail to remember you. Your service to me lies in your complete absorption in the work you are doing there. And that is the severe rule we have to abide by. We have consciously and deliberately to follow the difficult principle that even illness is no excuse for leaving the post of duty. In all this long period of torture I cannot recollect a single moment when I had lost the peace and composure of my heart. Ba has already come up here. Let us hope that I shall be more healthy than ever before and will henceforth practise our vow of control over the palate still more stringently.

Blessings, Bapu"

Jamnadas did not declare at the general meeting the conditions on which Petit had agreed to preside and simply announced that the latter had consented. He defended his conduct afterwards when the fact came to light. Bapu's letter to him on the incident. Bapu had even remarked, 'It casts a slur on us.'

"Bhaishri Jamnadas,

Notwithstanding my keen desire to write to you earlier I have not been able to do so and today also I have but to dictate my letter, since I am still a bed-ridden patient. I have, however, recovered enough to be able to dictate and there is no cause for anxiety. I felt shocked when I heard of your incident. Purity of motive does not transform a lie into a truth. As an honest gentleman looks straight, but a thief's eyes are always roving1, so truth has only one straight and narrow path to follow, whereas untruth meanders through various dubious and devious ways. It is a tangled web which an untruthful man weaves when he begins to deceive others and not only does he destroy himself ultimately,

_______________________ 1. Reference in the original to the Gujarati proverb, which says a gentleman has only two eyes, but a thief has four.

but, if he is a trustee, dooms to destruction his ward also, whom he has been appointed to protect. You will be able to see this maxim proved true up to the hilt from your own as well as a thousand others' experiences. Adherence to truth has never harmed and is never going to harm anybody. Are you going to deviate from that royal road? Why did you in this instance ?

Vande Mataram, Mohandas"

A letter from Anandshankar to me showing his anxiety over Bapu's health. He asks why Bapu refuses to administration of any medicine. Bapu himself sent the following reply :

"Bhaishri Anandshankarbhai,

Your worry over my health indicates your love for me. This is the exact picture of my health : On Monday and even Tuesday I suffered like hell or if there is any stronger word for it like that. For those two days I was practically lost to all other consciousness except that of excruciating pain and there was an unintermittent urge to give out screams but with a strong effort of will I was able to suppress the urge and keep silent. On Wednesday I was at comparative ease and since then there has been a steady improvement. But total physical prostration persists and walking even a few steps is out of question. It is certain I shall have to be confined to bed for some days more. But I see that my recovery is now certain and hence your question about my refusal to take any medicine becomes redundant. If however, you really want to know my views on medicine, I shall be glad to explain them some other day. Any doctor will agree that it was impossible to cure in such a short time, an ailment so severe as mine by any allopathic remedy. I have given you these details so that you may not feel worried about me.

I have gone through your award. The mill-workers who were waiting for it like mad will heave a sigh of relief. I too was looking forward to it. Though in fact they have already begun to get 35% increase in their wages, I believed that your judgment would give them a solid support.

I must write to you about the cause of my illness. In my sick-bed I have often meditated over this line occurring in a hymn which we often sing in our prayers at the Ashram.

"Weird are the ways of Karma (fate), O Uddhava !"1

It is indeed true that we humans can sing only in that strain because our ignorance in some most essential matters is abysmal. But in fact the ways of Karma are not mysterious. They follow an easily understandable and straight path: as you sow, so you reap. We get exactly what we deserve in consequence of our acts. At every step I see my own fault all through the period of this illness. It would be sheer dishonesty if I did not confess that Nature had been kind enough to give me many warnings. But I almost totally ignored them and committed one blunder after another. The punishment for the first offence was light, for the second heavier. A perfectly equitable increase in the severity of the punishment then went on with my obstinate persistence in error. I can see distinctly that there is none so merciful as Nature. And Nature is God. God is Love. And who has not suffered from the lash of love? This illness has been a very chastening experience.

Yours, Mohandas"

A letter on Kaira written in June by Gokuldasbhai2 was received so late as today in August. Here are the principal sentences in it quoted verbatim :

• "I must admit that I considerably underrated the power of

combination of the Kaira agriculturists under the leadership of a gentleman of your high magnetic influence. The result valued in money may not be very big, but to my knowledge there was hardly any district in which the icon of authority was venerated and respected as much as in Kaira, and you have done the

________________________ 1. The line is from a song by Surdas where a Gopi (a cowherd woman devotee) addresses Uddhava a friend of Shree Krishna. 2. Gokuldas Kahandas Parekh was then a member of the Legislative Council of Bombay to represent the Kaira District.

greatest service to the country by smashing the icon within its own temple and exposing all its internal deformities. One can do nothing better than let the people perceive where is the real source of authority. I believe that the Government and the people will not easily forget the lessons you have taught."

(Compare with these sentiments his own speech at the Council to bid farewell to Lord Willingdon. What a travesty of truth in his statement on Kaira there ! O, the volte face ! -M.D.)

Bapu's reply :

"Sujna Bhaishri,

Your letter written in June was received here only two days back, as my address given there was 'War Conference, New Delhi'. You will now understand why you did not get from me even an acknowledgement of your letter. But its late delivery does not diminish in the least its great value to me. I always crave for your sympathy and support and I consider it a piece of good fortune that I have got them through the letter. It is my personal experience that the people of Kaira are capable of great achievements. I have learnt much and am learning much from my public contact with the men and women of the district. I trust you are keeping well. Vande Mataram, Mohandas"

Mansukhlal Ravjibhai's letter on the present situation.

Reply :

"Bhaishri Mansukhlal,

I got your letter today. I am at present down with severe illness and confined to bed. Probably I will be all right in a few days. I do not fail to apply my own remedies and the mind is perfectly at peace. The knowledge that the illness is the just punishment of my own foolishness softens the intensity of the pain.

I think that the present state of our educated young men is pitiable. I have now attained a position to enable me to direct their energies in the right channel, but I feel that this is not exactly the right time to do so. They are mistaking through their infatuation, the darkness of their little knowledge as the light of wisdom and I am convinced that even God Brahma (one of the Trinity in Hinduism) cannot win them over to the light of the true path through the policies of Tilak and Mrs. Besant. Not only do both of these individuals give up moral principles in politics at times, but even consider the shelving as at once desirable and right. They have openly and deliberately accepted the motto Íã?â ¹ãÆãä¦ã Íãã?á¾ã½ãá (policy of villainy to defeat the villain). It does not appear to me that, saturated as the educated young men are, with faith in this policy of the two leaders, I can lead them to the right path. They may, and they will, learn something indirectly through my actions, speeches and writings. But if I go out to preach to them the principle I have imbibed they will simply refuse to accept it, and this refusal is but natural and right for them. Though the policy of Tilak Maharaj and Mrs. Besant is really very mistaken, there is no doubt that the work they have done for India is Himalayan. Their services are immeasurable. It is from them that the young men of India have learnt the mantra (religious chant) of national service. How can they suddenly give up these gurus ? And I would be the last person to ask them to do so. All the same, a time is definitely going to come, when, while retaining their reverence for these leaders, the young men of India will discard their leaders' policy to which I have already referred. That conviction arises from my faith in the ancient glorious culture of our country. It has given the palm of victory not to the Kauravas but to the Pandavas and has with staggering imagination powerfully charged the country with the noble idea that those five men were a match for the millions of the enemy, because the five were armed with the might of right and justice. It passes my imagination how the youth of such a cultured country can for long accept such a vitiated principle as Íã?â ¹ãÆãä¦ ã Íãã?á¾ã½ã ã I will, therefore, wait patiently and bide my time. I have been appealing to those two individuals themselves to give up their policy. But I must use my own technique to achieve such a transformation in our country's mentality. My method seems, at times, to be slow and trady, but such patient waiting is unavoidable. Some things are achieved only behind the scene, and so they ought to be. I have decided not to attend the Congress this time for this same reason of my own technique. I do not wish to attend the Moderate Conference either. My very absentation will give a shock to the public, everyone will ask, 'Why ?' And then, if necessary, I will give out my views.

The letter has now grown long enough. It is meant only for you in order to provoke your reflection over it. It is not to be published. Vande Mataram, Mohandas"

Early this month Bapu had delivered a speech on recruiting in Surat. The report of the speech, sent by somebody, to 'The Times of India,' created the impression that Bapu had passed some derogatory remarks against Tilak Maharaj. It was besides a misrepresentation of many other statements that Bapu has made. He, therefore, wrote a letter to the paper strongly protesting against the garbled report. A Civilian, Mr. Handerson, an Englishman, wrote the following letter from Surat on reading it :

• "I am very sorry that when writing a short summary of the fine

recruiting speech you made at Surat, I made a serious mistake. I am writing to you personally about the matter as I have great admiration for the splendid recruiting work you have been doing in the Kaira District (in which I spent a good many years) and elsewhere. I am, therefore, more sorry than I can say that, owing to a serious clerical error in the notes from which I prepared the summary, I made you say almost exactly the opposite of what you actually did say. I am always very careful not to make speakers say what they never dreamt of saying and do not as a rule try to give the substance of a speech I have not personally heard. I am very sorry I did not know you were going to speak at Surat. Had I done so I would have been present to hear you. I hope the next time you visit Surat I shall have the pleasure of meeting you and making your acquaintance. I can only say that I am sincerely sorry that I misreported you.

Yours sincerely, Robert Henderson"

Reply :

• "Dear Mr. Henderson,

I am in my bed. I am passing through the severest illness of my life and I was incapable of sending you a letter earlier. I was charmed with your simple, frank, straightforward letter. I thank you for it. I rarely take notice of incorrections in my reported speeches. I have little opportunity even of reading them, but this in "The Times" was, I knew, calculated to do so much mischief that I felt I must correct the inaccuracies. I am glad I did so, for it has silenced the evil tongue and provided an opportunity of becoming acquainted with you. Yours sincerely, M. K. Gandhi"

Shankarlal Banker's letter about Jamnadas. He was sorry that after being persuaded to tender his resignation, Jamnadas withdrew it on Patel's advice.

Bapu's reply :

"Bhaishri Shankarlal,

I have your letter. I am not yet quite out of the wood. I am afraid my recovery will still take some time more. My malady was worse than I had thought, but you need not be anxious about it.

Jamnadas's withdrawal of his resignation does not appear to me to demand any reconsideration of my view. Bhai Vithalbhai (V. J. Patel) followed but his own nature when, under the honest impression of doing the right thing, he advised Jamnadas to withdraw his resignation. My advice remains the same. He must insist on his resignation, no matter what stir it causes. You cannot have forgotten what I told you. I do not wish that Jamnadas must give up all public work but he ought to relinquish his very responsible position. Therein lies his own good as well as of the public. And the Congress is not going to be harmed at all by the resignation. Why should we not think of the many injuries we have ourselves inflicted upon the Congress by our persistent blunder in discarding the path of truth all these many years ? What greater harm can one honest action do now ? If Bhai Jamnadas sticks to his resolve to resign, he will greatly enhance his power to serve the public. Be firm yourself and make Jamnadas also firm in his previous resolve to tender the resignation. My pranams (reverent bows) to Maji (Shankarlal's mother). Vande Mataram, Mohandas"

"Chi. Devdas,

I was happy to read the report of your two months' work in the Hindi class you are conducting. You seem to have loved the work so well that it appears as if you were ordained to do it and you have proved your efficiency to the extent of making it difficult to find an equally good substitute. At present I cannot think of anyone who can do it any better than you have done. May God keep you firm in your resolve to continue your work there, preserve your health and give you a long life, so that the Madras Presidency may resound with the glory of its achievement in uniting with the rest of India. May the present yawning gulf between the North and the South be filled up, so that both the parts of India become woven into one single united nation ! Whoever does that work of unity will immortalize himself through that single work alone. May you gain that immortal fame ! You fully deserve it. And never on any account give up the work you have done so well. Go on increasing your knowledge of Hindi and gaining in spiritual stature. The man, who practises truth and brahmacharya (celibacy), embraces voluntary poverty and is brave and benevolent besides, possesses a prowess with which he can stamp himself upon the whole world. With the possession of that power it is easy for you to collect numbers of men eager to learn Hindi from you. How can I ever think of enrolling you as a recruit for the army, when I hold these views so strongly ? And how can I ask your brothers also to join the army ? Harilal has practically ceased to be a brother and it is impossible for Manilal to come over here. I have written to Ramdas to join the force if he can come. If since leaving the Ashram you no longer remember God every morning and evening you must begin to do so at once. Never forget that prayer is your great support. That individual or nation which gives up without an adequate reason a healthy practice of a long standing stands to lose heavily. Morning and evening prayers provide us the sheet-anchor to save ourselves from being drowned in the mighty billows that surge around us in modern times?provided we understand their significance and consciously and intelligently perform them. Blessings, Bapu"

20-8-'18

A beautiful letter from Mr. Samarth: Even for our physical ailments there is no remedy so good as God's remembrance. Then he quotes a Sanskrit verse in support of his statement. He thinks a special Conference is necessary to get the country accept the Montford Scheme and requests Bapu either to go to Bombay to join in the deliberations over the matter or send through a letter his agreement with the proposed Conference.

Reply :

• "Dear Mr. Samarth,

Many many thanks for your letter. I do believe in the religious treatment and that is what I have applied in the main, but I believe also in Nature-cure and fasting. Nature-cure is hydropathy and enema. The only food I am taking is fruit juices, principally a single juice. I am free to confess that a Nature-cure means to that extent want of faith in the purely religious cure. I have not the courage to keep myself exclusively to the latter when I know that the disease is due to a breach of Nature's laws.

I am sorry I cannot be with you tomorrow, nor can I give my name to the movement. I wish to hold myself aloof from both the movements for I hold views which are acceptable to neither party. I feel that at the present moment all the leaders should concentrate their effort upon recruiting to the exclusion practically of every other activity. I know that the Extremists do not agree with me and I hardly think the Moderates go as far as I go. Whilst I accept the Montague Chelmsford Scheme in the main, to make it acceptable I should insist upon certain modifications, and my insistence would go to the length of wrecking the Scheme if the modifications are not accepted after exhausting every means at my disposal. To get the modifications accepted I should not, therefore, hesitate to use what has been commonly called 'passive resistance.' The Moderates will not accept this condition. I must, therefore, bide my time patiently and plough my own solitary furrow. Yours sincerely, M. K. Gandhi"

25-8-'18

Letter from B. Chakravarti: Bapu's letter to Surendranath Banerji is misinterpreted. He should, therefore, declare that he is not opposed to the Congress.

Reply :

• "Dear Mr. Chakravarti,

I have your letter for which I thank you. I am abstaining from the Congress because I know that I hold views which are not acceptable to the principal leaders. Indeed, when I discussed my position with Mrs. Besant, she agreed with me that I should abstain. Nor am I going to attend the Moderate Conference. I believe that we should render the greatest service to the country by devoting ourselves exclusively to recruiting work. Neither party would be prepared to go the length that I go. Then I would accept the principles of the Montague Chelmsford Scheme and definitely state the minimum of improvements I should require and fight for their attainment unto death. For this the Moderates are certainly not prepared and the Extremists, in so far as they may be prepared, are not in the sense I mean. I, therefore, feel that I should do nothing at the present moment.

So far as the bringing together of the two parties is concerned, I should not do anything by doing violence to convictions and, therefore, I do not approve of any give and take. There are two definite parties in the country. They should put their programme boldly before the Government and the country and agitate for its acceptance. Then only in my opinion shall we make real headway. Just now we seem to be moving in the vicious circle. Yours sincerely, M. K. Gandhi"

Tilak Maharaj's letter :

'I shall miss you very much, if you do not attend the Congress.'

Bapu's reply (in Hindi) :

"I have your letter. I am grateful to you for your deep sympathy. With your warmth of heart could you feel any less concerned about my health? By God's grace I feel much better though I shall not be able to leave the bed for some days more. I had a harrowing experience of deep physical pain but now it has subsided.

I have no desire to attend the Congress. Nor do I wish to go to the Moderates' Conference. I see that my views differ from those of both the parties. I have shown you what they are. I think we shall be rendering a very great service to India if we concentrate all our energies on the recruiting work and send lakhs of Indians to the Front. You and Mrs. Besant do not agree with me there and I know that the Moderates also will not go with me as far as I. Then there is another difficulty. I think we must accept the Montague Chelmsford Scheme in principle, but quite clearly state what improvements we want in it and fight unto death to get them accepted by the Government. It is clear that the Moderate party will reject the principle of fighting altogether. If you and Mrs. Besant agree in principle, you will certainly not fight in the same spirit as I. Mrs. Besant has clearly told me that she is not a Satyagrahi. You look upon Satyagraha as a matter of necessity, as a weapon of the weak, not as I view it. I do not wish, therefore, to appear to agree with you and create a confusion. Nor do I wish to form a new faction and start an agitation in the Congress against you. I have an indubitable faith in my principle of Satyagraha as a weapon of the strong. I cannot but feel that when my spiritual striving rises to the necessary height, both you and Mrs. Besant will accept my principle. Till then I can patiently wait.

I am strongly against any attempt to bring about a compromise between the Moderate and the Extremist parties by the method of give and take. There are two clear-cut parties in the country. No harm could be done if the parties clearly stated their individual convictions before the public and the Government. That is why I do not like any patched-up agreement between the two.

May God help you in your work !

Yours, Mohandas"

27-8-'18

Letter to Dr. Ray :

• "Dear Dr. Ray,

You may have heard of my illness. It was a very serious attack of dysentery. Though I seem to be convalescent, I am utterly prostrate with weakness. I can scarcely move out of my bed or even sit in it for any length of time. The great question is how to build up this broken up body. I have abstained from milk and its products for a number of years and vowed to do so for life. I, therefore, need a substitute for milk and butter. Hitherto I have found an excellent substitute in groundnuts, walnuts and such other nuts, but fats obtained from all these nuts are too strong for my delicate stomach. I need an exact vegetable substitute for ghee and milk. I have tried Kopra (coconut) milk and almond milk before now. The physiological action of these milks is totally different from cow's milk. Do you know any vegetable substitutes for ghee or butter and for milk ? If you do, kindly name them, or better still, if you can procure them send them. I am told that up in the north they manufacture ghee out of mahoua seeds which is not the same as the ordinary ghee but is the same as olive oil. Please enlighten me if you can. It hurts me to think that my only letter of a recent date addressed to you should be of so utterly doleful and selfish a character. Forgive me if you can.

Yours sincerely, M. K. Gandhi"

Bapu again wrote a letter to Sir William Vincent about the release of the Ali brothers.

29-8-'18

He never felt better during all these days of illness than he does today.

To Dr. Pranjiwandas Mehta about the Congress :

"You have given me the news of Malaviyaji's latest attempts to bring about a compromise. The Press also gives the same news. I had always thought that Panditji would make some such efforts. But I am afraid that the result will be that the resolutions passed in the Congress will be tame and spiritless. Just a little thinking should show that it does not matter if our demands are not keyed very high, but there must be the ring of deadly resolve in whatever little we ask. The nation will rise higher and higher as it becomes more and more conscious that it has got the power to exact from the Government whatever it is bent upon having. This is not a fairy story but a down-to-earth practicable idea."

"Chi. Devdas,

After a good long wait, I had the delightful sight of two letters from you today. I am recovering and there is no cause for anxiety. Among all these days of illness, I feel the best today. In fact, I had never lost control over my health and was never worried about its possible end. What I was afraid of was the growth of physical pain, but never death. And when the torture grew unbearable, I would say to myself, "What a happy consummation if death released me from his pain." I may continue to be engaged in some activity or other till the end of my life, but that is not the point. It is a fact that I have never cherished any desire to prolong my life just to enable me to do a particular work. I may have yearned for 'moksha', but it is not so cheap as to be had for the asking. It is a prize awarded only to the deserving.

I consider your work so important that I think you must not leave it even in order to see me in my illness. And I am sure you can never imagine that I am not properly looked after. It seems impossible that I may have to go to France now. Most probably there will be no need to go to any Front at all. Every day brings news of a fresh victory for the Allies in France and I do not think they will take us there. But the picture will come out clear in a month or so. There is just a chance that we may be sent to Mesopotamia.

Anandshankarbhai has written a book which he calls "Hinduism for Children", but it is so well-written that even adults and old men can find it interesting and gain much knowledge and wisdom. To me it appears to be wonderful book. Bhai Mahadev reads it to me every morning and I go into raptures as I listen to it. I doubt if there are such many books in other languages, so small and yet so comprehensive. The book gives the essence of Anandshankarbhai's extensive reading and deep thinking. I wish you read it again and again. If you don't understand any reference to an incident quoted in it, you may ask me or someone else, but do not fail to learn the full significance. I am arranging to send the book to you. I find no improvement in your handwriting.

Blessings, Bapu"

"Chi. Harilal,

I have got your letter. I am gaining in health and there is no cause for worry. I will, however, have to keep to bed for some days still. But there is nothing to want in the meticulous attention bestowed on me. No prince could have a more careful and comfortable nursing. I am very glad to learn that you have taken to cooking for yourself and that you like the work. It may turn out to be an elevating experience, and may provide a lesson to teach you the real values of life. You may then be impelled to repair your mistakes and write a new chapter in the book of your life in letters of gold. I wish you did so.

I shall be glad to hear from you regularly.

Blessings, Bapu"

• "My dear Charlie,

I have suffered indeed, but no more than I have deserved to. I can trace definitely and directly the causes of this illness. They do me no credit and show how weak I am, in spite of all my attempts to overcome those weaknesses. This illness shows me all the more clearly how continuously we break the known laws of Nature. There is no temptation so difficult to overcome as that of the palate, and it is because it is so difficult that we think so little about it. It my opinion mastery of the palate means mastery of everything. But of this more later. I am steadily progressing. My peace has never been disturbed. Pray, do not have any anxiety about me. I would not have you leave Shantiniketan on any account whatsoever. I think both you and Gurudev are doing the finest work of your lives. You are now writing real poems. They are living poems. I wish I was in Shantiniketan sitting side by side with the privileged boys listening to Gurudev's discourses and also yours.

Yours, Mohan"

30-8-'18

A second letter from Charlie. Reply :

• "Your love messages are all before me. They are like a

soothing balm. The more I contemplate this illness the more deeply I realize what love of man to man must be and, therefore, love of God to man. I see nothing but the beneficent hand of nature, and it seems to me that what appear to us on the surface to be virulent visitations of nature are in reality nothing but so many acts of love.

I do wish you will not worry about me. It would be a calamity if on any account your glorious work of Shantiniketan were to be interrupted. I cannot describe to you what a great delight it is to me to hear about your and Gurudev's work in Shantiniketan and I must tell you I approach everyone of your letters with a shudder, lest anything might have interrupted this noble work of Gurudev. It would be a great relief to me to find that both of you had finished a full term teaching the boys without interruption and in full possession of your health.

Pray thank Borodada for his blessings which I value, and I thank Gurudev for his good wishes. Remember me to Mr. Rudra. With love of us all Yours, Mohan"

31-8-'18

Anandshankarbhai's 'Hinduism for Children' is read everyday. Bapu could not help passing remarks like "perfect", "wonderful storehouse of knowledge," etc. as the reading went on..

There was a fascinating letter from Mrs. Millie Polak. Mr. Polak himself admits that her letters are more charming than his own. Here is an extract :

• "I read that you were ill and am tremendously relieved to hear

that you have recovered. I know you must feel it keenly when your body becomes master and not your servant. I hope you were properly looked after and all that was possible was done, so that you did not suffer unnecessarily. And I am glad, very glad that you are getting better. I should feel it irreparably, if anything happened to take your strength or health from you. Yes, I know death must come to us, and though it means but a crossing to another land for the one who goes, it leaves desolation to the human near to left. And anyway, you have to stay here for years yet. So keep hold of your body please, there is such lots for it to do. With sisterly love, Yours, Millie"

An equally charming reply :

• "As I am writing this, I am watching the glorious rain

descending in torrents before me. It will gladden the hearts of millions of men and women. There was a great dread of a most severe famine overtaking Western India. In the twinkling of an eye all that fear has gone. It has given place to boundless joy. This rain is a veritable deliverance for millions upon millions of cattle. There is probably no place on earth that is so dependent on rain as India. You will now understand what part this rain must have played in giving me health. I have suffered agonies? all due to my own follies. The punishment was adequate to the wrong done by me to the body. I made a faulty experiment. I was suffering from dysentery. Whilst I was getting over it, I ate when I should have refrained, and that brought on the inevitable crisis. I am so reduced in body that I have now to build anew. But there is no cause of anxiety. I am convalescent and regularly taking some nourishment and am daily increasing the quantity and I hope to be able to walk about in ten days' time. You ask me about nursing. Everything that human love can do for me has been done for me. It was my privilege and my pain to be on the sick-bed, privilege to find so much love rained on me, pain that I should need it all through my weakness and folly. The rich experiencing of love makes an added call on such service as I may be capable of rendering to humanity. But service to humanity is service of self and service of self is self-purification. How shall I purify myself ? It is the question that has been agitating me throughout my sickness. Pray for me.

Bhai"

Letter from Andrews giving the glad tidings that there are now as many as 70 Gujarati and Marwari students in Shantiniketan. Tagore treats them with fatherly affection and cordially welcomes their parents when they visit the institution, etc.

Bapu's reply :

• "You have given me an agreeable surprise. I never knew that

the Gujarati-Marwari Colony was so strong in Shantiniketan. If all these boys remain there their full time, what a link they must form between Gujarat and Bengal, and I have no doubt that if the poet continues as he has begun he will hold all the Gujaratis that are there to the end of their time and many more must follow. I do feel tempted to ask : Is there anyone looking after the sanitation of the place ? Has water-supply been put in order ? For me I think I am getting on. Progress is necessarily slow. The body has almost to be built up anew. Naturally it takes time; especially when it has to be done out of 5 ingredients from day to day, and that without milk and its products. But I feel that I should be able to do so. I assure you neither recruiting nor Congress proceedings in the slightest degree worry me. I cannot say with you that I will not look at the papers about them. On the contrary, I am eagerly following the Congress proceedings. But I do not allow them to worry me. I know Mr. Rudra's anxiety for me. You will tell him all about my health and assure him that the joint prayers of you all cannot fail to give me health and comfort. With love, Yours, Mohan"

To Devdas :

"I did not attend the Congress as, after my talks with Mrs. Besant and Tilak Maharaj, I scented unreality in the sessions. I thought that, instead of wasting our energies at this momentous occasion over vain disputation on the merits of the Montford Scheme, it was very necessary to find out and implement the measures by which we could get our demands accepted by the Government. I put these thoughts before those leaders and suggested that we had two big weapons with us. The first was to sacrifice ourselves in the War and thus to get the support of our conscience as regards our fitness for our demands. And when conscience gives us a clear verdict in favour of doing something, it arms us at the same time with an invincible power. Our second weapon is to make a firm resolve and stick like a leech to it even unto death. Both the leaders rejected these two principles of fighting. After this clear difference of views, I thought that while my attendance in the Congress was meaningless, my abstention is a fairly impressive declaration of my views. It was under this belief that I dropped the idea of going there.

Blessings, Bapu"

A letter from Karsandas Chitalia (A Gujarati member of the Servants of India Society) :

Is the Society going to be defunct just because Gujarati members choose to leave it ? What is it that makes it difficult for Gujaratis to continue the membership ?

Bapu's Reply :

"I too was sorry at the news of Mr. Kesariprasad's resignation. He was very eager to go to the Congress and had even talked with me on the matter. But I had advised him to suppress his feelings and accept the orders of his chief, if he forbade attendance. I am afraid he could not follow my advice, because discontent was brewing in his mind all the while and this order to stop him from going to the Congress was the last straw.

The Society cannot cease to flourish by the absence of Gujaratis or others. It is bound to remain alive and vigorous. A leader of Shastriar's character can never fail to attract others. If God grants him long life, India will esteem him at his true value only in future. Various alluring activities that pander to individual whims are going on in this country and they have created an unnatural and improper dissatisfaction. But there is bound to be sad disillusionment in the end for those who succumb to these temptations. At that time a man like Shastriar will be remembered and the distressed will flock to him for solace and peace.

Vande Mataram, Mohandas"