IMPRESSIONS OF GANDHI.

Press, Volume LXVII, Issue 20308, 6 August 1931, Page 14

IMPRESSIONS OF GANDHI.

INDIAN PROBLEMS. OPINION OF CANADIAN VISITOR. "There is a great <?eal more unrest in India than is heard of outside J news from Bombay is probably censored," said tho Rev. Dr.'P. B.Thornton, of Canada, who is passing through New Zealand, in the course 6f an interview yesterdav. "I am of opinion that tho finding of the Round-Table Conference in the direction of Selfgovernment with restrictions ia the way out of the Lndian problem." l>r. Thornton had two interviews with Gandhi, wlioni ho had found, as a man, to be congenial and companionable. Hu had conversed freely with him about the Indian Nationalist movement' and its problems. In Canada tho Indian loader was thought of as a mystio and an idealist, but , he was also of a practical turn Of mind | and was an astute politician. He impressed those who knew hiia with his sincerity. The aim of Gandhi had been to savo India from going the way of ltuwia, for Russia's revolution was one or force, while the Indian one was to be marked by non-refeffetartce. It jsee&ed obvious that a change must come to India, for the demand for self-govern-ment Was very great. To lie valuable, however, any change had to be gradual. Effect of Picketing. l r rom the conversations D*. Thornton gathered that Gandhi did not want any immediate form of self-government, and he did not think that if given control Gaudhi would put • into operation half the things ho demanded now. A man working for a cause had to be an extremist. An interesting foature of life at present was found in the Women Nationalist pickets, who, when they found anyone in a shop selling British goods, gave a courteous greeting and said: ,T For the sake of our dear < country only buy goods made in India." There wae no uoubt that the pickets were having tjieir effect. ... The Nationalist movement was being felt in the Church as well. as in politics, but it would work itself to k solution. The Indian members wero asking for a greater measure of control, but there was nothing of the nature of opposition to the work of the missionaries in preaching Christianity. The Indian leaders within the Church realised that they were not competent to take control independent of help from tho missionary societies. Among the younger people, especially the University students in India, there was a tendency to exalt Nationalism" and politics to a religion.