AN AGITATOR’S CONFESSIONS

Evening Star, Issue 17700, 29 June 1921, Page 2

AN AGITATOR’S CONFESSIONS

GANDHI IS SORRY. "I am sorry that I embarked upon a mass movement. I underrated the fcrces of evil/’ Tiles words of the man whose cni“ade led to such serious riots in India well illustrate the truth of the statement that some of those who are responsible for starting the forces of evil have no knowledge of tho course they will -take or the troubles they will lead to. The agitator who made the above _ remarks was Mr M. R. Gandni, a highborn Hindu, whose father, grandfather, and ;uncle were Prime Ministers in the courts of princes in_ Western India. While in England studying for the law Mr Gandhi had access to polite English society, and met many devout Christians. He often went to hear tarrar, Spurgeon, and Dr Joseph Parker. Tho latter charmed him. first in South Africa, and subsequently in India, he the cause of h;a fellow-countrymen—ending in the non-co-operation movement. - This movement is generally regarded as an attempt by an extraordinary political agitator to overthrow the British Government in India. In 1919 tho Government found it necessary to amend tho Indian criminal law, which started a greql deal of opposition— Mr Gandhi regarding the amended legislation as " unjust and subversive of tho principle of liberty and justice.” Ho opposed it by getting his people to adopt jus ivedm or’oath for what he called “ insistence on truth.” He said : “In that pledge we expect- to win over our opponents by self-suffering—that hi, by love. The process whereby we hope to reach our goal is by so conducting ourselves as gradually, m an unperceived manner, to disarm all opnosit on.’ It was an attempt, he said, to “ restore faith in the supremacy of moral force.” “Itis an attempt, he continued, “to introduce the reugious spirit into politics. We may not meat hatred with hatred, violence by violence, evil by evil; but we have to make a continuous and persistent effort to letnm good for evil.” “This is the one thing ho lives for,” writes an Englishman in India, who has had opportunities of formin' a judgment baaed on first-hand information and observation. Alluding _to the non-co-operation camp ign, the writer says further *. “ But Gandhi had not allowed for the frailties of human nature, lie failed to sea ' that there were thos§ even among his followers who knew nothing of self-restraint. What happened? The crash came in a series of riots, and tho rumor that Mr Gandhi had been detained by the Government aijde the people frantic. Mr Gandhi was wise enough to understand the situation, and immediately advised tho temporary suspension of the pledge, adding: ‘I am sorry that I embarked upon a mass movement. I underrated the forces of evil.’”