The American issue. [volume] (Westerville, Ohio) 1912-19??, 1921-08-12
! 1NDIA'S COOPERATIVE
MOVEMENT WIDELY NOTED
Mahatrna Ghandi Seeks to Attain
Unto "Swaraj' or Self
Determination
SELF-GOVERNMENT, GOAL
Ghandi Temperance Arguments
Closely Resemble Those
Used in America
wv. Z. Johnson, London)

larly in the British Empire, regarding
the non-eo-operativc movement OF
Mahatma Gandhi. in quest OF the
"Swaraj" the Indian term for self
determination The Gandhi follow
ers arc not satisfied with the measure
of sclf-govcrnmcnt afforded by the
Montague Chelmsford Act, which is
now in force, but desire immediate and
complete self-gorcrnment without any
British control.
The movement has resulted i'll all
sorts of trouble in India, both real
and imaginary. Ono of the chief cor
ner stones OF the movement is the de
mand for the abolition OF the liquor
traffic which the British arc loudly ac-
cused OF foisting upon the country
Mr.. Gandhi is man OF great intellect
and a power among his people In
his argument for Prohibition, he fol-
was and is used in America. His anti
liquor philosophy is most concisely
set forth in an open letter to the
Moderate party, published over his
signature in Young India OF June 8
and in the Hindu OF June 10. after
which it was quite generally published
throughout India The first part Of
the open letter" reads;
f"Dear Friends:
1T is a matter OF no small grief to
me, that find myself cstranged from
you in ideas. although by training and
association | have been brought UP in
the company OF those WHO have been
regarded as Moderatcs. Partly owing
TO circumstances, and partly owing to
temperament, have never belonged to
any OF the great parties in India
Nevertheless, my life has been infu
cnced much more by men belonging
to the Moderate party than the EX-
trcmist. Dadabhai Naoroji, Kokhale,
Badruddin Tyebji. Phcrozeshah Mehta
are all names TO conjurc with. Their
services to the country can never be
forgotten. They have inspired the
lives OF many Ike myself throughout
our country. 7 have enjoyed the
pleasantcst associations with many Of
the living amongst you. What is it
that has flung me away from you and
into the lap of the Nationalist party:
Why do I find more in common with
the Nationalist than with you? I am
unable to see that you love your coun-
try less than the Nationalist. I re-
fuse to believe that you are less will
ing to sacrifice yourselves for the
country's good, than the Nationalist.
Certainly the Moderate party can
claim as much intelligence. integrity
land ability as the Nationalist. ii not
Snore. The difference, therefore, lies
IN the ideals
Country Impatient of Drink Evil
II will not weary you with discus
sion OF the different ideals. For the
moment I will simply invite your at
tcntion to some OF the items in the
constructive program in the move
ment of Non-C Cooperation. You may
not like the word itself. You may in
tensely dislike, as l know you do,
many items in the program. But if
you concede to the Non-Co-operators
the same credit for love of the land
that you will claim for yourselves,
will you not view with favor those
parts of the program on which there
can not be two opinions? ! refer to
the drink evil. ] ask you to accept my
evidence, that the country as a whole
is sick Of the drink curse. Those UNI
fortunate men, who have become
slaves to the habit, require to be
helped against themselves. Some of
them even ask TO be helped. | invite
you to take advantage OF the wave of
sfeeling that has been reused against
lhc drink traffic. The agitation arose
spontaneously. Believe me, the de-
privation to the government of the
drink revenue is of the least impor-
lance in the campaign. The country is
simply impatient OF the evil itself. In
no country i'll the world will it be pos
siblc TO carry on this traffic in the
face of the united and the enlightened
opposition of a people, such as is now
to be witnessed in India. Whatever
the errors or excuses that were COM
nnitted by the mob in Nagpur, the
cause was just The people were del
termined TO do away with the drink
curse that was sapping their vitality.
You will not be deceived by the spe-
cious argument that India must not be
made sober by compulsion, and that
whose who wish to drink must have
Facilities provided for them. The
State does not cater for the vices of
its people. We do not regulate or
license houses Of i'll fame. We do