New-York tribune., 1922-03-19
Prestige Of Leader Vanishes
Through Loss of Control


With the British government "mor-
ally isolated" and forced to rely more
and more on disguised repression:
with the formidable opposition of the
constitutionalist groups represented by
the Moderate party practically smashe d
by repercussion of the governments
own action; with a real and tangible
and far-reaching grievance at last
placed in its hands, it might seem that
the movement of passive revolution,
Gandhis non-co-operation, would be
Jubllantly upon a road toward i'm
portant successes. But instead of that
we find the chief of the movement has
practically abdcated his leadership,
so that even the fact of his arrest
seems to lose its significance and i'm
portance. What has happened?
Careful observers of Gandhi's move
ments have been making very signif-
cant predictions as to its probable out
come. What has happened has been
that these predictions are coming true.
considerably ahead of the time fore
cast for the unfolding.
The essence of these predictions has
been that the non-co- operation move
ment could not long retain that unique
character Of non-violence, which Gandhi
had so marvelously given it. AS long
as Gandhi retained his hold on the
direction Of the movement it might
have been possible for it to remain, to
an overwhelming degree, movement
Of moral persuasion, rather than of
physical force. But once out of
Gandhi's hands, the movement was
bound to become an expression of
violent, pent-up energy, seeking an exit
from its confining influences.
1t must be said that there had never
been a complete or uniform acceptance
of the non-violence idea in the ranks
of Gandhi's movement. That has never
been a secret. Gandhi has always had
to face tremendous opposition within
the ranks, which came principally from
two sources.
The Hindu portion Of his movement
is naturally, by temperament and tradi-
ton, more prone to non-violence than
the Mahometan portion. Yet Gandhi's
appeal has been particularly successful
among the younger elements of the
population, full of revolutionary ardor
and fierce enthusiasm. For these ele-
ments the line between moral persua-
sion and physical compulsion has not
always been easy to draw. AS result
there has been a growing extremist
trend among the younger elements of
Gandhi's following.
The logic of the situation appeared
quite simple to these elements, espe-
cially to those among them who had
had an Occidental education. Here was
the satanic" government, which, ac-
cording to the passionate teachings of
the Mahatma, should be destroyed.
Passive, mute protest might undermine
1t. But why not help it on its way
toward perdition? Why not adopt
some Of its own methods? The inev-
liable conclusion has been the rejec-
tion of the idea of non-violence and the
consequent trend toward the more ac-
Twist methods.
The second source Of opposition to
GandhIs non-violence idea has been
the Mahometan portion of his follow
ing. By nature the Mahometan tribes
are much more apt to resort to force
than their Hindu compatriots. It has
been an accident that India has been
30 often overrun by Mahometans and
held by them in subsection. Besides,
the grievance, which is of special in
terest to the Moslems, is Of the sort for
which they are traditionally prone TO
resort to the most extrsme forms Of
violence. Holy wars are a tradition
Of the Mahometan faith. Conversion
NIX tIy ~ ayns.s- -s'u' >, -.