The Washington times., 1922-04-02
ANlfADERS
AGREE TO KEEP
GAADR|S CHILD
outcast Girl Adopted by Rebel
Chief Assured Care Of
Congress.
CALLED SYMBOL OF REVOLT
ssven-Year-o,d Tomboy Seen
AZ Unifying Force to Win
Independence.

Prison cells have no terrors for
Mohandas X. Gandhi, Indian na-
tionalist leader recently convicted
Of sedition and sentenced to six
years Imprisonment. Gandhi, In
The course Of his long campaign to
obtain decent treatment for his
countrymen in South Africa, served
several terms in prison; but whom
he was sentenced q few weeks ago
IN India he expressed only ono re-
greet, according to information just
received by the American commits
sion to promote, self government in
India-the necessity of part
ing from his adopted daughter
Child Of Untouchables.
Until few days before his ar.
rest only those closest to Gandhi
knew of this little sir,-a waif
Of the 100000 "untouchables.
the outcasts of India. One OF
the first requirements Gandhi mas
enacted OF his followers in the
pon,co-operative movement for In
dian independence Is to disregard
the custom Of untouchability. AL.
though he comes from one OF the
higher castles, Gandhi has always
considered ''untouchability." by
which one-fifth of the Indian peo-
pie were born pariahs and could
never rise from that lot. as one of
the greatest evils of the country
and one that must be corrected be-
fore the people could claim the
right to self-sover7Snent.
Gandhi bad adopted as his daugh.
ter. an untouchablei child, was an
announcement in Gandhi's paper,
Young India, on February 2" says
q statement issued by. the American
Commission. His attention had
been called to a report that a young
woman, clail ing to be his daugh-
ter, had been going about the coun.
try, receiving honors as the child
Of the Mahatma.
Gandhi Writes Of Child.
"1 do not mind owning, I should
be proud to own. thousands Of good
restrained girls as my daughters
Gandhi wrote. AS 1t is, I have to
remark that I do not possess the
good fortune to have a daughter.
There Is a tiny "untouchable" girl
whom ! do proudly call my adopt
ed daughter. She has brought hap
piness to me and 1 hope by the
time she has grown up she will
bring truth and humility to her
future field of service. Today she
is veritable devil" She believes
In all play and no work: but I do
not mind this charming idler of
seven years claiming me as her
father
so greatly has this little girl at
tached herself to the great leader
down when the time came to part
from her. She was left in the i'm
mediate care Of Mrs. L Gandhi, but
the Indian National Congress Work
ing Committee has adopted her in
the name Of the entire nationalist
party. In the innocence of her
seven years she seems to typify
revolt. for she has ignored all re-
strictions Of caste and custom.
Bright and vivacious. she ia the
embodiment OF restrained independ-
ence. In, this country she might be
called a tomboy. for she can Guido
most of her playmates in games
usually reserved for boys. Although
Gandhi lovingly calls her a little
devil she Is not bold nor spoiled, but
just a happy child, whom revolution,
airy leaders consider as the persona
-fication Of the New India.
Typifies Unity Of Races.
Those leaders without exception
Hindu, Mohammedan. Christian, Sikh
and Parsee--have pledged that her
welfare shall be the concern of the
Nationalist movement; for in her
they see the living symbol Of the
SCATTERING of 'untouchability' and
other caste restrictions and the unity
Of races and religious communities
that is counted on to bring freedom
to their country. -
After receiving his sentences.
Gandhi made only one request-that
from time to time his little daughter
be permitted to visit him"