Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1922-01-13
HINDU REVOLT
LEADER GENTLE
AND EDUCATED
Gandhi, British Aid In Time
of Stress, Hopes For
Indian Freedom. :

! LONDON. Jan. 13-"Gauni won his
position by pursuing q policy OF doing
no wrong, committing no violence, but
simply enduring all the punishments
the other side could infict on him until
they all became weary and ashamed Of
Furnishing"
That is how Prof Gilbert Murray de-
scribes MOhanda Kammchand Gandhi,
the Indian agitator. whose name is SO
frequently mentioned in respect 10 the
native uprisings IN India on the occasion
Of the present visit Of the Prince Of Wales
/ to India.
Gandhi studied law in Great Britain
about the year 1889, but instead Of go-
/ ing back 10 his native land, like many
/ of his contemporaries who had the adj
vantage of a European education. a con-
/ frmed British lOyalist he whole-heartedly
embraced the Hindu cause and was q
constant and virulent agitator for their
rights.
HIGH CASTE
OF HINDU.
Gandhi is a Jain, a very high caste
! Of Hindu, and he came from a rich
family.
Z He took the usual Jain vow. that Of
an abstinence from alcohol and cows
. flesh, because to the jams a COW is 4
sacred animal; and an abstinence from
pork and bacon because the pig Is an
unclean animal.
! lie took his law degree and for 3
/ time practised law in Bombay. but Re
cared more for religion than law. Hs
| became an ascetic and gradually gave
away his money TO good causes. keep
ing for himself only a meagre allowance.
Finally he forsook the lawyers profess
l sion, because he could not conscientiOuSls
follow Il profession which believed in
might 10 force its rights.
In 1914 he was . very patriotic sup-
porter Of Britian's war against Ger
many, and from its results he expected
4 better India for Indians. irrespective
Of caste and religion, and the exclusion
from their native domains Of the mate
rial interests, the industrial slavery and
the money power worship Of the West.
IDEALS MEET
WITH SHOCK.
The result was a shock to his ideals,
and ever since he has been engaged in
constant passive resistance to the govern
ment and has always striven 20 ennobIe
and raise the status of the Indian, not
so much in the eyes Of the European,
but in the eyes and graces Of the higher
caste of native in India-a much more
difficult problem.
Unlike other revolutionarie-, how
ever, he has always come willingly to
the aid of the government in a crisis.
In 1904 there was an outbreak OF
plague in Johannesburg, and Gandhi
opened Up a private hospital long be-
fore the government had time 10 act.
In 1913, while he was being con@
stantly imprisoned by the government in
South Africa. the railway strike broke
out, and transportation in the TransvaaI
was paralyzed. From the ordinary
agitator's point of view this would have
been his supreme moment to strike his
blow at the organized society Of South
Africa, but he relented and gave orders
to his people to resume work and aid,
the government to Keep order.
This is the complex character Of the
man who perhaps unwittingly is respon-
sible for Britians travail in India.
Bitterly hated by many Of the rulers in
India, both cOlored and white, but ven
Grated rs a saint by the vast millions Of
the native population of all creeds and
castles.