Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-08-25
GANDHI-FIREBRAND OF INDIA
Has Leader of Masses Lost His Grip Harmless Visionary
Isle Menace Tool of Russian Reds Laying
Revolutionary groundwork?

Gandhi learned long ago from Roman
Roland, his constant correspondent and
friend, the value of pacifism and pas
sive resistance As q preparation for
revolution. Revolutions are not, his
tory teaches, spontaneous eutbursts on
the part Of the masses. They are the
work of agitators. who stir up the masses
sufficiently to produce general disorgan-
ization and chaos, and thus afford the
small, organized, determined minority
its opportunity to step In and seize
power.
1t is not in the least necessary for
the people to want revolution. All that
Is necessary Is government full OF
good will and hesitation, unwilling to
take sufficiently drastic measures to
keep order, q certain amount of organ
lied hooliganism Generalization of the
services from within, any sort of a pre-
text, and the powerful small group wait
ing its chance and ruthless enough to
kill other leaders Immediately.
When Moscow, echoed by Jawahir Lal
Nehru, says that violence Is Q neces-
sary factor of revolution, Moscow is per-
fectly right. When they point out that
Gandhi and his methods cannot bring
about revolution they are again In
the Strictest sense OF their words right.
All that Gandhi can do and did Is to
produce conditions favorable for q revo-
luton.
AS have said before, in 1928 Gandhi
had arranged to go to Europe in con-
nection with congress Of the Youth
Movement at Vienna. He postponed his
trip in order to prepare for q new eco
nomic campaign" Jawahir Lal Nehru
the avowed Communist leader and the
most brilliant. indicated the necessity
for this in his speech at Nagpur In 1928
Success Achieved In Russia.
In 1928 Gandhi put through his sue
cessful tryout at Bardoli. Russia then
against India. and Gandhi, under pres
sure from Mott Lal Nehru, followed with
his announcement of o fresh nen-co-
operation campaign. provided certain
impossible conditions were not complied
with by the British.
To say that Gandhi does not under
stand every move is nonsense. He was
present and took part In the famous
Congress of Surat, when the national
lists were split In two by the extremists,
and organized moderate opinion re-
ceived blow from which 1t has not so
far recovered. He has known the aims
and leaders Of extremism In India since
then and he is. on his own confession,
more than familiar with international
revolutionary circles. And what Gandhi
processes not to know Is even more sig
nificant than what he knows. T. put
this question to him when we met:
1T seems to me unlikely II give my
words in effect. because cannot re-
member the precise terms in which I
put thisl that India could free herself
from British rule without the support
OF world opinion at least. and perhaps
more. But to gain this she must offer
something at least potentially to the
world What can India offer? What
would be midas contribution"
Makes Evasive Reply.
when man is in. prison." replied
Gandhi. and these are his exact words.
how can he say what he will be able
to contribute to society on his released"
The answer is singularly evasive and
feeble. Gandhi at least knows per-
fectly we'll what he hopes India will
contribute. But his position was DIFF
ficult. He couldn't very we'll try to fill
a trained newspaper reporter, with
some experience in India. with the SEN
timental trash that appeals to the av-
unlikely that. considering American
views of the Soviet economic and polit-
ical system, the truth regarding what
Gandhi hopes for would appeal to or
enlist the support Oft American peo-
pie. Therefore, an evasion. however
weak was imperative.
Besides his new economic plans
Gandhi has for some time been devot-
ing his attention to the Indian States
His work there is to attempt as far as
possible, by means of States subjects
conferences and so forth, to weaken the
personal authority of the rulers. Where
he goes communal trouble follows
1t would seem, therefore, that his
community Is quite right in excluding
him from their and his own temple in
the place Of his birth on the simple and
sufficient ground that he is - trouble
maker"