Evening star., 1947-12-02

William Stuart Nelson, dean of the
SchooI OF Religion OF Ho,Dard University,
took 13-n1onth ledue of absence in
September, 1916, to represent the Amer
tcan Friends SerDice Committee, Phila-
delphia, In India. He spent 10 months
on Indian soil as member of the
Friends SerOice Unit in Calcutta, serv-
ing during the last four months as
administrative head of this organisa-
tion. During 10 aoeeks of the period
he traueled throughout India, speaking
tn colleges and universities and to the
other groups on problems of interna-
tional and interracial understanding,
returning to america this past taH.
On the evening of August II, was priv
ileged to spend an hour in conversation with
Mohandas X. Gandhi, during which I raised
a question as to the efficacy Of the nonviolent
technique in group relations. He declared that
on that subject he was at the moment in dark
ness. The majority of people, he said, are
under the impression that the masses of In
dians have responded to his teaching OF nom
violence when the fact is that they have
demonstrated passive resistance but not nom
violence in thought word, and deed.
They have acted nonviolently toward the
English but are now killing one another. Thus.
he pointed out, nonviolence has proved tech
nique for the weak when he meant 1t as an
instrument OF the strong those who possess the
means to employ force but forswear doing so
out of conviction In answer to my remark that
he seemed unduly pessimistic, he answered
that he was not pessimistic, inasmuch as he
believed in truth, meaning the validity of what
he taught and that he would continue to believe
in 1t even though the entire world thought
otherwise.
Little did realize that during the next hour
he was to propose one of his most courageous
tests of the method of nonviolent goodwill. 1t
was the suggestion that he and H. s. Suhra-
wardy, former Moslem Premier of Bengal and
object OF bitter hatred by many Hindus, should
occupy house together in one Of Calcutta's
most strife-ridden sections and by their example
and pleas attempt to bring peace to that city
OF mounting violence.
On August Is, Mr. Gandhi and Mr. Suhra-
wardy began this experiment. It evoked i'm
mediately violent protests on the part Of
Hindus, aggravated by rock attacks upon the
house in which the two men dwelt and disre-
spect to Mr.. Gandhi personally. This he bore
in utter calm.
The Miracle Of Sudden Peace.
Then happened overnight what the people
OF Calcutta persist in calling miracle. Like
q sweet wind, peace came suddenly over that
CITY, Beginning on August IA, eve of Indian
independence and mounting to a climax on
August Is, spirit of goodwill, forgetfulness of
the past, determination seized the members
of the Moslem and Hindu communities such as
had not been known for many months Rose
water took the place of bombs and members
of one community were doused affectionately
by members of the other. Slogans of unity were
raised, professions representing both religions
were formed, Hindus joined Mosiepas in the
celebration of their annual Idul-FittAr festival.
Thousands upon thousands Of all religions gath
cred in the great open spaces to see and hear
the sanity Gandhi.
For days this state continued during which
Mahatma Gandhi disclaimed any personal
credit for the unbelievable events and ex-
planned that he had arrived simply at pro-
pitious moment and at most had served as an
instrument Of q power far greater than him.
self. He urged that the real signihcance IN