few moments’ labour in that particular form to the nation. In the case in point the will to spin being there the time will certainly be found in due course. Probably the correspondent has to go by tram or train to his office. Let him take the Takli with him and give the odd moments to it. There are many within my knowlédge who are thus utilising their odd moments. I therefore hope that the correspondent will never, for any temptation, give up his Khaddar wear. I had hope that the prejudice against Khaddar had died down in the foreign mercantile firms. The European merchants in Calcutta to whom I had the privilege of talking showed no prejudice against Khaddar wear. I wish that influential European merchants who may see this paragraph will exert their influence to remove the prejudice reported by my correspondent. And it is high time for Indian firms to remodel their businesses so as to curtail the inordinately long hours for which their employees are detained. The world’s experience shows that Yong hours do not mean more but actually less work. It simply requires a little courage anda little initiative to make the much needed reform voluntarily and generously—a reform that is otherwise bound to come in any case. But then when it comes under pressure it will have lost all its grace. Shorter hours for employees is a world movement which nobody can stop. Will not the Indian Chamber of Commerce or some such mercantile Association lead the way?
5th November, 1925
THE POET AND THE CHARKHA
By M. K. Gandhi
When Sir Rabindranath’s criticism of the charkha was published some time ago, several friends asked me to reply to it. Being heavily engaged I was unable then to study it in full. But I had read enough of it to know its trend. I was in no hurry to reply. Those who had read it were too much agitated
