Page:Gandhi and Saklatvala - Is India different.pdf/38

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GANDHI'S REFUSAL TO SHIFT

As at the Ashram,
Sabarmati,
July 27th, 1927.

Dear Friend,

I have your letter. I should love to respond, as I know you would like me to, to your earnest call, but I see that we look at things differently. Pray do not think that my labour work, unlike Khaddar work, is merely confined to Ahmeda- bad. If labour elsewhere will accept my guidance I would certainly organise it all over. But I am content with guid ing Ahmedbad, and hope that if Ahmedabad proves success ful it will be copied by the whole of India.

There is no analogy between the Khaddar movement and the labour movement. If Khaddar, like labour, were con ducted by several distinct organisations probably I would be compelled to restrict my activities to those organisations only that would listen to me. I have no magical power for bring ing about organisation out of disorganisation. The organic touch with labour all over India I have, because wherever I go labour flocks around me. But that touch is not strong enough to enable me to organise it after my own fashion. I give you my assurance that the moment I feel that I can usefully come in I shall not hesitate to offer my services to the All-India organisation.

About the Khaddar fund, I can only say you have written without knowledge. Even law will prevent me from using the Khaddar fund for any other than the advertised purpose, even if my conscience becomes elastic enough to permit me to use it otherwise.

I read the other day in the papers that you had a slight operation performed on you, and that you were already on the road to recovery. I hope that you have now fully re covered. I wrote to you only the other day about your own personal affairs which will not escape my attention.

Yours sincerely,
M. K. GANDHI.

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