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20

LETTERS FROM ABROAD

PARIS, September 18, 1920.

To-night we start for Holland. We have spent a very happy time in this house and have made friends with very remarkable persons. The whole big house with its beautiful garden and river bank have been absolutely ours. Some corners of its rooms, some window seats, some padded chairs have yielded their heart to me, and they already look sad and disconsolate at the idea of my departure.

I find our countrymen are furiously excited about Non-co-operation. It will grow into something like our Swadeshi movement in Bengal. Such an emotional outbreak should have been taken advantage of in starting independent organisations all over India for serving our country. Let Mahatma Gandhi be a true leader in this ; let him send his call for positive service, ask for homage in sacrifice, which has its ond in love and creation. I shall be willing to sit at his feet and do his bidding, if he commanas me to co-operate with my countrymen in service of love. I refuse to waste my manhood in lighting the fire of anger and spreading it from house to house.

It is not that I do not feel anger in my heart for injustice and insult heaped upon my motherland, But this anger of mine should be turned into the fire of love for lighting the lamp of worship to be dedicated through my country to my