MAHATMA - Volume 3 (1930-1934) - Mahatma Gandhi

MAHATMA - Volume 3 (1930-1934)
"Now the local workers will understand my agony. Weak, ever exposed to
temptations, ever failing, why will you tempt us and pamper us We may not
introduce these incandescent burners in our villages. It is enough that one
hundred thousand men prey upon three hundred millions. But how will it be
when we ourselves begin to prey upon one another In that event, dogs will lick
our corpses.
"These lights are merely a sample of the extravagance, I have in mind. My
purpose is to wake you up from the torpor. Let the volunteers account for every
pice spent. I am more capable of offering satyagraha against ourselves than
against the Government. I have taken many years before embarking upon civil
resistance against the Government. But I should not take as many days for
offering it against ourselves.
"Therefore, in your hospitality towards servants like us, I would have you to be
miserly rather than lavish. I shall not complain of unavoidable absence of
things. In order to procure the goat's milk for me, you may not deprive the poor
women of milk for their children. It would be like poison if you did. Nor may
milk and vegetables be brought from Surat. We can do without them if
necessary. Do not resort to the motor-cars on the slightest pretext. The rule is,
do not ride, if you can walk. This is not a battle to be conducted with money. It
will be impossible to sustain a mass movement with money. Any way it is
beyond me to conduct the campaign with a lavish display of money.
"Extravagance has no room in this campaign. If then we cannot gather crowds
unless we carry on a hurricane expensive propaganda, I would be satisfied to
address only half a dozen men and women. Success depends not upon our high
skill, it depends solely upon God. And He only helps the vigilant and the
humble.
"We may not consider anybody as low. I observed that you had provided for the
night journey a heavy kitson burner, mounted on a stool, which a poor labourer
carried on his head. This was a humiliating sight. This man was being goaded to
walk fast. I could not bear the sight. I put on speed and outraced the whole
company. But it was no use. The man was made to run after me. The
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