E-Book - Mahatma Gandhi

Mahatma Gandhi – His Life & TimesCongratulations poured in on Gandhi; Lord Ampthill wired from England, so didothers; messages of appreciation came from India and many points in SouthAfrica.Smuts, busy with the railway strike (martial law had been declared),nevertheless summoned Gandhi to a talk. The first talk led to another. TheGovernment had accepted the principle of negotiation. Gandhi's friends warnedhim against deferring the march again. They recalled Smuts's broken pledge in1908.'Forgiveness,' Gandhi replied, quoting the Sanskrit, 'is the ornament of thebrave.'Gandhi's knightly forbearance in cancelling the march created an atmospherefavourable to a settlement. Gandhi's hand, moreover, was strengthened by thearrival, on a fast, special steamer, of Sir Benjamin Robertson, extraordinaryenvoy of the viceroy who was worried about hostile reactions m India to SouthAfrican persecutions.Gandhi postponed the march a second time.Gandhi,' Smuts said at one of their interviews, 'this time We Want nomisunderstanding, we want no mental or other reservations, let all the cards beon the table and I want you to tel1 me wherever you think that a particularpassage or word does not read in accordance with your own reading.'This spirit, recognized as friendly by Gandhi, conduced to steady if slowprogress in the talks. You can't put twenty thousand Indians into jail,' Smutsdeclared in defence of his new conciliatory attitude.Smuts and Gandhi placed their cards and texts on the table. Memoranda passedfrom one side to the other. For weeks each word was weighed, each sentencesharpened for precision. On June 30, 1914, the two subtle negotiators finallyexchanged letters confirming the terms of a complete agreement.This document was then translated into the Indian Relief Bill and submitted tothe Union Parliament in Cape Town. Smuts pleaded with Members to approachwww.mkgandhi.org Page 133