E-Book - Mahatma Gandhi

Mahatma Gandhi – His Life & TimesJust before leaving South Africa for ever, Gandhi gave Miss Schlesin and Polak apair of sandals he had made in prison and asked that they be delivered toGeneral Smuts as a gift. Smuts wore them every summer at his own Doorhklooffarm at Irene, near Pretoria. In 1939, on Gandhi's seventieth birthday, hereturned them to Gandhi in a gesture of friendship. Invited to contribute to aGandhi memorial volume on that occasion, Smuts, by then a world-famousstatesman and war leader, complied and, graciously calling himself 'anopponent of Gandhi a generation ago', declared that men like the Mahatma'redeem us from a sense of commonplace and futility and are an inspiration tous not to weary in well doing ...The story of our clash in the early days of the Union of South Africa,' Smutswrote, 'has been told by Gandhi himself and is well known. It was my fate to bethe antagonist of a man for whom even then I had the highest respect ... Henever forgot the human background of the situation, never lost his temper orsuccumbed to hate, and preserved his gentle humour even in the most tryingsituations. His manner and spirit then, as well as later, contrasted markedlywith the ruthless and brutal forcefulness which is the vogue in our day …'I must frankly admit', Smuts continued, 'that his activities at that time werevery trying to me ... Gandhi .... showed a new technique ... His method wasdeliberately to break the law and to organize his followers into a massmovement In both provinces a wild and disconcerting commotion was created,large numbers of Indians had to be imprisoned for lawless behaviour and Gandhihimself received — what no doubt he desired—a period of rest and quiet in jail.For him everything went according to plan. For me—the defender of law andorder—there was the usual trying situation, the odium of carrying out a lawwhich had not strong public support, and finally the discomfiture when the lawwas repealed.'Speaking of Gandhi's present, Smuts remarked, 'I have worn these sandals formany a summer since then, even though I may feel that I am not worthy tostand in the shoes of so great a man.' Such humour and generosity proved himworthy of Gandhi's mettle.www.mkgandhi.org Page 135