Page:Fischer - A Week with Gandhi.pdf/63



“But is it not a fact,” I persisted, “that all these social changes are projected to a time when independence will have been achieved?”

“No,” he differed. “When Congress was in office in the Provinces [1937-1939] the Congress ministries introduced many reforms which have since been canceled by the British administration. We introduced reforms in the villages, in the schools, and in other fields.”

“I have been told, and I read in the Simon report,” I said, “that one of the great curses of India is the village money-lender to whom the peasant is often in debt from birth to death. In European countries, private philanthropy and governments have in similar circumstances created land banks to oust the usurious money-lender. Why could not some of your rich friends start a land bank on a purely business basis except that, instead of getting forty to seventy per cent interest per year, they would get two or three per cent? Their money would be secure, they would earn a small profit, and they would be helping their country.”

“Impossible,” Gandhi affirmed. “It could not be done without government legislation.”

“Why?” I demanded.

“Because the peasants wouldn’t repay the loans,” he said.

“But surely,” I argued, “the peasant would realize that it was better to repay money which he