Page:Gandhi and Saklatvala - Is India different.pdf/37

 your own new activity would give a suitable opening for practical work to the thousands of our youth who once enlisted in your movement and then cooled down in the absence of a practical and convincing programme.

I do not consider it necessary to discuss the various re actionary sentences that you use against the full economic and political rights of labour. During the past month, dur ing the debate in the House of Commons on the diabolical Trade Union Bill, we have heard Tory and Liberal capitalists use almost identical sentences and arguments, but all the intelligent working class world realises such sentiments to be but a cloak for the unholy desire of a rapacious and mur derous employing class. In your case you merely lay it down as your speculative idea of what the early stages of labour organisation would be, and it is not worth while quarrelling over so long as I can see that in the ultimate outcome of labour organisation you are not drawing any close line of unnatural limitations.

You may think it must be twenty years hence before this final stage can be reached, and I may think it can be reached within two years, but it is not a question to be decided by you and me. It can only be decided by events. Our immediate task and duty is to unite together and to start vigorously on this great work.

I also do not share your views regarding the use of public funds entrusted to you. By calling it a Khaddar Fund you are warping your own vision and limiting it in terms of yarn and cloth, but I feel sure that the public, who subscribe funds to you are doing so with the idea of working out the emancipation and liberation of their country, and are not sending you instalments as shareholders in a primi tive company with circumscribed duties in their articles of association. Every national movement must fail, and will fail if, under modern conditions of industrial life and capitalist power, the labourers and the peasantry are not organised. As much of my future programme depends upon your present decision I shall be grateful for early reconsidera tion of the matter by you. Yours fraternally, SHAPURJI SAKLATVALA.