1. JOHANNESBURG Monday [April 11, 1910]
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1. JOHANNESBURG Monday [April 11, 1910] SENT TO DELAGOA BAY Mr. Achary and 37 other satyagrahis were sent from Pretoria to Delagoa Bay on Saturday. Six of them were certainly not satyagrahis. I cannot say whether they have become so by now. All of them who bear Tamil names are satyagrahis. Thus, the Tamils have been keeping the flag of satyagraha flying. I have given the Tamil names in the English section1 and therefore do not give them here. SHIPS REFUSE I reported in the English section2 last week that some ships had refused to carry those persons who have been deported. I cannot say how far the report is true. But it appears that they have failed to get a ship so far. If India exerts sufficient pressure, no ship will dare carry the deportees. There is strong reason to believe that those who have been deported this time will rouse the whole of India to protest. CHETTIAR 3 [He] was today ordered to be deported and was taken to gaol. Mr. Chettiar is about 55 years of age. He suffers from a chronic ailment, and yet he is facing deportation with the utmost courage. He is to be deported to Natal, from where he will return immediately. OTHER ARRESTS Mr. Chinan Diala4 and Selmar Pillay were arrested and they, too, have been ordered to be deported. 1 Vide “From ‘Transvaal Notes’ ”, 12-4-1910 2 Vide “From ‘Transvaal Notes’ ”, 4-4-1910 3 V. A. Chettiar, respected old Chairman of the Tamil Benefit Society, who had been arrested on April 5. Vide “Transvaal Notes”, Indian Opinion, 9-4-1910. 4 Vide, however, “Transvaal Notes”, Indian Opinion, 16-4-1910, where the name given is Anandi Alvar. VOL. 11 : 11 APRIL, 1910 - 12 JULY, 1911 1 KARODIA The case against the two Karodias1 has been withdrawn. One of them was charged with using a false permit and the other with making a false affidavit. The police had spared no pains in preparing for this case. They had called the Immigration Officer at Durban, Mr. Moosa Hajee Adam and others as witnesses; however, the case was withdrawn at the last moment. The fact is that some Indians, out of spite, had made an affidavit and also induced someone else to make another against the two brothers. Later they felt sorry for what they had done. They found it very difficult to prove, their statements, for there was ample evidence to show that Mr. Karodia had lived in Johannesburg before the War. I think the Government withdrew the cases in order to protect the persons who had given the affidavits. Mr. Karodia does not intend to leave the matter here, but will approach the Attorney General for relief in order to make an example of the men concerned and prevent similar things from happening to other prominent persons. WHETHER COLOURED PERSONS CAN STAY In Johannesburg, many title-deeds contain a provision to the effect that the landowners cannot permit Asiatics or Coloured persons other than servants to stay on their lands. This is so in Norwood [also]. A certain white bought a stand there. Later, he discovered that at several places there were Coloured persons staying. He filed a suit against the company to have his tite-deed nullified on this ground. The magistrate decided against the company. The case was taken higher up. The Supreme Court has now ruled that, notwithstanding the provision in the title-deeds, the company cannot be held responsible. The owner of a stand can, if he chooses, file a suit against any person who permits Coloured persons to stay [on the stand]. Accordingly, the Coloureds will stay where they are, for the present at least. We must now wait till there is another suit; its outcome is anybody’s guess. The saying, “having survived a moment of danger, we may live to be a hundred years”, might come true in this case. 1 Messrs Karodia Brothers, well-known Indian merchants of Johannesburg; vide “Letter to Attorney General”, 14-4-1910 2 THE COLLECTED WORKS OF MAHATMA GANDHI LORD SELBORNE The miners gave a dinner to Lord Selborne. Speaking on the occasion, he gave a warning to the whites that, if they were not careful and persisted in their unjust treatment of the Cape Coloureds, the consequences would be unhappy. Men would arise from among them who would becomeleaders of the Kaffirs. Lord Selborne thought that this was the biggest problem facing South Africa. These views call for some comment. It does not appear that in saying this Lord Selborne was actuated by concern for the welfare of the Coloured people; he said it only because he feared the emergence of a leader from among them. Their sincere well-wishers, however, should welcome the rise of such leaders—the more the better—and encourage them. RAILWAY REGULATIONS The General Manager, the Assistant Manager, Mr. Bell, Mr. Cac- halia and Mr. Gandhi met today. After a discussion lasting nearly an hour and a half, the draft which the Association had forwarded was accepted with some modifications.1 The General Manager stated that he would recommend to the Railway Board the withdrawal of the Reg- ulations which had been promulgated and that [new] regulations would be framed in terms of the draft as approved by him. According to the draft-agreement, there will be no discrimination in law on the gro-und of colour. The existing provision that Indians can travel only in the third class will be deleted and the former position will be restored. CAUTION TO INDIANS This will be a welcome change, no doubt. That it has come about shows that the Indian community is not to be trifled with. But the Indian community’s responsibility will also increase. There will, of course, be no difficulty if we bear ourselves with dignity; should we, however, forget ourselves, difficulties will certainly arise and discriminatory regulations will be introduced. SHOP HOURS REGULATIONS These Regulations are again to be modified. The most important change will be that European hotels will be allowed to remain open up 1 Vide Appendix “Letter from General Manager, C.S.A.R., to Gandhiji”, 11-4-1910. VOL. 11 : 11 APRIL, 1910 - 12 JULY, 1911 3 to 12 midnight, whereas Asiatic hotels will have to close at 6 p.m. I do not see that we can do much to protest against this discrimination; all the same, the Association has written1 to the Colonial Secretary about it. ROW AMONG KANAMIAS Kanamia2 friends had their fill of fighting. They went at one another on a public road, a large number of whites watching the scene. Three of them sustained serious injuries. The brawlers got a bad name, and the Indian community as well, to some extent. Fighting has brought no benefit to eitherparty. Benefit there will be only for the Government and lawyers. Both the sides have engaged lawyers and it seems, from the way they talk, that money will be spent like water. The story that has been circulated by newspapers is that this was a dispute between satyagrahis and their opponents. Mr. Cachalia has therefore addressed a letter3 to newspapers, pointing out that the quarrel had nothing to do whatever with satyagraha. I wish to say a few words to the Kanamias. I know, and everyone knows, that they are strong of arms; they are making a big mistake, however, if they imagine that such brawls add to their reputation. The reason for the quarrel is of no account. I am not interested in finding out who is to blame. I only know that the fighting has helped neither side. However, those who are in love with physical strength and want occasions for its use would do well to employ it, not for purposes of revenge but in defence of others. Moreover, those who would fight, must fight it out to the last, be the end death or victory. To start a fight and then go to a court of law is cowardice twice over. To use violence against anyone is cowardly enough, but going to a court is much worse. If a man, after having fought, goes to a court, he will prove himself fit for nothing. Duelling survives to this day in all parts of Europe, except England. The idea behind it is that two persons actually fight with each other in order to prove himself in the right and the one who is defeated is considered to have lost his point. It is not open to these persons to go to a court of law [subsequently]. I must admit that, from the point of view of those who approve of violence, this is an excellent 1 Vide “Letter to Colonial Secretary”, 12-4-1910 2 Muslims from Kaman, in Central Gujarat 3 Vide “Letter to the Press”, 8-4-1910 4 THE COLLECTED WORKS OF MAHATMA GANDHI practice. But those who know that it is better to die than to kill, they know best; they have conquered all. This is the Indian way. [From Gujarati] Indian Opinion, 16-4-1910 2. FROM “TRANSVAAL NOTES” Tuesday [April 12,1910] The following were transferred to Delagoa Bay on Saturday, the 9th instant:1 Messrs Veera Pillay, S. Manikam, N. G. Pillay, N. K. Pillay, Govinda Chetty, Joe Chinanan, Mootu Moonian, David Solomon, Moonosamy Paul, Moonosamy Chellen, Nurisumu Appen, Tommy Govindasamy, Letckey, Abhie Naidoo, John Edward, T. A. S. Achary, C. Narainsamy, R. C. Peter, L. Morgan, Chella Pather, R. Moonosamy, JohnLazarus, David Marrian, Francis Baker, Albert Baker, K. Chinasamy Pillay, H.