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+*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 41954 ***
+
+TRANSCRIBER'S NOTE:
+
+
+The author often uses the South Asian numbering system where, besides
+the three least significant digits of the integer part, a comma divides
+every two rather than every three digits (for example 10,00,000 instead
+of 1,000,000). Italic text has been marked with _underscores_.
+Inconsistencies in hyphenation and spelling have not been corrected. A
+list of corrections to the text can be found at the end of the document.
+
+
+
+
+  THE WHEEL OF FORTUNE
+
+
+
+
+  Freedom's Battle
+  Swaraj in One Year
+  Indian Home Rule
+
+  Mahatma Gandhi
+    His Life writings and speeches
+    Foreword by Mrs. Sarojini Naidu
+    3rd Edition. Revised and Enlarged
+
+
+
+
+  THE WHEEL OF FORTUNE
+
+  BY
+  MAHATMA GANDHI
+
+  Appreciation by
+  DWIJENDRANATH TAGORE
+
+
+  MADRAS
+  GANESH & CO.
+  1922
+
+
+
+
+  THE CAMBRIDGE
+  PRESS, MADRAS.
+
+
+
+
+CONTENTS
+
+
+                                          Page.
+  Dawn of a New Era                          ix
+
+  SWADESHI
+  Non-Co-operation Programme                  1
+  Khilafat and Swadeshi                       5
+  The Secret of Swaraj                        8
+  Swadeshi                                   16
+  Swadeshi in the Punjab                     26
+  Swadeshi Stores                            31
+  Indian Economics                           34
+  How to Boycott Foreign Cloth               44
+
+  SPINNING
+  The Music of the Spinning Wheel            53
+  "Handlooms or Powermills?"                 58
+  Hand-spinning and Hand-weaving             64
+  Hand-spinning again                        71
+  A Plea for Spinning                        76
+  The Duty of Spinning                       80
+  The Duty of Spinning                       83
+  The Doctrine of Charka                     85
+  The Message of the Charka                  87
+  The Charka in the Gita                     93
+  Spinning as Famine Relief                  97
+  The Potency of the Spinning Wheel         107
+  The Wheel of Fortune                      110
+  The Spinning Wheel                        116
+
+  APPENDICES
+  I.  A Model Weaving-school                123
+      Spinning Department                   133
+      The Advantage of the thin spindle     136
+      Hand-Looms                            140
+      What Kind of Loom?                    144
+      Sizing Handspun Yarn                  146
+  II. The Wheel of Fortune                  156
+
+
+
+
+DAWN OF A NEW ERA
+
+
+Many critics and some friends of Mahatma Gandhi have found fault with
+his desire to introduce simpler methods of spinning and weaving and to
+do away with much of the complicated machinery of Modern Civilisation.
+The reason why they object is that they fear such methods mean not
+progress towards a higher state but relapse into a primitive condition
+of civilisation or even of barbarism. His denunciation of the age of
+machinery and of the Industrial System has been criticised by many as
+the ravings of a visionary and of one who is merely an impracticable
+idealist. This is a strange criticism to come from those who give their
+allegiance to a form of civilisation or 'Culture' which has led to the
+unprecedented horrors of the late European War and the century-old
+disgraces of the Industrial System. Is this present modern civilisation
+so very desirable that we should wish it to continue in perpetuity?
+Every civilisation in the History of Man has reached a certain point
+after which there has been one possibility only for it and that was
+absolute relapse into semi-darkness in order to give place to a new and
+higher civilisation. The common starting point of all the civilisations
+is a kind of night-time. In order that the Babylonian (or Despotic)
+Civilisation might give way to the Roman (or Heroic), and the Roman give
+way to the Modern (or Intellectual) Civilisation, it was necessary for
+each in turn to sink completely into this common night-time. Without
+this entire destruction of the ancient structure, there would have been
+only a patchwork of the old, and not a harmonious building of the New.
+As Christ said: "Ye cannot put old wine into new bottles." The debris of
+the Past has to be cleared away in order to make way for the structure
+of the Future. Now with regard to Modern Civilisation, all the signs of
+the times show that it has failed lamentably and is gradually tottering
+to a dishonoured grave. Why make any attempts to prop up what Nature so
+evidently has decided to throw on the scrap-heap? Such attempts are
+contrary to the teaching of past history. But anything, which tends to
+reach the common roots of all civilisations, should be encouraged. In
+order that the spiritual civilisation of the Future may have a real
+chance of growing in an atmosphere congenial to it, Mahatma Gandhi's
+demonstration of the right path should be welcomed. His emphasis on
+simplicity of life and on the simplification of the machinery of living
+must be realised as a supremely essential condition of the coming of the
+new Era. In the civilisation of the Future, an Era of natural harmonious
+living will be inaugurated, and artificial, luxurious and pompous living
+will be entirely rooted out.
+
+Simplicity of life being a condition of spiritual perfection, we may
+look forward to an Era of Civilisation in the Future, greatly superior
+to all the civilisations of the Past, if only we accept simplicity of
+life as the best method of living. The failure and decline of Western
+or Modern Civilisation need not alarm us; for the experience of History
+is full of similar declines of once powerful cultures. When Babylonian
+Civilisation had reached its height, it had to come down to what we may
+term the zero-point of all civilisation from which Roman Civilisation
+had made its start. But when Roman Civilisation had reached its zenith,
+it was much superior to the zenith Civilisation of Babylon, as the
+zenith Babylonian was superior to the zero-civilisation. And so also of
+full-fledged Modern Civilisation. We may say that until it returns to
+the common zero-point, there is no hope of a full and perfect
+development of a civilisation moulded by spiritual ideals.
+
+Let critics of Mahatma Gandhi then look to History before they condemn
+him for trying to bring this much belauded Modern Civilisation down to
+the common starting point of all great civilisations. We are at the dawn
+of a New Era, and Mahatma Gandhi is the one leader who shows to us the
+right path. He at least is watering the roots, while all others who try
+to keep alive the Civilisation of the Western nations are like foolish
+gardeners who lavish water on the withering leaves of a dying tree and
+never think of watering its roots.
+
+
+
+
+SWADESHI
+
+
+
+
+THE WHEEL OF FORTUNE
+
+
+
+
+BOYCOTT OF GOODS
+
+_vs._
+
+NON-CO-OPERATION PROGRAMME
+
+
+Mr. Kasturi Ranga Aiyangar was pleased to answer my argument in favour
+of the details of the first stage of non-co-operation that I had the
+honour of explaining at the great Madras Beach meeting. He expressed his
+dissent from all but the renunciation of titles. He suggested boycott of
+foreign goods in the place of the other items. Even at the risk of
+repeating arguments familiar to the readers of "Young India", I must
+deal with the question of boycott which has now received the imprimatur
+of so able a publicist as Mr. Kasturi Ranga Aiyangar.
+
+In the first place, boycott of British goods has been conceived as a
+punishment and can have no place in non-co-operation which is conceived
+in a spirit of self-sacrifice and is a matter of sacred duty.
+
+Secondly, any measure of punishment must be swift, certain and adequate
+for the effect intended to be produced. Resorted to by individuals,
+therefore, boycott is ineffectual, for, it can give no satisfaction
+unless it is productive of effect, whereas every act of non-co-operation
+is its own satisfaction.
+
+Thirdly, boycott of British goods is thoroughly unpractical, for, it
+involves sacrifice of their millions by millionaires. It is in my
+opinion infinitely more difficult for a merchant to sacrifice his
+millions than for a lawyer to suspend his practice or for a title-holder
+to give up his title or for a parent to sacrifice, if need be, the
+literary instruction of his children. Add to this the important fact
+that merchants have only lately begun to interest themselves in
+politics. They are therefore yet timid and cautious. But the class, to
+which the first stage of non-co-operation is intended to appeal, is the
+political class which has devoted years to politics and is not mentally
+unprepared for communal sacrifice.
+
+Boycott of British goods to be effective must be taken up by the whole
+country at once or not at all. It is like a siege. You can carry out a
+siege only when you have the requisite men and instruments of
+destruction. One man scratching a wall with his finger nails may hurt
+his fingers but will produce no effect upon the walls. One title-holder
+giving up his title has the supreme satisfaction of having washed his
+hands clean of the guilt of the donor and is unaffected by the refusal
+of his fellows to give up theirs. The motive of boycott being punitive
+lacks the inherent practicability of non-co-operation. The spirit of
+punishment is a sign of weakness. A strengthening of that spirit will
+retard the process of regeneration. The spirit of sacrifice is a
+determination to rid ourselves of our weakness. It is therefore an
+invigorating and purifying process and is therefore also calculated to
+do good both to us and to those who evoke the spirit of sacrifice in us.
+Above all, if India has a mission of her own, she will not fulfil it by
+copying the doubtful example of the West and making even her sacrifice
+materialistically utilitarian instead of offering a sacrifice spotless
+and pleasing even in the sight of God.
+
+
+
+
+KHILAFAT AND SWADESHI
+
+
+It was not without much misgiving that I consented to include Swadeshi
+as a plank in non-co-operation. But Maulana Hasrat Mohani by his sheer
+earnestness bore me down. I fear however that his reasons for including
+Swadeshi are different from mine. He is a protagonist of boycott of
+British goods, I cannot reconcile myself to the doctrine as I have
+explained elsewhere in this issue. But having failed to popularise
+boycott, Mohani Saheb has accepted Swadeshi as the lesser good. It is
+however necessary for me to explain how I have come to include Swadeshi
+in the programme of non-co-operation.
+
+Non-co-operation is nothing but discipline in self-sacrifice. And I
+believe that a nation that is capable of limitless sacrifice is capable
+of rising to limitless heights. The purer the sacrifice the quicker the
+progress. Swadeshi offers every man, woman and child an occasion to
+make a beginning in self-sacrifice of a pure type. It therefore presents
+an opportunity for testing our capacity for sacrifice. It is the measure
+for gauging the depth of national feeling on the Khilafat wrong. Does
+the nation feel sufficiently to move it to go through even the
+preliminary process of sacrifice? Will the nation revise its taste for
+the Japanese silk, the Manchester calico or the French lace and find all
+its decoration out of hand-spun and hand-woven cloth, i.e., Khadi? If
+crores of people will refuse to wear or use foreign cloth and be
+satisfied with the simple cloth that we can produce in our homes, it
+will be proof of our organising ability, energy, co-operation and
+self-sacrifice that will enable us to secure all we need. It will be a
+striking demonstration of national solidarity.
+
+Such a consummation cannot be achieved for the mere wish. It cannot be
+achieved by one man, no matter how capable and sincere he may be. It
+cannot be achieved by dotting India with Swadeshi stores. It can only be
+achieved by new production and judicious distribution. Production means
+lacs of women spinning in their own homes. This requires earnest men to
+be engaged in honestly distributing carded cotton and collecting yarn
+and paying for it. It means manufacture of thousands of spinning wheels.
+It means inducing the hereditary weavers to return to their noble
+calling and distributing home-spun yarn amongst them and selling their
+manufactures. It is thus only as an energising agent that I can think of
+Swadeshi as a plank in non-co-operation. But it is not to be despised in
+that capacity. And I hope that every worker for the cause, even if he
+can do nothing else, will have done something if he can advance Swadeshi
+first by increasing production and then distribution. He would be simply
+moving in a circle if he is satisfied with distributing cloth that is
+already being manufactured in India.
+
+
+
+
+THE SECRET OF SWARAJ
+
+
+The Congress resolution has rightly emphasised the importance of
+Swadeshi and the amount of greater sacrifice by merchants.
+
+India cannot be free so long as India voluntarily encourages or
+tolerates the economic drain which has been going on for the past
+century and a half. Boycott of foreign goods means no more and no less
+than boycott of foreign cloth. Foreign cloth constitutes the largest
+drain voluntarily permitted by us. It means sixty crores of rupees
+annually paid by us for piece-goods. If India could make a successful
+effort to stop that drain, she can gain Swaraj by that one act.
+
+India was enslaved for satisfying the greed of the foreign cloth
+manufacturer. When the East India Company came in, we were able to
+manufacture all the cloth we needed, and more for export. By processes
+that need not be described here, India has become practically wholly
+dependent upon foreign manufacture for her clothing.
+
+But we ought not to be dependent. India has the ability to manufacture
+all her cloth if her children will work for it. Fortunately India has
+yet enough weavers to supplement the out-turn of her mills. The mills do
+not and cannot immediately manufacture all the cloth we want. The reader
+may not know that, even at the present moment, the weavers weave more
+cloth than the mills. But the latter weave five crore yards of fine
+foreign counts, equal to forty crore yards of coarser counts. The way to
+carry out a successful boycott of foreign cloth is to increase the
+out-put of yarn. And this can only be done by hand-spinning.
+
+To bring about such a boycott, it is necessary for our merchants to stop
+all foreign importation, and to sell out, even at a loss, all foreign
+cloth already stocked in India, preferably to foreign buyers. They must
+cease to speculate in cotton, and keep all the cotton required for home
+use. They must stop purchasing all foreign cotton.
+
+The mill-owners should work their mills not for their profits but as a
+national trust and therefore cease to spin finer counts, and weave only
+for the home market.
+
+The householder has to revise his or her ideas of fashion and, at least
+for the time being, suspend the use of fine garments which are not
+always worn to cover the body. He should train himself to see art and
+beauty in the spotlessly white _khaddar_ and to appreciate its soft
+unevenness. The householder must learn to use cloth as a miser uses his
+hoard.
+
+And even when the householders have revised their tastes about dress,
+somebody will have to spin yarn for the weavers. This can only be done
+by every one spinning during spare hours either for love or money.
+
+We are engaged in a spiritual war. We are not living in normal times.
+Normal activities are always suspended in abnormal times. And if we are
+out to gain _Swaraj_ in a year's time, it means that we must
+concentrate upon our goal to the exclusion of every thing else. I
+therefore venture to suggest to the students all over India to suspend
+their normal studies for one year and devote their time to the
+manufacture of yarn by hand-spinning. It will be their greatest act of
+service to the motherland, and their most natural contribution to the
+attainment of _Swaraj_. During the late war our rulers attempted to turn
+every factory into an arsenal for turning out bullets of lead. During
+this war of ours, I suggest every national school and college being
+turned into a factory for preparing cones of yarns for the nation. The
+students will lose nothing by the occupation: they will gain a kingdom
+here and hereafter. There is a famine of cloth in India. To assist in
+removing this dearth is surely an act of merit. If it is sinful to use
+foreign yarn, it is a virtue to manufacture more Swadeshi yarn in order
+to enable us to cope with the want that would be created by the disuse
+of foreign yarn.
+
+The obvious question asked would be, if it is so necessary to
+manufacture yarn, why not pay every poor person to do so? The answer is
+that hand spinning is not, and never was, a calling like weaving,
+carpentry, etc. Under the pre-British economy of India, spinning was an
+honourable and leisurely occupation for the women of India. It is
+difficult to revive the art among the women in the time at our disposal.
+But it is incredibly simple and easy for the school-goers to respond to
+the nation's call. Let no one decry the work as being derogatory to the
+dignity of man or students. It was an art confined to the women of India
+because the latter had more leisure. And being graceful, musical, and as
+it did not involve any great exertion, it had become the monopoly of
+women. But it is certainly as graceful for either sex as is music for
+instance. In hand-spinning is hidden the protection of women's virtue,
+the insurance against famine, and the cheapening of prices. In it is
+hidden the secret of _Swaraj_. The revival of hand spinning is the least
+penance we must do for the sin of our forefathers in having succumbed
+to the satanic influences of the foreign manufacturer.
+
+The school-goers will restore hand-spinning to its respectable status.
+They will hasten the process of making _Khaddar_ fashionable. For no
+mother, or father, worth the name will refuse to wear cloth made out of
+yarn spun by their children. And the scholars' practical recognition of
+art will compel the attention of the weavers of India. If we are to wean
+the Punjabi from the calling not of a soldier but of the murderer of
+innocent and free people of other lands, we must give back to him the
+occupation of weaving. The race of the peaceful Julahis of the Punjab is
+all but extinct. It is for the scholars of the Punjab to make it
+possible for the Punjabi weaver to return to his innocent calling.
+
+I hope to show in a future issue how easy it is to introduce this change
+in the schools and how quickly, on these terms, we can nationalise our
+schools and colleges. Everywhere the students have asked me what new
+things I would introduce into our nationalised schools. I have
+invariably told them I would certainly introduce spinning. I feel, so
+much more clearly than ever before that during the transition period, we
+must devote exclusive attention to spinning and certain other things of
+immediate national use, so as to make up for past neglect. And the
+students will be better able and equipped to enter upon the new course
+of studies.
+
+Do I want to put back the hand of the clock of progress? Do I want to
+replace the mills by hand-spinning and hand-weaving? Do I want to
+replace the railway by the country cart? Do I want to destroy machinery
+altogether? These questions have been asked by some journalists and
+public men. My answer is: I would not weep over the disappearance of
+machinery or consider it a calamity. But I have no design upon machinery
+as such. What I want to do at the present moment is to supplement the
+production of yarn and cloth through our mills, save the millions we
+send out of India, and distribute them in our cottages. This I cannot do
+unless and until the nation is prepared to devote its leisure hours to
+hand-spinning. To that end we must adopt the methods I have ventured to
+suggest for popularising spinning as a duty rather than as a means of
+livelihood.
+
+
+
+
+SWADESHI
+
+
+In criticising my article entitled 'The Music of the Spinning Wheel!'
+the "Leader" the other day attributed to me the ideas that I have never
+entertained. And it is necessary for the purpose of understanding the
+true value of Swadeshi, to correct some of the current fallacies. The
+_Leader_ considers that I am putting back the hands of the clock of
+progress by attempting to replace mill-made cloth and mill-spun yarn by
+hand-woven and hand-spun yarn. Now, I am making no such attempt at all.
+I have no quarrel with the mills. My views are incredibly simple. India
+requires nearly 13 yards of cloth per head per year. She produces, I
+believe, less than half the amount. India grows all the cotton she
+needs. She exports several million bales of cotton to Japan and
+Lancashire and receives much of it back in manufactured calico although
+she is capable of producing all the cloth and all the yarn necessary for
+supplying her wants by hand-weaving and hand-spinning. India needs to
+supplement her main occupation, agriculture, with some other employment.
+Hand-spinning is the only such employment for millions. It was the
+national employment a century ago. It is not true to say that economic
+pressure and modern machinery destroyed hand-spinning and hand-weaving.
+This great industry was destroyed or almost destroyed by extraordinary
+and immoral means adopted by the East India Company. This national
+industry is capable of being revived by exertion and a change in the
+national taste without damaging the mill industry. Increase of mills is
+no present remedy for supplying the deficiency. The difficulty can be
+easily supplied only by hand-spinning and hand-weaving. If this
+employment were revived, it would prevent sixty million rupees from
+being annually drained from the country and distribute the amount among
+lacs of poor women in their own cottages. I therefore consider Swadeshi
+as an automatic, though partial, solution of the problem of India's
+grinding poverty. It also constitutes a ready-made insurance policy in
+times of scarcity of rain.
+
+But two things are needful to bring about the needed revival--to create
+a taste for Khaddar and to provide an organisation for the distribution
+of carded cotton and collection of yarn against payment.
+
+In one year, by the silent labour of a few men, several thousand rupees
+have been distributed in Gujarat among several thousand poor women who
+are glad enough to earn a few pice per day to buy milk for their
+children, etc.
+
+The argument does not apply to the sugar industry as the "Leader" has
+attempted. There is not sufficient cane grown in India to supply India's
+wants. Sugar was never a national and supplementary industry. Foreign
+sugar has not supplanted Indian sugar. India's wants of sugar have grown
+and she therefore imports more sugar. But this importation does not
+institute a drain in the sense in which importation of foreign cloth
+does. Production of more sugar means more scientific agriculture, more
+and better machinery for crushing and refining. The sugar industry
+therefore stands on a different platform. Swadeshi in sugar is
+desirable, Swadeshi in cloth is an urgent necessity.
+
+The Swadeshi propaganda has been going on in a more or less organised
+manner now for the past eighteen months. Some of its results are
+surprising and gratifying. It has taken a fairly firm hold in the
+Punjab, Madras and the Bombay Presidency. Hand spinning and hand-weaving
+are steadily increasing in these parts. Several thousand rupees have
+been distributed in homes where women never did any work before. And if
+more work of this kind has not been done, it is due to want of workers.
+
+This is however written more to note the mistakes of the past than to
+sum up the bright side. My observations lead me to the conclusion that
+whilst the inauguration of the three vows and Swadeshi stores have
+greatly stimulated the Swadeshi spirit, it is no longer possible to
+advocate the taking of any of the three vows or the opening of new
+Swadeshi stores for the sale of mill-made cloth. The result of the
+propaganda has been to send up the prices of yarn and cloth rather than
+increase production. It is clear that the purpose of Swadeshi is not
+served until the quantity of yarn and cloth produced is increased. The
+gain therefore is merely moral and not material. The people have begun
+to perceive the desirability of wearing only Swadeshi cloth if the real
+interest of the country is to be advanced.
+
+But it is clear that we must take practical steps for meeting the
+growing demand for Swadeshi cloth. One way, no doubt, is to increase the
+mills. But it is obvious that capitalists do not need popular
+encouragement. They know that India needs much more cloth than is
+manufactured by our mills. But mills do not spring up like mushrooms. It
+is a matter of getting machinery from outside, let alone the difficulty
+of getting labour. And after all, India cannot become truly and
+economically independent so long as she must rely on the supply of
+machinery from outside for the manufacture of her cloth.
+
+The cleanest and the most popular form of Swadeshi, therefore, is to
+stimulate hand-spinning and hand-weaving and to arrange for a judicious
+distribution of yarn and cloth so manufactured. With a little talent and
+a little industry this thing is easy. Even as each home cooks its own
+food without difficulty, so may each home weave its own yarn. And just
+as in spite of every home having its own kitchen, restaurants continue
+to flourish, so will mills continue to supply our additional wants. But
+even as because of our private kitchens we would not starve if every
+restaurant was through some accident closed, so would we, by reason of
+domestic spinning, not have to be naked even if every mill, by a
+blockade from the west, had to stop work. Not long ago, we knew this
+secret of our own economic independence and it is possible for us to
+regain that independence by a little effort, a little organising agency
+and a little sacrifice.
+
+Therefore true Swadeshi consists in introducing the spinning wheel in
+every household and every household spinning its own yarn. Many a
+Punjabi woman does it to-day. And though we may not supply our own cloth
+entirely, we shall be saving yearly crores of rupees. In any event there
+is no other Swadeshi than increased manufacture by hand-spinning and
+hand-weaving. Whether we take up hand-spinning and hand-weaving or we do
+not, it is at least necessary to understand what true Swadeshi is.
+
+_How to kill swadeshi_--We are familiar with the official ban put upon
+the _Khadi_ cap in various parts of India. In Bihar, I heard that a
+magistrate actually sent hawkers to sell foreign cloth. Mr. Painter of
+Dharwar fame has gone one better, and has issued an official circular in
+which he says:
+
+"All officers subordinate to the Collector and District Magistrate are
+desired to take steps to make people realise, that in as much as India
+produces less than her population requires, a boycott of foreign cloth
+and its destruction or export must inevitably lead to a serious rise in
+prices, which may lead to a serious disorder and looting, and that these
+consequences will be the result, not of any action on the part of
+Government but of Mr. Gandhi's campaign."
+
+In two other paragraphs means are indicated of combating the Swadeshi
+propaganda _i.e._ by holding meetings, and by dealers who are opposed to
+boycott attending the Collector's office at stated hours. The Madras
+Government have issued a still more pedantic circular. The meaning of
+these circulars is obvious. Pressure is to be put upon the dealers and
+others not to countenance boycott. The subordinate officials will take
+liberties which the authors of circulars may not even have contemplated.
+Fortunately for the country, these threats now produce little or no
+impression upon the public, and the Swadeshi movement will go on in the
+teeth of the official opposition, be it secret or open, unscrupulous or
+honourable.
+
+The officials are so ignorant and obstinate, that they will not take the
+only effective course for avoiding the feared 'disorders and looting,'
+_viz._ making common cause with the public and stimulating production.
+Instead of recognising the agitation against foreign cloth as desirable
+and necessary, they regard it as an evil to be put down. And then it is
+complained, that I call a system which seeks to thwart healthy public
+agitation, satanic. Why should there be any dearth of indigenous cloth?
+Is there not enough cotton in India? Are there not enough men and women
+who can spin and weave? Is it not possible to manufacture all the
+required number of wheels in a few days? Why should not each home
+manufacture its own cloth, even as it cooks its own food? Is it not
+enough in times of famine to distribute uncooked grain among the
+famine-striken? Why should it not be enough to distribute raw cotton
+among those who need clothing? Why this hypocritical or false alarm
+about the dearth of cloth, when it is possible in India to manufacture
+enough for India's needs in a month even without the aid of the mills?
+The people have been purposely or ignorantly kept in the dark hitherto.
+They have been wrongly taught to believe, that all the cloth needed
+cannot be manufactured in India's homes as of yore. They have been
+figuratively amputated and then made to rely upon foreign or mill-made
+cloth. I wish the people concerned will give the only dignified answer
+possible to these circulars. They will forthwith burn or send out all
+their foreign cloth, and courageously make up their minds to spin and
+weave for their own requirements. It is incredibly easy for every one
+who is not an idler.
+
+     _Y. I.--18th Aug, 1920._
+
+
+
+
+SWADESHI IN THE PUNJAB
+
+
+The Joint Secretaries of the Bharat Stri Maha Mandal, Punjab Branch,
+send a report of the Swadeshi activities of Shrimati Saraladevi
+Chaudhrani ever since her return to Lahore from Bombay. Miss Roy and
+Mrs. Roshandal, the Secretaries, state that meetings of women were held
+respectively on the 23rd, 24th and 25th June at three different places
+in Lahore. All the meetings were attended by hundreds of women who were
+deeply interested in what Shrimati Saraladevi had to say. The burden of
+her discourses was India's deep poverty. She traced the causes and
+proved that our poverty was primarily due to the abandonment of Swadeshi
+by the people. The remedy therefore lay in reverting to Swadeshi.
+
+Saraladevi herself writes to say that her Khaddar Sari impressed her
+audiences more than her speeches, and her songs came next, her speeches
+last. The good ladies of Lahore flocked round her and felt her coarse
+but beautifully white Sari and admired it. Some took pity on her that
+she who only the other day was dressed in costly thin silk Saris now
+decked herself in hand-woven Swadeshi Khaddar. Saraladevi wanted no pity
+and retorted that their thin foreign scarves lay heavier on their
+shoulders with the weight of their helpless dependence on foreign
+manufacture whereas her coarse Khaddar lay light as a feather on her
+body with the joy of the knowledge that she was free because she wore
+garments in the manufacture of which her sisters and her brothers had
+laboured. This statement so pleased her audience that most of the women
+present resolved to discard foreign clothes. Saraladevi has now been
+charged by these ladies to open a shop where they could buy Swadeshi
+goods. She has since addressed more audiences. She spoke at the District
+Conference at Sialkot and to a meeting exclusively devoted to ladies
+numbering over one thousand. I hope that the men of Punjab will help
+Saraladevi in her self-imposed mission. They may harness her talents and
+her willingness in founding Swadeshi Sabha and organising Swadeshi
+propaganda on a sound basis. Both men and money are needed to make the
+work a success.
+
+Swadeshi is more than reforms. There is much waste over reforms. There
+is none in Swadeshi. Every yard of yarn spun is so much labour well
+spent and so much wealth added to the national treasury. Every drop
+counts. Swadeshi spells first production and then distribution.
+Distribution without production means the raising of prices without any
+corresponding benefit. For to-day demand exceeds the supply. If we will
+not manufacture more cloth, more foreign imports must continue a painful
+and sinful necessity.
+
+Punjab has a great opportunity. Punjab grows splendid cotton. The art of
+spinning has not yet died out. Almost every Punjabi woman knows it. This
+sacred haunt of the Rishis of old has thousands of weavers. Only the
+leaders need to have faith in their women and themselves. When
+Saraladevi wrote to me that she might want goods from Bombay, I felt
+hurt. The Punjab has all the time and all the labour and the material
+necessary for producing her own cloth. She has brave merchants. She has
+more than enough capital. She has brains. Has she the will? She can
+organise her own Swadeshi in less than a year, if the leaders will work
+at this great cause. It is playing with Swadeshi for the Punjab to have
+to import cloth from Bombay.
+
+The Punjab has to right herself by putting her Swadeshi on a proper
+basis and by ridding herself of Messrs. Bosworth Smith and Company. She
+will then be both economically and politically sound. Geographically she
+stands at the top. She led the way in the older times. Will she again do
+so? Her men are virile to look at. Have they virility enough to secure
+without a moment's delay purity of administration? I have not strayed
+from Swadeshi to politics. My Swadeshi spirit makes me impatient of
+garments that denude India of her wealth and equally impatient of the
+Smiths, the O'Briens, the Shri Rams and the Maliks who denude her of her
+self-respect and insolently touch women's veils with their sticks, chain
+innocent men as if they were beasts, or shoot them from armoured cars or
+otherwise terrorise people into subjection.
+
+     _Y. I.--7th July 1920._
+
+
+
+
+SWADESHI STORES
+
+
+In a previous issue I endeavoured to show how stores for the sake of
+selling mill-manufactures did not advance Swadeshi in any way whatsoever
+but on the contrary, tended to send up the price of cloth. I propose to
+show in this article how with a small capital, it is possible to advance
+true Swadeshi and earn a modest livelihood.
+
+Suppose that there is a family consisting of husband, wife and two
+children one of whom is ten years old and the other five. If they have a
+capital of Rs. 500 they can manage a Khaddar Bhandar in a small way.
+They can hire, say in a place with a population of 20,000 inhabitants a
+shop with dwelling rooms for Rs. 10 per month. If they sell the whole of
+the stock at 10 p.c. profit they can have Rs. 50 per month. They have no
+servants. The wife and the children in their spare time would be
+expected to help in keeping the shop tidy and looking after it when the
+husband is out. The wife and children can also devote their spare time
+to spinning.
+
+In the initial stages the Khaddar may not sell at the shop. In that case
+the husband is expected to hawk the Khaddar from door to door and
+popularise it. He will soon find a custom for it.
+
+The reader must not be surprised at my suggesting 10 p.c. profits. The
+Khaddar Bhandars are not designed for the poorest. The use of Khaddar
+saves at least half the cost not necessarily because the Khaddar is more
+durable (though that it certainly is) but because its use revolutionises
+our tastes. I know what saving of money its use has meant to me. Those,
+who buy Khaddar from patriotic motives merely, can easily afford to pay
+10 p.c. profits on Khaddar. Lastly the popularising of Khaddar means
+much care, devotion and labour. And the owner of a Khaddar Bhandar does
+not buy it at a wholesale shop but he must wander to get the best
+Khaddar, he must meet the local weavers and induce them to weave hand
+spun yarn. He must stimulate in his own district hand spinning among its
+women. He must come in touch with the carders and get them to card
+cotton. All this means intelligence, organisation and great ability. A
+man who can exhibit these qualities has a right to take 10 p.c. profits.
+And a Swadeshi Bhandar conducted on these lines becomes a true centre of
+Swadeshi activity. I commend my remarks to the attention of the managers
+of Swadeshi stores that are already in existence. They may not
+revolutionise their method at once but I have no doubt that they will
+advance Swadeshi only to the extent that they sell Khaddar.
+
+     _Y. I.--7th July, 1920._
+
+
+
+
+INDIAN ECONOMICS
+
+
+A friend has placed in my hands a bulletin on Indian Piece Goods Trade
+prepared by Mr. A. C. Coubrough C. B. E. by order of the Government of
+India. It contains the following prefatory note: 'The Government of
+India desire it to be understood that the statements made and the views
+expressed in this bulletin are those of the author himself.' If so, why
+has the Government of India burdened the tax-payer with the expense of
+such bulletins? The one before me is 16th in the series. Do they publish
+both the sides of the question?
+
+The bulletin under review is intended to be an answer to the Swadeshi
+movement. It is an elaborate note containing a number of charts showing
+the condition of imports and home manufacture of piece goods including
+hand-woven. But it does not assist the reader in studying the movement.
+The painstaking author has bestowed no pains upon a study of the
+present movement or its scope. That the Government of India treats the
+greatest constructive and co-operative movement in the country with
+supreme contempt and devotes people's money to a vain refutation instead
+of a sympathetic study and treatment is perhaps the best condemnation
+that can be pronounced upon the system under which it is carried.
+
+The author's argument is:
+
+(1) The movement if successful will act not as a protective but a
+prohibitive tariff.
+
+(2) This must result in merely enriching the Indian capitalist and
+punishing the consumer.
+
+(3) The imports are non-competitive in that the bulk of the kind of
+piece goods imported are not manufactured in India.
+
+(4) The result of boycotting such piece goods must be high prices
+without corresponding benefit.
+
+(5) The boycott therefore being against the law of supply and demand and
+against the consumer must fail in the end.
+
+(6) The destruction of hand spinning which I have deplored is due to
+natural causes, _viz._ the invention of time-saving appliances and was
+therefore inevitable.
+
+(7) The Indian farmer is responsible for his own ruin in that he has
+indolently neglected cotton culture which was once so good.
+
+(8) The best service I can render is therefore to induce the
+agriculturist to improve the quality of cotton.
+
+(9) The author concludes, 'If instead of filling homes with useless
+_Charkhas_ he were to start a propaganda for the more intensive
+cultivation of cotton and particularly for the production of longer
+staple cotton, his influence would be felt not only at the present day
+but for many generations to come.'
+
+The reader will thus see, that what I regard as the supreme necessity
+for the economical salvation of India, the author considers to be rank
+folly. There is therefore no meeting ground here. And in spite of the
+prefatory note of the Government of India reproduced by me, the author
+does represent the Government attitude. I have invited them and the
+co-operators definitely to make common cause with the people in this
+movement at any rate. They may not mind its political implications
+because they do not believe in them. And surely they need not feel sorry
+if contrary to their expectation, the rise of the _Charkha_ results in
+an increase in the political power of the people. Instead of waging war
+against _Khadi_, they might have popularised its use and disarmed the
+terrible suspicion they labour under of wishing to benefit the foreign
+manufacturer at the expense of the Indian cultivator. My invitation is
+open for all time. I prophesy that whatever happens to the other parts
+of the national programme, Swadeshi in its present shape will bide for
+ever and must if India's pauperism is to be banished.
+
+Even though I am a layman, I make bold to say that the so-called laws
+laid down in books on economics are not immutable like the laws of Medes
+and Persians, nor are they universal. The economics of England are
+different from those of Germany. Germany enriched herself by bounty-fed
+beet sugar. England enriched herself by exploiting foreign markets. What
+was possible for a compact area is not possible for an area 1,900 miles
+long and 1,500 broad. The economics of a nation are determined by its
+climatic, geological and temperamental conditions. The Indian conditions
+are different from the English in all these essentials. What is meat for
+England is in many cases poison for India. Beef tea in the English
+climate may be good, it is poison for the hot climate of religious
+India. Fiery whisky in the north of the British Isles may be a
+necessity, it renders an Indian unfit for work or society. Fur-coats in
+Scotland are indispensable, they will be an intolerable burden in India.
+Free trade for a country which has become industrial, whose population
+can and does live in cities, whose people do not mind preying upon other
+nations and therefore sustain the biggest navy to protect their
+unnatural commerce, may be economically sound (though as the reader
+perceives, I question its morality). Free trade for India has proved
+her curse and held her in bondage.
+
+And now for Mr. Coubrough's propositions.
+
+(1) The movement is intended to serve the purpose of a voluntary
+prohibitive tariff.
+
+(2) But it is so conceived as neither unduly to benefit the capitalist
+nor to injure the consumer. During the very brief transition stage the
+prices of home manufactures may be, as they are, inflated. But the rise
+can only be temporary as the vast majority of consumers must become
+their own manufacturers. This cottage manufacture of yarn and cloth
+cannot be expensive even as domestic cookery is not expensive and cannot
+be replaced by hotel cookery. Over twenty-five crores of the population
+will be doing their own hand-spinning and having yarn thus manufactured
+woven in neighbouring localities. This population is rooted to the soil
+and has at least four months in the year to remain idle.
+
+If they spin during those hours and have the yarn woven and wear it, no
+mill-made cloth can compete with their _Khadi_. The cloth thus
+manufactured will be the cheapest possible for them. If the rest of the
+population did not take part in the process, it could easily be supplied
+out of the surplus manufactured by the twenty-five crores.
+
+(3) It is true that non-competitive imports are larger than those that
+compete with the manufactures of Indian mills. In the scheme proposed by
+me the question does not arise, because the central idea is not so much
+to carry on a commercial war against foreign countries as to utilise the
+idle hours of the nation and thus by natural processes to help it to get
+rid of her growing pauperism.
+
+(4) I have already shown that the result of boycott cannot in the end be
+a rise in the price of cloth.
+
+(5) The proposed boycott is not against the law of supply and demand,
+because it does away with the law by manufacturing enough for the
+supply. The movement does require a change of taste on the part of those
+who have adopted finer variety and who patronise fantastic combinations
+of colours and designs.
+
+(6) I have shown in these pages, that the destruction of hand-spinning
+was designed and carried out in a most inhuman manner by the agents of
+the East India Company. No amount of appliances would ever have
+displaced this national art and industry but for this artificial and
+systematically cruel manner of carrying out the destruction.
+
+(7) I am unable to hold the Indian farmer responsible for the
+deterioration in cotton culture. The whole incentive was taken away when
+hand-spinning was destroyed. The State never cared for the cultivator.
+
+(8) My activity, I am proud to think, has already turned the
+cultivator's attention to the improvement of cotton. The artistic sense
+of the nation will insist on fine counts for which long staple is a
+necessity. Cotton culture by itself cannot solve the problem of India's
+poverty. For it will still leave the question of enforced idleness
+untouched.
+
+(9) I therefore claim for the _Charkha_ the honour of being able to
+solve the problem of economic distress in a most natural, simple,
+unexpensive and business-like manner. The _Charkha_, therefore, is not
+only not useless as the writer ignorantly suggests, but it is a useful
+and indispensable article for every home. It is the symbol of the
+nation's prosperity and therefore, freedom. It is a symbol not of
+commercial war but of commercial peace. It bears not a message of
+ill-will towards the nations of the earth but of good-will and
+self-help. It will not need the protection of a navy threatening a
+world's peace and exploiting its resources, but it needs the religious
+determination of millions to spin their yarn in their own homes as
+to-day they cook their food in their own homes. I may deserve the curses
+of posterity for many mistakes of omission and commission but I am
+confident of earning its blessings for suggesting a revival of the
+_Charkha_. I stake my all on it. For every revolution of the wheel spins
+peace, good-will and love. And with all that, inasmuch as the loss of
+it brought about India's slavery, its voluntary revival with all its
+implications must mean India's freedom.
+
+     _Y. I.--8th Dec. 1921._
+
+
+
+
+HOW TO BOYCOTT FOREIGN CLOTH
+
+
+It is needless to say at this time of the day, that the proposed boycott
+of foreign cloth is not a vindictive measure, but is as necessary for
+national existence as breath is for life. The quicker, therefore, it can
+be brought about, the better for the country. Without it, Swaraj cannot
+be established or retained after establishment. It is of the highest
+importance to know how it can be brought about even before the first day
+of August next.
+
+To arrive at the boycott quickly, it is necessary (1) for the
+mill-owners to regulate their profits and to manufacture principally for
+the Indian market, (2) for importers to cease to buy foreign goods. A
+beginning has already been made by three principal merchants, (3) for
+the consumers to refuse to buy any foreign cloth and to buy _Khadi_
+wherever possible, (4) for the consumers to wear only _Khadi_ cloth,
+mill cloth being retained for the poor who do not know the distinction
+between Swadeshi and Pardeshi, (5) for the consumers to use, till Swaraj
+is established and _Khadi_ manufacture increased, _Khadi_ just enough
+for covering the body, (6) for the consumers to destroy Pardeshi cloth,
+as they would destroy intoxicating liquors on taking the vow of
+abstinence, or to sell it for use abroad, or to wear it out for all
+dirty work or during private hours.
+
+It is to be hoped that all the parties referred to in the foregoing
+clauses will respond well and simultaneously. But in the end success
+depends upon the persistent determination of the consumer. He has simply
+to decline to wear the badge of his slavery.
+
+_Abusing the khaddar_--A friend draws attention to the fact that many
+who have adopted the _khaddar_ costume are using it as a passport for
+arrogance, insolence, and, what is worse, fraud. He says that they have
+neither the spirit of non-co-operation in them nor the spirit of truth.
+They simply use the _khaddar_ dress as a cloak for their deceit. All
+this is likely, especially during the transition stage, i.e., whilst
+_khaddar_ is beginning to become fashionable. I would only suggest to my
+correspondent that such abuse of _khaddar_ must not even unconsciously
+be allowed to be used as an argument against its use. Its use to-day is
+obligatory on those who believe that there is not sufficient Indian
+mill-made cloth to supply the wants of the nation, that the wants must
+be supplied in the quickest way possible by increasing home manufacture,
+and that such manufacture is possible only by making home-spinning
+universal. The use of _khaddar_ represents nothing more than a most
+practical recognition of the greatest economic necessity of the country.
+Even a scoundrel may recognise this necessity, and has therefore a
+perfect right to wear it. And if a Government spy wore it to deceive
+people, I would welcome his use of _khaddar_ as so much economic gain to
+the country. Only I would not give the wearer of the _khaddar_ more than
+his due. And I would therefore not ascribe to him any piety or special
+virtue. It follows, therefore, that co-operationists or government
+servants may wear _khaddar_ without incurring the danger of being
+mistaken for non-co-operationists. We may no more shun _khaddar_, than a
+devout church-goer may renounce his church because bad characters go to
+it for duping gullible people. I recall the name of an M. P. who
+successfully cloaked many of his vices by pretending to be a staunch
+temperance man. Not very long ago a bold and unscrupulous speculator
+found entry into most respectable circles by becoming a temperance
+advocate. Well has a poet said that 'hypocricy is an ode to virtue.'
+
+_Some 'ifs'_--If you are a _weaver_ feeling for the country, the
+Khilafat and the Punjab,
+
+(1) You should weave only hand-spun yarn, and charge so as to give you a
+living. You should overcome all the difficulties of sizing and adjusting
+your loom to the requirements of coarse yarn.
+
+(2) If you cannot possibly tackle hand-spun yarn for warp, you must use
+Indian mill-spun yarn for it and use hand-spun for woof.
+
+(3) Where even the second alternative is not possible, you should use
+mill-spun yarn for both warp and woof.
+
+But you should henceforth cease to use any foreign yarn, whether it is
+silk or cotton.
+
+If you are a _Congress official or worker_, you should get hold of the
+weavers within your jurisdiction, and place the foregoing propositions
+before them for acceptance and help them to the best of your ability.
+
+If you are a _buyer_, insist upon the first class of cloth, but if you
+have not the sense or the courage to do so, take up the second or the
+third, but on no account purchase foreign cloth or cloth woven in India
+but made of foreign yarn.
+
+If you are a _householder_,
+
+(1) You should make a fixed determination henceforth not to buy any
+foreign cloth.
+
+(2) You should interview the weaver in your neighbourhood, and get him
+to weave for you enough _khadi_ out of home-spun and failing that to
+weave out of Indian mill-spun yarn.
+
+(3) You should deliver to the Congress Committee all your foreign cloth
+for destruction or sending to Smyrna or elsewhere outside India.
+
+(4) If you have not the courage to give up your foreign cloth, you may
+wear it out at home for all dirty work, but never go out in foreign
+cloth.
+
+(5) If you have any leisure, you should devote it to learning the art of
+spinning even, properly-twisted yarn for the sake of the nation.
+
+If you are a _schoolboy or schoolgirl_, you should consider it a sin to
+receive literary training, before you have spun, carded or woven for the
+nation for at least four hours per day till the establishment of Swaraj.
+
+     _Y. I.--6th July 1921._
+
+
+
+
+SPINNING
+
+
+
+
+THE MUSIC OF THE SPINNING WHEEL
+
+
+Slowly but surely the music of perhaps the most ancient machine of India
+is once more permeating society. Pandit Malaviyaji has stated that he is
+not going to be satisfied until the Ranis and the Maharanis of India
+spin yarn for the nation, and the Ranas and the Maharanas sit behind the
+handlooms and weave cloth for the nation. They have the example of
+Aurangzeb who made his own caps. A greater emperor--Kabir--was himself a
+weaver and has immortalised the art in his poems. The queens of Europe,
+before Europe was caught in Satan's trap, spun yarn and considered it a
+noble calling. The very words, spinster and wife, prove the ancient
+dignity of the art of spinning and weaving. 'When Adam delved and Eve
+span, who was then a gentleman,' also reminds one of the same fact. Well
+may Panditji hope to persuade the royalty of India to return to the
+ancient calling of this sacred land of ours. Not on the clatter of arms
+depends the revival of her prosperity and true independence. It depends
+most largely upon re-introduction, in every home, of the music of the
+spinning wheel. It gives sweeter music and is more profitable than the
+execrable harmonium, concertina and the accordian.
+
+Whilst Panditji is endeavouring in his inimitably suave manner to
+persuade the Indian royalty to take up the spinning wheel, Shrimati
+Sarala Devi Chaudhrani, who is herself a member of the Indian nobility,
+has learnt the art and has thrown herself heart and soul into the
+movement. From all the accounts received from her and others, Swadeshi
+has become a passion with her. She says she feels uncomfortable in her
+muslin saris and is content to wear her _khaddar_ saris even in the hot
+weather. Her _khaddar_ saris continue to preach true Swadeshi more
+eloquently than her tongue. She has spoken to audiences in Amritsar,
+Ludhiana and elsewhere and has succeeded in enlisting the services, for
+her Spinning Committee at Amritsar, of Mrs. Ratanchand and Bugga
+Chowdhry and the famous Ratan Devi who during the frightful night of the
+13th April despite the Curfew Order of General Dyer sat, all alone in
+the midst of the hundreds of the dead and dying, with her dead husband's
+cold head in her lap. I venture to tender my congratulations to these
+ladies. May they find solace in the music of the spinning wheel and in
+the thought that they are doing national work. I hope that the other
+ladies of Amritsar will help Sarala Devi in her efforts and that the men
+of Amritsar will realise their own duty in the matter.
+
+In Bombay the readers are aware that ladies of noted families have
+already taken up spinning. Their ranks have been joined by
+Dr. Mrs. Manekbai Bahudarji who has already learnt the art and who is
+now trying to introduce it in the Sevasadan. Her Highness the Begum
+Saheba of Janjira and her sister Mrs. Atia Begum Rahiman, have also
+undertaken to learn the art. I trust that these good ladies will,
+having learnt spinning, religiously contribute to the nation their daily
+quota of yarn.
+
+I know that there are friends who laugh at this attempt to revive this
+great art. They remind me that in these days of mills, sewing machines
+or typewriters, only a lunatic can hope to succeed in reviving the
+rusticated spinning wheel. These friends forget that the needle has not
+yet given place to the sewing machine nor has the hand lost its cunning
+in spite of the typewriter. There is not the slightest reason why the
+spinning wheel may not co-exist with the spinning mill even as the
+domestic kitchen co-exists with the hotels. Indeed typewriters and
+sewing machines may go, but the needle and the reed pen will survive.
+The mills may suffer destruction. The spinning wheel is a national
+necessity. I would ask sceptics to go to the many poor homes where the
+spinning wheel is again supplementing their slender resources and ask
+the inmates whether the spinning wheel has not brought joy to their
+homes.
+
+Thank God, the reward issued by Mr. Rewashanker Jagjiwan bids fair to
+bear fruit. In a short time India will possess a renovated spinning
+wheel--a wonderful invention of a patient Deccan artisan. It is made out
+of simple materials. There is no great complication about it. It will be
+cheap and capable of being easily mended. It will give more yarn than
+the ordinary wheel and is capable of being worked by a five years old
+boy or girl. But whether the new machine proves what it claims to be or
+it does not, I feel convinced that the revival of hand-spinning and
+hand-weaving will make the largest contribution to the economic and the
+moral regeneration of India. The millions must have a simple industry to
+supplement agriculture. Spinning was the cottage industry years ago and
+if the millions are to be saved from starvation, they must be enabled to
+reintroduce spinning in their homes, and every village must repossess
+its own weaver.
+
+     _Y. I.--21st July 1920._
+
+
+
+
+"HANDLOOMS OR POWERMILLS?"
+
+
+Whenever an attempt has been made, as it is being made to-day, to
+encourage the use and production of hand-spun and hand-woven cloth, many
+have looked askance whether it is intended in this age of mechanical
+industrialism to supplant the latter by medieval handlooms. The issue is
+placed between the hand power and the power mill. A correspondent of the
+_Janmabhumi_ falls into this common error. Apparently agitated at the
+idea of reviving the home industries, he exclaims, "The real question
+for consideration with us or with any people to-day is not whether the
+handloom will or will not be able to hold its own against the power
+loom, or whether it cannot feed millions of families or clothe millions
+more in home-made dress; but which will contribute to the economic and
+political power of a nation or country, whether it is the handloom or
+the power-mill? Handicrafts or machine industries--that is the real
+issue."
+
+It is not quite clear from the above what the notions of the
+correspondent are about the economic and political power of this
+country. We cannot imagine him to seriously believe--though his argument
+runs as if he does--that that power can be achieved without feeding and
+clothing the millions of our half-starving and half-naked men, women and
+children. The political and economic power of a nation depends even in
+this "age of mechanical industrialism," not on its powerful machines but
+on its powerful men. Germany was equipped with the best and most
+powerful and modern machinery, but it failed because at the last moment
+the power of its nation failed. We want to organise our national power.
+This can be done not by adopting the best methods of production only but
+by the best method of _both_ the production and the distribution.
+Production that is the manufacture of cloth in this particular instance
+can be brought about in two ways; (1) by establishing new mills and
+increasing the output or producing capacity of each mill and (2) by
+increasing the number of hand-looms and improving them. All these
+activities can go together. The notion of a competition between the
+hand-loom and the power mill has been shown by such an eminent economist
+as Prof. Radha Kamal Mukerjea to be "altogether wrong." Says
+Mr. Mukerjea in his _Foundations of Indian Economics_:
+
+"The hand-loom does not compete with the mill, it supplements it in the
+following way:
+
+(1) It produces special kinds of goods which cannot be woven in the
+mills.
+
+(2) It utilizes yarn below and above certain counts which cannot at
+present be used on the power-mill.
+
+(3) It will consume the surplus stock of Indian spinning mills which
+need not then be sent out of the country.
+
+(4) Being mainly a village-industry, it supplies the local demand, at
+the same time gives employment to small capitalists, weavers and other
+village workmen and
+
+(5) lastly it will supply the long-felt want of, and honest field of,
+work and livelihood for educated Indians."
+
+But even this is not all that can be said in favour of hand-loom
+industry. Mill industry no doubt can be a powerful aid to the promotion
+of Swadeshi. But apart from the bitter struggle, strife and
+demoralisation of the capitalist and the workman (as explained by the
+eminent scholar, administrator and economist, the late Mr. Romesh
+Chundra Dutt) it has led to, the question is: Can it solve the problem
+which pure Swadeshi is designed and sought to do and which arises only
+because of its abandonment? Every writer of note on the industries of
+India, whatever his ideas and conclusions about the future of Indian
+Industrialism may be, has shown that there was a time and that was even
+till the Early British Rule in India--where spinning and weaving, only
+next to agriculture, were the great national industries of India, when
+all the cotton was spun by hand and every portion of the work was done
+by the farming population which augmented its resources by spinning and
+weaving. Mr. Dutt has given extracts from the statistical observations
+of Dr. Francis Buchanan's economic enquiries in Southern and Northern
+India, conducted between 1798 and 1814. They show how many hundreds of
+thousands of our men, women and children worked on this industry--mostly
+in their leisure time--each day and earned crores of rupees annually.
+
+How our home-industries came to the sad plight they are in to-day is an
+open secret, admitted by all authorities and need not be repeated here.
+Suffice it to say that the problem to-day is not to bring about that
+political and economic re-organisation of our country, which disturbs
+the West to-day--an organisation which has led to the breaking up of the
+society by ceaseless struggles, bitterness and rupture between Capital
+and Labour. We want to work out the real political and economic
+regeneration of the country by Swadeshi. And the problem of the Swadeshi
+is the problem of 80 per cent. of our population who spend more than six
+months of the year in enforced idleness, eking, throughout the year, a
+miserable, half-starving and half-naked existence. We must find out
+suitable work for them during their idle hours. We must make them a real
+asset and power to the nation. Pure Swadeshi alone can do it.
+
+     _Y. I.--28th July 1920._
+
+
+
+
+HAND-SPINNING AND HAND-WEAVING
+
+
+Some people spurn the idea of making in this age of mechanism
+hand-spinning and hand-weaving a national industry, but they forget
+there are millions of their countrymen in this age who, for want of
+suitable occupation, are eking out a most miserable existence, and
+thousands who die of starvation and underfeeding every year, whereas
+only a hundred years ago hand-spinning and hand-weaving proved an
+insurance against a pauper's death. The extent to which relief was
+provided by this industry is recorded by Mr. Dutt in his "History of
+India: Victorian age" from the investigations conducted by Dr. Buchanan
+for seven years, 1813-1820. Dr. Buchanan travelled throughout of the
+whole country. And his observations and statistics convinced him that
+next to agriculture, hand-spinning and hand-weaving were the great
+national industries. We make no apology for giving some of the facts and
+figures collected by Dr. Buchanan:
+
+In the districts of Patna and Behar with a population of 3,364,420
+souls, the number of spinners was 330,426. "By far the greater part of
+these," observed Dr. Buchanan, "spin only a few hours in the afternoon,
+and upon the average estimate the whole value of the thread that each
+spins in a year is worth Rs. 7-2-8 giving a total annual income of
+Rs. 23,67,277 and by a similar calculation the raw material at the retail
+price will amount to Rs. 12,86,272, leaving a profit of Rs. 10,81,005
+for the spinners or Rs. 3-4-0 per spinner...."
+
+In the district of Shahbad, spinning was the chief industry. 159,500
+women were employed in spinning and spun yarn to the value of
+Rs. 12,50,000 a year. Deducting the value of cotton each woman had some
+thing left to her to add to the income of the family to which she
+belonged.
+
+In the Bhagalpur district (with a population of 2,019,900) where all
+castes were permitted to spin, 160,000 women spent a part of their time
+in spinning and each made an annual income of Rs. 4-1/2 after deducting
+the cost of cotton. This was added to the family income. In the
+Gorakhpur district (population 1,385,495) 175,600 women found employment
+in spinning and made an annual income of Rs. 2-1/2 per head. In the
+Dinjapur district (with a population of 300,000) cotton-spinning which
+was the principal manufacture occupied the leisure hours 'of all women
+of higher rank and of the greater part of the farmers' wives.' Three
+rupees was the annual income each woman made by spinning in her
+afternoon hours.
+
+In the Purniya district (population 2,904,380) all castes considered
+spinning honourable and a very large population of women of the district
+did some spinning in their leisure hours.
+
+In eastern Mysore women of all castes except Brahmans bought cotton and
+wool at weekly markets, spun at home, and sold the thread to weavers.
+Men and women thus found a profitable occupation. In Coimbatore, the
+wives of all the low class cultivators were great spinners.
+
+The statistics of weavers show that they also were as numerous as the
+spinners. In the Patna city and Behar district, the total number of
+looms employed in the manufacture of chaddars and table cloths was 750,
+and the value of the annual manufactures was Rs. 5,40,000 leaving a
+profit of Rs. 81,400, deducting the value of thread. This gave a profit
+of Rs. 108 for each loom worked by three persons or an income of Rs. 36
+a year for each person. But the greater part of the cloth-weavers made
+coarse cloth for country use to the value of Rs. 24,386,621 after
+deducting the cost of thread. This gave a profit of Rs. 28 for each
+loom.
+
+In Shahabad weavers worked in cotton only. 7,025 houses of weavers
+worked in cotton and had 7,950 looms. Each loom made an annual income of
+Rs. 20-3/4 a year and each loom required the labour of a man and his
+wife as well as one boy or girl. But as a family could not be supported
+for less than Rs. 48 a year, Dr. Buchanan suspected that the income of
+each loom given above was understated.
+
+In the Bhagalpur district some worked in silk alone. A great many near
+the town made Tasar fabrics of silk and cotton intermixed; 3,275 looms
+were so employed that the annual profit of each weaver employed in the
+mixed silk and cotton industry was calculated to be Rs. 46 besides what
+the woman made.
+
+For the weaving of cotton-cloth, there were 7,279 looms. Each loom
+yielded a profit of Rs. 20 a year. But by another calculation, Dr.
+Buchanan estimated it to be Rs. 32 a year.
+
+In the Gorakhpur district there were 5,434 families of weavers
+possessing 6,174 looms and each loom brought an income of Rs. 23-1/2.
+Dr. Buchanan thought this was too low an estimate and believed that each
+loom brought an income of Rs. 88 in the year.
+
+In the Dungarpur district "Maldai" cloth was manufactured. It consisted
+of silk warp and cotton woof. 4,000 looms were employed in this work
+and it was said that each loom made Rs. 20 worth of cloth in a month,
+which Dr. Buchanan considered too high an estimate. About 800 looms were
+employed in making larger pieces in the form of Elachis.
+
+In the Purniya district weavers were numerous.... In Eastern Mysore
+cotton-weavers made cloth for home-use as silk weavers produced a strong
+rich fabric. Workmen who made cloth with silk borders earned As. 6 a day
+and those who made silk cloth earned As. 4.
+
+Thus we see that crores of rupees were earned by these spinners and
+weavers by following their noble and honest calling. The
+decentralisation of the industry--every village, town and district
+having always at its command as much supply as it needed--automatically
+facilitated its distribution and saved the consumer from Railway Excise
+and all sorts of tariffs and middlemen's profits that he is a victim to
+to-day. If we cannot return to these days--though there is no reason,
+except our own bias and doubt why we should not--can we not at least so
+organise our industries as to do away without much delay with the
+foreign cloth with which our markets are being dumped to-day?
+
+     _Y. I.--15th Sep. 1920._
+
+
+
+
+HAND-SPINNING AGAIN
+
+
+_The Servant of India_ has a fling too at spinning and that is based as
+I shall presently show on ignorance of the facts. Spinning does protect
+a woman's virtue, because it enables women, who are to-day working on
+public roads and are often in danger of having their modesty outraged,
+to protect themselves, and I know no other occupation that lacs of women
+can follow save spinning. Let me inform the jesting writer that several
+women have already returned to the sanctity of their homes and taken to
+spinning which they say is the one occupation which means so much
+_barkat_ (blessing). I claim for it the properties of a musical
+instrument, for whilst a hungry and a naked woman will refuse to dance
+to the accompaniment of a piano, I have seen women beaming with joy to
+see the spinning wheel work, for they know that they can through that
+rustic instrument both feed and clothe themselves.
+
+Yes, it does solve the problem of India's chronic poverty and is an
+insurance against famine. The writer of the jests may not know the
+scandals that I know about irrigation and relief works. These works are
+largely a fraud. But if my wise counsellors will devote themselves to
+introducing the wheel in every home, I promise that the wheel will be an
+almost complete protection against famine. It is idle to cite Austria. I
+admit the poverty and limitations of my humanity. I can only think of
+India's _Kamadhenu_, and the spinning wheel is that for India. For India
+had the spinning wheel in every home before the advent of the East India
+Company. India being a cotton growing country, it must be considered a
+crime to import a single yard of yarn from outside. The figures quoted
+by the writer are irrelevant.
+
+The fact is that in spite of the manufacture of 62.7 crores pounds of
+yarn in 1917-18 India imported several crore yards of foreign yarn
+which were woven by the mills as well as the weavers. The writer does
+not also seem to know that more cloth is to-day woven by our weavers
+than by mills, but the bulk of it is foreign yarn and therefore our
+weavers are supporting foreign spinners. I would not mind it much if we
+were doing something else instead. When spinning was almost compulsorily
+stopped nothing replaced it save slavery and idleness. Our mills cannot
+to-day spin enough for our wants, and if they did, they will not keep
+down prices unless they were compelled. They are frankly money-makers
+and will not therefore regulate prices according to the needs of the
+nations. Hand-spinning is therefore designed to put millions of rupees
+in the hands of poor villagers. Every agricultural country requires a
+supplementary industry to enable the peasants to utilise the spare
+hours. Such industry for India has always been spinning. Is it such a
+visionary ideal--an attempt to revive an ancient occupation whose
+destruction has brought on slavery, pauperism and disappearance of the
+inimitable artistic talents which was once all expressed in the
+wonderful fabric of India and which was the envy of the world?
+
+And now a few figures. One boy could, if he worked say four hours daily,
+spin 1/4 lb. of yarn. 64,000 students would, therefore, spin 16,000 lbs.
+per day, and therefore feed 8,000 weavers if a weaver wove two lbs. of
+hand-spun yarn. But the students and others are required to spin during
+this year of purification by way of penance in order to popularise
+spinning and to add to the manufacture of hand-spun yarn so as to
+overtake full manufacture during the current year. The nation may be too
+lazy to do it. But if all put their hands to this work, it is incredibly
+easy, it involves very little sacrifice and saves an annual drain of
+sixty crores even if it does nothing else. I have discussed the matter
+with many mill-owners, several economists, men of business and no one
+has yet been able to challenge the position herein set forth. I do
+expect the 'Servant of India' to treat a serious subject with
+seriousness and accuracy of information.
+
+     _Y. I.--16th Feb. 1921._
+
+
+
+
+A PLEA FOR SPINNING
+
+
+A determined opposition was put up against the conditions regarding
+Swadeshi that were laid down in the civil disobedience resolution passed
+by the All-India Congress Committee at Delhi. It was directed against
+two requirements, namely, that the civil resister offering resistance in
+terms of that resolution was bound to know hand-spinning and use only
+hand-spun and hand-woven _khadi_; and that in the event of a district or
+tahsil offering civil disobedience _en masse_ the district or the tahsil
+concerned must manufacture its own yarn and cloth by the hand. The
+opposition betrayed woeful ignorance of the importance of hand-spinning.
+Nothing but hand-spinning can banish pauperism from the land. Paupers
+cannot become willing sufferers. They have never known the pain of
+plenty to appreciate the happiness of voluntarily suffering hunger or
+other bodily discomfort. Swaraj for them can only mean ability to
+support themselves without begging. To awaken among them a feeling of
+discontent with their lot without providing them with the means of
+removing the cause thereof is to court certain destruction, anarchy,
+outrage and plunder in which they themselves will be the chief victims.
+Hand-spinning alone can possibly supply them with supplementary and
+additional earnings. Hand-weaving for many and carding for a limited
+number can provide complete livelihood. But hand-weaving is not a lost
+art. Several million men know hand-weaving. But very few know
+hand-spinning in the true sense of the term. Tens of thousands are, it
+is true, turning the wheel to-day but only a few are spinning yarn. The
+cry all over is that hand-spun yarn is not good enough for warp. Just as
+half-baked bread is no bread, even so ill-spun weak thread is no yarn.
+Thousands of men must know hand-spinning to be able in their respective
+districts to improve the quality of the yarn that is now being spun in
+the country. Therefore those who offer civil disobedience for the sake
+of establishing Swaraj must know hand-spinning. Mark, they are not
+required to turn out yarn every day. It would be well if they did. But
+they must know how to spin even properly twisted yarn. It was a happy
+omen to me, that in spite of the opposition the amendment was rejected
+by a large majority. One argument advanced in favour of rejection was,
+that the Sikh men considered it an undignified occupation to spin and
+looked down upon hand-weaving. I do hope that the sentiment is not
+representative of the brave community. Any community that despises
+occupations that bring an honest livelihood is a community going down an
+incline. If spinning has been the speciality of women, it is because
+they have more leisure and not because it is an inferior occupation. The
+underlying suggestion that a wielder of the sword will not wield the
+wheel is to take a distorted view of a soldier's calling. A man who
+lives by the sword does _not_ serve his community even as the soldiers
+in the employ of the Government do not serve the country. The wielding
+of the sword is an unnatural occupation resorted to among civilized
+people only on extraordinary occasions and only for self-defence. To
+live by hand-spinning and hand-weaving is any day more _manly_ than to
+live by killing. Aurangzeb was not the less a soldier for sewing caps.
+What we prize in the Sikhs is not their ability to kill. The late Sardar
+Lachman Singh will go down to posterity as a hero, because he knew how
+to die. The Mahant of Nankhana Saheb will go down to posterity as a
+murderer. I hope therefore that no man will decline to learn the
+beautiful life-giving art of hand-spinning on the ground of its supposed
+inferiority.
+
+     _Y. I.--10th Nov. 1921._
+
+
+
+
+THE DUTY OF SPINNING
+
+
+In "The Secret of Swaraj" I have endeavoured to show what home spinning
+means for our country. In any curriculum of the future, spinning must be
+a compulsory subject. Just as we cannot live without breathing and
+without eating, so is it impossible for us to attain economic
+independence and banish pauperism from this ancient land without
+reviving home-spinning. I hold the spinning wheel to be as much a
+necessity in every household as the hearth. No other scheme that can be
+devised will ever solve the problem of the deepening poverty of the
+people.
+
+How then can spinning be introduced in every home? I have already
+suggested the introduction of spinning and systematic production of yarn
+in every national school. Once our boys and girls have learnt the art
+they can easily carry it to their homes.
+
+But this requires organisation. A spinning wheel must be worked for
+twelve hours per day. A practised spinner can spin two tolas and a half
+per hour. The price that is being paid at present is on an average four
+annas per forty tolas or one pound of yarn _i.e._, one pice per hour.
+Each wheel therefore should give three annas per day. A strong one costs
+seven rupees. Working, therefore, at the rate of twelve hours per day it
+can pay for itself in less than 38 days. I have given enough figures to
+work upon. Any one working at them will find the results to be
+startling.
+
+If every school introduced spinning, it would revolutionize our ideas of
+financing education. We can work a school for six hours per day and give
+free education to the pupils. Supposing a boy works at the wheel for
+four hours daily, he will produce every day 10 tolas of yarn and thus
+earn for his school one anna per day. Suppose further that he
+manufactures very little during the first month, and that the school
+works only twenty six days in the month. He can earn after the first
+month Rs. 1-10 per month. A class of thirty boys would yield, after the
+first month, an income of Rs. 48-12 per month.
+
+I have said nothing about literary training. It can be given during the
+two hours out of the six. It is easy to see that every school can be
+made self supporting without much effort and the nation can engage
+experienced teachers for its schools.
+
+The chief difficulty in working out the scheme is the spinning wheel. We
+require thousands of wheels if the art becomes popular. Fortunately,
+every village carpenter can easily construct the machine. It is a
+serious mistake to order them from the Ashram or any other place. The
+beauty of spinning is that it is incredibly simple, easily learnt, and
+can be cheaply introduced in every village.
+
+The course suggested by me is intended only for this year of
+purification and probation. When normal times are reached and Swaraj is
+established one hour only may be given to spinning and the rest to
+literary training.
+
+     _Y. I.--2nd Feb. 1921._
+
+
+
+
+THE DUTY OF SPINNING
+
+
+[Speaking at a monster meeting of students held in Mirzapur Park,
+Calcutta, Mahatma Gandhi appealed to them to withdraw from educational
+institutions. In the course of that speech he spoke on the duty of
+spinning, which portion is printed here.]
+
+Our education has been the most deficient in two things. Those who
+framed our education code neglected the training of the body and the
+soul. You are receiving the education of the soul but the very fact of
+non-co-operation for non-co-operation is nothing less and nothing more
+than withdrawing from participation in the evil that this Government is
+doing and continuing to do. And if we are withdrawing from evil
+conscientiously, deliberately, it means that we are walking with our
+face towards God. That completes or begins the soul training. But
+seeing that our bodily education has been neglected, and seeing that
+India has become enslaved because India forgot the spinning wheel, and
+because India sold herself for a mess of pottage, I am not afraid to
+place before you, the young men of Bengal, the spinning wheel for
+adoption. And let a training in spinning and production of as much yarn
+as you can ever do constitute your main purpose and your main training
+during this year of probation. Let your ordinary education commence
+after Swaraj is established, but let every young man, and every girl, of
+Bengal consider it to be their sacred duty to devote all their time and
+energy to spinning. I have drawn attention to the parallel, that
+presents itself before us, from the war.
+
+     _Y. I.--2nd Feb. 1921._
+
+
+
+
+THE DOCTRINE OF CHARKA
+
+
+[The opening session of the National College, Calcutta, under the
+auspices of the Board of Education, formed by Srijuts Chittaranjan Das,
+Jitendralal Banerjee and other non-co-operation leaders, took place on
+Friday the 4th February 1921. In opening this College, Mahatma Gandhi
+addressed the students and professors, from which the following is
+culled.]
+
+We have sufficiently talked about Charka and how it is going to free
+India--how a nation that came through the Charka to this country as
+traders, merchants and travellers settled themselves down as rulers with
+our co-operation, and how non-co-operation and by means of that very
+Indian _Charka_ they will go back to their own country if they cannot
+live as fellow-citizens in India.
+
+There are peoples who say--"how can you expect the Mahomedans to be
+non-violent." How, I do not want to speak out. I want the _Charka_
+itself to speak out. The whole Europe will know when we place these
+Charkas in our mosques. Something like 800 Charkas had been ordered for
+the mosques so that the people who come there should be able to produce
+Indian yarn with which Indian clothes should be woven by Indian hands in
+Indian homes to clothe our nakedness or at least to provide home-spun
+shrouds for us. Thus every revolution of the _Charka_ I can assure you,
+will bring the success of this bloodless revolution the nearer every
+day. That is the doctrine of _Charka_. Therefore I ask you to work up
+this doctrine which will be a great advertisement both of our
+determination to win freedom, and if possible, through peaceful means.
+
+If you are determined to have the freedom of your country, if you want
+to see the cessation of our slavery in which we are living for close
+upon two centuries, it requires from you a peaceful battle--the battle
+of the _Charka_.
+
+     _Y. I.--9th Feb. 1921._
+
+
+
+
+THE MESSAGE OF THE CHARKA
+
+
+The _Indian Social Reformer_ has published a note from a correspondent
+in praise of the spinning-wheel. The correspondent in the course of his
+remarks hopes, that the movement will be so organised that the spinners
+may not weary of it. Mr. Amritlal Thakkar in his valuable note
+(published in the _Servant of India_) on the experiment which he is
+conducting in Kathiawad, says that the charkha has been taken up by the
+peasant women. They are not likely to weary, for to them it is a source
+of livelihood to which they were used before. It had dried up, because
+there was no demand for their yarn. Townspeople who have taken to
+spinning may weary, if they have done so as a craze or a fashion. Those
+only will be faithful, who consider it their duty to devote their spare
+hours to doing what is to-day the most useful work for the country. The
+third class of spinners are the school-going children. I expect the
+greatest results from the experiment of introducing the charkha in the
+National Schools. If it is conducted on scientific lines by teachers who
+believe in the charkha as the most efficient means of making education
+available to the seven and a half lacs of villages in India, there is
+not only no danger of weariness, but every prospect of the nation being
+able to solve the problem of financing mass education without any extra
+taxation and without having to fall back upon immoral sources of
+revenue.
+
+The writer in the _Indian Social Reformer_ suggests, that an attempt
+should be made to produce finer counts on the spinning-wheel. I may
+assure him that the process has already begun, but it will be some time
+before we arrive at the finish of the Dacca muslin or even twenty
+counts. Seeing that hand-spinning was only revived last September, and
+India began to believe in it somewhat only in December, the progress it
+has made may be regarded as phenomenal.
+
+The writer's complaint that hand-spun yarn is not being woven as fast as
+it is spun, is partly true. But the remedy is not so much to increase
+the number of looms, as to persuade the existing weavers to use
+hand-spun yarn. Weaving is a much more complex process than spinning. It
+is not, like spinning, only a supplementary industry, but a complete
+means of livelihood. It therefore never died out. There are _enough
+weavers and enough looms in India to replace the whole of the foreign
+import of cloth_. It should be understood that our looms--thousands of
+them in Madras, Maharashtra and Bengal--are engaged in weaving the fine
+yarn imported from Japan and Manchester. We _must_ utilize these for
+weaving hand-spun yarn. And for that purpose, the nation has to revise
+its taste for the thin tawdry and useless muslins. I see no art in
+weaving muslins, that do not cover but only expose the body. Our ideas
+of art must undergo a change. But even if the universal weaving of thin
+fabric be considered desirable in normal conditions, at the present
+moment whilst we are making a mighty effort to become free and
+self-supporting, we must be content to wear the cloth that our hand-spun
+yarn may yield. We have therefore to ask the fashionable on the one hand
+to be satisfied with coarser garments; we must educate the spinners on
+the other hand to spin finer and more even yarn.
+
+The writer pleads for a reduction in the prices charged by mill-owners
+for their manufactures. When lovers of Swadeshi begin to consider it
+their duty to wear khaddar, when the required number of spinning-wheels
+are working and the weavers are weaving hand-spun yarn, the mill-owners
+will be bound to reduce prices. It seems almost hopeless merely to
+appeal to the patriotism of those whose chief aim is to increase their
+own profits.
+
+Incongruities pointed out by the writer such as the wearing of khaddar
+on public occasions and at other times of the most fashionable English
+suits, and the smoking of most expensive cigars by wearers of khaddar,
+must disappear in course of time, as the new fashion gains strength. It
+is my claim that as soon as we have completed the boycott of foreign
+cloth, we shall have evolved so far that we shall necessarily give up
+the present absurdities and remodel national life in keeping with the
+ideal of simplicity and domesticity implanted in the bosom of the
+masses. We will not then be dragged into an imperialism, which is built
+upon exploitation of the weaker races of the earth, and the acceptance
+of a giddy materialistic civilization protected by naval and air forces
+that have made peaceful living almost impossible. On the contrary, we
+shall then refine that imperialism, into a common wealth of nations
+which will combine, if they do, for the purpose of giving their best to
+the world and of protecting, not by brute force but by self-suffering,
+the weaker nations or races of the earth. Non-co-operation aims at
+nothing less than this revolution in the thought-world. Such a
+transformation can come only after the complete success of the
+spinning-wheel. India can become fit for delivering such a message,
+when she has become proof against temptation and therefore attacks from
+outside, by becoming self-contained regarding two of her chief
+needs--food and clothing.
+
+     _Y. I.--29th June 1921._
+
+
+
+
+THE CHARKA IN THE GITA
+
+
+In the last issue I have endeavoured to answer the objections raised by
+the Poet against spinning as a sacrament to be performed by all. I have
+done so in all humility and with the desire to convince the Poet and
+those who think like him. The reader will be interested in knowing, that
+my belief is derived largely from the Bhagavadgita. I have quoted the
+relevant verses in the article itself. I give below Edwin Arnold's
+rendering of the verses from his Song Celestial for the benefit of those
+who do not read Sanskrit.
+
+    Work is more excellent than idleness;
+      The body's life proceeds not, lacking work.
+    There is a task of holiness to do,
+      Unlike world-binding toil, which bindeth not
+    The faithful soul; such earthly duty do
+      Free from desire, and thou shalt well perform
+    Thy heavenly purpose. Spake Prajapati
+      In the beginning, when all men were made,
+    And, with mankind, the sacrifice--"Do this!
+      Work! Sacrifice! Increase and multiply
+    With sacrifice! This shall be Kamadhuk,
+      Your 'Cow of Plenty', giving back her milk
+    Of all abundance. Worship the gods thereby;
+      The gods shall yield ye grace. Those meats ye crave
+    The gods will grant to Labour, when it pays
+      Tithes in the altar-flame. But if one eats
+    Fruits of the earth, rendering to kindly heaven,
+      No gift of toil, that thief steals from his world."
+    Who eat of food after their sacrifice
+      Are quit of fault, but they that spread a feast
+    All for themselves, eat sin and drink of sin.
+      By food the living live; food comes of rain.
+    And rain comes by the pious sacrifice,
+      And sacrifice is paid with tithes of toil;
+    Thus action is of Brahma, who is one,
+      The Only, All--pervading; at all times
+    Present in sacrifice. He that abstains
+      To help the rolling wheels of this great world,
+    Glutting his idle sense, lives a lost life,
+      Shameful and vain.
+
+Work here undoubtedly refers to physical labour, and work by way of
+sacrifice can only be work to be done by all for the common benefit.
+Such work--such sacrifice can only be spinning. I do not wish to
+suggest, that the author of the Divine Song had the spinning wheel in
+mind. He merely laid down a fundamental principle of conduct. And
+reading in and applying it to India I can only think of spinning as the
+fittest and most acceptable sacrificial body labour. I cannot imagine
+anything nobler or more national than that for say one hour in the day
+we should all do the labour that the poor must do, and thus identify
+ourselves with them and through them with all mankind. I cannot imagine
+better worship of God than that in His name I should labour for the poor
+even as they do. The spinning wheel spells a more equitable distribution
+of the riches of the earth.
+
+     _Y. I.--20th Oct. 1921._
+
+
+
+
+SPINNING AS FAMINE RELIEF
+
+
+Mrs. Jaiji Petit has sent the following notes of an experiment being
+conducted in spinning among the famine-stricken people at Miri near
+Ahmednagar. I gladly publish the notes as the experiment is being
+conducted under the supervision of an Englishwoman. The reader will not
+fail to observe the methodical manner in which the work is being done.
+All the difficulties have been met and provided for. Even the very small
+experiment shows what a potent instrument the spinning wheel is for
+famine relief. Properly organised it cannot but yield startling
+results.--M. K. G.
+
+In the month of August 1920, when the severity of the famine was being
+felt, the idea of introducing spinning as a famine relief to respectable
+middle class people was started and Miss Latham kindly gave a spinning
+wheel to introduce the work. Attempts were made to introduce the work
+especially among the Dhangars who were used to spinning wool but they
+proved futile. Spinning a thin thread of cotton was thought an
+impossibility in a village which did not know anything about it. Doubts
+were also entertained as to whether the work if taken up would be paying
+or at least helpful. In such different difficulties and objections, the
+wheel remained idle for nearly three months, and in spite of vigorous
+efforts no body seemed willing to take up the work. In December 1920,
+Miss Latham again sent four more wheels through the kindness of
+Mrs. J. Petit and some cotton. They were given for trial to different
+persons. Signs now seemed a little hopeful and at last one Ramoshi woman
+was prevailed upon to take up the work seriously. This was about the
+20th of January 1921, since when the work has assumed a different shape.
+The example of this woman was copied by two more who undertook to take
+the work. Through great perseverance 4 lbs. of yarn were prepared by
+these three spinners and it was sent for sale. In the meantime many
+women began to make the inquiries and expressed a desire to take it up
+if it helped them financially in some way. A rate of spinning 6 as. a
+lb. was therefore fixed and it helped other spinners to join the work.
+
+Here another difficulty viz. that of funds came in the way. All the five
+wheels were engaged and five more prepared locally were also engaged.
+The stock of cotton was also exhausted. It seemed that the work would
+suffer for want of funds to prepare wheels, purchase cotton, and pay the
+workers. Rao Bahadur Chitale personally saw this difficulty and helped
+the work with a grant of Rs. 100. Miss Latham, when she knew of this
+difficulty, kindly sent another hundred. These two grants came at the
+right time and gave a stimulus to the work. Local gentlemen helped with
+their own cotton.
+
+The demand for wheels went on increasing day by day. People being too
+poor to pay for the wheels, it became necessary to get the wheels
+prepared locally and lend them to the workers. Twenty seven more wheels
+were prepared which also gave work to local carpenters who had no work
+on account of famine. One carpenter improved the wheel by making it more
+light and useful for finer yarn. The prices of the wheel were paid at
+Rs. 3, Rs. 3-8, and Rs. 4 per wheel according to the quality. Three of
+these wheels have been sold for Rs. 9-8. The total sum spent on these
+wheels is Rs. 103-8-0 which includes the sum for the wheels kindly sent
+by Mrs. Petit.
+
+Though local cotton was secured for the work, it proved too bad for
+beginners. A new method therefore was introduced to improve the local
+cotton, which not only helped the work but also provided work for a few
+more persons. Raw cotton was secured and the dirt and the dry leaves in
+it were carefully removed before it was ginned. The rate for this work
+was fixed at one pice per lb. Any old man who did this work got an
+opportunity of earning one anna a day, by cleaning 4 lbs. of raw
+cotton. After it was thus cleaned, it was ginned with a hand-gin which
+gave work to some women who ginned, at the rate of one anna per 10 lbs.
+One woman could thus earn 2 as. and 6 pies each day. This ginned cotton
+was then cleaned by a _pinjari_ who charged at the rate of one anna per
+pound and earned about 8 as. per day. It would have been better and
+easier too, if cotton had been purchased from the mills, but as this
+cleaning process of the local cotton provided work for a few workers, it
+was thought the more desirable in these days. A major portion of these
+cleaning charges is however made up by the sale of cotton seed secured
+after ginning. The following statement will show the expenses incurred
+for this and the price of raw cotton for every 60 lbs.
+
+                                        RS. A. P.
+
+  Price of 60 lbs. of raw cotton @
+  20 Rs. a patia (240 lbs.).             5--0--0
+
+  Removal of dirt, waste and dry
+  leaves @ 1 pice per pound              0-15--0
+
+  Ginning of 52 lbs. of raw clean
+  cotton @ 1 an. per 10 lbs.             0--5--3
+
+  Cleaning the Lint (17 lbs.) by a
+  pinjari @ 1 Anna per lb.               1--1--0
+                                        --------
+                                   Total 7--4--3
+
+  Deduct price of cotton seed 35 lbs.
+  @ 20 lbs. per Re.                      1-12--0
+                                        --------
+  Net charges for 17 lbs. of clean
+  cotton                                 5--9--3
+
+Thus the cost of one pound of cotton comes to 5 as. and 3 pies only. The
+proportion of waste viz. 8 lbs. in 60 lbs. of raw cotton is too high and
+could be avoided by securing better and cleaner cotton.
+
+There are at present 29 wheels going and there is still a great demand
+for wheels. But the funds being limited, more wheels could not be
+prepared and provided. Spinning is done by those who absolutely knew
+nothing about it previously. Consequently the yarn is still of an
+inferior sort. It is improving day by day but if a competent teacher
+could be secured, it would improve rapidly. Amongst the spinners, some
+are full-time workers and others are leisure-time workers.
+
+About two lbs. of yarn are now prepared every day and the quantity will
+increase as the spinners get used to the work. The rate for spinning is
+fixed at 6 as. a lb., though many workers complain that it is not
+enough. As the yarn sent for sale realised a price of As. 12 a pound,
+the spinning charges could not be increased without a loss. Every lb. of
+yarn requires Annas 11 pies 3 for expenses, as 0-5-3 for cotton and
+0-6-0 for spinning. Thus every lb. leaves a profit of 9 pies only. The
+establishment and other charges are not calculated. With the present
+rate of spinning at 6 as. a lb., one spinner earns 3 as. per day by
+spinning 20 to 24 tolas, more earn 2 as. a day by spinning 15 tolas and
+the rest 1-1/2 as. a day for 10 tolas, the beginners excluded. The more
+the spinner is used to the work, the more he will earn.
+
+An attempt was made to prepare cloth out of the yarn and three and a
+half lbs. of yarn were given to a weaver for weaving. He however charged
+an exorbitant rate for weaving. He prepared nine and a half yards of
+cloth and charged Rs. 3-9 for it, practically 1 rupee a lb. The cloth
+cost Rs. 6-0-6 and was sold at Rs. 6-3-0, with a profit of as. 2 and
+pies 6 only. To obviate the difficulty about weaving, a separate loom
+with one teacher to teach weaving to local persons is urgently required.
+Many local people wish to learn this art. A separate loom will reduce
+the cost of the cloth prepared on it below the prevailing market rate.
+About 6 lbs. of yarn are given to different weavers to ascertain the
+exact charges, but all this difficulty can only be removed by having a
+special loom.
+
+When there was a shortage of cotton and the workers had no work, wool
+was introduced for spinning till cotton was ready. This work was
+willingly taken up by the Dhangar. They were however required to spin
+finer thread of wool than they usually prepared. They took some time to
+pick up the work, and now there are 10 wool spinners working fine
+thread. They are also paid at 6 as. a lb. for spinning. Wool worth
+Rs. 31 @ 2 lbs. a rupee was purchased, and though the cotton was ready, the
+wool spinning was continued by starting a separate department, as the
+Dhangars readily took up the work. The whole process of cleaning the
+wool is also done by the Dhangar women, who get an extra anna per lb.
+for it. The sorting of wool is carefully looked to. The majority of wool
+spinners use their own spinning wheels but a few are now asking for the
+improved wheel for preparing finer threads.
+
+Dhangar weavers being locally available blankets after the Pandharpur
+and Dawangiri pattern are being prepared from this finer thread and
+different designs have been suggested to them. The Dhangars being a
+stubborn race do not readily adopt the new improvement. But this work
+has set them to work up new designs of blankets which will permanently
+help them in their own profession. They now require a broader and
+improved loom and instruction in colouring wool. Efforts are made to
+secure a clever full time weaver who will introduce a better method of
+weaving. Two blankets were prepared and sold at cost price, one for
+Rs. 5-13-6 and the other for Rs. 6-6-0. Orders are being received for
+blankets now, but to continue the work would require some funds.
+
+To keep so many persons working is not only an ideal form of famine
+relief, but a means to promote village industries, and remove the
+demoralising effects of successive famines. Thus stands the work of
+about one month. It now requires an improved handloom, a good teacher, a
+special loom for wool, more spinning wheels (which the neighbouring
+villagers are also demanding) and many other things. The work is going
+on vigorously and it is hoped will not be allowed to suffer for want of
+funds.
+
+     _Y. I.--11th May 1921._
+
+
+
+
+THE POTENCY OF THE SPINNING-WHEEL
+
+
+No amount of human ingenuity can manage to distribute water over the
+whole land, as a shower of rain can. No irrigation department, no rules
+of precedence, no inspection and no water-cess. Every thing is done with
+an ease and a gentleness that by their very perfection evade notice. The
+spinning-wheel, too, has got the same power of distributing work and
+wealth in millions of houses in the simplest way imaginable. Those of us
+who do not know what it is to earn a livelihood by the sweat of one's
+brow, may consider the three annas a day as a pittance beneath the
+consideration of any man. They do not know that even in these days of
+high prices, there are districts in India where even three annas a day
+would be a boon to the poor. But we must not consider the question of
+the spinning-wheel merely from the point of individual earnings. The
+spinning-wheel is a force in national regeneration. If we wish for real
+Swaraj, we must achieve economic independence. Boycott of foreign cloth
+is its negative aspect. For this we must produce cloth sufficient to
+clothe the country. This can only be done by hand-spinning. All the
+mills that we have got, will not be able together to cope with the
+situation. If all rush for the thin mill-made cloth, it will rise in
+price beyond the capacity of the poor, and the experience of 1907-08
+will be repeated. Moreover, the cloth best suited for the three seasons
+of India is _Khadi_. Those who have used _Khadi_ during this summer,
+have come to realise, that after the soft clean touch of _Khadi_ it is
+impossible to use sticky Malmal or twills. _Khadi_ can enable its wearer
+to withstand the cold of an average winter as even wool cannot. The
+climate of India demands that clothes be washed as often as possible.
+Only _Khadi_ can stand this constant wash. _Khadi_ was once the dress of
+the nation at large. One must see to believe how venerable the old
+Patels and Deshmukhs looked when dressed in home-spun _Khadi_. There are
+instances of whole villages taking a legitimate pride in the fact that
+they had to import nothing but salt in the whole round of the six
+seasons. With such conditions, there could be no drain, no exploitation
+and therefore no Para-raj. A little village could make terms with the
+rulers of the land consistent with its self-respect, dignity and
+independence. Is our love of luxury so inveterate, that we cannot
+control it even for the sake of Swaraj?
+
+     _Y. I.--6th July 1921._
+
+
+
+
+THE WHEEL OF FORTUNE
+
+
+[A certain correspondent from Sindh writing to Mahatma Gandhi puts the
+question, "Will the spinning wheel solve the problem of India's poverty?
+If it will, how?" Here is his answer.]
+
+I am more than ever convinced that without the spinning wheel the
+problem of India's poverty cannot be solved. Millions of India's
+peasants starve for want of supplementary occupation. If they have
+spinning to add to their slender resources, they can fight successfully
+against pauperism and famine. Mills cannot solve the problem. Only
+hand-spinning--and nothing else--can. When India was forced to give up
+hand-spinning, she had no other occupation in return. Imagine what would
+happen to a man who found himself suddenly deprived of a quarter of his
+bare livelihood. Over eighty-five percent of Her population have more
+than a quarter of their time lying idle. And, therefore, even apart from
+the terrible drain rightly pointed out by the Grand Old Man of India,
+she has steadily grown poorer because of this enforced idleness. The
+problem is how to utilise these billions of hours of the nation without
+disturbing the rest. Restoration of the spinning wheel is the only
+possible answer. This has nothing to do with my special views on
+machinery or with the boycott of foreign goods in general, India is
+likely to accept the answer in full during this year. It is madness to
+tinker with the problem. I am writing this in Puri in front of the
+murmuring waves. The picture of the crowd of men, women, and children,
+with their fleshless ribs under the very shadow of Jagannath, haunts me.
+If I had the power, I would suspend every other activity in schools, and
+colleges, and everywhere else, and popularise spinning; prepare out of
+these lads and lasses spinning teachers: inspire every carpenter to
+prepare spinning wheels; and ask the teachers to take these life-going
+machines to every home, and teach them spinning. If I had the power, I
+would stop an ounce of cotton from being exported and would have it
+turned into yarn in these homes. I would dot India with depots for
+receiving this yarn and distributing it among weavers. Given sufficient
+steady and trained workers, I would undertake to drive pauperism out of
+India during this year. This undoubtedly requires a change in the angle
+of vision and in the national taste. I regard the Reforms and everything
+else in the nature of opiates to deaden our conscience. We must refuse
+to wait for generations to furnish us with a patient solution of a
+problem which is ever-growing in seriousness. Nature knows no mercy in
+dealing stern justice. If we do not wake up before long, we shall be
+wiped out of existence. I invite the sceptics to visit Orissa, penetrate
+its villages, and find out for themselves where India stands. They will
+then believe with me that to possess, or to wear, an ounce of foreign
+cloth is a crime against India and humanity. I am able to restrain
+myself from committing suicide by starvation, only because I have faith
+in India's awakening, and her ability to put herself on the way to
+freedom from this desolating pauperism. Without faith in such a
+possibility, I should cease to take interest in living. I invite the
+questioner, and every other intelligent lover of his country, to take
+part in this privileged national service in making spinning universal by
+introducing it in every home, and make it profitable for the nation by
+helping to bring about a complete boycott of foreign cloth during this
+year. I have finished the questions and endeavoured to answer them. The
+most important from the practical stand-point was the one regarding
+spinning. I hope, I have demonstrated the necessity of home-spinning as
+the only means of dealing with India's poverty. I know, however, that
+innumerable difficulties face a worker in putting the doctrine into
+execution. The most difficult, perhaps, is that of getting a proper
+wheel. Save in the Punjab where the art is still alive, the difficulty
+is very real. The carpenters have forgotten the construction and the
+innocent workers are at their wit's end. The chief thing undoubtedly,
+therefore, is for the worker to make himself acquainted with the art and
+the handling of spinning wheels. I lay down some simple tests for
+testing them. No machine that fails to satisfy the tests should be
+accepted or distributed.
+
+    (1) The wheel must turn easily, freely, and noiselessly.
+
+    (2) The turning handle must be rigidly fixed to the axle.
+
+    (3) The post must be properly driven home and joints
+    well-fixed.
+
+    (4) The spindle must turn noiselessly and without a throb in
+    its holders. Jarring sound cannot be avoided unless the
+    holders are made of knit straw as in the Punjab, or of tough
+    leather.
+
+    (5) No machine is properly made unless it manufactures in the
+    hands of a practised spinner at least 2-1/2 tolas of even and
+    properly twisted yarn of six counts in an hour. I know a
+    youngster, who has not had more than perhaps three months'
+    practice, having been able to spin 2-1/2 tolas of the above
+    quality of yarn in 35 minutes. No machine should be given
+    until it has been worked at least full one hour in the manner
+    suggested and found satisfactory.
+
+     _Y. I.--6th April 1921._
+
+
+
+
+THE SPINNING WHEEL
+
+
+[On February 15, 1922, Mahatma Gandhi has addressed the following letter
+to Sir Daniel Hamilton from Bardoli on the Spinning Wheel.]
+
+DEAR SIR,
+
+Mr. Hodge writes to me to say that you would like to have an hour's chat
+with me, and he has suggested that I should open the ground which I
+gladly do. I will not take up your time by trying to interest you in any
+other activity of mine except the spinning wheel. Of all my outward
+activities, I do believe that the spinning wheel is of the most
+permanent and the most beneficial. I have abundant proof now to support
+my statement that the spinning wheel will solve the problem of economic
+distress in millions of India's homes, and it constitutes an effective
+insurance, against famines.
+
+You know the great Scientist Dr. P. C. Ray, but you may not know that he
+has also become an enthusiast on behalf of the spinning wheel. India
+does not need to be industrialized in the modern sense of the term. It
+has 7,50,000 villages scattered over a vast area 1,900 miles long, 1,500
+miles broad. The people are rooted to the soil, and the vast majority
+are living a hand-to-mouth life. Whatever may be said to the contrary,
+having travelled throughout the length and breadth of the land with eyes
+open, and having mixed with millions, there can be no doubt that
+pauperism is growing. There is no doubt also that the millions are
+living in enforced idleness for at least 4 months in the year.
+Agriculture does not need revolutionary changes. The Indian peasant
+requires a supplementary industry. The most natural is the introduction
+of the spinning wheel, not the hand-loom. The latter cannot be
+introduced in every home, whereas the former can, and it used to be so
+even a century ago. It was driven out not by economic pressure but by
+force deliberately used as can be proved from authentic records. The
+restoration, therefore, of the spinning wheel solves the economic
+problem of India at a stroke. I know that you are a lover of India, that
+you are deeply interested in the economic and moral uplift of my
+country. I know too that you have great influence. I would like to
+enlist it on behalf of the spinning wheel. It is the most effective
+force for introducing successful Co-Operative Societies. Without honest
+co-operation of the millions, the enterprise can never be successful,
+and as it is already proving a means of weaning thousands of women from
+a life of shame, it is as moral an instrument as it is economic.
+
+I hope you will not allow yourself to be prejudiced by anything you
+might have heard about my strange views about machinery. I have nothing
+to say against the development of any other industry in India by means
+of machinery but I do say that to supply India with cloth manufactured
+either outside or inside through gigantic mills is an economic blunder
+of the first magnitude just as it would be to supply cheap bread
+through huge bakeries established in the chief centres in India and to
+destroy the family stove.
+
+     Yours faithfully,
+
+     M. K. GANDHI.
+
+
+
+
+APPENDICES
+
+BY
+
+MAGANLAL K. GANDHI
+
+
+
+
+I
+
+A MODEL WEAVING-SCHOOL
+
+
+All the external activities of Satyagrahashram in connection with
+Swadeshi have for some time now been taken over by the Gujarat
+Provincial Congress Committee. People, who are in need of or wish to
+know anything about ginning-wheels, spinning-wheels, looms and Khadi,
+are requested to correspond with the Secretary of the Khadi department
+of that Committee. The Ashram now only conducts a weaving-school, which
+teaches all the processes from ginning right up to weaving. The boys of
+the Ashram school are at present taking the full course of instruction
+here, and we have not the room to take up students from outside. Some
+description of the work done is given here in the hope, that it may
+perhaps furnish suggestions to outside students and to schools desirous
+of having spinning-classes attached to them.
+
+Forty-nine spinning wheels are here regularly at work, over and above
+twenty-five others which are reserved for beginners. All these are
+worked three to six hours per day. Some are worked for even seven or
+eight hours. After a month's training, a friend worked twelve to
+fourteen hours daily for a number of days and thus proved the
+possibility of earning three annas a day. Another, a sister, spun nine
+to ten hours daily for some days after finishing her round of domestic
+business. In a month and a half, she had spun enough to get _sadlas_ and
+other cloth woven out of yarn spun by herself, and actually began
+wearing these things. She is now-a-days spinning at the rate of eight
+hours a day. One day there was something wrong with this lady's
+_rentia_. She referred the matter to the present writer who set it
+right. But she was not satisfied. She complained again, and again was
+the _rentia_ operated upon. But the wheel apparently suffered from some
+occult malady, which she was at a loss to diagnose. Every time its
+spinning power would get enfeebled. At last the poor lady lost all
+patience and was almost ready to weep. This was reported to me, and this
+time I examined the wheel very critically and effected a perfect cure.
+It now moved merrily, and merrily did the sister proceed with her work.
+It is very desirable that all the wheels in a spinning-class be kept in
+a perfect condition. When that is the case, the spinner does not tire
+and works cheerfully and speedily. Our class is attended by five ladies,
+who spin five or six hours every day, and by twenty-three students of
+the Ashram school, of whom eighteen are boys and five are girls. The
+conduct of this class is not an easy job. Their spirits are in continual
+need of cheering. Some of them spin very rapidly. But sometimes there is
+a grievous attack of head-ache, at other times the still more grievous
+attack of idleness. Sometimes the hand is fatigued, at other times the
+wheel gets out of repair.
+
+We are now replacing the thick by a thin spindle. It is true that with
+the slightest interference or rough handling, this thin spindle bends
+and begins to wobble. But it makes the movement of the wheel very smooth
+and easy, and also adds to its speed, as the revolutions are doubled
+from the fifty of the thick spindle to a hundred in the thin spindle
+following from one revolution of the large wheel. The doubling of
+revolutions does not mean a double output, but there is certainly a
+considerable increase. With the thick spindle, the wheel must go through
+8 or 10 revolutions for the drawing and winding of one length of yarn;
+with the thin spindle, the revolutions of the wheel needed for that
+purpose are reduced to 4 or 5. Hence with the thin spindle, there is an
+economy of labour. The speed of drawing the yarn by the hand is clearly
+limited, so that 200 or 300 revolutions of the spindle instead of 100
+would not double or treble the speed or the output. Advanced students
+draw and wind two feet to two feet and a half of yarn every five
+seconds. This comes to 8 to 10 yards a minute. If the sliver is good and
+the student in a spinning-mood, there is less breakage of yarn. Even
+considering the time lost on account of breakage and joining, some
+students are easily able to spin 400 to 500 yards of yarn of about 12
+counts, fit for warp. This approximates to the speed of a mill spindle,
+and is therefore quite satisfactory. When the work is over, the student
+removes the spindle from the wheel and keeps it in good preservation.
+Yet accidents do occur. The class master must know how to repair a
+spindle which has thus gone wrong. He must also know how to put the
+wheel in good working order. The string which makes the spindle revolve
+often breaks, but if it is well-twisted, treated with wax, and then
+rubbed well with a piece of cloth, it becomes more durable and lasts for
+a number of days.
+
+The students generally like to work on the _rentia_. But the moment it
+gets a little wrong and cannot be soon corrected, they rise and flee.
+Not only the beginners but even advanced scholars are sometimes
+confused, when called upon to set right such a simple machine as the
+spinning-wheel. A veteran leader who set the non-co-operating students
+of engineering at work upon the spinning-wheel, made the remark that
+English education has incapacitated our young men. It was with great
+pain that he said this. And it is the simple truth of the matter. We can
+clearly see, that as a result of this education, we have not only lost
+the power of our hands and feet, but we also lack in patience and
+perseverance. We cannot bear to take the trouble of correcting anything
+that is wrong. Newspaper leader-writers question the educative value of
+spinning and doubt its efficacy in driving away poverty from our midst.
+Their doubts would vanish if ever they tried and saw for themselves what
+children gain from the spinning-wheel. But these writers are themselves
+the product of English education. To expect them to be patient, is to
+forget the character of the discipline to which they have been subject.
+There is no better test than the spinning-wheel, if we wish to
+ascertain whether our children are educated in the real and the proper
+sense of that term.
+
+Many people still question the economic value of hand spinning. But I
+believe that the results of our experiments may perhaps lead them to
+reconsider their views. I will here put down the statistics of our own
+class. Among our students there are five playful children, who spin only
+when the spirit possesses them. But all of them spin good yarn fit for
+warp. Hardly any spin yarn below 10 counts. Many spin yarn of about 15
+counts. Now-a-days the boys are giving four hours to spinning. Formerly
+they used to work six hours daily, but then there was a tendency to
+occasional slackness. Now we have ruled that when once a student has
+spun a length of 1000 yards, he may be allowed to leave the spinning
+class, and learn carding etc. This arrangement has had excellent
+efforts. All spin without losing a moment and spin 1000 yards in two to
+four hours according to the skill acquired. And the yarn thus produced
+is pretty uniform, well twisted, and fit for warp. We have fixed a round
+wire frame on the axle of the wheel just near the handle, with a
+circumference of 4 feet. This frame is used for opening the cone into a
+hank. 750 revolutions of this mean a thousand yards of yarn. Most
+students count the revolutions, while they are moving the frame, and
+hence do not take much additional time for calculations. Some are not
+able to practice this, and they count the length after they have
+prepared the hank.
+
+1000 yards of yarn of six counts weigh 8 _tolas_. (840 yards make a
+hank. If six such hanks weigh a pound, the yarn is of 6 counts. Hence
+840 yards of six count of yarn weigh 6-2/3 _tolas_.) 4 annas is a quite
+proper wage for spinning one pound of six-count yarn of a standard
+quality. This means a wage of nine pies and a half for spinning 8
+_tolas_. But most of our students spin yarn of 12 to 15 counts, and even
+finer. And this is quite good and fit for weaving. The wage for a
+thousand yards of finer yarn must be proportionately higher; as the
+finer the yarn, the greater the number of twists to be given to it.
+Twelve-count yarn requires nearly half as much twisting again as
+six-count yarn. Hence the wage of a thousand yards of twelve-count yarn
+must be half as much again as that of the same length of six-count yarn.
+But this proportionately higher wage makes the hand-spun yarn much
+dearer than the mill-made yarn of the same count. If we take 8 and 12
+annas to be the wage for spinning a pound of yarn of 12 and 16 counts
+respectively, the wage for spinning a length of 1000 yards of the same
+counts will be 10 or 11 pies. One student spins this amount in 2 hours,
+several in 3 hours and the rest in 4.
+
+On the last _Amavasya_ it was twenty two days since the students set
+regularly to work after the _vaishaka_ vacation. Deducting three
+holidays on Sundays and three half-holidays on Wednesdays, we get
+seventeen and a half working days. There was an average attendance of
+twenty two students out of twenty three. Twenty two students spun in
+seventeen days and a half twenty four _shers_ and a half of yarn of
+about fourteen counts. If we take ten annas to be the average wage for
+spinning a _sher_, this comes to fifteen rupees and four annas. This is
+exclusive of Rs. 1-11-0 which is the wage of 18 pounds of cotton carded
+and made into slivers by one student in 12 days, calculated at an anna
+and a half per pound. It is also exclusive of the extra work put in by
+students on five or six days after finishing their daily quota of 1000
+yds. of yarn by way of carding and opening yarn for weaving tapes and
+carpets. These students gave some of their private time also to this
+work.
+
+There is no doubt, that the figures will mount higher when the students
+acquire the habit of methodical work. But whatever the pecuniary value
+of their work might be, method in work itself will be an acquisition
+beyond all price.
+
+So much for the spinning department. I hope to be able to deal with the
+weaving department on another occasion.
+
+     _Y. I.--21st July 1921_.
+
+
+
+
+SPINNING DEPARTMENT
+
+
+I should like to add a few more facts about the spinning department,
+before I come to weaving.
+
+In _Ashadha_ the students were more energetic than before. The number of
+regular students was 21, and these in 23 working days (there being six
+holidays in the month) spun 30 pounds and 24 _tolas_ of yarn of about 12
+counts on the average, fit for warp. At ten annas a pound, this means a
+wage of Rs. 19-2-0. The total number of hours of spinning was 1337. At 4
+hours a day it should have been 1932 (23 number of days × 21 number of
+students × 4). This deficiency is not due to idleness, nor to headache.
+Complaints of idleness have now quite ceased. And students now
+understand that headache may prevent one from reading or working sums
+but not from spinning. They have also realised that if the arms are
+fatigued by fetching water or swimming, there is nothing like spinning
+for removing the fatigue. The thing is that those students who have
+mastered spinning were engaged in carding and other process. If full
+time had been given to spinning, we would have turned out a
+proportionately bigger quantity of yarn.
+
+The spinning power of the students is increasing every day. The student
+who spun 7 _tolas_ an hour during the Satyagraha week is now no longer a
+prodigy and others are fast overtaking him. One day a girl spun 9
+_tolas_ of uniform and well-twisted 12-count yarn in 6 hours. At the
+above rate this means a wage of 2 annas 3 pies. For 8 hours therefore
+the wage would be 3 annas, for 12 hours 4 annas 6 pies, for 14 hours 5
+annas 3 pies. But it is hardly necessary to emphasise the pecuniary
+value of the work, so far as schools are concerned. The point is that by
+constituting spinning as a permanent part of our school curricula we
+provide manual training of the highest kind and at the same time prepare
+for the re-advent of a day when spinning will be as much a part of our
+domestic economy as say cooking.
+
+     _Y. I.--11th Aug. '21_.
+
+
+
+
+THE ADVANTAGE OF THE THIN SPINDLE
+
+
+Since we introduced the thin Spindle, we have been keeping a number of
+them in reserve. When a student has his spindle bent, it is not
+corrected there and then but he is at once given one of the spare good
+ones, so there is no delay. Afterwards all the spindles that have gone
+wrong are collected and corrected together.
+
+The _sadi_, i.e. the wrapping on the spindle which serves as a pulley,
+is often cut by itself and has sometimes to be cut off in order to
+correct the spindle. A new _sadi_ has to be wrapped and for this a
+bottle of thick gum is kept ready at hand. It must be made of fine
+strong yarn, and be wrapped very tight. If it is loose, the string which
+revolves the spindle (_mala_) sinks in it and cuts it asunder, and at
+once the spindle stops. If the _sadi_ is made of coarse yarn, it
+becomes rough, and so the _mala_ does not run smoothly, and the spindle
+throbs and causes breakage of the yarn while it is being spun.
+
+Pairs of _chamarakhan_ (leather-bearing) also are kept in reserve. When
+these become too soft by an excess of oiling or by rough handling, they
+must be changed. Now-a-days we make them from raw hides and not from
+leather or bamboo, and so they keep longer.
+
+Formerly a round piece of wood or cardboard used to serve as a rest for
+winding the cone. But now we have substituted a piece of horn which is
+more durable. Wax is kept in stock for treating the _mala_. Besides
+these things we have a small oil-can, a pen-knife, a hammer, a chisel,
+and a small anvil.
+
+The students bring the hank twisted hard in the shape of a stick. The
+hank weighs two _tolas_, which is the standard weight of the sliver
+provided. A bigger hank causes trouble while we open it, and the yarn is
+spoilt. The yarn spun by each student is kept separate with his name
+upon a wooden tag attached to it. Every student is asked to stick to
+one particular count all along till he has spun out enough for a length
+of warp; and then the yarn is sent to the weaving department. Every one
+is anxious to see when his yarn is sent out for weaving. Three such
+lengths of warp are being woven at present. About seven are ready
+waiting to be woven. An eleven year old girl will soon get a piece 20
+yards long and 42 inches wide out of yarn spun by herself in the course
+of three months. This will provide her with two suits of clothing of two
+small _sadis_, 2 blouses and 2 petticoats. Her father had put in a pound
+of yarn spun by himself, to finish up the piece, and in return for this,
+she is going to spare a _dhoti_ for him too. She is as much pleased to
+see the cloth woven from her own yarn as most girls would be to see
+brocade. Two other girls have combined their stock of yarn and are daily
+asking for it to be woven. Those students who have passed out from the
+spinning class are engaged in other departments, and have not much time
+to spare for spinning; so they work on holidays and prepare woof for
+their own warps, which are waiting to be woven. So in the second month,
+the spinning department is in full swing.
+
+     _Y. I.--18th Aug. 1921._
+
+
+
+
+HAND-LOOMS
+
+
+The working of the spinning class having been fully described in the
+first two articles, the process next to be taken up is carding; but
+having received a number of queries as to the working of hand-looms, I
+propose to deal with this before going into intermediate processes.
+
+Questions are asked as to which will be the most useful loom for weaving
+hand-spun yarn. Some want our opinion about the automatic looms; others
+insist upon the necessity of inventing a new swift-working machine,
+while still others ask for monetary help to prepare such after their own
+designs.
+
+My humble but firm opinion is that the old pit-loom is the best,
+especially for weaving hand-spun yarn. No doubt it is the slowest
+working instrument but is the surest of all, and just as our old
+spinning-wheel in spite of its being the slowest instrument is
+absolutely capable of spinning out all the cotton that India produces
+to-day, so the old pit-loom is perfectly capable of weaving out all the
+yarn that India can produce by means of the spinning wheels and the
+mills.
+
+This is not the time to enter into the figures in support of my
+statement. I shall only try to show the usefulness of the pit-loom. The
+fly-shuttle loom has its place in the sphere of home industry as well as
+of the factory, but the automatic looms have no room in this industry.
+Its drawbacks can only be realized by a study of the facts and figures
+regarding concerns which employ such looms. People who newly take up
+this industry should beware of flashy advertisements. They should not be
+misled by professed calculations of the working of such looms.
+
+The fly-shuttle looms have varying adjustments. In the Muzzaffarpur
+spinning and weaving exhibition held in May last, a party from this
+school was present with its wheel and loom. Of all the fly-shuttle
+looms exhibited, the one from this school was selected as the simplest
+and lightest of all. It is all made of wood, with the exception of nails
+and screws required for joining. The pickers are also made entirely of
+wood. The shuttle and perns are home-made. Other looms had iron bars in
+their boxes, were operated with foreign shuttles, and their perns were
+unwieldy. Our loom is modelled upon a type of looms working in thousands
+in the Madras Presidency. The whole loom with a wooden frame to fit on a
+pit, with the exception of the shields and reed costs Rs. 45. These
+latter things are not supplied, as there is no fixed standard of the
+yarn to be used on it.
+
+I wish some public spirited person or firm will come forward in Madras
+or elsewhere in that presidency and undertake to supply the fly-shuttle
+loom as described above promptly and at reasonable rates. Any one
+desirous of taking up this work may correspond with the head of the
+_Khadi_ Department, Gujarat Provincial Congress Committee Ahmedabad.
+
+Thus far as regards the fly-shuttle looms. I suggest to new
+manufacturers that they cannot do better than start with the old
+fashioned pit-looms. It is our experience that on account of less
+breakage of yarn, especially hand-spun yarn, the output of a pit-loom
+almost equals and in some cases even exceeds that of the fly-shuttle
+loom. In weaving broader width, however, the fly-shuttle is certainly
+more convenient. And when the hand-spun yarn is of good test, it enjoys
+a decided advantage over the old loom in point of swiftness. But we have
+to remember that we have got to deal with hand-spun yarn which is not
+likely to have a good test for some time to come. It is therefore that
+the old loom is the safest and surest weaving instrument to go on with
+for the present.
+
+     _Y. I.--25th Aug. 1921._
+
+
+
+
+WHAT KIND OF LOOM?
+
+
+Questions are asked as to the production of cloths in an old-fashioned
+loom from handspun yarn. The experience in our school is, that a
+well-practised worker weaves on a pit-loom one yard cloth of 30 inches
+width and of fairly thick texture in one hour. Cloth of greater or
+smaller width varies in proportion. Our fly-shuttle pit-loom has not
+exceeded this figure in handspun yarn so far. When formerly we used
+mill-made yarn, it yielded about half as much cloth again as the old
+pit-loom. However in weaving _dhotiyans_ and _sadis_ from handspun as
+well as mill-made yarn the flyshuttle is very handy.
+
+Then there is a question as to the necessity of beaming the yarn. We
+believe, that where there is no question of room, beaming should be
+dispensed with. Hand-loom weaving factories situated in thickly
+populated towns where rates of house-rent are very high, have reason to
+resort to beaming; but where space allows stretching of the yarn as
+practised by the professional weavers, it is a time-saving method and is
+artistic as well. There is an argument in favour of beaming that it
+allows of the handling of warp as long as 200 or even 300 yards. But if
+such length of handspun yarn can be prepared, it is equally easy, if not
+easier, to stretch it in the old style.
+
+
+
+
+SIZING HANDSPUN YARN
+
+
+It is said, that the difficulty of sizing handspun yarn is a serious
+handicap from which the movement suffers. As a matter of fact, the
+method of sizing it should be no different from that of sizing mill-made
+yarn. It is slipshod spinning which is at the bottom of this difficulty.
+The best way out of it is to organise and improve the production of
+handspun yarn. It is superstition to say that the yarn spun on the
+_charkha_ cannot be strong and even. Where proper care is taken, it does
+improve and even surpass mill-made yarn in some respects. Punjab and
+Marwad, where spinning has been carried on from past times, have also to
+improve their yarn. Not that the spinners there do not know their work,
+but they as well as the merchants who purchase their yarn are careless
+about the quality of the yarn turned out. Unless this work is taken up
+by men imbued with the true Swadeshi spirit, the condition is not likely
+to improve. The spinners should be visited at their work from time to
+time, and proper instructions as to the required twist and test to be
+given to the yarn should be imparted to them. The payment of a
+reasonably higher wage than the present is another way of improving the
+yarn. The wages we have arranged for our guidance are given below in the
+form of a table. Where living is cheaper than in Gujarat, they can be
+adjusted accordingly. The yarn having improved, the difficulty of sizing
+will disappear.
+
+When a country weaver shows inability to weave hand-spun yarn, it means
+that he cannot weave it in the same reed space as he uses for the
+mill-made yarn. This is quite evident. The hand-spun yarn not being
+even, it requires wider reed space. The table given below also shows the
+number of ends of different counts to be drawn in an inch of a reed.
+Then if the cloth to be woven is meant for shirting or coating and not
+for _dhotiyan_ or _sadi_, and if the yarn has a good test, two to four
+ends can be added to the number denoted in the table.
+
+  Column headings:
+
+  C: Count.
+  T: Approximate twist per inch.
+  R: Rounds on 4 feet hank frame.
+
+  +---+------+--------+----+-----+------------+------------+--------------+
+  |   |      |        |    |     | Number of  | Number of  |   Rates of   |
+  |   |      |  Wage  |    |     | ends in an |   double   | weaving per  |
+  | C | Test.|  per   | T  |  R  |  inch of   | ends in an | square yard. |
+  |   |      | pound. |    |     |   reed.    |   inch.    | Rs.  A.  P.  |
+  +---+------+--------+----+-----+------------+------------+--------------+
+  | 6 | Warp | 0  4 0 | 10 |  96 |  24 to 28  |  18 to 22  |  0   4   0   |
+  |   |      |        |    |     |            |            |              |
+  | 6 | Weft | 0  3 0 |  8 |  "  |     ...    |     ...    |     ...      |
+  |   |      |        |    |     |            |            |              |
+  | 9 | Warp | 0  6 0 | 12 | 144 |  26 to 32  |  20 to 24  |  0   4   6   |
+  |   |      |        |    |     |            |            |              |
+  | 9 | Weft | 0  4 6 | 10 |  "  |     ...    |     ...    |     ...      |
+  |   |      |        |    |     |            |            |              |
+  |12 | Warp | 0 10 0 | 14 | 192 |  30 to 34  |  22 to 26  |  0   5   0   |
+  |   |      |        |    |     |            |            |              |
+  |12 | Weft | 0  8 0 | 12 |  "  |     ...    |     ...    |     ...      |
+  |   |      |        |    |     |            |            |              |
+  |16 | Warp | 0 12 0 | 16 | 256 |  34 to 38  |  24 to 28  |  0   5   6   |
+  |   |      |        |    |     |            |            |              |
+  |16 | Weft | 0 10 0 | 13 |  "  |     ...    |     ...    |     ...      |
+  |   |      |        |    |     |            |            |              |
+  |20 | Warp | 1  0 0 | 18 | 320 |  40 to 44  |  28 to 32  |  0   6   0   |
+  |   |      |        |    |     |            |            |              |
+  |20 | Weft | 0 13 0 | 15 |  "  |     ...    |     ...    |     ...      |
+  +---+------+--------+----+-----+------------+------------+--------------+
+
+If the yarn is very weak and uneven, it should be woven with two ends in
+warp as well as in weft. This will give a strong texture to the cloth,
+making the process of weaving easy at the same time. The proportion in
+this case of ends to be drawn in an inch of the reed space is also given
+in the above table. If this course is adopted, heaps of handspun yarn
+that have accumulated all over the country can be woven out without much
+difficulty.
+
+As a fact, the method of sizing traditionally followed by the weavers
+cannot be improved upon. Their selection of the sizing material is
+appropriate to the climate, season and circumstances. For the most part
+they use the staple corn. Jawari and maize being the cheapest are used
+in many parts. In the rainy season, however, they use wheat flour as a
+stronger sizing material to counteract the over-softening influence of
+the moisture present in the air. In the Madras Presidency, a cereal
+called _ragi_ with a yellowish flour is used for coarse counts, while
+rice is used for finer counts. Rice and wheat are the best ingredients
+for sizing. The proportion used is from 10 per cent required for fine
+yarn to 20 per cent for coarse yarn.
+
+Different preparations of various sizing materials are as follow:--
+
+_Wheat_: Weigh the warp first. Then according to its fineness or
+coarseness, take fine wheat flour or _Menda_ from 10 to 20 per cent of
+its weight, knead it well with water to form a thin paste, taking care
+that no lump remains. Boil some water just enough to soak the warp, then
+add the paste previously prepared and keep on stirring till the granules
+are well-cooked and the whole substance is reduced to the form of thin
+gruel. To every such preparation of one pound of flour, one ounce of
+sesamum or sweet oil should be added. This will give softness and
+smoothness to the threads of the warp and keep them from sticking to one
+another. Cocoanut or castor oil is also used as a lubricant. Any of
+these is good, except only that the castor oil will give a bad odour and
+a dull colour to the warp. The size thus prepared is then slowly poured
+on to the warp, which is kept folded on a gunny cloth or a clean slab.
+The warp is beaten with both the hands, while the process of pouring is
+going on, and when it is thoroughly saturated all over, it is spread out
+in the open and brushed repeatedly in one direction, often bringing the
+down side up till it gets dried. One or two or more persons according to
+the length of the warp are engaged in brushing, while several others are
+joining broken threads and shifting the sticks in the warp from one
+lease to another.
+
+This is the most thorough of all the methods of sizing. The ends of
+fibres lying loose on every thread of the warp are straightened, and
+stuck fast round the thread by the process of brushing. The thread is
+rendered smooth and strong like wire, and the work of weaving is made
+all the easier by it. Thus swiftness in weaving is ensured. To master
+this requires long practice but it is worth the while of every student
+to do so. For an energetic youth about three hours' work under an expert
+every morning for two months or so is sufficient. With two assistants or
+more he will then be able to manage the brush-sizing himself without
+the aid of an expert. A less active person will take four or six months'
+practice.
+
+The preparation of size from jawari and maize flour is just the same as
+from wheat flour, except that the flour of these cereals not being so
+fine as wheat flour, a larger quantity is required in their case.
+
+Some people advise that wheat flour should be soaked for at least two
+days before it is boiled with water. It is said that the adherent
+quality of the flour is enhanced by this process.
+
+_Rice._ The preparation from rice is simpler still. The required
+quantity of rice is boiled well with a quantity of water larger than
+that used for ordinary cooking and is allowed to remain for 12 to 24
+hours. It is then strained through a piece of cloth tied over or into
+the mouth of a large vessel, more water being added as required in the
+process of straining. The strained matter is then reduced to consistent
+thinness; then oil is added to it in proportion as described above.
+
+Rice is sometimes preferred to wheat, as it gives besides strength a
+fine gloss to the warp.
+
+The thing to be borne in mind is that the yarn meant for preparing warp
+must be made thoroughly absorbent beforehand. For this, all the hanks
+must be connected in the form of one chain. It is then folded together,
+placed into a big vessel, whether of earth or metal, containing water
+enough to soak the yarn and then well pressed with both the feet for
+some time. It is left in this condition for two or three days, during
+which period it is beaten with a wooden club on a slab twice every day.
+It should be remembered that, unless it is beaten, it does not soak
+through for days. If it is not soaked well, it is incapable of absorbing
+the sizing material, and is imperfectly sized. The cotton fibre has a
+natural oily coating on it, which is removed by soaking it as described
+before or by boiling it for some time. It does not become thoroughly
+absorbent, till it is treated in this manner. After two or three days,
+when the yarn is well soaked, the chain is opened out and dried in
+shade, every hank being hung separately on a bamboo. Before it gets
+completely dried, it is well shaken with both the hands twice or thrice,
+so that the threads do not stick to one another. The Madrasi weavers are
+used to pouring rice water (generally thrown away when the rice is
+boiled) on the yarn, before it is dried out in the manner described
+above. This gives greater strength to the yarn, and causes less breakage
+in the process of winding and preparing it into warp.
+
+The other method of sizing resorted to by the weavers is called
+hank-sizing. It is an easy process, and though not so efficient as
+brush-sizing, it answers well if carefully performed. In this case the
+yarn, before it is made up into a warp, is soaked, hank by hank, into
+the size prepared from wheat or rice as described above, and after
+pressing off the size a little from the hank with the thumb and a
+finger, the hank, wet as it is, is wound up on a bobbin. The warp is
+prepared immediately while the bobbin is wet, each thread drying on the
+warping sticks as soon as another is drawn out. The warp thus prepared
+is fit for weaving.
+
+We have tried hank-sizing in a weak solution of ordinary gum. It works
+well in dry season, but makes the yarn moist in wet season on account of
+its absorbent quality.
+
+
+
+
+II
+
+THE WHEEL OF FORTUNE
+
+
+Mr. Gandhi during his visit to Assam and Eastern Bengal has observed,
+that the type of _charkha_ in use in those parts is deficient in many
+ways. The same is perhaps the case in other provinces. As we believe
+that the _charkha_ in the Satyagrahashram is a model of its kind, we
+give below a diagram with measurements of all its parts with an
+explanation of their relative functions.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+The rear base with mark _1_ is one foot 9 inches long, 4 inches wide and
+3 inches high.
+
+The front base with mark _2_ is 9 inches long, 4 inches wide and 3
+inches high.
+
+The long piece which joins the two bases, marked _3_, is 3 feet long
+(including joints), 3 inches wide and 2 inches high.
+
+The large uprights marked _4_ are 1 foot 6 inches long including joints,
+2 inches wide, and 3 inches deep. They are fixed on the back base 9
+inches apart. The holes in which the axle rests are made 2 inches below
+the top. These holes contain bearings of thin iron plates to secure easy
+motion of the axle. The bearings are kept open at the top to allow
+access of oil through a slanting hole bored on the outward sides of both
+the uprights, one inch above the axle.
+
+The small uprights marked _5_ are 9 inches long with joints 1-1/2 inches
+wide and 1-1/2 inches deep, with holes 4 inches below the top to contain
+the leather bearings which bear the spindle. They are fixed 3 inches
+apart on the front base and are connected together 2 inches above the
+base with a piece of a wood of the same thickness. This joining piece
+contains in the middle 2 sticks half an inch apart to regulate the
+position of the _mala_ (the string which revolves the spindle) on the
+spindle.
+
+Another piece marked _6_ and joined parallelly to the left upright is
+meant to bear a hole for leather bearing when a thin spindle is to be
+used.
+
+The drum or wheel consists of 8 planks such as the one marked _7_, each
+being 2 feet long, 4 inches wide and 3/4 inch thick. They are divided in
+two wings of 4 planks each, each containing two couples of planks joined
+diametrically with a groove in the middle.
+
+Both the wings are nailed on to the wooden shaft marked _8_, its size
+being 4-1/2 inches long and 4 inches diameter.
+
+Through the middle of this shaft passes a long round iron bar, which
+serves as an axle. It is 19 inches long and half an inch thick. Its end,
+where the handle is fixed is made square to ensure firmness of the
+handle.
+
+A wooden washer one inch thick is fixed to the axle on either side of
+the drum to avoid its contact with the uprights.
+
+The handle is shaped put of a wooden piece of 2 inches × 2 inches ×
+1-1/2 feet long.
+
+The reel noticed in the diagram between the drum and the handle is
+composed of a wooden disc marked _9_ made out of 1 inch thick and 6
+inches square piece of wood. Six brackets made of galvanized wire of 10
+gauge radiate from the centre of the disc so as to make a circumference
+of 4 feet. The brackets are fixed in the back of the disc with bent ends
+and are further secured with small nails near the circumference of the
+disc.
+
+A wire noose is fixed on the back base just below the reel to regulate
+the yarn when wound up on the reel from a bobbin or directly from the
+spindle.
+
+A 4 inches long bamboo pin is fixed in the inward side of the front base
+parallelly to the long plank marked 3. It is meant to hold the bobbin
+while opening out yarn from it. When the yarn is opened from the
+spindle directly, it is held in the left hand with the point towards the
+reel. The right hand is employed in turning the reel by the handle of
+the _charkha_.
+
+The figure _10_, indicates the position of the spinner.
+
+
+
+
+CORRECTIONS:
+
+
+  Page  Original                            Correction
+  ----  --------                            ----------
+  vii   Indian Economics  33                Indian Economics  34
+  viii  Hand Looms  140                     Hand-Looms  140
+  7     and setting their manufactures      and selling their manufactures
+  10    as a miser uses his horde.          as a miser uses his hoard.
+  27    and left her coarse                 and felt her coarse
+  28    organasing Swadeshi propaganda      organising Swadeshi propaganda
+  28    Every drop counts Swadeshi          Every drop counts. Swadeshi
+  32    from patroitic motives              from patriotic motives
+  34    expressed in this buelletin         expressed in this bulletin
+  35    being aginst the law                being against the law
+  36    the another does represent          the author does represent
+  40    utlise the idle hours               utilise the idle hours
+  44    It is needness to say               It is needless to say
+  46    more than his due And I             more than his due. And I
+  54    Shrimati Sarala Devi Choudhrani     Shrimati Sarala Devi Chaudhrani
+  57    bids fare to bear fruit.            bids fair to bear fruit.
+  69    earned As. 4                        earned As. 4.
+  69    he is a victim to-day.              he is a victim to to-day.
+  72    of 62·7 crores pounds               of 62.7 crores pounds
+  81    that he maufactures                 that he manufactures
+  82    about literary trainning.           about literary training.
+  87    Mr, Amritlal Thakkar                Mr. Amritlal Thakkar
+  97    potent instrument, the spinning     potent instrument the spinning
+  102   who absolutely know nothing         who absolutely knew nothing
+  103   Rs. 3-9 for it practically          Rs. 3-9 for it, practically
+  104   about weaving, a separate room      about weaving, a separate loom
+  123   [missing] A MODEL                   I [new line] A MODEL
+  132   will be an acpuisition              will be an acquisition
+  134   The students who spun [...] is      The student who spun [...] is
+  134   for 12 hours 4 annas 6pies          for 12 hours 4 annas 6 pies
+  136   and cuts it as under,               and cuts it asunder,
+  138   too suits of clothing               two suits of clothing
+  138   as most girl would be               as most girls would be
+  139   Y.I.--18th Aug. 1921.               [Y. not in italics]
+  142   of the hields                       of the shields
+  142   costs Rs. 45                        costs Rs. 45.
+  142   Provincial Congress Commitee        Provincial Congress Committee
+
+
+
+
+
+End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Wheel of Fortune, by Mahatma Gandhi
+
+*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 41954 ***