‘Indian Opinion’

Before I proceed with the other intimate European contacts, I must note two or three items of importance. One of the contacts, however, should be mentioned at once. The appointment of Miss Dick was not enough for my purpose. I needed more assistance. I have in the earlier chapters referred to Mr. Ritch. I knew him well. He was manager in a commercial firm. He approved my suggestion of leaving the firm and getting articled under me, and he considerably lightened my burden.

Before I continue with my other close European contacts, I must note two or three important matters. But I should mention one contact right away. Hiring Miss Dick was not enough for my needs. I needed more help. In earlier chapters, I mentioned Mr. Ritch, whom I knew well. He was a manager at a commercial firm. He agreed to my suggestion that he leave the firm and become an articled clerk under me. He greatly reduced my workload.

About this time Sjt. Madanjit approached me with a proposal to start Indian Opinion and sought my advice. He had already been conducting a press, and I approved of his proposal. The journal was launched in 1904, and Sjt. Mansukhlal Nazar became the first editor. But I had to bear the brunt of the work, having for most of the time to be practically in charge of the journal. Not that Sjt. Mansukhlal could not carry it on. He had been doing a fair amount of journalism whilst in India, but he would never venture to write on intricate South African problems so long as I was there. He had the greatest confidence in my discernment, and therefore threw on me the responsibility of attending to the editorial columns. The journal has been until this day a weekly. In the beginning it used to be issued in Gujarati, Hindi, Tamil and English. I saw, however, that the Tamil and Hindi sections were a make-believe. They did not serve the purpose for which they were intended, so I discontinued them as I even felt that there would be a certain amount of deception involved in their continuance.

Around this time, Sjt. Madanjit asked my advice about starting Indian Opinion. He was already running a printing press, and I approved of his proposal. The journal was launched in 1904, with Sjt. Mansukhlal Nazar as its first editor. But I had to do most of the work and was practically in charge of the journal most of the time. This was not because Sjt. Mansukhlal was unable to run it. He had done a fair amount of journalism in India. But as long as I was there, he would never venture to write about complex South African problems. He had the greatest confidence in my judgment, so he left me responsible for the editorial columns. The journal has remained a weekly to this day. At first, it appeared in Gujarati, Hindi, Tamil and English. But I saw that the Tamil and Hindi sections were only for show. They did not serve their intended purpose, so I discontinued them. I even felt that continuing them would involve some deception.

I had no notion that I should have to invest any money in this journal, but I soon discovered that it could not go on without my financial help. The Indians and the Europeans both knew that though I was not nominally the editor of Indian Opinion, I was virtually responsible for its conduct. It would not have mattered if the journal had never been started, but to stop it after it had once been launched would have been both a loss and a disgrace. So I kept on pouring out my money, until ultimately I was practically sinking all my savings in it. I remember a time when I had to remit £75 each month.

I had no idea I would have to put any money into the journal. But I soon discovered that it could not continue without my financial help. Both Indians and Europeans knew that I was effectively responsible for running Indian Opinion, though I was not officially its editor. It would not have mattered if the journal had never started. But stopping it after it had begun would have been both a loss and a disgrace. So I kept putting money into it, until I was spending practically all my savings on it. I remember a time when I had to send £75 each month.

But after all these years I feel that the journal has served the community well. It was never intended to be a commercial concern. So long as it was under my control, the changes in the journal were indicative of changes in my life. Indian Opinion in those days like Young India and Navajivan today, was a mirror of part of my life. Week after week I poured out my soul in its columns, and expounded the principles and practice of Satyagraha as I understood it. During ten years, that is, until 1914, excepting the intervals of my enforced rest in prison, there was hardly an issue of Indian Opinion without an article from me. I cannot recall a word in those articles set down without thought or deliberation, or a word of conscious exaggeration, or anything merely to please. Indeed the journal had become for me a training in self-restraint, and for friends a medium through which to keep in touch with my thoughts. The critic found very little to which he could object. In fact I know that the tone of Indian Opinion compelled the critic to put a curb on his own pen. Satyagraha would probably have been impossible without Indian Opinion. The readers looked forward to it for a trustworthy account of the Satyagraha campaign as also of the real condition of Indians in South Africa. For me it became a means for the study of human nature in all its casts and shades, as I always aimed at establishing an intimate and clean bond between the editor and the readers. I was inundated with letters containing the outpourings of my correspondents’ hearts. They were friendly, critical or bitter, according to the temper of the writer. It was a fine education for me to study, digest and answer all this correspondence. It was as though the community thought audibly through this correspondence with me. It made me thoroughly understand the responsibility of a journalist, and the hold I secured in this way over the community made the future campaign workable, dignified and irresistible.

But after all these years, I feel that the journal has served the community well. It was never meant to be a commercial venture. As long as it was under my control, changes in the journal reflected changes in my life. In those days, Indian Opinion reflected part of my life, just as Young India and Navajivan do today. Week after week, I poured out my soul in its columns. I explained the principles and practice of Satyagraha as I understood them. For ten years, until 1914, hardly an issue of Indian Opinion appeared without an article by me. The exceptions were the periods when I was forced to rest in prison. I cannot recall writing a word in those articles without thought or care. Nor can I recall knowingly exaggerating or writing anything merely to please. The journal had become a way for me to practice self-restraint. It also gave friends a way to keep in touch with my thoughts. Critics found very little to object to. In fact, I know that the tone of Indian Opinion led critics to restrain their own writing. Satyagraha would probably have been impossible without Indian Opinion. Readers looked to it for trustworthy accounts of the Satyagraha campaign and the real condition of Indians in South Africa. For me, it became a means of studying human nature in all its forms and shades. I always aimed to establish a close and honest bond between the editor and the readers. I was flooded with letters in which correspondents poured out their hearts. The letters were friendly, critical, or bitter, depending on the writer's temperament. Studying, reflecting on, and answering all this correspondence was a fine education for me. It was as though the community were thinking aloud through its letters to me. The correspondence helped me fully understand a journalist's responsibility. The influence I gained over the community in this way made the future campaign workable, dignified, and irresistible.

In the very first month of Indian Opinion, I had realised that the sole aim of journalism should be service. The newspaper press is a great power, but just as an unchained torrent of water submerges whole countrysides and devastates crops, even so an uncontrolled pen serves but to destroy. If the control is from without, it proves more poisonous than want of control. It can be profitable only when exercised from within. If this line of reasoning is correct, how many of the journals in the world would stand the test? But who would stop those that are useless? And who should be the judge? The useful and the useless must, like good and evil, go on together, and man must make his choice.

In the very first month of Indian Opinion, I realized that the only aim of journalism should be service. The newspaper press is a great power. But just as an unchecked flood submerges whole countrysides and destroys crops, an uncontrolled pen only destroys. If control comes from outside, it proves more poisonous than no control at all. Control can be beneficial only when it comes from within. If this reasoning is correct, how many newspapers and journals in the world would pass the test? But who would stop those that are useless? And who should be the judge? Useful and useless publications must go on together, like good and evil, and people must make their choice.