Mrs. Roosevelt to him. “Then she has an influence on American politics?” he asked. I tried to explain the progress in social legislation, trade union organization, and social thinking which had taken place under the New Deal. I also stressed the fact that the American government is financing foreign governments and financing domestic war industries. I compared that with the private financing of foreign governments and of American industry during the first World War.
“What about the Negroes?” Gandhi asked.
I talked about the Negro situation in the North and South. I said I did not, of course, wish to defend the treatment meted out to Negroes, but it seemed to me that it was not so cruel as untouchability in India.
“As you know,” he answered, “I have fought untouchability for many years. We have many untouchables here in the ashram. Most of the work in the ashram is done by the untouchables, and any Hindu who comes to Sevagram must accept food from untouchables and remain in their proximity.”
I asked whether the discrimination against untouchables had been somewhat alleviated. “Oh, yes,” he replied, “but it is still very bad.” Kurshed came over and said something in Hindustani which made him laugh. I asked what it was, and she told me she had said, “I bow to your feet.” I
