A PILGRIMAGE FOR PEACE
The talk to the Khudai Khidinatgars was a brilliant
exposition of the difference between the organization of
violence and that of non-violence. " The principles on
which a non-violent organization is based," he observed,.
u are different from and the reverse of what obtains in a
violent organization. For instance, in the orthodox army,
there is clear discrimination as between an officer and a
private. The latter is subordinate and inferior to the
former. In a non-violent army the General is just the
chief servant — first among equals. He claims no privi-
lege over or superiority to the rank and file. You have
fondly given the title ' Badshah Khan' to Khan Abdul
Ghaffar Khan. But if in his heart of hearts he actually
began to believe that he could behave like an ordinary
General, it would spell his downfall and bring his power
to an end. He is Badshah in the sense only that he is the
truest and foremost Khudai Khidmatgar and excels all
other Khudai Khidmatgars in the quality and volume of
service.
" The second difference between a military organiza-
tion and a peace organization is that in the former, the
rank and file have no part in the choice of their General
and other officers. These are imposed upon them and
enjoy unrestricted power over them. In a non-violent
army, the General and the officers are elected or act as-
if they are elected. Their authority is moral and rests
solely on the willing obedience of the rank and file.
" So much for internal relations between the General
of a non-violent army and his soldiers. Coming to their
relations with the outside world, the same sort of differ-
ence is visible. Just now we had to deal with an enor-
mous crowd that had gathered outside this room. You
tried to disperse it by persuasion and loving argument,
not by using force and, when in the end, you failed in your
attempt, withdrew and sought relief by getting behind the
closed doors of this room. Military discipline knows no>
moral pressure.
" Let me proceed a step further. The people who are
crowding outside here are all our friends though they