Árdís - 01.01.1954, Page 65

Ársrit Bandalags lúterskra kvenna
63
in ancient times. Under his regime they could serve the public
not in the role of women, but as individuals. Women from all
walks of life—from all castes—now take part in the ruling of India.
There are proportionately more women in the Indian Government
than in any other government in the world, despite the fact only
twelve percent of the nation is literate.
One thing that distresses Madame Pandit is, how little ad-
vantage western women take of their freedom, and how very small
a part they play in public enterprise. She feels that women of
North America in particular, take more interest in femininity than
in individuality, that too much stress is made on fashions and
glamour, not enough on women as persons. Madame Pandit wants
woman to be “an individual with a useful contribution to make to
society in her own right”.* In that way she feels they could greatly
aid in procuring world peace. Madame Pandit wishes to make it
clear that Indians are not against Christian Missions, but she feels
that at the present time, missions are associated in the minds of the
multitude with the hated foreign domination. In their new-found
independence the Indians do not wish to be reminded of former
subservience. She feels, however, that this will pass and that before
long missionaries will again be welcomed and they will again be
revered for their unselfish devotion to the teachings of The Saviour.
She also states that “Ghandi found his guiding principles not only
in his own native religion and philosophy but in other sources,
particularly in the teachings of Jesus”**.
Madame Pandit wants to do away with prejudices which divide
peoples of the world and prevent understanding. She thinks that
both the East and the West must become truly democratic before
democracy can embrace the entire world. Both must drive out
ignorance, illiteracy, poverty, disease and hunger. Then and only
then, can true democracy be achieved. To do this we must have
peace and then we will secure a Lasting Peace among the peoples
of the world.
*Christian Century, November 11, 1953.
**Christian Century, November 11, 1953.