Another thing that happened that
year was that Gandhi met H.S.L. Polak, then sub- editor of The Critic. The two
soon became good friends as their outlook on life was similar.
Polak presented to Gandhi a copy of
Unto This Last, a book written by John Ruskin. This book on economics presented
many new ideas and it influenced Gandhi a great deal. He then hit upon the idea
of starting a farm and founding a community with a true sense of brotherhood.
His friends supported the project enthusiastically.
About a hundred acres of land were
acquired at a place called Phoenix near Durban and a farm was set up. In the
beginning six families settle there. Indian Opinion was moved to phoenix,
complete with press and office. Members of any race could freely go and live
there, cultivating the soil or working at the press. Gandhi, however, could
stay in the Phoenix Settlement only for brief periods. His headquarters were at
Johannesburg where he continued his practice as a lawyer. He knew that it would
not be possible to return to India in the near future, so he decided to send
for Kasturbai and the children. They soon joined him.