[The letters of Gandhiji to two Americans, who were inmates of his ashram for several months each and followed its discipline, are of special significance in understanding him. With both Mr. Gregg and Miss Cook, Gandhiji had extensive correspondence - dealing with such diverse subjects as non-violence, religion, spinning, village industries, basic education, diet, cooking, gardening, clothes, laundering, scavenging and sanitation. His letters to them show Gandhiji as a man, with all his strengths and weaknesses, and explain the application of his philosophy of truth and non-violence in dealing with political, economic, social and personal problems.
Richard Bartlett Gregg and Nilla Cram Cook were very different in their backgrounds and interests. The former was a professional who was disillusioned with the Western civilisation, studied Gandhiji and went to India to learn more from him.  The latter was a young woman - intelligent, creative, Bohemian – for whom the visit to India and Gandhiji was perhaps part of an adventure.
Mr. Gregg arrived in India in the 1920s. The first national mass resistance to British rule under Gandhiji's leadership – the non-cooperation movement - had been suspended and Gandhiji had served a term of imprisonment. After release and recuperation from illness, he was concentrating on promoting spinning, weaving and other village industries as part of the "constructive programme" of the national movement. He gave generously of his time to answer Mr. Gregg's questions and help him to learn about India. Mr. Gregg, for his part, was able advise Gandhiji on several aspects of his constructive programme.
Benefitting from a stay of almost four years in India, including several months in the Ashram, Mr. Gregg made a significant contribution in interpreting the thought of Gandhiji to people in the United States of America and thereby inspiring non-violent resistance in that country in later years.  Friends Journal wrote in its obituary on the death of Mr. Gregg that he was a "quiet radical."
"He did not leave big footprints, or make any big splashes, but he is the real father of the movement toward non-violent resistance in this country."¹
Miss Cook was in India in the early 1930s when Gandhiji was in prison for leading the Civil Disobedience campaign - the second national mass struggle under his leadership. He was at the time engaged in promoting action to eradicate untouchability, including penance by caste Hindus in the form of  service to uplift the untouchables. Miss Cook joined the movement but her way of life led to complications. She tried to atone for her past life by living in poverty and abstinence under the guidance of Gandhiji, who hoped to train her for anti-untouchability work. Gandhiji became a "father and mother" to her. But after a few months she found the pace of Ashram life too slow and escaped from it, contributing little but a brief and fascinating episode in his life.]