Page:Gandhi The Man and His Message.djvu/13

 through, the revolution will have been accomplished without shedding a drop of blood. Wrote Henry David Thoreau: “When the officer has resigned office, and the subject has refused allegiance, the revolution is accomplished.” That will be the dawn of a day, brighter and hopeful, promising and bright. The forces of darkness and of evil will have made room for those of light and of love. But this shall not be, unless Gandhi’s policy is literally adopted, and ultimately triumphs. He explains:

“The political non-violence of the Non-cooperator does not stand the test in the vast majority of cases. Hence the prolongation of the struggle. Let no one blame the unbending English nature. The hardest fiber must melt in the fire of Love. When the British or other nature does not respond, the fire is not strong enough.

“If non-violence is to remain the policy of the nation, we are bound to carry it out to the letter and in the spirit. We must then quickly make up with the English and the Cooperators. We must get their certificate that they feel absolutely safe in our midst, that they regard us as friends, although we belong to a radically different school of thought and politics. We must welcome them to our political platform as honored guests; we must receive them on neutral platforms as comrades. Our non-violence must not breed violence, hatred or ill-will.

“If we approach our program with the mental reservation that, after all, we shall wrest power from the British by force of arms, then we are untrue to our profession of non-violence. ... If we believe in our program, we are bound to believe that the British people are not unamenable to the force of affection, as they undoubtedly are amenable to the force of arms.

"Swaraj is a condition of mind, and the mental condition of India has been challenged .... India will win independence and Swaraj only when the people have acquired strength to die of their own free will. Then there will be Swaraj.”

Such in brief is the man Gandhi. Laurels of praise and messages of affection have been heaped upon him from all quarters. As a true specimen we shall, in concluding, give the