Page:Speeches And Writings MKGandhi.djvu/664

 574 NON-CO-OPERATION

expected. And this thought of our imperfection must make us humble.

A non-co-operationjst strives to compel attention and! to set an example not by his violence but by his unobtrusive- humility. He allows his solid action to speak for his creed. His strength lies in his reliance upon the correctness of his position. And the conviction of it grows most in his opponent when he least interposes his speech between his act ion and his opponent. Speech, specially when it is hearty, betrays want of confidence and it makes one's opponent sceptical about the reality of the act itself- Humility therefore is the key to quick success. I hope that every non-co-operationist will recognise the necessity of being humble and self-restrained. It is because so little is really required to be done and because all of that little depends entirely upon ourselves that I have ventured the belief that Swaraj is attainable in less than one year.

STRIKES.*

Strikes are the order of the day. They are a symptom of the existing unrest. All kinds of vague ideas are floating in the air. A vague hope inspires all, and great will be the dis-appointment if that vague hope does not take definite shape. The labour world in India, as else- where, is at the mercy of those who set up as advisers and guides. The latter are not always scrupulous, and not always wise even when they are scrupulous. The labourers are dissatisfied with their lot. They have every reason for dissatisfaction. They are being taught, and justly, to- regard themselves as being chfefly instrumental in enrich-


 * Young India, Febnmry, 1921,

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