Page:Speeches And Writings MKGandhi.djvu/685

 people lies between the$gentle and self-imposed rule of non-violence and Non-Co-operation, and the iron rule of the Government. The latter is now demonstrating its power and ability to counteract all the forces of violence by its superior and trained violence. We have no answer, if we cannot show that we have greater in- fluence over the people. We must be able quite clearly to see for ourselves and show to the people, that display of force by us against that of the Government is like a child attempting with a straw to stop the current.

I am painfully aware of the fact, that we have aot as a people yet arrived at the settled conviction that India cannot attain immediate Swaraj except through complete non-violence. We do not even see that Hindu Muslim unity must vanish under the strain of violence. What is at the back of our mutual distrust, if it is not the fear of each other's violence ? And Swaraj without real heart-unity is an inconceivable proposition.

What is it that hinders attainmeat of Swaraj, if it is not fear of violence ? Are we not deterred simply through that fear, from taking all our steps at once ? Can we not, if we can be sure of non-violence, issue to- day an ultimatum to the Government either to co-operate with us or to go ? Do not the Moderates keep aloof, mainly because they distrust our ability to create a non-violent atmosphere ? Their timidity will derive nurture from the Moplah outbreak.

What then must we do ? Certainly not feel des- pondent. We must go forward with greater zeal, greater hope, because of greater faith in our means. We must persevere in the process of conversion of the most ignorant of our countrymen to the doctrine of non-

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