Page:Speeches And Writings MKGandhi.djvu/768

 fi78 NON-CO-OPERATION

policy. The demands of the Working Committee included a round table conference. In my manifesto I have not asked for a Round Table Conference at all. It is true that this wanting of a Round Table Conference does not proceed from any expediency, but it is a confession of present weakness. I freely recognise that, unless India becomes saturated with the spirit of non- violence and generates disciplined strength that can only come from non-violence, she cannot enforce her demands- and it is for that reason that I now consider that the first thing for the people to do is to secure a reversal of this mad repression and then to concentrate upon more complete organisation and more construction. And here again the communique does me an injustice by merely stating that Civil Disobedience of an aggressive character will be postponed until the opportunity is given to the imprisoned leaders of reviewing the whole- situation after their discharge and by conveniently omit- ting to mention the following conclusion of my letter^ "If the Government make the requested declaration I shall regard it as an honest desire on its part to give effect to public opinion and shall therefore have no- hesitation in advising the country to be engaged in> further moulding public opinion without violent rest- raint from either side and trust to its working to secure the fulfilment of its unalterable demands. Aggressive Civil Disobedience in that case will be taken up only when the Government departs from its policy of strict- est neutrality or refuse to yield to the clearly expressed opinion of the vast majority of the people of India."

I venture to claim extreme reasonableness andf moderation for the above presentation of the case. The^al tentative before the people, therefore, is

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