Page:Speeches And Writings MKGandhi.djvu/894

 8(M* MISCELLANEOUS

There are DO doubt) serious difficulties in our way, The temptation to resort to social boycott is irresistible when a defendant;, who submits to private arbitration, refuses to abide by its award. Yet it is easy to see that the application of social boycott is more than likely to arrest the splendid movement to settle disputes by arbi- tration which, apart from its use as weapon in the armoury of Non-Co-operation, is a movement fraught with great good to the country, People will take time before they accommodate themselves to private arbitra- tion Its very simplicity and inexpensivenesa will repel many people even as plates jaded by spicy foods are repelled by simple combinations. All awards will not always be above suspicion. We must therefore rely upon the intrinsic merits of the movement and the correctness of awards to make itself felb.

It is much DO be desired if we can bring about a. complete voluntary boycott of law courts. That one event can bring Swaraj, But it was never expected that we would reach completion in any single item of Non-Co- operation, Public opinion has been go far developed as to reoognise the Courts as signg not of our liberty but of our slavery It has made it practically impossible for lawyers to practise their profession and be called popular leaders.

Non-Co-operation has greatly demolished the prestige of Law Courts and to that extent, of the Government, The disintegrating process is slowly but surely going on, Its velocity will suffer diminution if violent methods are adopted to hasten it This government of ours is armed to the teeth to meet and check forces of violence. It possesses nothing to check the mighty forces of non- violence, How can a handful of Englishmen resist a

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