Page:The Life of Lokamanya Tilak.djvu/250

 schemes of political reform, Mr. Tilak gave his country* men something more inspiring. Ever since his returm- from prison he had fixed his heart on a tremendous agitation in favour of Home Rule ; knowing that the Bureaucracy would question the legality of the move- ment with the object of resorting to repression, he in- tended to introduce a Bill in Parliament through the good cfiices of Labour leaders and then concentrate all his activities on a vast propaganda. The sudden ad- vent of the war came to his rescue. The Bureaucracy with their armoury full of repressive legislation had to keep quiet and bide their time. With the Indian army sent away to France, repression was out of the question; and so the Nationalists got the necessary respite to- mobilize their forces and they were not slow to take full advantage of this opportunity.

During these days Mr. Tilak's dealings with the two other parties were unexceptionable. Conscious of the grow- ing virilitj^ of the Naticnalists, he could afford, especially in the larger interests of the country to be generous m> bis dealings with the Moderates. Mrs. Besant too, in spite of occasicnal lapses was on the path of ccmplete alliance wilh him. the felt that she was regarded as an interloper by the leading Modeiales and was feared and distiusted by them. Mr. Tilak's vision was so much f cssessed with the future and its immense possi- bilities that he was in no meed to keep open the old sores. He tried to placate the Moderates and did his best to induce them to co-operate with him. The reso- lutions of the Pcona and Belgaum Conferences were drawn up with a 'skill that silenced the ultra-Modera- tes ; and lor the sake of unity, Mr. Tilak defered his.