Page:The Life of Lokamanya Tilak.djvu/268

 and that the only way of not only strengthening the hands of the Secretary of State for India bur also of stimulating his generosity and sense of justice was an effective appeal to the British Democracy. There were those who argued that this was hardly the time to thrust our grievances upon the attention of our distracted and well-nigh disappointed rulers. Mr. Tilak begged to differ from them. Though not prepared to hold that" " England's difficulty is our opportunity " he saw nothing wrong in drawing Britain's urgent attention to the easiest way of enlisting India's vast man-power in their cause. Side by side, therefore, with the work of organizing our resources and formulating the demands to be placed before the Viceroy and the Secretary of State, he continued unabated the still more important task of awakening the people to a full consciousness of the supreme importance of his plan of campaign.

Mr. Tilak's triumphant Home Rule tour was twice in- terrupted to suit the work of the moment. On November 26th, the joint deputation of the Madras and Poona Home Rule Leagues waited on Lord Chelmsford and the Secretary of State and on the following day Mr. Tilak had a long interview with Mr. Montague. He was extremely well-received and is said to have created a deep impression on the mind of the Secretary of State. May we add that the efforts of the latter to secure Mr. Tilak's full support to the impending reforms were all unavail- ing? f;!*,

The Calcutta session of the National Congress under the Presidentship of Mrs. Besant called forth all the statesmanship of Mr. Tilak. The Declaration of August 20th, 1917, had in a sense, created a great muddle in the