Page:The Pilgrims' March.djvu/145

Rh an essential preliminary to any possible Conference. If responsible leaders of non co-operation now come forward with definite assurance that this is the correct interpretation, I should then say we were in sight of such a change of circumstances as would justify the Government in reconsidering the position, but words must be backed by deeds. If I were satisfied only that there was a general desire for the Conference and that responsible non-co-operation leaders were prepared to take action, then I should be prepared to recommend my Government to take steps in consonance with the altered situation.”

This is highly misleading. If wherever the words non-co-operation leaders occur, the word Government was put in, and if the whole of the statement came from a non-co-operator it would represent the correct situation. Non-co-operators have really to do nothing, for they have precipitated nothing. They are over-cautious. The disturbance in Bombay was allowed to override their keen desire to take up aggressive Civil Disobedience, but in the present circumstances the phrase civil disobedience is really a misnomer. What the non-co-operators are doing to-day I claim every co-operator would do to-morrow under similar circumstances, when