He objects also to the plan of boycotting Government schools. I can only
say what I have said with reference to lawyers that if we mean
non-co-operation, we may not receive any favours from the Government, no
matter how advantageous by themselves they may be. In a great struggle
like this, it is not open to us to count how many schools will respond
and how many parents will respond and just as a geometrical problem is
difficult, because it does not admit of easy proof, so also because a
certain stage in national evolution is difficult, you may not avoid that
step without making the whole of the evolution a farce.
* * * * *
We have had a great lesson in non-co-operation and co-operation. We had
a lesson in non-co-operation when some young men began to fight there
and it is a dangerous weapon. I have not the slightest doubt about it.
One man with a determined will to non-co-operate can disturb a whole
meeting and we had a physical demonstration of it to night but ours is
non-violent, non-co-operation in which there can be no mistake
whatsoever in the fundamental conditions are observed. If
non-co-operation fails, it will not be for want of any inherent strength
in it, but it will fall because there is no response to it, or because
people have not sufficiently grasped its simple principles. You had also
a practical demonstration of co-operation just now; that heavy chair
went over the heads of so many people, because all wanted to lift their
little hand to move that chair away from them and so was that heavier
dome also removed from our sight by co-operation of man, woman and
child. Everybody believes and knows that this Government of our exists
only by the co-operation of the people and not by the force of arms it
can wield and everyman with a sense of logic will tell you that the
converse of that also is equally true that Government cannot stand if
this co-operation on which it exists is withdrawn. Difficulties
undoubtedly there are, we have hitherto learned how to sacrifice our
voice and make speeches. We must also learn to sacrifice ease, money,
comfort and that, we may learn form the Englishmen themselves. Every one
who has studied English history knows that we are now engaged in a
battle with a nation which is capable of great sacrifice and the three
hundred millions of India cannot make their mark upon the world, or gain
their self-respect without an adequate measure of sacrifice.