452 EARLIER INDIAN SPEECHES
the retort by saying, " only of good." It constitutes an Attempt to revolutionize politics and to restore moral force to its original station. After all, the Government do not believe in an entire avoidance of violence i.e., physical force. The message of the West, which the Government of India, I presume, represent, is succinctly put by Presi- dent Wilson in his speech delivered to the Peace Con- ference at the time of introducing the League of Nations Covenantt " Armed force is in the background in this programme, but it is in the background, and if the moral force of the world will not suffice, physical force of the world shall." We hope to reverse the process, and by our action show that physical force is nothing compared to the moral force, and that moral force never fails It is my firm belief that this is the fundamental difference between modern civilisation and the ancient of which India, fallen though it is, I venture to claim, is a living representative. We, her educated children, seem to have lost faith in this the grandest doctrine of life. If we could but restore that faith in the supremacy of Moral Force, we shall have made a priceless contribution to the British Empire, and we shall, without fail, obtain the reforms we desire and to which we may be entitled. Entertaining such views it is not difficult for me to answer Sir William's second fear as to the complete abolition of the authority of the Governor-eneral-in- Council. This movement is undoubtedly designed, effectively to prove to the Government that its authority is finally dependant upon the will of the people and uot upon force of arms, especially when that will is express- ed in terms cf Satyagraha. To yield to a clear moral force cannot but enhance the prestige and the dignity of the yielder.
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