SWARAJ IN TEN YEARS

THE question has been asked in some quarters as to whether the country would be satisfied if the British Government and the British Parliament accepted the suggestion of Colonel Wedgwood and made a definite declaration as to the period within which India is to have full self-government and set their hand at once to the formation of a territorial army in all its branches, infantry, artillery and air force. In the event of the answer to this question being in the affirmative, further questions are being asked as to what the country would regard as a reasonable period within which to transfer all authority to the people, and whether the country is prepared to put its views on this subject in the form of a formal demand. All three questions are of the greatest importance, and, as we ourselves think, also urgency, and it cannot be out of place to consider them at some length. A declaration as to the date by which India is to have full self-government can only satisfy the public if it is definite and if the date itself is sufficiently early. Similarly, an attempt to put India firmly on her legs in the matter of her defence will prove acceptable only if it is within a sufficiently short time. The people of India have, for too long a time, been fed on promises for it to be possible for them to feed themselves any more upon that kind of food. Nor can they reasonably be expected to wait for too long a period for the attainment of what they regard as their inalienable birthright. “Immediate Swaraj” is the cry that has gone forth from hundreds of platforms. It is obviously unreasonable to ask the people to make their demand more definite than they have made it already. They repudiate with contempt all assumptions of racial inferiority and all imputations of unfitness, and ask for immediate Swaraj. It is for those with whom it rests to concede this demand to come forward with practical proposals.