und to be the predominant
partner in this Imperial firm. Therefore no sane Englishman,
politician or publicist can ever contemplate seriously the
possibility of a self-governing India, like the self-governing
colonies, forming a vital and organic part of the British
Empire. Therefore it is that Lord Morley says that so
long as India remains under the control of Great Britain
the government of India must continue to be a personal
and absolute one. Therefore it seems to me that this ideal,
the practically attainable ideal of self-government within the
Empire, when we analyse it with care, when we study it in
the light of common human psychology, when we study
it in the light of our past experience of the racial characteristics
of the British people, when we study it in the light of past
British history in India and other parts of the world, when
we study and analyse this ideal of self-government within
the Empire, we find it is a far more impracticable thing to
attain than even our ideal _Swaraj_.

I have quoted Mr. Pal's utterances at some length, because they are the
fullest and the most frank exposition available of what lies beneath the
claim to Colonial self-government as it is understood by "advanced"
politicians. No one can deny the merciless logic with which he analyses
the inevitable results of _Swaraj_, and Englishmen may well be grateful
to him for having disclosed them so fearlessly. British sympathizers who
are reluctant to look behind a formula which commends itself to their
peculiar predilections, naturally dislike any reference to Mr. Pal's
interpretation of Indian "self-government," and would even impugn his
character in order the better to question his authority. But they cannot
get over the fact that in India, very few "moderate" politicians have
had the courage openly to repudiate his programmes, though many of them
realize its dangers, whilst the "extremists" want a much shorter cut to
the same goal. It is only by pledging itself to _Swaraj_ that the Indian
National Congress has been able to maintain a semblance of unity.

Moreover, if any doubt still lingers as to the inner meaning of _Swaraj_
and _Swadeshi_, and other kindred war-cries of Indian Nationalism, the
language of the Nationalist Press remains on record to complete our
enlightenment. However incompatible with the maintenance of British rule
may be the propositions set forth by Mr. Bepin