The Way Out

AND the only way out of the difficulty that we can think of is for the Government to reconsider the decision at which it has arrived, on the basis of the letters both to Lord Hunter and to His Honour the Lieutenant-Governor. There is absolutely no question of “prestige” in the ordinary sense of that term in India in this matter, and whatever consideration of prestige there is only makes a settlement of the outstanding issue between the Sub-Committee and the Government eminently desirable. After all, the success of the enquiry is the one great object which the Government has placed before itself, and it is with the fulfilment of this object, so clearly dependent upon a reconsideration of the vitally important question of the release of leaders, that the prestige of the Government for the time being is clearly bound up. Let not the Government imagine that its action in acceding to the just request of the Sub-Committee would be misunderstood. That is the argument of those who, for their own reasons, do not wish the Government to do the right thing. As a matter of fact, it is only concessions by the weak that are liable to be interpreted as a sign of weakness, not concessions by a strong and powerful Government which when it gives out of its strength; and the demand 

in the present case, which has been made from the very beginning, and the reasons for which have been clearly stated, has absolutely no chance of varying by reason of any action taken by Government to satisfy it. Indeed it will already have been noticed that whenever in any matter the Government has conceded the principle, the Sub-Committee has met it half way by not insisting over much upon details. We appeal to His Honour the Lieutenant-Governor to rise to the height of the occasion and see if it is not possible even yet to arrive at a decision which would be acceptable to them.