misdirected.  No doubt the shooting was ‘frightful,’ the loss of innocent life deplorable.  But the slow torture, degradation and emasculation that followed was much worse, more calculated, malicious and soul-killing, and the actors who performed the deeds deserve greater condemnation that General Dyer for the Jallianwalla Bagh massacre.  The latter merely destroyed a few bodies but the others tried to kill the soul of a nation.  Who ever talks of Col.  Frank Johnson who was by far the worst offender?  He terrorised guiltless Lahore, and by his merciless orders set the tone to the whole of the Martial Law officers.  But what I am concerned with is not even Col.  Johnson.  The first business of the people of the Punjab and of India is to rid the service of Col O’Brien, Mr. Bosworth Smith, Rai Shri Ram and Mr. Malik Khan.  They are still retained in the service.  Their guilt is as much proved as that of General Dyer.  We shall have failed in our duty if the condemnation pronounced upon General Dyer produces a sense of satisfaction and the obvious duty of purging the administration in the Punjab is neglected.  That task will not be performed by platform rhetoric or resolutions merely.  Stern action is required on out part if we are to make any headway with ourselves and make any impression upon the officials that they are not to consider themselves as masters of the people but as their trusties and servants who cannot hold office if they misbehave themselves and prove unworthy of the trust reposed in them.

THE PUNJAB SENTENCES

The commissioners appointed by the Congress Punjab Sub Committee have in their report accused His Excellency the Viceroy of criminal want of imagination.  His Excellency’s refusal to commute two death sentences out of five is a fine illustration of the accusation.  The rejection of the appeal by the Privy Council no more proves the guilt of the condemned than their innocence would have been proved by quashing the proceedings before the Martial Law Tribunal.  Moreover, these cases clearly come under the Royal Proclamation in accordance with its interpretation by the Punjab Government.  The murders in Amritsar were not due to any private quarrel between the murderers and their victims.  The offence grave, though it was, was purely political and committed under excitement.  More than full reparation has been taken for the murders and arson.  In the circumstances commonsense dictates reduction of the death sentences.  The popular belief favours the view that the condemned men are innocent and have not had a fair trial.  The execution has been so long delayed that hanging at this stage would give a rude shock to Indian society.  Any Viceroy with imagination would have at once announced commutation of the death sentences—­not so Lord Chelmsford.  In his estimation, evidently, the demands of justice will not be satisfied if at least some of the condemned men are not hanged.  Public feeling with him counts for nothing.  We shall still hope that, either the Viceroy or Mr. Montagu will commute the death sentences.