“But is there not a big ‘If’ in it?”—­“Certainly there is.”

“And how do you propose to succeed against the big ’If’?”—­“In my plan of campaign expediency has no room.  If the Khilafat movement has really permeated the masses and the classes, there must be adequate response from the people.”

“But are you not begging the question?”—­“I am not begging the question, because so far as the data before me go, I believe that the Muslims keenly feel the Khilafat grievance.  It remains to be seen whether their feeling is intense enough to evoke in them the measure of sacrifice adequate for successful non-co-operation.”

“That is, your survey of the conditions, you think, justifies your advising non-co-operation in the full conviction that you have behind you the support of the vast masses of the Mussalman population?”—­“Yes.”

“This non-co-operation, you are satisfied, will extend to complete severance of co-operation with the Government?”—­No; nor is it at the present moment my desire that it should.  I am simply practising non-co-operation to the extent that is necessary to make the Government realise the depth of popular feeling in the matter and the dissatisfaction with the Government that all that could be done has not been done either by the Government of India or by the Imperial Government, whether on the Khilafat question or on the “Punjab question.”

“Do you Mr. Gandhi, realise that even amongst Mahomedans there are sections of people who are not enthusiastic over non-co-operation however much they may feel the wrong that has been done to their community?”—­“Yes.  But their number is smaller than those who are prepared to adopt non-co-operation.”

“And yet does not the fact that there has not been an adequate response to your appeal for resignation of titles and offices and for boycott of elections of the Councils indicate that you may be placing more faith in their strength of conviction than is warranted?”—­“I think not; for the reason that the stage has only just come into operation and our people are always most cautious and slow to move.  Moreover, the first stage largely affects the uppermost strata of society, who represent a microscopic minority though they are undoubtedly an influential body of people.”

“This upper class, you think, has sufficiently responded to your appeal?”—­“I am unable to say either one way or the other at present.  I shall be able to give a definite answer at the end of this month."...

“Do you think that without one’s loyalty to the King and the Royal Family being questioned, one can advocate non-co-operation in connection with the Royal visit?” “Most decidedly; for the simple reason that if there is any disloyalty about the proposed boycott of the Prince’s visit, it is disloyalty to the Government of the day and not to the person of His Royal highness.”