Responsible Government should be is no longer question on which bureaucratic opinion can be tolerated for a moment. We do not want the British Democracy to decide how they should act as an umpire between the Bureaucracy and ourselves. We are going to England for the purpose of convincing the British Democracy that the grant of Responsible Government is the necessity of the hour. It is no longer a question of benevolent generosity or favour. That was the position ten years ago. Now the position is entirely changed. Responsible Government has now become the necessity of the hour, the necessity of the Empire, and, I say, the safety of the Empire. We are going to England for the purpose of convincing the British Democracy that if Home Rule is not granted to India the Empire is in danger of being one day crippled. You all know what the situation is in Asia. India stands alone. Russian influence in Asia is dominated by German influence. Turkey is under the influence of Germany, Japan has the goal of self-aggrandisement Indfa caqnot hereafter be defended by the naval and military forces of Great Britain, naval forces for reasons you all know, military forces, -simply because there are none. If India is to be defended in the interests of the Empire, India must be trained to defend herself. Look at the world map — India surrounded by China and Japan on one side, with Siberia, on one side, with two Asiatic . Turkeys under German influence, with Russia 334
