THE KELLOGG PACT * 97

How does all this affect India? Do not her poverty and her
subjection make her powerless? I think not. For public opinion
belongs to the realm of the mind, and nothing can fetter the mind.
To build up the strong united public opinion that is needed will
no doubt take time, especially in so vast and diversified a country
as this; but the building can be done independently of all political
parties and political disabilities; the subject belongs to a higher
sphere than these. So now is the time to begin. Let the teachers in
the schools and colleges lead the way by seeing that the youths
fully understand what this Pact really is, what it involves, and
what power it places in the hands of the people. "When this knowledge
has been assimilated by the educated will in some form permeate
the masses of the uneducated, preparing the way for the stand
India will take when she has attained her freedom.

It has been objected by some that there is no hope of govern-
ments being sincere, or keeping their word, and that the treaty
is therefore a mere futile gesture, a "fictitious Peace Pact*' (Toung
India, p. 117); the reply is that people can, if they so will, prevent
its being so, and make it instead one of the greatest events that
have ever happened in human history. If they realize what an
opportunity the signing of this Pact gives them, they will assuredly
not fail to take advantage of it.—L. E."

I gladly publish L. E.'s contribution, and have no
difficulty in agreeing that the Kellogg Pact has great possi-
bilities, the patent insincerity of many signatories notwith-
standing. I share to the full the apprehension about the
Pact felt by the correspondent whose letter to Toung India
L. E. has mentioned. But this insincerity does not trouble
me. My difficulty is as to the suggestion made by L. E.
about India's part in promoting peace. India's contribution
to peace must, in the nature of things, be different in kind
from that of the Western nations. India is not an indepen-
dent nation. And it may be inferred from her present posi-
tion that she has not the will to be independent. The parties
to the Pact are mostly partners in the exploitation of the
peoples of Asia and Africa; India is the most exploited
among them all. The Peace Pact, therefore, in substance
means a desire to carry on the joint exploitation peacefully.
At least that is how the Pact appears to me to be at