82 HIS MAJESTY’S OPPONENT
that we should not blindly imitate any other people and that we should
assimilate what we learn elsewhere with a view to find ing out what will
suit our national requirements as well as our national genius.”^73
In addition to students and youth, Bose sought to build a con stit u-
en cy for the anticolonial movement among laboring people, who were
suf fering the consequences of a dramatic economic downturn. In late
1929, Bose had been elected president of the All- India Trade Union
Congress. In his presidential speech, delivered to this labor congress
in July 1931, he addressed the spe cific prob lems of unemployment,
retrenchment, and wages in the context of the Great Depression. He
also tried to carve out a middle ground between a “reformist program”
of the “Right Wing” of the trade union congress and “Communist
friends” who were “adherents and followers of Moscow.” He reiterated
his belief in “full- blooded socialism,” but wanted India to “evolve her
own form of socialism as well as her own methods.”^74
Subhas Chandra Bose believed that the Indian National Congress
had made a grave tactical error by deciding to send Mahatma Gandhi
as its sole representative to the second round- table conference in Lon-
don. As one among a hundred invitees—mostly “non- descripts, flun-
keys and self- appointed leaders,” in Bose’s view—Gandhi would find it
dif fi cult to keep the focus on national issues, with the British keen to
highlight myriad sectional interests. Nevertheless, Bose wished Gandhi
well and sent him a warm message on his departure for London, ex-
pressing con fi dence that India’s honor would be safe in the Mahatma’s
hands.^75 Gandhi’s charm and wit made a mark on common people in
En gland outside the conference chamber, but inside he could make no
headway in winning the substance of in de pen dence. From September
12 to December 1, 1931, Gandhi spoke a dozen times at the round-
table conference, but had to struggle throughout to differentiate the
sta tus of the Indian National Congress, as the premier nationalist or ga-
ni za tion, from various other groups that had been given a place at the
table by the British hosts. The Muslim minority and the subordinate
castes had certain legitimate demands, but Gandhi was wary of a gov-
ernment keen to use these to split national unity. Gandhi returned
from London empty- handed via Paris, Geneva, and Rome. In Geneva
he met the French savant and friend of India, Romain Rolland, and
Benito Mussolini gave him a warm reception in Rome. On December