Page:Labour in Madras.djvu/169



LABOUR IN MADRAS 143 matter is converging is that Mr. Kumaraswami Chetti shall not be in the Tramway Union. THE FOURTEEN POINTS. Gentlemen, you have heard of the celebrated fourteen points of Sir Clement Simpson (Laughter), the fourteen points which reduce themselves, when properly studied and analysed, to nothingness. (Laughter). These fourteen points were trotted out not by Sir Clement Simpson but by the President of the Madras Corporation, who took upon himself the responsibility of being the spokes. man of Sir Clement Simpson. (Laughter.) And curiosity makes us ask why Mr. Molony, who does not interfere in other people's business, took upon himself to bring those fourteen points before the Corporation, the fourteen points which, as your Presi. dent just pointed out to you, have in a way glamoured even some of our Commissioners. For let me assure you that if you put the two documents together, first all the correspondence that has passed from Mr. Kumaraswamy Chetty, the President of the Union to the Tramway Company, and the second, the document of the fourteeen points, you will find that Sir Clement Simpson's answer is not only vague, but is meant to put off casual enquirers. You will not be able to understand the hollowness of these fourteen points unless you ex• amine both sides. Now we shall see what is the real crux of the problem. At first they said they were not going to recognize the Union. At a later stage they gave way in certain matters, and one was that they were prepared to recognize the Union provided the Union was made up of Tramwaymen only. Now who are the Tramway Company to dictate to their men as to who shall