Page:Labour in Madras.djvu/171



LABOUR IN MADRAS 145 Tramwaymen if you say to the Company that their men have a right to organize themselves and to elect a President of their own. It is not the business of the Tramway Company to interfere in the matter of that organization. That, then, is the central point. You ask in your resolution that the Corporation and the Government should interfere. I think you ought to make clear that the necessary interference must come along this line. If you do not recognize the Union you will not be serving the men properly and rightly; for, once their Union is disbanded, the men will be treated unfairly and those who have been leaders among the men, who have organized, who have conducted the strike, who have got spirit, who have shown what they are capable of, those will be turned out, and once they are turned out, disunited, the weaker men will suffer. To me, therefore, it is a matter of principle. It is a matter of smaller importance whether, instead of two pairs of dresses, they should get two or one. But it is important that the Union should be thoroughly recognised, and I do not see why Mr. Powell should not correspond or discuss with the chosen representative of the Tramwaymen. That is a crucial, simple and central proposition which we have to face. You might say, let the Government and the Corporatiou settle this affair. Yes. But in the settlement of this affair let it be clearly understood that this is the first, the principal demand of the Tramwaymen. ON PUBLIC AGITATION Now, Gentlemen, there is a responsibility that lies pot only on the Government, not only on the Corpora. tion, but on the public of Madras and especially the 10