94 LABOUR IN MADRAS “ Of course we assume that India is for Indians, and, therefore, that non-Indians have no right to claim for themselves privileges equal to Indians-not to speak of their demand to be treated as superior beings." (Italics not used in the original.] Messrs. Binny and Co., quite appreciate the fact that Labour Unions have come to stay and would cordially meet more than half way a properly constituted Union of their work-people, but a Union such as the pre sent one with representatives who know absolutely nothing of labour conditions in Madras, or over the rest of India and whose primary object is politics, can serve no useful purpose as regards either employees or employers, and, as has been proved already, is causing untold mischief, misunderstanding and needless suffering. They preface their remarks by saying that there has been no dispute in the Buckingham and Carnatic Mills of any kind since the year 1903, that is to say, for fifteen consecutive years the management and the workpeople have been working quietly together. During these fifteen years many changes have been made in the conditions of the work-people, and all of these changes were for their benefit and intended to improve their status and their relations with their employers. They trace the present deplorable situation to the end of December 1917, and the beginning of January 1918, when references were made to these Mills by Dewan Bahadur P. Kesava Pillay. To do Mr. Kesava Pillay justice, he included in his indictment the Madras United Spinning and Weaving Mills under Indian management; and at a later date when summarizing a comparison of the Buckingham and Carnatic Mills with the Indian.
