Page:Labour in Madras.djvu/17

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FOREWORD more would act as unselfishly. But Wadia is not even a lawyer. About such a man there is no thought or hope or prospect of gain. He is typical of India's spirit of self-sacrifice. . As soon as possible, and in the interests of the Unions, men who have worked at the Trade should be trained to lea i the Unions. They know the trade and difficulties of jargon as no lawyer can. But when the employers ask for only such Unions as are led by workers, they are now really asking for tame incompetent Unions, and they drag in the terms “lawyer and politics" to create prejudice. Soon men of the trade will be leaders; but then they must be whole-time officials paid by the Union, and not the inasters' servants liable to victimisation and, worse still, to corruption by promotion. But the Trades Unions must use politics, even while they avoid party politics. The Unions are so weak and helpless at present--so prescribed by law-that they have to turn to Government. While they are voteless they can only turn as suppliants. They can only show that the politicians who help them, they will help by their voices now, by their votes in future. At once a law is wanted legalising Trades Unions as in England. Then Factory Acts are wanted :—Employers' Liability Acts ; Minimum Wage Laws. Even now by using their friends on