18 LABOUR IN MADRAS what I want you to do. It would not be difficult for me, with the help of rich friends in Madras, to give for instance food quite free for one month or two or three months. But that is not the kind of help you should expect from us. I would rather that you know how to earn your own bread and be independent yourselves so that you may claim the privilege of citizenship in the coming future. That is the main point I am keeping in my mind continuously as I think of the Labour movement : I do not want you to depend upon anyone, neither upon Government. nor upon those who employ you, nor upon mills and factories, nor upon Brahmanas or Non-Brahmanas. I want you to be dependent upon yourselves. That is the first principle I would like you to understand. When you are self-respecting and independent then only you will understand your own value, your worth to yourselves, to your mills and to your factories where you go, to the city to which you belong and to the country of which you are citizens. That is the idea I would like to leave with you to day. Develop self reliance, independence of character and in no circumstances tolerate any insult whatsoever. Remember that you are human beings and that therefore it is your right to get respect from other human beings, however high they may be, however educated, popular or powerful, SEVENTH MEETING The seventh meeting of the Labour Union was held on May 25th, 1918, Mr. B. P. Wadia presiding. He made the following speech : THE STRUGGLE OF KAIRA My brothers, you have already heard two speeches
