22 LABOUR IN MADRAS what has happened. You, of your own free will and accord, came to me asking for help and advice, and I came to you to serve you with such poor powers as are mine. You have trusted me, and you have proved that trust by doing what I asked you to do. I know it has been hard for many of you to take quietly the stoppage of the meetings and other advice, which has entailed some incor venience to you, and I am sorry to say, has brought you some insults from people who ought to know better. But you obeyed me and I thank you for it. Now you will listen to what I have to report. INTERVIEW WITH THE GOVERNOR H. E. Lord Pentland, the Governor of Madras, requested me to see him, which I did on May 21st. He spoke of other things, but the main factor of our discussion was about the Labour Movement in Madras. He did not approve of our meetings, of my lecturing work here, and was suspicious of my influence over you. His chief objection was that the Buckingham and Carnatic Mills were engaged in doing War work. In the first instance he was not aware that all the labourers who came here did not belong only to these two mills: secondly, he was unable to see anything else than the spectre of strikes, difficulties and troubles. I tried to explain to him, but, filled with distrust, he was blind to see the truth. He even did not like the plac of our food stores-he did not like anything. I saw him twice that day, and I refused to give up my work here unless the labourers themselves wanted to stop. He requested me to see Mr. A. P. Symonds and I called at Messrs. Binny & Co., the Agents of the two mills. Mr. Symonds explained things to me and we had a satisfactory talk,
