LABOUR IN MADRAS 23 in which one of the Indian Directors also took part. On my return to my office, I wrote the following letter to the Private Secretary of H. E. the Governor, and sent a copy to Mr. Symonds. May 24th, 1918. T. E. MOIR. Esq., I.C.S., Private Secretary to H. E. the Governor of Madras, MADRAS. DEAR MR. MOIR, As desired by His Excellency, I have seen Mr. A. P. Symonds of Messrs. Binny & Co. I have fully discussed the question of my work among the labourers at Perambur, and I find that he does not see any harm to his mills in what I am doing. He was under a misapprehension that I had purposely picked out his two mills. I have assured him that at my meetings mill-hands and other labourers not belonging to his mills, attend, which I think will remove any feeling that Sir Clement Simpson might have against me. Mr. Symonds seemed to be a little surprised at the view His Excellency took, for he does not think that Sir Clement Simpson objected to my work on more than mere general grounds, which any employer of men would naturally raise when he fancied that his men are being " tampered with.” However Mr. Symonds has kindly promised to show me round the mills to-morrow, and I feel sure a further talk will thoroughly convince him that I do not mean to do any harm to him or to his chief or to his firm In fact I invited him, and one of the Indian Directors, who was present for some time during our interview, to address the labourers who gather to listen to me on Saturday afternoons. Mr. Symonds also did not see any objection to my supplying food-stuffs at a lower
