LABOUR IN MADRAS 25 Madras at a not far distant date, and that is what I am trying to avoid by my scheme of opening stores. It is time that His Excellency's Government took in hand the subject of the control of food. B. P. WADIA. LETTER EXPLAINED It is necessary that I should explain this letter a little. His Excellency, during our interview, wished co-operation from me in the War work, the War situation having become very grave; the co-operation he wished for was one of passive and negative character-- he wanted me to give up all agitation, particularly the Labour movement! and on that condition, and on that alone, he would in vite me to a meeting he was con vening. As I refused to accede to those terms, I was not invited. The reasons for those terms may be various ; the one given to me was that Sir Clement Simpson, the head of Messrs. Binny & Co., would not be able to work on the same Committee with me when I was engaged in the Labour work! MILLS VISITED AND SUGGESTIONS MADE Let me continue my story: Mr. Symonds very kindly showed me over the two mills, and we had ano other discussion, as a result of which I wrote the following letter to bim, which will show you why it became my duty to stop our weekly Saturday meetings: May 30th, 1918. DEAR MR. SYMONDS, I promised when I saw you last and when you were good enough to show me round the mills that I would let you know what steps I propose to take on the suggestion you made regarding the stopping of the Labour Union meetings. From your first conversation I presumed that these meetings were not a
