Page:Labour in Madras.djvu/60

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page needs to be proofread.
34
LABOUR IN MADRAS


maximum penalty for violation of the rule is three years imprisonment with a fine." What does this mean? It means that if I come here, and if the Chief Secretary to the Goverament of India says that the work done by any of the factories from which you come, is War-work, and if the Government says that I have interfered with it, then I am to be sent to prison for three years and fined, and as I am a poor man and cannot pay the fine, the period of imprisonment will be increased. THE FUTURE WORK That being so, I must speak to you very freely and frankly. If you want me to lead you, and I know that is the desire of many of you, then you will do me the favour of absolutely obeying me and of carrying out my wishes. The first thing I want to impress on you is that the War work in which some of you are engaged is, from the big national point of view, a very important work. As a religious thinker, I believe that unless the Germans are defeated, you and I in this country, will not be successful. This War is a war between the Powers of Darkness and the Powers of Light; and Germany stands for the powers of :darkness—tyranny and oppression. The Allies, amongst whom is our Government, say that they are fighting for Freedom. The case of the English people in India is rather peculiar. They are on the side of the good and yet the ways they adopt in this country seem very much like the ways of the Germans, who are haughty, arrogant and careless of Freedom and Justice. Our work therefore is very difficult. We want to help the Allies; we want them to win the War, and yet we want that those who