Page:Labour in Madras.djvu/84

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58
LABOUR IN MADRAS


improve the situation by the lock-out. Do they think that by adding to the miseries of the operatives, the latter can be made to love them more than at present ? And even a day of lock-out is unfair to the vast bulk of the operatives, who, from all accounts, had no hard in the mischief. This is the second time that the same mills have ordered a general lock-out; and we would request those responsible for the management, the Government and the public to consider what that signifies. Is it not time that the cause of trouble be fully enquired into? Only a few weeks ago, the operatives of the other cotton mill in the City had a far larger number of grievances. There was considerable unrest, and some amount of indiscipline. A lock-out was feared on one hand; a strike was threatened on another : but when the matter was taken up by Mr. Wadia at the suggestion of both parties no difficulty was experienced in settling all the outstanding differences. The Indian workmen are so easily manageable that there is under no circumstances any necessity for lock-outs. Except where the question of the wages comes in, they rarely take any concerted action, and never do we find them co-operating for mischievous purposes. Consequently it must not be difficult for any intelligent and careful, employer to avoid crises like the present one, and even where they occur, the intervention of a third party will end the trouble. Unfortunately, the Government have not in this country created such an arbitration agency, a serious omission, for which there is no justification. Still ways are open for the settlement of the present dispute; and in the interests of both the parties con