LABOUR IN MADRAS 61 again from the very first meeting of ours to the last when we met to celebrate the Armistice; sacrifice, continuous self-sacrifice, is necessary on your part. I have received a petition signed by hundreds of you asking me to request Mahatma Gandhi to come to Madras and aid us in our work. I am considering what steps are to be taken regarding that petition. But remember, if Mahatına Gandhi comes here, he would ask you in the first instance to be prepared to suffer and be strong. Now the strength that we want does not come because we think of assaulting or we think of using abusive or insulting language. Real strength comes to us if we act like brave and courageous men, quit us like gentlemen, and where harm or irjury is done we return, as far as it lies in our power, affection and sympathy. I know and I have heard many stories yesterday and today and much blame has come to me because I advised you to go to your Mills at 6 in the morning. I know many of you have said to me, “this is the result, because we have gone we have been treated unfairly." Your concern is to see that you behave yourselves properly and in the right manner. You are responsible for your good conduct, you are not responsible for other people's bad conduct. And therefore I would advice you to have patience, to suffer for a while and thus the strength that you will gain thereby will enable us to face this great struggle which is to be carried on not only for the benefit of your own selves but for the benefit of the entire labour population of this city, of this presidency, nay, more, of this country. Now the two resolutions which we have drawn up are as follows:
