68 LABOUR IN MADRAS visit the sins of a few hands on 10,000 and more men. Nobody is going to believe that Sir C. Simpson is not intelligent enough to perceive the absurdity of the position that he has taken. Under the circumstances I will once again appeal to you to go on holding 'your meetings as you are holding, and patiently wait till you find that sense dawns upon the brain of the Mill authorities. All the help and co-operatoin that you as labourers could offer has been offered. You cannot be expected to do what the police of Madras are not able to do. If the police cannot find out the culprits, it is not possible for you to find out. And under the circumstances I would ask you to be patient and go on with the constitutional work that you are carrying on till you prove to all the citizens of Madras and also to your countrymen throughout the land that these European capitalists are doing grossly unjust acts. And there is one more point that I would like to put to you, which occurred to my mind on the first day, which under the circumstances I did not put, but for which the time has come when I should speak to you. From time to time your political leaders have been told that Government and its officers are the people to care for the poor masses, for those who are not able to speak for themselves. For sixs days now the lock-out has been continuing in the city of Madras. I want to know what Lord Pentland, his Executive Government and his administrators are doing on your behalf. Remember that in this hour of trial, for six days, when Mills have been closed and workmen thrown out, in this city none of the official people have come out giving you help or enquiring after you or ask
