96 LABOUR IN MADRAS April 1918, Mr. Wadia and several others were appointed, more or less by themselves, as principals of the Labour Union, and at this meeting Mr. Wadia announced to the work-people that "a variety of Madras leaders who will explain to you the various political, social and economic problems which touch you intimately ... ......." It will be noticed that politics come first. In June the attention of the Madras Government was drawn to this movement, and at the instance of H. E. the Governor, who happened to be in Madras at the time, and with a view to promoting an understanding in the interests of all concerned and in order that the conditions at the Mills should be fully understood by Mr. Wadia, an interview was arranged between Mr. Wadia. and Mr. Symonds of Messrs. Binny and Co., Ltd. Mr. Symonds explained to Mr. Wadia the increased wages that had been granted for many years previous to and since the outbreak of War, and showed him the social welfare work that was being carried on. Mr. Wadia expressed himself thoroughly satisfied at the time, and there was a temporary cessation of meetings. Later Mr. Wadia ignoring the existence of the Factory Act already referred to and the sympathetic interpretation of many clauses of it by the management, promulgated certain demands purporting to be on behalf of the work-people, and there followed a number of meetings, in one of which Mr. Wadia defamed Mr. Symonds and the European Assistants. For this, on legal proceedings being threatened, he publicly apologized. In August there followed the strike of the cotton workers in the Madura Mills. In
