102 LABOUR IN MADRAS relation to the widening of the Franchise in the immediate future (the Montagu-Chelmsford Report was not out, but I knew the direction in which the political wind was blowing) ; (4) the bringing out of the virtues of self-reliance and self-respect inherent in the labourer. WHY NOT POLITICS Of these four, the first and the last appealed to me the most, for they were directly touching, now and here, the labourers. What was necessary was to make a movement for unity among them, and this required an organization. Thus it was not for political exploitation that this work was taken in hand ; if Messrs. Binny & Co., are implying exploitation of labour for political ends, they are wrong. It will be seen that out of the above four considerations I selected the first and the fourth ; my weekly speeches to the Labour Union prove this. Why should Messrs. Binny & Co. object to a a politician taking up this question ? Are not Labour Leaders politicians in Great Britain ? Home Rulers are blamed by Anglo-Indians, officials and non-officials, for being regardless of the masses, when a Home Ruler endeavours to work for a portion of the masses, he is objected to for his "primary object is politics." But take this for granted, though it is not a fact, why should not I, or any other Home Ruler, make an effort to educate politically the labourers of Madras ? I have not done it, because the work I set out to do is not accomplished, but the moment the local grievances of labourers are removed, I do not see why I should not try to educate them politically. Why should not Labour in India be made vocal so that it can agitate against the existing Factory Act
