38 LABOUR IN MADRAS ror treated as members of a family, are not kicked, necked or abused as you often complain to me. They have not the soul-killing terror en veloping them day after day. The treatment acoorded to them is one of respect for buman brothers, divine in their nature, however low their stage of evclution may be. That is the Aifferenoe and if Mr. Symonds and bis European assistants bebaved like gentlemen towards these labourers and treated them as brothers as my New Inoia men are treated, these labourers would never have come to me just as my men will never dream of going to Mr. Desikachari if they had a grievance" and then again." The case of the English people in India is rather peculiar. They are on the side of the gocd ard yet the ways they adc pt in this country seem Very much like the ways of the Germans who are baughty, arrogant and oareless of freedom and justice. Our work therefore is very difficult. We want to help the Allies; we want them to win the War and yet we want that those who display German terdencies in this country should be opposed." The above statements convey'a distinct implication that the mill hands in the Buckingbam and Carnatic Mills bare been illtreated by Mr. Symonds and his European assistants and are defamatory of him and them. We are instructed to call upon you unconditionally to withdraw the statements made by you at the meeting held by you and reporte ed in New India as abore mentioned and also to publish a fall and unqualified apology to Mr Symonds and the European assistants in the Buckhingbam and Camatic Mills in the next issue of that paper and of the Madras Mail and the Indian Patriot, such withdrawal and apolcky to be printed in the safe type and in as prominent a position as the defamatory statements of which Mr. Symonds complains. Should you decline to adopt this course legal proceedings will be instituted against you either civilly or criminally or both without further notice and in respect of the civil proceeding our clients will clain substantial damages. Yours obediently, (Ed.) BRIGHTWELL AND DICRESBY.
