HC Deb 30 April 1934 vol 289 cc10-1
8. Mr. DAVID GRENFELL

asked the Secretary of State for India whether he will make a statement regarding the strikes among the textile workers in Bombay; and whether it is the policy of the Government in India to coerce the workers in Bombay and elsewhere to accept reductions in wages and to deny Them the right of organising demonstrations of protest against the attempts that are being made to lower the standard of living for workers in the textile industry of India?

Mr. BUTLER

My right hon. Friend has received a report from the Bombay Government on the progress of the strike, but as it is somewhat long I will circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT. There is no foundation whatever for the suggestion contained in the second part of the hon. Member's question that workers are being coerced by Government to accept reduced wages. The police orders regulating places of meetings and routes of processions have been issued to avoid disorder, and ordinary places of meeting are open to strikers under these orders.

Mr. GRENFELL

Is it not the case that the facilities for holding meetings and demonstrations have come to an end through police action?

Mr. BUTLER

If the hon. Member refers to the last part of my answer he will see that that is not the case, and if he reads the report which I am circulating, he will get a full account of the whole situation as it is at present.

Following is the Report :

The following telegraphic report, dated 29th April, has been received from the Bombay Government : All-India Textile Workers Conference at Bombay on 28th January resolved on general strike of textile workers to protest against wage cut and introduction of systems of 4–6 loom and 2–3 sides, and appointed Council of Action which fixed 23rd April as date of commencement of strike. On 23rd instant, four mills employing 5,391 operatives were closed and some others partly affected. On the 24th instant, 15 mills closed and 13 affected. On 25th instant, nine mills closed on account of Muharram holiday and 30 closed on account of the strike leaving only 12 working. From 26th instant to 28th instant, number working has been 14 or 15, including only two important mills working with full complement, the rest being unimportant or with low attendance. To-day being Sunday only five mills open. Number of mill hands affected by closure of the mills during the present strike is about 65,000. Orders under Section 144 C.P.C. issued on 25th instant, regulating places and routes for meetings and processions as strikers had, in some cases, refused to obey police directions and had attacked police with stones. Ordinary places of meeting are open to strikers under these orders. Since then conduct of strikers has, on the whole, been orderly but some cases have occurred of stoning working mills and on 27th evening, workers leaving textile mill were ambushed by strikers after a meeting held in the vicinity and police were obliged to fire to protect themselves and workers. Few casualties were caused by fire but a number of workers and police injured by stones. City police reinforced from districts and arrangements adequate. Full precautions maintained in mills area in order to maintain confidence among those wishing to work, but strike is mainly enforced by secret intimidation at workers' chawls, which police find difficult to control, although further efforts are now being made in this direction. Leaflets distributed on 28th and speeches delivered at big meeting on the same evening indicate intention of putting strong pressure on the workers in remaining working mills to make strike complete before May day, and, as experience shows that this advice will be interpreted to mean forcible closing of these mills with consequent probability of disorder, it is proposed to arrest and detain principal Communist ringleaders under Section 3, Bombay Special (Emergency) Powers Act. There is no doubt that workers of these mills, and many of those who have already gone out, have no desire to strike. Labour Department of the Bombay Government have already instituted an inquiry into the economic condition of the textile workers as compared with 1926 when the cost of living index was prepared. This inquiry has been in progress about a month and report is expected about June. No formal demands have yet been put forward by the general strike committee on behalf of strikers, but it is understood that their main demands are :—
  1. (1) wage cuts to be on a uniform scale;
  2. (2) no rationalisation involving the displacement of labour;
  3. (3) recognition of unions, including Communist bodies; and
  4. (4) union subscriptions to be collected by managers of the mills."