The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-06-16

joyed a period OF tranquility and OF Just
government previously unknown; progress
is visible on every side. in the repression
by the tribal chiefs themselves of murder
and marauding within their boundaries;
in the opening up OF roads and other chan
nels Of communication; in education, and
in the prosecution of the arts OF peace.
1t was to see for himself the complete win
dication OF Lord Duferin's policy that Lord
Curzon arranged to visit Lashio, the capital
Of the country OF the northern Shans;
and also to give the far of vassal princes
in that quarter the long coveted opportun-
ity Of receiving the representative OF the
King-FmT error
The extent to which Bombay is beginning
TO compete with Lancashire in the output
Of manufactures for the India market is
also a subject which, as we have said, should
not I've overlooked entirely. After a per-
sonal examination OF the facts our author
was not surprised that the industrial awak-
ening Of the East particularly noticeable
in Bombay. should rave been designated
as a Yellow Peril to the workshops OF the
West or late Bombay has been the theatre
OF a tremendous industrial revolution.
bloodless. constitutions and up to a GER
tain point effective. Capital has capitu-
lated to the cry OF sufi ering human beings,
and the mill hands Of this prosperous and
important city are no longer in bondage.
On the morning Of September Is, 1905.
Bombay was shaken to it's moral founda-
lions by the appearance OF an article in
The Times Of India, written with every
sign Of knowledge and authority. and en-
titled Bombay Sla yes" In seven columns
Of print was rsCiied a gTuesome story OF
misery UNDECIDED. of inspection neglected,
Of profits incalculable earned by sweating
and illegality: a story which never has been
ContradiCted in gross or in detail. for il
was known to he the accurate outcome OF
lahorious and conscientious personal in
vestigation by a perfectly impartial English
I gentleman. Thanks to these revelations.
| Bombay became aware that situated in
the midst Of her we're some eighty cotton
mills, employing one hundred thousand
adult hands who formerly had been accus-
toned to work only during daylight
hours. Since the introduction Of the cleo
trio light. however. the normal working
hours OF the majority OF these establish
ments were extended until they stretched
from 3 4. NJ. until 4 p. NJ. That is to say.
fifteen hours a day OF textile industry i'll
! the tropics. amid All atmosphere of gaseous
sewage. was exacted from Bombay's opera
! tives. Tit exposure Of these shocking
labor conditions had a tremendous effect.
one by one The mill owners agreed To SHORTEN
the period OF labor 10 twelve hours a day.
and finally their association braced itself
10 a corporate resolution TO work only dur
- H., I-.,ra ,,ntn IlnnAnnInH 10nr
The mill owners had but one doubt they said,
namely. az to whether the men would accept
less wages "a a consequences OF shorter
hours. The men with one voice declared
they would. The resolution OF December l..
1905. is now replaced by another OF a more
permanent character. which binds the
Bombay association To a ma Slmum day
OF thirteen hours and which IL said to he
regarded as a rea sonable arrangement
by all parties. Those who do not know
the conditions Of midas labor should he
informed that in this working day there
are frequent intervals for food and smok-
ing and washing. Experts have arrived
AT the conclusion that in India a thirteen
hour day is not Incompatible with the
health OF well being Of the worker. This
is the beginning Of the story of the emau-
| ~cipation Of the adult slaves of Bombay.
Since the Improvement just described
was effected in the labor condition of Bonn
I bay a committee has been appointed for
the purpose of investigating not only the
working hours of adult males but the
physical fitness and minimum age OF chill
dren employed in mills. the question OF the
possible creation Of a special class Of
workers known as young persons and
the system OF medical inspection. " the
inquiries establish the existence OF abuses
far reaching changes in the present factory
laws Of India are likely TO he made. Be
fore taking leave of this topic our author
reminds us that hitherto the West. with
all its advantages. has been competing
against the ignorant. idle, thriftless, dis
inteRrated East. Now. however. the.work-
man who arrives from England upon the
shores OF Bombay will observe an over
hanging cloud OF smoke and a forest OF
factory chimneys that will compel refiec-
ton. He will hear on landing the story
OF the emancipation OF Bombay slaves,
as IL ia told in the book before us, and he
will mark the birth OF cooperation and
combination among the working classes,
He will read OF the efforts which are being
nut forth to improve the quality OF Indian
labor by intoxicating the importance oi
work and thrift and time. He will realize
that labor is very cheap and that raw
material is a: the door; and he will be in
formed that what he sees OF mills in India
ia already visible OF the iangtse River
and in Japan and is capable OF indefinite
expansion,
TO what conclusions, asks the author
should these phenomena lead the British
manufacturer and the British workman:
Surely, he thinks, to a belief that the tim
ia coming when by purely natural processes
England's trade in piece goods will be seri'
ously threatened by countries which ia
cilitata the employment Of capital by the
cooperation Of cheap labor and which SEE
the folly Of driving the employer TO foreign
lands. where the demands Of labor arr
not out OF all proportion to the possibilities
OF the market, Three things are nov
It -. .hnt tha EaaN "a nathan