230) 
CHAPTER XVII. 
It is here that social workers, professional men and others anxious to 
assist the movement can render valuable service. The training should 
commence before the selected man leaves his employment ; his readiness 
to undertake the necessary toil will afford a good test of his capacity 
for ultimate success. He should be assisted to improve his general 
education by directed reading, particularly in economics and social 
questions, including labour legislation and trade union history. In the 
larger centres it might be possible to start small study circles for groups 
of, say, 4 to 6 men. The Universities in the leading industrial centres 
could strengthen their contact with the industrial life of the 
country by assisting in this work with evening classes, and the 
larger trade unions should endeavour to assist. Simultaneously the 
prospective official should take as active a part in the work of the 
union as his ordinary work allows; his activity here will afford a good 
indication of his qualifications for a paid appointment. 
Outside Assistance. 
We have suggested that during his training, the future official 
should be supported by his own industrial work. But his value in many 
cases could be greatly enhanced by a wider training, with freedom for 
a period from other work. This would involve the provision of funds 
for the support of such men during part of their training. In the case 
of State servants—and particularly on the railways—periods of leave 
and other assistance could be given. Asa further possibility we suggest 
the grant of studentshipsat Universities or colleges which are ready 
to co-operate. The higher education of the country is largely dependent 
on State funds, and we feel that the share of the industry of the country 
in the results is disproportionately small. The class whose education 
we desire to advance has claims which are in no way weaker than those of 
political lawyers or Government officials to participate in the provision 
which the State makes for education. Finally the linking of the move- 
ment with the international trade union movement provides the op- 
portunity for and will no doubt evoke its assistance in the building 
and consolidation of Indian trade unionism. Some of the labour de- 
legates and advisers sent to International Labour Conferences at Geneva, 
by extending their stay in Europe, have been able to secure some 
training in Western trade union methods. If, as we hope, the labour 
side of the delegation to these conferences is increasingly composed 
of actual workers and ez-workers, they can be assisted at a com- 
paratively small cost to qualify themselves more fully for trade union 
work 
Revision of the Act. 
The Act has not been sufficiently long in operation to enable 
us to attempt a detailed review of its working. But the developments 
of the movement which are already in progress and those which may be 
expected as a result of the changes taking place in the social and political 
sphere, together with the advance which we hope some of our recom- 
mendations will bring, will probably necessitate its revision in some