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CHAPTER XVIII,

is a strong tendency for the intermediary, who is responsible for transmitting
 both orders and complaints, to colour them in the process from
his own particular point of view. The result in many factories is that
the worker feels that it is useless for him to appeal to any authority higher
than the man immediately above him. This is especially true where the
management is imperfectly acquainted with the language of the men;
in many factories the sardar or mukaddam owes much of his power to
the fact that no onc above him speaks fluently the tongue common to him
and the men under him. In all cases, it is of primary importance that
those responsible for management should be both able and eager to secure
contact as direct as possible between themselves and the humblest of
their emplovees.
Means of Establishing Contact.
In considering, therefore, what can be done to prevent misunderstanding
 and disputes, it is necessary to begin with the individual
industrial establishment. No machinery of a more comprehensive or
external character can hope to repair the loss which arises from the absence
 of a proper understanding within the factory or mine. It is consequently
 important that, where the scale of an establishment does not
permit of detailed labour administration by its head in person, some
method should be devised to meet the needs of the case. There are three
possible lines, by mo means mutually exclusive, which suggest themselves
in this connection. With two of these we have already dealt. The
development of stable trade unions, with access to those responsible for
the management is the most obvious need. But this development is
not likely to be rapid, and while the employer can do something to encourage
 it, his powers are limited. The second method is the appointment,
 of labour officers. The functions of such officers have been discussed
 in our review of conditions in factories and have heen referred to
again in connection with mines, and it is unnecessary to repeat them
hare

Formation of Works Committees.
The third possible method is the formation of works committees.
The comparatively small measure of success achieved by the experiments
in this direction has raised doubts regarding the suitability of works
committees to Indian conditions. In the minds of many employers there
is the belief that works committees will provide a substitute for trade
anions, while these are regarded by trade union leaders as rival institutions
 deserving of no encouragement. We believe that, if they are given
proper encouragement and past errors are avoided, works commitbees
 can play a useful part in the Indian industrial system. The
defective education of the Indian worker puts a handicap on these
committees which is not present in the West. We have referred to
the works committees in operation in two mills in Madras, and in the
chapter on railways we have dealt at length with this subject. What
needs emphasis here is that, where there is a trade union, the employer
 should seek its collaboration and co-operation in the establishment
 and working of these committees. which should not be regarded