THE EMPLOYMENT OF THE FACTORY WORKER, 35
immediate hardship often caused by the introduction of higher stand-
ards. Ordinarily improvements in efficiency are best effected gradu-
ally, and the high rate of turnover at present characteristic of Indian
factories simplifies the problem of reducing numbers without dismiss-
als. Cases, however, arise where urgent retrenchment is required on
a scale which demands a large reduction in numbers, and it should
be recognised that, in such cases, the workers discharged have a claim
for some measure of relief. Where any comprehensive scheme of re-
duction is contemplated in an industry, the introduction of a joint scheme
of unemployment insurance should be considered. The Fawcett Com-
mittee of 1928-29 outlined a proposal of this character for the Bombay
cotton mills which we commend to all employers who find themselves
faced with this problem.
Employment Exchanges.
Measures such as these will not provide an effective remedy for
any general unemployment resulting from a time of economic stress
such as that in which we are writing, and we have examined the Ppossi-
bility of dealing with this in a comprehensive way. Here we are handi-
capped by the complete absence of statistics. In no centre in India,
so far as we are aware, is it possible to say how many industrial workers
are unable to secure employment ; information is equally lacking regard-
ing the number of such workers who may be in the villages awaiting the
return of better times. It has been suggested that, apart from any other
advantages, the establishment of employment bureaux would provide
means for measuring the extent of the trouble. We cannot accept this
view, for we do not believe that a bureau, which was unable to offer any
definite relief to persons genuinely unemployed, would provide any
index to their numbers. Even if bureaux could offer prospects of em-
ployment to a proportion, it would be impossible for them to maintain
accurate registers of the unemployed. As regards the other services
which State bureaux could render, it is scarcely necessary to point out
that they could not affect the volume of employment and could only
increase the mobility of labour. In the present position of Indian in-
dustry, it is most unlikely that they would be in a position to offer an
appreciable number of vacancies unless employers were compelled to
recruit through them. Such compulsion is possible in special cases,
such as shipping, but so far as industry generally is concerned, we do
not regard it as practicable under present conditions. The maintenance
by employers in a single industry and centre of a joint bureau for recruit-
ment offers less practical difficulty. Such bureaux, not in the industrial
centres but in the areas from which the workers are drawn, might have
served a useful Purpose in the past. We do not think that it would be
wise to start them af 5 time when most factory owners can find suffi-
cient labour at the gate
The Relief of Unemployment,
.. So far as the relief of the unemployed is concerned, we
received some Suggestions for the establishment of a statutory system of
29
