THE INDIAN INDUSTRIAL PROBLEM 121 



or will work in their own homes. The trade will be in the 

 hands of those who run the warping plant and on them will 

 mainly fall the work of introducing improved looms and methods 

 among the hand weavers. Though trades unionism is un- 

 developed in India, the passive resistance of the weavers to 

 any change is a serious factor which those experienced in the 

 ways of the artisan will not lightly ignore. The part which 

 Government should play in this movement is to supply the 

 skilled technical knowledge required to devise the equipment 

 and when that step has been taken to start demonstration 

 factories and trade schools for the instruction of those who 

 want to become foremen and master weavers. 



Mdal-lVorkiug. — The metal-workers of India are skilled 

 craftsmen working with very crude and imperfect tools and 

 possessing little or no technical knowledge. Some years ago 

 aluminium was introduced into the metal-working class at the 

 School of Arts at Madras and a large business created in 

 hollow-ware made of that metal. This was eventually disposed 

 of by sale to a private company, which still continues to deal 

 exclusively in such goods. The processes of drawing and 

 spinning were employed for the first time in Southern India 

 and a large number of workmen trained ; unfortunately 

 the factory is now a purely private concern and has little 

 influence on the practices of the artisans outside. The teaching 

 of metal-working processes can only be done in a factory and 

 anything similar to the aluminium venture is not likely to be 

 attempted again in view of the opposition which is aroused 

 when any State or State-aided institution adopts commercial 

 methods for the disposal of the finished products which must 

 be made to furnish sufficient opportunity for the acquisition 

 of skill and experience. Glass, earthenware and enamelled 

 iron-ware have made serious inroads in the trade of the brass 

 and copper workers and there is but little hope that the loss 

 can be made good. The increasing wealth of the country 

 to some extent counteracts the tendency to introduce cheap 

 substitutes for the ancient metal wares ; this tendency 

 might be greatly assisted if the metal-workers were taught 

 to turn out lighter and better finished work. That this could 

 be done there is no doubt and a trade school in one of 

 the big metal-work centres, with a staff of competent teachers 

 in each branch of the trade, is the only way in which the 



