MISCELLANEOUS AGENCIES.
(1) THE INTELLIGENCE DEPARTMENT.
In connection with our Labor Bureau we shall establish an intelligence
department, the duty of which will be to collect all kinds of
information likely to be of use in prosecuting our Social Reform.
For instance, it would watch the state of the labor market, would
ascertain where there was a lack of labor and where a glut, would inform
the public of the progress of the movement, would bring to our notice
any newspaper criticisms or suggestions, and would generally make itself
useful in a thousand ways.
(2) THE POOR MAN'S LAWYER.
This would meet a long-felt want, and could also be worked in connection
with the Labor Bureau.
The poor would be able to get sound legal advice in regard to their
difficulties, and we should be able to help them in their defence where
we believed them to be wronged.
(3) THE INQUIRY OFFICE FOR MISSING FRIENDS.
This has been established for some time in England with admirable
success, our worldwide organization enabling us to trace people under
the most unfavorable circumstances. No doubt there would be much scope
for such a department in India. At the outset it would form part of the
duties of the Labor Bureau, and would not therefore entail any extra
expense.
(4) THE MATRIMONIAL BUREAU.
A thoroughly confidential matrimonial bureau which would wisely advise
people desirous of getting married, would certainly be of great service
in India. Its operations would no doubt be small in the beginning, but
as it got to be known and trusted it would be more and more resorted to.
Even supposing that outsiders should hold aloof from it, we should have
a large inside constituency to whom its operations would be very
valuable, and it would be thoroughly in accordance with native notions
for the mutual negotiations to be carried on in such a way.
Missionaries are everywhere largely resorted to in regard to questions
of this kind; and we have every reason to believe that it would be so
with ourselves, and we should thus be able largely to guard our people
against ill-assorted matches, and to furnish them with wise counsel on
the subject.
(5) THE EMIGRATION BUREAU.
The subject of emigration has been already referred to elsewhere. No
doubt we shall ultimately require a separate and special office for this
purpose in all the chief cities but at the outset its duties would fall
upon the Labor Bureau and Intelligence Departments who would collect all
the information they could preparatory to the launching of this part of
the scheme.
(6) PERIODICAL MELAS.
In place of the "Whitechapel by the sea" proposed by General Booth, a
suitable Indian substitute would I think consist of periodical "melas"
similar to those already prevalent in various parts of the country.
These might be arranged with the treble object of religious
instruction, bodily recreation, and in order to find an occasional
special market for the surplus goods that we produce.
Everything would be managed with military precision. The place would be
previously prepared for the reception of the people. An attractive
programme would be arranged. Everybody would be made to feel comfortable
and at home. And no effort would be spared to make the occasion morally
and spiritually profitable, as well as valuable for the relaxation it
afforded to the bodies of those who attended, and financially profitable
for the purpose of our Social Reform work.