'Mesopotamian Transport Commission. Report of the Commission Appointed by the Government of India with the Approval of the Right Hon'ble The Secretary of State for India, to Enquire into Questions Connected with the Organisation and Administration of the Railway and River Transport in Mesopotamia' [‎13r] (25/114)

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the market value of the individual. Also two recruiting officers would probably
not rate particular individuals at the same market value. To get over this difficulty
the obvious solution is to fix on one centre for the purpose of grading, but the
difficulties in carrying out such a scheme appear to be insuperable.
76. Many complaints have been made and cases have actually come to our
notice, of the bad quality of skilled labour and we are of opinion that more care
should be exercised in carrying out trade tests.
77. The question whether Government and Business concerns are giving
sufficient encouragement to their staff to volunteer for service in Mesopotamia
is one that has been brought before us. It seems desirable that the requirements
of Mesopotamia as regards competent skilled workmen should be brought fre
quently to the notice of all employers in India and that they should again be urged
to give the matter their close and unremitting attention. It is not expected that
all men recruited will be 100 per cent, men, but it must be remembered that
owing to lack of machinery and equipment and very difficult conditions under which
men work in Mesopotamia, it is essential that the best type available should be
recruited. In this connection it is suggested that the average paid skilled work
man and mistry should be recruited and not the lower paid in the grades.
78. It is important that foremen and chargemen should be first-class men
and men on the minimum rate of their grades should not be selected. There should
be no hesitation in bringing pressure to bear in cases where Europeans are reluctant
to volunteer for service.
79. We recommend that all employes who volunteer for the duration of the
war from Indian Railways should be promised special promotion if they rejoin
with clean records.
80. We are also of opinion that there should be no hesitation in increasing
the salary of any man who, after his arrival in Mesopotamia, proves himself to be
worth more than the rate fixed by his agreement.
81. It might also be possible to ensure employment in Government Service
on return to India of all staff who have engaged for the period of the war and
who, prior to recruitment, were not in Government employ.
82. There appears to be a want of liaison between recruiting authorities in
India and Directorates in Mesopotamia. We are of opinion that the Superintendent
of Recruitment should proceed to Mesopotamia without delay, so as to get into
touch with the authorities there, ascertain their difficulties and see what can be
done to surmount them. Further we recommend not only that periodical
visits should be paid by this officer to the theatre of war, but that steps should be
taken to give selected officers and men proceeding on leave to India extra leave
to consult the authorities there.
83. With reference to a comparison of the unskilled personnel with that usually unskilled labour,
employed on .similar work in India and bearing in mind the military restrictions
on classes recruited, no complaints have been received except as regards the
physique and unsuitability for the climate of personnel recruited in Madras and
Bengal.
84. We consider that more might be done in Mesopotamia to make service
in that country more attractive to men from South India and Bengal; for example,
they might be employed together as far as possible under men who are used to
handling them and care should be taken to give them the food to which they are
accustomed.
85. As regards the terms of service of personnel, these appear specially good x erms
of service.
amounting as they do to 50 per cent, above ordinary Indian rates. Certain
improvements might be effected in housing, washing and messing arrangements.
We believe that one of the causes of the inferiority in skilled personnel is the
frequent change on account of short term agreement. We recommend that all
agreements should be for not less than 18 months, preferably for the duration of the
war, and that leave should be granted at the end of every twelve months. It is
also suggested that the period of service should begin from the date a man^ actually
arrives in Mesopotamia, though pay should commence from the date of his signing