INDIAN FAMINES - Institute for Social and Economic Change

188 EXECUTIVE MANAGEMENT.
will dictate a different one. In one place firewood
may be the principal difficulty, aud the
necessity may arise of providing either fuel or
cooked food, to prevent the devouring of ra.w
grain and its fatal consequences. There is a
general dislike to receiving cooked food, but
this only arises from caste prejudices. AB v
rule, daily labourers are of the lowest class,
and not over - pURctilious: but the option of
cooked or uncooked food is a good test of the
severity of a strain; and according to its ready
acceptance or otherwise, action may be determined.
The fact that the food thus offered is
always cooked by high - caste Brahmins for
the Hindoos should of course overcome all
religious scruples, but in reality it has not
this effect.·
The question of the amount of wage may
here be appropriately noticed. This of course
only applies to special relief-works; in other
instances, where the work has not been organised
for this purpose, it may be presumed
that the labourer is worthy of his hire, and that
• See page 200 for further pru:ticulars concerning this
ijubject.