LABOUR WAR.

Press, Volume LVII, Issue 17121, 16 April 1921, Page 9

LABOUR WAR.

TRIPLE ALLIANCE STRIKE THREAT. BOTH SIDES PREPARING. (Bt Cable— Prcsy AMocisUon-^opTnRM.) (Australian and N.Z C?bl? Assow 1 (Received April 16th, 12.10 a ; m ') LONDON, April U. The Triple Alliance executive has adjourned until to-morrow Mr J. HThomas announced that the situation is unchanged. ~ r Mr Lloyd George, in the House of Commons, promised to submit « stato " ment regarding the strike to discussion I to-morrow. He deprecated discussion to-dav, ; n view of the conversations which weie still proceeding between th* various parties. Many rnilwaymen and miners are amongst the reservists called up. There, have been no cases of failure to respond to the summons. . It is reported' that the Derbyshire miners' lodges have distributed £60,000 in strike pay, at t'he rate of £1 per man, and 3s for cadiVhild. _ . "The Times" declares it is difficult; to seo what will save the country from, a national striko of- the most serious nature. It. is difficult to f&d a common ground for such divergent principles as a district; wage and a national P°°l- . * . i Four Welsh ex-soldier miners, on behalf of their fellow-workers, in a letter to the Prince of Wales, directly appealed to ihim to intervene in the strike. They declared that the wages offered range from 64s 3d to 4fe 9d for six days' work. Owing to.broken timo and the slump in trade, tho_ work-had averaged five days, and during tho last few months Ally two or three clays wecldy. If they accepted the wages offered bliey would bp worse off thfin paupers. Wo ask," they wrote: "Is this what we. fought for? We ask you to help us, not to get a "land fit for heioes, hut a decent wage for a fair day's work." ' ("The Times.") (Received April 15th, 8.5 p.m.) LONDUiN, April 10. Both sides are preparing lor eventualities. T'ne Government has completed plans for the distribution of food, lias rigidly rationed coal, and arranged a skeleton dav service on tlie railways. The Triple Alliance is forming local strike committees for wholesale picketing, and a system of hospital permits has been arranged. It is reported that the dockora and other ranks in Liverpool are ready to join the strike. Many daurcnes remain open for intercessory prayer. Calm prevails in the coal areas, where the troops in charge are fully equipped, and have tanks to assist them. It is reported that if the 'dockers strike, the Government intends to supply volunteer labour to discharge food cargoes. . SUPPORT FOR MINERS. WORKERS AND THE WAGE STANDARD. (Beutex's Telegrams.) LONDON, April 13. 6 Provincial reports indicate increasing solidarity amongst the moil; jii.tho beiiet that general drastic wage deductions will follow if the preselit action fails.. (Received April 16th, 12.80 a.m.) ' LOiNDOiN, April 14. Apart from the' surprise of the meeting, at. Downing street, the chief interest of the. day has been whether the General Workers' Federation will add another 1,500, OIK) men to the ranks of the strikers. After a long private discussion the Conference adopted a resolution that it would support the Triple Alliance in its effort to resist wholesale reductions in wages and maifttain the national .standards of wages and conditions of labour. • It is'understood that this- does not mean that the executive is calling a-general strike immediately. A conference representing the combined Labqjir movement also met and adopted a resolution that it was . convinced of the justice of the miners' claims, and appealed-to every citizen who cared foi» the well-being of the community to stand solidly against the attack on the workers' position. The Conference condemned the Government for .making military preparations, which were oalculatod to provoke public feeling,, and so create disorder. A TRIAL OF STRENGTH. THE coming struggle. (Received April 16th.,- 12.50 a.m.) . LONDON, April 14. The Transport Workers' executive has issued a leaflet to-tho men deolaring 'that the Triple Alliance's power will prove greater' than the Government and the employers now foresee. Members, of unions' must avoid violence or provocative actions, livery attempt made to destroy the trade power by blackleg labour will bo,countered by the strike directors using offers of help irom outside unions as they deem best. If the conflict is widened till it . includes all the forces the Government and" the employers are able, to command against the whole force of organised labour, the only result can be tno success of the tourists are ljurrying home fioin France and the luviera, whence all trains are overcrowded. There is a similar exodus from all the London main-line stations, the trains being crowded with homeward-bound passene°As the hour o£ putting the strike notices into operation draws neare£, the divergence of opinion amongst thajrank and li.e of the railwaymen and transport workers is moro*marked. No enthusiasm is displayed regarding the strike, the feeling being that a ballot should have been taken first; but it is expected that loyalty to the executives will make most members down tools, though the number of district meetings indicates that a considerable proportion of the Aen are against a general strikp P °The Triple Alliance's difficulties {ire increased by the lowness of the Trade Union funds. The first distributions of strike pay were made to-day, the Warwickshire minfers receiving los and boys 7h 6d. There was no distribution in Yorkshire, where the union funds are specially low. (Nottingham miners who can afford it. aro.bcinp asked to accept vouchers redeemable in the future, in order that the fund may be eked out.