STATE OF EMERGENCY DECLARED

Chronicle (Levin), 12 July 1949, Page 5

STATE OF EMERGENCY DECLARED

Goverament's Reply To Ultimatum From Striking London Dockers

Received Tuesday, 10 a.m. LONDON, July 11. . The Government today declared a state of emergency in Britain to deal with the London dock strike. It took this step as soon as it heard the dockers' decision not -to return to work unless they were allowed to work all ships except the Canadian vessels Argomont and Beaverbrae.

Contingents of soldiers, sailors and marines moved into tne Roya. Albert Dock this afternoon to begin unloa'ding food ships. The King returned from Windsor to Buckingham Palace for a meeting oi the Privy Council which heard Cabinet's decision. i • Later? a message from the King' declaring a state of eemrgency, was read by Lord Addison, Leader of the Government in the House of Lords. The Minister of Labour, Mr. Isaacs, told the House of Commons that 10,222 dockers were on strike. The number working a& the docks this morning was approximately 15.000. After the Speaker had read His Majesty's message, the Lord President of the Council, Mr. Herbert Morrison, moved that the message be considered on July 13.

I Mr. Leslie Solley, who was relcenty expelled from the Labour Party, and the Communist- member, Mr. P. Piratin, objected. A division was taken and the motion carried oy 315 votes to none. Messrs Piratin and Solley acting as tellers lor the "Noes." The Home Secretary, Mr. Chifter Ede, has drawn up a series of emergency ,regulations to safeguard the working of essential services and they will come into operation at midnight. * Five thousand men attended the meeting at which the dockers decided not to return to work unless they were allowed to work a 1 ships except tne two Canadian vessels invoived in the dispute. The Nationai Dock Labour Board stated that 10,278 men were on strike, 112 ships idle and sixlmdermanned.