BRITISH STRIKES.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1215, 25 August 1911, Page 5

BRITISH STRIKES.

MEN STILL SULLEN.

DISTURBANCES NOW MAINLY LOCAL. ANOTHER WELSH RIOT. By Telegraph-Prtesa Association-Copyright (Roc. August 24, 10.5 p.m.) London, August 24. The pr«;s will be admitted to tho sittings of tho Railways Inquiry Commission, when the Commission takes evidence. Tho official report of Mr. Asquitb/s negative reply to Mr. Bellamy's question on Saturday, as to whether he had endeavoured to get tho companies to m&et tho men, states that Mr. Asquith added that tho step contemplated was tho appointment of a commission immediately to investigate the machinery for bringing tho representatives of tho railway companies and the employees together, and tho settlement of their differences; and the amendments, if any, which arc desirable in order to improvo such machinery. It is stated that the North-Eastern Railway Company's lcsp by tho strike includes a loss of .£70,000 in Hie coal trade, and that in wages thero has been a loss of J!200,000 to tho men. A nevrspnper correspondent at Darlington states that the doctrine of tho minimum wage has a firm hold among the railwaymen. Tho men are familiar with tho working of the sliding scale, as regards tho prices of wages in tho coal and iron trades, and a?e anxious to apply the principle to tho lower grade railwaymcu's earnings.

The last of the Manchester strikes was ended by a thousand labourers employed by an engineering firm obtaining a minimum wajre of a pound a week. :

The short-sea traders and their emp'oyecs have signed an agreement, one clause of which prohibits strikes and compels the men to refer any grievance to their respective societies. It is also stipulated that tho Board of Trade shall arbitrate in tho event of the Masters' Association and tho men's, society failing to settle their disputes. '

A ballot of tho raihvayiuen at Crowa was overwhelmingly in favour of a strike unless the London and North-Western Company recognise tho union officials. Notices, however, were withheld, pending an appeal to the company.

LIVERPOOL SITUATION. 67,000 MEN STILL ON STRIKE. (Rec. August 24, 9.30 p.m.) London, August 24. Liverpool deputations, headed by Mr. Tom Mann, met tl.o National Transport Workers' Federation in London, and tho latter decided on immediate action unless tho tramwaymen wero reinstated. A manifesto, issued at Liverpool, states that tho membership of the trado unions now on striko who support the tramwaymon is as follows.

Dockers, 30,000. Sailors and firemen, 15,000. Carters, 7000 Stewards, 4000. Engineers, 3000. Dockyard employees, 3000. General labourers, 2000. Coopers, 800. Tramwaymen, 800. Warehouso workers, 2COO Total, C7.G00. Mr. G. R. Askwith, head of the Board of Trado Labour Department, has gono to Liverpool. Tho tramwaymen who havo ,not been reinstated nt Liverpool number 250. THE WELSH RIOTS. DIFFICULTIES OF ENFORCING ORDER. (Rec. August 24, 11.40 p.m.) London, August 24. Rioting has taken placo at Bargoed, near Mcrthyr-Tydvil, in Wales.- A dozen English- and Jewish shops havo been wrecked and looted. Numerous baton charges were made by tho police, and the subsequent presenco of thq military stopped any further disorder. The crowd at Tredegar, in consequence of the presence of the military, has relinquished its threats to release the rioters who havo been sentenced. An inquiry shows that tho . present paroxysm against aliens in .South Wales is attributable to a spirit of indiscipline run riot. Tho press correspondents' at Tredegar, in discussing iho local irritation there, remark that tho inhabitants havo always boon reluctant to permit a colony of outsiders in their midst. They e.tpelled their- Irish co-citizens, on a former occasion, and now cheso the present time of national unrest to assail tho Jews. AVhat began with a specialised grievance against a Jewish individual quickly developed into a racial persecution, furnishing a pretext for hooligan disturbances and plunder. The authorities emphasise tho difficulty of dealing with such outbreaks in tho long towns of the district, each of one main street following tho trend of .their valley, and with side strfets affording an easy refuge for bottlc-flingers. These conditions gave rise to tho need for military assistance for tho maintenance of order. THE COUNTRY QUIETER. STILL MUCH IDLENESS. London, August 23. The North-Eastern Railway 6trike has ended. Tho servioo is now normal. Tho Bristol and Avonniouth disputes havo been settled. Despite tho North-Eastern Railway Men's executive's instructions to resume work, several sections, including Leeds, refused to obey until better terms were secured. They insist that all imported labour shall bo banislied.

Mr. Tom Mann is urging the National Transport Workers and Railway Men's executives to declare the renewal of a national fight.

A conference, of Durham miners will bo held on September 2, to urgo federation, aud to demand a minimum wage of 7s. a day for coal-hower?, and proportionate wages for other mine-workers. Failing satisfaction a ballot will be taken on a proposal to declare a national strike. Riot in Derbyshire. Fierco rioting has taken place at Alfredton, in the Erewash Valley, Derbyshirt. Tho polico truncheoned and scattercet the rioter?, who were mostly hooligans from tho surrounding districts. The Liverpool tramways mou havo been reinstated in tho carriage works and power-houses, but tlio masters refuse to reinstate the drivers. Hence tho Liverpool committee has decided to continuo the fight. Out of over two hundred and twelve thousand miners in Durham and Northumberland, only forty-seven thousand havo been working sinco Friday. Owing to Iha strike two thousand dockel's aro idle.

The total number of men idle on tlio North-East Coast is two hundred thousand.

SETTLEMENT COMMISSION. SITS IN CAMERA. London, August 23,

Tho. Railway Commission lias commenced its sittings, which ni-o hold in camera. Tho Railway Men's executive protested against the appointment of Mr. licale, tsulicitor of the Midland Railway Company, js a member of the commission; nevertheless it will abide by Saturday's agreement.

A KEIR HARDIE SPEECH. DENOUNCED BY MR. LLOIDGEORGE. London, August 23. After Mr. Churchill's reply in the House of Commons on tho discussion regarding tho appointment of tho Royal Commission, Mr. Lloyd-Gcorgo read tho report of a, speech in which Mr. Keir Hardie, M.P. for Mcthyr-Tydvil, told a thousand people that Mr. Asqnith declared on Thursday that "if a strike occurred the Government would keep tho railways open, oven if they had to shoot down every striker." Mr. Lloyd-Get/rge indignantly asked when Mr. Asquith had used such words.

Mr. Keir Hardie, without making amends, replied: "I told my hearers that tho impression left in the minds of tho railway men was that Mr. Asquith stated that tho military wojld keep open tiio railways, and I added that this meant shooting down, if necessary."

Mr. Lloyd-George scornfully retorted that if anything was worco than Mr. Hardie's statement it was the explanation, and there was no ndjectivo within the vocabulary of Parliamentary lauguacu which would describe it.

Prolonged cheers greeted this statement.

UNDERWRITERS' GAINS. HUGE PROFITS MADE. London, August 23. The underwriters scored heavily by tho settlement of the strike. Comparatively few claims have been made. Two underwriters' firms netted .£"0,000. Presumably iu connection with Stock Exchango dealings, somo insurances to cover tho risk of an outbreak of war in Knropo have been effected by Lloyd's at 1 per cent, for insurance for two months. A largo 6hipment of coal has been written for three months at half a crown l>er cent. FREMANTLE DISCUSSION. Porth, August 21. A Frtraantlo delegate at the meeting of the Trades Hail Association moved:— "That this association views with abhorrence tho action of tho British soldiers in shooting their follow-countrymen." Tho speaker declared that tho sooner a revolution canio tho better. Tho motion was nega'tived by a largo majority. * UNREST ELSEWHERE. GREAT GERMAN LOCK-OUT. Berlin, August 23. Acting on a proposal of tho Thuringian Metal Manufacturers' Federation, a general lock-out of tho German metal trado has been decided on.

STRIKERS FIRE BUILDINGS. Lisbon, August 23. Strikers set firo t<, two coik factories at Villnrinho, on tho bank of|',tlw Tagus, and hindered the firemen who attempted to extinguish tho flames. Tho buildings ,wero gutted. THE LITHGOW DISPUTE. Sydney, August 2-1. An abortivo conference has been hold in connection with tho lithgow ironworks dispute. Mr. Hoskins, on behalf of tho Lithgow firm, declines to dismiss non-unionists. Tho unionists refuse to ( consider a settlement on any other terras.