STRIKE EPIDEMIC.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1237, 20 September 1911, Page 5

STRIKE EPIDEMIC.

IRISH RAILWAVMEN OUT. DUBLIN ISOLATED. By Tclesraph—Press Association—Oopyrieat (Rec. September 19, 10.10 p.m.) London, September 10. The men in practically all grades on the Great Southern and Western lines in Ireland have struck, aud tho goods traffic has become chaotic. Tho troublo is not acute on the Irish Great.Northern and Midland lines. Ynrioiis regiments have been ordered to Dublin. The shore staff of tho London and North Western Company engaged on the Dublin quays has struck, and enormous quantities of perishnblo goods aro imperilled. A meeting of non-unionist railwaymen at Widnes resolved to form a society of free workers. The speakers protested against the tyranny of tho trade unions. A SERIOUS POSITION. London, September 18. The strike in tho south-west of Ireland is sorioua. Dublin, Limerick, Ennis, and Tipperary are isolated. Strikers burned a house occupied by a signalman who remained at work at Thurles, in Tipperary. Two revolver shots wero fired at tho signalman, who had a narrow escape. The strike has extended to Queenstown, disorganising tho American mails. RECOGNITION OF UNIONS. "WOULD LEAD TO CHAOS." London, September 18. Lord Claud Hamilton, chairman of the Great Eastern Railway, testified before tho Strike Commission that a majority of tho Great Eastern men decided to deal direct with the employers. Recognition of tbo trade unioii3 would lead to chaos, and be disastrous commercially. It would enable, an organised few to tyrannise over an unorganised majority. (Rec. September 19, 11 p.m.) Londoni Septembor 19. \Lord Claude Hamilton, continuing his ovidence, said tho failure of tho conciliation system was due to' tho determination of tha Railwayman's Society to make it a failure. Arbitration should be by a High Court Judge, as a person of lower standing would not be acceptable, to the railway companies. He would advocate a h<-avy fine or imprisonment for breaches of awards. Any scheme the commission might devise would not satisfy tho unions as they, had not been created for the purpose of being satisfied. Ho saw no reason for satisfying disturbers of public order. A FEDERATION SCHEME. (Rec. September 19, 10.10 p.m.) London, September 19. Mr. Fox, secretary of the Railway Drivers' and Firemen's Association, has forwarded a scheme for the federation of the Railway, Workers' Unions. If the scheme is accepted non-unionists will'he notified that they must join within a prescribed time. RAILWAY STRIKE WORTH WHILE. BRITISH MINISTER'S VIEWS. London, September 18. Mr. C. F. Masterma'n, Under-Secretary to the Home Office, in addressing a gathering of the Nationar'&otHerh'diW/in 1 th'e , Albert Hall, declared that the recent uprising of 'unskilled labour had been due to hope entering into tho hearts of the slum-dwellers. ' When society . learned that tho carters who had resumed work were satisfied to toil twelve hours a day, and that girl mothers of Bermondsey were living in a new world because they had gained an extra shilling weekly, he thought the lesson about the need for setting our house- in order was worth the tumult of the strike. LITHGOW STRIKERS SENTENCED. UNION SECRETARY SENT TO GAOL. (Rec September 19, 8110 p.m.) Sydney, September 19. t John Edward Dixon, secretary of the Lithgow Ironworkers' Union, has been sentenced to two months' imprisonment with hard labour, on a charge of haviug aided persons taking part in the strike. Judge Heydon, in tho Industrial Court, besides sentencing Dixon to imprisonment, imposed fines ranging from a guinea to two guineas, with ten and sixpence costs, and alternatives of from seven to fourteen days' imprisonment on large numbers of the Lithgow strikers., MELBOURNE BTJILDEKS' DISPUTE. ' . (Rec. September 20, 1.5 a.m.) Melbourne," September 19. The trouble over tho builders' labourers' demand for higher pay has reached a crisis, and all the men employed on largo jobs have ceased work.

STRIKE ON THE CLYDE. (Rec. September 19, 10.10 p.m.) London, September 19. A thousand "holders-on" have struck on the Clyde, defying tho union executives, and throwing idlo a thousand riveters. PREFERENCE TO UNIONISTS. Melbourne, September 19. A Trades Hall deputation waited on Mr. Fisher, tho Fedoral Priino Minister, and discussed the question of preference to unionists. Mr. Fisher stated definitely that -the Government's policy was to give preference to unionists; the Government would stand or fall by that. Preference would apply even to clerks seeking temporary employment in the Government service. ' NEWCASTLE DISPUTE. .Sydney, September 19. The president , of tho Colliery Employees'. Federation declares that he would rather stop the industry than submit tho trouble with the wheelers to a Wages Board.

Tho federation is endeavouring to settlo tho wheelers' dispute, and trying hard to prevent; a general stoppage of work.