RAILWAY DISPUTE.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1294, 24 November 1911, Page 7

RAILWAY DISPUTE.

DISCUSSION IN PARLIAMENT, j STATEMENT BY Mil. ASOUITII. A FURTHER CONIT.'IiKM'E. i Dy Tclecrnph-Prefs AncicinHon- CopjrrlcM London, Novomlh'r 2'.'. Pursuant to notice given, Mr. Katuwiy MnclJonald (Labour member fur l,riiwier) moved n resolution in the llouso of Commons demanding that tho (iovo.rmneiil. bring tho railway rompanitv* into conlorenco with tho men'* repiwnl.i'.ivcs. 11l speaking to tho motion Mr. Mno.l)onn.|il denied that the men had agreed In aeeopt. tho findings of the i Railway Striko Commission. They Inn! v ll ' 11,1 twitnefl to 'ho terms of fottloioonl. Mr. Asquith (Primo MiuWcri raid tho Government was* iwiublo to Mibx-ribo to tho consuro of the railway companies contained in tho motion. The directors wero entitled to helio\e that tho railway men would accept llw tindiugn of tho Commission. (Kcc. November ill. IV> a.m.) London, November it. In tho House of Commons'. Mr. Ramsay Mac Donald (Labour), in moving in favour of a Railway Conference, urged the necessity to ovoid a crisis in December, when the Government's intervention means taking sides.

Mr. Asquith said tho Government could not accept tho resolution unless tho reflection on tho companies was omitted. He thought, however, that onco any suggestion of censure was eliminated, and tho men accepted tho report as tho basis of futuro relations with tho companies, tho latter might, consistently with tho traditions of industrial life, and without impairing the directors' self-respect, agreo to a further strictly limited conference as tho best means of carrying out the report. In that 6enso only tho Government would invite a conference. Ho concluded by declaring that'tho companies' liberality in increasing the wages showed a patriotic spirit redounding to thoir credit.

Mr. Bonar Law. replied that although ho would bo personally glad if the Government had obtained the directors' assent to reopening negotiations, its attempt to bring prossuro upon the companies, through the Ilotise of Commons, treated the companies unfairly. Ho added tho unions' repudiation of the Commission was serious enough, but tho Government's taking sides was far more serious. Ultimately, after further criticisms from tho Opposition side aud steady objections from the Labour Benches, Mr. Lloyd George's amendment, giving effect to Mr. Asquith's suggestion, was carried by 167 to 108.