SCOTCH THISTLE IN WAR POLITICS

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2687, 5 February 1916, Page 12

SCOTCH THISTLE IN WAR POLITICS

.4 GLASGOW AND DOWNING STREET AN AMERICAN IMPRESSION American Press impressions—of a reputable Press of course—on various aspects of tilings Britain in wartime, are always interesting, in that it represents the view of a spectator who icgards us—at least we hope so— in a spirit of detachment. Here is iui interesting impression of Glasgow as a force in British war politics, from the special correspondent of tho New York "Evening Post":— It is a commonplace that tho ivar, however It may end, will alter the balance of power between the European nations. It is admitted also that it will affeot tlifi distribution of political forces within the British Empire by giving the overseas Dominions representation and influence in Imperial councils. Signs are appearing of another impending change—much less important, no doubt, but still of interest to students of the political history of the United Kingdom. Within Great Britain an alteration is being made in the relative importance of different sections of tho country, The political leadership is moving to a new centre. No well-informed person supposes that London is necessarily the dominating force in British politics. Its very magnitude hampers its influence. It lacks unity. Though the establishment of the London County Council has done something to give it cohesion, its various sections still know ,|itfle and care little about one another. < There is no such tiling as a definitely London attitude toward any publio question.

Influence of Provincial Cities. The leading provincial cities, on the other hand, are far less heterogeneous, while at the same time they are big enough to make an effective impact upon national life. Manchester was the first of them to take an independent load, of which the term "Manchester school" is historical evidence. To this supremacy John Bright paid tribute in his famous saying, "What Lancashire thinks to-day, England thinks to-morro\v." When tho old Manchester individualism became discredited, the new passion for social amelioration drew inspiration and guidance from Birmingham, where Joseph Chamberlain's reforms set a new pattern bothin legislation and in municipal administration. Birmingham's premiership appeared to be maintained and strengthened in the early stages of the "tariff reform" movement, but at the general election of 1906 Manchester recovered much of her lost ground. It was in Manchester that the landslide started in which the Balfour Government was overwhelmed. Tho war has once more shifted the political balance. Glasgow has never yet exerted tho influence that might be expected from her position as the second city, in population, in the British Empire. The war has given her the opportunity. She is taking it in 'a manner that gives fresh significance to the selection of the thistle as the Scottish ljational emblem and of "Nemo me impune lacessit" as tho Scottish . national motto. It would be premature to say that she has yet gained such a position'that what Glasgow thinks today England thinks to-morrow, but at auyrate she has acquired the lead in tho industrial movements that are the most serious domestic outcome of 'he was. It will remembered that the first rumblings of industrial unrest —months before the .trouble in tho South Wales coalfields —wore heard in the shipyards of the Clyde. It was from this district that Mr. Lloyd George drew the evidence to support bis abortive proposals for drink prohibition and to prove the need for the Munitions Act. While discontent with tlie working of the Act lias been widespread, it is in tho Glasgow area that it lias become most acute, and it Is the pressuro of the Glasgow situation that has been most effectual in making the amendment of that measure an urgent necessity.'

■ Unionists Sent Ultimatum. The most sensational incident was th<» case of the three Govan shipwrights who were sent to jail for thirty days for refusing to pay fines of £10 imposed by a Municipal Tribunal. The trade unionists in several of the munitions works in the Clyde area thereupon sent an ultimatum to the Ministry of Munitions, demanding the release of these men by a certain date, on a threat of a general strike.. Within a few hours of the time fixed iu this ultimatum, the men were released. In answer to. a question in the House of Commons, Mr. Lloyd George stated that they were released because thoir fines had been paid. But these fines were not paid by the shipwrights themselves, nor by their associates, nor did they sanction their payment. The only conclusion is that the payment was made by interested parties in order to provide the Minister of Munitions .with an; excuse for allowing the release. As regards the amendment of tho Munitions Act, the present situation is that the draft of an amending Bill has been submitted by Mr. Lloyd George to a meeting of trade union representatives and rejected by them. He is now engaged in the prepaartion of a revised draft. Glasgow, again, has been the stprm centre of the agitation against increased rents, described in a previous letter. It was in Glasgow that there took, place the astonishing procession to the City Hall in which children carried banners with the inscription, "While my father is _ a . prisoner in' Germany, the landlord is attacking our home." It was to Glasgow alone that the Government sent a special Commission to inquire into complaints of increases in rent. The climax of the agitation was reached on November 17, when about 10,000 workers, employed in five shipyards on both sides of the Clyde, "downed tools" at the breakfast hour and marched in procession to the Glasgow Small Debts Court, to,protest against the granting of decrees evicting eighteen munition workers who had refused to pay increased rents. The eviction proceedings wore thereupon withdrawn unconditionally at tho request of the Ministry of Munitions. The House of Commons has now passed the second reading of a Bill to restrict the increase of rent of small dwelliughouses (and of the rate of interest on mortgaees-on such property) in boroughs and urban districts with a population of more than 100,000.