LONDON'S POLICE STRIKE

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 43, 15 November 1918, Page 3

LONDON'S POLICE STRIKE

20,090 i\m IN BLUE DOWN BATONS (From the Melbourne "Argus"- Correspondent.) - London, September 3. Since the war mu nave had an epidemic of stu'ikes. 'liw; increased or Hying iiM been tlie aileKed. cuuse of nil iiiL-ao troubles, and this is Jiot surprising when we remember that tlic prewar •parcaaso value oi tiie sovereign ior the liecescariiM pi lite is now bolow 11s. liui-ina \hb past year or two scarcely a moatli has pasawl .v/ithoiii soiuo Jtali demand iiiv.n Uis empioyees, in many oecupatiou,';, im more wagee or more bonuses. '[':,(■ demand wiiicli liireatened to have more wrious consequences than any preceding strike was that of tne London polios. The city, as well as,tho metropolitan forces, sprung a demand for increased iremunenition, aiul before Londoners were hardly aware of what had happened, nearly 20,000 ijolicemen were on strike. For JS hours (he whole metropolis was exposed Ip the attacks of criminals. Streets were left unguaiKlcd, and last Friday evening thieves looted several jewellers' shops and stores. Some of the police courts were unable to transact any business on Saturday; the official quarters around Whitehall were left unguarded, and the street traffic was left 'to regnlato itself. The men who are on regular duty at the Houses of Parliament and the Law Courts belong to a select class. The refrained from joining the movement. The strikers promised one important concession, namely, thnfc if the enemy launched an air raid they would turn out to assist the jiU'bric, regardless, of the strike. Roughly speaking, the police asked-for an addi-1 tion of 13s. a week to their present pensionable pay, and that the 12s. a week war bonus and other privileges should remain as they are. These demands wore granted. A further concession was made, namely; a non-contributory widows' pension of 10s. a week.

The London policeman hns never been too higlilyl paut, but the altraction of a good pension and many privileges have never left the force in want of recruits. The civility of the London police, and their aonao of responsibility and moderaation, have made them a favourite in- ■ etituition. It was with regret, not unmixed with alarm at the prospect of a defenceless London, that the public lieaird of tho police being "out" for moro pay. Mr. Lloyd George happened to be in London, and he at once took the question into his. own hands. When tlio storm broke last week the Home Secretary swa in the country, and Sir E. Henry, the Chief Commissioner of Police, was in Irclnnd. Mr. Lloyd George invited the men's leaders to see him in Downing Street, and. though he declined to recognise their union, it so happened that the deputation which waited on him consisted of the leaders of that tody. Mr. ; George quickly probed the men's grievances, ami expressed his regret that he had been kept in ignorance of them. The first result of that remark was the immediate resignation of Sir E. Henry. Whether he is the scapegoat for the Home Office is not publicly known. Interview with Prime Minister. During the time Mr. Lloyd George and the police deputation were conducting their negotiations at tho historic No. 1(1, there were remarkable scenes and events in \Downing Street. That narrow thoroughfare was packed by policemen, none of them in uniform. They showed perfect good humour, even when a. body of foot guards, with rifles and ammunition, were taken through their midst into tho .adjoining Foreign/ Office. Some Guardsmen, with one or more machinegiins, were also sent to occupy Scotland Yard, the police headquarters, not many yards from Downing Street. Avmed military guards \rere likewise put on duty at tho doors of somo of the public offices. But none of these threatening incidents scpined to give the slightest annoyance (o tlie several thousand men who crowded into. Downing Street. The fact that Jlr. Lloyd George had himself decided to handle their case gave them supreme satisfaction. Somo-of the younger elements occupied the time of waiting the -return of their deputation by impromptu dancing. Police minstrels perched on the Prime Minister's wall, and whiled away the time with jokes and comic songs. The general public were decidedly sympathetic towards the police, cheering them, and encouraging them to "keep it tip." In one or two cases the police were not very amiable towards the specials," and in Whitehall ono special constable was roughly handled. When asked by a passer-by what, was tho cause of all the trouble, one of the strikers replied, "Dilly-dally," and, sweeping his arm towards tho surrounding Government Departments, he added, and you'll find plenty of him in all those buildings." After the deputation left Downing Street there was a general movement to Tower Hill, where a great meoting was held. The terms offered by Mr. Lloyd George wero made known, and accepted, and before two hours had passed all the "night-men" had returned to duty.

Sir E. Henry lms been succeeded in the chief commissionwship by General Macready.. The appointment does not arouse much satisfaction. General Macready has for some time past been the-adjutant-general, and there is no ground for complaint of his work. But lie strongly resented the ■ inciuiries of a Committee of National Expenditure, who sought to investigate the cast of his administration. He told the committee thafho outside body was competent to toll Irini how his office should ba organised. His obstruction to the committee's inquiry was reported to the House of Commons. It has been remarked that moving Sir Neville Macready to the post vaoated by Sir E. Henry lias enabled the Government to "kill tv.o birds with one stone." Though Sir E. Henry is credited with having been 100 indifferent respecting the grievances of his men, he lias dono much for them. The 10s. pension to widows, conceded by Mr. Lloyd George, wns his proposal. He will be consoled in his retirement with a baronetcy.