THE GREAT STRIKE

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 5, 1 October 1919, Page 7

THE GREAT STRIKE

PRESENT SITUATION IN HAND

BUT REAL CRISIS TO COME

TRANSPORT WORKERS TO DECIDE YET Tulcsrajjh-Prccs A.a&ooiatioß-CopyricH? London, September '28. , The official'communique states: "The general situation is improving. The measures taken by the Government are working satisfactorily. Food distribution is being smoothly carried out. Voluntary offers of assistance are still pouring in," The roads converging on London aio crovded-Cike a thousand Derby days. There are dense blocks on Loudon, Westminster, and other bridges, and the Thames Embankment is densely packed with vehicles. For fifteen miles outside London the main .roads aro thronged with all sorts of vehicular traffic. Thousands of people walked from four to sis miles. The police regulations aro excellent. It is fine weather, and tho public is good-tempered,' but bitter tigainst tho lightning strike. The shops have plenty of food. Several!' early flights of aeroplanes with Continental and provincial mails have been arranged. The Post Office is> making special arrangements to catch the .Ostwley at Toulon this week,, with, a supplementary mail.—Aus.-N.is/ Cable Assn.

UNDERGROUND RAILWAY OUTLOOK MORE HOPEFUL > London, September 29. Destroyers are conveying troops to important centres, and are . also carrying some mails. The position regarding the underground railways is more hopeful. The power stations are being manned by volunteers. Mr. Thomas announces that no direct or indirect negotiations for a settlement have been inaugurated. . The newspapers genera Ely regret Mr. T/oyd George's reference to anarchists. There is no disposition to condemn the rank and file of railwaymon who, according to the constitution, had no option but to strike when instructed by the executive. Blame centres on the loaders for what ail overwhelming majority of the public consider a war against tho community.—Router. 1 i CRY OF REVOLUTION RAISED AN INFLAMMATORY NEWSPAPER London, September 29. A remarkable article, featured in the "feaily Herald" (Labour paper), is attracting attention. It is written by W. L. George, a prominent extremist, and outlines a scheme for tho unions to tako over the management of tho country, and, in tho event of riots, to use the troops. The author asks every union branch to meet on Tuesday; and appoint a delegate to a local Labour Emergency Committee, this committee to meet on the, following night, and prepare to supersede the local authorities. Also unions to select delegates for a County Committee, which tho next night would arrange to tako over the control of prisons, food, police, and transport. The unions then to appoint further delegates to -the Central People's Committee, which should sit at Westminster, on Friday, and determine on tho distribution of tho highest functions, and take over the national and foreign policies.' ' JLr. George adds: "If the strike meanwhile is settled, Labour wiil not have wasted time in such useful practice as drill for the soldiers of the social revolution.".

No response is expected to these revolutionary biddings, though a distinct current of anxiety runs through tho speeches of tlie Moderate Renders— Aus.N.Z. Cable AsSn. ' MR. THOfIIAS REGRETS TALK OF REVOLUTION

BUT ADDS A DEFIANT-NOTE. London, 'September 29. Mr. Thomas, in an interview, said he regretted that attempts were being made to turn the strike into a revolution, and ho feared they might succeed. "The railwaynien are. neither Bolshevists nor anarchists," he said, "but if a deliberate attempt is mado to make them so, c let those fanning the flame be prepared for the result." —Aus.-N.Z. CabJe Assn. IMGSUATEJTMKERS RESUME London, September 29. The Billingsgate strikers have resumed. T** distribution of coal and perishables is being efficiently handled (it Liverpool and Edinburgh and other cities. Local train services have been initiated at various centres. —Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. IOpoIjINERS IDLE

London, September 29. The railway strike has made idle a hundred thousand minors in South Wales. Many steel nnd tinplate works have been closed. Troops have been sent to the district to guard tlio raitwayß. Two companies of soldiers havo proceeded to Pontypridd.—Aus.-N.Z. Of.bl? Assn. , Mr.- Robert Smith*, ■ president of the Miners' Federation, speaking at Glasgow, said he expected that ninety per cent, of the miners would be idle in three days in consequence of the strike. He urged the miners to keep their heads and be., "passive reeistere" as far as possible'.—Reuter. THE TRANSPORT WORKERS NO DECISION YET. , (Rec. October 1, 0.25 a.m.) London, September 30., The meeting of the Transport Federation was unable to come to a decision, regarding the strike, owing to the provincial delegates being unable to reach the meetiug.-Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn." I (Rec. October 1, 1 a.m.) j London, September 30. .further meeting of the Transport Federation was held to-day. Those present, yestfvday handed in reports from affiliated unions, saying that they had fiad great difficulty in restraining the men from joining in the struggle. Many •mtskle industries were , endangered. Thousands of miners and steel workers <m the Teesido are, idle, and oven the orewcrs at Burton are unable to carry •in, owing to the inability to secure flasks. All the pits_ at the. Nottinghamshire coalfields are idle, nnd tlio sidings Hre full of coal. One hundred thousand wool workers in the Leeds dis . ct nro threatened with immediate idleness, as also aro the- allied dyeing and finishing trades, involving 25,000 more. Among other novel Government .measures, the Postmaster-General lias ar-ranged-with the Air Ministry for the conveyance of letters to Bristol, Birmingham, Manchester, .and Glasgow. Each letter bears a special feo of two shillings per. ounce. Posters are being issued, signed by Mr. Lloyd George, guaranteeing that even when prices fall no railwayman shall receive less than forty shillings.— Aus.-N.Z. Cablo Assn. .After a prolonged meeting the bus nnd tramway employees postponed their strike decision until to-day.—The "Times." MORE TRAINS RUNNING (Rec. September 30, 8.55 p.m.) London, September 29. It is understood that the Government considers that it has the position well in hand, and that it is not necessary to summon' Parliament. , The Government's ovening communique states: "The position is generally unchanged, but more trains are running, Thcro has been an extraordinarily large number of volunteers.

Mr. Thomas to-day denied that negotiations wore reopened. lie had reeeiv- 1 ed oft'ers of assistance from other unions whicli would have paralysed tho country. Ho had refused them, but the position might yet become uncontrollable. Mr. Browiilie declares that the Associated Society of Engineers had prepared for a long and severe struggle. Other unions will not allow the railwaymen to be defeated for lack of funds. The Electrical Trade Union discusses the attitude to-night. The Government i 6 prepared for eventualities. A motor bus service has been mobilised between London and Liverpool.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. ; Except -for certain trunk lines to the north, the trains are now running oh nearly every railway. An official states that the Great Western service-is almost normal. _ The London Electricians' Union has decided to take.no action at present.— Renter. The Stock Exchange is very quiet. Prices were a shade lower, but there was nc pressure lo sell, and the market closed steady. i j The strike dominates the situation. The Ministry of Transport is confident that local aiul lom'-distanep services will improve swiftly. Tho Ministry of Food is satisfied with th« arrangements in retrard to food distribution. The ration order must be rigidly mifn-eed. im'iii'ini a fair share to everybody. ■ At Hyde Park to-day there Was distributed forty per cent. of.London's normal milk supply. which totals 215,C00 gallons.—Aus.NX Cable Assn./ . LATEST NEWS OF THE SITUATION MORE CHEERFUL TONE IN REPORTS Wee. September 30, 5.5 p.m.) London. September 29. The situation is steadily improving. The companies rfoort .that large, numbers of drivers, firemen, guards, and others arc-returning in various parts of tihfi country. There are ■ thousands, .of volunteers in London. _■ .The authorities iro running trial services in tho underground tubes, it is hoped somq will restart to-night and others to-morrow. Reports from alt' part"; inrlicato Hial tho strikers and the public are, accent; ing tho struggle seriously aii'l "oberly. . There has been lio disorder. Troops are standing in many centres to'guard tiho lines and protect the volunteers if.necessary. The great traffic centrps i'i London are enormously congested all day. but desnit" the ores Mire. the nolice' havo maintained admirable control, and t'i°r« i have been very few; accidents. ..Most I nhops and city business. houses hnve clos°d early. enabling the majority of t l '" writers to travel 'homcwn''d before dusk

. When some improvised lea' train ser.' vices , were stopped, owi'wj to th« of working in the darkness, thousands gathered in the. neighbourhood of Downing Street, wherf the Prime Minister was in eon/erence throughout th«v day with Sir f'ric and Siv Auckln"d G«W«s. £>r R. S. Horn, and Messrs. Churchill, Roberts and' Barnes. Attempts to Wreck Trains, . A meeti"? of the.. Vehiele Workers' 'Union agreed to- postpone'. decision re> carding a strilco until to-miM. w'"mi the transport men "lso will decide. The majority of the delegates are in favour of a stoppage. It .is reported that Mere have been two attempts to wreck Irains lw means nf..flnt stones'laid on the tvaclc nf the London-Brighton line. The ..mi'itarv are guarding. t''e line.' Strikers held ii» two trains in SootlMid. intimidated, the . dr !r er«. and '".''ired a fireman..

The Prime Minister is is«ni«'«! anapneal to the., mayors throughout the eor- ,l rv. nrginir_ them to or<rams« lo"al service' to . assist, in the food distribution and other nublic services. ,Tl>" Grant Western Company had the best record to-dev with nearly t"'o l'"niln>d trains run-ning.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.

ATTACKS ON LOYALIST TRAINS (Rec. October 1, 1.15 a.m.)', London, September 30. . An' en.ginc-driv.pr at Kirkcaldy did not slacken his speed-, -and the .strikers stoned his train, severely injuring, the fireman. Other strikers'attacked' a train when it stopped at Ladvbaiik and twice 1 uncoupled the engine,Jiiit failed' to prevent the train from restarting. .Numerous similar, incidents, mostly the smashing of windows, have occurred in various parte of Scotland., A large number' of troops have left Aldershot for guard duty at stations. Troops nre patrolling Waterloo Station—Aus'.-N.Z. Cable Assn. ORGANISED LABOUR REBUFFED LOSING PUBLIC SYMPATHY. (Reo. September 30, 8.50 pju.) • ■ New York, September 29. The United. States Secretary -for Cr 9; merce (Mr. lledfield) has made a statement,to the .effect that organised labour was losing the sympathy of tho general publiq, and unless its attitude and actions underwent alteration very soon the union movement would suffer a 6criom resorfo. -Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.