TENSION EASIER

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 7, 3 October 1919, Page 7

TENSION EASIER

RAILWAY STRIKE ISSUES PLAINLY STATED CONFERENCE WITH THE PRIME MINISTER STATEMENT BY MR. THOMAS i Sj Tslegraph-Prets Association--CoDTTlrlit London, October 1. The latest official announcement states that the position continues to improve. Numbers of railwaymen are resuming. Normal deliveries of foodstuffs by the railway companies aro to be started. It is urged that food, coal, and potrol must be strictly economised in view of the possibility of the dislocation of traflic continuing for some time. Owing to the. increasing cost of production, the "Food Ministry has raised all prices of meat by 2}d. per lb.—Renter.

THE TRANSPORT WORKERS' DECISION PURELY A TRADE UNION STRIKE London, October 2. The Transport Workers' Conference has issued a statement saying -that the meeting discussed the rendering of practical help to the railwaymen. Representatives of the following unions were present:—General Workers', Postal Unions, Amalgamated Society of Engineers, Iron and Steel Trades Federation, the whole of the Printing Trades Unions, and the Railway Clerks' Association. The Parliamentary Committee of the Trade Union Conference also attended. It was decided to ask Mr., Thomas and Mr. Brownlie, as representing all grades of railwaymen, to state the situation. After hearing them, the conference passed a motion that the whole of the delegates are convinced that the strike is purely a trade union strike for wages and conditions. ■' \ After .Mr. Thomas and Mr. Brownlie withdrew, a motion, requesting an interview with the Prime Minister, was carried. The, executive's, announcement declared that it would stop at nothing' to defend tho long-established principles of trade unionism, and the rights to defend wages constitutionally secured.—Renter. CONFERE'NCE~ADJO'CRNS. London, October 1. The .conferenco of trade unions held at the Caxton H.all appointed a deputation to'wait-on Mr. Lloyd George. . Tl\o conferenco has adjourned and is awaiting the result.—Aus.-N.7i. Cable Assn.

THE PLAIN ISSUETOF THE FIGHT

WHAT THE GOVERNMENT'S'OFFER AMOUNTS TO.- ' . London, October 1. The newspapers give prominence to the i6suos of .tho strike, which the bulk of the public has not yet grasped. Tli® summarised issues are:— The railwaymen demand that every worker, except firemen and drivers (who have no grievance), shall receive as tho permanent standard wage 335. weekly, which was given as a flat war wage, plus tho highest rate paid before the war in the respective -grades, with a minimum of 60s. weekly. The Government offer is that jiew rates shall be 100 per cent, above the pre-war rates, with a minimum of 40s: weekly. That tho difference between these new rates and the present earnings shall 'be .maintained until the cost oT l living lias fallen to 110 per cent, over the pre-war figure. "When the aforementioned war wage was awarded tho cost of-living was 125 -per cent, above that before the war. and is now 115. That- if ' nnd when tho cost of living has fallen to 110 per cent., the residue -of the war wage shall-still bo paid until tho cost of living has remained at or below that level for three months, and even then the residue of tho war wage shall not fall off iii a lump, but shall bo readjusted either by a' sliding scale or by reference to an independent industrial tribunal. The difference between the demand and the offer may briefly be illustrated : Tho railwayman demand that a-j man who received 18s. weekly ' before' the war and now receives with the aforementioned war wage 515., shall in future have a minimum of ,£3. Tho Government offers the 18s. man a ' minimum of 405.. nlus lis. Tesislue of the. war wage until December 31, ant} thereafter until the cost of living has. anpreciablv and nermanently fallen. Then the lis. mrty be'redujed'gradually in to the further fall in the cost of living. Replying to the request for a clear explanation of the Government's offer. Mr. Lloyd George telegraphed to Cardiff that in no event,, even when the co«t of living falls to the pre-war level, will any grade of railwaytnen on the average get less than.twice the pre-war wagesRenter,,

PROTRACTRD CONFERENCE AT - ' DOWNING STREET STATEMENT BY MR. THOMAS. (Rec. October 2, 7.40 p.m.) ■. London, October 2. The railwaymen were still .holding a conference at Downing Street at niid-night.-Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. London; October 2. The conference broke up at 0.30 run. It may resiima to-morrow.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. "WE CAN COME TOGETHER AGAIN." (Rene. October 2, 8.10 p.m.) London, October 2. The conference resumed to-day. Mr. J. H. Thomas states: "Tl|e public will Ket some satisfaction from the knowledge that we have come together again. It is the duty of both sides to see fliat they don't break away until they have made a settlement."—Aus.-N.?<. ' Cable Assn. MR. LLOYD GEORGE'S ANSWER TO THE DEPUTATION NEGOTIATIONS CLOSED TILL WORK IS RESUMED.. (Rec. October 3, 0.-15 a.m.) ' London, October 2. ■ Mr. Lloyd George informed the depu? tation that it was quite impracticable to reopen negotiations with the railwaymen until work was resumc-d. The' Prime Minister was not attended' by his colleagues when he recoived the deputation. .The conference interview lasted four hours. The deputation then proceeded to the Caxton Hall, but declined to make a statement to the Press.—Aiis.-N.ii. Cable Assn. -

. 'THE SITUATION_TO DATE (Reo. October 2,. 0.15 a.m.) ' London, October 1. There was a remarkable improvement to-day on tho trunk lines, while the Lou. don and suburban traffic is running with increasing smoothness. Volunteer services aro operating oil four of the underground systems. A Downing Street coratnuriiquo sayo. Tho trains oontimie to improve, and mora men aro resuming. Ono hundred and seventy members of the traffic staff wero reinstated oil ono lino alone, Idle Food Ministry in twenty-four hours cleared ten thousand tons of pcrishablo goods from tho .metropolitan stations, not using the Gorernnleut lorries. Well-informed quarters believe that tho railwaymen would welcome an opportunity to Teopen with a view to a possible/ settlement. A certain section o{ the Cabinet strongly adheres to the opinion that the Government should light this strike against the community. The rapidity with which tho Government has coped with the railwaymon's sudden

strike .is due to the fnct thai plans were prepared six mouths ago in view of the po&iibility of ri lightmu;; strike in the industries. It is understood that if the lius drivers strike the Government will have vehicles running again within three hours, and will also have thruo thousand motor vehicles from the Slough' Depot on the roads within a week. Various adjournments by the Labour delegates aro regarded as an indication that a general strike is unlikely. The Stock Exchange is very quiet. Prices generally are steady, closing at the best rates. Consols rose by 10s. to JESI — Aus.-N.Z. .Cable Assn. STRIKE COST TO MEITTOTALS £250,000 A WEEK (Rec. October 3, 0.35 a.m.) London, October 1. The railwaymen's strike pay is _12s. weekly, and the estimated strike cost to the National Union of Railwaymen .is over a quarter of a million weekly. Tour hundred steamers are defined on the Tyne, unable to get- bunker coal. Mr. Adamson (Labour M.P;), who is in Scotlaud, "telegraphed to the Prime Minister urging that Parliament be immediately liummoued. Strikers stoned train between North Berwick and Edinburgh. Windows were smashed, but no injuries were received. —Aus.-N.7i. Cable Assn. KING TRAVELTBY MOTOR London, October 1. The King is motoring to London from 'Balmoral.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.