THE GREAT RAILWAY STRIKE

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 9, 6 October 1919, Page 5

THE GREAT RAILWAY STRIKE

GOVERNMENT'S OFFER

REJECTED

SITUATION TAKES A GRAVE

• TURN

CALL FOR CITIZEN Gil; r.')S

MR. THOMAS HI NT J AT REVOLUTION

(By Telegraph-Press Associatlon-CopYrisht Lontlon, October 2. The prospects were blackest early in the afternoon, but a dramatic change came over the situation when tho conference opened in the C'.-ixton Hall. There was a great crowd at: Westminster and in tho vicinity of Caston Hull. Many were strikers, but at least as ninny wero opposed to the strike. There was considerable cheering and boohing'when Mr. Thomas,- Mr. Cramp, and other Labour leaders were recognised. The feature of the conference, however, proved to he tbe unexpected rally o? moderate trade unionists.

It was fully expected that the conference would result in llie transport workers joining in the strike at once, thus adding hundreds of thousands more, to the strikers and others made idle owing to the railwaymen's action. The latter already number 1150,000, including 400,000 miners, 150,000 iron and steel workers, 40,000 dockers, and 2fi,000 tin plato workers. A hundred thousand others are working half-time. Tho transport- workers' deputation to Mr. Lloyd George reported to the railwaymen's executive tho result of last night's deliberations, and after a discussion which lasted eighty minutes proceeded to Downing Street to resumo the conferenco with Mr. Lloyd George. The railwaymen did not attend. After two hours the deputation withdrew, and subsequently consulted tbs railwaymen's executive, and also tho Caxton Hall conference. During the day the police cleared Downing Street, where great crowds, including a considerable proportion of strikers, had collected. Several members of the Cabinet called on Mr. Lloyd George, and wero accorded a mixed reception by the crowd. There was some boohing and hissing when Sir Eric Geddes and Sir R. S. Homo appeared, nnd it became necessary for the police and de r tectives to clear a passage to enable them to proceed—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. i

OFFER REJECTED