BRITAIN’S STRIKE

Hokitika Guardian, 16 August 1926, Page 4

BRITAIN’S STRIKE

SOME OF ITS HUAI OURS.

(By Ada A. Holman)

Ono perforce found the funny side of these uncomfortable ten clays known ■.is tho general strike. It \yas not meant to he a picnic, and it certainly was not one, but the pleasant young men—University students chiefly—on tho rare and irregular trains did much to cheer up belated and foot-weary travellers. It was a refreshing change lor a. woiii.au to have her parcels carried to the carriage from the ticket office, and to be asked to “Hurry, if you don’t mind, for wo are a little late already,” instead of being hustled ami ordered in stentorian tones to "Hurry oil there, now 1” Tlio volunteers’ made a joke of the work themselves, and would sit down and chat to passengers about their difficulties in artless fashion. “That is how it wiH. always be under Socialism,” said a Labour member of the House of Commons. “Everyone will he educated and courteous, and everyone will do his share of manual toil.” It is quite an alluring prospect. On a ’bus going to Islington, that grey region of bricks all cl mortar, one Oxford youth called blithely, “Come on! St if." room tor two or three little ones. Ours is a, nice ’bus, ours is! Beautiful scenery and cheerful society!” Ono certainly had the cheerfulness, for tho strike did not last long oiiougli to he tragic. It was treated as a new kind of game, as an exciting ndventure, and all travellers spoke to one another in most un-English fashion, telling each other “how dreadful” it was, that it woiifd be over to-mor-row, or not over for months, according to temperament. I

In a lift at one metropolitan station live amateur operator could not get tho gate shut, and without this the lift could not ascend. “There I I -.uni pulling the wiling thing again !” he exclaimed. “I don’t know how the bally thinA works!” After a, chorus ot advice froni passengers the right lever was found, and we were re-

leased. “I’m not really a lift man,” he said as we alighted-; ‘Tm really'a sintionmaster, but all the other chaps have gone to lunch, so someone had to look after you, hadn’t lie? No one has over shown, me how to work tho gates, and yesterday J nearly guillotined aln-old lady.”

Another suburban train announced no stop between Earl’s Court and Kuightsbridge, yet did pull up at an intermediate sOition. “They said we were not stopping here,”, commented an old priest as the nonelmlant conductor stepped into the carriage. “AVo’re not, really,” be explained, “but’ there’s just some little thing to adjust on the engine.” “I thought the enginedriver might bo wanting to light his pipe,” went on the clergyman facetiously. This in allusion to the pipes, after .Mr Baldwin, affected by most, of the volunteers. Those with their spats and plus fours g)ive an unwonted air of cheerfulness to the radars.

"\\ by,” said the priest, looking hard at tlie youth, ‘‘you are one of my old pupils!” “les, sir; glad to see you sir,” said the conductor. “What’s become of —-—?” began the priest, settling down for a nice gossip. “I’ll see you later, sir; must be off. Next stop Ivnightsbridge!” Hyde Park was turned into a huge milk depot, and here the House of Lords held swpy. So many peers and Conservative Ms. P. were then engaged rolling milk cans that the Carlton Club was empty for days on end. The eminent .Judge complained that he could get no bridge throughout the strike. Rolling cans, it seems, is an art, and tho feet of elderly lords and marquises were bruised with their own and their colleagues’ inept movements. Lady Louis Mounthatten. who was pictured in one of the tiny sheets that managed to appear as frying sausages at a voluntary workers’ canteen, afterwards took a billet as manager of the telephone switch at the “Daily Express” office. At this newspaper office, as well as at most of the others all the regular workers having departed, the overflow of peers from the milk depot put in time at both mechanical and clerical jobs. It wits “Tolanthe” in real life. Tho T.C.C. were very insistent that | no goods but. foodstuffs should be delivered. and also tried to keep employees from travelling by conveyances provided by the big firms. One huge covered van was leaving an emporium, when it was stopped by T.U.C. agents. “It’s ali right;—only food,” said the j driver trying to push on. I “I’ll satisfy myself,” said one of <tie 1

agents there in some force. Ho pulled the end canvas aside, and saw that the van as full of young girl employees. “Good? Oh, I see—tarts!’’ he said solemnly. “Pass on.”

One had to pretend that “organisation” was wonderful, but it really was not so that you could notice it. Motor car owners were asked to put up a placard stating destination, if willing to give pedestrians a lift, and it was always the humble little car that stepped into tho broach. However full their cars, some women seemed always ablo to squeeze in just one more. Just when the strike was at its height, May took the opportunity to produce a

record downfall, with hail, fog, and sleet, to beat anything clone in tint lino by November. This was not a humorous day.