African Crisis.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 10, 12 January 1914, Page 5

African Crisis.

LABOR IN REBELLION.

TROUBLE WITH THE TRAINS.

tiJr Electric Telegraph—Copyright] I Unite» Press Association.! Johannesburg, January 9. All trains have ceased in the Hand, except mail trains. A ganger discovered three sticks of dynamite detonators on the Luipaardsolei line just before the arrival of a crowded train from Zeerust. Pretoria, January 9. Wad, a Labor leader at Germiston, has been arrested for seditious speech.

GRAVITY OF THE SITUATION.

Johannesburg, January 9

Two mounted Union regiments from Potchefstroom, and two infantry regiments, have begun their march to the Hand.

The police in Natal are now entraining for tiie Transvaal.

Five hundred mounted riflemen are quartered in the Pretoria barracks. The defence force will be mainly em-

iloyed in protecting the railways. Glendon, Livingston, Munroe, and fiber labor orators have been arrested. The Federation of Trades threatens i general strike unless all are released. Capetown, January 9.

The Government’s energetic action is being interpreted as meaning that -he Government is convinced it has to face something more than a common strike.

BASUTOS ATTACK JACERSFONTE IN.

A SHARP FIGHT. London, January 10. The following message was received, lated Bloemfontein, 10th : “All the available members of the lefence force here, and also the avifilible police, have been ordered to fagersfontein by special train. “It is reported that the natives putted their compound, also that the Europeans have laagered and asked or help.” A message from Capetown, dated Saturday afternoon, stated : “The Basutos at the Jagersfontein nine refused to work, and armed themydves with a variety of implements ind attacked the whites, alleging that i white man had kicked a Basuto to loath. The whites refuged in a tunnel file Basutos wrecked the compound, uul took money intended for the payuent of the miners’ wages. They gutted the compound and proceeded "o invade the town. The residents intercepted them, and a sharp tight ■nsued. The farmers of the neighhormod Hocked in and drove off .the Basu-

“Forty members of the Bedfordshire logiment and 25 Bloemfontein officers with two maxims hold the town.” Johannesburg, January 10.

The women and children at Jagers Fontein were thrown into a panic by he attack of the Basutos, and fled o Fauresmith, whence armed men galloped and motored to the relief of Jagersfontein. Capetown, January 11. Eleven natives were killed at Jagersontein.

Johannesburg, January 10.

Despite the advice of Ghandi, their leader, the Indians consider the time ipportune to renew their passive resistance movement.

ARREST OF RAILWAYMEN.

FURTHER DEMANDS.

Pretoria, January 10.

Conncrly, president of the railwaymen's executive, Carson, the secretary, ind Buckley, a member, have been imprisoned.

Mason, in his speeches at Johannesburg, declared that the workers were

not afraid of deportation. The workers had brains and wore in the majority. They could work everything without the capitalistic class. A revolution of workers was inevitable.

Another .speaker said that they must realise this industrial warfare wars fighting for bread and butter and the lives of citizens. George Ala son, a member of the executive of the Federation of Trades, (addressing the strikers at Johannesburg, said the Federation did not intend to call out the miners. The latter were dying to avenge the bloodshed in July. Their revenge would come later. He wanted his hearers to he like himself—“ Send the King and flag of the country to hell! They were as good as the King.” A voice: “Yes, better.”

A further dynamite explosion took place on the railway between Johannesburg and Cleveland. Wade lias been imprisoned for 21 days under the Peace Preservation Ordinance.

The Cape mail train was dynamited at Witwatersrand. The front wheels of the pilot engine were blown ofT and the permanent way damaged. Xobody was injured.

Poutsma has been arrested for seditions utterances, and also Field, assistant secretary of the TJailwaymen’s Society.

A FORCE OF 60.000. JOHANNESBURG BESEIGED. STRIKE PROBABLE. Johannesburg, January 11. The citizens defence force is mobolising with wonderful rapidity, the main body being camped on the Wander ars’ oiicket gronud < In the centre 3 - the sdty, anu oonticgeiiTo Levo bean

posted at strategetie points along the entire reef. General Be la Bey is commanding ten thousand burghers, including 1000 from Sichtenhurg. The latter arrived by trains driven by officers of the defence,force.* < s a The mobilisation, which was conducted without any evidences of panic, is estimated to produce 60,000 men. Johannesburg is like a city iu a state of siege. Troopers and infantrymen are everywhere. Shops and hotels are barricaded, and tho public-houses are closed.

After a protracted discussion the Trades Federation recommended a general strike, and ordered a ballot of all unions by Tuesday. The mines would practically have ceased work on Monday, whatever the Federation’s decision mav be.

The crowd at-a strike meeting prevented the police from arresting Bain, secretary of the Trades Federation. Bain has since remained at the Trades Hall, ,where he is protected by a bodyguard.

MOBILISING AT CAPETOWN.

'.Received 9.25 a.m.)

Latest reports from Johannesburg state that matters are quiet. The defence force is mobilising at Capetown as a precautionary measure.

RAILWAYMEN RESUMING.

SPECIAL POLICE ENROLLED.

LABOR’S MANIFESTO.

Received 9.30 a.m.) Johannesburg, January ix

Mr Hay, general manager of railways, anticipates a normal train service to-morrow.

A few raihvaymen 'have already resumed. and numbers of others wish, to resume. The Natal' mail departed to-day. Three trains arrived from the Cape, and others are resuming.

Special police have been enrolled as a vigilance committee to patrol the streets, wearing red armlets.

It is expected armed burghers will take charge of the mine natives, relieving the ordinary police of this re-

sponsibility. The Labor Party have issued a manifesto. , They claim that by imprisoning the leaders, the Government has outraged the constitution. The manifesto urges reconstitution of the railways board so as to include elected representatives of organised railway workers.

SOLDIERY FOR JACERSFONTEIN.

QUIET AT THE CAPE.

Capetown, January 11. The Defence force is guarding the docks. Two hundred Scottish Horse have been sent to Jagersfontein. Armed burghers escorted 250 Basutos from Jagersfontein, as they refused to return to work owing to the severe drought in Orangia, the stoppage of traffic- would severely imperil the food supplies. Everything is quiet at the Cape. Emissaries from the Transvaal secured no response to the strike resolution at tk» 6*ll Rif*r railws/ work*,