USING SOLDIERS AS STRIKE BREAKERS.

Taihape Daily Times, 9 June 1919, Page 5

USING SOLDIERS AS STRIKE BREAKERS.

WAR OFFICE ’S UNFOR'I‘UZ\*ATE CIRCULAR. SECRETARY OF C\i'el‘.-\T'E ];‘XL—’l,.e~.\l‘_\'>.i. Received June 9, 8.50 a.m. LONDON, Ma.y :29. In the House of Cmmnons, on the .-\l-m_\" Estimates, Mr Adamson called attention to the secret order issued by the War Office, and published in :1 Lolldon I'_.:lbour n.ewsp:lpelj, callillg on c-Omnlzmding oflicers to I'els.ol't weekly whether the troops are likely to re~ spond__}co orders to px'e.~ur\'e public peace Jand assist’ ..\‘trils:e breaking. .\[r Adamson said the circular produ.lc»;-.:J intense resentment amongst the workizlg‘ classes. He declared the War Ofiiee was playing with fire.

Mr W. Churchill replied the document was purely inllitary, and of no yelitieal signifiezuiee. He had not seen it till published. It was issued when strikes wvere prevalent, threnlenixlg to disol'g':mse the eounl;ry’s vital needs. and the troops were restless-. Regarding demobilisation, the wording" of the circular was unfortunate, particularly the phrase, “strike breal<ing.” It did not mean -employing soldiers as “blacklegs,” replacing strikers in industrial diszputes. It meant that the trade must use all its resources, including naval and military, to carry on the country ‘s vitnl needs, and prevent a gemral catastrophe. Commanding the Officcrgf replies to the circular ‘deprecated the employment of troops for strike-break ing. The circular had now lapsed, as circumstances had changed. A copy was stolen and published by news. papers with the deliberate intention of provoking: mutiny and general strike, which was to smash up society.

’ BERLIN CUT OFF. COPENHAGEN, June 6. Telephone communication with Berlin has broken. It is believed there is -.1 recrudescence of rioting there. It is-;-cported that 3. general strike for 24 hours has been declared in Berlin as a protest against 'Lcvicn_’s execution. . PRICE OF HONOUR. LIVELY DEBATE IN THE COMMONS_ LONDON, June 7. In the House of Commons,‘a lively debate took place on a motion condemning the present system of bestowing honours. Lord Hugh Cecil and others strongly urged that every honour should be submited to a committee of the Privy Council, so that no suspiciml could be possible that the honours were cor-ruptly recommended to the sovereign. Other critics urged that subscriptions to party funds Should be made public. . ' Mr. Bonar Law, replying, denied tlla.t.' honours were sold. The Government was willing to accept o.Tcso—lution that honours should not be given directly or indirectly for subscriptions to'pa‘rty funds. but he said it was impossible and undesirable to forbid public rewards for party services while the party system continu—ed_ Men naturally believed their political work was for the country’s good.

The motion was defeated by 112 to 50. E?-ULGARIA"S DESWRES. IMPUDENT NOTES TO PEACE. CONFERENCE. - PARIS, June 5. Lengtll_\' notes froin Bulgaria have filtered through to Paris, although the Conference had not invited Bulgaria‘ to express views. The notes are chieflyi the lu-indiwork of Gueshoff, exPreniier. The tone‘ is audacicusly impudent. T‘h_c>Notes claim 2500 square miles of’ Eastern ‘Serbia, including Vl-anja, Pirot, Kniajevatz, and Belapaianka. containing 360,000 inhabitants. Do(?un'lents deny 1-esponsfoility for entering the war. They"s"a‘37 a. great ma.J"ority were in opposition, and protested against entrance into the conflict. but were terrorised by the Emperor F‘ol'(lin:lnd_ G.ueshoff fails to see any difference between the Bulgars and the Jugo—Slavs He thinks the Bulgars are entitled to the same confidence as the Ju'g'ss. STEAMER AIFIRE. 100 LIVES LOST. COLOMBO, May 29. The steainér .7\Tdmiral Ponty.has arrived here. A fire broke out in the Suez Canal. Many passe.ngers,~fear—ing the whole ship would catch fire. jumped overboard and were drowned ‘Altogether one hundred were killed. -A_LLiES’ INDEBTEDNESIS TO ' BR'ITAIN'. ” E __ LONDON, June 6. The Chancellor of the EXCho<‘dl€‘l' states that the Allies’ obligations to Britain total 1568 millions. No interest has been paid except minor‘ sums, but the interest charged is xnostly five Pol‘ cent. except Russia. which’ iS"7SiX Pol‘ cent. and Belgium and Serbia. which v"-we not rl:a1‘g:e(l inter6‘sf_ A \Vlliiie T-‘anm' shows that l-‘n-itain '9 loans to the Allies during the four ,vear.s ended March, 1918, ffita‘-led 1208 millions. of which nothing 315‘-5 been repaid. Loans to the Domiuions total .192 millions. Mr Chamberlain stated that Bl’i’faill’S nett debt to,.»\lnerica is 4050 mililoTls dollars.

VVOOLLEN GOODS. lC_"”l.()l'l.‘.v\'l"lO."L\* IN BRITAIN. LONDON, Juno (3. During discussion of Mr McC‘.lll’s paper at the Society of Arts, Sir Thomas I\l’a(=kcnzie condemned the ox--1)10i‘(a.ti011 of Wuollc-n goods in Britain, where the price of goods was fourfold _pl'u-\\’zll' price, whereas New Zonlund xvas olll_y charging 55 per cent over pro-war prices for WOOI. Sir TIIOHIQS \[ackon'/.-ie poilfted out that .~\mol-ica was selling twecds at 3/ per yard under the English price, though the American nla.nufact.ul'el' paid much more tzh-an the English for wool. The B‘rit.i,gll Govt:-.l'mn.ent was the only a.ut}lol-my able to s'uccessf.ully investigate the mat. ter.

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BRITISH WAR OQMMIS'SIOhT. INFORMATION ABOUR ROYALTIES LONDON, June 6. Giving evidence before the Coal Com—mission, Mr Richard Re-dmayne stated that the existing roya.lty—owning system was ia.gainst.na.tional interest. The compensation to royalty-owners on the basis of 12-} fears’ purchase would amount to seventy millions sterling. There was a. disquieting fall in coal output amounting to nine per cent per person per shift, compamed with prewar output_ This. was partly attributable =tio the mines’ backward state of development. Miners were less skilful owing to their long absence, and high wages were disinclining miners to take piece—work. Mr Redmeyne suggested that the miners’ leaders should organise a crusade amongst minors, pointing out the serious consequences of reduced output.