Railway Strike.

Taihape Daily Times, 29 September 1919, Page 5

Railway Strike.

A BOMBSHELL. . ' —————o—-———-NEWS OF THE STRIKE. REJECTION OF STATE OFFER. LONDON, Sept. 26. News of the failure of the Railway negotiations came as u, bombshell to the public, which had refused to anticipate a strike at forty-eight hours’ notice, when railwaymcn were assured of =the present rates for at least three months, but those with inner knowledge say the public optimism regarding the settlement was never really justified_ The Government this morning made 2. new ofier, and promised also to consider any anomalies. The men’s leaders then withdrew to another room. After the proposed consultation, they returned, and said they. had decided to reject the ofier. Cabinet members and officials who had been waiting in great anxiety «realised thait. furtliefi‘ eiforts were useleés. The die had been cast. '

When Mr J. H. Thomas, the orvgaxl- - secretary of «the railwaymen, who is a highly emotional man, came to Downing street, he was evidently on the verge of tears, He said to waiting pressmen: “The'strike will begin at midnight.” . 7. ' Later, Mr Thomas stated that the executive spared no effort. to avert the crisis, and said that Mr Lloyd George found it impcfsible to concede standardisation of all grades on the basis already agreed -to with the locomotive men, with the result that a strike became inevitable. He hoped members would realise that neither disorder nor irioting would help thiacause. Damage -to property would not be countenanced.

The Governmenf has Ennounced that protection would be afforded to: all loyal work-ers. . " .. _.

- It was-also announced ‘officially that the ’ Government had nmobilised .p a road. ‘trnsport-vehicles and army':lorries for the conveyance of essential foods. These -m-easurcs were strictly confined =to.food transport, but a famine in large towns will be prevented at any cost‘. The public are warned that most stringent economy in the use of milk is essential in order té carry out its policy. The Food Misisiry presented details of a» memorandum conferring extensive power upon the Ministry_ It is expected that tll~ei,Wal' Cabinet will ratify the memorandum to-night. No special scheme has Been mentioned for the conveyance of mails, and the attitude of the omnibus men depends upon the ‘Trnsport Workers’ Federation.

LIKELY TO EXTEND.

LONDON, Spet. 26.

The negotiations never revealed a common ground between the railwaymen and Government.

I The Society of Locomotive Engineers announces that it is prepared to suplport the National Union. It is pro- ! bable that omnibuses and tnamears will be involved. MR THOMAS STATES THE MEN’S CASE. T PRESENT ‘SITUATION ‘AN IMPOS~ SIBLE ONE. Received 9_25 a.m. ' LONDON, Sept. 28. Mr Thomas in an interview said that stoppage was complete from Land's End to John O'f_Groats. Many would regard the upheaval as an attack upon the whole constitution of the country. Some would welcome that’, and the press was making it the issue. He begged the press to refrain from anything in the way of making Worse an already difficult situation. The railwaymen would not be diverted from fighting for a just principle. Let the public judge between the following figures: Plate-lalyers in South Wales are offered a maximum of 44/ per week -as a standard rate, and they must Work side by side with colliery plate—layers who are governed by the ‘same conditions in regard to rent and [cost of living, and whose present fixed 3standard is 71/ per week and upward_ ‘Shunters, whose mortality in railways is one in nineteen killed or injured are offcrd a maximum of 60/, a sum which will not affect more than twenty per cent. They work side by side with colliery shunters whose standard rate‘ of pay is from 76/ per week to 103,’. Treating them as ondinar)’ common. labourers and comparing them With} the lowest paid labour in flour-mill:-:.j the latter have a. minimum_ of three} pounds per week, ‘while a builders’i labourer receives a minimum of 1/3‘ per hour in large towns. Compare the] Government’s offer to passenger and} goods guards with 3. long experience of railway, of a maximum of 60/, with a standard rate paid to bus conductorsl of 37/6 after six months‘ service, and with tram conduc'tors'7o/ as an ordi-‘!

nary week's wage_ My last offer to the Government was. We _abanclonegi everything except" one request, namely, would the Governmént treat other grades on the same principle as they

treutcd drivers and fll'enlcn. The Gov-

ernment’s answer was “No!,” Whether the executive had called a Strikfi OT not, do the public believe for one mo111011t that three hundred thousand would be content to work under conditions where the principle was conceded by the Government to one gl'ad3 anl denied to them. It would be imDfissible, and the I'ailwa.ys would be one seething furnace from January to December. 311- Thomas added that Lloyd George at the conference made 8. suggestion in whioh Mr Thomas saw a ray of hope_ Sir Erie Geddes immediately said to Mr Lloyd George. “You cannot possibly accept that." Mr Thomas concluded: “Never in all my experience have I found so determined a desire on the part of some of the Prime Minist.er’s advisers to do everythingto prevent a Seti'lenscl‘J.‘.."

LLOYD GEORGES APPEAL TO THE NATION.

THE POSITION STATED.

Received 9.35 '«‘z.nL

LONDON, Sept. 28.

Ml‘ Bromley, chairman of the. Amalgamated Engineers, interviewed, said the Loco. ‘Engineer's and Fil'emen’.~‘ Sdciety;’s reply, ‘regretted the calling out of members,‘but it was inevitable in the interest of Trade Unionism. It was a purely sympathetic strike on their part, as all members were content with the Go'vcl-nmcnt awards to them.

Lloyd George, being unable to fulfil an engagement at Carnarvon to the chairman of the Carnarvon- County Council:—“The cause of my absence is a sudden outbreak of strike, which can only bring (deplorable consequences to those concerned therein and the nation at large. No one can suggest I ever lacked sympathy with the oppressed in any class or country. I am constantly being criticised as an extreme -partisan of those struggling for .-better conditions,_ but after what is-acknowlefilged by them to-have been a careful ‘and patient.investi§;ation by me of‘ their case;'l have come to the conclusion that in _a. long .and varied ‘experience .I' can recall ._ no strike ‘ entered into -so lightly and with such-an entire disregard of public ‘interest, The dispute is not onc.whcl'e it can be contended the workers are seeking to wring fair wages from harsh employers, whose profits are believed to be excessive The railwaymn in this instance are dealing with the commun-

‘ity. The State is now running railliways at a loss, due, mainly, to an 'enormous increase in the wages of grailway workers since the beginning of lthe war, and also a great reduction of ‘hours. The loss, borne ‘by the general itaxpayers, will soon be passed on to ‘the public in the form of increased tfareg and charges. On its merits ihe ‘strike is inexplicable, a dispute, such [as itgis, about something which cannot possibly come into operetion until next :year; yet the nation has been thrown ‘into dislocation by a hurried strike. !without even a week’s warning. The irailwaymen declined to grant even a {respite of two or three days to their |fellow countrymen, and a service [wherein the life of a whole people so Jmuch depends has been stopped practically without a warning. This preiciptancy is suggestive of a deliberate, {matured intention on the part of some ‘individuals to seek a quarrel at any teost. It has convinced me it is not a {strike for wages or better conditions. IThc Government has reason to believe tit has been engineered for some time [by a small but active body of men, {who have wrought tirelessly and inlsidiously to exploit the la.bOul' organiEsations of the country for subversive :ends_ I am convinced a vast majority ;of Trade Unionists in the land are opposed to this anarchist» conspiracy. §They can see the evil and misery it {has brought into other lands, and their icommonsense has hitherto guarded ltheir organisations against the conlrtrol of these iutriguers. These men lhave made many efforts to hold the lcontrol of trade unions, and so far all lendeavours have ended in failure. lThere is no more patriotic a body in [this country than the railwaymen, as their conduct in war time has demonstrated. When they realise they are not fighting for fair conditions of la—bour for their class, but are being used by extremists for sinister purposes, their commonsense will resume sway and save the country yet and their. own families from disaster. In the; interests of the nation the Government, has no alternative but to accept the; challenge thrown down. Society as a} whole intends to meet the blow at the i public weal with all the resources of? the State, and look to the nation with- ' out distinction of class, inasmuch as it affects everybody, to cheerfully bear the deprivation this indefensible strike will entail and support them in maintaining the fabric of social order whercon the prosperity of the country depends.

MEN DISGRACEFULLY PAID‘

Received 12.40 am. LONDON, Sept. 28. Lloyd George admitted the men were disgracefully paid before the war, but that was no reason for imposing a burden on the “community it could not bear. He regretted that the strike decision had been so hasty. since the railwaymen had a guarantee there would be no reduction in wages till 1920. This gave ample time for further negotiations_ THE LATEST. LLOYD GEORGE GIVEN THE LIE DIRECT. GEDDES BROS.’ ADVERSE ACTION. Received noon. LONDON, Sept. 28. At an Albert Hall meeting, Mr Cramp characterised as aidelibci-ate lie the statement that the strike was not in defence of some union principle or right, but directed against the community. ‘They flzitly denied the Premier's assertion that «the latter pleaded for a respite of two or three days, and challenged Mr Lloyd George to produce notes bearing out his assertion Heend his executive Were convinced that if Mr Lloyd Georgemvas master in his own i house -a. ~selttl'»eiln-ent would result. He .~ suggested that Eric and Aucklandi Geddos formed a stumbling block, pre- i Venting a compromise, Eric posing as! the strong man. - ‘ " 1

3111- Thomas Ine.ntion.ed ‘an instance during Friday ’“s no-gotia!tions' (pi-er viously cabled), when Eric Geddes interrupted Lloyd George. , Mr Thomas, inlterviewed on Sunday, stated that lie was still »anxious for ‘.l settlement, but added that an attempt was being made to turn the dispute into other than labour questions, :1 com plicated situation, making it dangerous. Ho definitely -refused to widen the issue. The situation on Sunday afternoon was unchanged, though three or four continental t_rains were despatched. Developments are unlikely before Monday, but thefe will be difii-culty in restrain~ ing the traxmvayrmlen and bu‘sme'n.

THE CRUCIAL/I‘E‘ST. FIRST JTHREE DAYS._ - »

A PEACEFUL‘ STRIKEL PR-‘OMISEDA

Received 10.50 a.m.. . ' - -LONDON, Sept. 28. The funds of the Union of Railway

men are estimated _to be 2: million and a quarter, and sufficient to finance the strikers for a month, but the reai test will be in the first three days, as if the essential services can be‘. tCmpr.ll'-an-ily maintained _the failure of the strike is certain.

A novel feature of the strike is the

aeroplane‘ companies are advertising.

offering to convey anyone anywhere an /England or on the Continct upon I'o- - of telephone requisition_

The Government states tuo decision not to employ troops to work the trains at present was made })co2iuse this action might be 1-e_:,lr.led as pl'o~ vocative. '

Mr Thomas. on leaving the C.n‘o2nr>t room, turned to the Premier am‘. said, “This will be a model <strike; 313 disturbance or violence of any kiufl..”

TE? Coal Controller has ordered a stoppage of all foreign shipmenfs of coal from Cardiff, conserving 3.11 the coal for use in Britain.

‘A practracted meeting of the Bus, Tram, and Taximen’s Unions decidefii to suspend \v6"l"k on Monday. This decision means a sympathetic strike. Livcrpobl meat supply is held up at Birkenhead. The steel works at lahu-1-lopool are closo<l_ Several race meetings have been übanflolled.