A State of War.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 49, 19 August 1911, Page 5

A State of War.

The Great Strike Begun. Government Endeavoring to stave it off A Desperate Position Labor Leaders Considering the Position

By Cable—Press Association—-Copyright.

Received 18, 10.10 p.m. London, August 18. The railway strike has officially begun on a considerable scale. How far it will become general remains to be seen. Thousands have already joined those on strike. After the abortive Board of Trade conference the railwaymen's executives met the Parliamentary Committee, the Trade Union Congress and the Labor Party of the House of Commons. Afterwards the secretary of the Amalgamated Railwaymen announced that war had been declared on the railways for their refusal of a Royal Commission. Mr. Asquith, the Premier, addressed them, and said the Government would not allow a paralysis of the railway traffic. Railwaymen would incur a heavy responsibility if they would not weigh his words carefully. The joint executives subsequently issued a manifesto, in reply to Mr. Asquith, declaring that his statement was an unwarrantable threat against the railway workers, who for years had repeatedly asked the Board of Trade and also Parliament to amend the conciliation scheme.

WHOLE TRANSPORTERS OUT BY TUESDAY. TRAFFIC NORMAL IN LONDON. Received 18, 10.30 p.m. London, August 18. Late last night traffic was proceeding normally in London termini. Few men ceased, except at St. Pancras, where 500 good strikers endeavored to induce the passengermen to strike. The Thames lightermen will strike today. It is expected that the whole transporters of the United Kingdom will be called out by Tuesday. BAKERS' SHOPS LOOTED. TRAMWAYS OPPOSED. Received 19, 12.30 a.m. London, August 18. . Rioting has begun in the Scotland Road area of Liverpool, many bakers' shops being looted in the lower parts of the city, where the pinch of hunger is keenly felt. Two thousand special constable have been enrolled, and the tramways are suspended in order to conserve the lighting current at nightfall. TROOPS AND MACHINE GUNS. WARSHIPS' CREWS IN READINESS. THE MOB IMPRESSED. BAD LOOK-OUT FOR LIVERPOOL INCENDIARY FIRES. London, August 17. Six trainloads of troops and twelve machine guns have been brought to London. Mr. Churchill stated that, contrary to the agreement, some of the London lightermen have struck, objecting to the employment of non-unionists. There has been further rioting at Liverpool. The gravest feature to-day has been the calling out of the powerhouse men, in order to plunge the city into darkness and stop the tramwavs.

Fifteen hundred telegrams, giving the signal to strike, were despatched. The Labor Party and Parliamentary Committee of the Trade Union Congress have not resolved to help the railwaymen.

Afterwards the position was discussed by the Labor Party's executive. Dissatisfaction was expressed with the unsympathetic attitude of the Government, and it was decided to give notice of motion of censure on the Governmen\ The scene of action was tran " rred to the House of Commons.

Mr. Lloyd-George thought the men dkl not fully appreciate the character of Mr. Asquith's proposal, but had proceeded to recommend a great strike. He felt that if the conflict must come it should come only after a full understanding of the character of the proposals. He was glad to announce that negotiations were reopened. ; The parties were considering this.interpretation that the 'Government did not intend a roving commission for the purpose of staving off the evil hour. The commission would consist of three representing the companies and three the men, with an independent chairman, and would meet forthwith and arrive at a prompt decision. Mr. Ramsay Mac Donald said that apparently there had been a misunderstanding, but so grave was the position, and so keenly did they feel the position, that he had intended to move a vote of censure on the Government for the way in which it had conducted negotiations. The Laborites would now do their utmost to bring about peace. Mr. Lloyd-George said if the commission were accepted the members would be appointed on Saturday, and meet on Monday. The Government would take immediate administrative action on the commission's decision, and, if necessary, summon Parliament.

The troops from Aldcrsliot have reached London. Arrangements have bden made for 5000 to camp in Victoria Park.

The dockers complain of a breach in the overtime agreement. The people at Manchester are subsisting on the reserves of food. Hundreds of the public are walking along the railway lines. Efforts to induce the trntmvaymen to strike have failed. The appearance of cruisers at Liverpool to protect the shipping, with bluejackets prepared to land, coupled with the great military activity, has impressed the mobs. Tom Mann declares he will not issue further permits, and adds that the military can take the responsibility of getting their carts through the streets. Many shopkeepers have removed tinned goods from their windows. Shipowners offer to withdraw the lockout on terms. Five thousand raihvaymen at Leeds have struck, and many at Blackburn, Bradford and Leicester, in the absence of a truce, but others await the signal from headquarters.

The railway executive sat late, con sidering Mr. Asquith's proposal, and ad journed till the morning without decision.

STIRRING SCENES. TROOPS DESPATCHED TO DIFFERENT POINTS. Received IS, 10 p.m. London, August 18. Stirring scenes were witnessed at Aldershot and Waterloo over the depar-' ture and arrival of troops. Two hundred cavalry and 11,000 infantry were transported to London during the night and bivouacked in London parks. Three thousand Guards arrived from Perbright. The Aldcrsliot command is being utilised in London, while the southern command is being concentrated on Salisbury Plain in readiness to proceed to the strike areas. Six hundred West Yorkshires were despatched to Leeds, six hundred Durhams to Bradford, and two hundred Royal Engineers have-left Chatham for Liverpool.

The service of trains from Manchester to Huddersficld and all the Midland Railway trains between Hull and Sheffield are suspended. The rioters destroyed a Hidland Railway signal-box at Sheffield because it was used after the signalmen struck. The Gordon Highlanders have arrived to protect the railways. The Chronicle and Morning Leader uphold the principle of conciliation hoards. The former declares that the sudden repudiation of the agreement of 1907, which would have ended in 1914, will alienate public sympathy. The Midland Railway has offered loyalists a bonus of 50 per cent, on their wages during the currency of the strike. Twenty-one thousand military reserv-. ists are employed on various railways, whom the Government may summon. A number of small, supposed incendiary, fires have taken place among shipping at Liverpool. It is doubtful whether the Atlantla liners will be able to leave, owing to their inability to coal. Crews of the Cunard and White Star vessels have been paid off. Lord Raglan, Governor of the Isle of Man, has applied for a cruiser to transport provisions to the Isle of Man. the ordinary means of communication having ceased, owing to the strike. At to-day's Labor Conference) the executives of the raihvaymen's unions introduced a new feature by demanding the reinstatement of all the men locked out before discussing the terms of settlement of the raihvaymen's claims. There has been fresh trouble with the London dockers. Several cruisers have arrived in the Mersey.