Strikes in Britain

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 53, 24 August 1911, Page 5

Strikes in Britain

A DECLARATION OF WAR.

i RAILWAYMEN STILL OUT AT • SWANSEA. < OTHER WORKERS STRIKE IN SYMPATHY. By Cable—Press Association—Copyright. London, August 22. The North-Eastern Railway Company has invited applications for the permanent service. The strikers regard this as a declaration of war.

Swansea railwaymen are still out, and work at the docks is at a standstill.

Liverpool transport workers are still idle, but the scavengers have resumed work.

There has been some rioting at Dublin. Business premises were attacked, and the police stoned. Three shots were fired, a constable being wounded in the hand.

Striking newsboys, assisted by hooligans, smashed the newspaper vans and fired the contents. The hooligans utilised the dispute as a pretext to destroy other property and assail the police. One constable was seriously injured. Thre.e thousand biscuit-makers * have struck for more wages, and' there are several minor strikes. PARLIAMENT ADJOURNS. OPPOSITION ASSURES PREMIER OF SUPPORT. London, August 22. Mr. Asquith, in moving the adjournment of the House of Commons until October 24, announced that the Railway Commission would comprise Sir David Harrel, late Chief Commissioner of the Dublin Police and Under-Secre-tary for Ireland, as chairman, Sir Thomas Ellis, Secretary of the Federated Coalowners, Mr. Beal, solicitor to the Midland Railway, Mr. Arthur Henderson, Labor M.P., and Mr. Burnett, Labor correspondent to the Board of Trade.

Mr. Ramsay Macdonald accused the Home Office of hampering the negotiations, and condemned the display of military. Mr. Austin Chamberlain assured the Government of the Opposition's port in protecting free workers against intimidation.

ONE FOR KEIR HARDTE.

"A CONTEMPTIBLE ATTACK." London, August 22. ! Mr. Keir Hardie violently attacked the Government for the employment qf j troops. Mr. Lloyd-George indignantly repudiated the accusation that the Government sided with capitalists. He denounced Mr. Keir Hardie's attack as contemptible. ' Owing to the Short Sea Traders' attitude, all the workers in th■■ coal trade of the Port of London have been called out.

■ THE TRANSPORT WORKERS. London, August 22. The National Transport Workers' Disputes Committee in London declares that the Short Sea traders rejected arbitration; hence the men were urged to work only for those paying the port rates. ANTI-JEWISH RIOTS. London, August 22.

The rioting which occurred at Trede-! Ebbwvale and Rhymney, was the culmination of a longstanding grievance, regarding house rents, against Jews, who are the principal landlords. .The rioters openly removed goods. Thirty injured persons were taken to the hospital. SERIOUS CONFLICTS WITH THE MOB. HUNDREDS OF JEWS FLEEING FOR THEIR LIVES. RIOTERS IN THE HOMES. Received 23, 935 p.m. London, August 28. Rioting has been renewed at Ebbwvale on a large scale. The Riot Act was read, and the military cleared the street with a bayonet charge. One soldier was badly injured. Ten thousand assembled at Cwmdu and did great damage. The military k^j^^kummoned. BP Riotrng was continued till late at W night, but was eventually quelled. ' The mobs attacked church and other buildings at Brynmawr, and there were .serious conflicts, the mob throwing stones and bottles at the police. The arrival of two bodies of cavalry restored partial quietude. Hundreds of Jews are quitting Tredegar and Ebbwvale by every train, leaving their homes undefended and uncared for. The Jews are accused of having a monopoly of several classes of trade, such as furnishing, clothing and jewellery, and of compelling their tenants to obtain furniture from them on the hire system.

It is stated that many of the poorest were evicted. Rioting and looting at Tredgar were renewed early to-day. The crowd wrenched railings from private residences, but stampeded when the military appeared. A number of women were roughly handled. The looters drove the women from their homes. A woman who was lying ill was so terrified that she ran out shrieking for safety. The crowd seized her bed and threw it into the street. Many rioters were injured in various localities, and numerous arrests were made.

QUAYMEN JOIN' THE STRIKERS. MEN RESUME AT MANCHESTER. NORTH-EASTERN DISPUTE SETTLED. Received 23, 10.35 p.m. London, August 23. The railways Enquiry Commission meets to-day. The railwaymen at Durham have protested against the composition of the commission, and demand further Labor representation. Five hundred permanent quaymen employed on the wharves at Tower Bridge have joined the laborites' strike. The wharves affected are chiefly engaged in the short-voyage trade. Mr. Asquith, at Manchester, announced the settlement of the carters' dispute. Overtime hours had been reduced, and wages below the minimum raised to the minimum. None above the minimum were lowered thereto. The railway goodsmen at Manchester have resumed. The non-union tramwaymen at Liverpool largely outnumber the unionists who struck. The former did not strike, but threaten to strike if the unionists are reinstated. Work has been partially resumed at the goods depots, but a procession of railwaymen induced one-third of the workers to again cease. The Shipowners' Committee has decided against the resumption at the docks at present. After a long conference at York between the men's executive and the company, the North-Eastern Railway dispute has been settled, and the men advised to resume to-day.

EMERGENCY MEN MOBBED. BUSINESS BEING DIVERTED ABROAD. Received 23, 10.33 p.m. London, August 23. Emergency engine-drivers at West Hartlepool were mobbed, and there were numerous intimidations. At Hull orders for enormous quantities of goods to be packed at Birmingham and others cities ready for shipment have been cancelled owing to the strike, sand the business diverted abroad. The Midland Railway will reinstate applicants at the old rates of pay. Sir E. Granet has ordered all to be reinstated without discrimination. All the public houses in the disturbed area in Dublin are closed at 7 o'clock at night. The biscuit-makers will resume, pending a settlement of the wages question. THE GOVERNMENT'S POLF v . TO PROTECTEE, LIMB AXD LIBERTY. MILITARY PRECAUTIONS UNRELAXED.

Received 23, 10.55 p.m. London, August 23,

In the House of Lords. Lord Haldane, in announcing the names of the Railway Enquiry Commission, said the Government's policy throughout had been to avoid bloodshed and protect life, limb and libertv.

The country was being divided into districts under picked officers, and the latter instructed to be in close communication with the civil authorities. It was obvious that even with 58,000 troops at their disposal it would be impossible to cover every point. He was anxious not to send them where they were not needed. While it would be a great disaster if some were killed it was better that it should be shown that the law was in firm hands.

It has been proved that the real rioters were not the workmen on strike. In the House of Commons Mr. Churchill, in reply to questions, declared that he had informed the Mayor of Liverpool that it was not intended to relax military and police precautions while the necessity for them existed. Regarding the despatch of military to Blackburn before the civil authority had been consulted, he said the troops were send by the general officer commanding the district in pursuance or a scheme to protect the railways and maintain law and order. The officers commanding were given complete direction. In those respects the military authorities always enjoyed the right of moving troops about the country where thought convenient or necessary.

DEBATE IN THE COMMONS. MR. CHURCHILL'S "FUSSY INTERFERENCES." MORE WAGES. LESS HOURS, BETTER LIVING CONDITIONS. Received 23, 11.20 p.m. London, August 23. Tn the House of Commons Mr. Asquith declared that the clouds had lifted. Both parties had agreed on an immediate investigation by an impartial tribunal. The great point to-day was not to apportion praise or blame, but to make the settlement effective. The Commission should be enabled to start freely and fairly on their most responsible mission. The House cheered when Mr. A. Hen-i'"-=on's name was mentioned, the majority welcoming this as a guarantee that ppiic" was in sight.

Mr. Ramsii- MaeDonald expressed himself as satisfied with the personnel of the commission, ai-1 said the settlement would he a good one if honestly fulfilled. He accused the Home Office of playing a diabolical part in the whole unrest. He said Mr. Churchill's strike bulletins had been inaccurate, and gave great offence, making the men. more disinclined to come to a settlement. Mr. Churchill's fussy interference was based on a desire to see himself in print. Mr. G. N. Barnes stated he had just been to Mertliyr, Pont-y-pridd. and Newport. The men there were keenly dissatisfied with the settlement. He trusted the commission would concern itself with Increased wages, reduced hours and

better living conditions; otherwise there would be another railway strike. He would do everything to help it. Mr. Churchill, in Teply, said he had done his obvious duty in enforcing obedience of the laws. The Government had no alternative. Had the strike lasted a week there would have been a total cessation of employment, implying starvation. The emergency justified the measures taken, and these were absolutely constitutional. The Government was bound to use its whole power in the State to protect the food supply and transport of goods. The task set the military of keeping the railways running and protecting the workers had averted incalculable disasters. The House adjourned till October 24.

GRAVE DISORDERS. ENGINE-DRIVERS MALTREATED. Received 2*, 14.49 a.m. London, August 23. Grave disorders are reported from the North-Eastern Railway at Darlington and Ncwsheldon, mobs preventing the delivery of goods under police escort and maltreating engine-drivers.