South African Strike

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 166, 13 January 1914, Page 5

South African Strike

TRALX SERVICES RESUMED. A LABOR MANIFESTO. By Cable—Press Association—Copyright Johannesburg, January 11. Mr. Hoy, the general manager of railways, anticipates a normal train service to-morrow. A few railwaymen have already resumed, and numbers of others wish to resume. The Natal mail train departed to-day. Three trains arrived from the Cape and others are resuming. Special police have been enrolled, and members of the Vigilance Committee „patrol the streets, wearing red armlets. It is expected that armed burghors will take charge of the mine natives, relieving the ordinary police of this responsibility. The Labor Party have issued a manifesto. They claim that by imprisoning the leaders the Government has outraged the constitution. The manifesto urges a reconstitution of the Railway Board, go as to include elected representatives of organised railway workers.

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 severe drought in Orangia the stoppage of traffic wo'ibl severely imperil food supplies. Everything is quiet at the Cape.

Emissaries from the Transvaal secured no response to the strike resolution at the Salt River railway works.

CAPE WORKERS OPPOSE STRIKE. OTHERS DEMAND IT. GOVERNMENT'S RESIGNATION DEMANDED. Capetown, January 11. A meeting of 2000 Cape railwaymen decided against the strike. Pretoria, January 11. Two thousand affiliated building and other trades practically unanimously demanded a general strike. Johannesburg, January 11. An orderly meeting of 9000 men in support of a general strike summoned the Government to resign. They decided that Hoy must go, also to petition the Imperial Government not to permit the use of Imperial troops. Flags were flown inscribed: — "In memory of the victorious "Fourth of July," and ''ln memory of our martyrs." The speeches were moderate, urging the workers not to infringe the law. The police were absent from the meeting.

SUCCESS OF MOBILISATION. J, ATWTBDE OP CAPE RAILWAY- |' r ' MEN. ! OPPOSED TO SYNDICALISTS. A CHALLENGE. RESULT OP BALLOT. Received 12, >1.40 p.m. ' Capetown, January 12. Apart from considerations connected with the strike, tlie mobilisation is considered as a gratifying test of the oflioiency of the newly completed Union Defence, Organisation. The inobilisation *t the Capo Peninsula is due to rumors of disaffection among a section of workers at Salt River. Great weight is attached to the Cape railway-men's meeting, whttrcat all the responsible leaders completely di«ussoeiatci themselves from the syndicalists' revolutionary methods, and <>j)])Ose<l ii general strike. Only one upcoeh favored a railway strike. Lyojifi, the local president, and Harmon, the vice-president, declared that the Cape workers believed in constitutional methods, and considered these had not yet been exhausted. Smith. the raihvayrnen's secretary, remarked that the strikers were already hopelessly beaten. He added: '-Let the workers consider tlieir wives and children." Johannesburg. January 11. Mtuson, speaking at the Market Kijnare meeting, declared tkit the Government bad received a bombshell on the fifth of July, and this time would be annihilated. He exhorted the workers to speak through the bullet holes of the victims of tin- fourth of July massacre at Brahamfontein. They must win, even if the streets wire piled with dead. Mason described the corner hou.-c ] <is "tlie. sentinel gales of Hell.'' and added that (he strikers were animated with the spirit of rebellion. Bain was more conciliatory. He urged that there was still lime for a settlement, of the. dispute, and suggested the formation of a railway board composed of half workers and half Uov(■rnmcTit nominees to solve the dilfieulty. He challenged the Government to arrest liim if they wanted to, and added that if Irving to help his fellow Citizens was sedition, then he would piieach sedition until he died. Resolutions were adopted supporting the Federation, and the. railwavmcn's demands; also in favor of a j;ei?ejal strike. Dur'ian, January 11. Tbf Fallot of workers in the nilw.iy shops yUlded a majority in favor of a strike, but the majority of the train-

lesß, the locomotive men. allhoiigli condamning the strike, resolved not to work tnains for the Rand.

LARUE MEETINGS. DEMANDS EORMULATEU. TRAIN SERVICE RESUMING. ATTEMPT TO DYNAMITE RAILWAYS. Received. 13, 12.1-1 a.m. Capetown, January 11. Two meetings were held at which the attendance numbered GOUO, wbeioof 20(10 were, railwaymcn. Although resolutions were invited, none were proposed. Mr. Madeley, •?. Member of Parliament, accused the Capetown executive of selling their .brethren, in the North. He appealed to his hearers to support their fellow workers in the, Transvaal. Mr. Haggnr, another Member of Parliament, and otihers, strongly urged a strike, which the younger section enthusiastically favored. Eventual!}' it was unanimously resolved to demand the release of the leaders, the disbandment of the defence force, the cessation of retrenchment of railwaynicn, and reinstatement of the retrenched.

It is reported that Cresswell, a Labor leadier in Parliament, addressing a private meeting at Johannesburg, strongly opposed n general strike as being fatal to the workers' true interests. lie recommended deputationising the Government with ,i view to an amicable settlement.

The train Bervicc is gradually resuming in the Transvaal and elsewhere with the aid of loyal drivers, inspectors and Olivers belonging to the higher grades. The proclamation of martial law is, meanwhile considered unmieeessnrv.

•Johannesburg is amazingly quiet. A meeting at Lttdysmith recommended a general strike.

The luilwaymcn's ballot at Maritz burg rejected the strike proposal.

An attempt wits made to dynamite the railway 11110 at Ecrreira and elsewhere in the, -stone district.

Tho strikers stopped a good? train, arid drew the engine's ii-tfe. Burgher commandos are now vapidly concentrating, and by Tuesday, all the main lines and bridges will be adequately guarded.

Eleven hundred natives arc proceeding to the Rand. They are teing sent to cantonments under the guard of armed citizens. "A FIGHT TO A FINISH." MEN INSTRUCTED TO SHOOT RELENTLESSLY. SOBERINC EFFECT PRODUCED. Received 13 1 a.m. Pretoria. J-:.::::r.:y 12. General Botha has declared that .'t must be a fight to a. finish. Tlie declaration, coupled with the Government's carefully-conceived plans, has produced a great impression in labor circles. ' The burghers eagerly resnouded to tin military summons. When unable to entrain they walked lons distance!!. Although not a policeman or n swldic." was visible in Market . ; qiiare, Johannes burg, the knowledge that the town wai full of armed men, who had been instructed to shoot relcullcs-dv on tlo; first serious trouble, produced a effect.