A GREAT STRIKE

Taranaki Daily News, 29 September 1919, Page 5

A GREAT STRIKE

881335 H RAILWAYMEN ' mSm Qfif DIRECT ACTION; .. . A '_ By MtgnSb.—Press Assn-M^mWit. London, Sept. 26. A railway strike lias been called, to be' effective from midnight.—AU&-N.Z. Gable Mm. - - e A 80MB8HELL. £ t LOYAL WfIiiKERS. » ( {HBOMIBBD BY THE GOVERNMENT. , JlOtOa CARRIAGE OF FOODSTUFFS. < ..... ( Received Sept. 27, 5.5 p.m. i London, Sept. 26. The pejfs of the failure of negotiations wane «■ a bombshell to the public, wJtfcfc had refused to anticipate the strike at 48 hours' notice When the railwaymen were assured of the present rates for at • least three jwoths; hut those with an inner knowledge say that. the public optimism regarding a settlement was 1 never really justified. , The. jSovernment this morning made a . new iffer and promised _to consider any anpmalies ~ The menVleaders then withdrew to' another room. After a pro- ' loosed consultation they returned and said they had decided to reject the offer, j Cabinet members and officials, who had keen waiting in great anxiety, realised ' Oat further efforts were useless and that the die had been cast. When .Mr. Thomas, frho is a highly ' emotional man, came to Downing Street, evidently"on' the verge of tears, he said to the waithg pressmen; "The strike Will, begin at midnight." Later Mr. Thomas stated that the executive had spared no effort to avert the crisis, and said that Mr. Lloyd George found it impossible to concede the standardisation of all grades on the basis already agreed to with the locomotive men, with the result that a strike iecame inevitable. He hoped members would realise that neither disorder nor rioting would help their cause. I Damage to property would not be countenanced. The Government has announced officially that protection will be afforded to all loyal workers. It is also announced officially that the Government has mobilised road transport vehicles and army lorries for conveyance of essential foods. These measures will be strictly confined to food transport, but famine in large towns will be prevented at any cost. The nubile are warned that the most stringent economy in the use of milk is essential. , In order to carry out its policy the Food Ministry has presented a detailed memorandum conferring extensive power ttpon the-Ministry. It is expected the War Cabinet will ratify the memorandum to-nisht. No special scheme is mentioned for the conveyance of mails, ard the attitude of the omnibus men depends upon the Transport Workers' Federation. >*is. N.Z. Cable Assoc. NO COMMON GROUND. BETWEEN GOVERNMENT AND RAILWAYMEN. , Beceived Sept. 27, 1.50 p.m. London, Sept. 26. The negotiations have never revealed a common ground between the railwayment and the Government. The' Society of Locomotive Engineers announces that it is prepared to support the national union. It is probable the omnibuses and tramcara will be involved. MUST BE FOUGHT WITH ALL RESOURCES OF NATION. .Received Sept. 27, 3 p.m. London, Sept. 27. .'t is officially stated that the Government has decided that the strike must he fought with all the resources of the country, and that armed forces will be used if necessary. The War Office hag suspended all leave and demobilisa-tion.—Aus.-NJZ. Cable Assn. FORCING A QUARREL. WITHOUT REGARD TO COST Received Sept. 28, 65 p.m. London, ', Mr. Lloyd George, in a statement, says Cjat tb* strike's precipitancy is an indication of the deliberate intention of some individuals to force a quarrel at any cost. The strike was engineered by a small body of men seeking to exploit labor for subversive ends.—AUS.-N.Z. Cable Assn. IMPORTANT CONFERENCE. GOVERNMENT'S STATEMENT. Received Sept. 28, 115 p.m. London, Sept. 27. Lord flalg, General Home, Admiral Wemygß, Sir Eric Geddes, and Messrs Long, Churchill, and Roberts attended • conference at the offices of the Council of imperial Defence at Whitehall. Mr. Ctaeluu, Sir Eric Geddes and the railway managers subsequently conferred with Mr. Lloyd George at Downing Street, whence during the evening the following communique waa issued: "Reports from the country indicate that the stoppage of the train service 5s complete. There have been few disitarbances. The Government is rapidly organising the road transport service to ensure food supply, and is receiving large numbers of offers of assistance from all partß, particularly from discharged soldiers and sailors!" THE aiJtWAYMErrS DEMAND. Beceived ;3ept. 28, U. 40 pan. London, Sept. 27. % demonstration of railwaymen at the Albert Hall passed a resolution endorsing the executive's action in calling a etrike. > Mr. Thomas, in a speech, declared that if Mr. Lloyd George would declare hj« was'prepared to concede the same prin igpte to all railway servants the strike

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C - J 1 ■ POSSIBLE. ( Received Sept. 28, 5.5 p.m. ! London, Sept. 26. ] The strike negotiations were originally conducted by Sir Auckland Geddes, but when the Transport Ministry was invited Sir Eric Geddes took up the negotia- i tions, and suggested a meeting of the i parties. Directly the seriousness of the i situation was realised Mr. Lloyd George ■ was called in. i Prior to this week's negotiations all < the workers were receiving pre-war pay : plus 33s per week war bonus. The rail- i waynien claim this should be permanent, but the Government refused to accept this principle, offering instead a 40s minimum per week, as compared with 18s pre-war. The Government also drafted a new scale, aiming generally at giving 100 per cent, advance to all grades. THE WAR BONUS. According to the March agreeemnt the war bonus was to ceaseal the end of the year, but to-day the Government offered to prolong the bonus until the cost of living, which is now 115 per cent, above pre-war, falls to and remains at that level for three months. This practically gave six months for negotiations, but the men rejected the offer. The Government pointed out that, contrary to Mr. J. H. Thomas's assertions, the agreement with the locomotive section did not embody the principle that the war bonus should continue permanently. While it was true that the Wages of drivers and firemen were fixed on this basis, the cleaners under the same agreement received a smaller sum. The March agreement specially stated that the new permanent wage should consist of the pre-war wage and part of the war bonus. The agreement did not contemplate the inclusion of the whole of the war bonus. THE WAGES BILL. It is pointed out that prior to the war the railways wages bill amounted to forty-seven millions annually. An increase of 100 per cent, in wageß, and the extra cost involved as the result of recent legislation for a shortei day, represents a further sixty-seven millions. It is estimated that the men's new claims Would cost an additional fourteen millions. DOWNING STREET BESIEGED. A crowd besieged Downing Street throughout the day, necessitating mounted police to clear the street. The Pre f mier was cheered when leaving the conference. General Fielding, commanding the London district, attended the meeting of Cabinet. TRIPLE ALLIANCE INVOLVED. Mr. Williams, secretary of the Transporters' Union, declares that the strike will automatically involve the triple alliance, thus paralysing the whole country. The actual strikers are expected to number 584,800, and the total rendered idle will be about a million. War time restrictions on the usage of petrol have "been restored. The Government is calling on demobilised volunteers to help to maintain order. THE DOOR SLAMMED. The official view is that there is no further loophole for negotiations, as the railwaymen have slammed the door in the Cabinet's face. Cabienl summoned Field-Marshal Lord Haig after the negotiations failed, and he remained in consultation with Cabinet for two hours. The Government has issued an urgent appeal for volunteer motor drivers to carry food. The principal war-time food restrictions have been reimposed. AGAINST THE LIFE OF THE COMMUNITY. The Government regards the strike as directed against the life of the community. A great deal of organisation already exists. The Government has also specially prepared an organisation for rationing food If necessary, the distribution of food will be carried out by the compulsory acquisition of motor vehicles for this purpose. The railway officials despair of even a ; skeleton service, and state that the clerkß ! and other's are now strongly organised, [ and there is little hope that they will ! perform the strikers' duties. The post office officials requested and obtained an official assurance that they will not be asked to do rail way men's work. Special constables are warned to be ready, and the Government has taken powers to commandeer all vehicles and horses. i A LEADER'S STATEMENT. 5 .Mr. Bromley states that until Tuesday - he. and his executive did not know of a the difficulties between the Government ? and the National Union executive. He rei ceived Mr. Thomas's statement of their t demands and the Government's offer on i Thursday afternoon, and wrote to Mr. Thomas 24 hours later, s'tatisg that the executive had resolved, in view of the rates of pay ruling in other industries, that the Government's offer was totally inadequate to meet the existing cost of living, and had decided to extend any 1 support necessary to bring the movement to a successful issue. Mr. Bromley refuses to state whether ' the members of his union will also strike 8 at midnight, but his executive is now I sitting to formulate arrangements to. " carry out the resolution. "• A CABINET MEETING. ' e A full Cabinet was held late in the e afternoon and considered the situation in consultation with the railway execue tive and managers. ® SERVICE COMPLETELY STOPPED. y Not a single train is running through o out the country. The omnibuses and B tramways in London are running full II service, but are quite inadequate to meet 1- demands. Queueß a hundred yards long are waiting at starting places from early hours, and many thousands art compelled to tramp from distant suh urbs. Many travelled on motor lorries horse waggons, and bicycles. The multi plication of vehicles is causing conges tion in some streets. lb' The great strike began in manj 3- centres before midnight. a Through the absence of night staffi many long distance trains, fully loadei it with passengers, cancelled running owinj le to the absence of signalmen. a- Naval week-end leave has been can ce celled. . .

tione upon the use of gas and electric tl lighting in order to conserve coal, which gi is being stringently rationed to dwellings B COALTEANSPOBTMAYBE.STOPPED. " The Board of Trade has warned the public that it may be necessary to stop g coal transport entirely in the interest J( of food transport. The Government at present does not intend to provide trains with military crews, but may do so for the transport of food. Existing stocks of petrol are ample, and arrangements are being made for an increase in the imports thereof. AN APPALLING STRIKE LIKELY. Though some anticipate a short and " sharp struggle, there is a grave danger that the entire Triple Alliance will be involved, and, serious as the consequences f of the National Union's action must in- " evitably be, the feeling exists that the * country may now be faced with an f industrial situation of appalling and pos- j 1 sibly unprecedented magnitude, and that h the railwaymen have struck the first , blow in the trial of strength in which c other trades unions are only too willing t to lend support. '& A TEST QUESTION. It may later be found that this dispute B is being fought on the .test question of e whether the general high level of wages arising from the special circumstances c of the war shall henceforth be regarded f as the standard. It is noteworthy that Mr. Thomas, in justifying the union's j standpoint, repeatedly insists upon the ( standardisation of all grades on the same . hasis as conceded to the Associated Society locomotive men. The standardisation on these lines is the burden of ( his correspondence with Sir Auckland Geddes. MAINTENANCE OF WAR WAGES. ■ Observers in touch with Labor circles 1 declare that a determination to maintain j wage standards at the present level exists throughout the ranks of organised labor, especially in the industrial north, where there is serious danger that the Government's stand against the railwaymen ( may be interpreted by other workers as a declaration of industrial war. There ; are already disquieting symptoms of this, j and there is every reason to fear that the transporters will throw in their lot ; if requested. POSSIBLE EXTENSION. : Mr. Williams is one of the extremist ' Labor leaders, but probably knows the sentiments of the rank and file in a ' dispute of this nature. The strike de. ' veloped so suddenly that few indications exist of the transporters' leanings. The only utterance, apart from Williams', is that of the secretary of tha London section, who declares that vehicle workers are not likely to blackleg against the railwaymen. An extension of the strike to dockers is equally liable. The Plymouth dockers lost no time in passing a resolution declaring that they will not blackleg against the railwaymen. TRD?LE ALLIANCE'S ATTITUDE. Much depends upon the section of the Triple Alliance constitution relating to joint action. The full intervention of the Triple Alliance under ordinary circumstances would involve a matter of some little time, but the Alliance thrashed out tjie question now disputed last March, when the country was faced by an imminent strike of railwaymen, miners, and transporters. The settlement of the railwaymen's demands'at that time averted a trial of strength, but the settlement was then conditional on the subsequent satisfaction of the railwayi men's demands for standardisation. There is every likelihood, therefore, that the : Alliance will regard the present dispute as a continuation of the earlier dispute, . in which case Mr. Williams' intimation of automatic joint action may speedily ( be realised. GOVERNMENT'S PREPARATIONS. ' The Government, in pursuance of its ' declared policy of seeing the struggle through to a finish, is deriving considerable assistance from the organisation created in war time. Within a few hours of the strike decision, emergency orders s and regulations flowed in rapid stream ■ from the Government departments, difi fering only slightly from war time i ordinances. It will be a comparatively l easy matter to revise the war time or- ■ ganisation, and much invaluable time ' will be saved in the organisation of • emergency transport by the vast supply of War Qffiee motor lorries available, i An important asset also is the regisi ter of private motors suitable for transport, which was compiled during the war i to meet the needs in a possible invasion. , STRIKE POPULAR AMONG r RAILWAYMEN. ' It is impossible to doubt that the strike is popular among railwaymen. ! Meetings in many centres received the 1 decision with enthusiasm. ' At a mass meeting the secretary of the Rugby branch declared that the railwaymen were determined to wipe out the stain of the 1911 defeat. 7 Mr. Thomas discloses that Sir Auckf land Geddes' correspondence shows that t a crisis was practically inevitable rrom . the outset. Sir Auckland Geddes, conr veying the Government's proposals on , the 19th., sent a covering letter con- . taining the following studied phrase: j "The proposals are not put forward on a e basis for negotiations, but as definite i offer of the Government to the Union." I The executive seems to have accepted f this as a challenge. It has been sugr gested that this is a misapprehension, I but, apart from official Labor organs, the newspapers are emphatic in declaring that differences are so fundamental that it is impossible to talk of misundor- _ standings. A FAIR OFFER. Newspapers are in practical unanimity in considering that the men received a fair offer, and that the strike therefore e amounts to a challenge to the State, inn. volving for more important issues than i- wages. It iB the long deferred struggle with direction action which was bound to come sooner or later. Accordingly some newspapers breathe a sigh of relief, confident that the nation will be willing d " to endure the inevitable hardships in n order to remove the long standing men,f ace. I "AN AWFUL BUSINESS." II Mr. Thomas admits the strike is an :e awful business, and does not doubt that 3 " the triple alliance will come in. s > It is suggested in many quarters that '- Parliament should be summoned. One *■' reason given is that Parliament may devise a settlement. 'J Ireland is not affected. There will be a meeting of the Londoß *s Provincial Licensed Vehicle Worker? to> '<* night, and officials declare the vote wii >g support the railwaymen, ana ni'«e> trams and taxis will cease & rUD i;,,u n- to-night. There was a great rush to <••'"• ?' jhesa of tinned food, and irude Uci

the suburbs had great difficulty ia getting fresh supplies. Milk from Buckingham and otter home counties was largely held up until lorries were , sent to meet the local carts and other xnivcyances half way. The fish porters' sympathetic strike .at Billingsgate seriously delayed the unloading of army lorries bringing supplies to the market from the terminus. DURATION OF THE STRIKE, PROVISIONING LONDON. Received Sept. 23, 11.35 p.m. London, Sept. 27. The duration of the strike is estimated in railway circles at a fortnight, if the Government remain adamant. The Government has taken over Hyde Park as a centre for food distribution in the, London area. Milk, butter, vegc* tables and .eggs will be brought direct from the country to Hyde Park and sent forthwith to scheduled districts in motor lorries. Under the direction of Air Force officers the country people brought produce to Plymouth over many miles of road. All sorts of conveyances wete used foi distribution of food. Soldiers at Folkestone assisted in carrying luggage and loading coal and mails to enable the cross-Channel steamers to leave. Hundreds of telegrams have been received from the country containing gratifying offers of motor cars and drivers. ' A few hundred naval men, drafted to London rspm Chatham, have been entrusted with motor lorries for distributing foodstuffs. The postal service between London and the provinces will be re-established on Monday. OTHER INDUSTRIES AFFECTED. Three-fourths of the Midland railway employees at the Derby carriage and wagon building and repairing works are idle. The platforms at Bristol were left piled with mails and perishable articles. Hundreds of workers were unable to reach Birmingham, Cardiff, and other centres. Union officials claim that 3500 struck in South Wales. There are no workmen's trains to the collieries in the Avon valley, and on Monday every pit will be idle. Steel and tinplate works must close in the absence of coal. The stoppage of English traffic seriously affects Belfast. The strike in Glasgow is complete, and supplies of both industrial and domestic coal are short. The mills at Burnley will soon close because of the lack of coal and material Them is much inconvenience in Liverpool. Steps are being taken to keep the Mersey tunnel pumped. ■Seventeen thousand colliers and steelworkers at Nenth have been rendered idle by the strike. Coal stocks will suffice for big local industries for a fortnight. The Irish Trade Union Congress officially approved of the strike, and warned Ir.sh workers to be tpiulv to assist the strikers in every possible way.—Aus N.Z. Cable Assoc.