BRITISH LABOR CRISIS.

Taranaki Daily News, 27 August 1920, Page 5

BRITISH LABOR CRISIS.

DIRECT ACTION NOT LIKELY. COMMUNITY v. SECTIONAL INTERESTS. By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright. Received August 26, 11.10 p.m. London, August 25. While it is considered that the miners' ballot will Tesult in a large majority in favor of a strike, it is understood that it is officially regarded as indicating little ijiore thi\n loyalty to the men's leaders, wlio declare they would not advise direct action without the certainty of co-operation between the whole triple alliance, but there is evidence that the alb'ance would hesitate to sanction a combined strike unless out-, side unions agree to finance it. Moreover, moderate constitutionalists will throw their whole influence into the scale* to preserve industrial peace. The Government is convinced that Mr. Robert Smillie (president of the Miners' Federation) will be unable to stampede his own federation, or associated unionß, into precipitate action. It is possible that sus a last resort the Government would appeal to the country on the single issue of the Tights of the community against sectional interests. In the event of a pTO-strike ballot the triple alliance will meet next week to consider the situation, but Labor officials believe the alliance itself will not take a course of direct intervention against the Government.!—Aufi.-N.Z. Cable Aasn.

[The triple alliance referred to constitutes the most powerful combination of labor forces in Great Britain — probably in the world. It really acts as one big union, comprising all transport workers, the miners, the dockers, and their affiliated unionß, so that a strike supported by the triple alliance would completely paralyse, the economic life and induatry of Britain.]