THE LABOUR WAR.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10400, 22 August 1911, Page 6

THE LABOUR WAR.

INFLAMMATORY SPEECHES. United l'ress Association — By Elec trie Telegraph — Copyright. (Received August 21, 9 a.m.} LONDON, August 20. Mr Keir Bardie, in. a speech at Merthyr on Saturday, said_ there would be no settlement until the unions were recognised. Mr Barnes, at Dowlais, said" the only solution was to destroy "the damnable capitalism." The "great railway dispute was only one feature of the labour unrest spreading over the length and breadth of the couatry. While Ihe did not object to conciliation to settle temporary difficulties, there would be no broad solution until the workers won for themselves the whole produce of their labour.

The Railway News shows that in 1910 thirty-six railways paid £30.500,000 in salaries and wages, or about "the same amount as preference and ordinary stock holders were paid. Owing to the activity of the Amalgamated Society it is estimated ''hat the .striker/5 this evening -numbered a quarter of a million. Its executive made .a gratuitous .allowance _ of nx shillings a week to non-unionist strikers, of "whom there are six thousand ot all trades.

A number of London and Brighton strikers 'have applied to resume work. The tramways in Liverpool have resumed running. The railwaymen at Stroud and Chatham have also resumed. There -was, much enthusiasm at \ he Central Station, Manchester, on the resumption. A diabolical but unsuccessful attempt was made to derail the mail, passenger train at Saffvalo by loosening the rails. The attempt was opportunely discovered. Strikers and miners destroyed the rails in the Eyewash Valley, and I stopped the Midland Scotch express ' and two other trains.

Troops from Derby cleared the line

Several were injured in baton charges, in an attempt to wreck a signal box 'at Stafford. Strikers at York stoned passing trains, rushed the station gates, and attempted to wreck two trains. The military then occupied the station. The two Dover stations aro close:!, also a dozen stations in London and on the Great Northern at Nottingham.

Two thousand troops had been sent to Swindon and troops at Alderney and Guernsey iliiad been summoned to England on strike duty. Owing to the rioting, a thousand troops were sent to Leicester. „ The races at Wolverhampton were postponed. An express at King's Cross, by a mistake in signalling, narrowly escaped a collision. A military report states that the railwaymen are not responsible for the rioting.

At Llanelly a train with ■Vhree hundred passengers was derailed. The bridge nt Runcorn was set on fire in two places, and has been closed.

A Fishguard express ran through the disturbed districts with rifles through the windows.

Forty racehorses are .bold Up at Redcar wanting trains. Four thousand dockers at Bristol struck out of sympathy with ; iio railwaymen. Acts of wanton destruction rapidly increased in many directions, but Mie lines, on the whole, were well controlled.

The continual despatch of troops to the threatened areas had an important influence in securing peaceful methods.

The Home Office has reported that the port of London is almost full. Some lawyers and doctors volunteered as special constables in London. Hundreds were sworn in.

The London and North Western Company gave the'''loyalists double, pay. The London and Brighton Company promised a reward to nonstrikers. Passengers on many trains made collections for the loyalists. Lord Derby insured Knowsley Hall for £191,000 against strike riots at a premium of one shilling per cent, monthly. Numerous insurances on ■warehouses and shipping are reported. Bolton and Liverpool were within a day or two of starvation. Cardiff had

only one-tenth the usual milk supply. Margate and Ramsgate were short of provisions, and many visitors have quitted. Immense quantities of perishable goods are at a standstill on the eastern coast.

The Great Eastern Railway was unable to guarantee delivery and had requested suspension of German shipments.

The paralysis due to the strike rendered idle twelve thousand men in the collieries and iron and steel works in Cumberland.

Thousands in Derbyshire and at Middlesborough, eight thousand colliers at Nottingham, ten thousand at Durham, forty thousand in North Cumberland, and two thousand at Bishop Auckland were threatened with idleness within two days, also two hundred thousand in Wales. All the troops have been withdrawn. The Home Office reports that things are quieter everywhere.

The War Office has ordered all troops on strike duty to return as soon 'as possible. The timeliness of the settlement is illustrated by the position up to midnight. A Home Office report states that it is expected that the railway settlement will solve Liverpool's and Birkenhead's difficulties.

Mr Asquith, who is suffering from an affection of the throat, deputed Mr Lloyd-George to act as his spokesman at the Conference.

Mr Lloyd-George spent ten hours yesterday labouring to obtain a settlement. During eight hours of that time he was face to face with railwayman's representatives. Mr Williams, secretary of the Amalgamated Railwaymen's Association, interviewed, interpreted the agreement as paving the way to the extension of recognition to the association.

A train was entering Llanelly, when a mob, standing on the slopes beside the track, stoned the police and soldiers guarding the line, and attacked the driver and fireman.

The Worcestershire regiment advanced, and an officer warned the rioters, but without result. The Riot Act was read, and tha crowd laughed and jeered. The officer fired in the air, and the jeers were renewed. Then the troops fired a volley overHead and two others at lower range. None of the mob were hit. but of four persons in a garden in the vicinity two were killed, including an invalid Londoner, and two were severely injuz-ed.

The railway-men late last night and early to-day were so incensed at the incident that they destroyed a. section of the line, held up a troop train at Llanelly junction, captured a quantity of ammunition, looted shops in Llanelly, and set fire to trucks of provisions in the railway goods shed, where an explosion killed three and injured several. Many others were wounded.

Bayonet charges were made by the troops, clearing the streets. Six persons were killed in the Llanelly explosion. In his speech at Merthyr, Mr Keir Hardie added that the stoppage was duo to Mr Asquith's threats, but when the next_ big strike occurred the collier and iron workers would be called out, and then they would see what the soldiers could do.

He counselled the men to adide loyally by whatever decision w-as readied. Midland strikers from Sheffield urged the Chesterfield men to strike. They attacked the station on Saturday night, and a serious conflict ensued. The riot Act was read, and jthe mob dispersed at the bayonet point. Thirteen were injured. The King telegraphed to Mr Buxton : "I rejoice that the strike is ended, and congratulate both sides on the success of tthe negotiations. I am sure the satisfactory solution was in a great measure duo to your untiring efforts."