MANY MEN AT WORK.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 110, 11 May 1926, Page 7

MANY MEN AT WORK.

NASTY CLASHES IN NORTH.

WHAT EARL BAX-FOUR SAYS

PROTECTING PEOPLES' TOOD

CDy Cable.—Tress Association.—Copyright.!

LONDON, May 10. The '"Times" says many of the strikers have seen the folly and danger of the stoppage and have returned to work. A total of lOli.ooo regular railwaymen are working again in the four main groups. An official Government review of the situation issued yesterday was prefaced by an assurance that no material news was being withheld. It described the position generally as satisfactory. Food supplies in London and the home counties were assured, though there was a tendency for the prices of eggs, meat and vegetables to rise. The Trades I'nion Congress has requested the Irish trades unions not to allow the transport of food to England. Irish railwaymen have refused to handle English mails and passengers' luggage and the dockers have refused to berth mail-boats. Further complications are feared as a result of the Irish railway companies enforcing an award under which wages are reduced by 4/ a week. THE KING IN COUNCIL. The King held a Council at Buckingham Palace. The Lord President of the Council, the Karl of Balfour, the Attorney-General. Mr W. 1). Hogsr. and the Home Secretary, \V. JoynsonHicks. were present. London was quiet yesterday, but reports show that in other centres more or less serious rioting occurred. There were nasty disturbances In Middlesborough. Yorkshire. The police were threatened by a hostile crowd and numerous baton oharecs followed. Order was not restored until early this morning. The principal cause of the trouble was the manning of trams and busc3 by volunteers. A communique published in the "British Gazette"' described the riots at Middlesboroush as somewhat considerable. They were eventually quelled. Attempts to interrupt convoys on the London-Thames Ditton Road wore marked by the throwing o* bottles and stones. Strone reinforcements were available and the route was soon under strict control. The communique went on to say that confidence and ordpr had been maintained in the London Dock area. The general situation was bettor, than last week. Thousjli there had been riotina in Glasgow. Edinburgh and the smaller centres, the civil authorities in Scotland, as in England, had been able to cope with the trouble without the aid of the military. TROUBLE IN NEWCASTLE. At Newcastle the police were hurriedly reinforced last night to deal with a dUorderlv crowd of 10.000 people. They attacked the special constables. The crowd was broken up into sections and dispersed by batons. Four baton charges were made on a Preston crowd of 4000 persons who were 1 trying to rescue a man who had been i arrested for throwing a missile. The police arrested -six persons, including a woman who was the ringleader. Several other disturbances occurred outside the borough boundary and lasted into the morning. The railway signals nnd points were endangered at Northumberland by •••hairs being placed on the line. They were removed before any damage had been done. The most serious aspect of the strike eorcerns the strikers' reported second and third lines of attack. This is their own description of the offensive ncrainst the food supplies and against light and power. GREAT STATESMAN'S VIEW.

\ isrount Grey of Falloden, in _ message broadcasted throughout the country, said the negotiations about miners' w ages must be free. They would not be free while the general strike existed. "The strike has let loose forces of disorder which are no part of the trade unionism of this country." said Lord Grey. "They are hooligan forces which the trades union leaders themselves would disown at ordinary times. If the object of the strike be revolutionary there is UOthing to do but to fight it to the bitter end, but if the sole object is to get the best terms possible for the miners, then the wisest course will be to withdraw the strike and get back to the negotiations. - ' The" "Times" on Saturday morning said the General Council of the Trades Union Congress had set itself up as a rival authority to the Government. The community, in its own defence, must improvise emergency services. The paper laid stress on the fact that trades union agreements had been broken and that desperate injury had been done to the honour of trades unionism.

Viscount Grey

The Riga correspondent of the "Times" says the Third (Communist) International has instructed the British Communist party to do its utmost to hamper food transport. "You must urge class against class everywhere," says the instruction. "You must accelerate developments toward an active civil war. ' _, _,... ...._. „..,.,.,....,, In the course o* a speech at Willes den, Mr. C. T Cramp, secretary of" the National Unior of Railwaymen said he understood there was a feelin" that the Kailwav and Transport Unions were fightiw the l>attle rathe* drastically. Some workers were even inclined to think the methods adopted would hurt their own class. This was not a picnic party. They mi°ht. and probably would, inconvenience some of their own comrades, but the inconvenience must be borne. Referring to recent speeches made by the Prime Minister. Mr. Cramp expressed the opinion that they were the utterances of a well-meaning man, but said he believed there had been sinister influences working behind Mr. Baldwin. These had emanated from people who were desirous of crushing the worker*.

EARI, BAUPOTJR SPEAKS. "They wanted a light and they have got it/ he said. "I hope they like it." The Earl of Balfour in an article in the "British Gazette," says: "It is 23i years since there was a revolution in this country, the object of which was to secure supremacy in Parliamentary govcrnmeut. and" over the traditional liberties of our people. We are now threatened with a very different kind of revolution, the method's of which consist of depriving the people of their food, their transport, their employment and a free Press. "Xo revolution in Britain, however triumphant, is going to diminish competition in neutral markets, augment the demand for coal at home, hasten the changes recommended by the Coal Commission aud compel the mineowner indefinitely to carry on his industry at a loss. "If this revolution succeeds the community will thenceforth be ruled by a relatively small body of Extremists who regard the trades unions, not as machinery for collective bargaining within our industrial system, but as a political instrument by means of which the industrial system may l>e utterly destroyed. Such a policy would bring ruin swift, complete and irresistible.

"We live on industry and industry lives on credit -and enterprise. What credit, financial or political, and what enterprise would remain to us were we driven by such methods to dispossess the people of their Parliamentary liberties and to hand over our national heritage to be snuandered. amid incalculable suffering, by violent, irresponsible doctrinaires? From such a fate may the courage and resolution of our countrymen save civilisation." "NO SERIOUS DISORDER." Although the necessity is ever-increas-ing for the convoy system in order to secure the free movement of food supplies the chief Civil Commissioner is able to pay a noteworthy tribute to the general peace and security of the country, lie says: — "Throughout the length and breadth of the British Isles there is no serious disorder, no bloodshed, wounding or looting." Even the Labour paper, the "British Worker," indirectly upholds the Civil Commissioner's claim. It publishes a protest against 1(5 armoured cars escorting food lorries from the docks to Hyde Park. The paper says: — "The object of this ridiculous demonstration was to make the people believe the strike has violent revolutionary aims. As a matter of fact food lorries are as safe as ordinary traffic is at ordinary times." The "Trades Union Council says a military cordon has been drawn round the London dock area. It urges the strikers to keep out of that area, and tiros avoid conflict with the military, and the local transport workers. The Yorkshire Miners' Union has de- . eided to pay strike money to 15ft.000 members on Thursday. The rates are to be £1 a week for men and 10/ for boys. Members will also receive 2/ for each child. There were conflicting viewpoint? yesterday concerning the number of public conveyances which have restarted. The Government announces that 3000 conveyances ran yesterday. The Trades Union Council says that this statement is entirely at variance with its evidence, and states that trades union dispatch riders report having seen only two trains on the way to Scotland. THE INTERNATIONAL. Meetings of international labour unions are being held at Ostend. They are discussing matters in relation to the general strike in Britain. The members of the Transport | Workers' International were not enthusiastic about a proposal made by a British delegate. Mr. Milford. that the loading and unloading of every ship dying the British flag should be prohibited at all Continental ports, whatever their cargo might be. A Belgian delegate pointed out the impossibility of complying with this proposal, especially in connection with the unloading of cargoes destined lor; local consumption. I Eventually it was agreed that the shipping of coal to Britain should be prevented at all Continental ports. The International Miners' Committee j announced its solidarity with the British I workers. It declared its readiness to I take still further steps to assist them and expressed the conviction that lastinsr peace in the mining industry will only he possible through the establishment of co-operation and international control. It was announced that the decision of the recent conference at Brussels that no coal should he exported to Britain had been fully carried out hi other countries. j At a meeting between delegates from the miners in the Department dv Nord and the Pas de Calais with representa-j tives of the coalmining companies it wss; agreed to increase wages 10 per cent j and the cost of living bonus ! ."> per] cent. j Officials of the Marine Transport' Workers' Industrial Union, which claims! a membership of •J.i.oOft. distributed | 'hroughout the world, have crilled ni strike which is to commence at midnight) to-nisht. j The union demand* an increase In I waees by _.l a month, an eiabt-hour day and extra pay for overtime. The union expressed sympathy with the British marine workers who are Stated to be on strike. The union is affiliated with thp Industrial Worker? of the World. In churches and chapel? of nil denominations yesterday eForts were made to instruct the congregation? reeardinsr the r'uties of the public in the pre%pnt crisis. The preachers trenerallv emphasised the necessity for justice between classes. VIEWS OF THE CHURCH. The Archbishop of Canterbury preached a sermon for broadcasting. He urged that support of law and order was a solemn. Christian duty, but no temper or selfishness should be shown in the existing crisis. Cardinal Bourne, at High Mass in i Westminster Cathedral. said: "The : strike challenges lawful authority. Ah ' must support the Government, which in its own sphere, represents God's authority." The "Times" says the strike has produced a deep i'.npreaaiun throughout the world. The foreign ?ress pays a tribute to the ealinne*- and restraint of the Government and "people. The opinion is widely expressed abroad that tin; strike is bound to fail. French. Gorman and American papers regard the Government's vindication of its authority as an issue vital to all Governments. The Italian Press claims that the strike shows fascism to be superior to a democratic regime. The Soviet paper "Izvestia" describes the British labour leaders a3 sheep.

THE PRIME MINISTER'S TASK. The week-end failed to produce any approach to the Government by the Trades Union Congress in the direction of an acceptance of the Government's decision requiring the calling-off of the general strike before negotiations would be resumed. The most important happening today was an oilicial reply issued by the congress to a statement which had been broadcasted by the Prime Minister, Mr. Stanley Baldwin. The congress says Mr. Baldwin's reference to the general strike as a danger to the country is likely to lead to considerable misunderstanding. Therefore, it reiterates that the struggle is an industrial question, aud that the British Constitution, in so far as the congress is concerned, is not involved.

"Mr. Baldwin has talked about getting round the table, but he has made it a condition that the general strike order shall be withdrawn." says the congress. '"We do not find anything in his speech about the withdrawal of the 'lock-out' notice*. He says no door is closed. We have constantly said a resumption of the negotiations should occur upon the position which had been arrived at on April 30.

"If that door is open it is for the Prime Minister to make clear that the 'lock-out' notices should be withdrawn as well as those calling the strike. So far as we are concerned Mr. Baldwin will find us willing to listen to any statement he has to make." The congress asserts that an increasing number of workers are coming out in trades which are regarded as Labour's second line of defence. "in our anxiety to convince the public that we are not pursuing anything in the nature of a revolutionary struggle," adds the congress, "we have refused other undesirable offers of financial assistance, as well as that from Russia." "Whatever the end may be. so far as the nation is concerned, it must be worse after the strike than before," admitted Mr. J. 11. Thomas. M.P., in a speech at Hammersmith. He said that all attempts to raise the constitutional issue were not only wrong, but danger-

"Whatever the result." said Mr. Thomas, "it will not be made by us a challen.e to the Constitution. The responsibility is indeed heavy, but eraver responsibility will rest upon whichever side fails to recoenise the moment when an honourable settlement can be reached That moment must be accepted and everyone must work for tliat end." Mr. C. T. Cramp, secretary of the Xational T'nion of Railway-men. speakin? at Stoke Xcwington. said no reasonable person would prolong the conflict for a moment if it could be closed honourably. Rut no one could give the Primp Minister a blank eheoue.— (A. and X.Z.-Reuter-Svdney "Sun.")