RAILWAY SERVICES IMPROVED

Evening Post, Volume XCVIII, Issue 79, 1 October 1919, Page 7

RAILWAY SERVICES IMPROVED

LEADERS' RESTRAINING

HAND

SECTIONAL STRIKES DEPRECATED

SUPPORT FOR GOVERNMENT.

(UNITED TRESS ASSOCIATION.—COPXRIGHT.) ' UDSTIUUAN-NEW ZEALAND CABLI ASSOCIATION.)!! (Received October 1, 10.30 a.m.) LONDON, 20th September.

The strike leaders declare' that they are prepared for a long and severe struggle. The initiative now rests with the Government. The strikers will wel> come the reopening of negotiations for a' settlement. " • ■

Air. Thomas has telegraphed to ths Derby strikers.: "Your response is beyond all expectations. This is a. fight i'oi1 uxisienee. JCee£ your heads, and vie-, tory is assured." In spite of these uptuuUtic pronouncement*, the Railway-, mun's Executive lias doubled the pickets .it, many of tho London and provincial stations, with a view to stopping strikers who aro returning. ' t (Received October .1, 9 a.m.) LONDON, 30th September. The leaders of the transport workers and railwaymen have jointly advised other unions to retrain from sectional strikes.'' Nevertheless many members ot tile Veliicle Workers' Union insistently support -the policy of a general strike within 'twenty-iour hours, in sympathy 'with tha raihvaymen, which would oe in accordance with si' motion about to be submitted to a meeting of the Transport Workew' Federation. The latter has a membership of 820,000, including riverside and dockside labourers and workers, and affiliated seamen.-

The motion in" effect- represents . the policy (>£ direct action... Its : exponents excuse ' it, oh the ground' that the, Government declared wav on the' trade

. Meanwhile/- Mr. -Smith, general secret tary of. -the (, London and ' Provincial Licensed I Workers' Union, says the latter is holding its hands until to-morrow, to enablej the "Transport Workeis'- Executive to .confer witli the llailwaymen'a Executive.,', . , ■.■'■-,..' '■'. ,' .; ..'■"".■.

LONDON, 29th September

Mr. Thomas to-day denied that negotiations wer,e reopened. He had received / offers 'of assistance irom other • unions which would have paralysed the country. He had ■ refused them, but the . position might yet become uncontrollable.

Mr. Brownlia declares that the Associated Society of Engineers had prepur--43d for a long arid severe struggle. Other, unions willjnot allow the railwaymeii to be defeated'for lack of funds. ■ . ..