BEER DRINKERS' STRIKE

Evening Star, Issue 14512, 2 November 1910, Page 12

BEER DRINKERS' STRIKE

The strike bacillus is uncommonly,busy just at present. It has even successfully at - tacked the bcei-dfinkcrs of Burnley, in Lancashire. Two brewery firms controlling a large number of public-houses in that district recently decided to recoup themselves for the losses inflicted upon them by Mr Lloyd George’s financial methods by raising the prices of beer and spirit* to tho retailer. In turn the latter decided to make the public pay, and promptly raised the price of beer [<l a pint and of spirits J,d a nip. To their amazement and annoyance their regular customers not only protested vehemently against the new scale of charges, but took prompt measures to bring the retailers to a proper sense of their misdoing by striking. Not only did they refuse to patronise the erring publicans themselves; they actually established pickets outside the houses, and endeavored—with considerable success it appeal's —to persuade all who proposed to drink on the picket premises to restrain their thirst and reserve, their money to spend in houses where the prices remained unchanged. These drastic measures soon had the desired effect on the unfortunate retailers, who found their daily takings diminishing to an alarming extent. One hy one they gave way and reverted to their old scale of charges. In the end, no doubt, they will contrive to make the consumer pay, but it will have to be in a somewhat less ostensible fashion than a halfpenny tacked on to the price of a pint of beer —by some means that, the eye not seeing, the heart will not grieve about.—London correspondent, September 23.