THE SWORD OF DAMOCLES

Gisborne Times, Volume XXXVI, Issue 3997, 30 July 1913, Page 5

THE SWORD OF DAMOCLES

RAND STRIKE PLANS. LABOR LEADERS BIDINC, THEIR TIME. WILL STRIKE UNEXPECTED BLOW. (Received July 20. 6.25 p.m.) JOHANNESBURG, July 29. The Secretary of the Trades Federation. addressing a meeting of 1600 raihvaymen at Pretoria, attacked General Smuts (Minister for Defence) and Mr. Trute r (Commissioner of Police) for their action during the strike. He stated that General Smuts wanted them to strike now, hut they would choose their own. time and would not tell when they were striking the blow., _ ' All the leading business houses in. Capetown are organising bands of men pledged to act as special constables if necessary. The English and Dutch farmers resen c the dictatorial tone of the Labor leaders. The rejection of the mineowncrs’ concessions is alienating public sympathy from the workers. The “Rand Mail” urges the Government and the mining industry to grant an eight-hours’ day inclusive of winding time, and to withdraw the condition that Union funds shall not be used for political purposes. The “Transvaal Leader” urges the. Government and the community not to allow themselves to be terrorised. There is a great demand for food in Johannesburg, and householders are laying in a large stock. Otherwise, trade is stagnant and merchants have cabled to stop shipments. The growing impression is that the strike committee will defer final action until the bank holiday on August 4. The bulk of their monthly wages is due on August 3, and if thev strike earlier their wages will he jeopardised. The personnel of the strike committee are secretly empowered to issue absolute orders. The strike leaders threaten to organise a strike on so-called scientific lines ,causing damage and creating disturbances wherever the police are absent, and hoping thus to terrorise the Government into submission. The Government’s chief anxietv is connected with the Natives. Much seditious literature in the native dialect is being circulated about the mines. • Thirty thousand natives were lost during June and July owing to the stoppage, and are recruiting and threatening to throw many whites out of employment. The Government mining authorities have completed plans for compulsorily repatriating a. quarter of a million natives in the event of a crisis, and despite this it will take a year to restore labor conditions to normal. It lias been arranged that the natives shall be divided into parties of one thousand each and lists have been prepared of experienced men spaking the natives’ language willing to command the parties. Haversacks have been prepared to enable each native to carry enough food to take him from depot to depot.