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Grey River Argus, 8 May 1926, Page 5

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Alt STILL STAUNCH IN STRIKERS’ RANKS. Iron Heel Being Forged. BALDWIN’S ULTIMATUM. REJECTED BY LABOUR. LONDON, May (i. The Trades Inion Congress Council issued a statement refusing unqualifiedly Mr Baldwin’s demand that it call off the general strike before a resumption of negotiations. The Council reiterates that it is still willing to resume negotiations unconditionally. BaiaDWIN AND THOMAS. AGAIN IN CONFERENCE. LONDON, May 6.' It is understood that Mr Baldwin and Mr Thomas are conferring with a view to reaching a basis of negotiation for a settlement of the strike. There is also great activity among the Labour leaders. Dramatic developments are expected. CROWDS STOP BUSES. SOME LIVELY “SCRAPS.” LONDON, May G. The Government’s report says:— There has been strong intimidation in the eastern districts preventing some movement of foodstuffs. Between seventy and eighty London omnibuses did not return to the depots at the scheduled time last night, owing to damage to various parts, but fifty more General Omnibuses are working to-day. Lorries to London from Southampton were turned back by pickets. A mob attacked the buses near Elephant and Castle, South London, and set fire to one manned by a volunteer' driver and conductor, who were forced to dismount and were roughly handled as they endeavoured to get clear. The passengers had been told beforehand to disembark. The police galloped to the scene. Constables and specials soon controlled the situation. The driver and conductor of another bus, which was waylaid and nearly crashed into the Elephant Public House, were also forced to fly for safety. Terms of imprisonment of a week to six months were imposed at the oh I •street police court arising out of strike scenes at Shortditch and Bethnal Green including an assault on tne police.

A conflict occurred late last night at Edinburgh between a big crowd ami the police, at which bottles and stones were thrown, windows smashed and the contents looted. Five constables and a number of civilians were taken to the hospital. A police sergeant was slashed in the back with a razor. A mounted constable’s horse took fright and bolted, and collided with a rail-

ing. The horse was killed ami the rider severely injured. Three persons arrested were fined or sent* to gaol. LONDON’S CONDITION ON THURSDAY. LONDON, May (». Under blue summer skies, the. third morning of the strike found vast crowds going to business. London was in gay mood and vehicles wore as numerous as ever, but the traffic jams were fewer, partly duo to drivers’ following back streets hitherto unexplored. The principal centres of interest ’were in the newspaper world at the offices of the “Daily Mail” and the “Daily Herald,” outside winch the crowds still igather, while outside the “Morning Post” office, where the “British Gazette” is published, a number, evidently strikers, congregated. There was no disorder, but the gates were shut, and police on duty. The outpatients’ department at the London Hospital is closed owing to strike difficulties. The London taxi men decided to join the strike at midnight yesterday, but hundreds were on the street this morning. GOVERNMENT NEWS. NO FOOD SHORTAGE. LONDON, May 6. The Government reports state: — “Speaking generally there is no shortage of food. Apparently there has been little effort made to raise the prices. No difficulty in obtaining flriv<*rs for transport is being anticipated by the Civil Commissioner. In some ckses, where there was difficulty in moving supplies, the Trade I nion Congress permitted volunteer workers to remove goods. Tt can bo authoritatively stated that there is no likelihood of the strike impeding overseas cable communications. , ... The emergency services are rapi’ii) improving in all directions, and a great increase is reported in passenger trains on tho main and local lines. The trunk lines are now running three hundred to four hundred daily. London tubes arc reopening to-day.

THE COMMUNIST M.P. SENT TO GAOL. LONDON, May fi. M. Saklatvala (Communist M.P. for Battersea') appeared at Bow StreetHe refused to find t'wo sureties and was sentenc'd to two months’ imprisonment. His counsel told the magistrate that a’ccused decided to conduct his own defence. Saklatvala, admitted the fairness and accuracy of the police report of his speech, and said his trial was intended for the public good. He did not regard it as a. personal prosecution. He considered that in view of the present political outlook he should not be bound over any more than was the Premier, for the Premier’s speech against a section of the community. Tke Magistrate declared that no reasonable man could doubt Saklatvala’s speech -was most seditious