IF A STRIKE COMES.

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 29 March 1926, Page 7

IF A STRIKE COMES.

PROTECTING THE COMMUNITY

THE GOVERNMENT'S MEASURE

Whatever may be the outcome of the Goal Commission's report which was made public only a few days ago, the prevailing opinion in Britain is that the country will solve its grave industrial problems without recourse to a general strike. At the same time, those responsible for the country’s safety have been quietly preparing plans to deal with such aii emergency, should it arise A recent London despatch says that, forsecing the possibility —let it be hoped, a remote one —that the coal miners may strike within the next few months and sweep the railroad workers and members of other of the more important: labour unions into a strike with them, the Government has been busy lately dividing Britain into areas, over each of which a local chief commis sioner will be placed in case a general strike is declared. Outranking all these local commissioners is a chief commissioner, whose task would be to supervise those areas and direct special emergency measures for thi‘ country as a whole. This chief commissioner is the Postmaster-General, Sir William Mitchel Thomson, a member of Parliament. He will also have under him several other officials to supervise* all questions connected with food, transport, railways, postal survive, etc. Moreover, there will be a liaison officer between the, emergency organisation and the military authorities and another tv) maintain liaison with the police. Will Recruit. Volunteers. In order still to further safeguard the public if a strike is declared, recruiting officers have been quietly appointed by the Government for enlisting volunteer workers to aid in enforcing the emergency measures. For several months recently the “Organisation for the .Maintenance of Supplies,’' upon which, will devolve the major part of the task of keeping up the llow of food and other necessities, despite the strikers, has been preparing lists of persons capable of aiding in the emergency work. These lists show persons skilled in various occupations, also those semiskilled and those unskilled, but whose services are available. Should the necessity arise these lists would be turned over to the Government authorities in order to avoid confusion, which might arise from the hasty recruiting of volunteers of whose capabilities nothing was known. In addition a thorough census has been made of all motor transport which would be available, likewise data on the number of men 'required to run, the vehicles and where they could be obtained. Other information already gathered in the endeavour to prepare the country for a general strike emergency covers food requirements in various parts of the country and how food might best lie taken to them. Only Forty-eight Hours Needed. If necessary railways and road vehicles will be commandeered under special emergency orders. All emergency workers will be amply protected by tire authorities should the necessity arise. The entire plan, it is stated, despite its thoroughness and complexity. could be put into operation within forty-eight hours, and it is confidently held' that it would suffice to meet the country's needs for an indefinite period, despite the most determined efforts of the strikers to break it down. Those conversant with the contemplated emergency measures particularly point out that they arc not in the slightest degree of a provocative nature, and that they were adopted merely as a safeguard against a remote eemrgency and not because the emergency seems at all imminent.