UNPRECEDENTED LABOR ACTION.

Marlborough Express, Volume LIV, Issue 189, 11 August 1920, Page 5

UNPRECEDENTED LABOR ACTION.

DETERMINED*~TO PREVEKTT

INTERVENTION

ALLIED DECISION DEFERRED.

Aus. and N,Z. Cable Association, (deceived -Aug. 10, 8.40 ;p:m.) LONDON, Aug. 9. The unanimous decision of the joint political, industrial, and Labor organisations is an unprecedented action in ;£ke history of the Labor movement. It nieans 4hat if Britain decides to institute war measures against Russia a National Congress of 'Trades Unions will be held within a .few 'hours to declare an immediate general strike involving six million workers.

.Sectional Labor protests continue. There is every indication that -the great mass.of the working population is united behind the leaders. The council of action appointed by :the conference lias arranged an interview with 'Mr Lloyd George to-day. The actual decision of the Allies regarding Russia will be deferred until they know the result of the Russo-Polish deliberations at Minsk on Wednesday. The Russian terms which will there be disclosed will be regarded as a test of Russia's bona fides. "France would welcome stronger Allied action, and 'Mr Lloyd George would probably welcome Labor's emphatic pronouncement as providing solid grounds for non-interven-tion.

The Government newspapers declare that the crisis is past, and that there will be no war so ' far as Britain is concerned.

The Daily Chronicle's correspondent says: "I have high authority for saying1 that the Government will not involve the country in war, provided that Russia does not attempt to destroy Poland's independence. If Poland's independence is at stake Britain will impose a complete blockade against Russia." The Daily Express states that Mr Lloyd George's decision against participation 'in the war is based on the merits of the case rather than on the strength of public opinion against intervention.,

A despatch from Warsaw on Monday stated that the Polish army was demoralised, and the fall of Warsaw was imminent.