NORTHERN ADVOCATE DAILY TUESDAY, MAY 4, 1926. THE BRITISH CRISIS

Northern Advocate, 4 May 1926, Page 4

NORTHERN ADVOCATE DAILY

TUESDAY, MAY 4, 1926. THE BRITISH CRISIS

Eegistered for transmission through the post as a newspaper.

Though definite news of the com- ; meucement of a general strike in Eng-! land is not to hand, the indications are such as to suggest that a great struggle between the State and sections of the people is already in progress. It would appear, unfortunately, that £he trial of strength which has been threatening for so long has arrived. One of the outstanding indications of this is the fact that the “Daily Mail’' was unable to publish yesterday owing to the printers refusing t 6 permit publication of a leading article calling on law-abiding citizens to hold themselves in readiness for King and country. This high-handed action on the part of the printers will undoubtedly prove to have been a foolish move, and the decision of the paper to cease publication a wise one. The absence of the “Daily Mail," especially when the cause of its absence is known, will do more than almost anything else! could to arouse the people of Britain | to the real nature of the crisis theyj have to meet. Later news which has come to hand demonstrates that the Government, by abandoning attempts further to mediate in the dispute, realised the uselessness of negotiation. Mr. Baldwin has stated plainly that he would have continued to act as peace-1 maker but for the discovery that the,! labour leaders were deceitfully issuing orders to unions to carry out a general strike on Tuesday. We may rest assured that Mr. Baldwin .would have i acted in accordance with his words, because whatever may be said of his | methods, he is a man of honour. “Keep stead}', and remember that peace on 1 earth comes to men of goodwill” was* the message he broadcasted to the peo- | pie of Britain, and he may be safely | relied upon to act in the spirit of that imessage. At the same time, he would j be unworthy of his high office if lie did I other than accept the challenge issue" 3 by the strike leaders. “Such action”— overt acts that have already occurred, including interference (with the freedom of the Press—“involves a challenge to the constitutional rights and , freedom of the nation, ’ ’ said Mr. I Baldwin in an official statement. “The! Government, therefore,” he continued,'? “before it can continue negotiations, must require from the Trade Union Committee both repudiation of the actions referred to that have already occurred, and immediate unconditional withdrawal of the instructions for a general strike.” In the stand the Government has taken it may confidently rely upon the backing of law-abiding citizens who, after all, constitute a majority of every state.