“GET OUT AND WALK!"

New Zealand Times, Volume L, Issue 11522, 18 May 1923, Page 7

“GET OUT AND WALK!"

BIG STRIKE IN BELGIUM RAILWAY. MEN LEAVE TRAINS WITHOUT WARNING. EXCTTMENT IN BRUSSELS. By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. (Received Mav 17, 7.40 p.m.) BRUSSELS. May 17. The strike of the railwaymen and postal -workers is becoming rapidly more serious. Trains running between Brussels and Antwerp were unexpectedly stopped at 10 o'clock last nigdit, leaviug passengers in the lurch. They were told to alight and walk. The news caused excitement in Brussels, where thousands of people wanting to return to Antwerp niched to the station, only to find that no trains were departing. Within an hour every taxicab was requisitioned. Similar scenes were enacted at Antwerp, where thousands of people wanting to get to Brussels were stranded. It is feared that trains between Belgium and France and Holland will stop to-day. "When interviewed tho Minister for Railways urged the initiation of negotiations, hut he refused to take any action until the men Tesume work. “SCENE” IN CHAMBER. Soldiers wearing steel helmets and with bayonets fixed lined the public gallery of the Chamber of Deputies when a Socialist deputy, M. Vandervelde, challenged the legality of the Government’s decision to mobilise soldiers to work tlie railways. Tlie President of the Chamber, hammering his desk amid stormy scenes, threatened to suspend the session. The Minister for National Defence declared the Government was within its legal rights in protecting the economic life of the community. The House could put someone else in his place if it opposed his policy. VOLUNTEER POSTMEN. Antwerp dockers refused to handle goods from militarist railwaymen. No goods are arriving at Ostena, and work at Liege is coming to a standstill. Large orders have already been lost. In Antwerp, 250 volunteer postmen are handling letters, and it is hoped to have a nearly normal service in three or four days. “FOLDED ARMS” STRIKE. The strike began at the end of last month when the telephone and telegraph operators and railwaymen in Antwerp, Malines, and Liego “folded arms,” i.e., they remained at their posts, but did no work. It was feared that the strike would become general, and two days ago a message stated that it had become so serious that the Government had decided to follow the example M. Briand set- in France before the .war. The Government has issued orders for the mobilisation of the 1015 to 1922 classes of railwaymen, who will thus be compelled to work the railways as soldiers. The strike is due to 200 men who are dissatisfied in connection with * question of expenses.