SHADOW OF BIG STRIKE

New Zealand Times, Volume LII, Issue 12201, 28 July 1925, Page 7

SHADOW OF BIG STRIKE

RAILWAYMEN WILL AID MINERS IF STRUGGLE COMES GOVERNMENT MAY INTERVENE STATE LOAN TO THE COAL INDUSTRY A POSSIBILITY Australian and New Zealand Cable Association. (Received July 27, 7.20 p.m.) LONDON, July 27. ■ The “Daily Express” there is a growing opinion in political circles that the Government will attempt to avert a struggle by giving what would amount to a State loamto the coal industry, on certain conditions. ■ , _ Mr Baldwin spent Sunday in examining the report of the Court of Inquiry, and held conferences with Lord Stamfordham, the King’s private secretary, and Mr W. C. Bridgeman. Reuter’s Telegram. < Mr C. T. Cramp, a representative of the Railwaymen’s TJnion, speaking at Woodford, said that if the men refusing to move coal in the event of a stoppage of the mines were suspended or dismissed, the whole of the railways would be embroiled. If a stoppage of the mines occurred on Saturday, one minute later all the coal deliveries would cease. This was not a picnic, nor a holiday. It would be the nearest approach that Had yet been seen to a general industrial upheaval, of which nobody could foretell, the ultimate outcome. Further, said Mr Cramp, he,-as president of the International Transport Workers’ Federation, would do his utmost to 1 prevent foreign coal from coming; in. * If Mr Baldwin were wise he would find a way of carrying on the coal industry until a reasonable settlement was achieved. , Mr J. BrorhleyV secretary of the Locomotive Engineers’ and Firemen’s Society, speaking at a mass meeting at King’s Cross, said that if the railwqymen; stood aside in the mining struggle they would suffer, because train services would be greatly restricted. The society’s ■ funds would be drawn upon in any case. It would be better to spend the money going into the fight with their comrades. The duty of the railwaymen was to line up with the miners, who would fight to the death.