INDUSTRIAL UNREST.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXI, Issue 2, 18 August 1911, Page 5

INDUSTRIAL UNREST.

STRIKES IN ENGLAND. SOLDIERS CALLED OUT. MOST SERIOUS OUTLOOK. By Electric Telegraph.—-Copyright. United Press Association. London, August l(j. Mr. Churchill announced that a fiosJi difficulty had arisen with the London dockers, who arc opposing the employment of non-unionisis at liio Aiuort Docks.

Two battalions of infantry and a regiment of cavalry are in readiness,

in the event of trouble, to proceed to Manchester.

Sir \v iiiiam Guy Granet, manager of the Midland Railway, after today’s conference, announced, on behalf of Dio railway managers, that, the Government having promised the companies ample protection, they would continue the services. The directors are prepared, even in the event of a general railway strike, to give an effective, though restricted, sendee. London, August 17. Every available soldier at Aldershot is under orders for service on the railways. Tno men will be stationed along trie linos. Cavalry will be utilised at the large stations, and will patrol the lines. Twenty-five thousand soldiers are ivady to move in a few hours. Similar orders have boon issued at other military stations in England and Scotland. Several detachments have arrived in London.

Only one-fourth of the railwaymen are menthols of trades unions. The railwaymon have- issued a manifesto demanding the same opportunities as a combination as other workers, also to have their wages and hours settled by their own union. They are determined to accept nothing less, and will settle the iob now once and for all. The “Daily Mail” states that at the conference Mr. Askwitli asked the companies to meet the union officials haif-way. They refused. The York railwaymen decline to handle the trains conveying soldiers and police. Widespread unrest exists in the North-East Coast among the colliers, stevedores, boilermakers, and snipyard labourers.

Furtaer rioting took place at Liverpool. A mob smashed the windows of the tramways, and took no notice of the display of force until the military knelt in an attitude for firing. Then they hurriedly left and scattered, the assemblages being dispersed by baton charges in various parts of the city. 'The tramwaymen threaten to strike to-day. Tiie police secured the services of an aimed motor waggon. Owing to the shortage of coal the Liverpool 1 co-operation humanised milk depots are closing, depriving 700 of the poorest children of all sustenance.

Business in Manchester is demoralised. The strikers have notified the Post Office, not to permit postmen to supplant the railway porters who unload mails.

The ranks of the strikers arc swelling hourly 7. The police, in arresting a striker, wore attacked with stones and bottles and pieces of iron. Five wore severely injured. The prisoner escaped.

Tho railway services have been reduced CO per cent. In the House of Commons the Labourites denounced tho brutality of employing soldiers. Mr*, ilamsay MacDonald criticised Mr. Churchill's attitude, and said bis blood boiled at the conduct of the police. If it wore true that an officer had shot a man through the head ho should be tried for murder. Mr. Lloyd-Gcorge deprecated making Mr. Churchill's and Mr. Buxton’s tasks harder. He considered that the action of the railwayman in giving “ft hours’ notice was a mistake, making negotiations impossible. He appealed to tho men to withheld tho threat till the Board of Trade’s machinery could come into operation; otherwise they would alienate public sympathy. The Government would at all costs protect the railway and food supply. Mr. Churchill declared that while the Government would not support the companies against the men, or vice versa, they would see that no disaster came to the communities’ food supply. Lord Haldane, speaking in the House of Lords, declared the Government would use all the force necessary to repress unruly and turbulent violence as at Liverpool. He deplored tho use of military, but may bo there was no other wav.

The newspapers are organising motor deliveries in the event of failure of tho railwavs.

Five hundred and fifty troops have been sent to Cardiff. It is unlikely that the railway strike will commence to-day. , Mr. Buxton, following up yesterday’s conference, desired to meet tho railwayman's executives. Tho latter acquiesced, and are coming to London to confer. Meanwhile sectional meetings of railway employees have agreed to obey the call. Tom Mann, in an article in the “Daily Mail,” states that tho present strike is a move in tho direction of industrial solidarity as opposed to sectional trade unionism. The outlook promises gloriously for the worker. There was no real necessity for anyone, even a labourer, to work under •)0s weekly. New unionists should take special pains to prevent artificial prices by launching co-operative production and distribution.

TO-DAY’S MESSAGES.

(Roceived 18, 8.5 a.m.) London, August 17

The Midland Railway Company has offered loyalists a bonus of oU per cent, on their wages during the currency of the 'strike. Twenty-one- thousand military and reservists arc employed on the various railways.

There have been a number of small supposed incendiary tires among shipping at Liverpool. It is doubtful whether Atlantic liners will be able to leave owing to their inability to coal. Cunard and White Star crews have been paid off. Lord Raglan has applied for a cruiser to transport provisions to the Isle of Man.

Ordinary communication has ceased owing to the strike. At to-day’s labour conference the executives of the railway men’s unions introduced a new feature by demanding the reinstatement of all men locked out before discussing terms of settlement of the railway men’s claims.

There has been fresh trouble with tlie London dockers. Several cruisers have arrived in the

Mersey. (Received 18, 11.15 a.m.) Loudon, August 17. Tho railway men’s secretary announces that'tlie strike will net bc-

Six train loads of troops brought twelve machine guns to London.

Mr. Churchill stated that, contrary to agreement, some London ligatormon Jinvo struck, objecting to the employment of non-unionists. _ 'I here has been further rioting at Liverpool. Tho gravest feature to-day has been the calling out of the powerhouse men, in order to plunge the city into darkness, and stop the Lramw a vs.

(Received IS, 9.55 a.in.) London, August 17. Tho “Chronicle” and '“Morning Leader” uphold tho principle of Conciliation Boards. The former declares that the sudden repudiation of the agreement of 1907, which would have ended in 1911, will alienate public svmoathv.

The railway managers’ and railway men’s representatives conferred separately with the Hoard of Trade. Mr Asquith attended. Tho railway men’s delegates declined tho Government’s offer of an immediate Royal Commission to enquire into their grievances respecting the working of the Conciliation Board. The managers offered to accept it. Mr Asquith warned the railway men of flip consequences of their refusal. (Received 18, 10.25 a.m.) London, August 17. Troops from Aldershot have reached London. Arrangements have been made for 5000 to camp in Victoria Park. Tne dockers complain of a breach of tho overtime agreement. The people of Manchester are subsisting on reserves of food. The tramway men’s strike failed. Tho appearance of the cruisers at Liverpool to protect tho shipping with bluejackets (who are prepared to land), coupled with tho great military activity, has impressed the mobs.

Tom Mann declares that ho will not issue further permits, and adds that the military can take the responsibility of getting carts through the streets.

Many shopkeepers have, removed tinned goods from their windows. Shipowners offer to withdraw the lockout on terms. Five thousand railway men at Leeds have struck, and many at Blackburn, Bradford, and Leicester, in the absence of a truce; but others await a signal from headquarters. Trains at Manchester, Huddeisheld, and all the midlands between Hull and Sheffield are suspended. Rioters destroyed tnc Midland signal box at Sheffield, because- it was used after the signalmen struck. The Gordon Highlanders have arrived to protect tiie railways.

AUSTRALIA.

Brisbane, August 17

Contrary to the secretary’s advice, the waterside workers refused to work, owing to the presence of nonunionists, whom the company 7 declined to withdraw. A conference is being arranged. (Received 18, 9.25 a.m.) Brisbane, August 18. The waterside workers at Mackay arc firm in their determination not to work alongside non-unionists.