The Wages War.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXI, Issue 7, 24 August 1911, Page 5

The Wages War.

GRAVE DISORDER. By Electric Telegraph.—-Copyright. United Press Association. London, August 23. Rioting lias been renewed at Ebbwvalo on a largo scale. The Riot Act was road, and the military cleared the street with a bayonet charge. One soldier was badly injured. Ten thousand assembled at Cwmdu and did great damage. The militray was summoned. Rioting was continued till late at night, but was eventually quelled. Tbo mobs attacked church and other buildings at Brymnawr, and there wore serious conflicts, tho mob throwing stones and bottles at tho police. The arrival of two bodies of cavalry restored partial quietude. Hundreds of Jews arc quitting Tredegar and Ebbwvale, by every train, leaving their homes undefended and uncared for.

Tbo Jews are accused of having a monopoly of several classes of trade, such as furnishing, clothing, and jewellery, and of compelling their tenants to obtain furniture from them on the hire system. _ It is stated that many of the poorest were evicted. Rioting and looting at Tredegar were rohewod early to-day. Tho crowd wrenched railings from private residences, but stampeded when tiio military appeared. A number of women were roughly handled. The looters drove the women from their homes. A woman who was lying ill war; so terrified, that she ran put, s}uleking for safety. _ The crowd seized her bed and throw it into the street;

Many rioters were injured in various localities, and numerous arrests were made. 1

The railways Enquiry Commission meets to-day. The railwayman at Durham have protested against the composition of the Commission, and demand further Labour representation. Five hundred permanent quaymen employed on the wharves at lower Bridge have joined the labourites’ strike. The wharves affected are chiefly engaged in the short-voyage trade. Mr. Asquith, at Manchester, announced the settlement of the carters’ dispute. Overtime hours had been reduced, and wages below the minimum raised to the minimum. None above the minimum were lowered thereto. The railway gopdsmen at Manchester have resumed. The non-union tramwaymen. at Liverpool largely outnumber The unionists who struck. The former did not hut threaten to strike if the unionists are reinstated. Work has been partially resumed at the goods depots, but a procession of railwayman induced one-third • f the workers to again cease. .The Shipowners’ Committee has decided against the resumption at the docks at present. Alter a long conference' at York ostwcon the men’s executive 'and the company, the North -Eastern -.Railway dispute lias boon settled, arid the moil advised to resume to-dav.

Emergency, engine-drivers at West Hartlepool'Were mobbed,' hind there were mu her oris intimidations. At Hull orders for cnorriidns Quantities of goods to bo packed at* Birmingham and other cities, ready for shipment; have been cancelled owing to tJ IO strike, and the business diverted abroad.

The Midland Railway will reinstate applicants at the old rates of pay. Sir E. Granet has ordered all to bo reinstated without discrimination. All the'publiciiouses in the disturbed area in Dublin are closed at 7 o’clock at night. Iho biscuit-makers will resume, pending a settlement of the wages question.in the nouse of Lords, Lord Haldane, in announcing the names of the Railway Enquiry Commission, said the Government’s policy throughout had been to avoid bloodshed and protect life, limb, and liberty. The country was being divided into districts under picked officers, and tiie latter instructed to be in close communication with tire civil authorities, if was obvious that even with 58,000 troops at their disposal it would bo impossible to cover every point. He was anxious not to solid them where they wore not needed. While it would bo a great disaster if some of them were, killed, it was better that it should be shown that the law was in firm hands.

_lt lias been proved that the real rioters were not the workmen on strike.

In the House of Commons Mr. Churchill, in reply to questions, ‘declared that ho had informed the Mayor of Liverpool that it was not intended to relax military And police precautions while the necessity for them existed. Regarding the despatch of military to Blackburn before the civil authority had been consulted, he said the troops were sent by the general officer commanding the" district, in pursuance of a scheme to protect the railways and maintain law and order. The Dippers commanding were given complete directions. In those respects the military authorities always enjoyed the right of moving troops' about the country where thought convenient or necessary.

In tiie House of Commons Mr. Asquith declared that the clouds had lifted. Both parties had agreed on an immediate investigation by an impartial tribunal. The great point to-day was not to apportion praise or blame, but to make the settlement effective. The Commission should he enabled to start freely and fairly on their most responsible mission. Tbo House cheered when Mr. A. Henderson’s name was mentioned, the majority welcoming this as a guarantee that peace was in sight. Mr. Ramsay MacDonald expressed himself as satisfied with the personnel of the Commission, and said the

settlement would bo a good one if honestly fulfilled. Ho accused the Home Office of playing a diabolical part in the whole unrest. Ho said Mr. Churchill’s strike bulletins had been inaccurate, and gave great offence, mailing the men more disinclined to come to a settlement. Mr. Churchill’s fussy interference was based on a desire to see himself in print. Mr. Cl. N. Barnes stated be bad just boon to Merthyr, Pont-y-Pridd, and Newport. The men there were keenly dissatisfied with the settlement. He trusted the Commission would concern itself with increased wages, reduced hours, and hotter living conditions; otherwise there would bo, another railway strike. He would do everything to help it. Mr. Churchill, in reply, said lie had done bis obvious duty in enforcing obedience of the laws. The Government bad no alternative. Had the strike lasted a week there would have been a total cessation of employment, implving starvation. The emergency justified the measures taken, and these were absolutely constitutional. The Government was bound to use its

whole power in the State to protect the food snpplv and transnort of goods. The task sat the military of keeping the railways running and pvo-

tooting the workers had averted incalculable disasters.

The House adiourned till October 21th.

Grave disorders are reported from the North-Eastern Railway at Darlington and Ncwsholdon, mobs preventing tho delivery of goods under police escort and maltreating enginedrivers.

TO-DAY’S MESSAGES. KEIR ITARDIE DENOUNCED. (Received 21, 8.5 a.m.) London, August 23. After Mr. Cbiu'cliiH’s reply in the House of Commons, Mr. Lloyl-Gcorge road the report of a speech v. heroin Mr. Keir Hardio told a thou rand people that Mr. Asquith lad deuaic-don Thursday that if a strike (comreel the Government would keep tho railways open if it had to shoot clown or cry ,striker. Mr. Lloyd-G!corgo iadignanily asked when Mr. Asquith need such words. Mr. Hardio, without making amends, replied: “I told my hearers that the impression left in the minds of tho rail way men was that Mr. Asquith had stated that the military would keep open tho railways, and. 1 added, ‘This meant shooting down if necessary.’ ” Mr. Lloyd-Goorgo scornfully retorted that if anything was worse than Mr. Hardio'a statement, it was the explanation, and there was no objective within tho vocabulary of Parliamentary language to describe it. (Prolonged cheers.) Out of 212,330 miners in Durham and Northumberland, only. 47,000 have been working since Friday ,owing to the strike.

Two thousand dockers arc idle. The total idled on the North-East Coast is 200,000. (.Received 24, 10 a.m.) London, August 23.

Despite the North-Eastern’s executive’s instructions to resume work, several sections, including Leeds, have refused to obey until better terms are secured, and all imported labour banished. There has been fierce rioting at Alfredton, in Erewash V alley. The police used their truncheons and scattered tho rioters, who were mostly hooligans from the surrounding districts.

Tho Liverpool tramway men have been reinstated in the carriage works and powerhouses, but the masters refuse to reinstate the drivers, hence the Liverpool committee' has decided to continue the light. Tom Mann is urging the national transport workers and railway men’s executives to declare a renewal of the national fight. A conference of Durham miners will bo held on September 2nd to urge the Federation to demand a minimum wage of seven shillings per day for coal-hewers, and proportionate wages for others; and failing satisfaction, to ballot for a national strike. (Received 21, 10.45 a.m.) London, August 23.

The Railway Commission lias commenced in camera. The railway men’s executive protested against the appointment of Mr. Beale, to tiio Midland Company, but stated that they would nevertheless abide by Saturday’s agreement. The underwriters scored heavily over tho settlement of the strike, as there wore comparatively few claims. Two underwriting firms netted £70,000.