The Wages War.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXI, Issue 8, 25 August 1911, Page 5

The Wages War.

TRANSPORT’ WORKERS’ ATTITUDE. REINSTATE.)! ENT OF TRAMWAY MEN DEMANDED. By Electric; Tide graph.-—Copy righ t. United Press Association. London, August 21. A Liverpool deputation, headed by Tom Mann, met the National 'Transport Workers’ Fcaciation in London, i lie latter decided to take immediate action unless the tramwaymen were reinstated. A manifesto from Liverpool states that tlio membership of trade unions on strike, wlio support the tramwaymen, are as follows:—Dockers 30,000, sailors and firemen 15,000, carters ,(jpo. stewards 1000, engineers 0000, dockyard employees 3000, general laoinuers 2000, coopers 80i)0, tramwaymen 800, waroiiouse workers 2000. Mr. Askwitli has gone to Liverpool.

IMPROVEMENT AT MANCHESTER

London, August 2f. The press will he admitted when the Commission takes evidence. The official report of Mr. Asquith’s negative reply oo Mr. 'Bellamy, cabled on the 2lst, states that Mr. Asquith added: “iiic step contemplated is the appointment ot a commission immediately to investigate machinery for bringing representatives of tne railway companies and employees together, and for the settlement of differences and amendments, if any, which are desirable, in order to imSrovo such machinery.” Ho stated rat the North-Eastern Railway Company’s loss from the strike was £70,000 ; and tiro less to the coal trade, including wages, £200,000. i A newspaper correspondent at Darlington states that tne doctrine of a minimum wage lias a firm hold with tire rail way men. - The latter are familiar with the sliding scale as regards to prices and wages in the coal and iron trades, and are anxious to apply the principle to tire lower grade railwaymen’s earnings. The* last of the Manchester strikes has ended, a thousand labourers emoloyed by an engineering firm obtaining a minimum of £1 a week. The short sea traders and their employees have signed an agreement. One clause prohibits strikes, and compels the men to refer any grievance to their respective societies, and for the Board of Trade to arbitrate in tire event of the masters’ association and the men’s society 7 failing to settle the disputes. The tramwaymen who have not boon reinstated at Liverpool number 250.

FOREIGNERS UNWELCOME AT TREDEGAR. DIFFICULTIES OF MAINTAINING ORDER. Rioting occurred at Bavgnod. A dozen English shops were wrecked and looted. Numerous baton charges and the subsequent presence of the military stopped further disorder. The crowd at Tredegar, in the presence of the military, have relinquished their threats to release the rioters who have been sentenced. Enquiry shows that the present paroxysm against aliens is attributable to a spirit of indiscipline run riot.

Correspondents at Tredegar, discussing the local irritant there, renarks that the inhabitants wore al-

ways reluctant to permit the colony in'their midst. -They expelled heir Irish co-citizens on a. former occasion, and now' chose the present national unrest to'assail-tiie Jews. What began• with a specialised grievance against a Jewish individual quickly developed, into a racial persecution, furnishing i pretext for hooligan disturbances and plunder. The authorities emphasise the difficulty of dealing with such outbreaks iu these Icing towns, each )f one main street, following the\trend of the valley, with side streets affording easy refuge for botfclo-fling-ers; lienee the need _ for military assistance for the,,maintenance of order. The statement of Mr. Beale, solicitor to the Midland Railway Company, is officially denied.

TO-DAY’S MESSAGES. (Received 25, 10.50 a.m.) London. August 24. The Liverpool Shipowners’ and Stevedores’ Association strongly urge the tramway authorities not to yield, ■is -the strike committee’s threats are inimical to lasting peace. The strikers organised a procession, but the authorities prohibited it marching along Scotland Road. The residents/ were incensed, and three thousand attacked the tramcars, smashed windows, and assailed the drivers and conductors. The military restored order. During the burning of a motor factory at Lincoln the mob jeered the brigade, and stoned the firemen, who wero wading into the river to obtain water. A wall fell, killing a constable and fatally injuring by-standers. A. scheme is progressing to amalgamate the trades unions. Mr. Tillott states that if the amalgamation is effected it will have an initial membership of a quarter of a million. Jt is intended to pool funds and standardise benefits.