A GENERAL STRIKE.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 144070, 15 April 1913, Page 3

A GENERAL STRIKE.

' ORDERLY BEHAVIOUR. , A SYMPATHY OF LITERARY MEN. KEIR BARDIE’S OPINION. By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright. (Received April 16, 8 a.m.) BRUSSELS; April 14. The Socialist leaders have resolved that no intoxicants shall be sold and no meetings held. M. Vahdewelde, the Socialist leader, in a manifesto, predicts victory. It has been arranged that artists shall give musical matinees daily for the strikers’ amusement. Very many workers seem to regret the necessity of'striking.. The Weavers’ Union at Verviers asked permission of the Employers’ Federation to join the strike. The federation replied , that it was impossible to give tbo permission asked for. Maeterlinck has written several .letters criticising the Catholic rulers and offering money to help the strikers. M. Anatole, the French novelist, also favours the strikers. Mr. Keir Hardie has written promising that no British coal will bo shipped during the strike. He adds: ‘‘The value of a general strike may be disputed on economic grounds, but it has great value from a political standpoint. The proletariat of the whole world is watching Belgium with interest.” A striker at Courcelles shot a Catholic. non-striking workman. BERLIN, April U. ■ Socialists in "Westphalia urge the miners not to work overtime lest the coal should be sent to Belgium. BRITISH UNIONS APATHETIC. (Received April 15, 11.10 a.m.) LONDON, April 14. British trade unions- are apathetic toward® the Bclpjcn appeal, because the strike is a political one. FOUR HUNDRED THOUSAND IDLE (Received April 16, 11.10 a.m.) BRUSSELS, April 14. Four hundred thousand have struck and business is in a chaotic state. The public services are working normally. Troops to the number of 50,000 are under arms. The telegraph wires have been cut in several places. The coal mines have almost completely stopped.