THE LONDON STRIEKES.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 6704, 18 November 1889, Page 2

THE LONDON STRIEKES.

• Burns Interviewed. Other Leaders. ; [Fkom oub London Correspondent.] London, Oct. 4. -' From the Handsome way in which Australia has subscribed to the strike fund I judged that any new items concerning ita head (Mr John Burns) would be of in" terest. I therefore made it my business to interview him yesterday. It was a difficult matter, for tbe " professional agitator," as the Morning Post styles him, was making a round of the docks. I ran him to earth at last, however, in the Star newspftp <r office. By the courtesy of the sub-editor I was allowed five minutes' chat. The "strike king," as he is now called, was arrayed in the costume that has made him conspicuous right through the recent battle. A 3arge and very dilapidated white straw hat, a baggy euit of light serge, aud' a huge satchel of brown leather, are its simple components; but with the owner's power*. f ul frame and features they make a, sufficiently interesting exterior. John' Barns is certainly nothing if not picturesque, "lam sorry you have had such work to find me," he said, «rhen' I had told # him my business. "I have been, making a round of my boys. You must let me thank you, as in some frt6hioii representing Australasians, for the noble way they have helped the poor fellows to stand out and gain their rights. Really the Australians have proved themselves regular bricks. I don't know what, we ahould have done without them. Fail? Oh dear no, that we certainly should not have done, but the battle would have been a much greater strain on the boya, and the suffering must have been fifty thousand times as bad as it was." "I don't know," he continued meditatively, " whether we shall ever have a chance rf repaying our Australasian friends— pray Heaveo,uot, tor i their sake— but should such an unlucky thing happen, by George, ypu will see how j our fellows will bend their bicks and strive to repay, as far as they can, the heavy debt of gratitude thvy ewe." i *'I Buppose you remember what I said ; last week about the pleasant difference • between your fellows and the Americwiß~. I mean your chaps sending in the dollars ■without much talk, and the lalter talk without dollars ?" Yeß, I answered ; that went out last mail. " Did it ?" be responded; "by gum, you preestellows arc quick. lam very glad, though ; they will see that we appreciated then- business-like ways. What do I think of the Standard leaders on the subject ? Well, they are j just what one would have expected of the Standard. They seem incapacitated or seeing the good in anything. Tho idea was low and filthy, and more fitted to the columns of that organ | of snobbism and tomfoolery, the MornI ing Post, than the gentlemanly organ of ! theConservativoparfcy. Geutlemauly-r-bahl The sentiments would disgrace the meanest little skunk alive !" He was getting so excited that I thought it better to change the subject, so chipped in with: Do you intend visiting the Colonies, Mr Burns? f* Why, yes," he answered, good-tempered again, all at once. " I may start before Christmas if all goes well. One of the big Companies has offered me a free cabin." "Was it the P. and O. ? I hazarded. '• Never you mind what Company it was. I am not going to say; it would not be fair," returned the Socialiast, rather hotly. "X j shall stop some little time in Sydney, Mel* j bourne and Adelaide. Yes, I ehall lecture, I and considerably, in those towns. Adelaide will be the first, in all probability. All the incidental arrangements are, however, quite unsettled as yet, and I have t hundreds of plans to make befpre „.I I go. Even the date will depend ' oil circumstances." I hinted tentatively as to the funds raised by the lectures. " Well, you are curious fellows, yon reporters," he answered. ." How do I know there will be any P You oan bet your j hat — and your best one— that I am not i going to wreck myself. The lectures will 'be open-air ones, and no begging ; unless, of course, I have & special object on hand ; then." "Will Mrs Biirnß go with me? jOf course, certainly. Why not ?" and the j modern Masaniello looked *t me quite feroci- ' ously. I hurried on. Yon are both good sailors, I presume P «* Yes," with a laugh, J "we are, and you may say that I shall probably vary the monotony of ship's cricket and quoits by taking an occasional tarn in ! the stoke room and engineers' quarters. I am ueed to both, you know/' he concluded with a short laugh. One more question, j Mrßurns ; all the temperance people are j making capital of your teetotalism. Is it i true you have alwaja been so ? " Oh, yea, ! it's true enough, but I hate the average ! teetotaller bo much that I think of going | ' on the booze * for a month every year. i I bate being held up by these canting i humbugs of temperance people as a shining I light. Well, I can't stop chattering all J the evening, even to an Australasian Frees : man, so by-bye." Next minute Mr Burns ! and the Star were busy discussing : whether the bakers or the 'bus and tram j men should strike next. It is odds on that j the bakers have next turn. . . i Whilst Burns and Tillett posed as the I leaders and mouthpieces of the late strike, I the prime mover and brain-worker re- ; mained, comparatively speaking, in the ; background. This was Mr Champion. He | is not a good mob orator. His voice has not the strength requisite, and . Mb utterance is too refined. John Bunt's mellow bellow and Tillett's vulgar jokes were more to the taste of the rabble Who assembled daily on Tower HilL So Champion contented himself with inspiring the aforesaid pair with their happieu ! utterances, and keeping a tight rein on i their vanities. With Burns, who was . honestly unselfish, this proved easy j enough, but Ben Tillett was often an awkward handful. The little man j had wits to perceive that with tbe end of the strike would come the end of Ben Tillett as a popular demagogue, and it was naturally not in his flesh and • blood to precipitate the last-named cataa- ! trophe. The consequence was he retarded settlement by every means in his power. and had his secret influence been greater might have prevented it altogether. The ■ names of many of the most effectual ; workers on the Strike and other Com- : mitteea never came before the publio at all; They are, however, well known in the Eaet End, and reap some reward in the unaffected gratitude of thousands pt men, women and children whose plaints they listened to and whose wants they i assisted during the recent dark days.