ANARCHIST CONSPIRACY.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 12757, 29 September 1919, Page 7

ANARCHIST CONSPIRACY.

EXTREMISTS IN CHARGE. THE PREMIER’S VIEWS. By Telegraph—Pr«s» Association—Copyright Australian and. If.Z. Cable Association. (Received September 29, 9.35 a-m.) Mr Lloyd George, being unable to fulfil an engagement at Carnarvon, wrote as follows to the chairman of the Carnarvon County Council The cause of my, absence is the sudden outbreak of the strike, which can only bring deplorable consequences to those concerned therein. In tho nation at large no one can suggest that I ever lacked sympathy with the oppressed, in any class or country. I * am constantly being criticised as a too extreme partisan of those struggling for better conditions, but after what is acknowledged by them to have been a careful and patient investigation by me of their case, I have come to the conclusion that in my long and varied experience 1 can recall no strike entered into so lightly, and with such an entire disregard of public interest. The dispute is not one where it can bo contended that the workers aro seeking to wring a fair wage from harsh employers, whose profits were believed to be excessive. The railwaymen in this case are dealing with a communityThe State is now running the railways at a loss, due mainly to the enormous increase in wages of the railway workers, since the beginning of tho_ war, and. also to the ’great) reduction of hours. The loss is borne by the general taxpayer, and will soon’be passed on to the public in the form of increased fares and ! charges. On its merits tho strike is inexplicable. Tho dispute, such as it is, is about something which cannot possibly come into operation until next year, yet the nation is thrown into dislocation by a hurried strike, without even a week’s warping. The railwaymen declined to grant even a respite of two or three davs to their fellow countrymen, and a service on which the life of a whole people so much depends has been stopped practically with no warning. This precipitancy is suggestive of a deliberate and matured intention on the part of some individuals to seek a quarrel t at any cost. It has convinced mo ■ it is not a strike for wages or better conditions. _ The Government has reason to believe that it has been engineered for some time by a small but active body ; of men who have wrought tirelessly and insidiously to exploit the Labour organisations of the country for subversive ends. I am convinced that the vast majority of unionists in the land are opposed to this .anarchist conspiracy. They can see the min and misery it has brought in other lands and their: commonsense has hitherto guarded j their organisations against the con-1 trol of these intriguers. These men! have made many efforts to hold the f levers Trade Unionism, and so far! , all endeavours have ended in failure. There is no more patriotic body in I this country than the railwaymen, as | their conduct in wartime demontrated. "When they realise they are not I fighting for fair conditions of labour j - for their class, but are being used by extremists . for sinister purposes:, > thoir. commonsense will resume sway

familie^ 6 f y«a, their own S d i ?astc f/ Ixl tho ioterW jJJ£ e the Government alt ®rnative but to accept the thrown down. Society as a whole intend to meet this blow at the £fT aI W1 ? l l al \ the resources of the State, and look to the nation, without distinction of class, inasmuch £« it affects everybody, to cheerfully bear the deprivation that this indetensible strike will entail, and support them m maintaining the fabric of social order on which the prosnerity ox the country depends. SYMPATHETIC STRIKE. (Received September 29, 9,35 a .m.) ~ ~ LONDON, September 28. Mr Bromley, chairman of the Amalgamated Engineers, interviewed, said that the Locomotive Engineers and thremens Society deeply regretted calling out members, but it was inevitable in the interests of trade unionl'i as - a P urel - V sympathetic strike on their part, as all members were content with the Government awards to thoin. BUSSES, TRAMS AND TAXIS. Renter’b Telegrams. (Received September 29, 10.30 a.m.) LONDON, September 28. A meeting of the Bus, Train, and Taxmens Union decided to suspend work on Monday. This decision means a sympathetic strike. DURATION OF STRIKE. FUNDS OF THE UNION, Reuter’s Telegrams. (Received September 29, ICKSO a.m.) f , September 28. i S* *s® Union of Railway“j “on (inn estl ? atod amount to ) , and are sufficient to finance the strikers for a month. The real test, however will bo in the first three “ lf .f he essential services can * tg'SS < T.Sffi leJ ft<> failure CHANCE FOR AEROPLANES. OFFER TO PASSENGERS. (Received September 29, 10.50 a.m.) LONDON, September 2S. A novel feature of the strike is that aeroplane companies' are advertising offers to convey anyone anywhere in England or the Continent upon receipt ol a telephone requisition. ( NO TROOPS EMPLOYED. AVOIDING PROVOCATION. (Received September 29, 10.50 a.m.) LONDON. September 28. The Government states that the delusion not to employ troops to work the trains at present" was made because that action might be regarded as provocative. _ CONSERVING COAL. (Received September 29, 10.60 a-m.) LONDON, September 28. The Coal Controller has ordered the stoppage of all foreign shipments of coal from Cardiff, and is conserving all coal for use in Britain.

COMING HARDSHIPS. EFFECTS OF THE STRIKE. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. (Received September 29, 10,30 a-m.) LONDON, September 38. The Liverpool meat supply is held up at Birkenhead. The steel works at Hartlepool have closed. . Several race meetings have been abandoned. A MODEL STRIKE. NO DISTURBANCE OR. VIOLENCE. (Received September 29. 10.50 a.m.) LONDON, September 28Mr Thomas, when leaving the Cabinet room, turned to the Premier and said: “This will bo a model strike. There will be no disturbance or violence of any kind.” A DISMAL PROSPECT. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. (Received September 29, 11.10 a.m.) _ LONDON. September 28. The situation on Sunday afternoon was unchanged, though three or four continental trains were dispatched. Developments are unlikely before Monday, but there will be difficulty in restraining the tramwaymen and ’busmen. A HASTY STRIKE. GUARANTEE OF WAGES. (Received September 29. 11,20 a.m ) LONDON, September 28. Mr Lloyd George admitted that the railwaymen were disgracefully paid before the war, but that wpa no reason for imposing a burden the community could not bear. Ho regretted that the strike decision had been so hasty, since the railwaymen had a guarantee that there would be no reduction in wages till 1920. This gave ample time for further negotiations. THE GEDDES FAMILY. ASSAILED BY STRIKE LEADERS. (Received September 29, 11.10 a.m.) LONDON, September 28. At the Albert Hall meeting Mr Cramp characterised as a deliberate lie the statement that the strike was not in defence of some union principle, or right, but was directed against the community. Mr J. H. Thomas flatly denies the Premier’s assertion that the latter pleaded for a respite of two or throe days. Ho challenged Mr Lloyd George to_ produce notes hearing out his assertion. He and his executive ware convinced thafb if Mr Lloyd George had been master in his own house a settlement would have resulted. He suggested that Sir Eric and Sir Auckland Geddes formed the stumbling block preventing the compromise. Sir Eric Geddes posing as a strong man. Mr Thomas mentioned as an instance that during Friday’s negotiations Sir Eric Geddes interrupted Mr Lloyd George. Mr Thomas, interviewed on Sunday, stated that he was still anxious for a sottiement, but he added that an attempt was being made to turn the dispue into other than a Labour question. This complicated the situation, making it dangerous. He definitely refused to widen the issue.