A GRAVE OUTLOOK

Waikato Times, Volume 100, Issue 16788, 4 May 1926, Page 5

A GRAVE OUTLOOK

KOTSATSONS FINALLY FAIL MILITARY AND NAVAL PRECAUTIONS A MINISTERIAL, STATEMENT The outlook in Britain is intensely grave. Tbcro is every Indication that a general strike will take placo. Already tho railwaymcn havo given notice that thsy intend to cease work, and tho printing staff of the Daily Mall refused to let Monday's issue go to press bcoauso it contained an articlo to which they objected. The Government has placed its schema to maintain essential services in full operation, and there is a rush of voßinteers to assist. The news of the strike was received with great elation in Communist circles on tho Continent, and it is said that emissaries from Russia have loft for England to direct Communist activities. The reflex of the strike has been shown in New York by a fall of stocks in Wall Street: British, French and Belgian being affected. Rflr Winston Churchill, Chancellor of the Exchequer, was mobbed in Whitehall and the police had to intervene. There is a rush of volunteers to assist in the maintenance of services. There is no panic in the country and food supplies aro reported as normai.

LONDON, May 3. The negoliallons which were being carried on Willi the obje.cl of averting a general strike have broken down. The facl that Ihe Labour representatives who had been conducting the. negolialinns were unexpectedly summoned to Downing Street last evening was believed In indicate that a basis of negotiation had been round. The Labour men arrived al Downing Street at 7 p.m. on Sunday, hut Ihe Cabinet intimated that it would not be ready to meel lliem until 0 p..m. The Cabinet finally broke up half-an-hour after midnight, when il was officially announced that Ihe negotiations had failed. Tbe official statement which was issued from Downing Street at i a.m. to-day said: — The following decision of Hie Governnicnt has been conveyed to-night to Mr Pugh, chairman of Ihe committee of Ihe Trades Union Congress: "The Government believes that no solution of Ihe difficulties in Ihe coal Industry which would be bolb practicable and honourable for all concerned can be readied cxccpl by a sincere acceptance of the report of the Coal Commission. In Ihe expression

. EFFECTS ALREADY FELT. IRON WORKS CLOSE. CLASH IN HYDE PARK. LONDON, May 3. Already Hie effects of Hie coal strike arc being felt. Three large ironworks in Scotland have been rinsed owing to Ihc shortage of coal. Others are to follow immediately. The ilrilish Advertising Convention was abandoned after thousands of delegates bad gathered at Blackpool, owing tn I lie fear of a railway disturbance. II is understood that Ihe railway employees will cease work at the end of the nii-iil service this evening. The trams and buses will not be worked on Tuesday. The Daily Herald says that in all tin- newspaper offices the printers are watching closely what is being said about Hie crisis. Hyde Park was closed at midnight for the purposes of assembling lorries in connection with the distribution of milk in Ihe, London area. The price of milk has increased from 6d to Sd a gallon. J I' it should be necessary lo use road transport arrangements have been made lo call up special constables. A battalion of Ihe Cheshire Regiment, lias arrived at Cardiff but no more troops are lo be mover; to Ihe coalfields unless an emergency arises. The Atlantic Fleet which was due to leave Portsmouth on Tuesday for summer exercises is awaiting the orders of the Admiralty. Two Communists and three British fascists were arrested in Hyde Park after a series of skirmishes between the factions which had lasted all day. The police drew their batons and called upon 'Mo mounted police lo disperse the crowd which was trying lo rescue Hie arrested Communists. TKE CASE FOR THE MEN. GOVERNMENT BLAMED. (Australian and N.Z. Press Assn.) LONDON, .May 3. The general council of the Trades Union Congress lias issued a manifesto which says: "Even now an honourable sell lenient can lie reached. but Ihe Government's demand thai. the miners' leaders should consent in advance of Ihe ny.-'oliations lo a reduction in wages musl be withdrawn. The notices posted by the owners ir.usl also be withdrawn lo allow negotiations to proceed without the issue being prejudiced. "There is no shadow of reason why Ihe miners should be locked out or why the grave decision for a stoppage should be allowed to take effect. if it does, then the responsibility will lie with Ihe Government md the mineowners." As regards the Government's reason for the breaking off of the negotiations, namely, Ihat specific instructions had been sent lo trades unionists in several industries and sen ices to cease work, the manifesto

'acceptance of Ihe report' is included both the reorganisation of the industry, which should lie put in hand immediately, and pending Ihe results of reorganisation lining: attained such an interim adjustment of wages or hours of work as would make it economically possible to carry on Hie industry in Llic meantime.

" If the miners, or the Trades Union commitlce on their behalf, had been prepared to say plainly that llicy would accept Ihis proposal the Government would have been ready lo resume Hie negotiations and to continue the subsidy for a fortnight. But, since Ihe discussions look place between Ministers and members of the Trades Union Committee, il has come to the knowledge of the Government that specific instructions have been sent, under the authority of the trades unions represented at the conference convened by the general council of tho Trades Union Congress, asking their members in several of Ihe most vital industries and services of Ihe country to carry out a general strike on Tuesday."

In conclusion the slatcmenl said: " Overt acts have already occurred, including interference with the freedom of Ihe press, which involves a challenge, to Ihe constitutional rights of Iho nation. " Hcfore a continuance of Ihe negotiations Ibe Government demands lhat the Trades Union Congress shall repudiate those actions immediately and shall unconditionally withdraw the instructions for a general strike." CHANCE TO AVOID WAR. CEASE FOOLISH INCITEMENTS. LONDON, May 2. The Daily Herald in an editorial says: "Mr Baldwin appeals for goodwill. Lei him set an example, and cease lo bo Ihe tool of big business ■in an attempt to lower the standard Of life Of Ihe masses. There is a chance yel to avoid war. Let him gel back lo Ihe consideration of the Coal Commission's report aw', hold a foursided discussion between I lie Trade Union Congress, miners, owners, and the Government, and cease the foolish incitements of moving troops and emergency machinery, which arc not required seeing Ihe trade unions have guaranteed to maintain food supplies. On these lines wc can hope lo have peace." MAINTENANCE OF SERVICES. CROWDS OF VOLUNTEERS. MOVEMENTS OF TROOPS. LONDON, May 2, The Labour negotiators arrive'! at Downing Strcel al seven to-night, but Cabinet inlimalcd lhat il would not be ready lill nine.

says:—

"II is not unitsual for workmen fo coax.' work in defence of their Interests as wage earners. The specific reason for the decision in this case was to secure for I lie workers the same rigid as the employers insist (i|iii!i with llicir workers, namely, Hint negotiations shall he conducted free from an ulmosphcrc of strike or locknut.

"The congress disclaims any knowledge of overt acts, including interference willi the liberty of the press. The decisions of the council definitely forbid any such independent or unauthorised aclion. "Wo rcgrel we were not given an opportunity of investigating and dealing with the alleged incidents before Ihe Government made litem the excuse for breaking off the pe"aci: discussions." A manifesto issued by the Miners' Federation reiterated the impossibility of the miners accepting a. lower standard of living. The general council of the Trades Union Congress has sen! a Hler In Mr Baldwin expressing surprise and regi'el al Ihe Qovernnieid's decision lo terminate Ilia discussion. 11. says the public will judge Ihe nalure of Hie {iovernment's intention by its precipitate and calamitous decision and deplore Hie fart Ihal sincci'2 work in which the council has been engaged to oblain an honourable selUemonl has been wrecked by Ihe Government's unprecedented ultimatum.

In the event of a general stoppage the Air Force's large bombers will carry mails and important packages. Smaller machines will '.ransport Ministers ami officials, and maintain a palrol over the railways and bridges. There is considerable activity today al naval ports and military garrisons. All leave has been cancelled, and troops hive already reached several mining areas. Large crowds assembled al. Whilehall this morning and witnessed Ihe arrival of Cabinet, members. Though Ihe Government has nol issued a call for volunteers, il has opened registration offices in war-lime bids in the Foreign Office quadrangle. Hundreds Of men and women of all ages and classes lined up in queues of eager volunteers. < The Miners' Federation Ibis afternoon issued a manifesto reiterating Ibe impossibility of the miners accepting a lower standard of living. The organisation for Ihe maintenance of supplies, a non-polilical voluntary organisation, whose formation i few months ago aroused intense Labour opposition, sent an appeal for reproduction in several Sunday papers in Loudon, Imt the mechanical staffs in mosl offices refused lo prinl il, so il appeared in only Iwo papers and Ihen only after considerable modification. The Daily Herald says Ibe Organisation for the Maintenance of Supplies tried to have the document printed on Friday in the shape of handbills as an appeal lo the public. It was set in type, but the machinists refused to print il and the tirm could not fulfil ihe order.

EFFECT ON T.ME PRESS

DAILY MAIL NOT PUBLISHED

LONDON, May :i. The Daily Mail is nol being published to-day owing In Ihe printers having refused to pormil Ihe publication of a leading article calling on all law-abiding citizens lo bold Ihemselves at Ihe service of their King and i lountry. The lahoned article was entitled,

' 'for King and Gouijlry." Tlie Society of Operative Rrinlrrs ilemanded Ihal it si Id he altered. The editor refused In comply. The unions In which Ihe romposilors, process workers and telegraphists belong decided lhai il was not vvillu'n Iheic province In discuss Ihe policy of Ihe newspaper, ami resolved In carry oil bill Ihe printers, machineminders, slorcolypcrs ami packers ceased work.

The article pointed mil, Ihal a general strike was not an industrial dispule, hid a revolutionary movement, intended to inflicl suffering on gceal iiunibcrs of innocent, persons ami thereby to put, forcible constraint upon ihe Government. Such a movement could not he tolerated by a civilised Government.

communists delighted. emissaries from russia, blow to british credit. LONDON, May 3. Despatches from Berlin stale that four leading Bolsheviks whom Ihe Third [Communist) International employs as experts in British affairs, are going lo England under assumed names. Their intention is lo assume conlnil of the Communists in Britain. Developments in the British coal dispute are bring watched with interest in Germany. The German mineowners, who have been recently suffering from Urilish competition, are pleased at the prospect of regaining their share of the world's coal trade which was wrested from them by British mines. The leaders of the Socialist and Communist parlies are urging German miners lo do their utmost. In help their British colleagues. They express Ihe opinion that they will be able In prevent, Hie direct transport of coal from the HiiJirio Britain and arc negotiating ■with the Dutch Labour unions wilii a view lo preventing German coal from reaching Britain via Holland. Commenting on llio industrial crisis the Times says: "Unless counsels of reason prevail the country will lie faced with the gravest domestic menace since Ihe fall of Ihe Stuarts. It, is incredible that the leaders have really considered the nature of the, consequences of the strike, Otherwise they would not support so manifestly disastrous a step. The leaders claim lo speak on behalf of 3,500,000 men, but admittedly only a fraction of them have been consulted on ihe issue. Their leaders abrogate to liirmfelves Hie right lo inflict incalculable injury on Ihe entire nation and on the Umpire. It will be a ruinous blow In the revival of British credit. 11. will bring loss and poverty on innocent millions. The leaders sincerely state that they are not, declaring war on Ihe people, bul this assertion will not stand Ihe tesi of facts." The newspapers generally point out that a general strike is not, a new experiment. It has been tried and has always failed. They emphasise I oat •'1,000,000 trade unionists are arraying themselves against more than 40,000,- , 000 of Ihc general community. RAILWAYS TO STOP. EMPLOYEES GIVE NOTICE. PLEA FOR LOYALTY ISSUED. LONDON, May 3. The railway companies have received notices from their employees terminaling their employment as from to-morrow. The Great Western Railway Company has appealed lo its .employees to remain loyal and let Ihc mining industry settle its disputes direct. OPINION IN AMERICA GOVERNMENT APPLAUDED. SURRENDER IMPOSSIBLE. NEW YORK, May 2. American newspaper opinion widely supports the attitude of Ihe British Government and people in opposing the general slrike. The New York World says: "In selfdefence the community must turn In the side of the recognised authorities and help Ihcm by their support. Union men, where their policy is deliberately destructive as againsl the community, cannot help suffering deep wounds themselves."

The New York Times says: "No Government could surrender and preserve its self-respect, or its life. Mr Baldwin may lie counted upon, if insane counsels prevail among the Labour unions, lo stand firm for the right of the majority to rule, and demonstrate again the ability of the English people to work out, their own salvation in a lime of stress and trouble." The Chicago Tribune says: "Moscow may think the turn is toward Red Communism, and Mussolini will think it is toward Italian syndicalism witli a dictator. British Labour is infected with the idea that cutting down production is tile proper policy to pursue against capital." The Boston Herald says: "Everyone will lose. The miners' demands may lie sound in theory, but their manner of enforcing them is disastrous." ' LONDON, May 2. The crisis unfortunately coincides willi Ihe All-British shopping week, which is lo open to-morrow. Hundreds of shops throughout England are specialising in Empire products, including 10} miles of shop windows in London which have been specially dressed. The organisers nevertheless are of opinion that all will do their best to support the venture. COMMUNIST COMMENDATION. MINERS' HEROIC EXAMPLE. In the Princess Theatre on Sunday, a crowded audience attended the May May celebration held under Ihe auspices of lb e Wellington Communist group. The following resolution, moved by Mr. R. Griffin, and seconded by Mr. N. Jcffery, Communist organiser from Australia, was carried: — "Thai, Ihis meeting of New Zealand workers sends fraternal greetings lo liriiish miners, and expresses Ihe hope Ihal. their heroic struggle will he crowned willi victory through their own and the solidarity id' Ihe entire British working class, further, we express our profound conviction that their example will inspire Ihe. workers of all nations to carry on Ihe struggle for emancipation willi renewed vigour, ami also as a consequence the New Zealand working class will with growing appreciation rcallsj llicir iuteniatioital obligations and stand by the j workers in Ihe world-wide struggle."