THE LABOR REVOLT.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 3305, 25 August 1911, Page 5

THE LABOR REVOLT.

SOME DISPUTES SETTLED.

“ A NATIONAL FIGHT.”

FURTHER FIERCE RIOTING.

[UNITED PRESS ASSOCIATION—COPYRIGHT.] LONDON, Aug. U 3.

After Mr Churchill’s reply in Due House of Commons, Mr. Lloyd George read the report of a speech wherein Mr. Kicr Hardie told a thousand people that Mr Asquith had declared on Thursday that if a strike occurred the Government would keep the railways open, even if they had to shoot down every striker. Mr. Lloyd George indignantlyasked when Mr. Asquith used such words.

Mr. Kier Hardie, without making amends, replied: “I told my hearers that the impression left in the minds of the railway men was that Mr. Asquith stated that the military would keep open the railways, and I added that this meant shooting down, if necessary.” Mr Lloyd George scornfully retorted that if there was anything worse than Mr. Ivier Hardie’s statement it was the explanation, and there was no adjective within the vocabulary of Parliamentary language to describe it. {Prolonged cheers.) Out of 212,330 miners in Durham and Northumberland, only 47,000 have been working since Friday. Owing to the strike 2000 dockers are idle. The total number of men idle on the North-east Coast is 200,000. Despite the North-Eastern Executive’s instruction to resume work several sections including that of Leeds, have refused to obey until better terms are secured and all imported labor banished. There has been fierce rioting at Alfreton, in Erewasli Valley. The police used their truncheons and scattered the rioters, who were mostly hooligans from surrounding districts. The Liverpool tramway men have been reinstated in the carriage works and powerhouses, but the masters refuse to reinstate the drivers. Hence the Liverpool committee decided to continue the fight. Mr. Tom Mann is urging the National Transport Workers and Railwaymen’s Executive to declare a renewal 'of a national fight. A conference of Durham miners will be held on September 2nd to urge that the Federation demand a minimum wage of 7s per day for coal hewers, and proportional wages for others; failing satisfaction to ballot for a national strike.

The Railway Commission has commenced its sittings, which are being held in camera.

The Railwaymen’s Executive protested against the appointment of Mr Beale, of the Midland Company, bub stated they would nevertheless abide by the agreement of Saturday.

Tire underwriters scored heavily over the settlement of the strike, as there were comparatively few claims. Two underwriters’ firms netted £60.000

The North-Eastern railway strike has ended, and the service is now nomial. The Bristol and Avonmouth disputes have also been settled.

OBJECT OF THE COMMISSION.

STRENCTH OF UNIONS ON

STRIKE.

A FORMIDABLE LIST,

(Received August 24, 10.40 p.m.) LONDON, August 24. 4. Liverpool deputation, lieaded by Mr Tom Mann, met the National Transport Workers’ Federation at London. The Latter body has decided on immediate action unless the tram way men are reinstated. A manifesto issued at Liverpool states that the membership of the trade unions on strike who support the tramwaymen is as follows: —Dockers, thirtythousand ; sailors and firemen, fifteen thousand; carters, seven thousand; stewards, four thousand; engineers, three thousand; Dock Board’s employees, three thousand; general laborers, two thousand; coopers, eight hundred; tramwaymen, eight hundred ; warehouse workers, two thousand. Mr G. R. Askwith has gone to Liverpool. The Press are to be admitted when, the Railway . Commission takes evidence. The official report of Mr Asquith’s negative reply to Mr. Bellamy states that Mr. Asquith added:— “The step contemplated is the appointment of a Commission immediately to investigate the machinery for bringing the representatives of the railway companies and the employees together, and the settlement of their differences, and the amendments, if any, which may be desirable in order to improve such machinery.” It is stated that the North-Eastern. Railway Company’s loss by the strike amounts to £70,0*00, and the loss of the coal trade, including wages, amounts to £200,000. A newspaper correspondent _at Darlington states that the doctrine of a minimum wage lias a firm hold on the railway men. The latter, are familiar with the sliding scale as regards the prices and wages in the coal and iron trades, and are anxious to apply the principle to the lower grade railwaymen’s earnings. The last of the Manchester strikes has ended. A thousand laborers employ eel by an engineering firm are obtaining the minimum of £1 per week. The “short sea” traders and their employees have signed an agreement. One clause prohibits strikes and compels the men to refer any grievances to their respective societies, and the Board of Trade will arbitrate in the event of the masters’, association and the men’s society failing to settle the dispute. The tramwaymen who have not been reinstated at Liverpool number two hundred and 1 fifty.

PAROXYSM AGAINST ALIENS. “INDISCIPLINE RUN RIOT.” RAILWAYMEN STILL UNEASY. (Received August 24, 11.30 p.m.) LONDON, August 24 Rioting has taken place' at Bargoed, and a dozen English and Jewish sliops have been wrecked 1 and looted. There were numerous baton charges, -but the subsequent presence of tlio military stopped further disorder. A crowd at Tredgar in the presence of the military, relinquished their threats to release those rioters who had been sentenced. An inquiry . shows, that the present paroxysm against aliens is attributable to the spirit of indiscipline run riot. Correspondents at Tied gar, discuss-

ing the local irritant there, reinaxk that the inhabitants were always relnc taut to permit a colony m their midst, and expelled their Irish co-citizens on a former occasion and now chose the piesent national unrest to assail the Jens. What liad begun .with a specialised Grievance of a Jewish individual qurcKfv developed into a racial persecution, furnishing a pretext for hooligan disturbances and plunder. . , The authorities emphasise the diibciilty of dealing with such outbreaks m long towns, each of one main street, and following the trend of a valley, witli side streets, affording easy refuge for bottle flingers. Hence the need tor military assistance for the maintenance of order. . (Received August 24. 11.40 p.m.) V {LONDON, August 24. Tlie statement of Mr Beale, the solicitor for the Midland Railway Company, is officially denied. A ballot of the railwaymen at Crewe overwhelmingly favored a strike unless the London and North-Western Company recognise the Union officials, but notices have been withheld, pending an appeal to the Company.