Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), Saturday 12 June 1926, page 7


BRITAIN'S GENERAL STRIKE.

now Tin: -HOUBLI- iti:c!Ax.

DLITXIXG THE ISSUE.

(FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT )

LONDON, June T - the great fight has begun the people of Great Britain have pitted their strength against Hut of trades unionism Probably the struggle was in

evitable but it has been tin cut euc 1 so often that it t imp is a surprise at He end, and non ben was He suipiiHi grain than among, the leaders of trade unionism Tending trade unionists seem to have been sucessful) ignorant of the probable e nisi

queries of their real tons J show, were amazed when the (Government look them in Hull nord and issued the ultimatum which made

a conflict curtain

The scene which brought down the curtain upon the first act of this industrial staged) was the home of the Prime thing for me 10 Donning Mr cot the time the quiet of Sunday night, when the rest of the country was nothing to me could be.! On the Friday the miners had withdrawn then labour from the pits owing to the cm players having posted a schedule of wages lower than that agreed upon with the unions in 1021 To this action the trade union leaders detailed by proclaiming that a general strike would begin on Holiday night All through Sunday preparations for this general strike went on 'the Government on its past, put the Liner end) Ponas Act into operation NOA«rtliilesB negotiations for a 8011101110111 race con- tinued and by Sunday morning the 11 810 proceeding apace Sunday evening sun the Trade Union Council and the Cabinet of Downing Street billing 111 adjoining rooms, and able to come to a settlement at any moment With considerable courage Mr Baldwin had chosen to disregard the general nature the cat He continued negotiations as if the conn it was not facing the coal

unit) of a general stoppage of business within 21 hours As Ah Billilli m said in his speech in the Commons, next day be those to win the war; but he took it in the hope of averting a disastrous conflict 11) half-past 11 0 clock on Sunday night the in gotiations were sufficiently advanced to allow of the miners' executive being summoned to Downing Street to give his judgment upon a new form of compromise J. Then came one of those unforeseen incidents which frequently distills carefully laid plans

there had already been attempts to in lei fore with the London newspapers Cci

Inin punters and others had declined to eat items of news which they regarded as contrary to the interests of the trade unions Most of these threats were disregarded, though in some cases minor concessions were made to the wishes of the men At the "Daily Mail" office on Sunday evening, how ever, the machinists declared to punt a leader which they contended was court as to the Prime Aluns let's plea for 'cool heads ' His complaint was submitted to the editor (Mr JIailonc) Mr Jim lone is director of and a large shareholder in Amalgamated News papers Limited His reply to the tom plant was couched in Biblical phrase ology, What I have mitton I have not ten ' 71 declined to alter it confirm Sir ong n 01 ds w ci c exchanged in the " Daily "Mill ' office that night and the honours in this place of the contest were not entirely with the representatives of the men They ended by hooping from Jh Alarlowcs loom, declaring that the editor night punt his own paper

HIS CABIN! T S ULTIM ITEM

Die news of the events at the 'Daily Mail office was telephoned to Downing Street, and was received by Ah Dubinin H Secretary just as the miners' executive sat, joining the J rides Union Council for the discussion of non peace terms limit (Itali I j a different spit it animated the Cabinet Mr Ball in himself saw that he had gone as far along the path of corn promise as was possible to the and next day ' late Government found itself eli ii

lenged by an alternative government and that government ignorant of the way in which its commands are being carried out and incapable of arresting disobedience to it. The Cabinet proceeded to ill lift a letter putting Hu se considerations before the miners executive and the Trade Union Council which were sitting in the adjoining room Before the lotta tins de livered Air Baldwin made a last effort to preserve pence He pulled out Ah Pugh and Mr I Thomas, AIF and impressed upon than the grave results which the following upon the Hu cure a general til sinks Apply early tim trade union leaders did not take the hint poSsible they did not understand it I had returned along the corridor and joined the 10 other members of the J Trade Union Council and the hi linnets and engaged in another seat for a five miles which would bring peace

It was at this moment that a messenger knocked at the door, say ing that Mr.

Baldwin wished to see in Ultimo, screw tail of the Trade Union Council Appin fully the gathering thought that the message indicated let another Gin eminent offer and a further compromise shot 11 man accepted an ultimatum There was a flutter of excitement when Sh Cilento returned and the delegates crowded around the chairman while Mr Baldwin's letter was boitiL. lead It produced consta na lion for it intimated that the general strike must be called 1 oil before negotiations could continue N e was dumbfounded said one delegate Other delegates demanded that Ah Baldwin should be questioned regarding the significance of his action, and especially his references to Hucats against newspapers- in India the trade unionists professed not to trade bland A party trooped into the cm idol

lending to Mr Baldwins stud! but it found the room empty Mt Baldwin had gone to bed But the (81)11)01' then asked I beg to {,011c home was the answer fell on by the attendants In ein siderable dismal the trade union leaders 1 (tried to then Houtkraal at 3 in I explosion Square to draft a letter of complaint has took them until about half-past I 0 1 lock when the members followed th Baldwins example and retired to their beds

Their icoNOMic essay

So the strike began it can end only in 11 sharp setback for trades unionism or the collapse of the Armistice the defeat of the Ministry would mean a 1 evolution which would establish a police either Labour 01 n 1 Fascist dictator Mnnifchtls a setback

to trade unionism is (essential Not a few Counsel v away CB, bon ever, feel sympathy with trade unionism and, particularly with Ah T H Thomas the benefits of State for the Colonies in the MacDonald Ministry

who worked hard for peace Unfot tunately he was hampered throughout by the de classroom of Ah V I Coil the rain h sentry Note prime oranges and not 1 names, on to boats sank Ah Cool

Algiers' states that be on a low basis and Ultu bones may be siliiieieiitlv long though guilty of us are even less null paid 1111 must if the new re longa b with, arson), Hi til the skilled engineers III The shipping, trade 1 lib 1 Uumtelv judges d not do j ear I item ribband J estates but upon the cap 1 Hi of an refused! to satisfy its employees III I it is admitted that He mining rules and cannot h pi to make 11 ] rolls while night men at til it I sent her I I I n Reel All Had hint had been ruiiUrituc, Hills tin minerals is an I li! I 11 lal lie

I attracted a ft miss Hill they would 1 1 null and national minimum wage to mind is 111 much the Hume busy us that the settlement made 111 ULM provided that the men would n k light hams

is a lot a line for its port the (61 el 11

incur promised to return the Seven Hollis Act on the statute book and direct trade imposed to provide KIL I return to the shortest day in the minninup the proposals of the Coal Commission for the reorganisation of the industry! would be pushed forward The trade union leaders might

1 evil have been gratified by the success

of their effort and passed 11 I 1 1 them

K son use 1 rib 1 Mr Mulder m pplMiadcd like mineowners to agree to these concessions However, the mines

and the, last word, and they turned a

direct regrets the reorganising m ct Tin mining industry) will come first Jiiotlui runs He intends injune 1 that He sat

in nal Miss 1) slight 1 remain until ill Hit ittoiiimeuJiili in- it In a minute had been put in a in, and the industry was on a paying basis again in silver . lent this won!! him still been made for the thirtieth of the rest s in all varieties

of' hours ed in li

Mil ill IIIUN - O F M (II

Un Aloud n after noon when Mr laid in Mr an account of the notations to find a moving len plum in the House of Commons "Mr lliililutu spoke for in bom, April l!) uni! list till 18, (years a butter Hiiiiiiiiai) of Hu vigour unions and pointing to the dangers anning ii inn He threat of a general strike At the end he was exhausted, but he summoned his energies to one of those depending plans lions which have moved the House before, and match it was Monday afternoon "It will be said this is the end of your di came) Mstonary speeches about peace, he said "Let me say) this 1 lines c and on ked In years to the utmost of my ability in one direction I have failed so far Jack)

Hung that I use for is being smashed to bits at this moment, but that does not take away from me my father in) courage We may in this House be full of strife, but; before long the angel of peace will boat is in him kings will be with us again When be comes let us be there to meet him I shall pick up the bits I shall still t again I may not see what I lace dreamed of in my lifetime but I know that the seed I have planted in men's heads and germinate It is in that direction piano no shall pass after much suffering through deep writers and -lines to that better land " The closing words were almost inaudible Mr Baldwin sank back on the 'J i cousin y bench and heard) behind his head in his hands

Speaking the same if lei noon, She landed in gmc another glimpse of what some of Sir Under m's canes tend his "soft" side She recalled that her husband was a man of peace "Yesterday I said to him, 'It seems hard that you, as he has e n worked all your life for peace sure a better under

standing among people, should be hoisted with this big stake ' He looked at me and said, 'Well, I'm sorry It is rather like building a house of cm is, going up step) by step), putting a laid hen. and a cold there, and then something comes and brings the whole thing down Hop I be on!) thing is that I must collect the cards pick them up again and build again ' '

'J thought to myself, hills pride," added his Hulda In, He is a man ' "

COST or Tin steadily

There is a small section of opinion which favours a continuance of of the coal subsidy in order that the names may not be beset by misfortunes which are unreadable This point of Sicily was put into words by the Bishops of Winchester and Southwark While agreeing that a subsidised industry is, mi principle, bad, the bishops urged that the Go eminent, by granting the subsidy in the first place, but made the nation to sponsible for the welfare of the coal miners ' J Torn the human point of view," the continued, ' it looks as if the support of the subsidy being suddenly) knocked away),

the burden of sustaining the street in of is to be laid first upon those who are least able to beat it instances it would unionist) be cheaper and surely raised for the millers to shoulder it for a while longer at an expense which would be infinitesimal as compared with the expense of a general strike" Possibly' the bishops have not realised the extent of the subBiel) Ah cul) 120,000,000 have been spent, and the same side) in India was £2,800,000 No country can stand such a drain when it has also to maintain a million unemployed Jinny workers are faring even worse than the miners Win should they be tried to give workers in mines the uneconomic stage

The Coal eminent could come to only one decision, ship 4 000,000 trade unionists furnished "the big stick' of a general strike The unions have of agreed to pt ii then resources At 105 a week for pat li Ktukci more than -5000 000 nil! Iiiut been spent by next Saturday A week later 110 000,000 till June gone The n sources of British trade unionism cannot withstand such a di am sets long then will come searchings of heart, desertion.,

and collapse

[ I lie general strike was settled on May li on Uto under standing that the coal subsidy could bear is needed for such a reasonable period us might be retained li pipes P working basis for the settlement in the coal strike 'that has not yet been funnel -Pte "A"]