Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-10-05
rBr CABLE TO THK DISPATCH ]

LONDON, October 4-London was seized
to-day with veritable panic upon the an
nouncement that men employed by the Gas
Light and Coke Company were about to
strike. The company supplies three-fourths
of London with gas, and its customers in
clude 26O banks, 175 hospitals and dispen-
sarles, II prisons and barracks, 672 churches
and chapels, 200 schools, 60 theaters and
music halls, $50 railway stations, signal
boxes and offices, 40 newspaper Offices, 261
Government and municipal Offices, 4
palaces, 300 clubs, 297 hotels and 6 great
markets.
Enormous interests were, therefore. at
stake, and 100000 or more people di-
reetly concerned read with much satisfac-
ton alongside the report of the projected
strike the announcement that 1000 soldiers
had been paraded at Chatham ready, at a
moments notice, to try their hands at gas
making.
The Army Scared Them on.
the British army as well as capitalists and
SO promptly and prudently climbed down
and repudiated any intention OF resorting to
. strike. The company having shown its
power and influence in exalted quarters
graciously accepted the mems assurances
and the storm rolled away.
The danger that three parts of London
would be thrown into darkness was for a
short time very real. Notwithstanding the
Unionists' disclaimers, it is an absolute fact
that sudden strike was to have taken place
in the event of their demands being refused
and the men must have known that the
company could nothing less than to refuse.
The union not only demanded the dis
missal of non-unionists and the sole right of
supplying labor, but called upon the COM
pany's officers to assist in collecting union
subscriptions and to dismiss any unionist
neglecting or refusing to pay up.
Big Influence Brought to Bear.
In order to defer the crisis the company
temporized and utilized the time gained to
make arrangements similar to those which en-
abled the South Metropolitan Gas Company
to infict crushing defeat upon the Union
lists last December. simultaneously it
brought the enormous influence inherent in
a corporation with a capital of 500, 000, 900
to bear upon the Home Office and War De-
partment, with the result that it was assured
IL. -
and military forces ofthe crown.
Then, Just as the Unionists had completed
their simple arrangements, the company
made its demonstration and the men fled
from their position without a pretence of
fighting. Tories and capitalists generally
are in high glee at the company's signal
success and look forward with confidence to
the time when every employer may count
upon the assistance OF policemen and
soldiers against the organized forces of
labor.
The Liberals Alarmed,
But Liberals and Trades Unionists re-
gard with justifable alarm this intrusion
of the Government in industrial disputes
The soldiers were to have been used in this
case, not only to maintain order, but as
laborers. and the rates at which thev were
to have been paid had been actually ar
ranged. This savors too much OF CONT
mental methods to please democratic
Englishmen, and the Government will be
called upon to explain its conduct as soon
as Parliament shall meet.
The dock laborers have been in congress
this week, and have surprised their enemies
and grauted their friends bv the moderate
and sensible manner in which they have
conducted their proceedings They decided,
among other things, not to boycott vessels
now arriving in London from Australia
with cargOes loaded by non-uuionists. The
decision is a serious blow to the Australian
strikers, but it is amply justified by the
facts in possession of the dockers' leaders
They have ascertained that the dock COM
panies ana newly formed and already DOW
erful Federation OF Ship Owners have
formed an offensive and de ensive alliance,
and are eagerly awaiting a decent pretext
for a general lockout of unskilled Iaborers.
GeIIinE Ready for a struggle.
It is not improbable that during the CON-
ing winter such a pretext NAV be found or
invented, and John Burns and his col
leagues want to have their men ready for
the big struggle, in which the Dockers'
Union will have to fight for its very exist
ence. The issue will depend largely upon
the funds at the disposal of the combatants.
The companies and the Federation are
prepared to spend a5O0, 900 in crushing the