The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1902-12-09
Sad Scenes Among the Poor
of London.
A MILLION ARE IDLE
This is the Estimate on the United Kingdom--
ShipbuiIders Federation Preparing for
a Test of Strength With the
Labor Unions.
Labor Unions.
(By the Associated Press.)

London, Dec. 6.-The grip is unusually
felt throughout England, with the re-
suit that all who can do so are leaving.
Hundreds of people are on their way TO
India to attend the Delhi Durbar, and
thousands are flocling to the south OF
France and the Channel Islands.
Christmas house-parties are being or
ganized at all the big country places,
where the frost is rapidly spelling the
hunting and driving the guns indoors
to less active recreations, such as bridge
whist and amateur theatricals.
IN East London, the winter is having
a very different effect. Thousands of I'M
employed persons daily congregate at the
dock yard gates. literally fighting for q
chance to do a days work. Unskilled la
borers are there in strong force and the
rolicc find it necessary to protect the
forcmen who distribute the work tickets
each morning.
That portion of the fashionable world
which can afford Christmas gifts is
watching the purchases of the member
Of the Royal family in order to follow
suit. King Edwards gifts this year run
Il SSiy " ptI Civ pNIiAI ! .
cite eases and delicate enamel work set
with a new variety of soft-tinted, semi
stones heretofore unknown
in the realm of jewelry. Queen hlexan-
dra is also partial to enamel work. This
year she is giving many photographs in
artistic enameled frames, whereas the
late Queen Victoria usually favored silver
for the same purpose. Queen A~lexandra'S
w~ell-known fOndncss for pearls, leads
her to distribute many OF them among
her intimate friends at the Christmas
season.
It is estimated that SEQ. 900 persons are
idle in the United Kingdom, and the
Board of Trade returns show the largest
percentage for ten years past of unskilled
persons out of work, While the proper
ton of skilled men without employment
is constantly growing. The Woolwich
arsenal authorities have discharged two
mechanics since the winter set
in, and arc preparing to let out four
thousand more. To the army of people
of work must be added ~ffty-six thou
members of the army RESERVE who
have boon released from service with the
colors. The worst distress, naturally. is
in the East End. A number OF
the newspapers have started subscription
GciiiuliS IL udlif piIhl 4 I
Of half-clad school children, many Of
whom are without any food except scanty
furnished by sympathetic
teachers. A number of the London sur
hurban councils are starting public works
in order to employ a small proportion of
The idle persons.
Coincident with the general distress
and idleness the ShiDbuilders Federation
is quietly preparing for a test of strength
with the labor unions that may %precipi-
tate a general strike equal to the great
engineers' strike of a few years ago. h
who have suffered for years
the restriction Of the output. coun-
tenanced by the unions, have decided that
it is necessary to introduce radical re-
forms in the way of labor-saving ma
chinery. This means a reduction in the
of piece-work on which almost all
The yards are running.