Omaha daily bee., 1908-10-11

Scottish Borderers were waiting with bay
onets fixed and rifles loaded at their bar
racks ready to be called on. Since the
procession two socialists a v been sent
to prison for advising the mob to use
bombs ard red pepper against the police
and the lord provost has Travelled post
haste TO London to secure the consent OF
the local government board to a plan for
providing work on an extraordinary scale.
In Liverpool a few lays ago 1900 un-
employed dock laborers marched to the
city hall and demanded work. Their lead
ers did not hesitate to predict that II work
or bread were not forthcoming they would
loot the city. The mayor and councillors
promised at once to appeal for power to
relieve them and a truce was declared.
Practically the same thing has occurred
at Belfast, where a large number Of ship
builders and linen workers are unem-
ployed. Their leaders threatened and the
municipal authorities promised.
OutIOk Serious for Winter.
The whole tcne of the leaders of the un-
employed is threatening. Victor Grayson,
NJ. p, the socialist who was elected to
Parliament by the Colne Valley miners at
the last general election, predicts that next
winter will be one OF horror. Speaking in
his constituency a few days ago he de-
clared that starving people had no right
TO be orderly and advised his hearers, If
they could not find work, to enter the
shops and take what they needed for the
support Of themselves and their families.
In Manchester a few Sundays ago about
a thousand unemployed men marched to
the cathedral during the morning service
ard insisted on the dean preaching a spe-
cial sermon to them and making a special
collection. The dean advised them to be
peaceable and was continually interrupted
and jeered at. These cathedral marches
are becoming a feature Of the unemployed
agitation. A few weeks ago a party Of
London unemployed marched to St. Paul's
and the dean was also compelled to make
a special collection ard preach a special
sermon. He was listened to respectfully,
however. Another party of unemployed in
vaded the cathedral at Canterbury. but
the dean there refused to listen to them.
II must be borne in mind that the figures
quoted do not give any adequate idea OF
the distress. Thus in Glasgow il is stated
that nearly every one Of the 1900 idle men
is the head Of a family and that there are
at least 5000 persons in want. The same
rule will apply to most of the industrial
towns. except London, to which great
numbers Of single men drift in search of
casual employment, but even in London II
is safe to estimate that about half of the
men registered as unemployed are the
heads of families.
So far no suggestion has been made for
dealing with the situation this winter. The
British taxpayer is carrying a load now
which cannot be greatly increased and the
government is most unwilling to take the
responsibility Of imposing fresh taxation.
II begins to look as II the ministers are
determined to wait until the situation be.
comes so serious that the country will de-
mann immediate action from them. regard.
less Of the cost. In the meantime, how
ever, the unemployed seem determined moi
to wait and there is every indication that
there will be a serious outbreak before
anything is done.