Evening star., 1911-08-18
RAILWAYS HARD HIT
Strike Does Not Wholly Tie Up
Traffic in England, However.
MEN SLOW TO RESPOND
Many Employees Reluctant to Enter
State of Idleness.
SOME SECTIONS CUT OFF
Almost Total stoppage Of Trains in
Wales-Military Guards Rail-
road Property.
MEN SLOW TO RESPOND
SOME SECTIONS CUT OFF

LONDON, August 1S-At noon the
strike ordered last night by the Amalga-
mated Society of Railway Servants and
allied organizations of employees had been
only a partial success. Some of the
railway lines were operating very few
trains, while on other roads the service
continued practically normal
The military held possession of the sta
| tions along the lines, not for the purpose
at present of interfering in the strike ex-
cept to protect men desiring to work and
to guard the property of the companies
Meantime the government continued its
efforts to avert the general stoppage of
the transport service ofsthe country.
Sydney Buxton, president of the board
of trade, who had an early morning call
from Viscount Richard Haldane. secretary
of state for war, again met the railroad
managers, and the officials of the union
were in session at Unity Hall considering
the governments suggestion for the ap-
pointment of a royal commission which
should investigate and report what amend
ments. If any. should be made to the
civic agreement now existing between the
| owners and the employees. as explained by
Chancellor David Lloyd-George in the
house of commons last night.
The chancellor explained that the men
had misunderstood the premier's pro-
posal. 1t was intended. he said, to give
them fair play and not to lure out of
their hands the great weapon of strik-
ing
Chancellor Still Has Hope.
The plan was to appoint a commission
of three, one from the railway COM
panies, one from the strikers and the
~
for his impartiaIity. It's members would
be appointed Saturday. and its delibera
tions begin Monday. The chancellor said
that he had not given UP hope that the
employees would accept this arrangement
when it's purposes we're thoroughly un-
derstood.
The statement of the chancellor had
much to do with preventing q more gen
eral response to the leaders call for
strike. Many even of the union men were
reluctant to quit SO long as there was a
possibility of their grievances being con-
sidered by an impartial body.
Some $4,000 troops arrived in London
during the night, and early morning
found fSsn them sneampsa at Points where
communication according to plan work
ed out months ago by a commission COM
posed of railroad men and military men
appointed to adopt scheme for protect
Must Fire to Kiln.
Should the strike become general the
soldiers could help but little in moving
the trains. as there are only three rail-
way companies Of royal engineers. They,
however, are able to protect the roads
and the men working. The orders to the
military officers in this connection are
strict.
There is to be no firing over the heads
the riot act has been read ball cartridges,
with 100 rounds of which each soldier
has been supplied. are to be used.
The troops were placed chiefly In the
passenger and freight depots and at the
signal boxes. some of which have already
been disconnected by wire cutting and
attacked by stone throwers, and at the
tunnels bridges and workshops.
Six hundred men guarded the general
post office to prevent interference with
the mail carts and further to UNFOLD the
military control In London. little
group of uniformed men from q signal
corps took up a station In the dome Of
st. Paufs Cathedral, from which they
kept the different units In touch with the
general staff at the war Office.
London Railways Affected.
Scarcely any of the railway lines cen
tering at London afforded a complete
service, and even the underground and
tube systems We're affected to some ex-
tent. Commuters this morning i'm many
cases took the street railways or busses
to avoid the crush al the railway sta
tions and in the tubes. where the elevator
men caused trouble by joining the strik-
ers after working for two hours.
Tho mt 81
pressed themselves as satisfied with the
response to the strike order They
claimed that 100000 men had quit work
James Henry Thomas, labor member of
parliament for Derby. and assistant sec
retary of the Amalgamated Society of
Railway Servants, issued statement in
which she asserted that the strikers had
almost paralyzed the whole railway sys-
tenn Of the United Kingdom. The gov
ernment proposal for royal commission
was considered by joint committee of
the railroad societies during the fore
noon, but the men did not change or
alter their position that the managers
must deal directly with them. The Great
Western railway and the Great Central
railway appeared to be the most seriously
affected. The officials OF the former line
candid.y confessed their inability to af-
ford the usual service, but claimed the
modified schedule which was drawn up
when the strike threatened was working
smoothly
Only one train came in over the Great
Central railway this morning. This road
operates S36 miles, its branches reaching
out to Liverpool and Manchester.
Other Lines Getting Out Trains.
The other lines were getting their
trains in and out of the city. and those
running 10 the south coast were selling
return tickets, and continued some of
their excursion trains. though they aban-
doned a lart of the suburban service in
order to maintain that on the longer
| lines Many roads succeeded during the
night in clearing their lines of perisha BILE
| freight by keeping their freight trains
| running At passenger speed.
The conditions i'm the provinces were
1 somewhat more serio us than in and about
London Early in the day word came
| from Birmingham that west England was
! completely cut off Passenger trains on
/ IN. Midland railway in other directions
| were running as usual. but freight traf-
| 6c on some branches had been stopped.
| There was some disorder at Birmingham
| AT Manchester business was at a stand
| still. as the teamsters were still out to-
day. while at Liverpool the chaos was
| complete.
| with the exception of few incoming
| trains, all of which were late, the train
service at Liverpool was practically sus-
| pended The three passenger stations In
| that city were besieged with passengers,
4 lot byub y,