The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-08-14
STRIKES ARE EPIDEMIC.
Tie-Up of All Kinds of Business Is
Threatened in England.

London Aug. 14.-The strike fever
has become epidemic in Great Britain
from one end of the country to the
other. Men either have struck or are
threatening to do so and even the
women and girls in the smaller fac
tories of the larger cities are demand
ing better conditions of labor.
At the docks only a portion of the
men returned to work and a good deal
of uneasiness prevails as many of the
men refuse to accept the settlement
arranged by their leaders and demand
unconditional surrender on the part of
their employers. The same description
fits the situation at the railway sta
tions where many of the porters and
carriers are demanding greater con-
cessions than had been agreed on.
Quiet has been restored at Liverpool
following yesterdays rioting. Rein
forcements of police have been
brought to the city and they patrolled
the streets today, dispensing the
crowds wherever there was an attempt
to cOngregate- Glasgow, where the
street railway men are on strike, was
also quieter but the nonunion drivers
and conductors on the cars were
guarded by police. The railway men
throughout the country have assumed
a threatening attitude and complete
tieup of traffic is possible.
Today the locomotive engineers
adopted resolution in favor of a ma
tional strike. This followed the action
of the , 1000 London railway men en-
ployed on the Midland Great Central
and Metropolitan lines who last night
decided to call a general strike on all
the surface railways and subway lines
in the London district next Sunday un-
less their grievances we're adjusted in
the meantime.
Now It's q Lockout.
Liverpool Aug 14.-The threatened
lockout by the ship owners became ef-
fecttive today when 10000 docknen
were refused employment until they de-
cided to abide by the terms of their
recent agreement.
Last week the employers complained
that in spite of the compromise, sec
tional strikes had taken place serious
ly, mountaineering trade. On Friday
so of the leading snip owners formal
ly notified the lockers union that un
less all sections of the strikers resum-
ed work by noon today steps would be
taken to stop all work. Many of the
strikers accepteo the ultimatum and
returned to work this morning but the
coal beavers generally refused to obey
the union officials to resume their Oc-
cupations. Accordingly the employers
resolved to carry out their threats.
The lockout applies to the whole
port of Mersey, but does not affect
the passenger traffic. The Cunard
Steamship company is preparing to
disem bark all of the Lusitania passen-
gers and as much freight as possible
at Fish Guard
Although there has been no recru-
descene of the state of war that ex-
listed last night, matters we're so
threatening today that the war office
practically took charge Cf the situa-
ton and large military reinforcements
We're expected. One of the parks was
prepared for an encampr1ent. The only
way of moving provisions was to con-
vey them with strong detachments of
soldiers, who were provided with ball
cartridges.
Christian street, located in a rough
quarter of Liverpool was the scene of
rioting this afternoon. The police and
soldiers quickly routed the mob, but
not before a saloon was wrecked. The
merchants are boarding up their
store windows with the expectation of
trouble tonight.
The strike committee has written
to the railroad company's suggesting
a conference with a view to settle
ment.
4 At a meeting of the strike committee
this afternoon Tom Mann announced
that unless a reply was received in the
interim all local transport workers will
4 be involved.
! The Cunard officials announced this
afternoon the steamer Caronia will be
| unable to sail for New York in conse-
quent of the strike. Between 200 and
1 300 saloon passengers, the greater
number of them Americans, will be de
/ layed.