Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1911-08-19

QUARTER Of A MILLION
ENGAGED IN STRIKE.
All Railroads Tied Up-..Famine Ex-
isting and Pestilence Imminent.
Serious Conditions.

| London, Aug. ia quarter OF 8
million men have joined the general
railway strike.
The ranks Of the strikers are being
constantly augmented every hour and
the roads are practically tied up.
| The strike committee today con-
ferred with representatives Of the rail
way unions in Ireland and Scotland.
IN Ireland they say more than half the
| workers have quit. Scotland is cut off
from London by rail and on the far
northern roads general Generalization
is reported.
The most remarkable feature of the
strike is the good order and lack OF
violence. Labor leaders are placing
stress upon this. Only two attempts
to interfere with trains have been re-
ported from the provinces thus far.
The government in an announcement
that it has not given UP attempts to
briug a settlement, also notes the
absence OF disorders.
While the strikers are jubilant over
this success thus far, conditions in tue
slums OF every large city are most
serious. The danger OF disease and
starvation threatens thousands. Refuse
Z has not been removed and there is dan
ger of pestience. An Irish physician
working in Liverpool slunls is quoted
as follows: .
First it is tue Children. They are
dying everywhere, but it will not rest
with them unless the refuse is removed,
Should any infectious disease break out
among the people here, it would carry
them off like flies. The atmosphere
of the city is awful"
| Bread and provisions are becoming
almost as difficult to get here as III
Liverpool and suffering is intense
among the poor.
All traffic through the South London
tube was suspended today, as a result
OF the strike OF the car men and hoist
men. This artery connects the city
s.. proper with South London across the
Thames, a district where many work
ing people live.
s Reports from Northumberland state
that 10000 collierymen have been
thrown ont of work by the closing OF
the plants.
Several thousand Americans, anxious
to get home and blockaded here by the
strike, asked the steamship companies
to arrange for passage tor them on the
French AMI German lines, many CT
which touch al Southampton. The
tourists are willing TO put up with any
Inconvenience to get aboard ship; but
the only vessels ready to sail, the
| American liner Philadelphia and the
Atlantic Transport Lines Minneapolis,
are crowded to capacity.
The White Star Company expected
to get the Celtic off today but at day
light the 6remeu struck. The Lusi
tauia still lies at Liverpool unable to
coal. tits predicted thatno more ships
will sail from Liverpool until the
general strike is settled.
The average wage of the 450, 900
men employed by the railways IL S. a
week. The demand increases average
fifty cents a week. They also ask for
changes in working conditions. The
main issue and the direct cause Of the
strike, however. is direct recognition of
the unions.
Reports from Birmingham, Man
chester, Sheffield and Leeds say that
| many mills aud collieries have shut
down. It is feared that by tonight TO-.
900 miners will have been thrown cut
of work.
Liverpool, Aug. 19.-All power is
cut off in this city, saloons and res
taurants are closed; famine conditions
prevail this evening and the death rate
is already alarmingly high. The
stencil Of uncollected garbags ls hor-
ribly and unless something ls done to
remove the tons Of refuse. now exposed
to the sun, disease which hardly be
combaatted, will be added TO the
horrors of the strike.
Mobs led by hungary women, today
attacked the cold storage warehouses,
hoping to get food to sustain life. They
failed because the supply vas airsaey
exhausted While Tue police and
soldiers we're as gentle as possible in
dealing sitb the mobs, they bad to re-
-ort t. their batons to disperse t4e
rioters.
All oi lbs eoal owned Is the city was
today turned over TO local bakers to
enuble them TO bake up their available
supply Of bread. Tuis will be dis
posed OF by the city authorities The
city is also opening milk depots to
supply babies and children who are
dying by the dozen because eithe lack
Of food.
Liverp col, Aug. 19.-With the
streets filled With soldiers and the
water front surrounded by marines to
day, the mob spirit vas quelled in
Liverpool, but conditions grew worse
hourly The soldiers have been un-
able to furnish the city with even q
partial food supply. Hunger is driv-
ing thousands to desperation. Men
and women who ip their extremity
| plundered bread shops are noT suffer
ing in silence. !.
i The danger OF pes!ilance IS growing
hourly,
+ Lanellv. Wales, Aug, .1e.-Serious
rioti6g took place here today, the
military and police being compelled to
fire rolley into the midst OF a mob that
attacked them Two persons were
killed aud one wounded.