The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-12-03
STRIKE OUTLOOK WORRIES ENGLAND Railroad Unions Will Vote
 December 12 NEW COAL FIELDS Fortune Awaits Man Who Can Prove Pe Is Nearest Kin to Dead Mill
 lionaire Who Disinherited
 His Brother
By PHILLIP EVERETT

London, December z.-(Special.) With considerable anxiety the whole country | is looking forward to the twelfth of De- cember, the eventful day on which the result of the ballot of sthe members of the four great railway unions will be made known from their headquarters, Unity House in Huston road. Are we | to have another railroad strike greater and more formidable than any the coun- try has ever seen? This Is the all i'm portant question now, for strike de- clared now, a few weeks before Christ mas when every business house in the country Is working at high pressure, would be a national calamity indeed.
 The railway employees themselves are evidently in dead earnest, the ballot Is going on in orderly fashion all over the country but there are signs which prove that the result of the vote may be the calamity that the whole nation dreads
 When the ball of papers were sent out some three weeks ago the Swansea rail- road mems joint committee unanimouely recommendede that the whole of the bal tot papers be returned en bloc and that the members call upon the joint execu tlves at once to declare a strike for a fluf recognition of the unions, minimum wage and reduction of working hours
 The Sheffield strike committee passed a resolution condemnng the action of the joint commtte in asking the govern- ment to bring the representatives of the companies and the union together, see ing that the commissions report has been rejected by the men at mass meetings all over the country The committee calls upon all railroad men to vote sfor direct recognition and a ma. tional programme.
 Though the railroad strike if 1t does come Is not expected to be accompanied by serious disturbances or sabotage, the authorities are naturally preparing for 1t, and as it is the intention of the country to employ the military as little as pos s,ble the newly created volunteer police force in London and the special consta. bies enrolled by the home office are at present receiving a thorough training for their duties.
 Of these two forces the volunteer police is undoubtedly the most interest ing because it is to be a permanent body which is being officered and drilled ready to go on duty at a moments mo- tice. More than 5O.000 applications for enrolment have already been received from people in all walks of life It is NC bO NiNAQtu lllO tOiilDdlllSS Ol lZU edcn under the command of a acaptain, two heutenants and ten sergeants. An adju- tant will command each district. The minimum age for entrance is eighteen and a certificate of fitness IS essential.
 We are disregarding social status ab- solutely,' said the secretary, in the al- iotment of posts. We have one company explained by a foreman with the hen' ot lord as senior lieutenant.
 "Tha motto of tha foroa ic opA order, and to obtain that we shall use all peaceable means of persuasion and cissuason, but we are prepared to mee, fierce by force if necessary.
 If a railroad strike happens within the next fortnight we shall have an eff, flcient body of men ready to cooperate with the railroad companies and having two great objects in view: the ensuring of the peoples food supply and tEe pro- lection of all those men who desire to continue working. In any serious pubic disturbance should place ourselves un- der the orders of the police and act as ordinary constabes.