Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1911-11-03
THE ENGLISH STRIKE.
Editorial Correspondence.
Hutchinson News
London. Aug. Is.

4
London, Aug. 2S.
There was a great strike of rail
way men in England last week, the
news Of which was sent over the
world. AS a subject of conversation
and discussion il has taken the place
of ordinary sights and tourist STUNTS.
A very large per cent Of the railway
employees weNt out, there was rioting
In several places, The soldiers were
called upon and there was almos- war
In spots. and several people, innocent
bystanders usually were killed. The
government secured a cessation of
the strike by getting men and man
ayers 10 agree TO submit 1he differ
ences TO a national commission and
be bound by it, an agreement both
sides will break if it does not suit
them. A railroad strike IS most
serious thing in England for in Lon
don and the manufacturing centeTs
the people depend on the railroads to
bring i'm their provisions and as ice
Is almost unknown very few shops
nave more than a day S supply of
meats. fish and fresh eatables on
hand. So the strike was pinching
millions of people who had no person
/ al interest in its result.
If were a railroad employ Ell Eng
land | would strike, or at Least I'd
strike out for America or some other
land where a man has a show. Rail
noad men are not we'll paid in Eng
land rather worse than other work
lngmen. Engineers, or drivers as
they are called rarely get 10 exceed
30 to 80 shilliHgs a week (seven TO
nine dollars. Firemen. switchmen,
baggagemen. station men, operators,
conductors and brakemen get from 20
shilIrngs 10 80 st'n!rgs a week five
TO nine dollars. And yet both pas
senger fares and freight charges are
higher in England than in Kansas.
In discussing the subject with an
educated Englshman | complained
that a man with a family could not
live on these wages. Eyes. but they
do he said. But their family doesn't
get meat every day-and their family
doesn't need meat every day |
argued on, that a man can't buy a
home, or save anything for trouble
Or old age. That is true, ne said
land 1t is unfortunate. But his child
Zen won't let him stave, and there
Is some light job he cam do tot help
out. The government lis now pre-
pairing plan for the penSioning of
cid people. When that law is work
ing, a man, won't have to worry about
the future
Which is a rotten theory. It. merely
means that with the prospect of
pension of less than two dollars
week an English labOrer can be kept
working at the present low standard.
| am for the old age pension but |
am for the proper payment of a
Wonkingman while he is the age to
enjoy life. This beautiful England
with dts castles and palaces and pic
ture galleries ard great history, is
far behind every other nation IN its
treatment of Che workngmen, and
consequently England IS now sitting
on keg Of dynamite which Is likely
to explode. Orre get ii out of the
heads Of the English worlmen that
they have to submit to these
ehings and these wfgeS because +her
fathers did, and that 1t Is a great
blessing 10 have a king and iordsy1
and the English workmen will raise
Hades With the 2 'eSeht poldcaf and
social conditions In merry England.
II seems TO me the tine; Is not Tar
distant when the explosion viii take
place. Only very skinful manage
ment on the, part of Brgksh states
men and the very conservative habits
of thought of the English people pre-
vented most serious trouble last week
An English workman usually has
large family and the only way they
can keep from going hungry or TO the
poor house is for the whole family to
work and mother and children earn
money TO put into the common treas
ury. Meat, vegetable, fruit, every
thing 10 eat, costs more in England,
Than it does in Kansas. Rent is less,
but our wormen wouldn't hive as
these have to. Clothing is cheaper
n some respects and dearer in others
But the item is small with an English
workman. You can see that after he