New-York tribune., 1911-11-05

When Mr.. Lloyd George. sloenless IN
his vigilance, found there vas darger
of deadlock in the negotiations bo sent
Tor Mr. Claughton and Sir Guy Granet.
He told them that something more was
at issue than trade dispute. On his
responsibility as a Minister OF the Crown
he declared to them that abroad. and es-
pecially in Germany, the prestige and
power of England were thought to be i'm
paired by these internal disorders; by
the dock strike. by the Welsh riots. by
the Liverpool riots, and now by the rail
way strike Germany, he told them,
considered that England was no longer
in a condition to intervene with effect in
behalf Of France in her Morocco con-
troversy with the Kaiser. Germany was
therefore pressing upon France demands
to which the French Ministry dared not
accede. France, as her German foe be-
lieved, could not by herself, unaided by
England, stand out against these de-
mands. There was, therefore. imminent
danger of such pressure from Germany
upon France as must lead to war, since
French public opinion was unanimous
against surrender to Germany. If war
came it must embroi England also.
The peace Of Europe and the peace of
England were alike imperilled by a con-
tinuance Of the strike, and the sole
chance Of settling the strike lay in the
consent Of the railway representatives to
a meeting with the strike leaders at the
Board Of Trade. 1t would really, added
Mr. Lloyd George. in his persuasive way,
be a meeting between the railway
authorities and Government officials, at
which a few trade union officials would,
incidentally, also be present.
In support of these exhortations Mr..
Lloyd George laid before Mr. Claughton
and Sir Guy Granet, first exacting from
each Of them a pledge of secrecy. des-
patches from British Ambassadors to the
Foreign Office supporting, or tending to
support, these ominous predictions. He
appealed to them as patriots and loyal
subjects and true Englishmen not to ex-
pose their country and their Sovereign
to these awful risks.
1t had heretofore been an article Of
faith and of policy with the railways to
arrange with their own men such dis
putes as arose the North Eastern Rail-
way being the only exception The COM
panies knew very well that the unions
were aiming at two things; first, to enroll
in their own ranks the two-thirds OF the
whole number of railway servants now
n-uniOnists and, secondly, by that
means to secure control of the railways
and run them TO suit themselves They
had given to Mr.. Claughton and Sir Guy
Granet no authority to depart from this
settled policy. Nevertheless, Mr.. Lloyd
Georges appeal succeeded, They say he
is irresistible when he chooses to put
forth all his neutrality-suspicious.,
rhetorical and the rest Mr.. Claughton
and Sir Guy Granet gave way. They
agreed to be found in the same room
with Mr.. Williams and Mr. Thomas. The
meeting between them and the trade
union officials took place at the Board
of Trade. and the strike was settled"
The railways. unlike the men, held
themselves bound by the act Of their
representatives. The men had struck in
violation Of the solemn pledge by
which. in 1907, the railways had been
induced TO consent to Cancellation
Boards. That also was Mr.. Lloyd Georges
scheme. As one of the railway man
ayers said. he had put a pistol to- their
heads Cancellation Boards were a form
of Arbitrat ton, but the trade union idea
of Arbitra ton IS tribunal which shall
always decide in their favor When it
does not, they refuse 10 abide by it.
Again Mr.. Lloyd George put a pistol 10
their heads Again the railway COM
panies submitted, and again while yield
ing much have gained nothing but
temporary cessation of strike which
they would vastly rather have fought to
a finish. They totally disapproved of the
action Of their representatives. They
considered that Mr.. Claughton and Sir
Guy Granet had gone outside their COM
mission They were confident that if no
settlement" had been agreed on the
companies within a week would have
been masters Of the situation and able
TO provide an adequate service both for
passengers and for such goods as were
essential TO the provisioning of London
and the great towns, and essential to the
great industries.
What they have gained by the Settle
ment' is provisional, not permanent;
problematical, not certain. There was an
instant threat of new strike, and act
ually a strike not long after in Ireland:
still waiting TO be settled" though the
defeat Of the strikers seems imminent.
The Irish Government has looked idly on.
The Viceroy was on holiday at Haddo.
his place in Scotland; a holiday which
no interrupted for brief visit TO Dub
lin. barren Of results except degree
If announcement to the strikers. The
Chief Secretary was playing golf in
England, or perhaps Scotland, indulging
in his usual humorous view of a social
convulsion. That is the way in which
Dublin Castle vindicates its claim to su-
perintend the destinies Of Ireland. But
az l happen to know some Of the persons
concerned, and as l heard an interesting
anecdote or two while in County Done
gal. will, with your leave. return to
this subject u W. ..
FIND BONES OF GIGANTIC RACE