Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1911-08-17
London Dock Conditions
Improve, but Outbreaks
Elsewhere Offset This;
Liverpool Storm Center.
TIE-UP OF RAILWAY
LINES THREATENED
All Efforts Now Being Con-
centrated to Avert This
Eventuality as it Would
Cut Off Food Supplies.

IL any aDaJGmenC OF the 6trlk6 1eVer
that has spread throughout Great
Britain today. At some points such
as the London docks, conditions con-
tinued to improve but this was Offset
by outbreaks elsewhere. With the
exception of at Liverpool, where there
was rioting nearly all last night, the
men generally are orderly and beyond
picketing and peaceably inducing men
to Join the unions, did not interfere
with those desiring to work.
The fighting at Liverpool last night
which resulted in the death of two
rioters, who we're shot by Hussars de-
tending five prison vans occupied by
rioters whom the mob attempted un-
successfully to release, has not tended
thus far to improve the situation ex-
cept as 1t has helped to keep the
peaceably disposed outside the strike
area This enabled the police to more
easily handle those who were causing
trouble.
This was particularly noticeable this
morning when the streets were quiet,
the rioters having retired for a much
needed rest after the nights battle and
also probably to keep away from the
way of the strong forces opposed to
them during daylight. The police and
soldiers. however, prepared for q re-
newal Of hostilities when night fell.
Rail Tie-up New Peril.
Today teams were busy removing
goods from the railway stations to
business houses. They were unmoles-
ted. Along the docks. however, work
was at a standstill and the men show
ed an unwilling spirit. The rioting
Cn the Mersey port was not calculated
to restore confidence elsewhere and
men at other ports were refusing to
steamers diverted from
Liverpool. Glasgow for example,
which had just disposed Of a street
railway strike, now has hack strike
as result Of the men declining to re.
move cargo Of fruit from steamer
sent from the Mersey docks.
Another omninous sign was the
move taken by leaders of the army of
workers designation Liverpool instead
of London as the city from which to
direct the threatened general strike on
the railways, which was declared last
night by the executive Of the railway
mems organizations to become effec-
tive within twenty-four hours unless in
the meantime the companies show q
willingness to negotiate for a settle
ment of the grievance.
Move to Avert Rail Strike.
The threat to tie up al the railway
lines in the United Kingdom caused
more uneasiness than all the other
strike movements combined, for 1t was
unknown that ii the effort was sue
cessful it would completely cut of the
food supplies from the greater port of
the country. The government exerted
every effort to avert such calamity.
This forenoon Sidney Buxton, presi-
dent Of the board of trade, conferred
with the managers OF all the railroad
lines and in the afternoon he met the
leaders Of the employees in the hope of
bringing about a joint conference.
Should the railway strike take place
the managers hope to maintain par
tial service on all lines and for months
have been preparing for such an
eventuality. They have already made
ND time tables for curtailed service
with the aid OF the non-union men who
compose about three-fourth of the
workers. The unions have about 17O,-
900 members.
Suffering Among the Poor.
The residents of many Of the poorer
districts already are suffering from
prolonged idleness and In some sec
tions Of London and the other larger
cities where the husbands and wives
are equally contributing to the sup
port OF their homes, both'a are on strike
and dependent upon charity for food.
The trade Of Manchester has been
completely dislocated ty the strike in
the transport service. Today, the sig
nal men Joined the strikers preventing
the movement OF trains 80 even II the
teamsters were at work there would
be nothing for them to transport.
The striking freight handlers at
Birmingham returned to work today.
There appeared to be no danger of
resumption of the dock strike at Lon
don. The men were slowly returning
~ their places and 1t was stated that
normal conditions would prevail to-
morrow. Smaller and spasmodical
strikes which have broken out in every
variety Of industry throughout the
country have caused the greatest suf-
fering as the poorest class is engaged
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