The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1911-09-10
ENGLAND HAS
MANY REASONS
FOR THE REST
INDUSTRIAL. CONDITIONS THERE
ARE DISTURBED. AND IT is
CLAIMED THAT HOT WEATHER
is ONE OF THE CONTRADICTORY
CAUSES.
BY Associated Press.

London, Sept. e.-Many reasons have
been advanced for the industrial un-
rest that has afflicted England this
summer, one Of the most popular be-
ing that the continued hot weather got
on the mems nerves, making them IT.
rttabIe and dissatisfied. Those, how
ever, who have made closer study or
the troubles have found that the strikes
were long and carefully planned out
breaks against grievances, which the
men, rightly or wrongly, complain that
they have been suffering from for the
last four or five years. For number
Of years a small band of determined
men have been trying to organize the
workers for a great national strike to
be followed, some of them believe, by
a still greater international one. They
have not been as successful in England
in getting recruits for the unions as
have the leaders in some other coun-
tries, but as many Of the non-unioniSts
join in a strike when one is declared,
the unions WELD a great power, partic-
ularly since they have learned what
can be gained by working together.
The success of the strike of lockers in
London, which preceded the railway
strike. was due entirely to new or
ganizStion, the National Transport
Workers Federation, formed for the
purpose or bringing all men handling
freight under one head. Thus far the
lockers. many Of the watermen. and
seamen. have come In and in the strike
just concluded they had the support
of the teamsters. The official organ
iEer OF the lockers strike was William
OrbeI, but the man whose organizing
ability made him the master of the
situation was Harry Costing, an old
hand at the game Of striking, having
been one Of the chief lieutenants of
John Burns in the strike of 1889 when
the lockers with Honest john" now a
~ .a.aN. -.
through the west end, started rioting
and did lot of damage. Mr.. Burns
played a very different role in the re-
cent strike. Instead of leading the
men he acted as peacemaker and with
his colleague, Winston Churchill, met
the lockers. brought about a settle
ment and afterwards went through the
dock district explaining the agreement
to the men. While Gosling did the
organizing this time, a veritable fire.
brand Ben Tillett, kept UP the enthu-
siasm Of the strikers. Tillett has
spent the greater part of his life talk
Ing 70 Work1ngmen and describes him.
self as an agitator-an agitator for
better conditions for the workers"
The railway workers, who for the
first time went to battle with their
ranks closed, except of course for that
two thirds who are not members of
the unions, had what might be called a
general staff to lead them. Heretofore
the Associated Society of Locomotive
Engineers and Firemen have not as
ISOLATED themselves with other organi-
cations of railway workers, and even
now there is a fight on between them
and the Amalgamated Society of Rail-
way Servants, which is to be ventilated
at the Trades Union Congress to be
held at Newcastle-on-T Tyne in Septem-
Der. The Servants who include the
conductors. porters and other workers
in similar capacities, complain of the
methods Of the engineers and firemen.
unions Joined with the General Rail
way Workers Union and the Signal
mems and Pointsmens' Union, so that
all were repreSeted in Ne conferences,
which brought about peace. The Ser
wants were represented by j. H.
Thomas, member of the house of com
mons for Derby, J. e. Williams and A.
Bellamy; the Engineers and Firemen
by All. Fox; the General Workers by
Thomas Lowth and the Signalmen and
Pointsmen by s. Charlton. All these
men are sincere trades unionists, and
IL they ever reach their ideal, a fed
Grafton of all unions and every worker
on the railways trades unionist their
power will be supreme. One of the
problems they will have to solve be-
fore this is realized, however, is the
difference between the railroad men Of
the north and those of the south of
England. The strike just concluded
gathered its strength from the north.
The men of London and the southern
counties had no heart in the struggle.
They are not as saving as their north
ern brothers and could not afford a
stoppage Of work. Besides which the
London worker is satisfied with an oc-
casional holiday, while the northerner,
like all the workers in the Industrial
districts. wants an annual holiday of
a couple Of weeks at least. and If he