The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-08-18
lrc OPS Deployed for Ser
vice III Great Indus
trial War.
ALLIED UNIONS
A RE CALLED OUl
Desperate Efforts of Government
to Avert Clash Trembling in
Balance, Representatives of
Employees Standing Firm for
Their Demands-Royal
Commission Refused.

London, August 1T.-The strenuous
almost desperate, efforts the Liberal
government has made to prevent the
greatest conflict between capital and
labor that England ever has Witnessed
are trembling in the balance tonight
Representatives of the four organiza-
tons comprising the Amaigamated So
ciety of Railway Servants issued
strike order tonight calling out the
100000 members of their allied unions
The men were asked TO strike i'm
mediately."
Though the membership of the
unions is less than. one-siNth of the
entire force of railway workmen. II
includes the highest skilled laborers
they all keep in line they will he able
to cripple the traffic of the entire
United bingham.
The vital question in the situation
now is how large proportion of the
men will respond to the strike order
No one can answer the question or
even attempt to summarize the s!tua-
ton tonight.
Based on Guesswork.
AT midnight neither the Board of
Trade. the railway managers nor the
union leaders had any definite inform
alton OF how far the men were re-
spending to the strike order. Tele-
grams were pouring in that a thou
sand men had struck here and five
hundred at another place, but the
messages were based largely on guess
work. AS far as London is concerned,
the strike has not visibly affected
traffic as yet. All trains are moving
as usual. and the only disturbance re-
ported was small row between union
men and honunion men at the St.
Pancras Station.
Late tonight the executive commit
tee OF the strikers issued a statement
saying:
Results from the provinces point
to an early and decisive victory"
The leaders. however could not give
details supporting this assertion
The government had been successful
in Its attempt TO stave off the strike
which had been set TO begin at s
o'clock this morning, and tonight
David Lloyd-George. the Chancellor OF
the Exchequer, stepped into the breach
in the House OF Com:r2as a.:er the
days conference at the Boar. of Trsde
had resulted in failure, in an endeavor
further to delay the walkout 81 The
men and TO bring about an amicable
settlement of the controversy.
Insist on Calling Strike.
The chancellor argued that to-day's
negotiations and Premier Asquith's
OFFER to form royal commission TO
effect settlement of the strike had
resulted in a misunderstanding on the
part OF the men. which yet might be
put straight. But the spokesman of
the railway employees refused to ac-
cept Mr.. Lloyd Georges view of The
situation. and insisted on calling the
strike, even though the negotiations
had not been definitely broken off
Premier Asquith's proposition was to
form royal commission of three men,
bers, one from the railway companies,
one from the strikers and phe third
the chairman. a man we'll known fer
impart!ality. The railway companies
representatives accepted the PROPOSE
ton. but the employees rejected It,
David Lloyd-George announced in
the House of Commons after the con-
ference that the meR thought the pro-
posel OF a royal commission was the
usual scheme to effect delay. and that
he believed that was the reason they
would not accept II.
Army on the Move.
y feature OF the affair is that Eng
lands army IS on the move. It's ac-
tivities might be described as nearer
a mobilization than at any time for
some years. The government is de-
ployins troops to meet the emergency
all over the country.
At Aldershot tonight $4,000 soldiers
were loaded on twenty-one trains The
authorities refused to make public their
destination. but large proportion of
them have come to London and are
encampinG in the parks and near tho
railway stations. Four thousand in
fantry are in Victoria Park. in the
last End of London. and the centre
If its most turbulent population
Three thousand infantry are raising
tents In Regent Park. another 5000 are
quartered In Hyde Park. 600 are
guarding the general post office and
another 600 are encamped at the Tow
CT OF London. The only London rail-
way station where soldiers are in
evidence is Chaplain Junction, the cen
tire of several suburban lines which
the Scots Guards are picketing Else
where troops are being moved to
strategical points all over the country.
The governments plans to cope with
the strike seem fully arranged Tho
tunnels and the signal boxes are the
chief points which it purposes to pro-
tect against possible violence
The Home Office has instructed all
the provincial authorities concerning
the closing of taverns and the enrol
ment special constables. Arrange
ments have been made to open fifty
depots In London for the swearing in
of special constables II this should be
found necessary.
Wide Cessation of Work.
Late reports from the provinces say
there has been a wide cessation OF
work, especially on the part of men
handling freight traffic.
The passenger service. however, is
maintained with fair regularity, II is
stated. There are also reports from
many places Of minor disturbances,
such as small riots and the turning
over OF signal boxes,
The strike committee which the La