The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-08-17

oooooooooooooooooocoooo0oo London. August 16.-Meetings with a view to settling the controversy between the railway companies and their employees were held today and tonight at the board of trade, but when they were adjonrned late tonight the situation remained as far from being solved as when they be- gan. Tho railway managers declared they had been promised protection in running their trains and would not yield to 'heir men: the representatives of the rail way mems unions declared, the strike would take place at the expiration of their tlti- matum tomorrow morning.
 At AIdershot the military authorities sre taking every precaution to insure the working of the railways if a strike is called. Twenty-Five thousand soldiers in the Aldershot command have been l'aced under orders for duty.
 All the soldiers will be armed With rifles and ball ammunition. They will he stationed along the railway lines north and south of London. which cavalry will be employed at stations and will patrol the lines Trains will be worked by flag signals.
 Trains to accommodate the 25,o00 n.en have been assembled at Aldershot. Simi- lar precautions also have been taken at all other military stations in England, Scotland and Wales so that in case of need every available soldier will be on duty to insure the continuance of railway traffic. stt-
 4E .| Though the government today made an energetic effort to avert the calamity of a general railway strike, present indica- tions are that the one will materiaifze at o'clock tomorrow morning when the ultimatum of the employees expires. Rep resentatives of both sides met Sydney Buxton, president Of the board of trade tonight but there was no meeting re- tween the contending parties.
 An adjournment. of the conferences were arranged until tomorrow and this fact alone leaves glimmer of hope that the mems ultimatum may at the last moment be extended another day
 Government Offers Protection
 In the house of commons today Wins ton Spencer Churchill, the home sec retary, declared non-unionists were en- titled by law to work without molesta- tion and would be protected in the eX- ercise of that right. The chancellor of the exchequer, David Lloyd George also declared the government was de termined to protect the railways and the food supply at all cost and would not depart in the smallest degree from its determination to protect life and property. .r-r.t
 Tonight Lloyd George in the commons again answered the question of what the governments policy of protection to the railways would be. It seem- 1ngly hedged from the statements of himself and MT. Churchill during the day. The chancellor said:
 "The government Is bound to protect life and property but it's responsibility its power to see that fair play is given tho community at large. Nothing Is further from the mind of the govern ment than even to convey the impress sion that it would interfere in the in iterests of any party"
 The truce pending demands of the railway meu's societies that their employees meet them in conference to consider grievances will expire at 6 o'clock tomorrow morning, when the strike on all the railways in the United Kingdom is scheduled to become effective lCp to this evening the managers had not indicated a purpose to meet the wishes of the strike leaders.
 Some of the managers of the principal roads predict that the union men, par ticularly the older ones. will ignore the 'otrike order. Others stated yesterdays s proclamation <as the first notice that the men had any grievances.
 Sir James Inelis. manager of the Great Western railway. said: .E
 Tt Is unlikely that the companies will give way to the men at all. We would rather close down the whole system"
 The unions say they have made ar rangements by which they can disburse eight weeks strike protection.
 George LAnsbury, the, socialist member of the Bow and Bromley division of Tower Hamlets, who wants to drive the Government from power and impeach the FJninisters because they called out the tkroops to suppress strike rioting. created a scene in the house of commons this after noon by accusing the supporters of the policy of utilizing the troops for the ''butchery of the nnocents." T never knew such bloodthirsty gang" he shouted across the house, and was pro- ceeding to denounce Home Secretary +> Churchill whom he was sharply called to order by Speaker Lowther.
 Mr. Churchill informed the house that ron-unionists were entitled by law to work without molestation. and as far as 1t was f, the power of the police they would be protected In the exercise or that right. t
 Conference Held
 The railway managers held a second conference with the board of trade this afternoon, and at the close published the following statement: ls
 The government having assured the railway companies that they would give them ample protection to enable them to carry on their service. the railway companies are prepared, even in case of a general strike, to give an effective and even if a restricted service
 There was little if any ahatement to- day of the strike fever that has spread through Great Britain. At some points. such as the London docks, conditions con- tinued to improve. but this was offset by outbreaks elsewhere. With the exception of Liverpool, where there was rioting ttAriy all last night, the men generally
 CONTINUED ON FACE el