Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1915-12-30
BRITISH WORKMEN
HEAR PLAIN TALK
.LIoyd-George Tells Unionists
They Must Permit Industry
to Go On or Bear the
Blame ECU Defeat.

London. Dec. 3O.-1n one Of the most
remarkable appeals ever made to a
body of men, David Lloyd George,
British minister of munitions. ad-
gov, urging them to amend their rules
to permit the manufacture of NUM-
tions at any rate commensurate with
the British army's needs. 1t was a
| terrific indictment of the trades unions.
He declared:
Either we must tell the soldiers at
the front that we are sorry we can
not get the guns to enable them to
win throughout 1916, owing to the
trades union regulations. or we must
| tell them that il they manage to hold
out for another year perhaps American
workmen will help US get sufficient
supply for 1917.
!, "Of course, there is another alter
native; we might tell the kaiser frank
| ly that we cannot go on. He might let
us off with annexing Belgium, paying
Ian indemnity and giving up a British
| colony or two, but he certainly would
demand that Great Britain surrender
her command Of the sea, and Great
Britain then would be as completely at
the mercy of Prussian despotism as
Belgium is today"
plan to amend the trades union regu :
lations that had been drawn up by a
committee on which were seven trades
union leaders.
Leaders Not Trusted.
1--WE don't trust the trades union
| leaders," cried several voices in the
audience.
Whom do you trust, them" Mr.
Lloyd-George inquired.
Nobody" several voices shouted in
reply.
/ Mr.. Lloyd George went on to tell OF
new national gun and munition fac
tories under construction by the muni-
| tions ministry in different parts of the
kingdom, and of his need of 10000
skilled workmen to man them.
you won't get them" one Of his in
terrupters here broke in.
81 have come here to face 5000
Glasgow trades union men," exclaimed
the minister. will that gentleman
/ venture to go to Flanders and face g.
4 900 British soldiers in the trenches?'
This retort evoked prolonged cheer
ing.
Then the minister explained that
the retreat of the Russians last sum
mer, when they seemed on the point
of winning complete victory, was
! due not to the superiority of the Ger
man soldiers, but to the aid the Ger
man workman gave his comrades in
Z: the field by manufacturing an endless
4 supply of guns and shells.
It's Up To Labor.
Similarly" he said, "the French
] workman has already realized the stu
alton and come to the rescue of his
fighting comrades, and 1t is due to tho
1 French workman that France is able
to face and Withstand the terrible Ger
man machine. Unless the British
workmen will frankly, without cavili-
ing, follow the example set them by
! the French, and do so above all with
out delay, victory is impossible. !.
II cannot return to parliament anc
4 through the house OF commons tell the
men of the British army that skilled
workmen at home won't suspend thefl
4 trymen's lives on the battlefield.
British women have done nobiy. In
j the last few days have seen the ex-
cellent work they are doing. But il
the men fail to back up the govern
ment program there Is left only the twt
alternatives have already referred to
4 refuse to believe, however. that skilled
British workmen, whose patriotism has
already been manifested by the readi'
ness with which they have given theil
sons TO fight their country's battles
will give me an unfavorable answer il
this hour OF need.
"Time Is Vital, Victory, Life"
Time is vital, time is victory, ant
time is life. Already there have beer
$4,000 British casualties, including
300, 900 since the agreement between
the trade unions and the government
last March. Further delay means fur.
! ther losses. Help thoroughly. hell
quickly and you strengthen your claim
4 at the end of the war upon the British
people tor the redress OF any srievapce