Evening star., 1918-07-27
MUN|T|ON STRIKE
LEADERS DEFIANT
Spokesman of British Body
of Workers Uninfluenced
by War Service Threat.
DECISION CALLED GRAVE
By the Associated Press.


LONDON, July 27.-The announce
ment last night of Premier Lloyd
George that all workmen absent from
factories on or after Monday will be
deemed to have voluntarily placed
themselves outside the munitions in
dustry and that they will become
liable to military service, was issued
too late to reach the bulk of the
strikers last night Consequently it
was not generally known in the strike
areas 1t was, however. communicated
to the strike leaders at some centers
by newspaper men. to whom the lead
ers declared they were confident that
tho strikers would not be intimidated
or driven to resume work by the
added that such a possibility had
been considered fully beforehand.
Situation Unchanged.
No reports reached London last
night of an extension of the strike,
and the great bulk of the workers
still remain unaffected. Such i'm
portant -centers as London. Manches-
ter. Leeds. Nottingham and Hudders-
held, for instance, remain cool.
Morning newspapers here comment
mostly with approval. although they
recognize the decision is a grave one,
and contend that it will be generally
Endorsed by the country. A certain
uneasiness is manifested by some
papers. which, while admitting that a
strike at the present time is inde-
fensible, think that a settlement
might have been reached by dis
cussion and a compromise.
The Daily News, which regards the
governments decision as the gravest
taken in the history of British indus
trial disputes. says the responsibility
Tor the results must rest entirely on
the government. 1t adds that it is
difficult to believe that a suspension
Of the embargo for few days to en-
able a discussion would have resulted
in such a decrease of output as to
Justify the risk of an immediate con-
dict With large body Of labor and
alarming suspicious ina much larger
body.
The Morning Post, whose views are
usually opposed to those represented
by the News. also criticises the gov
ernment for acting unwisely in the
dispute, and declines to comment on
the governments announcement.
Fewer Men on Strike.
LONDON, July 2s.-The appeal of
urging the munitions strikers to re-
turn to work pending an inquiry had
a good effect. according to news re-
ceived from Birmingham and Coven-
try this afternoon, At Coventry one
of the largest works was enabled to
resume operations. while in Birming-
ham the action of several unions, in
cluding the employees of the power
companies which supply the big mu-
nitions factories in refusing to strike,
had a good result, and it was reported
this afternoon that there were fewer
men on strike than yesterday.
Another influence against the strike
was that welded by discharged SOL
diers and sailors. whose federation.
representing 5000 men. pledged their
loyalty to Winston Spencer Churchill,
minister of munitions.
A statement issued today by the
strikers. representing that 100000
men are out appears to be greatly
officials of the companies that not
more than $4,000 to $4,000 were idle
and that the women and unskilled
strike.
The statement pointed out that GER
tain workers r., had quit their Jobs in
manned idle against the advice Of the
union advisory committee.
"They have ceased work." the state
ment said, mot IL pursuance of a
trade dispute. but in an endeavor to
force the government to change q ma
tional policy essential to the prosecu-
ton of the war.
while millions Of their fellow
countrymen hourly are facing danger
and death for their country. the men
on strike have been granted exemp-
tions from these perils only because
their services are considered of more
value to the state in the workshops
than In the army"