Evening star., 1918-08-31
THIEVES IN SQUADS
ROB LONDON MARTS
LaWIessness Marks First
Night With All Police
on Strike.
PLEA TO LLOYD GEORGE

LONDON, August 31.-Considerable
lawlessness marked the hrst night
passed by London without police pro-
lection. During the earlier hours of
the morning there were some harm
less demonstrations. but later on the
thieves became active and daylight
found a number of windows Of jewel
ers' shops and other places Of busi-
ness broken and considerable prop
erty stolen.
This was particularly true In such
centers as the Strand, Aldgate and
other busy streets. which are usually
so well guarded that shopkeepers
leave their goods on view during the
night. Some of these places were en-
tirely without civilian police protec-
ton last night
There were a few military police
about, including Americans. put ,hes
their own men and even II they had
tried would not have>been able to cope
with the thieves, who generaily
worked in squads.
The strike spread steadily through
out the night and m oeo eorty cyonstaSles stab had
Joined the movement. The city or
london police Joined the metropolitan
forces last night and only a rev
members of the night shirts, Wnlcn
come on duty at o'clock. appeared
on the streets.
Parade in Plain Clothes.
Following a meeting in the open air
at Tower Hill at which their griev-
ances were discussed the strikers In
plain clothes paraded the streets. At
the meeting 10 was decided that the
executives Of the policemen's union
should renew their request today of
the police commissioner for perma-
nent increases in wages.
Secretary Carmichael Of the London
trades council and other labor
leaders assured tho strikers that
organized labor Is in sympathy with
them. Mr.. Carmichael declared that
workmen stood ready to make Mon
day a general holiday as an express
sion of sympathy.
To Appeal to Lloyd George.
It was proposed at the meeting that
the executives of the union go to
Whitehall today and demand to see
resolved at the meeting that the police
works in recognition, it was said. of
the fact that the public appears gen.
orally to be in sympathy with the po-
lice, who, it recognizes, have always
been underpaid and that their wages
have not been during the war proper
tionately with those OF other workers.
the agitation for increased pay had
been going on steadily among the po-
lice for more than year without re-
One union leader stated that the
present pay of London policemen is 38
shiilings. weekly. plus ~ shilltngs war
bonus, and the possible addition of
shisgy weeky TseeiSe ne
shillings more weekly than the patrol
men.
Poorest Paid in World.
"The London police are about the
poorest paid in the world, said this
aSa sads1 ali hs ordKnsry we afiss
methods Of getting our demands recog-
nfzed and it was only when all these
efforts failed that we determined on a
The strike is under the leadership of
the National Union of Police and
The % strike is not entirely unprecedent-
ed In the LOnuoH pohCo ioiSos 90 enSio o
was a similar disturbance on q smaller
scale In 1872, and again in 1890. although
both attempts were suppressed In a day
or two. Later in the day when the
trafiic became thicker the regular traf-
fic constables were sadly missed. Vehi-
cIes became blocked at many of the
busiest centers, while accidents were
not infrequent rs the result of old
wonnen and children attempting to cross
the streets without the help of guar
dians.
Mutiny, Says Scotland Yard.