New-York tribune., 1918-07-28
Government Promises to
Make Inquiry Into Plant
Conditions
Strikers Are Censured
Men Who Lett Posts Draw
Fire Of Their Fellows for
Unpatriotic Act

LONDON, July 27.--Winston Spencer
Churchill, Minister Of Munitions, an
nounced to-day that Immediately the
munitions strikers resume work COM
mittee will be appointed to investigate
the labor conditions which rendered
the embargo on the movement of
skilled labor necessary, and report
what further measures should be
adopted to maintain and, where neces-
sary, increase the output Of munitions
with due regard to the effective and
economical use of the labor, money
and material.
The minister pointed out that this
step would be taken in accordance with
an agreement with the Trades Union
Advisory Committee. as result OF
which that committee advised the
strikers to resume work
Strikers Are Condemned
Mr. Churchill has received many
kilograms from meetings Of workmen
in the munition areas condemning the
and grossly unfair to the men in the
trenches.
Must "Work or Fight
The national service officials were
busy to-day at Coventry and Birming-
ham preparing forms calling the
strikers of military age to the colors
should they ignore the governments
utimatum and not return to work Mon
day 1t is difficult as yet to decide
upon the effect of the ultimatum. as
many, taking advantage of the enforced
idlencss, have gone to their homes or
are on holiday.
AS far as the number of men out is
concerned, there is little change from
yesterday, but this can be understood,
as Saturday is a half holiday, and
should there be any number who have
decided to return to work-and there
are believed to be many in this frame OF
mind-they would be unlikely to re-
sume before Monday.
The newspaper correspondents saw
the governments ultimatum has made
deep impression on the strikers,
which will be shown at the mass meet
lngs to De held Sunday. On the other
mlngham it was stated the ultimatum
had IN nowlse eased the trouble, but,
on the contrary, had accentuatad it.
1t is estimated that only one-ffth of
the munitions workers of Coventry are
unemployed, and many of these are en-
forced idlers who are unable to work
while the skilled men decline to pre-
pare their tools. Many labor leaders
have proceeded to the affected districts
to urge the men to return to work
Among them is Joseph Havelock Will
-
took 400 sailors with him. They will
parade the streets of Coventry and
thon proceed to the football grounds
for mass meeting, at which the strik-
ers will be told what seamen have suf-
fered and are suffering from the Ger
man U-boats.
The government has received offers
of assistance from many quarters,
while the workers in many districts
have passed resolutions condemning
the strike
Morning newspapers here comment
mostly with approval on the announce
ment 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 industry and that they
Will become liable to military service.
certain uneasiness is manifested
by some papers which, while admitting
that strike at the present time is
indefensible, think that settlement
might have been reached by discus
sion and a compromise.
The pacifst DAILY News" which re-
CARDS the governments dcison as the
gravest taken in the history of British
industrial disputes, says the response
bIllty for the results must rest entirely
on the government. 1t adds that it is
difficult to believe that suspension of
the embargo for a few days to enable a
discussion would have resulted in such
a decrease of output as to Justify the
RISK OF an immediate conflict with
large body of labor and alarming sus-
picions in much larger body.
THE Morning Post" whose views are