Evening star., 1919-09-28
BRITAIN IS GR|PPED
BY BIGGEST STRIKE
Premier's Charge, Anarchist
Conspiracy, Answered by
Bitter Attack.

Bitter Attack.
By the Associated Pfe0.
LONDON. September 27-The first
day Of the greatest strike in Eng
lands history passed without dis
order, but with practically complete
stoppage OF railway transport
throughout tho country. Thus tar It
has been. from a union standpoint,
the most successful tie-up Of industry
ever recorded by warning labor.
railway men was held in Albert Hall.
at which James Henry Thomas. secre-
tary Of the National Union Of Rail-
waymsn-after the audience for an
hour had sung The Red Flag-de-
livered a heated speech Of censure
against the government and declared
that trouble was brewing which
might lead to bloodshed.
Claim Support Of Men.
Both Thomas and C. T. cramp, pres
ident of the union, who has preceded
him, asserted that the men were
firmly behind the leaders in this
great crisis.
President cramp denounced the gov
eminent statement regarding the pur-
pose Of the strike as deliberate
lie." 1t was not the public with whom
the strikers were at war. he declared;
it was the people who were for the
moment in the position Of directing
the affairs Of the country.
All the powers of hell. the press,
platform. and perhaps the pulpit"
would be invoked against the strikers,
said President Cramp. but II they re-
mained solid they would be victorious
Both speakers denounced what they
characterised as the government at
tempt to bias the mind OF the public
by saying that the strike was not in
defense of union rights. but against
the premier's strong statement earlier
in the day, that the strike was an
anarchistic conspiracy against the
government. Secretary Thomas de-
clared IL that were true "God help
the country" -,.... <...:s...s .. -
their their .pTeposais w2gla Ell Be ih,s fatal to
brewing that might lead 70. bleodshed,
+ Answers Prime Minister.
my answer to the prime minister's
challenge" said Mr.. Thomas. sis that
self, not Influenced or intimidated by
any one else; II he will say as head
Of the state that he is prepared to
concede the same principle to all rail-
way servants, then the strike can
cease at once"
Omcial pronouncement from govern
ment sources and bitter rejoinders
with the attitude Of the press, which
is largely with the government. has
surrounded the strike with decided
ly political atmosphere. The general
feeling as expressed by the news
papers Is that. the present struggle
is a test between the relative power
Of the government and Of the or
ganized working classes.
A long verbatim report issued ofii-
cially tonight concerning Fridays
conference between the government
and railway men. shows. that Secre-
tary Thomas asked for minimum OF
50 shihings a week for ali workers.
railway men before the war had been
"disgracefully underpaid."
Passengers Camp in Cars.
A few trains, manned by nom
unionists. pulled out of the London
stations during the day. Several
trains which left for the north to-
night were stopped by pickets and the
engines taken off. The passengers
of fish were left standing on sidings
and the contents spoiled.
Liverpoors meat supply was held up
at Birkenhead. At HartlepooJ the
steel works closed and the iron works
are damping down. Clerks worked the
trains on a small stretch of the Great
Eastern. One aged union fireman re-
fused to strike because he had COM
pleted to within one day Of fifty years
OF service. q.
Several race meetings were aban-
doned. Sir Edward Carson was un-
able to open his home rule campaign
at Belfast because no train was avail
able to take him from London.
The government has already mus
tered 1000 motor lorries for tho trans.
port Of food. and is by no means at the
Offers Of voluntary aid. as drivers and
in other capacities, 1t Is officially stat
ed, are coming from all over the coun-
try. amounting to a quarter of mill
lion. Many Of the volunteers are dis
previously worked In the government
transport service.
The first day Of the strike resulted
in the practical suspension of the rail-
way service everywhere. excepting in
Ireland. and, as consequence, it is
GStImaI6Q, lully l,VVU,UUU persons are
idle including clerks and attendants,
as well as those actually engaged in
operating trains.
The National Union Of Railwaymen
and the Amalgamated Society of Loco
motive Engineers and Firemen have
a combined strength of half q million
and claim, with their reserve Of H.
100000, to be able to pay each strik-
ing member Ell a week for three weeks
before which time they are confident
they will win.
The mail deliveries in London today
were virtually restricted to letters
posted in London. but the postmaster
general IL organizing a road transport
for the mails and expects to have a
fairly efficient service in the next day
or two. which IL 10 hoped to supplement
with an air service. Arrangements
have already been made to transport
the mails to Belgium and Holland by
airplanes.
The closing of Hyde Park will be
special hardship for Londoners. as 1t
has q larger place in London life than
similar parks in American cities.
Hyde Park is the theater for many
spectacfes, as well as "a recreation |
Army was to have held q national
but the demonstration was cancelled. i
The government proposes to close |
Hyde Park TO the public for the dura~ |
ton OF the strike according to- the
Evening NewA It ID planned to uee
II ~ q pa<leing place for motor |
vehicles and as a center for dis.
trihuting milk anil other foedstIhx-