Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1919-07-24
Fourth Day of the Great Walk
out of Coal Workers in Eng
land Brings with It No sign of
Settlement
SOLDIERS CALLED OUT
Will BE Asked to Protect Sailors Work.
Ing in the Mipes-Sir Eric Geddcs
Goes to the Strike District to Con-
fer with Miners

London. July %. (By the Associated
Press) The fourth day Of the great coal
miners strike brought no signs Of a settle
ment. Almost $50. 900 men have laid down
their tools Ten thousand went out to-
day in Nottingham and Derby, while 10-
600 mon in Monmouth and $500 Lancashire
workers went back to save the mines from
estruction, but coupling with their re-
turn a strong protest.
Premier Lloyd George and several men,
bers of the cabinet, including Andrew
Bonar Law, Sir Auckland Geddes and Sir
Robert S. Horne. conferred with the mine
owners to-day Tho premier will meet the
officers of the miners federation to-
morrow.
The triple alliance of labor, which is
composed of the railway men, transporta-
ton workers and miners, met in London
behind closed doors and registered a vote
of PIT to II against conscription. partici-
patton in Russian campaigns and the in
tervention of military force in trade union
disputes.
Sir Eric Geddes. who is the cabinets S
man of all-work, went to Leeds with
retinue of officials, but announced
that his mission was only for the
protection OF the mines against flood
ing and Off the direction of sailors
engaged in pumping 1t was not to in
terfere with the strike. Sir Eric as
manager of large railways has had
experience in dealing with labor trou-
BILE, but 1t remains to be seen whether
his presence In the strike districts
will have a beneficial effect.
The most important news of the day
is that soldiers will be used to pro-
| tect the sailors working at the mines.
Use use of the military for any pur-
pose in connection with strikes is a
policy which the unions oppose bit
terly and have made their opposition
one of the chief planks in their plat
form.
The disclosure by a labor paper re-
Gently Of secret circular which the
war office sent to officers, asking
what would be the attitude OF the
soldiers in the event they were called
| upon for strike breaking, has produced
a great sensation in labor circles.
There is no doubt that Lloyd Georges
tgovernment has met the most serious
situation in domestic affairs that 1t has
vet had TO deal with, one which may
| bring to focus all the labor discontent
which has been accGmulatng since the
armistice He and the other ministers
were to-day in conference for hours.
Lloyd Georges genius hitherto has
been shown In ability for compromises.
| Now he is placed between two opposing
| forces whose interests are in direct op-
| D p,sition. The miners are determined upon
the naturalization of the mines The coal
owners seem equally determined to main
, tain their property rights Moreover, three
| hundred members of the premier's coali-
| ton party in the commons have signed
strong protest against naturalization
as principle.
! In talk to newspaper men at Leeds'
! Sir Eric Geddes used strong words. lie
/ said:
"The government is determined that
all the resources Of the state whether
! they are resources of citizens or armed
forces of the crown. shall be used to pre-
vent ruin to the community. Because,
! il these mines are flooded. 1t will cause
great unemployment. and for many
months will prevent the output Of coal
which the Industries of the country need
to keep them from being ruined.
1T is not to take any part in fighting
the strike that we are here. but to save
the life of the nation as far as we can.
feel, and the government feels, that
those who advocated the policy of stop
! ping pumping at the mines have not
realized the length to which 1t might
60"