The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-09-27
WILL CUT OFF COAL
TO TRANSPORT FOOD
Drastic Rationing Order Is
sued by Government.

| LONDON, Sept. 26.-The Government
| announces that in order to assure food
supplies during the strike It may be
necessary entirely to suspend the trans
portation of coal.
It. therefore, calls upon the public to
decrease its consumption OF coal and
| the gas and electric light plants TO
economize to the utmost in the use of
coal.
Illuminated advertisements are forbid
den and householders will be allowed to
buy only 100 pounds of coal a week.
Other similar measures are prescribed
Ly the order.
Sir Robert Stevenson Horne, Minister
of Labor, in an interview tonight said !.
This marks the gravest industrial
crisis which has confronted this country
for many years. and it occurs at time
| when its consequences can be most fruit
| ful of injury. The country Is only now
| beginning to struggle toward the rehab-
! iiitation of its industries and the effect
CT this stoppage cannot be otherwise
than disastrous.
More remarkable than anything else
about the strike is its extraordinary pre-
cnitancy and the apparent complete dis
regard of the public. 1t is concerned
With the question of wages, yet the
change in wages which the railway men
fear cannot by any possibility take place
before December 81, and not even then
| unless conditions are much altered from
what anybody anticipates.
Raise of 14O Per Cent. Already.
THE Government cannot agree &c
make permanent the wages which pre-
vailed during the latter period of the
war. The new standard on the avera ge
adds 100 per cent. to the pre-war wages
but the men consider this too low
"A man who was earning from IS to
20 shillings before the war is receiving
with the war bonus, from SO to So
shillings. Under the Government pro.
posal the men will receive permanently
140 per cent more for shorter days
work than before the war. There will
be an addition Of f67, 100000 (sS35, 00O,-
000) to the railway mems wages
This is not a strike against private
employers; 1t is a strike against the
State. 1t Is not a question of increasing
any capitalists profits It Is purely q
! question Of saving the State from dis
aster."
]. II. Thomas. general secretary OF
the National Union OF Railwaymen. sent
an emphatic message to might to the
Irish branch. Of the union ordering the
men not to cease work until further
notice. A late despatch received from
meditated and that the men were likoly
to work through Saturday.
| 81 do not think there is n shadow OF
a doubt that the miners and the trans-
port workers will join the strike" said
Mr.. Thomas, In an interview with tha
Daily Mad.
According to the Daily Mod the Gov
eminent also expects the miners and
transport workers, who with the rail.
Fr1n o. 81, lsrN. A -
lance" to join the strike.
Strong pickets of unionists had bee,
posted as early as 10 O'Clock in tn,
vicinity of all the stations from which
traffic proceeds from London north
ward and also before the great freigh
yards. Railroad men coming up will
their lunch baskets to go on the mid
night shift were stopped and gathered
in groups around the pickets. Every
where perfect order prevailed. The mel
still on duty carried out their work will
seeming extraordinary energy,
At the Great Northern station a
Kings Cross the trains for Edinburgh
departed on schedule time. All wer
crowded with passengers. Several train
were run as double headers" for tn,
convenience Of hundreds OF soldiers anC
sailors returning from leaves OF alb
sence,
At ST. pancras. at Fusion station
everything was quiet The Midland
train for Sheffield left just before mid
night. half fined with passengers A
the Norhtwesern station the clerks re
fused to sell tickets after 10 o'clock ex
cept for the suburbs.
-.s On the subways the employees dis
: enssed the strike, and 1t was eviden
that some Of them tBtended to go out.