Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-08-01
UNREST IN BRITAIN
|MPER|LS CABINET
Strike Clouds Shadow Nation as
Opposition to Premier's Com
promise Policy Gains
TRIPLE ALLIANCE BALLOTS

London, Aug. 1.-The tide of indus
trial unrest seems to threaten tempor-
ary disaster to the commerce of the
country and may mean the downfall of
the Lloyd George government.
The police strike to prevent legisla-
tion forbidding the union to affiliate
with other labor unions or the police to
strike was declared failure today by
Home Secretary Short. but union of
ficials contended that 65.O0O policemen
or prison officials have quit work.
Minister of Pensions Hodge said in
Parliament last night "It looks as if we
are approaching a general election"
Premier Lloyd Georges famous policy
OF compromise. so long successful, ap-
pears to have reached the breaking
point, and certainly is undergoing its
tion cleared up than a new one breaks
out.
The old leaders of labor, men OF
the type of J. II. Thomas, who has Just
returned from America William
Adamson, spokesman of restraint and
patience while reconstruction from the
war is being arranged. are warning the
workihgman that Great Britain's future
is imperiled unless she can regain her
foreign trade. Mr.. Thomas has held up
the picture of American competition
and American enterprise.
But the old leaders seem to have lost
their influence. A new and younger
set. majority of them outspoken So
cialists, some of them not even work =
ingmen, but socialistic theorists, are in
the saddle.
Epidemic Of Dissatisfaction
The strikes of the last month have
been serious enough, but they are
merely symptomatic of an epidemic OF
dissatisfaction which appears to prevail
throughout the ranks Of organized labor.
Half n million Lancashire cotton oper
atives were idle for more than three
weeks. Two hundred thousand York
shire miners have been on strike since
July 20. The Liverpool dockers have
paralyzed shipping there for two weeks
holding up hundreds of ships of al
sizes. The bakers have decided to strike
on Saturday.
Secretary Short told the House o
Commons today that the strike orde
had been obeyed by about 200 police
men out of 100 in Liverpool.
Policemen who are unable to Civ,
proper explanations of their absenc,
from duty" the secretary continued
men. Regarding Liverpool. told tn
chief constable that I would fully sup
port any step he considered necessary.
In contrast with the home secretary
statement, it was announced at a meet
ing of strikers that the city polio
would walk out in a body this after
noon. Strike leaders asserted that b.
O'Clock tonight there would not b
a policeman on duty in London.
Sir Nevil Macready, chief of tn
metropolitan police. took cognizanc
this morning of report that the strik
ers proposed marching to No. 10 Down
ing street, official residence of Premie
Lloyd George, near the houses OF Parlia
ment. g. -.
'"To take such step while the Hous
Nevil said. II can tell them they wi
Strike leaders, however, said the me
had no intention Of marching to tn
premier's mansion.
! With reference to letter made pub
lie last night from the permiers secre
tary, saying that as the administratio
of the police was in the hands of tn
home secretary the union should ap
broach Mr.. Short, instead of the pre-
mier, as it had attempted to do. Chair
man Marston, of the union, said he ha
no intention of approaching the HON
secretary.
''This time" he continued, "the HON
secretary must come to me-
Assert Strike a Failure
General Sir Nevil MacReady, chi,
commissioner of police, is quoted 9
saying that less than 250 men ha
struck last night.
The Scotland Yard authorities in
formed the Associated Press that, up t
s O'Clock this morning only $50 of ii
entire metropolitan force had failed t
report for duty and only one membe
of the city police.
An official at one of the princip,
West End police stations said thel