Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1919-03-04
ESTABLISHED 1855
BRITISH LABOR PROBLEMS
Significant Steps Of the Working
Men Of the Country
THE old ORDER Is NOW PASSING

Indications are That Peaceful Revolu'
tion is Now Being consummated
and the Privilege of Idleness is About
to Go.
Amid stormy circumstances, writes
correspondent of the New York World
representatives Of British labor ano
capital convened last Thursday at the
British Industrial Parliament and vot'
ed to form a committee representing
both capital and labor to investigate
the great questions at the root of the
industrial commissions in England.
The parliament was composed of 500
representatives Of 100000 workers
and 500 representatives Of capital.
Subcommittee are to be formed to
take up questions Of wages, hours and
housing, and on April Is a Joint COM
mittee will report to a second meeting
Of the parliament, when it is hoped to
form a permanent body which can
handle industrial questions in an effort
to prevent tying up the nations indus
tries.
Henderson Credited With Results.
It was a victory for the regular
leaders Of labor instead Of the ex-
tremists, but it was principally due to
the radical Arthur Henderson's great
speech and programme.
Premier Lloyd George was glad to
accept the resolution Of one whom
during the election, he was most in
terested in showing under by the cry
Of Bolsh evism. He accepted Mr.. Hen
derson's plan in preference to the one
offered by representatives Of capital
but at the very end of the meeting the
whole plan was almost wrecked by
some Of the labor representatives, who
declared that the premier, through
rhetorical means, was trying to ram
something down the throats OF the
workers without labor organizations
being permitted to vote on them.
There Is still chance that this dis
affection may have serious results on
the value of today's decisions.
The days deliberations were marked
by the frankest criticism Of the pre-
mier and the government and by the
reiteration from all the workers, OF
their determination to attain the great
objects for which organized labor is
striving.
"HoId Together" Is Warning.
Stuart Burning Of the labor con-
gress, pointing to the premier, declared
that during the election the premier
had cried "Bolshevism" to the very
men who were there today and said,
Curses have come home to roost."
Premier Lloyd Georges speech at
the end of the session was frequently
interrupted by dissenting voices or by
reminders Of distrust in the govern
ment, which made his earlier remarks
labored, and only at the very end did
he make. an impassioned plea to the
workers and employers for restored
coniC Ance to meet and solve the PROB
lem confronting the nation, "the great
est problem which has ever confronted
us in time Of peace"
With fire, he exclaimed: Hold to-
gether!" reminding his hearers that
on another critical period during the
war he had said hold fast" not un-
availingly.
Peaceful Revolution Evident.
Never has the British worker more
clearly indicated than he did today
that a peaceful revolution has already
taken place in Great Britain and is
creating for him a position in society
which he means to achieve and main
tain.
What was marked in the govern
ments attitude, as expressed by the
premier and the labor minister, was
the recognition that the workers never
would accept the old conditions. The
most astute students Of labor prob
lens in this country expressed their
belief to the World correspondent to-
night that a great good had been done
at q critical moment by the premier's
call for the Industrial Parliament, fol
1t gave opportunity to labor to state It's
case and to remove the fiction thai
Bolshevism is behind the upward striv-
ing Of the masses.
How sure organized labor feels OF III
compelling power is seen in the mo-
mentous demand Of the triple alliance
of the miners, railway men and trans
port workers, which was outlined te
the conference by J. H. Thomas, who
said: 1--WE stand unalterably for own
ership by the state Of the mines anc
railways and the means Of inland ane
coastal transport"
John Robert Clynes, however. warn
ed labor not to demand too much II
too brief space of time.
Miners Strike Postponed.
Strike notices, effective March Is
have been postponed for a week by the
National Federation Of Miners after
conference today, the governments in
yitation having been accepted to nom
mate representatives to a commission
to inquire into the condition Of the Goa
miners. It is understood that the min
ers are to have half the representa-
tives on the body in inquiry.
The results Of today's big confer
ence do not interfere with the presen
negotiations under way with the triple
alliance or other organized bodies. IT.
decision is only the first attempt to In
vestigate the great issues which lie a
the bottom of the whole industria
trouble and to try to find way out u
stabilize the future. The women work
ers will have a conspicuous place IL
this portentous scheme.
Both Sides considerate.
There was no attempt to make thi'
first meeting Of capital and labor
Donnybrook fair In fact there wa
immediate decision Of the whole meet
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