New-York tribune., 1919-02-05
Tie-Up of All
British Rails
Is Threatened
Nationwide Strike Prom
ised Unless Settlement
Is Reac h d Promptly
Clerks Union Recognized
Government To Be Friendly
Toward Organized Labor
Wit hout Intervening

LONDON, Jan. 4.-The strike situa-
ton grew moreserious o~day, when the
secretary OF the Associated Society of
Locomotive Engineers and Firemen, to
which the engine drivers belong, ar
nounced at noon that all the engine
drivers on railway systems having cleo
trio divisions were being called out.
He declared if a settlement was not
reached within few hours a national
strike. involving all the railways, would
be called.
The threatened strike of railway
clerks. involving 1000 station masters,
ticket sellers and other workers, has
been averted by recognition by en-
ployers of the Railway Clerks Union.
Although it has been in existence
twenty years, this union never be-
fore has been recognized as q labor or
ganzation.
Representatives of the union had an
interview to-day with Sir Robert S.
Horne. Minister of Labor, and Sir AL
bert H. Stanley, president of the Board
of Trade. The matter of the eriey-
By special Cabinet meeting, which
sat two hours to consider the labor
problem
Government to Be Friendly
In general way the government has
decided TO maintain its policy of non
Intervention in strikes not authorized
by trade unions. but at the same time
directing its influence toward inducing
the malcontent workers 20 see the
advisability of acting through their
official trade representatives For in
stance, at a conference ct the ministry
Of labor between representatives. of
the government and q deputation of
the electric trades union. the deputa-
ton was assured that if reasonable de-
mands were made through the official
channels of the trade union they
would receive sympathetic considera-
tion from the government but was
warned that if the men continued their
present course, thus putting the whole
community to serious inconvenience,
the government would take drastic
steps to protect the civilian population
and business undertakings.
By the leaders of the present strikes
the governments attitude is regarded
as unsatisfactory. and a number of
meetings are being held in London to-
night with the object Of securing
greater uniformity Of action.
The tube strike situation threatens
to be complicated by strike of the
electrical trades union, which is asking
forty-hour week. After a confer
ence with the Minister of Labor the
secretary of the union declared he
cared it would be impossible to pre-
vent the men from striking
Girls Stick to Posts
Prohting by its experience Monday,
when the city awoke to find trans
p,ortation hampered by the strike in
The tubes, London started early to
work to-day. By daybreak the streets
we're well filled with men and women
walking from the suburbs. And the
buses, when they started at 7
o'clock, we're crowded Almost every
one carried tube striker, who was
Urging the girl conductor to strike, but
up to the present these efforts have
peen without success.
The Mansion House station, the
most important in the business sec
o'clock this morning. 1t is usually at
the height Of its activity at that hour,
aischarglng early workers from the
outlying parts of London,
Waters If British nationality are
not on strike, so city restaurants which
are manned by Britishers were doing
business as usual. Several banquets
booked for tonight at big hotels, in
ciudlng one IN honor of American Am
oassador DAVIS, have been cancelled.
Stanley Explains Dispute
Sir Albert Stanley, president Of the
hoard Of Trade, issued statement
tonight regarding the trouble that
mas broken out in the London tube
Under the arrangement made in
december last the government granted
railway men an eight-hour working
day, excluding meal times. This was
accepted by the unions concerned. The
unions then submitted further de-
mands, Including increased wages and
improved conditions of service apart
rom the eight-hour day These mat
iers are to be considered at the meet
.ng next week between the members Of
me railway executive committee and
the mems unions. Meanwhile, exist
ing conditions of service apart from
the elght-hour day are to remain un-
altered.
despite this agreement with re-
sponsible unions, certain employees Of
the underground and London and
Brighton railways have taken it upon
themselves 20 strike and demand that
-r~~i S'lIcb a>NNI- now De 4NciuQff IN
the el2ht~hour day. This demand. if
granted, would mean that these men
would work only seven or seven and
had hours daily. # this arrange
'nent was extended to other railways it
would reduce the working day to az
low az SIX and half hours in some
eases.
III is quite clear that what is now
demanded by the small section Of the
Fep VINO are on strike is contrary TO
#hat has been agreed with the unions"
The strike Of the walters in tho
@cse hnd hotels has been only partly
successful. While some waitors re-
NAMED at their tasks, many failed to
appear this morning. Breakfasts wcrc
serYed' after fashion, however. and
notfi nnen declare they will. Sight the
LIKE and that they are recruiting
rev forces
L.