New-York tribune., 1919-09-27
100000 Rail
Men in England
Out ON Strike
Confined from page I

and large motor cars from the govern
ment service will convey supplies to
'ne olg towns which will be seriously
anected. All persons able to drive
vehlcIes are invited to offer their ser
wees TO the government.
Strong plckets Of unionists had been
posted as early as 10 O'Clock in the
vicinlty OF all the depots from which
traHlc proceeds from London north
ward and also before the great freipht
yards. Railroad men coming up with
tneir lunch baskets to go on the mid
nlgnt SHIFT were stopped and gath
ered IN groups around the pickets.
Everywhere perfect order prevailed.
The men still on duty carried out
their work with seeming extraordinary
energy
,. Az the Great Northern station at
hlng'S 5 Cross the trains for Edinburgh
departed exactly on schedule time. Ali
OF them were crowded with passengers.
Several trains were run as double
headers for the convenience cf hun
creds of soldiers and sailors return
ing from leaves Of absence
Subway Workers May Quit
Al ST. Pancras, at the Euston Station.
everything was quiet. The Midlands
train for Sheffield lett just before mid.
night ha!f filled with passengers. At
the northwestern station the clerks re-
fused to sell tickets after 10 o'coc k
except for the suburbs. On the sub
ways the employees discussed the strike
and it was evident that some Of them
attended 10 go out.
Inc Scotch Express. which was due
to leave the Euston Station at mid
night, was crowded with passengers. in
cludlng soldiers and mails, but the trim
was cancelled at the last moment. the
slgnalmen having quit work.
outgoing trains from the Paddington
Station ceased at 9:30 o'clock. South
bound trains left Edinburgh on time
but the officials IN the Scotch city re-
fused to guarantee the arrival Of pas
sengers
Hope for Partial Service
Tonight at the Charing Cross Sta
tlon everything was normal. The off
Gals said the usual services would con.
tinue until after midnight They ex.
pressed the hope that they would be
able to run a partial service tomorrow
to the south of England
The official announcement from
!oWniNg street on the breakdown Of
the negotiations read:
''The conference failed to arrive
at an agreement and a strike will
take place tonight.
When asked this evening whethe,
The door was absolutely closed to ne.
eotiations Sir Robert Stevenson Horne
Minister of Labor, replied:
"The mems reply shows no jndica.
tion of loophole anywhere. and. as
lar as ! can see, the door is shut in
our faces"
Later in the day Sir Robert issued
the following statements:
This marks the gravest industrial
crisis which has confronted this coun-
try for many years. and it occurs at a
time when it's consequences can be most
fruitful Of injury.
The country is only now beginniA; :,
to struggle toward the rehabilitation
Of It's industries. and the effect of this
stoppage cannot be otherwise than dis
aStrous.
"Morc remarkable than anything
else about the strike Is its cx-
traordnary precipitancy and the
apparent complete disregard ,f
the public. 1t is concerned with the
question Of wages, Yet the change in
wages which the railway men fear can
not by amy possibility take place be
fore December 81, and not even then
unless conditions are much altered
from what anybody anticipates.
"Ihe government cannot agree %
make permanent the wages which pre-
vailed during the latter period Of the
war. The new standard on the average
adds 100 per cent TO the prc-war wages,
but the nlen consider this too low.
"A man who was earning from IS to
20 shillings before the war is receiv-
ing. with the war bonus from 81 to 53
shiltings. Under the government pro
posal the men will receive permanently
140 per cent more for shorter days
work than before the var There will
be an addition of e67 100000 S335.
100000 to the railway mems wages
This is not strike against private