Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-09-28
ATTEMPT TO MOVE
|. TRAINS IS STOPPED
!. BY UNION LAbORERS
Pickets Halt Strings of Cars
and Remove the
Engines.
HEATED SPEECH OF CENSURE
MADE AGAINST GOVERNMENT
Secretary James Thomas Asserts
Trouble May Result in
Bloodshed.
URGES MEN TO STAND SOLID
London Admits Present Struggle Is
Test Between Powers and
Organized Working Classes.


LONDON, Sept. 27.-The first day
o, the greatest strike N England's
history passed without disorder. but
with practically complete stoppage of
railway transportation throughout the
country. Thus far il has been from a
union standpoint the most successful
tie-up of industry ever recorded by
warning labor
Tonight great mass -meeting OF
railway men was held in Albert Hail.
a. which James Henry Thomas. sec
rotary o: the National Union of Rail-
way Men, after the audience for an
hour had sung The Red Flag" deliv-
cred a heated speech of ccnsure against
the government and declared that
trouble was brewing which might lead
to b.oodshed
Both Thomas and c. Z. Cramp. presi-
dent OF the union, who had preceded,
asserted that the men were firmly
behind the leaders in this great crisis.
Crnmp Denounces Government.
President Cramp denounced the gov
ernmcnt statement regarding the pur-
pose of the strike as a deliberate lie"
strikers were at war. he declared: it
was the people who were for the mo-
ment in the position Of directing the
ailaifS OF the country
Al the powers of hell. the press
platform and perhaps the pulpit"
would be invoked against the strikers.
manned solid they would be victorious.
10th speakers denounced what they
eha-acteriZed as the government at
b.. saving that the strike was not in
defense of union rights, but against
the life OF the community Answer
earlier in the day that the strike was
AN anarchists conspiracy against the
sovernment Secretary Thomas de-
country
Answers Challenge.
Ny answer to the Prime Minister'S
challenge. said Mr.. Thomas. lis that
If he will now say to us. officially him
any exc else, if he will say as head
OF the state, that he is prepared 10
concece 10 the same principle OF al;
railway servants. then the strike can
Official announcement from govern
m tneri sources sour , and bitter rejoinders
with the attitude of the press. which
is lareely with the government. has
y rolitica! atmosphere The general
feeling as expressed by the news
papers is that the. present struggle
is test between the relative powers
of the government and OF the organ
lied working classes
lengthy verbatim report, issued Of
and railway men. shows that Secretary
LhGmas asked for minimum of 30
LLOYD George admitted that the rail
way men before the war had been
az Sraccfuliy undcrpaid.,'
ISIS. pulled out of the London stations
during the daY Several trains VIII!
left for the north tonight were stopped
by Dickets. and the engines taken off
The passengers were left 10 cornn
in The cars. Trains of fish were LETT
Standin1> on s!dinSs and the contents
Government Musters I.orrie<.
The government and strike leaders
were busily engaged all day marshall
ing their forces for fight to the
inish. Robert Williams. general secrc-
tary Of the Transport Workers Union
alliance would be automatically in
volvcd. and the transport service Of
The whole country would then be
paraly Zed.
cd 1000 motor lorries for the trans
port Of food, and is by no means at
the end OF its resources in that drcc-
ton. Offers of voluntary aid. as
officially stated. are coming from all
over the country. amounting to a
quarter of million. Many of the
volunteers arc discharged soldiers and
women who had previously worked in
the government transport service
The first day Of the strike resulted
in the practical suspension OF the rail
way service everywhere. excepting in
Ireland and. as consequence. 1t is
estimated fully 1000, 900 persons arc
idle. including clerks and attendants.
as well as those actually engaged I'M.
operating trains. The National Union
OF Railway Men and the Amalgamated
Society Of Locomotive Engineers and
Fircmen have combined strength OF
half million. and claim with
their reserve of ff.5o0o00. 10 be able
to pay each striking member one
pound Il week for three weeks. before
which time they are confident they
will win.
The mail deliveries in London to-
day were virtually restricted to let
ters posted in London. but the Post
is organizing n road
transpor: for the mails and exports to
have fairly efficient service in the
next day or two. which 1t is hoped
to supplement with an air service