The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-10-06
WORKERS AGREE To
RETURN TO WORK
Government Guarantees !
to Keep Up Wages for
One Year.
$3.50 IS WEEKLY
MINIMUM WAGE
Both Sides Give and
Take in Final Adjust
ment for Further Ac-
lion Between Conferees

London, Oct. 5.--A truce was negs,- 4
tiated this afternoon in the greatest
industrial struggle in the history " Y
Britain when Premier Lloyd Georges
and Andrew Bonar Law, for 1sae gov
eminent, reached compromise with
the railway mems union and the i'm
tern1edlary union esentatives at q 4
conference at 10 Dow ming street
The men agreed to return to work
forthwith pending negotiations OF the
wage status under the guarantee that
there will be settlement by October
81, and conditionally upon the gov
ernment's guarantee that there will
he no reduction in wages before sep-
tember 30. 1920.
The men received the additional
guarantee from the government that
no railway workers are to receive
less than about 1890 weekly instead
of about S440 paid them before the
war as long as the cost of living II
not less than 10 per cent above the
pre-war level. 81
This agreement slaves off tina
greatest industrial crisis the British
nation has ever known--the worst
crisis of any time except war In the
past century.
The two warning sides have net
each other half way.
The government has yielded to the
strikers insistcnce by guaranteeing Ia 4
keep up wages The rail men yielded
by returning to work pending the stu
biiZation of wages.
Meanwhile the crisis in the nAEn-
/ tiations is only postponed until the
end OF the month. But the situation
is such that it is believed an agree
ment is likely at that time, in which
case the controversy will be delayed
a whole year.
Both sides were nobi1izing the en-
tire nation for the bitterest trades
union struggle known 10 the English
speaking races. All British unions
had prepared TO meet Tuesday to
daalass a. ,ge aaral stEilsa and. the ,gnv-
eminent was marshalling a citizenS
army and all civic authorities at thu
same time holding back OF those the
armed strength of the country.
However. the danger on labor's side
of the unions being DESTROYED
through the suffering public made
their position untenable. and the peril
on the governments side of paralyx-
ing industry just recovering from the
war, and also of precipitating a revc-
luton through the use of armed
uniouists. the better half Of the coun-
try's labor rank and file, were 20
great that both sides saw the wisdom
Of settlement
Also there is doubt whether the gov-
eminent could have counted upon the
army for fun supnort in this INDUSTRIAL
struggle. most of the oldiers being
workers themselves.
strong arm" ideas of STR Eric Ged-
des, minister of transportation On
the one side and the radical views Of
lahor's extremists ON the other were
both defeated.
The most remarkable deve1opmant
Of the strike was the moderation. the
ability, the persistence and the leyAt
headedness of the Intermediary -
borites representing all the LEADING
trades outside the rail men
Remarkable also was the utter lack
of disorder and violence on the part
Of the workers and the marvellous
system OF government transport which
saved millions from suffering and
famine
The settlement came In the nick Of
time TO prevent an appalling climax.
The final conference was not MARKED
by the previous bitterness. both sidAs
exchanging fluctuations at the clo4A
and nil were chaered by the de1oA
crowd that packed Downing street
Premier Lloyd George after the see-
| m Immediately haSteHeh n &
! buckingham Palscefto inform the king
of the outcome The king Immediately
urpn his arrival from Balmoral yes
terday had called the privy council for
the emergency
James Henry Thomas. the raiimen'M
spokesman. leaving the Anal confer
ence. shouted to the crowd.
"It'T all over, boys, Work win ~
resumed tomorrow"
big labor mass meeting at AlbsKt
Hall tonight ratified the settlem@nE
hut during the day a great tAhnfs
meeting at Birmingham. not knowing
, of the agreement. had condemned thu;
governments position and demanded
the overthrow Of Geddes.
The railways promise conplAf4
restoration Of service by Tuesday. MI