Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1920-10-18
BRITISH CABINET
| FACES CRISIS OVER
MINERS STRIKE
organized Labor Confcrs
to Determine Course
of Action.
DECISION OF 6 MILLION MEN
FEARED By GOVERN MEMT
Industrial Centcrs Paralyzed,
and Thousands Are Forced
Into Idleness.
PRESS SUPPORTS MASSES
1loyd George May Dissolve ParIia-
mcnt IL Unions Join
in Action.
DECISION OF 6 MILLION MEN
FEARED BY GOVERN MENT
PRESS SUPPORTS MASSES
1loyd George May Dissolve Parlla.
mcnt II Unions Join
in Action.
ny Irnlted Newsl


LONDON. Oct. l7.--Great Britain
has entered the most fateful period
| of her Internal affairs since the hours
Germany was being debated by the
patton. On Monday series of mo-
Imcntous conferences will begin ou,
| 81 which VIII come the decision OF
organized labor, mass OF 5000 900
workers with political conscious
ness. as TO the attitude to be taken
.oward the striks OF 100000 coal
miners.
The Transport Workers. Union will
told one meeting and the parliamen-
Harry committee o.. the trades union
congress viii confer with the ma
uonal executive committee Of the
labor party. These two assemblies
viii decide, roughly, whether organ
zed labor In to array Itself agains,
he much greater. but unorsanizcd
mass which constitutes the rest OF
British society. a decision. to do SO
what the government most fears.
by Tuesday. when Parliament Is TO
'easscmble. the huge labor issues will
Ic clearly defined and this problem
The Labor party Intends to move
~ Immediate adjournment in order
o permit the discussion OF the labor
controversy. The government prob
,bly viii assent and the parliament
ary battle will be on.
Industry HcinE Parulyxed.
Meanwhile n creeping paralysis Is
.taduAlly nup,bing the limbs OF the
iat!on. From the great midIands in
lnstrial region. the heart of British
Industry. comes steady and dis
iearteninE flow OF reports OF mill
liter mill being forced 20 close down
wing TO the coal strike and the con-
iequent idlencSs OF other dovetai!!n.
INDUSTRIES such as the railways. upon
which the factories are absolutely de-
,endcnt for their supplies. Each
closure throws out of work more
Trade estimated that In addition TO
'oughiy 100000 miners, there were
200. 600 men out of work Sunday. ow-
ng to the strike.
Every day OF the waikout the ratio
II others forced out OF work Will in
,rease, as existing supplies OF ma
erial and coal arc exhausted. and II
nay be said that the 100000 now
brown out OF employment are only
he first to be affected. Tho full force
" the blow Will begin to be felt
Shen the new week would ordinarily
end the laborers back TO their toll
iftcr the weekend holiday.
With just one exception the Lon
Ion newspapers are standing back o.
he government and the unorganizcd
masses. advising the Cabinet to make
his the great test between organized
md unorganized to!lers. The general
public is urged to back up the gov
,rnmcnt, to cconomize in everything
and not to worry.
Newspapers Aid Governments.
The Sunday Dispatch alone sug-
,ests surrender, advising that the
government Immediately grant the
miners raise of 2 shilllngs. point
ng out that three months OF ncEo-
iation preceded the decision tc
Inrike, as evidence OF the miners
'eluctance to strike. 1t was forced
llpon them. the Dispatch says, to de.
.lare the strike because negotiation
fad proved its futility
The Sunday Observer advises the
government and the people to resist
innlnchingly, to keep cool and tc
see 1t through" as Great Britain did
he grea. war.
Congratulating the government a nd
Premier Lloyd George on tho firm
,tand that has been taken against
he miners. the Times says the pub
ic welcomes this test at last because
precipitates the whole labor ques.
ion. In this crisis, the Times says
he nation will find useful the les.
ons OF stcadfastness and steadiness
:reat war. Labor will suffer in the
nd, the Northcliffe paper concludes
,ecause, If the state is to survive, the
tate, must be greater than any one
( the component classes.
Horatlo Bottomley, tho noisy thun.
erer who rumbles in every edi.
ion OF John Bull. came out strong
or democracy in the Sunday Pic.
orial which has a large circulation
mong the middle classes. He de.
Jared the miners to be striking
gainst that Institution and urged
ne people" to sink their difference.
nd rally round the government.
Workers Forced Into Idleness.
J. II. Thomas. head of the 1000. .oot
,ilway men and other transport
orkers, urges his followers to re.
,ain cool and do nothing rash while
,eir elected leaders are handling
10 matter Of whether they are tc
,dulge in a sympathetic holiday.
In general the newspapers are
histiing for compromise within a
wv days, although it is frequentl,
,EKested that Parliament try dras,
Q action.
The hrst effects Of the strike or
sdustries dependent on coal wer,
tcontinued on Third Pase.l