The Sun and the New York herald., 1920-08-21
SHEFFIELD STRIKE
EXPECTED TO-DAY
Big Steel District Of England
May Be Tied Up by Dis
pute Over One Man.
OTHER TRADES AFFECTED
Transportation and Lighting
Likely to Be Paralyzed
by WalkOut.

Special Cable Despatch to THE Sun AND NEW
YohK HERALD. Copyright, 1870, BY THD Sun
AND NEw YoRR HERALD.
LONDON, Aug. 20.-Either a strike. or
a lockout, involving the entire manufac-
turing trades Of the Sheffield district to-
morrow, is regarded here as certain as
result OF the demands OF the electri-
cal workers unions that the members
have the power to select the shop fore
men,
Although the dispute centres over a
single man and II is hoped now that the
fight will be confined to the Sheffield
district employers have taken UP the
question of the principles Of the union
demand. Both sides appear unyieldlng,
the big manufacturers declaring that the
whole discipline OF business cannot be
sacrificed TO "sovietism,"
A final conference yesterday between
representatives Of the Manufacturers
Association and the electrical and gen.
eral workers broke down, and efforts by
the Ministry OF Labor to intervene and
settle tho trouble to-day were fruitless.
with q lockout OF the electrical work
ers thousands Of machinists and others
would be thrown out OF employment.
The unions threaten, IL such course is
pursued, to call out all the electrical
orkers in the district, including the
railroad power house and electric light
men, and, IL necessary, TO spread the
strike throughout all England.
This news coming to London when a
big coal strike seems imminent and
l,ysht taI, hng al ANyn q nj
householders and manufacturers here.
inducing frantic efforts to hoard coal,
has had n serious effect.
The electrical workers will not get
anything like cordial support from other
branches of trade unionism, since reports
Indicate that unemployment Is increasing
In England. Wisest labor leaders real
lie that this Is a poor time for workers
to challenge employers, who would be
willing to close down their plants In the
present stagnation.
The most serious slump has already
been noted In shipping. where the short
age OF cargo bunker coal already has
seriously affected employment both OF
seamen ana longshoremen, and cut down
the forces at all shipyards and repair
plants. In these circumstances, many
employers would welcome a struggle
now, since II would give an opportunity
. force showdown with radical labor
N7d to cut down wages. which the sanest
leaders in British industry fear are now
TOO high to enable England to compete
successfully again in the worlds mar
kets
These mon belleve't the struggle should
he fought out at the same time the coal
strike is on, since the coal miners union
is demanding the fight to dictate not
only the wage its members shall re-
ceive, but also the disposition Of the
profits from the sale of coal.
AS an indication of how the labor
leaders appreciate the doubtful element
in their position. John Hidge, president
of the Iron and Steel Trades Confedera-
tion, who would be the first to suffer
from an electrical strike, declared that
his union would never insist that fore
man must be approved by and be
member Of the union, while Mr.. Mann,
secretary Of the Amalgamated Engi-
neers Union, which also would be vitality
affected by an electrical workers strike,
although seeing no way to avoid con-
fct. pointedly raFrained from indors-
ing the electricians stand.