The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-10-17
BRITAIN FACED BY WORST INDUSTRIAL
 CRISIS IN HISTORY
Dock Workers Idle In Sympa- thy With Miners, and Rail- road Men to Meet to Dis-
 cuSs Sympathetic Strike
By Associated Press

By Associated Press
 London, October I6.-Mith n mill
 lion miners out of the pits tonight,
 thousands of dock and indus stria1
 workers already ouf of employment
 as consequence, and the transport
 workers and railroad men called
 to meet soon to discuss sym
 pathetic strike. Great Britain
 faces one of the greatest industrial
 upheavals in it's history i'm the opin- , ion of labor. and political leaders who discussed the situation today.
 Reports from all industrial centers tonight are not reassuring, while port officials say that shipping will be tied up withiR week. The most hopeful messageTcame from Sheffield, where it is believed, there Is enough coal to last three weeks. At other centers one weeks supply is the limit
 The statement that they struck against the advice of most of their leaders was confirmed to some extent by the attitude of many who left the pits. They said they did not under . line' meant strike. and it is clear that great many misunderstood "the unfortunate phrase" as J. H. Thomas, general secretary of the national union of railway men, called it in speech. Mir. Thomas admonished the railroaders to listen to the advice of their leaders. which would be given after the meeting of the delegates Wednesday.
 DIFFERENT NOTE STRUCK
 A different note was struck, how ever. by the South Wales branch of the miners federation. which called a meeting for next Friday to recommend that if the strike was mot settled by october 30, the pump men and other employees remaining at work should be called out.
 1t is indicated tonight that Premier Lloyd George will take no hand in the matter before Tuesday, when parlia- ment meets and undoubtedly will dis cuss the situation. No disturbances are reported and no troops have been sent to the mining centers. but they are held in readiness.
 London's few electric signs and win dow displays are dark tonight by or der of the coal controller and the races for which specialFtrains are usually operated, have been cancelled for next week.
 Not withstanding the food minister's assurances that there will be plenty of food even though the strike lasts some time London provisioners report that housewives are laying in supplies.
 The sugar ration will be cut fifty per cent Monday.
 MESSAGE TO NATION
 Premier Lloyd George today ad- dressed message to the nation, with regard to the strike. He said the gov eminent had done everything possible to avert the calamity, but that the miners, rejecting all offers. now were trying to gain their ends by force. The nation, he declared, would resist such an attack with all its strength, and there can be no doubt as to the issue"
 The premier's message read as fol- lows:
 The nation is confronted with coal strike. The government has made ev- cry effort consistent with it's duty as trustee for the people to avert this calamity. The proposals of the govern ment have been supported by many of the most responsible leaders of tho miners federation. They have been re- garded by all sections of the people as fair and reasonable.
 The government offered to submit the miners claim for an increase in
 
 abide by the result. This offer the miners refused. The government of fered to give the increase asked for If the miners would restore the present low production of coal to the figures of the early part of the present year
 This. too, the miners refused I against the advice of their most ex-I perienced leaders. They are attempting 1 now to gain their ends by force The l nd | attack with all it's strength and there 1 can be no doubt as to the issue.
 The citizens must help each other | to lessen the Inconvenience and suf- l fering which the miners, strike will | cause. The supplies of coal for the | public services are sufficient The l government will ensure the fair dis- | tribution Of the available supplies of coal. Every householder can help by 1 saving coal. Every manufacture can | help his workmen by making his sup plies Of coal last as long as possible l There should be no cessation of em- l ployment until that misfortune cannot | longer be avoided. and, above all, the people should remain calm and deal ]! with emergencies as they arise
 No one need underrate the damage l which this strike will do but no one ] win be dismayed. We have been through much more difficult times. 1 With steady purpose and determine tion to do justice. the nation will over- come. all it's difficulties"
 STRIKE BEGAN FRIDAY The strike began at some of the coal , fields yesterday, the men bringing 1 their tools up when they had finished their shifts.
 While a large section of men in some of the coal fields welcomed the | call, it is evident that elsewhere the | strike -Js not only unpopular but un- expected, the men having felt confiden, that notwithstanding they voted | against the datum line" a settlement 1 would be made.
 With respect to the action of the railway men, it is said that consider able numbers of these Workers were | discontented and>1re inclined to cease i work with or without the consent of tfeir readers It is also declared that |. many or the transport men are equally l ready to Join the strikers, the more so as many of them are already un. employed. owing to restricted coal ex, i ports.
 The question as to how long. the mia CTS can hold out in the absence of an agreement is causing much snecu1a- tion, but it Is difficult to estimate [, Is recalled that the last coal sirtke in 1912 continued for five weeks. but the calculations for the most part fixes shorter period as the limit of res,s- tance now.
 The effect of the suspension of .he