The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1920-10-16
MINERS
AND GOVERNMENT
PREPARE FOR WAR
Workers Begin Quitting Jobs,
While Public Waits Fear
fully for Real Start of Vital
. struggle.

LONDON, Oct. 16.--Pfeparations
for the great industrial struggle pre-
cipitated by the decision OF the
British coal miners to cease work
went grinly forward today.
Premier Lloyd George today az
dreseed a Issssage to- tpe nation re-
sardihg the lstrike. He said the gov
ernment had done everything pos
sible 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 machinery established by the
government to cope with the crisis
was working smoothly at full speed.
The miners, numbering 100000, were
equally active. Some of them, no.
tably in Derbyshire and Nottingham
shire, already have ceased work at the
end of their shifts.
Meanwhile the public was waiting
Anxiously, even fearfully. for the real
beginning of the battle whose out
come none could foresee, since the
action of the miners hits at the vitals
of the country.
Emergency measures recommend
ed by the government were being per-
fected by local authorities and there
seemed to be a disposition on tho
part of the government, the miners
federation and the people generally
to carry on a long, stern battle 10
settle definitely the issue on which
the coal dtggers have decided to walk
out,
Large stocks of coal have been ac-
have laid in supplies, but the public
has been informed that rigid econ
omy will be necessary. Many large
| industrial concerns are said to have
considered at least partial shutdowns
in case the miners strike develops
land this movement may become ont
of the most serious phases of the
strike.
| Members of the national union ol
railway men and the transport work
ers' union will hold separate meet
ings Monday to determine the atti'
tude these organizations will take to-
| ward the miners strike. 1t will bt
recalled that both gave approval t(
the demands of the miners las
month, and it is feared they may de-
| eide to join in the strike movement
Parliament will convene Tuesday
and hope is entertained that thi'
event maN.tend to bring a solution o
/ the trouble. Neither the governm4
nor the miners federation has CLOSED
the door on further negotiations.
The executive committee of tn
| National Union of Railway Men thi
morning decided to call Special con
| ference of delegates Wednesday I
decide whether the railway men shal
support tn miners through a sym
pathetic strike. Meanwhile, the rail
road employees will remain at work. j.,
Military leave has been stopped II
the Portsmouth district because o
the strike. Considerable forces ar
maintained there and officers an
men on leave have been recalled.
Some of the iron steel works II
the north of Yorkshire already haV
succumbed to the coal strike threa
with it's implication of a prosperity
coal shortage, and with few excep
tions were closed today About 1000
men thus have been thrown out @
employment.
| Representatives yoI tne Chi'0
States shipping board today said the
had received assurances from Tn
British ministry of shipping whic
gave the board reason for hconfidenc
that none of the American steamer
would be tied up for lack of Goa
The board sent message to head
quarters in America suggesting this
all steamships sailing this way carr
IoooI fOV tha rnnnI trin