The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1920-10-22
BRITISH PROBLEM
I BEFORE CABINET
DISCUSS THREAT
OF woRKMEN-sPEcULATIoN
AS TO WHETHER APPEAL TO
I COUNTRY WILL FOLLOW DIS
tPurE OF THE MINERs.-5o,o 600
TO 100, 900 TRANSPORT WORK.
ERS ARE IDLE. ~


London. Oct.I21, (By the Assoclat-
ed Press.)-The cabinet discussed to-
night the grave situation arising out
of the threat of the railroad ana
transport workers to force the gov
ernment to negotiate with the min
ers, Whether any decision was
reached was not disclosed up to 1880
O'Clock. L..
Two grave questions are exercising
the political andjndustrial world the
first to what extent. the labor leaq-
ers are losing control of the work
ers:r second, whether a political crisis
and anappeal to the, country will de-
velop out of the miners dispute. "
1t is stated that James Henry
Thomas, general secretary OF the Ma
tional Union of Railway Men, has
exerted the greatest efforts to get
the action taken Ry the railway men
postponed for a few days but that
his influence was overborne. II
Premier Lloyd George was in IN
formal conversation with some OF
the labor leaders today but little
hope seems to be entertained that
the government will fecede from its
position, insisting upon an increas-
ed output or submission of. the dis
pute to an Independent tribunal as a
condition for an increase in wage.
Even had the government been
inclined to recede from this posi-
tion it is felt it could hardly do so
now in the face of the railway mems
threat. Undoubtedly the solidarity
of the workers as shown by the ac-7-
tion of the railway apd transport
workers, come somewhat as a sur
prise to the public. because the min
ers' strike unpopular with almost
the entire community. The seeming
inconsistency is explained by some
of the labor leaders as due to the
universal belief among the workers
that the governemnt under pressure
of big business interests has \decid-
ed that halt must be called to, the
continual increase in wage.
Robert Smillie, the miners leader
speaking in Glasgow tonight, accus-
, ed the government of desiring to re-
move the hindrasces to cheaper and
greater production which were found
in the present powers of the trade
unions. He promised that if increas-
ed wages were granted, the miners
would cooperate with the owner and
increase the output to 2o,oOo,ooo tons
in four or five months. .
: London, Oct. 21-The effect of the
coal strike is appreciably felt by the
various unions affiliated with the ma
tional transport workers federation,
the members of which are being
thrown out of employment in increas-
ing numbers by the coal stoppage.
The reports Of the stoppage OF
work from various branches which
were laid before the executive COM
: mittee on reassembling today were
serious. From $4,000 to 100000
transport workers are idleend hun
dreds of thousands of other workers
in other callings have been obliged
Il to remain idle according to Secretary
Williams. The Clyde area was espe-
5'cially affected. At Newcastle, Cardiff
and other coal ports the work of load
.5ing vessels decreased and it is exr
n'pected that unemployment will be in
,.tensfed as the supplies of fuel di-
mihish. Many steamers are, lying idle
: for lack Of cargoes and the seafaring
community ON the aortheast coast is
already beginning to suffer hard
ships. In northwest Durham several
.burglaries have occurred.