The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1920-10-18
PRINCE OF WALES
STRIKE MEDIATOR
Over Million British Miners
and Other Coal Field
Workers Idle.
LABOR SAYS FINISH FIGHT
$1,000 in Sympathy Walk Out
Scots Ready to Quit Navy
and Army Leaves Stopped.

strike and $780, 900 workmen In other
branches OF Industry plunged Into
ldieness as result the British
government today concentrated its
efforts toward preventing a spread
Of the strike to the railways and
docks. Tho railway men In Scot.
and sent word that they are ready
TO quit work at. once In a general
strike throughout the United King
dom to support the coal miners.
This fight is the most serious in
the history of Great Britain" said
Robert Smilie, head of the federation
of miners. Smillie sent the following
message to the Daily Herald. organ
of the labor party:
THE strike is now a fight to a
finish"
That neither side is prepared for the
time being to "give quarter" was in
dicated by the stern measures under
way The government has now stopped
all leaves of absence from the navy
AS well as from the army. Naval and
military officers who were absent on
furlough hastened back to their posts
throughout the day.
The Prince OF Wales, who is prob
ably the most popular public figure in
Great Britain may be asked to mediate
1ood controller. and a laborite member
of parliament said in the course of a
speech:
"If both sides suggest, there is every
probability that the Prince of Wales
would consent to act as mediator.
Train schedules were reduced today
and manufacturing plants in all parts
of Englnd Wales and Scotland, either
closed entirely or gave notice of part
time work in the future. The New Cas-
tie race meet has been abandoned.
Series Of Conferences.
a series of momentous conferences
We're uender way throughout the day,
ty leaders of the triple alliance" of
minors, ralwaymen and dock workers
by members OF the government and
representatives of coal and industrial
magnateS
The week end passed without any at
tempt at violence. Nor was any effort
made either by the federation of Miners
or the government to open peace ne
gOtiations." The prediction was gem
erally made by newspapers today, how
ever, that peace move" would be
undertaken by the government before
parliament reconvenes tomorrow after
noon.-Hremier Lloyd George is eX-
pected to make statement in the
house OF commons, explaining the atti-
tude OF the government todawr the
strike and out line the efforts made to
avert it.
The Morning Post and the Daily rele-
graph took a bellicose tone in discuss
ing the walkout. They reported that
volunteers in great numbers were
Hooking to the government to offer their
! SUPPORT. .-..--..........
There were numerous meetings by
local unions OF the railroaders and dock
workers over the week lend to discuss
the advisbility OF making the strike
general thus paralyzing hail traffic,
shipping and all industry,
DHterences OF opinion were manifest
among the railwaymen, While the scot
tlsh rail employees announced their
Willingness to quit work at once, the
railroads in other parts of the country
')uhselled caution and advice, waiting
to see what would deveope
Attack Lloyd Georqe,
ernest BeVln. leader of the TRANSPORT
workers, attacked Premier Lloyd
George and accused him of double oeaI-
ing. BeVln said he believed that the
premier was secretly engineering strikes
IN both Great Britain and France 10
give the allies chance to seize the
great nelds in the Ruhr district of Ger
many
While the labor outlook in Great l3rl-
tam mas never been so dark, conserva-
i've leaders in the ranks of labor are
using all their influence to bring about
the peace before the strike can snread
}. ii. Thomas, leader of the natjonai
union of railway men, is leader among
this group:
IT is the duty Of all to see that the
uoor or negotiations, if opened. shan
not he closed" said Thomas.
,, NntiStrlke Propaganda.
,,rai, soNerhmeht has begun great
Pr"paHahda campaign. Huge posters
are pelhg issued bearing diagrams "a
ohoW the amount of coal profits that
10 TO the miners. According 70 tbese
PoSteFs the men get twentv-four out
oi every thrity-three shillings that is
iaid Tor coal at the mine.
MAJORITY of the 25O0O transport
',,,i'D Neis IN London are said to favor a
reilNe' not only in sympathy with tho
ul"efS, ut to enforce their own do
lnandS. VIVA Wv" ue-
FRED Bramley. secretary of tbe ,rodo
ton6ress, which is controlled nv
,uc ulple alliance" said that if i.
pLIo'"ple that the railwaymen. even If
tn 6a,l,, uI "ol go on a strike will refuse
40 handIe surplus coal now stored in ~
iHlhe heldS. This NAV result II, ~ -, a',e ~
''"p' 10 man coal trains with soloiers
M government as Directorate
ne government, as n result Of ,h,
H. i'"S oeeh placed in the position of
,L ,o directorate OF the mining industry
,.,,,,o,...'ic.N,' 70 ol NhlCh II controls and
consequently it is Interested in tha
prosperity Of the coal trade. which is
''G!uihg large sum to the excheuuer
10 is maintained the government
wholly supports the premier's intimated
readiness 10 explore every avenue to-
ward settlement, and will facilitate AL
most any movement toward the reopen
ing of negotiations. Such a movement
it is suggested, may be started at to-
lays meeting Of the parliamentary COM
mittce ofthe trade union conference with
the executive committee Of the labor
party and labor leaders in parliament
Coal Supplies Communicated.
All available supplies of coal have
been placed under government control
The newspapers are making much OF
the fact that while the strike is COM
petcly effective. there are considerable
sections Of the miners who entered it
nalt-hartedly and only because they
were ordered SO TO do The West York
shire miners are among those who dis
approve OF the strike. although dec'ar-
ing they will stand by the others.
The miners OF the vital south Wales
coal fields represent the heilgcrcnt
section Of the strikers. The bulk of
the extremists of the federation are 20
he found here and they are eager to
carry on the fight to the bitter end.
nuIIn NnTTNA nj AhTED