The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1920-10-16
UNION TO MEET
AND DECIDE QUESTION
Of JOINING STRIKERS
Lloyd George Blames the
Miners for Rejecting
Proposals.

London, Oct. 16-A crisis IN
tho coal strike IL expected Wed.
nesday when the railway union
will hold . conference to do.
eide whether or not to join the
strikers in . sympathetic move.
ment and tie up transportation.
In tho meantime the govern.
moat Is taking evory measure
possible 10 oonsorve food sup
plies. In q message to the min.
ors Lloyd George blames tho
strikers for rejecting wage Of.
fers and preclpltating tho strikA
London, Oct. 16.-(United Press.)
Miners responded solidly to the
call for Q nationwide coal strike
today.
Reports from the coal fields de-
clared the men were swarming out
Of the mines, many refusing to wait
for the change In shifts.
By midday it was estimated that
more than . million miners and
auxiliary workers had been Affect
ed.
Only the pumping engineers and
maintenance STATS we're remaining
in the mines as an Insurance.
against flooding or deterioration Of
the machinery.
Many Of the men sullenly ad-
mitted that I'VE are likely to be
beaten" but maintained they could
stay out for at least six weeks.
No disorders were anticipated,
with the possible exception Of the
more excitable Welshmen, but the
stubbornness of the northerners
and the Scots was expected to en-
bitter industry for mSny months.
Iron and steel plants In York
shire were reported closing down.
Twenty thousand workers In the
Teeside district were expected to be
idle by Monday.
! The government was making ex-
tensive preparations to combat the
threatened paralyzation Of indus
! try. while the press and public
clung to the hope that the strike
could be checked before 1t had
reached an irresistible momentum.
Will Come 10 Head Monday.
This hope centered about Mon
days joint meeting Of the parlia-
mentary labor party, the trades
union congress and the labor party.
The belief prevailed that the ma
jority Of members secretly oppose
the miners. The prevalent idea Ia
that labor as whole disapproves
Of, or is passive regarding the
strike. If this proves to be true,
it is accepted as meaning there will
be no sympathetic strikes.
Executives OF the Transport
Workers Federation also will meet
Monday to discuss ways and means
OF carrying on during the coal
strike, which will Immediately
throw out Of employment thousands
OF transport workers because of
curtailed railway service. officials
Of the triple alliance, which in
cludes miners. transport workers
and railway employees. will hold a
meeting later In the week TO re-
view the situation. 1t is difficult to
ascertain the exact attitude OF the
triple alliance. as an organization,
toward the strike.
| The dispatch from Liverpool to-
!, day said there are no reserve stock.
of coal available for bunkerine
ships. In view Of this it was be.
lieved one Of the first effects of the
strike will be holding up OF ship.
ping.
Il The food ministry has announced
II the strike is confine ed to the min
ers there will be an adequate sup
ply OF foodstuffs, but il it extends
, to other industries drastic ration
) ing plans may be necessary. Th,
only food so far affected has beef
: sugar
An emergency order issued b,
> the board CT trade asks the publ,
to cut down consumption Of coal
gas and electricity.
Grimly Preparing.
London, Oct. is. Preparation
for the great Industrial struggl,
precipitated by the decision of tn,
British coal miners to cease worl
went grimly forward today.
The machinery established b,
the government to cope with tn,
crisis was working smoothly at full
speed. The miners, for their part
were equally active. Some OF them
notably in Derbyshire and Noting
hamshire, already had ceased worl
} At the end Of their shifts.
The issue OF gravest importanc,
= which was hanging in the balanc'
/, was whether the railroad men an,
: the transport workers would Civ,
their active support to the miners
This morning the executive com
mittee Of the National Union Q
. Railvaymen decided to call q spe
lcial conference OF delegates 70
Wednesday next, when the deci,
lon will be taken as to whethe
: the railway men shall support tn
miners through sympathet,
strike. Meanwhile. the railroa
employees will remain at work.