The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1920-10-16
COAL MINERS
OF ENGLAND
OUT MONDAY
Preparations for Great In
dustrial Struggle 60 Grimly
Forward-Public Anxiously
Awaits Outcome.
PREPARE FOR CRISIS
(By Associated Press)

(By Associated Press)
LONDON, Oct 16-Preparations
for the great industrial struggle phe
Cipitated by the decision of the British
coal miners to cease work, went grim
ly forward today. The machinery es
tablished by the government to cope
with the crisis was working smoothly
at full speed.
The miners, for their part, were
equally active. Some of them, notably
in ,Derbyshire and Nottingham al
ready had ceased work at the end OF
their shift.
Meanwhile the public was watching
anxiously, even fearfully, for the real
beginning of the battle whose outcome
none could foresee since the action OF
the miners hits at the vitals of the
country.
Issue Hangs in Balance.
The issue of gravest Importance
which was hanging in the balance was
whether the railroad men and the
transport workers would give their
active support to the miners. This
morning the executive committee OF
the national union of railwaymen de-
cided to call a special conference of
delegates for Wednesday next when
the fateful decision will be taken as
to whether the railwaymen shall sup
port the miners through a sympathetic
strike. Meanwhile the railroad cm
ployes will remain at work.
The national federation of transport
workers declined to indicate its po-
SitiOn. The executive committee o.
the federation will meet Monday,
when the qpestion may be considered.
The executive committee of the AssO-
ciated Society of Locomotive EnSin
GERS and Firemen is meeting today at
Leeds to decide the attitude of that
union
Military Recalled
Military leave has been stopped in
the Portsmouth district owing to the
strike Considerable forces are main
tanned there and the officers and men
on leave have been recalled. Some OF
the iron and steel works in the north
of Yorkshire already have succumbed
to the coal strike threat, with its i'm
plication of a prospective coal short
age.
With few exceptions all the works
on the Teeside have been closed today
and about 10000 men have been
thrown out of employment. It is
stated that all the works in this dis
trict Will be idle after today. The
local shipyards along the Tees will
be kept going, however, for a few
days
From Sheffield comes the report
that while some of the big factories
have supplies of coal sufficient for
three weeks, the staple trades will be
Immediately affected, as the average
supply of coal is sufficient for one
week only. At the end of that time il
is estimated there will be $4,000 steel
iron, engineering, cutlery and electro
plate workers idle.
Ships in Difficulty
On the marine side, ocean liners
have been instructed to obtain bunker
coal abroad as much as possible. Re
ports from Liverpool state that while
this may ease the situation, the hold
up of shipping will none the less be
serious and much disquietude is felt
there.
Representatives Of the United
States Shipping Board stated this
morning they had received assurances
from the British ministry of shipping
which gave the board reason for con
fidence that none Of the American
steamers would be tied up. The
board sent a message to headquarters
in America suggesting that all steam
ships sailing this way carry coal fol
the round trip.
SaiIinss Unchanged
Inquiries at the offices Of the main
transatlantic passenger lines this
morning elected the statement that
there was no indication at present OF
restriction or alteration Of the adver
tised sailings. The lines say the gov
ernment has not yet notified them not
to put in bunker coal on this side.
1t is declared to be possible that
transatlantic passengers may be eX
Cluded from the steamers on their re-
turn trips to the United Kingdom In
order to conserve space for carrying
foodstuffs.
The larger liners, however. are not
well adapted to the carrying out OF
this idea. as they are intended only
for passenger service and have little
cargo space The Cunard line stated
that the Mauretania would sail today
and there are no indications that the
future service of the lines will be In.
terrupted.