The Washington herald., 1921-06-06
lfEMALIONS
MBRITAINNOW
WITHOUT WORK
Strike of 100000 Cotton
Operatives Boosts I'm
employment Mark.
LONDON IN MIDST
OF GAYEST SEASON
Miners Continue Hopeless
Battle to Defeat
Owners.
Cspsci.i Cable to Warrington Hsrald.)


LONDON. June 5.-The army of
unemployed in Great Britain reach
ed the 100000 mark at the week
end with the addition to its ranks
of SOC, 700 jobless cotton operatives
who refused to accept IS per cent
wage cut
The cotton workers have definite
ly refused to accept drastic reduc-
tions in wages which have been
ordered. and combination lockout
and walkout will become effective
tomorrow.
Lockout Is Due.
The wooden and textile workers
will meet tomorrow to discuss wage
reductions ordered in those indus
tries, and lockout or walkout mo-
tees are expected within a few
days.
1t is stated that employers of en-
zineers are also posting LOCKOUT
notices tomorrow which are to be-
come effective June 1e. These no.
tices will throw another 25o,oo0 men
(engineers and allied tradesmen)
out of work.
Meantime reports to Reval from
Petrograd state that the Petrograd
trades union conference has voted
to grant British strikers approx
mately 100000 to fan the flames
of western revolution"
Coal strike Continues.
In the meantime the coal miners
are continuing what has developed
into the most -luckless strike in the
history of trade unionism. Although
the union funds are exhausted, the
men are ighting a battle for the
principle of a national wage pool.
A million and a quarter miners
uithout work for Sc days are sub
sistinx on nothing but the union
dole and deriving no pay from the
state unemployment fund. Yet to-
day they are rejecting all compro-
mise offers Of settlement from the
government and owners. Hunger Is
sound to force them back in few
weeks, but throughout their long
period of idleness they have resisted
all attempts to drag them into revo-
lutionary movements, directing their
energies solely to obtaining a
standardized living wage.
Bankrupt state Fund.
The unemployment which has fol-
lowed in the train of the gigantic
cal stoppage has bankrupted the
tate unemployment fund. At the
end of February the treasury had
accumulated a reserve of 100000
900. This great sum has been COM
uletely exhausted. the fund continu-
ing to operate by virtue of special
treasury grants of s1o,000.000 paid
put weekly to those without work
contributions from workers and
vloyers who total only three
=illions-
rNs government has announced
- 1t will have to reduce the unem-
ment dole. which is now "a
ky for men and SO for women.
London I'm Social whirl.
But while the trade and labor
crisis is inflicting terrible hardships
In every Industrial center in the
kingdom. London is enjoying its
most brilliant social season since
1914.
The specter of hunger is stalking
through the east end. but the west
end is permeated with pageantry
and gayety. The past week the
neighborhood of Buckingham palace
has been dazzled with a daily spec
tacle of scarlet and gold. with royal
leVees and gorgeous military dis
plays to celebrate the kings birth
day.
Everybody with money tn snare
save way to an unparalleled frenzv
OF betting on the Epson Derby
aanelagh and Hurlingham, where
the Anglo-American polo games are
0eiHg played, were the scenes or
costly parades of fashion and beam
", while lavish supper parties are
given nightly at all the splendid
homes OF Mayfair society.
The unexampled postwar hard
ships Of the working classes are ac-
centuated by the unusual contrasts
between wealth and poverty in Lon
don, but there are few articulate
expressions of resentment. The
skeleton at the feast is resigned and
docile.
Yesterday for the first time the
king and queen attended a trade
union meeting in the very heart
of the east end. They got a cool
reception from a handful of men
in the back of the hall. who shouted.
What about the miners starv-
ing wives and children?"
They were speedily expelled from
the hail and the din was drowned
oy the ooisterous singing in the
kings honor of For He's a Jolly
Good Fellow"
The incident was symtomatic of
the national labor sentiment re-
garding the royal family.