The Washington herald., 1921-04-14
Strike of Triple Alliance
Scheduled to Start
On Friday.
PROSPECT DARKER
FOR SETTLEMENT
Scotch and Welsh Miners
Show Teeth as Labor
Fever Grows.
Especial Cable to The Washington Herald
and Chicago Tribune.)
by JOHN STEELE.


LONDON. April l3.-The Society
Of Locomotive Engineers and Fire
men. heretofore lukewarm. decided
to join the triple alliance strike
Friday. The executive railway
clerks strongly recommend joining
the strike on the ground that the
issue affects all organized labor.
They will decide on the question
tomorrow.
The triple alliance has issued a
manifesto addressed TO fellow
workmen," which says it is hghtins
for trade union rights.
we resent the suggestion" the
manifesto continues, that th.
miners fight is a political tight a.
the government claims. We are not
proclaiming a revolution. We are
standing shoulder to shoulder for
fundamental trade union rights. n
these are denied TO the miners now
they will be denied TO the whole
li1he UNION movement ldNeT-
ONIONS Must Triumph
The fight must and will be won.
British trade uniOnism must tr!-
umph against the united efforts or
British organized capitals attempt
to destroy trade union achievements
legitimately gained by years Of hard
work and sacrifice"
II nnu evident
be made to bring about a national
general strike OF all organized work
ers. A national conference of unions
affiliated with the Federation OF
General Workers. including the
most unskilled laborcrs, is cNlIcd
for London tomorrow. A joint
meeting OF the parliamentary com
mittee. trade unions congress. ua-
tionsi executives OF the Labor party
and parliamentary Labor party will
be held in the house Of commons to-
morrow.
The triple alliance. the railroad
men. Uiners AMI transport workers.
} ave thrown down the gauntlet to
the Governmen, for an industrial
war, fixing the time Of the railroad
and transport strike at 10 p. m. Fri
day. The orders ere absolutely In
conditional but there is one rar cr
hope, for nearly three days Of re.
spite have been given during which
time many things may happen
United labor IN the most forr1Id-
able domestic uprising TO threaten
the British state IN recent centuries
began TO show its teeth in Scpzrai.
parts OF this island today. In Sect
land and Wales there warr serious
outbreaks. In Whitehall. in London
itself. a large crowd millcd around
the head Of Downing street showing
its sympathy with the activiii'.s oI
labor and its growing irrcvsrrnr,
for the foot ana mounted patrols
which guarded this fountain head oS
the imperial power
BaEpIPc Bsnd Leads
At Msrktnch near Edinburgh in
Scotland a bsnl Of pipers lead
large force of West Fife miners into
the heart OF the city. After a shor'
parade a jewelry shop was en- rcd
despite the protests Of its proprietor
and a number Of articles were taken.
The pipers then led the miners TO
Thornton. a nearby town. and at
tempts were made to draw the rail-
waymen there out on strike The
railwsymen refused. and the miners
began TO smash windows and 10
throw stones at residents. Marines
dispersed the mob. but durinu nc
night freight trains were looted. The
marines still are guarding the dis
trict
A mine official was attacked in
Glyn Corwg near Meath as he was
going to his work. He fed to his
home, which the crowd then at
tackled. smashing the windows.
Guards finally restored order.
Prospects Darker.
Meanwhile the prospects of a set
tlement and peace have grown
darker. The announcement Of the
strike was made this morning by
J. II. Thomas, the railwaymeh's
leader. after an hours meeting with
the alliance executives. Mr.. Thomas
was almost in tears. II is well
known that he has opposed the
strike and fears that his men will
refuse to respond to Il. but il is
declared that the miners insisted
that the allies carry out their obli-
cations on threat of splitting the
alliance and calling on radical labor
all over the country for a revolu-
tionary strike.
In the meantime desperate efforts
are being made 60 secure an elev-
enth hour settlement Arthur Hen
derson and John Clynes, the leaders
of the political Labor party, who
were present at the meeting OF the
alliances executives, went immedi-
stely to 10 Downing Street to see
Premier Lloyd George, and they
will keep in close touch with both
sides.
More Troops Posted.
The government has now COM
pIeted all preparations for the
preservation OF rider and the pro-
lection of the men continuing work.
Troops are posted everywhere In
readiness for action and special po-
lice have been enrolled all over the
country.
The government today issued
notice 20 all WORKERS that they viii
be protected by the fullest power Of
the state not only during the strike
but also against being victimi1ed
after the settlement E
A serious feature Of the situation
is the fact that several other unions
have sent applications TO the triple
alliance for permission 20 Join the