The New York herald., 1921-04-14
ANSWER is DUE TO-DAY
Government Assures All
Faithful Workers Protec-
tiOn i'm Positions.
100000 MEN AFFECTED
Mine Closing Costs Nation
16,OO0,O00 Pounds-Losses
Mounting.

LONDON, April 13.-After the receipt
of the announcement Of the "the Triple
Alliance" that it's members would be
called from their work Friday night
at 10 p NJ. Premier Lloyd George sent
the following reply to the alliance:
Dear Mr.. Thomas general secretary
OF the Railway Union) and Mr.. Will
Jams Secretary of the Transport
Workers Federation):
II am in receipt of your letter. The
decision you report IL grave one.
You threaten Friday night to dislocate
the whole OF the transport services OF
this country, so essential to the life
of the nation.
II should like to know the grounds
on which you are determined 10 m
flict such a serious blow on your EEL
low countrymen.
Yours faithfully.
rSirned.l LLOYD GEORGE"
Protection for All workers.
Tho Triple Alliance sat until iate
hour tonight, and 1t was decideo ~
send a reply to the Premiers letter to-
morrow morning, when the deliberations
Of the Triple Alliance are resumed.
Earlier in the day the 0overnmon'
issued a statement in whica II Huai@ii-
teed protection to all workers IN essen
tiaI Industries The statement said:
I'm The event Of the threatened ex-
tension of the stoppage Of work, the
Government wish to make IL clear tha'
they will use the fullest powers or the
State TO protect the workers who remain
at work in any services essential 10 the
life of the community.
"In any settlement which may be
reached, the Government will give their
support in securing that the position OF
such workers shall not be pre5udiced az
compared to their position before the
stoppage.'
With only the mines closed down, II Is
estimated by competent observers that
the strike of the miners is costing the
country nearly f16,o00.000 a week.
This includes the loss of unmined coal,
unpaid wages. the decrease In railroad
traffic and the cost Of the emergency
measures. Should the Triple Alliance
carry out it's threat and It's member
ship quit work Friday night, this cost
would be increased many times. since 1t
would entail the stoppage OF practically
all industry in the British Isles and I'm
mense expenditures BY the Government
for police work.
Affects 100000 Men.
About 100000 men are affected by the
strike order By the National Miners
Federation. which became effective
April l. The two other branches OF the
Triple Alliance. the National Union OF
Railwaymen and the National Fedora
tlon of Transport Workers. have q mem
bership OF about 100000 each How
ever, should the Triple Alliance become
effective, the consensus is that 1t would
be Joined by many other unions, In
cluding the electrical workers. That
would mean a stoppage Of all tram
cars and tubes in London and the
shutting orr OF all light and power.
Such general strike would affect about
1000. .00o workers.
The British Isles faced q similar sit
uation in September and October, 1919,
in connection with the railroad mems
strike, called on September 2s. At that
time peers donned overalls and aided
the Government In keeping the emer-
gency transport going. At that time
about so. 900 privately owned motor cars
were rendered to the Government for
emergency use.