San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1924-03-30
BRITISH LABOR
HAS WEATHERED
|ANOTHERST0RM|
Public Mind Stirred Up
Greatest Since Days
| Of War.
BUS STRIKE ENDED
Week in London Most De-
pressing in Living
Memory.
BUS STRIKE ENDED
By 4. G. GARDINER

Copyright. 1924. by Consol. Press Assn.
London. March .9-The public mind
has never been 50 alarmed at the IN
security of the structure Of society
as it has been this week by the don,e'N
tic war that has ragged in the me
tropolis between the transport sew
ices and the people.
II trumpery dispute can paralyzc
London as it did for five days this
week, then it would see,, that the real
power OF the country las passed TO 4
dictatorship outside of Parliament.
Bevin. leader of the striking Trans
port workers, talked about "brinv'ng
up reserves" exactly As il he were en-
gagged in civil war. Indeed. il has
been civil war and ln,ess the public
can remove essential services from the
zcne of industrial conflict. the life os
the state is at the mere, o. any Mus
sOlini. who. through t'',de unions, can
hold up society.
Friday Anxious Day.
Friday, up to the time that Prime
Minister Macdonald succeeded in
bringing the employers and the work.
ers together. was the most anxious
day in the recent experience of Lo I
don. 1t recalled memories of the
critical days of the war when the U.s.
sue hung in the balance.
There was abundant reason for
anxiety. London had had the most
Il -, 1,,-f,,
| tram and bus services, in the metro,,-
oils were suspended and the public
was reduced to underground travel
and walking. And. II the conference
had failed. all underground services
would have ceased at Friday midnight
and the whole traffic of london
would have been brought to an alb
solute standstill. Other pressure OF
the public was threatened. including
putting out the lights by the electric
ians.
All Over Three ShiIlings.
This was the most desperate attack
that ever was made on tho existence
of the community and all over three
shillings week
The tram conductors demanded al
increase of eight shilliGgs week aud
the companies and municipalities, Of
fered five shillingS with arbitration on
the remainder.
The root Of the trouble is that no
tram system pays and that bus sys-
tons fare little better. This fact is
due to wasteful competition between
the companies and tho municipalities.
ANY extra wage has Ia come out "
rates, or increased fares. The Off
cial view is that increased fares 40
not produce higher income. but The
men took the bit in the;r teeth and in
sisted on full terms at the point OF
the bayonet. Hence the catastrophe
which paralyzed the whole commerce
OF the metropolis and reduced seven
million people to a foot race.
The position was critical for Mr..
Macdonald and the Labor govern
ment. 1t was supposed that with LII
Dor in power that liability TO strike
would be diminished. Instead, thee
have been n succession oe smashing
blows at the public existence.
IL the underground systems ha ]
stopped, Mr.. Macdonald would have
been confronted with the issue OF
whether he was fighting for existence
OF the public or for the triumph Of
the unions. If he had decided he was
fighting for the public he would have
been crushed by his own followers. Il
he had decided he was fighting for
tho unions he would have been smash
ed by the public. II the strike had
been extended it is grave question
whether Mr.. Macdonald would have
been able to command sufficient sup
port from his colleagues to fight the
strikers.
Mr.. Macdonald was sharply criti-
cized on the grounds that he had
made no move to provide public IA
cilities to meet the withdrawal of serv-
ices. but to have done so before ex-
hausting all efforts 10 bring the two
sides together would hsve been con-
strued by the strikers Us taking sides
against them. The writer understands
that he had made preparations TO de.
fend London against what amounted
to siege of war.
By bringing the employers and
workers together. Mr., Macdonald has
done much to convince th, public that
he is doing his utmost to protect its
existence. II it had been convinced
that he was not, his fat would haze
been immediate.