Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-05-06
NATIONS TRIUMPH
OVER DANGER SEEN
Sir Philip Gibbs Fearful Of
Immediate Situation, But
/ Predicts Peace.
BY SIR PHILIP GIBBS.



p5y Cable to The Star.
LONDON. May 6.-The general
strike throughout Great Britain con
tinues that paralysis of industrial
activity upon which the life of the
nation depends. A struggle has be-
gun between the forces of organized
labor, led by revolutionary minds
which are acting behind the scenes,
. and the great ma jority of the British
' people, who stand loyal to constitu-
tional government and peaceful meth
DDS of political argument.
Perhaps the most extraordinary eN-
perience ever known by a civilized
country in modern times is the diff
Guilty experienced in England today
in getting news. Now that the print
ers and packers have struck, 50 that
newspapers cannot be produced or
distributed, the people of Great Brit
ain are dependent on handful pa
pers and wireless broadcastinS Tor
Information.
In London clubs crowds and mem
bers tostied each other around the
EoaSds where wireless bulletins were
pasted. They We're desperately anX-
tous for news of what was happen
FRS throughout the country. All that
We could know was that strike or
ss-s had been obeyed and that III
htl Isl6 EdUtS dIltNINb WV A A''NN
ceased.
Jazz Rules Radio.
Those % us who have wireless sets.
Especially those OF us who live In
country districts as l do, have been
sitting UP late at night to get any
tyord over the wireless waves which
might give hope and peace, ana Whiie
the destiny OF our nation is on the
scales of fate. there comes through
bur receivers taZZ tunes and negro
songs or dance music to a gay rhythm.
Cts like the mocllery of Nero playing
~ fiddle, while Rome burned.
SO far the tragic significance o: TINS
&trlIcgie-for no matter what hap
Nens. Z WEI be heavily weighted with
tragedy-fias not affected the 5000
humor of :'e ordinary citizens. The
first morning of the strike, when there
. were no trains and no trans and only
o. few private omnl uses. hundreds OF
thousands of men and women had to
walk to offices and shops in London.
Many walked &. miles-Young
girls in high -heeled shoes and silk
stockings striding 90 like young d.
Rnas and laughing and joking as they
went. Others had bought or borrowed
bicycles, for which there is great de-
mand All roads into London were
thronged with motor traffic and every
old crock of pre-War dat Wa brought
out from country garages while lux
uriouS cars gave lifts to orklng men
and girls.
Many great firms are sending out
motor lorries to collect their staffs at
fixed points in outlying suburbs. While
others are arranging dormitorleS so
that their working people may sleep
on the premises.
Spirit of Adventure.
All this unusual experience gives
"a touch of adventure 20 life which at
first amuses good-humored youth.
But IT'S no joke after all to see great
railway stations with closed gates
and ts watch crowds Of voorhees, men
standing with their hands in their
pockets whfle the machinery OF Eng
fish cfe Is az q dead stop IN its most
vital trades.
I have been watching the faces Of
the crowd IN London. east and west:
On tls whole they are good-natured
and not much worried. not yet in
famed by political passion. But here
and there I have noticed other kinds
Of faces, those THAI are furtive and
sullen and rather criminal in type.
Out ui tho dark little denS or Lon
don slums some of our night birds
have stepped into the light Of day,
seeming trouble, excited by the
rhance Of anarchy. It's against such
7ypes at the present time in all great
cities that the British government is
1akiLg no chances
Jaw the FIRST recruits Of special
ronsraS,es marching down Pail Mall
;n new uniforms already provided
Prom pol5ce s;Orea, held in readiness
for tust sucn crises They are mostly
Young men OF go,d class, tALi sturdy
and active Thousnz dS moro are en-
rolling In even. great city. II there
Is any iootIng or froung British bod
sies VII; not be without reserve.
Danger Sooh Foreseen.
T write OF these things with a heavy
heart. Although I have absolute 1altn
in the sanity and common sense OF
nv own people. whose spirit L saw
in time of war. | cannot conceal from |
myself-and no serious-minded ENG
Jshman can--that this situation may
develop on evil lines unleSS II 10 oeU
tied quickly.
Owjua 10 the years of unemploy- |
ment. bad trade, terrible housing con- !
ditionS In crowded cities ana UNI |
fulfilled PROMISES too freely made IN |
time of war, there is lot or bitter !
ness in many hearts. Pohtlcal aSlld-
tors and wild -mouthed men may stir
ND passion. N-IIIlllltl IllSL1IlCAo iAioS .
surge UP in time Of trouble. Hunger !
and failing of strike pay and in |
evitable defeat may drive young not
heads into desperate acts. Before we
are through, unless it is quick
finish, there is bound to be some out |
break of violence leading to stern and
.,nercileSS suppression for the sake of
law and order.
IIardships Are Sure.
The English countryside as l came |
through il was stepped in peace and
beauty. The nightingales We're sing |
ing in my own garden, though 1t was
daylight The gorS3 was golden on |
English commons and small boys were |
playing cricket. 1t was hard to believe |
that underneath this peace of England |
forces were gathering for a struggle |
which may lead to dreadful strife and |
in any case Is sure to end in national
hardShipS and many evil things.
Meanwhile the most tragic figures in !
England are Ramsay Macdonald and |
his colleagues in the Labor party in
the House of Commons. They are men
of peace. They hate and deteSt revolu- |
tionary methods. They wished to play
for England as we'll as for their own
side. But they have been outmaneu-
vered by younger and wilder men who
have captured the machinery of labor
unions and are eager to set it in mo-
ton with all the brakes off. This gen.
eral strike will be broken as far as it |
threatens the life of the nation. The |
British constitution will prevail be-
yond any shadow of doubt. But the |
cost will be great and the disaster will
be felt by all classes and all who seek
the progress OF democracy in Europe.
Thraa Cauymi1Is Purn