Evening star., 1926-05-01
A General British Strike.

A General British Strike.
An industrial crisis Of the greatest
gravity has befallen Great Britain.
general strike has been ordered for
next Tuesday by the trade union con-
gress at London in sympathy with the
coal miners, who walked out of the
pits at midnight. The coal miners
number 100000. and the member
ship of the 203 unions represented by
the congress is more than five mil
lions.
The coal strike results from the fail
ure of the miners and the operators
to agree upon a wage and hours scale.
Last July, in consequence OF depresS-
ing conditions in the coal industry, the
government granted subsidy to the
mine owners which enabled them 10
maintain their workings on the old
scale. Had it not been for that grant
the operators would have had to re-
duce wages or close their mines en-
tirely. BY its terms it expired at mid
night April 80. 1t has cost the gov
ernment more than f20,000,00O, or
close upon $100,000,000. In the nego-
tiations for an adjustment the mine
owners offered a national minimum
wage 20 per cent higher than that
paid in 1914, but 1878 per cent lowe.
than the present wages. They alsf
stipulated an eight-hour instead of s
seven-hour day. The miners rejected
both propositions. asking for higher
wages and refusing any extension OF
the working day.
Promptly meeting the threat of a
general strike. tying up all essential
Industries, including transportation,
the King has signed a proclamation
of national emergency, giving the gov
ernment full power to employ troops
and to take such measures as may be
necessary to protect the public peace
and welfare. Already, in anticipation
of the possibility of a general strike,
the government has made provisions
for the carriage of food and milk by
motor vehicles, and more than 200, 900
private and commercial cars and
trucks are available for this service.
The government could, of course.
have averted the mine strike by con-
tinuing the subsidy. But public
opinion, outside of labor circles, was
decidedly against further maintenance
of false standards by this means. The
subsidy was causing a severe drain
upon the eXchequer Added to the
dole to the unemployed, which i'm
poses very heavy burden upon the
treasury, it threw a staggering load
upon the taxpayers. The government
was between two fires, that of labor
demands and that of taxpayers re-
sentiment. 1t elected to cut off the
subsidy upon it's expiration and to
meet the contingency of a general
strike, if it came. Now that it has
come-unless it should be averted
through the settlement of the mine
strike before Tuesday-the test will
come as to the weight of public
opinion.
Great Britain has passed through
other general strikes, without disaster.
The small and compact national area
makes it possible to organize emer-
gency transportation means, and upon
transport Great Britain's welfare
chiefly depends. 1t imports the great
er part of it's food supplies, and it can
subsist by means of makeshift meas
ures of carriage.
The political effect of the strike is
the more serious potentiality. Labor
has already had it's innings in national
administration and has failed. The
latest general election resulted in the
return of a non-Labor government
with a remarkable shrinkage of the
Liberal party. The lines are mainly
drawn between the Conservatives and
the Laborites. This strike may bring
about a new test of strength. A yield
ing to the strike demands by the gov
ernment would serve to bring down
upon it the wrath of the conservative
public and, in the event of general
election, cause the restoration OF the
Liberal party to power, or at least tc
q strong balance e-of-power position. Or
the other hand, the strike is calcu
lated to increase the Laborite political
strength, unless it is broken quickly.
Serious sufferings will be caused by
this strike. It's effects will be felt by
all classes of the British people, in the
stoppage of incomes, in the stoppage
of supplies, in the general disturbance
of economic and commercial condi
tions. Though it may not prove dis
astrous, it will be a severe test Of the
capacity of the British people to meet
emergencies.