Evening star., 1926-05-01
2O3UN|0NS VOTE
A GENERAL STRIKE
|NBR|TA|N TUESDAY
Concerted Action Decided
Unless Coal Industry Dis
pute Is Settled.
1.12O,OOO MINERS IDLE;
SOME TROOPS CALLED OUT
Other Soldiers Ready as "Emer.
gency Situation Is Proclaimed
and Crisis Looms.

By the Associated Press.
LONDON, May 1.-Great Britain
faces a general strike as a result OF
the coal miners strike against lower
wages and increased hours.
Representatives of 203 trades unions.
comprising 100000 workers. with
enormous financial resources. met to-
day and decided to back up the miners
by ceasing work in all the vital serV-
ices next Tuesday unless settlement
of the miners dispute is reached.
The government. aroused by the
walkout of the miners, who laid down
their tools at midnight when the gov
ernment subsidy expired, issued
proclamation that "a state or emer-
eency exists This proclamation, un'
der the law, gives the government al
most unlimited powers, even TO the
use of troops, in protecting the gen.
eral public from suffering through
curtailment of the vital necessities.
The government today moved de-
tachments of troops into the coai-inih'
ing areas of South Wales, Lancashire
and Scotland. The movement, cnaf'
acteriZed as "purely a precautionary
measure" is to assist the pollce III
maintaining order during the miners
strike. Some hope remains that the
negotiations between the coal owners
and the miners may be reopened, but
the hope is very faint.
Points i'm Dispute.
The position of the miners dispute
is. briefly, this, \
governmental subsidy was grant
ed last July to assist the coal indus
try. which was said TO be loSinS
money. This subsidy. used to main
tain the scale of wages, expired al
midnight last night.
Pending reorganization OF the IN
uui,y along the lines recently recon-
mended by an expert commission ap-
pointed by the governmerE, the own.
ers were faced with the necCsSity q
running the mines on their own "e-
sources. They offered the miners
uniform national minimum wage -
Der cent higher than that obtaining
in 1914, but representing a reduction
of 1sIs per cent in the presantswases.
The owners also insisted upon a day
of eight hours instead of seven. The
miners refused to accept either the
wage reduction OF lhe lenSthening OF
hours.
The governments first concern IL to
provide for the milk and food supply
of London and the other thickiy lopu-
allied centers, and the board OF trade Is
intensively preparing for an cmer-
gency.
HYDE Park again has been turned
into a place of assembly l0r hundreds
of motor vehicles for relief work, re-
calling wartime days and previous
big strikes.
Near State OF Siege.
Great Britain is placed under what
approaches a state OF siege Dy the
proclamation that "a state OF emer-
gencv exists" While not a proclama-
tion Of martial law, the only limita-
ton of power is that the government
cannot declare industrial conscription
or compulsory military service.
Apart from this limitation, 1t may
institute any measures it desires for
the preservation of peace. the secur-
ing and regulation of supplies of food
stuff. light and other necessities and
the maintenance of means of trans
port.
There is not much talk of employ
ment of troops, as the government IS
not inclined to stir the passions of the
workers at this juncture of the crisis.
However. it is reported that some ma
val units have been ordered to hold
themselves In readiness for special
service, and it is safe to say that the
troops throughout the country are
prepared for any emergency.
Other Fields Affected.
Tho financial section of London
viewed the outlook with concern, as
one aftermath of the coal stoppaSe
might be the selling of securities on
the Stock Exchange to meet expenses
in other directions. The Stock EX-
change was closed today and the eff
feet on securities could not be I'M
mediately gagged.
A prolonged stoppaSe of coal pro-
duction will have a a-tremendousiy ad-
verse effect upon other Industries, es-
pecially steel and transport, involving
the loss of millions of pounds daily
and heavily increasing unemploymeht;
The stoppage Of work in the coal
Industry affected 100000 workers.
All the collieries were idle today, but
MANY would have been closed any
how. for May day is observed as
holiday IN some areas.
Miners of the night shift in leaving
certain pits this morning followed the
example set yesterday by the day shit
toilers and brought their tools up
from the mines.
While the number of persons em.
ployed in all branches of the coal
industry is shown by the latest avail
able statistics to be around 100000.
many have been out of work some
time through depression in the
industry.
Miners Funds Depleted.
1t is asserted in some quarters that
the miners lack sufficient money to
meet the requirements of a prolonged
strike, their funds having been de-
pleted by unemployment pay to mern.
bers of the union for months past.
The trades union congress commands
immense resources. The wealthiest
union is the National Union of Rail
way Men, which under the adA,inistra
ton of J. II. Thomas has accumulated
several million pounds.
The possibility of a cessation in
mining had been so long in prospect
that some industries will not be i'm
mediately caught short of supplies
The gas, electric and other utility
services, have been storing coal for
some time.
The government has been prepar-
ing for possibility of a future emer-
gency and has perfected elaborate ar
rangements to meet the public needs
for food and other necessities. More
than o0n 0n0 prix xro4 q and cCprYnpreiaJ