Evening star., 1926-05-10
One Week Of the Strike.

|
eral strike ends today, with the sit
uation little changed from the outset,
save for the improvement in trans
portation, which is steadily growing
more dependable and is likely in a
few days to meet all the demands OF
the public. The movement Of food
supplies has been efficient and the
people are not suffering from lack or
provisions. Disorders are by no
means as frequent or serious as was
expected. Yesterday, however, the
most serious clash occurred in Cam
den Town, a section Of London, a
mob attacking a volunteer-manned
| motor bus and forty people suffering
injuries in the subsequent encounter
with the police.
Conflicting claims are put forth by
the two sides, government and labor
unions. The government assures the
people that the measures for contin-
| uing all necessary services are ef-
fective, while the union leaders de-
clare that the government is being
forced into a position from which it
can escape only by reopening nego-
tiations with the coal miners, re-
gardless Of the general strike.
1t is evident that the government
has forced the fight and thus far has
won all the moves in the contest. 1t
has improved the transportation
service, has maintained the food sup
plies, has enlisted an army of volun-
teers for all necessary services, do
ing all this with a minimum show
Of force, while keeping the military
services in readiness for action.
On their part the union leaders
have refrained from calling out their
reserves" or second Zine OF de-
fense," the remaining 100000 work.
ers. who have not yet been ordered to
quit work. The threat to call them
out has been sounded two or three
times. but has never been fulfilled.
It is believed that this hesitation is
due to the expectation that such
second call, which, If fully responded
to, would in theory tie UP every In
dustry and public service in Great
Britain. would be met by the use of
the military.
From the outset the labor leaders
have denied that the strike Is blow
at constitutional government, claim
ing that It is merely an industrial
move and not in any sense political.
The government has declared it to
he. in effect, a revolution. The alb
sence Of any but sporadic and rela-
tivelv harmless conflicts IS pointed
to by the union chiefs as evidence
that there is no political aim in the
calling OF the general strike. II they
should call out the remaining 2,OOO,-
600 organized workers the govern
ment would probably at once point
to this action as conflrmatory Of the
charge that the strike Is political,
and would put the armed forces in
action as q justified measure Of
maintaining the governmental sys-
| tenn.
! Enormous losses have been suf-
fered by all interests. The work.
ingrnen have lost a weeks wages,
receiving in return the pittance Of a
mound a week per man, with half a
dollar for each child. At the lowest
calculation, with about 100000 now
on strike, that means a drain of be-
tween $2O,oO0,0o0 and $25.o0o.00
upon the strike fund. Business has
lost incalculable amounts. Nobody
can possibly know what the total OF
the bill is to date. But there is no
sign of complaint on the part Of
business interests. There is no pres
sure on the government for a settle
ment from this quarter. And that is
one of the signs Of public support
for the governments position that
are giving the union chiefs their
greatest concern as the first week Of
the general strike closes.