Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-09-18
BRITISH SAILORS
WARNED TO OBEY
sir Austen Chamberlain Says
Those Who Disobey Will
Be Disciplined.
Hv the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
LONDON, september 1S.--Sir Austen
Chamberlain, first lord Of the admi-
rally. told the House of Commons yes
terday that If any more British seamen
refused to obey orders they would i'm
mediately be dealt with under the navy
discipline act.
He made the announcement during
brief discussion Of the strike" which
developed in the Atlantic fleet at In
vergordon, Scotland, as a result OF pay
cuts in the governments economy pro-
gram.
Instructed to Cut Pay.
A few ironical questions we're put by
Labor members, one of whom wanted
to know whether the cuts had been
agreed to Professionally by the Labor
government before its fall. Sir Austen
replied that when he took over the adj
miralty after the new cabinet had been
formed he found instructions to reduce
pay.
Prime Minister Ramsay Macdonald
declared the Labor government had,
been told by the admiralty the men
would accept the cuts loyalty.
To the surprise of every one, last eve
ning's debate on the fleet unrest was
! short-lived The members adopted
least said, soonest mended" attitude
, end the expected attack from the Labor
benches failed to mateiralize.
"The past is past" Sir Austen said.
ut is in the interests of the men in
the navy and those outside the navy
to forget it," He added little to the
country's meager information about the
actual events at Invergordon.
To Investigate Hardships.
ut speaks well for general discipline, :"
he said, that the matter should have
passed so quietly, with no disturbance
except in the usual routine OF duty"
Sir Austen again emphasized the in
tentiori of the admiralty to investigate
all cases of hardship arising from pay
reductions, and he implied that men
involved in the strike" would not SUI
fer penalties.
The commander in chief Of the feet
handled the affair well, he said, and
the nation could look forward to the
future counting confidently on the ira
ditions of the navy.
Two or three other members spoke
and then the matter was dropped by
general consent.
Ships Steam HOmeward.
While the House of Commons was in
session the ships of the Atlantic feet
were steaming southwark from Inver-
gordon toward their home ports. They
put out afteS some delay, 1t being nee
ecSary for the officers to address the
men on the subject of the admiralty's
promise to investigate cases of hard
ship and to assure them the ships were
returning to their home ports and not
to distant stations
It was assumed also that the men
were informed of the admiralty's de-
cision to invoke the naval discipline act
against all those who continued to re-
fuse to obey orders. The 16 vessels, In
GLIDING the Rodney, Hood, Valiant and
Repulse, will arrive at their hcme ports
along the British south coast today and
tomorrow.
The men will be granted week end
leave and will have chance to talk
over the recent events with their wives,
who are blamed by many ofhcials in
naval circles as the real criginators OF
the strike"
Hearings Begin Monday.
Naval port commanders at he prin-
cipal feet bases In England win begin
hearings on Monday into the psy cut
grievances among the enlisted personnel
which caused postponement Of the North
Sea maneuvers. Commanding officers
viii testify and it Is likely that some
Of the men themselves will be ssked to
present their side.
The Daily Herald said today that
abroad the refusal of some of the At
lantic sailors to obey orders as 8 pro-
test against reductions in pay has been
grotesquely misunderstood as revolu-
tionary act"