Evening star., 1955-05-30
Picture on Pose A-3

Picture on Pose A-3
fiat rundown from Albert Hall
worth, assistant general secre-
tary of the striking union-the
Associated Society of Locomotive
Engineers and Firemen. Mr..
Hallworth def1antly declared:
I'VE can and will hold out for
at least three months. We are
determined to see this thing
through"
A member of ASLEF's execu-
tive council declared: 1.-THE
country will break before we
break"
Will Protect Nation
Sir Anthony in his broadcast
asserted that his Conservative
government, reelected to an
other five-year term last week,
will do all we can to protect the
nation from the worst effects OF
this strike
"The government" he said,
will not hesitate to obtain any
further power that may be nec-
essary for this purpose"
The men quit work Saturday
midnight-in the first rail walk
out since the general strike OF
1926-to back up demands for
pay boosts to give them a great
er differential over other train
workers.
The stoppage caused imne-
date chaos throughout the ma
ton. Only 20 of $500 schedulad
mainline trains left the sheds
yesterday. They were manned
by members of the rival National
Union of Railwaymen. to which
the bulk of British rail workers
in other categories belong. The
MUIR has stood aloof in the cur
rent dispute.
Holidayers Stranded
Tens of thousands of Whitsun
week end holiday makers were
stranded in seaside resorts or
along the coast. The big punch
uos exnected tonight as the long
week end winds up.
If the strike continued any
length of time, industrial pro-
duction will be paralyzed. A
spokesman for the United Steel
Corp. said its factories would
be so piled up with finished
products by the end Of a week
that I'VE shall have to start
closing departments"
The state-owned railway sys-
TEN normally carries l million
tons of freight each day. On an
primary weekday it operates "a
600 mainline and suburban pas
senger trains and $4,000 freight
trains. A preliminary survey in
dicated that about one-eighth
of normal service could be main
tanned.
Sir Anthony's government an
nounced it had taken emergency
steps to ensure food supplies
and sufficient fuel for the public
services. But authorities urged
the public to conserve fuel, light
and power, to use available
transport as little as possible
and to use postal. telegraph and
telephone services sparingly.
Food Stocks Ample
The government said ample
food stocks were available
throughout the country. explain
ing that most foods were trans
ported by road. Plans have also
been made to move essential
foods usually carried by rail
such as milk for London.
The government warned that
despite these precautions. it
might have to impose severe re-
strictions on use of gas anc
electricity Coal in Britain
moves mainly by rail and the
nations gas and electrical plants
have only two or three weeks
fuel supply.
ASLEF Is demanding a raise
OF 8 shillings ($1.12) per week
over the present weekly base pay
of 9 pounds IS shillings ($27.
Sir Anthony said the demands
could not be granted because. Il
the locomotive men got more
money the railways could be
confronted with an endless sue
cession" of pay raise demands by
the rival MUIR.
Meanwhile, wildcat dock
strike continued to plague the
government, tying up 1876 ships
in four big British ports. The
$4,000 members of the Nationa
Amalgamated Stevedores anc
Dockers' Union have def1ed theil
own leaders and refuse to return
to work in a jurisdictiona
squabble with the bigger Trans
port and General Workers
Union.
NuNkIE cEDl/I%Ec