OCR Text |
Show PREMIER British Situation Grave and Lloyd George Is SendingTelegrams. MEDIATION FAILS Unexampled Injury to England Caused by Railwav Strike. y LONDON, Oct 3 Hope for n early j settlement of the r.iilroad strike which ' seemed to brighten yesterday, faded last night when it became known that efforts to tnedlato r -n the kovct nmcot and the :itlon.il Union of Railway Men had foiled That the situation is grave Is , generally admitted. Premier IJoyd George insists the men must resume work before negotiations an br rc-openeii Many telegrams weft ! received at th local headquai tors of the ! National 1'nlun from provincial branches : today urging that tho premier's ultl-, ultl-, malum ho accepted, but It was said bv leaders of the organization that the B ,v - ernrr.ent's order withholding the mn's pay for the lat week they worked had Responsibility for withholding the J men's wages is assumed by the government govern-ment in a statement issued from Down-Ing Down-Ing street last night. ' The members ol the National I'nion of Railway Men broke their contracts and stopped work without notice la complete disregard cf the effect their action would have on tho persons and property of ordinary . iti7.en3 in their charge. They inflicted damage on Innumerable peoplf left food i upon which the public depended for sub-Btoti sub-Btoti in lo go to waste, put vast numbers (o great expense by leaving them stranl-ed stranl-ed without conveyances and Inflicted great losses upon many by preventing them from reaching their destinations. The damages to Which they are liable In law aro vastly greater than the amount now being withhold. "If an early resumption of work occurs, oc-curs, different considerations may ariae I In the meantime, the country is still subject to unexampled injury by the rail- j way men's action and. In these clrcum-Stances clrcum-Stances the government would not he Justified In handing over to the striken a sum which would be used for prolonging prolong-ing a Struggle undertaken without any consideration for the welfare of the public pub-lic and which Is endangering tho who'e life of the nation." Newspapers, which strongly support tho government, claims tho latter is winning win-ning and urgo no surrender. The same claim is made by the stiike leaders. .. H, Thomas, leader of the railway men, has sent a message to the Herald, labor organ, which reads as follow Railway men showed the world they could fight the Germans and are now showing they can fight for freedom here," I Several newspapers comment adversely adverse-ly on the decision to withhold the payment pay-ment of the last week's pay of the men It is admitted the government's action hangs on a strictly legal point, but it is I urged it will Infuriate the strikers. The l Mail says this action will "spoil tho government's gov-ernment's handling ol the situation an i I denounces it as 'a signal folly.' " Railway Men Send Message I LONDON. Oct. 3. (By the Associated Assoc-iated Pross.) The National UnlOU ol Railway Men has prepared tho following fol-lowing message to the people, signed by Secretary Thomas, to be shovn on I the screens of all motion picture houses throughout the kingdom: ! "The railway mon are not fighting the community. I have always done my best to avoid strikes; I did on thlfl occasion. But those who wanted to j fight labor rendered my efforts inef-'fectual inef-'fectual We are fighting for the low-' low-' est paid wage earners against a conspiracy con-spiracy to lower wages. If the wages of the railway men are reduced oh r j trades will follow. This is only the l its t battle in the campaign and the government has thrown all its weight 'against the men. "We all fought to free England The I railway men played their part in the strucle We were promised an Knc;-hand Knc;-hand worthy of our sacrifices. It is your fight, as well as ours to cbtn.'n it. We want your help" Except in the west of Scotland nd in South Wales the situation in the j nrivinces arising from the railway 1 strike is not very bad 00 |