Battle for the Lords

first priority was to reduce inflated wartime wages'. They prepared for a showdown with the working class. Britain's post-war competitiveness in world markets must be restored at all costs, the government said.

Stocks were built up in shops and warehouses, an emergency transport plan was prepared and Churchill (then chief at the War Office) sent "secret' messages to reliable army commanders asking them to assess the impact of the Russian Revolution on their By the summer of 1919, 100,000 men in all sections of industry were on strike every day there were mutinies in the army.

At a special general meeting of the NUR on July 22, 1919, resolutions were passed demanding Churchill's resignation for secret strike-breaking orders he had issued to the army.

A strike for more pay was scheduled to begin on September 26, 1919. Thomas strove to prevent Says Bagwell: 'From the frequent negotiations on railwaymen's pay throughout the war, Mr Thomas had never failed to produce a compromise settlement which, while not gaining for men they had asked for, had achieved enough to avert a strike.' Could he pull a rabbit out of the hat once again?

In 11th-hour talks with Lloyd George it was crystal clear that • the sm government would not be satisfied with anything less than a direct cut in wages.

Lloyd George told Thomas: 'Whatever we lay down with regard to the railwaymen you may depend upon it, it is going to be claimed throughout the country and therefore we have to consider not merely your case but the cases of all the something which smacked of defiance. Replying directly to Lloyd George he told the country: 'If the wages of the railwaymen are reduced other trades will follow. This is only the first battle of the campaign.' But he was careful not to summon the Triple Alliance to challenge the government's class-war talk.

And on September 11, 1919, a meeting of trade unions and the Labour Party at London's Caxton Hall not only described the strike 'a purely trade union fight for wages and conditions', but for the first time modern labour history agreed to mediate between the two sides. The offer was not taken up.

On October 5 the strike ended and NUR leaders claimed that the government had climbed down because of the threat that the strike could be extended to other industries.

What in fact had happened was that the union leaders had agreed to terms which gave them to nothing and which the government could therefore cheerfully sign.

The agreement down that wages would stay at existing levels for another year, although talks would go on meanwhile about new rates.

It was not exactly the wagecut the government had originally wanted, but it was the next best thing. The deal did stipulate a 5ls-a-week minimum wage, but many railwaymen earned that anyway. So the numbers affected substantially by this concession would have been small.

Twelve months later Thomas' inimitable skill in saving capitalism for the capitalists was displayed yet again. The miners sounded out the railwaymen's leaders about the possibility of sympathy strike. George and advised him to start talks with the miners if he wanted to avoid a strike by the Triple Alliance. Once unleashed there was no knowing where it would end. Lloyd George took his advice and strike plans were abandoned.

But the affair did not end there. The miners were being pressed hard on wages and hours and on March 21, 1921, they renewed their call for the backing of the Triple Alliance in their fight against the coal owners.

Says Bagwell: 'There could be no mistaking the fact that the active members of the NUR were deeply sympathetic to the miners and felt their cause a just one.

'Many also agreed that unless the partners of the Triple Alliance stood together they meal Would be defeated pieceJoint action was planned for April 8, 1921, and then postponed until April 15. The government mobilized the army and special defence forces.

J. H. Thomas was sweating on the line. On April 14 his chance came. At a meeting of coalition MPs, miners leader Frank Hodges made remarks which the MPs took to suggest the miners might be willing to make certain concessions about methods of pay. An MP inquired if the Triple Alliance would agree with Hodges. Thomas 'immediately stood up and declared':

'Yes, I am quite sure the Triple Alliance would support Mr Hodges' action.' Says Bagwell: 'At three o'clock that afternoon (April 15—the day of the strike) Mr Thomas ran down the steps of Unity House to tell waiting reporters that the Triple Alliance strike was cancelled.' (Our emphasis.)

The miners refused to be At the Scarborough conference of the General and Municipal Workers' Union in June, there is a stiff resolution down calling for the abolition of the House of Lords.

In some quarters the resolution is being read as a piece of very unsubtle criticism of the present leader of the union, Lord Cooper of Stockton Heath.

It came as no surprise, however, to read a letter to the editor in the last issue of the G&MWU 'Journal' praising peerages.

After paying tribute to Tudor Watkins, Labour MP, who has just been made a peer, the writer says: It is still gratifying that in our union from humble beginnings we have a few lords.' Who was this stirling member of the union coming to the defence of his leader? Mr G. A. Reeves, regional secretary for the south-western division.

Mr Reeves already wears an MBE and JP after his name. He's obviously aiming for the big time. Hail, Lord Reeves of Cardiff?

SS Spies Social Security spies had better watch their step in South Shields. It appears that the SS men have been asking trade union branch secretaries of the AUEW for particulars of any of their members involved in the recent miners' strike who received strike pay. The answer by • the local unionists is believed to have been unprintable.

Sinister Teacher knows best. Or does he? A report is being prepared by the National Association of Schoolmasters on the growth of 'revolution' among schoolchildren.

Ron Cockling, a Birmingham headmaster and immediate past-president of the NAS, says the sinister influences at work are trying 'to use their idealism in a disruptive cause'. Lord Cooper: leads the General and Municipal Workers' Unlon Cockling goes on: "They a anarchist groups in the Ma ist tradition. • Sounds like load of Cockling to me.

Ripe tomato Smart men in Moscow will be wearing golden-beige, pale yellow, brown, olive, ripe tomato, cherry, blue and dark blue, as well as black, reddishbrown, orange, violet and azure blue this season.

Straight shoulders with light padding and medium length jackets with slim-cut trousers will be the symbols of Soviet elegance. Brightly coloured ties with loose knots will single out the really welldressed man. Designers of ties will really let themselves go with a wide range of floral, carpet and geometric patterns.

This important sartorial information was conveyed to an anxious public in a recent home service broadcast of Moscow radio.

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