§ Mr. COOPERasked the Prime Minister if he is aware that the unrest in labour circles in this country is largely due to the fact that their net wages earned have remained about stationary the last ten years, while the cost of living has largely increased; and will His Majesty's Government consider the necessity of appointing a Royal Commission to inquire into the matter?
§ Mr. LLOYD GEORGEI cannot say more than that this matter in all its aspects is receiving the careful consideration of the Government.
§ Mr. WEDGWOODHas the right hon. Gentleman's attention been called to a Resolution put on the Paper to-day in the name of the hon. Member (Baron de Forest), and is he aware that it has behind it a large amount of support?
§ Mr. LLOYD GEORGEMy attention has not yet been called to it, but I will look into it.
§ Mr. KEIR HARDIEIs the Government considering the introduction of a Bill 1754 establishing a 30s. minimum wage as the only effective method of allaying the unrest?
§ Mr. CHIOZZA MONEYMay I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether the Government will bear in mind the facts stated in the first part of the question in any action they may take with regard to the current labour trouble?
§ Mr. LLOYD GEORGEI have no doubt my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister has taken all these facts into consideration. I know that he is considering the matter carefully now.
§ Mr. CLYNESMay I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether it is a fact that in the period of ten years' Income Tax shows that the incomes of the employing classes have enormously increased?
Sir GILBERT PARKERMay I ask if the Government will make a general statement as to the action they may take before Parliament adjourns?
§ Mr. LLOYD GEORGEIt would take some time to consider all the material that is essential before a conclusion can be come to. I doubt whether my right hon. Friend will be in a position to make a statement. I know that he is in conference now on the subject.
§ Mr. LANSBURYMay I ask whether the Government will give the House an opportunity of discussing the present position of affairs before the House adjourns—I mean the use of the military in Liverpool and other places?
§ Mr. LLOYD GEORGEI do not like to express any opinion on the question of Order. I do not know to what extent it can be discussed on the Appropriation Bill or the Motion for the Adjournment.
§ Mr. WATSON RUTHERFORDHaving regard to the terrible state of affairs in Liverpool, I gave notice to the President of the Board of Trade and the Secretary of State for the Home Department to ask each of these two right hon. Gentlemen whether he will be prepared to take active steps in regard to the labour disputes in Liverpool, and whether he will appoint a special commission to hold an inquiry. May I be allowed to add a few words? I am sure the House will appreciate the terrible state of affairs, and if anything can be done to put an end to it, I feel that the House will be glad to do it. May I say that I believe if the true merits of the dis- 1755 putes were more generally known in Liverpool, it would do a great deal towards putting an end to the difficulty? That is the reason why I suggest that a special commission should go down there at once and hold an official inquiry. I am personally—[Interruption]—I hope the House will allow me——
§ Mr. SPEAKERThe hon. Member will see that if he makes a statement, every hon. Member who does not agree with him will also desire to make a statement.
§ Mr. WATSON RUTHERFORDI feel so strongly on the matter——
§ Mr. SPEAKERWe all feel strongly.
§ Captain WARINGI wish to ask the Home Secretary a question of which I have given him private notice, namely, whether it is a fact, as reported, that the troops fired on the crowd at Liverpool early this morning?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLI am able to inform the House that the information I have received this morning shows that the situation in London has improved. At the docks, I am informed, all sections of the men are returning to work, though not in full numbers. Men are also working at the wharves; and the employés of the Great Western Railway have come back. There are thus grounds for believing that all classes of transport workers are now beginning to realise the advantages which they have secured by the recent settlement and the folly of jeopardising them by any ill-considered action. If no untoward event should occur the Commissioner of Police hopes to continue to maintain order without the necessity of calling in military aid.
In Liverpool the situation yesterday was unsatisfactory. There was rioting in certain districts. The troops had to be called out, and the Riot Act was read. The statement that volleys were fired, to which currency has been given in the Press, is incorrect, but some individual shots were fired at the windows or roofs of houses from which missiles were being thrown at the troops. This morning the docks are closed and great numbers of men are out of work. The last reports I have received are 1756 favourable as regards the maintenance of order and the distribution of necessary food.
The House might like me to read a copy of a telegram received from the Head Constable, Liverpool, despatched at 11.33 today:—
§ "The Under-Secretary of State,
§ "Home Office, London.
§ "You need not attach any very great importance to the rioting of last night. It took place in an area where disorder is a chronic feature, ready to break out when any abnormal excitement is in force. The object of the riot was purely and simply attack on the police, whom they tempted into side streets where barricades of sanitary dustbins and wire entanglements were placed. The riot began about eight, and the troops were called out with natural reluctance on the part of the police officer in charge at 11.40. The mob pursued the same tactics, stoned troops and police from the windows and house tops, but troops and police worked admirably together, and reduced the neighbourhood to peace about 2.30, and the former returned to quarters. Twenty prisoners were taken from the streets and houses. The troops fired a few shots (officers' revolver shots I think) at the house tops, whence the stones came. Six privates of the Yorkshire regiment and two constables received minor injuries. Both military and police behaved admirably, and the experience of working with the former has been valuable to the officers of the police, who will call the latter out more readily in future. A great deal of damage to houses and shops, especially public houses and provision shops, but food does not seem to have been the object, as the bread was thrown about the street. Troops engaged were Yorkshire regiment—200 of all ranks.
§ "HEAD CONSTABLE."
§ General McKinnon telephoned at 12.30 p.m., after interviewing all his officers in command of sections, that last night serious rioting occurred in Homer Street, with which the police were unable to cope. As the police requisitioned, four companies of the Yorkshire Regiment were sent to their assistance. The officer commanding showed very great forbearance, and, although called upon by the magistrate to take action, refrained from firing along the street on account of the women and children in the crowd. Bricks and other missiles were hurled from upper windows on the troops, and on further requisition of the magistrate to fire the officer commanding directed single shots to be fired at the most prominent individuals at the upper windows who were hurling missiles. The total number of shots fired were seven revolver shots by officers, five rifle shots. No casualties are reported to have resulted, and the disturbance was at once quieted down. The troops returned to barracks at 3 a.m. Three men were injured among the troops, but nothing serious. Bayonets were fixed, and the troops advanced down the street with their weapons at the "charge," but no bayonet charge occurred, nor did they use their bayonets, as the crowd immediately dispersed down a side street. General McKinnon reports that both 1757 officers and men showed the utmost for bearance, and were perfectly calm and collected.
§ In Manchester, at the request of the local authority, arrangements have been made for supplying troops if disturbances should develop, but up to now, I am glad to say, there has been no call for them.
§ Mr. KEIR HARDIECan the Home Secretary say what was the name of this bloodthirsty magistrate who wanted the troops to fire?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLI certainly did not intend by my remarks to throw the slightest reflection on the magistrate, who, I am sure, was only doing his duty when he wanted the troops to be ordered to fire.
Mr. MacCALLUM SCOTTCan the right hon. Gentleman make any statement in regard to the tramway strike in Glasgow?
§ Mr. J. WARDI would like to know from the Secretary to the Home Department whether he has received any complaints from householders in Liverpool that the action of the police was the cause of the first rioting on Sunday?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLNo, I have not
§ Sir W. BYLESWhat does the right hon. Gentleman think of the remark of the Chief Constable, that you need not think seriously of the rioting, which requires soldiers to shoot down unarmed people?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLEverything is relative. Of course any injury that may take place is a very serious matter indeed; but the important point is that the riot is not one which originated with the strikers, but that disorder and riots sometimes occur in those parts of Liverpool where sectarian difficulties exist.
§ Mr. CLYNESAs regards the railway companies, is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the first cause of the dispute is the refusal of the employers to leave their men free to appoint their own representatives, and has he taken steps to inform the railway companies of the necessity of the workmen having freedom of choice in the matter?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLThat is not a question which comes under the scope of the Home Office. It should be addressed either to the Board of Trade or to my 1758 right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer, who is immediately concerned in those matters.
§ Mr. CLYNESMay I ask the President of the Board of Trade the same question: whether the first cause of the disputes with the railway companies was not the refusal of those companies to leave the men free to appoint their own representatives, and if he will try to secure for these men that freedom of choice in regard to delegates which is necessary?
§ Mr. WATSON RUTHERFORDIs it a fact that the directors of the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway Company refused to receive the delegates of the men, and that that is considered to be at present one of the principal causes of the fight in Liverpool?
Mr. BUXTONI am sure that the House will agree that it would not do for me to express any opinion in regard to the merits of matters which are in-dispute at present.
§ Mr. WATSON RUTHERFORDI simply ask for the facts.
Mr. BUXTONI have asked the representatives of the men and of the railway companies to meet me on Thursday, and I hope that we may at all events do something to get over the difficulties that at present exist.
§ Mr. LANSBURYI wish to ask whether there will be an opportunity or whether it will be in order on the business to-morrow or on the Motion for Adjournment to discuss certain labour troubles that have taken place?
§ Mr. SPEAKERCertain aspects of them will clearly be in order. The words "certain labour troubles" cover a very wide ground, and I would not like to commit myself without knowing exactly what ground the hon. Member wishes to occupy; but with reference to the disputes which are going on and the action of the Metropolitan police, and also the action of the military, I think that those three matters certainly come within the scope of the Appropriation Bill.