§ 54. Mr. HIRSTasked the Prime Minister whether a purely industrial strike of the employés of the Suez Canal Company has recently been declared; whether members of a unit of the Army, called the Egyptian Labour Corps, have been employed to take the place of the coolies employed in coaling who have been involved in this strike; if so, whether this has been done at the request of the Suez Canal Company or whether at the request of the Egyptian Government or at whose request; and whether, in view of the repeated pledges that men under military discipline will not be employed in industrial disputes between masters and men, he will give orders that the members of this unit must be immediately withdrawn?
§ Mr. C. HARMSWORTHGeneral Allen by has reported that a strike of the employés of the Suez Canal Company broke out on 13th May, and that following upon this all classes of low-skilled and unskilled workmen in Port Said ceased work. The strike has since spread to Suez and Ismailia. In view of its vital importance, the service of the Suez Canal must be maintained, and this is now being assured with naval and military assistance, but I have no information as to whether, and, if so, to what extent the Egyptian Labour Corps has been employed in this connection.