Page:Engines and men- the history of the Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen. A survey of organisation of railways and railway locomotive men (IA enginesmenhistor00rayniala).pdf/171

 when a company superintendent strongly objected to the presence of Mr. J. H. Thomas and Mr. Parfitt, for the men involved. The Inquiry was being held on company premises, so Col. Yorke intimated that if the objection were maintained he would adjourn it to other premises where they could attend. This led to an immediate and shame-faced withdrawal of a mean objection, rarely experienced on the G.W.R.

The obstacles raised by the North Western received a smart check by a blocking motion on one of their Bills in the House of Commons, and on the Taff Vale line the era of secrecy ended with the terrible accident near Pontypridd, in which some twelve people lost their lives. Trade Unionism has advanced in this respect. In 1905 John Drummond was appointed organiser for Scotland, residing in Glasgow. The silver medal, duly inscribed, was instituted as a present for those securing 25 members, the Executive Committee in charge at that period (1903 to 1906) being Messrs. Atkinson, Cheshire; Cooper, South London; Millman, Midlands: Mabberley, Bristol; Moore, Lancashire; Chapman, Yorkshire; Hawkins, West of England; Warwick, South Wales; Clarke, North London and Shipley, Scottish.

The text of the Locomotive Enginemen's Certificate Bill was presented to the Trade Union Congress in 1905, and Mr. G. N. Barnes, M.P., was in the following year asked to pilot the measure through the House. Mr. Fox waited on Mr. Lloyd George at the Board of Trade to ask his support, Mr. Parfitt was nominated as a Parliamentary candidate if a suitable vacancy offered itself, and Mr. Fox was in touch with South Leeds. Unfortunately, the Secretary's chances of election in the two contests he fought there were seriously diminished by his attitude towards the A.S.R.S. Before the first effort to secure the seat, he had decided upon a certain militant policy towards the all grades union, and the result of the mutual warfare is traced in many unhappy episodes between 1905 and 1911. The joint national strike in that year did something to close the breach for a time, but in the six years alluded to there were continuous controversies and storms. The Aylesbury disaster in January