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/193



HE year 1911 will long by remembered by members, and by the public generally, as a most eventful year. The strike took its place in industrial history, and to railwaymen is a connecting link between 1907 and 1919. During the crisis of 1907, which was not confined to one year, a period of seventeen months passed between the time of placing the claims and the time of the Conciliation Boards meeting ta discuss them. The whole scheme proved clogged and inadequate, and by 1911 the railway service was full of outstanding grievances. The Transport Workers' Strike at Liverpool proved a match to the combustible material, and, as will be shown later, the revolt spread to every station. The summer of that year saw soldiers parading with fixed bayonets in the streets of many towns, and it saw the Scots Greys and other regiments of cavalry riding about the cities to "protect the stations," as it was said. The Liberal Government adopted brutal and bullying and deceptive tactics, soon after winning their double victories of 1910 by the aid of thousands of railwaymen.

It is interesting to recall now that it was the last general election in which many thousands of organised workers voted Liberal or Conservative. A great awakening came with the next few years, and the Labour Party became a living thing. But in 1911 Mr.