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/292

 on their return. They will come back to an eight hour day, greatly increased wages, standardisation of conditions of service, and great improvements in footplate life generally. We have emerged with an increased prestige, a broader outlook, and with fixed intentions for the future."

So away went the Society on the adventures of a new year, with the hope of obtaining 50,000 members, and none realised then what a strenuous and adventurous year 1919 was destined to prove. On the night before the Armistice, when the whole world was on the for news, the Lincoln branch had presented to the General Secretary a very fine dressing-case, an engraved umbrella, and a leather pocket-case. This nice example of appreciation was emulated in other centres, and it culminated in far more substantial presentations of a national character later on, including a solid gold watch, duly inscribed, with gold, and other gifts to Mrs. Bromley and himself.

On January 15th the sub-committee interviewed Sir Albert Stanley in reference to the National Programme, as a result of which letters passed which indicated a grave state of unrest owing to the long delay. Special meetings of branches were held on February 2nd to consider the matter, and many resolutions of protest against further delay were sent to the Executive. Other subjects intervened for a few days, one being the Nationalisation of Railways, which had been quite positively announced by Mr. Churchill during his campaign in Dundee: another was the negotiation with the Army authorities for the release of soldier members to their employment, as their absence was impeding the progress of the eight hours day. Then the shipping deal made by the Government, under which £20,000,000 worth of shipping passed to private firms, came under condemnation. The London & Provincial Union of Licensed Vehicle Workers asked the Executive to receive a deputation, and to consider the advisability of an arrangement between the two societies in the London district, which arrangement was made and approved. It provided that to enable the two unions to better