Mr. Lloyd George, speaking at the Guildhall reception of Sir
Edmund Allenby on Tuesday, summed up the lessons of the strike and its failure. The conflict had shown, he said, that public opinionruled in this country. Trade Unions could not enforce their demands in spite of public opinion ; their demands could not be resisted if the resistance seemed unjust. There were " quite honest, quite sincere " men who were tired of trying to persuade public opinion that their claims were just, and who thought to attain their object by more direct means. That, said Mr. Lloyd George, was " Prossianism in the industrial, economic, and political world," depending on violence and not on reason. This dangerous movement had -to be defeated. He admitted that the Government had been much concerned about " direct action," and he thanked the innumerable volunteers who had helped to defend the community. The Prime Minister said that the organization of the motor transport service, which saved the situation, was begun last February ; it was a civilian service, and would be. kept in being.
Previous page
