21 JUNE 1924, Page 3

The unauthorized strike on the Underground Railways came to an

end on Friday, June 13th, after lasting a week. The next morning all the absentees reported for duty. Thus the ultimatum of Lord Ashfield and the denunciations of Mr. Cramp together brought the rebels to heel. We hope that the lesson will be learned. The Executives of the Unions have strong punitive powers, and in future in the case of rebellious strikes the question will be whether the time has not come to use those powers. Otherwise Trade Unionism may wither and decay. The New Leader will not be suspected of unnecessary harshness towards the strikers, but it says : " It was by rash strikes, and especially by sympathetic strikes, and by strikes in the so-called public services, that Labour in Italy brought disaster on itself."

* * * *