Mr. J. H. Thomas, the Secretary of the National Union
of Railwaymen, who has recently returned from America, declared at Derby last Saturday that the strike was a two-edged weapon, and that a political strike, such as Mr. Smillie wants, would be the negation of democracy. The " Triple Alliance," of which Mr. Thomas's Union forms part, is, however, preparing to take a ballot of its members on the question whether they should strike for four political objects—the withdrawal of the British troops from Russia, the abolition of Conscription, a protest against a cancelled War Office circular inquiring whether soldiers would maintain order in a strike, and the release of the so-called conscientious objectors. Mr. Churchill in his speech on Wed- nesday pointed out that the first two objects were being obtained automatically, and that the conscientious objectors were all out of gaol. " If they do not hurry up with the general strike," he said ironically, " the Triple Alliance' will have to get hold of a new outfit of grievances." Mr. Smillie meanwhile declares that " the miners would require to force the Government to nationalize the mines."
