Storm Over Gwilliams

At historic Euston Station in London the London Midland and Scottish Railway has been celebrating its 100th anniversary. But the life of the party has not been punctilious Chairman Josiah Charles, Earon Stamp of Shortlands, G.C.B., G.B.E., K.B.E., C.B.E., nor the still-puffing 100-year-old locomotive Lion. It has been a pursy, 63-year-old Welshman, Traveling Ticket Collector Albert Gwilliams.

Nearing retirement age, Gwilliams has lately been pocketing the five pence ha'penny a week he used to pay as dues to the National Union of Railwaymen. Because he failed to pay up, the union dropped him. Because he was no longer a union man, to porters, pitchers, ticket collectors, out-goods and cartage men everywhere he traveled he was a sort of hot supercargo, a one-man affront to the cherished principle of "complete membership" (closed shop). At Euston and St. Pancras 800 men stopped work. To Camden Town Depot, to the Smithfield Markets the stoppage spread. Soon 4,000 workers were clamoring for Gwilliams' buttons.

The strike contravened the union's contract for the settling of disputes by negotiation, hence lacked union sanction. Steadfastly L.M.S. refused: 1) to remove Gwilliams, because such action might set a precedent for "further unconstitutional action"; 2) to make him rejoin the union, since intimidation is frowned upon by the Trade Disputes Act. With the odds thus heavily against it the strike last week collapsed. Back to work went the 4,000, each, a week's pay out of pocket. Still on the job was Gwilliams, who through it all had kept his head screwed on, his pence in his pocket and his tongue in his head. His reply to the inquisitive: "I am an oyster."

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