i8o ENGLISH AGRICULTURAL LABOURER. 



England and from Ireland, boarding them at great expense 

 and paying them much higher wages than their own labour- 

 ers had demanded, as an inducement to act as strike-breakers. 

 Large huts were erected and police were drafted into the 

 village to guard these huts from a possible attack of the 

 dangerous Norfolk labourers. St. Faith's, indeed, might have 

 been a village in the west of Ireland. 



Naturally the farm workers and their wives were very 

 indignant, but in spite of all provocation to break the law 

 the men behaved with exemplary self-control. 



Nevertheless, the anger of the men was roused when 

 two or three of their fellow-workers were seen going back 

 to work. These backsliders from trade unionism were 

 entertained with some " rough music " drummed out of old 

 pans and kettles as they returned from work. This musical 

 performance having, as an eye-witness described it, " a 

 marvellous effect on deserters," the farmers and the police 

 made up their minds to stop it. Their ruse was successful. 

 An old lady was sent out to meet her husband, and when 

 the music began she shrieked with such dramatic force 

 that it was alleged she had been frightened into a shrieking 

 fit. No one had been spoken to, and no one had been 

 touched, but twelve summonses were served to twelve men, 

 some of whom were not there at all. In the next week 

 they had to appear before the Bench of Magistrates, who 

 promptly fined each man 5 with the option of two 

 months' imprisonment. 



Mr. Herbert Day, the vice-president of the Union, with 

 great generosity came forward, as the men were about to be 

 locked up, and paid the 60 from his own pocket. His 

 generosity did not stop here. Whilst the strike lasted he 

 gave 6d. a week per child to their parents who were on 

 strike, and at Christmas he sent every wife a little present, 

 so that the children could enjoy a Christmas dinner. Prob- 

 ably the issue would have been different if the men had been 

 allowed to go to prison. 



The strike dragged on till the end of the year, when it col- 

 lapsed, though not through any faint-heartedness on the part 

 of the men, who wanted to go on fighting if the members of 



