On This Day, 29 November 1917

Birmingham Daily Gazette

Thursday 29 November 1917

FOOD HELD UP

CONGESTION AT THE BIRMINGHAM RAILWAY CENTRES

Unnecessary congestion is still allowed to exist at important goods stations in Birmingham. This is due to what the men call a short-sighted policy of autocratic management, and naturally adds to the difficulty of obtaining food.

The men, many of whom know what the pinch is through shortage of food, are willing to turn in and work on Sundays to minimise the congestion, but the officials, despite urgent public need for the distribution of goods, hang back from altering the peace-time regime suspension of work from Saturday midday until Monday morning.

The state of affairs has previously been drawn attention to by the Gazette, but only on two Sundays in the past couple of months have the men been allowed to work. Another system causing the holding up of foodstuffs is what the men term “the part load” system.

“At the present time,” Gazette representative was informed, “there are dozens of wagons now in the yard which are not allowed to leave because they have not been brought up to the average tonnage.”