THE COAL STRIKE

Press, Volume LVII, Issue 17113, 7 April 1921, Page 7

THE COAL STRIKE

DEBATE IN HOUSE OF COMMONS. FRESH NEGOTIATIONS URGED. (By Cable—Press Association—Copyright.) (ATistralian »nd N.Z. CcbW Association.) LONDON, April 5.

In the House of Commons, Sir Kobert Home. President of the Board of Trade, said that, as a result of the last strike, Great Britain was robbed of many markets and the present threat had resulted in many orders going to America. The miners refused to discuss wages with the ownors, but demanded a Government subsidy. The present controversy was not about rates, but whether the country was to come to the assistance of the coal trade, involving an expenditure of tens of millions of pounds a year. He could think of nothing more pernicious to the industry as a whole, which had a better chance than other industries. Pooling would destroy individual The alternative was the payment of district rates. Tho suggestion that de-control should be suspended for a month offered no solution. He appealed to the miners to reconsider the situation. Mr J. It. Clynes (Labour, Manchester) stated that the struggle could be fought out, but it -was better to think it out. He urged tho Government to bring the parties together. Intolerable reductions had been proposed in the miners' wages, amounting in some cases to 50 per cent. The Government ought to have insisted on the two parties coming together before de-control was introduced. He insisted .that there must be either nationalisation or some method of unification under Government control.

Mr J. H. Thomas (Labour, Derby) said there was a genuine feeling in the miners' minds that the Government had been guilty of a breach of faith in decontrolling the mines at the end of March instead of August. The workers believed that this was a determined effort to reduce the standard of living. Mr Thomas condemned those who said that the fight should be fought to a finish. If this policy were adopted, whoever won, the nation would certainly lose. Mr Asquith urged that some steps should be taken to avert an ovenvhelm-r ing national disaster. Further deliberation between the parties, with the assistance of the Government, might show that the gap between the national and district wage bases was not so unbridgeable as it- appeared. He could conceive accepting the principle of a national standard while providing for elastic variations in accordance with local conditions. An essential preliminary to any discussion was that the mines should not be destroyed.

He was almost in complete agreement with Sir Kobert Horno regarding the cessation of control of .the mines, and tho impossibility of the Stote calling upon the taxpayers to maintain tho solvency of any particular industry by means, of a public subsidy. Mr Lloyd George pointed out that the public Ifiul demanded the termination of State control of the industry, and the payment of a subsidy to any industry out of taxation would be indefensible. Postponement of de-control for one month would only mean that the present situation must be faced a month hence. Ho urged the masters and tho men to meet and seek a permanent with or Without Government intervention.

The debate was then adjourned. The Government's action in consenting to the adjournment has caused a more hopeful feeling, based on the impression that an effort will be made rorthwith to re-open negotiations. Loid Derby, addressing a meeting of Liver-pool commercial men, advocated a m>jnUi's extension of the coal control ordor to prevent an extension of tho strike, and to enable tho public to become fully enlightened on the situation. The public paid and suffered, and ought to be the arbiters.

(Received Anvil 6th, 7.40 p.m.) " LONDON, April 6. Mr Vernon Hartshorn, M.P., miners' leader, states that there will be no meeting with the owners on the conditions laid down.by the Premier.

THE TRIPLE ALLIANCE. ATTITUDE OF TRANSPORT WORKERS. LONDON, April 5. Four hundred delegates, representing the thirty-five unions' comprising the Transport Workers' Federationj are meeting privately. They considered sectional district reports, and adjourned until Wednesday, after issuing an official disclaimer of Press reports regarding the decision ot the executive of the Dockers' Union, which they declare are without foundation. .

Special importance is attached to the decision of the transport workers, which the railwaymen await beforo deciding on their course of action. The stevedores' delegates do not favour a strike, because many are already unemployed, and are receiving a iState benefit of £1 a week. If they strike the union will not pay them so much. Therefore, it pays better not to strike but to assist the miners financially.

[A previous message said: —The executive of the Dockers' Union, whilo agreeing to assist tho miners, declared that nothing should be done to precipitate direct action or to- compol a general strike without each body knowing full details of the matter at issue.!

(Received April 7th, 8.55 p.m.) LONDON, Aprii 6. Mr Bromley, secretary of,the Locomotive Men's Society, says he cannot understand the attitude of the Irrple Alliance. If it "had acted uniteulv against the government and the coalowners, it could have prevented the It was peculiar that such a powerful body should wait until its constituent parts were striking before considering the position. In his oninion the Triple Alliance had lost its opportunity. Mr Bromley points out that his Society does not belong to the Alliance, /and is taking no action.

SABOTAGE AT THE MINES.

CESSATION OF PUMPING OBDERED. " (Australian and N.Z. Cablo Association.) LONDON, April 5. There is an increasingly ugly temper, especially aniong the younger men. lfle pumps at the naval collieries at Penycraig have been abandoned and the pits left to their fate in consequence of the miners threatening the officials. The men's leaders have also warned the officials tending the pumps in the Cambrian collieries and the Rhondda Valley that if they go to the collieries in future the leaders will not be responsible for the consequences. Thousands of miners held a procession to the pitheads of the Ocean collieries, and demanded the cessation of pumping, which was accordingly abandoned. ■ . Headed by a piper, a party of young miners marched to the Leven collieries in Fifeshire, and demanded that the furnaces be put out in 10 minntes. The agent protested that the ponies were still underground, but the miners insisted, and the pumpers were withdrawn. . , The Wellesley colliery, which has rich seams under the Firth of Forth, is also out of action for several months. Large bands of Scottish miners, led bv pipers, are forcing the absolute closing of the pits in Lanarkshire. Five hundred overpowered the police guard at West Benhar, injuring four, and

also attacked the emergency workers. Thev smashed the machinery and left 25 pit ponies to their fate. A mob of miners severely mauled the manager at Cowden Heath, Fifeshire, who refused to desist from working the pumps. A large force of police used their batons and rescued the manager. The strikers then hoisted a red flag and collected in thousands. They are now besieging the police. The situation is becoming critical.

GOVERNMENT PRECAUTIONS. TROOPS CAMPED IN LONDON. (Received April 6th, 7.40 p.m.) LONDON, April 6.

In the space of a few hours last evening 3000 footguards converted Kensington Gardens into a military camp under active service conditions, including a wireless telephone installation. Their arrival was a complete surprise to the public, and is an indication that the Government is fully prepared for a railway or transport strike, and that the principal parks will be used as food depots as in previous crises. The House "of Lords adopted a resolution bringing into operation the regulations under the Emergency Powers Act.

OFFERS OF GERMAN COAL. LONDON, April 5. Offers of steam coal at 54s a ton c.i.f. have been received at Liverpool from the Jtuhr district.