THE COAL STRIKE.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 18900, 15 January 1927, Page 15

THE COAL STRIKE.

MR THOMAS AND MR COOfc"SELLJNG THE MINERS.* (raoM otrs. owk cokeespondsk?:) LONDON, November 87. Speaking in his constituency at Derby this week, the Et. Hon. J. H. Thomas (the" railwaymen's leader) made his promised reply to tie criticisms of Mr A, J. Cook (the miners' secretary), who had accused Mm of "selling the miners." Commenting on Mr Cook's descry tion of his speech in tho House on the eve of the strike as despicable and grovelling, "that was true," said Mr. Thomaß. "It waß a grovelling speech,; because I knew war was near, and I; wanted peace, knowing what war meant. I make no apology for adapting myself to circumstances and for; trying to create an atmosphere that would avert the crisiß." He was oonv polled to answer personal charges, ben cause while he had refused to express his .views, while he had refused,to defend himself, it had not prevented) other people deliberately going about the country and saying he had "sold the miners."

Speaking of the events leading up to the coal dispute, Mr Thomas gave a graphic description of the slogan, "Not a penny off, not a minute on." "The four miners' leaders," said Mr Thomas, "met us with the request that th* General Council should agree to the * slogan. That was the day before the miners' delegate conference. The General Council unanimously decided they could not endorse the slogan, and that decision was conveyed to Mr Cook in a letter. The next day, in spiteof their refusal, the Miners' Executive endorsed the slogan, and said that was to be their policy." The General Strike. Beferring to ovct3 leading op to Uif" general strike, Mi Thomas made, «A dramatic statement on the" final break?> ing off of negotiations. Speaking of the conferences at No. 10 Downing Btreet, he said that about twelve o'clock on' the Sunday the Prime Minister sent for them, and said that since they n»«t' an hour before an incident had happened at the "Daily Mail," where certain sections of the men had re* fused to put in type a leading article, and the.instructions of the Cabinetwere that they were, immediately ; to break off negotiations. "It is hardly, necessary for me to say it was a bombshell," declared MV Thomas. He pointed out that the General Council by resolution repud* ated the action of the men at the "Daily Mail" offices, but that when- ■ they went into the Prime Minister's room again it was in darkness, and they were told that the whole o£ the Cabinet had left, including the Prime Minister. Emphasising his views on a general strike, Mr Thomas said he had nqt only opposed it but had said that a general strikd must fail for the reason that the more effective the itrike the moief, they would starve their own people and - cripple 1 them from going on., He contended it was better for men tad women to ■' use their common sense'at the ballot box. (Cheers.) If a vote, was taken in this country for any revolutionary methods, In his view less than' 4 per cent, of the people would v»te for it. ( . i> ' An Unworthy Leades. /' ~ Mr Thomas said he had opposed a levy and an embargo on coal became ho believed both were* impossible. If Mr Winston Churchill's original proposals had not been thrown over, he thought the dispute would have been settled long ago. Having reiterated that he himself had kept quiet during the dispute, Mr Thomas said:-- . "That has not prevented abuse ana misrepresentation from one who is unworthy to have had the sacrifice of such a noble body of men. (Cheers.) After all, the great mass of the' working classes of this country will not judge by words. They will judge by deeds. They will say: 'Have you delivered the goods?' When that.question is asked there is only one answer: 'No, I have failed because I was incapable of understanding the psychology of the British people.'" <<s»*»-), \Mr Thomas also said he had,4s references of an offensive character to himself made by Mr Cook, and intimated that he would deal with them on a future occasion.