WELSH COAL CRISIS

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2518, 20 July 1915, Page 5

WELSH COAL CRISIS

STRIKE CONTINUES DESPONDENCY IN SOUTH WALES OUTLOOK FOR COAL STOCKS The High Commissioner reports London, July 18, 4.40 p.m. "The strike of 200,000 .welsh miners continues." .(Press Association.) London, July 18. There is despondency in South Wales owing to the miners' executive returning, despite a promise to meet Mr. Runciman (President of the Board of Trade). The coal owners, who hitherto left the affair in the hands of the Government, have now arranged to meet Sir. Runciman on Monday. The miners' leaders have come to no decision regarding strike pay, the granting of which would he a serious matter to the unions, in view, of the Munitions Act.

Wholesale dislocation of trade in the West is feared; several large works have already closed down. If the strike continues until Wednesday the coal stocks will be depleted by a million'tons.

Unimportant rioting has taken place at Llanelly. Seven arrests were made.

LATEST DEVELOPMENTS

WHAT THE MEN THINK

(Rec. July 20, 0.20 a.m.)

London, July 19.

The majority of the miners, in conversation, hotly resent the imputations of unpatriotism, which have been cast upon them, pointing out that a number of miners have enlisted, while most of the leaders have sons in the Army, and the majority are holding commissions.

There was an unpleasant shock owing tD the announcement that there would bo no strike pay,'''a4 the South Wales war chest only contains one week's strike paj; and there is no likelihood of the strikers receiving any assistance from the Miners' Federation or other trado unions. ,

Most of the men are still convinced that in this hour of the national crisis they have the country at their mercy. There is a widespread impression in South Wales that the Government will concede all the men's terms, except the stipulation for a three years' agreement. The matters in dispute will be then referred to the tribunal appointed under the Munitions Act, which will decide regarding the marginal differences between Mr. Eunciman's .awards and the men's full demands. The miners would then .have the right to ratify or reject the new agreement. Mr. Tom Richards (Labour member for Monmouth) and Mr. Vernon Hartshorn state that tho men believe that the masters played upon their patriotism in order to induce them to accept iinwolcoms terms. They believe that the Government has been pulled by the employers, who are now relying on the Government to force the men into the pits. ' ' ANXIETY IN FRANCE. ARE GERMAN AGENTS AT WORKP (Rec. July 20, 1 a.m.) Paris, July 19. The crisis in South Wales is being anxiously followed in France, where tho German occupation of the Department of the Nord has decreased the French output by thirty; million tons. France is relying on Britain to make up tho deficiency. 1 The French' miners stopped all holidays, and accepted an extension of hours without a murmur, although the conditions were already telling on .their health and strength. The "Gaulois" suggests the South' Wales miners are being cleverly exploited by German agents. STRIKE DENOUNCED AS HICH TREASON. BY FRENCH SOCIALIST PAPER, Paris, July 18. Gustave Eterve, in the paper "La Guerre Sociale," denounces the South Wales strike as high treason against England, France, and all the Allies. OUR ENEMIES JUBILANT. (Rec. July 20, 1 a ni.) Berao, July 19. There are jubilations in Germany and Austria over the Welsh coal 6trike.