COAL SETTLEMENT

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 245, 11 July 1921, Page 5

COAL SETTLEMENT

A DOUBT EXPRESSED CRITICISM OF GOVERNMENT ACTION By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright (Rec. July 9, 5.5 p.m.) London, July 8. The House of Commons debated the coal strike yesterday. Mr. J. C. Gould, of Cardiff, shipowner, in a striking speech, expressed doubt whether the settlement would guarantee an increased output. He declared that 150,000 miners would be displaced in tho industry. Lord Robert Cecil blamed the Government’s handling of the struggle, particularly Mr. Lloyd George’s attack on Labour in his speech at the Coalition luncheon towards the end of March. Mr. Lloyd George hotly protested against this as misrepresentation, and when Lord Robert Cecil sat down described the latter's speech as an unfair travesty. He declared that what he said was that "in Labour disputes the trouble is not with the responsible leaders, but with the corporals whom you never see, but who have real power and no responsibility." Mr. AV. Adamson, Labour Party leader, said that tho miners had returned to work in anything but an amiable frame of mind. The question whether the miners were to "pull the chestnuts out of the fire” for British industry or not was one which would find a ready response in tho minds of the miners at the present time. He urged that an amnesty should be granted to men imprisoned for offences during the strike, even if tire offenders were communists.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. fMr Lloyd George, speaking at a UoallJnluncheon in «re (tommons on March 22, said that while military dangers no longer existed, one new peri was the phenomenal rise of a new P®F ty of a most subversive character which called itself Labour, but m reality was Socialist. The country dld , n "t fully real™ its danger; it menaced both Barna nientary institutions and nrise. Labour speeches and Press orga; Fsation were all engaged in stirring up disaffection throughout the country. After tho Great War there were heavy burdens to be borne, with -employmen trouble of everv kind, so thatvas easv to foment <!:«. ontent. the We™ iste ” he’declarcd. "are consolidating their forees, while their enemy are divided and Irving to destroy each othei. prompt steps are taken a party will come into which has had no exponent, b\ s had no responsibility of government niid has a policy dictated by people w ’,‘" have even less experience behind them. ]