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Hokitika Guardian, 2 June 1926, Page 2

Ix the consideration of a basis for the settlement of the coal trouble at Home, Mr Hodges has come to the fore very prominently. In the middle of last April he was busy urging conciliation, and it is a pity for the sake of all concerned that his advice was not accepted. At that time, Hr Hodges, who is Secretary of Interna tional Miners’ Federation, in an address to members of the Nottingham City Business Club, spoke of the need for a settlement, and continued : “The subsidy had_bccn a bad thing for the coal industry because it had corroded the initiative of the industry. He felt sure that the policy which the miners’ executive would pursue would be a policy that would enable them to keep the maximum number of pits open and thus prevent to the largest possible degree the dislocation of men who were at present employed. If there were no other alternative, and if it were put to him ns to whether he would accept a reduction in wages or a temporary readjustment of the working day, L? would accept flic latter. Knowing as he did that the depression in wages would he had both for the industry and the country, he would far prefer, so would they all, and se would every miner, to work a little extra per day up to the extent oi half an hour rather than to submit to the depressing and devastating intllienee of the low wages. This suggestion of Mr Hodges that, a temporary readjustment of the working day would be preferable to a reduction of •wages lias not been welcomed by the miners’ executive. Mr A. J. Cook, the secretary, replied by saying: “Mr Hodges has led the public to believe that the miners would be prepared to consider the question of a longer working day and also that the Commission’s Report would bring prosperity to the mining industry. On behalf of the British Miners’. Federation, I desire again to inform the public that Mr Hodges has no official connexion with the A Liners’ Federation. and that he has no authority to speak on their behalf. The statement ho lias made does not represent the miners’ position. The miners’" officials and their Executive are quite competent to deal with the question of the Report and to decide the miners’ policy, without any interference from Mr Hodges. 1 regret to find that, in his statement.' ho is supporting the mineowners and the Government, rather than the miners, whose interests he is supposed, internationally, to look after. I cannot understand how he can suggest, as International Secretary. that the consideration of longer hours is a solution to the problem.” In the light of subsequent events it is clear that the advice of Mr Hodges was sound. It was as though he had a prophetic vision of what was to come. How infinitely better off the miners would have been had they followed the advice given in the face of the natural opposition from Mr Cook, is apparent to all who have billowed the situation, however superlieiallv.