Labor and the War.

Taranaki Daily News, 22 July 1915, Page 5

Labor and the War.

THE COAL STRIKE. MOST DEMANDS CONCEDED. ADDITIONS TO KICDKKATJOVS RANKS. Received July 21, r>.s p.in. Ixmdon, July '2l. All the miners' demands wen: conceded except tho triennium agreement. It is reported that non-unionists, who an not included in the new agreement, and engincmen and stokers have come into the South Wales Miners' Federation.

THE TERMS. WORK RESUMED TO-DAY. Received July 21, 10 p.m. London, .Julv 21. The .Ministers are remaining at Cardiff until definite settlement proposals for eonisderation by the conference are reached. They are so satisfactory from the workmen's standpoint that' it is certain they will be approved to-day and a peace treaty be signed. The men are granted—(l) A new standard wage, which is an increase of .50 per cent, upon the IS7U standard; (2) a minimum of Kl per cent, on the standard; (3 payment of six days lor five daws''work when on night-shift; (4) surfacemen are included in the agreement; (■>) the agreement is to operate for six months after the war, and is subsequently subject to three months' notice. It is expected the men will resume work on Thursday.

UGLY AND ODIOUS. ' OI'T.SPGKEX PRESS COMMENTS. Received July 21, 10.55 p.m. London, July 2). The Daily Chronicle says tlmt outside South Wales the nation will not lie interested in the terms obtained. It was, however, impossible to forget the means taken to secure them. It was an ugly anil odious business for a body of men to improve their position by deliberately holding up the nation in her hour of extreme need. The. miners' action deserves the severest condemnation, and anv other judgment would 'be unjust to ail other great trade unions. If they had (lone what the 'South Wales miners did the country would now he helpless under the Kaiser's heel.

The Daily Mail eulogises Mr. Lloyd George, and characterises the settlement as his triumph. ' The .Morning Post says the whole transaction was humiliating to the country and to the Government. The men had been tyrannical and the Government vaceilating. The men won a victory in defiance of the law.

The Times says the Munitions Aet has -broken down at the first attempt to apply it. If the Government is going to ignore it, it can hardly apply to another case. The only satisfactory thing of the whole wretched episode is that Mr. Lloyd George was able to impress the disputants by telling them plainly what the consequences of their quarrel would be. Hitherto there had been too many appeals and entreaties, and far too little plain speaking. No settlement can wipe out the moral injury. The stoppage of the collieries disgusted our allies, delighted our enemies, and had shaken our prestige among- the neutral States.

METHOD OF SETTLEMENT. PENALTIES WANTED. Received July 22, 1 a.m. London, July 21. Mr. Lloyd George, on Monday night, induced the Miners' Executive to formulate new proposals, and the Cabinet representatives laid them before the masters on Tuesday morning. The masters assembled in one room of ail hotel, while the Miners' Kxeeutive were in another, and the Cabinet representatives moved between the two until the executive promised to recommend terms to to-day's conference. The settlement agrees to refer disputes to the Board of Trade. The main terms cover almost the federated area, which is included, for standard and minimum wages, but the Welsh agreement includes surface workers. The executive ha.-: further promised to recommend the men to work on August bank holiday, to help overtake the shortage, but the strike penalties strikers have incurred und'-r the Munitions Act are to be waived. SETTI.K.MKN'T I'i! \t"' ' Ai.l.V ACRFFD 'Hi. I.olldoll. .1 ;!\ 2'l. A 1; i-r a eon'eyeme between ti 11 • mvn- ' .'lid A!r. i ! ill (leorge. !i"V> terni- ■ :i'.'mil tel. an.l the ('al.iiii-i v 'ir.. '-til'- lat (':■ a i (elide ! : lie miaer-' ,1iil. who-e leaders ai'lerward.- ie.'l f..| various ma I centres, when- there will be hundreds of meetings to-night to di-eiis <i:.> terms in order to instruct delegates !'<.!' t.'i-moiTmv's conference. An oaiimistie feeling prevails. Other rr;x>rls stale thai a. -; tilt -:i( iias le. en practically agreed upon, wliirii extends lo -i\ months after the war. and is Jvi: je:-1; t!)ereal'ier to three months' notice. M FROM lIKIH < •.■MMISIONKR. Wellington. July 21, The High Commissioner reports, under date 1.-ondon, duly lid. li.l/i p.m.: The miners' strike lias been settled.