WELSH COAL CRISIS

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2515, 17 July 1915, Page 6

WELSH COAL CRISIS

ft. MEN EXPECTED TO RESUME DEMAND FOR FIXING OF COAL PRICES STORMY SCENES AT MINERS' CONFERENCE "" By Telegraph—Preßß Association-Copyright London, July 15. Mr. Runciman, President of the Board of Trade, will meet the miners' leaders in London to-morrow. Mr. Aston, secretary of tlio British Miners' Federation, s'tates that the Government alone can settle the dispute. Ho believes work will bo fully, resumed on Monday. At a conference of mining delegates at Cardiff to-day, by a show of hands, it was decided by 180 votes to 113 not to accept the recommendation' of tho council to return to work. A card vote is demanded. Rumour states that there were stormy scenes at tlio conference. The executivo of the South Wales Federation meeting was practically unanimous in advising the men to return to work during negotiations, but a minority created something like pandemonium. Opponents shouted down Mr. Standon when ho said: "I ani. a Britisher all the time, and I won't adVGcate the stoppage of an Imperial and national service." The men desire the Government to promptly fix coal prices to prevent coal being exploited. It ,is expccted the men will vesume after tlio week-end holiday, because of the pressure brought to 'bear by tho leaders, who .confer with tlio Hoard of Trade to-day. Tho cessation in South' Wales was general, upwards of 120,000 men beina idle. . The enforcement of tho Munitions Act stiffened the resistance. A portion of the miners in the West-' ern District of South Wales will resume work to-morrow. ' •' ' ■ ' NATIONAL' CONFERENCE POSTPONED. \ (Rec. July 16, 7.30 p.m.) London, July 16. The Government has postponed the' National Conference of the mining industry, which was called for July 21. MUNITIONS TRIBUNAL APPOINTED. (Rec. July 16, 7.30 p.m.) London, July 16. _ Mr. Lloyd George (Minister of Munitions) has appointed. Mr. Robert Wallace ohairman, Mr. Griffiths Thomas representative of the employers, and Mr. Tom Griffiths representative of the workers, as assessors npou the general munitions tribunal for Wales and Monmouth. THE STORM-CENTRE OF THE TROUBLE., "WHOLE WORLD AGAINST. US." (Rec. July 16, 8.15 p.m.) London, July 16. Ton-y-Pandy is the centre of the colliery agitation. Tho men apparently believe that if the price of coal is not fixed immediately, the proprietors of tho collieries will make such profits that they will be ablo to close down the pits for an indefinite period after tho war, and make their own terms with tlio men. '" Tho .owners are keeping up steam ih tho collieries in the expectation of an early resumption. Mr. Bon Da'vies, a member of the Soutli_ Wales Miners' Executive, in an interview, said: "We are going to fight the. law, the nation, and tho definite resolutions of our own executive. ' We shall have the whole world against us, except Germany, Austria, and Turkey." Personally ho regretted the decision to strike. Tlio miners did not realise the full facts of tho situation. A SUCGESTION. WORKERS SHOULD TAKE OVER . • THE MINES. " (Reo. July 16, 9.35 p.m.) ' London, July 16. , Mr. W. Pritc'hard Morgan (formerly M.P. for Merthyr), addressing a Meeting at'Merthyr, advocated the miners taking. possession of the mines and working them for the nation.