THE COLLAPSE

Evening Post, Volume CI, Issue 91, 18 April 1921, Page 7

THE COLLAPSE

THE GENERAL STRIKE DECLARED OFF

BLOW TO THE COMMUNISTS

BITTER STRUGGLE WITH MINERS EXPECTED GOVERNMENT'S PROPOSALS STILL OPEN. (DNITSD PRESS ASSOCIATION.—OTPIWOHT.) (AtitTIUUAN ■ NEW 28AI.AND OAJU ASSOCIATION.) (Received April 18, 9 a.m.) LONDON, 17th April. The Government's proposals • for a settlement of the coal dispute are still open. The owners are advertising the offer to their men. (PUBLISHED IN TBB TIMES.) LONDON, 16th April, j The Government is not relaxing its efforts to settle the strike, and is meanwhile continuing emergency arrangments and conservation of food and coal. The coal owners are still in London, hoping for a resumption of negotiations. (UNITED PRBSS ASSOCIATION.—COPTRIBHT.) (Received April 18, 9 a.m.) LONDON, 17th April. Mr. Clynes predicts that the miners will put up a bitter struggle as they regard the owners' proposals as indefensible. . . : ' ■ The Sunday Express's- Lobbyist states that the Government is considering new , strike legislation, aimed primarily at direct action methods. (Received April 18, 11 a.m.) LONDON, 17th April. The miners' leaders ai-e out of'town •conferring with their dismayed followers on the coalfields. There is the bitterest feeling among the miners at being left in the lurch by the railwaymen and transporters, especially as the exchequer is ■ fast emptying, and many families are approaching destitution despite tho shortness of the strike. A snap of snowy and frosty weather is increasing the hardships, and many households are faced with lack of coal, even in the mining districts. Many South Staffordshire bakers have only coal for two more day's baking. In view of these circumstances there is a general hope that the extremists will see the folly of prolonging the struggle. Whan the delegates return to London on Thursday it is hoped ■ that they will have authority te partake in a conference on wages with tho owners and- the Government, who emphasise that all offers made are still open.

Many meetings of miners were held to-day. Mr. V. Hartshorn (Labour M.P. for Glamorganshire) characterised Friday as the "Black Friday" in the history of the British Labour movement.

Mr. Noah Abblett, a member of the Miners' Executive, addressing a mass meeting at Merthyr, said the miners had lost the first round of the fight owing to the failure of their leaders • in the socalled Unity House. ■

(RKUTBR'S TELEGRAM/) (Received Apfil 18, 9 a.m.)

LONDON, 17th April. The general conclusion regarding the strike development is that the' Communist element though exceedingly vocal represents a very small minority of the British workers, of whom the great majority are law-abiding citizens whose voices are not heard in the deliberations of their unions, but whose weight is irresistibly -felt in such a crisis as that just past.