BRITISH COAL CRISIS

Evening Star, Issue 18998, 21 July 1925, Page 8

BRITISH COAL CRISIS

DISCUSSION BEHIND SCENES MINERS AND COURT Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright. LONDON, July 20. (Received July 21, at 12.10 p.m.) It is learned that discussions which may lead to important developments in the coal dispute arc being held behind the scenes. It is suggested that possibly the owners might withdraw the notices in order to enable an open discussion at the Court of Inquiry into the coal dispute. Mr Macmillan announced that the Miners’ ■Federation had refused the invitations to attend the inquiry. He emphasised that the court was not going to deal solely with the wages and.hours in the coal industry, but it proposed to investigate the causes and remedies for the troubles in the industry; therefore it was to be regretted that the Minors’ Federation did not see its way to assist in the investigation. He emphasised that The miners wore not asking for the withdrawal or cancellation of the present agreement, but for tbo withdrawal of tbo owners’ proposals. In a. speech at Middlosbro, Mr J. Beckett (Labor) said that if the miners were locked out and the Government adopted military or other means, the Laborites would refuse to spend time in the House of Commons, but would go into the country to create a rebel spirit wherever they went.—Router.