BRITISH COAL STRIKE

Evening Star, Issue 19272, 10 June 1926, Page 6

BRITISH COAL STRIKE

THE GDVEMENT PERTURBED STATEMENT BY MR COOK “WILL CONTINUE THE STRUGGLE.” , Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright, LONDON, June 9. (Received June 10, at 11.45 a.m.) The Government takes a serious view of the coal breakdown. The Government’s Coal Committee met and considered the position. It is believed that plans were discussed which included a Government ballot among tin miners.

Mr A. J. Cook, in a statement, alleges that the coal owners’ account oi yesterday’s conference misrepresented the whole position. Mr Cook declares that the miners will not meet the owners again unless shorthand notes are taken. He says that the owners laid down the terms of an eight-hour day, and a reduction of wages to the level of the 1921 agreement and lower in some districts. The owners have not changed one iota. They treated with contempt the questions of reorganisation, selling agencies, and the closing of uneconomic pits, etc. The members of the Miners’ Executive have now returned to their homes, said Mr Cook; but they will continue the struggle. The men will not return to work except on a statu quo basis.— Reuter.

MINERS’ SOLUTION RIDICULED. PURPOSE OF RUSSIAN CONTEIBU TIONS. LONDON, June 9. (Received June 10, at 11.45 a.m.) Lord Birkenhead, speaking at a luncheon of the British Imperial Council of Commerce, referred to the coal problem. He ridiculed the suggestion of the miners’ leaders that the solution was to increase the price of coal. He pointed out that the home manufacturers were already struggling to meel foreign competition. Referring to the money which tin Miners’ Federation was receiving fron Russia, Lord Birkenhead said that whatever decision the Government reached there xnust be a real distinction between private contributions and contributions proceeding from a foreign Government. The Russian contributions were avowedly to foment I revolution.—Router.