THE SPIRIT OF CONCILIATION

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIX, 29 January 1936, Page 4

THE SPIRIT OF CONCILIATION

IT can be well understood that the settlement of the British coal mining dispute has been received with general satisfaction and thankfulness. There is little doubt that the spirit of mutual conciliation which enabled an outbreak of serious industrial strife to be averted, was given added strength by the period of national mourning which brought all sections of the community closer together. Even in death the influence of th e great peace-loving King made itself felt. It was on 19th December that the Mine-workers’ Federation at a conference ■of delegates in London decided by a vote of 478,000 to 28,000 to fix 27th January as the date for a strike in all tlie coalfields unless the mine-owners conceded demands for wage increases that were satisfactory to the men’s leaders. Little was it thought then that the day thus arranged to mark the beginning of an unheaval which would have involved all directly concerned, and many indirectly concerned, in incalculable loss, would have been the day later to be fixed as that upon which the funeral of a beloved Monarch would take place. At the weekend it was reported that the men, who had demanded an increase of 2s per day, had resolved, under protest, to accept the mine-owners’ offer of an increase of Is a day, as an instalment, pending the development of a, coal-selling reorganisation scheme, which, it is hoped, will remove cut-throat competition. The miners’ executive, in making its recommendation to accept the owners offer, “was strongly influenced by the desirability of avoiding industrial disturbance in the present circumstances of the nation’ and by the keenest possible desire to prevent loss and injury to the public who so loyally supported the miners’ claims.” There is no doubt that this was one of those disputes in which the public had seen fit to sympathise to a great extent with the miners. Even if they did not desire to see resort to drastic measures they showed that they believed the men were entitled to better conditions which could be given either by the owners “putting their house in order,” or by passing on part of the increase in wages to the large industrial consumer—perhaps by both methods. However, the miners’ executive’s recommendation was accepted on a vote by 360,C00 to 112,000, with 34,000 abstaining from voting. Apart from general considerations of the moment and from the valuable advance in wages, the miners were largely influenced by the concession granted by the owners in agreeing to set up a joint standing consultative committee to discuss all matters of common interest, including general principles for the determination of wages. Referring to the formation of this body. “The Times” says: “It is the best augury for enduring peace the industry has known for many a long day.” Tt is to be hoped that the new joint committee will enter upon its responsible task in a continued spirit of conciliation. It will mean a great deal to tile nation.