GENERAL STRIKE INQUEST.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19542, 22 January 1927, Page 9

GENERAL STRIKE INQUEST.

CONFERENCE IN LONDON. TRADES UNION CONTROVERSY MINERS' BITTER COMPLAINTS. DESERTED BY THE CONGRESS. By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright. *• (Received 5.:> p.m.) A. and N.Z. LONDON. Jan. 20. The conference between the executives of the unions affiliated to the Trades Union Congress, which was called for the purpose of considering the report of the council of the congress upon the general strike of May, 1926. was opened to-day at the Central Hall, Westminster. There were present 200 delegates representing 4,000,000 trades unionists. The president, Mr. G. HicKs, presided. Messrs. Ramsay Mac Donald and J. H. Thomas, M.P-'s, were present as also were several former members of the executive of the Miners' Federation who we-re deposed during" the strike. They attended to defend their policy. Although the general secretary of the Miners' Federation, Mr. A. J.- Cook, had said: "We are going to fight the greatest struggle of our lives; we are not in the dock; we are the accusers;" the extremists had boasted that they hoped to censure the council and to uphold the miners. A leading member of the council of the congress had prophesied that the inquest into the general strike would be a thorough one and that nothing wouia be concealed. When the conference was over he thought they would have given the general strike a, decent burial and would be able to concentrate on the future. They would bury their differences and the hatchet A Lively Interlude Occurs:. A vote of confidence in the general council of the congress and a vote of censure against the Miners* federation was the issue which was privately debated. There was a lively interlude after Mr. Arthur Pugh had read the report of the council. Many of the delegates demanded to know why the council had called out the engineers and shipbuilders on the morning the strike was cancelled for the other unions. They asked why these unions were not included in the general strike order. Mr. Thomas, who had a mixed reception, criticised the miners' leaders. Ho concluded by making a vigorous appeal to the conference to support the council. In replying to Mr. Thomas Mr. Cook spoke for almost an hour. Ho did not arouse any enthusiasm. Once ho was subjected to considerable interruption. The acting secretary of the congress, Mr. W- Citrine, said he relied on many facts and details to controvert Mr. Cook. His speech greatly impressed the delegates and caused a round of applause. Mr. E. Bevin (Transport Workers' Union) also replied. Miners' Strongly-Worded Plaint. The following strongly-worded statement was submitted to the conference on behalf of the Miners' Federation: " If wo were deserted and forced to fight a lone fight it was not by the workers that we were abandoned. The general strike was the climax to the concerted endeavours of the employers for years to solve their problem by cutting down wages. In 1525 it was narrowed to the mining industry with its special difficulties. " The first attempt to make a general reduction in wages in July, 11325, was defeated because the Labour movement under the then strong and determined leadership of the council of the Trades Union Congress stood by the miners, and the Government, which supported the coalmine owners, was compelled to postpone the conflict and take time to load its guns. " The real purpose of the Royal Commission which was subsequently appointed was to find the argument which divided the united front of the whole movement. The council of the Congress, which in February, 1926, had reaffirmed the solidarity of the miners and other trades unionists, hesitated sis weeks laterafter the publication of the report of the commission—to reaffirm its position, on which it had committed the whole movement. Thus the workers entered upon the general strike unaware of the fact that the council contemplated yielding. Fight on Coalfields Not Ended. " Having once decided on a policy of yielding it yielded consistently until the end." Summing up a lengthy argument in defence of the miners" rejection of the Samuel memorandum, the statement said: I " To put it bluntly the general council : was leading the miners into a trap, but the miners refused to be entrapped. " The fight i». not over. Longer hours and lower wages cannot bring peace on the coalfields. We will not allow district agreements to shatter oar strength. The unity of our organisation is still intact. We are determined to recover the lost ground and we look confidently for the • support of the whole trades union move* rxient." On the motion of the mmeiV delegate* the report of th« council and the statemeat t<f the M:nrr« Federation were referred to the anioßi for a vote of the rank and file. The conference then adjourned.