BRITISH COAL STRIKE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18075, 25 October 1920, Page 5

BRITISH COAL STRIKE.

POSITION VERY CRITICAL. STRENUOUS EFFORTS FOR PEACE. RAILWAYMEN STILL UNDECIDED. AGITATORS AT WORK. THREAT BY WELSH MINERS Preaa Association—By Telegraph—Copyright. LONDON, October 22. Mr Bonar Law, speaking in the House of Commons, summing up the strike situation, said the position was still very grave. Ministers still continue to exploro every avenue which may lead to peace. Tlie Parliamentary Committeo of the Trade Union Congress met and decided to call a special congress of tho executives of the affiliated unions for Wednesday to decido how best to help the miners. The general belief is that this may persuade the railwayman's executive to hold its hand for the present. The Associated Society of Locomotive Enginemen has not yet decided to join in the strike. At any rate the men will not come out on Sunday. Mr Bromley (secretary) says that he believes there will not be a railway strike. The Globe states that Mr J. H. Thomas, •when seen in the lobby of the House of Commons, said that in the event of a railway strike he would not lead it. Meanwhile tho extremists continuo their attempts to influence the workers. The South Wales miners to-day adopted a resolution in favour of -withdrawing all labour from tho mines, including pump hands. A motion that the miners' should ■work the mines during the strike for their own bfenefit -was rejected. . HOPEFUL DEVELOPMENTS. MINERS AND RAILWAYMEN. A JOINT CONFERENCE ARRANGED. RAILWAYMENS STRIKE POSTPONED. LONDON, October 23. (Received Oct. 24, at 5.5 p.m.) It is now generally accepted that the motives oi' the Parliamentary Committee ' of the Trade Union Congress in intervening are to keep the situation under control, and to attempt to find a "way towards giving a guarantee to the Government which would enable the Government to resume negotiations with the miners. • The committee in summoning a conference expressed a desire that no separate union should act in snch a way as to defeat the efforts to ensure a united settlement of the matter, which is too important to allow sectional action. Among the hopeful developments is the summoning of tho Miners' Executive to London. Members had dispersed, stating that there was no need to remain in session. One of the first steps necessary towards a settlement was to induce them to reassemble. Importance attaches _ to to-day's separate meetings of the miners' and railwaymen's executives, to be followed by a joint meeting. It is believed that the miners deprecate the railwaymen's precipitate intervention, and it is generally hoped that the Parliamentary Committee's request ■ that no separate action will be taken will lead to the railwaymen postponing their strike threat, if not abandoning it in favour of the Parliamentary Committee's proposed conference on Wednesday. _ As a result of unofficial discussions lasting two days between Ministers and miners for a_ basis upon which to resume official negotiations with a prospect of settlement, Mr Lloyd George formally invited the Miners' Executive again to confer with the Government. Thereupon the miners requested the Railwayman's Executive to postpone the railway strike, which the latter agreed to do.—A. and N.Z. Cable. VANCOUVER, October 23. (Received Oct. 24, at 5.5 p.m.) A United Press Association message from London states that tho railwaymen's strike has been postponed.—A, and N Z Cable. BOLSHEVIST SYMPATHY. BERLIN, October 22. . The Bolshevist leader Losoffski has r issued a proclamation m the name of the Russian proletariat, assuring the British miners of. Bolshevist sympathy. A and N.Z. Cable. PROSPECTS BRIGHTER. THE PRIME MINISTER'S EFFORTS. GOVERNMENT AND MINERS TO CONFER _ LONDON, October 23. (Received Oct. 24, at 11.5 olm.) Mr Lloyd George, in a letter to the JVliners Executive, suggests a preliminary meeting between the Ministers and several representatives' of the executive to endeavour to arrive at a basis of settlement before a conference with the whole executive. The miners have agreed, and are sending four officials, including Messrs bmillie and Hodges, to meet the Ministers at Downing street on Sunday morning. It is unofficially stated that there ar ® prospects of a settlement.—A. and N.Z. Cable. SEQUEL TO THE STRIKE. WIDESPREAD UNEMPLOYMENT. _ LONDON, October 24. (Received Oct. 25, at 0.10 a.m.) Owing to the miners' strike, other workers discharged in England and Wales include 102,000 through the reductions in staffs, while 00,000 have been placed on short time. The loss to Sheffield through cancelled contracts is nearly £250,000. Th o cotton operatives in Lancashire will be V on half -time owing to the official restriction on the consumption of coal. A. and N.Z. Cable.