THE BRITISH STRIKE

Otago Witness, Issue 3768, 1 June 1926, Page 32

THE BRITISH STRIKE

GRAVE BLUNDER IN TACTICS A LABOUR STOCK-TAKING. LONDON, May 24. Mr J. It. Clynes, Labour member of the House of Commons, was outspoken in ibis condemnation of the general strike in ins presidential address at Bournemouth. He said that from the outset he had opposed the strike, and had submitted alternative proposals for financial support for the miners, which, supplemented by industrial action, which most likely have effectively resisted the mine owners’ attack. A mere fraction of the £20,000,000 lost in wages by the strike would, if spent in wise political action, have placed the workers in possession of the enormous power which the Government was able to direct against them. Such a strike submerged the real issue. A national 6trike could never be complete if there were instant starvation the first victims of which would be the poorest of the population. Riots and disorder would not feed them, and an appeal to force would be met by superior force. RATS LEAVING COLLIERIES. LONDON, May 24. A curious consequence of the coal strike is that t,he rats are forsaking the South Wales collieries in thousands, and invading the miners’ dwelling owing to a supply of grain not being available when the pit ponies were withdrawn. The rats *rc so numerous and so daring that it is fcecessary to fight the plague. The men in the Rhondda Valley have collected ferrets and dogs, and organised a rat-kill-3:ig campaign. They propose to enter the worst pits and destroy the rats wholesale. IMPORTATION OF COAL. LONDON, May 25. The Daily Herald asserts that a local Customs Excise officer has written to the secretary of the Coal Exporters’ Association asking him to inform the members confidentially and “without publicly posting a notice” that the Government desires to encourage the importation of foreign coal and coke. The letter explains that imported coal will not be subject to rationing control, REORGANISATION BEFORE WAGE SACRIFICES. LONDON, May 26 Mr A. J. Cook collapsed owing to illness and was medically attended after making a speech at Radstock in which he said: “When there has been a reorganisation cf the coai industry I am prepared to go into the question whether a wage sacrifice is necessary, but I do not think there wiil be any need for it. I hope that' Mr Baldwin will have the courage to say 'This has gone on long enough and it must stop.’ Let the miners resume on * the status quo with a guarantee that changes and economies will be put into operation. On these lines the dispute can be ended.” NEW GOVERNMENT PROPOSALS. LONDON. May 26. The Daily Express features an announcement that the Government is considering important new proposals to end the mining deadlock. The idea is that the Government may eliminate both the Miners’ Federation and the Mining Association from consideration, arid go direct to the individual coal owner and miner with the proposals. The names of the new negotiators have been suggested. They would thaw up a schedule of fair terms, which would be submitted to individual mine owners and workers. A ballot of the miners on the question would be taken secretly. The terms would be based on a 6even and a-half hour working day, with a high minimum percentage wage. The Government is reliably informed that the miners in most districts would welcome a ballot on the question of an extension of hours. The owners are most anxious not to allow the Government’s -offer of £3,000,000 to be withdrawn at the end of the month.

SPEECH BY MR LLOYD GEORGE. LONDON, May 26.

In a speech at Llandudno Mr Lloyd George blamed the Government for muddling and lack of thought, especially forethought, as regards the coal situation durr ing the past 10 months; and also in connection with the restoration of the gold standard, by which the price of exported coai had been reduced. He unreservedly condemned the strike, and supported the Government’s measures to preserve orderand carry on the national services. “At the same time,” he added, “I am unalle to work myself up to a pitch of righteous anger against the men who, % however mistakenly or wrongly, risked their livelihood to help their comrades in theft desperate plight.” - Mr Lloyd George said be favoured getting back to the status quo, and strongly endorsed the statesmanlike proposal contained in the Archbishop of Canterbury’s appeal. He therefore advocated conciliation and supported Sir Herbert Samuel s report. He urged the Government to legislate over tn-? heads of the* miners and the mine owners and thus shorten the conflict.

Mr Lloyd George’s characteristic flashes included a description of the British Gazette as “a first-class indiscretion clothed in the laundry garb of third-rate journalism.” He expressed the opinion that the strike ought to cure the workers of any lingering taste for the experiment of State Socialism. Mr Lloyd George disparaged Socialistic broadcasting “when the very currents of the air were nationalised by the Government." He accused the Government of breaking off negotiations purely because there had been one

of the weekly troubles with the pi inters iii a London newspaper office.

VICTORY FOR LAW AND ORDER. NEW YORK, May 26. Addressing the National Association of Credit Men, the British Ambassador, Sir Ksme Howard, declared that the general strike in England had served to establish “once again and for all generations the belief and faith in the principles of free constitutional parliamentary government. RELIEF FOR DEPENDENTS. WANGANUI, May 27. The East Town branch of the A.S.R.S. at a' meeting this afternoon requested its executive to cable a substantial sum to alleviate distress among the dependents of British miners, considering that it was its bounden duty to do so. WITHDRAWAL OF SUBSIDY OFFER CERTAIN. LONDON, May 28. Mr Baldwin held a conference with the Coal Committee. It is understood that it is intended strictly to enforce the decision to withdraw the offer of a subsidy of £3,000,000 on Monday night. No official move is likely in the meantime unless the miners or owners make new proposals. DRASTIC REGULATIONS ENFORCED. LONDON, May 27. Owing to dwindling coal supplies the Mines Depart merit has issued new rationing regulations. These are more drastic than those which were enforced in wartime. They prohibit the display of advertisement lighting, and permit only lights which are essential to the protection of property and the public safety. They cut down the coal supply for gas and electric companies and shops to half their normal consumption. Ileavv penalties arc provided in the event of disobedience. RAILWAY COMPANY'S LOSSES. LONDON, May 27. The gross losses of the four railway companies due to the general strike and the coal strike are £6,490,000, according to the Railway Gazette, which points out that prior to May 1 each company had secured receipts for the current year substantially higher than for the corresponding period of 1925. The returns for the week ended May 23 show that these increases have been more than wiped out for the year. PRINTING TRADES DISPUTE. LONDON, May ‘27. The Federation of Master Printers and the Newspaper Society to-day agreed to a national settlement with the Printing and Kindred Trades Federation, providing for a continuance of the agreements existing prior to May 1. The settlement contains provisions for the prevention of lightning strikes, and stipulates that there shall be no interference with the contents of newspapers or periodicals published by members of the employers’ organisations. A BASIS OF SETTLEMENT. LONDON, May 28. Mr Frank Hodges (secretary of the International Miners’ Federation) lias ad vanced suggestions which he declares will provide a real basis of settlement for the coal dispute. The terms include an increase of hours to seven and a half, for which legislation will be necessary. The agreement shall Le for five years, and there will be no reduction of day wages, but there will be an adjustment of the percentages, which may be reduced to some extent. He suggests that the Government should renew its offer of £3,0CX),000; also if necessary a ballot of miners should be taken on the proposals. He realises that this is a departure from the miners’ formula, but it niU6t be so. He declares that he is prompted solely by concern for the miners’ future, as he despairs of either the miners or the owners initiating new- discussions. “Formality and ceremony of convention must,” he says, “be brushed aside, as the adaptability and resourcefulness necessary to negotiations have gone, and the end may well be starvation or industrial bankruptcy, or both.” He urged the miners to see the truth.

SUFFERING AMONG MINERS. LONDON, May 28.

Over 1,000,000 miners have been on strike for four weeks to-day. during which time not one hundredweight of coal has been raised in the entire coalfields of Great Britain The men are reported to be as determined to-day as a month ago. Meantime the stranglehold of the industry is becoming more effective hourly. Works are closing down daily, and the iron and steel industry has l een brought to a standstill. The blast furn* 's have blown out. At Clydeside alone more than 18,000 iron and steel workers have been rendered idle, and domestic coni is being most severely rationed over the whole country. The train services are skeletonised, and it is expected that racing will be suspended next week. There will be no special and no excursion trains on Derby Day. The King and Queen will go to Epson by road. Every dnv adds thousands to the ranks of the unemployed. Officials are snowed under by application for relief by those out of work through the coal strike.

Whole communities in the mining districts are existing on poor relief, and soup kitchens have been established everywhere. Rents and rates are unpaid, and many tradesmen in the mining districts are putting up their shutters as they are unable to give further credit. The greatest efforts are being made to spare the women and children. Funds have been opened and are being generously supported by the owners. One owner sent a cheque for £IOO.

Miss Sybil Thorndike and others have issued appeals and the miners have received £IOOO from the Farm Workers’ Union, and many contributions have been received from abroad. Germany sent £SOOO, Czecho-Slovakia £IOOO, Austria, Holland, Belgium, and Jugo-Slavia several hundreds each. Strike pay is still being issued, varying from £1 to 5s weekly. A disastrous colliery fire occurred at Bargoed, South Wales. The fusing of an electric wire caused the ignition of napthalene. The flames lit up the whole valley. The damage is estimated at from £20,000 to £30,000. “NO COMPROMISE.’’ LONDON, May 29. Mr A. J. Cook has recovered from the effects of overstrain. In an interview with the Daily Herald, he said the longer the Government and the owners resist the fewer mines will be opened, the immediate consequences of which will be first, a large number of miners drawing unemployment insurance benefit, secondly, there will be a scarcity of coal and a higher price for what is available. Commenting on Mr F. B. Varley’s. M.P.. proposals. he said: “I am sorry that any leader should mislead the Government, the owners or the public. It will only prolong the strike. I visited the coalfields and the soup kitchens in South Wales md Somerset, and the only message I got was ‘No compromise.’ The miners could not live on the wages 4, ur * n 6 April, therefore no reduction is possible. The miners are as much opposed to longer hours as they are to lower pay. PRINCE OF WALES’S SYMPATHY. LONDON, May 30 The Prince of Wales, who is a large coal owner in Somerset, sent 10 guineas to the district miners’ wives and children’s fund, accompanied by a letter stating: “His Royal Highness naturally cannot take sides in any disputes, but we all owe a debt to the miners for what they fiave done in 'the pa6t. Everyone sympathises with their wives and children in their hour of distress. Further, it would oe an undesirable end to any dispute that one side should have to give in on account of the sufferings of their dependents. His Royal Highness is confident that with goodwill on either side, there will be a happy issue out of the present difficulties.” MR HODGES'S SCHEME FAVOURED. LONDON, May 30 The Sunday papers’ correspondents repoit that the miners are increasingly tendinn to favour Mr Frank Hodges’s scheme for longer hours, and unreduced pay and a long peace. GOVERNMENT SHARPLY CRITICISED. LONDON, May 30. Mr J. L. Garvin in an outspoken editorial in the Observer declares: “Procrastination followed by hurry blighted throughout the Government’s handling of the coal dispute before the general strike, only a week being allowed for negotiations and the same thing is being repeated The : Government unnecessarily limited itself to I a further £3,000,000 subsidy. Mr Baldwin, while he rebuked the owners in scathing words, has so far only attempted real pressure against the miners. If the Government can think of nothing better than the narrowest interpretation of its formula there will be a-Avar of exhaustion spreading to every trade and costing many times £3,000,000 and producing unparalelled social bitterness. If this happens I believe the nation will not forgive the Government and Liberal sympathies will swing towards Labour. There will be many North Hammersmiths.”

He argues that Mr Varley’s and Mr Hodges's schemes justify keeping the open door, and expresses the opinion that a legislative even and a half hour day, no reduction of wages and a ballot of "the miners would prove the shortest and best way out. Moreover, the Government must pledge itself to cany out the commission’s report in its entirety during the present session at all costs.

A NARROW MAJORITY. LONDON. May 30. The executive of the Northumberland Miners' Union only defeated by 36 to 33 votes, a resolution in favour of the resumption of negotiations for the best possible national settlement based on the coal Commission’s report.