COAL STRIKE

Southland Times, Issue 20044, 4 December 1926, Page 7

COAL STRIKE

WHY IT FAILED MR COOK WILL TELL i RUSSIANS TRADE UNIONS BLAMED (By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright.) London, December 2. Mr Cook has left London for Moscow. Interviewed by the Daily Express, he said: “Russia will want me to answer various questions. I will tell exactly what I know, namely, that the miners’ defeat was due to the policy of the Trade Union Council, firstly in the calling off of the general strike; secondly, in refusing to enforce the embargo on foreign coal; finally, the trade unions of England left the miners to fight alone. I will tell them the inaction and opposition of the British leaders, particularly of Messrs Bromley and Thomas, prevented a levy on the workers’ earnings. Russia will regard the absence of delegates from the Trade Union Council as a rebuff to the Russian workers. Nevertheless I will tell Russia, despite Britain’s trade union leaders, the rank and file are heart and soul with the Russians; also that the increased bitterness of the Government was due to £1,250,000 sent to England.”—A. and N.Z. EMERGENCY REGULATIONS LIFTED. LABOUR’S CENSURE MOTION. (Rec. 5.5 p.m.) London, December 2. In the House of Commons Sir W. Joyn-son-Hicks announced that the coal emergency regulations, except those preventing export would be lifted at midnight. Mr Baldwin announced that Wednesday would be set apart for Labour’s censure motion on the ,coal crisis, the terms of which complain of the disregard of the Royal Commission’s findings, the Ministry’s partiality to the owners, and the latters’ imposition of harsh terms, the only remedy for which consists in the nationalisation of the industry.—A. & N.Z.