THE COAL INDUSTRY.

Waikato Times, Volume 100, Issue 16800, 19 May 1926, Page 7

THE COAL INDUSTRY.

T.U.C. CRITICISED. DREADFUL STRIKE DEBACLE. AN ABJECT SURRENDER. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Assn.) LONDON. May 17. Mi’ F. B. Varley, M.P., leader of the Notts miners, speaking in his constituency (Mansfield), criticised the Trade Union Council for tiic dreadful debacle of the general strike, lh) never dreamed that the calling off of Ihe strike would , have assumed the spectacle of abject surrender. He bad never been regarded as a "Red,” and lie hoped the miners now would tel! him lo return lo London and make Hie best terms possible for them. Referring lo the report that the Miners’ Federation had received a cablegram from the Russian Miners’ Congress offering a first instalment of £200,000 collected by the Russian trade unions lo assist Ihc wives and families ol' British miners, Mr A. J. Cook said he had appealed for funds to relieve distress from anywhere and anybody, and certainly he would be pleased lo accept money from the Russian mine-workers. APPEAL BY FEDERATION. HELP TO RELIEVE SUFFERING. (Australian and N.Z. Press Assn.) LONDON, May 17. The Miners’ Federation lias appealed lo all those desiring peace in the mining industry lo prove their sincerity by helping lo relieve suffering and thus create a good spirit among Hie mining community. It says: “A million miners arc locked out, lluis 5,000,000 human beings are suffering. Wo want peace in our industry, and will work for a speedy and .satisfactory settlement to ensure that once again Britain’s basic industry will be running harmoniously.’' OWNERS’ ATTITUDE. INTERFERENCE NOT TOLERATED. LONDON, May 17. The Daily Herald in an editorial says: "Many imagine that the acceptance of tiie proposals only depends upon the miners. Our information is that the owners arc most strongly opposed thereto. A well-informed correspondent says the owners’ general view is Hint they will not tolerate Government interference or legislation. They want a free hand, and have suggested that now tiic strike is over the Government should only keep the ring and let tiic owners give tiic miners a good hiding. If Mr Baldwin hacl been firmer with ihc-owners in reference to reorganisation he could have prevented a breakdown of the negotiations pn April 30. Having been compelled by the strike to change his attitude Mr Baldwin is now undertaking what lie refused lo do before tiie wonderful mobilisation of trade union support of Ihc miners began.” PREMIER’S PROPOSALS. MINERS INCLINED TO NEGOTIATE. VIEWS OF COLLIERY OWNERS. (Australian and N.Z. Press Assn.) LONDON, May IS. Tiic executive of tiie Miners’ Federation lias issued an appeal io all those desiring, peace in Ihe mining industry to prove their siiiioeritv "by helping us to relieve suffering and thus to create a good spirit among tiie mining community. “One million miners are locked out. The result is that 5,000,000 human beings are suffering. 3 “We want peace in our industry, and we will work for -a speedy and satisfactory settlement to ensure that once again Britain's basic industry shall run harmoniously.” The Labour correspondent of tiie Morning Post says there are no signs of a quick settlement of the coalmining deadlock. The miners feel they have been let down by the council of the Trades Union Congress. Neither tho miners nor the mineowners like Mr Baldwin’s plan. The miners say it means compulsory arbitration in the districts, and that cuts right across their declarations of no district settlements and no reduction in wages.

The criticism of ihc mineowners is that the scliemc does not promise to bring Ihe industry quickly hack to an economic basis'. They say they appreciate Mr Baldwin's desire for goodwill, and want to meet it, but all the goodwill in the world will not enable mem to sell coal in competition at higher prices than their competitors charge, or enable wages to bo paid out of unsold coal. Neither the miners nor Ihc mineowners like to leave everything to the unfettered direction of an independent chairman. The Berlin correspondent of the Times says the German miners are continuing a sympathetic money-rais-ing campaign on behalf of Ihe British miners. They say the British struggle is pav.ng the way for an international settlement of. the coal question. imports on Ihe situation yesterday showed that attention was focussed on llie coal dispute. The miners’ officials met members of Ihe Cabinet to obtain an explanation of certain points in the Governments proposals. These were required in order to aid the conference of delegales when its sittings are resumed on Thursday. Considerable significance is attached to the action of Iho miners’ representatives as showing that the miners arc displaying a desire to discuss Ihc Government’s terms. Mr Baldwin is not expected to lake a hand in the situation for the lime being. Both the mineowners and Ihe miners spent the week-end in probing the Government's proposals. Mr A. .1. Cook slated last evening: “We have now obtained from the -Mines Deparlrnwil an cxplanalion of the terms and how limy would work. The executive of Ihe Miners' federation is ready to meet Mr Baldwin in-morrow." Asked whether Ihe ouiluok was brigliler, Mr Cook replied: “If llm proposals are generously interpreted 1 here may lie some Impu of a selllei iii'ii i.” The Condon Chamber of Commerce has paid- a splendid Iriliute In Ihe Prime Mini.-.ler, Mr Stanley Baldwin. U lias despatched a lellpr to him in which it expresses, on heliaif ol (•,0,000 business linns and companies, peen appreeialion and adiiiiralion ol llm manner in which llm Government fimclioni'd during llm strike in maintaining llm vital servers ol the entiii|ry and in safeguarding Ihe food supplies of llm people. The letter adds Iha I Mr Baldwin's appeal for goodwill will not tail l" meet with a ready response.