The sun., 1919-03-21
ENGLAND RETAINS
CONTROL OF COAL
Government Accepts Report Of
Special Commission in
Fuel Crisis.
WAGE INCREASE URGED
Limit Placed on Profits and
Naturalization Plan
Sought.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
LONDON, March 20.-Andrew Bonar
Law. the Government spokesman. In a
statement in the House Of Commons this
evening said the Government accepted
the report Of the special coal commits
sion. of which Justice Sir John sankey
is chairman, including Its undertaking to
report on the question Of naturalization
by May 20 and TO Issue interim reports
from time to time on the problem Of
improvements In the coal industry.
- Proposals of this nature would be put
into immediate operation. declared Mr..
Bonar Law. This involved the cont!nu-
ance OF coal control for two years.
Cut in Hours Urged.
With reference to the Sankey report.
which he explained was signed by three
representatives Of the employers not d.
rectly concerned In the coal industry.
and granted to the miners two-thirds Of
their demands In wages, Mr.. Bonar Law
said that the signers OF the report rec
| commended a further reduction in hours
in 1921. because they assumed that by
| 100000 tons. would be resumed. Tho
estimated cost OF what was recommended
was for the current year s216, 200, 900.
II was proposed that the profits OF the
coal masters should be limited TO IL
pence per ton. Taking all things into
consideration. the estimated cost to the
taxpayers would be almost 10000, 900
01b0. 900, o0o).
Mr.. Bonar Law also announced that
q 1aA x~xxfz ~ L. 49, -
and the Labor Ministerc onsidered reason
able proposals to the transport workers,
and he had reason to believe that these
would prove acceptable to the men.
Wage Question Heard.
The negotiations with the railroad men
had not been concluded. A detailed
statement OF the mems demands and the
sum involved, together with details Of
the Governments offer, would be pub
lished.
Meanwhile. said the speaker. the Gov
eminent had definitely proposed that
| wages. including the war bonus. should
be retained at the present level until the
end OF the current year. THE men had.
in addition to that, however. pressed
further demands involving an estimated
additional expenditure OF more than f10.-
| OoO.0 900 ESQ. .ooo). which. in the
present position OF the railroads, was a
very serious thing.
The Interim report Of the Coal Com
| mission, OF which Justice Sir John
Sankey Is chairman. Issued tonight, rec
ommends seven hours OF work under
ground. instead Of eight from July 16.
and six hours from July IL. 1921, sub
ject to the economic position OF the in
dustry.
u-ha $1,000. -...,,.na. ~ ,,,ro..o e.,
wages OF two shill!ngs per shift for
colliery workers now under sliding
scales. and an advance OF one shilling
for workers under sixteen years.
CoIIiery Workers Have Voice.
Ir the interest OF the country the col
hery workers, Il is further recommended,
shall have an effective voice In the direc-
ion OF the mines.
The present system of ownership and
system Of working Is condemned. and
substitute must be found. either in ma
tionslization or unificat!on, by national
purchase or joint control.
The Sankey report points out that the
recommendations mean the distribution
annually of 5000 900 $3.50. 900, OO0)
additional In wages and that II should
he considered whether a penny per ton
should be collected at once on coal
brought to the surface. to Improve the
housing in the colliery districts. This
would be equal to 100000 $4,000,
000) yearly.
The Sankey report is also signed by
Arthur Balfour, who was master cutler
of Sheffield In l9ll-l2 and has been
associated with various advisory COM
missions Sir Arthur Duckham. Director
General OF Aircraft Production, and Sir
Thomas Royden, member OF the Ship
ping Control Committee.
Another report, by the mine owners on
the commission, recommends an increase
OF eighteen pence a day in wages and a
reduction Of working hours to seven.
A third report, by the miners repre-
sentatives. signed by Robert Smillie. the
miners leader Frank Hodges. Sir Leo
Chiozzamoney. Sidney Webb and others.
recommends acceptance In full of the
miners demands, including nationalist
ton.
II they were willing to walt, continued the
Government spokesman, they could have
n report on naturalization and every
thing else. The matter must, however,
be settled by Parliament II strike
came IL would not be an ordinary strike
against employers, but against the State.
and. in such case, the Government must
use the whole OF It's resources without
the slightest hesitation TO win victory,
and win 1t quickly.
At this statement q great uproar arose
from the Labor benches, and cries of
we could talk as big" You are
threatening" I
There were counter cheers, and mfr. !
Bonar Law resumed This Is not q
threat, no Government could do other /
wise. In such a struggle there could be |
but one ending. or there is an end of
government in this country"
The mine owners report states that
the miners received wage increases OF
l06 per cent during the war. while the |
cost OF living rose us per cent. The |
ma jorlty of the miners received free coal !
and houses The miners demand Is for /
80 per cent. increase on the war wages |