The sun., 1919-07-22
COAL MINE STRIKE
HITS BRITAIN HARD
Pump Men Called Out in York
shire, and Pits Are Be-
ing Flooded.
GEDDES TO MEDIATE
Men From Fleet Sent to At
tempt to Save Diggings
Threatened With Ruin.

LONDON, July 21.-The great strike Of
| the coal miners, which has been threat
ening to paralyze all the important in
dustries Of Great Britain. began to-day
and already tho manufacturing Of tho
country shows signs OF dislocation in
spots. Hundreds or thousands Of men
are out. districts yielding millions OF
tons Of coal annually now produce none,
scores OF mines are threatened with ruin
from flooding and Industrial plants arc
closing all over the country.
Sir Eric Geddes, minister without
portfolio. was appointed to-day q COM
missioner to attempt to settle the min
ers' strike and Is on his way to York
shire. Premier Lloyd George announced
in the House Of Commons.
In a statement on the situation the
Prime Minister said that the last TWEEN
ty-four hours had witnessed grave and
unprecedented developments in the min
ers' strike. He said the Yorkshire min
ers had called out the pump men and
engineers and that many mines In that
district were damaged by the rising
water and were threatened with de-
struction.
Az ffty-eight mines, he said, the
eighty FIVE mines pumping had been
stopped entirely. Mine officials, he
added. continued the pumping at thirty
Ave mines after the men left.
Three mines in the Yorkshire district
are flooded and twelve others are likely
TO be filled with water In a day or two.
The Premier said some Of the mines
would be ruined. The Government is
sending men from the feet to aid in
pumping out the mines. Some 100000
miners are oupt in this district.
The Yorkshire coal fields. the Premier
esid. produced 100000 tons Of coal a
year and were the second largest in the
United Kingdom.
The Government. he said, had sent
messages 10 the Miners Federation ask
! ing what action It is prepared to take
and stating that the Government was
prepared to withdraw the men II had
sent to replace strikers on the mine
pumps as soon as the strikers returned
to work. Until this happened. he added,
the Government would take every means
at its disposal to save the mines and to
afford protection to those willing to
work.
The action OF the miners in striking.
the Premier stated, not only jeopardiZec
| their own means of,livelihood but threat
eDed disaster to every one in the district.
Thousands Of miners in the Mansfield
district of Nottinghamshire refused to
go down into the pits to day. The men
in other districts are expected to do
likewise: despite the recommendation
by the declarations in all districts that
work be continued until the Government
settled the question of piece rates grow
ing out of the Increase in the coal price.
Forty five thousand miners also went
on strike In the Derbyshire district az
a protest against the increased price OF
coal.
A large number OF surface workers
at the mines in South Wales are also on
strike for the same shorter hours az
| those granted the miners. and for extra
pay for week-ends. A number Of other
strikes In various parts OF the coal fields
are reported. One colliery in South
Wales has been closed because OF alleged
harsh treatment OF the men. while at
another colliery the men are striking
for the maintenance OF the custom by
which they were supplied with coal At
nominal prices for their homes. A gen
eral strike. the dispatches state, is
| threatened on this question.
It was pointed out that the proposed
increase OF $3.50 per ton for coal an
nounced by the Government will make
the best quality cost about SIS a ton
In London, with bottom price OF s11 so
A staggering blow has been struck
the Shefield industries by the strike ir
the Yorkshire coal fields, says des-
patch to the Evening News from shef'
| held to-day. Thousands OF hands were
thrown out of work this morning by the
stoppage OF the engineering works in
Sheffield. which. It was announced, be-
cause of the shortage Of coal will re-
main closed until the end of the strike
| Before the end Of the week 1t Is feared
that all the large works will be shut
down.