New-York tribune., 1919-09-04


question of direct action at to-morrow's s
meeting Of the Triple Alliance of trans
port workers, miners and railway men.
Vt~p York Tribune
Etropeun Bureau
tCopyrisht 1919. New York Tribune Inc)
! LONDON, Sept. 3.-The Miners Fed
Grafton voted unanimously to-day to
reject the proposal set forth by Pre-
micr Lloyd George for dealing with
the coal industry and came out again
firmly for naturalization Of the mines.
Although il was decided to refer the
ques zion to the Trades Onions Con-
gress that convenes Monday in Glas-
cow. the federation reserved the right
10 call strike on it's own initiative
# necessary to force accession to it's
demands
With the issue Of peace or war in the
British industrial situation hanging in
the balance pending the decisions Of
labor in the coming fortnight. the
miners action to-day WAS regarded as
an important factor in the decision
which the Trades Union Conferences
viii reach whether British labor is to
fight its battles with its new weapon of
"dirHct action" AT any rate, the dec.
laration was looked upon as serious
setback to the government. with the
possibility expressed that the miners
dispute would force q political crisis.
May he Political Issue
THE Evening Standard' SAYS:
ut is believed that the mems leaders
have IN view the probab OF an au-
tumn election, with the forcing of ma
tonallzatIOn to the front as one Of the
nam issues OF an appeal to the country"
Robert Smillie president of the
Miners Federation, whose speech was
feature Of to days session, made a
vigorous attack upon Lloyd George.
Smilie said:
Lloyd George is merely the channel
through which the ma iorty Of the cap
ltalsts in the House OF Commons and
III the country as whole express
themselves. His speech was weak from
beginning to end, and satisfied neither
the Commons nor the general public
1t Is the duty of the Premier in dis
cussing a question Of this nature to
deaI IN prlnclpies and not in details"
Miners for Standardization
One hundred and eighty delegates
from the coal fields were present in the
central hall at Westminster to-day and
heard Smille's speech. The miners are
quite sincerely convinced that national
ization is essential in the interest Of
the nation itself in the interest OF the
industry and OF the poorer consumers.
Smile went on to say:
"The point at issue should be whether
naturalization in itself is right or
wrong. not on whether the gov
ernment has power to refuse o.
the miners power to enforce it, The
government is on the horns Of di-
lemma: If they give us any effective
control of the industry they must ma
tionalize the mine. | believe that the
men are ready to cooperate with the
government if the government is really
IN earnest in this matter We do not,
however, feel justified in asking the
cooperation of the miners on the basis
OF the governments proposals."
Smillie fatty denied that the miners
were to blame for failing to secure q
higher output. He declared that the
recent strike in Yorkshire was not a
result of the Sankcy report, but, in
his own words, began because of
bunging, and was the fault of the
government itself"
Referring to the recent declaration
of the Duke of Northum erland. a
wealthy mine owner, that Bolshevik
gold and interest must be behind the
federation, Smillie. who alluded to
the Duke as my friend and comrade."
challenged him to prove the charge
or withdraw it.