New-York tribune., 1919-06-14
British Labor CaI,e ?
By Ralph Courtney
ONDoN, June 1.-Two events in the

ONDoN, June 1.-Two events In the
| British labor world overshadow everv-
! thing else. One is the Coal Cou,,uis
sion, whose scope of inquiry has been so
enlarged by the initiative of Robert Smin;e
and his felow-miner delegates that the re-
port on the naturalization of Britajn's cos,
mines now is not expected till about the
middle Of June. The other is the National
Industrial Council, composed of half err.
ployers and half employees. which has at.
tracted worldwide interest as a new instrr.
ment of conciliation between capital and
! labor.
The next step in the British National In
dustrial Council awaits the return of LLOYD
George from Paris. A committee under the
Craftsmanship of Arthur Henderson, appointed
by Lloyd George, reported in favor of:
IA forty-eight hour week and an eight
hour day.
"A national minimum wage.
3-Prevention of unemployment by state
orders To steady voluntary unemployment
with maintenance of unemployed workers
4-The creation Of a permanent national
industrial council, composed of 200 en-
ployers and 200 employees, under a govern
mental craftsmanship, to manage industrial
matters.
4 Deadlock Reached
The government has accepted this report.
but difference Of opinion has arisen regard
ing its application. The Industrial Com
mlttee demands a pledge from the govern
ment to carry out the above programme,
whllo the government proposes to set up a
royal commission to inquire into the basis
OF these recommendations and decide upon
the best methods of carrying them out
deadlock therefore has been reached, but the
difficulties are likely to be overcome as soon
as the necessary conferences can be arranged
Meanwhile the sittings of the Coal Com
mission to inquire upon the advisability of
nationalizing British coal mines seems to
be turning definitely toward naturalization.
This vindication of the demands of the
miners, as we'll as the probability of perma-
nent naturalization Of the railways and the
settlement with Brtain's transport workers,
leaves Englands industrial field almost clear
of unrest for the moment
England's political horizon, however, is not
quite cloudless. The so-called miners
resolution introduced at the recent Ma
tional Labor party conference on the league
OF nations, still stands calling upon the gov
ernment not to intervene in Russia, to raise
the blockade, to withdraw conscripton and
release conscientious objectors. The govern
ment has met some of these demands in part,
but there still remain the seeds of trouble
if the letter of the miners resolution" is in
sisted upon.
Radical Miners
OF all England's industrial organizations
the miners is the most radical and prob
ably wields the most power. They number
some 100000. An indication of the temper
OF the miners may be seen in what is known
as the "official" miners scheme of nationaiz-
ing the mines, which calls for simple confis-
cation without compensation. On the other
hand, the schemes put forward by some of
the miners nominees on the coal commits
sion, such as Sidney Webb, provide for state
purchase of some kind. Innumerable nation
alization plans have been put forward with
varying shades of state control and COM
pensatlon, from the miners scheme to that
offered by Henry Clay, wherein the state
is left out entirely and the mines pass into
the hands of the miners and consumers All
naturalization schemes involve district
councils" "pt committees" and other
machinery pointing to workers control.
The next national event in the British
labor world will be the National Labor
party conference, to be held at Southport
in June. 1t is probable that if peace is
signed the Germans will be invited to send
fraternal delegates. The usual labor reso-
lutions will be passed and the assessment
per head is likely to be increased from four
to SIX cents per annum. With a member
ship of 100000, this will increase the
labor funds by $16o,000 This extra sum will
be appropriated to increased organization for
political action. On the other hand. it is
proposed that in future local labor organi-
cations shall provide funds for their own
elections.
After the June conference it is probable
that British labor organizations will an
point members to visit Germany, if the
peace is duly signed, in response to an in
vitation which is expected from the German
Independent Socialists. Then there will be
meeting in Lucerne of the acting COM
mittee of the Berne Congress on August /.
after which it is planned that Mr. Herder-
son will leave for America.