New-York tribune., 1919-03-21
Britain Will
Hold Mines
2 Years More
Colliery Workers to Get
Higher Wages and Voice
in Direction of Business

LONDON, March 20 (By The Associ-
ated ss).-Andrew Bonar Law, the
government spokesman, in a statement
IN the House of Commons this evening
said the government accepted the re-
port Of the Special Coal Commission
of which Justice Sir John Sankey is
chairman, including its undertaking to
report on the question of nationaliza
ton by May 20 and to issue interim re-
ports from time to time on the prob
lem of improvements in the coal in
dustry
Proposals Of this nature Mr. Bonar
Law said, would be put into immedi-
ate operation. This involved the con-
tinuance Of coal control for two years
With reference to the Sanky report
which he explained was signed by three
representatives Of the employers not
directly concerned in the coal industry
and granted the miners two-thrds OF
their demands in wages, Bonar Law
said that the signers of the report
recommended a further reduction in
hours in 1921 because they assumed
that by then the output of 1913
namely, 287 100000 would be re-
was recommended was for the current
year $215,0 100000.
Will Limit Profits
1t was proposed that the profits of
the coal masters should be limited tc
Id. per ton. Taking all things into
considerations the estimated cost to the
q 70 ri hO nr1r
Bonar Law also announced that the
employees had made what he himself
and the Labor Minister considered
reasonable proposals to the transport
workers, and had reason to believe
that these would prove acceptable to
the men.
The negotiations with the railroad
men had not been concluded. A de-
tailed statement Of the mems demands
and the sum involved, together with
details of the governments offer
would be published
Meanwhile, said the speaker. the gov
ernment 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 S50,OO0,OO0, which, in the
present position of the railroads, was
very serious thing.
Mine Hours Lowered
The interim report of the Sankey
commission recommends seven hours
of work underground, instead of eight
from July 6, and six hours from Jul,
-, 1921, subject to the economic posi-
tion of the industry.
The report recommends an increase
in wages of two shillings a shift fo1
colliery workers now under sliding
scales, and an advance of one
shilling for workers under sixteer
years.
In the interest of the country The
colliery workers. it is further recon
mended, shall have an effective voic,
in the direction of the mines.
The present system of ownership
and system of working is condemned
and substitute must be found eithel
IN natlonallZatlon or unification, b.
national purchase or joint control.
Two Other Reports
Another report by the mine own.
ers on the commission, recommends al
increase of eighteen pence day ir
wages and a reduction of working
hours to seven.
A third report, by the miners rep
resentatives, signed by Robert Smillie
the miners leader, Frank Hodges
Sir Leo Chiozamoncy, Sidney Webb
and others, recommends acceptance in
full of the miners demands, includ-
ing naturalization of the mines