The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1920-10-18
ENGLISH COAL
STRIKE BRINGS
POUND DOWN
Exchange is Weakened Ma
ton Relieved at Persistent
Efforts to Settle Difficulty
of Miners and Government.
The UNIONS HESITATE
(By Associated Press)

(By Associated Press)
LONDON, Oct. 1S.-One effect OF
the coal strike upon financial London
has been the weakening Of the pound
sterling which has dropped to $3.44
on buying orders to cover actual ard
prospective coal shipments from the
United States to Europe. The effect
has already been seen in continental
exchanges, all of which moved against
Great Britain last week and which
were slightly weaker again today.
Persistent reports of efforts to set
tie the coal miners strike partially
relieved the spirit of anxious unCer
tainty of the British nation today
For the moment, these reports seem
to have greater basis in hope than in
actual information.
Confident Of settlement.
John Robert Clynes, former food
controller, and one of the most med
crate of the labor leaders, has cE-
pressed confidence in settlement
within week if both sides could be
brought together to discuss calmly
the controversy He advocates as a
basis of agreement, the granting to
the miners of half of their demands,
and the submission of the remainder
to an impartial tribunal. j. II.
Thomas, general secretary of the Nat
ional Union of Railwaymen, also has
made moderate statements, and bo;h
these men are relied upon to do their
utmost to shorten the strike.
Contrast Attitudes.
Newspapers contrast the attitude OF
Clynes and Thomas with that Of g.
T. Cramp, president Of the National
Union of Railwaymen, who has given
a significant warning to members of
that union of the serious situation
which will be created if the miners
are defeated"
They also call attention to the ut,
terance of another prominent labOritc,
Edward Bevin, secretary of the Dock
workers union, who in a speech yes
terday, accused the government OF
charged it with double dealing.
Charge Double Double Dealing.
The position of the government re-
garding the strike is entirely different
from that of 1912. when it intervened
between owners and miners to settle
the dispute. The government, as re-
suit of the war. has been placed in
the position of the directorate of the
mining industry, the finances of which
it controls, and consequently it is in
terested in the prosperity of the coal
trade which is yielding a large sum to
the exchequer.
1t is maintained the government
wholly supports the premier's init
mated readiness to explore every ave
nue. toward settlement and will facili
tate almost any movement toward the
reopening of negotiations. Such a
movement, it is suggested, may be
started at today's meeting of the par
liamentary committee of the trade
union conference, with the executive
committee of the labor party and labor
leaders in parliament.
Unions Mark Time.
The transport workers and the rail
waymen were evidently marking time
today in the matter of making the
fateful decision whether they would
lend their support to the striking coal
workers. They appeared inclined not
to take precipitate action pending pos
sible proposals from some source upon
which the government and the miners
could negotiate.
ROME, Oct. 1S.-Italy will not feel
any effects from the British coal
strike before the end Of November, as
the government has accumulated re.
serves which now approximate 100,
600 tons.
The fuel board has announced that
it is prepared to supply American and
British coal to Ocean going steamers;
German coal for suitable steamers
manufacturers and gas makers; Bel
gian anthracite and coke from West
nIo 1,a1
lurgic plants.
Importation of British coal has been
gradually decreasing. being less than
10000 tons in September. Strenuous
efforts are being made to increase i'm
portation of American and German
coal. All available rolling stock has
been dispatched TO Germany and Aus
tria to bring coal assigned to Italy
by the treaties of Versailles and St.
German.
This country is seriously concerned
over the prospect of a future increase
in the price of British coal, which is
considered inevitable after the strike.
Policy Continued
England undoubtedly will continue
the policy, adopted since the end of
the war, to charge any increase in
price against foreign customers. This
would be particularly burdensome to
Italy. owing to the exchange situation.
The position of Italy regarding coal
may be understood when the fact is
cited that at the conclusion of the
armistice England pledged herself to
provide Italy with 100000 tons of
coal per month at price then equiva-
lent to four pounds sterling per ton.
Italy has been receiving less than one
tenth that amount and has been pay
ing 1000 lire per ton, which is ap-
proximately $50 under the present
rate of exchange