The Washington times., 1921-04-04
ENGLAND ACTS
TO SAVE MINES
Lloyd George Reads Message
From King Authorizing Seizure.
Parliament Summoned.
BY EARLE c. REEVES,
international News service.

BY EARLE c. REEVES,
international News Service.
LONDON, April 4. - Premier
yd-George, in opening today's
parliamentary emergency session,
called by King George as a result
of the great coal strike, announced
the government had taken over the
control and direction Of all coal in
the United Kingdom.
READS KINGS MESSAGE.
This converts the momentous battle
between miners and mine owners into
one between the miners and the gov
ernment, with the owners a vitality
interested third party.
The premier prefixed his statement
by reading King Georges emergency
message, calling Parliament into ses-
sion a week prior to the originally
appointed date.
He announced the parliamentary
debate on the strike question will be-
gin tomorrow.
News of disorders at idle coal mines
is becoming more frequent hourly.
ClaShes have occurred at the Jacks
dale mines in Nottinghamshire. At
Rhondda striking miners forced the
managers and officials to leave the
mines.
A general strike by the entire
"triple alliance'--miners, railway
men. and transport workers-is to be
ieckoned with. the cabinet concluded
at conference held just before the
opening of the parliamentary session.
RAIL MEN MAY grRIl<E.
Premier LIoyd-Georgy and : the
other ministers are Understood 10 be-
lieve such a strike is inevitable and
TO have discussed plans to cope with
il.
IL the railmen and transport work
ers actually join the miners, 1t will
be the frst triple alliance" strike
in the history of the kingdom. In
every previous crisis such a general
walkout has been averted at the
eleventh hour.
been sent to Fife. where serious
trouble was threatened.
Lord Blodisloe spent the Sunday
stoking at his colliery at Lydney.
Other coal magnates. titled and other
wise. did the same.
Every hour brings fresh proof OF
solidarity in the ranks of British
labor such as has not been recorded
in any previous Industrial crisis.
The pumping crews are falling in
line behind the miners federation,
and railmen and transport workers
everywhere are unhesitatingly declar-
ing their intention OF standing by the
miners. IL necessary, by walking out
Immediately. Stoppage of work in the
mines of Scotland which Jagged some
what behind those of the rest of the
kingdom, is now complete.
STEEL PLANTS TO CLOSE.
Several important steel plants, de-
PENDENT upon coal. have given a
weeks notice to their men that they
will have shut down.
a delegation of ship yard workers
was scheduled to meet the minister
of labor this afternoon at a confer
ence at which they will resist any
reduction of the present wage rates.
The organization of volunteer emer-
gency transport workers is causing
much bitterness in the ranks of la
bor. The middle class union. the
Governments strongest ally in pre-
vious strikes, has again given notice
that 1t is ready to furnish thousands
of volunteers.
LABOR LEADER SILENT.
James Henry Thomas, the rail
mems leader. has thus far observed
absolute silence concerning his plans.
He expects to state the case of la
Dor in the House of Commons late
today.
Rioting was reported early today
from Scotland, where striking miners
stoned collieries. At Falkirk a mob
of strikers and sympathizers at
tackled non-union miners guarding
the railway. Naval men are being
drafted to replace the crews manning
mine pumps to prevent flooding.
The gravest development of the
weekend was n country-wid move
ment of union workers, notably rail
and transport men. to support the
miners. Meetings held in all parts of
the kingdom adopted resolutions to
send delegates to a general labor con-
ference to be held Wednesday. To
forestall a sweeping sympathy strike
order by that conference will be the
governments main task.