Evening star., 1921-04-14
Federation of 100 Industries
Votes Support of
WaIkout.
LLOYD GEORGE SUGGESTS
NATIONAL VOTE ON ISSUE
Faint Hope of Settlement Disap-
pears as Conferences Fail to
Satisfactorily Meet Crisis.
By the Associated Press

%! the Associated Press.
LONDON. April 1.-THE Federation
Of General Workers. representing
100000 persons in more than 100 in
dustries outside the triple alliance.
decided today to support the triple
alliance in its strike in the interest
OF the striking miners.
A conference held this morning be-
tween Lloyd George. the prime min
lister. and a delegation of officials of
the triple alliance, which called
a strike for Friday night in sup
port of the striking miners. was con-
ciuded within two hours without any
progress apparently having been
made toward an adjustment Of the
grave labor situation.
1t was reported from the confer
ence that the prime minister made
long statement, appealing strongly
70 the railway men and transport
workers, who with the miners make
up the triple alliance, asking them
to exercise restraint and not precipi-
tate a crisis.
This plea, however. does not appear
to have had effect. ]. H. Thomas gem
eral secretary of the National Union
of Railway Men. declared after the
conference that he could see no pros
pect for the reopening of negotiations
for an adjustment Of the strike situa-
tion.
Outlook Regarded Gloomy.
On the government side it was said
the labor men were unable to present
| new arguments giving the govern
| ment any different view of their
case, while the government, il was
understood. did not indicate that il
was prepared to make any further
concessions.
Thus tha c;fua<;.n >,.,,, AT: x.
noon, appeared unchanged and the
outlook gloomy.
During the conference, it developed.
Mr.. Lloyd George made q plea to the
labor men that they resort to the bal
lot. suggesting that they put their
case to the nation and saying that the
government would do likewise with
its case. and let the nation decide the
issue.
The railway men and the transpor,
where Mr.. Lloyd George and other
members Of the cabinet met them, on
their own initiative. Their ostensible
errand was to deliver in person the
last night that the miners set forth
specifically the reasons for their re-
lection of his proposals for adjusting
the dispute between the miners and
the mine owners.
When the triple alliance board ad-
journed late last evening the under
standing was that this reply would
be communicated to the prime smin-
lister in writing. and the miners were
not apprised Of the intention Of the
until their visit to Downing street had
been arranged by telephone.
When Harry Goslin, for the trans
port workers. and Mr.. Thomas. for the
railway men, had finished their pres-
entations of the miners case and had
outlined their reasons for deciding to
support it by sympathetic strikes, il
necessary, Mr.. Lloyd George appealed
to them to consider whether reason
was on their side. II so. he asked why
they had not availed themselves Of
the ballot box.
Plea Of Lloyd George.
starvation is not your only weapon"
said the prime minister. you have
exactly the weapons you had before
the weapons of acknowledgements
sion, argument and reason. You can
leave it to the nation to decide. You
have your plan. we have ours. Put 1T
to the nation and we will put ours to
the nation. II the nation decides that
your plan is the right one, why should
you starve your people in order to
achieve something which you can
achieve by reason, il reason ID on your
side.
IF reason is not on your side, why
should you force the nation. by starv-
ing 1t, to surrender to unreason?"
asked the prime minister. They are
not an unreasonable people. The vast
majority of the people you appeal to
are workmen. If the workmen are
against US we have no chance"
These declarations were made by
the prime minister when he was
pointing out the impossibilitya of the
government accepting the miners de-
mand for national pooling of profits,
which he defined as naturalization
up to the point of meddling. ant not
of managing, which is a worse fvrm
of naturalization"
In furtherance of his argument, Mr.
Lloyd George said the miners scheme
for a pool in order to equalize wages
represented neither private owner
ship nor naturalization, but had the
defects of both. He continued:
Decentralization is an idea and pri-
vate enterprise is an idea, but 1
never heard anybody advancing such
a proposition as this except as a sort
of makeshift in order to get over a
temporary difficulty, and while at
tempting to get over our temporary
nation, the mine owners and the
miners in infinitely worse difficulties
than they ever were in before.
"If we had not had nearly seven
years experience of that system it
might be argued. but having seen it
oPSa oliues Sdu noL unQcT-
stand Mr.. Hodges (secretary of the
miners union) recommending it
again. He is a nationalizer-very well,
let him put his case for nationaliza-
ton. But that he should recommend
this sort of mongrel scheme is
thing l cannot understand a man of
his intelligence putting forward"
House Labor Members Confer.
Labor members Of the British house
Of commons, the national executive
of the labor party and lead
ers of the Trades Union Congress met
here today to discuss the situation
resulting from the call of the strike
oy the triple alliance of labor"
which is to begin at 10 o'clock Friday
Night. Heads of the triple alliance"
had consented to send representatives
% the meeting. which was considered
1ere today to afford the solitary ray
If hope that the great strike might
yet be averted. Labor members Of
however. are quoted by
he London Times as discouraging the
building of overoptimistic hopes.
The house of commons was prepared
.oday to discuss the reply to the kings
regarding the recruiting
IF reserve forces to act in the event
great strike should develop. The
abor party had given notice that it
would move the following amendment
% the rsply: The house regrets his
tcontinued on fasssa. Column -