Evening star., 1921-04-11
CONFERENCE HELD
IN BRITISH STRIKE
Mine Owners and Employees
Talk Settlement Basis.
Advised by Premier.

BY the Associated Press.
LONDON. April 11.-British mine
owners and their striking employees
conferred for an hour at the board
OF trade this morning on a possible
settlement of the controversy which
led to the miners walk -out last week.
The conference adjourned at noon un-
til O'Clock this afternoon. Robert S.
'orne. chancellor of the exchequer.
presided
The London Times today warned its
readers against expectation that the
negotiations would proceed smoothly.
or that work would be immediat tely
resumed. as the fundamental differ
ences between the parties still re-
mained acute.
Estimates of the cost of the miners
dispute to the country, including the
loss Of unmined coal, unpaid wages,
decreased railway traffic and the cost
of emergency measures. place the bill
which the country is paying because
of the strike at nearly f16,000,o0O
week.
Believe Situation Improved.
Leaders of the triple alliance" Of
labor viewed the situation today as
being considerably improved. John
Robert C1ynes, chairman Of the par
llamentary party. being quoted as say
ing he was satisfied a solution of the
problem could be found.
declared the first round has been
won by labor" adding that reports
of rail men opposing the strike were
untrue or grossly exaggerated.
Information has reached the gov
ernment. says the London Times, that
everywhere but in Fifeshire the min
ers are observing instructions from
their officials not to interfere with
safety measures and pumping, which
have already been begun in South
Mr.. Lloyd George. the prime min
lister. made the suggestion during the
conference today that the owners give
a full presentation Of their case. stat
ing the reasons why they considered
which the miners counter claim
should be fully presented. He pro-
posed that the miners then delegate
six representatives to meet six repre-
sentatives Of the mine owners, with
tives present to begin the examina-
tion of possibilities. and report to
their respective constituencies"
Governments Position.
Mr.. Lloyd George told the miners
and the owners:
I'VE have definitely concluded that
We could not recommend to parlia-
mcnt that we continue paying profits
to the owners. and the owners to the
men, from the general taxes of the
country
In setting forth the governments
a
full presentation OF the opposing
cases the prime minister said:
"First. let the mine owners present
their case for their new scale. They
should put their case fully. Then
the miners should present their case
or their view Of the owners new de-
mands, with any schemes or plans
they may have. stating their case
fully and entering into the whole mat
ter exhaustively on both sides.
I'VE want these two counter pre-
sentiments to be the basis upon which
we can examine the whole situation
on both sides. so that we shall be
fully informed what the issues and
counter issues are. Then l suggest
that you intrust to a small body the
examination Of those proposals.
quite informal body and a quite in
small body should report afterward
to the full body here, and that then
we should endeavor to arrive at
decision"
The miners executive conferred for
some time after the meeting with the
owners and the prime minister. At
the conclusion Of the miners meet
ing one Of the miners representa-
tives characterized the situation as
more hopeful. saying he believed
there was no danger that a triple al
lance strike would be begun Tues
day night.
it was understood that the main
conference was adjourned because
the owners were not prepared to pre-
sent their contentious, SO they were
given until 4 pm. for this purpose.
May Continue to Midnight.
Adoption of the prime minister's
proposal for the appointment Of neEo-
tiating committees probably will
mean extended discussion between the
two sides to the dispute. However.
no time Is to be lost. and it was ex-
pected this afternoon that the later
session would be continued until mid
night Mr. Lloyd Georges speech
with which he prefaced his sugges-
tions was essentially a recapitulation
ficulty.
TT is not now a question of sharing
profits, but question of sharing very
serious losses" he admonished both
SlQeS.
1.-THE whole problem is, What can the
industry bear for the moment: how
can it bear it: what is the best meth
cd Of arriving at the figure it can
bear. and what is the best method of
arriving at permanent way Of ad-
justing the wages of the miners to
the capacity Of the mines?'
These proposals by the premier. it
is hoped. will form the basis for a
successful reopening Of the negotia-
tions. AS given. they were summar-
lied by him. when the conference ad-
journed until 4 pm.
In the house of commons today W.
E. Bridgeman. undersecretary Of the
board of trade, speaking with regard
to the coal mine stoppage. stated that
forty coal pits, involving 5000 work.
ers. had been completely flooded. 1t
was impossible to forecast how many
of these could be worked again, he
said.
MAN 0lES IN Fl AMEc