The Washington herald., 1921-04-13
Situation Is Again Acute
As Workers Reject
Wage Basis.
TRIPLE ALLIANCE
WITHHOLDS TIE-UP
Rail and Transport Men
Postpone Sympathy
Walk-out.
Especial cable to The Washington Herald
and Chicago rribans.)

and Chicago rribans.)
LONDON, April 12.-Representa-
tives of the striking British coal
miners tonight forwarded a note to
the government refusing to accept
as a basis for negotiations with the
mine owners the proposals framed
and presented to them by Prime
Minister Lloyd George.
The previous declaration by Lloyd
George that the miners demands
for a national wage scale and a ma
tional profits pool were 'impracti-
cable" Is believed to have caused
the refusal of the miners execu-
tives to continue parleys with the
owners, begun yesterday and con-
tinued this morning
Lloyd George Gets Note.
The note, which was addressed to
Lloyd George. said:
we have fully considered the
terms set forth by you in writing to
US this morning. For reasons al
ready stated to you in the fun con-
ference, the miners executives feel
compelled to reject the terms pro-
posed, as they Cffer no solution OF
the present dispute"
In spite of the fact that this dec
laration BY the strikers brought
statements from various government
leaders that the situation once more
was Extremely critical there was
renewed hope for the averting Of a
national Industrial calamity when 1t
was learned almost simultaneously
that the other members OF the trlple
alifznee-the railway men and the
tranrport workers-through their
executfves. had decided that the
Sr.at svmpathy striEs ordered to
kexin at midnight tonight had post
poned such action
s~pathy Strike Postponed.
The ofncials of these two crafts
sent word tonight to all branches
a, their unions in the United King
dom ordering the men to remain AZ
their tasks until further orders
The message also contained tne
words the situation is still criti-
CAL
For a time late today exciting
scenes occurred in the vicinity OF
Unity House, where the triple am
ance executives met. grest
crowd had assembled in the neigh
borhood, but although a large force
~ Scotland Yard operatives mingled
with the throng, no reason was
ON several occasions rioting
seemed imminent when lorries filled
with soldiers, armed and fully
couipped, sped through the streets
ON the way to their emergency bar
racks.
Three conferences took place to-
day before the formal refusal of the
miners to accept the terms was de-
cided upon. Lloyd George first met
separateIy with the owners and
miners, and later jointly.
Miners Leaders Firm.
| Neither the owners nor the Pre-
mier were able, however. to shake
the rrmness of the miners repre-
sentatives in their demands, and
their leader. Frank Hodges. bluntly
insisted:
For the first time in British his
tory the workers are going to have
their share of the total prosperity
in trade"
Mr.. Lloyd Georges proposals,
which were read at the joint confer
ence, stated the governments view
point as unchanged from that previ-
sously announced, the only sign of
condescension being the renewal OF
an offer to extend aid to miners in
the poorer districts until the coal
Industry has resumed a normal
aspect
The document declared:
The miners demands for a ma
tionaI pool of profits and national
settlement OF the wage controversy
have been carefully considered. The
government considers that one Of
these may be practicable and that
the other is not"
fEonwrirhf 1921