Evening star., 1921-04-17
BY HENRY w. BUNN.

1\AH following Is BRIEF summary
OF the most important news Of the
world for the days ended
L April 1e.
GREAT BRITANNIA last on Monday the
11th. Mr.. Lloyd George brought mine owners
and miners chiefs together in conference, the
chiefs having been persuaded to advise the
miners to refrain from further interference
with salvage operations at the mines. The con-
ference was to be without conditfons; all mat
ters In dispute were to be freely discussed. But
at the conference the miners chiefs refused to
discuss wages unless the owners should first
agree to a national pool of profits
On this reef the conference struck and went
to pieces. The government and the owners con-
tend that the national pool-of profits plan i'm
plies nationalzation; for, they say, it could not
be made to work without degree of control
which only the government could exercisei and
naturalization. whether by its own or any other
name. stinks in the nostrils of the government
after its experience with the mines.
The premier made desperate efforts to keep
the conference going. He submitted certain
suggestions as to a system Of wage settlements
he even offered temporary financial assistance
from the government to tide the weaker mines
over the transitional period; but Herbert Smith,
the miners president. brusquely waived aside
all the proposals except that Of financial assist
ance. and. in the manner Of a dictator,
nounced that the time late, the miners
officials would make formal reply in writing.
X X X X
The executive committees Of the transport
workers and the railwaymen had. upon the con-
vening of the conference. suspended strike or
ders which were to be effective Tuesday
night Upon the breaking up Of the conference
they announced that the suspended strike
would take effect at 10 pm. Friday.
The triple alliance. at the same time. issued
very insolent manifesto in which. among
other amiabe statements. the government is
accused Of being IAN active, If secret partisan"
g.
trial disputes"
But there was singular development. On
Thursday evening Frank Hodges the secretary
Of the miners federation. intimated to certain
M Ps that the miners chiefs would be will
Ing to discuss temporary wage arrangement;
discussion Of the larger issues to be postponed.
Acting on this intimation. the premier the
next day invited the miners executive COM
mittee to such discussion.
The majority Of the committee, however.
repudiated the secretary's suggestion and de-
clined any discussion except upon condition Of
prior acceptance by the mine owners Of the
national pool Of profits plan. Thereupon hap
pened the singular thing. The executive COM
mittees of the transport workers and the rail-
waymen (whether because they found the
intransigentism Of the miners chiefs a little too
fantastic even for these days. or because they
had discovered the majority sentiment Of their
followers to be against strike. for what
ever reason) revoked the order for strike on
Friday night
X X X 4
Thus the situation now stands: the miners
executive committee apparently more confirmed
that ever in their obstinacy. but isolated: the
triple alliance apparently shattered; Lloyd
George usual triumphant.
The miners seem doomed to defeat By their
insolence and brutality their chiefs have be-
trayed a cause which has many points Of
Justification.
1t is to be hoped that the mine owners will
see beautiful opportunity and concede these
points where possible.
But behind the strike and the logomachy and
the vast preparations of government to meet
the emergency looms the really vital problem
Of the mining industry; namely, the problem of
its Reorganization on such basis that 1t
can pay adequate wages to the workers and
decent profit to the owners.
To this problem the government has not
sufficiently addressed itself. On its satisfactory
solution more than upon any other material
factor depends the future of British industry