New-York tribune., 1921-04-12
Factions Warned Govern
mcnt Will Not Alter
Its Stand and Middle
Ground Must Be Found
Conference To Be
Resumed To-day
Rail and Transport Men
Will Postpone Strike
Again to Favor Parley
From The Tribune's European Bureau
1901 NJ. III

Copyright. 1921. New York Tribune Inc.
LONDON, April 11.-Premier Lloyd
George took the lead to-day in the ne
gotiations for settlement of the coal
miners strike. Meeting representa-
tives Of both owners and miners, he
made it plain that the governme mt
would not recede from its position
and settlement must be reached upon
some middle ground.
"The government is here to safe
guard the interests of the general
community" the Premier said. eve
cannot recommend that Parliament
make contributions out Of taxes for
the permanent maintenance of this or
any other industry, and we cannot
recommend that Parliament abrogate
the decontrol act (Which ended gov
ernment operation of the mines)
Within those limits we are prepared
TO listen to any scheme offered"
Pending the outcome of the nepo-
tlatlons, the government is not relax
ing it's vigilance. Preparations for
an emergency and recruiting of VOL
unteers for defense forces are continu-
ing.
Officials of the Triple Alliance an
nounced that if the conferences were
prolonged after tomorrow night the
threatened strike of ralwaymen and
transport workers would be postponed,
The work of pumping the mines wa:
III 1ull swing again to-day. A com.
paratlvely small amount of damage ha:
peen done thus far by the removar OF
me
afternoon in the House of Commons b,
W. E. Bridgeman, Under Secretary fo,
the Board of Trade, that forty mines
had been flooded, affecting the employ
mont OF $4,000 men out of a total OF
more than 100000.
Premier Considers Pleas
LONDON, April II (By The Associ.
ated Press 1.-The respective contcn.
tlons of the coal mine owners and the
strlklng miners are now in the hands
OF the Prime Minister, who is to take
them under advisement and meet the
representatives of the two sides sep.
arately tomorrow. Later the Joint con.
ference will be resumed.
The prospects are favorable, although
1T is still too early to say that the
crisis has been averted. The mine own.
ers, even If they were willing to make
d new wage proposal, were to-day un.
prepared with any concrete scheme.
The Triple Alliance tonight issued a
manifesto setting forth its case in
minute detail for firmly supporting the
miners in resisting the '"monstrous
proposals" of the mine owners and de-
tending the standard of living of the
whole working class and the vital trade
Of
ments.
The manifesto blames the Prime
Minister and the government for the
whole trouble, and protests in the
strongest language against calling upor
the reserves and "the government.
odlous expedient Of forming a volun.
teer force as an instrument agains,
organized labor, whereby the govern
ment lightly assumed the responsible
lty of provoking bloodshed and ciy
war"
Says Railroads Come Next
c. 7. Cramp, president of the Ma
tional Union of Railwaymen, also is
sued manifesto warning the railway
men that they may be treated as the
miners have already been treated whe1
the railways come to be taken out O.
government control next August.
An official statement was issued an
nouncing that the Prime Minister hat
presided at the afternoon session
which lasted from o'clock until near
ly 9. There were also present 'Si1
Robert S. Horne, Chancellor of the Ex
chequer; 7. U. MacNamara, Labor Min
lister, and William Brace, Minister O
Mines.
! Even Williams made long statemen
OF the owners case, and Frank Hodge
an equally long statement of tn
miners case. The Premier then ex
pressed desire to have an opportunit,
of perusing them
1t is significant that although in re
cent phases of the trouble the govern
ment has taken the attitude that nov
the industry has been taken out of gov
ernment control it was a matter solel,
ad