The toiler. [volume] (Cleveland, Ohio) 1919-1922, 1921-05-07
THE BRITISH MINERS STRIKE.
A w A r N I N G
mArr Nr my
BY TOM CLARK.

The government completely ignored
the report. In October, 1919, it pro-
yoked railway strike, owing to an
arbitrary attempt to reduce wages.
The present situation is the result
of a similar attempt on the part OF
the government to abolish control,
contrary to its promise, five months
earlier than the date provided for
by an act of parliament. As a con-
sequence of the de-control bill, the
mine owners made an offer to the
miners, which represented reduc-
ton in pay and required the aban-
donment Of the miners demand for
national pool of profits.
The immediate causes of the strike,
however, are not important for our
consideration. The attitude of their
leader, the conduct Of the leaders Of
the railwaymen and transport work
ers, and the stand taken by the gov
ernment, are the chief things to be
analyzed.
Traitorous Leaders.
The miners were firm in their de-
mand that the wage question should
not be considered apart from the ma
tional pool Of profits. They gave
their leader, Hodges, strict instruc-
tions. They had suffered enough in
the past from the trickery of the
Lloyd George regime and knew that
rigid stand would have to be taken
before negotiations could be entered
into. The instructions that they gave
their representative, they expected
him to adhere to. But Frank Hod-
ges, faithful member of the In
dependent Labor Party and a timid
sponsor of the workers when in the
presence of the representatives OF
the capitalist class, was told that by
demanding national pool Of pro-
fits, he was entering the sphere OF
political affairs. This SO confused the
man that rather than 60 on, he
surrendered. When pressed by labor
, members of parliament, Clynes and
,, Henderson among others, Hodges Of
fered to consider the matter Of wages
alone, leaving the national pool IN
Y abcyancs. A subsequenc smessifg 81
the Miners Executive however, re-
iected his offer at once and sternly
reproved him for his act. The miners
knew what they wanted-the miners
remained out on strike. THE MIN
ERS' LEADER BETRAYED THEM
, the leader and those in parliament
/. who pretend to stand for the work.
,, ing class against the will of the
capitalists! Hodges is charged with
ambition: he wants to be put in
charge of the international Secre-
tariat of the Miners FederatiOnI
!, But the trail of treachery did not
stop there. The remainder of the
, Triple Alliance which had been voci-
ferrous in its protestations of will
lingness to stand together as one
man, and which, at a joint meeting,
, had issued call for general strike
in support Of the miners-fell down
. flatly, when the miners stood by
| their original demands. Thomas, who
with "tears in his eyes" had called
the strike, and Cramp, who were in
, charge of the railway men and
transport workers, recalled the order,
, leaving the miners to fight their
battle alone. Rather the side OF the
! government and the mine owners
, than that of the workers! The effect
of the cancellation Of the order was
, electric. "The miners have been de-
ceived." "The miners have been be-
/, trayed." "The railwaymen and trans
port workers have acted as traitors"
CONTINUED on page 2)