New-York tribune., 1921-04-27
British Rail1nen
Act to Prevent
Coal Delivery
Attempt to Starve Nation
Seen in Unions Command
Not to Handle Colliery
or Overseas Shipments
Agree, However, to See Chan
cellor To-day; Horne to
Confer Again With Owners

LONDON, April 2e (By The Associ-
ated Press).-The National Union of
Railwaymen has instructed its mem
bers not to handle coal from coliery
sidings or from overseas, Sir Eric
Geddes, Minister of Transportation
announced in the House of Commons
oday. He characterized the order as
grave step.
Such coal, the minister said, was alb
solutely necessary to the life of the
community, as it was needed to pro-
vide a fair minimum for household
use and to continue the essential pub
Tic utilities, such as sewage, water, gas,
electricity and transport.
To prevent the delivery of such coal.
Sir Eric declared, was an attempt to
starve the nation, and no government
could allow the nation to be so coerced
Sir Eric announced that he had in
v.ted the general secretary of the Ma
tional Union of Railwaymen to meet
him at once, and he hoped for a good
result from the meeting
Conference Fails to Bring Peace
three hours conference to-day be-
tween the miners and the mine owners.
with Sir Robert Stephenson Horne
Chancellor of the Exchequer, presiding.
brought the disputants in the coal
strike no nearer an agreement, al
though the mine owners amended their
proposals.
However, hope was expressed to-
night over the fact that the miners
had agreed to meet Sir Robert to-
morrow morning, after which the
Chancellor will have another separate
conference with the mine owners.
In statement issued after to-day's
conference the Miners Federation saws
that on both the fundamental issues at
stake-a national pool of wages and
wages board-"the mine owners new
toward an agreement" The proposals
Of the owners were as follows:
First, that for a temporary period
any change in wages shall be on a fat
rate basis in each area
Second, that the wages rate shall be
calculated on the area instead of the
district basis.
Third. that the owners shall forego
profits for three months
OF these proposals the miners say:
First, the miners demand for fiat rate
u
basis are in no way met: second, that
the areas are only minor variation
from the old district, and, third, that
capital, having always based its claim
TO reward on the assumption that it
takes the risks of the industry, it
should bear losses in times Of de-
preston as it reaps profits in good
times.
March Figures Show Heavy Deficit
Sir Robert Horne at the conference
produced figures showing that during
March. the last month of government
control of mines, there was a loss of
5,259,209 pounds sterling on the
months working. without allowing for
owners profits, depreciation or in
terest. Coal cost per ton 80 shilings
1 penny, Of which 27 shillings nine
pence was paid as wages, while the
money received for the coal was 80
shlllings l penny.
There was long discussion of these
figures, and on the question of the re-
ductlon IN wages necessary to cover
the deficit, during which Frank
Hodges, secretary of the miners union,
| declared:
'1f the government does not provide
a substantial portion of the deficit, the
workmen must accept wages below the
living level or the dispute will continue
until the men are starved back to
work"
Sir Robert replied that he did not
know where the money was to come
from to fill the gap between the reduc-
ton of two shillings per day to which
the miners were willing to submit, and
the point at which the entire industry
could stand it. Mr.. Hodges insisted
that the reduction should be national
i'll character, pointing out that the ad-
vances during the war had been given
uniformly nationally.