Evening star., 1921-04-07
Railway Men Join Transport
Union in Support of Coal
Workers.
GOVERNMENT FORCED
TO MEET SITUATION
Premier Declares Issue Is Much
Wider Than Question of Wages
to Be Paid.
by the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press
LONDON, April "A complete
break-up of the conference between
representatives of the miners. the
owners and the government with the
view TO settling the coal strike was
announced in the house of commons
by Premier Lloyd George this after
noon.
The National Union of Railwaymen
today unanimously decided to sup
port The coal miners in their strike.
The executive body of the railway
mems union decided 10 consult inn
mediately with the transport workers
organization for the purpose of TAX
ing The most effective and immediate
steps to assist the miners.
iscfusaI Brought FaiIure.
The failure of the conference. Mr..
Lloyd George declared. came as a
consequence of the refusal of the
miners federation to altow the pump
men to return to work until the min
ers' conditions of national wage sys-
TEN and "a national profits pool had
been accepted.
The premier added that since il had
been made clear the miners federation
would not consider any settlement
except on the 'conceding of their de-
mands in full, the government. rely
ing on the assistance of the great
mass of the people. must take every
means in its power to meet the situa-
tion.
The view of the miners federation,
Mr.. Lloyd George asserted, was that
to permit the bumpers to return
would be TO relinquish the weapon
with which the miners hoped to bring
| the government and the mine owners
to speedy acceptance of their terms.
Amidst cheers from the government
benches the premier declared that the
tissue raised was much wider than that
OF what wages should be paid. The
government, he said. had always kept
an open mind on the question of
7, wages and was prepared to use its
good offices in reaching a solution.
, He regretted extremely that the
; involving injury and misery to their
fellow citizens throughout the coun-
try as well as to themselves.
Pariey Lasts Two Hours.
The conference OF the prime minis
ter and the miners leaders lasted up
ward of two hours. Mr. Lloyd
George, who. was accompanied by
Sir Robert 5. Horne, the chancellor,
of the exchequer; Thomas ]. Macna-
mara, minister of labor. and officials
OF the mines department, urged the
miners to accede to the owners con-
dition that pumping be resumed pend
ing negotiations. This the miners
representatives declared they were
unable to consent to, and shortly aft
er adjournment of the conference the
board of trade issued an official state
men saying 1.-The negotiations have,
Drokel uuN n.
Leaders Of the Tranport Workers
Federation. which already has de-
cided to support the miners, met this
morning hllf aliOnrnad
O'Clock this afternoon in order that
they might learn the result of the
conference Of the miners and the
prime minister before deciding what
form the support will take.
New disturbances occurred in the
town cf Cowdenbeath. Scotland. last
night. During the disorder a shop
window was ~roken and the contents
of the place ware carried away. The
police dispersed the crowd with their
clubs. according to a Central News
dispatch from Durfermline. Trans
port workers of the British fleet in
the Firth OF Forth have been given
sleeping berths on board the battle
ships Crescent and Rosyth. Double
guards have been placed on all Gals
sons in the Forth area
Navy Units Get Word.
QUEENSTOWN, Ireland, April -
Naval units here and at other home
ports have been instructed. as a re.
suit of the strike of British miners.
to hold themselves in readiness for
emergency service Shore leave has
been curtailed, even officers being re-
auired to return to their ships by
$50 o'clock in the evening Naval
officials view the situation as being
filled with the gravest possi Utilities
The question of shifting large num-
bers of the crown forces in Ireland to
England. if disorders ensue has been
fully considered it is understood and
if such steps should be taken, il is
said. the forces transferred will prob
ably include many auNiiiaries regard
ed as especially qualified by their
work in Ireland to deal with elements
seeking to stir up trouble. officials
however, are aware of the possibility
that the Irish republican army may
take advantage of the opportunity Of
fered by disorders in England, and
military authorities are reluctant to