The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-04-09
BRITAIN r AGING GREATEST LABOR
 WAR IN HISTORY
Two Million Workers to Cease Duties Tuesday Unless New Development Brings
 Change In Decision
By Associated Press

struggle in the country's history. Ap- proximately 2,0O0,o0o workers then will have ceased their duties in pro test against what they consider to be an organized attempt on the part of employers to enforce a general re- duction in wages.
 This is the central fact of the
 labor situation as it developed to-
 day in a breakdown in the minsfs'
 conference and consequent de-
 eisfon by the triple alliance
 made mp of miners and railway
 and transport worBxers--for the
 first time since it was organized
 that It's entire membership.
 roughly estimnted mt 1,ooO, O,eo0
 miners and 5oo.ooo each from tho
 railway ana transport workers'
 organizations, should quit work In
 support of the strike of the
 miners.
 The governments standpoint as voiced by Premier Lloyd George in 8 brief speech in the House of Commons this afternoon is that the action of the miners and the other members of the triple alliance is an attempt by direct action to intimidate Parliament and the nation. The premier announced the military and other measures which the government intended to take to defeat this attempt
 MINERS STANDPOINT
 The standpoint of the miners is thas the sudden removal of control of the coal mines is the result of a pact be- tween the government and the mine owners to enable the owners to en- force the unjustifiable reduction in wages. The attitude of the railway men is that unless there is support of the miners at the present time a simi- lar dilemma will happen to the rail waymen on some future occasion when the railways are released from gov ernmeht control
 Tho refusal of the miners to yield on the question of permitting pump men to return to the mines had as its mo- \ tvs conviction that the withdrawal of the pump men is the only weapon in their hands. They argue that a weeks cessation of work will not really injure the minc owners. who, considering the depressed conditions of industry, have ample stock of coal on the surface. They declare that the mine owners have brought this fate uron themselves by including the pump men among these whose contracts will be cancelled unless they accept new wage terms made not through joint discussion, but by the mine owners themselves
 FIND NO SUPPORT
 The arguments of the miners find no support except on the point of the extreme socialists newspapers. The other newspapers condemn them strongly and general regret is ex- pressed that the miners refused to listen to the advice of men like MT. Asquith, Mr. Ciynes and Arthur Hen derson.
 In this connection Mir. Clynes. who is chairman of the Parliamentary la- bo- party. made an interesting state mont on the adjournment of the House of Commons this afternoon. While expressing regret over the decision of tho miners, he said he regretted that Premier Lloyd George had thought it proper to make imputations against the motives of the leaders of the miners. He said that the actual dam age done to the mines up to the present had been so small that it did not justify this fact being made the cause for interfering with associations which might lead to settlement of the dispute. He concluded Sy seclar- ing that the cost to tho country through the strike like,y would be far greater than would have been the case If the government had continued to control the mines little while lorger until the wage question was settlad.
 The mornentous proclamation by x the premier of a state of industrial war was made in the House of Com mons in quiet but serious tones MT. Lloyd George read it from a prepared document. A similar statement was made in the House of Lords by Earl Curzon of Kedleston.
 A deputation of the railwaymen and the transport workers will visit the premier tomorrow morning to convey to him the decision of the triple alli- ance to back the miners. In some quarters this visit is being regarded as new peace move. Likewise of in- terest is an authorized statement to- night to the effect that the govern ment still is willing to call confer ence as previously suggested, to dis cuss the question of pumping the mines.
 TO CONVEY DECISION
 A supplement of the London Gazette tonight contains all the necessary proclAmations calling out the reserves. Tho Gazette states that steps are being taken to put Into force all the gov ernment's precautionary measures to insure the operation of the public services and to maintain food supplies
 Should the strike of the triple aui- ance raterialize, there will be nearly 1000, GOO persons idle in England The registers of the unemployment ex- changes already exceed 1,500, 900 per sons and dislocation of the industries may easily. account for another 500,- 900. In addition there are S00,0OO per sons working on short time.
 Several cases arbitrated have gone against claims of strikers for the un- employment benefit but the genuine unemployment through the strike will throw . heavily increased burden of taxation on the taxpayers.
 Pramier Lloyd George in final let- ter Of regret to Frank Hodges, secre- tary Of the miners union, over the situation. said tonight that the de- structfon of the mines would be as fatal to the nation as would have been defeat in the war. and to secure their preservation must be the gov ernment's paramount duty
 Tho executive committee of the com munist party in Great Britain has is- aued q mE nifeSto congratuIafinr thh