New-York tribune., 1921-04-01
Transport and
Rail Workers Threaten
SympatheticS trike ;Cov-
ernment Rations Fuel
Train Service and
Lighting g To Be Cut
Emergency Act Invoked
TO Give Power Over Dis.
tribution of Necessaries
From The Tribune's European Bureau
Copyripht 1921 Nev YorL ,T,;h,,,o r

Copyright. 1921. New York Tribune Inc
LONDON. March 31.-A million
miners in the United Kingdom are law
ing down their tools tonight for the
second time within six months. With
crisis facing the nation that NAV
involve two million more workers If
sympathetic walk-outs are declared.
King George in proclamation issued
tonight declared that an emergency
exists and that the government, under
the emergency powers act of 1920.
would take any measures necessary to
handle the situation.
The proclamation asserts that the
strike of miners comes under the law
which provides for government action
when persons or groups of persons in
terfere with the supply and dstribu-
ton of food, water. fuel, light and
means of locomotion, to deprive the
Immunity of the essentials Of life.
kauoning measures that put the
country back on wartime basis
nave already been ordered.
Even Pumps Abandoned
reports received in London up to
ll:30 o'clock tonight said that men
everywhere were evacuating the pits.
Even the pumpmen and enginemen.
who in the strike last October were
Kept at the mines to keep them in
order, have been called out in this
strike, but dispatches late this evening
say That the enginemen in Scotland.
Northumberland, Yorkshire and Mon
mouthshire nave decided to disregard
the union orders and will stay at the
mines. In local strike two years ago
ene government used sailors to pump
out the mines, but in the present emer-
gency it has none to spare for this
work '' 10
Today was spent in conferences be-
tween representatives Of the miners
union and the government, with repre-
sentatives of the owners participating
to some extent. No signs of rapproche-
ment We're apparent as the leaders
separated and went to their homes,
although hope was long held out by Sir
Robert Stevenson Horne, president of
the Board of Trade, that some settle
ment could be reached before the strike
order became effective.
Fear Loss of Subsidies
The superficial cause of the str;ke !.
the refusal Of the government to CON
tinue its control of the mines and the
subsidies that will maintain the nres.
ent level of wages. But UNDERLYING
this Is the fear on the part Of ali or
ganized labor that this is q move to-
ward general cut of wages. With
the mines no longer under government
control the miners will earn from q
ie" shllilngs to more than a pound
less every week than before.
The rallwaymen and the transport
workers. partners with the miners in
labor's triple alliancc-decded today
to call executive meetings early next
week to decide on the attitude those
two unions. shall take toward the mi
ners' walkout. If they join a grave
situation will result for with 1000 900
miners out, 100000 other workers
ready to join and 100000 persons AL
ready idle, production throughout the
country would be at standstill
indicative of the stand which the
National Union of Railwaymen takes
toward the cut in miners wages was
the following statement, issued this
morning: eve regard the EMPLOYERS
position as being the prelude to a pen-
eral attempt to destroy national nego-
tations and to reduce wages"
Rail Men Sympathetic
The railwaymen and transport work
ers were clearly sympathetic to-day
with the stand of the miners. In con-
nection with their meetings next Tues
day and Wednesday it is recalled that
their threat last fall to call great ma
tional strike in sympathy with the
miners demands was responsible for
n irfo
The coal owners, on being called into
conference this morning, were unable
to offer any new terms Sir Robert
Horne stayed at his desk all day wait
ing to hear from the miners that they
Continued on next paqe