The New York herald., 1921-04-11

new York herEl0 bureau.
London, April 10.
The menace of a Transportation
strike was definitely removed tonight,
and in all the coal mining districts
except Fifeshire pumpmen have gone
back 70 the mines 10 prevent them
from being flooded. The Government
has scotched the Bolshevist snake in
the situation before it had fair
chance TO sting. There is, however,
little immediate prospect of an early
settling of the coal strike.
The first meeting OF the mine own
ers and miners tomorrow will be be-
tween thirty-f1ve representatives or
each side and Government experts,
and 1t is feared that like all large
meetings il will degenerate into ora
tory. The mines are safe, however
and the Government believes that
there is now chance In which to
let OFF little steam. The leaders OF
the miners remained silent to-day, but
news comes from every coal field that
the regular pumpmen, engineers and
safety men have gone back to work
with the remark: IF somebody IL
going TO be paid for doing this job IT
might as well be us"
There are many indications tonight
that the scheme of the radical labor
leaders 10 rush general strike on the
panic by the threatened destruction
of the coal mines is proving disas-
irons boomerang, for the rising voice
of public sentiment has strengthened
the position OF the Government to a
tremendous extent.
Miners Demands seem Impossible.
The miners will 70 into the con.
ference tomorrow morning again de.
manding national wage scale and
pool Of coal receipts TO pay II. There
Il no possibility Of the owners grant
Ing their terms. a. they say It cannot
be done without Government sui
sidy. pointing out that the present
loss is more than E4.0oo.00o o month
on the industry as whole. Premier
Lloyd George remains equally deter
mined not 10 grant subsidy 10 tie
coal industry or any other individual
industry. Hence the negotiations are
likely TO be protracted. The produc-
tion Of coal meanwhile will be sus-
pended. but the mines viii be pre-
served.
Board of Trade officials said IS
night that despite the return To work
~ the pitmen the Governments pre-
cautions would bc extended through
every possible avenue. % that the pro.
tecticu Of property and the rights o,
peaceful people would he absolutely
assured. There will be DO letup in
the mobilization Of volunteer forces
In every locality where there is the
slightest likelihood Of trouble there is
an ample military force gathered
about the pitheads 70 protect either
the regular workers or the volunteers.
The last flare of trouble happened
last night in Fifeshirc. where the
Government fears the worst from the
Bolshevist element. party q
miners marched ~ Dit bent On
trouble. but they faded away when
they found au entire battalion Of TIN
hated Tommies awaiting them This
incident Is typical of the way IL
which the situation Is being handled
by the Government The troops will
be kept on the job until definite
settlement has been reached
some Mine. Entirely Flooded.
rt was stated officially tonight that
II has not vet proved necessary 10
employ single man OF tho reguls-
naval or military forces ~ working
the mine macnincy nor Il Il tikelr
that the need Ter This VII arise. despite
the serious menace. II vas learned
tonight that action was taken just in
time 70 avoid serious loss by mine
flooding. When work is resumed IL 1.
now expected that the output will not
be cut more than 10 per cent. through
destruction OF the mines and that this
will rapidly be reduced TO lees than 1
per cent. THIS condition probably VIII
no longer be factor with tho owners
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