The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1925-10-22
WHEN MILL JOHN J
|. lie Wis Give US
TALK..EIKE This?
British Miners Union
Head Talks Turkey


Herbert Smith at the M. F. G. B. head
quarters, still grim and a little flush
ed after the critical meeting with the
premier half an hour before.
How do you explain Baldwin's at
titude, Mr., Smith," asked
"There is only one explanation" he
replied, very deliberately. 1.-THE gov
eminent are encouraging the employ
ers to attack wages.
"When our men find that price
lists which have been honored for
years are swept away without any
warning, they naturally refuse to
accept this fragrant breach Of the
truce. And when they 90 ard claim
unemployment benefit, the govern
ment representative tells them this
Is a trade dispute, and you are not
entitled to the benefits which you
yourselves have paid for
Here's the position in nutshell:
IF a miner has been earning Is.
plus so per cent for a certain job
q. e., Ss.), and the employer lowered
the percentage to As per cent, making
the wage rs 1115d., that would be a
breach of the truce, says the govern
ment, and the miner would be entitled
to benefit.
"But if the mine owner lowers the
basic rate to Is. 10d, and calculates
so per cent on that, making total
wage of rs. 3D.. that is not a breach
of trucei And our men who refuse to
work are told they are on strike, and
therefore may starve."
l asked Mr.. Smith whether he
thought the mine owners were acting
in agreement with the government.
81 am certain of it," he said en-
phatically. "They are in strict CO.
operation and collaboration with the
government now, not a mine depart
ment!"
1.-THE object is to smash the ma
tional agreement, and to force us
back to sectional district agreements.
The prime minister actually ventured
to suggest this at one of our meetings,
and this is a new and ingenious way
they think they have discovered to
force us to accept it. In Durham
alone we have over 10000 unemploy-
ed" ssE
What did you reply to the prime
minister"
sour reply was this: Reductions?
Not a cent! Longer hours? Not
seeondl That's what told the
prime minister
Recalling the recent meeting of the
Miners International and the stories
Of disunity which the capitalist press
had so assiduosly spread, asked Mr.
Smith, who is president of the Inter
national, what that organization
would do in. the event of a fight.
He replied: Certain countries have
already promised us their full sup
port in every way. The Germans are
in very difficult position, owing tC
their compulsory arbitration act, and
the state of things brought about by
the Versailles reparations scheme anC
the Dawes report.
What's This?
I suggested to Mr. Smith that the
recent resolution Of the International
reproving A. j. Cook for telling
miners conferences the truth abou
the Dawes plan and the unity cam
paign, might initiate against this.
mo" he said, Il believe that the
German miners, and their leaders al
well, realize that we must have {
stronger and more virile international
than at present, an International tina
will be of real use. Not necessarily
to bring about big strikes. The
stronger you are, the less necessity
will there be for big strikes. Tha
is my belief.
THAT also is why am trying hard
to break down the obstacles in the
way of the Russian and other miners
coming in and forming one united
Miners International.
"Tel your readers that we are
not afraid of the. alliance between
the government and the mine own
ers, providing we can reIy--and
believe we can rely--on the support
Of organized labor. A united work
I ing class front has beaten the mast
ers once, and we can do it again."