The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1926-08-25

mere nave DSSti ITO S0Pdi
And few individuals who have
out and standing firmly for their
demands with the union. Such
stories are merely capitalist
propaganda meant to dSscour-
age the strikers and those who
give relief, says MacKenna in an
interview with a DAILY WORK.
Err reporter.
Union Statement on Conference.
LONDON, Aug. %. - A. ].
Cook, secretary of the Miners
Federation of Great Britain, in
an official statement, explains
the unions viewpoint of why the
recent conference between the
union and the mine owners
broke down. He says;
Owners Demand Surrender.
at is evident from the coal owners
statement that they consider them
selves victors in this struggle; that
during the progress of the stoppage
they have learned nothing and for
gotten nothing; that the only way, in
Their opinion, that the country can be
supplied with coal is by direct sur
render of the men to the original
terms laid down by the coal owners.
Determined to Fight II Out.
1--WE have no alternative, therefore
except to urge upon all our members
the necessity of stiffening their resist
ance to these terms, which, if ac-
cepted, would mean abject poverty for
our people and scandalous lowering
of their standard of living for at least
a generation,
I'VE again appeal to the public of
this country for their continued sup
port in aid Of the miners and their
wives and children. No, further nego-
tiations with the coal owners are pos
sible."
Secretary Cook added that the fed
Grafton had not asked the government
to meet the miners executive.
Pursuant to the union policy of
stiffening resistance for a further
struggle, the Miners Federation is
sending out speakers to all important
centers to explain the union stand and
urge the rank and file to hold their
lines firmly awaiting a national agree
ment.
Few Desertlons Not Decisive.
A careful survey indicates that only
a few thousand individual miners, out
of the million and more on strike,
have returned to work in spite of the
tricky maneuver of the owners, who,
having failed to get anybody back on
the basis of the so-called "eight-hour"
law passed by the tory parliament
majority, have offered compromise
of seven-and-a-half hours.
The union states that these few
miners who return make no appreciate
effect on the stoppage, but add that
the situation as a whole demands
more help to the strikers from the
rest of labor both at home and abroad.
Coal Owning Lord Admits Much.
Lord Londonderry, a big coal owner.
has issued a statement declaring that
Premier Baldwin was right when he
tried to prevent relief funds being
gathered from America. The lord as
sails Ramsay MacDonald's belated re-
futation of Baldwin's claims, and in
sists that miners families in the coal
fields are faring splendidly. In fact,
in this effort to stop support to the
miners wives and children, Lord Lon
donderry makes the following signi-
ficant admission:
1.-THE children are looking better
and in most cases are better fed than
they were when their fathers were
working" k
Pre-Strike Wage insufficient.
II this is so, then even the insult
flcient relief work afforded by strike
relief funds, is apparently better than
the wages paid the miners for work
ing. Yet the owners are insistent on
cutting the wages previously paid the
miners as well as lengthening the
hours. The so-called eight hour law"
in reality requiring eight and half
hours underground.