The Failure to Reach a Settlement in the Last Weeks of August: Varying Versions of the Alleged Sufferings of the Miners: Mr. Baldwin's Famous Letter From Our Own Comnesronpenr London, Aug. 26
Last week it looked as if the protracted'coa) dispute were at last drawing to an end, but when the) miners' executive and the mining association met last. 'Thursday all cur hopes wore dashed to the ground, At the end of 90 minutes' discussion it was revealed that the Breach between the two parties is a9 wide as ever, and at no stage) of the proceedings were the two! sides over within: sight of possible agreement on any of the vital facters, After the conference had col-Japsed the owners, in an official account of the proceedings stated:—
Tt was clear that, there The'appearance of negotiations. which purpose to be served by. earryit had mo rear The conflicting attitudes taken up by both parties may be summarized as follows:—
'Munngs' Posittow.—An extension of, hours sis not nese for the 'A national tlement and '4 consideration of possible measures The Federation are prepared, after for the reorgenizatlon of the. inclu try, t0 conoider what wages are po ual necessities of the Uifferent coalfields. ly. also. Impracti+
Opposition to a subsidy is strongly maintain The Men "Standing Pat Strong police forces have though been drafted into the mining areas' of both counties, and also to other districts, to protect men who want. to work. The latest figures show that there are nearly 45,000 me® at work, and, reassured by police protection, still more are returning. The "Return" movement has spread North, and this accounts for Mr. "Cook's projected visit to Yorkshire at the week-end. There has even been a serious breakaway from the Federation in Lanarkshire County regarded by Mr. Cook as solidly opposed to a longer working day. Mr."Cook's secret about his my-serious new coal negotiations was revealed last night, when it was! discovered that he has asked for a meeting with the Minister of La. hour and the Minister of Mines.
In consequence of his appeal the Ministers who are in charge of the coal-deadlock are returning to London today. Mr. Baldwin, however, is spending a few days on the Continent in consequence of his doctor's orders.
It is unlikely however that there! will be any real negotiations at the Conferences, and the miners of the Midlands, will be sadly disfilusioned if they remain idle in the expectation that something tangible will result from Mr. Cook'? promises. Coal owners yesterday] have a categorical denial that any nego tions were in progress, [that any approach had been made Yur a joint conference. One north-eyn coal owner, learning last night that the Miners' Federation had again turned to the Government From the above it will be seen that the men's leaders appear to stand exactly where they did a year ago, and it is: difficult to believe that they want a settlement. After requesting conference with the colliery owners and fixing it up direct, to everybody's surprise, they put forward exactly the same demands as they made a year ago, demands which the Coal Comniis-
"The Inter with Minfatere wil ter up the hoodwinking practised on requested "a Nan expedient to. bole they. Todee it is" only these poor othe badlands Some of us will certainly be i toumorrow, but let cally" that there' is sion had declared entirely out of the question because the cost of Producing coal must be reduced.
once again both parties concerned in the dispute are at an absolute deadlock, and the outlook would indeed be black were it not for the fact that the miners drifting back to work all over the country. 'There has been a big breakaway in Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire in what has always: been regarded as a stronghold of the miners' federation, and thousands of miners in this district resumed.work on Monday in the five collieries owned by the Bolsover Company. The following are the terms on which they went back. hours day.
Fre-stoppage wages for 7 month The La per cent. wages increas granted io hewers as compensation for loss, in. time rates when the hours of work were altered. from 8 to"T to be reduced: by one-bal An advance of #1 to every. miner until first week's wages are "Arrears. of ent for colliery-o} Dougen not to be deducted for several 'Most of the men signed this leon-tract Inst Friday and Saturday after the failure of the miners' executive to arrange terms with the coal owners, and it avas thought in the beginning that on Monday about 20,000 men would be back at work in Nottinghamshire
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.