Calling Out Safety Men Seen As a Mistake London, Oct, 8.
At the resumed conference of miners' delegates to-day the—programme decided upon the previous evening was considerably modified, Extreme measures, including withdrawal of safety-men, had been assed by a thajority after much Aiscussion and division of opinion and at to-day's meeting ways and means of carrying out these measures were to have been discussed. Jastead of giving instructions that they should at once be put into operation, however, the conference referred the matter to the districts, with recommendations that the re: sults "of the local decisions. should in the hands of the officials of the Federation next Thursday.
The Mistake of 1921
The newspapers point out that withdrawal of safety-men has con-' sistently been opposed by the secre. i tary of the Federation, Mr. Cook, and its President, Mr.'Smith, and, Tuesda; Inst the vice-president," Mr, Richards, spoke strongly against the proposal, while moderate men of the Federation have frankly. cognized that it was the mistake of the 1921 strike, Although in certain areas the Federation claims te control 85 per cent. of the safety men, in others 65 per cent. of the men engaged in this, work belong to other unions which have definitely declined to accept the withdrawal policy.
The."Manchester Guardian" points out that the Federation has power to carry out other proposals of yesterday's resolutions—embarzo on foreign coal, levy on other trade unions and. cessation. of outcrop working. impossible to secure coal for Novem ber delivery. Priggs for later delivery are bounding daily.
A contract for 5,000 tons has been lodged in America at Sis. a ton, The difficulties have been necentnated by the freight rates having! recently been doubled.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.