Arthur James Cook

“ I am directed to remind you that there is nothing unusual for workmen to cease work in defence of their interests as wage-earners, and that the specific reason for the decision in this case is to secure for the mineworkers the same right from the employers as is insisted upon by employers from workers, namely, that negotiations shall be conducted free from the atmosphere of strike or lock-out. ”

“ The miners' case for a living wage has never been questioned. No body of men, whatever their political opinions, could deny the miners' claim to a living wage, nor could they deny that the wages operating on April 30th did not even represent wages equivalent to the standard of life in 1914. ”

“ Thomas they will be able to judge for themselves the attitude of these leaders. No word of defiance to the Government; no attack on the Government for acting on behalf of the coal owners, for trying to reduce wages and lengthen hours. (How could they attack the Government for this, when they were playing the same part themselves?) . No encouragement to the rank and file to stand by the miners; no advance of the miners' claim for a living wage, but the most humiliating crawling and pleading such as has never before been witnessed. ”

“ But J.H. Thomas said to me personally, when I asked him whether the Government would accept the Samuel proposals and what were his guarantees: "You may not trust my word, but will you not accept the word of a British gentleman who has been Governor of Palestine?"
Our President, myself and my colleagues put several other questions; asking what was the position of other workers in regard to the unanimous decision arrived at that we should all return to work together, to protect one another from victimisation, and to secure a return by all workers on the same conditions as when they left. ”

“ Despite all the humiliating pleadings of these leaders, despite the attempts behind the Speaker's chair of Mr. MacDonald and J. H. Thomas to arrive at a settlement behind the backs of the miners' representatives, the Prime Minister and the Government remained adamant, determined that the strike notices should be withdrawn before negotiations could be re-opened. No lifting of the lock-out; no securing a living wage for the miners was thought of; and midnight on Monday, 3rd May, arrived with no alternative but for the workers to act on their decision of May 1st. ”

“ MacDonald said that while no economic or moral case could be made out for compensation to the Royalty Owners, and indeed it had been the policy of Socialists for many years to oppose such compensation, we had arrived at a stage in the history of the Labour Party when political expediency necessitated that we should support compensation for Royalty owners. ”

“ Strange to say, the leaders of the Parliamentary Labour Party who had been preaching Socialism for many years, were the ones who opposed the policy of the Miners’ Federation and the Trades Union Congress in regard to the question of compensation or confiscation of royalties. ”

“ The only proposals were those placed at the pit-heads, which were worse than those put forward last July, and roused the indignation of every decent human being who understood them. They gave us, for information, these scales, with their variations from district to district, just before they were put up at the pit-tops. They would not discuss them. They would not negotiate with us for any national scale whatever. ”

“ The public will judge of the Government's intentions by its precipitous and calamitous decision in this matter, and we deplore with the General Council that the sincere work which the Council has been engaged in to obtain an honourable settlement has been wrecked by the Government's unprecedented ultimatum. ”

“ Meanwhile, the Negotiating Committee of the T.U.C. had twice seen the Government in secret, in spite of their pledge to the miners only to negotiate together with them; they had twice tried to get the miners to accept formulæ which would have meant reductions in wages, in spite of their declared opposition to reductions. No other facts are needed to show the state of mind in which some members of the General Council faced the test of real action.
Tuesday, May 4th, started with the workers answering the call. What a wonderful response! What loyalty!! What solidarity!!! ”

“ That inasmuch as wages are already too low, we cannot assent to any proposals for reducing wages. "These recommendations to be remitted to the districts for their immediate consideration and decision, after which a further delegate conference be called as speedily as possible for the purpose of arriving at a final decision." On April 30th our lock-out notices terminated without any proposals being placed by the coalowners before the miners’ leaders for consideration. ”