2 OCTOBER 1920, Page 1

When the Prime Minister on Friday morning inquired into the

effect produced by his letter, he learned from Mr. Smillie that the miners' delegates had not discussed the Government's proposals seriously. Possibly the executive did not think it expedient to let the delegates know too much about so attractive an offer. Mr. Lloyd George expressed his profound regret that the Miners' Federation would neither refer their wages claim to an impartial court nor wait a week before striking in order to consider his proposal for higher wages based upon higher outputs

He put the case so clearly and forcibly that at last Mr. Smillie and his colleagues decided to postpone the strike for a week and to meet the coal-owners.