* * * * The steps which led up to
this situation may be idly described. On Thursday, November 4th, ttic Delegate Conference of the Miners' Federation accepted the proposal that the General Council of the should act as mediators. The delegates did not prescribe any particular settlement, but they definitely accepted the 845 way of peace in preference to the way of war.. They 847 rejected the idea of . intensifying the struggle and authorized the Executive of the Federation to find out, through the T.U.C. mediators, the best terms that could be got for giving a national sanction to district agreements. " Slogans " were banished ; the intention obviously was to replace rigid formulas with an open mind and a reasonable adaptability. It seemed quite clear that the T.U.C. mediators had been authorized to go to the Government and open negotiations which would comprehend hours as well as wages. The mediators were not, indeed, to conduct negotiations themselves, but it was generally understood that they were put in a position to commit the miners to longer hours.
