The Hours of Work in Coal Mines The debate on
the Hours of Work in Mines has occupied most of the time of the International Labour Conference. After the failure of every proposal to command a majority Mr. Shinwell, on behalf of the British Government, agreed to support the German Government's proposal of a seven and three-quarter hour day from bank to bank, on the understanding that the whole question should be revised in three years. His anxiety to reach agreement was plainly shared by Mr. A. J. Cook, who also ate his words and accepted the majority decision—after an undertaking by Mr. Shinwell that the British miners' position would be safeguarded in relation to the .Mines Bill due next year. These gestures of conciliation were rather marred by the employers' delegates who objected to the Chairman's ruling on the reversion to the rejected German proposal, and refused to take any further part in the discussions.
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