Now, it may be said that if this proposal had
been made by the miners a few months or even weeks ago, there would have been an immediate peace. Unfortunately, owing to the madness of Mr. Cook and Mr. Herbert Smith, the character of the dispute has become radically changed. It is necessary only to mention the Eight Hours Act and the withdrawal by the owners of the sanction which they had previously given to a national settlement. Mr. Baldwin might therefore be imagined as expressing himself somewhat as follows : "During my absence Mr. Churchill appealed to you to produce a scheme and you have done so. So far so good. I would have accepted it not long ago with open arms, but you must remember . that throughout the-dispute the Government have ac505tedj merely as mediators. They -Could. no More pit I the " owners to agree to what they disliked than they could f compel the miners to begin work again. The situation now is that the miners simply will not look at your pro- posals. Obviously, therefore, there is no basis for a three- party conference."
