Immediately afterwards a false , and dangerous atmosphere was created by
the statement made on behalf of the miners that unless there was an early settlement the Government meant to introduce legislation for compulsory arbitration. The Prime Minister explicitly denied in the House of Commons on Monday that he had ever made any such suggestion. He added the opportune comment that he hoped that in future unauthorized communications of that kind would not be sent to the Press by anyone, otherwise- negotiations would become impossible. Mr. Hodges admitted that Mr. Lloyd Georgehad never used any such expression as "compulsory arbitration," but much bitterness had been created by the misstatement. There is little to add except that the railway and transport workers have retracted their refusal to handle coal. They had come to the conclusion, it was explained, that the embargo was "not helping the miners at all." The district meetings of miners seem to be nearly all opposed to accepting Mr. Lloyd George's proposals.
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