19 MAY 1926
An official announcement by the three railway Trade Unions states that further trouble has arisen over the failure of the companies to reinstate large numbers of their employees under the terms of settlement.
Further consideration was given by the Executive of the Miners’ Federation to the Prime Minister’s proposals. So that there could be no ambiguity about the terms, and that a clear-cut issue could be placed before the delegates, a further meeting with the Premier was arranged, at which a general discussion in explanation of the Government’s proposal took place.
Mr Frank Hodges, secretary of the Miners’ International, interviewed on the coal situation, said:—“The disaster, for such will be its description for many a long year, arises from the noticeable disposition in recent years to drift away from economic facts.”
Mr Ramsay MacDonald, speaking at Shepherd’s Bush, referred to the general strike, and said that during its meetings he never heard a single member of the Trade Union Congress General Committee whisper an idea, give a piece of advice, or suggest a move or policy that was aimed at a political issue.
The General Council of the Trade Union Congress, urging affiliated Unions and their representatives not to be led into public controversy in relation to the recent strike, states that the Council will take an early opportunity to justify its policy to the authority from which it received its mandate.
Viscount Astor moved in the House of Lords the second reading of the Education (Employment of Children and Young Persons) Bill, which empowers local Education Authorities to make by-laws regulating the employment of children up to the age of 18. Lord Desborough, having given an assurance that the Government meant to deal with this question at the earliest opportunity, and by better and surer methods than that now proposed, Lord Astor withdrew his Bill.