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(This Dootupent is the Property of His Britannic
Ma,1eaty'a Government..)
OOPY No.
CABINET 80 (26) .
Meeting o f the Cabinet, to b e held in
THE PRIMS MINISTER'S ROOM, HOUSE OF
COMMONS., S W . l . on FRIDAY. APRIL 50,
1926, at 4 p.m.
r
AGENDA.
1.
THE COAL SITUATION.
2-
THE SUPPLY AND TRANSPORT ORGANISATION
(if
required)
(Signed) M.P.A. HANKEY, '
Secretary, Cabinet.
litehall Gardens, S.W.1,
April 30, 1926.
jT IS THE PROPERTY OF HIS BRITANNIC MAJESTY'3 GOVERNMENT.
O . Q P X .No,,,*
. QA P I N B T
SQ (-86).
CONCLUSIONS of a Meeting of the Cabinet held
in the Prime Minister'a Room, House of Commons,
S.W.1, on FRIDAY, APRIL 30th. 1936, at 4 p.m.
PRE
S E N TS-
The Right Hon. Stanley Baldwin, M.F.,
( i n the Chair.)
Prime Minister.
ft
jjight Hon. Sir Austen
jhsmberlain, K,G.,M,P,,
Secretary of State for
foreign A f f a i r s .
The Right Hon.Viscount Cave,
G.C.M.G., Lord Chancellor,
j Eight Hon. The Earl of
Balfour, K.G.,O.M., Lord
president of the Council.
The Most Hon. The Marquess of
Salisbury, K.G,,G.C .V.O,,
C.B., Lord Privy Seal.
j Right Hon. W.S . Church i l l ,
C.H..M.P., Chancellor of
the Exchequer,
The Right Hon. S i r William.
Joynson-Hick3, Bt.,M.P.,
Secretary of State for
Home Affairs.
Right Hon. The Earl of
Birkenhead, Secretary
of State for India,
The Right Hon. Sir Samuel
Hoare, Bt.,C.M.G.,M.P.,
Secretary of State for Air.
ft
ie Right Ho n ,W, C .Bridgeman,
M.P., First Lord of the
Admiralty.
The Right Hon. Sir Philip
Cunliffe-Lister,K.B.E,,
M.C.,M.P., President
of the Board of Trade.
IRight Hon. Neville
Chamberlain, M.F,,
Minister of Health.
The Right Hon.Sir John
Gilmour, Bt.,D.S.0.,M.P.*
Secretary for Scotland.
Right Hon. Lord Eustace
Percy, M.P., President of
the Board of Education.
The Right Hon. Sir Arthur
Steel-Maitland, Bt.,M.P,,
Minister of Labour.
Right Hon. Viscount Peel,
&.B.E., First Commissioner
of Works .
The Right Hon. Viscount Cecil
of Chelwood, K.O., Chan­
eel lor of the Duchy of
Lancaster.
The Right Hon. Sir Douglas Hogg, K.C.,M.P.,
Atto rney-General.
THE FOLLOWING WERE ALSO PRESENT:
it.-0ol. The Right Hon.
3,R,Lane-Fox, M.P.,
Secretary, Mines Department,
Board of Trade .
The Right Hon. Sir William
Mitchell-Thorns on,Bt .K.B.E..
M.P . - Postmaster-General.
Horace J. Wilson, E.O.B.^
C.B.E., Secretary, Ministry
of Labour.
Mr E.A.Gowers, CB.,Permanent
Under-Seoretary, Mines
Department, Board of Trade,
M.P.A.Hankey, G.C.B.*
"...
Secretary.
'. Jones^
Deputy Secretary.
ft Left before the end of the Meeting to attend a meeting
of the Privy Council.
/ Present at the end of the Meeting.
1. The Prime Minister gave the Cabinet
full
particulars o f the negotiations leading up to
the present situation in the Coal Dispute.
The
exact position i s indicated i n the l e t t e r attached
to these Conclusions, from the Prime Minister to
the President of the Miners' Federation, transmit­
ting an o f f e r f:rom the Coal Owners (Appendix I ) .
At the moment the Cabinet met, the Prime Minister
was awaiting an answer from the Miners' Federation.
Half an hour l a t e r , a f t e r the decisions
recorded i n Conclusion 2 had been taken, a f t e r
the Lord President of the Council, the Lord Chan­
o e l l o r and the Home Secretary had l e f t to attend a
meeting of the Privy Council, and a f t e r a b r i e f
adjournment, the reply from the Miners' Federation,
which amounted to a r e j e c t i o n o f the Coal Owners'
o f f e r , was read to the Cabinet (Appendix I I ) .
As the r e s u l t of this discussion, the PrirxB
Minister sent to the Trades Union Committee the
question i n Appendix I I I , with.the object of remov­
ing a l l ambiguity as to the significance of the
l e t t e r from, the Miners'
Federation.
The Prime Minister also informed the
Cabinet that he had i n v i t e d the Minister o f Health
and the Secretary of State for India to j o i n him
and the Minister of Labour and Seoretary f o r Mines
in carrying on the further negotiations .
M AMD
Wort
JlSATlON.
', enoe:
ir.et 19
il D o n Jon 6 . )
r
:
2.
In view of the improbability of a
settlement the same day of the Coal Dispute,
and the p o s s i b i l i t y of a general s t r i k e not
confined to the coal mines but extending to many
other Trades Unions the following morning, the
Cabinet agreed —­
( a ) That the arrangements concerted by
the Supply and"Transport Committee
should be put in operation as from
midnight on Friday, A p r i l 30th. as
2ero hour, d i s c r e t i o n being l e f t
to the Home Secretary, in consulta­
t i o n with the Prime Minister, to
make such modifications as the
immediate needs of the situation
might necessitate ( e . g . , according
to the number o f Trades Unions which
might associate themselves with the
strike):
(b) That the s i t u a t i o n was c o r r e c t l y set
forth i n the following extract from
the Draft Proclamation about to be
submitted to His Majesty the King in
Council:­
"AND WHEREAS the present immediate
threat of cessation of work in
Coal Mines does, in Our opinion,
constitute a s t a t e of emergency
within the meaning o f the said Act":
( c ) That i t was desirable that the Meeting
of the Privy Council, already f i x e d
by His Majesty the King f o r 5-30 p.m.,
should be held, f o r the purpose of
approving the Proclamation under the
Emergency Powers Act, 1920, and the
Regulations to be issued thereunder:
(d) That i t was undesirable that the above
Proclamation shotild be published i n
"The Gazette" u n t i l a f t e r midnight:
( e ) That the nature o f any announcement
to be made in the Press i n regard to
the -events leading up to a probable
s t r i k e should be l e f t to the Prime
Minister, who had already given
instructions for the preparation of
the necessary material:
(f)
That the Home Secretary should warn
the Minister o f Transport of the r i s k
of sabotage ( e . g . , by dropping a
spanner or other instrument in some
d e l i c a t e part o f machinery) by
e l e c t r i c a l workers immediately
before leaving work, which might
d i s l o c a t e the Government's emergency
arrangements:
( g ) To take note that the amount of
coal required f o r the forthcoming
Fleet Exercises was very small,
and that these exercises could be
stopped any time up to Tuesday,
May 4th:
(h) To authorise the Postmaster-G-eneral,
i f necessary, to make arrangements
f o r opening a recruiting o f f i c e f o r
volunteers i n the courtyard of the
Foreign O f f i c e :
( i ) ' To take note that the question of
whether Hyde Park would be closed
or not would turn on whether there
was a s t r i k e on the railways on the
morrow involving the interruption
o f milk supplies.
Whit ehal 1 Gardens , S. W. 1,
A p r i l 30, 1986.
COPY OP LETTER
PROM THE PRIME MINISTER TO THE" PRESIDENT
OF THE MINERS
FEDERATION.
1
10. Downing Street * S ,W.1*
30th A p r i l , 1926*
/
Dear' Mr * Smith,
am communicating w i t h you by l e t t e r because-
I
in?
save time&
to
r i a n t
1 have now reoedve&i from the
told you l a s t
as I
follows,
is a s
1914
pver
o or r e s
standard
ponding
of i i o r t h
do
but
f e e l
on
In.putting
. -.3
Statute
providing
f*he
you
that
hour
of
basis,,,
(The
cut
i n
She
Minhuuza
o f f e r
SO
-per
cent,
w i t h
r e p r e s e n t a t i v e s
tfce
p i t a - i n - that
area
£-his" p r o p o s a l
frcrr.
to
to
tfaiieaiftl
T?oiaUl
for
s e t
t o
1919
Hours)
b e t h
(Seven
there
the
up
a
be
unable
Oo&X
Owners
of
y o u . y e s t e r d a y
be
aa
a
that
raakss
should
a d d i t i o n a l
l a t e r
r::sul.i.
c o n d i t i o n
A c t
P
ressaln
l e g i s l a t i o n
the
Cojui?iss&jfia n o t
the
e;:Vehi
should
re?.king
uhethur
?
the-
X e:*;pla'isae&
t h c t
a d v i s e
or
an
as
the
and
would
trado-j
improved
stand
t o
the
t h a t ,
Book
ov - - o t t e r
0" t h e
of
31st
than
re-org^nisation
Opal
& r e v e r s i o n
hours,
t o
Industry
the
standard
J u s t S f i n b i c ,
There; would,
lineus
-to ' o n : ,
I
ie-
mon*
thai
you
1920,
v
surface
b e f o r e
D3c.er.1ber,
the
for
temporarily
Government
3
eight
r i s h
c o n s i d e r i n g
N a t i o n a l
uniform
n o t
ocntemplated
on t h e
uniform
which,
offer
minimum K
t h i s
I wraid'remind
a
fcha
representatives;-
a
on
h o u r s
Wales
Agreement
i &ork
namely,
Owners
Goal
they have been
n i g h t ,
vrith their d i s t r i c t
conjunction
is
i t
of
the
amended,
of
cp.ur.se,
Owners
5
draft,
however,
should l i k e to
hear
upon this proposal *
be
to
a
Natiea-jci. Ay^ee^sant
which
has
already
provide
for
a'
Crew
you
what i s
been
n a t i o n a l
your
on
submitted
Minimum.
considered
I t vli.ll bo seen that a uniform National. Minimum is
possible i f there is- for the time being a modification-of^ihe
present hours.
If,
however, a temporary modification of
hours i s ruled out the Owners do not f e e l able to put
forward proposals which d i f f e r from those which they have
already submitted.
They are, -however , prepared"to negotiate
the matter with you, in the f i r s t place nationally
in accordance with the Report,
There would-, of course, be the. National Agreement as
already indicated, \ The Government" has already intimated
i-a general acceptance of the Report of the Royal Commission
provided i t was accepted also by the Mine Owners and the
Minersj.
and although unfortunately .there has not been
r the part of the Mine Owners and. the-Miners the. same
unqualified acceptance, the Government desire nevertheless
id reaffirm t h e i r willingness to give e f f e c t
to "such of the ­
proposals in the Report as we believe w i l l be of
the Industry,
benefit
In p a r t i c u l a r , the Government propose In
- '- case at once to arrange an authoritative enquiry into
:
INv best method of following up the recommendations: of the
C-. - nission with regard to s e l l i n g organisations, and
amalgamations.
I f the proposals no?? before you are not acceptable,
I should bo glad to receive from you any counter proposal
I em holding myself available to meet you again.as soon
you.'let me know that you. are ready for further., discussion.
I am sending"a copy of this l e t t e r to Mr, Pugh.
Yours very t r u l y ,
(Signed)
STANLEY BALDWIN,.
APPENDIX
II.
TO .2HJS £ M f t &CLBX3TJB *BOM THD-MXNigiS
J
JBSSSUTIYS'
30th A p r i l . 19£6.
ar Mr. Prime Minister,
The proposals of the Coal owners, delivered ty
jgB-enger this afteraeon, (April 30th) have been considered
i our ISxeoutive Qommlttee, and also by the Conference,
tioh, as you are aware, has been in London since Wednesday,
o which we' are empowered to send the following reply :
H S 1* 1
L
The Miners note with regret that although the
oport o f the Coal Commission was issued on the 6th March,
326, the Mine-owners have only submitted a proposal
jr a National tfage Agreement, and a National Uniform
Inimum percentage so l a t e as April 30th at 1-15 p.m.
ion at l e a B t t w o - t h i r l s of the mine-workers i n the
)sl f i e l d are already locked out by the ooal-owners.
The proposals, stated b r i e f l y , provide for a reverston
) the minimum percentage of 1921, i . e . , Zofo on 1914
laniard wages, which means a uniform reduction of 13 "grd
ir cent of the standard wages of the miners, and further,
3 conditional upon the extonsicn of the working day
)r over three yoars, such an adjustment t o be reviewed,
ft or December, 1989.
The reply of the Miners, after considering the
-oposals in the light o f the present situation, i s therefor
follows:
They are unanimously of the opinion that the
*oposals cannot be accepted, but on the other hand feel
uvt the statement o f proposals submitted (as enclosed)
i the Trades Union Congress, affords a reasonable basis
of negotiations and settlement.
Our views on the que-ation of extended hours
are well-known to you, and i t i s only necessary to say
that the present hours :
( a ) are long enough to supply a l l the coal
for which a market can be found;
( b ) are as long as man should be expected to
pursue such a dangerous and arduous c a l l i n g ;
and
( c ) that to extend hours i n present ciroumstance-s
is^ simply to swell the ranks of the
unemployed;
( d ) that to increase hours I s to i n v i t e
similar measures on the part of our f o r e i g n
competitors;
( e ) that such a proposal i s contrary to the
Findings of the Royal Commission.
As to counters-proposals we can only say that we
will co-operate to the f u l l e s t extent with the Government
and the Owners in i n s t i t u t i n g such re-organisation as Is
recommended by the Commission.
Until such re-organisation brings greater
prosperity to the Industry, the Miners should not be
called up?vn to eurrender^&ny -of t h e i r present Inadequate
wages and conditions.
On behalf of the Iviiners' Federation,
Yours - f a i t h f u l l y ,
(Signed)
"
n
HERBERT SMITH (PRESIDENT.)
T. RICHARDS
.
"
(VICEPRESIDENT).
W.P. RICHARDSON (TREASURER).
A . J . COOK
Be Rt, Hon. Stanley Baldwin, M.P.
(SECRETARY).
(jUBSTIOH PUT
BY PHIMJB! MINISTJfit
TO
UZU
PUGH.
Pr tday. ,-3£rth. ^prlX* .1986
There has been no indication during the discussion"""
that the Minors' Representatives are prepared t o
negotiate upon the baeis proposed by the Report so
far as regards wages;
on tho contrary, the Miners'
declarations have made i t plain that they are unable
to aooept any departure from the 19 34 minimum, such as
is included in the Commissions recommendations.
Will the Trades Union Congress Committee
obtain assurances that, i f further time were available
for negotiation, the Miners' Repreeexitativea would enter
into those negotJLations accep-ting the Commiealon' s
reoomjaendartions on this point printed at the top of
p.236 of tho Report.