Page:Cook (1927) The Nine Days.djvu/22

 At 8 o'clock on Tuesday evening the whole of my colleagues—the full Committee—were called before the General Council and informed by the chairman that a unanimous decision had been arrived at. Proposals had been received from Sir Herbert Samuel and agreed upon by the Negotiating Committee of the General Council.

In a long speech, Mr. Pugh solemnly and seriously declared that the General Council had decided that these proposals must be accepted by the miners' representatives as a basis for negotiations, and that they would call off the strike. They had guarantees that satisfied them that the Government would accept these proposals, and that on the strike being withdrawn the lock-out notices also would be withdrawn, and the miners should return to work on the status quo (with, of course, a reduction in wages to come after resumption of work). We were told these proposals were unalterable, could not be amended, that we had to accept them en bloc as this was the unanimous decision of the T.U.C.

Mr. Pugh was continually pressed and questioned by Mr. Herbert Smith, myself, and my colleagues as to what the guarantees mentioned were, and who had given them. We got no answer. But J.H. Thomas said to me personally, when I asked him whether the Government would accept the Samuel proposals and what were his guarantees: "You may not trust my word, but will you not accept the word of a British gentleman who has been Governor of Palestine?"

Our President, myself and my colleagues put several other questions; asking what was the position of other workers in regard to the unanimous decision arrived at that we should all return to work together, to protect one another from victimisation, and to secure a return by all workers on the same conditions as when they left. We were informed that "That was all right." We continually pressed this point, when J. H. Thomas replied: "I have seen to it that the members of the railways will be protected"—the inference being that we need not trouble to meddle with the business of other unions.

I will allow the railwaymen to now judge whether the "protection" given them had any real existence.

Herbert Smith made our position quite clear, and again courageously faced the General Council, knowing well what the consequences might be.