The Press Thursday, July 24, 1919 The British Coal Crisis.

Press, Volume LV, Issue 16583, 24 July 1919, Page 6

The Press Thursday, July 24, 1919 The British Coal Crisis.

The coal crisis in Britain has become extremely grave. To-day we are told jhat there are 270,000 miners on strike, principally in the Yorkshire coal district, and a specially disturbing feature af the strike is the abandonment by the men of their usual practice during strikes of at least keeping the mines frco from flooding. Even before the crisis the position was alarming enough, for tho output of coal was steadily dwindling, and was far below the rate in 1913, when 287 million tons were raised. The output for tho first 20 weeks of this year was 92,95G,000 tons, an avorago of 4.2 tons por man per week. On this basis, and after allowing for n reduction of 10 por cent, owing to the reduction of the working day to seven hours, which was to Lave como into operation last week, the estimated production for the present year, according to Sir Evan' Jones, tho Coal Controller, was 230 million tons. For » full year after the introduction of the shorter day the output, at the present rate, would bo 217 million tons— a drop of over 70 million tons, which is the amount exported in 1913. The fall in tho output is due partly to lessened exertion by tho miners, and partly to an increase in absenteeism. As a consequence of the great shortage, now made almost disastrous by the strike, industries of all kinds are seriously affected, and Mr W. Brace was not going, much beyond literal truth when, in his appeal to the minors to double their output, he spoke of national bankruptcy as the llternativo.

Serious as this position is in itself,' it is oridently felt that it may become j acutely dangerous through the steps taken by the' Govorament to avert tho< Tuinous flooding of the idle mines. Five thousand naval stokers have been sent to the strike area to assist in pumping, and although the Government have explained that they are not using service; mou ?s "strike-breakers,'' it is feared.

that the miners may misconstrue tho Government's objoct. Ordinarily such a step, necessary and proper as it assuredly is, would be difficult to take without arousing tho strikers' suspicions and driving them to violence. Unfortunately special circumstances exist which greatly increases this difficulty. Some months ago the War Offico issued a secret circular calling for regular reports from station commanders concerning tho moral of the troops in their respective areas. Some of the questions commanders were required to answer were these: "Will the troop 3 respond " to orders for assistance to preserve "the public peace? Will they assist in "strike-breaking?" The Army Council also desired information regarding the growth of Trade Unionism among the troops, and, in short, tho general feeling of the troops on industrial politics. This circular was published by the Labour paper, the "Daily Herald," and it very naturally caused a sensation, and aroused intense feeling amongst the unions. The whole subject wm debated in the House on May 29th, and Mr Churchill mado a statement which for the time being soothed the ruffled feelings of tho Labour men. The circular was issued, ho said, at a time when public order appeared to be in danger. He admitted that the use of the term "strike-breaking'' was unfortunate, but the military authorities had had no intention of asking the troops to engage in "strike-breaking." He wont so far, indeed, as to say that it would be entirely contrary to tho law of the land and to the custom and practice of the country, and even "a monstrous inva- " sion of the liberty of the subject," to ask soldiers and sailors to take sides with tho employers in a trade dispute. But where vital considerations affecting tho health, life, and safety of the people were concernod the breakdown of the essontial services could not bo allowed. If tho miners are not misled by the firebrands who will exploit the situation in the hope of bringing about a general smash-up, the naval stokers will bo ablo to save some of tho affected mines from ruin. But tho peril to Britain's industry will remain. Nothing but a realisation by the miners of the mischief that will be caused by an insufficient output can really savo tho situation, and the strike does not encourage one to hope that the men are even beginning to realise the gravity of the danger threatening the industrial and commercial life of the Kingdom.