THE COAL MINES

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 10, 12 January 1929, Page 6

THE COAL MINES

CONDEMNATION BY- SHAW (From "The Post's" Representative.) LONDON, 27th N.oveinbor. An appeal on behalf of the distressed miners was made by Mr. Bernard Shaw at Welwyn; Garden City. "A nation.','which-.allows its men to go underground: to live without ultraviolet rays ■ is .in a condition-bordering •tin lunacy," said Mr. Shaw.. "I hope the day will" come when all the coal mines are shut up-^-I will not say with the proprietors inside.. .;,. ' "There is' plenty of .power above ground waiting to be intelligently tackled. In the North of Scotland^ by using turbines to harness'the tide, you could get enough power to run . all Europe. There would' be plenty of work for the unemployed. Why:don't we do It? Because we -are a people bordering on lunacy. lam always telling English people that' but somehow they seem to. like it. (Laughter.) "This matter of the coal question is very simple. A large number of persons are on the brink of starvation, and it is very difficult to get people to think,, particularly:/business people, about such matters, because they aro always thinking about trade. "If you tell them that 5000 children are without boots and shoes they take no notice. But if you tell them the export:,."trade is dowi! by 85000 they think the country is on the verge of ruin.; .People allow this state of trade to come .between them arid the stato of human beings." ■' : .