Grey River Argus and Blackball News FRIDAY, APRIL 8, 1921. BRITISH MINERS' STRIKE.

Grey River Argus, 8 April 1921, Page 2

Grey River Argus and Blackball News

FRIDAY, APRIL 8, 1921. BRITISH MINERS' STRIKE.

Delivered every morning in Greyinouth, Kuniara. Hokitika. Dob>on, Wallsend, Taylorville, Cronadun, Ngahere Blackball. Nelson Creek. Brunner. Te Kingha Rotoinanu, Poerua, Inclibonnie. Patara, Ruru. Kaimata, Kotuku. Muana. Araiika, Bunanga. Dunollie. Cobden. Baxter’s. Kokiri. Abaura. Ikamatua’ Stillwater. Wanita. Reelton. Ross. Ruatapua. Mananin. H.iri Han. Waiho Gorge, Weheka. Rewanui. Otira, Inangahua Junction. Westport, Waiinangaroa, Denniston. C.ranity. Millerton. Ngakawau, Hector. Seddonville, Cape Foulwind, and Karaniea.

i nere u- one outstanding rpiestion :ir i s 'Ue in the British <-o:il dispute, jlt is whether |lm workers shall In* loi'-cd lo .-u-rept m>\\ a .-lamlard of living lower than they had before the 'var. ’I he capitalists, upon the State restoring thmu to eonlr<d oxer the industry, have taken advantage of the "I'lmrtunity to attempt a big wage rc-'lii'-tion. aggregating over seven milI'l’iis per annum in the national weekly wage total. In asking tin* minors "• ngree to this, the owners declare I they cannot pay in wages any more |ihan (he industry now yields, d’hexl'"'i'i "at that prices have fallen of late, although it is a notorious fact Hint huge profits have been se<ured 1101,1 the export trade. Therefore their argument boils down lo this: I hat a decent standard of living is lor Hie workers a luxury that cannot be (‘Xpeeted lo lake pivccdence of | profits. The Government is siding with the capitalists, since it recognises that a proper solution of the whole problem will run counter to the : vesfed interests of the class behind the Government. The Government has ignored the Sankey (‘onimission’s finding in favour of nationalising the coal | industry, not because it fears national- I

isation would prove an economic failllr*’- but because it would not be countenanced by the moneyed class, t onsiderino- the large number id' people engaged in the mines, it surelv is wiser statesmanship to provide them "ith a reasonable standard of living than to conserve profits for the relatively small number who live on the profits from the miners’ product. The accumulation of wealth and the decay of human beings spells the downfall ‘>f a country. And the workers in 1-rilain know that if the miners are forced to obey the behests of the employing class, it will be a case of God help the workers in other industries. Already (he capitalists are contrasting the low wages in other industries with the bettor wages of the miners, as a reason tor lowering the latter, whereus 11 is a reason for raising the "ages of the other workers. The owners have been prepared to dislocate industry sooner than compromise, or they never would have forced the men lo strike. They will now cry out about a loss to Ihe country from the stoppage, but they foresaw all that. I he first charge on any industry must be a fair "’ago for the worker. Labour stands for that principle, and it cannot morally refuse to light for it "hen asked lo abandon it. The coal owners are engaged in the forefront of a great offensive against wages, ami are backed up by a. Government utterly careless or oblivious of its duty to

the great majority, the workers of the country. The State should see to it that wages are kept at a reasonable standard. ff private enterprise pleads incompetence to pay such a wage, is for the State to step in and provide it in the case of the essential public utilities. Instead of this, the British coal-owners and the Government ate citing a different standard of liting. they go to the countries where labour is cheapest, and the workers are most exploited, for a standard of comparison. Thev say the foreign producer can now undersell British coal, and hence wages must be lowered so that. British coal can undersell the foreign article. This means simply that the British miner is to tell tor the benefit of the foreign consumer and the profit seeking mine owner. Lnderlying the action of the British miners is their conviction that they mu I<l manage the coni industry more economically tor till concerned than the owners do. The miners of Holland are now taking up the same stand as those of Britain, only the Dutch owners are not ooin<r Io force a strike. Labour tes cxervwhere will hope t | ie British miners succeed in their fight to maintain a decent standard of living. What benefit run the prosperity of oiln-rs have lot the worker when denies him a decent existence’