BRITISH COAL

Grey River Argus, 31 January 1946, Page 2

BRITISH COAL

NATIONALISATION BILL Second Reading Debate LONDON, Jan. 29 Parliament to-day began its first big debate on the principles of nationalising one of the country’s basic industries, when the Coal Industry Nation alisatiin Bill came up for the second reading in the Commons. The subject is regarded as one of sucii importance that both the Government and Opposition are mustering the strongest possible team, and the Conservatives issued a three-line whip to rally all members against the Bill. The debate will last two days. The second reading of the Bill was moved by the Minister of Mines, Rt. Hon. Emanuel Shinwell. He asserted that a drift of soured embittered men from the coal industry was appalling. The efficiency of the industry was -distinctly backward compared with Continental competitors. He said that 694,000 men were now producing 174,000,000 tons of coal, compared with 1,172,000 men producing 267,000,000 tons in 1924. He said: ‘‘lt is my duty to warn the House the existing position contains an element of industrial disaster. Radical. reconstruction of industry cannot be done except under national ownership.” He added that the Government did not propose to appoint to the new board directing the industry either discarded politicians or amateur directors. The salaries of the men selected would be of commercial rather than civil service range. It is certain that the Government will secure a majority for the second reading after which the Bill will be discussed in committee. It can be expected to be law by the end of the Summer. In addition to the clash of policies, particular interest attaches to the debate, as Mr. Eden made his first speech as temporary leader of the Opposition.

Mr. Eden said: “We fear, as too often happens with a monopoly, that the consumer will be fleeced in the interests of the producer, or the coal boarfl will have to come to the Chancellor for financial assistance, whtcli the taxpayer will have to pay.” Mr. Eden credited Mr. Shinwell with a sincere belief in the merits of nationalisation but the scheme put forward in the Bill was not nationalisation but syndicalism. All the Bill proposed was to establish a monopoly for production of coal. There was nothing in the Bill to show how the industry would run when Tit was transferred. That surely was an essential problem not only for industry but for the nation. GENERAL STRIKE BAN BILL TO REMOVE IT LONDON, Jan. 30 A sharp fight is expected in the Commons shortly when a Bill to repeal the Trades Disputes Act comes before it. The passing of this 8711 will restore the law' as it stood before the general strike of 1926. Members of trade unions will be compelled to l “contract out” of the payment of politcal levy to the funds of the Socialist Party, instead of as at present “contracting in.” Sympathetic strikes will become legal so that unions not directly concerned in a dispute can strike in support of other unions. Unions of which civil servants are members, will be empowered to affiliate to the Trades Union Congress. Government servaits will thus be enabled to take part in a strike. Mr Attlee has stated the Bill was put right “after eighteen years an act of singular injustice and reaction, and return to trade unions die rights of which they ought never to have been deprived.” Conservatives have decided to fight the Bill at every stage, arguring that to lift the ban on a general strike is to undermine the Constitution.

CONSERVATIVE LEADERSHIP LONDON, Jan. 30

Tt is interesting to observe the attitude of Lord Beaverbrook’s "Daily Express” to Mr. Eden, at the time when he is assuming temporary leadership of the Conservative Party. Already Lord Beaverbrook’s "Evening Standard” has practically declared Mr. Eden is not the most suitable successor to Mr. Churchill. Now because Mr. Eden in a speech supporting the Conservative candidate at the Preston by-election, merely denounced the Labour Government tor failing to give the nation Cue postwar lead which he declared it needed so badly, and made no reference to the American loan, Bretton Woods or Imperial preference, the "Express” accuses him of “sealed lips policy,” and adds: "This is not leadership, it is negation of leadership.”

EXPORT INCREASE LONDON, Jan. 30 Sir S. Cripps, President of . the Board of Trade, at a press conference stated: British exports for December at £43,500,000 sterling were the highest for any month of 1945. Illustrating the speed of production, he said that of 40,000 radio sets made to the end of November, more than 21,000 were produced in November alone. Much work in recent months was taken up by the switchover. He recalled that Britian’s export target was 50 to 70 per cent, increase over the 1938 export figure by the end of the year.

MINING INTERESTS. DROP OPPOSITION TO BILL (Rec. 7.5) LONDON, Jan. 30. Rt. Hon. Hugh Dalton (Chancellor of the Exchequer) speaking in the House of Commons in the debate on the Coal Nationalisation Bill, announced that the Mining Association had withdrawn its opposition to the principles of the Bill. He added that the Coal Board would be given wide powers and great responsibilities, by directions from the Minister. The purpose behind the Bill was to substitute for an admittedly private industry what the Government hoped and intended to make an efficient public industry. He said: "We are setting forth on a great adventure. It is conceivable that this experiment will fail, as private enterprise has failed down the years. But I believe that it will succeed.”