Northern Advocate Daily WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE Northern Mail Daily. MONDAY, JULY 19, 1915. THE COAL TROUBLE.

Northern Advocate, 19 July 1915, Page 2

Northern Advocate Daily WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE Northern Mail Daily.

MONDAY, JULY 19, 1915. THE COAL TROUBLE.

HOISTS ftKT> FOR TRANSMISSION THKOUGH BE POST AS A NEWSPAPER

News which reaches us to-day regarding' the coal trouble in South Wales is by no means encouraging and the worst is feared of the position. The result of the "card vote" showed that there was nearly a two-to-one majority in favour of a strike, the actual figures being 47,450 in favour of resumption of work, and 89,850 in favour of a strike. Wild excited utterances are ("■• edited to the miners who profess an intention to defy authority. Indeed, matters have gone so far now that rioting has already occurred in Llannelly. The opinion is expressed that the Government has been over-hasty in the application of the Munitions Act to the trouble, and that it would have been far better had Mr Lloyd George made a personal appeal to the miners. This, in a measure, may be true but the time is gone by when the nation can afford to wait for soft pleadings to bring industrial squabbling to a close The clauses of the Munitions Act dealing with strikes and lock-outs were passed with the full knowledge and endorsement of the Labour members in the House of Commons, and responsible representatives of the workers throughout the United Kingdom have readily accepted the imperative need for a cessation of industrial hostilities during the hour of the Empire's peril. Influence has not been wanting to bring the miners to a state of reason, but all seems to have been in vain. The men appear to have adopted an utterly reckless determination to force their demands, irrespective of the great crisis before the nation. Their action is almost beyond expression of regret. A French socialist has characterised it as high treason to England, France and the other Allies, and his expression has not fallen far short of the truth regarding the position. But the men have not only been guilty of treachery to the nation. They have been guilty of base treachery to their own class. An organised determined strike at such a time cannot fail to raise antagonism to the labour cause in every quarter of the globe. The antagonism will not be justified, because, in the main, the great ranks of. Labour have closed up solidly in the Empire cause. But the fact will remain and rankle that at a time of stress and national danger these men in the name, of organised labour, threw down their tools prepared to leave the men in the trenches to the mercy of a ruthless foe. From Canada, South Africa, Australia and. New Zealand the message has gone forth that Labour will (in Mr Cresswell's words-) ''see the Empire through." What an example is

.being set by Wales! "What a travesty upon British loyalty! [ The men, no doubt, have griev- i ances, and the owners have not shown any too fine a spirit of patriotism, but this is not the time ' to settle differences. The GovernI ment can be relied upon to see justice done to the workers and ample punishment will be provided for the greedy exploiter. -But our furnaces must not grow cold while men pay the price for dis-union in blood and suffering on the battlefield.