Nelson Evening Mail TUESDAY, APRIL 6, 1926 BRITISH COAL CRISIS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXI, 6 April 1926, Page 4

Nelson Evening Mail TUESDAY, APRIL 6, 1926 BRITISH COAL CRISIS

TIIK reason why the coal-crisis in Britain is s.o fraught with danger to the whole country is because the coal industry is the key industry of Britain. Upon it. depend all the other great industries. The value of the coal mined varies from year to year, but it may be averaged at 150 millions sterling per annum. The annual output of pig iron from British and import; l .! ores may be set down at 70 million.-, sterling. The average annual value of [he raw wool imported into Britain is 58 millions sterling at least: thai of raw cotton imported is- about double thai, value. But all these and other industries arc dependent- upon coal, without which I hey must, come to a standstill So it, will be Been that trouble in the coal-trade of Britain, means trouble for all Britain. But the trouble does not end there. If Britain's main industries are brought to a. standstill through the coal-pits being idle, it necessarily follows that he purchasing power is immediately reduced, so that all those countries from which she usually buys .heavily will find their market in Britain severely curtailed. As Britain is the chief market for the produe-' of the Dominions, they would be among the- first to feel the effects of industrial stagnation in Britain. It may well be asked: What has been done to prevent the British coal-indus-try being brought to n standstill through the differences of the owners and miners? The British industrial world has not done very much. The coal owners and the miners—who might settle their differences, if they would—have tried in a tentative and ineffectual manner to tome to a settlement, but always have reached an impasse on .some fundamental poinl on which neither side would give way. The British Government, when a deadlock seemed to be inevitable, last July, called a truce between the owners and miners, by offering to pay a subsidy which would provide the difference between what the owners were willing lo pay and the amount, demanded by the miners. But the payment of that, subsidy was not to be extended beyond the present month. In the interim the Government asked the owners and miners lo get together and form an agree men! under which they could work amicably. At the same time the Government set up a Commission to exacmine t'tie entire working of the coal industry. I hat Commission recently reported, and though some of its findings were decidedly socialistic the Government adopted the Report without amendment, and asked the oowners and miners to follow suit. So far it dues not appear that either side has done so. though the owners appear willing to adopt Ihe Report, subject lo certain provisions. That is how the matter stands to-day. Tho I'uhninalions of Mr Cook. the miners' secretary, who accuses the ownerr of making war on. the mining community, cannot be described as conciliatory: but they need not be taken at their face-value, for it j s the custom of Mr Cook to speak in that manner. Doubtless too there is a certain amount of "bluff" being Used on each side. What the outcome will be, none can say. But. the British spirit being what il is, there is little doubt- that if the crisis becomes a catastrophe, and the whole of Britain's industry isj brought lo ,-i standstill because of a dispute in Mm coal trade, the British public, with thai sense of justice and fair-play which it knows so well how to use. will decide which side is in the wrong—owners or miners—and it will through its stupendous weight into the scales on the side of justice. It will do so of its inherent nature, and in self-protection. The struggle mighi he stupendous, and its icsults terrible, but the British public will, in such circumstances, settle the dispute itself. It is to be hoped the miners and owners will nieot on the common ground afforded by the Commission's Reports If they will do that, the crisis will be ended. Bui if cither side is recalcitrant, and so precipitates disaster, it will almost certainly find that. " "'''l be the first victim r>.' that disaster.