THE COAL NEGOTIATIONS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVIII, Issue 17753, 12 April 1921, Page 4

THE COAL NEGOTIATIONS.

The British industrial crisis has eased very perceptibly during the week-end. Not only has the initiation of negotiations with the miners removed the immediate threat of a genera] strike, but the agreement reached regarding the pumpmen makes possible a continuation of conciliatory processes. This is a development upon which the miners may be congratulated as heartily as the nation. It means the official abandonment of the weapon of sabotage, a change of attitude which should have happy results in the districts where pumping has been discontinued. It was obvious from the outset that the coalowners could not negotiate while the mines were flooding, and the Government, as the guardian of the national interests, was bound to support them in their decision. British common sense has once more triumphed, and now that the miners have returned to constitutional and orderly methods there is good ground to hope for a successful issue of the negotiations. It is true that the kernel of the dispute has not yet been reached, but in industrial bargaining the temper of the disputants is at least as important as any of the economic factors involved, and since the miners have given belated proof of their moderation the atmosphere must be correspondingly sweeter. There is some indication that the Government will facilitate negotiations by accepting the principle of a national agreement and subsidising the less-profitable mines to enable them to pay standard wages. Economically such a scheme is thoroughly unsound, but if it averts a crisis and gives the industry time to recover it will be accepted by the public as much the lesser of two evils.