NOTES AND COMMENTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19509, 13 December 1926, Page 10

NOTES AND COMMENTS.

THE BRITISH STRIKE LEADERS. Among the leaders of the miners' strike, Mr. A. J. Cook, secretary of the federation, has almost monopolised public attention, but several observers have suggested that the dominating influence has actually been that of Mr. Herbert Smith, president of the federation. A writer in Industrial Peace says"Mr. Cook, as the leader of the extremists in the mining industry, travelled up and down the country shouting a 'slogan' which did infinite harm. At that time Mir. Smith, because he remained silent, was popularly regarded as a moderating influence, and Mr. Cook was the one who was attacked in the public press. Nor was the attack undeserved. But, as the weeks passed into months, and the cause of the miners became increasingly unpopular, and their position steadily weaker, Mr. Cook's attitude changed. He published the first reasoned defence of the men's claim and gave the public room to believe that his executive would be prepared to accept a settlement' based upon the economic needs of the industry. It has since become evident, however, that Mr. Cook; though now desiring to exercise a moderating influence, was not the real power, and that Mr. Smith was the more extreme and powerful of the two. Of the extreme elements the most extreme are to be found among- the delegates who have secured control of local lodges buib have had no experiences as responsible administrators. They will be defeated, in the end, in their own districts, though not before they have done irreparable! injury to their own union and the cause of the miners."

THE FUTURE OF COALMINING. Anticipating the collapse of the British miners' strike, the writer in Industrial Peace discussed the probable developments from the men's returning to work "beaten and sullen, full of resentment against the owners, the federation and the Government." One probability, he considered, would be the organising of sectional strikes, the weapon used by the engineers and defeated by the employers' threat of a national lock-out. It was unlikely that the mineowners would attempt such retaliation, so that the country might be forced | to suffer a; long period of struggle, first in one district and then in another,. until the demands of the federation had been satisfied. What would actually happgn would depend upon the policy of the owners. "It is their duty to show, if they can, that the federation has been the real culprit, and that their fundamental difficulty has been that of dealing with an organisation so cumbrous and so badly led. If they fail they will be digging their own graves. The coalowners are continually harping upon the necessity for removing the affairs of the industry from the sphere of political discussion. It can be done, but only by the owners themselves. So far they have not merely invited, but even compelled the Government to intervene. The attitude of the Government has obviously destroyed any faith the miners may have had in State interference. ,Their resentment against the federation itself will pass away, particularly if and when it is reorganised and the present leaders are replaced. The reaction in the future will be directed entirely against the owners, and the owners will be able to remove the "sense of injustice in the minds of the men only by a wise and courageous policy. Their first and most obvious duty is to co-operate wholeheartedly with the Government in carrying out the measures recently enacted and having as their object the creation of a more efficient organisation of mining and the conservation of the energy contained in coal. In that way 5 and that way only, will it be possible to secure satisfactory conditions of employment for the miners and to restore industrial prosperity. Like the miners, the coalowners have been entertaining an exaggerated idea of their 'own virtues, but they, too, have a lot to learn. One lesson is that their industry is a public service, and that their first duty is ' to render efficient service." I