THE COAL CRISIS

Southland Times, Issue 19896, 15 June 1926, Page 6

THE COAL CRISIS

Although the news is not very definite there is a more hopeful tone in the cables from the Old Country concerning the coal dispute. In one or two of the smaller fields the miners have gone back to work on terms that are suggestive, but Mr Cook is still uttering threats about the terrible things that are to happen if the miners are defeated. Hints at revolution, even in language sufficiently guarded to keep the maker of them within the law, will not assist the miners’ cause because the recent events have shown conclusively that threats about revolution will not be received with favour in Britain, where the great body of the workers are totally opposed to following in Russia’s footsteps. The question of the contributions from Russia is taking a new turn. It now appears that the money sent to the British Miners’ Federation was sent through the Russian Government, but it is contended that this channel had to be used because the British banks would not act on the credit of the Russian trades unions which actually contributed the money. In > Britain, of course, the point has been made

that the trades unions are not wealthy enough to find this amount of money and that the Russian organisations with revolutionary aims have been using the unions to assist the miners in a dispute that is wrecking British trade. If the Russian Government is not involved in these grants one great objection to them falls to the ground, but it is always necessary to. take into account the conditions ruling in Russia, where the government maintains a tight hold over the affairs of all unions and political organisations. Apart from this question of money received from Russia, however, the country seems to be on the eve of a further attempt to bring the parties together on the basis of the Samuel memorandum, and if this can be brought about the industry will be the gainer. It is unfair to blame the miners for the continuance of this trouble, and it is similarly wrong to throw the responsibility on the government, which has acted firmiy throughout and kept its offer open as long as it could, without telling the parties that they might dawdle with the business as long as they chose. If Mr Baldwin displays any readiness to renew the government's offer of assistance in bringing in the new conditions, the parties to the dispute will probably be readier than they were to discuss terms in a reasonable frame of mind. It is wrong, however, to suggest that they can come together without being prepared to compromise. The Samuel report recommended the reorganisation of the industry and leaned in the direction of the men insofar as the hours of work were concerned. In the circumstances there must be some guarantee that the Samuel recommendations will be developed on both sides. The proposal for a secret ballot is likely to be received with favour, but it cannot be used to coerce the government, whose position is that it is ready to protect the interests of the community when they are definitely attacked while leaving the parties to the dispute to fight the battle between themselves. The Samuel memorandum offers the best starting point for a new discussion of the points in dispute and the revival of it with the suggestion that the trades union officials are sympathetic is one of the more hopeful signs reported since, the parties to the dispute, after the cancellation of the general strike, turned their backs on the proposals and decided to continue the war.