The Thames Star. Our War Motto THURSDAY, APRIL 26, 1917. THE WEST COAST SETTLEMENT

Thames Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 18325, 26 April 1917, Page 4

The Thames Star. Our War Motto

THURSDAY, APRIL 26, 1917. THE WEST COAST SETTLEMENT

11 With ma'i c t'wards none ; with c l'Hrity for all; with firmness in the ritfht a» God fcires us to see the ri^ht— let uh atrive on to finiwh the work we are in ; to bind up thin nation's wounds ; to cars for him who ahull have borne the b-.tt.le and for hia widaw and orphan ; to , do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace." —PbbßJdknt Lincoln.

The terms of settlement of the West. Coast coal trouble indioates that there was very little, if any, excuse for the strike. The ostensible reais»n was the compulsory cilausee of the Military. Service Acit, to which the miners were opposed, the strike being an alleged pfrotesit against tihe measure. The reaisoin for the "g(* slow" policy is stall obscure. Now, as the rasuta of the conference between Ministers and the miners' deiegfttes, the sbrikarei have returne<l to work, and the "go slow" policy is to ba departed from. But the Military Service Act is stall to be maintained in its' integrity, the demands of the minors that it should be repealed falling to the ground without any attempt on the part of the mem to justify their demand, or to give reasons for the "go slow" attitude. ! Why the manors should have manifested such opposdidon to compulsory military service is difficult to understiiiid, seeiing that their industry, being regarded as an essential one, was free from the operation of the Act. Bearing this in mind, and taking it in conjunction' with the miners' ready abandonment of their attitude shows tbat their oppoai- ! ! tiicn was not sincere/ and that tihe real reason for the strike has not l>een disclosed. Military appeal j boards have all along been excusingl miners on the ground of the essential nature of their occupation, and this practice is to be maintained. With regard to the actions aojainst tihe miners in connection with the "go *)low*' policy the Government will not press for penalties in the event of convictions, and this appears tobe The only real concession made by the Ministers. The Government has undertaken to bring about a conference between, mine owners and employee**, and it may b© hoped that at this conference real grievances will b.> r.dressed, and the coal miners of the Dominion will be able to go to work with, a good heart, and put their best efforts into the work, realising that by doing! so they are doing wfoaitevea* lies in their power to win the war. And every ounce of effort is now more than ever needed.