NATION MAY BE MOBILISED.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16423, 11 May 1921, Page 7

NATION MAY BE MOBILISED.

Acute Stage of British Coal Strike. C ommunity Will Resist Domination by Sections. Winston Churchill’s Appeal to Reason. By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright. Australian and N.Z. Cable. Association, (Received May 11, 9 a.m.) LONDON, May 10. The coal situation has reached such an acute stage, that the Australian Press Association learns on high authority, that it may be necessary to mobilise the nation within seventy-tivo hours to cope with the position. LONDON, May 10. At a luncheon tendered io Mr IV. M. McPherson, Victorian Treasurer, at Stationers’ Hail, Mr Winston Churchill, Secretary to the Colonies, proposing the health of the guest, dealt with the seriousness of the coal position, which, it was clear, could not continue indefinitely. The streets of the great industrial centres were crowded with workless people. It was a melancholy situation. Their rivals and late enemies, and even their friends, were actively pressing forward to take advantage of Britain’s follies. Coal was necessary to maintain the life of their great cities, which was now menaced and made the object of continuous attack. He was confident that a good outcome would he reached for all parties eventually, but they were at a bad point at the moment, and the situation called for an effort similar to that when their lives were menaced in 1911. “ The community is greater than anv section,” said Mr Ch urchill, “ and cannot be ruled by any section. The nation must assert itself, but when it has asserted itself it must show that it does not wish to triumph over any section. We must remember the part that the miners played in the war, and no vindictive triumph should enter into a settlement.”