New-York tribune., 1919-07-27
Not a Chance in 1912


In 1912 the Miners Federation
presented a bill to Parliament pro-
viding for the naturalization of
the British coal mining industry.
The proposition was not taken seri-
ously enough at that time to get
more than a small proportion Of
academic discussion by people who
had nothing better to do than in
dulge in academic discussion on the
most convenient subject.
Five years of war intervened, and
seven years after the miners we're
indulgently permitted to make their
proposal all England is talking ma
tionalization of the coal industry,
while a royal commission has re-
ported to the government in favor
CT the plan. Not a voice in the
commission interposed a total veto.
There we're four reports, varying
from complete naturalization of
the industry to state ownership of
the coal, with different degrees Of
state control of operation Of the
mines and sale and distribution of
he product. The report recon-
mending complete naturalization
IF the industry was approved by
he majority of the commission.
Who composed the commission
that recommends this extraordinary
departure from British tradition?
Mr.. Justice Sankey, of the Kings
Bench, was the chairman, and these
;sre the members:
Coal owners-J. 7. Forgie, Scot
tish mine owner; r. W Cooper,
chairman Of the South Moor Col
liery Company; Evan Williams,
director, Rhymney Coal and Iron
Company.
MinerER. Smillie, president,
Miners Federation; F. Hodges,
secretary, Miners Federation; H.
Smith, secretary, Yorkshire
Miners.
Appointed by government (em-
ployers' side)-Arthur Balfour,
Sheffield, member of Advisory
Committee on War Munitions; Sir
Arthur Duckham, director general
Of Aircraft Productions; Sir AL
Ian Smith, chairman of the man
aging committee, Engineering En-
ployers' Federation. Miners side
Sydney Webb, economist, Fabian
Society; R. H. Tawney, labor and
industrial section of the Advisory
Council on Reconstruction Sir
Leo Chiozza Money, member of the
late government
The chief report of the commits
son, the report that recommends
complete naturalization, was writ
ten by Justice Sankey and concurre
IN by Mr.. Hodges, Sir Leo Chiozz
Money, Mr.. Smillie, Mr.. Smith, NJ
Tawney and Sydney Webb.
The commission sat for two month
and heard 116 witnesses, of who
= more than $4,000 questions wel
asked in ross-examination.
~ The grtat majority of the wi
'csses were opposed to nationaliz;
ton The overwhelming weight {
the testimony and argument-an
there was great deal of argumer
by the witnesses was against n;
tionalizaton. Yet not q membe
Of the commission but favored n;
t.onalization in some measure an
the majority were for complet
naturalization.
What was the testimony that VIZ
able to weight down this pondero,
mass and bring the commission I
accept naturalization? 1t can
from lords and dukes and bette
earls' tne great landed proprietor
Of England, the men who had II
greatest interest in killing the ide
OF naturalization. Brought und'
the cross-examination Of the nil
ers leaders, men who still carrie
on their hands the calus Of Il
pick, half dozen noble lords owe
bore the whole weight Of cxpc
testimony and turned the comrni
sion unanimously to nationalizatie
as the only solution Of the problcr
Fought to .Snre His Gooi
Probably the man who accor
piished the most against hi. ov
interestg Nag the Duke u Mort
umberhnd, who Vas ai9o the ol
V.In fnttnnf