The theocrat. [volume] (Zion City [i.e. Zion], Ill.) 1914-1949, 1919-03-01

ers but Of the ''triple alliance miners, rail-
way men and transport workers
According to Henry M. Hyde, in wireless
dispatch to the Chicago Tribune, the effort
came none too soon, as the early reports Oh the
voting taken by the miners on the proposal to
strike March is indicated an overwhelming
majority in favor of drastic action.
The premier is reported to have told the min
ers he would introduce bill in the House OF
Commons, at once asking for the Immediate
appointment Of strong commission, IN which
the miners should be represented, to investigate
speedily and to report on wages, hours OF labor,
the naturalization of coal mines and other ques-
tiOns at issue.
Instead of the naturalization OF mines, the
premier suggested an investigation OF plan
for joint control by miners and mine owners.
He offered to guarantee that the report covering
wages and hours Of labor, at least, should be
completed by March 81. In a powerful appeal,
he urged the miners to withhold any strike &C
ton until that date-two weeks later than the
time announced for quitting work.
The premier pointed out the gravity OF a
strike at the present time when the British ma
ton is crippled by the gigantic cost OF the war
and it's industries are virtually at standstll.
He declared that he could conceive OF nothing
graver than such a conflict because the state
tons
In Introducing the bill, on February "a, Pre-
mer Lloyd George declared that the United
Kingdom is faced with the prospects OF civil
strife. and that the House of Commons should
do everything to avert it.
He said that according to information in
hand to grant the demands OF the miners would
throw burden of the graveSt character upon
other industries burden so serious and heavy
that it might have the effect of throwing scores
if not hundreds Of thousands out of employ
ment entailing intense privation and suffering
among all classes The premier said that the
figures the government had might be incorrect,
and for that reason he desired an investigation
of facts He added that strike of sixteen
days duration, under present conditions, would
cause general industrial breakdown.
The premier pointed out that one contention
of the miners was a. legitimate subject for in
quiry, and that was the allegation that the mine
owners could pay higher wages if certain steps
were taken to avoid wastage. He pointed out
that the cost of coal at the pit mouth in Great
Britain IL shillings as against III sh1lllngs
in the United States, and that if the demands
were granted the cost would become about 26
shillings.
In an article written from London, appearing
this week in the Chicago Evening Post, the COM
parative cost OF coal mining IN the United
States and Great Britain shown as follows:
Confronting period which the general
public has been led to believe Great Brltaln's
most important era of industrial expansion,
British industry is demanding cheap coal
Nevertheless, miners in some sections demand
six-hour working day five days week, while
in other sections the men want to be paid for
twenty minutes for refreshments, meaning tea
s.Eynar+c have discovered that the amOunt of
coal annually produced by each person en-
ployed in the mines has declined from 312 tons
in 1890 to 244 tons in 1912. This is contrasted
with reports from the United States showing
that production of coal there annually has in
creased from 400 tons per person employed IN
1890 to $50 tons in 1912.
This proportionate decrease In British coal
production is attributed to two causes-failure
to adopt new and improved machinery and sys
TENS of operation and demands of miners for
more pay and less work.