Arizona republican., 1919-07-14
ENGLAND MOVES TO
 HlLT |NCRE AS|NG
 LABOR AGITATION
Deals Swiftly and Surely With Movement That Is Threatening Industries of Country
Republican A. p. Leased Wirel

 people received such a swift and vivid lesson in practical economics as the British government has given this na- ton by the notice in the house of com mons Wednesday that it was raising the price of coal six shilling per ton from next Wednesday.
 The response has been immediate and specific and comes from almost every branch of industry in the king dom from steel manufacturers, ship builders ship owners, railway manag CTS, gas workers and almost all sorts of manufacturers and industries down to laundries and bakeries. They eX- plain just what the government order will cost their concerns and serve mo- tice also that they must pass the cost on to the buyers and consumers.
 Is Counter to Strikes
 Great export industries declare the increase in the price of coal will handi cap them in their competition with other countries and may mean. in. some instances, stoppage of their plants and an increase in unemployment, The general public is told how much the higher price of coal will inflate living expenses. The government apparently meant this to be an object lesson as to what wqYld result from the pre- valent agitation for higher wages and shorter working hours. It also seems to be trying to throw cold water on the campaign for the standardization of industries by trying to show that government management does not mean that wages can be increased and prices decreased indefinitely.
 he Ia ct ct of tho. the government was running the rail- roads at loss. according to a state ment made to the house of commons by Sir Eric Geddes, minister for na- tional service and reconstruction. This loss is now at the rate of ( 60.000. 900. Coal is in different category, because the government has fixed the prices since it took control the mines and has fixed them at a rate to permit the weakest mines to make a profit. The strongest mines make large prof it's, but so per cent of these come back through the excess profits tax.
 Demand and Supply Causes
 The government holds that the in- crease of six shillings was necessitated | by increased wages and the falling off of production.
 The question agitation the country particularly politicians, is whether the government proposes to adopt the de- mand of labor unions for nationaliza- 1 tion.
 Andrew Bonar Law, government l leader in the house of commons, said in the house Wednesday:
 Tt is utterly impossible that an i'm dustry like coal should be subsidized out of the taxpayers pockets Sir Eric Geddes. speakinc on the ! transport bill. said:
 Industries Must Show Profit
 'The surest way to national bank ruptcy is to go on subsidizing ser vices. Each service must stand on its own legs He added that the only alternative for naturalization of the i railways was to increase freights.
 American competition is feared. | is said that Americans are selling goods at less than English cost prices in London. Gas companies say thaf their product will cost the people ot London G6.00O,000 more per year. In | Hated prices being England's greatest problem today, these predictions startle people.