Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1919-02-28

Great Britain is just now confronted
with the most serious crisis the coun-
try has known since the darkest days
Of the war, because of the dissatisfac-
ton of the coal miners of the country
with wages, hours Of labor and hous-
ing conditions, and the backing they
are getting from the transport workers
and railway union, whose organiza-
tions, together with the coal miners
form a triple alliance for the enforce
ment Of the demands Of labor. Pre-
mier Lloyd George is pressing on the
house of commons a bill to provide for
a statutory commission to look after
the grievance Of the coal miners and
he does not hesitate to say that unless
something is done there will be civil
war in England Of a most disastrous
nature. In his speeches, the premier
has set forth the situation in manner
that makes things look very gloomy,
because upon the satisfaction of the
miners depends the manufactures,
commerce, food supply and even the
health of England. The coal miners
are representing that they positively
cannot live in reasonable comfort un-
der the conditions now existing, and
they want such wages and hours as
will enable coal miners to have as
much satisfaction in life as is afforded
to workers in other lines, else they are
willing to sink the ship. The premier
has set forth a situation to the pur-
port that as matters now stand capital
is realizing only one shilling or a little
more than twenty-five cents ton
profit on coal and that the owners of
the mines are getting royalties Of only
half a shilling a ton. The cost of coal
at the mouth Of the mine in England
Is now said to be seventeen shillings
against only eleven shillings in the
United States, and If the wage and
other demands Of the British miners
should be granted, the cost OF coal at
the mouth of the mine would be 26
shillings. leaving England at disad-
vantage of eight or ten shillings, even
without allowance for royalties and
profits to capital. The premier states
that British dealers have already lost
large orders in Brazil and Argentine
because Of American ability to under
sell, and the seriousness Of this is fur
ther emphasized by the fact that the
ships which carry coal to the countries
named bring back meat and other food
products for the miners and for other
workmen. The premier pointed out
that if Great Britain's coal trade is de-
stroyed there will be a great increase
to the cost Of food as we'll as coal on
all the people and Of course the results
will be Immediately felt in all lines OF
manufacture. The coal miners, in the
full understanding Of all these things
have declared for the strike by vote
of 611,9ss against 104,9s7, and they
mean to stand for their demands at all
cost. Their representatives in parlia-
ment are demanding the nationaliza-
ton of the coal mines; that is that the
government own the property, and If 1t
be necessary to put down the price of
coal in order to meet competition In
Brazil or elsewhere let it be done at
the expense of the whole nation, rath-
er than at the expense Of the miners
who are digging the coal. Underlying
the fight, of course, is the issue Of Boil
shevism, pure and simple, except that
nobody is calling it that.