South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1920-02-19
BRITISH HAVE M
BIG COAL MINE
PROBLEM NOW
Movement Under Way to Have
Government NationaIize
Coal Production.

LONDON. Feb 1s-AIthough the
war Is over "the miner is always in
the trenches" IS the declaration OF
the supporters Of mine nationalist
ton in support OF their claims that
the mines should. be owned by the
Speople. Sidney Webb. who gave evil
dence before the Coal Industry
commission. is authority for the
statement that from 1910 10 1914
there was a total Of 81O,105 acct
dents in the coal mines Of Great
Britain entailing az least seven days
incapacity. and that the average
number OF deaths for the past nine
years has been 1.4O7 per year.
Vernon Hartshorn. member Of
parliament. giving evidence before
tEe commission. said. The only diff
ference between the soldier and the
miner Is that the miner can never
ask for an armistice. He cannot
even treat for terms Of surrender.
The casualties 20 on every day"
Production Is Wastcful.
That production of coal is con-
dHCted too wastefully is another Of
the claims made by the supporters
OF naturalization Of mines. Endless
strife interrupted and irregular
production and general technical
deterioration are among the results
given Of private ownership. Accord
ing to the leaflets issued by the
Mines OF the Nation" Campaign
committee there were 211 strike
and lockouts in 1910, 163 strikes and
iockouts in 1913, and 154 in 1918.
Strikes occur because the CAPT
taiisJ motive OF a quick and profit
able return upon capital blinds tie
capitalist 20 both the wasting char
acter OF coal as a commercial asset
and 20 the need for its scientific
utilization in tho interests Of the
entire nation"
- The remedy OF this whole condi-
tion If affairs. 10 is claimed. is ma
tionalization of the mines. Just how
natiOnalizing the mines viii result
in putting an emf 20 the death roll
is not stated.
Another statement made by the
same committee IS that the total
capital invested in the coal industry
was less than $7O9.O00.0OO and that
the profits in thu five wears from
1914 20 1918 amounted TO $780,
6GO.000-over 100 pt-reut in fvs
years
Drive For National Ownership.
Altogether a big effort is now be-
ing made TO affect the public mind
in favor or national ownership Of
the coal mines. Just how il will
come out is hard 10 say, but the
average Englishman who has had
any experience of government con-
troll Of public utilities or industries
is hardly likely To add 20 his bcT
dens There is a big agitation on at
present against the telephone sys-
tem-which is "a government mon
<qoly-and since the government
mas had control Of the railroads
fares have steadily increased.
Ii is also a fact that so far this
winter IL has been impossible TO
get sufficient coal for ordinary fam
iv uses. and the government had 20
issue al order limiting the ration
To 100 pounds per week per person.
Even this amount could not be OBJ
tanned easily. and extra prices had
10 be paid in order 90 induce the
coalmen 10 deliver the regulation
amount Just how the Mines OF
the Nation" people intend 10 rem
edy this condition of affairs they do
not state Meanwhile John Citi-
zen" (who represents here the Mr.
common People" OF the American
cartoons) is sitting beside his cheer
less firegrate with an empty coal
bucket and merely wishing that the
mine owners and miners would set
tIe their differences and give him
sufficient coal 20 warm him up.