The toiler. [volume] (Cleveland, Ohio) 1919-1922, 1921-08-13

Some of those who are inclined to
consider a large-scale strike as con-
tanning revolutionary possibilities,
looked upon the recent coal miners
strike in Great Britain, as the fore
runner of the Social Revolution in
that country. Had the railroad and
dock workers also ioined the miners,
thus showing solidarity Of the Triple
Alliance, some revolutionists would
have considered it as a certainty that
the Social Revolution was being
started in Great Britain.
1t is a matter of general knowledge
as to how the miners strike ran its
course. If there was danger OF a
Social Revolution in Great Britain,
while it lasted, there does not seem
to be any at the present time. The
British Government has contributed a
subsidy of ten million pounds sterling
to the coal industry.
A subsidy to an industry is no
novelty. Many government has
subsidized new industries "in order to
develop home industry" But to the
writer's knowledge, this is the first
time that an industry has been sub
sidized, when that industry is one of
the oldest and largest in the country.
Decline Of Coal Industry.
1t is needless to quote statistics to
show that coal mining is a large and
important industry in Great Britain;
that in competing with the capitalists
Of other nations, Great Britain was
until recently able to undersell them
in the home market, and that British
capitalists could export coal more
cheaply than many competing, coal
producing nations.
The coal mines of Great Britain that
can be worked profitably on COM
petitive basis against those of the
rest of the coal producing countries
are getting fewer, while the number
of British coal miners, proportioned to
the coal mines in operation, are more
numerous. Jobs were getting fewer
while miners became more plentiful
According to the capitalistic, so-called
law of supply and demand, the Goa
miners were therefore required tc
work for considerable less wages.
The coal miners of Great Britain
struck. They refused to work a.
cheaply as the mine owners demanded
Had there been a rigorous application
Of the so-called law of supply anC
demand, there would have been fight
to the finish between the coal miner,
OF Britain, on one hand, and the min,
owners of Britain, on the other.
The so-called law of supply ant
demand is invoked by the capitalist.
whenever they wish to prove to tn,
workers their helplessness. When tn,
workers disregard the explanations O
the defenders of Capitalism; when tn,
workers insist that they get pal,
more than the industry can bear,
and when the workers threaten tn,
existence of the other capitalists also
when they threaten the existence o
Capitalism itseh-the existence of tn
British Government, as It happene,
to be in this case, then by common
consent the so-called law Of suppl
and demand is set aside. Anothe
principle takes its place.
The subsidy granted" by tn
British Government to the coal in
dustry, may be subject to several in
terpretations, y AS setting aside th
so-called law Of supply and demand
y As a tax on other industries 4
favor a particular one. 81 As a nav
ment by the capitalist class Of Grea
Britain to the miners in order to as
sure the continuance Of It's income o,
It's investments in the British Domin
ions, colonies, "protectorates.o
Not all interpretations have bee,
given here. To approach this subsid,
from different angles the question
could be asked; What has the so-calle,
law Of supply and demand to do witt
this subsidy? Do the workers or th
employers In other industries pay Il
Whence does the government Of Bri
tain get the sum Il pays out as a sub