The Washington herald., 1921-04-05
BRITAIN'S POSITION
is ENDANGERED BY
STRIKE OF MINERS
CONTINUED FROM PAGE ONE.

gle and since the end of the con-
fiict have made the most intelligent
and far-reaching efforts to recover
their old situation. Taxation has
reached unheard of limits, there
has been every sort Of sacrifice and
a demonstration of British skin
alike in political and diplomatic
fields, which can have no parallel
even in British history. II only this
skill had been supported by COM
bined effort at home, II only there
had been a little luck abroad, Brit
ain would be on a fair way to re-
covery.
Luck Fails Britain.
But luck has plainly failed Brit
ain. Since the armistice the condi-
tons in Egypt manifestly have been
made worse. Mesopotamia has made
an enormous draft upon British re-
sources, and finally, Ireland has
been a terrible drain and q source
of infinite injury. Added to this
has been the ever-growing indica-
tion that British labor had no in
tention of sharing in the sacrifices
which were necessary IL British
prosperity were to be restored upon
the old basis. This has already
been demonstrated in several grave
strikes in the past and now fnds
final proof in the present crisis.
A coal strike paralyzes the most
important source of British pros
perity, both because so much of its
domestic life Is dependent upon coal
and because coal exports are one of
the chief sources of national in
come. Even the brief strike OF
some months ago dealt a terrible
blow to British prosperity. because
il gave America a chance to export
vast amounts OF coal and swamp
the European market
U. s. Ii Competitor.
From this invasion the British
have not yet recovered and any pro-
traction of the present strike means
a new American invasion with still
more disastrous consequences.
All this labor perceives. 1t has
actually taken British capital by
The throat and its hands are at
the windpipe of British govern
ment. To win the present strug-
gle is to change the whole char
acter Of British life. Labor VIC
tory In the coal fields will inev-
itably be followed by similar sue
cesses in all other branches of in
dustry. and Great Britain will find
herself most hopelessly handicapped
in world competition, since she will
have the highest-paid labor in Eu-
rope. What possible chance can
British industry have in competi-
tion with German, for example,
where the wages have. been reduced
and the hours of labor increased?
Encourages Irish.
As to the political situation, the
strike comes at the moment when
the Irish situation is unsettled and
must encourage the Irish to new
demands. although there is present
indication that any moderate pro-
posals will be listened to. It must
encourage the Germans, who are
still defiant and refuse to meet the
reparations demands. With Britain
paralyzed and British domestic dif-
iculties mounting, no one can ex-
pect the British to support or
even approve a forward march in
Germany. What the repercussions
in the Near East may be no one
can forecast, although everyone can
suspect.
Position ut Stake.
But. after all, the economic is
the most important aspect of the
new struggle. In a measure the
outcome of the battle may deter
mine whether Britain can regain
her old position in the world, or
must resign it. not as Q direct con-
sequence of German attack, but az
an indirect consequence of the war
ana through the successful asser-
ton Of the 1aboring classes of a
right to live at fixed standard,
irrespective of the costs Of this
standard to their country either in
or politically.
And in the United States the les
son which the struggle teaches WIN
not be lost in the great railway
debate which Is only now Just be-
ginning. In all ways, therefore.
the present test In the United King
dom must prove q LANDMARK in in
dustr1al and economic history.
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