Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-02-21
CRISIS RISES
BEFORE GREAT BRITAIN
Coal Issue, With Possibility of Profound
Change in Structure of Nation,
Coming to Head.
BY FRANK II. SIMONDS,

| toA-Ho-NhS,
! Correspondence of The Star
ONDON.-Great Britain at the
moment stands under the
shadow of the most appalling
IL crisis since the close of the
World War. All estimates as
to the immediate prospects of British
recovery, economic rehabilitation,
indeed of British triumphs over
the terrific difficulties following the
war, are contingent upon the solu-
ton of the impending difficulties. The
entire political and social structure
of England may be profoundly modi-
ned If peaceful solution is not found.
The crisis arises out OF the coal stu
alton. Last Summer the Conservative
government was suddenly faced with
the threat of a national strike. Tho
coal operators and owners after long
trial had arrived at the conclusion
that the vast coal industry could not
he conducted further on the basis Of
the wages and hours of labor which
prevailed. Coal was actually costing
more to produce than it could be
| marketed for in the world the trade
as whole. despite various exceptions
was making consistent losses. Thus
the mine owners served notice upon
the workers that wages must drop
and hours of labor rise.
Paralysis Threatened.
The result Of this notice was an
immediate response on the part of the
miners that any change would precipi-
tate strike. a general strike, not
alone of mines, but of all the trans
portation and railway companies of
the nation. In a word, all the key in
dustries of the nation would be para
lived by the walkout of the en-
I n1nyaS IL "a lie
We're carried out.
England was thus faced. not alone
with a sudden termination of activ-
ity in most of the important indus
tries, but with a paralysis Of the whole
industrial life of the nation. The
coal mines having closed. the railways
having stopped, the motor transport
and the shipping having ceased. the
| whole industrial machinery of the
country lacking coal. lacking raw ma
terials would have to follow suit. In
effect national strike, a national
shutdown. would follow.
More and worse, since Britain IS de-
pendent upon foreign supplies for its
food, since 1t must be transported by
ship and rail. the immediate ConSe
luence of a general paralysis would
he the sudden and acute crisis Incl
dent to the stoppaEe Of the influx Of
food. The great cities. London first
OF all, were faced by the possibility of
something approaching famine in
short order. Thus, in the words of the
prime minister himself, "a pistol was
presented at the head of the govern
ment and presented suddenly" The
choice was between a very dangerous
surrender and an even more perilous
resistance.
Surrender Chosen.
! The government chose To surrender
| 1t could hardly have taken any other
course at the moment. because general
paralysis meant in addition to all else
the sudden termination of the desper-
ate British effort TO regain lost ground
in the world markets. the abrupt
withdrawal from the field, leaving
to rivals not alone the opportu-
nifty to make present profits, but
perhaps to replace Britain per-
manently. The double calamity was
too great to envisage; national paral l.
ysis and the checking of foreign trade
meant complete national disaster
AS consequence the Baldwin cabi-
net brought forward the notorious
subsidy, the undertaking on the part
OF the government to meet the losses
OF the coal owners incident to CON
tinued operation Of the mines at pres
ent costs. You keep the wages up
and we will stand the cost" that was
the sum and substance of the official
advice, which at once imposed upon
the already overburdened British
treasury q fresh burden calculated at
the moment to cost 500 600. 900, but
now likely to amount to more than
twice this huge sum.
Put Limit on Subsidy.
In making this surrender to abor,
however, the government put def
mite limit on the duration Of the sub
sidy and provided that during its pay
ment. which would last until the com
ing May, an official commission should
investigate the whole question and re-
port, so that when the subsidy period
was ended there would be a basis for a
new line of action. which would meet
the existing problem. In a word the
whole subsidy device was little more
than a. play for time. with the main
issue as to whether there should he a
fight or a compromise left to be set
tied.
Since that time, the coal commits.
sion has held its public hearings and
terminated its taking Of evidence. on
the whole the net result has been I'M
promising. Neither the coal owners
nor the coal miners have shown the
smallest indication Of yielding; there
Is absolutely nothing to suggest that
through any agreement between the
contending parties there can be a set
Element. Unless the governmnt can
find some solution and coerCe both
sides into accepting it. the battle which
threatened last Summer will be even
more threatening next May.
Industry Organized Poorly.
OF course, the difficulty lies in GER
tain fundamental conditions. British
coal mining is VIGOROUSLY badly or
sanized and many British coal mines
can no longer be worked profitablv,
while the market for British coal
abroad is diminishing and must con
tinue to shrink. Profitable eXploita-
ton involves rather tremendous gen
eral system of combinations. of new
machinery and Of ruthless Scrapping
Of improbable mines. And on the
other hand, the wages actually paid
are in the vast ma jority of cases about
as low as is consistent with any de-
cent standard Of living.
The program of the workingman
and of the Labor party is clear and
unmistakable. 1t demands the ma
tionalization OF the whole coal in
dustry. it would have the government
operate the mines, believing that gov
eminent operation would insure main
| tenance and even the raising of wages.
Behind all else in the fight of the
miners lies the clear purpose to take
the mines from the private owners
and put the government In charge.
This proposal, too, is only detail in
the general program, which would
force the naturalization of the rail
ways and transport systems of the ma
ton.
From such colossal experiment in
national operation the nation pretty