Evening star., 1926-10-31
BY SIR PHILIP GIBBS.


T ONDON.-The British coal strike
is slowly petering out: its lead
z ers despairing and discredited.
IL There is no rush back to the
mines, but a steady drift back.
About q quarter of million men are
now working, which is nearly one
fourth of the number employed under
the old conditions, but 1t Is certain
that many thousands will never be re-
engaged, as the old and uneconomical
pits will not be reopened.
All estimates Of the cost inflicted
upon the nation by this industrial
conflict are problematical. but it is
probably more than f500.000,000 when
the losses of all the industries are cal
culated. The last strike which was
half as long cost the nation
1900 900, 900. Nothing has been gain
ed by the miners. mine owners or the
nation as result of this endurance
struggle. There is nothing but defeat
on all sides.
The miners have mOrtgaged their
future wages by heavy debts: trade
unions which supported their strike
have lost their financial reserves and
are paying out vast sums each week
to maintain thousands of men who
lost their jobs owing to the effect of
the coal stoppage on their own in
dustry.
Moral Defeat Seen for All.
1t has been moral defeat for all
concerned. Both miners and mine
owners were equally obstinate i'm defy
ing any spirit Of conciliation and CO.
operation. The British government
failed In controlling or even exercising
any influence over this situation. All
its efforts to reconcile conflicting in
terests or arrange some scientific re-
orga niZation of the coal industry We're
f1outed by both sides.
There is now open and bitter feud
between trade union leaders, Moder-
ate men like Thomas of the railway
union and Frank Hodges secretary of
the Miners International Federation
are renOuncing the folly of q leader
ship which adopted Moscow methods
as we'll as receiving of Russian money
and failed utterly to produce any re-
suits of benefit to the working men.
In return they are abused as traitors
and blacklegs by leaders who even
row are endeavoring to prolong the
strike. not because they think they
can win, but because they want to in
fltct more damage upon >England
trade and credit, thereby encouraging
social revolution
The miners leader Mr.. Cook, has
some OF the qualities of greatness. He
Us courageous, he drives himself un-
sparingly and he has obstinate fanat-
1ciSm. Several times during his recent
campaign he has tainted after his
Fpeeches through exhaustion. but has
gone on the next day. One would
nave some admiration for this man if
one felt that he was sincere in trying
80 penef1t his followers. or reasonable
aHd intelligent in his Judgment. One
cannot grant him those motives or
abilities. He has avowed his revo-
lutionary purpose, which is not to get
good wages and conditions for British
miners, but to create trade Stagnation
and industrial chaos in Great Britain
Misery Held Only Result
Even that might be something bet
ter than insanity if there were any
frightful tyranny which could only be
oNerthroWn by such methods, but
the ballot box and the British con-
stltutlon do not favor his the el,'y
Many times he has flung away the
chance for gaining government sup
port and public opinion to enforce fair
play and reasonable settlement in
this coal dispute, and he has led one
million miners into misery and humili-
alton for no reasonable purpose what
ever.
Their federation is now broken and
their district groups are making sepa-
rate arrangements with their ma SterS.
Not from the very beginning has this