Evening star., 1926-05-16

! tant idea has penetrated to the
pia mater of the thickest-skulleo
| NJ. p. that the problem of the coal
| mining industry must be dealt with
at once and drastically. Only by res
| toration of that industry to complete
| health can the wellbeing of British
! industry in general be restored.
| But Mr.. Baldwin, Sir Herbert Sam
uel and other wise heads see farther
The drastic reorganization contem
| plated by the Samuel program Is to
be only a beginning. they are wait
ing for the day tsurely not far-dis
tant) when some process for the dis
tillation of coal shall demonstrate
itself technically and commercially
efficient. England stands to gain fai
more than any other country by such
a conSInnmation. That day Will be
for England the beginning of new
and happier industrial revolution
The coal industry must be prepared
against that day.
Some British employers seemed dis
posed, from motives of cupidity OF
revenge, or out of sheer dunderhead
edness, to turn to sinister advantage
the defeat of the trades union, but
Mr.. Baldwin brought them up with
a round turn with his magnif1cent
statement to the Commons, including
the following:
II will not countenance any attempt
on the part of any employers to use
the present occasion to get reductions
in wages below those in force before
the strike began, or to get an IN
crease in hours. The occasion calls
neither for malice nor for recrlmlna'
ton, nor for triumph
Moreover. it became generally
known that the quiet, gentle KING
had once been aroused to anger
against certain die-hards. Therefore.
liquidation of the general strike pro
ceeds as sanely as could be expected.
Germany. - The latest political de-
velopments in Germany seem q little
absurd DR.. Luther and his cabinet
have resigned and DR.. Otto Gessief'
defense minister in all cabinets since
1920 is acting chancellor and has been
invited to form a cabinet. DR. Gessler
is nominally a Democrat. but he Is
not on good terms with his party and
apparently every one considers him a
thorough monarchiSt at heart.
DR.. Luther's downfall came in this
wise: He caused an executive order TO
be signed requiring the old Imperial
black, white and red merchant marine
flag to be flown alongside the Repub-
lican black, red and gold national
standard over German embassies ana
legations. For this he gave the cur1.
Gus reason that the national standard
was offensive to certain Germans, resi-
dent abroad, who could only be pla-
Gated, to the benefit of German trade,
by the arrangement ordered. The or
der immeasurably disgusted the So
cialists, Communists and Democrats.
The Socialists proposed a resolution
of lack Of confidence In the govern
ment, but it was voted down. Then
the Democrats proposed a. resolution
of dissatisfaction with the attitude
of the chancellor. who by his actions
in the flag matter has unnecessarily
conjured up a new conflict In TINS
troubled period" For some reason not
clear to me apparently they Jr~
wanted to give a dirty deal TO
Luther, whom they detest, but whose
flag order one should have expected
to please them) the Nationalists alb
stained from voting on the resolution,
with the result that it was carried.
Luther quite properly interpreted the
vote as equivalent to one of lack OF
confidence, wherefore his resignation.
At the same time the Prussian po-
lice the Prussian government Is of a
Socialist bouqueU unearthed a plot
aimed at establishment of a super
Fascist government, to be followed, in
due time. by restoration of the old
monarchistical government. Accord
ing to some, the plot was most for
midable and the overthrow of Luthe,
was connected with it; according to
others it was the harmless product
i<>f, L. f,,r, 1o1 1,y-
dry bellicose singing societies and
athletic clubs. My reading of the dis.
patches inclines me to the latter view.
But Luther's fall is by no means
unimportant. The ensuing develop.
ments should. be watched closely
What Of the BRIT of Locarno? Cess.
. ler has anno2hced inability to form