New Britain herald., 1926-05-13
MUDDLING THROUGH BRITISH DILEMMA


 1 general strike. That there would b,
 an ordinary end 10 the upheaval i one without bloodshed, a revolu
 tion, or even rioting on a large scale, was evident for several days
 Yet it is doubtful that the in.
 hercnt basis of British industria
 difficulties will be touched, espec,
 tally in the coal mining industry i And anyone who knows English in.
 dustrialism fairly well is informed regarding the vital weight of the
 coal industry in the general scale
 Of British prosperity.
 The facts are that, since 1S49
 England has steadily grown into an island depending altogether upon industry for it's sustenance. Four hfths of it's islanders live in the towns or cities, depending upon in-
 dustry and trade for their liveli- hood. The industrial revolution has 1 revolutionized England more than any other civilized nation. In the United States, despite our notable industrial progress, half the people still live upon our farms.
 The coal industry in England has been the first to feel the pinch of changed conditions since the war. Instead of British coal being ex- ported throughout European coun- tries. it now cannot compete with French Belgian and German coal: instead of it's coal being utilized upon naval and commercial vessels the burning of oil has vastly in- creased upon the high seas fleets; instead of coal being the mainstay Of a multitude of industries, elec- tricity, generated through water power has made enormous inroads upon it's former monopoly.
 English mines form the greatest basic industry upon the islands; and with these faced with bad days the entire industrial fabric feels the pinch. That the industry has not kept pace with modern require ments in other respects has but in- tensifled it's difficulties; old ma chinery, old and costly methods, 1,50O boards of directors running the mines; fat royalties paid to landowners - such things do not help out in bad situation.
 The industrial revolution in Eng land since 1S49 has brought about a condition that all industrial countries, or countries thinking overmuch of industrial "pre-emi. ncnce," can take 10 their hearts with profit. While being a beehive Of industry for a large part Of the world England has been exporting $1,500,o0o,6o0 a year to foreign countries for it's food, much of which could be grown upon its island if there had not been such pronounced industrial progress, re- sulting in taking most families off the farms during the past four or five generations.
 This over-industrialized condio ton is primarily responsible for 1, 1,5oO,o0o men being out of em- ployment at times, and a normal | rate since the war of more than a It is the primary reason for the system of doles, which though much criticized, is merely l a method of preventing the im- pccunious from starving, rioting and crime.
 There is only one sensible | method for England to solve it's in dustrial dilemma; and, strange to say, it is rarely mentioned by | British publicists, statesmen or politicians. That method is for sev- aral millions of it's citizens to emi- grate 10 the British colonies, most 1 of which are far from being de- yeloped to q tenth of their capaci- .y. But 1t seems that the only | country to which Britishers care to | ,mgrate is the United States; but | II last reports the American quota las been filled q year in advance. The quota allowance of the United | States would permit of only q small portion Of the necessary emigration.
 When one thinks of the vast ;paces of Canada, Australia and New Zealand, to mention only three 1f the British colonies. one cannot Iclp wondering whether the Brit sh race is falling in it's opportuni- y 10 build up these dominions at | faster rate. At home there are It least 2,000,o0O men too many; n the dominions mentioned there Ire many more millions not .nouEh.
 But the Britisher prefers, in the main, 10 stick 10 his ancestral stands and continue muddling, with all the enormous difficulties. ociaI risks and national hazards hat if implies,
 The ueyys accounts from SOitZ-