The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1926-04-17
The British Coal Report

- - ~ MmA) - n %hse4 ~ - a
financial house, big banker, big
exile employer and a former gov
,rnment of1ciaD to prepare the cap
italist case. The miners only agreet
BY vote of AT. 900 to $4,000 even to
appear as witnesses before the com
mission.
The subsidy is by common consent
only temporary device, and no so
luton. It win have cost, by the time
it reaches its end on April 80, OF ELL
100000. The government, which Is
in financial difficulties and endeavor-
ing, for example, to save GS,G00,OO0
by desperate attacks on unemploy-
ment and health insurance in its econ
omy bill, viii not readily continue this
expenditure; and the other industries
are up in arms against it. Therefore,
even If any continuance is adopted, 1t
can only be short postponement of
the issue for tactical reasons.
The dilemma remains inseparable:
either socialistic reorganization or re-
newed attack on the workers. AS one
Of the principal coal owners, G. p.
Markham, the chairman of fifteen
companies, declared: "Whatever the
commission decides, the fact remains
that whenever the subsidy comes of
there Is bound to be fight"
The Commissions Proposals.
TUE report of the commission is a
4 confession Of capitalist bank
ruptcy. The existing disorganization
and backwardness Ia admitted, and
he necessity Of drastic change
Many mines are badly planned" an
IN "to small scale;" suffering froi
defective equipment and manage
ment;" methods utilized are unscien
tifc;;" coal is not being put to scien
sific use; research is neglected; ano
selling organization and transport is
anarchie and costly.
Nevertheless the commission is un
able to recommend the unitary state
reorganization which alone can carry
through the necessary changes. Ma
sionaIization is rejected. Even com
pulsory unifcation and grouping is re
ected British Capitalism has reached
stage at which it can no longe
smedy its own abuses. The frame
york of obsolete property rights ha
,ecome SO unstable that even a par
ial blow or change cannot be ad
nitted without endangering the whole
The commission recommends only
the naturalization of mineral rights
ut not OF the mines. The existing
oyalty owners would be bought ou
maximum price OF e 100, 100000
ince royalties at present amount te
e6,000,000 year, the interest on th
Irchase price and the administration
osts would be equivalent to THIS. an
economic change would be mad
We that the income Of the royalty
yners would be for the future qua
iced. No control over the industr.
would be established.
For the organization OF the indus
ry the commission can only recon
aend a system Of state boards with.
out compulsory powers. These pro-
oosals therefore are extremely weak
or the actual situation. and more a
yindow-dressing OF reorganization
han any serious attempt. A coal
commission would be established to
administer the mineral rights, and in
the renewal OF leases endeavor to en-
courage grouping, In few extreme
'ases even legislation might be used
to carry through amalgamation of
particular companies. To develop the
scientific use of coal and coordinate
with other sources Of power, ma
sionai fuel and power committee
should be set up-but only with ad-
visory powers. Research Is to be en-