The Wilmington morning star., 1946-08-12
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FROM PAGE ONE

aims economic problems, and the
first industry which will be fully
nationalized. The new National
Coal Board is due to take over on
January l, 1947. To try to get a
more solid picture of the British
future, your correspondent recent
ly talked with most of the mem
bers of the board. In every sense
it was a remarkable experience.
Most American businessmen will
suppose that the headquarters of a
great new socialist administration
must TEEN with the incorruptible
type of leftwing enthusiast. Moth
ing could be more untrue. John l..
Lewis would hardly be at home
in the singularly undramatic at
mosphere of the coal boards
shabby headquarters in a batter
ed apartment house on Berkeley
Square. But the place would be
entirely congenial to a sound, In
telligent banker of the old school.
The chairman of the board, Lord
Hyndley, is a progressive colliery
owner. The chief technical expert,
Sir Charles Reid, is a frosty, con-
sentative Scotsman whose very
scottish burr proclaims distaste
for the impractical and the Wis
ionary. Ebby Edwards, the min
er's representative, is a shrewd,
seasoned trades union leader. And
the other members of the board
are men of the same tough, able
kind.
They have the hardest job in
Britain ahead of them. Between
wars, coal was Britain's slum In
dustry. Profits were low, and
most colliery owners preferred to
rely on cheap labor rather than
to spend money to midernize their
mines. Unemployment was appall-
ing. The mine villages we're of the
sort Blake remembered when he
wrote of 'the dark stanic mill'.
Every old miner counselled his
son to try another trade. Thus the
coal board now begins without
enough men to get out the coal
Britain needs.
This is a matter of vital politi-
cal significance. By next winter,
with rising exports and full en-
ployment, Britain will require
about 1000, 900 tons of coal a week
as a minumin. Stocks are already
below the danger point every
where, and production is lowering
around 300, 900 a week or a little
below that figure. A hard winter
will be a national tragedy. Even
if the winter is mild, increased
production will be absolutely es-
sential. To get through the emer-
gency, the board will use emer-
gency measures. Production will
be concentrated on the best seams.
To give an incentive for increased
output per man, the board is ask
ing the Cabinet to give the min
ers richer food rations and in
creased opportunities to buy con-
sumner goods.
Even if the Cabinet consents to
the controversial expedient Of pre-
ferential treatment for the miners,
there is not a member Of the coal
board who will not look forward
to the winter with deep misgiv-
lngs. On the other hand, there is
not a member of the board who
does not look forward with stir
ring enthusiasm to tackling the
l~ong-range problem of moderniz-
ing their industry. 1t is all non
sense that Britain's coal resource
IS played out. On the contrary, nc
nation in the world except perhaps
the United States has such riches
in this basic raw material. pro-
vided they are properly exploit
ed. The principle Of exploitation
which the board has adopted i:
board national and regional plan
ming for highest efficiency, com.
bined with the fullest delegation
OF executive responsibility to the
men in charge of the job of get
ting out the coal.
Planning will be done in thu
board itself, and in the eight "di
visions" corresponding to the
eight big British coal regions, int
which the country has been par
celled out. The job Of getting GU
the coal will be given to area man
ayers within each division. Eacl
regional group of mines will b.