Although we regret every move which even seems to weaken
the policy of the Report and nothing but the Report we can see nothing whatever vicious in the Eight Hours Bill in itself. Lord Grey of Fallodon said on Monday that in his opinion the miners ought to have the choice between working longer hours instead of having their wages reduced, since one or the other thing. was necessary unless half a million miners were to be thrown permanently out of work. The Hours Bill is purely permissive, and if the miners would even now accept the Report unreservedly the Hours Bill would not matter because it would cease to be relevant. Every day it is becoming clearer that the chief blame for this senseless stoppage must be laid upon the miners' leaders,. who are bringing their unhappy followers into extreme' danger of losing all public sympathy. Yet some of the .
owners are by no means careful enough to avoid making. the Government a party to what would look like an act of bad faith.
