The Strike in South Wales continues, and the distress is
said to be terrible. A compromise has been suggested which has been eagerly accepted by the men, but the masters are not willing to listen to anything but unconditional surrender. It is proposed that each pit should adopt a " standard " of work, that is, should decide the fair amount of coal each collier should raise. The men would then go in at the 10 per cent. reduction, but all who worked up to standard would have the former wages. It is cal- culated that the increased " output " would reimburse the masters, while the men would not be in the position of prisoners at discretion. The overseers allege, however, that the plan would be too difficult, as the men would lend to each other, and the masters insist still upon unqualified submission. They will win, for they can wait for ever, and they will not introduce machine-cutting, or increase the out-turn in any way till they cannot help themselves. They like a shilling for an apple better than eighteenpence for two apples. Most gardeners do.
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