THE MINERS' VOTE.
THE unhesitating decision of the miners all over the country to reject the datum line is a great disappointment, but an examination of the facts will relieve the observer of astonishment and perhaps a despair. Mr. Smile had advised the miners to accept the datum line, and there never was a better illustration of the independence of the British miner than the faot that he has thought the matter out for himself and gone his own way. The feelings of the rank and file of the miners can be explained easily enough. They have had it drummed into them for months, by Mr. Smile an.d Mr. Frank Hodges, that the fall in output was not their fault. They were told that it was due to a shortage Of trucks, to the congestion of transport, and to the deterior- ation of the machinery of the mines. In fine, it was des to the carelessness or meanness of the owners and the Government, and not in any way to the honest labo man down below, who was, as usual, being put upon an was being made the scapegoat for the incompetence and
rapacity of others. When the miner was invited to accept a datum line by which increased wages would depend directly upon output, he probably said to himself, "But this is simply an insult. I have learned that the fall in output is not my fault. Now I am asked to vote for a new system of payment which means that it was my fault—which means that I ought to have produced more, and that I could have produced more, and that I shall not be paid anything extra until I do produce more ! " Now we think that the datum line was an excellent and attractive proposal which would have justly met the miners' demands, and, moreover, that it embodies the only prin- ciple upon which the mines in the long run can be worked satisfactorily for the benefit of the nation. But after all that has happened we cannot be surprised that the miners said "No."
Another reason why the miners were opposed to the datum line was that it was to apply to all classes of miners. It is a well-known fact, however, that the men who actually hew the coal are only about one-third of the total number of men engaged at the mines. There are men engaged below ground who do not hew, and there are men engaged on the surface who never descend into the bowels of the earth. That is to say, the wages of the two-thirds who do not actually hew would be dependent upon the efforts of the one-third. It is not unnatural that the two-thirds did not like the idea. We have stated the case baldly ; of course it admits of many reservations because a general speeding-up would, as a matter of fact, depend to a con- siderable extent upon the efforts of those who are not hewers. We have merely tried to state the case as it may well have presented itself to the mass of miners. Yet again, the datum line was drawn not in respect of individual districts, but in respect of all the coal-mines. This meant that the miners in one district might put in prodigious efforts only to discover that those efforts had been sterilized by some local disagreement which reduced output elsewhere. The miners as a whole are good fellows and good sportsmen, and as they have exalted the watching of a football match into a passion they know—no one better—what good team- play is. But probably in their most enthusiastic moments they never dreamed that loyal team-play would be possible under the depressing conditions we have just described.
It might seem that the rejection of the datum line means that a strike is inevitable, but negotiations have been going on so long that we must now judge the situation on new grounds. The ultimatum which was delivered on Thursday in effect giving the order for a strike has not 0,1ite its old force. The truth is that if there was at one time any enthusiasm for a strike it has departed. The miners know well enough that their leaders are not united, and that if there were a coal strike the strikers could not count upon the hearty support of other trades. Even the powerful Triple Alliance would not be at one. The dockers are satisfied with their present terms ; the railwaymen are more or less satisfied ; more- over, the strike would be carried out dead in the face of Popular disapproval. In such circumstances a strike would be certain to fail. The funds of the Unions are not large enough to guarantee strike pay for more than a fortnight or three weeks, and if a strike were a disastrous failure a shattering blow would have been dealt at Trade Unionism. Now, this is a blow which neither the Government nor the nation wants to deliver. We all want Justice to be done to the miners, and we all want all the !loofa sides of Trade Unionism, which have been of such Inestimable value to the men, to flourish. Black as the outlook seems to be when we write on Thursday, we can hardly believe that the miners will commit suicide, though Pt is clear that they have temporarily--and we do not wonder—quite lost confidence in their leaders. As for the leaders, they follow the orders of the men. What leaders ! After all it may be that they will accept the appointment of an impartial Tribunal to inquire Into the whole question of wages. It must also be remembered that Sir Robert Home has made a new offer
o f an advance as from October 1st "if a clear indication is given that the output is increasing during the month of October."
If the Miners' leaders want to save any fragment of popular sympathy theej must recognize facts and make up their minds to agree to a settlement within a very few days. The injury that is being done to trade by the protracted suspense and anxiety is appalling. The increase of unem- ployment is chargeable to the miners more than to anybody else. We can fancy what Mr. Smillie would say if the Government, having taken some political matter in hand, were as long in settling it as the miners have been in making up their minds. He would denounce the Government as a pack of incompetent and dishonest fools. Yet in all these coal negotiations the Government have behaved extraordinarily well and sensibly. Sir Robert Home has been cool, lucid and tactful and has displayed a remarkable hold upon principle and a profound sense of responsibility. Bolshevism is petering out ; Nationalization commands little sympathy ; the hollow plea that the miners in demanding a reduction in the price of coal were thinking of the interests of the community fell flat and was aban- doned. We have now reached this position, that a strike for revolutionary or political purposes has become an absurdity, and that the miners are assured of more wages if they will only consent to settle down to work and to save the country, as it is within their power to do, from disaster.' If in spite of all they want war, then of course they must have it.
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