The Coal Controversy .
The two statements made during the week by respon- sible members of each party to the coal dispute are encouraging. Mr. Joseph Jones, the President of the Mineworkers' Federation, suggested that a five-year agreement might be arrived at if only the owners' offers could be " brought closer together " and the group of representative coalowners now meeting the Miners' Federation could be authorised to treat with the mincrs' representatives on matters of common interest to both sides, including national regulation of wages. The speech evoked a sympathetic but guarded .reply from the Secretary of the Mining Association, in which an indica- tion was given that the question of " future relationships 'I —presumably including national negotiations—was at present being considered by the district associations of owners. Mr. Jones has since made it clear that his state-. ment implied no abandonment of the demand for a uniform increase in all districts. It results from this that the difficulty' regarding the exporting districts remains, but the inferences which can fairly be drawn are that some form of levy to raise export tonnage prices is being considered, so that the gap between the district offers can be narrowed, and that the owners are nearer agree- ment on the delicate question of national wage machinery. If the two sides can reach agreement without Govern- ment intervention a great deal will have been gained.
