Mr. Lloyd George in the House of Commons on Monday
made a reasoned and judicial statement of the case for the immediate appointment of a Statutory Cemmission to inquire into the position and conditions of the coal industry. This was essential to prevent civil strife. The miners had put fonvard demands dealing with demobilization, wages, hours of labour, and other conditions such as housing. '1'lle terms of demobilization bad been the moot generous given by any country in Europe. The miners now asked for an increase of 30 per cent. in wages, and for a air-hours day, which would reduce their effective houra by one-third. This, according to the Prime Minister's present information, would lay a very serious bonito upon other dustries, upon trades whose wealth and prosperity are essential to the country. The coot of steel would he forced up by 10 per cent. The coal trade itself would be seriously damaged. The cost of food and of raw material would be aggravated. Shipping would suffer. American coal (Pocahontas) cost before the war lle. per ton. It remained about 12s. to-day, as against the present British price of 1/111., and as against the estimated Britith price, if the miners' demands were concealed, of 20s.
