21 AUGUST 1926, Page 1

NEWS OF THE WEEK

SURELY the coal dispute has nearly run its baleful course. The beginning of the end is making itself felt- after fifteen weary weeks. With good - will on all sides peace will return and there • are better signs Of good will this week than we have discovered for a long while. After the rejection last week of the districts of the proposals submitted to them by the National Conference. of Delegates a fortnight earlier, a change seemed to come over the miners' leaders. Mr. Cook in particular faced a South Wales meeting, which was at first by no means favourable to him, and told his audience (we quote from a summary in the Manchester Guardian) that "nationalization lies in the future, to he won by conversion of- public opinion ; . . that blind revolt is idiotic ; that to destroy the mining industry is folly, and that the miners' interest lies in its success." Thus the secretary of the Miners' Federation and his colleagues have determined to resume negotiations kn. peace. * * * . •