Mr. Hodges, the secretary of the Miners' Federation and the
real leader of the extremists who are in temporary control of its councils, stated on Saturday that the miners had " spared no effort to explore every avenue that might have led to peace." In other words, they had maintained their original demand for 2s. a day and the Government had not given way. Aban- doning the argument first put forward, that the minors rather • than the Exchequer were entitled to the " surplus " profits of the industry from exported coal, Mr. Hodges asserted that the miners needed more pay to meet the higher cost of living. They had, he said, made a great concession in asking that the increase should date not from July 14th but from October lat. Thoy could not agree, like the railwaymen or the dookers, to refer the question to a tribunal, because the Government had not given effect to the recommendations of the " majority " of the Coal Commission—though that so-called " majority " could not agree on the conditions of " nationalization." The miners had lost faith in the Government and had no "honour- able alternative " but to strike against the community.
