The Coal Bill When we write on 'Thursday the Coal
Bill is due to_ come befoie the House of Lords for the Report stage and third reading. What , the Government will do about the amendments which the Lords have carried and those which they may yet carry is' an interesting subject_ of spechlation. We imagine that as the House of Commons itself removed the general levy from- the Bill the Government Will not be able very fifthly to resist the Lords' amendment which does away with the local levy. The Government, however, set great store by the Reorganization Commission and are sure to struggle sternly against the Lords' substitution of the Board of Trade. So again in, the . case of the substitution of the ninety-hour fortnight for the seven and a half hours' day, the Government will not at like- giving way, Bid' the whole conduct of the Uhionist case. by Lord Salisbury suggests that the LordS will prefer compromise to a Constitutional crisis.' BOth sides hive figured very well in the House of Lords. If Lord Salisbury has been consistently fair, the tiny group of Ministers have been in particularly good form. Lord Russell's debating ability would be a great asset to any Party. ▪ * * *
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