Upon these words we shall make few comments. We have
the greatest possible sympathy with the men, for they have seen blunder after blunder committed by those who under- took to lead them to victory. Who can wonder if they feel amazed and perplexed almost beyond endurance when they see how suddenly the mood of the leaders has changed 1 The men who only three months ago were talking about Direct Action and the power of organized Labour to compel the community to yield, if not to votes, to hunger, are now dilating upon the importance political and constitutional action. Legality is the only wear. Miners are great readers, and we doubt not there are sonie who remember how Matthew Arnold speaks of a aimilar levity in change :..,..
"The Eternal Trifler breaks the spell, But we, we learnt his lore too well."
There is the difficulty of the moment. The leaders at heart long to get the men back to work. But the men cannot be moved about like a stage army. They learnt their leaders' lore too well. They were deliberately taught that they could hold the country to ransom, and that they had a• right to do so, and they will not easily unlearn this frenzied teaching.
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