The miners' leaders apparently asked the Government to sell coal
at a lower price to manufacturers and to reduce the prices of mannfactured goods, or, alternatively, to-increase the millers' wages still further. They evidently think that . the more they ask, the more they Will get. If the miners really wanted to cheapen coal, they' would revert to the seven-hours day and turn a deaf ear to the malevolent agitators who cause- inceSaartt load strikes on the most ridiculous pretexts. As it is, Mr. Smillie's posing as the leader of the unselfish miners is sheer hypocrisy which ought not to deceive any thinking man. We do not begrudge the minces their very high wages, but they' must not pretend to be shocked at the inevitable effect of these wages 'on the price of coal. Their policy of nationalization would of course make coal even scarcer and dearer, because they would fix their own wages and make their. working day shorter still.
Previous page
