As the Bill stands, astrike becomes Illegal if it is
designed coerce the Government or to intimidate the community a substantial part of the community. The amendment oyes the phrase " to intimidate," and substitutes for a phrase about " inflicting hardship " upon the corn- nity ; but the infliction of hardship will not be an enee unless there is also an intention to coerce the Government. In other words, two offences have been run into one, and the area of illegality has thereby been greatly reduced. The Bill at present defines a strike, and obviously it will be necessary to define a lock-out. No perfect definition is really possible. When trade unionists refuse a proposed cut in wages and work ceases, they say that they have been locked out. The employer, however, calls their action a strike. So it was in the coal strike of last year. It will be interesting to see what sort of definition can he contrived.
