There are no signs yet of an end of the
coal dispute. We have written on the subject in our first leading article. The rebuking letters which the Prime Minister sent to the Mining Association and to the miners, and which - were published in the papers of Monday, contain some extremely plain speaking. Mr. Baldwin reproved the owners for complaining of " political interference " by the Government. As he justly pointed out the so-called political interference was " entirely due to the incapacity, now again so conspicuously shown, of the coal industry, unlike other industries, to settle its disputes for itself." To the miners the Prime Minister said that it was useless to arrange another meeting with them so long as they refused absolutely to consider any alteration of wages or hours. He added that the Government could not any longer consider themselves bound by the Report of the Royal Commission since the miners had rejected it, and that it was impossible for the Government to hold open the offer of a further subsidy beyond the end of this month.
Previous page
