NEWS OF THE WEEK.
MHE coal strike has begun. As we write on Friday
between 800,000 and 1,000,000 miners have left work. We are not going to waste apace with rhetorical descriptions of the perils of the situation or of the injury which must be done to the country if the strike continues. The dangers are patent to all. Again, we are not going to attempt on this occasion to determine where the blame for a resort to industrial war must be laid. Lastly, we do not at present intend to criticise in detail the action of the Government. The Prime Minister is on the box seat, and is driving the coach in the dark over a broken and boulder-strewn road. In such a case there is no safer rule than not to snatch at the reins or dis- tract the driver by scolding criticism. All we can do is to set forth as clearly as we can the exact situation.
