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Meanwhile a threatening complication had been introduced by the decision

of the National Union of Railwaymen not to handle coal from the colliery and railway sidings. Sir Erie Geddes, Minister of Transport, informed the House of Commons on Tuesday that the Government would not tolerate what was really " an attempt to starve the nation." The health of the People depended upon the provision of a bare minimum of coal for household use and for the public services. A few men on the Great Northern Railway who refused to handle coal were dis- missed. On Wednesday the Railwaymen's Execrative modified the embargo and announced that it applied only to coal intended for commercial purposes, It was decided that the whole force of the Union should be applied "to secure the unconditional reinstatement " of the dismissed men.

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