LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.
THE COAL CRISIS.
170 THU Emma or TIM "SPIIC/ATOR.1 SIB,—The comments that appeared in your last week's issue on the harm that the coal workers have done to themselves by this strike were all too brief, and I trust you will allow me to point out how disastrous to the coal miners is the loss of foreign contracts. Since the repeal of the Coal Tax in 1907 the value of coal exported has been approximately £35,000,000 per annum. This sum expressed in terms of labour represents approximately the employment of some 250,000 coal Workers out of a. total of some 900,000. It is estimated that at least 50 per cent. of the foreign contracts have now been irretriev- ably lost, which expressed in terms of labour means 125,000 coal workers permanently out of employment, even when the strike is ended. These figures are approximate only, but they serve to demonstrate the strength of the coal workers before the strike, when they were the specialized producers of a commodity for which there was a world-wide awl unlimited demand. To-day, however, by the loss of the foreign contracts and export trade, the position is entirely reversed. Instead of the supply of coal workers' labour being less than the demand for coal, the labour supply is, and for a considerable period must be, in excess of the demand. In other words, the strike has automatically converted the strength of the coal workers into weakness. The only other method of doing this was by legislative enactment making the export of coal prohibitive. This, how- ever, is unnecessary, for the strikers have themselves undermined their own citadel and proved themselves to be their own worst enemies.—I am, Sir, &e.,
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