Coal. By D. R. Grenfell. (Gollancz. 8s. 6d.) IF the
problem of coal production is to be .solved it must be under- stood not only by those directly engaged in the industry but by the whole community. And if the community is to understand its interest must be attracted, for coal iri itself is not commonly regarded as a fetching subject. It must be said at once of Mr. Grenfell's little book that it will not ensnare the errant attention of the man in the street. There is a certain fascination in the tough and challenging business of winning coal, but less of it is reflected here than in, say, the Reid Report. Nor is there much to interest the responsible citi- zens whose interest in coal is already engaged. The information offered is elementary and the arguments advanced are familiar. The book is not without a certain modest charm—though that hardly applies to the reprint of the Coal Industry • Nationalisation Act which occupies Ito of its 208 pages. And it is refreshing to find an ex-Secretary of State for Mines and an old stalwart of the cause of nationalisation treating the subject dispassionately and with a genuine desire to instruct. This may prove a useful book to anyone who wishes to have a few basic facts and arguments about the coal industry in a convenient form, but it scarcely gives a new impetus to the subject.
Previous page
