Lord Sankey presented his ease for the Coal Bill on
the assumption. that production was not likely „ to expand.- _ This ,being so, it was idle, in his opinion, to have a cut-throat competition either national or inter- national, _though great care must be taken to prevent every national or international monopoly from unduly raising the price of coal. Since the War, he said, every device had been tried by the British coalowners to regain business except a reorganization co-extensive with the industry. He himself had presided over the Royal Commission of 1919 and he had then [being alone in this opinion, of course] reported in favour of nationalization. "Since then," he declared, "I have not changed my mind. I firmly believe that nationa- lization - is. the only solution of our difficulties.". He then went on to argue that, as a Minority Government was in power, the approach to nationalization mqst :be gradual. Hence, the present Bill was the best possible in the circumstances.
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