4 AUGUST 1928, Page 3

A " capitalist " newspaper is always open to misunder-

standing when it praises for their wisdom wage-earners who have given way. It is told that the rule is, the greater the surrender the greater the praise. All we can say—to those who will believe us—is that we intensely dislike the reduction of wages on principle. In this case the need was proved beyond dispute ; an industry not exposed to foreign competition had worked up wages out of all relation to those in the heavy industries which are fighting for their lives. What a contrast there is .between the mutual helpfulness of the railway companies and their men and the disastrous warfare in the coal- fields which helped to bring the miners to their present sufferings. * *