Winter Coal
The reorganisation of the mining industry, so long overdue, is in the forefront of the Government's programme of action, and, of course, it will take shape under some form of nationalisation. In the period of transition the Minister of Fuel, Mr. Shinwell, will require the co-operation of coal-owners, managers and engineers as well as mine-workers. He has promised the owners that they will be fairly treated and that there will be no haggling about the cost of transfer, but in the meantime they must help him to get more output. The reorganisation of the industry under the Government's scheme is by its nature a long-term policy. No one supposes that it will automatically and immediately produce more coal ; but it is in this coming winter that the need is acute, for the supply has been continuously falling, and there will be the double demand to provide coal in sufficient quantities to prevent hardship to consumers at home and to meet the scarcely less urgent claims of distressed Europe. Indeed, this is the moment for building up the export trade, on which to a considerable extent the future prosperity of the coalfields depends. Output must therefore by some means be increased. Mr. Shinwell has set the industry the target of producing an additional 8,000,000 tons in the next six months, and is confident that this can be reached. To achieve what Major Lloyd George failed to achieve he relies upon a number of factors—full co-operation from owners and managers, the release of men from the Services and industry, welfare measures in the mines, and above all a greater willingness among the men, who have been promised the programme of reform that they always demanded, to do their utmost. The Mine- workers' Union are pledged to his support. It remains to be seen how the rank and file will respond. It is to be hoped that Mr. Shinwell will give as much attention to distribution as to production. Consumers this coming winter will want coal, not at the pitheads, but in their hOmes.
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