Mr. Boner Law announced the same night in the House
of Commons that the Government were prepared to adopt Mr. Justice Sankey's Report " in the spirit as well as in the letter, and to take all the necessary steps to carry out its recommenda- tions without delay." He reminded the public that most of the profits which would be absorbed by the miners would have come to
the Exchequer under the Excess Profits Duty, so that the net cost to the State would be nearly £40,000,000, instead of £13,000,000. Mr. Justice Sankey had undertaken to report on nationalization by May 20th. But it depended on the miners whether the Commission would continue to sit. A strike would put an end to its work. Mr. Boner Law reminded the miners that the State was at present their employer, and that a strike would be directed against the community. The Government had gone all lengths to avoid such a calamity. But if a strike occurred the Government would " use all the resources of the State to win, and to win quickly." Mr. Bonar Law's grave warning has been resented as a threat by some of the hot-heads who have themselves been threatening the nation for weeks past. It was of course no threat, but a plain statement of fact. The Government cannot abdicate before any section, however powerful it may think itself.
