The Miners' Federation, finding that the Iong strike which it
deliberately organized in the spring has disorganized the industry and that thousands of minors are out of work, has asked the Government for a fresh subsidy so that, while wages are main- tained at the present high level, coal may be reduced in price by 10s. a ton. It is hopefully estimated that the subsidy would cost £8,000,000 for three months, and that by then industry would have recovered. As the Miners' Federation has always diaPlaYed an utter contempt for economics laws we are not surprised at its new proposal,, which is no more foolish that its former demands. Any Governme-it who ventured to subsidize the miners for a further period would deserve to be driven out of office. It is agreed that the coal trade is languishing because coal is too dear. The great steel industry cannot compete with the foreigner because it has to pay too much for its fuel. The remedy is obvious. The miners must revert to the eight hours' day and work with a will. The cost of raising coal will then fall to a reasonable level, and the miners will once more find plenty of employment at good wages. The leaders of the Miners' Federation know these elementary facts as well as we do, but they will not, or dare not, give expression to them.
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