LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
THE COAL STOPPAGE [To the Editor of the SPECTATOR.] SIR,—There is little chance of peace in the coal industry so long as the present representatives of owners and miners
conduct the negotiations. •
The owners have shown themselves to be stupid, tuiteach7 able; and lacking in vision. After they had agreed to accept the Report of the COIDDlissiOD, their first offer to the miners showed that they had learned nothing and changed nothing. Stibseqiiently they have made concessions, but too late, as their sincerity was suspect. The miners also are badly 'represented. Mr. A. J. Cook who is their mouth-piece has been reported as declaring himself " a disciple of Lenin," ." one of the Big. Five,"- and avowing that he is " going to get sonie of. his own back." With such negotiators peace will not come, as they are not men of good will. Now, whatever happens in the coal trouble, the tax-paker will have to be 'charitable once More.; The Government, therefore, is in a :position to demand that other representatives of the two
'parties . should be chosen to negotiate. - - - I would make a suggestion with regard to reconstruction.
• When the voluntary hospitals were in a bad way as regards finance. and efficiency, and were wasting energy through -'overlapping, the King Edward VII Fund came to the rescue. Now a grant from the fund is dependent on the necessities
of the applicant hospital and on its efforts to maintain efficiency. Is it not possible for a similar reconstruction fund for the miners to be established ? The owners might give to it, for it would be to their advantage ; the trade Union Congress and individual trades unionists should subscribe, as- they have declared their willingness to make sacrifices for the mining industry. A large number of the general public could be expected to support it out of sympathy for the miners and from their desire to set the coal industry on its feet. The miners themselves could help in various ways and would do so, as they are keen on their industry. None of the money would go directly in wages and profits, but it would all go in reconstruction and prothoting efficiency. Such a fund would have to be controlled by an impartial, expert committee and be free from direct Government control. Lastly, such a fund would assure the mining industry that in spite of all it had the good will of the community.—I, am, Sir, &c., 3 Pennsylvania Park, Exeter.
C. H. MILLER.
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