A VOICE FROM THE VILLAGE.
(To THE EOITOR Or THE SPEOTLTOR..1 SIR,—To begin with the strike. While it lasted there was no holiday air about the miners as there was in 1912. They all looked rather depressed and quiet. I was talking to a very intelligent man to-day who was a miner, but gave up on account of health and now runs a newspaper business. lie goes round with papers to half a doxen villages. In all these places are miners and in some a large number, but he only sells eighteen Daily Heralds, and he told me that this is also thel number sold in a neighbouring mining district. No wonder the editor wanted to take the diamonds b0 generously offered by Lenin and Trotsky! Why do people pay so much attention to Mr. Lansbury? My friend said the miners were determined to resist the datum line, beeause they said it was a reversion to the old slavery, which is how they now regard payment by result! This man ams perfectly sound on payments by results himself, and said that was how he had to conduct his ova business. He knew all about the gambling tips of the Stur, and the Daily News controversy, aud also the dependence of the Daily Herald on tips, and was disgusted at it. Apropos if gambling, he told me that the other day he had been to IL-- on business, and in the train coming baek four miners got in at P-- and at once began playing cards. They got out at the next station, but during that short time 1:5 15s. lid. had changed bands—not bad for men on strike pay ! My friend was quite alive to the revolutionary outlook, and said he was always saying if you are nut satisfied ask for a General Election and then vote, and he went on to declare that to let the miners rule instead of Parliament was to throw away all the liberties we have fought for and to re- establish class government. It was all in the Spectator style, and you would have been delighted with his sentimente.
People generally seem to be getting very angry at the extravagance of the young miners who earn three to four pounds a week, pay their smothers ono pound, and by about Thursday are borrowing of their fathers. They do not drink in this village, but just throw their money away. The post- man—one of our oracles here—was very indignant because the other morning he saw a boy eat the whole of a half-pound box of diem:dates in ten minutes, which must have cost hint 2s. At tho same time, these young people will not pay their arrears of subscription to the club room, and it is doubtful if it will be opened again this winter.
The Scouts are doing well. I have become ruthless and chuck out rotters who get no gond themselves end impede others. They are much surprised, but the better sort rejoice. I hope next summer it may Imo possible to run a small training camp down here. I have had the offer of a fascinating piece of g,rolincl.
I like your article on the coal strike and the need of keeping our tempers. It is just and I quite agree, though before reailing it I was getting very fierce living hero and seeing the extravagance of the miners and the hard lives of the agricultural labourers, but I have been converted and am sure the Spectator is right.
Here is a tradition from a Wiltshire village just sent to me Crabbe the poet, who held the living for some time, took to studying geology and used to go and grid, in a quarry. The Warminster urchins used to stand at a distanee and throw stones at him, and when they hit shout in chorus, Parson Crabbo, hit him dab." "Nature's sternest painter yet her best," as far as I remember, never added that incident
to his Tales of the Village.--I am, Sir, &e., SCOUTMASTER.
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