OCR Text |
Show DEFENSE OF THE REALM. The decision of the British government govern-ment to take possession, of the South Wales coal mines under the defense of the realm act was no doubt forced by the dispute between the federation of miners and their employers over a 15 per cent increase in wages. It is said that both sides to the controversy were surprised at the stand taken by the government. gov-ernment. We do not 6ee how that could be. We have had coal strikes in this country when we were at peace with all the world and untold hardships and suffering suf-fering resulted. Great Britain on the other hand is engaged in a war of the greatest magnitude and needs immense quantities of fuel for her warships and munitions factories, to say nothing of its use in other manufacturing enterprises enter-prises and in the homes. France and Italy also are being supplied with fuel from the British mines, and should the supply fail the cause of the allies would be irretrievably lost. Such a catastrophe catastro-phe it is the duty of those in chargo of the government of Great Britain to prevent pre-vent at all costs, and it may be added that tho defense of tho realm act was passed for just such emergencies, i Tho miners ami mine owners of Australia, Aus-tralia, who have been at loggerheads for some time past, Lave reached an agreement agree-ment and the strike has been ended. The miner? are granted an eight-hour day and the abolition of the double shifts. The owners own-ers are to be compensated by an increase in selling prices. Advices from Melbourne Mel-bourne are to the effect that the settlement set-tlement caused intense relief throughout the commonwealth and that it s announcement an-nouncement was loudly cheered in parliament. par-liament. The federal authorities 'are to remain in control of liistribntion until the coal output bccuineti normal. Government Gov-ernment control of the South Wales mines may be attended by similar results re-sults the miners may get more pay and the operators increased prices, but in any event there will be no shutting down of the mines if the British government gov-ernment is strong enough to keep them running |