Calamity.

The incredible has happened and our country is at this moment afflicted with an industrial struggle of unprecedented magnitude. We are in the presence of a calamitous conflict between ‘Greek and Greek,’ between forces equally inspired by British qualities which expressed in unity have made our race great, powerful, and free. The vigour and valour which have won for the British name and nation worldwide respect and authority are now turned inward and dissipated in internecine strife. At the very moment when unity is most vital to the nation’s economic life, discord prevails and chaos rules. The commerce of the country is in effect laid under a formidable interdict.

The lamentable collapse of negotiations for a peaceful and scientific solution of the coal industry’s problems has issued in a vast extension of the area of controversy and on Monday at midnight for the first time in the history of this country, a general strike began to operate and is still in effective force. The Government is in direct conflict with the great trade unions and is employing its whole resources and bending all its whole energies to the maintenance of essential services. The seriousness of the situation is nowhere more obvious than in this coalfield where the stoppage of industry is impressive in its completeness. In a situation from which there little comfort to be got by anybody, there are at least two redeeming features. One is the perfect calm and orderliness with which the the general strike is being conducted by those responsible for it. The other is the vein of sanity and humanity running through the strike plan and expressed in the Trade Union Congress declaration of of willingness to assist in the maintenance of food supplies and health services.

The Trade Union Congress which has taken over the conduct of the miners’ struggle disclaims any intention of warring against the community and though it is obvious that the grave expedient to which they have committed millions of working men entails upon the community most serious discomfort and loss, there is plainly and intention of keeping the conflict, disastrous as it is, clear of the brutalities and excesses associated in history with great social upheavals.