March 15, 1918.

THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN.

541

J. W. BAIRD AND COMPANY,

PITWOOD IMPORTERS,
WEST HARTLEPOOL.

YEARLY CONTRACTS ENTERED INTO WITH COLLIERIES.

OSBECK & COMPANY LIMITED,

PIT-TIMBER MERCHANTS,

NEWCASTLE-ON-TYNE.

StTPPLY ALL KINDS OF COLLIERY TIMBER.

Telegrams—“ Osbecks, Newcastle-on-Tyne.”

*** For other Miscellaneous Advertisements see Last
White Page.

Blw Mliny Guardian

AND

Journal of the Coal and Iron Trades.

Joint Editors—

J. V. ELSDEN, D.Sc. (Lond.), F.G.S.
HUBERT GREENWELL, F.S.S., Assoc.M.I.M.E.

(At present on Active Service).

LONDON, FRIDAY, MARCH Vo, 1918.

The London market is now well supplied with
house coal. Hard steam coal and hard cobbles are
scarce. Seaborne qualities of gas coal are falling off.
All prices are unchanged.

Steam coals are in strong request in Northumber-
land, and some of the collieries in Durham are busy,
and generally speaking the latter area is not in a
good position. Best gas coals are only moderately
steady, and the lower grades are dull. No change
in the bunker trade is reported. An easier feeling
prevails in Lancashire regarding house coal, and only
moderate activity appears to be the case in Yorkshire-
Stearns and good quality rough slack are in request.
Business is quiet in South Wales, and the conditions
are practically unchanged. Stocks, especially of
smalls, are excessive. The improvement in Scotland
is maintained.

Shippers are offering full rates for tonnage, but
the response is very meagre. Business at all the
ports is restricted. Scandinavian orders are pressed
in Newcastle. Chartering in Cardiff is almost
nominal. Considerable discussion has taken place
as to the probable reduction of the tonnage to be
available for the London area during the current
year.

The .Coal Controller informed the South Wales
Federation that there is no objection to the usual
holidays being taken at Easter. Monday, Tuesday
and Wednesday in Easter week have been suggested.

A meeting of the Coke Oven Managers’ Association
(Midland Section) will be held in the Department of
Applied Science, St. George’s-square, Sheffield, on
Saturday, March 23, commencing at 3.30 p.m.
Prof. W. G. Fearnsides will deliver an address on
“ The Texture of Coke Oven Bricks.”

The result of the miners’ ballot relative to the
proposed combing-out of 50,000 men is expected to
be completed this week, and will be considered at a
special conference of delegates on March 20.

At a time when attention is being
Industrial focussed upon the organisation of
Organisation industry upon the lines laid down
and the	in the Whitley scheme, it is of

Labour	interest to examine what is being

Problem. done in a similar direction in other
countries. A useful contribution to
the problem has lately been made in a paper read
before the American Institute of Mining Engineers
by Mr. E. E. Bach, sociological director of the
Ellsworth Collieries Company, Pennsylvania. This
is all the more instructive in that it directly concerns
the coal mining industry. We do not pretend that
similar methods would be altogether either practicable
or even desirable in this country, but the example is
at least worth the study of those who are engaged
in the sociological aspect of the labour problem in
British collieries.

In the first place the principle laid down in this
paper is that an honest day’s labour is as much a
psychological condition as a matter of physical
strength or skill. Capacity production, says Mr. Bach,
will be an unknown quantity until the workman is
considered as a producer in relation to his home,
as he is now considered in relation to industry.
Sociological work, or whatever other name may be
given to it, must be aimed at fostering a spirit of
contentment in the workman’s home, with such an
employment of his leisure as will contribute to his

happiness and efficiency both as a workman and as
a citizen.

This is a praiseworthy ideal. Let us see how the
Ellsworth Collieries Co. are striving to attain it.

The mining towns of Ellsworth and Cokeburg,
situated in the heart of the Pittsburg coalfield, have
a combined population of about 5,000 people, of
which about one-half are colliery employees. It is a
polyglot community consisting largely of Slovaks,
Russians, Americans, Italians, Poles and other races,
including Irish, Scotch, English, Welsh, and a few
German families. Each racial group has its language,
habits, customs and ideals, presenting by no means
any easy problem for the social reformer, particu-
larly when the natural instincts of the men would
resent any machine-made organisation being forced
upon them.

Recognising this fundamental fact, a beginning
was made, not with the men, but with the women.
It was realised that to secure a proper attitude of the
women towards the local industry would be an
invaluable asset. Some common point of interest
was, therefore, sought for the female population, and
classes in sewing were found to meet the case. In
addition to this, arrangements were made to give
instruction to employed girls in domestic economy*
in which cookery and sanitary science occupied a
foremost position. At the same time classes were
established for adult foreign workmen to enable
them to learn as much English as would allow them
to understand their instructions, and also American
methods of government. The ultimate aim of this
proceeding was to lead ultimately to the naturalisa-
tion of all aliens. Musical organisations were also
established, concert bands were formed, and public
concerts were given upon fete days and festivals.
These musical organisations became immensely
popular. A Russian Glee Club, an Italian Mandolin
Club, a Creation Musical Club, a Hawaiian Orchestra
and other orchestral societies are now active and
enthusiastic features of this colliery community.
Besides music, the company also embarked in the
development of athletic clubs. At first it was decided
to purchase all uniforms and materials, but it was
soon found, as is so often the case, that these clubs
thrived better when they assumed the financial
responsibility themselves. These activities, however,
were not enough in themselves to absorb all the
leisure time of the men. Organised clubs have,
therefore, been established. Amongst these the
most prominent is the Official Club, for men holding
responsible positions in the mine, to take the place
of the saloons or drinking clubs, not one of which
now exists in these towns. There are also the
Women’s Club, the American Red Cross Club,
specially organised for war work, and various clubs
for boys and girls. These are all in addition to the
ordinary foreign societies and benefit clubs main-
tained by the men themselves.

In the matter of intoxicating drinks much difficulty
has been experienced in keeping consumption within
moderate limits; but recently the experiment has
been tried of appointing a liquor controller to regu-
late the quantities supplied to each family. It is,
however, too soon to say whether this plan will prove
successful. Public health is supervised systemati-
cally, and the Ellsworth Colliery Company maintain
a dairy for the supply of pure milk, which has
already reduced infant mortality by 50 per cent.
Lastly, with regard to religion and politics, no
attempt is made to interfere with individual liberty
of thought and action.

The welfare and sociological work of this colliery
company constitute a new feature in the mining
industry. It is a bold and successful attempt to
recognise the importance of the human factor. The
work is as yet in its early stages, and there still remains
much to be done in its complete development. It
may be affirmed, however, that the principles adopted
are sound. It is particularly noticeable that no
attempt has been made to force upon the men
any particular system of self-improvement. The
Ellsworth Company have been fortunate in having
a sound foundation to work iupon, for the housing
conditions are particularly good. The company has
maintained a standardised style of architecture, and
electric light adds to the comfort of the miner’s home.
But even under such favourable conditions the social
amenities need cultivation, and the simple but effec-
tive methods adopted, in this case might, perhaps,
be more widely followed with advantage to the
mutual relations of employer and emploj ed.

The distraction of the war has some-
The New	what diverted attention from the great

Franchise, changes introduced into domestic
politics by the Representation of the
People Act recently passed into law. The original
Bill has undergone considerable modification since
it was first introduced into Parliament about a year
ago. As then drawn up, it was intended to carry out
the recommendations of the Speaker’s conference,
but the Act now goes much further in the direction
of complexity, and the original scheme has become
obscured by many additions, exceptions and
provisoes. Although, however, it is not necessary to
traverse the many questions debated in the two
Houses of Parliament, it is advisable to attempt to
present, in as simple a form as possible, the changes
in the franchise that will become operative at the
next General Election, the date of which prospective
event none can foretell. It is scarcely needed to dwell
upon the importance of the questions which a new
Parliament will be called upon to consider. These
problems will concern every industry and every class,
and their solution will demand the highest qualities
of statesmanship, in which purely class interests
must inevitably be subservient to the national cause.
A great responsibility, therefore, will rest upon the
electorate in the selection of Parliamentary represen-
tatives to determine the great issues which cannot
fail to arise.

The qualifications for the new franchise are based
upon three essential conditions. In the case of men,
with certain exceptions to be hereafter considered,
every Parliamentary elector must be (1) of full age,
(2) free from any legal incapacity, (3) possessed of
certain residential or business qualification. The
age limit, however, is reduced to 19 years in the
case of 11 naval or military voters,” under which
definition are included all who have served in the
war. The term includes not only the fighting forces
and mercantile marine engaged in war work, but
also those serving in connection with the Red Cross
Society, or in any other capacity recognised by the
military, naval or air authorities as being of national
importance in connection with the war. This will
mean the inclusion of a large number of voters who
are still infants in law, but whose experience of
national service will, let us hope, enable them to
exercise their new powers with prudence and
judgment. To these young electors we should like
to say that they must not think that the millennium
is at hand when the war is over. We hope and
believe that these men will have laid the foundations
of a just and durable peace ; but they must especially
guard against the grave danger of exchanging war
abroad for war at home, and of jeopardising the
fruits of victory by striving after the intangible
aspirations of the phrasemakers.

The second qualification of the new electorate is
the absence of legal incapacity. This term includes
the following classes, viz., peers, aliens, lunatics and
certain conscientious objectors, these last being dis-
qualified for a term of five years only, but only
provided that they do not satisfy certain conditions
which we need not now discuss. Certain former
disqualifications, including paupers and persons
employed for payment at elections, are now abolished,
not only as regards the Parliamentary vote but also
in local government elections. The Act being now
passed, it is useless to discuss the merits of this
decision, which was one of the points of contention
between the Upper and Lower House. There are
obvious reasons why a pauper should not possess a
local government vote, but a majority of the House
of Commons thought otherwise, and so the matter
stands.

The third qualification of male Parliamentary
voters depends either upon “residence” or the
occupation of “business premises.” The “requisite
residence qualification” is acquired by residence
in the constituency on the last day of the qualifying
period of six months, ending on January 15 and
July 15 each year, coupled with residence “during
the whole of the qualifying period” in that or a
contiguous constituency. But a man is not entitled
to be registered “ if he commenced to reside in the
constituency within thirty days before the end of
the qualifying period, and ceased to reside there
within thirty days after the time when he so
commenced to reside.” It is not very easy to
grasp the precise significance of this proviso,
which is presumably aimed at the so-called