The Wisconsin Enterprise Blade

Propose Co-operation in British
Mine Crisis

One upshot of the British mining
crisis is the proposal of two collieries
to operate on a co-operative basis
for the coming year. One thousand
miners will be affected if they agree
to the terms of the management which
briefly are that the total income of the
mines, less costs other than wages,
will be turned over to the miners.
No profits, royalties or interest will
be paid.

An administrative committee composed
equally of owners and employees under
an impartial chairman will supervise the
operation of the mines while the workers
will have full right to choose their own
auditors and have free access to the
company's books.

The workers also have an opportunity
to purchase up to 50 per cent of the
company's capital stock on easy terms
with one member of the Board of Directors
after the first $25,000 have been subscribed.

The attitude of the miners will be
governed by the Miners' Federation
of Great Britain which will consider
the proposal in the light of its effect
on the general coal lockout. One feature
to which the miners generally are opposed
is the purchase of the mines from the owners
with the consequent creation of a leisure class
drawing a living from the mines without any
effort on their part. The miners demand
nationalization with terminable annuities
granted the owners culminating within one
generation.