MANY MAJOR PROBLEMS FOR BRITISH CABSNET

Chronicle (Levin), 23 May 1946, Page 8

MANY MAJOR PROBLEMS FOR BRITISH CABSNET

( Bmicial Correspoiideixt .)

LOXDON, lMay 21. Seldom has a Britisli Govermnent in its lirst year of otfiee been confronted with so many major problems as ai present. The collapse of the Foreign Ministers ' Conference in Paris, the decision to withdraw fr'oin Egypt, the world food shortage, the unrest in Palestine, and- the restiveness oven- 'the adininistration of Germany, are only some of the coinxdex subjects at present faced by Alr. Attlee and his colleagues. Nearer honie, the eoalminers' demands for a five-day week, with the mounting threat of a fuel shortage. and the prospect of further Britisli belt-tighteuiny to compensate for the diversiou of British supplies to Europe, are all matlers for the gravest pre-occupation. Last week Cabinet niet dailv and this week the daily meetings are likely to | continue. j At honie the coal iudustry is one of i tlie major problems of the Government. I At the present rate of production, a dej lit'it of 10,000,000 tous is expeeted at | tlie end of the year, and to meet this it j has already been tentatively decided timi there should be a (>• per cent. cut j hi tiie domestic eoal rations next wini ter, and severe restrictions on the use i of gas and electricity. Even when if.liese savings are made, iudustry will be sliort by nearly 5,000,000 tons. If this estimate is sustained, it is considered that more than 1,000,000 men and women will be thrown out of work. To top this, Ihe .workers are pressing their claims for a live-dav week and an ! extra week's holiday on fu!l pay. The I Minister (Mr. Bhinwell) is thus coni fronted with mounting union restive- ! ness on the one liand, and,,on the other, ' ;in inevitalile decrease in output if the men 's demands are granted. The niincrs ' representatives contend 1 that Mr. Shinwell must make mining niore attractive if the hiliour force is i lo be maintained, )>ut considerable • doubt is expressed as to whether a tive ! ilav week arnl an extra week's paid I liolidav will make it attractive enougli.