The nation’s dependence on coal was manifested early in the war; output fell as miners loyally responded to the call for men; prices rose as domestic consumers competed with munition industries for fuel. Early in 1915 exports of coal had to be curtailed by Government—in July 1915, the Price of Coal Limitation Act had to be enacted, limiting the price to be charged for coal at the pit’s mouth. Our Allies began to protest against the price charged to them for coal, and coal-owners, exporters and shipowners agreed voluntarily with the Government to limit the price of Ally coal. But that did not go far enough, and ultimately in 1917 under D.O.R.A., powers were conferred on the Board of Trade to regulate prices, and the distribution and transport of coal both for home and Ally use. Trouble continued to develop in the South Wales mines, and the supply of essential steam coal was in danger. The Government accordingly took over, from December 1, 1916, control of the South Wales coal-field, and as, elsewhere, industrial and transport difficulties were causing great anxiety, they also took over, from March 1, 1917, the rest of the coal-mines in the country, and constituted a Coal Mines Department. The actual management of individual mines was left to their respective owners, the Department directing them how to dispose of their supplies so as best to meet the needs of the country. It was inevitable that as control of the mines had been transferred to the Government, the wages of mine-workers could be a matter no longer for district adjustment but for national settlement by Government, and, since 1917, this was the course adopted. It is unnecessary to go into the question of miners’ earnings, they will be found in the volume of Appendices to the Coal Industry Commission’s Report (_Parliamentary Paper_, 1919, Cmd. 361, pp. 55 and 109). An admirable comparison as between 1914 and 1920 is contained in Professor Bowley’s book, _Prices and Wages in the United Kingdom_. The point to be noticed is that after 1917 wages were paid really out of a national pool consisting of the aggregate profits of the coal industry with the national exchequer behind them. As a result of control, some coal-owners, from their position and circumstances, realized large profits; others suffered considerable losses. To provide compensation for the latter, under an agreement made between the mine-owners and the Coal Controller, scheduled to, and confirmed by, the Coal Mine Control Agreement (Confirmation) Act, 1918, a fund was provided by pooling a prescribed percentage of excess profits. The disparity in the relative profit-making capacity of firms which had always existed was of course materially intensified by control; before the war it had not, however, materially affected industrial conditions. Events soon proved the impracticability of continuing the 1918 compensation provisions. There had existed arrangements for securing supplies of coal to our Allies