ABSTRACT
The survival of the fittest may be brought about in two ways—by ruthless competition which will drive the weakest out of business, or by a deliberately planned policy of extinction of uneconomic units. Whichever line is adopted the results are the same. Either is bound to involve hardship. The problem the nation is faced with is whether a policy of rationalization should be embarked on with the declared intention of placing the industry on a sound economic basis, making the best use of our greatest national asset (next to the land itself), giving regular employment to its workers, paying good wages, returning a fair dividend on its capital, and supplying its product at just and reasonable prices to all consumers alike. Such a policy involves concentrating production on the most favourably situated districts, and on the best of the pits in all districts. The full implication of this policy should be realized.
