The Government moved swiftly to deal with the threat of a miners’ strike in South Wales, and in a manner you’d suspect a number of Conservative politicians in later eras would have heartily approved of. No shilly-shallying here – “A Royal Proclamation was issued yesterday declaring that the existence or continuance of the dispute was prejudicial to the manufacture, transport and supply of munitions of war” and it was thus “an offence to take part in a strike or lock-out unless the difference has been reported to the Board of trade, and the Board have not, within twenty-one days of such report, referred it to settlement by one of the methods proscribed in the act.” Thus if the miners went out as threatened, they would be breaking the law and be liable for a fine of up to £5 a day, and imprisonment if they did not pay.