New-York tribune., 1912-03-24
RR|TA|N REACHES POINT
Of ABSOLUTE DEADLOCK
thousands Starving, While Dis
uutants Admit That Proposed
Bill Won't End Strike.
MINISTER'S ARE INFLEXlBLE
Miners in Despair Turn to Own
ers, Who, However, Are
Aware That Men Are at
Their Last Gasp.
rRy Cable 10 The Tribune. ]

J London, MdICH -o--ll is now duHlltteQ
| that the minimum wage bill as it stands
trnl not settle the coal strike. The La
hor members, having failed in incorpo-
hating their schedule or a statutory
Ersge minimum in the government meas
ure are now making desperate effort
% effect a settlement with the owners
uhich will enable them TO dispense with
legislation altogether. The Chancellor of
tbe Exchequer is their ally and several
Radical editors are helping them, but
me Cabinet, strongly influenced by the
Lord Chancellor and Viscount Morley.
insists that the bill must not contain a
single wage figure.
The infeXibility of ministers is credit
able. when seven among these are de-
pendent upon the miners votes for the
retention Of their seats and ninety other
coalition votes in the House Of Commons
are cast for mining constituencies.
The Labor members, finding political
influence a broken reed, are turning as a
last resort TO the mine owners, who
know that the financial resources of the
strikers are exhausted and that the men
must return to work Mondays con-
ference will decide whether the bill shall
be reported in the Commons and sent to
the Lords or dropped altogether under
cover Of an agreement with the owners
The Predicament of Labor.
l. l. he
principle of the minimum wage recOg-
nized. and consequently the Labor mem
bers cannot reasonably join the Tories in
voting against the third reading, but
they will also have statutory wage
boards and a close approach to compul-
sorry arbitration. and both strike leaders
and agitators consider these things fatal
10 the interests of organized labor.
What action the House of Lords may
take is immaterial The strike is likely
10 run down next week with or without
legislation The pressure of public opin-
ion, too, may drive the Government TO
resort to drastic measures to put an emo
20 the deadlock as mere matter OF hu-
manity to thousands Of starving men,
women and children.
The navy, too, is beginning to feel the
effects of the strike. Winston Spencer
Churchill First Lord of the Admiralty,
in answer to question in the House or
Commons, announced that the strike un-
ouestionably would retard the progress
Of the work on the new ships building
for the navy.
In the Stricken Districts.
1t is difficult to convey a sense of
the destitution and misery prevalent
throughout the United Kingdom. In
every town, village and hamlet where
skilled Workmen are usually engaged un-
emplovrnent is the rule rather than the
exception, and the families Of the work
ers who have been rendered idle by the
strike are in many cases facing starVa-
tion. Charitable societies and private
individuals are partially relieving some
of the terrible distress.
throughout the country society women
sra taking charge of relief works. In
northern Nottinghamshire the Duchess
OF Portland has undertaken the work IN
the districts where the duke is the prin-
cjpal owner of the mineral rights. In an
automobile. accompanied by her daugh-
ter. she goes from cottage 70 cottage
leaving supplies for the impoverished
families.
In Hanley in the potteries. one OF the
most prosperous towns Of the country
four thousand families, representing one
third Of the population, are receiving as
sistance from public funds.
All this unemployment means a te-
nandous drain on the funds Of the trade
unions. Thus far 4 g miners alone have
received s. 100000 in strike pay, and to-
day It is estimated that $600.oOO was
paid as out of work benefit by other
unions.
The secretary of one of the largest
unions said to-day that their treasures
would be drained 10 the last penny be-
fore the trouble was over, state OF az
fairs which is causing much resentment
In non-mining industries against the
leaders Of the miners.
The Railway Situation.
The stricken districts are in many
cases cut off from the help of the we'll
to-do. owing to the fact that the rail-
ways pleading a shortage Of COAL nave
cancelled trains by the hundred. one OF
the biggest lines, the Great Eastern ls
running only FIVE trains during the Whoie
Of tomorrow, and It is only doing TINS
hscause il is under contract TO carry the
mails.
This, in turn, means furtner ieuu
tions in the working staf1s OF lhe
ways, which have already lald OF SHY
thousand skilled men, every ono %
whom is drawing out-of-"ork peioH'
from the railway mems trade unions
Most of the cotton mills at Neisoh'
Bolton and other centres In Lancasiiie