New-York tribune., 1912-03-14
DEEP GLOOM IN BRITAIN
AS COAL STRIKE GOES ON
Joint Conference Again AdiournS,
and Even House of Commons
Is PeSSimiStiC.
MINERS Reject PROPOSALS
Failure of Negotiations Now An
ticipated, Rendering Legisla-
ton to End Deadlock
Unavoidable.
MINERS Reject PROPOSALS
IBy Gable to The Tribune.l ]

lBy cable to The Tribunel
London, March 14.-Prospects of set
Element in the coal strike situation are
very black The joint conference ad-
iourned and did not dissolve, and that is
the best that can be said. Negotiations
have reached a deadlock and they are in
imminent danger of breaking down.
Premier Asquths new proposals are
that as local settlements are secured
men in those districts shall resume
work, leaving Wales and Scotland to be
dealt with by further conferences. The
miners, however, are holding out for u
national settlement while the confer
ence is in being.
Premier Asquith has also been trying
to persuade the miners to return 10 work
on a basis of a five-shillng minimum
wage FOR men and a two-shilling wage
for boys. leaving further adjustment Of
the minimum wage question for subse-
ouent negotiation. The miners confer
ence Yesterday morning rejected this
proposal but. the joint conference at the
Foreign Office. having failed to arrive
at an agreement. the Premier it Is stat
ed. as q new issue Of the difficulty. now
suggests that the Miners Federation
| should agree to a ballot on this proposal
Ever should the federation accept,
| however. it will not remove the objec-
ton Of the Scotch and South Wales
/ owners, who persistently decline to dis
/ ;,,i, N SD9na
! form.
AS a result Of these reports the out
/ look is gloomy, with every prospect of a
/ breakdown Of the Foreign Office con-
| ference to-day. Traffic returns Of the
railways of the United Kingdom for the
last week show an aggregate decrease
OF 81. 900 900 owing to the strike.
Rioting occurred yesterday at a col
lfery near St Helens, Lancashire, three
policemen being wounded. This iso-
lated case is the only sign Of disorder
anywhere.
II was expected that Parliament would
debate the coal situation to-day, but
owing 10 the prolongation Of the confer
ence no debate is now possible before
Monday. The most serious views Of the
situation are being expressed in the lob
hies Of the House of Commons.
It is assumed that in the event Of
the failure of the negotiations Mr..
Asouith will bring forward the legis-
lative proposals desired to put an end
to the situation forthwith.
London. March 13.-The thirteenth day
Of the coal strike has ended without 4
settlement having been reached. The
ioint conference Of the representatives.
Of the miners and the mine owners under
the auspices of members Of the Cabinet
adjourned this evening until TO morrow
afternoon, in order to consider certain
proposals made by the Prime Minister"
as the announcement puts it.
Concerning the nature Of the proposals
and the results achieved at the confer
ence. which lasted five and a half hours,
the government Is persisting in its pol
icy Of rigid secrecy; but there are ind-
cations that some progress i'm the direc-
ton Of peace has been made and that
the miners have receded from the posi-.
ton that they have heretofore main
tanned that the only basis NJ a settle
ment would be the owners acceptance
of the federation's schedule Of minimum
wages.
Prior 10 the opening Of the conference
the National Miners Federation held
meeting and adopted resolution which
gives 10 the various districts authority
10 renew negotiations with the owners
on The question of rates. varying them
as they may deem proper. hut stipulat-
ing that all amended schedules must be
indorsed by the national conference and
that the settlement Of the strike must
be national in its scope. II is stated that
the men may even give way on the lat
ter point. as = proposal which was con-
siderod to-day may yet he adopted IN
effect, that the miners of the English
federation who can make favorable
terms with the employers shall he au-
thoriZed 10 return 10 work. while the
Welsh and Scotch miners can continue
10 fight the owners 10 "A finish on the
question Of minimum wage the Eng
lish miners who resume operations
meanwhile agreeing 10 submit 10 spe-
cial levy 10 help their brethren on strike.
The distress caused throughout Eng
land. Scotland and Wales as the result
of the strike now affects one million
miners and more than a million men
employed In ether trades, and is becom-
ing very acute, moro particularly In
cally the whole life Of the people de-
reHds upon the output of the coal mines
In the city Of Cardiff alone the chief