New-York tribune., 1912-03-10
MINISTERS REUNITED
ON SUFFRAGE QUESTION
Votes for Women No Longer
Divides Cabinet-H0uSe of
Commons VeerS.
NO END TO STRIKE IN SIGHT
influence of Lloyd George Wanes
as Elections Go Against
Government-Asquith
Dominant.
IBy Cable to The Trlbune.l

London, March 8. - Ministers are
thankful for small mercies. Suffragett-
ism is no longer q burning controversial
question. dividing the Cabinet and the
party. The suffrs gettes by their unre-
strained Hooliganism have made the de-
feat of the conciliation bill certain and
have compelled members of Parliament
committed to the enlargement of the
franchise to reconsider their position.
The Cabinet may be evenly divided AS
70 the policy or impolicy of admitting
women to citizenship, but the reform bill,
II il can be reached. will be safe enough,
for neither amendment nor rider can be
carried.
That is a merciful deliverance, and so.
also. is the removal of any immediate
apprehension of lawlessness and dis
order on the part Of the coal strikers
The Home Secretary and the Secretary
for War have dreaded the mobilization
of troops and the employment OF ievies
of police in the centres Of disturbance
but as yet there has been no necessity
for any defensive measures. the
strikers, even with Socialist Hotspurs to
lead them, have been as peaceaole as
the London suffragettes have been belli-
cose and obstreperous.
No Substitute for Asquith.
An even greater source Of relief is the
sscendency of the Prime Minister lor
whom no substitute can be found. He
NAV not have settled the strike as soon
ss the optimists have hoped for, and the
prospects Of the Home Rule BILL the IN
production Of which has been deferred
until after Easter. may seem hopeless
when thousands Of Orangemen anu
Protestants are Systematically enrolled
IN Ulster and regularly drilling against
II. but he has become the only possible
leader.
The influence Of Mr.. Lloyd George has
uaned when every by-election offers
fresh proof that the insurance act mas
aroused msgiving among the main oouy
of workers, and the embittered hostllIy
of the Socialists to the tax on wages has
hecome an effective Unionist election cry
The Chancellor of the Exchequer is nelu
yesponsible for the defeats, when even
The traditional strongholds Of Liberalism
are no longer safe.
Thus the Prime Minister looms up as
the best fighter and the wariest strate-
eist in the political field. II he mas not
sncceeded in overcoming the resistance
of the Welsh and Scottish coal owners
10 the minimum wage and reconcliing
the trade unionists to close approach
tn compulsory arbitration, he has opener
N extremists a way for retreat and the
deliverance Of the nation from the nnai
stage of the present disastrous Crisis
A settlement cannot be long deferrea'
because the forces Of public opinion nave
turned against the miners for their oo-
stinate adherence to their schedule wheN
they had obtained governmental support
70 the principle of the minimum wage
and the assurance that the irreconcilia-
Bile minority Of the coal owners would
be coerced if necessary.
Evils Caused by the Strike.
Partisan newspapers may have ex-
aggerated the evils of the strike for the
sake of harassing the ministers, but
rising prices for fuel, bread and meat,
with the creeping paralysis which IS
overtaking the national industries, with
the enforced idleness of thousands not
concerned I'm the actual strike, with the
partial suspension of the railway and
lighting services and with a heavy drain
upon the funds Of nearly ell trade
unions.
The strike leaders naturally have
bad press, but more important than
newspaper pessimism is the complaint
OF Labor members Of Parliament and
the working masses that strikes IN in
dustries SO vital as mining and trans
rort are subject 10 intolerable abuse.
There Is a new aspect of the solidarity
Of labor when a proposal is made that
strikes shall be left in the hands Of the
General Federation Of Trade Unions and
organized workmen as whole be al
lowed determining voice in the matter.
This might exercise restraint upon
spouting Socialist zealots like Harts-
horn, but It would also involve the ex-
treme risk Of simultaneous strike of
ali trade unionists. Syndicalism princi-
pies applied to the organization OF civil
war is not possible.
Gloomy as is the present state Of In
dustrial England, the adoption OF the
minimum wage on Mr.. Asquith's lines Is
the probable basis for settlement, un-
less. the crisis be prolonged indefinitely.
The only alternative is the adoption Of
a compulsory arbitration bill by both
the main parties and the incorporation
therein Of drastic provisions against
conspiracy and the --isuse Of strike
funds. That solution would be extreme
ly hazardous, although Unionist writers
IN their eagerness 10 beat the Prime
Minister with any stick are elamoring
for il and playing into the hands Of the
Socialists themselves.