The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-03-23
Wage Lmcndmcu, ncfn.ed.

London. March .2.--premier .Asqu!th
In tbs House OF Commons this after
noon refused 10 accept the miners
amerdmen; 20 the minimum wage bill.
providing a minimum OF si,95 and 50
cents ms the daily wage for men and
bors. respectively
The House had just entered upon
the committee stage Of TIC minimum
wage BIZ! when the miners amend
inent was moved, and Premier AS
Hniih's pronouncemen;. the gravity OF
which was Immediately recognized. be.
cause Il IS practically certain to bring
about another deadlock. caused a sen
sation among the members
In opposing the miners amendment,
the Premier said that ne was inclined
TO think the figures reasonable ones.
but that Il was most undesirable TO
Insert In ths bill any specific minimum
wage scale or 20 establish the nreco-
dent Of fixing the rate Of wages bv
act Of Parliament, 1t would. ne point
cd out. be peculiarly dangerous to the
men themsclvcs because II Parlia.
Si25 was fair minimum wage. that
sum would be bound to be treated as
tie maximum
Holds Government Responsiblc.
Ramsay Macdonald, the leader or the
Labor party. bitterly accused the gov
eminent OF banging the door in their
faces. He then for the first time am
nonnccd that the miners were willing
to waive the inclusion of their schedule
rates In the bill If the minimum rates
OF SIZE and 30 cents were inserted
William Brace, Labor member for
GlamorEan, declared that unless the
sl.25 and 80 cents rates were included
the miners would remain idle until
the matter was settled in eve,t, coal
in h.4 7. Ia
The amendment was ncgativcd with
ont division. but II is understood
that tho question will be raised again
during the report stage of the hill
when in view OF Ramsay MlcDonald's
announcement, some form of COM
promise provision may he Inserted
Hurts Chance of Settlement.
Enoch Edwards, the miners leader.
declared that the decision announced
by the Premier had shattered his homes
that the final form, OF tn" bill would
commend itself to the good sense of
both sides. The refusal of the amend
ment meant the closure Of the door
which yesterday appeared open to a
settlement.
er Of the opposition. sided with tho
government, which, he said. could not
have taken any other course
The political crisis which suddenly
arose out OF the British miners strike
Is over. but the greater industrial
crisis is still far from it's end.
The hill which the government in
troduced into Parliament to put a stop
to ono of the greatest calamities that
has ever overtaken this country. and
which was read a second time In Tho
House Of Commons Inst night. still
has to run the gauntlet OF The commit
tee stage.
Despite the decisions OF the unions
there is already, partut ularly in scot
land. steady tricklims OF the miners
back TO the mines. Even with a gen
eral resumption. however. the mines
Will not be in working order again
before Easter. and some Of the smaller
ones which have been flooded will
never be reopencd
afnny Faced by Starvation.
Some of the larger mine owners. too
declare that it will be impossible TO
work their pits If the minimum rates
of wages are granted. In the mean.
time starvation stares the industrial
population OF the country in the face
Tie funds of the trades unions arc
running low. and in some places this
weeks payment Of oNt -ot-work bcne-
ut will be the last. at Burslem. In
Staffordsnrc, one of the centres OF
the potterics district, 10000 meals
have been served by the vicar of the
{ Continued on Sixth Page.)