New-York tribune., 1912-03-12

cardir TO THE Daily Telegraph says
.ho+ the South Wales coal owners yester-
ao,. decided to accept Premier Asquith's
they did not wish to do anything to him
dor possible settlement.
London. March 1.-THE National Min
.rs' Federation unanimously decided to-
,iqbt To accept the Prime Minister'S in
,.;,ation 10 meet the coal owners and the
representatives of the government at a
round table conference, at which Pre-
,niay Asouith will preside. The accept
orSs was coupled with the reservation
that the principle of a minimum wage
,iiI no excluded from the discussion. II
4 understood that this means that the
Granting of a minimum wage Will oe
assumed to have been conceded, but 1t
does not imply that the schedule OF
minimum wage rates drawn by the Min
ors' Federation will not be discussed.
Tbs coal owners have not yet accepted
,,s Premier's invitation. They will meet
a, r,orrow morning to decide this ques-
tion Even if the Welsh and Scotch
onners Stand alOof it Is taken for grant
OF that the English owners will accept
Tho conference will be held tomorrow
of,arnoon. but the miners representa-
t,ves are not authorized to agree TO any
reduction of the federation's schedule Oh
rates or TO any scheme determining ths
rates without a new ballot OF the miners.
Therefore, a settlement of the strike at
,bo ioint conference can be attained
only ~ the owners agree TO accept the
miners schedule which is very improoa-
BILE.
Sir Arthur Markham, a prominent coal
owner, addressing a miners meeting at
Nottingham tonight, advocated the
adoption OF a minimum wage. He de-
cIared that no undue burden would be
placed upon the coal industry or con-
sumner if a minimum of eight shillings
(s2) daily were paid every collier. He
added that the coal owners had raised
ridiculous arguments against the mini
mum scale.
Miners to Ballot on Question.
The utmost hoped for from the confer.
ence is that some basis Of agreement
will be reached for the fixing Of mini
mum rate, which will be submitted to a
ballot of the miners. That the strike
will continue for at least another week
is now regarded by the most optimistic
AS inevitable.
1t has practically been determined that
either the coal strike must be ended bv
aereement or immediate legislation will
he invoked TO bring about compulsory
pesee. A time limit for the negotia-
lions is demanded on all sides, ana
Thursday is expected TO see Parliamen-
tary action unless the extremists on botn
sides relax in the mean time sufficient y
IN enable a settlement by consent
At present almost the entire nation ~
under notice. to quit work. lncludlnS
the miners there are probably nearly
two million persons already idle, ami
should the strike be prolonged through
ont next week perhaps half of Great
Britain's workers will be unemployed
The distress is widespread now, and the
drain on funds is so great that some OF
the unions are already showing distress
signals
The courts are refusing to grant Judg-
ments and summonses on the ground
that the common necessaries Of life are
beyond the reach of many of the poor.
Hiah Prices Cause Distress.
Prices Of provisions and all the neceS-
saries of life have gone up to such an
extent as to cause deep. distress.
Railroads and river steamers are run
ming on a minimum schedule. and the
gas and electric supply works have been
compelled to restrict their delivery OF
nluminants. The mail services have
been retarded and many ocean steam
ships have had to be laid up in harbor.
: In North Wales an advance in price OF
Is to 100 per cent has been demanded
to-day for the small stock OF available
coal and this fact has rendered neces~
sary the closing Of practically every
factory and quarry in that part of the
country. In other portions of the United
Kingdom conditions are almost as bad.
The shipments Of coal from the ports
Of South Wales last week amounted 70
10000 tons. This compares with a nor
NAL total of 100000 tons a week.
Two of the largest PAPER mills in the
midland counties ceased working to-day
ana all their employees were discharged
The pressure OF traffic on the street
cars. and omnibuscs in London as re-
suit Of the restriction of the suburban
train service has become so great thai
the authorities have given permission I"
people to stand up in the vehicles, the
rule against which is in normal times
rigidly enforced.
American Line sailings from South
arnpton have been entirely suspended,
but the White Star liner Olympic has
coaled and will sail for New York oil
Thursday.