The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1912-01-18
|B|G MINE STRIKE
IS A POSSIBILITY
English Miners Meet Today
to Canvass the Vote Re-
Gently Taken.
(Natfonal News Association

LONDON, Jan. 1S.-A special confer.
ence of the Miners Federation of
Great Britain assembled today in Bir-
mingham to canvass the vote cast by
the membership last week on the
strike proposition. The outlook is caus-
ing uneasiness in many quarters, for
the belief prevails that the count will
show an overwhelming majority in ia
vor of the stoppage of work. The lead
ers of the miners organization contin-
ue to voice their opposition. but the
rank and file Of the membership is be-
lieved to favor extreme measures to
enforce their demands and the organi-
cation itself will be obliged to abide
by the vote of the men.
A general strike of the coal miners
will mean the most serious industrial
disturbance that the United Kingdom
has experienced since the dispute in
the engineering trades nearly a quar-
ter of century ago. The total number
of men employed in and about the coal
mines exceeds 100000. The total out
put of the mines amounts to about
725, 900 tons day. 1t is calculated that
there is about three weeks supply OF
coal in stock.
The miners are in a better condition
now to engage in finish fight than
they ever were before Their organiza,
ton Is one of the strongest, labor or.
ganizations in the country, both nu.
merically and financially. The reserve
fund of the federation at the present
time Is believed to amount to $4,000,
900 or more. What the miners are cap
able of when they get their backs to
the wall was shown in 1893 when 25O
900 of them laid down their picks and
shovels and remained in idleness for
seventeen weeks rather than submit to
a 25 per cent reduction in their wages
although they had nothing like the &C
cumulated funds they have now.
The demand of the men for a mini
mum wage is practically the sole point
at issue. Agreement on all other is
sues has been deemed possible from
the start, but agreement on the ques
ton of minimum wage, which has
now entirely displaced all other de
mands. appears very improbable The
mine owners are unit In their oppo
sition to the establishment of a mini
mum wage. They argue that it would
be manifestly unjust to ask an EN-
ployer to pay minimum wage to q
man irrespective of his ability or dis
position to perform a fair days work
The truth of the mine owners con
tention in regard to the injustice Of
the minimum wage is acknowledged ir
a measure by the miners, and in this
is to be found the one ray of hope thai
general strike may be averted. The
miners have suggested the setting w
of a board or commission in each dis
trict for dealing with exceptional cae
es, such as those of men whose age
or infrmities disqualify them from
performing an average days labor ant
who, therefore might be employed a
wage below the established mini
mum.
The germ of a possible compromise
lies in this suggestion from the min
ers, and when the Board of TRADE
! steps in as a mediator-for, judgin{
| from the present outlook. it seems un
likely the two sides will come togeth
er again of their own accord-ther,
will be at least one definite suggestion
| from the men to 60 upon.