, 1912-03-20

Vi WOIk, u Ii htIOAO N'A HA"'h NV
include anything beside the principle of IL
minimum wage, especially it must not in
clude compulsory arbitration or impairment
of the right to strike under the Trades Dis
pute Act of 1906, the slightest overture of
that sort will evoke a response, negatlvlng 1t
for a generation.
Mr.. Hartshorn, leader of the Welsh min
ers, declares that the situation shows the
worknen are masters of the situations, and
the sole question is how will they use their
power.
Mr., Asquith yesterday said he would in
troduce u bill today, which will be sent to
the Lords on Friday, and he hoped it would
be signed on Saturday. Its contents were
not indicated.
Tie ationalists are embarrassed by the
necessity of supporting the Government for
the sake of Home Rule, thus alternating the
Labourites and Socialists, who are tempted
to wreck the Government by a coalition with
the Conservatives against any unsatisfactory
proposals.
Yesterdays Ministeria!ist newspapers as
sert the Bill will include neither compulsory
arbitration nor district rates of wages. The
Daily Chronicle says it will include a penalty
against owners deviating from minimum
rates, and the Daily Telegraph quotes Mr..
Bernard Shaw, that miners must live whether
or not employ ers are able to pay the wages
demanded. One method enabling payment is
invalidation of royalty contracts, another is
the naturalization of the mines, and employ
ers are lucky to escape 50 easily. MIR. Tho
mas, the Welsh owner, says the strike Is re-
volutionary and socialistic, the object being
to made the mines unremunerative, thus eX-
pelling the owners and compelling the Gov
eminent to operate them; wages are the
highest III Europe, thirty per cent above Ger
many, and have suticed to attract thirty
thousand fresh miners within four years.
Mr.. Alfred Russell Wallace, President of
the Lnnd Standardization Society, says for
the first time in civilization the Govern
ment has recognized responsibility for a
living wage and the welfare of wealth pro-
ducers; the strike attests the working class
sense Of grievance and injustice, and its
proportions emphasize the necessity of reme-
dying q perilous condition.
Birmingham has eXtingulshed seven thou
sand street lamps, and the King has ordered
the greatest economy i'll fires and lights at
Buckingham Palace.
The Paisley thread works have stopped,
the Great Western Railway have closed their
Swindon works, and Armstrong; at New
castle have notified they are able to con-
tinue for only another week. The scarcity
of fuel raises the question of replenishing
IOOu supplies oItHoI W an VI ""'OA' IhO
railways refuse to carry any traffic conflict
ing with the food service, no dining cars
are run and express trains have been
slowed or entirely stopped. The Union
disbursements last week amounted to three
hundred thousand pounds, and some are una
BILE to continue.
The Central Committee of the German
Trades Unions appeals for assistance in
maintaining strike pay. German steamships
are rufSing freight rates ten per cent for dis
tant ports, and fifteen per cent for c%oastln8
service until fuel becomes more plentiful.
Mr. Samuel, the Postmaster General, in a
speech, said the Government will soon con
troll all cables. This is construed as II refe-
renee to the expiration Of landing licenses,
and rates will then be reconsidered
The death is announced Of the Duchess
of Buccleuch.
The King has conferred the order of mer-
it upon Sir Joseph Thomson.
San Juan, p. r 19th-German cruiser
Bremen arrived s. 80 a. m.
London, March ~19th-Sugar in stock on
the 10Th inst was $4,000 tons. Last year
80, 900 tons.