The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1912-01-06
PEOPLE j.
GROW MORE FESTIVE
A Grave Political lSpheavel May
Result From the Prolonged
Discomfort.
Organized Effort Being Made to
Boycott the Lloyd-George
Insurance Bill.
Home Rule Measure Practically
Completed-Will be Generous
and Satisfactory.

According to II. p. O'Connor, NJ P,
the labor unrest which is disturbing
England, instead of being ameliorated
by the Lloyd-George insurance bill, is
growing more intense. In his special
cable of Dec. 80 in the Chicago Tri-
bune he says:
The old year goes out in a darkness
OF labor unrest which seemed quieter
for while but then burst into more
disastrous contlagration.
All Lancashire is in ferment with
more than a quarter Of million per-.
sons threatened with starvation owing
to the dispute between the trades
unions and one Or two obstinate wo-
men who refuse to join tho union.
Similarly a union of even more gi.
Santic magnitude is looming up among !
the miners. who demand minimum
Wage which the masters as yet refuse
This relapse into a civil war comes as
u disagreeablc surprise as the re-
sources of the unions were considered
TO be exhausted by the railway strike
in the summer.
The sense OF wcarincss and almost
despair which is coming over the
country al this continual unrest is
hnululstG III ~
suits. On the one hand the steady
going and racial conservatism of eng
lnnd, which already has begun to be
alarmed by Lloyd Georges daring
finance bill, becomes more rcstivc as
the labor men advance their demands,
although many Of these demands are
justified by The higher prices OF living
and other conditions The small shop.
keeper and the small property holder
arc becoming impatient. On the 9TH
er hand every labor dispute that
threatens the cordial relations be.
tween the labor ranks and liberalism
and every strike which ends in vo-
lence on the part of the worklnglnen
and the necessary repression Of the
Liberal government makes a new gulf
between the two forces
Combination Causes Loss.
The combination of these different
elements accounts for the recent
losses by the Liberals at The by-elec-
tions and also for the marked resur-
gcnce of The Tory hopes.
The foreign policy of Sir Edward
Grey also has run of i'll luck. The
reports OF the Russian atrocities and
despotism in Persia are exciting the
public opinion here, especially among
the radicals, who never approved rne
alliance with Russia and want to ieal-
ously guard the independence of Per-
sia.
In the meantime Persia proves her
own worst enemy, for even British OF.
ficials and soldiers are being attacked
by Persian robber bands
The revolt against the insurance
bill still is being carefully organized,
especially as the Tories found the bill
such good electioneering. The ply
sicians meet by the thousand and de-
clare they will boycott the measure,
and although as most of them are To-
rics, the movement has a certain DO.
]itical motive, 1t also has a profession
al impulse.
Boycott May Break Down.
How long the boycott will last is
/ doubtful, but it is probable that it
will break down as the terms given
in the bill to the doctors, although
not satisfactory, are a great improve
ment on the old system under which
the doctors worked for an incredibly
small wage under hard, grinding serv-
ice in the friendly societies.
The Home Rule bill is practically
completed. The general impression is
that the bill will be generous and sat
isfactory. It will pass the house of
commons next year and possibly will
be a law in two years, but the labor
unrest and the unpopularity of the in
surance bill and some Of the bad losses
in the by-elections may embarrass it's
path. But, after all, once it is adopt
ed, further opposition probably will
collapse. Too many mighty forces.
from the king downwards, are work