New-York tribune., 1912-03-03
ASQU|TH WINS LABOR|TES
BY. OFFER OF NEW LAW
Minimum Wage Bill for Coal
Trade Secures Their
Loyalty.
DURESS FOR MINE OWNERS
EMPLOYERS To Be Forced to Ac-
cept Governments Terms if
Operative Act Can
Be Devised.
lpv cable 70 The Tribune.


London March 2.-Unionist partisan5
are chuckling maliciously over the
Prime Minister'S misfortune in having
the coal crisis TO deal with at a moment
when the ministerial bowl is already
brimming over with toll and trouble. 1t
is not yet certain, however whether the
strike will prove a political disadvantage
10 the Premier personally, for without
doubt he has acted with great discretion
in an exceedingly trying emergency and
has not lost control OF the situation.
lie has retained his self possession
when the press Of both parties have been
panic stricken and filed with foolish and
reckless suggestions. II he had COM
mitted the government 10 a policy OF
guaranteeing the mine owners against
loss from the adoption Of the minimum
wage he would have established prece-
dent for the multiplication of strikes. the
encouragement Of malingering and the
financing at the expense Of the Treas
irry Of every trade union demand.
While this fatal mistake has been
avoided, he has secured the consent of
considerable majority Of the mine own
ers 20 the principle Of the minimum
wage and has established a prima facie
case for a legislative enactment which
will remove the main grievance of the
miners under proper safeguards and
Sor close approach to compulsory arbi-
tration Apparently he has resources for
bringing the strike to an end by act of
Parliament if the minority party among
the coal owners holds out, and no other
expedient is now suggested.
The Labor party, being grateful for
the governments support OF the mini
mum wage, is now not likely to desert
him, and neither Mr.. Bonar Law nor Lord
Lansdowne can venture to oppose legis-
lative action at a momentous crisis such
as that which the country now faces. If
time be lost over minimum wage bill
when there is none to spare for the pas
sage Of the three great measures of the
session the Prime Minister will have
strengthened the cohesive power Of the
coalition by taking up the cause of i'll
paid labor and justified in advance the
failure Of the government to carry out
its congeste6 scheme of progressive re-
forms in single session.
Cnionist partisans have assumed pre-
maturely that the government would be-
come the tool Of a syndicalist conspir-
acy to condone violation Of agreements
nv Welsh and Scottish miners. to sacri-
fee property interests and make peace
by an abject surrender to irresponsible
socialists. appalling as are the conse-
uuences Of the strike TO almost million
miners, the fulfilment of those prophecies
would have been even more alarming.
The difficulties Of framing minimum
wage bill can hardly be exaggerated, and
when It is enacted there is serious risk
that II may be imperative without dras-
tic clauses for compelling both owners
and miners to accept government inter-
ventlon in good faith.
There must be little less than a mar
vel Of constructive legislation or there
will be another crude failure like the
insurance act, yet public opinion will be
behind the measure and there will be
more Of IL every day while the strike
continues and the area of disturbance Is
widened, and It Is likely to hold the field
because there is no alternative for it.
Even embittered partisans may he ST.
lenced if the sorely harassed Prime
Minister succeeds in restoring industrial
peace without impairing the security Of
capital or opening the way for social
ist revolution.
Certainly political canards about Cab
met dlssension have been disposed OF
this week when MIR. Asquith was 10y
ally supported by Sir Edward Grey and
Mr.. Lloyd George in the coal negotia-
tions There have been no Cabinet in
trigues and the supremacy of the cold,
resourceful, wary Prime Minister has
been undisputed. He has strengthened his
grip upon working England by his SYM
pathetic treatment Of the wage question
and may render the nation service Of
snestimable value.