, 1912-03-13

''S"N
but the proposals are not described. Con
.idering the difficulty of making progress
without mutual discussion, the Government
issued an invitation for a Joint conference, and
the miners replied they would reasonable their
National Conference ut the earliest possible
moment, reserving from consideration the
principle of a minimum wage. The confer
ence will meet tomorrow.
It is officially stated that seven hundred
and fifty thousand men are idle besides the
miners, and the number will be doubled be-
fore Saturday.
Bankers are considering refusing financial
accommodation upon pledge of the Unions
securities, oggregating two hundred and
fifty thousand pounds, thereby financing the
strike.
The German miners are daily becoming
more menacing, and a strike of hundl eds of
thousands is expected in Westphalia, Silesia
and Hanover.
American owners are building stockades
in anticipation of strike disorders.
The general idleness has swelled the at
tendonce at football and sixty thousand on
Saturday saw Manchester and Blackburn tie.
The Suffragettes have turned Holloway
jail topsy turvy. Mrs. Pankhurst and Mrs.
luke have started a hunger strike, and Miss
Wright LED q forcible resistance to rules, re-
AuIting in a set battle with the Weaknesses,
who were almost disrobed by the furies. They
were finally subdued by handouts and soil
tarv confinement.
The General Petroleum Company has ex-
tended the Consolidated Goldfields option to
the first of June.
Washington, March 11th-President Taft,
in a speech regarding the arbitration treaties
with England and France as amended by the
Senate, said q just cause would eventually WIN,
it was now necessary to consider whether the
uuo,t -roo ,,o.fI, Vrosorvinr NJ yvhofhar
other countries will accept the amendments.
81 am disappointed, he added, but not dis
couraged".
London, March 12th-The coal strike sit
uation has not essentially altered, and condi-
ions, unemployment and distress are steadi-
ly becoming worse; negotiations continue,
but there are no positive Indications of any
result; even if the approaching conferences
produce an agreement the strike cannot
sop forthwith, aud should it be verified that
the Government on Thursday will Introduce
a minimum wage bill establishing the prin-
ciple and leaving rates to be fixed, it IS
doubtful whether the miners would resume.
Stealing of pigeons, potatoes and similar
foodstutfs has begun. The police dispersed
a meeting Of railway men in Trafalg gar
square through fear of disorder. The Post
Office announces q reduction of the inland
fuhllS, tue hOuuOu OOuuCJ COuuCA uHS 10
duced the tramway service, and there are
countless other similar reductions.
Among the scanty compensations for the
disturbed conditions are the strengthening OF
Mr.. Asquith's prestige and unifcation of the
Ministry. Mr.. Lloyd Georges responsibility
for the recent adverse bye-elections makes
his rivalry of Mr.. Asquith impossible, and
the Suffr a gette hooligauism assures the pas
sage of the franchise reform bill unamended,
although a Cancellation bill will probably be
moved MS a rider. Thus the Government
dissensions are healed by their enemies, if Mr.,
Asquith's failure to perform impossibllitles
is minimized by the rising hostility to the
strikers extravagant demands, which are re-
scented even by their own class, whose funds
are SO depleted that no other strike will be
practicable for a prolonged interval, and the
stubborn optimism shown is due to the bad
Hess of the situation making its continuance
impossible without arousing unanimous ac-
ton against whoever is responsible for pro-
longing the universal distress.
A despatch from Hobart, Tasmania, says
Canfaiu Annnndsop will deliver n few lee