New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-03-30
MINERS COUNSELLEO
TO ACCEPT WAGE ACT
Kinq George Gives Assent to
Asquith's Bill and Men
Begin BaI|oting.
SURFACE WORKERS IN ARMS
Refuse to Resume Work Until
Their Grievances Are Rem
edied-Money for Strike
Pay Runs Low.

when at noon IL received the royal assent.
simultaneously ballotlng by the coal min
ers throughout the British Isles was pro-
ceedng 10 settle the question whether the
strikers should return TO work or let the
mines lie idle pending a decision by the
district boards, provided for in the BILL as
20 what the rates OF wages shall be in the
various coal mine districts. While the re-
suit Of the balloting will not he known
officially until next THURSDAY. there was
prevalent everywhere a feeling Of optimism
that the vote would favor resumption
Of work and that meantime thousands OF
miners would return TO work In anticipa-
ton of such decision
The results of the baloting IN three or
four small districts in the Midlands sho"
large maiorities against the miners resum-
Ing work. II Is still believed on the whole
however that when the entire vote i
counted there will he a majority in favor
OF the men returning 10 the mines.
Thomas Ashton. secretary of the Min
ers' Federation. tonight Issued state
mont counselling the miners 10 resume
| work without waiting for the district
boards to adjust the minimum wage. ana
his advice probably will have greater in
fuonCe on the ballot than tina Of any othef
leader
! MIR Ashton's statement is considered 10
I RI Of great Importance, because II was pro-
| fozsedlv issued with view TO Counteract-
! ing the advice If some Of the leaders that
the niner7 should not resume work until
! Tho wages boards have fixed the minima in
every district. Mr. Ashton regards this adj
! vice as very iriudicious, declaring that
some ~ the boards might FIX the rates IN
| 2 fortnight while others might occupy sew
! eraI weeks in so doing. He thinks II al
vieahle that all the miners resume WORK
simultaneously. 50 that every district may
- or an equal footing.
! Back 10 Mines on Thursday.
\ number NJ tho south Wales leaders
! also arc now couneellng an immediate re-
epmrtion Of work. and according 10 tho
! latest indications the mon will return TO
tho mines on Thursday and work through
/ tie Eastcrtide. already having had more NJ
holiday than they require.
/ In fact moderate viows are gaining IN"
| q <cerdonov I'm the question concerning me
settlement Of the strike and influential
/ labor leaders arc Joining in the donuncla-
! tion Of gvrdicslism and advising the mon
! LOYALTY 20 accept tho wage bin. william
| Brace William T.. Harvey and Thomas
| Richards. all prominent mining representa-
| 1ives in Parliament issued statements 70.
| night similar I'm purport to that Of Mr.
Ashton Mr. Brace in his statement says.
This strike has taught rs that complete
! closing down Of staple industry acts as
! severe punishment to the vorkmen In other
/ trades When this truth Is fully realized
! s,ndiraIism viii he regarded Is the most
. L.. L. Of cob
could possibly he devised ae defenc" in
i tuu interests pi labor.
/ The only stumbling block in tho way Of
a speedy termination Of the strike seems TO
/ he tho attitude OF tho surface men, who
! still have some grievances unsatisn"d.
| Their national federation to-day issued
{ manifesto to all its branches 10 the effect
! that there must be no resumption Of work
! nv any section Of the federation until the
owrers have conceded their demands. IT
! i. believed however. that this dispute will
| he settled before the result OF the general
/ hallotirc ' announced.
Another 10000 Unemployed.
! There we're further additions to-day In
Scotland n the ranks Of tho miners resum-
ing work. hut an increase Of oo,0"n in the
.
United Kingdom who were forced out of
u ork hv reason or shortage 81 coal
There was. how ever. no recurrence Of dis,
orders GOOD feeling prevails between the
,roore and tho strikers \ special instance
If This is shown by the fact that At can
mock. IN Staffordshire, the soldiers and
strikers PLAYED p match game OF football.
Among the many other labor leaders VINO
are advising the mon 20 resume work j.
StepIeu Walsh, NJ. y. for the Ince DIVISION
Of Lancashire Mr.. Walsh began his career
as a coal miner, and is now member OF
the Miners Cancellation Board. Addressing
tho miners OF the WiGan district tonight,
he said that the principle OF the minimum
wage having been conceded after hght
! covering half century. II was the duty or
tho men TO accept the government Dill
and do their utmost TO eliminate all that Is
bad in H. The syndicalists, lie added, want
cd them 10 break the laws and bring ruin
upon everybody but he never would agree
to such a doctrine In conclusion MIR.
Walsh said that TO defy the government
could only result in starvation and blood
| shed
The fourth weekly distribution Of strike
pay was made to-day by those unions which
had anything left TO distribute The or
! CARNATIONS of North Wales, Narwickshre,
Cumberland Somerset and Bristol had ex-
hausted their funds last week, and what
little they were able to pay out to-day was
borrowed from the banks.
The Price to the Unions.
! The total cost Of the strike to the miners
unions 10 date has been S,2l6,2jO and the
balance left in the union treasures now
amounts TO only $4,000, most of which is
invested in securities which would not
bring in their fun value under forced sale.
! Besides the total spent by the miners
unions the organizations connected with
other trades have distributed nearly $3.50
np9 in out OF work benefits TO their mem
| bers.
While the majority Of trade unlonists and
the miners can therefore look forward
without much worry 10 another ten days
| idleneSs this is not the case with hundreds
! OF thousands Of others who have been
thrown out Of work by the strike and who
have no hope of being able TO resume their
occupations for some time after the mines
! have again been opened and have begun
! 10 produce further supplies OF coal.
! In the poorer districts OF Cardiff, in
| South Wales, the houses OF the working
men have been practically denuded of all
| their furniture in order 10 keep the wolf
from the door. The relief committees.
however. are now well organized and the
sunerings OF the destitute will be gradually
| lcsscned until the men secure employment