New-York tribune., 1912-02-29
sIenderest Hope Entertained OF
Supreme Effort To Be Made
by Sir G. AskWlth.
FIRM FOR MINIMUM WAGE
Government Exhausts All Means
Save Special Legislation 70
Avert Shutting Down
of Mines.
rRy cable to The Tribunel

continued tomorrow, Dut INV
can only he described as very gloomy
Tho government. however, has pan
for the settlement of the controVe'sl' -
The nlap is Sir George Askwith $ WIN
an addendun by MIR. Lloyd George 90
much is fairly certain, despite 'hc
secrecy with which the negotiations
have been conducted In Downing street
with the coal owners and miners ana 'hC
Miners Federation. II Is laborious at
TEMPT on the part Of the noted strike
settler 10 find a line of least resistance
between both sides and to discover CON
ditions under which the principle Of me
minimum wage can be accepted 10y the
mine owners.
Mr.. IJovd George is credited with pro-
posing an amendment by when capt
taIjsts can receive a guarantee that theE
will not suffer loss from the proposed
aettlement. but it is open 10 question
whether the Prime Minister has ac-
oeptcd governmental responsibility for
financing the minimum wage
A Dangerous Precedent.
While the railway corporations we're
ALLOW Cd to increase their traffic charges
by way Of practical compensation for
their enlarged expenditure, it would De
dangerous precedent for ministers 10
saddle upon the Treasury an obligation
Ia make good the defaults caused by
the adoption of the strikers demands.
The Prime Minister. it is now under
stood. has followed the requirements OF
the Cancellation act and advocated
with persua sive eloauence reasonable
method of settling the impending strike.
There has been no menace Of dragoonins
the miners bv compulsory methods, nor
has there been any suggestion OF reVo-
luton from above by which receivers
shall be appointed for the companies
and mining operations conducted by the
government on the basis of the mini
mum wage.
The Prime Minister, however, does not
reoulre a mentor to warn him that
nsrtjsan opposition would turn and renG
him were any such drastic measures
adopted.
a The massage Of minimum wage bill
may have been hnted at, and certainly
Mr.. Asouith. as an astute lawyer, can
b. depended upon TO legalize by act OF
Parliament whatever is done outside the
cancellation act
Deadlock Almost Complete
.---Nteauzvhile. the dea dlock is almost COM
rlate. ~ had been supposed that the
greatest hostility would arise from the
Welsh mine owners, and public opinion
was veering in favor Of the miners.
who, it was thought, would be satisfied
with the concession OF the principle OF
a minimum wage, leaving the adjust
ment Of the details TO subsequent arbi-
tration or negotiation. II is now seen
that the miners themselves are placing
the greatest obstacle in the way of
peaceful solution by insisting upon their
own Interpretation of the terms of the
minimum, wage.
At the same time It is felt that the
EoYernment's efforts have not been
wasted. The government has secured
the assent of 60 per cent OF the mine
owners Of the country 70 minimum
wage principle, thus greatly facilitating
its task should It be deemed advisable
TO resort to legislative enforcement
thereof According TO opinion in the
obbies Of Parliament tonight this will
be the next step, should Sir George Ask
with fell in the supreme effort TO be
made Tomorrow.
st midnight the government issued an
Official statement on the subject, break
ing the rule Of secrecy which II has
heretofore rigidly observed during the
course Of the negotiations
The statement begins by declaring that
the government is satisfied that there
are cases in which underground workers
are not able to earn reasonable mini
mum wage. The government is further
satisfied that the power to earn such
wage should be secured by arrange
ments suitable TO the special circum-
stances IN each district, adequate safe
guards being provided TO protect en-
ployers against abuse.
Divided counssIs Amons Owners.
The government is prepared 10 confer
with the parties concerned as to the
best method OF giving practical effect TO
these conclusions by means OF district
. conferences. a representative appointed
by the government being present in
svent Of failure to arrive at settlement
within a reasonable time. and repre-
sentatives appointed by the government
20 decide Jointly any outstanding points.
These proposals. continues the state
ment. were considered by the repre-
sentatives Of the coal owners this after
noon, with the result that those in the
federated area. which includes York
shire, Lancashire, the Midlands and
North Wales. accepted, adding that it is
expected that the government will make
such arrangements as would secure that
the agreement be binding on both sides
for reasonable time
This statement does not show much
progress toward settlement and neith-
er the proposal that there should be a
minimum wage, with adequate safe
guards for the owners nor that concern
ing district conferences has met any
thing Ike general acceptance.
Most English owners have agreed to
XY s1Y