The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1912-03-22
WILL NOT AC.
CEPT THE AMENDMENTS
land. a steady turning of the miners
back to the pits.
Inst Nipht's Rattle
CONTINUED from Page ~

ldilus d SledQS turning VI llc lulIl6TS
back to the pits.
Last Nights Battle.
Arthur ]. Balfour's motion for the
rejection of the minimum wage bill
was defeated and the government
measure passed its second reading in
the house Of commons last night by a
majority Of 1874 larger majority
than the ministeriafs themselves had
hoped for. The vote stood 348 to
225. The laborites and n~ationalists
voted with the government.
The prime minister formally moved
the second reading of the bill and inn
mediateiy yielded the floor to Mr.. Bal
four, who. in moving its rejection,
temporarily assumed the leadership of
the opposition. The debate was inter-
esting in character and served to dis
sipate much alarm which has caused
by the announcement that the union
the measure. 1t is now evident that
the conservative leaders had no idea
Of upsetting the government. but mere
ly desired to wash their hands Of
responsibility for the bill. and had no
wish to u Office themselves.
Mr.. Balfour pointed out the gravity
Of the crisis which had been brought
about "by a single organization, acting
within its legal powers. threatening to
~ 4AS " iolS VI lAlC SOuIs
try" He declared hat the govern
ment in endeavoring to pass this bill
was deceiving both itself and the
house of commons.
The debate showed that the labor
leaders were in a more reasonable
mood. Although they tabled a num-
Der OF amendments, one for the in
clusion Of their schedule of minimum
wa 1t is believed that they will be
satisfied uyith and fhof tho unx,aH~~oN~<
Will be willing to concede, the inclu-
sion Of the five shilling and two shill-
ing minimum. Altogether tension has
been greatly relaxed, and the debate
may be carried into next week, It
would be surprising If the govern
ments original program was carried
out. and the bill become a law by Sat-
urday. The conservatives are not
likely to take any Officially action in the
committee stage. which will be con-
cerned for the most part with the la
Dor amendments.
During the debate Austen Chamber
lain confessed that the opposition was
not ANXIOUS to take Office. but said it
would not shirk the responsibility II
called upon to do so. The bill. he
said, stood for a policy of surrender,
from other trades.
Sir Edward Grey. secretary of state
for foreign affairs, denied that the bill
would cause future trouble. New cir.
cumstances had arisen and the door
had been opened with regard to a
minimum wage which could not be
closed again. 1t would be futile for
parliament to bury its head in the
SANE and try to ignore the question.
Within a few weeks. perhaps days,
they should be dealing. not with the
causes. but with the terrible conse-
quences of the strike. That was WHY
the government had introduced the
bill.
II the bill failed. continued the for
eign SECRETARY. the government must
protect the nation by every resource
IN Its power. but he appealed to the
owners and miners alike to unite in a
sense spirit Of reasonabieness
to see that 1t should not be necessary
to resort to these means.
: William Brace, labor member for
south, said that II the gov
eminent would not amend the bill to
include the whole miners schedule.
they should at least amend 1t to in
clude their irreducible minimum, Ave
shillinss for men and two shillings for
boys. so that when the miners went
before the district boards they would
be assured of some definite basis Of
I'VE want Il settlement" he said. IT
believe that II we have a settlement in
this way It will be permanent"
He declared that the motion of. the
to reject the bill was a
futile method Of meeting a great crisis.
I'm a great war" said he, I'VE forget
party. This is a war fought out in
the homes and at the hearths OF the
people. We shall vote for a second
reading, and tomorrow shall move
amendments" -
Earl Winterton.. conservative. op-
posed the bill on the ground that ne
had been told that Il would fail to
settle the strike II passed. while It Of
fered inducements to the miners to
shirk work and thus reduce the coal
output.