The Brunswick news. [volume] (Brunswick, Ga.) 1906-2016, 1912-03-22
HARD FIGHT ON
OVER PASSAGE
OF WAGE BILL
PRESENT STRIKE MAY RESULT
IN THE FALL OF ENGLISH
MINISTRY.
Mine Owners Fighting Passage of the
Wage Bill Now Before Parliament
Because of Alleged Unfairness to
Operators.

London, March 21.-The gravity
OF Great Britain's national peril ar1s-
ing from the labor war, which Arthur
}. Balfour, the unionist statesman,
charged as surprising in magnitude
anything this country has heretofore
experienced, was reflected in the
tense atmosphere of the house of
commons this afternoon when the
minimum wage bill came up for a
second reading. y
Premier Asquitn formally moved
the second reading of the bill, and
then yielded the floor to Mr.. Balfour,
who moved its rejection.
The country" said Mr.. Balfour,
has never before been faced with
a crisis such as this. We are wit
messing the new, strange and porten-
tlous spectacle of a single organiza-
tion, acting within its legal powers,
threatening to paralyze the whole
trade of the country.
There is no indications \that the
leaders of the movement desired to
temper the use of their legal powers
with any consideration of mercy. Was
there ever an American trust at any
period of its existence which had used
Or inisused the powers given 10 it by
the law to the detriment of private
interests and general trade to the
extent we are now witnessing?s
Question is Grave One.
Cries of yes from the labor
benches greeted Balfour's question as
to the American trusts. Mr.. Balfour
said he recognized the earnestness
of Premier Asquith's efforts, but &C.
clared
There never has been graver
case of a government deceiving itself
and deceiving the house of COM
mons.'
The former premier said the gov
eminent defended its bill on the
ground of the existence of abnormal
places in some of the mines, but this
was merely to save the face of min
listers who had hastened, under the
threats to yield to the conditions laid
down by the miners. He complained
that the government had sanctioned
the tearing up of existing agreements
without a word of protest and de-
clared that there was no justification
for the government attempting to
force this colossal revolution thru
the house of commons in less than a
week.
Mr.. Balfour said that even assum-
ing the government were defeated,
there could not be a dissolution, as it
was impossible to add the confusion
of a general election to the horror of
the strike. He intimated that although
the unionists intended to test the
opinion of the house regarding the
methods of the government, they
would after that do their best to see
that the policy of the government had
its chance. From this it appears
clear that the unionists will not OBJ
struot the committee stage of the bill
and that the house of lords will pass
it. y
In the towns of the Kingdom peo-
pie are awaiting the action of the
house of commons tonight. There is
no 'oubt that the minimum wages
bill will receive a second, reading,
for the coalition composed of the
the Irish party and the labor
party will unite in voting for IT, Trou-
Bile will begin, however, when the
bill reaches the committee stage, at
which period the members of the Ia
Dor party will propose the amend
ments, on whose adoption they insist
Liberals are in Doubt.
The liberal party is swept by doubt.
Some of it's members wish the bill
abandoned, others desire to accept the
miners wage scale schedule, and an
even larger fraction is willing to en-
graft on the bill clause establishing
minimum of 1925 daily for all men
employed under ground, and 80 cents
for boys.
Liberal members of parliament are
warning the labor members that
should the bill be defeated it will be
necessary for the government, which
is friendly to them, to resign and
hand over the management Of the
country's affairs to the unionlst party
which Is not so friendly.
A general election would II is
pointed out, be impossible until the