Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1912-03-28
MINERS TO VOTE
ON ENDING STRIKE
Little Doubt but That Men WAL
Favor Termination Oh Adj
vice Of Leaders.
OWNERS AGREE TO Rf;'UPEN
Worst O.. tbs Trouble Over but
p.:ces of Coal and Food in
England Are Still
Rising.

l.ondor, Marcn N.--The event Q! the day
in connection with the coal strike was
the prompt decision Of the minc"a fedora
ton to take ballot OF the men on the
question of terminating the strike The
ballot paper reads: Are you IN favor
Of resuminr work pending the settlement
of the minimum rates of WAGES IN the
various grades bv the district boards to
bc appointed under the coal mines
minimum wage act?"
Little doubt is felt that a majority Of
the men will now vote in favor of
terminating the strike, especially as the
view is gathering force among the miners
that the mine owners are trying to proong
TN" struggle in order To bleed the mems
unions. while they render them powerless
to renew the struggle f T. long time
to come.
The prospect tonight. therefore. IS that
the strike may end in week. although
there will hc no general resumption until
after Easter The coal owners having
agreed to reopen the mines. no further
delrv Will be incurred on that score
orders were ISSUED at Aldershot tonight
for all the troops. numbering 1000, to be
prepared to move at any moment into the
colliery districts Five hundred troops
left Lich.ield for Cannock. where a seri-
Gus riot occurred to-day, and a detach-
rnent of infantry is Quartcrcd tonight at
Brynkinalt. where trouble is expected be-
| tween union and nonunion men
TO SUSPEND FREIGHT TRAFFIC.
The railway managers have decided &c
suspend all freight traffic except perish
able goods from April until April e
The government will take iu.}"Gi-
1 ate steps to organize tn fc|
boards under the bill, SO tEai 49,
thing will be in readiness whel the
! men are willing to resume y meeting
of the liberal members of the House
of Commons representing the mining
constituencies has been arranged by
the government whips for tomorrow
at which the prime minister will make
an important statement on the attitude
of the government This meeting II
expected to have an amcliorating eft
feet on the situation. No labor mem
bers have been invited to attend.
| An unexpected hitch occurred /,
pa assing the wage bill through tn,
| House of Lords tonight but the de
lag under the existing circumstances
is not important In the lohbies o
Parliament the feeling of gloom whicl
| was manifest Tuesday has entirel,
disappeared,
The worst of the trouble is over. bu
the prices of coal and food are still ris
ing.
Having made a strong fight in Parlia
ment to secure the best possible term
for the miners in the bill, the labor lead
ers now frankly counsel the men to ac
cept the bill. This will have a great in
fluence in the ballot and leaves lttl
doubt that the end OF the strike is a
hand.
PASSES SECOND READING.
The House OF Lords Tonight passed III
second reading of the minimum wag
bill without division, During the debat
lord Lansdowne said that the oppositio
would rot amend the bill or delay it
passage. but the ministry must accep
ful responsibility !or it.
owing to some mitch in the wordin,, +
a government amendment and IT,, failur
to suit both sides of the House. N
Marquis of Crewe announced that tn
comirit;oe stage would be postponed an
Ill Thursday. This will result in delay
Ing the royal assent until Friday.
W;trw iCkshire's 1900 miners will be tn
first TO Resume work. Their executive tC
night sent notice TO ali the miner!
lodges. stating that tlic owners agree
the same minimum wages as when wor
ceased, and authorizing the men to r.
sumo without waiting for u ballot.
The most serious outbreak since III
strike began occurred TO day at Cannocl
Staffordshire, where several thousan
strikers, accompanied by hundreds
women. raidcd cOllery in which 50 me
were working. They stoned and ovel
! powered the small Torce of police n
guard. setting fire to two buildings an
wrecking others. The rioting continue
for several hours. until large reinforc'
, ments OF police arrived and scattered tr
rioters by baton charges,