Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1912-03-14
PR0GRESSMADE
IN CONFERENCE
ON COAL STRIKE
Representatives Of Miners
and Operators Continue
Negotiations With British
Cabinet; German Riots.

London, March 13.-The conference
| between the British coal mine owners
and the delegates of the striking
miners under the auspices OF several
members of the cabinet, and presided
over by Premier Asquith, was resumed
tnis morning at the foreign Office and
satisfactory progress is said to have
been made.
NO details of the, PROCEEDINGS have
oeen made public, but the premier at
noon expressed his qualification at the
course the negotiations were taking.
Inc morning session lasted for two
and half hours and the participants
then adjourned for luncheon
The distress which has been caused
throughout England, Scotland and
wales as the result OF the great coal
strike is becoming acute, more parti.
cularly in Wales. In that country
practically the whole life OF the poor
depends upon output of the coal mines.
IN the city of Cardiff alone, the chief
constable reports TOO families are in
Immediate need of relief and in all
the mining towns, now that the strike
pay OF the miners has been cut down
Dy the miners union, there will be need
tor assistance unless settlement OF
the dispute is quickly reached
! The men on the railroads and those
connected with other industries now
are being discharged daily by hundreds
the notices to quit which were given
them when the coal strike began, now
expiring.
1t is stated on the authority Of a
member Of the cabinet that should
negotiations between the miners and
owners be continued along lines
opened up yesterday.sa settlement OF
tine industrial war should be reached
today. Even then some days must
pass before work could be fully re-
sumed and some weeks before the
trade of the country could be restored
to Its normal condition
The Miners Federation today adopt.
ed the recommendation of the executive
committee which was made last night
that the federation agree to Primie,
Asquith's plan for joint conference
IN the various districts for the settle
ment OF the minimum wage proposals
4 on the understanding that none Of the
districts would resume work until
national settlement is effected.
+ Conference in New York Today.
/ New York March 13-With confer.
ences today in New York and London
steps may be taken which will lead to.
wards clearing up the worldwide situa
tion which finds a million coal miners
on strike in Great Britain and
Threatened strike OF tens of thousands
OF hard and soft coal miners in the
! United States.
| Inc possibility Of strike in this
country has already made Itself felt
In premiums of 81 ton paid on an.
thracite.
| President John p. White OF the
United Mine Workers of America and
a committee of hard coal miners were
prepared this afternoon to confer with
committee of operators who will Of
ficially reply to the demands for higher
wages and other concessions presented
two weeks ago. The operators have
already announced that the demands
would be refused. Both sides insist
that they will ''standpat."
The operators this morning made
final examination of the draft oftheir
reply to the miners. The answer Ia
said to give in detail the reason for
refusing the demands in their present
form. The present working agreement
expires at noon on March 81
Fatal Strike Riots in Germany.
Berlin, March 13.--The coal miners
strike in the great German coal fields
Of Westphalia has taken serious turn
and already has resulted in fatal
conflict between the police and the
striking miners in the district OF
Herne. At the village Of Herne five
miles from Berchum, mob OF strik-
ers threw stones and fired revolvers
shots at a detachment OF police march
ing toward the mine which they had
been ordered to protect. The police. re.
piled with their revolvers and one OF
the strikers was killed
! Large reinforcements of police have
arrived, SO that the calling OF the
militia, which has been under con-
sideration has been delayed. During
the night the strikers repeatedly bonn.
barded the police. throwing bottles and
stones from the upper windows of the
houses as they passed along the streets
striking non-union miners. A large
body of strikers also demolished a
number of gas lamps in the town and
many Of the merchants were forced to
barricade their stores. Order has been
restored in the town today. The mine
lowners have provided covered wagons
| in which the non-strikers whose num-
! Der is few, are escorted under police
protection to and from the pits. Con-
siderable number of arrests have been
made The feeling among the men
who have struck is increasing in In.
Itensity owing to the rigid repressiye
measures OF the authorities. From