New-York tribune., 1912-02-28
ASQU|TH BUSY IN EFFORT
TO AVERT COAL STRIKE
Has Several Conferences with
Owners and Men, but Fails
to Announce Success.
THOUSANDS ALREADY. OUT
Two Sides in South Wales Adopt
Irreconcilable Attitude-Spe-
cial Legislation May
Be Rushed.
rBy cable TO The Tribune J


Be Rushed.
fBy cable 10 The Tribune
I,ondon. Feb. 2S.-The Welsh coal
owners remain obdurate on the question
of recognition of the principle OF the
minimum wage. and the gravcst fears
are felt that the strike, which is al
ready partial, will become national,
though there is q likelihood that its most
disastrous results may be minimized.
Forty thousand miners have already
left work in Derbyshre, Nottingham
shire and Leicestershire; this in accord
ance with notices previously given. To-
day one hundred thousand will be idle,
and tomorrow a million more will bring
out their shovels, picks and drills
What makes the task Of the Prime
Minister and his colleagues so difficult
is the bitterness between the masters
and the men in South Wales. ID. A..
Thomas, the leader Of the coal owners,
and Vernon Hartshorn. leader Of the
miners in that part Of the country. have
adopted wholly irreconciable attitude
and have so far declined to listen to any
suggestion of compromise.
Should the last peace effort fail to-day
the government may be compelled TO
Gall back on the weapons 1t has in re-
serve, and as an ultimate possibility
may be driven to propose legislation for
the establishment OF a minimum wage in
the coal trade. A short bill with that
object in view would, in the present tenn
per of the House OF Commons, run swift
~ through all its stages.
This, however, seems TO have had the
effect of stiffening the backs of the mine
owners. who resent seeing their hands
forced in this manner.
Altogether the conferences will not be
resumed in very hopeful spirit to-day.
II appears that Premier Asquith had ar
ranged to see the King last night, hoping
to he in a position to announce that a
settlement was in sight. but at the last
moment the audience was postponed,
owing to the totally inconclusive nature
Of the days negotiations.
Earl Grey I'm a published interview cX-
presses the conviction that the only
permanent solution OF the difficulty lies
in the adoption Of system Of copart-
nership.
London Feb. 2T.-No settlement OF the
coal dispute was reached at the various
conferences in which the Premier and
members of his Cabinet and the repre-
sentatives of tho mine owners and the
miners participated to-day.
The negotiations continued until near
midnight. Premier Asquith had another
conference at his official residence with
the mine owners committee after !
O'clock. -Ieither the Premier. the Chan
cellor OF the EXchequer or the Prcsi-
dent of the Board of Trade was able 10
appear in the House of Commons to-
night because of the coal situation.
The official statement OF the proceed
ings issued tonight, which some pre-
dicted would report that an agreement
had been reached, merely records the
fact that various conferences occurred.
but tells nothing Of what was done or
said at any Of them. 1t concludes with
the announcement that tho conferences
will be resumed tomorrow, from which
all that can be deduced Is that the gov
ernment IL still striving 10 avert stop
page Of the gigantic industry on which
the count-y's commercial supremacy is
based
Whatever progress has been made in
the negotiations, they at least have not
advanced TO that stage where II is
deemed advisable that the members of
the miners and the owners should meet
together. II had previously been eX-
pected that such meeting would he
held during the course OF the afternoon.
The position of the miners representa-
tives Is much simpler than that of the
owners representatives. The former are
authorized by the National Miners Fed
GRAFTON practically to present the ulti-
matum: "a national minimum wage or
a national strike
Until the owners are prepared to con-
cede the minimum wage principle it is
obvious that nothing can be accom-
plshed by bringing the disputants to-
gether. From the fact that this has not
been done it is inferred that the Cabi-
net has not succeeded in inducing the
owners, Welsh as well az English TO
make that concession.
That the sanguine expectations, widely
held. of ultimate success are not yet al
together justified is shown by the an
swer given by James Haslam. NJ. T.,
leader Of the Derbyshire miners who at
tended the conference, to intcrviewcrs
in reply TO a question concerning the ou,-
look
There is no outlook at present" said
Mir. Haslam. The government seems 10
have gone as far as It can go. The min
listers are very anxious, just AS we are.
but it is going to be rum job"
In Parliamentary circles, presumably
on inside information, there is an unde-
niable feeling of optimism, but If gov
ernment Intervention fails by Friday
morning practically every colliery i'm the
land will be shut down. Meanwhile
many thousands are raking ready TO
strike, and the time left TO accomplish
anything by negotiations is alarmingy
short.
-------o -
FORCED TO COMMIT BIGAMY
Woman Who Married" II. T. Par.