The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-03-14
Situation Unchanged

London,t March 13-The thirteenth day of the coal strike ended without a settlement having been reached
 The joint conference of representa- tives of the miners and mine owners and members of the cabinet adjourned this evening fin order to consider cer- tain prop osals made by the prime min ister," as. the announcement put it. Concerning the nature of the proposal and the results achieved at the con- ference, which lasted five and a half hours, the government Is persisting in its policy of rigid secrecy, but there are indications that there has been j progress in the interest of peace and miners have receded from the position that the only basis of settlement would be the owners acceptance of the feder- ations schedule of minimum wages
 Prior to the opening of the confer- ence the National Miners federation held a meeting and adopted a resolution which gives to the various districts S au- thority to enter negotiations withi the owners on the question of rates, vary ! ing them aS-they deem proper but stipulating that. all amended schedules must be indorsed by the council and that the settlement of the strike must be national in it's scope. It is. stated that they may even giveswaY in the latter point as a proposal, which was considered today, may yet be adopted
 
 federation. who can make favorable terms with the employers, shall be au- thorized to return to work, while the Welsh and Scotch miners can continue to fight the owners to a finish on the question of a minimum wage, the Eng fish miners, who resume operations meanwhile, agreeing to submit to q special levy, to help their brethren on strike.
 Distress Is Acute
 Distress in England, Scotland ana Wales caused by the coal strike is growing acute and more particularly in Wales. In that, country practically the whole life of the population depends upon the output of the coal mines In the city of Cardiff alone the chief con- stable reports TOO families in immediate need of relief and in all the mining towns now, that the strike pay of the miners has been cut down by the miners union. There will be need for assistance unless a settlement of the dispute is quickly reached.
 The men on. the railroads and those connected with other industries are be- ing discharged daily by the hundreds, the notices to quit, which were given them when the coal strike began, now expiring. The notices generally ran for a fortnight.
 Outlook Gloomy
 As result of these reports the out look is gloomy, with every prospect of a breakdown of the foreign office conference today. Traffic returns of the railways of the United Kingdom for the past week show an aggregate de- crease of S2,500,000 owing to the strike. Rioting occurred yesterday at a col fiery near St. Helens, Lancashire, three policemen being wounded. Although there are nearly 1000, ,000 workmen idle including the miners, tnis isolated case is the only sign of disorder any where.
 It was expected parliament would de- bate the coal situation today but ow- ing to the prolongation of the confer ence the debate is now impossiblejsbe- fore Monday. The most serious views of the situation are being expressed in the lobbies of the house of commons