Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-03-22
WAGE SCALE DENIED
Asquith Refuses to Accept
Minimum for Miners.
MAY RESULT IN DEADLOCK
Settlement of English Coal Strike
Now Seems Farther OFF.
SUFFERING ALREADY AT HAND
Starvation Faces Industrial Work
ers Through Closing of Mills
Throughout the Country.

CAS AA1OuSA NlOSluS VI MILLS
Throughout the Country.
LONDON. March 22-Premer Asquith
In the house of commons this afternoon
refused to accept the miners amendment
to the minimum wage bill, providing a
minimum of s1.25 and 80 cents as the
daily wage for men and boys respectively.
The house had just entered upon the
committee stage of the minimum wage
bill when the miners amendment was
moved, and Premier Asquith'S pronounce
ment, the gravity of which was immedi-
ately recognized, because it is practically
certain TO bring about another deadlock,
caused sensation among the members.
In opposing the miners amendment the
premier said that he was inclined to
think the figures reasonable ones, but
that 1t was most undesirable to insert in
the bill any specific minimum wage scale
or to establish the precedent of fixing the
rate of wages by act of parliament. 1t
would, he pointed out, be peculiarly dan
gerous to the men themselves. because if
parliament once expressed it's judgment
that $1.25 was a fair minimum wage that
sum would be bound to be treated as the
maximum.
Holds Government Responsible.
Ramsay Macdonald, the leader of the
labor party, bitterly accused the gov
ernment of banging the door in their
faces. He then for the first time an
nounced that the miners were willing to
waive the inclusion of their schedule
t1.C in h. I,il
SIS and 20 cents were inserted.
William Brace, labor member for Clam
organ, declared that unless the $1.25 and
ID cents rates were included the miners
would remain idle until the matter was
settled in every coal field in the kingdom.
The amendment was negatived without
division, but ii is understood that the
question will be raised again during the
report stage of the bill, wnen, in view o.
Ramsay MacDOnald'S announcement, some
form OF compromise provision may be IN
serted.
Hurts Chance of Settlement.
Enoch Edwards. the miners leader, de-
ciared that the decision announced by the
premier had shattered his hopes that the
final form of the bill would commend
itself to the good sense of both sides.
The refusal of the amendment meant the
closure of the door which yesterday ap-
peared open to a settlement.
Andrew Bonar Law. the official leader
OF the opposition, sided with the govern
ment which, he said, could not have
taken any other course.
The political crisis which suddenly
arose out of the BRUSH miners strike is
over, but tie greater industrial crisis is
still far from its end.
The bill which the government intro
duced into parliament to put a stop to
one OF the greatest calamIties thatf has
ever Overtaken TINS country, and which
Was read a second time IN the house OF
commons last night, still has 10 run the
santiet of the committee stage.
Despite the decisions of the unions
there is already, particularly in Scotland,
d steady trickilng of the miners back to
the mines. Even with general IeSumL-
tion, however, The mines will not be In
working order again before Easter and
some OF the smaller ones wnlcn have
been flooded will never be reopened.
Many Faced by Starvation.
Some of the larger mine owners too,
declare that it Will be impossible to work
their pits il the minimum rates of wages
are granted. In the meantime starvation
stares the industrial population of the
country in the face. The funds of the
trades unions are running low, and in
some places this weeks payment Of out
of-work benefit will be the last. AT
oursiem, in Staffordshire, one of the CEN
ters OF the pOIIerieS district, 4uOUU meals
have been served by the vicar OF Inc
parish in the last eleven days, Tor whicn
small charge has been made. Now the
people Of the district are unable to bear
the burden of paying even a penny Tor
the meal and are compelled to fan back
on charity.
In Wales and Scotland and in the in
dustrial districts of England relief works
have been started and soup kitchens es-
tabiShed. There is scarcely a mining viii
| lage in Scotland where the children are
not being fed by the public authorities.
| In the English coal fields the people are
better off. as the trades union funds are
| richer and will last much longer
The work of relieving the distress is
getting beyond the means of the local
charities, and demands are now being
made on the government to take 1t up.
1t is estimated that the miners thus
| far have lost in wages $26. 4OS, ,s5O be-
sides the depletion of the union funds.
Factories Are Closing Down.
Factories and works of all kinds all
| over the country continue to close down,
| and all the railroads are reducing their
| services to the minimum. The food sup
| plies from abroad also are threatened
The bacon factories and creameries of
Denmark. which depend entirely on Eng
| land for their coal. will soon have to
discontinue their shipments to this coun-
try.
News comes today that one of the
| South American governments is COM
| Wandering the stocks of coal on hand
| in its ports for naval purposes. which
| will prevent the shipment of meat to
| England.
| 1t is officially declared today that the
Derbyshire pits will not be reopened until
| the surface mems demands for Increased
| wages have been complied with.
| In political circles il is believed that
the return of Mr.. Balfour to the leader
ship of the unionist party in the house
| OF commons is more than q temporary
one, and in all of the debates he will
4 take the actual. if NOT he tifnIar leader