Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1912-02-29

Meetings were held by the Coal
Miners Federation and the Coal Own
ers' Association today, but they ap-
parently only resulted In a reiteration
of the refusal of the participants to
bulge from their respective positions.
Further meetings are announced for
this afternoon, but little Is expected
to result from them, and as conse-
quence the cabinet, which met this
morning, completed arrangements to
hurry legislation which may prove
necessary in order to compel a resump
tion of work.
A number of meetings of railroad
employees passed resolutions pledgins
themselves to abstain from handling
troop trains and coal produced by nom
unionists.
The premier and his colleagues In
the cabinet, officials of the Board of
Trade and other persons having inf1u-
ence with the coal owners and miners,
made a final attempt yesterday to avert
the disaster
There will be a further conference
today between the government and
the miners and mine-owners and IL the
situation remains unchanged the cabi-
OF taking drastic measures to prevent
the disastrous consequences of stop
page of the fuel supply of the United
Kingdom.
A hint of this probable action was
given In the proposal which the gov
ernment submitted to the owners and
miners that they should consent TO
have the government decide the points
sal, n
agree. This, as well as other proposals
by the government, was rejected by
the miners, while so per cent of the
nine-owners accepted them.
TIE government has issued an off,
cial statement regarding the proposals
submitted by the prime minister to
the Representatives of the owners and
the miners. The statement begins by
asserting that tie government is sat
isfled there are cases in which un-
derground workers are not able to earn
q reasonable minimum wage. The gov
ernment is further satisfied that the
power to earn such wage should be
procured by arrangements suitable to
the special circumstances in each dis
trict, adequate safeguards being pro-
vided to protect employers against
abuse. The government is prepared to
confer with the parties concerned as
to the best method of giving practical
effect to these conclusions.
These proposals, continues the state
ment, were considered by the represen
tatives of the coal owners yesterday
afternoonA with the result that those
in the federated area, which includes
Yorkshire Lancashire, the Midlands
and North Wales, accepted, adding that
it is expected the government will
make such arrangements as will insure
the agreement being binding to both
sides for a reasonable time.
The Durham and Cumberland en-
ployers also accepted the proposals.
Theye were rejected, however, by the
Northumberland, Scotland and South
Wales coal owners, and also by the
representatives of the smaller districts
Forest of the Dean, in Gloucester;
Somerset and Bristol. More than 60
per cent. OF the GOAL trade of the
country accepted the proposals
The National Miners Federation re-
piled to the proposals by adopting the
following resolution:
There can be no settlement of the
present dispute unless the principle
OF an individual minimum wage for all
underground workers is agreed to by
the coal owners
The anxiety in the country is evil
denced by the fact that the archbish-
ops of Canterbury and York have is
sued instructions that the following
special prayer be said in all parish
churches:
Oh, God, who art Father of all,
and who alone makes men to be Of
one mind in an hour, we heseech
Thee at this time of srr,re and un-
rest to grant to us by the inspirs-