The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-11-23

are courteous and attentive to all GUS
toners without discrimination as to color
or financial or social condition of the
customer; where quality of merchandise
is of the grade the trade demands; where
supplies are marked and sold at prices
current and not in excess of cash prices
in the cities; where low price of coal is
not supplanted by high price of supplies.
And this is the standard of the COM
missaries which constitute the subject
under treatment
The mine operators of this district real
ize the fact that they are engaged in coal
mining, and not in the mercantile business
and from coal they seek their profits.
They appreciate the necessity for holding
labor and have learned that in this day
of strong competition and demand the
rule of Survival of the fittest' is applied.
The old compulsory plan which worked
years ago at some of the mines rs no
longer in vogue. Competition. that strong
est of all correctors of wrong, has born
down compulsory trading. Not laobr un-
ions, but demand and competition. The
Biblical injunction. "the laborer is worthy
moved. but her majesty for various
reasons, did not wish to command that
this should be done. Lady Bertha was
commissioned to have her majestys
wishes carried out, but In the absence
of direct command from the Queen
the lady would not resign from the
committee; so Lady Bertha failed in
her task, succeeded in offending sew
eral people and suffered a rather se-
we're lecture from her majesty.
al haa
brought into conflict with several la
dies of the royal household in her
endeavors to carry out certain alter
ations in the regulations of the royal
establishment to which her fellow
members of the household We're much
opposed. One of these new regulations
caused so much dissatisfaction that the
Queen was compelled to withdraw It.
This rule was on compelling the res
ident ladies of the royal establishment
to take breakfast in the household
diding room whore breakfast is served
at o'clock for the ladies and gentle
men in residence at Buckingham pail
ace.
Prior to this 1T was customary for
any lady who wished to do so to have
breakfast in her bedroom and most of
them took advantage of the custom,
and the regular household breakfast
was attended by the equerries and
gentlemen In waiting only. Her mai
esty, however, considered that 1t would
facilitate the general working ar
rangements of the household If the
ladies Joined the breakfast household
dining room at o'clock and the Queen
accordingly made 1t a rule that they
should do so. So much discomfort was
caused by this innovation thta three
of the ladies of the household threat
ened to resign unless the old custom
was adhered to-
Lady Bertha may not altogether be
. lady to be envied; she has no doubt
often learned that there are draw
backs to being the constant attend
ant and companion of SO strong willed
and imperious woman as the Queen
Of England; but Queen Mary is not
the sort of person to confer her favor
lightly on anyone or withdraw it read
lily from anyone upon whom she has
once bestowed 1t and everyone ut
court knows that Lady Berthas po-
sition In her majestys regard is one
from which the lady in waiting could
not be dislodged easily and that her
influence with the Queen is much more
likely to become strengthened in the
course of time than to wane.