The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1925-08-14
BRITISH FACING
CRISIS WITH
LABOR !.
Baldwin Losing Power Over
Coal and Beer Problems.
Textile Strike Delayed

BY International News Service
LONDON, Aug. 1.-The gov
ernment's attention, which has
been alternating between the
country's foreign relations and
home affairs, was focused today
on the momentous domestic is
sues involved in the threatened
textile lockout and the coal situa-
ton.
The labor situation seemed APP
preciably brighter. Intervention
by Sir Arthur Steele Maitland,
minister of labor, has prevented,
at least temporarily, the threat
ened lockout of 100000 textile
employees. Both owners and eH-
-ployes have agreed to await the
decision of a court of inquiry.
Helped by Subsidy
The official coal inquiry commits
sion has been empowered by
Premier Baldwin to make a com.
.plete and impartial investigation Ct
the miners demands. 1t was said.
Although neither the owners nor
the miners are represented on the
commission it is understood any
recommendation made by the COM
mission will be accepted.
1t was not until after two.
hour conference with Mr.. Baldwin
today that the miners gave up
hope Tor one of their own repre-
sentatives on the commission.
Efforts were fruitless, however,
and so there was nothing TOR them
to do but to accept a commission
from which their own representa-
tive was excluded and this they
did under protest.
Thanks to the government sub
gidy, both sides have won prelim1-
nary demands. This subsidy guar
anteed the miners their minimum
demands without cost to the
Whether the seven or eight hour
day will be standard is still an un-
settled point of contention.
The railroad companies were re-
ported today as withdrawing their
proposal to reduce wages by s
per cent
Baldwin's burdens as prime minis
ter are mounting rapidly, and de-
spite his very safe majority in the
House of Commons, a few months
hence may find the Baldwin govern
ment in serious difficulties.
Coal, beer, the gold standard and
the debt settlement with the United
States are all questions which are
causing annoyance not to speak
Of many other minor problems.
Coal and Beer Problems
The coal and beer problems stand
out az possible obstacles to the
continued power Of the Tory govern
ment.
AS soon as Baldwin announced
his coal subsidy plan, there came q
cry from the farmers for a siHniI
Lar subsidy, and it would not be
surprising il the ship-b building in
textile industry all put in a claim
for Government aid. 1t will be at
least embarrassing to have to meet
these claims.
Beer probably will provide the
coal subsidy, for 1t is whispered
that Winston Churchill, chancellor
of the exchequer. intends to in.
crease the tax upon beer cents
q pint. in order to meet the coal
subsidy.
This action would mean taxation
of the British working man from
2 to cents a day, for there is
hardly a working man who doesn't
consume at least a quart of beer
a day-not as a beverage but as q
food.
Means More Opposition
Beer, and cheese and bread are
food for the British working
classes. Any tax upon beer beyond
that now in existence would mean
almost solid opposition from the
working classes, and considerable
opposition from the middle classes.
British trade still suffers from
depression. An important school
of economists contends that this
trade depression is increased by the
Baldwin governments return to the
gold standard.
This idea is being constantly
preached and dinned in upon the
BrIuSn puDllcs many OF whom nave
no ideas about economics, but who
are inclined to the belief that the
return of the gold standard Is the
root Of many British troubles.
Baldwin's settlement Of the Amer
lean debt will never cease to be
criticized, for the average British
subject is thoroughly convinced
that his taxes are heavier than they
might have been IL Baldwin had
made a less hasty settlement of
the debt OF the United States. OPP
position leaders never fail to stress
this point.
The Baldwin government swept
into power in November, 1924. with
majority that seemed safe for
at least a five-year term.
Now il is almost an even money
bet that the Baldwin government
won't last five years, and it's a
four-to-one chance that it won't last
three years.
NORFOLK HOPES TO SCRAP