INCITING TO MUTINY.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1400, 28 March 1912, Page 5

INCITING TO MUTINY.

RIGHTS OF FREE SPEECH,

AGITATION IN PARLIAMENT.

London, March 26. I In the Houso of Commons, Mr. J. C. Wedgwood, Liberal member for Newcastlc-on-Tyne, moved tho rejection of the Consolidated Fund Bill as a protest against the Government's prosecution of advocates of syndicalism. Ho stated that the working classes wero suspicious of the Courts, and that the sentences of imprisonment recently passed on Guy Bowman and Benjamin and Charles Buck, for printing matter inciting soldiers to mutiny if ordered to fire on tho strikers, had confirmed them in the belief thaithere was no chance of justice if an accused person expressed syndicalist opinions. Mr. George Lansbury, Labour member for Tower Hamlets, seconded tho motion. Sir Rufus Isaacs, Attornev-Genoral, said that tho only alternative to the use of tho military was anarchy. If a petition was presented showing that the accused (Bowman and the Bucks) acted in ignoranoe, he would be inclined to recommend a reduction of (heir sentences. Mr. Keir Ilardio, Labour member for Mcrthyr Tydvil, warned the Government not to pursue a policy of exasperation. Thero was no (ellinjj what the result would bo if the forces of revolt wero loosed. The debate was adjourned. TOM MANN'S ARREST. A DEFENCE FUND. ' London, March 20. The newly-formed Freo Speech Defenco Committee of the House of Commons has protested against tho Government prosecuting Mr. Tom Mann and others for recent speeches. A fund for tho prisoners' defence has been started. Mr. Balfour, speaking in tho city, denounced tho misuse of freedom of speech in order to permit mutiny. Such doctrines were sheer political lunacy. Ho was beginning to wonder if the forces of civilisation would be able to resist tho agents of disintegration. (Received March 28, 0.5 a.m. London, March 27. In answer to a question in the Houso of Commons by Sir .T. H. Dalzic-l, Liberal member for Kirkcaldy, Sir Rufus Isaacs, I Attorney-General, promised not to oppose the bailing of Tom Mann if ho promised not to repeat his alleged seditious statcriients ponding tho trial. SINEWS OF WAR, THE FINANCIAL RESOURCES OF THE MINERS. In view of the critical stage now reached in the coal dispute (said the "Westminster Ganetto" of February 16) it may bo of interest to set out the.facts and figures regarding the membership and funds of tho various miners' districts, so far as they are known. At the outset it may bo said that the information availablo as to tlio sinews of war is of necessity incomplete in many : particulars owing to tho fact that the figures obtained represent tho funds in hand as shown in the latest published statements of accounts, which are in somo oases quits recent, but in others at least a year old. Taking the more important districts included in tho Miners' Federation of Great Britain, tho latest available statistics are;— MemberDistrict. ship. Funds. £ Durham 100,000 iSO.OOO Yorkshire 80,000 400,000 Lancashire and Cheshire 55,000 80,000 Scotland 75,000 250,000 Derbvshiro 30,000 300,000 Nottinghamshire .10,000 1 50,000 South Wales 130,000 140,000 In tho smallor and less important districts the average is, if anything, much higher in proportion, so that, relatively speaking, these smaller districts are better equipped for the financial strain of a strike. The practice of the miners' unions is to pay 10s. per week as strike pay, usually from the second week of the struggle, but assuming that in the present case (continues the "Westminster Gazette") strike pay is given from tho first week, the foregoing figures indicate that the districts enumerated aro now in a position to measure their "staying" capacity in weeks as follows:— . Durham 8} Yorkshire 10 Lancashire 25 Sect land GJ Derbyshire 20 Nottinghamshire 10 '■ South Wnles 2 It should be remembered, liowevcr. that thero is always the possibility that after tlio first few weeks the strike pay would be cut down to about 55., and if that were done at the third week and the surplus of the wealthy districts loaned to the poorer, the war-chest would expand into eleven weeks' strike-pay. Another point that should not I.e lost sight o( is the possibility of 'uigWMiling Iho resources of the miners by contributions or loans from other trade ur.uns. Of late some of the larger and more influential trade unions, with vast nccemulatod funds, have shown a. grea'er readiness to respond to appeals of this character. The assistance which (he miners e.\peot from tho Continental coalfields rnid the transport workers will, they I'.rtioipate, cau.-e the stoppage to Ive so' effective as to compel the o'wners to yield at least somo part of the men's demands before many (lays are over. The c=ti'nates of tlie probable duration oi' the slrugule vary very much; but even amoug-t Ihe miners' leaders who view the step willi < must misgiving il is not believed (mid-; Iho "(.la/.etle") that the men ivill be taxed to the limit ut their puweri of lLnaucud resistance.