The efforts of Sir George Askwith at bringing about a
settlement in the cotton dispute have unfortunately so far been unsuccessful, and the conferences which he had been bolding with the two parties were adjourned on Tuesday until next Monday. It was hoped earlier in the week that a com- promise would be reached by means of establishing a six mouths' truce upon the non-unionist question, during which rules should be laid down for the settlement of future dis- putes. The employers, however, insisted upon a permanent guarantee on the question, and preferred that otherwise the fight should be fought to the end now rather than merely postponed. On Friday week a conference was held upon the wages question, which had to some extent become involved in
the present dispute. The demand fora five per cent. increase was deferred owing to the decision of the masters that it could not receive an impartial consideration until the non- unionist question had been finally settled. An extremely dis- creditable incident occurred at Great Harwood on Wednesday, when a demonstration was made against Miss Bury, one of the non-unionists who have led to the dispute. The windows of her house were broken, and an effigy of her was burnt in the streets. The mob at last became so threatening that Miss Bury, on the advice of the police, left the town. The news on Friday morning suggested that the situation had again become easier, and that there was considerable hopo of a settlement being reached at the resumed conferences on Monday.
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