The Cotton Lock-out On Thursday, January 15th, the General Council
of the Weavers' Amalgamation decided to refer back to their members the question whether negotiations should be resumed with the employers' organisations. Since the result of the ballot is not yet known it was obvi- ously inevitable that the lock-out notices posted on Saturday, January 17th, should take effect. The .Ministry of Labour made a gallant, but vain, last minute attempt to induce both sides to suspend hostilities until the result of the ballot was declared. Accordingly large sections of the industry are idle ; trade is being lost, perhaps never to be regained ; and the renewed negotiations, when they come, will take place in an atmosphere of enmity. It is, however, reassuring to know that the terms of the ballot have been so framed that in the event of negotiations being renewed as a result of the voting the leaders' hands will not be tied.
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