On Wednesday Mr. Asquith addressed a mass-meeting in the Mechanics'
Hall, Nottingham. The most interesting portion of his speech was that which dealt with the Boot- . strike. After noting with satisfaction that a conference between the combatants was being arranged under the auspices of the Board of Trade, Mr. Asquith strongly appealed to both sides "not to allow anything like an obstinate adherence even to strong and settled convictions, and still less to allow anything in the nature of false pride or persistency, to prevent them—and my appeal is addressed to both parties equally—from making such concessions one to the other as are consistent with carrying on this trade upon terms reasonable to the employer and humane to the work- man." He would not believe, until much stronger demon- stration was produced than had yet been offered, that it was beyond the bounds of reasonable settlement to get rid of this barbarous industrial war, and to bring about in place of it a state of things in which both parties to the dispute could combine together for the common interest. Mr. Asquith ended by trusting that the time would come when a strike would be as obsolete as trial by battle. We hope so too.
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