London, Jan. 10, The reports by the Cotton Federation and the Cotton-Spinnet and Manufacturers' Association, published yesterday, are both disappointing, according to the opinion of the "Manchester Guardian," which, referring to the proposals to reduce wages and extend working" hours, says: "It is exceedingly hard to believe in the effectiveness of this time-honoured remedy in the present conditions"
The newspaper points out that most spinners of American cotton in Lancashire are working at present for only thirty hours a week or less, when they can work 48 if they choose and quotes a recent calculation that in the case bleaching shirting, a reduction of wages by one-quarter would reduce the total cost by not more than three per cent., as an ex simple that doubts whether cotton employers fare xo convinced of the effectiveness of lower wages and longer hours, that they are willing te risk an fered struggle with the opera~
Later, 'The "Star," commenting on the cotton employers' reports, says that it is "clearly unwise to increase working-hours to 52-1/4 a week at a time when the Washington Convention fixing them at 48, still awaits ratification."
The Legislative Council of the United Textile Factory Workers? Association, representing all cotton trade-unions and 500,000 workers, at a meeting at Manchester this afternoon, agreed to offer to meet. the employers on Tuesday next to discuss the condition of the me dustry.—Reuter.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.