The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1870-07-11
The European International Trades Union

The European International Trades Union
Movement.
On the 22d of June the Sixth Chamber Of
the Correctional Tribunal of Paris opened
prosecution for the government against thirty
eight persons charged with having violated
the law prohibiting secret societies, inasmuch
as they are alleged members Of the Interna-
tional Association-so caled-of Workngmen.
Only thirty-one responded at rol-call in court,
seven having fed fiom France. -Four of those
who were present had been held in close i'm
prisonment as ringleaders, the rest remaining
at liberty on their own recognizance.
The indictment made out by the police in this
case is amost curious and instructive document,
full of minute details concerning tho organiza-
ton and workings Of tho immense society at
which it is levelled. From its voluminous
pages we can here do no more than select and
condense the main points that illustrate one of
the most remarkable and formidable move
ments of our troublous time. To begin with,
IL ascribes the first idea of international asso-
citation and correspondence between the work.
ingmen of different countries to Mazzini, who,
in attempting to carry out his idea Of COM
bining this power for revolutionary purposes,
called at the Tenth Radical Republican Con-
gress, held in 1868, at Palermo for commit
tee to draft q federative code and compact for
all the trades unions in the world. From this
basis sprang the existing immense association,
which now numbers, in Europe alone, nearly a
million Of adherents, distributed as follows -
In France, 433, 1856; in Germany, $50, 900; in
Austria and Hungary 100000; in England,
$4,000; in Switzerland, 45,226; in Spain,
2,71S. Moreover, while, without having the
exact figure, we know that the trades societies
of the United States number large army, the
vote of the workingmen here is computed at
nine hundred thousand ballots could it all be
cast together. This imposing force has not,
as the reader may readily conjecture, been
brought into correspondence without great
activity and effort on the part Of its organizers.
Subsequently to the Palermtan convocation in
1868 huge meeting was held in London
under the pretext of aiding the Poles, and
there French committee was appointed with
its permanent centre at Paris. This commit
tee at once proceeded to organize subordinate
committees, issue manifestoes, collect contri-
buttons and prepare the way for congress Of
the workingmen of all Europe and the appoint
ment by 1t Of universal controlling board, to
be composed of representatives Of every ma
tionality.
The statutes of the society were based upon
those of the famous Workingmans Fratel-
lama Cor fraternity Of Italy, and its declara-
tons against existing governments and laws
of property were radically violent Its first
great congress was held at Lausanne, in
Switzerland, and was joined by the associa-
tions of students and the Renaissance Club.
1t subsequently met at Basic, and then at Brus-
sells, the Belgian capital. Garibaldi was
represented at tho Swiss convocatiOn and at
the Belgian. Messrs. Hugo, Blanqui, Roche
fort and many other scarcely less distinguished
radicals we're active participants. They then
and there denounced the existing laws Of
property and inheritance, and proclaimed the
sovereignty of collective humanity" After
wards, in France, the branch societies were
prosecuted at Paris in 1868, but they have
managed, nevertheless, to keep up close rela-
tons with the central committee of the trades
unions in London and to intervene in every
strike that has since then taken place in
Europe, including the recent grand riots at
Creuzot, Fourchambault and Verviers. In
1868, when several members were convicted
and fined by the courts at Paris, the working
men of the United States began to appear
actively on the scene of the 'Tnternationals' :"
operations, when the artisans Of Chicago sent
three hundred and fifty dollars to the relief of
their French brethren. BY the indictment the
Marseinaise is designated as the Paris organ
of this whole movement, and the field of
operations is shown to extend over both hemi-
spheres
AT the session of the 22d OF June the &C.
cused, while not explicitly refuting the facts OF
history adduced against the international
Association" still strenuously denied the
charge that it is secret society, and, after some
minor debate, the case was postponed for a
week. In the course of few days, then, we
shall probably have complete details of an
investigation that will throw light upon the real
secret of European unrest. 1t often happens that
the shallowest waters make the most babbling
noise and toss up the frothiest ripples, and 30
it is that questions Of dynasties and thrones
amuse the uppertendom of the world, who
live on the crust of the social volcano, utterly
unconscious of the terrific forces accommodating
beneath and around them. All the grandest
operations of nature are conducted in COM
parative silence, and thus are the great, grim,
toiling multitude quietly but necessarily pre-
pairing simultaneous movement of such vast
| range and fearful power as may whelm all
minor issues beneath its pillows as the waves
of the angry ocean engulf the stray leaves and
ooLl, shalls that chance 70 fall ON Its surCac