New-York tribune., 1878-04-27

While thc nlottcr, who figured at The IIagnc had
bcen engaged in preparing their wcll-dcyiscd pro-
oronme of future operations their agents here had
brlpcd TO widen the breach between Labor and Cap
ita and the Great strike Of MIy-June, 1872 was the
result Forty thousand men went ont IN the
middle of May. Every manufacturing interest III
this city was paralyzcd. The middle of June came; ;
and then tho employers, forced 10 take action in
sclf-dcfcncc. banded themselves together under
mutual pledge that they would not thereafter re-
tain in their employ any workman guilty Of An act
looking to the arbitrary establishment of relations
between employer and employed" Three hundred
cmploycfs driven 10 extremity by the cmbaua-s-
nents and losses caused by the strike. united in de-
claring this ultimatum. II published in the
newspapers Of the day June, 1872 with an impos-
ing array Of signatures and il gave the deah-blow
to the organized movement of the wOrhingmen.
The latter had been led to believe that they were
all-powcrful They stood out for four weeks. and
their losses in wagcs-at the rates then current
were not less than ~, 100000 The determined at
titude of the employing class, convinced the strlk-
crs that nothing was TO be gained by holding ont
longer living upon the charity of their Trade
Unions, and hearing their children cry for bread
Little by little they fell back into their old ways,
and the strike ended pcaceably.
Bnt this episode had deeper meaung-not thor
ourIly understood by casual observers of events.
Its inner history bore close relation 20 the secret
movements of the International Society, and some
Of the unguarded expressions used by ndScrect and
hotheaded leaders of the strike, revealed the teach
ings of the Communists and Curously echoed the ut
teranccs of 1s47 and 1S69-alrcady cited in the
present paper Tho chain becomes more complete
when the stray rivcts are found and fitted into the
places made for them. For example:
At a mass-mecting of wOrkIngmen held in Masonic
Hall in Ncw-York. on Saturday evening May -,
1872 at which, according to a statement made by
the chairman, the interests of 5000 carpenters ana
jOines represented, one McDonagh declareu
that the men would demand the general adoption of
the eighth system. "f it caused a revolution or
the reGnacting of the days of the Paris Commune
and ali its horrors" Another prominent speaker
named Monroe, badc the strikers remember that
"they had the employers on thc: knees. and there
they would keep them till they came to terms"
third orator, Charles Bowling, said that If the
strikers did not succeed, "violcncc and blood
shed would he reSortcd to, and those opposing
and working against the society would
be behealed; they were Determined
BODY and meant business" These remarks were
vigorously applauded The full reports of the pro
ceedings of this meeting will be found III the New
York morning papers of the following day. Inc
inlammatory addresses were at the time attributed,
not unnaturally to the excitement of the strike ana
the over-zealous efforts of the Trade Union leaders
10 keep their men in line, and well up to the WORK
in hand Looking back to this period. in the hRht
afforded by subsequent revelations and events, ana
comparing the European fulmnatons of 1si7 and
1869 with TIE American fulminati6ns of the Spring
of s72 strong family likeness becomes startngly
apparent and that which was at first supposed 10
he the Violent language of unskilled speakers
becomes, Ly parity of reasoning but as the calm
;e,;tation of lesson well conned. The Inter
national had been patient and skillful teacher.
The Great Strike of 1872 ended IN the totai de-
feat of the strikers. But the snake was scotehed,
not killed Sullen discomfort took the place OF
brayado Labor had combined formidaby against
capital, and it had failed because capital had
formed a stronger combination The employing
class did not improve their victory altogether
wisely; the laborng class still had its grievances