Workmen's advocate. (New Haven, Conn.) 1883-1891, 1886-07-04
OUR LONDON LETTER.

mon, o''' Va WV i'o"''>''
of the Social Democratic Federation
and late editor Of Justice, the organ
of that body, has had an action for
libel entered against him on account
of what he wrote in that paper con-
corning the great strike of the North
Wales quarrymcn which took place
the end of last year. The passage
in Justice of Feb. 6, upon which Mr..
Asheton Smith, the proprietor, and
Mr.. Vivian, the manager OF the
quarries have founded their charge,
runs thus: "Take LlaDbevis alone.
There 5000 men and population
of Is, 900 persons are still starving
in this bitter weather because an IN
famous Asheton Smith and his dcs-
picable tool, Vivian, have locked ont
the "hands" -they are not men to
their slave-drivers. only "hands"-
though millions of sterling have
been made by the Smiths out OF this
quarry" The case, it is understood,
will not come before the law courts
for about another year, as they are
"full up with business. Justice is
also threatened with another libel suit
for inserting II letter with reference
to the sweating system which was
employed by Il master tailor OF
Southport. Noname was mentioned
in the letter, but it is probable that
the Tailors' Union who circulated a
large number of the issue containing
the letter throughout the town made
it pretty clear who was the offending
party. The employer, understand,
has been rather boycotted since the
facts have been made public, and he
naturally feels somewhat bitter
against the journal which printed
them.
Threlfall, the president of the
last Trades Union Congress, has
been lecturing in Liverpool in favor
of the eight-hour question. The
Carpenters Union in Glasgow have
been discussing the eight-hour work
ing day and will take some action in
the matter. will give you further
particulars IN my next letter.
The men employed at many of the
large iron works in Scotland have
received notices of reductions in
their wages, varying from 5 to 20
per cent. The jute workers in Scot
land have also been asked to accept
a-reduction of 5 per cent. Some of
the mills are going to work at this
reduction, but at others the workers
have come out on strike. At the
Constable works of Malcolm, Ogilvie
Il Co., the weavers struck and the
machinery being stopped in conse-
quence, about 1900 men are thrown
out. At Smith 4 Sons works at
Alyth, notice has also been given
that owing to the depression of trade
the reduction will be enforced.
Great distress prevails amongst the
families of the South Wales Golfers,
owing to the continued depression.
Over thousand men in the Aber-
dare Valley have been discharged
and at many of the collieries the men
are on half-time.
The strike of the miners at De
cazeville, France, has ended and the
company have agreed to the Increase
of wages demanded by the strikers.
This has indeed been u remarkable
strike. Hitherto it has been said
the workers on the Continent of
Europe have not been able to hold
out for long in any dispute with their
masters. The miners of Dccazeville
remained firm and well organized
for nearly four months notwithstand-
ing the persecution they had to sub
NIT to from the gerdarmes and mil
itary who occupied the place in large
numbers. Throughout the whole
of France, too, the workers of all
trades supported their comrades by
their subscriptions, and aid was also
sent from Germany and the United
States.
The collery strikes in Belgium
are again coming to the front, and
gendarmes and troops have been or
dered to the coal districts.
| have just been informed that IL.
NJ. Hyndman intends visiting Amer
lea on a lecturing tour. He is il
treaty with one of the best-knowr