Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1886-06-18
Arashiugtuu Stanaara
A Strike In Ancient Days.
How Egyptian Workmen were Drive. to
Revolt.
The Pilot.

The Pilot.
When strikes are SO common in
Europe and America, il will be inter,
esting to consider how the ancient
Egyptians managed such a crisis i'll
the labor question. 1t was sup
posed that strikes were an origina,
outcome of our modern civilization;
but the deciphering OF II papyrn.
in the Museum of Turin shows how
the old proverb that there Is moth
ing new under the sun applies to
strikes as we'll as to MANY other
things. This papvrus; which is a
sort of journal or day-book of the
superintendent of the Thebesnecro-
polls, furnishes curious details of "A
workmen's riot or disturbance in
Thebes, in the twenty-ninth year of
a King Ramses, who is supposed to
be Ramses Ill. The workmen's
quarter sent a deputation on the
2Sth of December, to Hatnekin,
the keeper of books, and to several
priests of the metropolis. The
speaker of the deputation spoke as
followa:
Behold, we are face to face with
famine. We have neither nourish-
ment, nor oil, nor vestments. We
have no fish; we have no veget-
ables. We have already sent Pc
tition to our sovereign lord the
Pharaoh, praying him to give us
these things, and we now address
the governor. in order that he may
give Us wherewithal to live"
These facts took place on the
9th of December first day of the
month Of TybD. The general dis
tribution OF wheat was evidently
due to the workmen, but why it
did not take place is not known.
Perhaps the individual who should
have distributed the food was alb
sent. Whatever was the cause of
the delay, the need was urgent, and
Hatnekin, with the priests present,
either touched with compassion, or
to prevent tho affair from reaching
the ears of the governor of the nee
cropolis, accorded one days rations.
How the workmen lived in the
days following is not recorded in
the papyrus; but some weeks after
wards they were in full revolt.
Three times they forcibly emerged
from their quarters notwithstanding
the walls which surrounded them
and the gates which closed them in.
I'VE will not return" cried a
knettu to the police. sent in pursuit
Of them. go tell your chief what
we tell you; it is famine which
speaks by our mouths" To argue
with them was useless. There
was great agitation" writes the
superintendent in his day.book;" l
gave them the strongest answer
could imagine, but their words were
true and came from their hearts"
They were Quoted by distri-
button Of half.rations, but ten days
later they were up again.
Knons, the leader of the band,
pressed his companions to provide
for themselves. Let us fall" said
he, upon the stores of provisions
and let the governor's men go and
tell him what we have DONE" This
counsel was followed as soon as
given. They entered forcibly into
the fortress where the provisions
were kept. The keepers OF the
stores Amen.Nextu, gave them
something. and contrived to induce
them to return to their quarter.
Eleven days later the movement
began again. The commander OF
Thebee, passing by, found the men
seated on the ground behind the
temple of Seti, at the northern end
Of the metropolis. Immediately
they began TO cry: Famine! Fam
incl" The commander then gave
them an order for fifty measures oil
wheat in the name of Pharaoh
"who has sworn" said he, :" an oath
that you will have food again.
Most likely Pharaoh never heard oil
the event and never received the
petition addressed to him a couple
of months previously.