The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1889-09-04
LONDON'S IDLE W0RKMEN.
TWO HUNDRED THOUSAND MEN OUT.
The Strikers Adhere to Their Full Demands
Though Many Are Suffering Severe
Privations-A Mass Meeting
Sunday-Foreign News.

the revelations before the lords committee on
sweating last year. The leaders of the labor
movement, seizing the opportunity, vigorously
prosecuted campaign in the east-end and
famed the embers of discomfort until the dock
men, reused from the lethargy induced by
their sordid surroundings, submitted to
the guidance of Burns, their champion,
and other active spirits their concerted action
leading 20 the present crisis This was only
done slowly, the conditions under which labor
is employed-and especially the large overplus
of workers anxiously fighting at the dock gates
each morning to obtain even a few hours
MISUNDERSTANDING it impossible to take
decisive action until the workmen were fully
prepared. The continuance Of the strike for
seventeen days and the determined attitude Of
the strikers now show that the leaders care
fully calculated the probable course of the
movement before notice of the strike was for
mally given.
Interviews had to-day with police officials,
coroner's officers and other functionaries whose
duties bring them into daily contact with the
dock-men and those of allied employments,
show that for years past the condition Of the
dock-men's families has been as bad as any of
the worst cases revealed before the sweating
committee. The local radical clubs and other
organizations are fully alive to the Importance
of striking while the iron is hot They are
greatly assisted by lecturers and by house-to-
house propaganda intended to foment discon.
tent and forward what in view of to-night's
situation and the strike committees last mani
festo, promises to develop into organized
crusade against capitalism generally.
he If fTof ir,t ar,do of Io,d Hon
to-day was quieter than might have been ex-
pected The strikers who have not joined in
the procession discuss the situation calmly and
appear to be resolute. The strikers adhere to
their full demands, though the countenances
of many who hurriedly enter and depart from
the relief committee-room plainly reveal sharp
privation. Altogether, the position indicates
the near approach of great socialist victory
bringing the labor question and the eight-h0ur
movement prominently to the 'front.'
Wades Arms, a typical east-end tavern on
Jeremiah-st, a narrow thorOughfare abutting
on the East India dock road. Is at present the
headquarters of the strike committee and is
| likely to become the center of a movement in
behalf of labor, the rami6cations of which will
touch every British employe and capitalist.
To-day Burns and the other leaders in the
movement were thoroughly active. Besides his
usual oratorical and secretarial work, Burns
| drove rapidly in cab to the offices of the
| different dock companies. He was eagerly fol-
lowed by the more ardent OF the strikers who
| anxiously waited outside for the still deferred
announcement that the companies conceded
| the only points now disputed.
Public feeling, both in the east-end and in
| city commercial circles, strongly favors the
| strikers. Local sympathy is actively exerted
! TO supplement the various public subscriptions
to afford practical relief As an instance of the
| many spontaneous helps Mr.. Lafone, proprietor
| OF Buffers wharf, Beerm0ndsey, has given each
| striker two shillings to tide him over Sunday.
To day the employees of Yarrow & Co., who
are under heavy contract to supply the gov
ernment with torpedo appliances struck.
/ while 5000 iron workers at the Isle of Dogs
| have gone out for advance of six pence.
| The dock laborers on strike number 10000.
| As an immediate sequence TO their cessation,
10000 stevedores, 5000 lighter men, 900 clerks
| and nearly 50,000 grain weighers and laborers
are compulsorily idle. The Peninsular & 0ri-
entail steamship company has 1000 employees
engaged by the hour.
A mass.meeting of dockmen will be held in
| Hyde park tomorrow. The Melbourne trades
council, representing all branches of labor, has
called a mass-meeting for Monday to raise
| funds for the London strikers.
The directors of the dock companies have ab-
| solutely declined TO make any concessions be-
yond what has already been offered. Matters
remain in statu QUO The strike committee
met late tonight at the Wade Arms and de-
cided to withdraw their appeal for a general
strike and to substitute an appeal
to trades unions at home and
/ abroad for financial aid to continue the
| struggle. The work of distributing funds TO
| the needy has been resumed, the Wharf labor
ers' union al sydney having cabled f5OO for
| that purpose. The strikers were informed to-
| day that the bishop of Canterbury and bishop
/ of London had expressed sympathy with the
movement. The strike has spread to Chatham
4 Z -bao
ers and barge men employed by Parker Lam
bert have joined the strikers. The council of
the strikers held meeting last evening, and,
after long discussion the situation, decided
| to continue the strike.
A monster meeting OF strikers was held in
| Hyde park this afternoon. Mr. Burns the So
cialist agitator, aud other leaders made
| speeches. Resolutions declaring that the men
| would continue the strike until their demands
| were fully conceded were unanimously adopted.
| The enormous crowd dispersed in an orderly
| manner
1t is estimated that 10000 persons took part
| in tho demonstration at Hyde park. During
| the progress of the meeting Mr.. Burns and
! others passed through the crowd and took up a
| collection for the benefit of the strikers. The
money was received in hats and open parasols.
| and large sum was obtained. An American
gentleman who was present gave handsome
donation.
In an interview Mr. Burns said that the strike
| committee had decided not to have procession
| tomorrow. They propose to devote the day to
real work, especially to improving the method
of collecting funds.
Five thousand railway men held meeting at
| Darlington to-day and decided to strike unless
shorter hours Of labor were granted.
LONDON, Sept. 2.-The great strike is still in
force and the situation of affairs this morning
may be said to be unchanged The dock COM
panies express themselves as better satisfied
with the aspect Of Affairs. They have an in.
creased number of men at work, composed of
strikers who have given up the fight and new
men. The officials of the companies state that
plenty of laborers would be obtained ifstrikers'
| pickets were abolished. 1t is asserted that
| there is split amongst the strikers and that a
| small committee has been appointed looking 10
| the abandonment of the strike. A mob CON-
| posed Of about eight hundred strikers invaded
| Albert docks this afternoon aud compelled the
| workmen there to cease their labors. No
damage was done to property. At meeting of
wharhngers d resolution was adopted advising
the strikers TO accept the dock companies offer
O'Brien Taken to Jail.
Cork, Sept 2.-Mr. William 0'Brien, men,
Der of parliament for Cork. who last week was
sentenced to two months imprisonment under
conviction Of having held nationalist meeting
| which had been proclaimed was removed from
| the Jail here to-day and taken TO Galway TO
| serve out his sentence. The streets In the vi
| cinjty of the prison were crowded with his sup
porters who cheered him during the journey to
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