The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1896-09-06
GIGANTIC MOVE CONTEMPLATED
By A UNIVERSAL FEDERATION
OF DOCK LABORERs.
MILLION MEN INVOLVED.
PLANS ALREADY PERFECTED Ex-
CEPT AS TO THE MOST MI
MUTE DETAILS.
IDEA ORIGINATED IN ENGLAND.
Organization Has Begun In the
United States and Developments
Will Affect the U. s,

LONDON, Sept. St is reported
among the delegates who are bound
Tor the trades union congress- which
opens at Edinburgh, on Monday next,
that all the plans for a gigantic strike
OF the dock laborers Of the world at
large have been perfected In every
thing but the minute details, and that
the most important labor movement
ever conceived may be commenced
this autumn. The trades union men
who do the work Of the ports of the
United Kingdom have been working
on this scheme for long time past.
and it is looked upon as likely to be
the signal for new era, not only in
the history of trade unionism, but in.
the history Of all labor organizations
or secret societies. Since the year 1889
every strike for better wages or shorter
hours at any port of the United King
dom has practically come to nothing
because, when the men went out at
any particular port, the trade Of that
place has been transferred for the time
being to some other British or CONT
mental port, and the strikers have been
compelled to surrender
The present plan is designed to pre-
vent any such fiasco by uniting all
classes Of laborers employed in or
about the docks, ships wharves and
warehouses in the United Kingdom,
Belgium and Australia, as well as other
countries, in one great, new federation.
Its members are to wear a specific
badge, and the cardinal principle of
membership will be to stand firmly
united and to implicitly obey the in
structions of the governing council In
spite of anything and anybody.
Throughout the world, members of
this federation will be pledged to up
hold strikes and remaining out until
notified to return to work. The scheme
is SO gigantic in scope, and may have
such far-reaching consequences, that
1t is attracting attention on all sides
and is seriously considered by the law
makers of Great Britain, who see in it
great danger, which may have to be
met by radical measures. The strike
is principally against the piece-work
system.
Tom" Mann, one Of the leaders Of
the movement, was interviewed. He
said: THE organization which is con-
trolling this new movement Is called
the International Federation of Ship,
Dock and Rivers, an organization that
directly appeals to over 100000 men.
When we have completed the organi-
zatiOn of these men. and so far we are
sure of a fourth of the number men
toned, and the number is growing
every hour, it will be the biggest event
that has happened in the labor move
ment. In the United Kingdom the men
are responding as freely as we could
wish. We have already made great
steps in organizing in the United
States Belgium and Holland, and the
work Is going on in a number of other
countries. In the United States our
representations have met with a cor
dial reception from. Mr. Gompers, who
has thoroughly distributed our litera-
ture in the proper quarters. The re-
plies already received in the United
States are very encouraging, and so
soon as we have made further progress
here. we shall complete the work in the
United States and Canada by sending
delegates there and all the little de-
tails of completing the organization of
the new federation will be finished,
and the result will be that a strike
will at once be inaugurated here, the
dock laborers and the other members
of the federation In America will quit
work at the same hour and our con-
tinental brethren will also lay down
their tasks. We do not wish for a
strike, nor do our members desire 1t
If our demands can be granted by quiet
discussion with the employers. In any
case, if we wait until we have $50, 900
men enrolled, there will be no need for
strike, as the employers will yield in
the face Of the threat of a general
paralysis of the shipping business of
the whole world. Yes; it is true that
it has been proposed that the general
strike should commence on Sept. %
next, but I hope this will not be the
case. OF course there will be two fac
lions in the new federation; those who
are smarting under prolonged injus-
tice, and are therefore eager for a
strike, and those whose affairs are in
better condition, and who therefore
are somewhat lukewarm and unde-
sirous Of precipitating the great strike
being planned"
The trades union congress will open
at Edinburgh on Monday next and will
close on Sept. IL. It is expected that
about $50 delegates will be present and
the German trade societies will also be
represented, their delegates being Herr
A. Won Elm, a member of the cigar
sorters' union, and manager of the
Workers Protective Association of
Hamburg. The American Federation
of Labor has sent over two members.
Messrs. Streasser and Sullivan.
DIR KiIvington Ill.