The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-12-07
Employers Refused to Submit to
Arbitration Because of This
Political Move.
Emperor William Trying to Suppress
the Scandal Growing Out of
the Trial of Editors.
Copyright. 1896. by the United Associated Presses


from its initial phase as a mere industrial
agitation in pursuit of higher wages the
strike of the dock Iaborers at Ham burg
and elsewhere has become a matter OF
political Importance. Behind the local
organizers of the Hamburg strike, as it
has now been revealed, is the executive
committee of the Socialist party, which
is not 6orking so much in the interests of
the laborers as in the interests OF the
Social Democratic party. The execu-
tive committee of the Socialist party
is now established in headquarters at
Ham burg, and it has managed to get the
trades unions throughout Germany to
supply funds for the support of strikers at
all baltic ports. What is called laborers'
common resistance fund has been formed,
to which the Socialist associations in
every great center are contributing. The
object of this movement is less TO conquer
the employers than to foster the Socialist
propaganda.
If the dock laborers at Ham burg had
been left to themselves they would have
speedily settled their dispute with the
masters, who proffered to their old en-
ployes concessions equal to what the
strikers originally demanded. Since the
Socialist leaders have interviewed, how
ever, the demands of the strikers have in
creased until now the employers find
themselves face to face with the real
issue, which is that the entire shipping
indus try of Germany must obey the die
tates of the politco-social organization or
fight out supreme battle to the end.
The rejection by the employers of the pro-
posal to submit the dispute to a board of
arbitration was due to the knowledge OF
the employers of the fact that the men be-
hind the strikers would not eventually
accept the decision OF the arbitration
tribunal, which, as proposed, conceded
only one member to represent the en-
ployers. 1t was not the absence of ade-
quate representation on the tribunal that
caused the employers to reject the pro-
posal, but it was their conviction of the
futiIity of the whole proceeding.
The movement now said TO be a CON-
bined Socialist attack upon German COM
merce and German capital in which the
Government will soon be bound 10 inter-
fere. The Emperor sent an agent to see
personally Senator Hachmann OF Ham
burg, Herr Hinrichsen, the president of
the Hamburg Burgerschaft, and Herr
Noack. the president of the Hamburg
Cham Der of Commerce, all of whom ad-
v1sed the formation of an arbitration tri-
bunal to which the dispute between the
employers and the strikers should be adj
mitted for settlement. The Kaiser him
self strongly favored the earliest possible
settlement of the difficulty until he was
shown that the Socialist politicians We're
managing the strike, when it is understood
his Majesty advised the Home Office to
await the developments OF the situation,
but not to interfere. In the meantime
General Won SchlewiIz, commanding the
troops at Hamburg, has been instructed
10 take full measures to maintain order.
The best journalists of Germany, those
whose probity cannot DE impeached, are
hopeful that the grandest result from the
revelations of the trial OF the five editors
Baron Won Luetzow and Herren Ploetz,
Foellmar, LecSert and Berger-for libel
ing Baron Marshall Won Bieberstein,
Prince Alexander Won Hoheniohe and
Count August Won Eulen burg, will be the
extinction OF the gang OF members OF the
German press who are feeding upon doubt
full official information. If larger Latitude
were allowed to press criticism less cor
fuDtion would be practiced, the independ-
.ence of the press would be greater and the
Journalism would be enhanced. While
the Foreign Office and many others of the
Government departments continue to in
huence the newspapers, melting them to
publish this, that or the other, briDing
newspapers by giving them information
which Is sometimes true and often false,
according to the interests of the depart
ment furnishing it, there is little hope OF
reform of the existing abuses.
The leading public men who are getting
their names smirChed by the revelations
OF the present trial may be led to recog-
nlze the TACT that their support of the re D.
tlHans OF the press endangers themselves
more than il hurts anybody else A pro-
tracted conference was held last evening
at the ChancelIory between the Imperial
Chancellor, Prince Won Hohenlohe, Baron
Marsehall Won Bieberstein, Minister OF
Foreign Affairs; DR.. Schonstadt, Minister
OF Justice, and Freiherr Won der Recke
Vonderhorst, Minister of the Interior. The
conference was neld at the command OF
the Kaiser Tor the purpose OF arranging
limit 10 the developments of the trial of
Baron Won Luetzow and his associate de-
PENDANTS, as for reasons of state it is re-
garded by tie Emperor as desirable that
the revelations shall not be pursued much
II any further. 1t is whispered that Baron
Won Tausch, the chef of the political DO
lice who will probably be accused OF be-
ing accessory 10 the 10rgerleS and frauds
committed by Baron Won Luetzow, had
hackers of the highest influence in con-
neetion with the part he took in the scan
dalous acts, and it is rumored that this
fact furnishes one of the strongest reasons
for desire to suppress further reyela-
tions.
Apart from the trial of the five editors
and the scandals attached thereto. the
chief topic of discussion in Berlin social
circles grows out of the circumstances of
the production of Widen brnchs KAISER
Heinrich" at the Berliner Theater on
Tuesday last, and Gerhardt Hauptmann's
'Sunken Bel" at the Deutsche Theater on
Wednesday. Since the Emperor awarded
the two Schiller prizes to Widenbruch,
overrulink the decision of the committee
In favor of Hauptmann, the ieud which
broke out between the partisans of the two
authors has become most acute. The En-
peror favored Wildenbruch and esthetc
Berlin, especially OF the young German
school, were fanatically in favor Of Haupt-
mann. In consequence seats for the first
nights at both theaiers were selling at
premium for weeks in advance, as high as
70 marks being paid merely for standing
room In the B .rliner Theater by the cream
OF Berlin society. The Emperor and EN-
press gave the signal for applause, which
at the same time was as spontaneous as it
was SfrOnp qicar Hoin so v,ov-