The Portland daily press., 1896-12-07
MADE POLITICAL AFFAIR.
Hamburg Dock Strike More Than
Local Dispute.
SOCIALIST PARTY ASSUMES CAUSE
OF THE STRIKERS.

Why Arbitration Was Refused by tho
Employers.-Recogni That 1t Would
Be FutiIe-Great Things Expected OF
Trial of Five Editors.
Berlin, Decsmber 6.-Passing from Its
initial phase as mere Industrial aglsA-
tion in pursuit of higher wages, the
strike of the dock laborers at hamburg
and elsewhere has become matter OF
political Importance. Behind the local
organizers of the Ham burg strike, as 1t
has now been revealed, are the executive
committee of the Socialist party, who are
working not so much in the interests Of
the laborers as in the interest of the So
cial Democratic party. The executive
committee of the Socia II LIST party are now
established in headquarters at Hamburg
and they have managed to get the trades
unions throughout Germany to supply
funds for the support Of the strikers at
oil the Baltic ports.
What is called sLabor's common resist
ance fund.-" has been formed, to which
the Socialists in every great centre are
contributing. The object Of this move
ment is less to conquer the employers
than to foster Socialist propaganda. II
the dock laborers at Ham burg had been
left to themselves, they would have
speedily settled the dispute with the
masters, who proffered to the old em-
ployes concessions equal to what the
strikers originally demanded.
Since the Socialist leaders have inter-
vened, the demands Of the strikers have
increased until now the employers find
themselves face to face with the real issue
which is that the entire shipping In
dustry of Germany must obey the die
tatss of the police organization or fight
out the supreme battle to the end. The
rejection of the proposal to submit the
dispute to the board of arbitration was
due to the knowledge by the employers
of the fact that The men behind the
decision. The arbitration tribunal,
which was proposed, conceded only one
member to represent the employers.
1t was not the absence of an adequate
representation on the tribunal that
caused the employers to reject the pro-
posal, bot it was their conviction of the
futility of the whole proceeding. The
movement is now seen to be combined
Socialist attack upon German commerce
and German capital. in which The gov
ernuent will soon be bound to interfere.
The Emperor sent an agent to see person
ally Senator Hachmann of Hamburg,
Herr Hinrisohen, president of the Ham
burger Burgerschaft and Herr Noaok,
president of the Hamburg Chamber OF
Commerce, all of whom advised the for
nation of an arbitration tribunal to
which the dispute between the employers
and strikers should be submitted for
settlement.
The Kaizer, hims seh, strongly favored
the earliest possible settlement of the
difficulty until he was shown that the
Socialist politicians were 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 Gen.
Won Schlewitz, commanding the troops
at Hamburg, was instructed to take full
measures to maintain order.
The BEST journals of Germany, those
whose probity cannot be impeached, are
hopeful that the grandest result tom the
revelations of the trial of the five
editors, Baron Won Luetzow and
Herren Ploetvz, Ellarm, Leokert and
Berger. for libelling Baron Marschall
Won Bieberstein, Prince Alexander Won
Hohenlohe and Count August Won
Eluen burg, win be the extinction Of the
gang of mem bers OF the German press
who are feeding upon doubtful official
Information.
If larger latitude were allowed the
press criticism, less corruption would be
practiced, the independence of the press
would be greater, and the position OF
earnest and self-respectipg journalists
office or any other of the government
deputies continue to influence news
papers, inciting them to publish this,
that or the other, bribing newspaper men
by giving them information which is
some times true, often false according to
the Interests of the department. furnish
ing it, there is little hope of reform OF
che existing abuses.
The leading public men who are
getting their names smirched by the reve-
lations of the present trial may be led to
re recognize the fact thar their support OF
the reptilians of the press endangers
themselves more than it hurts anybody
else.
Another Conference of Powers.
Berlin, Decem ber 6.-M. Nelidoff, the