The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-09-06
GREAT STRIKE BREWING
ALL UNION DOCK LABORERS IN THE
WORLD MAY QUIT WORK.
When 100000 Men Are Enrolled in an
international Organization, Tom
Mann Says, Trouble VIII Begin.

Copyright, 1896. by the Associated Press.)
LONDON, Sept. 5. - The Trades Union
Congress of Great Britain will open at
Edinburgh Monday next and will close
on Sept. IL. 1t 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 workmen's productive as
sociation at Hamburg. The American Fed
GRAFTON of Labor has sent over two dele
gates, Messrs. StrasSer and Sullivan.
Some of the delegates say that all the
plans for a gigantic strike of the dock la
borers of the world at large have been per-
fected in everything but the minute details
and that the most important labor move
ment ever conceived may begin this fall
The trades union men who do the work Of
the ports of the United Kingdom have been
working on this scheme for a long time
past, and it is looked upon as likely To
be the signal for new era not only in
the history of trades unionism but in the
history of all labor organizations or secret
societies Since the year 1889 every strike
nor. ror bester s I wages or shorter, hours at any
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 nrevan+
any such nasco by uniting all classes of
IaEorers employed in about the docks.
United Kingdom the United States Can
ada Germany, France, Holland Belgium
ana Australia. as well as other countries
IN one great new federation. Its members
are 70 wear a specific badge and the car
alnal principle of membership will be to
s5aha sh nrmly united and to implicitly obey
the instructions of the governing council
IN spite of anything and EVERYDAY
Throughout the world the membership Of
strikes of any section of the federation hSr
striking in sympathy and remaining olIt
untlI notified to return to work
The scheme is so gigantic i'm scope and
may nave such far-reaching consequences
that Il is attracting attention on ali sides,
and is seriously considered by the law
makers of Great Britain, who see in II n
great danger which may have to be met
by radical measures The strike is to be
rom Mann, one of the leaders of the
movement, was interviewed by a repre-
sentative of the Associa ted Press He said /.
The organization which is controlling this
new movement is called the Internafjonal !
Federation of Ship. Dock and River Work
efs, an organization that directly appeals
TO over one million men. When we have
completed the organization of these men
and so far we are sure of a fourth of
the number mentioned, and the number is
growing every hour, it Will be the biggest
event that has happened in the TABOR
movement. In the United Kingdom the
men are responding as freely as We could
wish. We have already made great steps
States
Belglum and Holland. and the work is go,
ing on IN number of other countries
In the United States our proposition has
met with cordial reception from Mr.
Gompers, who has thoroughly distributed
our literature in the proper quarters The
replies already received from 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 details of com
pleting the organization of the new fedora =
tiof Will be finished, and THE result will be
that a strike will at once be iraueIlra fed
here. the dock laborers and other members
of the federation in America will quit work
at the same hour and our continentaI
brethren will also lay down their tasks
We do not wish for strike nor do our
members desire 1T if deman ads can he
granted by quiet discussion with the EN-
pioyers. In any case. If we wait until We
have 10000 meh enrolled there will be no
need for a strike, as the EMPLOYERS viii
yield in the face of the threat o. a general
paralysis of the shipping business of the
world
Yes, 1t is true that 1t has been proposed
that the general strike should. begin on
Sept. Is next. but / hope this Will not he
the case. OF course there win be two fac
tions in the new federation those who are
smarting under prolonged injustice and
who are, therefore, eager for a strike and
those whose affairs are in Il better condi-
tion and who, therefore, are somewha Z
iukewarm and undesirous of precipitating
the great strike being planned"