The record-union., 1896-12-07


press Further Revelations in the
Editors Libel Suit.
BERLIN, Dec 6.-(Copyright, 1896
by the United Associated Presses. >
Passing from it's initial phase as a mer-
camille and industrial agitation for
higher wages, the strike of the dock
laborers at Hamburg has become a
matter of political Importance. Behind
the local organizers of the Hamburg
strike, as it has now been revealed, are
the Executive Committee of the Social
ist party, who are working not so much
in the interests of the laborers as in the
interests of the Social Democratic party.
The Executive Committee of the Social
ist party are now esta blished in head
quarters at Hamburg, and they have
managed to get the trades unions
throughout Germany to supply funds
for the support of the strikers at all
of the Baltic ports.
What is called a 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 Hamburg had been left to
themselves they would have speedily
settled their dispute with the masters,
who proffered to their old employees
concessions equal to what the strikers
originally demanded. Since the So
cialist leaders have interviewed, how
ever 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
industry of Germany must obey the die
tates of the politico- social organization
or fight out a supreme battle to the
end.
The rejection by the employers of the
proposal to subject the dispute to ar
bitration was due to the knowledge by
the employers that the men would not
eventually accept the decision of the
arbitration tribunal which, as proposed,
conceded only one member to represent
the employers. 1t was not the absence
of adequate representation on the trib-
unal that caused the employers to re-
ject the proposal, but ii was their con-
viction of the futility of the whole pro-
ceeding.
The movement is now said to be a
combined socialist attack upon German
commerce and German capital in
which the Government will soon be
bound to interfere. The Emperor sent
an agent to see personally Senator
Hachmann of Hamburg, Herr Hinrich-
sen, the President of the Hamburger
Burgherschaft and Herr Noack, the
President of the Hamburg Chamber OF
Commerce all of whom advised the
formation of an arbitration tribunal to
which the dispute between the employ
ers and the strikers should be sub
mitted for settlement. The Kaiser
himself strongly favored the earliest
possible settlement of the difficulty un-
til he was shown that the socialist poll
ticians were managing the strike when
II is understood his majesty advised the
Home Office to await the developments
of the situation but not TO interfere.
In the meantime General Won Scheli-
witz, commander Of troops at Hamburg,
has been instructed to take full meas
ures to maintain order.
The best journalists of Germany,
those whose probity cannot be inn
peached, are hopeful that the grandest
result from the revelations of the trial
of the five editors. Baron Won Luetzow
and Herren PloetZ, Foellmar, Leckert
and Berger, for libeling Baron Mar
schan Won Bieberstein, Prince Alexan-
der Won Hohenlohe and Count August
Won Eulenburg Will be the extinction
of the gang of members of the German
press who are feeding upon doubtful
official information. If larger latitude
were allowed TO press criticism less
corruption would be practced the in
dependence of the press would be
greater and the position of earnest and
self-respecting journalists would be en-
hanced.
While the Foreign Office or any 9TH
ers of the Government departments con-
tinue to influence the newspapers, in
citing them to publish this. that or the
other. bribing newspapermen by giving
them information which Is sometimes
true and often false. according to the
interests of the department 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 pres
ent trial may be led TO recognize the fact
that their support of the reptilans OF
the press endangers themselves more
than it hurts anybody else
a protracted conference was held last
evening at the Chancelloric between tht
imperial Chancellor, Prince Won Hohen-
lohe, Baron Marschall Won Bieberstein
Minister of Foreign Affairs, DIR. Schon-
stadt, Minister of Justice, and f'reiherl
Won Der Horst, Minister of the Interior
The conference was held at the COM
mand of the Kaiser for the purpose oi
arranging limit to the Developments OF
the trial of Baron Won Leutzow and his
associate defendants. as for reasons ol
state ii is regarded by the Emperor as
desirable that the revelations shall not
be pursued much. if any further. II is
whispered that Baron Won Tausch, the
Chief of the Political Police, who vii
probably be accused of being accessory
to the forgeries and frauds committed
by Baron Won Leutzow, had hackers OF