The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-09-12
CONGRESS OF FAT HEADS
NAME GIVEN BY TOM MANN TO BRIT
IsH TRADE UNIONS.
Work of the Birmingham Convention
Ninth Week of the Engineers
Struggled Costly Strike.
(copyright, 1ss7 by the associated Press,

Copyright. 1887. by the Associated Press.)
LONDON, Sept. 1.-THE past week in
Great Britain has been marked by effer-
vescence in the labor world, the quieting of
the Indian troubles, with more or less con-
fession of the governments impotence in
dealing with the Ameer Of Afghanistan and
the defeat of the Marquis of Salisbury in
the case of the German bondholders, in the
dreary struggle over the Graeco-Turkish
negotiations. which defeat has been causti-
cally criticised and has been followed by
the Sultan sending winter clothing to the
Turkish troops in Thessaly.
The trades union congress at Birming-
ham, which has been styled by Tom Mann,
the labor leader, as the congress of fat
heads" adjourned to-day after a session
chiefly notable for the proposal to form
gigantic trades union out of every conceiv-
able trade, in order to confront capital with
the threat of a general paralysis of all in
dustry and by the proposal to stand
by the engineers in their present
struggle. The rest of the time of
the congress was mainly occupied
with reaf1rming time-honored resolutions
expressing, as the Morning Post says,
''piouS opinions Of little value in practical
hIe. Even the Daily Chronicle says I'VE
suppose there is nothing for 1t to do, pend
ing political revival, but. to go on pass
Saturday Review draws attention to the
marked development of the tide of opinion
in the trades union congress in favor of
increased help or greater restraint directly
from or by the state.
The congress to-day adopted a res
olution instructing its parliamentary
committee TO bring to the attention of the
House of Commons the unprecedented re-
fusal of the postmaster general and secre-
tary or state for war to see a trades union
deputation on the right of combination
among the employees of their respective de-
partmentS" and TO urge putting government
employees upon an equal footing with other
workers In the matter of combination and
civil liberty" The congress also adopted a
motion providing for reform of the labor
department of the Board of Trade, and by
large majority rejected a motion that the
trades union congress should provide for the
election OF members of Parliament pledged
to act solely in the interests of labor, ire
spective of the claims of all other political
parties, and that the parliamentary COM
mlttee shall have control of the funds. >"
After adopting a resolution in favor of en-
powering municipalities to purchase land
upon which to erect houses or grow food
Tor the community the congress adjourned
sine die.
The ninth week of the engineers strug-
gle leaves 1900 engineers, 1900 trade
unionists $500 nonunionists and 5000 la
amounting to G33.OO0 ($165.0OO) per week.
New firms dependent on engineering are
stopping work daily and some of the loco
motive manufacturers have posted notices
as follows; Eight hours a day with the
present rate of wages would be disastrous
to the locomotive trade of England in the
face Of American and continental compe-
tition. We therefore feel it our duty to
counsel the men to refrain from any en-
enlargement or support of the eight-hour
movement"
The so-called 'jingoism'' in the United
States is finding an echo here. An annony-
nous correspondent has written long let
ter to the Spectator in which he attempts
20. flart he IT,ffC fAts H.
friendly to Great Britain. in spite of the
American newspaper statements to the
contrary. The Spectator replies to his let
ter. saying: While official America treats
England as at present, can any one be-
lieve in American friendliness?'
John Howard Parnell, elder brother Of the
late Charles Stewart Parnell, and Parnell-
lite member for South Meath, has written
in reference to the so-called Paris fund,
particularly that portion of the fund which
is said to belong to the Parnell estate. He
says that the 5000 constitutes q political
and not a personal debt; that it is one
which should be refunded out of the gen
eral Paris funds, as it was borrowed by his
brother from the Hibernian Bank and spent
for a political purpose. Mr.. Parnell adds:
1T is a disgrace to deprive my brothers
property. and especially his creditors, of
the money due.
The rise in wheat to 40 shillings has
dragged up the price of bread 6laQ7d and
the poorest quarters of London, where
bread is sold in slices. the loaf is fetching
] shilling. On top of this the MillerS Ma
tional Union has started demand for few
er hours of labor, with a threatened strike
If their demand is no. accorded.
France, which protects Catholic interests
In the Orient, has been appealed to by the
Pope to prevent the success of the Zionist
movement. which is regarded with horror
at Rome. Mgr. Bonett the apostolic le-
gate at Constantinople, has been recalled
to Rome in order to devise means to oppose
the Jewish plans to purchase and colonize
Palestine, which plans are not as formid-
able as generally believed II the statement
of DR.. Grunhut, a Hungarian Hebrew and
head master of the German school at Je-
rusalem, are 10 be credited, there is plenty
of good land there: but the poverty of the
Hebrews of Jerusalem is terrible. Out of
population of $1,000 there are g. 600 Hebrews.
of which number 2SOo0, he asserts. live on
the aims of their European co-religionists
1t Is declared that the possibility OF Pales-
tine being partitioned among newcomers
is too remote 10 be considered.
IL Is announced from Odessa that the late
Baron Hirsch's plan TO colonize the Argen-
tine Republic with Russian Hebrews mas
been abandoned in favor of the establish
ment Of Hebrew schools in Russia
United States Consul General Burke has
received a very satisfactory reply to his
demand made to the Sultan of Morocco
for satisfaction and compensation for the
assault made by three Moors on protege
OF an American citizen residing in Tan
giers The assault was committed in June
last rhe ASSISTANTS are now in Jail in Tan
giers The Sultan has promised TO pay
an ihof mnity. and he has ordered the pris-