The age-herald., 1899-09-27
LUDLOW ISSUES
 4 PROCLAMATION Certain Individuals Seeking to MiSltad
 WOrkilSmen. DOES NOT FEAR STRIKE Very Few Are in Sympatt= : Il the
 Movement. GENERAL PARALYSIS : : BUSINESS
 s@ Stevedores and Wha' jausing Much Inconvenience \ .ment Will be Dealt Out to Offenders
 Should Arbitrate
DOES NOT FEAR STRIKE
GENERAL PARALYSIS 2 : BUSINESS

Havana, September 26.-"There will moi be a general strike" said General Ludlow | this evening. "I have sufficient assurance | to satisfy me on this point.'
 | Civil Governor Rivera says the matter i,
 out of his hands and entirely within tht | jurisdiction of the military authorities. Td 1 all intents and purposes the city is under | martial law. The civil authorities will do | their utmost to cooperate and win do nothing to embaTass the military gover- 1 nor. Senor Rivera declares that if 1t de- | volved upon him to settle the dispute he | would not have to use force. When the | chief of police, Senor Cardenas, asked him | fer instructions his reply was that the | chief should carry out the orders of the military authorities( although in the same breath he strongly dissented from the policy of these orders. General LudlSw
 says that if it should be necessary he can find room at the Pesidio for one thousand prisoners and at Cabanas for many
 more Where all the rights of citizens are
 at stake he considers that the existing military power should supercede any legal technicality.
 ti1 proclamation which is in part as follows; The Proclamation
 ''To the People of Havana;
 "At the present juncture, when certain irresponsible and sedtious individuals are seeking to destroy the peaceful industries of the city and to mislead the working men ! into a general conspiracy to paralyze the i life and movement of the community, 1t | behooves me in the interest of all concerned and as the immediate representative of the United States government to publish ] word of warning.
 "ahe United States of America is pledged l to the establishment in Cuba of stable | and s6rderly government pledge mads | alike to the Cubans and to the world will surely be fulfilled Every endeavor will be made to inculcate the principles of self government, the foundation of which Is true self-respecting liberty. Modern civili- Zation demands an enduring respect for law and the rights and liberties Of others. The woTkngmen of Havana are being tempted toward a fatal step which, if taken, will set back their exercise of liberty and the enjoyment of the rights of man for an indefinite period. They are being urged Ia general strike, to a total suspension Of the accustomed occupations and labors which are essential to the common welfare and upon which depend even the very livei of the people. The reason assigned Is a demand for a working day of hours. No Demand Made "As a matter of fact, such demand has not been made. No body of employers has been asked to shorten the day to eight hours. No petition has been submitted to the Ayurp. amiento or to the American Gu- thorities. At the instfgation of a few self seeking demasogues, backed by more nu- merous element that prefers idleness to ia bor and excitement of any kind to the | calmer life of thrift and protection to the | family, the working men of Havana are urged to forego all labor, to extinguish the | lights that protect their party and discour- | age crime, to close the back shops that 1 furnish food, and, if that could be accom- plished, to cut off the water supply. Mean | while g1e trades and occupations are to be l abandoned, industry is to perish and fooo 1 is to fail
 Upon whom would this punishment fall? l Who would be at once, and fatally, the vc- l tims of this iniqutous conspiracy? Who but the poor, the destitute and the sick? Who but the aiing children and their mothers, the weak and helpless? Who but the ignorant and destitute, thousands or whom exist in Havana, whose daily re- sources are essential to their sustenance? Should there be strike within forty-eight hours the cries of hunger and walls of dis tress will arise from muftitudes whose sole fault Is that they are the wives and chil- dren of men who have been deceived into sacrificing them without thought or req | son.
 Very Few in Sympathy "It is known to tine authorities that but a small proportion of the working men are
 in sympathy with the movement and the
 majority have been coerced into assent.
 Let there be no misunderstanding as to
 the outcome. Order will be maintained
 Violence and tumult Will be crushed. So
 much is at stake that there will be no
 hesitation in applying such remedial meas
 ures as may be necessary to preserve the
 peace and safety of the city. No man
 can be compelled to work against his will.
 But if he can work, yet will not, he Is only
 a vagrant and a burden; and he must take
 the responsibility of his own acts and the
 needless and innumerable sufferings which
 he imposes upon his kindred, as well as
 upon the public.
 "A weigltier responsibility will rest upon
 those who needless of consequences and
 with intelligence to foresee them, seek to
 betray working men ito their enduring dis
 advantage These are the treacherous and
 seditious persons who are plotting, openly
 and in secret, against the peace of the city
 and the lawful rights of its citizens to
 earn their own livelihood and to enjoy
 with their families the fruits of their la-
 bors.
 Are Pubic Enemies
 "These are public enemies-men flying
 red flags of anarchy, violating law and in-
 vading the rights of others. To such will
 be dealt punishment adequate ts their of
 lending. They will find their own lives as
 grievous a burden as that which they seek
 to impose upon the workers whom they
 are deludng.
 "There is but one proper course for the
 working men to pursue in this matter. If --~----->----@~->--~->---
 tContnued on Second Pagel