The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-05-31
4 CRISIS in. RUSSIA
LABOR DISCONTINUED IN THE
REALMS OF GEAR.
Policy of Moscow Chief Of Police One
of the Most Revolutionary Ever
Undertaken by the Gov
eminent.
correspondence of the Associated Press

correspondence of the Associated Press.)
MOSCOW Friday. April 3o.-In connection
=. J, the assassinat ton of NJ. Sipiaguine,
u Russian Minister of the Interior.
, Gsution has been made of the new work
.ugmen's policy inaugurated BY NJ nou-
/ batoff, Chief of the Secret Police Of MOS
COW. with the approval of Chief OF Ponce
| Trepoff. Authentic Information received
here shows this policy to be one OF the
| oldest ard most revolutionary ever taken
| by the Russian government.
Last autumn, on the oStenslble lnltid-
| tive of workingmen, a number of univer-
sity professors and teachers began lee
| turing TO audiences of workingmen on the
question of abor legislation and various
| other allied subjects. 1t soon became APP
| parent that the lectures had been organ
| lied by the secret police, whose tools the
alleged workingmen's leaders were ana
| all lecturers except one ceased their dis
courses These lectures served as being
| Introductory to the organization OF Ia
Dor unions. or friendly societies, statutes
for several Of which have just been con-
irmed by the Minister of the Interior. a
characteristic of these statutes is that
they permit as members OF the societies.
policemen and priests. 1t Is provided that
the funds of these organizations may not
Inc used to support strikes. Workingmens
raeetinga conducted by police. In tempo
rary tea rooms. were allowed to discuss
he eight hour movement. freedom of or
VA nizad ton, liberty If institpting strikes.
and other matters hitherto held TO be Sc
diticus.
The government scored an immediate
success. The secret. radical movement
was out-trumpsd. Every man was IN.
vited to openly demand what he had
preached stealthily, and rumors were cir
culated that the government INTENDED
buying factories ard turning them over
to the workingmen. The governments
victory attained its maximum when 2''oo
workingmen peaceably celebrated, on
February 10 Told stylel. the anniversary
of the emancipation Of the serfs. In the
sacred Kremlin. the police officials care
fully selecting sns Participants ~ TO ar rex ss
and secret police spies.
Thereupor the Governor General of
Moscow. Grand Duke Sergius. received a
delegation of workingmen and PROMISED
ehrations in commemoration of emanct-
patton day had been strictly forpidden
heretofore.
So much for the bright side From the
beginning disadvantageous features crop
ped out and the working people quickly
tired of mere talk and demanded results.
Early in the year strikes began In num-
erous factories. These were followed; w
some cases. by incendiary fires. while
machinery was smashed in Danilof cot
ton mills by mob led 1t Is asserted. by
police agents
A most extraordinary phase of the sit
| uation began late in February. Although
the government tried to hush the AFFAIR
| up. the following story has been abso-
| lutely authenticated.
| Rumors In regard to tho matter were
current in st. Petersburg and they were
| verified by an investigation made on the
| ground. A French company operates SILK
| mills here, employing ordinarily about
| 5000 men One dav two pretended work
leading organizers of the lectures and OF
the friendly societies, demanded admit
lance at the works for the purpose OF
| discussing the differences between the
| nd lie prl1nInvee Manager Con :
| jon a French citizen. refused to allow
them to enter. The two men. who were
| in reality police agents reported to the
| nearest police cals ain. who demanded
| that they be admitted. with the same re-
suit. Chief OF Police Trepoff then called
| NJ Gouion to the telephone and peremp-
| torly ordered that the men be allowed to
enter the mills. The manager DECLARED
his willingness to comply If Trepoff sent
| written order. The Chief answered
that NJ. Gouion should obey instantly
| and the written order would be forthcom-
ing.
Every we'll" replied Mr.. Goujon. since
YOU promise 1t. | will admit the men,"
Trepoff, thoroughly enraged. then
shouted that NJ. Goujon would have to
| leave Moscow within forty-eight hours.
| The two agents were finally admitted
| to the mills, and after a discussion de-
manded that the company pay the eni-
ployes 10000 roubles on disputed wage al
| iustments the workingmen having charg-
| ed that negotiable measurements had
been made of work completed M. Gou-
jon refused to accede to this. Factory
inspector attached to the finance minis
try declared that the demands were I'M
| founded but nevertheless the two agents
called ont 100 weavers, whom COUPON IN
mediately paid and dismissed. CHER ire
poff hired a vacant workshop to lodge
the idle men and their families, and gave
them money regularly, in order. it is
claimed, to make the strike success.
| He also sent notice that the mills would
he inspected and threatened that IL a
single infraction of the regulations was
found that NJ Goujon would be imprison-
ed The sanitary inspectors. however
found nothing slniss. Thereupon Nj. IRE
poff summoned NJ. Goujon and his asso-
ciates and threatened to ruin them II
thew refused compliance with his desires
III the demands were legal. would
gladly submit" responded NJ. Goujon
adding that not only would he take back
the 700 persons in question. but would
also dismiss 1000 others employed in the
preparatory stages of the work.
NJ. Goujon, with several friends. then
FASTENED to St. Petersburg and related
the circumstances to the officials of the
Finance Ministry. which controls fac
tories. The manager carried with him q
collective protest of the Moscow manu-
facturers, who declared themselves un-
able. under the existing conditions, II
operate their factories. since the police
were engaged in melting the employees ia
hatred and distrust of their employers.
Soon afterward sixty manufacturers oil
Moscow hel da secret meeting, at which
they drafted stronger protest. and sent
a dCputation. including NJ. Naidenoff
chairman of the Board of Trade, to st.
Petersburg. Thus matters stood when NJ.
| Sipia guine was assinated
What policy the new ministry will pur-
sue is not known but in the meantime
the manufacturers stouty declare they
will not resume operations until the at-
tions Of NJ. Trepoff are disavowed. They
do not much object to a long shut down
| owing to business being excessively bad
The Gouion affair has taken on an in
ternational aspect owing to the manager
having appealed to the French Embassy
for protection.
The trades union movement has also
advanced beyond the wishes of the police
a delegation of workmen recently went
to St Petersburg to ask permission FOL
the formation Of labor unions on the
British model. The Ministry of the Int
rior. however. fatty refused their request
The Finance Ministry has recently giver
the labor question close attention and ha!
elaborated proposed laws regulating en-
ployers' liability for accidents. medica
assistance for working people. the open
ing Of new industrial establishments anC
freedom of organization and strikes.
| Subordinate Importance. is attached herr