Truth. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1901-1908, 1905-12-16
A NEW WEAPON OF REVOLUTION.

VI iIulODC, say lut l@llGIdly DlBCSJ,
are slowly awakening to the fact that
a new weapon of revolutionary war
fare has recently been brought intoI
play; a weapon forged by the genius
of Italian, French and German think
ers. The last-named nation has given
it a name-the massenstreik, the
strike en- masse, universal. This
bloodless weapon, according to jour
nalistic opinion, has played a greater
role in recent political upheavals than
the rapid-iring guns of Togo's ships
in the battle of the Sea of Japan.
What precipitated matters in the
Austro-Hungarian tangle, in Russian,
Polish and Finnish revolutionary
movements? The massenstreik-th
strike universal, which paralyzed the
| life of the countries concerned. Such
| is the general testimony of the foreign
newspapers. They declare that a
strike. which was once merely an eco
nomic movement in support of claim
for higher wages, is now being resort
ed to in support of a claim for liberty
and an enlarged suffrage
| Though never before utilized with
such amazing results, this method of
| NlHIluS a pOIllCdl NiSbOiy iOhS
been taught and prescribed by Social
ist agitators; and at the great Social
list gathering at Jena some weeks ago
August Bebel, as reported in his own
journal, Vorwaerts (Berlin), advo-
Gated the principle of general strikes
as a means of influencing parliament
and gaining an extension of the suf-
Ifrage, and he supported the resolu-
ton which declared that "the stop
page of work by the masses" was an
effective method" of gaining the po-
ltical privileges aimed at. In the
Neue zeit (StuttgarD, the German
Socialist weekly, Paul Lensch advo-
Gates the political strike for two rea-
sons, the first of which is thus stated:
1.-The foundation of stability in Eu-
ropean political affairs has so fair lain
in the preponderating influence OF
Russia all over the continent. Since
she has been dethroned by Japans
victory, the whole existing political
system of Europe has collapsed like q
house of cards. The political forces
in Europe are to be consolidated un
der new combinations, and this move
ment appears in the new treaty
groupings and continuous rumors OF
coming war. France is declared to be
on the eve of war with Germany, and
England is following her example;
next, the entente between France an6
England is to be developed into a de
fensive and offensive treaty; such q
treaty is soon to unite Germany anC
Russia-and so forth. In any case the
working class find themselves in 6
difficult and critical dilemma, anC
they must be on their guard lest some
thirg happen in this crisis which may
turn out to be a menace to their vita
interest.
1T will occur to everyone that in
this new political situation some new
weapon of defense must be found, and
it is quite correct to suppose that this
new weapon will be that of the univer
sal strike"
He continues to show that this stop
page of labor is the only just ant
peaceful method for obtaining the ex
tension of the suffrage.
very striking illustration of the
truth of this axiom is seen in the
result of the Russian strikes. OF this
movement the Westminster Gazette
Oondon) says:
"A hundred years ago the pike ant
the guillotine were the instruments Of
the revolutionary; today he chooses
the universal strike And since of al
strikes there is none that is so imme