Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-10-25
SERIOUS IN RUSSIA
Half European Empire
in Strikers Grip
ROADS AT sTANDsT|LL
Deputation of Workmen
Warned by Count Witte.
AN ARCHY NUW AL klGA
BLOODY CONFLICTS BETWEEN
TROOPS AND RIOTERS.
Agitators Are Stirring Many to Join
in an Uprising-Warsaw
Also Effected.
BLOODY CONFLICTS BETWEEN
TROOPS AND RIOTERS.

ST. PETERSBURG, October 25.-Over
half of European Russia is in the grip of
the, striking railroad men and the strike
cotlnues to spread rapidly in all directions.
The roads in the Volga region at a
standsull and today a general strike was
proclaimed or the two remaining lines run
ming out of St. Petersburg. Before tomor-
row the capital is expected to be cut of
from the outside world by way of the con-
tinent. This will also involve the suspension
of postal communication.
The League of Leagues has seized the op-
portunity to come to the support of the rail-
road men and has adopted resolution In
favor of general strike of all professions
The telegraph operators are joining in the
movement and the suspension of railroad
traffic. 1t is feared, will be followed by a
complete obliteraton of communication be-
tween interior points. The situation is crit
ical and pregnant of all sorts of dire pos
sibilities. The factories in the affected dis
tricts have been forced to shut down for
lack of fuel. and Moscow especially faces
not only food but a water famine. Fortu-
nately ST. Petersburg will have communica-
ton open through Finland
The British ambassador, Sir CharlesHar-
dinge. who bade farewell to Emperor Mich
olas yesterday previous to leaving St Pet
tISOuTS on u MISSION IN connection with the
proposed Anglo-Russian understanding.
was unable to start for England this morn
ing because no trains were running He
VIII leave the capital ON the first available
steamer.
Many Workmen Struck.
Telegraphic communication between ST.
Petersburg and Khardoff is broken.
The workmen of the Putiloff Koljoino,
Alexandrovsk and Nevski works struck
this morning
The social democrats believe they have
the government at their mercy, since with
the railroads stopped. the authorities are
powerless to transport troops. This is all
the more serious. bloody collisions al
ready have been reported at various places,
and dangerous agrarian movement has
again broken out in the government of
Samara.
The strength displayed by the social DEM
ocrats has amazed the authorities, who
Were taken quite much by surprise at
the evidence of their power as they were
at the time of the "Gapon rebellion"
The distress in the central provinces is
greatly increased by the enforced suspen-
sion of the famine relief work
Prince Hilkoff. the minister of railroads
whose appeals to the strikers at Mos
COW were so unavailing that he could not
get an engineer to bring him to st. Peters,
burg, but who with fireman stocking,
drove his own engine, arriving here black
ana dust grimed, is not blameable for the
failure OF the government to keep its prom
ises made in the spring to increase the
wages of the railroad men. That RESPONSE
bility rests on the minister OF finance.
Burned Their Bridges.
Prince Hilkoff expects to meet the rail-
road delegates here, but apparently they
have already burned their bridges at meet
ings held last night and which continued
until dawn this morning. A dozen of these
of the most enthusiastic character were
held.
The largest. which was held In the uni
versity. attended by about 10000 per-
sons. including students, who making
common cause with the workmen and
whose leaders are making speeches in ia
vor of a resumption of the students strike
unless they are allowed to discuss political
questions. The students Joined the rail-
road men in passing a resolution In favor
of the immediate convocation of a con-
stituent assembly elected by direct univer-
sal suffrage and demanding that the laws
governing labor be sanctioned by the rep
resentatives of the people and the imme-
date grant of political freedom. and de-
claring that thus only an armed revo-
luton be avoided.
These resolutions were adopted after a
deputation which called on Count Witte had
reported. The count received the deputation
private individual. He spoke to them
with hts usual bluntness and told them
plainly that some of their demands would
be granted. while the granting of others
was impossible. Count Witte informed his
visitors that law permitting greater free
dom of meetings than allowed by the laws
OF Italy and Austria Hungary and provid-
ing for freedom of the press had already
been elaborated. Martial law on the rail-
roads, he said. was an anachronism which
should be abolished.
The demand for a constituent assembly
the count said. could not be realized nor
could universal suffrage be admitted as all
the people were not prepared to exercise
the right OF franchise. In this connection
the count spoke OF the power welded by
capital in America where universal suffrage
existed. He thought it possible to meet the
demands for an eight-hour day. especially
for outdoor workers. and warmly favored
the general measures advocated, with the
view to improving the condition of the
workingmen, especially In the way of
schools, hospitals, etc.
Warning From Witte.
Count Witte warned the deputation that