Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1905-12-20
Aim of Workmen's Coun.
Gil is to Stop Life
Of the Empire
NOW IN PART FORCE
Government Greatly Handi-
capped will be Virtually
Helpless.

St. Petersburg. Dec. 20.-On account
Of some confusion the general strik.
was proclaimed at Moscow at noon to-
day instead of tomorrow with a com
plete suspension of street railroad SER
vice. The government enters on a new
struggle greatly troubled The situa-
tion in the Baltic provinces is grow
ing steadily worse and in Caucasus
a renewal of the outbreak of Tartars
and Armenians has produced another
reign of terror.
Weather Cold.
The weather has become very cold.
II is believed a few days of hunger
and privation will easily drive the
people to desperation and provoke up
risings and attacks on the strikers and
perhaps general pillage
The proclamation of u general strike
for noon tomorrow has created most in
tense excitement. II il can be sue
cessfully inaugurated and maintained
the revolutionists are confident il will
break the governments back In gov
ernment circles confidence is express
ed that the organizations can not et-
feet a complete tie-up and that the
strike must be of short duration.
Have Made Enemies.
This hope seems based on the theory
that the extreme program of the reds
has allianced the sympathy of large |
portion of the real workmen and also |
upon what they claim is absolute ac-
acknowledgement that the organizations |
calculations. however. have proved de- |
plorably at variance with the true sit |
uation in the past. and strike leaders 1
declare the government is again hope |
lessly ignorant of the magnitude of the |
struggle confronting il.
Are Ambitious.
Their plans are exceedingly ambi- |
tious. From the nature of the appeals |
of the leaders to the troops, IL is evi- |
dent they expect to precipitate mutiny |
i'm the army The central committee !
of railroad mGl of Moscow. which de-
termined the issue last night by voting |
i'm favor of strike. has telegraphed |
over the railroad lines that the en-
ployes of 90 roads are ready to stop all |
traffic. and the decision is to close ev- |
ufactories. Wholesale and retail stores |
and ali government works. except wa |
terworks. The bakeries in the cities |
will not be closed so long as they do |
not raise their prices.
Not in One Day.
Although the blow is timed for to |
morrow noon on account of the difficult |
ty of communication, the strike lead !
ers do not hope To bring the life of the |
empire to u standstill by n single |
stroke. but they will labor for gener- |
al extension of the strike movement. |
The nature of the manifesto of the |
workmen's council of Moscow 10 the |
army is so inhammatory that even |
radical papers are afraid to print it,
stop All Papers.
During the strike it is proposed to |
stop all papers and TO print and distri- |
butte only organs of the workmen's |
council Police are hunting down and !
arresting strike leaders as rapidly as
they can be found. Comparatively few |
captures have been made as the lead |
ers are in hiding. The helplessness of
the government in this crisis is demon |
strated by the inability of Interior Min
lister Durnovo last night TO get through |
instructions to arrest members of the |
workmen'S council of Moscow.
Refuse 90 send Messages.
He attempted To use railroad wires |
but the operators obeyed the dictum |
of the council and refused TO send the |
message The government is even un- |
able To forward instructions to Gen. |
I.inevitch. commander of the Manchu- |
rian army.
Call for strike Issued.
Sc Petersburg, Dec. 20.-A call for |
general political strike throughout |
Russia to begin Thursday at noon was ,
issued last night The call is approx
ed by the Union of Unions, the union |
OF peasants. the general railway union |
and the councils of workmen of St. |
Petersburg and Moscow. \ response
received from the railroad men of Mos
COW is unanimous for a strike. The
leaders have declared their ability TO
stop every railroad in Russia.
All Liable TO Arrest.
The strike order renders every men,
her Of the unions signing il liable TO
arrest and punishment under the new
strike law. Minister OF the Interior