New-York tribune., 1905-11-20


again victorious. At 2:55 O'Clock this morning
they carried q resolution against any attempt
20 introduce a movement for eight-hour day.
ST. Petersburg Nov 2o-After the severe re-
verse which they suffered early yesterday
morning when at the end of a seven hour de-
ate the council of workmen decided to abandon
the industrial strike the leaders of the extreu-
list Socialist factions of the St Petersburg work
men are again engaged in a hard and apparently
losing fight in defence of a resolution for an
eight hour day. which was the slogan of last
weeks strike. but which abandoned at the
last moment in favor of an appeal for the lives
of the mutineers at Cronstadt and the liberty Of
Poland. When ahe council convened last night
a Socialist representative introduced amend
nent 70 the resolution calling off the strike
providing that the men in returning to work
should hereafter labor only eight hours. laying
down their tools at o'clock in the afternoon.
instead of O'Clock. while insisting on the same
rate OF pay
Encouraged by their earlier victory, the con-
servative leaders at once opened vigorous op-
position to the resolution. pointing out that in
view of the determination of the employers TO
regard any attempt TO obtain shorter hours by
revolutionary means as the sgpal for a lockout
of the great mass Of the worknen of ST. Peters
g a
prolonged combat Of endurance at the very out
set Of long. cold winter. A number of speak
ers even questioned the wisdom of an eight
hour day itself declaring that Russia at pres
ent was not ripe for il. while others. who
in sympathy with the movement for shorter
Gay. declared that it would not be wise to fritz
Ter away their strength at this time when a
great decisive combat in January is imminent.
At ! o'clock this morning the debate was in
full swing, with signs Of abatement, the de-
cision seeming largely to hinge on the question
as TO whether the owners would stand to their
guns and shut down rather than reduce the
number of hours.
Apprehansions that the defeat of the Reds
81 the council might inspire them to take
violent measures yesterday against the troops
or the merchants who refused to close their
places of business Saturday, when ordered
by the leaders, were happily without foundation
though rumors OF collisions between workmen
and troops in the Vas Ostrov and PutiIoff dis
frtcts were in circulation. At police headQuar-
Iers however it was said that there had been
no disorders, and st strike headquarters It was |
said that there had been collisions though, |
IeThaps. a few shots might have been fired in |
the air by overexu beraBt demonstrators. |
nevertheless, the patrols in the streets were |
snanoed by non-commissioned officers, showing |
that. in spite of the rumors of disaffection |
among the troops, the government was not |
afraid TO trust the soldiers Of the guard large
without commissioned officers
The hfgh-sounding proclamation with which |
The council of workmen announced the end Of |
The strike. declaring that the demonstration !
had erVed its purpose by saving the lives of the
1nutlneers at Cronstadt while. OF course, it is
principally blind 10 cover defeat. as the trials
of the mutineers still in progress, is at the |
same time shrewd tactics for use in the propa- |
genda which the council is actively pushing |
among the army aIld navy. Such claim, how |
ever, cannot disguise the fact that the strike |
was inaugurated to compel the government not |
only to pardon unconditionally the mutineers,
but to abolish martial law in Poland and to COM
pei the calling of a constituent assembly none |
of which objects have been achieved.
The refusal of the affiliated organ anizations in /
the interior to respond the call and the re- /
volt of many of the better class workmen here |
against the Gictation of political agitators and |
walking delegates by means represents the |
fun measure of the real defeat Of the strike
movement The strike, by alternating public
sympathy and opening the eyes of intelligent
liberals and moderates TO the fact that the
first duty of the hour to stand by the gov
ernment in its efforts to tranquize the coun-
Try and TO make head against the tide of social
ISM and revolution which threatening Rus
sia with anarchy. aided greatly in the formation
or the new Law and Order party, which has |
now sprung into formidable being
The Official Messenger this morning in ad- |
dltion TO denying that the measures taken by the
government in Poland were Influenced by neigh
boring powers. states that martial law in Poland |
VIII ne repealed so soon tranquility is re-
stored.