The news & observer., 1905-12-21
(By the Associated Press }

St. Petersburg. Dec. 20.-6:20 p. m.
Reports received here from Moscow
late this afternoon indicate that the
strike was successfully inaugurated
and is spreading rapidly. Even the
electric lights plant are closed. Gen
eral Doubasoff has declared the city to
be in partial state of siege which
gives the civil authorities exceptional
powers of arrest. etc. The next move
will be to declare a state of siege III
which the military supercedes civil
bower 1t is expected that the inaugu-
ration of the strike here tomorrow viii
be followed by a similar measure. but
if the situation become worse as an
ticipated. martial law Will be declared
The provincial authorities have al
ready been empowered in ANTICIPATION
of the contingency of their being cut
off from the capital to act on their own
responsibility even to the extent OF the
proclamation of martial law.
The railroad stations at St. Peters
burg were occupied by troops this
afternoon and the government made
an attempt with the aid of the railroad
batalions to maintain some sort or
train service, especially to the German
frontier and also TO keep open cable
communication with points abroad.
The inhabitants are hurriedly laying
in SUPPLIES OF food as if to stand a siege.
Intense Excitement.
80 u. m.-The proclamation Of q
general strike for tomorrow at noon
has created the most intense excite,
ment. If it can be successfully inaug-
urated and maintained the revolutions
aries are confident that it will break
the governments back. In govern
ment circles. however. confidence is
fl1. xF..ff snsa1t A1*grsN N
iZations cannot affect a complete tie
up and that the strike must be os
short duration. This hope seems based
on the theory that the excitement pro-
gram of the Reds has alienated the
sympathy of large proportion OF the
real workmen and also upon what they
claim to be absolute knowledge that
the organizations are without funds.
The governments calculations. how
ever. have proved deplorabi-- at varl-
ance with the true situation in the
past and the strike leaders declare the
government is again hopeiessly lgno-
rant of the magnitude of the struggle
confronting it, Their nlans are eN>
ceedingly ambitious. From the nature
of the appeals of the leaders To the
troops il is evident that they expect to
precipitate a crisis in the army
The central committee of the rail-
road men of Moscow which determ-
ined the issue last night DN NolllS III
favor of a strike has telegraphed over
the railroad lines that the employees
of twenty-five roads are ready TO stop
all traffic. The plan is To close every
thing in the empire, railroads, manu-
featuring places, wholesale and retail
stores and all government work ex-
cept the water-works. The bakeries
in the cities. however, will not be
closed SO long as they do not raise
their prices. If they raise the price OF
bread even the bakeries will be closed.
1t was proposed in Moscow to exempt
the electric light plants but this was
defeated.
An InfiamnlatOry Manifesto.
The nature of the manifesto OF the
Workmen's Council of Moscow TO the
army is so infiammatory that even the
radical papers are afraid to print il.
During the strike it is proposed to stop
all papers and to print and distribute
only the organ of the Workmen' s
Council.
The police are hunting down and
arreSting the strike leaders as rapidly
as they can be found, but comparative
" few captures have been made as
the leaders keep in hiding. avoiding
their residences and meeting in Sc
crat. each time at a different locality.
The government is unable TO for
ward instructions TO General Line
witch commander of the Manchurian
arnov Five operators in succession
on the railroad lines declined 70 send
n cinher dispatch signed by the En-