The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1905-01-21
THOUSANDS STRIKE
INDUSTRIAL CRISIS ADDED TO
RUSSIA'S TROUBLES.
Fiffy-Eiaht Thousand Hen Are Out
at st. Petersburg and Probably
as Many More Will Soon Join
the RankS-StrikerS Led by a
Priest.

St. Petersburg, Jan. l9.-The strike
situation is becoming more grave.
Fifty eight thousand men are now on
strike here and the movement is spread
ing to the big cotton mills, which EN-.
ploy more than $4,000 operatives.
Meetings have been called for today,
at which social democratic leaders
will use their utmost endeavors to
convert the strike into vast political
demonstration, which at the present
crisis might have the most serious de-
velopments.
The authorities are adopting every
precaution to avoid an outbreak, but
the social democrats are squirting the
strikers, and there is great danger Of a
collision with troops, which would be
almost sure to be followed with red
flag demonstrations, accompanied with
great bloodshed. !. The community is
full of sensational rumors and rioting
is expected. Thus far, however, the
strike has preserved purely economic
aspect.
The great industrial quarter of st.
Petersburg presents the appearance Of
an armed camp. The idle factories
are surrounded by Gordon of police,
and patrols of infantry march about
the snow covered plains.
The strikers are led by q priest nam
ed Gepon, who is idolized by the work
men and who represents them in nego-
tiatiOns with the emDlOyera
This is the first great strike in North
ern Russia. Hitherto the workmen
have been unorganized and previous
strikes in ST. Petersburg have not in
volved more than 10000 men. The
strike leaders say they have funds to
hold out for month, but this is doubt
ed, and the lack Of money and the pri-
vations of winter and perhaps govern
ment interference are expected to make
the strike short and sharp.
The strike has an important bearing
on the war in the far East, as every
days delay in completing government
contracts with the iron works means
the loss OF precious time in starting
the third Pacific squadron.
Demands of the Strikers.
The Putilof works strikers demand:
First-The dismissal of the foreman
who is objected to by the union and
the reinstatement of the men who
were dismissed for belonging to the
union.
Second-Eight hours work per day.
Third-The valuation Of work to be
made by a joint committee of work
men and foremen.
Fourth-The appointment of joint
permanent committee Of arbitration.
Fifth-A minimum wage of so cents
per day for unskilled male labor.
Sixth-Overtime work not to be OBJ
ligatory and to be paid for at double
wages.
Seventh-The men not to bear the
cost of condemned work when not re-
sponsible for it.
Eighth-A minimum Of IS cents per
day for unskilled female labor and the
esta blishment Of creche for children.
Ninth-Improved medical attend
ance.
Tenth-Improved sanitary conditions
in the workshops, especially in the
smithies.
overwhelmingly from punish
ment for strikers.
Twelfth-The average rate Of pay
during the strike.
The employees Of the Neva Ship
building Works decided to support the
strikers Of the Putilof and Franco Rus
sian works. Subsequently $4,000 Of
the men Of the Neva works informed
their manager that they had gone out
on general strike.
The strike at the, -Neva works in
wolves the suspension Of the construc-
tionof submarine boats of the Protector
type, which was being carried out un-
der the supervisor of an American en-
gineer, I'd also the work on two ocean
going Vessels similar to those Of the
volunteer feet and several gunboats
and torpedo boats, besides the prepare
ton Of war material urgently required
for naval and military purposes.
1t is feared that the men employed
at the Obukhoff Steel Works will join
in the movement, thus adding 1000
to the ranks of the strikers.
SUBMARINES FOR JAPAN.