The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-01-21
Over 100000 Men Have
Stopped Work and All H.
dustrIes Are Idle
NOT A NEWSPAPER CAN Be
PUBLISHED IN THE CITY
Movement ls Spreading to Every
Branch of Trade and Thousands
of Soldiers Hurry In to
Preserve Order. - =

st. Petersburg, January 21.-2:3o a.
fn.-Wlth the Russian capital SEEM
lneIy on the verge of an incipient rev.
pIutlon, thousands of workmen parad-
Ing the streets, agtators and fanatics
SOWING the seeds of disorder, half the
city In darkness and without fire pro-
lection owing to walk-outs, the situa-
tion was hourly growing more tragic
when the authorities decided tonight
to adopt energetic measures to pre-
serve order, prevent rioting and over
awe the violentminded, at the same
time seeking to placate the striking
workmen by offering satisfaction of
their demands in so far as they are
lust and reasonable thus acting with
combined frmness and moderation.
The government tonight augmented the
garrison of the city with 2oO0 cavalry ana
1000 infantry from Tsarskoe-Selo, and hlled
the streets, esp,anades, especially the as
trict affected, with heavy patrols of SOL
d.ers.
The refusal to permit delegation or
workmen to present a petition to EN-
peror Nicholas at Tsarskoe-Selo, mas
made 1t known tha the great demon
stration planned for Sunday, with its un-
limited possibilities for an outbreak, Will
mo- be permitted to take place. AT the
same time, acting in conjunction with
conference of employers, it has been de-
ternined to offer concessions in the terms
OF employment which the employers de-
clared the great majority of the work
men would be inclined to accept If they
were guaranteed protection from the
more violent faction
Father Gopin Spirited Away.
Late tonight 1t was reported that
Father Gopin, the leader Of the workmen,
h.. been quietly spirited away from his
= yguard, and taken into custody in
atltherance aef the plan to diaorsSnize
the elements that are threatening the
peace of the city.
The authorities believe that by these
steps thoy have the situation well in
hand and announce that they expect a
peaceful solution of the problem. The
situation had entered an acute stage to-
day, and the strike had assumed an open
political phase tonight. The day was one
of intense excitement. Mill after mill,
and factory after factory closed. Throngs
of workmen paraded the streets, and
when their colleagues refused to join
them. broke down the gates and forced
OF the men. The whole industrial CEN
ter is idle. A. the textile mills and
every printing office in st. Petersburg
are closed. One electric light plant and
one water plant have shut down. and
over 100000 men are out.
Wild Threats Uttered.
Throughout the day workmens meetings
were held at which incendiary speeches
were made, the widest threats being
uttered as to what would come in the
event of the authorities and the employers
failing to meet their demands. The ner-
yousness and dread of what the next
few days would bring forth, was in
creased by reports that the workmen of
Moscow, Kief, Kharkof, Kishineff and
other large cities in the interior might
ion the movement While the govern
ment and employers temporarlzed. the
telegraphers and railroad employees
threatened to join the walkout, paralyz-
ing the communication of the country.
Many foreigners are preparing to send
their families abroad. Every newspaper
in St Petersburg has been forced to sus-
pend publication owing to the strike.
The suddenness of the strike and the
far-reaching nature of the workmen's s
organization, was largely a surprise to
the government and employees. Starting
with the wakout of a few thousand en-
moves of the Putiloff Iron works, due
to purely Industrial causes, it spread as
rapidly as a conflagration through the
1ahOrinR classes u.
became general At first only industrial
demands were presented, such as short
erine the hours of labor and for in
crease of wages, but the poverty and
discomfort upon the Indictment of social
istic democratic agitators, led to the for
mutation of political demands.
Attack on the Government.
petition was drawn up and largely
signed which, going beyond the COM
plants on which the strike originated, at
tackled the whole capitalistic system of
the country, bitterly assailed the present
government as one of bureaucracy, and
demanded the reform of both, asserting
that death was preferable to existence
under suGt conditions. This was to have
been presented possibly to Emperor
Nicholas. a deputation of workmen en-
deayored to see his majesty at Tsarskoe-
selo and appeal to him to come to the
winter palace Sunday to be present at
an immense demonstration of the idle
classes 1t was planned to have all the
workmen in st. Petersburg headed by
their leader. the Priest Gopin, in full
gorgeous canonical garm, march to the
nalace, and assemble in the great parade
in front of the palace and present the pc
tition to his majesty.
Employers See the Gravity.
This reputation, however. will be re-
fused admission to Tsarskoe-Selo. The
government believes this will render a
hearing on Sunday impossible. The en-
nlovers at the same time after confer
ences with the ministry of finance, which
was the first to recognize the gravity of
the situations, determined to offer conces-
sions in wages and other conditions of
labor to individual employees, but de-
clared 1t was impossible to grant an eight
hour day without general legislation af-
fecting competitors and price regulations
for piece work. Compliance with the en-
nloyes' demands for payment of wages
during the strike was held to be out of
the question, and the employers also de-
clined to permit of dictation of terms by
other than their own employees. They ex-
press the belief that most of their en-
! nloyes were desirious of accepting the
concessions and returning to work If they
could be assured Of safety from personal
Injury.