Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1905-12-21
GOVERNMENT CRIPPLED IN THE sTRUGGLI
Reports Reach Capital of Mutiny OF
Soldiers at Kharkon and
sebastopoI, with Rioting
In Many Places.
BULLETIN.


ST PETERSBURG, Dec. 2O.-The strike
promises TO be on "a far more extensive
scale than any previous movement of the
kind 1t was ascertained tonight that many
OF the largest works. including the Putilog
ami Nobel concerns, will cease operations
tomorrow. Almost all the papers suspended
by the censorship are appearing under new
names and are meeting with huge sales.
The railway union at Moscow has re-
solved to run troop trains from Manchuria
and to convey grain 10 the famine-stricken
districts.
ST PETERSBURG. Dec. 2O.-On account
OF some confusion, the general strike was
proclaimed at noon today instead OF to-
morrow. 1t was begun with a complete
suspension of the street railway service.
The government enters upon its new
struggle greatly crippled. The situation
in the Baltic provinces is growing steadily
worse, and In the Caucasus the renewal OF
the outbreak OF the Tartars and Armen-
ians has produced another reign Of terror.
The inhabitants OF Tihis and other cities
are begging the authorities to furnish them
with arms TO organize militia for self
protection. At Sebastopol new mutinies
have occurred and 1900 soldiers have been
disarmed and are under guard. The troops
at Kharkoff have revolted and the inhabi-
tants are still administering the city.
The weather has become very cold. Deep
snow covers the country as far south as
Kieff 1t is believed that a few days
hunger and starvation will easily drive the
people to desperation and provoke upris-
ings and attacks on strikers and perhaps
general pillage.
Government Is Confident.
l:20 d. n.--The proclamation of a general
strike for tomorrow at noon has created
the most intense excitement. II strike
can be successfully begun and maintained
the revolutionaries arc confident that II
Will break the governments back. In gov
ernment circles. however confidence is ex-
pressed that the proletariat organizations
cannot .effeet q complete tieup and that
the strike must be of short duration. This
hope seems based on the theory that the
extreme program of the Reds has alien
ated 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
government calculations. however, proved
deplorably at variance with the true situa-
ton in the past and the strike leaders
declare the government is again hope
lessly ignorant OF the magnitude OF tho
struggle confronting 1t.
Their plans are exceedingly ambitious.
From the nature OF the appeals OF the
leaders to the troops. it is evident that
they expect to precipitate Q crisis in the
army,
Railroads TO BE Involved.
The central committee of the railroad
men of Moscow. which determined the is
sue last night b. voting in favor of a
strike. has telegraphed over the railroad
lines that the employees Of twenty-five
roads are ready to stop all traffic, The de-
cision is to close everything in the empire
railroads, manufactures. wholesale and re-
tail stores and all government works. ex-
cept the water works. The bakeries in the
cities however. will not be closed 80 Ions
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 tho electric light plants. but
this was defeated. Although the blow Is
timed for tomorrow noon, on account OF
the difficulty of communication the strike
leaders do not hope to bring the life Of
the empire to a standstill by n singl,
stroke. but they will labor for a gradua
extension Of the strike movement.
The nature of the manifesto of the work
mems council of Moscow to the army (,
SO inhammatory that even the radical pa
pers are afraid TO print II. During th'
strike It is proposed 10 stop all papers and
10 print and distribute only the organ o.
the workmens council.
Police Hunt Leaders.
The police are hunting down and arrest
ing the strike leaders rapidly as the!
can he found in the comparatively few
captures that have been made, as the lead
srs keep in hiding. avoiding their resi-
dences and meeting I'm secret, each time a
a different locality.
The helplessness OF the government Il
this crisis is demonstrated by the inabiiit!
OF Interior Minister Durnovo last night 4
get through instructions to arrest the mem
bers Of the workmen's council of Moscow
He ATTEMPTED 10 use the railroad wires
but the operators obeyed the dictum of IN
council snd refused to send the message
The government is even unable to forwar
instructions 10 General Linevltch. com
mander Of the Msnchurian army, Fiv
operators in succession on the railroad line
declined to send cipher dispatch signe,
by the emperor.
Workmen Punish Crime.
2:3s p. m.-The consul OF a continenta
power who arrived here today from Rig
on a train heavily guarded by troops say
that throughout the district the land ha
been laid waste, all the buildings belongin
to the landlords have been burned to tn
ground. The situation in Courland. tn
consul SAYS Is even worse. At Riga tn
garrison is too small TO attempt TO wres
the power from the hands OF the workmer
who have Organized a police force an
are administering the affairs OF the cit,
The workmen have sent a deputation I
Governor Regtnsk notifying him that h
need been deposed. The city Is terro
stricken, but comparatively quiet KILN
took place in the streets daily. but IN
workmen's militia is successfully prevent
ing pillage. showing no mercy to rowdie'
Y several OF whom have been shot or hange,
The Molva in an editorial today say
the only possibility Of saving the situatio