The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1905-01-28
STRIKE is SPREADING.
Workmen Of Moscow Following In
Footsteps Of st. Petersburg
Brethren.


The most startling feature in the
Russian strike situation is the news
that several factories in Moscow have
closed and that the workmen in the
old capital of Russia are repeating
the tactics of their fellow workmen Of
the new capital marching from shop to
shop and mill to mill, demanding that
the establishments be shut down. The
whole city is reported to be in state
of great excitement over the news or
the bloodshed at St. Petersburg, which
has precipitated Immediately the
strike that had been scheduled for
Wednesday.
Moscow has more workmen and less
troops than St Petersburg, and be-
sides is just now the heart of the Lib
eral movement, and the danger OF
bloodier occurrences there than have
been witnessed in st. Petersburg are
proportionately greater. A rising at
Moscow is also more likely to have
greater results industrially and polltl-
cally than that of st. Petersburg.
According to private reports the
wCrkmen in several other big cites,
notably Kharkoff, where large locomo-
tive works are located, already have
completed plans for a general suspen-
sion of work. Moreover, reports are
current that the wOrkmen, who other
wise would soon be forced back into
the shops or starve. have received as
suranCes of financial support from the
sources which hitherto have furnished
the snews of war to the liberal and
revolutionary agitation, but have not
before been in touch with the labor
movement. If the strike becomes gem
eral all over Russia, and especially If
the railroads are drawn in, 1t might
Immediately force the nation to make
peace with Japan.
The situation appears grave from
every standpoint, but the authorities,
although apparently somewhat bewil-
dered, declare their purpose to stand
firm. maintaining that it is their first
duty to preserve order, scouting the
idea of actual revolution.
There are extremely significant re
ports that Emperor Nicholas in max
ing the decision at the extraordinary
meeting of the council Of the empire
at Tsarskoe- Selo to declare St. Peters
burg in a state of siege, announced
that he had resolved to issue mani
festo to the people, with view OF
calming them, promising to create a
mixed commission of wOrkmen and Of
ficials to investigate and decide the
! questions of the demands of the strik-
| ers, especially the one affecting hours
of labor, which Russian law fixes at
eleven.
The military in st. Petersburg on
Monday had a firm grip on the situa-
ton, and the police used every precau-
ton, such as fOrbidding the use of
petroleum and requiring the people to
remain indoors. .
The tension, which was somewhat
relaxed in the morning, continued to
increase during the day. Conditions
appeared to be ominOus, when, shortly
after dark, the worllmen in two cleo
trio light plants walked out, refusing
triple pay to remain and plunging half
the city into utter darkness, including
the Nevsky prospect, which is in the
fashionable residence quarter.
The water supply also, was cut off,
and a yeritable panic ensued Tales
that dynamite was in the possession
of the strikers and that it was the
purpose to sack and burn the town
had been n circulation, and many
persons were terrorstricken. Reserve
troops were called out to guard the
darkened portion of the city The peo-
pie still in the streets except q few
strikers and roughs, fed to their
homes.
The editors of four newspapers, the
Russ the NiedomOsti, the Novosti and
the Grashdhanin, declare their inten-
ton, as soon as the printers return
to work, and they are able to
resume publication, openly to defy
the censorship in the matter of
strike news and Sundays af-
fairs. They drew up letter to the
censor, saying they felt the gravity of
the situation demanded that they print
the facts without minimizing or gloss
ing them over. The Novoe Vremya
and other papers, however, refuse to
join, and the letter was not sent, but
the editors of the four papers named
agreed to adopt the course indicated.