Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1905-12-21

A General Strike Has Been Called
Throughout Russia.
n WILL BEGIN IOOIOH THURSDAY
Ehis II the Answer to the Govern
ment's Return to the old Meth
DDS Of Coercion-May Grant
UnivetsaI Suffrage.

-
St. Petersburg, Dec. 2O.--A call for
general strike throughout Russia I
begin Thursday at noon, was issue
Tuesday night.
The call Is approved by the Unio
Of Unions, the Union Of Peasants, tn
General Railway union and the Coun
ellis Of Workmen at st. Petersburg
and Moscow.
A response received from the rail
road men Of Moscow is unanimously
for q strike.
The leaders have declared their abil
fly to stop every train in Russia.
The strike order renders every mem
Der Of the unions signing 1t liable to
arrest and punishment under the new
strike law, and Minister Of the Interior
Rurnovo attempted to telegraph orders
70 Moscow to arrest members Of the
railway union and Of the workmen's
council, but the dispatches were held
up by the railroad telegraphers.
st. Petersburg, Dec. 20.-Russia
Tuesday evening was on the eve Of Q
great II not a final struggle for mas
terry between the government and the
proletariat. Both sides have lined up
for battle.
Late Tuesday afternoon all Indica-
lions pointed to q declaration Of war
by the proletariat in the form Of q
summons for a complete general strike
which will tie up the railroads, the
telegraphs and every industry and bus
iness in the empire. All the pro-
letariat groups here have decided in
favor Of a general strike and news
has been received that the workmen's
council and the allied bodies at Mos
COW. have also pronounced in favor of
It. The decision Of the central COM
mittee Of the railroad union sitting at
Moscow without the support Of which
the other organizations probably will
not risk battle has not yet been re-
ceived, but It is known that the dele
gates on the committee from st. Pet
ersburg and the Baltic provinces are
in favor Of the movement and the
leaders here are confident that the
radicals will carry the day.
Russia may again at any time be cut
on from the world, not only by wire
but by rail.
There is an air Of suppressed excite
1nent throughout the city.
Batteries Of machine guns are sta
toned at several points Of vantage
throughogt the city and patrols Of I'm
1entry and Cossacks are everywhere.
A specially heavy guard is stationed
An the neighborhood Of the Jewish
market.
The Associated press learns author
itatively that the advocates Of univer-
sal suffrage had the upper hand at
Tsarskoe-SeIo Monday. When the
meeting assembled the emperor, who
presided, expressed the wish that the
Representatives Of the zemstvo congress
should first present their views. There
npon Dimltri Ehipoii in an exceeding
" earnest speech pointed out the ter
Fible gravity Of the political situation.
He urged not only the theoretical |
advantage Of granting system Of I'M I
Iyersal suffrage. but also Its absolute
necessity from q tactical standpoint
IS the only common ground upon
which 4 would be possible for the
country to unite.
On the conclusion Of the speech the
smperor asked M. Shipoff bluntly
whether he regarded universal suffrage
V necessary for the hest interests Of
he country and the people, to which
y. shlpoif replied emphatically that
Ne did.
Baron Korff announced his CONVEX
lion to the granting Of universal suf-
rage, saying that he had opposed It
a the past, but he was now convinced
hat circumstances rendered It inevlt-
lille.
The greatest surprise, however, was
he speech Of Count Bobrinsky, master
4 the court, who heretofore has been
n implacable opponent OF unrestricted
outrage, The count began by confess
ng that two weeks ago he believed
nch a suffrage should never be con-
oded. Now. however. while he still
egarded suffrage restricted to the en- I
lghtened classes as the safest for Rus
70 he was convinced that all consid-
fations must give way to a single In I
crest the salvation Of the fatherland.
Universal suffrage, ne said, had be-
ONE the watchword Of the people and i
d such a crisis the government must ]
size the psychological moment The :
peech made a great impression.
During the dinner which followed
18th Count Witte at the head Of the Ia :
h. even the most reaetionary Of those }
resent, limited that It might be neces- /
~ after all TO grant universal suf- :
'ate. Il % now understood that Count Z
lite. At the discussion which VIII be
stunned Wednesday, is determined to :
me- through q universal Suffrage :
heme. =
Chfcaso Baais ReeovsFing.
Chicago. Dec. l9.-Practfally normal Z,