Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-08-14

secret. and as soon as he disappeared and
ms neutenants were sent to prison the
workmen became demoralized and the bot
tom fell out Of the strike.
Since then, however, a great change has
taken place Events move rapidly in Rus
sia these days. Other leaders have appear
ed, and the great transformation scene is
still going on. 1t is interesting to speculate
as. to what might have happened IL Nassau
had been allowed to continue as leader, but
he Is rotting in Jail, and resolutions Of the
duma cannot secure his release.
Strikes Without Causes.
During the last few weeks there have
been more than thirty strikes, including the
butchers, the bakers and the candle stick
makers.
The situation is very serious, but 1t is not
without humor. The railway porters for
example. organized a union and went on
strike the next day. but it was impossible
striking about. They did not know them
selves. They receive no pay. They have IL
censes from the city authorities to stand
around the railway stations and carry the
baggage OF arriving and departing passen-
gers to and from the trains and the car
riages and omnibuses outside. There is no
regular fee for this service They are COM
pelied to accept whatever tips are offered
them-but they struck, and refused to work
for three days. In the meantime the drosky
drivers and such hangers-on about the sta
lions as could find an opportunity did their
work. Finally the station master asked
them what they wanted. They did not want
anything, whereupon he told them that
they better go back to work, which they
were very glad to do.
The shOemakers organized union and
they struck also. They closed their little
shops and refused to take orders or do re-
pairing for several days, but they were not
able to tell why. They he'd several meet
ings made eloquent speeches for the edit
cation of each other and most of them got
gloriously drunk. Then they went back to
work.
The city f1remen struck also. They Or
ganized a union. elected officers and then
voted to quit work, foremen and all. The
engine houses were closed for several days
while the members of the force celebrated
to their hearts content. Then, after they
had sobered up, they went back to their
posts and have been there ever since with
out change In wages. regulations or any.
the funniest things in ST. Petersburg. They
have no steam engines, but haul hogsheads
Of water around on carts and empty them
upon the flames by means of hand pumps.
The firemen are dressed in gorgeous uni
forms, and each carries coll of rope like
a sash over his shoulder, like an Alpine
climber.
lied a union, but thus far they have not
struck. The Tartars, who are the best SER
wants in Russia, have not gone into the
movement. They do not care 1Or politics.
they do not get drunk: they are not revolu-
tionary in their disposition. and are always
reliable. For these reasons they are pre-.
ferred to the native Russians and receive
double wages. There are 5000, 600 Of them
in the Russian empire, Mohammedans
mostly in the southeastern provinces. There
are several Tartar members In the duma
and they are inclined to be conservative.
Power Of the Dvornik.
There are very few individual residences
| in Russia except the palaces OF the grand
dukess~ the mobiles and very rich men
Everybody lives in apartment houses. The
wide streets of the city Of st. Petersburg
are lined on both sides with enormous struc.
lures, each containing from fifty to 2O(
suites OF apartments. There is only one
entrance and that IL guarded by a concierge
| or dvornik, as he Is called here, who has
| charge Of the entire establishment and Ii
| held responsible for whatever may harper
within. He lie appointed by the police and
\ is supposed to be paid by the owner Of the
| property. but usually gets only quarters fol
| himself and family and depends upon what
| ever he can get out Of the tenants. He II
supposed to keep the courts clean and tht
| corridors swept and scrubbed, and has 6
| force Of women under him for that purpose
| No house owner can engage dvornik ex
cept at police headquarters. where list 9,
persons engaged in that occupation Is kept
| ploy any particular man, but cannot 81
| outside the officiel list, and the police ex
| pect the dvorniks to keep them informed q
l n anyfhfnw e,,ertctona that occtirn unde