The Paducah evening sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1906-1929, 1906-08-18
Russian Peaceful Strike Marks
Awakening of People.
How Different Groups Broke on
From Main Body OF Malcon-
tents In Empire.
TERRoRIsTs BECAME ACTIVE

1 o. ctotobui =, august 10 ~
present revolution in Russia is very
largely due to the workingmen.
They have furnished the force that
has pushed 1t along.
In the summer of 1896 a phe-
nomepon occurred in st. Petersburg.
the like of which had never been
dreamed Of The operatives in %
cotton factories. numbering more
than 10000, struck FOR reduction
of their days work to IL hours. for
slight increase in wages. to be
paid by the week; for one ana one
half hours time for dinner. to have
their machines cleaned during the IL
working hours and for some othor
changes in the regulations.
The demands were so reasonable
that Count White. then minister OF
finance. ordered the companies to
grant them. The strike lasted only a
few days. The methods employed by
the strikers were perfectly peaceful;
no violence occurred. The men SIM
ply stayed at home instead OF goins
to work and sent committees to the
managers to explain.
The professional Socialist agita-
tors soon obtained control OF the
movement. and. in addition to peace
full demonstrations and suspensions
OF labor for the purpose Of obtaining
concessions in wages ana hours, &C.
veloped armed demonstrations
against the government. The radical
element went still farther and organ
lied the lighting branch" of the
party, which soon made itself known
by series of political murders.
Three of the cabinet ministers were
assassinated and the sentence OF
death passed by "the peoples win
was executed upon several other OBJ
jectionable officials.
Naturally the conservative and
the radicals separated. and, in 1908.
what are now known as the social
revolutionaries seeded from the So
cIal Democratic party. led by the
Jewish Bund. the most energetic ana
dangerous Socialist organization IN
Russia. Maxim, the mysterious agi-
tator, was the leader of that faction.
He Is now in the United States, fu-
gitiye with price set upon his head.
The sum Of s2,5O0 will be paid to
anyone who delivers him dead or
alive to the Russian police.
Maxim is a very remarkable man
His identity has never been definite
ly fixed. He wears a pseudonym. but
Il IS known that hefi Polish Jew
by birth, that he isfa graduate Of the
University OF Warsaw and that he
studied law in the Office of one of the
principal attorneys in that city. Last
year he left his studies and appeared
at the head of movement which
tried to set up an Independent re-
public on socialistic principles in the
Baltic provinces.
Although not more than "a or %
years of age. pale. beardless and OF
delicate physique. Maxim has won
derful power over his fellow beings
and fairly enthralls every audience
he addresses. He speaks Eve lam
guages; his voice is powerful and
musical. his manner is mesmeric, and
I am told that he can hypnotic his
hearers until they almost become
hysterical.
During mis- brief career as rev.
olutionary leader Maxim has had
several narrow escapes from death
and capture. Three or four have been
almost miraculous, which increase
his Influence. for these experiences
have added to the mystery which en-
velops him.
WIN. e. Curtis. in Chicago Record
Herald.