Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1906-08-05
FATE OF RUSSIA RESTS
!. ON RESULT OF STRIKE
Government sui Has Implicit
Faith IN Soldiers Despite
Many Muun|es.
BLACK HUNDREDS CREATE TERROR
stsPetersburs an Armed camp-sol
dlers and Mounted Patrols Seen
On Every corner-Dissensions Rif.
Among Ranks Of RevoIutionlsts---
Gigantic Struggle Begins.
tBy Associated Press,

81. PETERSBURG, Aug. with
general strike formally declared
and The country apparently on the
threshold of gigantic struggle minor
issues fade in the background,
II the strike started today gathers
sufficient Roadway to cndangcr the
lie OF the State 1t has virtually been
decided that Grand Duke Nicholas
Nichoavtch will he named comman.
der of all the troops in the empire,
where martiallaw exists" which
would be tantamouni to the decree.
lug of IL military dictatorship.
Government Optimistic.
1t Is possible, however, that the
government Will not be driven 10 thi,
extremity as the showing made today
By the st. Petersburg proletarlal
was not impressive. Although nearly
10000 workcn are reported to be out
many of the men appear to be enter
Ing the struggle with heavy hearts.
citizens Fear "eiack Hundreds"
The spontaneity with which the
entire nation qrrayed Itself against
the old regime last fall Is lacking,
the endurance of the people has been
Slapped by the long strain. the sym.
pathy OF the more conservative III.
erals has been alicnatcd by fear Of
revolution and tho lowest strata
of the population has hccn organic.
ed into what Is known az BLACK
Hundred" ana are ready to enter the
fight on the side Of the government
If the signal is given
Discussions Are Rife.
Dissehsions also are rife among
the leaders over the opportunities of
giving battle to the government but
these will probably be short lived.
If the response of the country shows
that the nation as whole endorses
the movement.
Moscow and st. Petersburg, or
rather st. Petersburg, are expected
to decide the issue The railroaders
upon whom the initial success depends
although committed, have not yet
formally ordered strike.
Depends on the Soldiers.
: II the military supports of the gov.
eminent stand up as they did at
Sveaborg and Cronstadt. the leaders
acknowledge that the game is lost;
but even SO, they declare that defeat
If 1t forces the disaffccted portion of
the army to show it's colors, will
only prepare the way for final vic
tory.
While the authorities undoubtedly
are anxious they manifest equal con.
tiuence that the army will not fail
the Emperor in crisis and that the
strike will prove a dismal failure.
The weakest point in the revolu.
tionary armor Is believed to be lack
of competent leaders.
City an Armed Camp.
Although the police are reinforced
Wy mounted patrols III the central
districts OF the city, all is quiet
there. In the workmans quarters
there was anarchy. Dragons and
Cossacks were In evidence In the
principal streets and police pickets,
armed with rifles were at almost ey.
cry corner. .
The police displayed open sym.
pathy with the men, turning their
backs to avoid seeing what was 60
ing on
Searchlights from a cruiser at the
Baltic works and from the roof Of
the building are sweeping the Neva
and several torpedo boats built in
the United States are sc,rrying up
and down the river.
There will be no newspapers pub
lished tomorrow, except the Novoe
}Vremya, whose men do NOT beIonc