The star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1908-1909, 1908-09-04
SILK HATTED STRIKERS.
Some Queer Labor RevOlts
Among Professional Men.

The minds eye a vision of horny hand
ed sons of toll. One cannot associate
it with anything but bare arms and
flannel shirts. Yet, come to examine
the records of strikes. and one finds
many cases of professional men and
women striking work in order to gain
their ends.
The most recent was, Of course, the
strike of the reporters In the press gal
lery of the Germany Reichstag. A GER
tain member, Herr Groeber by name,
was good enough to describe the re-
porters as a set of "swinish louis" As
he refused to apologize, the reporters
unanimously struck, their papers sup
ported them. and for our days not one
word uttered by a member of the Ger
man parliament appeared in n news
paper. The result was thai Groeber
was forced by his colleagues to apollo
gize.
The most important of recent profess
sionaI strikes in England occurred In
January OF last year says an ex-
change, when the artists engaged in a
number OF the best known london
music halls refused to appear. The
chief cause of the trouble was that
they were expected to give at least two
matinees weekly without any increase
OF salary. At one music hall. the per-
formers had actually given five extra
performances during Christmas week
without getting a penny for their adj
ditional work. At eight London halls
there was no performance at all for
some nights; at others. merely a make
shift show. The Variety Artists fed
Grafton sent out no fewer than 500
pickets. The orchcstras and the thea
tire employees In most cases Joined the
strikers, and 1t was some weeks before
mutual concessions were made and an
honorable peace arranged
Four years & practically every
theatre in Spain was closed through an
actors strike. The trouble began with
the police closing the Tarzpela The
atre. in Madrid. on account of the
singing Of political songs, especially
one having reference TO the nomination
of a certain unpopular Dominican
monk for the archbishopric of Valen-
cha. There was such a popular outcry
that the government was forced to
give in.
More than M cas- is on record of
doctors going on a strike. For sixty
years up ~ tnC CIu vi lifO hiiiCtOChei
century, North country miners had
paid a small sum per head for club
medical attendance. Although their
wage during hat time had Increased
nearly 20 per cent. yet the fee remained
the same The Northumberland and
Newcastle Medical association and
the Durham association protested in
vain. Finally. In 1902, they refused to
49, Al. Ill, ara ,,ntl
their rate of pay was raised, and even
t%ually-as was quite fair--they tri-
umphed.
A year later tire medical profession
of Saxony' found itself in a similar pre-
dicanent. Nearly all their private pa-
tents had joined the various sick funds,
and these 'kranken kasseh." as they
are called, had forced rates to a very
low point In other wor DIS, a doctor re-
ceived So for treating 100 patients.
Eventually nearly geo doctors in the
vicinity of Leipzig combined and struck,
and forced their recreant patients TO
pay them a living wage.
In May. 1904. fully 100 were
, laid up in Marseilles harhor. This was
the result, not of a strike of seamen
but of the captains and officers refusing
to work until they were given proper
powers to deal with their crews. An
in~subordinate spirit. especially in the
stokeholds, had made the working OF
the ships almost impossible. n the
French officers requested powers to
deal with their mutinous hands. The
strike spread to Hayre. and the result
was that many Of the great transat-
iantic liners were held MP. and mails
| had To be forwarded to Eurone.