New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1909-09-29
The General Strike in Sweden.


In order not to be slowly ground to
pieces between the mill stones Of the
successive lock-outs, the workers were
compelled to speedily resort to the
last and most powerful means Of de-
fense-the General Strike.
The General Strike commenced on
August 4. Not only did the organized
workers vote almost unanimously to
cease work, but even the unorganized
workers to the number of not less than
100, 900 went out on strike with their.
organized fellow-workers. Stillmore,
a small organization of workers,
classed among the ssyellow unions, =
and hitherto accused of running the
errands of the employers made COM
mono cause with their fellows.
Leaving out of account the agricul-
tural workers, only the employees of
the government and the municipalities,
such as railway, postal, telegraph,
telephone, lighting, street cleaning,
and waterworks employees, are still
at work upon the advice of the other
organized workers, and for tactical
reasons too long to explain.
All these governmental and munici-
pal employees, who are also well or
gained, are assessing themselves hea-
Willy to support the strikers, and will
in all probability, go out on strike at
the proper time if it is found desir-
able.
It may be consequently said that the
Swedish working people, almost to a
man, have stood up in defense of their
organization and for all its high and
noble aspirations. Strike breakers
are next to impossible to find within
the ranks of the actual workers. All
rumors to the contrary are fabrica-
tions.
But equally strong and united stand
the employers, with determination to
crush the organization of the workers.
In its origin the General Strike is
entirely void of political and revolu-
tionary aims, and is of purely eco
nomic character. What it may be-
come in the course of events, if the
employers persist in their ambitious
designs, remains for the future to
show.
AS it is, more than 300, 1000 workers
are striking, which means that over a
million men, women and children are
now actually starving or are on the
verge of starvation.
But in order to maintain the fight
until the employers shall have suffered
enough financially to call it off, the
workers in Sweden must have the as
sistance of the world, the internal re-
sources being entirely inadequate.
The Swedish workers, used to hard
ship, and willing to starve for long
time yet in order to gain the victory.
They are prepared to fight to finish
on a diet of salt, bread, and water,
but it still requires immense sums to
keep more than million people alive.
The workers in other Scandinavian
countries Immediately came to their
assistance, assessing themselves hea-
Willy. Germany and other countries
have also sent large contributions,
and from all over the world come mes.
sages of cheer and promises of help.
But even all this does not suffice.
It is for this reason that the Execu-
tive Committee of the Swedish Glands
organization" has sent US, the under
signed, to America to appeal to all
American workers to tender speedy
and powerful help.
Knowing full we'll that you fully APP
preciate the international Importance
of the struggle now going on in Swe-
den, that you would consider defeat
for the Swedish workers as your own
loss, and that you will count their
victory as your victory, we bring you
fraternal greetings from your Swedish
fellows, and their thanks in advance
for assistance rendered.
All appropriations and contribu-
tions should be sent to
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.,
Stockholm, Sweden.
Yours for the welfare of the work
ing class, G. E. THoLIN,
JOHN SANDGREN.
Authorized Delegates from the Swe-
dish Landsorg anization New York,
August q, 1909.
ion Question.
and said to myself. If the govern