Wheeling majority. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1907-192?, 1913-04-03
Workers War In Spain

The secretary of the Spanish Rail
way Employees Union, Comrade Ra-
mon Cordancillo, writes the following
letter from Madrid: The Spanish work.
ing class have. after a long slumber, at
last thrown off their lethargy. AS they
show new strength and new spirit
they can now commence the fight
which the reactionary employers force
upon them. The masters, who will not
negotiate with the workers organi-
cations, are trying by all ways and
means, to provoke the men. 1t is COM
prehensible that the struggle between
capital and labor in such, land as
Spain, where the power of the state
and church is very great, and absolute
ly at the service of the employers, is
an unequal struggle; yet the workers
accept the challenge with spirit. The
government goes SO far in its incon--
siderate partisanship that leaders of
the movement, especially in times of
strikes, are simply arrested, in the
hope of disorganizing the workers. But
the employers have experienced how
strongly disciplined and well organized
are the Workers-When the masters
organization Of the building trade
locked out all organized workers. For
nine months the 10000 men affected
held out in spite of terrible privations
and when their own means gave out
other trade unions offered the whole
of their funds for the support of those
engaged in the struggle. This bitter
| fight ended with the renewal of work
on the same conditions as held good
before the lockout, after the employers
officially promised to raise wages with
tout delay. This promise has since
been fulfilled, of course, olny after
energetic reminders from the trades
unions. Our opponents thought to de-
stroy the trades unions, but in this
| they were disappointed. Also their ma
terialize. The organized workers are
today preparing to celebrate at the end
of the year their achievements in the
way of securing Increased wages and
to demonstrate that they are stronger
than ever.
Soon after the termination of this
fight the employers began, under the
protection of the government to lock
out other organizations in the building
trades. And SO one after another the
painters, tile layers. glaciers, plaster
ers, floorlayer,s iron workers, etc. were
shut out They all faced the attack
bravely before they we're compelled to
give way. How CALAMITY these groups
defended themselves the iron workers
give an example. As there appeared
lno possibility of coming to an arrange
i ment. they decided after 10 weeks
fight to emigTate rather than to sub
NIT. And so they are now leaving
| tho faffl1 oF1aud in small and large
] bands, freeing themselves from the
greed of the employers and the terror
of the ruling classes. The best work
ers, the most qualified artisans, are
emigrating, leaving their little ones in
the guardianship of colleagues in other
trades. to protect from adYersity and
an uncertain future. So the other
trades IL standing by to help in these
troublous times.
This sacrifice and remuneration has
not moved the employers in the least,
on the contrary they are indignant
that they have at this moment locked
out 10000 workers in all building
trades. Again the oppressed and half
starved workers begin heroic fight
against hard necked employers and a
tdespotic government, who at every OPP
Iportunity attack the labor party. They
will have to answer for the conse-
Iauences. The Spanish working classes
breathe the air of freedom today they
demand social equality and will, de-
spite all opposition. march forward
and upward on their way to social
Justice.
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