The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-04-23


The socialists generally appear to be
satisfied with the result Mr.. Destree
said afterward that the second part
| of the motion=that the chamber dis
approves and condemns the general
strike-was unimportant "1t was" hs
added. "only tantamount to saying that
| the dubbed repudiate the club
| The socialist members were escorted by
an imposing cortege of strikers from the
chamber. Later some of them delivered
speeches. NJ. Yandervelde, the socialist
| leader summed up the situation thusy:
mo doubt you are not enthusiastic.
| You expected us to hand you universal
| suffrage on a silver salver. You are fu-
rious because we could not do SO. But
there are people a good deal more furious
than you-the band of fanatics who had
| to swallow deBroqueyille's declarations,
when in the midst of the strike he was
obliged to speak out more clearly than he
| had ever done before and had to vote a
| liberal motion paving the way for re-
vision of the constitution.
| "You have gained victory but II Is not
a question of victor or vanqushed. Ihe
great fact is that the morrow will bring
revision and Justice
| 1t is stated tonight tnat an, extra
parliamentary committee Will be APP
pointed by the chamber and King 10
consider and report on the suggestion
| OF annual revision. This committee will
be composed of deputies and eminent
| scientists.
! A caucus after the session of the
chamber decided to call meeting OF
! the general strike committee tomor-
row, which will convoke national
congress of the socialist labor party,
comprising 1900 representative of all
( the unions Thursday. This congress Is
empowered, to terminate the general
strike
| There is undoub tedly much d3ssatis-
| faction among the rank and file OF the
strikers. who feel that they must wait
| too long for the desired form. But
| the leaders are unanimous in their wish
| to end the strike. NJ. Vandersmissen,
| the general secretary of the strike, de-
olared that it was q more complete
victory than could be hoped for after
only a weeks strike. The leaders also
realize that it would be practically i'm
possible to keep the men from resumins
under the circumstances.
| There is little doubt that by Mon
| day the struggle will be ended. eN-
cept possibly In the case of the coa'
miners. who now threaten to strike
| for higher wages.
1T is reported this evening on the
authority of member of the cabinet
that there will be a dissolution of par
lament in 1916, so as to give the new
electoral system, which will be COM
pleted by that time, clean start This
| would be impossible otherwise, as or
dinarily the chamber is elected one
| half at time
The day passed quietly in all the
strike districts.
The text of the first part of the mo-
\ tion adopted by the chamber of deputies
today was as follows:
THE chamber takes note of the
declarations of the government state
thus: tWhen calm has been restored
| we shall be at your disposal to eX
anime and discuss everything. The gov
eminent could appoint a commission
which might conclude that a certain
formula might be of nature to be ac-
cepted by all parties.
| "If the commission succeeds in find
ling a formula superior to the actual
lsystem even as regards the Legislative
chamber it would evidently induce the
| deputies. subject to reelection, to say
| to their constituents: We have found
formula; will you accept it?' >"