Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-05-29
RUSSIAN WORKMEN MAKE
EX0RB|TANT DEMANDS
Wages Already Increased From 100
To 100 Per Cent, but No Offset
in Advance in Prices.
STILL MEN ARE NOT SATISFIED
Minister OF Finance ShingaroT De.
ciares Crisis Is So Acute That
Only Miracle Can Save Nation
From Economic Ruin.
lBy Ass,cia,co rrcss +,

IETkOGRAD. May Is tvia London.
May 2D.---Thc Industrial crisis in Rus
STA is so acute that. according to =
recent utterancc OF the Minister of
Finance. NJ. ShinGaroT. only "A miracle
can save the country from economic
/ rum The demands OF the workmen
were so enormous. he declared. that
. 1t seemed impossible to keen the in
dusirial wheels going for any great
/ length of time.
4 IN investigation of the factory con-
diiionS in rctroerad leads to the
alarming. but inevitable conclusion.
/ that unless the government soon finds
/ Il means of adjusting the present diff
cu'tics. most Of the Industrial enter
priscs working for national defense
VIII be compelled TO close within a few
months.
I'm investigation shows that virtu-
ally the same difficulties prevail in all
the big factories i'm Petrograd, and ap-
parcntly authenticated reports from
the Moscow. Donets and Ural districts
Indicate general REORGANIZATION In
many Of the factories, the demands by
the workmcn for Increased wages are
actually greater than the entire profits
OF the factories under the best con-
ditions of production. The workmcn
through their committees. are in vir-
tual command of the factories. and
all business has to he submitted to
them for approval Wages i'm a ma
jcrity OF the factories have already
been increased from 100 to 80 per
cent but there has yet been no offset
by AN advance in prices of the output.
DIRECTORS ASKED no he PLACED
UNDER VOLUNTARY ARREST
In ono of the works in PctroSrad
the workmen recently demanded the
immediate payment OF 100000 rubles
normally S6.50O 000--to cover AN in
crease OF - kopecs an hour for each
workman since the beginning of the
war. The directors OF the organization
immediately communicated with the
government and asked TO he placed
under voluntary arrest as protection
against the threats Of the workmen,
which. as usual, accompanied the de-
mand-
.Am cicht-hour day has become cncc-
tive in AL factories According Ia the
estimate OF "a leading manufacturer. the
output OF these factories has suffered
AN average decrease OF 40 per cent
since the revolution. lie explained that
all these concerns we're confronted with
AN imminent shortage of raw materials
, and with bankruptcy.
Tn" manufacturers mud il difficult 10
} borrow money, as the hanks naturally
are not eager to extend credit to fac
| tories which are in control OF tenn
! pcrary memberships committees AS
/ I; result. some Of tho factories will be
compelled TO close within month. An
! irouical feature OF the diiiiculticS con-
| fronting the employers is tho fact that.
/ although suffering serious loss, they do
/ not dare. Ia close the establishments,
| owing 10 threats of bodily and ma
+ trrial Vengeance. The power of the
} workmcn'S committees so far has sup
/ crsedcd the authority OF the owners.
J No man in factory can be dismissed
Z without the consent of tho committees.
| There is no way Of enforcing discipline.
! said one mHnufacturer. and idlcncss is
/ prevalent.
/ In some of the works. according to
The statcmcn, Of - representative "f
. the union the owners decided to cede
al! the profits 10 the workmcn, but even
this did not NEE, their eXorbitant de-
maudS.