The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1918-02-23

make further explanations.
strikes. excited by a handful of
Marxians. They did repeated and
great damage to the Government
works, and still greater damage to
war material, but they were short
lived and in nearly all cases the au-
thorittes came out of the conflict
stronger.
Ugly Feeling Amongst the Unslzilled.
| Yet, there is an agly spirit among
the workers, which is rapidly spread
ing, and if theoretically supported,
would soon grow into serious proper
tons. But this must be sadly point
ed out that those who are feeling ugly
towards the Government are the I'M
| skilled workers, whose chief grew
ance against the Government is not
actUated by it's domestic or foreign
policies. but is mostly based on the
fact that they are not being treated
with, the same consideration that is
melted out to the skilled workers.
1 have inquired into the causes of
nearly all the strikes that took place
near Berlin, and in each case I came
to the conclusion that they were pri-
rnarfly directed against the factory
policy of each factory administrator.
strikes took place, true, even in the
ranks of the skilled workers, but they
took place when the authorities low
cred their food ration.
The truth was that the ration was
lowered universally, but it was the
skilled labor that complained. The
authorities could not with grace yield
to the strikers on the food ration issue,
but they raised their wages. The
meaning Of these settlements was that
the middle classes were sacrificed for
the good of the industrial war work
ers.
must explain more plainly what
this means.
The middle classes are today pow
erty-stricken throughout Germany,
They have no currency to pay for
food at exhorbitant prices. The faci-
Titles for the middle classes to realize
on their food cards are so bad that
they can seldom receive their just al
lotment.
If one has money and is energetic.
it is possible to procure food Illegally.
Food Graft Possible.
t On the other hand the working
classes who have now more money
than they ever had, are given every
? facility to procure their due portion.
and with the extra wages they re-
ceive, their wives are in a position to
, secure enough-tolerab1y enough.
: In other words, the authorities are
deliberately permitting the skilled
workers to secure food which is not
legally due them, and which is right
fully due to the middle classes and
! unskil1ed laborers. The authorities
realize that they cannot enslave the
skilled laborers, but they do not hest
tate in coercing and enslaving the I'M
skilled workers.
The natural result is that the IN
skilled workers are highly agitated
against this unjust policy of the Gov
eminent. But they are not organized
They have no powerful trade organiza-
ton through which to give effect to
their complaints, and their political
organization, the Socialist Party, has
not vet dared to adopt programme.
The Minority Socialist Party is their
champion, or, in other words, the
Minority Socialist Party is composed
of them, but they have no power by
which to induce the authorities to
listen to their complaint.
A Pftifu1 Failure.
7 was amazed to witness one such
strike in the Government aeroplane
works near Berlin.
For two days the strike amongst the
unskiIled workers was carried on and
a slight support by one or two power
full trade unions would have accom-
plished the desired result.
However. the trade unions of Ber-
a lin openly disceuntenaced the strike,
while the Socialist Party leaders sud-
denly became passive. The prime
movers OF the strike suddenly disap-
: peared, about a thousand strikers were
, put under arrest, a number of them
: were forced into uniform, and the re-
naming unfcrtunates were forced to
: ACCEPT the Government terms after
t paying fines.
. This has been the sad fate of all
. such strikes in Germany since the war.
. And at fhis time let me make this
observation.
q On the day I returned to Zurich, I
Y carefully looked over the files Of
r Zurich newspapers, and noted that the
German news agency which sent out a
S certain report of a serious strike in the
o Berlin district, had purposefully mag
, nifed the extent Of that strike. I'm
: less one is familiar with the ways and
methods in Germany of the rulers, he
t would find himself at loss to know
9 why these certain strikes that took
a place in Germany were SO magnifed
: The motive is a deep one.
q Hun Lies.
. The rulers Of Gerzaay ara CEN