The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1919-09-19
STRIKES OLD
AS Time; HELD
BACK PYRAMIDS
Labor Troubles Have Had
Society in Turmoil Since
Dawn of History.
New York Evening Sun)

\XNcW oIh GFculAS GUM
If the prevalence of strikes Is an
indication of the progress of the
twentieth century, ancient Rome and
Greece left US at the post. For not
only does history record instances of
labor unions and strikes of actors,
masons, bakers, miners and other art
lsans that piled their trade in ancient
cities, but our ancestors went a step
further and harbored a union of poets,
which, according to one tradition, was
honored by the membership of no less
distinguished bard than Homer, the
author Of 1.-THE HAD" or. as some have
1t, the compiler of that epic.
Time-worn inscriptions on stones
gath cred from every corner of the an
tique world Syria. Mesopotamia,
Greece, Sicily and Etruria-ad pre-
served in museums, indicate that all
ancient trades, particularly that Of
masonry, enjoyed the highest orgaiza-
ton and power. Egyptian hieroglyph-
les also furnish numerous records of
strikes similar to those taking place
today. They show that the labor or
CARNATIONS in Rome exercised tremen-
dous political power and were led by
powerful labor leaders.
First in History.
The first great strike in the worlds
history, SO far as Is known, occurred
more than 5000 years ago. according
to NJ. Maspero, the Psychologist. He
records a strike of masons engaged
in the building of pyramids and tenn
Piles during the reign Of the Pharaohs.
He relates that these artisans were
powerfully organized. While engaged
In excavating and deciphering picture
writings Of the Egyptians, M. Mas
b. pero came across the following inter
esting inscription:
'On the tenth day OF the month
builders at work on the temple rushed
out and sat down behind the chapel,
exclaiming: We are hungry, and there
are yet eighteen days before the next
pay day
They would not work until the king
agreed to hear their complaints. Two
days later Pharaoh went to the temple
and ordered relief given to the ma
sons; but the sixteenth day they quit
again. and on the seventeenth and
eighteenth days they refused to work.
On the nineteenth day they raised a
mob at the governors palace and
finally got their demands"
Artists on Strike, Too.
Historians state that Greece pos
sessed unions of the Bacchic or Diony-
sian artists at least 400 years before
Christ. DR.. Foucert points out in his
researches that many poets were
members of this union, and he ven
lures the belief that Homer belonged
to the collegium, as the union was
called.
A powerful branch of the organiza-
ton was that of the musicians, who,
1t appears, were employed by the
Athenian government. Tentmakers of
the Dionysian artists. who furnished
the paraphernalia of the theaters, and
correspondent to the modern stage
hands, were also powerfully organized.
Strike Of Ancient Bakers.
A record Of strike of bakers in
ancient times is furnished by Egyptian
hieroglyphics deciDhered by famous
scientist.
Another account incidentally shows
that centuries before our era began
bakers were powerfully organized in
the old cities.
The bakers Of two cities. Magnesia
and Paros, in Greece, the records
show, struck work and refused tt
bring to the regular market the usua
supply Of bread, owing to grievance
that Is not made plain. The city coun
Gil. after becoming aware Of the strike
convoked an extra session with the re
suit that the strike leaders were ar
rested. and the organization disrupted
The governor issued this proclama
ton: ANY baker who shall associate
himself with meetings, or who shall
excite sedition leading to trouble, O.
who shall secrete himself, or any on,
who shall furnish another with a hid
ing place, will be severely punished
In the year 413 B. c., strike o
10000 miners occurred in the state o