The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-07-18
GENERAL STRIKE
ALWAYS FAILS,
HISTORY SHOWS
Workers Here and Abroad
Have Lost Through Such
Methods.
BY RUTH FINNEY
Times special Writer

WASHINGTON, July 15.-No
general strike ever has been even
partly successful IN this country. or
IN any other.
Records Of industrial warfare,
studied here today in connection
with the san Francisco strike, show
this % Be true. In every case or
gained labor has found itself up
against unexpected responsibilities
and problems IL could not solve.
IN every case an unorganized
public. determined TO carry on nor
NAL life without interference. has
broken the strike partly through its
own efforts. partly through use Of
public funds, militia, and troops.
The United States had its first
experience with the general strike
IN Seattle in 1919. When il was
over. labor men admitted they had
gone into IL without realizing that
a general strike. If it succeeds. i'm
plies assumption on the part of
labor unions Of duties and response
buires usually performed by gov
eminent officials.
Extra Duties Pile Up
With the strike under way it was
necessary for the strike committee
to decide whether the city's streets
should be lighted or left dark, how
the public health should be pre-
served, what businesses we're essen
tial 10 public welfare. The Labor
Union Record, published in Seattle,
said.
If the strike continues. labor may
feel led TO avoid public suffering by
reOpenlng more and more activities
under its own management, and
that is why We say We are starting
on road that leads no one knows
where"
On the second day of the Seattle
general strike, street cars started
running again. under protection of
police and troops BY the fourth
day. hundreds OF workers we're
trickling back to work, and on the
fifth day the general strike was Of
f1cially at an end, collapsed under
the weight Of its own ineff1ciency.
Revolt Plot Charged
Little or no disorder occurred, but
business men and Mayor Ole Han
son Of Seattle called the strike a
revolutionary attempt to overturn
the government.
In the same year a general strike
in Winnipeg lasted six weeks. In
that city police. firemen. letter car
riers. and garbage collectors walked
out with $4,000 craft UNION workers.
This strike committee also found
itself responsible for the city's well
fare and found the responsibility a
heavy one. Two riots occurred.
Trials for seditious conspiracy fol-
lowed.
Great Britain's general strike in
1926 lasted thirteen days.
Experience Abroad
The public walked TO work when
it could get there no other way and
persiStently carried on its normal
pursuits. The government called
for 100000 volunteers to operate
food and milk depotS. to open COM
munications services, and finally to
restore transportation. Poor and
rich responded. co-Operated so sue
CeSsfully that organized labor was
forced TO COncede defeat.
Perhaps the most significant at
tempt at a general strike took place
in Sweden in 1909. The country was
we'll organized: 100000 workers
walked out. Strike leaders had
made elaborate preparations to
keep essential services operating,
but found it impossible to maintain
discipline.
The government kept hands of 10
let labor make a thorough test Of
public sentiment. The strike went
to pieces when public security bri-
gades we're organized, enliSting sup
port from all classes.