The Cotton Factory Times. — 1891-05-22 (Manchester, Greater Manchester, England)

LABOUR MOVEMENTS ABROAD.  A new invention is reported in the New York Commercial Bulletin. The inventor is a Mr. Brosius, of Atlanta. The new process will turn out an unbroken and silky staple from Upland cotton rivalling Sea Islands cotton, and worth one to two cents per pimnd treated by the new process. The breaking of the fibre is prevented, the seed stripped, the getting of the oil out reduced in price.  According to advices from Warsaw a strike took place at a large spinning mill in Zuirdoff, employing 7,000 hands. The bands were chiefly Germans. The military were called out to shoot down the strikers and protect the mills, and order has not yet been restored. Germans are not as easily done for as Russians.  The general strike which was to have taken place at St. Etienne has been postponed to a more favourable time, and b large number have returned to their work. It would have been better for them to have acted concertedly instead of as they have, for their employers will imagine them in play next time, and will have their backs up at the deception.  The gssworkers of Brussels have struck work, and the entire city is likely to be without gas. A force of Grenadiers has been drafted into the gashouse to prevent damage being done to the plant.  The ironworkers and electric light mechanics struck work in Brussels on Friday, consequent upon the gas strike, and owing to the authorities using force rioting took place. A few were injured, and 20 were arrested.  The Belgian workmen's party are issuing their invitations for the International Worders' Congress, which meets in Brussels on August 18th. and the Legal Eight Hours League (London) have already given in their adhesion.  French ministers and rulers seem equally as despotic as czars and emperors, judged by their expelling of labour leaders. A number of decrees have been issued expelling. a large number of Belgian and other workmen. The democracy is not awake in France, and liberty is shackled.  A law has just been passed in Ohio prohibiting the employment of children under 12 years of age in shops, factories, or mines.  The Dock labourers of Ostend are to be asked to refuse to discharge coal brought from England until the dockers at Ghent have obtained their obtained their employment back. Another proof and another step towards the solidarity of the workers. The trades unionists of Victoria have made another advance towards emancipation in the returning of two Labour candidates to the Upper House to represent them. Take a lesson, other countries, from the new one.  At a special meeting of the Sydney Trades and, Labour Council the political platform of the Labour' League was decided upon. The following are the points : That all Government contracts and tenders be executed in the colony. That all Chinese-made furniture should be specially stamped. That the franchise be extended to soldiers and policemen. That the present defence force be abolished and that a military system on a voluntary basis be established. Is was also resolved : "That no member of Parliament be an office bearer of the Labour League; that they should sit upon the cross benches, and that all candidates should give a written pledge to vacate when called upon to do so." The Sydney Trades Unionists mean basiness.  The Inter-Colonial Trade Union Congress,sitting at Ballarat last month end, declared newspaper reports of the shearers' strike to be untruthful. The Congress also decided to support the shearers, and adopted a trade mark to be affixed to goods produced by trade unionists. The eight hours' day procession was a large one, but the heavy rain spoilt its grandeur.  The Queensland shearers' strike still goes on, with no hope of any settlement. Heavy rains continue, and there is less rioting. At Cleermont a few more sheds have been burnt down. The unionists tried at Rockhampton for alleged rioting have been acquitted, the witnesses failing to identify them.  A thousand men, women, lads, and lasses have been locked out at San Francine() because the employes at one place objected to the introduction of a lasting machine and a bad price for the working of it.  A true bill has been returned against Captain Lanr and the deputy sheriffs who are charged with the murder of the men and women killed in the strike riot at Morewood, Pennsylvania, on April 2nd. It is not likely they will be punished, but thq &ono it, for-thoir brutality.