| Show STRIKE IS SPREADING workmen of moscow following in footsteps of st petersburg brethren the most startling feature in the russian strike situation Is the news that several factories in moscow have closed and that the workmen in the old capital of russ a are repeating the tactics of their fellow workmen of the new capital marching from shop to shop and mill to allf demanding that the establishments be shut down the whole city is reported to he in a state of great excitement over the news 01 the bloodshed at st petersburg which has precipitated immediately the strike that had been scheduled tor wednesday moscow has more workmen and less troops than st petersburg and besides Is just now the heart of the ab eral movement and the danger ot bloodier occurrences there than have been witnessed in st petersburg are proportionately greaber A rising at moscow is also more likely to have greater results industrially and pollyl cally than that of st petersburg according to private reports the workmen in several other big cites notably charkoff Kh arkoff where large locomotive works are located already have completed plans for a general huspen slon of work moreover reports are current that the workmen who other wise would soon be forced back into the shops or starve have received as su rances of financial support from the sources which hitherto have furnished the sinews of war to the liberal and revolutionary agitation but have not before been in touch with the labor movement it the strike becomes gen oral all over russia and especially it the railroads are drawn in it might immediately force the nation to make peace with japan the situation appeals grave from every standpoint but the authorities although apparently somewhat beall dered declare their purpose to stand flim maintaining that it is their first duty to preserve order scouting the idea of actual revolution there are extremely significant reports that emperor nicholas in mak tog the decision at the extraordinary meeting of the council of the empire at Tsar selo to declare st peters burg in a state of siege announced that be had resolved to issue a man festo to the people with a view of calming them promising to create a mixed commission of workmen and of to investigate and decide the questions of the demands of the stalk ers especially the one affecting hours of labor which russian law fixes at eleven the military in st petersburg on monday had a firm grip situa alon and the police used every tion such as forbidding the use of petroleum and requiring the people to remain indoors the tension which was somewhat relaxed in the morning continued to increase during the day conditions appeared to be ominous when shortly after dark the workmen in two elec trie light plants walked out refusing triple pay to remain and plunging halt the city into utter darkness including the prospect which is in the fashionable residence quarter the water supply also was cut off and a veritable panic ensued tales that dynamite was in the possession po session of the strikers and that it was the purpose to sack and burn the town had been n circulation and many persons were terror stricken reserve troops were called out to guard the darkened portion ot the city the people still in the streets except a few strikers and roughs fled to their homes the editors of four newspapers the russ the the and the declare their anten tion as soon as the printers return to work and they are able to resume publication openly to defy the censorship in the matter of strike news and sunday s at fairs they drew up a letter to the censor saying they felt the gravity ot the situation demanded that they print the facts without minimizing or gloss ing them over the eremya and other papers however refuse to join and the letter was not sent but the editors of the four papers named agreed to adopt the course indicated |
