THE GENERAL STRIKE: A PROPHETIC STORY.

NZ Truth, Issue 179, 21 November 1908, Page 7

THE GENERAL STRIKE: A PROPHETIC STORY.

XBY P. H. ROSE.)

(From "The Clarion," London.)

If the' men's terms are not conceded, there is talk ol a general strike at Broken Hill.— News Item. : " ' Quite a number of friends who , agree; iirith me that" the strike is futile have ttill a notjon.: that 'its inefficiency is due to //the sectional or local limitations under which it is now operated. They- think that the general strike is a good idea, and that if everybody stuck' altogether the industrial millennium would come with • rattle. So many of Jfcem have tsked me my opinion as to the general strike, that" I am emboldened to write the following story, and cast my prophetio eye over the future; I may preface this story by the expression of an an opinion that the* more general the strike the more general will be the whipping we shall get. I may even -point, out that when we have educated the workers to the point, of a general strike, .there will be no need for oafe. However, .' .-. ;: • • LET US PROCEED.; THE DIARY OF THE EPCicH wiBEK, May 1, 1912 .-^-We came out on striKe < .to-day, it being the first Monday m. May. The turnout was admirable and the enthusiasm unbounded. The first day was devoted to dfenionstraiaohs, and our noble leaders mad^the most inspiring speeches m■■ the morning, Later m the day it was suggested that they had no more : right to .work than the,- rest of us, and,, as all the reporters and pressmen were :on strike, and no reports 'were published, the leaders themselves saw i;be> .propriety of the suggestion. We cannot ge^ any news from anvwnere, and we cannot .go anjrw.hereas 'all the railways and postal and telegirapi).<:ic services have been, stopped. - But 'we bear through, indirect avenues that 'tfie naval forces' had but one slight difficulty. The Admiral of the Channel Fleet refused to give m his checks, but the gallant " crew peacefully persuaded him by CHUCKING HIM OVERBOARD, .... ,The turn-out of the Army was not quite so complete, as the Ist battlion of Scots Guards scabbed it, m defiance > of all the rules aid instructions of the international General Strike Bureau. They were picketed by a- few: squads of the heroic Territorials, who peacefully persuaded them through tnerrailings .of jWeUifigton 'Barracks. By '3 f ih the afternobtf they went "out to a mpn, but we. shall not be able ■to' bury .them "until we return to work, %* the undertakers are on strike, and or',ders have been 'issued that nobody must * tolackteg them. . In the evening the Prime Minister visited the King lor the purpose of, handing m the seals of -office,' previously, held by himself and his colleagues. He was instructed to take this course by s the Bureau. He found the King moodily standing at- one of thei front windows ot i BUCKINGHAM PALACE, gazing upon the silent and teharitless wa- - $ers of the lake *m S,t. James's Park (the park rangers having struck and taken the ducks witty them). The Prime Minister remonstrated with his Majesty, pointing out that all his fellow monarchs jwere on strike with the single, exception of Nicholas; the International Gbnsblidated -Union of Reigning Potentates -haying abandoned the absurd policy of the - old **craft unions," and 'thrown m its corporate lot' with the industrial workers of jthe world. , „ • ,? ' Later:^Anxiety for Intelligence of progress of our glorious movement m other Jparts of ithe .world induced theßureau to jgrant exceptions to a number ;pi telegi^phists.. Fatal - mistake, though*-tempo-liarily convenient. Everybody jwill:-. be wanting special ... permits to-morrow. De^ putation!* of -maiiagin^ editors applied to .Bureau just before, midnight for tions, and were allowed to go{tb:; press. May 2.—O nly one nfan at work, Nicholas having succumbed' to the arguments of pickets; .Abdul and Peter, who-: sue-: ceeded, m peacefully persuading him by exploding dynamite bombs aayt y convenient angles of Winter Palace. Comrades ,are how; searching for ' Nicholas amidst debris. International Executive Strike Committee appointed Alphonso andWilhelnv Ito. picket Buckingham Palace. Served them with melinite and other arguments, WoteK it i is^ hoped, '. ~ v \ '.'" •■ "! WILL |E COIJVINCINGvr V] Unforeseen ■ contingencies caused much .Anxiety^ to Bureau. The police shaving 'feeeD withdrawn and the . streets m darkness owing to the strike ol gas-workers and electricians and., the. wnole streetlighting industry, there was a good deal of blackleggihg - done -last night; by free laborers. results were indicated by 4he. bodieSj of several thousands of belat.ed citizens^ who were- found ~.wlth their throats, cut and their pockets rifled. Their

relatives and a large number ol others whose residences had been looted held an indignation "meeting ' m, Trafalgar Square, and sent a deputation to the Bureau. Resolved, "to send the constabulary back to work. / • .;/ .-/•' ■■•)*.', .■-.,•■.:■■■: Owing to representations irom several .departmental committees pf 1 Bureau tha/t some of. their members anticipated early, additions to /family, it was rssoi?iejl^--in' interest of humanity-^to aiiovs-.w.Biu'!^ 1 ' 1 and midwifery departments^'" . •■••'•• TO RESUME WOJIKV : .As. anticipated, the granting" j-of. special ■permits. t6 intelligence, and , press departments was seized upon as ! a pretext for demanding most perilous concessions^- Deputation from Army " wanted ..to know why police had been allowed, to start.; Were told that it was necessary for sojti&- , one to look after life. and property:, Deputation, wanted fto know;swhd was ,';to 'look after "police. Bureau suggested as compromise that Army ' should be allowed to do sentry-go round - headquarters of International Executive, arid mount guard of honor for distinguished members ol same. The proposal was indignantly 'rejected, and much; dissatisfaction express-' With the few exceptions mentioned the whole of the "Industrial Workers of the WbrfeF are now out on strike. One idiotic orator m Hyde Park demanded to know "since we are all out on strike, who are we . out' against •?" He was ordered to be gagged and „ strait-iacketed during the pleasure of the Bureau, iln spite of regrettable incidents, such as the foregping, every man is determined ■■- j ,--• - ~ : \?a^ v - ;* ; -to pAimy^N^ - a^i;.: \ 'this -struggle until our object Is' achieved, though what* ; that object is nobody knows. , ? May • 3<rrMore ; regrettaWe. incidents* , Deputation of licensed victuallers j brewers, and distillers represented that people were getting thirsty, and .urgently required nourishment and • stimulants. S-d-n, H-d-n, K-* H= — rrej, and. other members of the Bureau tsitfwiy 1 opposed, --any further special : exemptions, ipd deputation retired much dissatisfied. It is darkly , hinted that prominent members of Bureau have determined that after strike is closed the pubs. ,will- never be allowed to open again. Other equally' prominent members say they will "see about that," and indications x point to a split on the International Executive. * Contrary! to* all? precedent,' However, the liquor question is less dangerous than the bread quesiaon. People are getting' hungry as well as. thirsty. During the past two days we have eaten all the provisions m a comestible condition. This mat-ter-is seriously complicated- by the impertinent, interference of the women. It was generally calculated that the women would be able to take their share of the •struggle iby rainisteringstp the wants, of "the. 'men,; who' were irioblyl. • r V: ' FIGHTING FOR THEIR RIGHTS. But, owing largely - to the insidious and pernicious influence of the Women's Social and Political Union, and other meddlesome and unauthorised agencies, the women having refused to work, as well. The first indication of this alarming and dangerous movement was given at "Manchester, where, all the bread having been consumed, the women obstinately refused to "bake any more, declaring that they were not going jVto, blackleg the bakers who were out on strike. ■'•The' Bureau' decided to' publish an appeal m the form of' an international manifesto, calling upon the women to undertake/ the . necessary domestic duties. . It is i hoped that this may-have the' desired effect, but some doubts ate m -well-informed circles. All the women coming out on strike -as-well as the men. is a condition fraught with such, serious possibilities that a crisis may be- precipitated;' l . i :\ •;•; i ; ■*' at' any moment. May, 4.— The, women are. obdurate.; They j have started a new union, the "Industrial J Women of the World," and have issued a counter manifesto. They have also declar- 1 ed a general strike,- and the ' outlook is exceedingly gloomy. Our gallant men are consequently, reduced to tße diresV/extremrties. Added to their other sufferings there is now the imminent prospect of undarned socks and . buttonless.: shirts. The Bureau 'have decided, to promise the' wofmen strikers the franchise— when the dispute terminates, but the wpmen, unreasoning as ever, state' they have had some of that before, and require payment. on the 'nail. 'The "Bureau naturally-"' Regard Hiis as a most ungenerous want of confidence, and feel grieved. Their regrets are shared by the rest of the male strikers, and conjugal; discussions' uponcivthe. crisis are characterised by chlorine intensity and force that- are quite WITHOUT PRECEDENT. ,„. The textile operatives and collier? of

Lancashire are now reported to be chewing their clogs to assuage the pangs of hunger, and though there are, a number of ships, loaded with food, m the fcialford Doclcs, the dockers are on strike, and ships cannot be unloaded and food distribiuted. They have taken that Hyde Park orator out of the strait-jacket, and opinions have been expressed that "he may not be , so very mad after all." Sinister rumors are, afloat, and to?morrow is regarded as the crucial day of the strike. It is stated m authorised circles that the King has eluded the pickets and has escaped from Buckingham Palace without chucking up •bis job.. It is thought that he may only gone out m search of rations as the who are on strike state that wien^hev left there was nothing m the house : " ' •;. Xne man who was strait-jacketed and subserviently released, is holding meetings •again.' He is telling the people they have been fools. That is not the worst; be is proving it. That is, fortunately, making him rather (unpopular, and THERE IS STILL HOPE. .May s.— This morning, the numerous members iof the Local Administrative Departments, the Executive District Councils, a*d Special' Committees of the International Bureau turned up for their salaries; when it was discovered that the treasurer and general secretary had gone on strike and had taken the keys of the safe with them. The direful forebodings of "the previous day were thus justified:; An indignation meeting was at once convened, and some strong criticisms were expressed. A strike on the part of high strike officials was justly regarded as carrying the matter too far and giving a too literal interpretation to the term "general strike." Everybody is very hungry and anxious that the women should return to their duties and act with reason and modera- ■ fcion.' .-We, . as. men 1 , are quite willing to 'continue- this memorable ■ struggle ik we can- only -induce the women toswork time and a-'half to keep us going. K^Later.— The darkest hour is just before the dawn. It seemed that this glorious and beneficent movement was / DOOMED TO FAILURE, m spite of the splendid devotion of our illustrious leaders. Just as the prospect was gloomiest, the* most inspiriting news came to hand: The .newest of the craft unions (only formed since the strike), the Universal Cosmopolitan United Federal Guild of Cracksmen, Smashers, Snidepushers and Clyfakers, decided to become incorporated with the IndustriaUWorkers of the World, and join- the strike. The police were at once called out and all the ■special permits revoked. Everybody was out but one man. ] He .was, (however, splendidly picketed as he was , attempting to re-enter Buckingham Palace, carrying a packet of sandwiches and a bottle ,ol Bass. He narrowly escaped being peacefully persuaded by AlphoDso, who, just missed him with a. stiletto. Wilhelm subV sequently winged him with a skilful shot 1 > FROM A SIX-SHOOTER. Deeply impressed by these cogent arguments, he decided to join the general strike. No words can describe the scene which, followed. The King, borne aloft on the stalwart/ssboulders of C-y-s and S-d-n, was greeted with the tumultuous cheering of a joyous and' triumphant peopte. Thfe 5 general strike was a success—everybody m the world was . but on strike. We 'sang the "Red Flag" until midnight, and thus- ended memorable day. Then ' ■ a ■ ■> ' ; May. C.— We all -went ' back to work— v^hat.else could we do ?. :