GERMAN MINING UNREST.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 660, 10 November 1909, Page 7

GERMAN MINING UNREST.

j ACTION OP OWNERS. (By Telegraph -Press -Copjrlßht) ' Berlin,' November' 8, ' TJie German mine owners have organised a miners' labour exchange, with twelve branches, besides a head offipe at Essop, the headquarters of tho Krupp establishment. Excitement amopg the miners in consequence of this step was never so high save during the strike of 188!). There is n. strong feeling in favour of striking against the measure. j ESSEN AND THE 1839 STRIKE. \ Through the strike of coal-miners in Westphalja in 18W, when demands were mado Jor increased pay and shorter hqurs, Herr Krupp had to partially stop his iron and steel works nt Ihson. So much of Germany's armament-mak-ing js centred in Krupp's, that a strike at this stage would seriously alfect Germany in the Dreadnought race. In ISB9 the strike resnlted in a conflict between the miners and the troops, and three miner 3 were kilted. By May 13 nearly 100,000 miners were out, and the Kaiser himself intervened wifh a view to facilitating n coinpromiso, and personally received three delegates of the minors". Tho strike spread to Silesia, and in that district and Westphalia thero were 120,000 men out. On May 26 forty mombers of tho Strike Coifimittce were arrested, anil on May 31 tho strike onded, m a compromise. In Silesia thirty-throo miners were sentenced to various terms of imprisonment, and one of them, Enkel, to seven years for riotous conduct. There nni a strike again at Essen in 1891. In the year following tho 1639 strike the Knjser called his international conference at Berlin "for the improvement of tho condition of the forking classes." The conference resulted in certain recommendations being made.