Important Factors at the Back of the Present Movement: Example of the West in a Desire for Betterment: The Power Behind the Throne: Bertrand Russell's Lectures From Our Own Correspondent, Canton, Feb. 17. some time since I wrote anything of things in Canton, but during the last few weeks the one topic of interest has been the seamen's strike, and the local and Hongkong papers have given you pretty full information as to that, so that there was nothing to add. From all I can hear the working people of Canton have heartily sympathized with the seamen, but the merchants and business men by no means take the same attitude. The strike has hit business hard ant while it continues there is little chance of any trade except local business. We have not had a steamer from outside for five weeks and if it had not been for the Canton-Kowloon Railway we should have been completely cut off.
Buunpers on Born Sipes.
As far as one can see, as is usual in these disputes, there have been bad blunders on both sides. The owners made the first bad mistake in trying to ignore the men's demands and bluff them in that way. That caused a bitter feeling on the part of the men and so the strike had a bad start. One would have thought that men in the position of the directors of the shipping companies would have been sufficiently awake to the new time in which we are living and have known that such demands as the men made must at least be treated with some consideration. The Chi-j nese workmen either read the newspapers or have them read to them. and for the last few years have heard so much about strikes other lands that it is no wonder that they think of trying the same thing. They did not forget either that not so long ago the officers secured a, substantial increase by means of a threatened strike.
The men's demands were excessive and in asking for a flat rate of increase they ignored the fact that! some of them had had substantial additions to their wages not. very Jong ago. Then when negotiations seemed to be well on the way the masters withdrew the concessions they had made and sent the dispute back again to its first beginnings. Then the men tried the general strike in Hongkong and so brought themselves into direct conflict with the Hongkong authorities, who were bound to protect the interests of the general public against the demands of a section.
"There have been some words in the papers casting suspicion on the Canton Government, but these were, so far as any one can see, without foundation. What may have caused some to think this was possibly because the headquarters of the strikers has been in the headquarters of the Kwok Man Tong in Canton and as the present govern- all the mind and ment in the South is predominantly a Kwok Man Tong Government, the conclusion has been drawn. As some one put it to me the other day, it is as if a Liberal Government were; in power and the strikers had their headquarters in the National Libera] Club. That the officials have departed from the correct course m their public attitude there is nothing to show.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.