Page:The Economic Journal Volume 1.djvu/437

 NOTES AND MEMORANDA 415 tered themselves at least in Berlin into a number of little indoor meetings instead of making one great outdoor demonstration, and ventured on nothing more defiant than wearing a red tie, or, out of compliment to their leader, Bebel, a red carnation, his favourite flower. On the whole, perhaps, the most noteworthy of the demonstrations was the London demonstration in Hyde Park, for, though it cannot be said to have exhibited anything like ardour, its mere numbers evinced a remarkably rapid advance and consolidation of working-class opinion in this country in favour of the legal eight hours day. The English working class, however, are still far from united on the subject, many of them having no belief in the eight hours limit, and many more having none in imposing it by law. Some of the building trades cspecially the carpenter in London and other towns, unwilling to wait for law, have struck for the eight hours day forty-seven hours a week and have already obtained it from a few firms, including the Co-operative Wholesale Society. In the United States, where people were getting wearied of political atation for the eight hours before political agitation was thought of elsewhere, the May demonstrations are now being eclipsed by the May eight hours strikes. Last year the Federation of Labour put into operation its new plan of campaign, by which each successive May one trade was to be selected to strike for the eight hours, and to be backed in its demand with the whole strength and resources of the Federation. Last year the carpenters were selected, and they struck for the eight hours, and were successful in a great number of cities. This year the united coal-mine workers of America were selected, and it was thought that 100,000 miners would have been out on strike on the 1st of May, but to the disappointment of the Federation the miners resolved not to make the demand, and there has been no strike among them except at an individual mine here and there in Iowa and elsewhere. But though the miners have abstained, eight-hour strikes are for the moment the order of the day throughout the Union. The building trades are, as usual, leading the way, and in many towns the conflict is still proceed- ing. In New York the carpenters, plasterers, roofers, and others of the larger building trades had already received the eight hours day, mostly in the course of last year, and the brickmakers, painters, house-smiths, marble cutters and helpers, marble polishers, granite cutters and house painters demanded it on or before the 1st May this year. They all obtained it by voluntary concession, except the housesmiths, who do the iron work that enters largely into the construction of American houses. Some housesmith firms granted the demand, but the gener- ality refused, and some thousands of housesmiths are now out on strike. The tin and sheet-iron workers of New York have presented a demand for the eight hours day as from August 1st, and expect to get it without trouble. The Pittsburg carpenters a body 5,000 strong are reported to have succeeded with their strike, and no doubt a like success will attend the building trades in many other places. Strikes for the same object have taken place in some continental