Charlotte Wilson Archive
Written: 1889.
Source: Text from RevoltLib.com.
Transcription/Markup: Andy Carloff
Online Source: RevoltLib.com; 2021
The growth of Anarchist Communism continue, to lie rapid ill Belgium, and the groups have now started a fortnightly journal lit Brussels which we heartily welcome. It is called Le Drapeau Noir (The Black Flag) and is sold in Belgium at a halfpenny In size it corresponds to our Social-Democratic contemporary Justice. Comrades who read French will find the articles interesting and call have it sent them post paid for six months for Is. 3d. The address of the administration is 58 rue du Moulin, Saint-Josse-ten-Noode, Brussels. 'The Flemish organ Anarchist is to be had at the same office.
We are glad to see that our comrades in Belgium as ill France are turning their attention to the spread of our ideas in country places. "Propagandist groups," says Le Drapeau Noir "They're being formed everywhere, and the results have surpassed all that could have been hoped for." The growth of revolutionary Socialism among the agricultural workers in France, Italy and Belgium is a most important factor ill the coming social change. It seems that the ruling class will not be able to count much oil the peasantry to help them in starving out the revolted worker, in the towns and will find it difficult to gall the country people into supporting any humbugging half and half scheme of land nationalization.
The government plot against the Socialist workers in Belgium which Mon, determined in the "trial" at Mons has been it complete fiasco. The Pigotts and Le Carons of the Belgian authorities have made a regular mess of the job, and have not only secured all ignoble defeat and exposure for their employers, but have succeeded ill getting three months' imprisonment each for two of their number. Twenty-two of the twenty-three comrades who had been trapped by these scoundrels have been acquitted and the remaining one. the single victim, has been sentenced to three months' imprisonment for using "inflammatory language."
The Belgian miners are beginning to take part in the strike movement initiated in Germany. 11, the Mons and Liege districts the miners are now out and large forces of military u-e there concentrated. 11, various parts of the Austrian Empire also mining and other strikes have been inaugurated. The most notable are the strike of millers ill the Kladno district of Bohemia, where 17,000 men are out, and the tramdrivers strike at Prague.
In Italy the popular movement continues and collisions with the authorities are frequent. At Rome the omnibus drivers are on strike. In Lombardy and Emilia the agrarian struggle has been especially severe. In the latter province 'some women employed on lie plantations at Medicina, near Bologna, attacked a number of bakers shops. In Sardinia, near Oagliari, conflicts between the peasantry an the soldiery have resulted in the loss of several lives. Oil one occasion a number of soldiers were besieged in their barracks for some hours.
At Oporto, Portugal, there have been street demonstrations followed by conflicts with the military. The capitalist papers record an "alarming conspiracy" at Sueca in the province of Valencia, Spain, and many arrests are said to have been made. We hope to give fuller information on these n matters from our own correspondents next month.
Mr. W. T. Stead's friend, Alexander Romanoff of Russia, has discovered some fresh plots against his person and authority, and has caused very many arrests to be made. This time the soldiers are chiefly concerned. How long is this duel between autocracy and the people to continue? Surely even Tolstoy must be getting fired of the Quaker policy I
A serious riot took place oil Sunday, May 26, at Belgrade in which many persons were wounded. The police, being unable to disperse the crowd., of people the troops were ordered out from two barracks and a volley was sent into their midst. They tied precipitately, but again assistance of assembled and it is stated in the capitalist press that "the the military was again sought."
The latest telegrams state that ominous signs of all impending strike have been observed at Bruex, Dux and other parts of Bohemia outside the Kladas district. From Oporto it is said that a dynamite bomb was exploded on Saturday morning, May 25, at the door of the Civil Governor's house.