(TWO)
20,000 to Parade.
(From a Correspondent.)
Canton, Feb. 9.
whether the The question of merchants have a right to dismiss employees is becoming so serious that it affects not only the labour and merchant classes in Canton but those throughout Kwangtung province. To-morrow the mer- chants will hold a grand parade to demonstrate their grievances and Government will march to the House to demand redress.
Over 20,000 merchants are ex- These will pected to turn out. represent the different chambers of commerce, shops, banks depart- ment stores, factories, and mer- chant organizations in Fatshan, Kongmoon, Shuntak, Chanchuen, |Heungshan, Tungkoon, Chang- ching, etc. This afternoon many of the merchants are already mak- ing preparations for stoppage of business as it was decided at yes- terday's Joint Conference of the Chambers of Commerce that unless the Government can have their
rights restored a general business strike will follow.
Labour Acts Also.
The labour unionists meanwhile are also preparing to meet the merchants in the struggle. The "Red" Labour Headquarters, the Canton Workers' Congress to-day issued another order instructing the labourers not to leave shops
or factories when dismissed.
According to an investigation made by that Congress, which con- trols half the labour unions in Canton, more than 4,000 of its members have been dismissed by the shops and factories in Canton since new year day. Most of
these dismissals are officers and leaders of the labour unions. The Congress orders that hereafter, if the merchants want to dismiss any of their employees, they must first obtain permission from the labour unions, who will recom- mend new men to fill the vacan- cies.
New Unions:
•{Our Own Correspondent.)
Canton, Feb. 9. It will be the policy of the Far- mers' and Labourers' Bureau in future to refuse registration of new unions where there are two bodies of men organized in any one industry. Such a policy would not permit of the existence of the Hotel Workers' Union and the
or-
Hotel Workers' Association, for in- stance. Furthermore, no ganization will be allowed to use the word "union" in connection with its name, or to usurp func- tions ordinarily possessed by a union, and to disturb the peace of the city, as so many have done in the past, until the Government has officially recognized such or- ganization.
The Hotels.
The hotel owners feel that un- der present conditions they cannot afford to hold out longer, and it is anticipated that the majority will reopen their houses to-morrow morning. In doing so, they will accept the compromise which the Farmers' and Labourers' Bureau has insisted upon, namely, that the workers shall be paid 80% of the wages demanded by them.
The employees won most of their other demands, but the owners baulked at paying in case a man had to take considerable time off This because of serious illness.
demand the owners have not granted.
A Battle Imminent.
Canton, Feb. 10. Fifteen thousand people, repre- senting Canton and many other towns and districts of the pro- vince held a demonstration at noon to-day and went to the Govern- ment House to petition for the restoration of the right of mer- chants to employ and dismiss workmen. The merchants reach- ed Government House at noon and stood outside till nine o'clock this evening. Up to about 9.15, they still had refused to go. They declared that they would stand in the open air over the night, and if there were no satisfactory reply to-morrow morning, a general business strike in Canton and other towns of the provinces would be declared.
The Red Labour Headquarters, the Workers Congress, also sent 20,000 pickets to petition the Government. These met the mer- chants paraders on the way and tried to create a fight, The mer- chants refused to quarrel, how- ever, and the two processions pass- ed without any incident. This evening it was rumoured that the Labour Reds would send 5,000 armed pickets to attack the mer- chants who stood outside the Gov- ernment House.
Large forces of armed police and troops patrolled the city throughout the day. Everything- is quiet and business is practically at a standstill.
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