improvement of labor conditions and mutual assistance." It was founded by
Father Gapon, who was opposed to the revolutionary movement, and was
regarded by the Socialists as a Czarist tool.

On January 3d--Russian calendar--several thousand men belonging to the
Gathering of Industrial Workin-gmen of St. Petersburg went out on strike.
By the 6th the strike had assumed the dimensions of a general strike. It
was estimated that on the latter date fully one hundred and forty thousand
men were out on strike, practically paralyzing the industrial life of the
city. At meetings of the strikers speeches were made which had as much to
do with the political demands for constitutional government as with the
original grievances of the strikers. The strike was fast becoming a
revolution. On the 9th Father Gapon led the hosts to the Winter Palace, to
present a petition to the Czar asking for reforms. The text of the petition
was widely circulated beforehand. It begged the Czar to order immediately
"that representatives of all the Russian land, of all classes and groups,
convene." It outlined a moderate program which had the support of almost
the entire nation with the exception of the bureaucracy:

Let every one be equal and free in the right of election; order to
this end that election for the Constituent Assembly be based on
general, equal, direct, and secret suffrage. This is our main
request; in it and upon it everything is founded; this is the only
ointment for our painful wounds; and in the absence of this our
blood will continue to flow constantly, carrying us swiftly toward
death.

But this measure alone cannot remedy all our wounds. Many others
are necessary, and we tell them to you, Sire, directly and openly,
as to our Father. We need: