In Search of Justice. Workers and Unions in Colonial Java, 1908-1926

358 Pages·1986·34.888 MB·English

by  John Ingleson

ASIAN STUDIES ASSOCIATION OF AUSTRALIA
Southeast Asia Publications Series
NO. 12
IN SEARCH OF JUSTICE
ASIAN STUDIES ASSOCIATION OF AUSTRALIA
Southeast Asia Publications Series
1 Johnlngleson, 7 Alfred W. McCoy &
Road to Exile: The Indonesian Ed. C. de Jesus (eds.),
Nationalist Movement, 1927-1934 Philippine Social History:
2 Heather Sutherland, Global Trade & Local
The Making of a Bureaucratic Elite: Transformations
The Colonial Transformation of 8 Charles A . Coppel,
the Javanese Priyayi Indonesian Chinese in Crisis
3 J. C. Jackson & Martin Rudner feds.), 9 R. E. Elson,
Issues in Malaysian Development Javanese Peasants and the
4 Anthony Reid & David Marr (eds.), Colonial Sugar Industry
Perceptions of the Past in 10 Benjamin A. Batson,
Southeast Asia The End of the Absolute Monarchy
in Siam
5 Alfons vander Kraan,
Lombok: Conquest, Colonization 11 Patrick Guinness,
and Underdevelopment, Harmony and Hierarchy
1870-1940 in a Javanese Kampung
6 WangGungwu, 12 John Ingleson
Community and Nation: Essays on In Search of Justice: Workers
Southeast Asia and the and Unions in Colonial Java,
Chinese 1908-1926
EDITORIAL COMMITTEE
Harry Aveling University of Melbourne
David Chandler Monash University
Peter Drake University of New England
James Fox Australian National University
J. A. C. Mackie Australian National University
Anthony Reid (Chairman) Australian National University
c/— Department of Pacific and Southeast Asian History
Australian National University, Canberra, A.C.T.
AUSTRALIA
IN SEARCH OF
JUSTICE
Workers and Unions
in Colonial Java, 1908-1926
JOHN INGLESON
A publication of the
Asian Studies Association of Australia
SINGAPORE
OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS
OXFORD NEW YORK
1986
Oxford University Press
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© John Ingleson 1 986
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National Library of Australia
C.l.P. Entry
Ingleson, John, 1946-
In search of justice.
Bibliography.
Includes index.
ISBN 0 86861 952 3.
1. Trade-unions—Indonesia—Java—History—20th century.
2. Labor and laboring classes—Indonesia—Java—History—
20th century. 3. Trade-unions—Sugar workers—Indonesia
—Java—History—20th century. 4. Java (Indonesia)—
Politics and government. I. Asian Studies Association of
Australia II. Title. (Series: Southeast Asia publications
series; no. 12).
331.88'00598'2
This book was prepared and type-set with the assistance of
Griffith University and the Prentice Computer Centre,
University of Queensland.
Printed in Malaysia by Peter Chong Printers Sdn. Bhd.
Published by Oxford University Press Pte. Ltd.,
Unit 221, Ubi Avenue 4, Singapore 1440
Preface
THIS book was originally conceived as a one volume study of the
labour movement in Java throughout the colonial period. As work
progressed, however, it became clear that there was far more
material available than first anticipated, enabling a closer study of
the organization and development of worker militancy. Labour
historians of Britain, the United States or European countries can
often dispense with a great deal of descriptive material because
they are able to refer the reader to an extensive existing literature .
This is not the case for the labour historian of Indonesia, where
there is little or no literature to draw on. A more detailed narrative
is therefore necessary for a clearer understanding of the changes
taking place in urban society. Moreover, it quickly became appar-
ent that the growth of unionization in the late 1910s and early
1920s had to be viewed within the framework of the social and
economic conditions of urban workers and the changes taking
place in individual and collective perceptions of the world in these
years. The first chapter is therefore devoted to a discussion of the
urban workforce and to the changes taking place in its conscious-
ness at the beginning of the twentieth century. Partly for reasons of
size this study ends with the repression of the city-wide strikes in
Semarang and Surabaya in late 1925. This repression does, how-
ever, mark an important break in the momentum of the unioniza-
tion and mobilization of urban workers in Java. The destruction of
the PKI at the end of 1926 put the seal on the first phase of the
labour movement in Java. The social and economic grievances of
urban workers remained, awaiting new leadership and new organiz-
ations. The ways in which urban workers expressed their griev-
ances and the course of labour unions in the remainder of the
colonial period will have to await a second volume.
VI Preface
I would like to thank a large number of institutions and
individuals for assistance in the research and writing of this book. I
received considerable assistance from librarians and archivists at
the General State Archives in The Hague, the Royal Institute for
Linguistics and Anthropology in Leiden, the National Library and
the National Archives in Jakarta. In Indonesia I was supported by
the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI) and gained great assist-
ance from Monoluande and Mastini Prakosa. The research was
funded by the Australian Research Grants Scheme and the Special
Research Grants of The University of New South Wales, to both
of which institutions I am extremely grateful. My colleagues in the
School of History at The University of New South Wales have
created a marvellously stimulating environment in which to teach
and write history and have opened my eyes to many new ap-
proaches and ideas. On a personal level I would like to thank the
many people who have discussed my work with me over the past
seven years, in particular Susan Abeyasekere, Ian Black, Robert
Elson, Alan Jacobs, John Legge, Bill O’Malley, Anthony Reid,
and Chris Shiel for commenting on draft chapters. I am indebted
as always to the Tarekat family in Jakarta who have provided me
with wonderful hospitality and friendship over more than a dec-
ade. The manuscript was typed many times by Sue Jones who
patiently battled with my writing and with good humour brought
me back to earth from time to time when I was too demanding.
Finally, I wish to thank Anthony Reid as Chairman of the ASAA
Southeast Asia Publications Series and Jennifer Brewster for their
editorial skills and advice.
John Ingleson
April 1985 The University of New South Wales.
Contents
Preface V
Abbreviations viii
Glossary xii
Map xiv
Introduction 1
I The Urban Workforce 13
II The Emergence of Unions 62
III Conflict in the Cities 94
IV Conflict in the Sugar Factories 155
V Strikes and Defeat 210
VI Repression 266
Conclusion 321
Bibliography 327
Index 339
Abbreviations
The Ministry of Colonies divided its archives into Secret or Not
Secret, incoming or outgoing documents. An outgoing letter or
telegram, or an internal report or minute, on a particular issue was
filed together with relevant documents originating from either the
Netherlands or the Indies government. These were referred to as
Verbaal. The abbreviation V 29 April 1922 — G4, refers to a
Secret Verbaal containing a letter or telegram from an official in
the Ministry of Colonies, usually the Minister, to the Governor-
General, or a minute by an official in the Ministry, dated 29 April
1922 and also containing relevant documents to the particular
issues. If the Verbaal was Not Secret, it would be filed as V 29
April 1922 — 4.
Incoming letters from the Governor-General, or regular reports
from government officials despatched through the Governor-
General’s Secretariat, were known as Mail Reports, either Secret
or Not Secret, depending on the issue involved. All letters and
reports relating to political matters were classified as Secret. The
Mail Reports were numbered in yearly sequences as, for example,
Secret Mail Report 1920/472.
BENISO Bond van Eigenaren van in Nederlandsch-
Indie gelegen Suikerondernemingen [As-
sociation of Owners of Netherlands-Indies
Sugar Factories]
BOWNI Burgerlijke Openbare Werkers in Neder-
landsch Indie [Public Works Employees in
the Netherlands Indies]
CSI Central Sarekat Islam
Abbreviations ix
ELS Europeesch-Lagere Scholen [European Low-
er School]
f guilder
HIS Hollandsche-Inlandsche School [Dutch Na-
tive School]
IPO Overzicht van de Inlandsche en Maleisch-
Chineesche Pers [Survey of the Native and
Malay-Chinese Press], compiled by the Of-
fice for Public Reading and Associated Af-
fairs in Batavia.
ISDV Indische Sociaal-Democratische Vereeniging
[Indies Social Democratic Association]
JSWB Java Suikerwerkgevers Bond [Java Sugar
Employers Association]
KPP Kumpulan Pegawai Pegadaian [Pawnshop
Workers Group]
KPPB Kerukunan Pegawai Post Bumiputra [Na-
tive Postal Workers Union]
NIS Nederlands-Indies Spoorweg [Netherlands
Indies Railway]
NHM Nederlands Handelsmaatschappij [Nether-
lands Trading Company]
OJS Oost Java Stoomtram Maatschappij [East
Java Steamtram Company]
PBOH Perserikatan Beheerders en Onderbeheer-
ders di Hindia [Association of Managers
and Deputy Managers in the Indies]
PEB Politiek Economische Bond
PFB Personeel Fabrieksbond [Factory Workers
Union]
PGHB Persatuan Guru-Guru Hindia Belanda [As-
sociation of Teachers in the Netherlands
Indies]
PKB Perserikatan Kaum Buruh [Workers Associ-
ation]
PKI Perserikatan Kommunist di India [Indies
Communist Party]
PPB Perserikatan Pegawai Pegadaian [Associa-
tion of Pawnshop Workers]
PPGD Perserikatan Pegawai Geneeskundigen Dienst