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566 General History of Europe continued all day. "Red Sunday" was, however, only the most impressive of many similar encounters between citizens and the Tsar's police and guards. 1028. Establishment of a Russian Parliament (Duma). Some months after this tragedy the Tsar at last yielded to public opinion and on August 19, 1905, agreed to summon a Russian parliament (Duma), which should thereafter give Russia's auto- cratic ruler advice in making the laws. He and his advisers were soon pushed somewhat farther along the path of reform by a general strike which began in the follow- ing October. All the railroads stopped running ; in all the great towns the shops, except those that dealt in provisions, were closed ; gas and electricity were no longer furnished ; the law courts ceased their duties ; and even the apothecaries refused to prepare prescrip- tions until reforms should be granted. The situation soon became intolerable, and on October 29 the Tsar announced that he had ordered "the government" to grant the people freedom of conscience, speech, and association, and to permit the classes which had been excluded in his first edict to vote for members of the Duma. Lastly, he agreed "to establish an immutable rule that no law can come into force without the approval of the Duma." The Tsar's ministers would not cooperate with the Duma in any important measures of reform, and on June 21 Nicholas II declared that he was "cruelly disappointed" because the depu- ties had not confined themselves to their proper duties and had commented upon many matters which belonged to him. He ac- cordingly dissolved the Duma, as he had a perfect right to do, and fixed March 5, 1907, as the date for the meeting of a new Duma. 1029. Atrocities and Disorder Continue. The revolutionists made an unsuccessful attempt in August to blow up the Tsar's chief minister in his country house and continued to assassinate governors and police officials. The bands known as the "Black Hundreds," on the other hand, went on massacring Jews and liberals, while the government established courts-martial to insure the speedy trial and immediate execution of revolutionists. In