The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1891-11-08
P4RTs.s LABOR EXCHANGE
rounded Four Years Ago md Now Pro.
Rerons He ora Az EXPECTATIONS.

peross Beyond All Expectation.
Paris has had for the last three years a
unique institution for the benefit Of her i'm
mense standing army OF unemployed working
men, II is known as the Bourse de Travail or
Labor Exchange. and II was founded and en-
lowed by the city when the Government felt
that something must be done to relieve IL Of
the imminent danger Of bread riots. The
Municipal Council devoted to tho new under
taking n block q. houses 800 years old
In the Eue Jean jacques Rousseau. near the
lIallcs. tho new general Post Once ard the
Commercial Exchange. and appropriated to It
$4,000 annually to keep the buildings in re-
pair. The administration Of the property and
the organizations. so far as they use IT. WAS in
trusted to an executive Labor Board Of twenty
one members. elected by the delegates OF the
different syndical chambers which came into
the scheme. The electorate is formed OF the
delegates OF syndical cham bcrs associated with
the Labor Exchange. OF which there arc now
200 instead ef ii. the original number. To be-
long to syndicate one must be ~ years old.
working at the particular trade II represents.
and pay subscription 81 81 Il year. But no
workman or workwoman Il entitled without
being unionist to demand tho assistance Of
the sscr n Ties OF tn labor Exchange 70 OF,
to represent to them the advantage and con-
venienss of having ,unionist delegates;
u
yard into a hall in which'rublic meetings may
pe held. The use of this hall IS gratis but the
trade SnHn in is es for
den. large enough 10 hold 1900 persons. The
International Miners Congress was held there
Ths Labor Exchange has nineteen bureaus
2r Sfs sash Gy naa 4elssa.S and
Exchsnee at The Place e la Rspablane
has cost sl.UO0OH,o, and contains, y hundred
snd y oSss d Is to be IN in
entirely to syniicates OF the glimentary trades.
II the new building is not. large enough
which are trade centres. Ii is PROBABLE that It
viii not be aole to do all the work deyolving
Ron H. TaS o h LIGhhafGe within the last s
about 300 900 persons
Many WORKING women OF Paris have taken
ting employment, althonc b they have failed TO
utilize its bureaus as much as was expected at
@ er eas
only three syndcal chambers for women. she
said the teachers. embroiderers'. and uphol-
ment to an endless number OF women. and
5000 of them are unionists. The gimp makers
ana NTH ss &Sy w
Paris working women ,wero bound down by
i was sooa deaf for womaa Who had Hio to
said. further. that there was movement IN
favor Of women's syndicates. and that there
were a good many mixed unions of men and
women. as In the shoe trade in which wo-
man expert with sewing machine could earn
81 IA day. The men and women got on we'll
In these mixed syndicates. Masculine trade
jealousy was becoming an od-fashioned vice.
and was discouraged by the Town Council and
the Executive Board There were some rules
for the internal police Of the Exchange very
hard upon women. who. for instance, had to
stand about in the draughty passages. while
the men occupied the big rooms where en-
pioyers Of men met those wanting work.
The Labor Exchange is musty and rickcty.
yet Paris workingmen are very proud OF it.
Tho Ianitor said recently to a hypercriticnl
tourist who could find nothing Of interest
within its dngy walls:
One should remember that all the SPLEEN
doris OF the Catholic Church had their root in
the stable Of Bethlehem. These premises are
ignoble. but wait a bit and you will see what a
magnificent Labor Exchange We shall have at
the Place de ia Ripublique"
The new Exc hanGo at the Place de la Re-
publiuue is handsome building, large. and
well adapted to its ends Ono enters by large
hail. which has behind it another much larger
ono form ed OF q central conrt glazed over and
capable Of holding 1.5OO persons Except the
library also big room and plainly furnished
with oak bookcases the upper floors are laid
out in Offices and corridors. The basement
heating and lighting the building. and a great
shelter at ali hours Of. the day and night up TO
II o'clock. The rules for the new Exchange are
not yet elaborated. but everything is TO be