The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-08-29

tinuinG to repudiate them in all sincerity.
these Socialists have borrowed their phrnseol.
ogy, and helped to SOW the idea OF social war
under another form. with n different name.
but almost in tho same terms.
The number OF Labor Exchanges installed at
present In Paris IL. I think. fourteen or fifteen.
Naturally thcy have their centres In the great
cities. Paris. Lyons. Marseilles. Bordeaux.
Toulouse. &c. Recently a general congress OF
their delegates was held at st. Etienne with
tho following programme: First. to unite
and enforce the claims Of the working syndi-
Gates: secondly. to extend and propagate the
action Of the Labor Exchanges in industrial
and manufacturing centres: thirdly. to ap-
point delegates to form a general headquar-
ters OF labor. Resolutions conforming to this
programme have been adopted. especially that
which called for n congress OF special dole
gates appointed by each Labor Exchange to
meet once n year In n town to be nxcd upon.
To this congress will DO admitted the rcpre-
sentativcs OF certain socialistic organizations
which are already formed under tho follow
ing titles: I. Federation OF the Labor Ex-
changes OF Franco. ,. National Federation OF
Syndicatcs and Workingmeu's Societies OF
Franco. 3. Central Revolutionary Committee.
4. Revolutionary W~orkingmen's party. s. The
Federation OF the Socialist Workmen Of France.
VI. lnutIItIihCht ' ShlOh .
party. This enumeration Is more formidable
in aspect than in reality. The groups that 1t
embraces only represent for the most part q
rather feeble numerical contingent. More
over. | have already said that they obey lead
ers whose ~rlvalrics are shared by their re-
s~pectivo ndlerents. and who rcciprocally
neutralize their influence. 4 final cohesion
would be difficult OF attainment between ele-
ments often moro inclined to fight among
themselves than to become united. Neverthe-
less. the attempt to amalgamnte them is worth
following with attention in its development.
because it may prepare new and unforese en-
eventualities.
Before adjourning. the congress which was
held at Saint Etienne. issued a manifesto
which resumes In these terms tho ideas of it's
initiators: THE federation OF tho labor OK
change. that is to shy Of tho WACO earners. Is
an accomplished fact Around them the pro-
~letnriat will be able. having IN independent
force Of its own. to occupy the first place In
the conquest OF tho future And thism mani
fcsto has for it's watchword: professional
elections instead Of political clections: the in
forests OF the professionals and their demands
to be sustained by professionals" Taken lit
orally aud at first sight. this formula seems
to have nothing in it that is not correct.
While suggesting tho formation OF q
distinct party composed exclusively OF
wovkmen and recognizing nothing but
tho proletariat. 1t only suggests electoral
contests. 1t leaves. nevertheless clearly to
Le understood that tho professionals" are
to form themselves outside Of all other social
categorics. aud that all those who work with
their hands are in absolute a%ntagonism with
those who work with their capital or their in
telliGcnce. The line of dcmarcation is precise.
In order to mark itstill more clearly. a national
congress- has Just been convoked ut Marseilles
for the month OF September. The men who
drew up this call expressly invite their followers
ito hold aloof from all bourgeois parties, and
to march to tho conquest Of power for the col
~lective appropriation OF the means OF produce
ton" In clearer terms 1t is no longer a ques-
ton Of the amelioration OF the condition OF
workmen. but 1t Is n question OF the over
throw for their profit Of the old society and the
substitution OF an order OF things In which
they alone will DO the absolute masters Of
everything. instead OF being only pariahs
working for the enrichment Of people who do
nothing
True. there Is nothing now IN this kind
Of talk. In fact. We have been so much
accustomed since 1871 to hear ~incendiary
speeches that We have treated them with u
growing Indifference. which I recently record
ed. Coming from orators known to have made
n specially OF them. the most violent ex-
pressions used at public meetings and In the
discussions OF the radical press. were
treated as simple exa:gerations OF language
having no consequence. But In what we wit
ness to-day there are two new facts OF a nature
to force us to look upon things in a different
light. The first is the direct appeal to the war
OF classes substituted for the general declama-
ton which remained without much echo. be-
cause it did not give to the popular animosi-
ties n precise raliyinC cry. The second is the
strong organization which. commencing with
the movement to unite the workmen for
the simple defence of their interests. trans
forms itself into q league unfirling the banner
Of social revolution, between the methods Of
procedure of the chiefs of this league. and the
means Of operation OF the Anarchists. the diff
ference is rs yet very great. The two doc
trines haze not the same formula. but at bot
tom there appears between them a similarity
Of aim that one might not suspect. or that. at
least. was not apparent. Tho reproductions
aroused among the Socialists by the crimes Of
Ravachol had no affectation in them. AS yet
they arc entirely sincere. Just rs they wore
six months ago. when the Anarchists added
to their programme the employment Of dyna-
mite. Nevertheless. the Socialists have made
an enormous step In tho direction Of revolu-
ton by writing upon their flag the word
Battle" instead OF the word Reform" for
their official device. Reform implies the
idea Of progressive changes. but Battle
awakes an idea OF violent conquest and q
division Of the spoils.
have not ceased to remain among those
WHO believe that this fever will pass away
like others Of IA similar kind that have pre-
coded it. Nevertheless. the ft will be one Of
the gravest through which we have passed.
There are at tho present time in France 1924
workingmeI's syndicates. with an effective
forco OF from three to four millions in number.
The Labor Exchanges. which have placed
themselves Mt the hoad Of the movement. con-
seluently command two-nfths OF the working
population of France. II they acquire over
his population u hold sufficient to drag 1t into
the current OF violence. and set it against tho
bourgeoisie. the danger will become real. and
1t may be nearer than 1t appears.
f. MAssERAs.
POOR COTTON SEINSERS.
Hard Times for hem In FnGland-ralk Of
Reducing Wages.