The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1893-07-26
A POWER IN FRANCE.
FRENCH ORGANIZED LABOR Has A
WINNING WAY ABOUT 1T.

WINNING WAY ABOUT 1T.
Efforts to Solve the Century's Great Prob
lena Report Containing Interesting
Information, Though 1t Comes From an
Unfriendly Source.
r. b. LOOMS, late United States con-
sui at st. Etienne, France, recently made
areport to the state department at w ash
ington which created considerable COM
ment. Any unprecedented reader of the
report will at once conclude that Fir.
LOOMS looked upon the labor movement
IN France through plutocratic spectacles
and that consequently his comment is
dictated by prejudice. However, the
facts which he presents are very inter
esting, and intelligent American work
lngmen will be able to read the follow
ing lengthy abstract of the report as
made by Mr.. LOOMS himself and pick
from it the many facts which all point
to the cheering truth that labor in France
knows its power and dares to exercise it:
The labor problem in France is practi-
cally the labor problem of Europe. The
conditions which environ the working
man and capitalist in this country OBJ
tain, with slight local notifications. in
all the great industrial nations of Eu-
rope. Everywhere the laboring classes
are restless, socialism of one sort or an
other is spreading, and capital is stern
and apprehensive.
There is much more discomfort among
the laboring classes in Europe than in
America on account of the overcrowded
condition of the trades and the impossi-
bi1ity of finding new fields of employ
ment for the surplus workmen. French
workmen have only possessed the right
of organization since 1884, and they have
now l $50 trades unions or workingmen's
syndicates, as they are called. Organi-
zation is a mania for the moment, and
every class of labor has it's union. Even
stablemen, tailors' apprentices and wait
ers in the drinking saloons have their
formal syndicates with pompous titles.
The membership Of the unions is not
large, but is increasing all the while and
In case of serious or widespread labor
troubles could easily become enormous,
for the organization is always ready in
working ORDER" and the process of alb
sorption of new material would be rapid.
These unions, established in all parts of
the country, are practically united under
. central labor bureau called the Bureau
de Travail Or Labor Exchange.
The first Labor Exchange was founded
in Paris in 1887, and it's establishment
having been effected by the socialist ele-
ment in the local trade unions it's man
agement fell into their hands. The
avowed object of the exchange is to i'm
prove the relations between capital and
labor and to furnish free intelligence
Office or employment bureau for the
members of the trade unions. Last year
the Labor Exchange of Paris found stu
ations for $4,000 workmen, and if it's eff
forts were confined to this sort of en-
deavor all would be well, but unfortu-
nately the managers of the exchange at
Paris and elsewhere make no end of mis-
chief They assume to be authorized to
settle disputes between employer and
employee on terms satisfactory, not to
the parties concerned, but to the social
list leaders at the exchange.
The instant a difference arises between
master and men several of these noisy
delegates appear to fan the flames.
sometimes they are refused admission
to the premises, but this does not hap
pen frequently, for the disposition in
France is to cringe before the noisily as
serted demands Of those professional agi-
tators who are supported by the unions.
There are in the United States no
institutions like the labor exchanges
They are municipal organizations, and
the cities support them. They are in
fact concessions to the Socialist party,
which often dominates the city councils
In Paris the taxpayers were made to con-
tribute $600,0O0 for the construction of
the Labor Exchange, and in addition
they gave it $4,000 year to meets it's
current expenses.
Though the exchange is a municipal
institution, it insults the authorities and
spurns the advice and suggestions of the
municipality, yet the fear of the labor
party is so great that no one dare ques-
ton the way of its socialistic managers.
There is in France too much trucking
to the demands of professional agitators,
and too many of these loud voiced pro-
meters of discomfort are on the outside of
prison walls. They embarrass and harm
the cause of honest workmen.
The moment strike occurs in France.
where there are few hundred people
concerned, all of the professional labor
ing men" rush to the spot and take the
management Of affairs into their own
hands, while the real workman, with
perhaps a real grievance, shrinks into
the background. Some of the agitators
are, in every case, members of parlia-
ment, and they try to make all the trou-
BILE possible for the authorities. They
endeavor to persuade the men that pub
lie sentiment is with them and to en-
courage them to prolong the strike and
strife. Infammatory addresses are made,
and tho c,oooLorc ORC ,,,,,o1 %o1l~od cAo.,k