New-York tribune., 1901-08-11
FRENCH STRIKE FIGURES
GREAT INCREASE OF EFFORTS m
WoRKINGNfEN TO BETTER
THEMSELVES.
Paris. JuIv "a

Paris JULY "a
An alarming increase in the number ana =.
portance Of French strikes is disclosed ~, -
interesting report drawn up by NJ Arthur 70.
taine. director Of the statistical department -
the Ministry Of Commerce. II appears rna. -
number of strikes officially reported to the o..
ernment during the year 1900 was 900. as ag,s...
T4O for the year 1890. which hitherto had bsa- T.
this respect the record year. To appreciate ,,,.
great increase 1t should be borne in mind r.
for the nine years preceding 1890 the ar,r.,
average number OF strikes was only 395 r.
other words. the frequency OF strikes doubI.s
in the year 1890 and has nearly trebled IN -.
year 1900. and. as far as can vet be ascerta3,.a
the same ratio Of increase has continued FOR tb-
first half OF the year 1901.
n significant feature OF the French strfl,s, a.
the large proportion Of working peopIA t,a.
wanted to work but were compelled bv tho,.
who organized the strikes to desist from uo-s
The total number OF voluntary and involunt.--
strikers who took part in the 902 strilAs -.
corded in the year 1000 was 222. IA OF vbo-.
there were 1SO.591 men. % 900 women and 70 90
boys These 9O2 strikes occurred az 1O252- s.s
ferent industrial establishments. and n. -,
number of days work lost was 3.76O577 -
which no less than 1115524 days work =
about 80 per cent. were sacrificed nv oe -
nFff
were prevented from doing so by those who o.
ganized the strikes.
1t is noted that in 552 of the 90o s,ri,., a..
occurred in 1900 the workmen were n,a-,5a--
Of their trade syndicate and from this =, a.
argued that the influence OF the trade svndica,s.
as organized by the arbitration laws or ,Sss
and 1892, from which so much was expeeta5 a.,
exerted toward increasing rather than dfr,,v
ishing the conflicts between capital and Iaho-
The arbitration law Of December y 1872 v-a.
applied in the year 1900 in 234 strikes AZ N.
instance Of the parties in dispute This is abou,
20 per cent of the total number OF strikes Tba
initiative TO have the arbitration law apppa5
was taken by the workmen in 141 instances hv
the employers in four instances and in sipb.
cases by common consent OF both EMPLOYER,
and workmen. In $50 instances. or in 50 psr
cent Of the total number OF strikes. the inlme.
diate cause was the demand for higher wage.
made by 17S.S57 strikers $50 per cent? and
causing a loss Of ,223 SOC days work. includ.
ing the days work Of those whose participation
in the strike was enforced by the ringleaders
against the wish OF the minority that was VIII
ing to continue work. In lib strikes. IN which
81 ,S93 working people took part. the demand for
higher wages was successful. In 249 strikes m
which 92,OT0 working people took part the De.
mand for higher wages was settled by compro-
mise. In 21S strikes. in which there were as
S94 participants. the demand for higher wages
failed. One hundred and thirty-eight OF ths
strikes for higher wages occurred IN the textile
industry. 100 in house building. 105 in trans
portation and 81 in metal working
In sixty-six strikes. involving 1916 hands,
the immediate cause OF the strike was the re-
duction OF wages, and thirteen OF these strikes
failed.
In regard to the length of the strikes Il ap-
pears that eight strikes lasted over one hun
dred days. These were the strikes OF the glass
makers in the Department OF the North. which
continued for III days; the weavers OF 81. Vim
cent de Reims. 176 days; the weavers OF Haluh,
1874 days; the fishermen OF Borgo. 124 days; tAs
carpenters of Anglers. 119 days. and the hat
makers OF Paris. 1O5 days
The departments OF France IN which strikes
are most prevalent are the Department Of ne
North U.ille and Arras), where the number Of
strikers in the year 1900 was 30 731: the Bouchss
du Rhone (darseiIles). 2S. .T16: the Seine CParisl
27.359; the Pas du Calais (CaIais and BoU-