Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1902-12-03
REDS AND YEGLOWS,
Organizations of Union and Scab
Coal Miners In France.

from Valenciennes, France, under date
of Oct. 16, says:
Here, in the midst of the great gen.
eral strike of the coal miners of all
France, have just seen $50 "scab" or
yellow" men returning from their
work in one pit while 800 strikers
howled out threats and curses Mt them.
This was all they did, for each "scab"
was protected by three soldiers, who
accompanied them in groups to their
homes in the nearby villages of Have
luy and Walters.
The same night the strikers pa
trolls passed through Haveluy and
Walters. There were no soldiers pres
ent to protect the "scabs"--or, as l
shall call them henceforth, "yellows"-
in their houses. The patrols cried out
their principles, cursed all false broth
ers and heaved broken bricks and
stones and clods of dirt through "yel-
low" windows.
Behind these windows strange
sight might have been seen had not the
cottages been darkened. Each was bar
ricaded and contained a little garrison
Of six or eight determined "ynllows"
armed with remodeled army riles and
revolvers. When the strikers patrol
had passed, they slept, to be fresh for
their work next morning. The coal
companies allow them for the sleeping
time they may thus lose protecting
themselves and the rights of individu-
ais to work at will.
Valenciennes, like Haveluy and Wal
lers and all the towns of this region,
is placarded with announcements of
two very different characters. These
are the strikers proclamations and the
proclamations of the "yellows."
These proclamations and the facts
that stand behind them show n very
strange development of the great gen
eral strike that has been so much
threatened and feared in France for
two years past. Here we are, at last,
In the midst of it. Yet the coal COM
pany of Anzin, for example, where the
strike is supposed to be typically sue
cessful, reports 2,2S3 yellow" work
ers to S,33S strikers. In other mines
the proportion of "yellows" is still
greater. From the Pas de Calais re-
gion and from the mines of central
France the same news comes-the
"yellows" are well organized and
armed, their central syndicate in Paris
is as active as that of the strikers, and
new recruits ready to work hasten to
enroll themselves from out the unem-
ployed of every section.
This Is the latest phase of the great
labor union question In the land of
France, the land Of new ideas, where
things originate and are tried for the
rest of the world. "Yellowsm" may
come to solve or complicate, with
bloody strife, the already complicated
labor union problem. "Yellowism"
means the organization of all "scabs"
that is Independent individual work
men-against the labor unions of a
country.
In both the coal regions of the north
and the center of France the "yellows"
are particularly strong. Here around
about Valenciennes their "syndicats,"
or local unions, are as highly organized
as are those of the striking labor I'M
ions. They are directed by energetic
men, who have not feared to placard
the whole region with proclamations
and arguments against the general
strike and urging the miners to en-
ploy force If necessary to assert their
right to labor at their individual
pleasure. In Valenciennes they have
weekly paper devoted to their cause,
and 1t is said to have paid circulation
of 6,0O0 copies weekly.
Moreover, as the news now runs, del
egates from this region to a congress
of "yellows" held in Paris have re-
turned, bringing with them arms with
which to resist the strikers should the
soldiers, for political or other reasons,
be called from their protection or prove
insufficient With regard to this latter
possibility an expression from the lips
of NJ. Bexant, local secretary of the
strikers federation, is now running
through Valenciennes and has been
telesraphed to Paris. Questioned
about the danger of bloodshed should
the strikers meet the troops, he said
publicly:
I'VE fear nothing"
Nevertheless" replied his question
er, ''the situation may become grave.
The troops were obliged to charge
opain yesterdaVv
81 think that the soldiers will not do
us any HARM" said the local secretary
of the strikers significantly. "If they
do, they will oblige us to do harm to
them"
Meanwhile we are assured by reac-
tionary paper, devoted to the interests
of the ''yellows," that the delegates of
the north to the recent congress of
"yellows" brought back with them
from Paris G40 army revolvers and 49,
600 cartridges.
Want Recognition.
The National Association of Steam