The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1904-09-04

Paris, Aug. II.
gN every country which we have visited the trade
unions appear TO show peculiarities and 70 diff
= fer from the trade unions in America In Amer
lea the labor organizations took their rise at late
period, but grew rapidly both in membership and
power In England, on the other hand the growth
of the unions has been slow and steady; they have
developed in that country into great and powerful
organizations, with large funds and with compca-
ed and excellent system of benefits for their members
In England also, under the free government which
there obtains, the unions have developed sys EN- of
agreements with the employers and eonciliation
rather than strikes is the goal which is sought In
Germany the unions still show the effects Of a policy
of restriction and repression under state ruled by
the police. In that country the labor unions are still
not allowed to hold even local meetings without first
obtaining permission and without admitting the po-
lice and in many is even impossible for them
10 secure halls in order to carry on The necessary
work of the organization.
II said of the French that they couId not
make good trade unionists but there is more error
than truth in this statement. The uneven and diff
hcu growth of the French trade unions has been due
less TO the character of the people than the di
culties which have been put in the way of their or
carnations IL has only been during the last thirty
years that the French government has ceased to be
distinctly unfriendy 10 labor organizations and only
during the last twenty years that trade unions have
been definitely legalized.
The right of workmen 10 associate was taken away
during the French revolution by the law Of 1871 In
order TO do with the former close corporations
OF employers and workmen. and to secure cornplete
freedom of labor it forbidden by law for people
in the same trade to join together to pursue their
supposed" common interests According to this law
any coalition OF workmen, with the purpose of eav-
ing off work simultaneously THAT is strikingl or of
influencing the hours of labor, or of making labor
dearer, made punishable by line and i1nprison-
ment The employers we're qually forbidden TO unite
with the object of reducing wages unreasonably
Like many laws of this nature, this statute was
found to cut only one way Against employers the
law was hardly ever invoked, and organizations
among employing bakers, butchers, carpenters, etc.
gradually came into being and were tolerated. Sub
sequenty larger organizations and declarations OF en-
poyers were formed at Paris and in the provinces
ana these bodies although without legal standing
were tolerated and recognized by the government
In the meantime the law was rigdly enforced
against the trade unions. From 1925 to 1S4S
OUO Workmen were accused of the crime Of entering
into combinations and of these $500 were sent TO
prison, while from 1S48 TO 1864 there were almost
1000 workmen sent to prison for the same offense
Notwithstanding this persecution few unions sue
ceeded in organizing under the guse of friendly So
cietes. the compOsitors and hatters maintaining
precarious existence under this form Finally in
1868. the unions, without being made legal were
granted liberation SO long they refained from the
commission OF acts Of violence OF from interference
with the freedom Of labor