Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-05-08
Disquieting Situations.

oltudl1OnS
Any fair minded ministry including poll
ticians of such resolute character NJ.
Clemenceau, NJ Barthou, NJ. Poincare NJ.
Etlenne and NJ. Thomson may be trusted
to deal in the right way with even such
disquieting situations as those which at
present exist in some parts of France. They
have already displayed firmness and self
possession in dealing with the strike move
ment, which have inspired even their OPP
ponents with confidence. The French dailies
are declaring that, thanks to the skillful
handling of the difficulty by M Clemenceau,
the excitement caused by the taking of
the church inventories has subsidized. A
number of cases where resistance Is
threatened remain to be dealt with. but the
policy of NJ. Clemenceau generally seems to
be not to try to force matters, but to allow
the relalctrant priests and peasantry to
barricade their churches and then to wait
until they retire before selling propitious
moment for proceeding with the inventories.
The statement of NJ. Bourgeois in this
connection and in connection with the gen.
eraI political and economic situation has
received what is practically the unanimous
approval of the press. 1t cannot fail to
contribute to the resumption of those nor
mali relations between Paris and Berlin,
which is the best that can be hoped for IN
der the circumstances. In spite OF the
optimistic predictions of NJ. Bourgeois, 1t
will be entirely premature and at variance
with the fact to speak OF a reconciliation:
but ii is something to know that the dan
gerous tension which characterized the
situation between France and Germany be-
fore the Morocco conference has disappear
ed without there being any change what
ever in the Anglo-French entente, unless
II be that the proceedings at Algeciras tend
ed to confirm and consolidate 1t. M. Bour-
geos' statement show the results of the
conference and the foreign situation of
France with a clearness which has gone
a long way toward convincing even his OPP
ponents that far the foreign rela-
lions of France are concerned there is am
pie reason for congratulatton.
Denouncing Trade Unionism.
Denouncing trade unionism In the depart
ment of the somme, special correspondent
| OF the Matin at LIE Treport gives the fol-
lowing account of remarkable Incident:
THE Chateau OF Fressenneviils. In the
somme. belonging to NJ. Edouard Riquier
| who employs In his iron works 800 men. has
Just been reduced to ashes by the workmen
OF the establishment in consequence Of the
discharge of an employee named Desire De-
POLLY. The latter. who has been employed
at the Requier works for nine years, had
co-Operated In the formation of a trade
| union. which has been Joined by all of the
Fressenneyille iron workers, numbering $50.
| One day not long ago. the employer hav-
ing refused to allow De Polly to return to
work, all his comrades took his part and
turned out. They held meeting. at which
| no final decision was taken. Toward even
| ing the strikers went to the Chateau, which
| had been precipitately abandoned by NJ.
| Requier and his family, smashed the doors.
| threw into neighboring pond everything
| they could lay hands on, and finally set
| fire TO the house. The fremen In the
| neghborhood did not succeed in mastering
| the flames. and the works were destroyed.
AFTER this preliminary exploit the men
went to the house of NJ. Julien Requier.
| the employers brother and sacked it, as
well as those of the overseers. One of the
| latter, NJ. Delarue. only escaped, thanks
| to the timely arrival of the gendarmes. The
| strikers, headed by the women returned to
| the smoking ruins in the morning and
marched through the town singing the
| 'Carmagole Graver disorder still is to be
| feared In view of the outburst, which has
| transformed hitherto peaceable workmen
| into violent revoiutionaries."
| A subsequent telegram from Amiens
| states that all of the iron workers OF that
| section are strike. The present situa-
| ton undoubtedly raises the whole question
| OF responsibility and reparation-in a word.
| of trade union liability.
| n nf