Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-05-08
FRENCH STRIKE PERIL
Present Government Having
Severe Experiences.

Special Csblegrsm to The Star
| PARIS. May S-The present government
is undoubtedly passing through series of
experiences more severe than most of
those encountered by the governmet during
the presidency of NJ Loubet. First Of all.
many complicated questions growing out
of the inventory Of the religious orgauiza-
lions were encountered And now the
strike peril In France Is spreading and Is
complicated by the increasing reluctance of
the army to be employed for the repression
Of popular disturbances or for the enforce
ment Of the law, in the case Of the
church inventories. for instance In other
words, the soldiers OF France object to be-
ing employed for police duty. A special
corps of gendarmes Is being organized for
the purpose, but 1t Is not yet quite ready.
In connection with this feature Of the pres
ent labor crisis In France 1t has been
observed that the same spirit Is shown by
the French army that was manifested In
numerous instances during the late insur-
rection In RUSSIA spirit which Is even
now manifesting itself in other continental
states.
There Is an exceptionally capable govern
ment in office in France just now, and 1t
may prove equal to the task before it, but
there can be no doubt as to the difficulties
which stand In its way and as to the seri-
BUSINESS of the general situation. Coming
as 1t does simultaneously with the uneA-
pected resistance in many parts of France
to the execution of the separation law and
on the eve of the elections it will be I'M
derstood that NJ Clemenceau and his col
leagues are not exactly on bed OF roses
The form of government is not in ques-
tion though the republic is certainly being
held responsible by the clericals and re-
dictionaries for all the evils of the day
Some of the local newspapers are saying
1t is fortunate for France that some other
countries are just now also absorbed by
domestic complications.
Assertions of Optimists.
However. the optimlsts are asserting that
as regards France things may not be so bad
as certain orators of the opposition would
make believe. Yet there is undoubtedly an
unfavorable feature in the situation-the
fact that the army should have been
dragged into the general melee Many
curious situations have arisen out of the
inventory of the churches, but perhaps
none more curious than that which result
ed in one of the presiding magistrates, NJ
Eugene Mas, being willing to play the part
of the Roman father, though in this case
1t was the French son, and sentence his
own mother. Nine. Mas was charged, with
several other people. with obStructing pub
lie officials in the discharge of their duties
during the inventory of the church at
Beziers and was hauled before the police
court of Montpelier, of Which NJ. Eugene
Mas is one OF the presiding magistrates
AS soon as NJ. Mas took his seat on the
bench his mother. apparently animated
with a spirit of fanaticism, called out to
him: Here l am. Sentence me if you
dare"
NJ. Mas replied by recommending that the
prisoners should ali have three days each
The other magistrates, however. decided
to adjourn the case Ito q more convent
eut date" which means that NJ Mas will
be invited to be absent from the next sit
ting.
In this, as in many other cases growing
out of the church inventories. no small
amount of feeling has been manifested.
Some there are who have even gone SO
far as to suggest that clerical influences are
responsible for stirring up strife and
strikes Certain 1t is that the situation
no matter whether the clericals OF the
working men are responsible for it-requires
the individual attention of the government.
AS 1T is on the eve of a general election
great care is being taken not to allow these
troubles to assume such proportions as
would be calculated unduly to influence the
result of the elections-that is to say, either
in favor of a clerical conservative reaction
or In favor of radical progressive socialism
The fact that the reactionary press has
for some time past been making the most
of these troubles is believed TO be a sufficient
indication that certain elements of the body
polite are seeking to make capital out of
the labor agitation.