The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-04-24
There ia really no evidence Of any such
coalition.
cLEMENCEAU DISAPPOINTING.

six weeks ago every one expected a stern,
Draconic administration. He had been
known for twenty years as the lion of French
politics. For many years he had made
and remade Cabinets at his pleasure, scorn-
ing to take office himself. Yet he was
the most feared man in French political
life.
His first action, or that Of the Cabinet,
was virtually to suspend the execution Of
the Separation law. Then came the
Courieres disaster. The ignorant, super
stitious population at first regarded the
calamity as a visitation of God to punish
France for divorcing the Church and State,
and they made violent demonstrations
against the representatives of authority.
This outburst was naturally treated with
great federation until it speedily exhausted
itself.
Then popular wrath turned against the
mine owners and a strike began. Some
of the demands OF the men we're reason
able, and the companies promptly an
nounced their willingness to comply with
them. 1t may readily be admitted that
the miners had genuine grievances in some
respects which ought to have been re-
dressed long ago.
NJ. Clemenceau visited the district and
endeavored to persuade the strikers to
accept the conditions and return to work.
Up to that point he acted wisely and
courageously. His we'll known sympathy
with such movements gave his personal
influence great weight.
REIGN OF TERRoR IN MINING DISTRICTS.
He might have succeeded but two devel-
opments prevented. First, several sur
vivors of the disaster, brought to light
three weeks after the accident, disclosed
the fact that many more might have been
reached if the work had been intelligently
conducted. The miners became con-
vinced that the companies had deliberately
sacrificed many lives by covering certain
shafts in order to smother the fire. This
was untrue, but the idea naturally in
furiated the Populace.
Then came professional agitators from
Paris. who Systematically went about
spreading sedition and seeking to change
the movement from an ordinary strike into
a general instruction. This change in the
situation was sudden, distinct and radical.
1t should have been met by a SIMILAR change
in the policy of the Government. High
handed outrages were committed and soon
developed into a reign of terror. More
than 1000 men joined in open defiance
of the law and its representatives.
A few troops were sent at first. Their
orders were to remain concealed in public
buildings and certain mining properties.
When matters became worse more soldiers
we're sent. Their instructions were to
show themselves for moral effect, but on
no account to use their arms, even in self
defence. They were passively to defend
public buildings and certain mines, but or
binary private property was to be left at
the mercy Of the mob.
The rioters speedily took advantage Of
| this licensed lawlessness. They destroyed
everything they could lay their hands on,
including the railway and telegraph lines,
looted shops and burned houses.
! TROOPS ATTACKED; NOT ALLOWED TO FIRE.
Then matters reached a pass which is
almost Incredible. The mob attacked the
troops in the streets, pelting them with a
murderous fusillade of bricks, stones and
other missiles. One or two were killed and
many wounded. The heavy brass he'll
NETS which protected the heads Of the
cuirassiers were battered out Of shape
and hundreds of troopers were more or less
hurt.
What other troops in the world with
weapons of revenge in their hands and their
fingers on the triggers would have ref aimed
from mourning death volleys into the ranks
of their unprovoked assailants? The French
soldiers stood this marvellous test of dis
cipline and the mob escaped unscathed.
The experiences in Pas de Calais during
the last week have shown the stuff of which
| the French Army is composed in a manner
which should excite world wide admira-
! ton. The men composing the military
force in the district are from a distant part
Of France. They AVE no sympathy with
the strikers and there is not the smallest
| doubt that they would gladly obey orders
to suppress the rebellion. Their courage
under the most trying circumstances Is IN
strong contrast to the pusillanimity of their
| civil superiors, who deprived them of the
right to defend the aw. The Temps thus
describes one of these engagements:
A VICTORY FOR THE INSURGENTS.
During the night numbers of strikers
from Denain assembled at Walters for the
ulrnose of correcting some miners for
reslming work. The troops in the village
only consisted of a squad of the Thirteenth
Cuirassiers from Charities and several
brigades of ge%ndarmerie, Nevertheless
they advanced against the insurgents,
hut we're received with showers of stones,
and two of the cuirassiers were wounded
Tho insurgents proceeded to destroy the
furniture in the houses of the recalcitrant
workmen and afterward proceeded to
effect the rescue of three OF their com
rades who had been takeni prisoners to
Haveluy, approaching which village they
numbered 5000.
Light cavalry sought to check their en-