Los Angeles herald., 1907-06-02
FRANCE IS IN
THROES OF BIG
LABOR BATTLE
Strike Is Spreading
to ALI Ports
Government Refuses to Yield to De-
mands, Declaring State Of the
Treasury Does Not War
rant Expenditure
nv Aasociated Press.

by ASSOCldIGO AOSSs
PARIS, June 1.-The strike OF the
officers, seamen, engineers and long
shoremen at the ports Of France was
extended today to Dunkirk, Calais Bo-
fogne. Grave Lines, Bordeaux and oth-
er ports which were not affected yes
terday. and it is now complete every
where in France, Algeria and Tunis'
Thus far the strike affects only French
shipping, and foreign vessels at French
ports are being unloaded. Unless an
Immediate settlement of the dispute
takes place many industries will be
compelled to shut down and workmen
in other branches of trade will be
thrown into enforced idleness.
The commercial interests are de-
founcing the so-called tyranny" OF
labor organizations. The position OF
the government is extremely difficult.
as with the means at it's disposal it is
impossible to increase the pensions of
the marines marines to the extent demanded
by the laborers.
The cabinet met today and consid-
cred the strike situation. The measures
taken DIV the minister VI lllclL W III
sure the dispatch of mails to the col
onies were approved and other meas
ures were decided upon in case the
strike is prolonged, but the nature OF
these measures was not announced.
Passengers Transferred
The cabin passengers who were to
sail today from Havre for New York
on the French line steamer La Provence
were sent to Cherbourg, where they
embarked on the st. Louis of the Amer
lean line The French Transatlantic
company has arranged to forward the
steerage passengers of the La Provence
on vessels of the White Star line, sail
ing from Southampton.
While Marine Minister Thompson
says he hopes the strikers will recog-
nize the logic of facts and come to their
senses" the government seems to be
almost helpless. The seamens organi-
zation is making it clear that 1t has
no cause for complaint against the nav
igation companies, and that the fight
is against the government for an in
crease of the pensions of the men of
the naval reserves, to which nearly all
the striking officers, engineers, seamen,
longshoremen and even the fishermen
belong. The justice of the claim of
the seamen that successive French gov
ernments since Louis XIV have ''bor-
IOWcu lulIA0IlSG SQlllS 1TOI1l IHS SEA-
mems fund is recognized. With the
means at the disposal of the treasury
the minister of marine says it is i'm
possible to increase the minimum pen
sion to $3.50 and $3.50 for men and Of
ficers, respectively, as the seamen's or
ganization demands. The government
points out that the railroad men must
be provided for and adds that the scale
asked by the seamen is far in excess
of the schedule for old age workmen's
pensions which the government has
under consideration.
In order not to remain entirely pas
sive some of the navigation companies
took action against the strikers today
Formal charges of desertion were made
against nearly 5000 officers, engineers,
seamen and others who have aban-
doned their ships, and under the de-
cree Of 1852 they are subject to heavy
penalties.