New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-03-10
THE LACK OF LIGHT At
FRENCH CAPITAL.
rspseisl by French Gable to The tribunal
-.ogyr.rAt 1907. by The Tribune Association

az
darkness, is regarded forcible object lesson
:, the matter of municipal ownership ana the
management Of large cities. The immediate
cause OF the strike Is the decision OF the Munich
nal Council Of Paris 10 refuse 10 ''Inunicipalize'
,be electric lighting OF the city in a new con-
tract concluded with a certain company; that
ss N say the syndicate, which has obtained the
concession for lighting Paris by electricity de-
clines to assinilate its employees TO municipal
vorlznen who enjoy the privileges OF a pension
frnd, an eight-hour working day. collective abor
contracts two months vacation a year with
full wages and an additional right to thirty days
surlough, also on fun wages when I'll. making
practically three months OF holiday a year.
Moreover. the average monthly wages earned by
the municipal employees IN the electric lighting
department Is $40 which is considerably higher
than the average wages among non-municipal
employees The situation is complicated by the
fact that the ''secteur' Of the central markets
one o. the nine into which Paris is divided is
worked directly and exclusively by the munich
pality This ''secteur" continues as usual. Il is
20 be noted also that the Champs Elysees quar-
ter has had no interruption Of electric light be-
cause this "secteur' has alternating currents
and the greater tension makes II more difficult
FOR the strikers 10 interfere with It.
CITY PICTURESQUE.
The general aspect OF Paris without electric
Hight IS exceedingly picturesque. The street
hswkers offer for cent apiece candles and half
dozen matches, bands Of strikers and boys out
FOR larks march in professions with torches
singing revolutionary songs. the cafes and
restaurants are lighted by Tnulti-colored paper
Chinese lanterns with candles IN them, and the
smart clubs are provided with candelabra and
gas. As those who had bought tickets for the
Comedie FRANCHISE. where NJ Poizat's Greek
tragedy "Elektra" was on the bills were turned
away. several voices demanded that Alfred de
Musset's lie Chandelier should be given In
stead. The only theatre open was the Theatre
Rejane. which supplies its electricity. II
was an amusing sight at the Ministry OF the IN
terror to find Premier Clemenceau working with
an old fashioned oil lamp with green shade.
while al the Palace OF the Elysee. the French
White House. President Fallieres. deprived OF
electric lights. dined with his wife and few
guests by the light OF candles placed IN eigh-
teenth century candelabra which were once the
property Of the Marquise de Pompadour. The
big shops. such the Bon Marche. the Louvre,
PTintemps etc. being provided with electricity
on their own premises. continus usual. Very
few newspapers appear because Of suspension
OF motor power for lnotypes and presses. The
Figaro" the Petit Parisien'' and the Petit
Journal" having their own electric plants, APP
peared usual. each journal also printing three
or four other newspapers not so fortunately pro-
vided for.
FEELING AGAINST GOVERNMENT.
The real feeling OF Parisians IS not so much that
Of Indignation against the two thousand electro
clans who organized the strike as general and
bitter dissatisfaction with the government for
making such a situation possible. The Figaro"
says that what the government has sown II Is
now reaping. The strike never would have oc-
Cured had not the members OF the Cabinet
been continually preaching against law and
order and that this strike IS merely q foretaste
OF what may be expected Few weeks hence.
The "Gaulois" says: This IS only an insignih-
cant undress rehearsal Of what viii happen on
Labor Day. May I. Red socialism. now reigning
supreme. destroys all that It takes in fits hand
and reduces France to out-of-date methods.
For instance, General Picquart Minister OF War.
IS revving the National Guard: VI. Caillaux.
Minister Of Finance. with his inquistorial in
come tax, is resorting 10 a new form OF the
methods swept away by the Revolution Let all
patriotic men and women take warning and
krow that this strike Of electricians is the he
ginning OF the social revolution. To-day we
deprived Of light. Tomorrow we may be with
out bread. Meanwhile the work goes on OF plum
dering our property and reducing our incomes"
Disastrous TO CITY.
n. Clemenceau's newspaper the "Aurore'
points that 'if the electricians do not change
their decision many workshops using electricity
as motive force win have to close down. and
the life Of the city viii be interrupted by the
ton Of few The strike viii affect only
employers Of labor but also the workers. espe-
cialv the latter. IT viii ..rove a disaster also
FOR the manufacturers and tradesmen who live
on The trade due 10 the presence Of foreign Wis
itors Let the government act Immediately. We
DO not combat the principle Of strikes, but this is
an act Of vandalism which saps the lifeblood OF
Paris"
The "siecle' says such things should not hap
pen in q city like Paris. When they do occur the
fault rests with the Municipal Council. which
has not had enough foresight to determine fully
the conditions on which the company is to
obtain its concession.
In the ..Eclair' Ernest Judet says a les
son of this magnitude was required to lead many
men 10 consider that causes and effects are in
separable by nature. and that the surprise Of
March s. 1907 was necessary 70 prove that
Paris is governed by a dictatorship. that OF the
Labor Federation and that such a situation was
rendered inevitable by the politicians who rule
in Parliament and whose sole policy is one OF
electoral promises and Immoral concessions.
BOOKS THIS WEEK.
orendorf publishes Napoleon ct sa Famille,"
volumes eight and nine. showing the gross in
gratitude OF the members Of the imperial family
toward the Emperor. and full Of piquant cpl
sodes Il IS written by Frederic Mason, who
occupies a foremost place among contemporary
French historians. Alcan publishes la Con-
ference d'Algeslras, Historic Diplomatique," by
Andre Tardieu first secretary OF embassy.
the Moroccan crisis disclosing the secret springs
put into movement during the recent Franco