The sun., 1907-04-14
PARIS FEARS A LABOR WAR.
FOOD STRIKE A FAILURE, UNION
THREAT REMAINS.
idle AsItaIOrs Plan Domination Over the
General Public Revolutionary Syn
dlCallSn's Aim Red Socialists Versun
Yellow Ones - Clemenceau EntankIed.

General Public Revolutionary SYN
dicallSms Aim Red Socialists Versu,
Yellow Ones = Clemenceau EntangIed
Special Cable Despatch 70 THE SUN.
PARIS. April I3-For how many years
have American newspaper readers at this
season been fed on the alarming prospect
Of terrific May Day labor demonstrations in
Europe. just as they formerly were warned
Of war clouds in the Balkans only tn find the
clouds dssipated before the storm broke
ard the demonstrations neutralized by
centralized power or through disafection
among the noisy elements which threatened
80 much trouble?
Paris has been menaced this month with
the same danger. There were some nut
terings which, while having May Day in
view. concentrated their loudest alarms in
warnings that a general strike Of wofkmen
engaged in supplying the capital with food
products ON Thursday would starve the
population into forcing all employers to
submit to the workmens demands. The
awful day came and the strike went up in
-moke without the Intervention OF the
Governments powerful hand, which was
ready for an emergency that never de-
veloped.
This alimentary strike, like the more
general strike that is said to be preparing
for May Day. was encouraged by the
General Labor Federation apparently
simply for the purpose Of intimidating
the whole membership Of the community
into servitude to the federation. Who
are the workers on whom the strongest
hopes Of the strike organizers were based?
.ire they the downtrodden. underpaid
victims Of heartless capital2
On the contrary they are among the
bAst paid Paris workmen. namely, the
bakers. who average 81 a day for four
ovenfuls with extra pay and feed for extra
work. These men, who for Ave centuries
have made the bread Of Paris famous, re-
fused. except a small number. to heed
the exhortations Of the agitators and as a
sresult the strike collapsed This in connec-
- SsS N~AA &1SASsk5 SsEAs Nan RhS S1IAsGN
m the prestige Of the leaders, is INTERPRETED
rs an augury that the May Day demon
stratIon may prove as ineffective in the
way Of public discomfort. whatever may
he the political effect.
Ia all probability the recent electric strike
vas broken by the knowledge of the Govern
ments readiness to utilize army engineers
but although il was known that the Govern
ment was ready to use army bakers to give
Paris bread there is no reason to believe
that this was factor in the failure OF the
latest strike, which was not an outgrowth
Of the workmen's needs but merely OF the
dictaton of the union leaders. supported
ny self-styled laborers who do not wish to
work
Among the wOrkmen themselves this
strike, which it was announced was going
TO starve Paris with the aid Of the unionists
u the provinces. was called the strike Of
he lazy man. Its supporters were regular
clients of employment Offices who hold a
place only long enough to obtain a little
money to spend and then apply for new
Job. Even a policeman referred to the
labor exchange as an exchange for those
who do not labor.
But even had the strikers cause been
GOOD their way would have been hard amid
population which is sometimes said to be
dominated by its stomach. Whatever
rsthetic sequences waggish commentators
may trace from this gustatory servitude,
hehold serious academic writers reminding
the strikers that they were i'll advised TO
forget that there are three things in Paris
against which the gates OF hell can never
prevail-women, theatres and eating. II
eating is placed last il is only a rhetorical
crescendo. as witness any restaurant where
accomplished walters knowing their Gus
toners serve the most ample and most
delicate portion OF the edbles to the men.
leaving the women to worry along on nib
bles.
There is nevertheless. considerable real
and well founded concern over the growing
power Of the aggressive trades unionist
movement, which il dominated by syn
dicalism and which is closely interwOund
with socialism. The recent and present
governments Of France are called Socialist,
and notwithstanding Premier Clemenceau's
vigorous measures for dealing with work.
mems uprisings he reinstated recently
an amy officer who refused to perform
duty against the laborites. the reinstate-
ment Of the officer being credited to the
Socialists demands.
IL In, Of course, the use OF the army against
strikers which leads the unionists and So
calists 10 anti-militarism or anti-patriotism.
Once sufficient numbers Of the army refuse
to act against them they will have the Gov
ernment actually where they have il polit-
rcally through having at their mercy the
Chamber OF Deputies majority
One of the leading differences between |
French and German socialism Is disgusting
the friends OF France. They point out that
the German Socialists are thoroughly |
patriotic when the country's interests are |
concerned. whereas the French Socialists |
are willing that the country shall take !
chances Of being submerged internationally !
if only their home demands are gratifed. |
From this GNteg3Sy must he eycepted the
French Independent So cialists, such as /
those who recently held congressat Lyons,
who, contrary to a misconoeption which |
seems to prevail in the United States, eX-
pressly declared that international brother
hood did not abrogate either the duty or the
right to resist aggression from without,
the last two being important words.
To what extent cognizance is being taken
Df possible dsafection in the army was
this week when in anticipation
Of the strike two Paris regiments were re-
placed by provincial ones. The Govern
nent, however has further cause for dis
luietude in the disposition Of the State civil
employees not only to form unions but to
with trade unionists who would
make them obedient to the labor fedora
tlOn's orders. This movement Is reported
70 be more widespread than has heretofore
oeen supposed IL is one Of the factors
which Is pilng up the difficulties Of Premier