Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-02-07
PROBLEM FOR FRANCE
Radical Socialists Inspire
Teachers to Organize.
OPPOSED BY GOVERNMENT
Plan to Propagate the Anti-Militar.
ism Doctrine.
DECLARATION OF PRINCIPLES
Minister BRAND Gives Deputation
Plain Talk-Insists Upon Edu-
cation Free From Bias.
OPPOSED BY GOVERNMENT
DECLARATION OF PRINCIPLES

PARIS, February IA new and impor.
tant phase of the right of the public en-
ployes to organize after the fashion Of
trades unions has arisen In France. About a
year ago the parcel postmen formed an as
ISOLATION and struck for higher wages. The
government refused at that time to admit
the principle that public servants could
strike against the state. All the strikers
were discharged and their duties were per-
formed by soldiers until the service could
be reorganized. Now the government had
to meet far more serious question.
The schoolmasters of several districts,
notably Paris and the big industrial centers.
have formed associations upon the insti-
cation of the radical socialists and moreover
have Joined the general labor federation
There was practically no attempt to con-
coal the fact that the purpose In organizing
the teachers was the propaganda of the
doctrines of naturalization as expounded
by Herye and his followers, internationalism
as preached by Jaures and the general idea
of solidarity OF the interests of the working
as against those of the capitalistic classes
The syndicate of Paris avowed this in the
following statement
The Teachers Platform.
Considering that public primary educa-
ton is confined almost exclusively to the
children of the working classes, it can only
teach them where their economic interests
lie, and therefore it is necessary that the
masters should obtain this knowledge by
affiliating themselves with the confederation
of labor
After considering the subject the govern
ment, which fully realized that the object
of the promoters of the organization was
to concentrate public education in the hands
of the advocates of "nternationalism
promptly forbade teachers syndicates,"
but as the French trade union laws are
the subject probably will be necessary.
Mr. BRAND, in announcing the decision to
deputation said: g
Because of the very nature of your sery-
ice the state can never permit you to act
as other employees do You are not working
for an ordinary employer, but for the state
and revolt against the state is revolt
against the country, whose representatives
vote your salary
A Delicate Question.
But besides the question of the right OF
public servants to organize in their own in
terests the government recognizes that the
question of educating the youth of the land
touches one of the most sacred duties of
the state 1t was upon the very theory
that education should be free from every
possible bias that the Catholic teaching or
ders were driven out of France. and conse-
uuently it would be impossible to admit
that the task of educating the youth OF the
country should be consigned to the allies
and advocates of Il particular political doc
trine Nevertheless this bold attempt to
control the education of the French masses
character of the international socialist
movement in France.