The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-03-21
THE PARIS STRIKE
THE GOVERNMENT ISSUES A RE.x
 ASSURING STATEMENT.
Situation is Said to He Notably Imx proved, Many Of the Strikers, Especially Telephone Girls,
 Returning to Work.

Paris. March 20.-The Government tonight issued reassuring statement
 concerning the strike in which tha
 situation was said to bes notably im-
 proved. many of the strikers, espe-
 cially the telephone girls, reaurnina
 to work. The strike leaders, on the other
 hand. at the various meetings held
 tonight. are loudly proclaiming war
 to the hiIt and there are disquietinG
 rumors of railroads and other co-op-
 erative strikes.
 The belief prevails that there wiis | be important developments over Sun- day through the elimination of M. ! Simyan, Under Secretary of Posts and Telegraphs, whose presence has been the chief obstruction to settlement.
 It Is openly intimated that the Gov- ment of the Chamber of Deputies, 10
 not anxious longer to shoulder Secre- tary Simyans unpopularity. Probably a change will be made on Monday, when it Is reported, the Cabi- net will do away with the position of
 Under Secretary of Posts and create a
 postmaster generalship, to which an expert will be appointed. Disclosures in connection with the
 strike indicates that the abuses and
 favoritism charged have been largely
 due to the fact that politics have had
 much to do with appointments, and
 the administration of the post and tele-
 graph services.
 No attempt yet has been made to
 restore order and the registered mail
 service in Paris.
 The paralysis of business Is becom-
 ing more serious with every hour.a
 Every conceivable expedient .5 being
 used to maintain communication. Special couriers are being sent in au-
 tomobiles to the frontier. and bicyclists
 are being employed for the delivery of messages throughout the city. The Government has organized special service to insure communities
 tion between London and King Edward. who Is at Biarritz. The lack of food
 in the capital. an outcome of the ifR<~
 possibility of forwarding payments, is making itself felt today, and pro-
 vision dealers declare if there is not
 improvement the city, within few days, will be confronted with famine conditions. The losses to business in Paris alone are variously estimated at
 from s6O0.O00 to $l.200,oo0. Only a few wires today connect Paris with Europe and the outside world. One thousand colonial infantrymen
 have been put to work sorting and de- uvering the accumulated mails. No
 newspapers have been delivered since last Tuesday.
 The strike Is now general at Lyons,
 MarseiIles, St Etienne, Bourges. Bren-l
 oble, Lille, Nancy. Rouen, Havre, Lim-
 oges and other principal cites of France.
 The police and municipal guards on
 duty for the protection of the general postoffice have been replaced by sol-' diers.
 President Fallieres and Minister of Public Works Barthou had long con- ference this morning.
 The Government Is greatly disap- pointed that yesterdays vote in the Chamber has not brought better re- sponse from the strikers. 1t still | hopes, however. for a distinct change | for the better over Sunday. Troops have been called out in many l places in the provinces for the pros 1 lection of wires and to guard the tlon- | strikers from possible violence.