The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-03-19
PARIS IS IN SIEGE
STRIKE SITUATION THREATENS
 ALARMING CONsEoUENCEs,

cs...l.idstiea ls Ainest cut or sud .Chsnher fl Deputies CensiAer 4 f.'.e DiIemna = V. Simyan
 .. t@ May Re~ign.'
 Paris. Mar. is-5fasrs wa. not the
 slightest, indication at a late hour to-
 night ofia break in the dead lock be-
 tween the, government and it's striking employees, norr.was there any prospect of @An Improvement in the situation. oThe clfma of, the strike was reached tonieht when 5000 repairers. 'linemen and mechanics decided to join the strikers. These we're the Hast remain ins worwmen- employed by the post ad- The strike. will be made the subject of consideration In the Chamber of Deputies, tomorrow, and a solu tfon of the. problem may then be furnished. Despite the fact that the cabinet at the session tonight passed a. decree authorizing the sdismissai | of its late
 employees from the State service and re- affirmed Its determipation not to yield.
 the .senfe oficial Snote giving the result
 of the meeting also announced that many: merchants have offered to lend
 to the government their employees to ensure the pubic services.- i. This is indicated of the compieteneas of the tic
 up and the extremity to which the government has been forced. The note does not mention the sem
 satioRal rumor that the government intends. to call tho reservists~ to the
 coiors. thus gathering in practically
 all the male postal employees and fore ing them to work as soldiers under
 penalty of mutiny. This rumor. al-
 though 1t gained much currency. is
 discredited. as 1t is considered highly
 improbable that the goverhment would
 so to such e length. the remedy being
 regarded as worse than the disease.
 On the contrary, the general opinion
 is held that Premier 'Clemencsau. asks
 only to save tho principle for which he
 has contended and that If the chamber tomorrow endorses the attitude of the government. the premier win be ready fer the resignation of NJ Simyan. the under secretary of posts And tele- graphs. and thus open the way for ne-
 gotiationsf to bring the strike to a quick conclusion. s'>
 The strikers have refused to have
 any: dealings with M. Simysn on the
 questions at issue M Clemenceaus enemies, 1t is stated. wish to seize this opportunity to overthrow him. but the chances are that the premier will ride the storm. =
 :, With" the failure of the carriers to deliver fettersi.in. Paris this morning. the chaos resulting from the extraor- dinary. strike was complete.
 Throughout the day. the situation in the capital and the, provinces grew worse with every hour. The undeliv- cred letters number into the millions ana not less than 3oo.ooo telegrams we're stack cd up this afternoon await Ing distrfbutioh Foreign incoming ma nss remain unsorted and only small proportion of tho outgSing mails have been sent away.A
 The few hundred military. telegraph CTS brought into Paris arc practically helpless and useiess as they are not familiar with, the recently installed Baudot- instruments, and foreign tsle- gramss sare being sent to the frontier for re- e-transmission. Even the sale of hostage stamps has been discontinued in. the branch postofdces that are still open. ...-.-.--.
 The government has managed to keep several wires open with London and Berlin for the purpose of conduct ing important diplomatic negotiations now in progress. 4.t
 The telephone wires that were work ing last night, were today out of com mission. '., , "A few. days more of these conditions and Paris will bet reduced almost to d state of seize. so far as food supplies are concerned. s3s
 The funds necessary for the smooth running of the provincial trade are hunIxt up in the post offices and the supply of .provfsions threatens speedily to- cease, 1 t,,4
 The banks are withholding payment on checks In the absence of directions from tteir corfespondents and prices at the stores are .soatfn8. ..tt.4
 A large body of. strikers gathered at the central telegraph station today and threatened a breach of the peace. but when. they found that the authorities had q company of infantry in readiness in rooms adjoining the main omces. they left ths;burding without creating any disturbance. ,....
 2 Tne real element of danger Is toNbe found in the threat of the general con federation of labor. which is pusely, revolutionary organization, and the railroad unions, to declare sympathet- ic strikes. ''- '
 7 stfa ngely enough amid the intense anxiaty in business and Government ctrclse. the masses celebrated Mi-Car- sn,e today; the usual pleasure loving assembling in the ooulevards to witness the grotesque procession ana throw confetti. .... ... t,-
 Only, the. royaiists seemed to get. grain of comfort out of the situation yvhtch their newspapers hail as proof of the bankruptcy of the republic,
 The strikers gained many adherents today. men employed on the pneumatic tubes Joining the movement this after- noon and. an association ofdao. 900 pos tal apprentices endorsing by their vote the strike principle. ~
 Phe leaders already are claiming vic- torv. in spite of the bold front as- snrned. by Premier Cl6menceau. who continues to declare, that the Govern meat cannot yield and intends to have reoourse 10 soldiers first and then rs- place the strikers with new appotneeea. impartial observers. however. realize the irnpossfbiiity' of organising an en- ttreIy new postst service.
 Neithef the military telegraphers nor the soldsers. the latter having been placed in the postofaces with the sl- most insurmountable task of\ sorting the m ountains of accumulated mail con fronting them, have yet accomplished more than-a beginning. ..-
 Tn order to prove their patriotism, the strikers have detailed two expert operators to transEait the cipher dis patches which the Govenment is ex- xuxfah, rrOrraVn lfgk 4NNosa Ss.-