The Mena weekly star., 1909-03-25
PARIS IS ISOLATED
FRENCH CAPITAL COMPLETELY TIED UP BY THE TELE-
 GRAPH STRIKE.
NO PRESENT INDICATION OF \ BREAK
Situation In City and Provinces Rapidly Growing Worse-undeliv- cred Letters and Telegrams PiIlne Up, Awaiting Distribution--country Produce Is Becoming vory Scarce.

Paris. Mar. 20.-There was not the slightest indication at<a late hour Thursday night of a break in the dead lock between the government and its striking employees, nor was there any prospect of an improvement in the situation.
 Despite the fact that the cabinet al It's session Thursday night passed a decree authorizing the dismissal of it's late employees from the state service. ard re-afirmed its determination not to yield, the semi-official note giving the result of the meeting also an- nounced that many merchants have offered to lend to the government their employees to ensure the public services. This is indicative of the completeness of the tie-up and the ex' tremity to which the government has been forced.
 The note does not mention the sen sational rumor that the government | intends to call the reservists to the colors. thus gathering in practically all the male postal employees and forcing them to work as soldiers under penal. | ty of mutiny. This rumor although 1t | gained much currency is discredited as 1t is considered highly improbable that the government would go to such length, the remedy being regarded as worse than the disease.
 On the contrary the general opinion | Is held that Premier Clemenceau seeks only to save the principle for i which he has contended and that if | the chamber indorses the attitude of | the government the premier will be | ready for the resignation of M. Sim van, the under-secretary of posts and telegraphs. iand thus open the way for negotiations to bring the strike to a quick conclusion.
 l The last two American malls have not been delivered, and an evidence of the completeness of the mail blockade Is shown by the fact that the Havas agency, which receives thousands of post office Thursday. With the fall ure of the carriers to deliver letters in Paris Thursday morning the chaos resulting from the extraordinary strike was complete. The entire pub lie service Is paralyzed and business both public and private is In condi' ton of inextricable confusion.
 Throughout the day the situation in the capital and the provinces grew worse with every hour. The undeliv' cred letters number into the millions and not less than 3o0.O00 telegrams were stacked up Thursday afternoon awaiting distribution. Foreign In coming malls remain unsorted and on ly small proportion of the outgoing mails have been sent away.
 A few days more of these condt tions and Paris will be reduced al most to a state of siege so far as food supplies are concerned The funds necessary for the smooth running oi the provincial trade are hung up ir the post offices and the supply of eggs milk, butter. meat and country pro duce threatens speedily 10 cease. Al ready numerous merchants have beer
 obliged to send out agents to the provinces with ready cash to obtain
 supplies. The banks are withholding
 payment on checks In the absence o
 advices from their correspondents ana
 prices at the stores are soaring.