Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-05-13
TROOPS TAKE POSSESSION OF
POSTAL AND TELEGRAPH STA
TIoNs FOLLOWING WALK OUT
OF GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES.
MOUNTED POLICE
GUARDING WIRES
SOLDIERS ALSO PLACED IN SEW
ERs TO PREVENT CUTTING OF
TELEGRAPH; FIFTY THousANn
TROOPS HELD IN RESERVE

Paris, Nav IL. Paris today res
sembles q city in state of siege. DUR
Ing the night troops took possession Of
the central post and telegraph sta
tions and squads Of infantrymen were
picketed around every branch Office
TO protect postal employees who we're
willing to work The streets are being
patrolled by mounted republican,
guards and all the exposed telegraph
lines are being carefully watched. SOL
diers have been introduced even intoT
the sewers Of the city to prevent the!
cutting of wires. Five hundred mills
tary telegraphers and several hundreds
automobiles have been hastily mobil-l
lied ready for instant service. Gener-
al Dalstein. military governor Of Paris
has $4,000 troops in reserve. The walla
of Paris are covered with posters an.
nouncing that the strike will con~
tinue until the employees grievances
are redressed.
The Chamber Of Deputies Sessions.
The chamber of deputies, after
stormy session of four hours yesterday
afternoon, adjourned the debate on tho
interpretations on the postal situation
until May 1B.
The response OF the postal employees
1
an hour the federal committee had is
sued an order for a general strike, and
the railway mall clerks walked out in
a body.
An hour later a meeting of s,oos
postal employees at the Hippodrom3
unanimously voted to strike. Therd
was no great enthusiasm shown. but
determination and resolution to forc9
the hand of the government were ap<
parent.
Strike Leader States Issue.
"The government is playing fo8
| time; we must not be caught mapping"
was the spirit of the meeting as ex-t
pressed by Pauron, q dismissed post
man and one of the most active ord
| ganizers Of the movement.
During the debate In the chamber
MN. Sembat and Willm, Socialists, de-
Tended the position of the strikers.
affirming their right to organize them
selves into syndicate as the only way
Of redresslng their grievances. and
| charging the government with failures
to keep its promises at the conclusion
of the previous strike. especially with
regard to the retirement OF M. Sim
yam, under secretary of posts and tel-g
egraphs.
NJ. Deschane considered the crisis
grave. He laid the responsibility for
the present situation largely on "par-}
liamentarism," which he said waa
working in q vicious circle, and he cons
sidered that the only remedy would bel
the Introduction of real civil servicej
based on merit, to end fayorism and
the spoils system.
Government Firm in Attitude.
M. Barthou. minister Of public works.
the governments only spokesman, in \
sisted that neither he nor Premier
Clemenceau had promised Secretary
Simyan's dismissal.& He produced thG
official journal as proof OF what he had,
said The minister reaffirmed the
) governments unalterable opposition to-
) conceding the right of state employees
= to form syndicate, as there was no
, analogy between their case and that OF
ordinary worknen,s who are not pro.
tected against stoppage of work and
are not guaranteed promotion and
pensions in old age.
/. IF parliament asks us to reverse our
Q attitude" continued M. Barthon, "wa
/, will retire and leave to others the abb
to the imprescriptible rights that par-s
lament holds from the nation and to
the essential vital, and permanent In
terests of the nation itself"
Violently Denounees Premier.
Towards the close of the meeting Of
9 the federal committee the speakers be-
l., came more and more excited in their
q denunciation Of the government. A
: caricature Of M. Clemenceau was car
. ried into the hall and amid foots and
L teers, and the premier was denounced
n In violent terms.
|. 'You are lighting for liberty OF opin-
ion and liberty OF association shouted
M. Pauron, "and YOU must not resume
.r work until you have obtained the right
= to unite as syndicate"
Il A permanent strike and branch COM
= mittees was created and delegates
y were dispatched to the provinces ia
. pursue an active propaganda to make
e the strike complete.
)f The president of the committee de.
clared that today not letter mus
leave Paris.
n - -
n Reorganization Of Booth & Co.