New-York tribune., 1909-04-26
WoRKING THEIR OWN DESTRUCTION.

The anxious and diSquetng prognostica tons
which were expressed by our Paris correspond
ent in a recent letter TO The Tribune. and
which have been repeated since in his special
cable dispatches and in general press 8dvices,
receive fresh confirmation IN the announce
ment that "a general demonstrative strike is
to be ordered throughout France on May Day.
That means that not only all artisans in pri-
vate employ. hut all civil servants of the state.
all postal. telegraph, telephone and railroad en-
ployes are 10 be ordered on strike, parayzing
the functions of government and the ordinary
operations of society: and that this is 10 be
done. not 10 obtain redress Of grievances or i'm
proved conditions Of employment but merely
10 demonstrate the power of the labor unions.
The people Of France are to be denied the right
10 send or to receive letters or dispatches, TO
travel on railroads. TO summon physicians, or
10 give alarm in case of fires. just in order
that the Socialist party may be enabled to show
how completely ii has the government by the
throat In view of these circumstances and
OF this portentOus outlook ii seems evident
that the forecast of the trend of French af-
fairs which was made in these columns last
year, and even earlier. is at this moment being
realized in perhaps the most serious crisis in
the history of the Third Republic TO anti
capitals and anti-mitarism there has been
added the principle of anti-patrotism. The
Socialists exult openly in the fact that by
paralyZng the telegraph system their labor
union in the civil service could prevent the
mobilization OF the French army In case of
and that the labor union in the army itself
could and would prevent efficient defence of the
country from an invading foe: and by the men
ace Of these conditions they think that they
can oyerawe the government and make it sub
seTvient 10 their Will.
Meantime, pending possible foreign war,
Citizen" Pataud and his associates, "Citi-
Zens'' YvetOt. Simonnet, Janvion. Negre and
others. are doing their utmost TO bring on
civil war The practice of larceny and arson
IS incuLated as an indispensable adjuvant to
Industrial advancement and social reform The
millennium is TO be attained through abroga-
ton Of the Eighth Commandment Wherever
a strike is ordered loot is prescribed The
strikers instructed TO raid their EMPLOYERS
houses and steal everything they want and
smash and burn the rest When they are re-
mcnstrated with for such orders they replr.
Citizen Pataud replies for them. But
why not? Did not the labor of these work
"ingmen create the wealth which purchased
those paintings. statues. wines and other lux
"uries? And shall not honest citizens do as
they please with their oWnT' Thus under
the cOngenial joint inspiration of avarice and
absinthe the latest Jacquerie is organized
Citizen" Simonnet declares that there are no
more civil servants; all are wage earners Cit
zen" Pataud declares that the wage system
must be abolished. Citizen Janyion exhorts
all wage earners TO unite for the overthrow of
those two Basties Parliament and the Re
public We will have none of those insigniti-
cant fatheriands." cries Citizen Yvs.ct our
country IS the International world.-
1t may be that all this is less formidable
than il appears, the pretentious menace
Of Bouangersm. II is to be hoped that such Is
the case. in any event we are constrained bv
ctr faith IN the French nation and in the
eo1amon sense and justice which are the birth