Omaha daily bee., 1909-05-13
TROOPS FILL
PARIS STREETS
Soldiers Take Possession of Postal
and Telegraph Stations Early
in Day.
ALL POINTS ARE GUARDED
French Capital Resen ~ City in
State of 81,
LETTER MAIL is Erred
No Attempt is Made to Dis the
Newspapers. T.
rvrn rry-1e NnrrnErur1,T,r, 1oN1rrTr,r,ryr,
STRIKERS COMMITTEE CONFIDENT
Leaders Say Movement ~ Extending
Rapidly and Suspension Will Be
General within Three
Days.

PARIS, May 12.-Paris to-day resembled a
city in a state Of siege. During the night
troops took possession of the central postal
telegraph stations. and at daylight squads
of infantrymen were picketed around every
branch office To protect postal employees
who are willing to work The streets are
patrolled by the mounted republican
guards. all exposed telcgraphers are being
carefully watched and soldiers have been
introduced even into the sewers of the
city to prevent the cutting OF wires.
Furthermore 500 military telegraphers
and several hundred automobiles have been
hastily moblized and massed In the Gal
lerie Des Machines, ready for instant SER
vice. General Dalstein the military gov
ernor Of Paris, has $4,000 troops in reserve
The walls of Paris are covered this morn
ing with posters announcing that the strike
will continue until the employees grievances
are redressed.
THE right to form trades unions will
be obtained, cost what 1t may" but beyond
the railroad mail clerks. the number who
have abandoned work were comparatively
small The first two deliveries of mail
were effected without the aid of troops,
but the distribu tion OF the newspaper mail
was not attempted At the strikers head
quarters secrecy prevails. The leaders con-
tent themselves with saying that the strike
had only begun.
Troops Throughout Provinces.
In the provinces the tactics adopted by
the government here are being repeated.
The various postofflces we're encircled by
cordons OF troops at daylight today.
lal.e he ,F oHI
Bordeaux decided to join their Paris
colleagues.
The press generally reproaches the cham
Der of deputies for its cowardice yesterday
I'm postponing a vote on the postal situa-
tion, thus throwing the entire RESPONSE
biity on the government. 1t is understood,
however. that Premier Clemenceau pre-
ferred non-parliamentary action for tacti-
cat reasons.
Toward noon today eight strikers were
arrested while trying to enter the central
bureau
Nancy is the first city where the tele-
graphers and telephonists went out
II was officially announced early this af-
ternoon that the strikers numbered 700
men, chiefly railroad clerks. But at strike
headquarters a much larger number was
claimed The leaders say the movement IS
extending rapidly and that there will be
complete suspension in three days.
The Chamber Of Deputies after stormy
session of four hours yesterday ad-
journed the debate on the inter
pellations on the postal situation until May
13. The response of the postal employ es
was quick and decisive Within half an
hour the federal committee had issued an
order for a general strike and the railway
mail clerks walked out in a body An hour
later a meeting of 5000 postal employees at
the Hippodrome took up the gage OF battle
and unanimously voted to strike. There
was no great enthusiasm shown, but de-
termination and resolution to force the
hand of the government were apparent.
The government is playing for time;
we must not be caught mapping was the
spirit OF the meeting as expressed by
Pauron. a dismissed postman and one of
the most active organizers of the movement
During the debate in the chamber NJ.
Sembal and Wilm, socialists, defended the
position of the strikers. affirming their
right TO organize themselves into a syndi-
cate as the only way of redTessing their
grievances and charging the government
with failure to keep its promises at the
conclusion of the previous strike. especially
with regard TO the retirement Of NJ. Sim
yam. under secretary OF posts and tele-
graphs
NJ. Deschanel considered the crisis very
grave. He laid the responsibility for the
present situation largely on ''parliamentar-
ism." which he said working In circle
and considered the only remedy would be
the Introduction Of real civil service. based
on merit. to end favoritism and the spons
system.
the governments only spokesman. insisted
that neither he nor Premier Clemenceau
had promised Secretary Simyan's retire.
nient. lie produced the official journal as
rroof Of what he had said. The minister
rcatfirmed the governments unalterable
opposition 10 conceding the right of state
employees to form syndicate, as there
was no analogy between their case aud
that of ordinary workmen, who are not
protected against stoppage of work and
are not guaranteed promotion and pen
sions in old age
III parliament asks us TO reverse our
attitude continued NJ Barthou. I'VE will
retire and leave to others the cbdlca ton
which would be a mortal blow TO he
impresciptable rights that parliament holds
from the nation and to the essential
vital and permanent interests of the nation
itself"
A permanent strike and branch commit
tees were created and delegates were dis
patched TO the provinces 10 pursue an
active propaganda TO make the strike COM
plete. The secret committee. composed of
men whose names were not made public
80 that they might escape the government !
surveillance. was abolished. Dispatches
were received from many cities announcing
the sympathy and support not only OF the
postal employees but the various trades
unions
Pauron assured the meeting that with
the aid OF NJ, Pataud, the electricians
leader, a way could be found TO upset the
wireless system. The proceedings closed
with the adoption OF a resolution condemn.
Ing the disloyalty OF the government and
Bidding all present TO remain on strike unit
fun satisfaction had been given