New-York tribune., 1909-03-23
AMNESTY N FRANCE.

The French government is probably Wlsel!
advi.ed in adopting a cOnciliatory attitude
toward the strikers and in granting amnesty 10
all who return to work to-day. II might be tech
nicaIlv inst but il would scarcely be expedient.
and certainly would not be convenient. TO en-
force rigorous penalties TO the full against so
large a number of citizens, especially when 1t
is reasonable to suppose that many or them
have been more thoughtless than malicious.
What is indispensable is that the government
shall not weld a hairs breadth on any matter
OF principle involving its absolute suprt s@sfF
in administering the public affairs Of the csun-
try and that il has not yielded and Will not
weld is said 10 he assured. The congratulations
on their victory which some sympathetic labor
unions have sent to the strikers may probably
be regarded as nothing more than an attempt
TO save the face of the socialistic intrigue by
pretending that it has succeeded, when, in fact,
il has failed.
Nevertheless. the strike came near enough TO
success TO be a serious object lesson TO the
French government; and to other governments
That it was a part Of a widespread socialistic
scheme at revolution and subversion Of the re
public has all along been pretty clear to those
with memories more than six months long. and
the same circumstance IS emphasized in the
closing scenes and acts Of the episode. We are
told that the employees of the mint. Of the state
railroads and of the government tobacco and
match monopolies were on the point OF going
on strike to aid those in the postal and tele-
graphic services and that. in brief. a universal
strike against the government was contem-
plated Oh precisely the lines which were indi-
Gated and threatened by socialistic leaders last
year The tone of the leaders of the movement
and of their spokesman in parliament unms-
takably indicated that the ultimate aim to
diScredit the government itself and TO make II
subServiCnt to the dctation of its own en-
plOyeS so that the executive policies Of the
nation would be determined and controlled not
by the ministry and the majority of the Cham
Der Of Deputies, chosen by the people for that
purpose. but by n self-seiected iunta Of social
list agitatOrs and walking delegates Of labor
unions.
The enmity to popular government which was
thus displayed was equalled by the disregard
Of the comfort, welfare, health and very life
of the people. The losses to business caused
by this strike estimated at many millions
OF dollars, sustained chiefly by people In modest
circumstances. The inconvenience and suffering
caused by suspension of means of communi-
cation have been inCalculable. Cases Of sickness
and death attributable directly to it have been
numerous The menace to security and to life
caused by the cutting of telegraph wires so
that there could be no signalling for the opera
ton of railroad trains. no calls for police no
fire alarms and no calls for physicians or ambu-
lances no matter how great the need has been
beyond all computation. But the strikers cared
for none Of these things All they cared for was
10 get the government under their thumb and be
able TO dictate the appointment and promotion
Of their fayorites in the public service ot
whatever cost to the people of France It is
probably well we have said to grant them
amnesty. hut it Is certainly incumbent upon the
government 10 take uncommon precautions
against the recurrence of an attack upon the
very life of the nation