The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1909-06-08
DISCIPLINE OF GOVERNMENT
SERVANTS IN FRANCE.

The French Government Is trying 10
prevent by legislation such embarrassing
strikes among It's employees as occurred
not long ago In the postal and. telegraph
departments. , It has framed q new law,
laid before the Cabinet on May rs. oon-
corning the promotions, emoluments.
pensions and discipline OF 'funoionaries,'
whom it defines as 1all occupying a per-
manent position in a public State service
at a regular salary and with prospect Of
a pension The disciplinary part Of this
law places every such public servant, In
principle at least. on the same footing with
regard to striking as soldiers and sailors
occupy; that is to say. 1t practically denies
them the right to STRIFE, though milder
punishment is proposed in the case OF
rebellious civilians than the military code
exaots.
The law has two principal sanctions.
'Ip the case Of a collective or concerted
cessation OF work all disciplinary penal
ties may be inflicted without the inter-
vention Of the councils Of discipline or
the observance Of the various formalites
designed for the protection Of employees.'
M. BRAND, the responsible Minister. sets
forth in the preamble that this provision
10 meant to enable 1the Government
when the public interest is threatened
by q coalition Of private interests to
adopt without q moments delay the
measures required by the situation and
to proceed at % to replace the truants
with a view to reeetablishing the service"
The places OF the strikers may thus be
offered unprovisionally to others as soon
as the strike begins instead OF being held
open until the council OF discipline has
passed upon the dispute and other formal
tiles have been complied with
Even 30, there must still be consider
able delay after a strike in restoring a
ga tsfactory service. 30 far at least as
special training and skill are involved.
unless the Government intends to main
tain a company Of understudies; but
doubtless the provision will have a strong
deterrent effect. Many employees, and
particularly those performing the more
specialized functions, must be reluctant
to risk instant and irrevocable expulsion
from their acquired means Of livelihood
with no similar pursuit open to them else
Wnere In tne n
The other sanction concerns 4associa-
lions or unions among the employees.
The civil servants are still permitted to
combine and eve to federate. but a strike
producing decision OF any union among
them will henceforth be illegal. Article
XXXIII. declares that associations or
unions are forbidden to incite function
aries to a simultaneous cessation Of work."
Infringements IN this regulation will be
visited upon the directors or admins
traitors of the union These will be liable
to "a fine Of from 100 to 800 francs, and il
the offence is repeated to a doubled fine
and imprisonment for a period OF not less
than six days or NOR than n year.
Moreover. the courts may order the dis
solution Of any union at the request OF the
Minister Considerable penalties are
provided for any attempt to reconstitute
q union thus suppressed.
The Trainer OF this law, NJ. Aristide
BRAND, has been an advanced radical,
and some Frenchmen are apparently
surprised at him for permitting 80 much
interference with the will and pleasure OF
citizens merely because they happen to be
drawing salaries from the State. That
Is q pregnant merely however. More
over, NJ. BRAND has now passed from the
radicals to the socialists, and he may II
he ~pleases, and no doubt he does, justify
this law as a socialist measure.