The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-03-18
STRIKE IS GROWING
SITUATION IN FRANCE IS BECOMING
 SERIOUS.
The Letter Carriers Haye Joined the Striking TeIegraphers, Teiephose Operator. and Mail Clerks-
 Paris Isolated.

Paris. March 1.-The letter carriers have Joined the striking telegraphers' mail clerks employed by the postomce departm
 At meeting. they voted by large majority to begin strike tomorrow after the first delivery Eight hun dred postmen employed in the delivery of newspapers and parcels went out after the last distribution tonight.
 The strike movement gained greatly throughout the day, Paris being prac- tically isolated from the rest Of franee and France from the outside world. Eight thousand strikers met tonight and passed a resolution to maintain the struggle to the end.
 Premier Clemenceau declares that the Government is ready for fight. and will not recede in its determin,- ton to force the strikers to the wall. A very serious situation. however. has arisen through the inability or the Government to communicate with US foreign representatives and tonight the strikers cut the private telephone wire connecting the Elysee Palace with the various ministries. Troops are heid in readiness at Versailles to rem force the Paris troops in case any demonstration of a serious nature oc- CUTS tomorrow, which Is a holiday. There Is an alarming rurnor late to- night that the secretary of the rail- way employees union has promised 10 order out these men in sympathetic strike
 France, for time tonight, was practically cut off from telegraph and telephonic communication with the remainder of the world. and Paris was isolated. After a few hours. how ever, telephonic communication be- tween this city. London. and Berlin was restored by means of volunteers from other branches of the public ser vice. About 15O military telegraphers are now at work fin the central station and naval telegraphers are on their way here from Brest-
 Premier Clemenceau tonight natiy refused to offer terms to the strikers. He told the justices of Paris. who sug- gested a bill creating a superior coun- oil of administration which could con- slider the employees grievances. that the Government would promise nothing while the employees remained away from their posts. The Premier de- clared that the strike was senseless. entailing the gravest consequences not only to the business Of France. put 10 the country itself. from an interna- ttonal point of view. He expressed confidence that the Government will win.
 At o'clock thej operators at the Bourse station marched out. severing the last strands. which included the French Cable Company's New York Brest communication. Simultaneously, the failure of the night shift or tele- phone operators to make their appear ance put the final means of quick com munication out of commission.
 Some of the larger commercial and financial firms have sent agents to Lon don, Brussels, Antwerp, Strausburg and other places, where they are receiving messages and conducting operations The bourses here and at Lyons, Mar seilles and other centres are ar standstill owing to the lack or quo tations from foreign exchanges.
 The Foreign Office. In the midst or the Balkan crisis, is unable to commit nicate with It's operatives abroad, ana while the Government continues to in- sfst that it cannot surrender to It's re- bellious servants, 1t Is only too appar- ent that the measures thus far taken to suppress the strike movement have -heen ineffective. Threats of suspension and dismissal have only served to bring the employees of the various branches into closer union. Reserve operators who were summoned From