New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1909-05-12
GREAT LABOR WAR
BEGINS In FRANCE
STAIE EMPLOYEES LEATE
THEIR POSTS.
Parliament PoStpoHes Discussion of
Unions. and WOrbmen Prom ptly
TOte to Strike.

Paris. May 1.-THE Chamber Of Deputies
after stormy session OF four hours TO-DAY.
adjourned the debate on the interpretations on
the postal situation until May IS The Response
of the postal employees was quick and decisive
Within half an hour the Federal Committee rad
issued an order for general strike. and the
railway mail clerks walked out In a body An
hour later a meeting Of six thousand postal en-
ployes at the Hppodrome unanimously voted tn
strike There was no great enthusiasm shown.
but determination to force the hand OF the gov
ernment apparent
The government is playing for time: must
not be caught mapping vas the spirit Of ths
Federal Committees msetins. expressed by
NJ PaUron. dismissed postnlan and one OF the
most active organizers Of the movement
Toward the close Of this meeting the speakers
became more and mora excited in their denuu-
citation OF the government caricature Of NJ.
Clemenceau was carried into the hall amid boots
and jeers. and the Premier was denounced IN
violent terms
You are fighting for liberty Of opinion and
liberty Of association shouted VI. Pauron- "aTd
you must not resume work until You havs OBJ
tained the right TO unite a. a syndicate
DELEGATES SENT TO PROVINCES
A permanent strike COMMITTEES and branch
committees were created. and delegates wsrs
sent to the provinces 20 carry on active cam
paign TO make the strike complete The secret
committee. composed OF men whose names we're
not made public. 50 that they might escape the
governments surveillance. was abolished Dis
patches were received from many cities an
the postal employees but the various trsde
unions. The Miners Congress. now IN session
at Lens. also pledged aid.
The president Of the COMMITTEES said that rot
a letter must leave Paris to-morrop.
NJ Pauron assured the meeting that ith The
aid Of King" Pataud, the electricians leader.
way could Be found 70 upset the wireless system
The meeting closed with .hs adoption ~ , rsso-
luton condemning the disloyalty Of the govern
ment and binding all present 20 remain on strike
until full satisfaction had been given
The general opinion tonight - that the sNv
ernu1ent. with the aid of the soldiers and the CO
operation Of the commercial bodies. vill b4 sbls
TO maintain crippled services The main danssr
is that violence may occur and that passions
may be aroused By the appearance on TIRE .scen@
OF the General Federation OF Labor
MOTOR CARS FOR BUSINESS LETTERS
The Paris Chamber of Commerce tonight
sent ont letter 70 all chambers cf conmsrrs
in France with full instructions relative -
scheme for business letter service. which -
20 -. csrriad out n the railroads fail BY means
81 automobiles The projects 81 the various do
nart17ants have already made arrangements for
these machines
NM Senbat and WiIlm. Socialists. ~ ~
course Of the debate In the Chamber defended
the position Of the strikers Affirming their right
to organize themselves into syndicate as ths
only way OF redrsssinS their grievances. and
charging that the government had failed 70 ksep
its promises at the conclusion of The previous
strike. especially regarding the retirement ~
NJ. Simyau, Under Secretary Of Posts and Tels-
grsp phs-
NJ DeschaneI considered the crisis grave He
laid the responsibility for the present situation
largely on "parIismentarisu,' which. he said
was working in vicious circle and he BE-
lieved that the only remedy would bs the in
PRODUCTION Of real civil service. based on merit
TO end favoritism and the spoils system
THE GOVERNMENT STILL FIRM.
NJ. Barthou, Minister OF Public Works. ths
governments only spokesman. insisted thst
neither he nor Premier Clemenceau lad prom
ised Secretary simyan's dismissal He pro
duced the official journal as proof OF what h-
had said The minister reafhrmed the gov
ernment's unalterable opposition To concsdinE
the right of state employees to form syndi-
cate as there was analogy between Their
case and that OF ordinary worLmen. who Eers
NOT protected against stoppags OF work and
had no guarantee OF promotion and pensions
in old age
eff parliament asks US TO reverse our stti-
tude" continued NJ BarthOu. I'VE will retire
and leave to others the abdication. which would
be a mortal blow TO the inanenable rights
which Parliament holds from the nation and 70
the essential permanent and vital interests OF
the nation itself"