The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1909-08-10
TCopyright, 1909, by P. S. RidsdaIe,
for Samuel Gompers.)

y
Paris, July II, 1909.
The various passing phases of trade
nnionisin in France, as coupled with
revolutionary political projects, form
q stock theme for writer's Of all sorts
of opinions on the subject, from the
dreamer who catches in one or anoth-
er of the attendant circumstances, a
promise Of the fulfillment of his ideal
state, to the cynical newspaper man
who sees in the continuous perform
ances Of the contesting leaders an
endless supply of copy. There is
always something new to chronicle,
something fresh to be offered in
In this letter the confident conclusions
to which one might arrive after an ex-
haustive inquiry into the present
phase, but my opportunities during the
last week have been unusually good
for seeing some of the governing
facts in this situation.
I have been in touch with the
leading characters in the French Ia
Dor movement, in and out Of office,
have spoken at an important meet
ing where representatives Of all sides
were present, and free to ask me
questions, and have been interviewed
by a swarm Of newspaper men who
wanted at my hotel to make articles
out Of me, to earn their honest liv-
Ing and whom in turn I have inter-
viewed.
My short trip in France now over,
with many events occurring daily that
had some relation with my mission, I
feel called upon first to say that the
cordiality with which I was treated on
all occasions, most gratifying as it was
1eft me with the feeling that the orga-
nized French ~rkn recognize the
significance to themselves of the
American labor movement and wish to
1earn the principles which have been
the cause of our advancement. While
in my talks, in public and private, [
was called upon to explain our meth
DDS, at times to that necessary extent
which embodied the criticism of the
sort of politics that hamper the
Fl eel labor movement, I was listen
ed to in every instance with attention
and respect. There vas shown very
little Of hat spirit of ~wrangling and
demonstration tina has unfortunately
characterized those leaders Of social
ism in America who without sound
reason pretend to think that they are
promoting the same cause as the
socialists of Europe.
The reader may at once get a point
of observation which, whether entirely
correct or not, will enable him to sur
Ney the situation as a whole if I be-
gin by stating the views Of M. Rene
IIviani, Minister of Labor and Mem
Der of the French Cabinet, as he gave
Al10Iu ~ III III III lLO IfAS" I'LL
day, the morning after the national
celebration Of the fall Of the Basti11e,
July 14th. His are, Of course, the
views Of the present administration
or, as they say here, Government OF
France. I was presented to M. Vfvi-
ami formally in his office by M.
Barrat, one of the Investigators Of the
department., to whom the usual
courtesies to strangers had been ex-
tended by my last year at the Ameri-
can Federation of Labo headquarters
in Washington.
M. Viviani is an enthusiastic ad-
mirer of American trad unionfsn.
After the greetings, I asked M. V1v1-
ami what grounds there were for the
statements I had frequently heard be-
fore and since coming to France,
that his government was opposed to
working class organizations to such
an extent that on the occurrence or
a strike Of any the authOr1-
ties might be expected to order the
intervention of the army or provide
a supply of strike M. Vivi-
ami replied that the charge was base
less. Never had the present govern
1nent interfered on any OCCASION,
when the strike was between a pri-
Nate employer and his men, except
when actual violence had taken place,
with attacks upon persons and de-
struction Of property. It was then
only when Government employees had
gone on strike, endangering the pub
lie safety, hat soldiers were sent to
the scene or men hired to take the
place of the strikers TN these
cases. said he, the Nation being /
the employer. the suspension of an
essential public business and the sta
bility Of society were threatened. A
strike of Government functionaries
could not be tolerated. The work Of
postmen and Government telegraph
operators, for example, must go on I'M
interruptedIy if a country is to main
tain order, peace, communication from
Mace to place., publicity Of current
events and those conditions Of COM
merce in which above all other classes
the masses of working men have a
vital interest. The present Govern
ment found it necessary to put an end