The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1910-10-15
PARIS MAY S.TiARVE.
French Railway Strike Ties
Up Capital.
TROOPS BEING Modified
The Leaders Threaten to Paralyze
the Activities Of the Entire
Country by Calling Gen.
eral Strike.

Paris. oct. dissenting revolution
in the rapid spread OF the railway
strike and the defiance Of law and or
der by the strikers. the French gov
eminent is proceeding as II for war.
Carrisons In Paris have been strong
ly REINFORCED by troops hurriedly
brought in from the country. Large
bodies of soldiers have been dispatch
Ell 10 divisional points on all the trunk
railroads.
Paris has been practically cut Oh
from the outside world. Not a train
has entered the city from the west OF
north. The Eastern and the Paris, Ly
ons & Mediterranean roads already
are affected.
by tonight not a wheel will be turn
ing beneath a railway train in al
France. according TO union leaders
Following are the demands OF the
trainmen:
A general increase in wages to meet
the higher cost Of living.
a retroactive application Of the EN-
ployes' pension law.
A more equitable division Of work.
The granting OF one day of In sever
for all employees.
Distinct employment by the month
instead OF by the day.
The lowest pay OF a man on the
Northern line. on which the strike be
gan. is 60 cents n day.
a good portion Of the French rail
way lines is owned by the state.
Famine Is Threatened.
The pinch of famine already is felt
in Paris. Less than eigat days sup
ply OF -four remains and bakers are
curtailing their distribution. with O
threat OF raise in price Of loayes
unless immediate relief is in sight
Heavy conslgnments Of fruits and
vegetables destined for Belgium and
northern France are stalled and ruin
ed. Prices OF fish. eggs. butter and
milk jumped 25 per cent during the
day The merchants are arranging for
tine transportation OF vegetables from
the suburbs by automobiles
A series Of crisis will be precipltat
"a when the government attempts to
force the strikers to do military duty
as reseryists.
An Official decree is to be issued
calling every railway employe in the
country to the colOrs. They will re
fuse 10 respond on the ground that the
military code allows them a delay OF
fifteen DAYS Refusal to report for duty
Is punishable by from one 10 twelve
months in prison.
Great damage already has been in.
hicted on railway property. Miles OF
track have been torn up and wires
cut in all directions hating the dis
patching Of trains.
a catastrophe was narrowly averted
when the air tubes were cut on the
Southwest express. which Numbered
into the Austerlltz station at a mile a
minute. II was finally stopped usi
before reaching the Dorsant terminus
Strikers held mp the express train
for Havre at Bots Colonies and, coy
ering the engineer and fireman with
revolvers, compelled them to abandon
the locomotive. which was then I'M
coupled from the train and tipped over
acrocu tho traol
General Strike Threatened.
Encouraged by the effectiveness OF
the strike of employees on the North
ern and Western railroads and the ex-
tension Of the movement to the East.
ern road and to the Paris. Lyons and
Mediterranean lines, the leaders of the
French workingmen generally threat.
en- a gigantic move to paralyze the &C
tivities Of the whole country.
The electricians and the employees OF
the omnibus, metropolitan and sub
way transportation lines OF this city
considered the advisability Of seizing
this opportunity TO launch a strike for
a redress of long standing grievances.
The situation throughout the republic
Is regarded as grave.
The railway companies are making
a desperate struggle to maintain some
sort OF a service with the aid OF mill.
tary engineers and men from the
navy. but they are meeting with little
success.