The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-10-12
SERIOUS TROUBLE
 IS THREATENED
Parisian Railroad Strike Is
 Becoming Worse
8O,O00 MEN ARE INVOLVED
City of Paris is Already Suffering For Want of Supplies For the Homes and Freight Business
 Is Prostratcd

Paris, october 1.-The French govern ment is again facing a serious strike situation. The employees of the North ern railroad went on strike early today and tonight the strike spread to the Western railroad, which Is owned by the state. Indications are that tomorrow will see a complete tie up in northern and western France.
 The strike at the present time involves | about 5000 men. The strike on the Western road was voted this evening by 5000 men employed in Paris and the suburbs
 They count upon the national unions to tie up the provinces. It is reported the movement may possibly extend to the Eastern and the Paris Lyons and Mediterranean railroads.
 As is usual in such circumstances, the city of Paris is threatened with a scarcity of food supplies. Freight and mail passenger transportation is partial ly prostrated, and the vast army of working people in the northwest are un- able to reach their places of business. Military engineers are taking the places of the strikers and troops are guarding
 
 of the roads. Large military forces were hastily distributed on the first evil dence that a strike had been declared, and additional troops were ordered out tonight
 The strikers have voted to continue the strike until their demands are met, but they have requested conferences with the railroad officials.
 The more conservative newspapers condemn the strike indicating revo- lutionary general federation of labor trying to absorb the railroad unions, but the socialist press halls it as a com mendable battle to obtain needed re- dress.
 The government has decided upon an important step in an attempt to break the strike on the Northern railway. The official journal published a decree calling to the colors about 5000 employees of the national road. This immediately subjects the men to military discipline.
 There has been ill-feeling on the part of the employees for some time, owing to the refusal of the Northern railroad to increase the wages of the men.
 The demands of the employees are as follows:
 1. general increase in wages to meet the high cost of living.
 ?. retroactive application of the em- ployeS' pension law.
 B. A more equitable division of work.
 4. Granting of one day off in seven for all employees.
 3. Distinct employment by the month instead of by the day.
 As soon as the company and authorities learned the situation the Paris terminus of the road was occupied by the military, guards and police.
 The strikers threaten to draw to their support the employees of the state rail- road lines.
 Work ceased first on the freight trains and none of these left the city last night. Early in the night telegraphic and tele- phonic communication along the road was interrupted and thus the management was in ignorance of what trains were moving.
 The postal department hurriedly pre- pared an automobile service to carry the mails in the north.
 No trains left this city between mid night and o'clock. Several mail trains for Germany suspended operations. Others proceeded for Brussels after long delay.
 It was learned that at St. Dennis $50 engineers, out of a total of 600, refused to man their engines. At La Chappelle 90 per cent of the men struck. At some of the depots 50 per cent of the employees failed to report for duty. Inquiries on lines other than the Northern, both state and private, developed decided strike sentiment.