Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-10-25
RAILWAY WAGE Low
Review of Conditions Leading
to Strike in France.
GOVERNMENT HAS CONTROL
Minister of Public Works Clothed
With Large Powers.
COST OF LIVING GONE UP
Men Complain That Conditions Are
Undermining Their Status as
French Citizens.
GOVERNMENT HAS CONTROL
COST OF LIVING GONE UP
CORRESPONDENCE Of The Star.

Foreign CORRESPONDENTS Of The Star
LONDON, October 1870
Although the great French railway
strike Is on the road to settlement after
immense losses on both Sides glance
at the conditions that brought about
such struggle and just missed plunging
the country into general strike is OF in
terest at the present moment. when so
| much hangs on the issue between en-
ployers and employees all over France
In France, as in America, there is no
real national railway system as in Ger
many and few other states on the con-
tinent Of Europe. Several lines are owned
and worked by the state, and the rest are
privately owned and worked, but have
minimum dividend guaranteed by the
government, so that, in effect, any heavy
expenditure, such as might be incurred
in meeting the railway mems demands,
would ultimately be met by the state.
Has Large Personal Powers.
The railways are under the control of
the minister of public works. who has
large personal powers in regulating the
conditions of employment. NJ. Pierre
Baudin, when he was minister of public
works, overhauled the working conditions
and issued new instructions, dealing only
with the question Of hours. On the main
systems engineers and firemen's hours
were laid down at ten per day, and at
least ten hours complete rest per day, in
such manner that any consecutive Pc
riod OF ten days. counting from midnight
to midnight. should not exceed 100 hours
Of real work. and would comprise a COM
plete total of rests equal to 100 hours a
least.
Every ten days. on an average. a long
rest of twenty-four hours has to be
taken at home. This means that the en-
gfnemen work ten consecutive days, and
are then allowed one days rest: then
another ten days work before another
days rest is taken. The men are striv-
ing to abolish this system Of working:
bill should apply to them, and that one
days rest should be taken after six days
work.
Trainmen were placed upon a ten
ton Of half an hour. but no complete
rest interval Of twenty-four hours was
provided for until period Of fifteen con-
secutive days had been worked, and it
was possible for them to work thirty
continuous days without a break.
The trainment also demand a revision
Of these conditions. and ask for rest
day to be provided after working six
days.
Fight for Civil Liberties.
In addition to the demand for weekly
day OF rest, the men ask for a minimum
| wages OF francs SD a day. The men
| complain, too, of a gradual deterioration
| in their status as citizens. Their civil
| liberties are being interfered with and
their legal conditions are being slowly
undermined. owing to the. mutual under
standing between the administrators and
the government. They are determined
to stop the process. The deterioration
has been going on despite their protests
and in all probability has been one Of the
main factors in causing the strike.
OF the actual power behind the men 1t
IS dihicult to say, for the trade unions
OF France are somewhat self-cOntained
workmen who do not favor the direct &C
ton policy Of the trade unions are out
side the roll OF the unions; but the Ma
tional Syndicate OF Railway Workers had
a membership of 1880 persons twelve
months ago. and during the recent agita-
ton and the generalization OF the strike.
1t is said. these figures were increased
considerably
The scale Of salaries on the state rail-
ways, was fixed by decree OF Deem
Der 16. 1899. and amended in July, 1901,
since when the scale has not been alter
ed. The men contend that owing to the
rise I'm the price of food their standard
of living has been considerably reduced
and their purchasing power decreased,
and they demand that the scale of wages
shall be revised to make their position
equal to that Of the year 1901 Upon the
Southern railway Of Frs ar &c the en- en-
to a maximum Of $12, according to the
class. the grade being split up into six
classes. Firemen are split up into five
classes and their wages vary. according
to class, from $4.2o to $3.50 per week.
Fines for Lost Time.
In addition to these sums. there are
premiums. or bonuses. for coal and
time saving. amounting to a few CEN
times but II time is lost the engine
men may be fined to an amount equal
to the bonus on time saved. so that it
is possible for them to be out Of pocket
by the system at the end OF the week.
Day laborers are paid from 81 cents
to - cents per day. according to To-
! cality. Checkers obtain a maximum Of
1925 per week after five years in that
position. POintsmen receive $3.50 per
| week after five years service. Fore
man shutters start at a wage of $4.75
per week. and rise in varying amounts
to a maximum of 1886 per week. Por-
tiers are paid a minimum wage of s4.75,
| and rise to maximum of 1926 per
week. These figures are typical OF the
wages generally paid. In addition to
the normal wages, allowances for
on the Paris-Orleans railway, whose
| wages do not exceed 1915 per week
| in Paris.
From these figures it will be seen
that the conditions are such that any
| rise in prices affects the real wages
| which the men enjoy and the upward
world movement Of prices has reused
| seething discomfort among the rail-
| way workers, which has now found an
| outlet in the strike. Some method Of
dealing with this real discomfort will
! have to be found. both in France and
other countries. for the workers can
not be expected to view with equa-
| nimity the serious setback which this
| rise in prices entails.