The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-04-13
CHAMPAGNE WAR
 RACES IN FRANCE Infuriated Wine Growers
 Demolish Villages TROOPS CALLED OUT French Senate Passes Bill Suppress ing Territorial Restriction On
 Champagne Manufacture.
 Result Serious

Paris, April 12-The storm raised by the vote In the senate yesterday re- opening the delimitation question with reference to champagne districts gives no signs of abating. On the contrary there seems a probability of the dis turbances spreading to the Bordeaux wine regions. A serious agitation mas already broken out in the Charente, Dordoghe, Lot and Garonne depart ments whose situation with respect to Gronde corresponds to that of Aube to Marne, and the president of the united unions of the Gironde wine growers declared today that the sup rression of the territorial delimita- lions in the Bordeaux region would be followed by the gravest conse- quences.
 The latest dispatches from the champagne districts describe the situ- ation as greatly aggravated tonight. Mobs continue to burn and destroy the property of unpopular merchants whom they accuse of importing grapes from Aube and other departments from which they manufacture wine desig- mated as Marne champagne.
 The authorities are rushing rein forcements of troops to the affected centers but the movement of the wine growers has been so skillfully organ ized that the destruction has been done and the rioters have gone before the troops reach the scene.
 The champagne question formed the subject of debate in the chamber of deputies today and after listening to statement by Premier Menis, the cham Der voted confidence In the government practically unanimously so that the senates resolution Is not legally ef- fective.
 The premier maintained his decision to refer the matter of the modifica- ton of the delimitation law to the council of state, France's highest ad- ministrative court, which he said might be trusted to pronounce on this grave question with entire impartiality and independence of judgment
 Cha,ons sur-Marne. France. April .l2.- The champagne war" which has broken out in the wine district of Marne because of the senates action In adopdong resolution favoring the suppression of all territorial delimitations in the cham pagne districts as likely to provoke dis sensions in various sections of France, has assumed serious aspect The riot ing threatens to parallel the widespread disorders in the champagne districts four years ago. which resulted in the procla- nation of martial laws
 Wine presses and cellars in several towns have been demolished. Hundreds of thousands of bottles of champagne have been destroyed
 At Damery six wine houses were wrecked. The streets are so filtered with broken bottles that traffic was inn peded -
 At yenteuil the rioters destroyed sev- eral large wine presses. Troops were forced to charge with fixed bayoncts to dispense the mob.
 Several thousand wine growers, well or Canized, are marching on Epernay, the champagne entrepot, from Damerys to destroy the Epernay wine cellars, Sew eral thousand troops have been concen- trated at Epernay and tt other threat ened points In the vicinity. but an i'm portant division of he wine manifestants succeeded in avoiding the troops and reached Epernay this afternoon in small groups Then the separate bands re- formed and sacked several depots of champagne Troopers charged the rioters with drawn sabers and several persons were wounded.
 The remaining force of the wine grow CTS column which left Damery this morn ing were stopped by troops at the town ~~s~
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