The sun., 1919-06-05
CLEMENCEAU RULE
MENACED BYLABOR
Immediate Concessions Arc
Planned to Halt Spread
of Strikes.
Special Cable Despatch TO TIE suS.
Copyright. 1919: oil rights reserved.


PARIS. June 4.-The present chaotic
condition of the French labor world
appears to have had repercussion in
the Government, creating a veritable
interior crisis the consequences where
of are fraught with serious POSSIBLE
tiles. 1t is difficult to say at this time
whether this aggravation of an al
ready serious Cabinet crisis will cause
a shakeup in the Clemenceau Govern
ment, since It is realized on all sides
that to recognize the Cabinet at this
stage would inevitably lead to a re-
opening of factors that might lessen
the benefits France already has OBJ
tanned.
The French Bolshevists, however,
like their Russian brethren, never
stop to calculate the effect of their
actions on the country at large. and
they may continue to excite the masses
to a point where serious difficulties
will be met.
Quick action following a consultation
OF the Cabinet may hinder the lightning
like spread OF strikes. 1t has been de-
cided to make Immediate concessions to
organized labor. The Government is
we'll aware that the present movement Is
political rather than economic.
Concessions by Government.
One Of the first demands on which the
Government will yield will be that OF
granting a general amnesty for political
criminals. Another. will be the adoption
Of liberal labor legislation. especially in
matters concerning arbitration. The
Government Is dealing with the masses
this time through the press and not
through labor leaders. as formerly. This
is part of the Governments plan to sep
arate the Bolshevlst ringleaders from the
masses, which. spurred on by a number
OF indictments, follow wherever they are
led.
The present Bolshevist leaders in
France are considered the most danger
Gus type Of Sovieusts. principally be-
cause they are not Russians but native
F'renchmen. numbering among them sew
eral legislators with more OF less of a
following. Some OF them are extremely
clever politicians, good orators and often
interruptions. They have organized dis
contented labor to an extent almost I'M
believable.
They have taken advantage OF the
delays In peace making TO ran the flame
OF revolution among the labor masses
who have been struggling for 1--WE years
against exorbitant living costs.
Their plan. briefly. is TO create a sftua-
ton whereby wages would be forced so
high that production would become i'm
possible. following which they would
proceed to proletarianize the bourgeoisie,
rather difficult task in France. whose
very foundation rests on the petite bour-
geoisie With the shutting down of fac
tories as the result of non-production
| they expect a revolution will follow
after which they hope to set up a die
| tatorship Of the proletariat and establish
a liaison with Moscow.
First Successful Steps.
That they have succeeded In their
| initial efforts can easily be seen in the
| fact that to-day almost 1000 900 French
men and women workers are on strike
| Gripping nearly every industry. The
| Bolshevists have overturned every YES
tige OF organized syndlcalism.
! Negotiations between employers ant
employees up to the present have failed
| simply because concessions of an eco
nomic character. and even increases IL
wages are not sufficient to concillate tn,
workers.
| 1t Is interesting to note that the WORK
ing week in France has been boiie'
down to forty hours
The extremist leaders declare that on
OF the chief aims OF the present strlR
manifestations is to make great demon
strations before the Peace Conference
thus to impress the members with thei
power.
Action by the Government is expecte
quickly as is also some swift move o
the part of the Bolsheviki.