New-York tribune., 1920-05-13
Awaits
Next Blow lin
Labor Battle
Violence or Calling Of a
General Strike to Avcnge
Federation Dissolution
by Government Feared
Arrest Workers Leaders
Union Extremists Opposed
by Moderates, Who Seek
10 Reach an Agreement
By Ralph Courtney

t.onv-,yht Ia2o. New York Tribune Inc
PARIS, May 12.-No Western Euro.
..so country has yet dared to take
such drastic action against labor or
an;za.ions as France decided upon
wsea the Cabinet, meeting under Pre-
n,er Millerand, decreed the dissolu-
tom of the great nationwide fedora
Ion Of French workers.
There is an air of breathlessness and
seurry in the French capital to-day,
with Parlsians hurrying home in omn-
buses conducted b. amateur drivers
and tram cars. Girl electrical students
are helping to run the dynamos in TIC
mower stations, and nobody knows what
tomorrow will bring forth. VIII the
militants resort TO violence to avcnge
their defeat. or will the workers, see
ing all is lost unless they stand to-
eether be able to make general strike
effective enough to hurt?
Labor Wanted to See Bill
Leon Jonhaux, president of the fed
,ration. and other labor leaders, are
now on the same footing as Bolsheviki.
Many already have been arrested and
others are likely to follow them to Jail
The federation ordered the present
strikes on political grounds. They en-
deayored TO exert pressure on the gov.
eminent 20 compel It under direct ac-
ton" to acknowledge labor's power on
the national llzatlon issue. Labor would
have been content if the government
had been willing TO show the workers
the new railway organization bill which
Is 10 be presented to the Chamber on
Nav l.. The federation would have
been satisfied if the government even
had consented to carry on negotiations
with 1t on the question Of nationalist
ton. To all these entreaties Mlllerand
replied:
you cannot see the railway scheme
before the country's legislature sees it,
and there can be no negotiations with
the workers until all strike orders are
withdrawn
Nilerand S doing what Lloyd George
failed TO accomplish in the great EUg-
lish railway strike. The French have
gone further now in striking a dead y
blow al the heart of the whole syndi-
calist organization.
The French law strictly defines The
power of the syndicalst on striking
providing only for strikes on profes
siona or economic grounds. MlleranC
indicates that he VIII fight to finish
against direct action.
Federation's Me'tod
The Labor Federation has been fcn.
Ing the government by successive wave:
Of strikes. The present strike has last
ed since the railway men started at
the beginning of May. The Labor Fed
eration has called out successivel ly
seven other unions TO support the rail
way men. The first wave Of the work
ers' attack was that of the miners
lockers and seaWen. Then followed
the metallurglsts, general transport
workers, subway employees and finally
the electricians, thus producing on pa
rer everything short of a general strike
which Is the federation's last card.
Despite all these strike proclama
lions. sufficient strike breakers and de
serterS from the union have been four1
10 carry or the community much az
usual Each day had brought more men
back TO work and every one was re
signed to tho collapse Of the strike
when the idea spread that the govern
ment should use the occasion to squa h
the central workers organization.
Public opinion and the great major
iiy Of the workers are uudoubtcdly
against strike. but this does not pre-
vent trepidation a what the result OF
the government, drastic action may be
PARIS, May T. The Federation OF
Labor has decided TO extend the strike
movement by calling out the electric
light, gas and furniture trade workers
1t also has advised the Syndicalismc Ia
Jernationale Of the measures of repres-
sion adopted by the French government
toward the federation an attitude
1t says, which CONSTITUTES a dangerous
precedent with respect to the develop
ment of the international workers
movement The Internationale is in
vited to add lis protest to the action
Of the French proletarat and resolute-
y defend Its organization.