The Connecticut labor news. (New Haven, Conn.) 1921-1925, 1921-09-30
LABOR "DEFLATINC"
FRENCH EMPLOYERS
COURT STIFF FIGHT
Workers Resist Attempts of Prof.
teers to Unload Burdens of
Peace Reconstruction.

regions, involving the textile indus
tries, metal trades, bakers and some
OF the transportation branches. 1t
is expected that the number Of idle
men will be materially increased
The government is greatly detected
at the rejection by the employers OF
all efforts Of the Ministry OF Labor to
effect settlement by compromise on
wages for the next six months, al
though the workers themselves favor
such an agreement
The Lille garrison is being rein
forced for the protection Of food sup
plies and several detachments OF cav
airy have been forwarded to patrol
the railway lines wherever there
have been threats of sabotage.
The French General Federation OF
Labor is making an earnest effort to
prevent the strike spreading to other
districts, as it is planned to fight the
problem Of decreasing wages in one
sector instead of interfering with the
nations productivity as whole,
There is a danger, however, that
highly inf1ammable industrial situa-
ton, the entire nation will soon be
struggling against the greatest social
confagration in its history, except
ing only the Revolution.
Extremists have for two and more
wears been telling workers that Just
as soon as the prohteers had wrung
the last Genuine out Of the war they
would attempt to lower the standards
OF living and, if they could, force
the workers back into a condition
approaching slavery. These violent
agitators are now everywhere IN
Weighing against the government and
telling to eager listeners that the
French people in victory will be in a
sorrier plight than are the German
workers in defeat.
In forcing the issue now the indus
trialists have imperilled the interests
of their country. There will be many
anxious days before they succeed in
taking from producers the things they
gained during the war, if they ever
do.
French manufacturers have for sew
eral months been demanding the ode
hation" of labor, but there has been
some diffidence as to who should first
bell the cat or suggest to the work
ers that they must accept lower
wages.
Propaganda Doing It's Work.
In publications controlled by the
employing classes there has been a
veritable flood of propaganda intend
ed to influence a state of mind in the
working groups that would be con-
ducive to a peaceful and unresisting
acceptance of the program mapped
out for them. They have been told
that they must for the time being be
content with less wages, but the as
surance was held out to them that
they would reap the benefit in cheap
er necessities of life within a few
months.
The "defation" methods employed
in the United States and the results
gained there have been referred to as
demonstrating the necessity of a
similar policy being adopted for
French industries. Lower wages and
longer hours in America, the French
worker was told, would be handicaps
against French manufactures that
would be disastrous The "pauper
labor" of America, press and forum
have held out, threatened to destroy
the economic advantage that French
men have enjoyed since the war.
French commercial travellers were
reported to be coming back with
stories to the effect that they were
being undersold in every market
Iments published throughout the ma
Steel Trust had made a number of
cuts in the wages of workers, who
were now back to the before-the
war level, and in addition were work
ing IL hours a day and seven days a
week The ensuing competition, it
was declared, could not be otherwise
than ruinous.
Metal Employers Launch Drive.
Shortly thereafter the great metal
founders declared a IS per cent. re-
Iuction in wages, and their move was
instantly followed by every other
branch of industry. Adding to the
confusion was an announcement by
Finance Minister Doumer that extra
"war bounties" granted for the high
cost of living and not made perman-
ent must cease forthwith in all gov
eminent controlled industries.
In some instances workers have
accepted this situation as inevitable,
but vast majority is going to resist
wage cuts just as long as possible.
In Lille, Tourcoing and Roubaix fac
tories nave naQ 10 damp their hreS
and the men are holding their ranks
we'll. AS was to be suspected, ex-
tremists there are taking advantage
Of their opportunity to spread radi-
cal and revolutionary doctrines, with
more success than the government
will publicly admit
1t has been apparent to careful STU
dents here that sooner or later
French employers and employees
would come to grips, and the struggle
is expected to be long and bitter,
with results that no one can clarly
prophecy. BY maintaining satisfactory
>wags for the industrial workers and
Withholding crushing taxes from the
peasants the government has been
able to pursue its destructive imper-
ialistic policies, but now the end has
been reached.
Bitterness Against Profteers.
The citizenship is outraged and in
dignant because the specially favored
exploited the war and made uncon-
scionable profits out of the miseres
Of the people. These profteers are
today in absolute control Of the gov
eminent, as they have been fCr seven
years. They are determined to keep
their gains, if that be possible, and
the cutting of wages and the shifting
of taxes are in consonance with this
determination. The worker, who
bore the brunt of the war; is now to
bear the brunt of reconstruction, if