FRENCH LABOUR TROUBLES

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2506, 20 May 1909, Page 5

FRENCH LABOUR TROUBLES

CABLE NEW'S.

THE GENERAL CONFEDERATION OF LABOR. ONLY EXISTED ON PAPER. United Press Association —Copyright. PARIS, May 18. Disillusionment has been caused by the failure of every strike patronised by the General Confederation of Labor, which for .months past has bluffingly professed to be able to paralyse society and the Government. This explains the collapse of the postal strike in Paris.

M. Niel, secretary of the Confederation, addressing the Miners’ Congress at Lens, sorrowfully admitted that the organisation merely existed on paper, and urged the workers to make it a reality. The speech is interpreted as the “swan song” of the present revolutionary movement. Forty-six more postal strikers have been dismissed.

ACTION OF THE EXTREMISTS.

AN ATTEMPTED GENERAL

STRIKE

(Received May 19, 10.15 p.m.)

PARIS, May 19

On behalf of a small remnant of workmen in the category of postal strikers, and also to secure, besides the reinstatement of the dismissed employees, the concession of their original demands, the extremists goaded the Committee of the General Confederation oi Labor into voting for a general strike. The committee accordingly issued a manifesto urging the trade unions to immediately strike. The carpenters’ and masons’ laborers’ unions in Paris are responding. The Government Bili authorised State servants to combine for professional purposes, but forbids affiliation with non-State workers’ unions.