CHINESE LABOUR IN FRANCE

Evening Post, Volume XCIII, Issue 98, 25 April 1917, Page 11

CHINESE LABOUR IN FRANCE

AN ELABORATE CONTRACT BUT NO DIPLOMATIC CONVENTION. In the New Statesman, a Chinese correspondent writes as follows : -"• Not long ago, when 1 was in Paris. I was authorised by the French Wav Office to visit certain factories where Chinese labourers are employed in engineering work. The Chinese have been employed in Several foreign countrie&»in the past—in California, in Australia, in the West Indies, and in South Africa; but the only instance (since 1866) which is parallel to the experiment in France is that of the Transvaal. In the other countries named the Chinese went there as free labourers to seek for employment at their own discretion. They were under the care of certain syndicates, but no. contract was signed before they left China. In the case of the Transvaal, the Asiatic labourers were impoitied under contract, a' convention was , signed between Britain and China for 1 their protection, and regulations were imposed to make such protection effective.

The introduction of the Chinese into France this year was also associated with an elaborate contract, but no diplomatic convention waß possible. China is neutral in this wai", and being 1 anxious to conform to a neutral's duty | she did not see her way to sign a con- ! vention. Private citizens can expott I goods or render service to any belliger 1 ent countryj but encouragement or sane- | tibn on the part of a Government vsrould be nnneutral. Nevertheless, the Pekiu I Government cannot evade its duty of | looking after the v/elfare of its subjects, I while it would become a serious matter if they were absorbed, into the fighUrig 1 force of France. Hence the first article lof the contract signed between, the | French Labour Commissioner in Pekin , and the labourer provides that the • lal bour recruited shall, under no circumI stances, participate in any military i operations, and shall only bs employed [ in the execution of public or private inj dustrial or agricultural work in France, lin Algiers, or in Morocco. For the rigorous observation of this clause the French Minister in Pekin is made responsible. VALID FOR FIVE YEARS. , The contract is valid for five years, but at the end of the third year the French Commission for Recruiting Manila! Labour may put an end to the engagement. ■ Oil tho other hand, the labourer may, if he wishes, stay in France or in her colonies after the expiry of his contract without limit; the slay does not deprive him of the right to * free shipment when he ultimately seeks to return. The period of five years begifis frdm the day of embarkation from Cliina, but does not include the time required for his return voyage. The labourers are divided into two (Jasses—skilled and unskilled. J'or I the former the daily wago is 1 franc 50 centimes, and for the latter 1 franc 25 I centimes. For both the maximum num- ! bar of working hours is 10 per tlay. In addition to these daily wages every unskilled labourer receives 35 ftancsper month for his family or dependents, and every skilled labourer 40 francs. These family allowances are • paid in China through a syndicate^ while the dailywages are paid directly to tho em'i ployees. After the first year the wages of the" skilled labourers may bo increased if they have improved in the qualities required for their profession; on the other hand, those ,who, after a i month's trial, are hot Up to the standard, are no longer to be employed as I skilled labour, and are to be paid on the I scale of their unskilled colleagues. | Wages are, of bourse, "tonly paid during ' the time actually at work and during | the voyage to France. On holiday's only I a daily compensation of 50 centimes is | given. 1 WAGES AND FOOD. ] The wages may not be tempting, but 1 one must consider that food, lodging, ! and clothing are also provided fof the labourers free of charge. The contract I ! fixes the daily amount of ration allowed to each. It is 100 grammes of rice, I ■ 1000 grammes of wheat, 180 grammes' of ! meat, 230 grammes of vegetables, 15 ! 1 grammes of tea, 15 grammes of lard, | , and 45 grammes of salt. Ctoking, eat- | ing utensils, and fuel are to be given on I tho labourer's demand. In the paper | mill of Nanterre and in the Pouderie dv Bouchet—which I have visited—the ration supplied was not only more than the amount here specified, but the interpreters (French and Chinese) in charge of the 'groups of Chinese workmen could apply for a. greater variety of meat, fish, or vegetables in'greater quantity, so long as it is within a reasonable 1 limit. I saw the kitchen, and I saw the labourers at dinner; in fact; I dined amongst them. Meat was provided for | every me^.l on four or five days in the j week, fish being given as a change oh ' one or two days. One or two of the labourers acted exclusively as the cooks, cooking rice and meat in tho Chinese way. French bread, was so much appreciated that some of the workmen ate less rice, and all seemed to enjoy their meals very much. One thing they cdmplained about was that they had no chopsticks, ' but after a few days they were quite 1 used to knives and forks.

Beds Were set up in a- hall, pvhere all! slept together. When I was there some complained that they were cold. But .the interpreters—who are the medium between the employers and the workmen—were to notify the former to this effectj arid I hope niore blankets have been given, in,this intensely cold wintef. The French Government has given evidence of being sincerely concerned for the welfare of the Chinese. October 10th was the National Fete of China, and an order (which I, SEtw) was issued by the authorities td all the employers to the effect' that that diy. should be 'si.holiday fdr all tha Chinese", lihd that special privileges -should be given. So far as I 'know, those employed in the Poiidßrie dv Bouchet got exfaa. pay to the amount of 3 francs for that day— Which was to be spent in a trip to Paris. Early that morning I met them in the Gare de Lyons, and later sa.w thetn thronging the Place de la Bastille. technical Education. '

The Chinese of the intellectual class in France pressed on the"French Goyeriiijrient td give, the labourers, technical education. China is in heed of engineers and skilled labourers, and factories: like thosfe .in Which the immigrants are employed, in .France, are good fields for j training- them. The 5000 Chinese in France to-day should not only fearn2 or '3 'f Janes a 'day, but should, on their return, take tack some technical knowledge for the indies'trial development of fheir oV/ri country. The opportunity /is the. more Valuable in a fetv' coses, inasmuch as soirie of the iiib'bitrers liave already beSri trained in some modern factories in China. The French Govern 1 ment has 'been requested to give them facilities for education. The fiTst staji towards tills is to teach them French and sll*o the Chinese ■ written langttage. General edticatioh in history and science may also bs riee'essarjr for training their minds, and technical deta.ils amy ba taught in ths Beco.nd .or. third year. ,XhiS

scheme, "having baen sapponted. by niany members of the French Chamber and Senate, and approved by the War Office, has already bes:i put into practice. 1 saw for myiseif" interpreters teaching French spelling and Chinese characters. ■ I was xolcV that, apart from the .5000 Chinese workmen who are already in France, 20,000 more aie-comingi In wartime, at any rate, there in no question of conflict, with French labour. On the part of the Chinese- I seize the oppdrv tiinity to say that we are glad to be of use to the Allies, anti we nope that the French industrial education will be beneficial for the induetriKlisation of our cfttn land. .