FRENCH LABOUR LEADER'S JOKE.

Marlborough Express, Volume XLIII, Issue 113, 11 May 1909, Page 8

FRENCH LABOUR LEADER'S JOKE.

HOW A PARIS HOTEL WAS

DISCIPLINED

"King Pataud," the ' secretary of the Trade Union, of Paris Electricians., .who turned out the lights .all over Paris last August, _ gave a further demonstration of his power on Saiturday, March 6th, by placing the Hotel Continental in darkness for nearly half an hour.

"jiing Pataud" is a mighty personage in the 'Paris industrial world, and his •importanice was emphasised by the manner in which he negotiated with the hotel authorities.

The Hotel Continental has its own electric Mght plaint, and the fifteen men employed demiaaided a rise in wages on the last day of February. The request was ignored, and at 6.30 last night "King Pataud" called at the hotel and sent his card ro the manager. The manager was busy and refused to see him, whereupon "King Pataud" scribbled a telephone number on his card and isent it back to the manager with this message.:— "Tell him," he said, "that I am not in the habit of being turned away. However busy he may be now, he, will be glad to see me soon. Tell him 1-hat this telephone number will find me.*'

M. Pataud went out, and f.ve minutes later the lights, in the hotel did the same. It was dinner time, and an important banquet was to take place, with M. Vivdanii, the Minister of Labour, in the chain*. Confusion reigned. ■ Candles w<-xe searched for. The manager telephoned to the electricians, and was laughed at. He went down to them, and found them sitting calmly in the dark. They laughed again. ' So the manager Shunted for M. Pataud's caa-d and telephoned to tlat potentate.

"King Pataud" arrived, and was received by the manager in the dimly lighted vestibule. "I am not- in the habit of treating so serious a. question standing," was the "king's" first remark. He was handed a chair, and waited complacently while the manager signed an agreement raising iho salary of his eleatrioiains tenpence a day.

"King Pataud" strolled out of the hotel with this agreement in his pocket, and a moment later the' Hotel Continental was a blaze of light again.