SERIOUS RIOTS IN PARIS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 14281, 1 August 1908, Page 9

SERIOUS RIOTS IN PARIS

WORKMEN 1 ON* STRIKE. CONFLICT WITH THB TROOPS. FIREARMS REPORTED TO. Pre=s Association—By Telegraph—Copyright, PARIS, July 31. (Received July 31, at 11.50 p.m.) Owing to allegations that the authorities had treated the strikers in the eandpi'ts at Draveil and Vigiieaui harshly, the workmen of tho building and allied trades in Paris struck for tho day and organised a monster demonstration, proceeding to Vigneaux. The chief organiser, a man named Greffuel'hcs, a loading official of tho General Confederation of Labour, had issued a (manifesto frankly describing the demonstration as a preparatory skirmish in the coming war between the worker and tho parasite, meaning the capitalist. Anticipating an anarchical outbreak, two cavalry divisions were bchd to assist the gendarmerie an<'' police iu tho Vigneaux districtFour thousand Parisian strikers trudged tlrithcr, and, after eome speeches, a large group, preceded by a red flag, started, towards Melun. They came in contact" with a detachment ,of cavalry, greeting them with cries of "Down with the army." Stones were thrown and' sticks brandished to frighten tho horses. After a, fruitless parley, followed by pistol shots from the rioters, tho soldiers struck them with the flat of their sabres, dispersing t'liem. (Received Aug. 1, at 0.20.a.m.) Simultaneously another body was prevented from using barricades. The dragoons and cuirassiers, pursuing and! dismounting, fought their way up a railway embankment in a band! to hand encounter against an improvised Tjurricado of trucks. Tho most serious conflict fccctrnred 1 later in the main street of Villenenvo Saint Georges. A barricade consistmg of timber and chains was placed across the street. Shots were fired from tho barricades and also from the windows- and roofs of tho houses, besides which ifoere were showers of stones and! bottles. The prefect of the department telegraphed for reinforcements, declaring that' tho strikers were masters of the situation. After vain l appeals to tho rioters' and' firing four times in tie air, tho troops fired a volley, wounding several and killing two. Three others sncouinbecL About) 20 .wero injured in the eaibre charges. A IbuUct grazed a general of foot and another hit a colonel on the shouldm. The stones and shots hurt 20 soldiers. IT, Clemenceau (Premier) announced that a judicial inquiry will be bold into tho conduct of those guilty of rebelioq against tho forcps of the State, ond 1 iieij) instigators.