FRENCH POSTAL TROUBLE. PARIS, May 11.

Otago Witness, Issue 2879, 19 May 1909, Page 19

FRENCH POSTAL TROUBLE. PARIS, May 11.

The Federal Committee of the Postal Kmployees has placarded Paris -with an appeal to Parliament to dismiss M. Snnyan, otherwise it will be war to the knife.

It is expected that a. strike will be declared to-mght.

The General Labour Federation is planning a triple strike — railwaymen, electricians, and postal employees. May 12. The ' French Parliament reassembled yesterday. The Socialists introduced a postal interpellation, and alleged that Clemenceau had deceived the officials by refusing M. Simyan's dismissal. M. Barthon, in replying, denied that a promise had been made to dismiss M. Simyan. Government would be impossible if trade unioiis'of State servants were allowed to become stronger than the representatives of the nation. The debate waG adjourned. A meeting of 10,000 . postal employees bitterly denounced the adjournment, and voted in favour of a strike, which began immediately. Troops are holding the Paris Post Office, and the Republican Guard are parading the streets. May 13. The strike has proved a fiasco, there being only 465 absentees from work. ' The strike leaders bluffed yesterday's meeting by imaginary conversations over a dummy telephone, whereby they suggested that the provinces supported the strike. The majority of the employees object to the revolutionary character imparted to the strike. Five hundred military telegraphists and electricians were summoned to Paris, and the wires were carefully watched.

Twenty-four out of 37 London-Paris wires are working, and many business firms are using them.

The Paris Chamber of Commerce has established courier services to the provinces, and the hotelkeepers have organised a foreign service via Brussels on behalf of 20,000 visitors in Parisian hotels.

The Government ha-s decided to dismiss 228 strikers.

There were 100 postal dismissals in this city to-day. M. Clemenceau is confident that the movement will collapse. May 14. During the postal debate in the Chamber of Deputies, the Socialists started singing the revolutionary air Internationale, commencing " Debout les damnees de la terre."

A great uproaT ensued. The Republicans raised the " Marseillaise," and the Royalists "La Vendenne."

The President (M. Brieson) adjourned the sitting at 4 o'clock. Otherwise the debate was uneventful.

M. Barthou stated that only 2357 out of 24,115 postal employees were now striking.

M. Clemenceau called on the Chamber to choose a regime of Republicans and legality or for the disorganisation of the Republic. A vote of confidence was carried by 365 votes to 159.

Many of the French postal strikers have resumed work. May 15. ( At a meeting of postal strikers it was decided to appiove of a proposal to appeal to the woiking classes for support. It was stated that the whole Confederation of Labour would help the postal employees. May 17. The postal strike in France has ended. ' A total of 548 postmen have been superseded. j

A duel between the forces of the revolutionary trades unionists and the Government, backed by Pai'liament, is about

to be fought to a finish. A Civil Servants' Status Bill has been drafted.