Jasper County Democrat, Volume 12, Number 12, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 12 May 1909 — GENERAL STRIKE THREAT IN PARIS [ARTICLE]

GENERAL STRIKE THREAT IN PARIS

Government Employes Are Refused a Hearing. AMOUNTS TO OPEN REVOLT Postal, Telegraph and Telephone Operatives Put Themselves on Plane of Members of Workmen’s Union* and Belief Exist* That They Are In League With the General Federation of Labor—Administration Fall* to Disclose Course It Will Pursue. Paris, May 7.—The Postal, Telegraph and Telephone Employe’s association has transformed itself into a urflon, thus placing its members on the same footing with members of workmen’s unions with the right to strike against the state employer, as the workmen have the privilege of doing against private employers. This defiance, which Is nothing short of open revolt, came as a sudden and sensational sequel of Premier Clemenceau’s failure to receive a deputation of postal employes, who called to present demands for the redemption of promises which they claim the government made when the recent strike was declared off. The most serious aspect of the situation Is the fact that the leaders in this new movement are undoubtedly hand-in-glove with the moving spirits of the general federation of labor, which is now universally recognized as a revolutionary organization and which has for a long time been preparing for a general strike to destroy “capitalism.”