THE PARIS STRIKERS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 463, 23 March 1909, Page 5

THE PARIS STRIKERS.

GOVERNMENT FIRM. RETURN TO WORK OR DISMISSAL? NO LETTERS FOR THE KING. tiiv TEi.EoitAi'n—pitEss assocution—corrnir.nr.) Paris, March 21. The French Clinmbcr of Deputies supports the Government in its determination to suppress tlio strike of the postal, telegraph, and telephone employees. M. Barthou, Minister for Works, announced in the Chamber that ho had given the strikers twenty-four hours' warning, at tho end of which, if they had not returned to work, tho whole 8000 on strike would bo dismissed. No dispatches have reached King Edward, who is at Biarritz, since Tuesday last. There has now been organised a courier service between Paris and Brussels, whence tho authorities are enabled to keep in touch with officials throughout tho world. Soldiers are repairing oue hundred and fifty provincial wires which were cut in the neighbourhood of Paris. SIGNS OF A COLLAPSE, A DEPUTATION. (Rec. March 22, 9.55 p.m.) Paris, March 22. M. Clemenceau, French Premier, informed a deputation of the strikers that their demand for the dismissal of M. Simyan, UnderSecretary of State, was inadmissible, and that it was a question solely for Parliament. He strongly appealed to tho strikers to resume work in their own interest and in the general interest of the country. . M. Clemenceau and tho Minister for Public Works (M. Barthou) promised that in tho event of work being resumed they would consider the men's grievances. A large meeting of strikers afterwards unanimously rejected their committee's proposal to resumo work, but thero are signs that tho strike will collapse. ' Tho telegraphists are gradually resuming, and tho telephones and tho pneumatic postal service in Paris are already working.