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Show 80,000 HERS oonisiiE French Collieries Idle and Situation Situ-ation Looks Serious to the Government. LARGE BODY OF TK00PS IN DISTURBED DISTRICT Unions Are Divided, and Two Separate Demands Are Presented Employers. IjEN'S. France. Maroh 2L Tho rapid extension exten-sion of the mlncri strike Is causing crcnt anx-loty anx-loty to tho authorities. It la estimated thnt nearly 80,000 men havo cuxel work anil mining min-ing operations art) at a standstill throuchout iho dopartmentrt of Pas do Calalx and Nord. The Government, though It has taken tho precaution pre-caution of drawing a. largo body of troops and Kens d'armes lo the vicinity, la uctlnc with extreme tnct and niaktn; no dlnplny of Its forces during tho miners' processions, which aro permitted to tako place, without molestation, molesta-tion, while MlnUter of tho Interior Clomen-ccau Clomen-ccau If. endeavoring lo do his utmost to effect a conciliation between the men and the companies. com-panies. Notwithstanding tho comparatively peaceful attltudf which tho miners generally observe, it It f-jared that members ot Ihc moderate and tho advanced unions may r.omo Into conflict In tho course of demonstrations, as they display dis-play coiif ldf rablo antneonlsm. the former fa-vorlnir fa-vorlnir a friendly urranciment and tho latter objecting to any compromise. Unions Divided. Th2 differences betve?n tho opposing unions consist In tho nature of tholr demands, 'thoso laid down by tho moderates bclnc considered by tho advanced unionists as too modest- The niodoratcs claim comprises an Increase In tho dally wage of adult miners from tho preeent nguro of Jl.W, with 30 per cent bonus on results, maklnc altogether an average of Jl.?5. to a unified wage of $1 50 without a bonus, both for surfacu and underground workers, meaning an Increase of 13 per cent, with the dallv pension after twenty-live years work or the attainment of the ugc of 50. One Faction's Demands. The advanced section, on the other hand, demands 11.60 for tho eight-hour day, the suppression sup-pression of bonuses, tho right to ccaso work when tho dolesatcs consider conditions to bo dongeroun nnd a prris.l3- scheme similar to that proposed by the moderates. Both sections demand greater precautions to bo taken to avoid accidents. Tho companies have responded with an offer of-fer of 10 por cent advance for underground and 6 per cent axlvanco for surface workers, but rofuoa lo supprcv.i bonuses, which offnr the miners' congress rejected. The men have unanimously supported tho dcclulon of their conges. Tho feeling now npprars to Incline toward tho views of tho advanced Bectlon. but It Is hoped that the conference of the president of tho union with Premier Sarrlon and Minister of Public Works Barthou, which will tako placo on Thursday, will have the effect f making possible a satisfactory termination of tho strike. |