[21] The following table, compiled from the reports of the Minister of Labor, shows the growth of the labor-union movement:
Year Number of Number of Unions Members 1885 221 ... 1886 280 ... 1887 501 ... 1888 725 ... 1889 821 ... 1890 1,006 139,692 1891 1,250 205,152 1892 1,589 288,770 1893 1,926 402,125 1894 2,178 403,430 1895 2,163 419,781 1896 2,243 422,777 1898 2,324 437,739 1899 2,361 419,761 1900 2,685 491,647 1901 3,287 588,832 1902 3,679 614,173 1903 3,934 643,757 1904 4,227 715,576 1905 4,625 781,344 1906 4,857 836,134 1907 5,322 896,012 1908 5,524 957,102
[22] See _Journal of Political Economy_, March, 1909, for a comprehensive article on French labor unions by O.D. SKELTON.
[23] From the beginning there were two kinds of unions, named after the color of their membership cards. The "yellows" are those pursuing a policy of peace, and the "reds" are the militants.
[24] The following figures show the increase of strikes since the organization of the C.G.T.:
Years Average Average Number Number Average Number of Strikes of Strikers of Days Idle 1890-1898 379 71,961 1,163,478 1899-1907 855 214,660 3,992,976
[25] The doctrines of Syndicalism may be found in the writings of Georges Sorel. Also in the following: POUGET, _Les Bases du Syndicalisme_; GRIFFUELHS, _L'Action Syndicaliste_, and _Syndicalisme et Socialisme_; POUGET, _La Parti du Travail_; POTAUD and POUGET, _Comment nous ferons la Révolution_; PAUL LOUIS, _Syndicalisme contre l'État_.
[26] POUGET, _The Basis of Trade Unionism_, a pamphlet issued in 1908.
[28] See YVETOT, _A B C du Syndicalisme_, Chap. V. This pamphlet is issued by the C.G.T.
[29] Statement of Strike Committee C.G.T., 1899.
[30] "In every state, the army is for the property owner; in every European conflict, the working class is duped and sacrificed for the benefit of the governing class, the bourgeoisie, and the parasites. Therefore the XVth Congress approves and extols every action the anti-military and anti-patriotic propaganda, even though it only compromises the situation of all classes and all political parties." See YVETOT, _A B C du Syndicalisme_, p. 84.
[31] Hervé has written a history of France that has had considerable vogue as a text-book in the public schools. He begins with the significant year 1789; glorifies the violence, and praises the Socialistic manifestations and the heroism of the revolutionists, that have made the past century one of turmoil and perpetual commotion. This book is a sample of the reading given into the hands of the children of the Republic. I was told, upon careful inquiry, that a large number of the primary and secondary school teachers are Socialists. Thiers, before he became President, while still a functionary of monarchy, objected to the establishment of government schools in every village, because, he said, he did not want "a red priest of Socialism in every town." To-day he would find these "red priests" everywhere. They have even organized _syndicats_ and joined the C.G.T.