“SLAVES” IN REVOLT.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 63, Issue 247, 29 July 1943, Page 3

“SLAVES” IN REVOLT.

SKILLED MEN LOST IN EUROPE. RESISTANCE TO NAZIS. MADRID. Revolt against compulsory labour for Germany is spreading through occupied Europe. Thousands of pamphlets with such slogans as “Don’t be willing slaves, “Work slowly,” and “Work as badly as you can with safety,” are being circulated throughout Norway, Holland, Belgium, and France. It is estimated that more than 100,000 French workers are now hiding in woods and mountains. Of the many more who have been unable to escape, thousands of skilled workers have in a few days “forgotten” how to Use a lathe or machine tools; navvies have “forgotten” how to wield a pick. French foremen have in hundreds of cases destroyed their lists of skilled workers, and the secretaries of the old 'trade unions have destroyed or hidden their files. In one great Lyons factory Get mans from Von Sauckeel’s organisation and French labour inspectors were able to identify only 20 skilled workers out of GOOO men. All the others declared they were untrained labourers. Trained seamen have left the coastal districts and __ are now farm labourers.’ They hide their discharge certificates, and when questioned deny having ever been to sea.