TWO MILLION WORKERS ON STRIKE

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume LXXVI, Issue 14533, 29 November 1947, Page 3

TWO MILLION WORKERS ON STRIKE

INDUSTRIAL POSITION DETERIORATING IN FRANCE

80,000 CONSCRIPTS RECALLED TO COLOURS

AS SECURITY MEASURE

PRIME MINISTER'S DIRECT CHALLENGE . TO COMMUNISTS

London, Nov. 28.

The French Cabinet, as part of the security measures to meet the strike situation, has decided to recall to the colours about 80,000 men, who represent the second half of the 1946 military draft. Other emergency measures are still being discussed, and the Assembly has been asked to hold itself ready in case a special session should be needed to consider a new Government Bill.

A Paris correspondent says that an official spokesman did not confirm or deny a report that the Government would requisition State employees and non-essential workers. If this step was taken it would mean that the refusal of strikers to return to work could be severely punished. Although there have been improvements here and there, such as more trains running, the strike situation generally has taken a turn for the worse. ,AJ nation-wide strike of postmen, telegraph and telephone workers has been ordered by the unions concerned.

The latest estimate of the total number on strike is around 2,000,000. The situation looks more serious despite the Government's announcement of several concessions ranging from increased family allowances to higher overtime rates of pay. Dealing with the Prime Minister's direct challenge to the Communists, the correspondent says the Communist practice up to now has been to avoid sending out a general strike order. Presumably, he says, this is because they feel that this would be too blatant a challenge to the authority of the Government and the existence of the nation.