LABOUR CRISIS IN AMERICA

Press, Volume LXX, Issue 21179, 1 June 1934, Page 11

LABOUR CRISIS IN AMERICA

TEXTILE STRIKE CALLED 300,000 WORKERS AFFECTED STEEL UNIONS' THREAT ON BARGAINING ISSUE ! (UNITED VRBSB ASSOCIATION* —BY XLECT&U' TELEGRArH —COPYRIGHT.) (Received May 31, 9.20 p.m.) WASHINGTON May 30. A general strike in the cotton textile industry was agreed on today, and was ordered to-night by Mr Thomas McMahon, president of the United Textile Workers of America. Saying that the time had come for a "showdown," the Amalgamated Association of Steel and Tin Workers announced to-day, too, that a general strike would be called unless the steel industry gave them the right to choose their spokesman for collective bargaining. The coiton textile unions called for a walkout of 300,000 workers on June 4 as a protest against the recent production curtailment order of the National Recovery Administration. The steel workers' announcement was made in spite of Mr Roosevelt having signed the revised steel code, which is designed to eliminate some of the abuses mentioned in the Darrow report. If the threat is put into effect, 400,000 men will be idle by the middle of June.

MEN KILLED IN WAR HONOURED president at GETTYSBURG REVIEW OF RATTLE FLEETS (Received May 31, 11.40 p.m.) NEW YORK, May 30. Throughout America to-day parades and other ceremonies were held in honour of the nation's war dead. Mr Roosevelt went to Gettysburg and addressed a crowd on the civil war battlefield. He compared the spirit of patriotism and national pride with sectionalism, and said the former was now needed to win the war against the depression with the same spirit that saved the nation in the crisis of 1361 to 1805. To-morrow the President will review the combined battle fleets at the entrance to New York harbour. It will be the greatest mobilisation of naval power since the fleet returned from European war duty in 1919, and will comprise 82 ships, with 35,000 officers and men, and three aircraft carriers with 185 aeroplanes.

UNITED STATES AND CUBA PLATT AMENDMENT ABROGATED RIGHT OF INTERFERENCE GIVEN IP WASHINGTON, May 30. The State Department and the Cuban Ambassador have jointly signed a treaty abrogating the socalled Piatt Amendment, which has regulated afTair.s between the two countries since 1903. Thus America's long exercise of the right of military intervention to maintain order and indirect control of the republic's fiscal affairs has become inoperative. America will continue to n.ainlain the naval base at Guantanamo Bay. IBy the Piatt Amendment to the United States Army and Navy Appropriation Bill of 1901, the relations of the Cuban Government with foreign countries were restricted, its debt-creating power was limited, it was forced to concede certain coaling siations for the United States navy, and the United States was granted the right to interfere in Cuban affairs to protect life and property. The measure has been attacked as a breach of faith with Cuba and as an example of American imperialism. Socialists and communists demonstrated against it. as recently as May Day of this year. It was expected that Mr Roosevelt would invoke the amendment during the unrest in Cuba last year, but he did not do so.l