DAMAGE TO FACTORIES

Press, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23300, 9 April 1941, Page 7

DAMAGE TO FACTORIES

R.A.F. RAIDS ON GERMANY

(Received April 9,12.30 e.m.> LONDON, April 8. The correspondent of the ‘‘Daily Telegraph” on the German frontier quotes an informant who say* that Dusseldorf has experienced some of the Royal Air Force’s heaviest raids. The informant said the Germans now put up a smokescreen from each factory immediately raiders are signalled. Britain’s heavier bombs had greatly increased the havoc, penetrating to the basements of buildings. A raid on the night of March 14 destroyed a paper factory, a timber yard, a factory producing animal feeding stuffs, and a large grocery warehouse. The fires were so big that the Dusseldorf, Cologne, and Essen fire brigades worked 18 hours before the flames were controlled, after which the fires burned on for 12 hours. The Royal Air Force dropped 34 bombs in another night raid within an area covered by a steel works and also hit a petrol store at a Dusseldorf aerodrome and a petrol dump at Nepss. Another attack tore up the permanent way at the Krupps works station and also destroyed an adjacent factory.

LABOUR DISPUTES IN U,S.

STRIKE IN STEEL PLANT AVERTED

ATTITUDE OF THE ADMINISTRATION

WASHINGTON, April 7. It is reported from Pittsburg th»t United States Steel and the Steal Workers’ Organising Committee cf the Congress of Industrial Organisation agreed to-day to a second extension of the wage contract negotiations until April 15; thus averting a strike by 250,000 employees, which previously threatened to'pegin on Tuesday at midnight. The 76-day strike in the AllisChalmers works at Milwaukee has been called off. Work will resume to-moN row on important. defence orders, Anti-strike legislation was discussed before the Military Affairs Committee of the House of Representatives, in Washington to-day. The Secretary of Labour (Miss Frances Perkins) said she was opposed to the legislation. The New York “Journal of Commerce” , states: "The strike threat against United States Steel is expected ‘ to force the Administration to abandon its hands off attitude toward Labour, Even if the United States Steel strike is averted the vital need for maintaining operation in the defence industriei while negotiations over wages and conditions are ironed out, is -forcing Administration officials who are friendly toward Labour to favour some cooling off period. “The threat against United States Steel has shaken hitherto complacent officials. While cooling off legislation may be the first step toward drastic action on strikes, th 6 continued spread of disputes is likely to cause the Administration to look with favour on some form of compulsory arbitration. Many business executives who had vigorously opposed compulsory arbi* tration are now willing to accept some limited form of arbitration because of their concern over the menace to the defence programme.” Mrs Roosevelt, wife of the President, to-day told a press conference that she had received numerous letters from mothers of soldiers, sailors and trainees demanding a prohibition against strikes in defence industries. Her answer was that people should not make snap or one-sided judgments. Hope for democracy was pretty slim if groups could not be found who were able to see both sides of the situation. When asked if she felt that strikes caused general antagonism to Labour, she replied: "I suppose there is a general feeling that defence must not be held up. The question is not one-sided and it must be cleared up so that defence production is not delayed. The question is, what is Labour’s fair share of the increased income? This should be subject to mediation with the entire situation considered. It is not entirely true that all corporations’ defence profits will be paid out in taxes." The National Labour Relations Board has ordered that elections be held within 45 days giving employees of the Ford Motor Company plants in Dearborn and Detroit an opportunity of selecting bargaining agents.

Punjab Fighter Squadron.—A Pun* jab fighter squadron is to be added to the Royal Air Force through the state's gift of £123.000. which ha» been handed by the Viceroy (Lord Lin* lithgowi to the Minister for Aircraft Production (Lord Beaverbrook).~ Rugby, April 7.