RESTIVE CZECHS

Press, Volume XCVI, Issue 28399, 4 October 1957, Page 13

RESTIVE CZECHS

Challenge To Communism

(N.Z Press Association—Copyright) <Rec. H.io p.m.) LONDON, Oct. 3. An ominous rumble of labour unrest was swelling across Czechoslovakia, the “News Chronicle’’ said today. In what seemed the most serious challenge to the Communist rulers, since they seized power in 1948, workers were disrupting the country’s economy by mass absenteeism. During the first half of this year a record average of 248.000 workers a day were absent from work, the “News Chronicle’’ said. Slovakia, where resistance to communism had always been strongest, was particularly affected.

Even in Prague, which had the lowest rate, the guthorities were taking precautions. From now on any one sick for more than seven days must face inspection by a special medical board, the “News Chronicle” said. The Communist press had angrily charged that hooligans in the mines around Moravska Ostrava, the country’s main coalproducing region, were responsible for a deficit of 200.000 tons of coal. That this situation had a political background had been ad mitted openly by Czechoslovakia’s top Communist leader Mr Antonin Novotny, the “News Chronicle” said. He had bluntly accused the miners of showing an unsatisfactory political attitude towards the solution of economic problems, of complacency, and of a disinclination to co-operate. The Communist leaders were resorting to the whip again From one pit 30 miners were handed over to people’s courts, and some recalcitrant miners had been given up to 18 months’ gaol.