FRENCH WORKERS

Evening Post, Volume CXXX, Issue 150, 21 December 1940, Page 6

FRENCH WORKERS

RESIST THE NAZIS

GERMANS TROUBLED

The attitude of the workers and peasants in occupied France is causing grave concern to the Germans, though nothing has been allowed to leak out in- the Press and attempts to enforce a "labour front*' on the same lines as. that run by Dr. Ley in the Reich continue to be made, says the London "Daiiy Telegraph."

A smothered battle is in full swing, much of it literally below the surfacein the coal mir.es of the north, at Lens, Bethune, and elsewhere. The miners of the departments of Nord and Pas-de-Calais lorm part of a population which is basically friendly towards Britain,'and by their side there work scores of thousands of Poles, who are implacably. anti-German. These men will not be slaves of Hitler and' Ley. •■■■■■- . .-. • - ■. , ••■■'. ,1

Reports Of riots in various towns are; not confirmed with certainty, but what is really known to be1 happening is far more serious than transient and sporadic ' troubles ' probably traceable to bad conditions which the Germans will try to remedy. .. What they cannot remedy and are now ruthlessly attempting to suppress is a far more serious thing—the obstinate refusal on political and patriotic grounds to work for Germany. The mines of the North of France were "officially" opened within a few weeks of their being overrun, and the German radio "splashed" the news. Now.the conqueror is already obliged to keep in every mine and every steelworks armed men of the emergency section of the Black Guard, ready, if need be, to shoot. STRIKES REPORTED. There have been strikes at various points, unaccompanied by violence, for that,, of course, would lead to useless slaughter. They were followed by ca' canny tactics, more difficult to meet. .■.'■-.. . I

The Germans have, however, devised a system which consist^, each pay day, of conveying practically all the workers of a given undertaking to another district.'.. In this way they hope to confuse the minds of the mer/and also to induce the womenfolk ..'to make them change their attitude. -. ,

! Simultaneously assurances are given that the coal extracted is intended solely for French needs and that Germany has more coal than she can possibly need. . The miners, however, see where the coal goes, and are well aware of Germany's obligation to supply Italy with 10,000,000" tons a..year. Now the. Nazis are trying the experiment of importing German miners to mix with the less recalcitrant of the French ones. It will hardly succeed either in France or in Belgium, where the same conditions apply. CENSUS OF PRODUCTION. The French peasantry, though not yet all the townsmen* have now learnedt that a considerable proportion of their produce is earmarked for Germany. It has come to their knowledge through the lor~.l Mayors, who! have been obliged to ■ r apply particulars for a ■ general c<r~ -•% of food requirements. When this had been completed they were instructed to have about one-third of the area un- j der cultivation reserved for the occupying authorities.

Naturally, the growers have sullenly decided to grow what they need for themselves and hide the remainder —if, indeed, there is any, for the difficulties in obtaining fertilisers and machinery are still considerable.

The German-controlled Press ar.d propaganda is addressing itself more and more to the middle-class town population who may still believe stories that Great Britain is starving France.

Politically a big battle was lost when •the workers and peasants learr.ed the truth. '