FIGHT TO A FINISH

Evening Star, Issue 23127, 29 November 1938, Page 9

FIGHT TO A FINISH

FRENCH INDUSTRIAL CRISIS PREPARATIONS FOR GENERAL STRIKE GOVERNMENT EXPECTS TO MAINTAIN PUBLIC SERVICES Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright PARIS, November 27. The Government and the Trades Union Confederation arc engaging in a fight to a finish on the battle ground of a general strike. The Ministry expects to maintain public services, despite defiance. M. Henri Raynaud, the Communist secretary of the Paris Federation, said that if a 24-hour strike did not suffice it would he prolonged. It entails the closing of factories, mines, offices, banks, stores, cinemas, theatres, and largo provision shops, the stoppage, of newspapers, radio, railway, road, and water transport, port activities, work in hotels, cafes, and restaurants, trunk international but not local telephone services, and the closing of post offices and schools. It will not affect chemists ■or the distribution of food, gas, elec--tricity, and water. M. Pierre Semard, secretary of the ’ General'Railwaymen’s Union, promises the observance of discipline among the men remaining on the lines as a guarantee of security. M. Daladier broadcast an appeal to the public to support the decrees. He declared that neither dictatorship not Fascism was intended. M. Blum urges the Government to stop in time, and emphasises the many perils surrounding France. He says that anybody who brings the country’s masses against the Government is guilty of high treason. The Trades Union Confederation and the Labourite Socialists are fully aware that they are handling political dynamite, as indicated by their insistence that there is no political motive and demanding the utmost discipline, though protest meetings and demonstrations were held throughout France during the week-end, sometimes clashing with the police. The Metalworkers’ Union has ordered 25,000 members to remain idle. The Farman Aeroplane Factory has locked out 3,400 workers for refusing to work overtime. PRIME MINISTER'S WARNING GOVERNMENT RESOLVED TO DO ITS DUTY. (Independent Cable Service.) PARIS, November 28. M. Daladier, in a broadcast, said the strikes and sudden occupations of factories represent an attempt to impede by brute force the policy of peace which the Government was pursuing. He added: “ Certain heads of international organisations warned us that they were about to begin a mass attack against the Government. They are trying to force us to capitulate to threats, but the Government is resolved to accomplish its duty to the nation. I appeal to all Frenchmen to reflect on the consequences which a period of disorder might have on the country’s destinies.” ' '' There is a widespread conviction that M. Daladier, whether deliberately or not, is pushing France along the road to Fascism. His repeated accusations against “foreign organisations” are interpreted as heralding anti-demo-cratic campaigns while the increasing use of military forces appears as a foretaste of what might follow if the workers continue to resist the decrees. GOVERNMENT URGED TO MEDIATE SITUATION EASIER IN NORTH. (Independent Cable Service.) PARTS, November 28. (Received November 29, at 8 a.m.) An ex-Ministcr, M. Frossard, urges the Government to act as mediator, whereby M. Daladier will become stronger and earn the country’s gratitude. Left Wing newspapers generally protest that the only aim of the strike is to protest against the decrees. M. Sarraut has returned from Turkey and assumed the Ministry of the Interior. Meanwhile tlj.e situation has somewhat eased in the Nord area, where the strikers occupy only one works. Many Anzin coal miners have resumed work. The so-called free unions, with a membership of 20,000, decided not to participate. Parisian retailers promised to open their shops on November 30. Members of the Professional Union in Paris voted against the .strike. The Government has announced that it will requisition the Paris underground railway in the event of a strike. The Parisian metalworkers voted to return to work, but only about 1,700 were admitted to the Renault works, mostly clerks. HO INCIDENTS REPORTED WORKERS RESUME AT LILLE AND VALENCIENNES. PARIS, November 28. (Received November 29, at 10.5 a.m.) M. Daladier again conferred with the military and civil chiefs regarding enforcement of the laws against a general strike. Meanwhile no incidents have occurred throughout the country. Forty-live thousand miners, chemical workers, and engineers have resumed at Lille and Valenciennes.

TWENTY-FOUR HOUR STRIKE CERTAIN MAIN TRIAL OF STRENGTH WILL BE IK PARIS It is now regarded as certain that a 24-hour strike will begin tomorrow at midnight. The General Confederation of Labour at a meeting to-night reaffirmed the decision to examine the details for enforcement of the decision. Members of the executive stated that the reports that a compromise, under which the strike would be called off if Parliament was summoned immediately, were without foundation. The main trial of strength between the confederation and the Government will unquestionably occur in Paris, where a decisive psychological factor will be the Government's ability or inability to maintain the transport services. The Government has at present 49.000 men available in and around the city for the maintenance of order, consisting of 12,000 Mobile Guards, 17,000 uniformed and 2,000 plain-clothed police, 3,000 (Republican Guards, and 15.000 troops. UNDERGROUND RAILWAYS REQUISITIONED BROADCASTING TO BE CARRIED ON. PARIS, November 28. (Received November 29, at 11.55 a.m.) M. Daladier partly countered the railwaymen’s decision not to run trains between 4 a.m. and 7 p.m. on November 30 by requisitioning the underground railways. According to indications, the train services will he partly or fully maintained and national and underground railways, similarly motor bus services and postall services, will remain normal, also long-distance telephony. Broadcasting will be carried on. Banks, insurance offices, stores, and small shops will remain open, also cinemas, theatres, a,nd other places of amusement. The Artists’ Union, having decided against a strike, hotels, cafes, and restaurants are not affected. Leaders in 'Paris newspapers state that the workers have decided against a strike on the ground that non-appear-ance of newspapers would “constitute an infringement of ’the liberty of the Press,” but the compositors unexpectedly voted to cease work on the evening of November 29, which, if effective, will result in no papers on the morning of November 30. OPPOSED TO STRIKE NUMEROUS INDEPENDENT UNIONS. PARIS, November 28. (Received November 29, at 1 p.m.) Though the Confederation of Trade Unions claim 5,000,000 members there are numerous independent unions opposing the strike, for instance the Confederation of Christian Workers, numbering 500,000, and the French Labour Confederation, with 120,000 members. Work was resumed at several big aircraft factories, which are a month behind in output schedule, but the men declare that they will come out on November 30 for the day. Five thousand workers in the shipyards at Dunkirk struck in sympathy with the steel workers, resulting in work on five warships being held up. Over 20,000 metal workers in the Valenciennes district are still idle. Most of the 30,000 workers at the Renault factory in Paris, which is engaged on military work, were dismissed and told that they must apply again. MAIN GAUGE OF UNREST SUPPRESSION OF FORTY-HOUR WEEK. PARIS, November 28. (Received! November 29, at 1.30 p.m.) The Confederation of Trade Unions itself has arranged for the maintenance of gas, water, and electricity services. The Government, by telegraph, warned provincial government and municipal employees against striking, under penalty of dismissal. The confederation, in a letter to M. Daladier regarding its decision to carry out tho strike, says it is not revolutionary, political, or against tho Government’s foreign policy, and denies that the workers are under foreign influence. It declares that it is due to suppression of the 40-hour week, without discussion. The letter concludes: “ If disorders occur they will not originate from our side. Work will be resumed on December 1, and your illegal mobilisation cannot make any difference.”