CRISIS IN FRANCE

Greymouth Evening Star, 28 April 1937, Page 7

CRISIS IN FRANCE

PREMIER AND UNIONS

NATIONAL DEMONSTRATIONS

[BY CABLE —TRESS ASSN. —COPYRIGHT.]

LONDON, April 27

The Australian Associated Press understands that a meeting has been ar- , ranged in Paris between the Australian Prime Minister (Mr. Lyons) and the French Prime Minister (M. Blum), to be held on Thursday. Special interest attaches to the interview because M. Blum will face a financial, industrial, and Parliamentary crisis this week, which might at any moment lead to serious disturbances. As a prelude to the crisis, national demonstrations are occurring throughout France. The demonstrators demand the acceleration of the Government’s public works programme an energetic'attack on the high cost of living, the early introduction of sliding scales of wages, and pensions for old workers. However, neither public works nor the erection of private buildings can be undertaken so long as the price of money remains high. Even if financial resources are made available, M. Blum cannot yield to the trade unions without throwing overboard his promised “pause.” The Paris correspondent of “The Times” says that relations between capital and labour are growing steadily worse. He predicts the possibility of widespread labour conflicts. The Paris Bourse yesterday had one of the blackest days in its history. M. Blum proposes to assure Parliament again that he does not intend either to make a fresh appeal to investors or to indulge in fresh expenditure, thereby confirming his determination to continue the “pause.” “The Times,” in a leading article says: “M. Blum will' have to take a firm stand against his own extremists if he is to avert grave trouble and prevent the malcontents from wrecking the Popular Front.”

TROOPS ON THE MOVE (Received April 28, 11 a.m.) PARIS, April 27. Mobile Guards have been drafted to Nantes to protect the houses of the employers’ syndicate, following strike disturbances. The P. & O. and the Union Castle Co. have decided not to call at Marseilles for repairs, owing to delays, due to agitation in the shipyards.