TRIAL OF STRENGTH

Grey River Argus, 30 November 1938, Page 7

TRIAL OF STRENGTH

FRENCH UNIONS

AGAINST GOVERNMENT To-day’s General Strike Call ■ i > [Aust. & N.Z. Cable Assn.] A PARIS, November 28. -It is now regarded as certain that a twenty-four-hour strike will begin to morrow at midnight at the 0 the General Confederation of Labour, which, at a meeting to-night, reaffirm ed the decision, and examined details for enforcement of the decision. Members of the executive stated that re ports ,of a compromise under which the strike would be called off, if Par liament were summoned immediately, were without foundation. The Confederation of Labour, in a letter to M. Daladier (the Prime Minister) regarding its decision to carry out the strike, says it is n °t revolutionary, political, or gainst the Government’s foreign policy. It denies that the workers are under foreign influence. It declares that the strike is due to suppression of the forty-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. . The Confederation of Trade Unions itself arranged for the maintenance of gas water and electricity services. There is a widespread conviction that M. Daladier, whether of not deliberately is pushing France along the road to Fascism., He has repeated accusations against “foreign organisations”,, This ..is interpreted as heralding an anti-democratic campaign, while increasing, use of military appears as a foretaste of what might follow if the workers continue to resist the decrees. The Left Wing newspapers generally protest that the only aim of tht strike is to protest against the decrees. Leading articles in Paris newspapers state that their workers' have decided against a strike on the ground that the non-appearance of newspapers would “constitute an infringement of the liberty of the Press.” However, 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. An ex-Minister, M. Frossard, urges the Government to act as mediator whereby he says, M. Daladier would become stronger, and earn the country’s gratitude.

DEFENCE WORK HELD UP.

PARIS, November 28.

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. Work was resumed at several big aircraft. factories, which are a month behind in the output schedule, but the men declare they will come out on November 30 for a day.

MAIN TRIAL OF STRENGTH. AT THE CAPITAL. PARIS, November 28. The main trial of strength between the Confederation and the Government will unquestionably occur at Paris, where the decisive psychological factor will be the Government’s ability, or inability, to maintain transport services. The Government has at present forty-nine thousand men available in and around the city for maintenance of order, consisting of twelve thousand Mobile Guards, seventeen thousand uniformed, and two thousand plain-clothed police, three thousand Republican Guards and fifteen thousand troops.

OPPOSITION TO STRIKE. BY OTHER UNIONS. PARIS, November 28. Though the Confederation claims five million members, there are numerous independent unions opposing the strike. For instance, the Confederation of Christian Workers, numbering half a million, and the French Labour Confederation, 120,000. Parision metalworkers voted to return to work, but only about 1,700 were admitted- to the Renault works, mostly clerks. Most of the 30,000 workers m Renault factory, which is engaged in military work, were dismissed. They were told they must apply again. Members of the Professional Union of Paris voted against the strike. The so-called free unions with a membership of 20,000 have decided not to participate in the Parisian strike, and retailers have promised to open their shops on November 30.

PREMIER'S ACTION.

SERVICES TO BE MAINTAINED.

PARIS, November 28. The Government has announced it will requisition the Paris underground railway, in the event of a strike. M. Daladier has partly countered the railwaymen’s decision not to run trains between 4 a.m. and 7 a.m., on November 30 by requisitioning the underground railways.

According to indications the train services will be partly or fully maintained on the national and underground railways. Similarly motor-bus services and postal services will remain normal, including long-distance telephony. Broadcasting will be carried on. Banks, insurance offices, stores, and small shops will remain open, as will also cinemas, theatres and other amusements, the Artists’ Union having decided against the strike. Hotels, cafes and restaurants are also not affected.

, The Government, by • telegraph, warned the provincial Government and municipal employees against striking, under the penalty of dismissal.

M. Daladier again conferred with the military and civil chiefs regarding the enforcement of the laws against a general strike. Meanwhile, no-incidents have occurred throughout the country.

Forty-five thousand miners, chemi-

cal workers and engineers have resumed at Lille and Valenciennes.-

The situation has somewhat eased in the north area, where strikers occupy only one of the works. Many of the Anzin coal miners have resumed. M. Sarraut has returned from Turkey and assumed the Ministry of the Interior.

Premier’s Declaration MASS ATTACK AGAINST

GOVERNMENT.

BY HEADS OF INTERNATIONAL

ORGANISATIONS.

PARIS, November 28.

" The Prime Minister, M. Daladier, said in a broadcast: “Strikes and sudden occupations of factories represent an attempt to impede by brute force the policy of peace which the Government is pursuing !” He added: "Certain heads of international organisations have warned us that they are 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.” M. Daladier appealed to the public to support the decrees. He declared: "Neither a dictatorship, nor Fascism was intended.” FOUR POWER PACT AT STAKE IN THE STRIKE. (Received November 29, 11.50 p.m.) (Independent Cable ) BERLIN, November 29. The Nazis are anxiously watching the strike situation in France, as it is realised that a setback thereby to M. Daladier would destroy all possibility of a Four Power Pact being concluded for a long time. In the meanwhile, no date has yet been named for Herr Ribbentrop (German Foreign Minister) to pay a visit to Paris.

Orders to Police TO WATCH CIVIL SERVANTS. AND. PROPAGANDISTS. (Received November 29, 11.20 p.m.) (Independent Cable.) PARIS, November 29.. In view of the general strike order of the Confederation of Labour for to-morrow, the Prime Minister M. Daladier, has dispatched telegrams to the Police Chief throughout France, ordering them to take strict "action against any civil seravnt failing to do his work, and also ordering that a list of all absentees from work to-morrow to be notified, by telegram, to him.. . The Prime Minister directs that the police must also report all propaganda campaigns advocating stoppage. MOBILISATION ORDERS TO KEEP RAILWAYMEN AT WORK (Received November 29; 11.40 p.m.) PARIS, November 29. Official notices are being posted througnout the country ord'ering the mobilisation of the railwaymen and of others, the orders involving severe penalties for such workers if they participate in the strike. DEFIANCE OF GOVERNMENT PREDICTION OF RAILWAYMEN’S SECRETARY. (Received November 29, 10.40 p.m.) PARIS, November 29.

Pierre Semard, who is a Communist, and is the Secretary of the Railwaymen’s Federation, states that nothing is to be gained by compulsion. He declared: “The men will, if necessary, adopt passive resistance, and will remain at their posts “deaf and dumb."

The Union Leaders

REPORTED WISH TO COMPROMISE.

(Received November 29, 11.20 p.m.) LONDON, November 29. “The Times” says: “There is reason to believe that the Confederation of Labour leaders would now welcome the opportunity of calling off the. general strike decreed for Wednesday, if its is possible without a loss of “face". Efforts at mediation are certain to be made before Wednesday."