BUSFARE WAR IN CHILEAN CAPITAL

Grey River Argus, 19 August 1949, Page 5

BUSFARE WAR IN CHILEAN CAPITAL

(Received August 18, 10.10 p.m.) SANTIAGO (Chile), August 17. Troops and police used tear gas and bullets to-day to disperse Chilean students who were overturning and stoning buses for the second successive day in protest against an increase in the fares. Three were killed, and 21 were injured, four seriously. REDS BLAMMED FOR AGITATION (Rec 11.30). SANTIAGO, Aug 18. Disagreement over a-half per cent, increase in bus fares caused the bloody rioting, costing seven lives. It brought the Chilean Congress into an emergency session, and inspired Government charges of Communist agitation. The rioting, the Government said was Red-inspired. It has raged for two days in down-town Santiago. The Senate early to-day approved a request from President Gowzalez Videla, for extraordinary powers to cope with the situation. Cabinet has also asked for press and radio censorship to meet the “revolutionary” plot. Meanwhile, the university student Federation defied the Government’s orders to return to their class-rooms tomorrow, and proclaimed a students strike. A few buses are still operating but all the merchants have closed their shops.