GUERILLA WAR by French Strikers

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXVI, Issue 152, 12 June 1936, Page 5

GUERILLA WAR by French Strikers

TROUBLE EXTENDS Workers Shout Defiant Slogans RED FLAGS APPEAR (By Telegraph-Press Assn.—Copyright.) (Received 12, 1.30. p.m.) LONDON, June 11. The Paris correspondent of “The Times” says that the good impression created by Sunday’s settlement is slowly evaporating, the numbers of new strikers exceeding the number of those resuming. Thousands marched cheering down the boulevards and waving red flags. Others cheered in taxis, shouting defiant slogans. The trades union council’s authority is not as strong as the leaders supposed, the workers ignoring its decrees, and instead of returning en bloc and consolidating advantages won, are taking up collections, exhausting the middle class sympathy by waging a guerilla war in order to squeeze the utmost from individual employers. Tho strikes have extended to firstclass Parisian restaurants and hotels. Factories are idle at Bordeaux, where shipyard workers took possession of the linor Cap Padaran. A boatbuilder at Marseilles, angered: with his striking staff, fired a revolver at them and was arrested after wounding one. Tho franc continues to sag, but the exchange market is inert. “The Times” Faris correspondent says; “The elation in Government and labour circles at the settlement-in-principle is evaporating. There is even renewed alarm in some quarters, not only because the strikers refuse to resume despite the generous terms, but tho strike, hitherto a model of discipline and good humour, is taking an uglier turn. M. Daladier has announced the arrest of a number of armed agent-provocateurs, while the strikers are organising street demonstrations in Paris and elsewhere. A procession to-dav obstructed traffic. There is danger of such demonstrations becoming unmanageable, especially as M. Blum had declared that he would not use force against the strikers, which is regarded as a blunder, even by friendly critics. There is also the possibility of counter-demonstra-tions by the Croix de Feu and less peaceful bodies.’* FORTY-HOUR WEEK PARIS, June 11. M. Reynaud, former Finance Minister, M. Rollin, former Minister of Commerce, and other critics, strongly opposed the Forty-Hour Week Bill during a discussion in the Parliamentary commission. M. Jaubcrt (Radical Socialist) as significant, as the Radical Socialists reserved his opinion, which is regarded were expected to support the Bill. M. Blum defended the measure and contended that the 40-hour week would accelerate currency-rhythm and promised vigorously to support weaker industries.