FRENCH CRISIS

Hokitika Guardian, 5 December 1938, Page 5

FRENCH CRISIS

AFFECTS LABOUR SOCIALISTS DECLARE WAR. (United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright). PARTS, December 3. The Prime Minister, M. Daladier, in a statement said that although the events of November 13 (general strike day), legally broke all individual labour contracts; they did not modify or suspend the collective labour contracts. Consequently, they would not change the material conditions of work, which, the Government hoped, Avould be now resumed normally.

Socialist leaders throughout France have in impassioned speeches declared war against the Government of M. •Daladier.

M. Blum (leader of the Socialist Party), told a meeting of his party that he would not rest until he had obtained reparation for strike victims. Another Socialist, M. Paul Faure, declared that those who accepted M. Daladier’s measures were “ripe for every slavery and for the loss of their rights.” He was resolved, lie said, on a relentless warfare while there was a single strike victim. The Paris correspondent of the “Daily Telegraph”, says that the employers’ attitude is creating anxiety in view, of the tendency to humiliate the strikers.

M. Blum’s group promises to champion them, and denounces lock-outs. M. Daladier’s urges clemency. Meanwhile, lock-outs threaten the national economy. The Government’s reprisals will affect a- few thousand, but half a million are still idle, though normality is expected in a week. The Bourse is already more confident. Further strike action against the Government's reprisals for the labour disturbances has already started at St. Nazaire, where ten thousand naval and civil shipyard workers struck after an announcement by the management that those who participated in the general strike would only be employed again provisionally. The management also refused to receive delegations from the workers.

The dismissal of M., Jouhaux, secretary of the Confederation of Labour, and of union leaders from State positions has angered the workers’ organisations; It is feared ,that it. will provoke further strikes.

The Confederation ,of Labour has isued a communique testing against the “excess of the reprisals at the risk of disorders.” Six hundred thousand workers ars still on strike all over France.

Construction . is held up on the 35.000-ton liner Pasteur and the battleship Jean d’Arc. Dockers at Boulogne struck when told that they had broken their contracts. Shipping, except cross-channel vessels, is held up.

The opinion is expressed in national /deljence quarters that dismissals of Government workers*, will not exceed 18,000 to 21,000. They admit extensive lock-outs in private industries. SHIPPING TAKEN OVER. PARIS, December 4. M. Daladier has requisitioned ships in the harbour there in an attempt to break a strike at Le Havre.