An Ugly Turn

Manawatu Times, Volume 61, Issue 1423, 19 June 1936, Page 7

An Ugly Turn

. Rival Forces Clash at Marseilles TRAFFIC HELD UP BY FIGHT United Press Association—Cy Electric Telegraph.—Copyright. PARIS, June 17. The strike situation at Marseilles lias taken an ugly turn owing to its having assumed a political complexion with the intervention of the Jeunesscs patriotes and other Right organisations. Numerous clashes occurred with the Front Populaire. Youth of the Right and of the Left, wearing tricolour cockades or red brassards, and shouting war cries, marched along the Cannebiere. Reinforcements joined both sides, and lighting began. Passers-by left trams aud public vehicles and joined in, holding up all traffic. Gardes Mobiles separated the combatants, but the bands reformed elsewhere and resumed hostilities.

Rioters of the Right took refuge in a disreputable gambling house, six of whoso habitues barred the gate and prepared to defend the building with revolvers. Members of the Front Populaire attacked the premises. Gardes Mobiles intervened, but tho crowd exchanged missiles and refused to disperse. Fiery Cross Re-enters Political Field POLITICAL BODY ABOVE PARTIES. PARIS, Juno 17. The Fiery • Cross organisation, of which little has been heard during or since tho elections, has re-entered the political field. Tho L-ad@r, Colonel do La Roque, has issued a manifesto stating “Now that French unity is endangered wc declare ourselves a political body above parties or factious. ” It describes Germany as effervescent, Russia revolutionary and Europe unbalanced, and says that in the face of immediate perils tho public weal must be protected. The manifesto does not indicate file nature of the action that is being taken.

Belgian Strikes Spread GRAVE TURN AT LIEGE BRUSSELS, June 17. The Belgian strikes aro coming nearer the capital. Five hundred metallurgical employees in tho suburb of lt.uysbroeck are ceasing work. Tho authorities anuounco that foreigners participating in agitations will be expelled. Liege resembles a beleaguered city. Tho tram and taxi services have been stopped, and the use of bicycles is prohibited in order to frustrate the speedy assemblage of strikers. The Liege strike took a grave turn when strikers attempted to raid an arms factory. Tho police drove them off and arrested 15. Gangs attempted to stop traffic in the city, and interfered with pedestrians, necessitating repeated police charges. Threat to Transport The strikers are spreading elsewhere, and all transport services with the exception of the railways are threatened. Twelve thousand textile workers at Ghent have quitted tho looms, aud factories in the Vcrviers area are ceasing work. The heavy industries at Charleroi are at a standstill. Partial Agreement at Conference A conference, under tho presidency of the Premier (M. Van Zeeland), between employers and trade unionists, agreed upon a minimum wage and six paid holidays annually, but the 40hour week question remains unsettled. Position in France MANY WORKERS STILL OUT. SENATE PASSES BILLS. PARIS, Juno 17. The Senato passed Bills permitting indemnities to civil servants, exempting ex-servicemen’s pensions from taxation, and granting paid holidays for workers. Metropolitan strikers who are still idle number 50,000 to (30,000. The situation is no better in Marseilles, and worse in Lyons, St. diamond, Angers, La Rochelle, Le Havre, and Mulhouse. Concessions in Morocco CASABLANCA, June 17. The sugar workers have resumed work, but the metal workers and paint works are idle. The Council of National Defence has approved of the establishment by the Resident-General (M. Peyrons) of an S-bour day and a minimum wage f»i native workers.