On American Orders

Northern Advocate, 5 December 1947, Page 5

On American Orders

The French Communist leader (M. Thorez), addressing miners in the Pas de Calais coalfield, said: “The working class and people of France have chosen to fight. “They will secure the triumph of the freedom of France and of the Republic.’ M. Thorez compared “the crime of Arras” —the sabotaging of the train near Arras on December 3, with 21deaths—with the Reichstag fire, which Goering used as an excuse to suppress Communism in Germany. The Government, he said, had embarked upon a policy of strike-break-ing on the orders of American- capitalism and through hatred of the working class. Asserting that the strike was for economic demands. M. Thorez said the cost of living index was twice the wages index. The Paris correspondent of the Associated Press quotes M. Thorez as saying the Communists did not oppose American aid for France, but did oppose the conception of the Marshall Plan, which endangered France’s independence and honour.-

The Daily Mail correspondent says there is little doubt that the men who

are trying to cripple iTie nation’s vital services are experts and there are enough of them to operate simultaneously in widely-separated areas. Generally their methods are similar to those used by the saboteurs of the Maquis during the war and in some cases materials dropped to the Maquis during the occupation have been used. The independent Conservative newspaper Le Monde says the people’s resistance everywhere is hardening against the promoters of the disguised civil war. General de Gaulle has reached Paris from his country homo. A Government spokesman said the 80.000 reservists being called up would mainly be used to guard the railways.

There have been 26 railway sabotage incidents in a week. The Communist newspaper L’Humanite blames the Right Wing for the derailment of the train near Arras on Tuesday, in which 20 people were killed.

It publishes a statement by the strike committee of the Lens railway depot which alleges that a railway official gave instructions to cut the line to prevent reinforcements for the strikers reaching Arras. Shots were fired as the Communist Mayor of St Ouen led strikers in thenunsuccessful fight against Mobile Guards for possession of the power station.