A FRENCH STRIKE TO END THE WAR.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LIII, Issue 102, 1 May 1919, Page 6

A FRENCH STRIKE TO END THE WAR.

ATTEMPT DURING GERMAN THRUST TO PARIS. The trial of 41 Syndicalists, nearly all belonging to the Loire, on various charges connected with an attempt to force the Government to make peace a year ago by means of a general strike of all munition workers, began before the court-marital at ClermontFerrand. The chief accused person is Andrian*, secretary of the Metal Union of Firminy, .who was first arrested in December, 1917. He was afterwards) released, andfthen, aided by M. Flageollet, secretary of the Union of the Trade Unions of Loire, he began a pacifist movement with the support ot M. Pcrient, secretary of the Tirade Onion Committee oi Defence in Paris. In March last year the Minority trade unionists of the Loire and neighbouring Departments met in congress' at St. Etienne and openly discussed an immediate peace by means _of a general strike and a revolution. On May 19, at a fresh congress at the same town, a general strike was voted, and on May 23 an ultimatum was addressed by the General Lommitteo to the Prefect of the Loire demanding that the Government should at once sign an armisice, failing which there would be a general strike. The strike began and spread all over the Loir© basin, the movement being all the more disquieting as that was the moment selected by the Germans for their thrust for Paris. All but two of the accused men had been mobilised, and most are being tried' for deserting their posts in war time, inciting soldiers to disobedience, and similar charges.