STRIKE IMPETUS IN FRANCE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22907, 15 June 1936, Page 8

STRIKE IMPETUS IN FRANCE

Agcohdino lo the latest cable messages (he strike situation in France is greatly improved. Since the country has been in the throes of this outbreak of active industrial unrest for the best part of three weeks, the nation should be ready for a return to normal. It was estimated that in Paris and suburbs alone nearly half a million people had stopped work, and the judgment of the employers and of the public will possibly be that a " stay-in" strike is more embarrassing and exasperating than one of the "stop-out" variety. The strike was spoken of in its earlier stages as political in character, the demands of the workers being for higher wages, abolition of overtime, payment for holidays, and improved conditions generally. The new Government was to be left in no doubt regarding what was expected of it. The position has not been without its amusing features in the political as well as the domestic aspect. The Socialist Government, headed by M. Blum, took over from its predecessor only some ten days ago. Its most pressing tasklias been to promote the restoration of something like industrial peace and rid the capital and the country as a whole of a nerve-racking and wholesale dislocation of business and services. It cannot be accused of wasting any time in getting to work upon legislation of a pacifying character. New Bills have been brought down by the Government and passed by the Chamber of Deputies with extraordinary, indeed almost frantic, rapidity. A measure exempting the pensions of ex-service-men from taxation was passed, it is recorded, without a division, and another introducing payment for holidays was approved by 563 votes to one. The deputy who dared to raise a dissentient voice seems to have shown remarkable courage. The passage of a Restoration of Cuts Bill is included in the report of the same clay's work, while a Collective Contracts Bill met with resistance from only seven hardy deputies. In the French Chamber as at present constituted the parties of the Left have a majority of 144. The Rightists constitute, however, a group 0f'237 members, and the division lists recorded only go to indicate that they made no serious show whatever of resisting the Government's proposals, despite the vociferous cries of " pigs " and "scoundrels" which greeted the introduction of them by M. Blum. Upon the achievements mentioned, the Chamber followed hard with the passage of a Forty-hour Week Bill by 385 votes to 175, this being the one instance in which there would seem to have been a division on anything approaching party lines. It is a reasonable conclusion that the alacrity exhibited by the Chamber in its legislative performances was very considerably influenced by the strikes and by .the growing national indignation at the general situation. M, Blum's Government has no doubt recognised the advantage, as well as the expediency, of making -the niost of a favourable psychological moment for the launching of its Socialistic programme. The pacifying objective has been a strong argument operating in its favour. Other Socialist Governments may be moved to envy by its initial legislative onslaught. In the speed with which it is rushing its measures through it is putting Ml" Savage's new era-pro-claiming Administration in this Dominion completely into the shade, revealing it by comparison as a mere plodder along a similar path. Fortunately a "stay-in" strike has not been convulsing New Zealand.