USE OF VIOLENCE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22909, 17 June 1936, Page 9

USE OF VIOLENCE

THE BELGIAN STRIKERS TROUBLE RAPIDLY SPREADING CLASHES WITH THE POLICE (United Press Association) (By Electric Telegraph—Copyright) BRUSSELS, June 15. A Committee of Public Order, under the presidency of the Prime Minister (M. van Zeeland) has been constituted to deal with the strikes, which are rapidly extending. The coal strike, involving 110,000, has become general, and the steel workers have decided to call a general strike at noon. Strikers stopped the trams running at Leige,

The newspaper L’lndependence Beige estimates that the strikers number 170,000.

At Liege mounted gendarmes charged 500 strikers with drawn sabres after the strikers, singing the “Internationale,” had twice attempted to storm a bazaar under the leadership of a giant Communist deputy, Lahaut, to prevent shop girls working.

A clash occurred at St. Walburge, where the Commissioner of Police and a gendarme were knocked down and trampled on. Strikers attempted to stop trams at Rocourt. Shots were fired and three police were wounded. The strike has extended to the metallurgical works in the province of Hainault.

END IN SIGHT

'THE STRIKES IN FRANCE

LONDON, June 15,

The Paris correspondent of The Times says that the “stay-in” strikes have virtually ended. The insurance clerks arc expected to resume to-morrow. The majority of the department stores are still occupied, but the end is believed to be in sight. The position in the provinces is improving with equal rapidity. Four thousand dockers and watermen arc still idle in Paris, and those at Bordeaux and Dunkirk have not resumed.