FRENCH CRISIS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23672, 2 December 1938, Page 9

FRENCH CRISIS

THE GENERAL STRIKE LARGELY A FAILURE PARIS ALMOST NORMAL POLICE ARREST PICKETS 'lndependent Cable Service) (United Press Association) (By Electric Telegraph—Copyright) PARIS, Nov. 30. Early reports indicate that the strike has largely failed in the capital, although it is more successful in the provinces. The situation in Paris was almost normal at 10 a.m. with buses, taxis, and! underground trains running, and people going to work as usual. Only a small percentage of the postal and telephone workers obeyed the strike order. The police arrested a number of pickets near the Montparnasse station. Lille and Lyons are reported to be calm, but there is a tense situation at Marseilles, where black troops are guarding the railway stations, public buildings and bridges. Only a few trains are running and street transport is at a standstill. The workers arrived at the depots but refused duty. A later Paris message states that the cafes and shops are open and that the Underground Workers’ Association cancelled the strike order at 8 a.m.

The Ministry of Public Works reports that the national railways are nearly normal. There have been 495 arrests in Paris, 80 people being charged with attempts to impede work. The miners’ strike in the Valenciennes area is reported to be nearly 100 per cent, effective. The Folkstone-Boulogne crossChannel cargo services are dislocated. THE REQUISITION ORDER EFFECTIVE IN PARIS LONDON. Nov. 30. ' Tire Associated Press Paris special correspondent reports that 2,000.000 people are on strike, which is leas than half the membership of the Confederation of Labour. They are confined mainly to the mines and heavy industries. The first reports from the provinces reveal that the public services are 90 per cent, normalbanks, insurance companies, railways, law courts, and Parliament The city appeared normal at daybreak, with trains and buses functioning as usual and ignoring the confederation’s orders. The general impression is that the workers have bowed under the threat of military action and have reduced the strike to a fiasco. The only complete strike is in the Alsace potash mine. Twenty railway men were arrested and 5000 out of the 30.000 Renault workers have resumed. At Valenciennes plants, shops and markets were closed. Mobile guards clashed with demonstrators who were trying to release six arrested men. The dockers at Marseilles are working, but the city is without trams and taxis. A later Paris message states that the strike is a complete failure. The Confederation of Labour admitted that it was broken in the Paris area owing to the requisition order. M. Sarraut stated that the situation was quiet. All services were operating and only onefourth of the workers were striking in the steel industry, in which the most complete stoppage was expected. THE PREMIER’S AUTHORITY STRENGTHENED BY FIASCO LONDON, Nov. 30. The Daily Telegraph’s Paris correspondent says M. Daladier has demonstrated that the requisition weapon can be used against employers as well as workers. On hearing .that the Michelin Company had closed its works, he ordered the requisitioning of the works, guaranteeing the employment of thousands.

To-day’s fiasco resulted :n strengthening M. Daladier’s authority throughout the country. The Government is now in a better position to apply M. Renaud’s three-year financial plan and conduct international negotiations ARRESTS IN THE CAPITAL MAJORITY RELEASED PARIS. Nov. 30. The majority of the 495 arrested in Paris during the day were released at night after verification of identity. The Bourse is strong. Rentes and equities are marked up, and there is a heavy influx of expatriated funds M. Daladier in a broadcast tonight, -laimed hat by the failure of the strike the country had shown confidence in the Government. “I said I would make the authority of the State respected," he said “It has been respected.’' T‘ knew that their liberties were not endangered by the Governm ”s social laws. They knew their liberties were only endangered by disorder and lack of discipline. Trade union liberty itself demanded restraint. The people had proved that demo-

cracy could prevent disorder. The world now knew that France had triumphed over internal uncertainty and was stronger than before Me concluded that the Government’s role would be conciliation and cooperation between the employers and the workers.