Threat of General Strike

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26731, 29 March 1948, Page 5

Threat of General Strike

INCREASING COMMUNIST ACTIVITY New Zealand Press Association —Reuter—Copyright Rec. 11.55 p.m. SINGAPORE, Mar. 27. A general strike, supported by Communists, is threatening Burma according to Reuter’s Rangoon correspondent in despatches smuggled out of Burma because of an unofficial censorship on messages from foreign newspaper correspondents. Employees of four British-owned companies are affected and Rangoon’s transport is already considerably immobilised. The correspondent says the Communist Party is behind day-long parades by strikers waving hammer and sickle flags. The Communists’ increasing activity threatens to result in a general strike unless the Government takes action. All strike references are banned in local newspapers. A British business man, Mr A. W. White, of London, who arrived in Singapore last night, said the situation in Rangoon is tense with the Government reluctant to have a showdown with the well-armed strikers. Mr White said strike pickets are carrying Sten guns and that the streets of Rangoon are deserted at night and are patrolled only by heavily-armed police. Mr White saw two Bren gun posts sited at strategic street intersections. The strike began after the dismissal pf an employee of the Britishowned Burham Oil Company, and spread when workers of Britishowned sawmills struck in sympathy. The strike is not anti-British but anti-Government, with the Communists manoeuvring to seize power, said Mr White.