FRISCO STRIKE

Wairarapa Daily Times, 20 July 1934, Page 5

FRISCO STRIKE

POSITION EASIER GENERAL JOHNSON TO MEDIATE. Press Association Electric Telegraph—Copyright SAN FRANCISCO, Wednesday. The general strike appeared to be rapidly disintegrating to-night, at the end of its third day. Its effectiveness greatly decreased when the strikers’ eommitte lifted the embargoes on foodstuffs, petrol and such oils. The conservative labour element has regained control of the situation from the rank and file workers, many of whom had not realised the serious adventure on which they were embarking when they voted for. a general walk-out. At the request of the Department of Labour, General Johnson (N.R.A. Administrator) has agreed to act as agent for the Federal Mediation Board. He announced flatly that there would be no arbitration regarding the longshoremen’s strike until the “coercive influence” of the general strike had been lifted. In its last issue yesterday, before the Labour Vigilantes smashed its plant, the “Western Worker,” describing itself as the official organ of the Com-1-munist Party, called on Communists all over the United States to spread the spread the strike into every port. Michael Casey, president of the Teamsters’ Union, whose men were generally credited with having smashed the “Western Worker” plant and offices, congratulated Labourites on their “great victory for conservatism and sanity.” Following wholesale arrests of Communists, hundreds of others escaped from San Francisco and in bands invaded the villages of Fresno County. Vigilante committees were quickly formed in these communities and warned the agitators to get out.

PRESIDENT’S ATTITUDE,

FAITH IN ARBITRATION BOARD,

SAN FRANCISCO, Wednesday.

In answer to a deluge of wirelessed pleas that he should intervene personally, President Roosevelt, from the cruiser Houston, communicated a brief message to the Secretary of Labour, Miss Perkins, saying that he had confidence in the Arbitration Board’s ability to handle the matter. He gave no intimation that he would take any , action.

SIGNS OF COLLAPSE. SHOPS RE-OPEN. (Received Friday, 9.20 a.m.) SAN FRANCISCO, Thursday. , The wheels of business in the Saa. •Francisco metropolitan area moved again to-day and, under pressure from .the Federal, State and City Governments, the general walk-out gave indi- - cations of collapsing rapidly. The Strike Strategy Committee of Alemada County, with a population of 500,000, announced that a vote would be taken at Oakland to-night on a proposal to end the walk-out. The key route system, including the ferries, wilL.be resumed on Friday and the street car system is . operating today. With the shops re-opened, food and gasoline services are nearly normal. The maritime strike, the key issue in the dispute, remains the problem which officials admitted is still serious. GENERAL STRIKE ENDED. ; SENSIBLE STRIKE COMMITTEE. SAN FRANCISCO, Thursday. By a vote of 191 to 174, the San Francisco General Strike Committee voted, late to-day, to end the mass walk-out of Union Labour here. ‘ The committee promptly advised all unions on sympathy strikes to return to work immediately, and declared that it would accept arbitration for an immediate settlement. Declaring it had done everything m its power to avert the catastrophe threatening the community, the committee called off the strike. At the same time it pledged all its resources for a successful termination of the maritime strike.