STRIKE CALLED IN EGYPT

Press, Volume LXXXII, Issue 24896, 8 June 1946, Page 7

STRIKE CALLED IN EGYPT

PLANS OF WAFDIST MOVEMENT

“ DAY OF MOURNING ” TO BE OBSERVED

P ™' 1 - 30 a m -> CAIRO, June 7. To-morrow—Victory Day in London: Mourning and General Strike in Egypt,” read a headline in the Wafdu.t newspaper “El Wafd Al Misri.” The newspaper was promptly confiscated by the Government.

The Egyptian Moslem Brotherhood has approved the general strike throughout the country called for June 8 and has also asked the Government “to help the nation protest against Britain for evading the achievement of our national demands.”

The youth branch of the Wafdist Party also declared a general strike and a day of mourning on June 8. It said that it was shameful to do nothing in the face of the crimes committed daily by the British. The Prime Minist®, Sidky Pasha, plans to fly to Alexandria personally to control the situation.

Shouts of “Long live the English, who gave us work and food,” were heard when 1000 unemployed demonstrated in Alexandria yesterday. Several arrests were made aftes the demonstration, which included a procession through the streets.

One demonstrator threw himself in front of a moving tram, which pulled up in time. Others threatened to go on hunger strike unless they were given work.

Students who are due to go back tomorrow to the King Farouk University, which has been closed for some time, decided to strike in sympathy with the unemployed. It is estimated that there are more than 300,000 unemployed in Egypt, mainly because of the closing down of British and Allied military installations.

A hand grenade exploded in the Empire Services’ Club cinema in Cairo, to-night, wounding 20 Indian servicemen. of whom five were seriously injured.