RAILWAY STRIKE CRIPPLING FRANCE

Chronicle (Levin), 12 June 1947, Page 5

RAILWAY STRIKE CRIPPLING FRANCE

Received Wednesday, 7.0 p.m. PARIS, June 10. The executive committee of the General Confederation of Labour (French T.U.C.), met the Prime Minister, M. Ramadier, the Transport Minister, M. Moch, and the Labour Ministei M- Mayer, tonight but after one bourk , aeiiDefation the conference oroke ui. without any agreement. ' ' The nego tiations have been broken off," said ■ one membcr of the confederation. Although a complete evaluation oi) the ell'e.ct of the .strikc eannot yct b( given, the few fac'ts which have reacli ed Paris are alarming. Eight blasl furngces in the Kancy area are no! working, tlie northern coahnines ar( serionsly short of trucks, and large quantities of perishable food are rot tiiig at the wharves for Jack of trucks Kew and uglier developments are in dicated in reports from various centres that the railwaymen are refusing tc allow food trains to run. It is impos sible to say how many power-statioi workers are out or going slow, be,caus. the men's union disclainxs all responsibiiity for the strike, but the movement is spreading hourly. The workers at Marseiiles have come out and only essential services are beihg supplied. 'Ihe aumber of British and American tourists stranded in Paris tbday tota'Ued more than 3000. The emergency lorn and bus fleet cannot nieet liaji' the requirements. AI . Ramadier told the Kational Assembly that the Government under threats, refused to accept full responsibiiity for maintaiuing authority. •'We shaJl go through to the end and do our duty, how.ever painful, but shall aot eease to appeal to the good sense of Ihe working class, ' ' he said. "We have ensured the maximum road trapsport. " So far the railways have assured the food sup[)lies for Paris, but in a few days the supplies may break down. Railway trucks are accumulating in the yards. The coal position of many factories is becoming acute. It is essential for the country to get back to work. ' ' The Afiuistry of the Merehaut Kavy has expressed growing anxiety over the bottling up of the ports as a result of the railwaymen 's strike, says Reuter's Paris correspondent. Fiv.e Liberty ships with freights of American coal are lying idie in Cherbourg harbour, vvhile seven other ships headijig for Le Havre were diverted to foreign ports.