BITTER STRUGGLE

Chronicle (Levin), 12 October 1948, Page 5

BITTER STRUGGLE

(N.Z.P.A-

—Reute

French Strikes Enter their Second Week

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Reeeived Monday, 7 p.m. LONDON, Oct. 11, . Reuter 's Paris correspondent says that over half a million workers are idle in France with tlie stri'ke, .now starting the second , "\yeek, /showing signs of developing into a bitter, drawn out struggle between the Communists and Government. The Communist led General Confederation of Labour which is the driving force behind the 3trike wave, will open its annnal eongress today. French railway workers at the same time will vote on whether they shoul^l join the eoal strikers. s The strike meanwhile is fea^tihg; vpP the political situation with several ptovineial delegates of the SofiialisL Party 's national council urging Communist participation in the Government. Parish priests in the Neurthe et Moselle Department where clashes have occurred, read from their pulpits on Sunday a statement said to have been 'approved by the Bishop of N ancy, ejidorsing the workers' claims for higher wages to meet. the increased cost of living. The Prime Minister (M. Queuille) met non-Communist miners' representatives to discuss the smilce. Union security crews stood guard over the deserted eoal pits and coke oveus in Xorthern, France as the mine strike ended its first week. This aetion removes one of the most disputed issues between the Government and the strikers. An offieial announeement said that the Government would not requisition the mines as planned earlier if their security was guaranteed. The Communists liave issued a eall for a one-day strike in Moselle Pro1 vince to coincide with the funeral of the Yugoslav miner killed in a elash with the police on Friday at Merbach. The Communist-led Miners' Union at Lens rejeeted ' Lhe non-Communist union 's offer to hold- a new strike "referendum. The railwaymen's strike at Cham^ bery has disrupted train' services between France and Italv.-