TURMOIL IN FRANCE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26621, 18 November 1947, Page 5

TURMOIL IN FRANCE

Marseilles Strikes Spreading FEARS OF GENERAL UPHEAVAL Rec. 8.30 p.m. LONDON, Nov. 17. Police and military patrols, in.full battle order, rounded up more than 1500 trouble makers yesterday, says the British United Press Marseilles correspondent. Of those rounded up 450 were detained for further questioning, including 11 accused of being in France illegally. Troops scoured the streets and questioned anybody who acted suspiciously and took into custody those who were not quick with their answers. Union leaders, after the announcement that troops would be used to-morrow to unload ships in Marseilles, threatened to -call strikes in every port in France. Sailors and two tugs are being sent from Toulon to help in unloading. The Daily Telegraph’s Marseilles correspondent says the Communist-organised strikes have extended to fresh branches of the Public Service and to industrial workers belonging to local branches of the G.G.T. (French T.U.C.) which Communists dominated. The Communist policy is to extend the strike from day to day without declaring a general strike. Many French observers take a serious view of these tactics, because they coincide with outbreaks of violence all over Italy. It is suggested that if the Communists are successful in Marseilles they will regard the city as a springboard for plunging France into civil strife and establishing a “ zone of insecurity ” from the Mediterranean to the Atlantic.

Transport workers in Marseilles voted to join the strike of dockers and factory workers. Police reinforcements have been sent to Marseilles to help keep order. Troops unloaded 212 tons of citrus fruits from a ship in the harbour, but 6000 tons of fruit and meat are rotting in other ships. The Prime Minister, M. Ramadier, spent the day in Paris conferring with police officials. The troubles in Marseilles are a symptom of the developing clash between Communists and de Gaullists. says the Daily Telegraph in a leader! It seems regrettable to the outside world that General de Gaulle has chosen to plough a lonely furrow instead of harnessing his now unquestioned influence to the parties striving for economic and political stability. It -is conceivable, had he chosen otherwise. that France might soon be givera Government capable of dealing with material problems she now has to face. The clashes at Marseilles are an ugly sign that with the present political alignment there is a serious risk of violent conflict.