NEARING THE END

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26638, 8 December 1947, Page 5

NEARING THE END

Struggle with French Strikers GOVERNMENT’S EFFECTIVE MEASURES New Zealand Press Association—Reuter— Copyright. Rec. 11.30 p.m. PARIS, Dec. 6. “ The battle is won. I am master of the situation,” said M. Jules Moch, Minister of the Interior, in a strike statement this afternoon. M. Moch indicated that the struggle between the Government and strikers was nearing an end and said: “As the result of measures Parliament has taken, and the recall to the colours of about 240,000 men, the Government can now respond to any demands for protection.” M. Moch said an increasing number of strikers were returning to work and the bulk of the 350,000 Paris metal workers were preparing to go back on Monday. Workers had voted by an overwhelming majority to end the strike everywhere when it had been possible to organise secret ballots. M. Moch said that although about 2,000,000 workers had technically been on strike, a big majority of them had acted under duress. “In my opinion, the campaign of strikes and revolt was an international operation aimed at wrecking the Marshall Plan.' The operation failed in spite of the blow struck at French economy,” he said.

M. Moch said that the Communists had concentrated their attacks in the south of France to maintain links in Italy where they had launched similar campaigns. The National Assembly rejected a Communist request for an immediate debate on the general social situation by 409 votes to 183, but decided to hold a debate at some future date. The Assembly then adjourned till Tuesday. The Communist Party published "an indignant protest against the inadmissible intervention of the United States in French affairs,” as the result of a visit of Mr J. Foster Dulles, adviser to Mr George Marshall, on what it described as a private visit. Mr Dulles met the President, M. Auriol, and the Prime Minister, M. Schuman, and Cabinet members. Mr Dulles later stated that he was not conducting negotiations. “I am here to get information,” he said.

Primary schools reopened to-day, but attendances were small because parents were unaware that the strike had ended.

One hundred and fifty strikers invaded the Roanne railway station and ejected railwaymen working there. The strikers later forced a large cafe to close down..

The Upper Chamber of the National Assembly, after sitting 20 hours, adopted the Government’s Anti-sabotage Bill by 217 votes to 82. There were further indications of improvement in the general strike situation. Well-filled Paris underground trains, which during the week ran almost empty, gave this morning’s evidence of the drift back to work. Union branches in various parts of France voted against continuing the strike, while others considering strike action have decided against it. The General Union of National Education declared that although school teachers could not accept the Goverriment’s wage reclassification proposals, the union would not strike because it did not want to add to the already dangerous confusion. '

M. Aurlol’s refusal of the Confederation of Trade Unions’ appeal to intervene against the new" emergency laws can be taken as a sign that the Government is confident that it can master the present Communist attempt to disrupt the country by strikes and violence, says the Daily Telegraph correspondent in Paris. M. Johaux said after seeing M. Auriol: “We asked the President to intervene against the new laws so as to lessen the tension and allow negotiations with the Government to take *place.” M. Frachon said: “The President’s prerogatives allow him to intervene to create a more favourable atmosphere for negotiations.” The correspondent added that although M. Auriol refused to intervene, his attitude towards the confederation’s leaders was concilatory, and it is believed that he may. find some way for the early resumption of official negotiations to end the strike. The confederation’s statement issued after the meeting with M. Auriol, while affirming “ complete solidarity with the. workers now fighting for their rights,” added that the confederation had never refused to negotiate with the Government in conditions which gave the minimum chance of ' agreement. @ The Daily Herald correspondent says the confederation’s statement makes it plain that they are preparing for a climb-down.

The police have occupied the gasworks in Toulouse, and patrols are trying to prevent strikers attacking the men who returned to work. The strike wave by December 4 had cost France a loss of 2,000,000 tons of coal, 400,000 tons of iron, 130,000 tons of castings, 175,000 tons of steel, and 160,000 tons of finished steel products.