AGITATION IN FRANCE

Taranaki Central Press, Volume IV, Issue 419, 28 April 1937, Page 5

AGITATION IN FRANCE

STRIKE DISTURBANCES PRELUDE TO SERIOUS TROUBLE? Task Facing Socialist Premier Press Association —Copyright. (Received 11.5 a.m.) Paris, April 27. Mobile guards have been draft, ed in Nantes to protect the houses cf employers following strike disturbances. The P. and O. and Union Cas. tie have decided not to can at Marseilles for repairs owing to delays due t o agitation in the shipyards. According to a London cable a meeting has been arranged at Paris between Mr J. A. Lyons, Australian Prime Minister, and M. Blum, French Prime Minister, on April 29, the Associated Press.' understands. Special interest attaches to the interview because M. Blum faces a financial, industrial and Parliamentary crisis, this week that might at any moment lead to serious disturbances. Tha national demonstrations occurring all over France are a possible prelude to more serious trouble. The demonstrators are demanding the acceleration of the* Governtnenit public works programme, an energetic attack on the high cost of living, and the early introduction of sliding scales of wages and pensions for old workers. / However, neither public works nor private buildings are possible as long at' the price of money remains high. Even if financial resources were available Mi Blum could not yield to the trade unions without throwing overboard his promised- “pause.” Relations between ' capital and labour are growing steadily worse, suggesting the possibility of wiclei-•prq-d labour conflicts, says the Paris correspondent of the Times. The Bourse yesterday had one of it s blackest days. M. Blum proposes to further assure Parliament that, he does not intend to make either a fresh appeal to investors or io indulge in fresh expenditujre,, thereby tonfirmng his determination /to continue the ‘pause.” “M. Blum will have to t|ake a firm stand against his own extremists to avert grave trouble and prevent the Malcontents (Wrecking the Popular Front,” says the Times in a r.lading article.