Imperial Valley press., 1928-10-22
UNREST
GROWING;
ABROAD
Business, Industries and
Crops Are In Serious
Condition. i
STRIKES SPREADING
LOckouts Add to Number
OF Idle Persons In
Several Countries.
BY ERIC KEYSER
United Press Staff Correspondent

OHlteu TltSS Quail NOlASoPoiioOhN
BERLIN, Oct. 22.-Industrial un-
rest is growing in Europe.
Business is poor, crops have been
bad in some sections and the work
ing people, restless and dissatisfied,
face a hard winter.
Recent strikes and lockouts in
Germany, Poland and Czecho-Slo
vakia are not accidental phenomena
lut the direct result of tagging bust
ness in Europe.
Although the cases. are discon-
nected, all have one common feature
the determined attitude of the
owners.
1t is particularly noticeable in
Germany, where the owners forestall
the demands of the unions by whole
sole lockouts, which they certainly
would not do if business were flour
ishing.
At present, about 100000 workers
are on strike in Germany, while
lockouts of $4,000 more are pend
ing.
The underlying causes are eco
nomic, but the social and political
consequence may begin to be felt
at any time.
The owners claim that German in
dustry is unable to pay higher wages,
pointing out that in recent months
German products have found it in
creasingly difficult to compete i'll
foreign markets because of the high
costs of production. The owners
claim they are unable ato reduce
costs as the bulk of their working
capital is borrowed abroad at high
rate of interest.
The workers contend that the
steep advance in prices and living
costs in the last year must be met
by higher wages. Both parties are
at loggerheads. The only hope is
arbitration, which hitherto has sue
cecded only in minor cases, and has
failed to settle big disputes.
Poland Hard Hit
Conditions in Poland are similar
Manufacturers there are working on
borrowed capital also, and if they
raise wages, the increased cost of
ther output will be detriment in
meeting foreign competition.
The manufacturers stood firm
against the workers demands and
the great textile strike in the LODI
district was ended today when the
, trades union council at Warsaw vot-
ed to return to work. The danger
was not considered past, however.
! and might flare up again at any
time. sElL
The government, in attempting to
mediate, was in a Dilemma. While
apprcciating the difficulties of the
manufacturers, it realized that fall
ure to appease the workers would
provide fruitful ground for unrest
and the growth of Communist
| doctrines.
The trouble in Czcchoslovakia is
serious. Although at present it IS
confined to the mining districts,
other trades were reported ready TO
join the movement, however. The
adamant attitude of the owners is
| noticeable. On Saturday, the govern
ment proclaimed a state of siege IN
the coal district of Kladno, near
Prague, where it was reported
strikers clashed with police.
France Has Strike
France, too, has had her share OF
industrial unrest, although not to
such serious extent as her neigh
bors. The national council of the
federation of miners, ending its
congress in Paris yesterday, adopt
ed a resolution to demand increased
wages. 1t was voted to reassemble
as soon as the owners replied.
In Marseilles, a seamen S strike
of serious proportions has tied up
shipping. More than 1000 passengers
were stranded at Dunkirk. The ship
pers decreed a 4S hour lockout on
Saturday aud threatened to con-
tinue it indefinitely unless the strik-
crs returned to work today.
AS eorollary to the picture o.
industrial conditions, crops have
failed in the Ukraine and have been
poor in some parts of central Europe.
The situation in the Ukraine was
serious and thousands faced the
winter without food. The Soviet gov
ernment has appropriated large sums