The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1934-02-12
MILLION ON STRIKE
AGAINST DICTATOR
IN FRENCH CRISIS
Federation Of Labor Sponsors
Protest Movement to
Warn Government
SOL DlERs CALLED TO HELP
Take Over Gas, Water, Electric.
ity and Communication
Services in Paris

Paris, Feb. l2.-R1-An army OF
one million workers struck Monday
against Fascist methods in France.
Amid reports that Premier Dou.
mergue would ask dictatorial powers,
the French federation Of labor called
Sunday midnight q 24.hour general
strike Of protest against any resort to
Fascist control.
A shutdown Of virtually every in
dustry was sought by the federation,
supported by Socialists and Commune
lists.
The walkout Is . protest against at
tacks on parliament by what the strik.
ers term Fascist forces and partisans
Of fallen regimes who. It Is asserted,
are ready to pursue their aim to sub
stitute Dictatorship for q democracy"
Nearly 500 were arrested for OBJ
structing traffic and for violent pick
citing and some window breaking Most
Of them, however. will be released from
jail Monday night, police said.
The government rushed in soldiers
and sailors from the technical corps
to take over Paris public service plants
to assure gas, water and electricity
and to help maintain 1t least . skel-
eton telephone mad telegraph service.
Interrupt Communicates
A dispatch from London Monday
morning stated that wire communica-
ton with Paris had been interrupted,
indicating that the strike was effec-
tive In that part Of It's plan. Com
municatton between New York and
Paris was broken at about the same
time, preventing q full account i'm
mediately Of the situation there.
Other military forces were held In
readiness throughout the nation to
suppress disorders.
Thtrty-five thousand police and
soldiers were on duty In Paris, where
100000 laborers were affected. Out
breaks were feared In meetings Of So
cialists and Communists.
The movement Is intended Is SOL
emn warning to the new government
that the workers will not tolerate any
dictatorial regime.
Paris was outwardly calm as the
strike went into effect.
Peace was reported. too, ct Mar
settles, Lyons and Ltlle-the princi-
pal provincial cities in which the
movement was followed extensively.
There were demonstrations In these
cities Sunday.
Albert sarraut. minister Of the In
terior, instructed the police to try
good natured persuasion before re-
sorting to their clubs but, nevertheless.
held 4 small army Of mobile guards
and soldiers In reserve and detach-
ments Of troops around railroad sta
lions while the train service operated
on regular schedule.
His ministry reported that the Cit
roen automobile factory was working
with . 50 per cent staff and the Re-
nault automobile factory With IS per
cent, but that city services such %
garbage and sweeping were inopera-
tive.
Schools In general remained opened
although the federation Of labor esti-
mated their attendance at only 20 per
cent.
The city was without newspapers for
the first time since dailies were regu-
larly printed here.
A great mass Of people. most Of them
dressed In working clothes and estt-
mated ct close to one quarter Of mil
lion. assembled in the large street,
Cours de vincennes. Is . protest
against Eascism."
Not . policeman was visible - Z
Communist parade began but thous-
ands were massed, with supporting
detachments OF soldiers. on side streets
ready for instant action II needed.
Narchers carried hundreds Of big
signs demanding light on stavisky. =
Liberty or Death" Down With Fas-
cism." "Rise Up Against Dictators."
Communists sang the 1nternation-
ole. while various sections chanted
Unity, Unity, Unity"