Evening star., 1936-06-09
CITIES PARALYZED
BY FRENCH STRIKE
Socialists Battle Reds in
Arms Factory as Walk.
outs Spread.
nv tna Associated Press.

spread rapidly through tne provinces
TODAY as the Socialist government and
the General Federation of Labor
strove to get the strikers to observe
agreements signed with employers.
Toulouse was paralyzed with $4,000
workers in all branches Of industry
Joining in a general strike.
Rouen faced a second night without
street lights because of strike in the
gas plant.
In Bordeaux. department stores
locked out 5000 workers refusing to
accept their demands while aviation
and shipbuilding workers quit.
Factory workers in North France
continued their walkout in sympathy
with 100000 miners who were occupy
ing their shafts.
Socialists Battle Reds.
Socialist and Communist strikers
fought inside munitions factory at
Valenciennes today as fresh walkouts
broke over France.
A dozen Socialists were reported
injured in a clash after Communists
refused to accept a labor agreement
submitted by operators of the plant.
Thirty more Socialists escaped over
wall.
Reports from Denain. near Valen-
ciennes, said a striking Communist
miner forced a foreman to carry red
flags during street demonstrations.
Labor Bill Approved.
The cabinet approved the first of
the labor bills growing out of the ad-
vent of Leon Blum's Socialist govern
ment They were dispatched to Par
special committee.
They provide for 40-hour week,
vacations with pay. collective labor
contracts and relief from the pension
cuts of former Premier Pierre Lavals
decree laws for government jobhold-
ers and veterans.
The Peoples Front Executive Com
miCtee decided to hold a Leftist pa
rade on June IA, stopping at the
Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, at the
Arc de Triomphe, and carrying the
red flag for the first time through the
eristocratic Champs Ulysses, the
Grand Palais section and the fash
ionable residential quarter about the
1nvalides.
In one of its first acts the Peoples
Front government removed the di-
rector general of municipal police,
Paul Guichard. Leftists frequently
had accused him of overzealousness in
dealing with militant left front DEM
onStratorS.
The new director general is Camille
Marchand.
Workers anxious for labor ConceS-
sions similar to those won by 100000
folded arms" strikers, were called out
everywhere.
The new demands originated prin-
cipally in groups not covered by the
flve-point accord announced by the
new Socialist government yesterday.
Employees of six large insurance
companies in Paris refused to work
until their pay is raised and their work
week shortened.
Miners Continue Dispute.
Under the fields of Northern France,
100000 miners continued their dispute
with coal operators. The diggers held
the shafts far underground to strength
en- the union contention it is better
to strike and starve than work and
starve."
Premier Leon Blum and his cabinet
worked to give final shape to the
Socialist legislative program before it
is handed to the Senate and Chamber
OF Deputies for approval
Sources close to the premier pre-
dicted his bills would be passed bv
Parliament before the end of the
week.
tThe Socialist proposals, in addi-
tion to the labor measures for a 40
hour week, paid vacations and collec-
tive bargaining contracts, would ma
tionalize the armaments industry, seek
higher farm products prices, revise
Bank of France statutes, and raise
wages of civil service employes)
As the victorious workers who
achieved their demands struggled
back to their jobs, police kept a sharp
lookout for food profiteers. Investi-
cation was started of 215 cases of
alleged price boosting
White collar" workers conferred
with employers and government labor
officials, but were reported still far
from agreement Another session
was set for today.
Reports of Renewed Strikes.
From the provinces came reports of
fresh or renewed strikes at Amiens,
Nantes, Bordeaux. Lille, Caen and
Lyon. Industries affected included
liver paste manufacturers, cartridge
makers, textiles, oil companies and
metal plants
At Rouen the mayor appealed to
the public to destroy or burn their
own garbage after the regular COL
lectors struck. More than 5000 farm
workers were striking between Rouen
and Paris.