Evening star., 1938-12-01

French labor came yesterday
when general strike Uas called
throughout France by the Gen.
eral Confederation OF Labor. IT,
sues ,Oere notification of 40-hour
week ld,D and imposition OF ne,D
tdres. which ,pere deemed to bear
more heartily on the lo,Der than
the higher classes.
By the Associated Press.
PARIS, Dec. Premier Daladier,
having broken labor's effort to wreck
his government by general strike,
announced today that he intended
to call Parliament into session De-
cember 8 and demand from it ap-
proval of his policies.
In government circles it was be-
lieved the stocky premier would
muster SUFFICIENT strength to over
ride the opposition of Communists
and Socialists, who backed yester-
days abortive strike rs q protest
against his economic decree laws.
M. Daladier, undisputed master of
the situation, has ordered a three
year state Of economic mobili-
zation' for the nation to carry
through his program.
For parliamentary support he
counted on majority composed of
his own Radical-Socialist party and
groups further to the Right.
Punishments Weighed.
The premier also considered puni-
tive measures against labor, Social
ist and Communist leaders of the
abortive one-day general strike. He
planned cabinet meeting to dis
cuSS puniShments.
1t was considered possible that
evidence of Italian territorial am
billions in Frances North American
possessions had much to do with
the premier's decision to seek 4 new
parliamentary mandate.
Shouts Of "Tunisia! Tunisia! by
Italian deputies yesterday with
Premier Mussolini looking on was
taken by French officials to mean
that France was facing a deter
mined Fascist campaign for control
of the North African protectorate.
Foreign Office sources reported
that France was considering a for
NAL protest against the Italian
campaign. M. Daladier conferred
with Foreign Minister Georges
Bonnet and high officials met at the
foreign ministry throughout the
morning.
Setback to Amity.
Many observers considered the de-
velopment a serious setback to re-
sumption of friendly relations and
1t was known that some of Dalsd-
ier's close advisers had recon-
mended recall of Ambassador Andre
Francois-Poncet for a vacation"
Foreign Office circles said Britain
was concerned and would support
France indirectly" It was be-
lieved that London and Paris al
ready had been in informal contact
on possible measures to let Italy
know Of their disapproval.
The new French financial labor
program, drafted by Finance Min
lister Paul Reynaud, puts a heavier
tax burden, both In time and money,
on the average Frenchman. He
must pay more to support the cost
Of government and, although the
40-hour week Is kept ''in principle"
he must work longer hours, If nee
essary, to increase the national in
come.
Referendum Seen in Strike.
NJ Reynaud indicated in a speech
today that the government re-
garded the failure OF the general
strike as popular referendum in
favor of the decree laws. His speech,
before the American Club Of Paris,
was broadcast to the United States.
The people Of France declared
themselves for work. for order and
for social discipline" he said. THUS
they showed that democracy is
capable of what some persons in the
world affirmed to be impossible
impose sacrifices itself which 1t is
easy in other regimes to impose by
force"
The finance minister, however, de-
clared that the breaking of the
strike did not mean a victory of one
class over another. He said ma
tional reconciliation is necessary for
the success Of our great enterprise"
He cited evidences of recovery,
such as an influx OF capital from
abroad, rise In the value of the
franc, lowering of the discount rate
and an upturn in French stocks and
bonds to show that his three-year
plan already was having good ef-
fects..
Daladier's Friends Jubilant.
The Premier's friends and the
conservative Right jubilantly an
the General Confederation
of Labor, which ordered the un-
general strike, was los
ing thousands of its boasted mem
bership of 100000.
Conservative leaders called M.
Daladiers victory the end of Social
ist, Communist and organized labor
influence in France.
There were some worried mem
bers in the Premier's own middle
of-the-road Radical Socialist party.
They feared their leader would be
forced to fight the ultra-conserva-
tives to keep them from snatching
his victory.
For the Rightists, calling the
strike suppression a total liquida-
ton Of the Peoples Front and all
its policies" already had started
planning NJ. Daladier's new pro-
gram for him. With the Socialists
and Communists now firmly in op-
position, the Premier must have
Conservative votes to stay in power.
3-Year Plan In Nete.
He lost no time in decreeing the
three-year economic mobilization"