The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1947-12-11
Fren c h Strikes Continue
Despite Government Order

chose to go on strike and express
ed this choice through strike bal
lots. Others in areas where the
unions are under strict Communist
control were called out by flying
squads of Communist functionaries.
including members Of the Chamber
; of Deputies. Others who opposed
striking, despite their support of
wage increase demands put for
ward by the CGT, are not work
ing because pro-Communist strik-
ers are preventing them from en-
tering their places Of work by
threats Of violence. Still more are
not at work because the men who
want to strike, be they a majority
Of the workers or not, can by their
absence make the operation Of a
particular mine or factory or rail-
way dangerous if not impossible.
1t is almost impossible to separ-
ate the political struggle which al
most approaches civil war in France
from the attempt of the French
workers to achieve wage adjust
ments to hold themselves on top of
the inflationary wave that has been
sweeping over the French economy
ever since the Liberation. But, to
understand the dilemma of the
French worker, of the anti-Com-
munist leaders within the CGT and
the Independent unions, and of the
genuinely democratic elements
among the supporters Of the gov
ernment, an effort to consider the
two problems separately must be
made.
/ With the exception only of ex-
treme reactionary groups which are
not supporting the new government
of Robert Schuman, there is gener-
al recognition of the justice of the
workers demands for basic wage
increases and cost Of living ad-
justments. The executive commit
tee of the CGT presented the gov
ernment with a demand for an i'm
mediate wage increase of % per
cent and a guaranteed monthly
minimum wage of 10,5C0 francs
/ (about S91.25). The government
countered with an offer Of 1900
franc (S12.80) monthly cost of liv-
ing bonus and an increase in family
allowances and war pensions. This
offer was rejected by the CGT,
and the newly formed anti-Com-
munist caucus within it, Force
Ouvriere" workers Strength
while reiterating its opposition to
"a general strike agreed that the
governments offer was made
quate.
How effective the governments
offer, coupled with its assertion
that it will shortly prevent plans
to curb initiation, will be in dis
couraging continuance of the
strikes remains to be seen. Some
hope has resulted from the vote
of the civil servants union to re-
fuse participation in the strike after
the governments position had been
made public. But many workers
who do not wish to cause a col
lapse of the new ministry are skep-
tical of its ability to actually ac-
hieve control of living costs effec-
lively enough to make its comprom-
ise wage offer adequate to the
needs of the workers.
That the legitimate grievances
of the workers are being system
exploited by Communist
CGT cannot be questioned. In the
leaders within and outside the
only city in which the strike pic
ture looks very much like a general
strike, Marseilles, the rioting that
lead to the calling out of the work
ers resulted not from an industrial
or wage dispute but from a Com
munist demonstration against in
creased transit rates. A similar in
crease is due in Paris at the end
of this week and Communist func-
tionaries have laid plans for SINH
lar demonstrations here.
The nominal unity of the CGT
was preserved until few weeks
ago when a group of over 200
trade union leaders under the chair
of Leon Jouhaux, long
time general secretary of the
French unions whom the Commun-
sts had relegated to the role of
Keynote of the con-
ference was the desire of the non
Communist section of the fedora
ions leadership to restore it to
is traditional position of freedom
rom partisan control and of neu-
.rality as an organization in all
conflicts between various progress
'ive political groups. The confer
,nce agreed with Jouhaux that !
France could accept American aid +,
without fear of the political domi-
lation which the Communists
.harge is the purpose of the Mar :
shall Plan. Steps were taken to :
organize the rank and file within :
Communicated unions for a revolt !.
It the various conventions that will !
,e held next year, and to encour-
lge the return to the CGT of num- =.
.rous units which have left it dur !.
ng the past year as reaction =
.gainst Communist domination. !,