Evening star., 1947-12-08
Transit Strike
In Paris Called
Off asFai|ure
Attempt to Pull Out
Civil Workers Also
Seems Unsuccessful
BY the A.soeioted Press

ACoCi dtlOIl VI LdpOT (CI1J SUI
fered sharp setback today
when a two-day strike of Paris
subway and bus workers, sched-
uled to begin this morning, ap-
parently collapsed.
At the same time a five-day
warning strike" of government
workers, called by the CGT in an
attempt to pull approximately l.
100000 civil servants off their jobs,
was meeting with dubious success.
The strike started for SOD groups
OF government employees '.St Friday
and was due to extend TO all depart
ments this morning, but government
officials declared their Offices were
functionine normally.
A spokesman for the Paris trans
port system said the subway and
bus strike had been called off by
the union because it was "a failure" /"
Union Silent on Reason.
Headquarters of the CGT- affiliate
which called the strike confirmed
that 1t had been "annulled," but
declined to give the reason.
The strike vote had been carried
by strong majority of union mem
bers at closed meeting last night
after a central strike committee
composed of CGT members had re-
jected Premier Schumans offer of
a cost-of-living money indemnity
for workers.
Public Transportation Workers,
holding members in two other union
groups, had opposed the work STOP
page, called by the Strike Commit
tee to enforce demands for a gen.
era1 wage increase.
Despite statements by transport
authorities that subway service was
normal, subway riders noted that
there seemed to be fewer trains than
usual and that they did not seem to
be running at their usual speed.
However the management of the
lines attributed the difficulties to
funeral services for Gen. Philippe
Leclerc, World War II hero, which
drew thousands of Parisians to
Notre Dame Cathedral and con-
gested traffic.
Two Persons Injured.
Two persons were injured, one of
them seriously, in attempts to halt
transport in the Paris area this
morning. At three subway stations
strikers tried to close the gates, but
were prevented by police, who made
several arrests.
At Marie d'Ivry terminus a dozen
strikers tied up the assistant station
master and another employe, tock
their keys and cut telephone lines.
Some buses were stoned.
A few hours before the subway
and bus strike was called, the gov
ernment announced the arrest of
nearly 1000 persons In a nation
wide campaign against sabotage in
strike crippled industries.
The Interior Ministry said that
security police had made the arrests
in the last eight days-about half
of them Saturday and Sunday.
Some have been detained" he
said. "Others have been fined and
a few jailed"
Scattered Sabotage Reported.
Despite these measures scattered
reports of alleged sabotage con-
tinued to come in Among these in
cidents was the derailment of the
Lyon-Paris express yesterday near
Vaise, where a section of track was
reported unbolted
There were no casualties and
damage was reported as slight.
Apparently encouraged by devel-
opme1ts on the strike front, Labor
Minister Daniel Mayer said today
that he believed an end to the work
stoppages was Gin sight"
Government sources said that
many strikers had returned to work
in the last week and that the total
number out had receded consider
ably from the peak figure of be-
tween 100000 and 100000.
The GGT, however, has not called
off strikes on Frances railways, in
her ports, mines and mills which
still are Gripping industry and
transportation.
Mr.. Mayer has offered the workers
. 1900 franc ($12) monthly cost-of-
living bonus and has promised to
consult the unions in working out
q general wage scale to last until
June. The GGT, however, is hold
ing out for adoption of new gen.
eral wage scale.