Evening star., 1948-10-24
French Soldiers
Seize7Mines
Held by Reds
Troops, Told to Shoot
If Necessary, Meet
Little Resistance
by The Associoted Press

PAR1S, OcC. 23.-Ir00pS In 1ull
battle array seized seven of
Frances largest coal mines from
Communicated strikers today,
meeting only slight resistance.
Under Government orders to
shoot If necessary. the troops en-
countered no renewal Of violence
such as has taken the lives of two
persons and caused injury to 200 in
the last three days.
There were a few fist fights at
Montceau-les-M Mines, however, and
in Eastern France near Forbach
strikers in a cafe hurled tables and
chairs when police and troops broke
up their meeting.
Near Metz, bus-load of workers
defying the strike was beset by
strikers hurting stones. -Four of
the workers were cut by flying
glass, but no serious injuries were
reported in these incidents.
A blind miner and his son were
stabbed in another incident.
Coal Mines ParaIyzed.
Frances coal mines are paralyzed
by O nationwide strike thai began
October 4. The miners are demand
ing higher pay, but Communist
strike leaders have openly declared
one of their aims is to wreck the
European Recovery Program by
strike action.
The Government sent 1000 troops
to seize the mines in the area of
Montceau-les- Mines, So miles solth-
west of Dijoh. The strikers were
warned by Army radio trucks and
loudspeakers not TO fight back.
While tension remained high in
the mines, the situation was rela-
lively calm outside of the action
near Dion. The only report of FIR
ing came from St. Etienne, where
O Communist striker was shot in
the leg when he fed from police
who found him putting up strike
posters.
Communist strike leaders called
for a general strike Monday in the
highly industrial st. Etienne area
where two miners were killed yes
terday.
Trouble Is Predicted.
Troop reinforcements also poured
into Northern France and informed
labor sources predicted trouble
would break out there next week.
Yesterday the miners inflicted a
humiliating defeat on the soldiers.
They took 12O prisoners and held
them for "a ahours. Today the
troops were empowered by a cabi-
net decision to pull the triggers
on their guns if necessary. A law
enacted in 1891 just after the
French revolution was the basis
for the decree.
The cabinet took other action in
the mine strike. 1t decided to buy
an extra 1000, 900 tons of coal abroad
to help fill the deficit which since
october 4 has resulted in 5000, 900
tons going un-mined.
Credits for coal imports will be
diverted from money originally set
aside for. fats, secondary cereals
cotton and gasoline.
There were reports from near
Ales in Southern France that
bridges and mine shaft entrances
were mined and ready to be blown
up if troops move in. Communists
formally denied the reports, which
came from the Interior Ministry.
CGT Issues Bitter Blasts.
Action of the cabinet last night
In calling up 10000 to $4,000 ad-
ditional troops In the mine crisis
drew bitter blasts from the Com
munist-led General Confederation
of Labor (CGT). The CGT at
tackled the cabinets actions as un-
constitutional and "monstrous
provocation against the working
classes"
The CGT called on miners, SAIL
ors and dock workers in the United
States and Britain to apply SOL
idarity with the French miners"
Many French dockers are needing
the Communist appeals. They re-
fused to discharge coal-bearing
American ships. At La Rochelle
tooay dockers stopped for "a hours
the unloading of two Liberty ships