Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1951-03-21
Mounting Strike Wave
Rolls Through France;
|Pay Raises Demanded
BY the Assoeiatsd Press

peared the most alarming I'M
mediate possibility.
Premier Henri Queuille warned
that the strikes, all pressing wage
increase demands. may develop
into a vertiable attempt on the
life of the country"
Most of the stoppages were
aimed directly at the government,
by far Frances biggest employer
Unions of all political align
ments were taking part, rejecting
widespread discomfort with rapid
ly rising prices and the cabinets
hesitancy to raise wages.
Reds Are Involved.
The Communist controlled
General Confederation of Labor
(CGT), leader in many strikes Of
a political nature in the past, was
again involved but was not always
the leader.
In brief this was the situation:
Railroads.&c. near-nation-wide
strike appeared to be shaping UP
and a complete tieup Of long,
distance travel was feared. There
was no consistent pattern to local
strike votes, some calling for "a
hour stoppages and others for I'M
limited strikes. In some places
all unions decided to quit, in
others some groups walked out
while others stayed on the job.
But the stoppage movement
seemed to affect almost all i'm
portant areas. The situation was
especially severe on Paris sub
urban lines.
Gas-Gas pressure was low yes
terday and is expected to continue
low today. Members Of the So
cialist Workers Force were ordered
back to work after a 24-hour stop
page, but this union has only a
minority of workers and no ma
Iterial improvement was expected.
Some Factories Shut Down.
Electricity-Power was expected
to continue without interruption
for domestic consumers. but some
factories already have been forced
ito shut down. Domestic needs
can be supplied from hydro
electric sources.
The government put French
sailors to work in the capital
manning some public utility plants
closed by the gas and electricity
Walkouts.
Water supply-Some 500 water
company workers in Paris began
a 24-hour strike.
Paris subway and buses-The
strike went into its sixth day with
no solution in sight. The gov
eminent has l,100 military trucks
and private buses operating but
transportation within the city still
was difficult.
Civil servants-Workers are de-
manding increases but no strike
action has been considered.
Metal working-Stoppages are
possible today in the government
owned Renault automobile fac
| tories.
Funeral Workers on Strike.
Funeral workers-Started a a.
hour strike today.
Hotel and restaurant workers.
Meet today to decide action to
support demands for a 78-franc
tabout % cents hourly minimum
wage.
The strike actions defied a
broadcast appeal by Mr.. Queuille
to stay on the job. The govern
ment decided to requisition key
workers in the gas and electric
lndustries-a sort of civilian draft
authorized when the country's
economic life is endangered. 1t
has been applied in individual
cases in the past, but is a highly
unpopular procedure in France
and is used sparingly.
Delegations from non-commun-
ist railroad unions met early today
with Antoine Pinay, Minister OF
Public Works. Leaving the meet
ing. union leaders said they had
received no satisfaction and
added: I'VE decline any RESPONSE
bility for the turn of events"
Coal Miners Get Raise.
One bright spot in the strike
picture was an agreement yester-
day making available II billion
francs 1884 million) for raises to
coal miners. Non Communist
unions accepted the principle of
this move and promised to hold
Ioff any strike.
Mr.. Queuille took another posi-
tive move yesterday. He sum-
moned the government council
controlling the minimum wage
scale to meet tomorrow. An in
crease in the minimum wage level
might slow or halt the strikes.
Government sources said about
10000 Partisan workers were strik-
ing on the transport system, or
suburban trains and in public util-
tiles. No estimate was available
of the number elsewhere in the
country.
There was spotty first re-
Spouse outside the capital to the
rail strike call. Railroaders
walked out at Bordeaux, Lyon
and LIE Havre. but the southern
port city of Marseille--ordinarily
a hotbed of labor agitation-this