Evening star., 1953-08-12
Strikes Deepen French Chaos;
3 Million Due Out Tomorrow;
Industry Hating, Tourists Flee
LunieI Sticks
To Economy Plan
To Trim Budget
BY the Asseeiased Press

PARIS, Aug. 12.-NeW strikes
we're called today in the clothing,
coal, and metal working indus
tries and government Offices of
France, pushing the nation deep
er and deeper into chaos. The
country already is tied in knots
by walkoutS in travel and COM
munications enterprises.
Three million workers, irked
at the governments plans to
balance its budget by trimming
payrolls and upping the retire.
ment age for civil servants, may
be off the job tomorrow. About
q million were striking today.
But Multimillionaire Premier
Joseph Laniel showed no signs of
abandoning his economy guns.
The Socialist Union, Force
Ouvriere Go, or Workers Force)
issued the call for a 48-hour
strike in government Offices. The
clerks walked out last week for
% hours. The Communicated
General Confederation of Labor
(CGT) probably will follow suit.
Many Industries Hard Hit.
Stoppages for tomorrow in the
metal working. coal, clothing in
dustries also were called, These
walkouts would affect all auto
mobile plants.
Both non-CommuniSt and Com
munist unions also ordered a
strike for tomorrow in the Paris
Stock Exchange.
Railroads, mines, public utili-
ties, government services, posts.
telephone and telegraphs were
all paralyzed or hit hard.
Paris suhways and buses halted
late last night for "a hours.
Disguised tourists fled the
strikebound country. With trains
and buses halted. every outgoing
plane was iammed. Shipping
lines scurried for special buses to
take their passengers to channel
ports. and to collect arrivals.
Army Trucks Garry Public.
The Government called out
army trucks driven by French
soldiers to carry passengers in
the capital. Private bus and
truck conveys also were drafted
for long distance haulS to re-
place the strikebound railways.
The government also appealed
to private motorists by radio to
pick up hitch-hikers. Some
troops also worked on the piled
up mails. but made little head
wav.
Even plane service was threat
eped AS ground personnel walked
off at some Paris airports. In
the biz Mediterranean port of
Marseille and at Dunkileraue. on
the channel. shipping was tied
up.
Airlines in Brussels and Am
sterdam stepped UP their flights
into France and put on bigger
ships to speed evacuation of the
tourists
Among those leaving were
some 500 invalid Irish Catholic
pilgrims returning from the
healing" shrine at Lourdes.
Stranded in Paris, 400 went by
bus last night to Boulogne to
catch a channel steamer. An
other 100 were to leave by bus
later today. An Irish plane,
which brought in more pilgrims
last night. took home IL stretch
er and % whAelchair cases.
Travel Agencies Besieged.
The American Express and
Cooks Travel Agency were be-
sieged with travel applicants, all
wanting out. Many vacationers
were running out of money; the
communications strike kept them
from getting more from home.
Foreigners planning to visit
France soon rearranged their
itineraries. Other West Euro
pean countries got ready for a
bonanza of unexpected business.
Frances tourist industry faced
huge losses.
Mr.. Laniel remained grim but
(See PARIS pace A-7N