FRIDAY, JULY 6, 1956 Continued from page I POLAND 15,000 workers of the big Zis- po Locomotive plant for some time, and this mounted when recent new wage regulations worked out in such a way as to decrease the earnings of some workers. The workers’ grievances led to a protest demonstration through Poznan on Thursday morning last week. It was an erderly march; presumably the workers taking part in it were not aware that reaction- ary groupings had timed a number of actions to coincide with it. It looks pretty clear, how- ever, that those engaged in the shootings and attacks on public institutions were mo- bilized mainly from outside of Poznan. At the Zispo plant workers told me of their deep concern and bitter regret that their orderly protest demonstration should have been turned into a bloody riot. One worker told me of thugs armed th pistols and trun- cheons ning in what began as a peaceful demonstration. All the workers however, are still bitter about job con- ditions and assert that their rightful de s have been neglected for too long. Their chie } y I + I complaint is that the Central Economic Plan has not provided for sufficient materials to keep machine- producing plants such as Zis- po W . When they have materials they reason- ably good money. earl But too often they are slack ana then their earnings are down. They claim that their own management is ineffici- ent and they seem to have lost faith in their trade union representatives. The unrest in the plant has beer. mounting for months, and following discus- sions on the 20th congress of some the Soviet Communist party reached a high level. Within the last two weeks various forms of limited strike action have been taken, par- ticularly in one shop, the wa- gon shop W.3, among whose workers are many who have been employed in industrial plants only since the end of the war. This shop, according to some workers, has been playing a leading and somewhat dema- gogic agitational role in the movement. On June 25 a delegation of 30 workers was elected from all shops to see Minister of Machine Industry Sidelski in Warsaw. Sidelski met the delegation, its demands were accepted and the minister agreed to go to Poznan personally to talk to each department of the plant. An official. government com- munique reveals that the num- ber of wounded in the recent riots in Poznan was 434, in ad- dition to 48 dead. That was on Wednesday evening, June 27. First thing on Thursday morning the demonstration took place, be- fore the delegation returned. One worker told me that when the suggestion that they should stage a public demon- stration was put round many workers agreed, although some were opposed. Another worker said he was surprised to see groups of men in trucks waiting outside the plant. I have talked to many per- sons, including British busi- nessmen at the fair, and Bri- tish women married to Polish men and common to all their statements is that the civil population of Poznan had no connection with the rioting. The people went about their business apparently hardly able to credit what was going on. In the opinion of many people the authorities serious- ly mishandled what was tak- ing place. No one in Poland is trying to hide the fact that the Poznan workers had seri- ous grievances. Prime Minister Cyrankiew- icz himself accepted that, and has promised amelioration. What needs to be noted is that the feeling of the Zispo work- ers is not confined to, them. It is significant that solidar- ity action was taken by all other sections of the Poznan workers. In recent times there have been strike actions in other Polish industrial towns too, although they have been settled quickly and with un- derstanding. (See also story on page 9) UNION WINS BOOST BCE plannin new fare hike B.C. Electric, the giant monopoly which piles up millions in profits each year} gouging the public, is planning a new increase in transit fares because overworst | and underpaid bus drivers have been awarded a28Vo-cent wage boost in the majé ity report of a conciliation hoard. The majority report of the conciliation board said 14% cents of the pay Chou calls fol negotiations * should be retroactive to June 1, and seven cents effective June 1, 1957, and a third in- crease of seven cents January 1, 1958. B.C. Electric spokesmen ar- gued during the board hear- ings that the transit depart- ment was operating at a “de- ficit” and BCE president Dal Grauer said this week that the company is “studying the report.” “Studying the report,” in BCE terminology, means that the company is scheming to boost transit fares and make straphangers pay for a wage increase which should come out of company profits. BCER increased fares in September, 1954 on authority of the Public Utilities Com- mission from 13-cent adult cash fare or four tickets for 50 cents to a straight 15-cent cash fare. Public protests sparked by Effie Jones, president of Civic Reform Association, forced civic officials to register oppo- sition to the transit hike, and when mainland municipalities appealed against the increased fares the B.C. Court of Ap- peal ordered a rollback to 13 cents. Street Railwaymen’s Union officials said union members will vote on the conciliation report July 13. SRU executive is understood to be recom- mending acceptance. The boosts will raise bus drivers’ basic pay to $1.98 an hour by 1958. “The only way the com- pany can hold operators is by meeting the standards of pay and conditions enjoyed by other comparable groups,” said SRU_ business agent Charles Stewart. He would not comment on a proposed fare increase, beyond saying that he thought the trade union movement “ would take the position that the com- pany hasn’t been doing too badly lately with increases in stocks and bonds.” “An award of this kind was long overdue,” said SRU in- ternational vice - president George Morrison. China is holding out the hand of friendship to Chiang Kai-shek regime, the United States that still refuse diplomatic recognition. In a major foreign policy speech to the Peoples’ gress last week, Premier Ch« post, of foreign minister, declared that the Chinese gov@ , ment is willing to negotiate avith the Chiang Kai-SHe authorities and invited them mainland for talks. He said Formosa must be liberated but there were two possible ways. China prefer- red peaceful means to war and the prospects of a peaceful solution were increasing. China, he went on, wanted to co-exist with all, including the U.S. China would make more top-level contacts with other countries regardless of the absence of diplomatic rela- tions. “There is no iron or bam- boo curtain on our side,” he said—adding, “and no finger- printing.” He welcomed recent British and French statements that armed world conquest was a concept of maniacs and noted that U.S. ruling circles were in an acute dilemma. Recognising that countries like Britain, the U.S. and France had “certain legitimate interests” in Asia arising from “long historical connections,” he said these interests could only be retained by allowing the right of self-determination to colonial peoples. On Formosa he said: “On be- half of the government, I de- clare officially that we are willing to discuss with, the au- thorities on Formosa (Taiwan), specific steps and conditions for the peaceful liberation of Formosa. “We hope that the Formosa authorities will send their rep- resentatives to Peking or some other appropriate place at a time which they consider ap- propriate, to start such a dis- cussion.” All Kuomintang military and political personnel on Formosa whose families were on the mainland were free to com- municate with them. “They can also return to the ‘mainland for short visits to their relatives and friends. July 6, 1956 — PEKII and all counttl yu. En-lai, who also holds to send representatives to We pu uu CHOU-EN-LAI We are prepared to give all kinds of facilities and™ ’ sistance.” a He also warned the © authorities that they. wet@ their “dying gasp” and not last for long.” He wW# 4 them to beware of being Bed in the back and for’ by their former foreign porters. Then turning to relayy with the U.S., he mad@ most forthright appeal , friendly relations. “It is our view that 7 standing disputes betwee? and the U.S. should no an obstacle to friendly “a tacts between the Chines? ~ American peoples. “Furthermore, we are ly convinced that the day | come when the Chines? | American peoples, bec@' their traditional frie! will resume their ties 1? their respective govern PACIFIC TRIBUNE — PA!