Roundup of world news Workers defy Franco PARIS—(A LN)—Risking their lives to defy the Franco re- gime’s absolute ban on_ strikes, 50,000 Basque workers in Bilbao are continuing their walkout call- ed May 5, according to reports reaching here. Stoppages have spread to Madrid and other Span- ish cities, reports indicate, with workers’ handbills demanding a “fight against the tyrants” and the return of a democratic govern- ment, ; The Basque strike started under the direction of local resistance leaders, it is reported, when Fraxico’s authorities ordered that 14,000 workers who took part in “a May Day demonstration be fired from their jobs. The decree allow- ed workers to re-apply for their |. jebs within eight days, but de- prived them of seniority and all other rights. e 7 Even though troop reinforce- ments have been sent to Bilbao and many s have been made, more workers joined the walkout in its second day and industry was - brought to a total standstill. Although the Bilbao walkout is one of the largest since Franco seized power 10 years ago, it comes after a year of developing work- ers’ resistance to the dictatorship. During 1946, according to the Gen- eral Workers Union (UGT) which operates openly from Paris and underground in Spain, about 200,- 000 workers were ingvolved in srikes. 3 These strikes, UGT spokesmen state, were neither isolated nor spontaneous but were the result of careful coordination by un- derground labor and political groups which are fighting to re- store the Spanish republic, over- thrown with the helo of Hitler’s and Mussolini’s armies. Murders arouse Italy ROME — (ALN) — Six million workers participated in a general strike throughout Italy on May 3 to protest the May Day murder of Sicilian peasants. The strike involved all members of the seven million-strong Italian General Confederation of Labor (CGIL) except such essential workers as railroad, public utility, telephene and telegraph employees. _ The peasant victims were mem- bers of a group of 400 marching to join a May Day celebration. They were attacked by a group of ._ men on horseback armed with ma- chine guns, eight being killed and 33 seriously wounded. According to CGIL leaders, the blame rests on the shoulders of agrarian landlords and mem- bers of pro-fascist organizations like the Uomo Qualunque (Com- mon Man) who are trying to fan war in order to halt progressive land reforms and block a stable democratic government, Premier Alcide de Gasperi of the Christian Democratic Party has been sharply criticized by la- bor spokesmen; for failing to take firm action against the revival of a fascist movement. ae = TWA grabs airlines ATHENS — (ALN) — The USS. State Department has been. asked by Trans-World Airlines officials to put pressure on the Greek government to. maintain TWA holdings here. TWA recently ac- quired the majority of shares in the Greek internal airways but a Greek court has ruled the deal was illegal because the Greek company’s administrative coun- cil was not consulted. The sale, which made TWA the largest airline company operating in Greece and the Middle ‘Hast, caused a protest strike among airline employes. FRIDAY, MAY 16, 1947 US influence seen in Brazil ban | SAN FRANCISCO — The fine hand of American diplomacy | is seen in the outlawing of the Com- munist party and the banning of the free trade unions in Brazil. This action climaxed a whole series of repressive measures taken against democratic groups in Central and South America who are opposed to turning their respective nations into colonies of ‘Yankee imperialism’. The repressive measures follow insistent demands from U.S. busi- ness circles in Latin America that Washington intervene against la- bor and progressive forces in these countries. : Recently, some 50 American business mén in Venezuela, which is controlled by Standard Oil of New Jersey, communicated to the U.S. State Department their pro- 15-cent pattern CIO President Philip Murray in his capacity. as president of United Steelworkers, is shown with President Charles Cox of Carnegie-Illinois Steel Corporation, signing a two-year agreement giving steelworkers a 15-cent wage increase. authorities. so-called ‘experts,’ ” British atom researcher. - Atomic plant workers sterile LONDON—(ALN)—Cases of sterility have been discovered among members of the British Chemical Workers Union who are involved in atom bomb projects, according to an article in the Chemical Worker, official union organ. The article, signed by CWU General Secretary Robert Ed- wards, asserts that the. workers’ inabili to reproduce may very well be due to the nature of their work, adding that “in the protection of ‘our members the Chemical Workers Union will not be silenced even if it does involve conflicts with the “It has been proved beyond dispute, despite the denials of Edwards says, “that atomic radiation has a known and damaging effect on the reproductive organs. Doc- tors, after examining 125 Hiroshima workmen, found one-third of them completely sterile and it has been declared that radia- tion produced sterility among two-thirds of the women of Hiro- shima who lived within three miles of the center of the bomb.” ’The CWU has presented its findings to the Trades Union Congress, which is expected to call im its scientific committee. “On the TUC scientific committee is P. M. S. Blackett, leading posals for measures to . combat the Communists in Latin America. Wall Street dictated its eco- nomic aims for its ‘sister re- publics in the south’ to a recent gathering of the Inter-American Council of Commerce and Pro- duction at Montevido, Uruguay. Led by Ralph S. Bradford, exec- utive vice-president of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the U.S. delegation demanded abolition of state trading, of imports and of regulations hindering the exploita- tion of these nations by foreign capital. Communists and other demo- cratic elements in Latin America, however, have insisted that such measures are necessary for the development of their nations as independent. The resultant conflict can be summarized in the following sur- vey of Latin America lands: Chile: President Gabriel Gon-’ zales Videla, a progressive, was elected last year with Communist support. Three Communists served in his cabinet until recently when | he was forced to drop them be- cause of U.S. pressure. Chilean Minister of Finance Don Guiller- mo Padrigal, who was on a loan- seeking mission in this country last year, reported that the Wall Street crowd told him: “As long as the Communist party is represen: in Chilean public affairs, not much good- will will be showm to requests of a financial nature advanced bY — the Chilean government.” , Paraguay: Dictator Higinio Mor inigo, Wall Street puppet, who wa forced out of office by popular struggle last year, is waging civil war against democratic grouPS including sections of the army, retain power. : : Cuba: A campaign of terror 18 being waged by fascist elements of the Autentico party against the Cuban Federation of Labor. congress of the labor federation was recently ‘postponed’ by order of the government of President ; Grau San Martin, who is again swinging to the right under pressure. : Mexico: President Miguel Al@ man has just concluded a visit a : the United States, during while he negotiated large-scale loans for | Mexico. In the general pattern 0 the conditions under which Wall — Street grants foreign loans, it 04? be expected that Aleman was forced to make’ wide concessions — Brazil: During the war, the U.S: State Department issued a black — list of Nazi firms operating in that country, American business me? are now moving in. to buy UP these concerns and properties a bargain price, completely free” ing out prospective domestic DUY” ers. U.S. interests are also taking over complete control of utility corporations, in which Britain pT@ viously had substantial interests: eS onelt v Building Service Union organizes city theaters Climaxing a two-month organizing drive, Building Set vice Employees’ Union (AFL), Local 244, has signed UP 110 maintenance and service workers theaters and is awaiting certification this week from | provincial : labor . department. Workers involved are employed by Odeon, Famous Players and Independent. firms. The organiz- ing drive was led by local union business agents Bert Wybrew and Pete Canavan. 2 The newly-organized workers include doormen, ushers, ticket takers, checkroom and _ candy counter attendants, cashiers and cleaners. Over 55 percent of all eligible theater workers in the city have been organized. According to Wybrew, working conditions were poor. Wages were low and split shifts resulted in long, irregular hours. t Application has been made for 18 of the 32 theatres organized, in 32 Vancouver the including all the large downtow? houses. 3 It is reported that during the third week of the organizing drive, Odeon theater directors , — here attempted to lay the basis — for a company union, eo Me Workers at the Odeon theater were circularized with letters and later interviewed individually by the theater managers, who ques tioned the workers as to thei? grievances, and assured them however that the company had the workers’ interests ‘at heart. It was noted, that no serious ef fect to meet the workers’ just d& mands was made before the union entered the field. Chinese By OLIVE SUTTON The end of Chiang Kai-shek’s army and victory for the Chinese people was forecast recently in an editorial in Emancipation Daily, the Chinese Communist publication still rolling off the presses somewhere in North Shen- ‘}si province. In four months, the paper predicted, the People’s Lib- eration Army will go on an all- out offensive. The wiping out of Hu Tsung- nan’s 135th brigade near Wayao- pao last month dooms Chiang’s last hope, the editorial said, and “shows that with only its present strength, the Northwest. People’s Liberation Army is strong enough to defeat Hu Tsung-nan.” “This turning point of the northwestern war situation is, at the same time, the turning point of the nationwide war situation.” “Hu Tsung-nan’s troops are Chiang Kai-shek’s last card. In March this year when Chiang proclaimed the ending of all | hope for a political settlement, there remained in his hand only Hu Tsung-nan’s army, the only \ Communists predict Chiang 's collapse force able to organize an of- fensive of more than 10 bri- gades.” wk oe “It can be predicted,” the pa- per declared, “that in the three to four months from the begin- ning of this month (April) Chiany, Kai-shek’s troops will change fromthe offensive to the defen- sive while the People’s Liberation Armies will change from the de- fensive to the offensive. ° “Chiang Kai-shek will hence- forth go down the slope as he has no more capital with which to save his universal decline on the.fronts throughout the coun- try. The future course of de- velopments _ will this prediction.” as “When the people of China real- ize this, and when the Liberation Army’s present victories are fully developed, the paper said, “the collapse of Chiang’s reactionary clique will be accelerated.” “This historical course of de- velopment is so unexpected that Chiang Kai-shek’s occupation of Yenan will herald his doom and the abandonment of Yenan * demonstrate © by the _ People’s Liberation Armies will herald the victory of the Chinese people.” ‘ CHOU EN-LAI He negotiated for the Communists at Nanking. | struggle, touched off by that © On the 20th anniversary of 4 Chiang Kai-shek’s April 12 be. trayal of the Chihese people; Emancipation Daily also soundé the end of his dictatorship. The Chinese 20-yeat uth- less slaughter, “will soon come an end,” the paper said. people’s “The economic collapse is 2 — y proaching the point of 4 gener national collapse. Never d the past 20 years has the rea® -tion of Chiang Kai-shek’s clique _ been so naked and exposed.” The unity of the Chinese people under the leadership of Mao 7® t tung, was welded into the “ste?” wall of the Chinese nation” pes jing the! anti-Japanese wat) went on. -“Chiang’s reactionary _ cliaué has reached the end of its road, — the paper concluded. “The high tide of the nationwide demo — cratic movement is sure to come i and the blood debts of thé people’s martyrs, spilled by 2° — reactionary clique, will be paid ; in full.” eS RRS 7. PACIFIC TRIBUNE—PAGE * US: eee Tse