A partial strike of riesha coolies was declared in the French Concession on September 10 as 8 protest against an increase in ricsha charges which they alleged that the various riesha companies in the Concession had announced.
Throughout the afternoon, strikers posted themselves in Rue Pere Froe, Route Conty, Rue Li and Kuo Amiral Bayle and forced all coolies pulling rieshas to join them. If the coolies failed to comply with their demand, they flattened the tyres, making it impossible for the, leshds to move about freely.
inves! companies who announced an crease in their hire charges, but contractors who rented the rieshas and, in turn, leased them to the coolies. urges paid by the coolies to the men from whom they rented the rieshas amounted to about $1 ut the increase called for the payment of an extra 10 cents a day.
The strikers declare that _the French interfering in the Several instigators were, however, arrested by members of the Greater Shanghai Bureau of Public Safety not far from West Gate on September 10 because officials of the Bureau feared that peace and order} might be upset owing to the fact! that the simple-minded riesha coolies migh easily be led astray by the trouble-markers. The Public Safety' Bureau also sent out a large number of its, members to preserve order, The Chinese press reports that the French Police also arrested 22 strikers on September 10, but these were later released.
The trouble spread to the Settlement on September 11, although nothing serious was reported. The' Chinese area on Sinza and adjacent roads was affected and strikers in groups. went from riesha to ricsha, stopped the vehicles and removing! the valve caps, Jet out the air. In several instances fares were forced to alight and find other transportsation." The police learned of these incidents and constables were in: structed to prevent recurrence. The
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