Questioned as to whether or not it was true that the State Department was drafting proposals for changes in the Neutrality Act, Mr. Sumner Welles, Under Secretary of State, characterized the reports as premature. He said President Roosevelt and the Department of State are both continuously studying neutrality prob. lems. However, reports that the State Department had already drafted a series of amendments to the Neutrality Act were said to be still premature.
Interviewed at Warm Springs, here he is finishing his Thanks-holidays, President Roosevelt said that "unfortunately the reports cannot be true."—United Press, At a meeting yesterday afternoon, the executive council of the C.G.T. decided to maintain its order for the general strike.
'A decree has been published providing for the requisition of all public services and their subsidiaries.
It will be brought to the notice of those concerned by means of posters. It particularly affects transport, the underground railway, water, gas and electricity undertakings.
It is now certain that the general strike will be only partial.
Although the C.G.T. claims a membership of 5,000,000, there are many independent unions, such as the French Confederation of Christian Workers, numbering 500,000, and the French Labour Confederation, numbering 120,000, which are energetically opposing the strike as political and not industrial and are issuing the strictest orders to their members to remain at their posts.
The Railwaymen's Christian Union, while demanding adjustments in the order their members to "stand aside from any disorderly agitation likely to compromise the safety of the country and the essentia) liberties of Frenchmen."
The general federation of state servants have announced their inten tion of striking despite the warning of the Government that such action may entail their dismissal.
Paris compositors have unanimously decided to cease work this evening until tomorrow, with the result that there will be no papers on Wednesday.
The position at present is that the Government will ensure the working of railways, buses, and the postal, telegraph, telephone and broadcasting services, A few taxicabs will be driven by private owners. Schools and public services will continue despite the announcement that certain sections of state employees and teachers will strike.
Department stores, provision shops and small stores will be open, as well as banks, insurance offices, theatres and cinemas.
The strikers themselves will see that the gas, water and electricity services will be assured. and that hospitals and chemists will function normally, while practically all hotels, restaurants and cafes will remain open, although their employees have been called upon to strike.
In a note to M. Edouard Daladier, the Premier, giving the reasons for its decision, the executive council of the C.G.T. states:
"Our movement is not political. Tt is not directed against your foreign molier but against the decree laws, which hit the workers first.
"Since it has pleased you to modify established social legislation without consulting us and to abolish the 40- hour week without discussion (which is compulsory, according to the very terms of the act), it is you who have pushed workers to the only effective means of protest, namely, a strike, "Can you say that this 24-hour strike, during which all measures of security will be taken for persons and property, can be called a revolutionary act?"
After saying that the C.G.T. obeys no outside influence, the note adds:
"We. object to your attributing political aims to our strike, It is economic in causes, and will remain economic in its carrying out"—Reuter, Dr. Eduard Benes, the former Czechoslovak State President, has de-
Echo of Attempt on New Mayor's Life Gun Used in Attack Known To Municipal Police cided to reside permanently in England. According to the "Daily Telegraph" he leased a cottage in the London suburb of Putney for several years. The date of Dr. Benes' departure for the United States where he intends to conduct a lecture tour, has not yet been fixed.
From information received by the Shanghai Municipal Police yesterday it has been ascertained that the revolver used in the abortive attempt to kill Mr. Fu Siao-en, who was recently appointed Mayor of the Jap. anese sponsored Shanghai municipality, was the same weapon which was used in an armed robbery and attempted murder at 1308 Myburgh Road on May 20, 1936.
A full history of the weapon was published in the "Police Gazette" in October, and all clues are being followed up to trace the owner of the revolver.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.