Shanghai, Apr. 15. 'HILE no settlement had been reached in the Cathay Hotels Ltd. strike yesterday, the dispute between carpenters and bricklayers and their employers continued on the large scale it had assumed on Sunday, with little chance of the former resuming work in the near future.
The strike of approximately 20,000 carpenters and bricklayer: which paralyzed building work on houses in the International Settlement, French Concession, Nantao and Hongkew, had been expected here for some time, Chinese sources stated yesterday. The dispute actually started on Thursday and first involved about 1,000 workers, Negotiations were conducted and an understand~ ing was reached. The workers were {o receive an increase in wages and living allowances, but the terms found the majority dissatisfied.
The dispute flared into a general: Their cards, Ue-up on Sunday when the strikers: went around various carpenter and brick-laying establishments, calling their colleagues to join in their demands, It was reported yesterday that the French police had arrested ten instigators in the Concession on Sunday morning. but later they were released, Chinese sources, well informed on the Fun of the strike, yesterday opined that the dispute would not be settles tosily, since both sides remain rin fon their points. They attributed the Alspute to the ever increasing price of commodities, particularly rice, the campaign being launched by profters, The high cost of rice may be Justly said to be the reason for every strike in the city, since the major Gemand of all strikers Is for an al-Towance for the cereal.
Offer "Too Small"
The abnormal cost of rice has caused numerous disputes in the city, me volving such companies as the Com. pagne Francaise de Tramways vet dEelairage Electriques de Shanghai China General Omnibus Ca.. Gas Ca. in addition to innumerable Chinese weaving factories, tailors shops. shoe stores. spectacle factories, and now the Cathay Hotels Lid, and employees of building contractors, "The latter held a meeting on Sunday and decided to increase the wages of their employees by 90 cents for the carpenters, and 60 cents for the bricklayers. 'With another. me erase in living allowances. the daily Income of the workers would become larger by about $1.90. This decision was conveyed to the workers, who fumed a dear car, stating that. this amount would still' be too small to cover their dally expenses, Another strike, involving approx!- mately 500 employees. may break out either on Thursday or Friday, Chiese sources predicted yesterday. This would involve the employees of the: Commercial Press. the city's largest printing establishment, The management, It was reported, had on several occasions been approached by the employees for an increase wages and living allowances, and al though promises had been made that these would be reviewed by the head office in Hongkong, no increases were given, 'A few days ago, the employees of the frm approached the manager of the Commercial Press with. it may be called, an ultimatum for a reply to their demands, threatening to declare a strike should their represen {ations remain unanswered. It was ported yesterday that the manager had sent a telegram to: the manager of the company's head office Hongkong, asking the latter to give a reply by' April 17. Should an unfavourable reply be received on that @ay, Chinese sources declared that the printers might strike. This would paralyze all the departments of the printing company.
The dispute involving furniture removing companies was stil unsolved although the drivers and coolies of Ningpo Household Removing Ca. held negotiations with their managers on Sunday and had agreed to resume work in the near future, Female Workers Idle The 940 female workers f the China Lace and Wei Tsung Lace factories were sill Idle yesterday. The former struck on Sattirday afternoon, while the employees of the latter followed suit on Sunday morning. Their demands were Identical, being for an-increase in wages and living 'The strike of Chinese employees Cathay Hotels Ltd resulted unexpected developments yesterday morning, when six Chinese, dressed in foreign clothes. drove up to the Cathay Mansions where they asked fo see the manager. Taken' to the office of the latter. the newcomers Introduced themselves as representa: tives of a society termed "Syndicate for Protection of Chinese employees: it was noted. bore addresses of either Nantao' or West Shanghai Area.
'Once in the presence of the manager. the men fold the manager that they came in order to tell him that In future all Chinese, employed by the Cathay' Hotels Lid. would have fo be registered with' their union, They also stressed the point that the] management of the hotels could not Gismiss any servants without first Informing the syndicate.
"The newcomers practically shouted fat the manager and the latler told them to calm themselves and to sce. the general manager of the company. 'They lett, promising to do so. This, fact only' helped ta. strengthen the opinion that political influences had. been Behind the dispute since its beginning on Friday. An oficial the company also stated yesterday that they had been receiving _my~ sterlous telephone calls since Sunday. the callers always enquiring whether any of the employees hod remained fon the premises. These calls, he Added. were traced to a "cert political organization in the Western istrict.
Reason for Dispute meanwhile, it was learned from Chinese sources that the reason for the present dispute could be traced. to the last trouble at the Cathay Hotel. It was said that then, after the employees had asked tr, L.
Sutor, general manager of Cathay Hotels Ltd. for an increase, they were told that. as the business hi been poor, the management could rot grant the request, The employees: had been promised, however. that nobody would be dismissed, unless It became imperative.
As soon as Mr. Sutor had left. continued these sources, the promise not to dismiss employees was broken when two lift boys were informed that their services would not be required, This led to the present dis-ute.
was learned yesterday that the strikers" first demand, that of reine statement of these two employees. coul not be granted now anyway, since one of them found employment day after his dismissal. Their other demands, for more pay. would not} be entertained. it was said. The management reiterated their decision "not to be run by servants." partly tiarly fu. the present circumstances The visit of the six representatives "Syndicate for Protection of Chinese Employees" did not bring the settlement any closer, it was stated. fas the acceptance of their proposals would mean that both the manage ment and employees would have to do as the society wished.
"Although 9 few persons had been engaged {0 fill some of the positions. setivities at the hotels were dead yesterday, with the dining rooms, bars and the Tower being closed 0 the' public, " Residents of the hotels were yesterday served with break: fast, but no timms or dinners could be obtained. Lift and telephone services were maintained on a smaller scale, The strike has Involved Cathay, Mansions, Cathay Hotel. Metropole Hotel and the sixth floor of Hamilton, House, Teachers Strike The newly increased cost of living was behind " heated dispute between the principal of a Chinese women's vocational school im Route Voyr and more than 100 students of the School yesterday morning following, 2 general strike declared by the tear chers. The studerite were angered. by the non-appearance of teachers demanded the return of their tuition and during a heated "dispute they were alleged to have manhand-Jed their principal.
Many of them marched en bloc to the French police who offered mediation attracting a large crowd of onlookers in streets through which they passed. After the week-end holiday. the students went to school yesterday morning not knowing that} their teachers had called a general strike to protest against the alleged! refusal on the part of the. principal to increase their salaries.
They went to the principal's offices and asked for a satisfactory explanation. "They demanded that their school fees. which they paid several months ago, be returned to them but their principal was not in a position to do so at once. One Chinese eve-ting report alleged that the angry students, many of them. married, women hed beaten the principal and wrecked some furniture in the schoo! during the dispute,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.