FRANCE TO THE MINES ! FOR ALL THE EXCITED HEADLINES, S.A.O . 
TERRORISM WAS HARDLY CHARLES DE GAULLE'S MAIN CONCERN LAST WEEK . 
FAR GRAVER WAS THE CHALLENGE TO HIS AUTHORITY POSED BY FRANCE'S 
ECONOMY . IT TOOK THE FORM OF A SPREADING LABOR STRIKE 
LED BY 188,000 STUBBORN MINERS CONCENTRATED IN THE GRIM COAL DISTRICTS 
OF NORTHERN FRANCE . THREE RIVAL UNIONS (ROMAN CATHOLIC, SOCIALIST, COMMUNIST) 
WERE OUT OF THE PITS IN A JOINT DEMAND FOR A 
12 PER CENT PAY BOOST TO COMPENSATE FOR THE CREEPING INFLATION 
THAT HAS WIPED OUT MUCH OF THEIR PURCHASING POWER IN THE 
PAST THREE YEARS . DE GAULLE'S REPLY WAS IN THE AUTHORITARIAN 
TRADITION OF AN ANGRY OLD SOLDIER . HE PUT HIS SIGNATURE 
TO A SPECIAL DECREE THAT HAS THE EFFECT OF DRAFTING THE 
STRIKERS INTO THE NATIONAL SERVICEORDERS CAN BE SIGNED BY THE PREMIER 
; BY ISSUING IT HIMSELF, DE GAULLE PUT HIS OWN PRESTIGE 
ON THE LINE AGAINST THE STRIKERS . AS STRATEGISTS, THE MINERS 
TURNED OUT TO BE WORTHY OPPONENTS . THOUGH TEMPTED TO STRIKE 
EARLIER BECAUSE OF THE SWIFTLY RISING COST OF LIVING, THE MINERS 
HELD OFF UNTIL FRANCE'S COAL STOCKS HAD BEEN USED UP BY 
THE BITTER COLD OF THE PAST MONTHS . WHEN THE STRIKE 
WAS ONLY A FEW DAYS OLD, FACTORIES BEGAN TO SHUT DOWN 
FROM LACK OF FUEL . SUPPORT FOR THE MINERS CAME FROM 
ALL SIDES . ROMAN CATHOLIC BISHOP GERARD HUYGHE OF ARRAS PUBLICLY 
STATED THAT THEIR CONDITIONS MUST BE IMPROVED . IN PARIS, 3,000 
UNIVERSITY STUDENTS DEMONSTRATED FOR THE STRIKERS, SHOUTING " DE GAULLE TO 
THE MINES ! " THE WINE DEALERS ASSOCIATION PROMISED TO SEND 
2,600 GALLONS OF RED WINE TO THE BEER-DRINKING MINERS . OTHER 
UNIONS PULLED SHORT SYMPATHY STRIKES : RAILROAD WORKERS QUIT FOR 15 
MINUTES ; GAS AND ELECTRIC WORKERS WALKED OUT FOR TWO HOURS, 
STALLING SUBWAYS, STOPPING WORK IN FACTORIES, TRAPPING SOME UNWARY CITIZENS IN 
ELEVATORS BETWEEN FLOORS . DE GAULLE'S REQUISITION ORDER ISELF WAS RESPONSIBLE 
FOR MUCH OF THE SYMPATHY FOR THE MINERS . UNDER LAST 
WEEK'S DECREE, FAILURE TO RETURN TO WORK CAN BE PUNISHED BY 
DISMISSAL, FINES AND, UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS, JAIL TERMS . A COAL 
CUTTER IN LENS SAID : " WE WERE STRIKING FOR MONEY 
AND SHORTER HOURS, BUT NOW WE'RE STRIKING FOR THE RIGHT TO 
STRIKE . " AT WEEK'S END PREMIER GEORGES POMPIDOU TOOK HIS 
CASE TO THE PEOPLE IN A NATIONWIDE TELEVISION BROADCAST, URGING THE 
MINERS TO RETURN TO WORK TO PROTECT " THE LIFE AND 
PROSPERITY OF THE NATION . " HE WAS STILL STANDING FIRM 
ON MONEY : " THE REASONABLE RHYTHM OF SALARY INCREASES PROHIBITS 
GIVING THE MINERS WHAT THEY ASK . " ALL THE GOVERNMENT 
WOULD PROMISE WAS A 5.7 PER CENT BOOST SPREAD OVER TEN 
MONTHS . 