Thousands of trade unionists assembled in Santiago Cathedral, Chile, to hear the May Day message of Cardinal Raul Silva, Archbishop of Santiago. A line of priests shielded Chilean trade union leaders who had gathered behind the altar from the soldiers who patrolled the streets outside the cathedral during the Mass.
In his sermon the Cardinal said the history of the trade union movement had provided innumerable martyrs. While mistakes had been made, he said, "none of these mistakes would be comparable to any attempt to return in any way to the past and to restrict the free participation of workers in the control of the nation's future."