BLUM FLIES TO LONDON

Chronicle (Levin), 14 January 1947, Page 5

BLUM FLIES TO LONDON

Press Assn.

British-Freneh Alliance May Be Discussed MORE RUHR COAL SOUGHT

By Telegraph

.-Copyright

Received Tuesday, 10.30 a.m. LONDON, Jan. 13. The French Prime Minister, M. Leon Blum, flew to London today at Mr. Attl.ee's urgent request. It is officially stated that he is seeking increased coal deliveries from the British zone of Germany, bqt the Evening Standard says it is known that he came in response to a British offer to open a d-iscussion for a fopmal British-Freneh alliance, and some form of Customs Union. M. Blum is anxious to lay the foundations for such an alliance before his Government resigns on January 16. French diplomatic cireles think that unless Britain is able to promise deliveries of from one to two million tons of coal the discussions are likely to come to an abrupt end. Reuter's political correspondent says that trade will be ihe main subject of discussion when M. Blum meets Mr. Attlee, Sir Stafford Cripps, Mr. Bevin and other Ministers. There is nothing on the agenda yet for a French-British alliance or a Customs Union. Britain informed France before M. Blum came that Britain was unlikely to be able to export any coal. Reuter's Paris correspondent says that . a French Foreign Office spokesman said the harmonisation of French and British reconstruction plans, as well as French coal problems, were the main objects of the London talks. He added that there was no fixed agenda, and though the talks would be principally economic, including j the pos.sibility of an increased jallotment of the Ruhr coal for (France, the two statesmen j"will undoubtedly review all j foreign policy questions ofj mutual interest."