FRANCE FACING POLITICAL CRISIS

Chronicle (Levin), 17 November 1947, Page 5

FRANCE FACING POLITICAL CRISIS

LONpON, Nov. 15. French Centre Party leaders seeking a gtrouger Government postponed a secret get-together dinner and were invited instead to lunch with President Auriol tontorrqw, says Reuter 's Paris cor respondent. This move is considered to be the culmination of deterniined: behind the scen.es efforts to meet General de Gaulie's politi,cal challenge and the Coimnunist Party' s campaign against rising prices. MM. Ramadier, Blum, Bidault an,d Herriot will, it is reported, attend the lunch, The Sunday Dispateh's Paris correspondent says the Socialist-led party, whieh eonsists of a coalition of the centre parties, admits that it does not i'cel strong enough to deal Avith the problems facing the nation. The centre party lfeaders are trying to agree on the formation of a new Cabinet with strong men. The existing Cabinet is expected to resign this week. The Sunday Times ' Paris correspondent says Alarseilles is now quiot except for spreading strik.es, but the ominous memory remains of an administrative collapse. ' The Republie to escape^ disaster must have a Goverument with adequate parliamentary support and trustworthv forees for maintaining- order and a workable plan for einanicpating Labour from Coiutnunist control. The authorities have announced that they would suspend members of two companies of Republican Securitv Police for failing to carry ont their duties during the Alarseilles riots. | The Communist Party has issued a 1 statement that it intended to do everything possible to defeat AI. Ramadier"'s policv of increasing gas, electricity and railwav prices, says the- Assoeiated Press' Paris correspondent. The Paris committee of the Communist Party urged all who used gas, electricity and trains to form themselves into action c'ommittees to seeure the abrogation of. AT. Ramadier 's decrees.