FRANCE COMMANDS

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20033, 4 September 1939, Page 4

FRANCE COMMANDS

DALADIER’S CALL CHEERS BY DEPUTIES MESSAGE OP PRESIDENT EFFORTS MADE IN VAIN INNOCENT VICTIMS (Klee. Tel. Copyright —United Press Assn.) (Reed. Sept. 4, 9 a.m.) PARIS, Sept. 2. The Chamber of Deputies unanimously adopted a war budget of £400,000,000, implying authority to the Government to declare war. The Premier, M. Daladier, paid homage to the noble efforts of the Italian Government to avert hostilities and also paid a tribute to the French Army.

He added, without formally declaring war: “Time presses. France and Britain will not stand by and watch the destruction of a friendly people. Aggression against Poland is a new enterprise of violence against Britain and 'France, tout if the fighting is stopped, if the aggressor retires to his own frontiers, and if free negotiation follows, the French Government will facilitate it.”

Even the Communists applauded the utterance. M. Daladier added: “We have no hate for any people of the world. If we shirked our duty, it would be a precarious peace. We should be a wretched people reduced to defeat and servitude ”

M. Daladier’s final phrase was: “To-day, it is France who commands There is no room for any other cry than “Long Live France.”

Whereupon, every deputy rose and cheered.

M. Daladier read a stirring message from the French President. M. Lebrun, as follows: “You meet at a critical moment in our national life. War has broken out in Central Europe. Men are killing each other. Innocent victims are machine-gunned Crom the air. The two peoples could have settled their differences by free and loyal negotiations.

“Britain and France are attached to a policy of prudence, wisdom and moderation and have done everything humanly possible to avert the crisis, but in vain, and unless they are willing even at this hour to hear the voice of universal conscience, the worst possibilities are at hand.” The Chamber then adjourned. M. Daladier afterwards received the Polish Ambassador.

The President of the Senate, M. Herriot, pointed out there -was no need to recall Parliament for the declaration of war, Cabinet having a free hand to act unless Germany halts the invasion of Poland. The Chamber rushed through the measure without a debate as a demonstration of national unity. The Paris correspondent of the Havas Agency says that M. Daladier ‘old the Chamber of Deputies that France was willing to participate at the eleventh hour in peace attempts, but he made it clear that France would fight unless German aggression was halted.

The Council of Ministers overnight ordered mobilisation to-day under a state of emergency. The newspapers of France are now restricted to four pages. They warmly praise Mr. Chamberlain’s statement yesterday. The Havas Agency reports there is martial law throughout Poland.