FRENCH PREMIER

Hokitika Guardian, 29 September 1926, Page 1

FRENCH PREMIER

POLICY SPEECH. [Australia & N.Z. Cable Association.j PATHS, Sept. 27. The Premier, ,M. Poincare’s longawaited pronouncement on home and foreign policies wfjs made in a speech at Bar le Due. The Premier admitted that when he formed his Ministry a financial panic existed. lie said that Parliamentary institutions and the Governmental nuthority were then threatened, but the peril had since disappeared owing to the readiness and unity to secure the country’s recover which change was reminiscent of the 191-1 Chamber’s speedy voting of the . necessary milliards. The members of the Cabinet without abandoning _ thenrespective opinions, were cordially collaborating. M. Poincare said they would refuse to moderate their economic measures and ho added that Parliament could approve or disapprove tliereni. hut the Government’s fate was linked to its decrees. France had not repudiated her war debts. . She already iuul paid largo sums in interest, and she'would have paid more if the German defaults had not forced France to shoulder the burden of her own 10parations. France wins determined to make in future debt payments for the full measure of her ability. Referring to the Thorv negotiations between the German and French Foreign Ministers, the Premier said:—“l always am ready for a rapprochement, provided that it accords with France’s treaties, and is justified by proofs of German disarmament, hut this does not remove the guilt of the Imperial German Government.” Franco, lie said, owed it to herself to Europeans land to the \yoiTd to provide distressed humanity with a less sombre future than the sombre past. Therein she would not fail; hut she refused to sacrifice her contractual right or to slacken her vigilance. France’s attitude towards Germany’s drum that the latter was acquitted of responsibility for flic war, when she was admitted to the League of Nations, was defined by At. Poincare, when addressing disabled soldiers at Versailles. He said: “When the Central Empires brought the cataclysm, you did not dream of rendering every individual ill the Germany Empire responsible for it. nor did you attribute to every enemy- officer or soldier the barbarities committed in our invaded villages. Nevertheless, you cannot forgot that war was declared up on us and was waged upon our territory, and across the violated Belgium, that it was carried out under the orders of the Imperial Staff, with pitiless cruelty. My friends if the Germany of to-dav wore openly to disavow such acts of the Germany of yesterday, how much easier it would he for us to hold out our hands towards our assailants.” BERLIN PRESS BITTER. BERLIN, Sept. 27. \. “nasty shock” sums up the comment of the Berlin newspapers on M. Tloinflare’s speech. Tie is described “as an old mischief maker, who never opens his mouth without sowing new hatred.” The Tagcs Zoitung says: “Nobody knows liettor than this old hypocrite that the three culprits responsible for the war were himself. Izvnlskv (the Russian Ambassador in Paris) and Sazanoff (the Russian Foreign Minister).” The Berliner Tagehla£t says:—“AT. Poincare must be doubhtftil of the success of Franco’s financial rehabiiintion, or otherwise, he would not have returned to his former habit of making speeches on Sunday.”