FRENCH CRISIS

Hokitika Guardian, 25 October 1933, Page 5

FRENCH CRISIS

MINISTR Y RESIGNS DEFEAT ON WAGE CUT ISSUE. (United • Press Association—By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright), PARIS, October 2,4. ~• The French Government has been defeat-. It was on an amendment proposed by a Radical, 'M. Lassalle, seeking to attract the 'Socialists, by hitting the lower salaries less with reduction and the higher salaries more. The Premie?,- M. Daladier then ‘announced that he accepted the amendment and that he would make it a questiO|n of confidence. ,M. Blum, with “tears in his voice’’ explained why the majority of Socialists were obliged to vote .against a Government which cut salaries, although the Socialists hated to do so. A heated dialogue followed between M. iWadicr and M. Blum, ajter which the voting began. M. Daladier lost no time and m'inced no .words over the sa-larv cut issue. He said Franc© already had devalued her currency -by four-fifths, and now she must keep it intaict. He said • “If yon overthrow the. Government that will not solve the problem. The next Government will face similar obstacles. ■ ! If you smash that, too, what will .happen?" After the Premier’s speech, the sitting w.?s suspended. The temperature in the Chamber was feverish. Tha .Socialists at a hasty meet no; decided by 55 to 45, with eight absten-i-i -ns jagaiinst the acceptance of .a compromise offered .by the Government regarding the salaries cuts. The pros, .pect of defeat .therefore increased unless .there was an. unexpected number of

abstentions. s’, Earlier M. Dakdier, at a meeting of Radical -Socialists,' warned them of the dangers of non-acceptance of the [Budget! V,France was- being attacked in ■certain (foreign ’ -markets through rumours,-that she ; intended to abandon tfie-gold standard. M. Daladier declared ..that the Government would resist inflatioin in''any form. The Budget must be adopted to save the country.. : The meeting passed a resolution promising support. ■■■ I

The , end-: of the debate w?.s m"rke<l with excitement. * The Deputies . rea lised that not only the fall of the Government was involved, but the breakup of the “Left” Cartel, thus splitting the Socialist Party; which is an historic event. The Balfldier Government was de feated hv 329 votes to 241. The Ministers drove to the Elysee, to hand in their resignations to the who begins consultations later in the day. . STREET BLOCKADE THREATENED. LIVELY SCENES IN PARIS. PARIS, October 23. Threats by the taxi-drivers and motor drivers to blockade the streets as a protest .against the projected petrol tax have caused the 'police to -fly an aeroplane over the city and t° piece the Palais Bourbon in a state of siege, diverting all of-the traffic fa the neighbourhood of the Chamber of Deputies. The police are stationing t'hemr #<lves >si the vicinity, supported by strong reserves with ranks of loine®, r*ody to bring‘military aid if necessary. Mounted Republican guardsmen oc ' cupied the pavements. The police vans left a passage for one Deputy’s oar at a time. When many attempts were made to break, the barrier, three huge lorries, following a Deputy’s car, swerved across the road. Thereafter the drivers decamped. The occupants of forty cb'rabancs were detained. Scuffles, were followed by many arrests. Meanwhile, the business in the ■Chamber of Deputies, despite M. Dala- • diev’s courageous appeal to fight thing* out immediately, proceeded in an atmosphere cf despondent calm, intensely boring fashionable people who were in the galleries. Many amendments t 0 the Financial i S Rill were rejected. j The dinner time adjournment w's ] occupied in lobbying in an attempt to find an acceptable formula for Article Thirty-seven, thus allowing the Social- I asts to support the Government. The House then tackled the crucial! clause, rejecting it by 420 to 176, , Socialist amendment to borrow the necessary money for a national sinking fund, instead of reducing galaxies. M. Daladier then ' addressed the House. T.AIIIS RACE ROUND STREETS. (Received this dvy. at 10.15 a.m.) PARIS, October 24. The proposal which incensed taximen and motorists was an increase .in the tax on petrol bv lvioepencc a gallon, ■'v -making it _two shillings. j The police were summoned .lsst night to suppress c- demonstration >Vi the sub- j | urb of Asnieres. where many taximen live.- A number of them for over an j hour drove in a .process??#! at a biglr -speed roun.. 1 the streets, sounding their | •horns unmc cifully.