TO MEET CHALLENGE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26621, 18 November 1947, Page 6

TO MEET CHALLENGE

FRENCH CENTRE PARTY LEADERS STRONGER CABINET LIKELY ’ LONDON, Nov. 15. French Centre Party leaders, seeking a stronger Government, postponed a secret get-together dinner, and were invited instead to lunch with the French President, M. Auriol, to-mor-row, says Reuter’s Paris correspondent. This move is considered the culmination of a determined behind-the-scenes effort to meet General de Gaulle’s politicals challenge, and the Communist Party’s campaign against rising prices. M. Ramadier, M. Blum, M. Bidault, and M. Herriot will, it is reported, attend the lunch. The Sunday Dispatch’s Paris, correspondent says the Socialist-led party, which consists of a coalition of the parties, admits it does not feel strong enough to deal with the problems facing the nation. Centre Party leaders 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 that Marseilles is now quiet except for spreading strikes, but ominous memory remains of the administrative collapse. The Republic to escape disaster, must have a Government with adequate parliamentary support, trustworthy forces for the maintaining of order, and a workable plan for emancipating labour from Communist control.