Tardieu’s Defeat

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 901, 19 February 1930, Page 9

Tardieu’s Defeat

FRENCH POLITICAL CRISIS Cabinet May be Reformed NAVAL CONFERENCE HALTED THE Tardieu Government has been defeated in the Chamber of Deputies by 286 votes to 281 on a question of confidence, thus bringing about a crisis in political France. The Govemmnet has resigned, but it is probable that M. Tardieu will reform his Ministry. lit the meantime the withdrawal of official French representation has delayed the Naval Conference in London. Delegates are marking time and concentrating on minor points.

United P.A.—By Telegraph Copyright PARIS, Monday. The Premier’s doctors have forbidden him to leave his bed, see visitors, or do work of any kind owing to his illness. Nevertheless, the Ministers met at his bedside, where the traditional letter of resignation to the president, M. Doumergue, was drafted. The crisis came with dramatic suddenness, but it was not entirely unexpected in view of the determined hostility of the parties of the Left to the Government. The matter which led to the Government's defeat was the tax on the profits of small shopkeepers which the Finance Committee wanted to reduce. M. Cheron, Minister of Finance, refused to agree to a reduction, on the ground that it would endanger the Budget balance. He made the question one of confidence, hence the necessity for the Government’s resignation. M. Tardieu’s recent absence in London was the direct cause of the defeat. He had not been able to keep a hold on recalcitrant Deputies. CRITICISM OF DEPUTIES Many of the Deputies oppose him on the ground that as France had fixed a definite figure representing her naval needs the London Conference is of little importance to her. They consider that M. Tardieu would be better occupied with domestic problems. A later message states that the President, M. Doumergue, has intimated his wish that M. Tardieu should reconstitute his Cabinet. He argues that the Government was not defeated on a real political issue.

According to advice from London the immediate future proceedings of the Naval Conference have been thrown out of gear by the sudden defeat of the Tardieu Government. When the details of the cause of the defeat were received the matter was discussed at the French delegates’ headquarters. It is their opinion that the event at most will cause a delay of a few days in carrying on the negotiations. PREMIER’S INSTRUCTIONS The only French Minister in London tonight is M. Leygues who, as soon as he received the news of the resignation of his Government, telephoned to M. Tardieu. Speaking from his sick-bed the latter instructed him to remain in London at present and continue the work of the delegation. As no Ministry is in being in France M. Leygues will not be able to carry on actual negotiations with the heads of the other delegations at present. French circles agree that most probably the whole affair will prove a storm in a tea-cup and that within a few days M. Tardieu will reconstruct the Ministry and take one or two Ministers from the Left. That he has wanted to do for some time. Then he will carry on again it is thought. It is emphasised, however, that no changes in the French Ministry practicable in the present Chamber are likely materially to alter France’s memorandum setting out her naval needs. This was a mere reproduction of the programme formulated originally several years ago and which most of the parties in the Chamber of Deputies approved. It is learned from a trustworthy French source that there is not the least chance of a reduction in the programme unless some sort of Mediterranean security pact can be obtained.