WAR BUDGET.

Auckland Star, 4 September 1939, Page 8

WAR BUDGET.

ADOPTION IN FRANCE. Tribute To Italy For Efforts To Keep Peace, PREMIER'S STIRRING SPEECH. United Press Association.—Copyright. (Received 2.30 p.m.) PARIS, September 3. The Chamber of Deputies unanimously adopted a war budget of £400,000,000. This implied giving authority to the Government to declare war. The Prime Minister, M. Daladier, paid a homage to the noble efforts of the Italian Government to avert hostilities. He also paid a tribute to the French Army and added, without formally declaring war: "Time presses. France and i>.itain will not stand by and wateli the dest. uction of a friendlv people. "Agression against Poland is a new enterprise of violence aprainst Britain and France, but if 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 this utterance. M. Daladier added: '"We have no hate tor any people in the world, but if we >Jiiikeel our duty it would, be a precarious peace. We should be wretched people i educed to defeat and servitude." M. Daladier s final phrase was: "Today it is France who commands. There is no room for any other cry than 'long live France.' " Deputies Rise and Cheer. Thereupon every deputy rose and cheered. M. Daladier read a stirring message from the President, M. Lebrun. saving: You meet at a critical moment in our national life. War has broken out in Central Europe and men are killing each other. ° Innocent victims are being machinegunned from the air. The two peoples could have settled their differences by fiee and loyal negotiations. Britain and Fiance, attached to a policy of prudence, wisdom and moderation, have done e\ er\ thing humanly possible to avert the crisis, but in vain, and unless they aie willing, even in this hour, to hear the oicc of universal conscience, the worst possibilities are at hand." T' lo Chamlter then adjourned and M. Daladier afterward received the Polish Ambassador. file Government in a broadcast placed the blame for the outbreak of hostilities on Germany. The Council of Ministers overnight ordered mobilisation to-day under" a state of emergencv. The newspapers in France are now lostrieted to four pages. Thev warmly praise Mr. Chamberlain's statement. General mobilisation will involve about 5,000,000 men. Martial law has been proclaimed, and also a state of siege throughout Franca and Algiers, says another Paris message.