HIGHER FRENCH TARIFFS.

Press, Volume LXIX, Issue 20904, 11 July 1933, Page 9

HIGHER FRENCH TARIFFS.

MANY BIG INCREASES. BRITISH GOODS AFFECTED. (tniITKD PRESS ASSOCIATION I —D7 ELECTKIC TELEGIUMI—COrYIUGiIT.) PARIS, July 9. The Chamber of Deputies has passed a bill embodying from 30 to 150 per cent, tariff increases on 64 commodities, half of which affect British imports. The Tariff Commission's report I was not circulated before hand, as is customary, and members therefore were unaware of the nature of the measure, and demanded enlightenment. M. Edouard Daladier (Premier) replied that the bill was intended to ' consolidate disadvantageous tariffs, whereupon it was passed without debate by 488 votes to 10. French opinion fears a further price collapse in America, leading to a flood of cheap goods and necessitating a defensive tariff barrier. FRANCE'S POLICY. SELF-SUFFICIENCY NOT SOUGHT. FRIENDLY RELATIONS WITH ITALY. PARIS, July 9. In the Chamber of Deputies, the Premier, M. Edouard Daladier, announced the repayment of half of the British £30,000,000 loan at the end of July. He added that the Government was contemplating an ambitious international public works policy. France sought neither the closed door nor self-sufficiency in the economic sphere. Her expenditure had been reduced for the first time since 1926, the deficit being £117,658,823 lower. The May revenue was £9,407,059, compared with £4,282,353 in May, 1932. The Government desired to rationalise French Empire markets, and avoid useless competition. The Four-Power Pact was not the goal, but a stage in political development. France would maintain cordial relations with Italy, from whom misunderstandings had too long separated her. Her relations with Great Britain were constant and cordial. The return of economic stability depended upon stability of currencies. M. Daladier denied that he was aiming at a dictatorship or constitutional changes. He would in- | flexibly preserve France from vioj lence. She could remain calm amid | a chaotic world of nations trying i out improvisations.