WILD DEBATE IN CHAMBER

Press, Volume LXX, Issue 21084, 8 February 1934, Page 9

WILD DEBATE IN CHAMBER

Government Triumphs

SITTING SUSPENDED TWICE (UNITED ritKSS ASSOCIATION TIT r.LUCTHIC TELEGRAPH—COPYRIGHT.) (Received February 7,. 7.10 p.m.) PARIS, February 7. With the building surrounded by police and mounted guards, and with thousands of troops hidden at strategic points in the courtyards and neighbouring public buildings, the Chamber of Deputies yesterday began a sitting which was to end with Parliament Buildings in a state of siege. Sounds of police volleys were penetrating the walls when M. Daladier faced one of the strangest sessions in the history of the Chamber. The sitting was marked by a continual series of boos, catcalls, freefights, and disorders so great that the sitting was twice suspended. M. Daladier began reading his ministerial declaration. Within 10 minutes pandemonium arose, making the first suspension necessary. When the sitting was resumed M. Daladier proposed that the debase should be shortened by limiting Opposition interpellations to lour. This was made a question of confidence, on which the Government was successful by 300 voles to 217. M. Daladier, amind the booing of the Right, recommenced his ministerial declaration. He continued amid jeers and gu/Taws. When he declared that full light would be thrown on the StavisKy case, deputies of the Right and Lett stood up, shouting at each other. When he referred to a reform of personnel he was greeted by shouts of "Comedie Francaise!" while the communists banged their desks and shouted 'Soviet!" Policy Declared. M. Daladier, standing on the tribune, awaited silence. Eventually he was able to deliver his declaration proposing a Parliamentary Commission of Enquiry into the Stavisky case, and merciless punishment to all whom the commission denounced.

He affirmed the Government's intention to retain the gold standard, and declared that the budget must be passed. He promised to deal with unemployment and renovate the antiquated fiscal system. He reaffirmed France's desire for peace and security, her adherence to the League of Nations, and her foreign friendships. He finally denounced the deputies for wasting time, and announced that he would accept no interpellations to-day, and made the motion one of confidence. M. Tardieu protested that the Government had introduced the menace of Fascism.

The communists shouted "GougoulofF!'' recalling that M. Tardieu was Premier when M. . Doumer, the President, was assassinated by Gougouloff. a Russian. Finally M. Daladier moved the closure, whereupon the Chamber affirmed is confidence in the Government by 302 votes to 204.

Noise of Riots.

It was the sound of police volleys, which re-echoed in the Chamber, in which the roar and tumult of the crowds singing the "Marseillaise" could also be heard, which made the final stages of the debate almost impossible. The noise of the volleys caused a tense silence, then an uproar, In which M. Detastes, followed by M. Tardieu, rushed to the tribune and shouted: "The prefect of police ordered the firing." Deputies of the Right, led by the blind returned soldier M. Sciapini, attempted to obtain from M. Daladier a declaration that he had not authorised the firing. M. Daladier retorted that the disturbances did not represent the true wishes of returned soldiers and demonstrators must not supplant the Government. Eventually the sitting was suspended after a second vote of confidence, but the Chamber was in a state of siege, with nobody able to enter or leave it. BARRICADES IX STREETS rioters light many FIRES GOVERNMENT BLAMED (Received February 7, 10.20 p.m.) PARIS, February 7. The situation began to grow really serious yesterday afternoon when thousands of Royalists, syndicalists, communists, socialists, and members of the Fiery Cross (the extremist former servicemen's organisation), gathered in the neighbourhood of the Hotel de Ville, shouting "Down with the Government," "Imprison Chiappe." The excitement increased as darkness fell. Hooliganism broke out in the Rue de Rivoli, tobacconists' kiosks being overturned and set on fire. The mob in the Place de Concorde set fire to a motor-bus, private cars and newspaper vans, and built barricades. They also set fire to the Ministry of Marine and offices were burned before the fue early this morning in many famous thoroughfares which were dark because the street lames had been destroyed. The crowd in the Faubourg St. Honoie, enraged at the efforts of the police -US firemen to control them, smashed a cafe opposite the Fmbassy. The police charged and cleared'the street. All cafes speedily closed. Chemists' shops were filled Sf wounded, including .police Volunteers in private cars flying the Red Cross were busy picking up iniured A lady's maid, looking out $ J a window in the Hotel Crillon was accidentally shot in the head al Thfin?urid'include 6 M Marchand. M Sibour, and also a Right member of the Municipal Council who, with hi colleagues, wore tr.coloured scarves and marched at the head of

the rioters, till they were turned back, beaten by the police. The "Echo de Paris" says the Daladier Government provoked civil war. It is officially admitted that about 200 demonstrators and a similar number of police were treated at the hospitals. The mounted Republican Guard suffered more than other forces, its members being easy targets for brickbats. The official figures do not account for the injured who went home. Three hundred and fifty arrests were made. The Minister for the Interior at 3 a.m. announced that six were dead and 300 wounded. The Prefect of Police says that seven are dead and 500 wounded, including 200 police. FIERCE FIGHTING GUARDS' HORSES HAMSTRUNG BRITISH FEARS OF OUTCOME (Received February 7, 10.20 p.m.) LONDON, February 7. The Paris correspondent of the "Daily Mail" says the rioters still controlled the centre of the city early this morning. The fiercest fighting was in the Place de la Concorde, especially near the bridge, which 10,000 returned so'diers attempted to cross, advancing with the skill of men familiar with trench fighting. The guards' horses were blinded with sand gathered from dumps on the riverside and thrown ,in their eyes.

' Finally a trumpeter of the Republican Guards sounded warnings equivalent to the reading of the Riot Act in England. Immediately the guards charged withdrawn swords. In a terrible melee the riotlers used knives to hamstring the horses, and, wresting the swords from fallen mounted men, used I them in the struggle, which lasted two and a half hours. Several demonstrators were killed and many police injured. _ The battle culminated jn a final rush to the chamber, when the police fired on the mob which retreated, leaving many on the ground, which was littered with the bodies of horses. An attempt at 11.35 to storm the Concorde bridge was driven back. The police opened heavy fire, wounding many, and cleared the Place de la Concorde. The crowds ran along the Champs Elysee, firing as they went. Blind panic pi'svailfid. The correspondent of "The Times" narrowly escaped death, and a photographer of "The Times" was shot through the hat. Meanwhile, firemen with difficulty drove the mob with hoses from outside the Chamber of Deputes. "The Times" says the riots may be the death knell of the existing order. M. Daladier's unhappy trial of the strong hand nnay have robbed the parliamentary institution of the credit he endeavoured to preserve.