The Press TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 1934. The French Cabinet

Press, Volume LXX, Issue 21088, 13 February 1934, Page 8

The Press TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 1934. The French Cabinet

I Despite the optimistic prophecies of " The Times," the prospects before the new French Cabinet, the perj fonnel of which was announced in the cable news yesterday, cannot be considered bright. M- Doumergue may have all the " unassuming " shrewdness" that is claimed for him; but he has been President of the Republic, an office which to-day goes only to those who can be relied on not to assert their authority and who have, in popular estimation, ceased to be an active force in party politics. In sympathies M. Doumergue is mildly radical, which means that he will be accepted by the followers of M. Herriot and M. Painleve and tolerated by the right. For the moment, therefore, he is certain of a substantial majority in the Chamber of Deputies, since it is not likely that M. Blum's depleted Socialist party, in alliance with the Communists, will be able to muster more than 150 votes out of a total of 615. Barring accidents—and the political future in France is always uncertain when the Paris mob takes to the streets—the Cabinet should | be able to tide the country over the labour troubles of the next few days. But what is to happen then? The budget has still to be balanced, a task which has already defeated three Premiers of heavier metal than I M. Doumergue. The investigations of the Finance Committee of the Chamber of Deputies have shown that about £26,000,000 of new resources will have to be found if Ihe national accounts are to be brought to even a nominal equilibrium. The inescapable remedies are an increase in the income tax by at least 10 per cent, and reductions in the salaries of civil servants; but already there are signs of organised tax resistance and the political strength of the civil servants has so far been an insurmountable obstacle to economies. Moreover, the elaborate budget procedure in the Chamber of Deputies has two main objects: to establish the supremacy of the Chamber over the executive and to protect the i payers of direct taxation. It seems fairly certain that, unless M. Doumergue is strong enough to secure a modification of this procedure, a course for which there is precedent, he will fail. The cable news this morning shows, however, that the Labour movement and provincial France already suspect the Cabinet of Fascist leanings and will oppose any attempt to curtail the democratic elements in the constitution. A possible alternative, already under discussion, is an appeal to the elec'rrate, though it may be doubted whether an election would give any group a clear majority. Since the beginning of the year there has been a steady decline in the output of the major French industries, due mainly to the depreciation of the dollar and the increase in overhead costs. Unemployment has increased in consequence and in the coal industry in particular efforts to bring down wages are being resisted with a bitterness which threatens serious industrial disturbances. In the circumstances an election would probably increase the strength of the left parties without bringing them within sight of power and at the same time make the task of forming a government from the centre and right "even more difficult than it is at present. It is a curious and puzzling situation; and the best that can be hoped for is that the present government will find a leader with more positive qualities and a more commanding personality than M. Doumergue.