FRENCH PEASANTS REBELLIOUS

Press, Volume LXXI, Issue 21582, 19 September 1935, Page 11

FRENCH PEASANTS REBELLIOUS

Refusal to Pay Taxes HIGH COSTS AND LOW PRICES (CKITJSD P&ESS ASSOCIATION—COPrfiIOHT.) (Received September 18, 10.30 p.m.) PARIS, September 18. It is being asked whether France is on the eve of a peasants' revolt similar to the one in 1358, which ended in terrible bloodshed. Peasants throughout the country complain that cattle, hogs, and cereals cost more to produce than they can be sold for. The peasants are refusing to pay taxes and are resisting attempts at seizures. They have now decided to reduce their own purchases to a minimum. They insist that the Government should temporarily prohibit imports of maize, cut down the quotas for dairy produce and poultry, and ban imports of secondgrade foreign cereals, meats, and vegetables. An organisation calling itself the Peasants' Front announces that it will issue new and more drastic orders to its members next month. In the mean-time the adherents must return demands for taxes "until something is done to make it possible to live."

HEAVY SPENDING ON AIR DEFENCE BIG WORKS SCHEME ALSO I PLANNED FRENCH GOVERNMENT USES SPECIAL POWERS (Received September 18, 11.20 p.m.) PARIS, September 17. Using its dictatorial powers, the Government has decreed an appropriation of £1,130,000 for supplementary air defences. It is explained that the total essential exoenditure on the air amounts to £24,000,000, bills for which will be presented in the Chamber. The Government is planning to for thousands throughout France. It -vill be M. Laval's first step to reluce unemployment. The prolamine includes improvements to notor roads, harbours, and forestry . r ork. Building a great exhibition n 1937 will cost £1,500,000.