MR MOCH STARTLES DEPUTIES

Press, Volume LXXXV, Issue 25935, 15 October 1949, Page 7

MR MOCH STARTLES DEPUTIES

Seeking support in the Chamber last ight for his proposed Government, Mr loch made deputies gasp with a plan mich no would-be Prime Minister of ’rance had dared to make before. Mr loch said that Frenchmen must pay belr taxes. If he became Prime Mincer he would see that they did. He dried that it was inexcusable that Yenchmen should cheat the State of tiousands of millions of francs every Lawyer, naval engineer, mathemaician. tesistance leader, pilot. Sunay painter, and special policeman. Mr Inch now adds Prime Minister of ’rance to his list of occupations. He erved in the First World War as an facer of engineers, and fought as an ngineer officer of the French Navy in he Second World War. He trained as n engineer at the French Polytechic School, and between the wars tanaged private industrial projects in ■rance and the Baltic States. Mr Moch has been married for 32 ears to Germaine Picard, who was ne of the first women admitted to he French Bar. She is now his princial private secretary.

Mr Moch told the Assembly: “France wants to be governed. The man in the street hopes that within the framework of democracy order will reign and authority be exercised. That is what we hope to achieve with a strong team of determined, energetic men.” Mr Moch announced three plans for improving purchasing power: (1) Energetic Heps to slash the prices of food and other big items in the French worker’s budget. <2) A return to free collective bargaining over conditions of work between employers and trade unions without Government intervention. <3) A special bonus of more than 3000 francs for this month only for workers earning less than 15.000 francs, so as to bring such workers up to 15.000 francs. Mr Moch assured the House that he would make no change in France's foreign policy. Promising a balanced Budget. Mr Moch said: “It must be balanced by the sacrifices of all, and not only a He promised that there would be “harsh slashes’* in State expenditure. Mr Moch closed his speech to loud applause from bis fellow Socialists.