CRUCIAL VOTE IN PARIS

Press, Volume XCIII, Issue 27916, 13 March 1956, Page 13

CRUCIAL VOTE IN PARIS

Measures Sought For Algeria (N.Z Press Association—Copyright) (Rec. 11 p.m.) PARIS, March 12. The French Government will face four confidence votes today as the National Assembly closes its debate on a bill seeking wider powers to deal with the rebellion raging in Algeria. The Socialist-Radical coalition of the Socialist Prime Minister, Mr Guy i Mollet, is expected to secure a majority on the confidence votes—which the Government has tabled itself to emphasise the urgency of the question. Mr Mollet will enter the debate as the main speaker soon after returning from his talks with Sir Anthony Eden. Special military, economic, and social measures—possibly including martial law—will be enforced in Algeria once the bill is passed. Only the Poujadists on the extreme Right are expected to vote against the five-week-old Government, while the Communists might abstain. The votes will be taken against the background of constant fighting by some 15.000 Algerian rebels against 200,000 French troops, who are to be reinfo ced within a month by another division. The rebellion brought death to about 125 rebels and the capture of 53 others during the week-end. Rebels killed eight Moslems,/ including a girl who had her throat cut. Arab Nationalists want a measure of home rule similar to that granted to Tunisia and Morocco. A million French settlers in the territory oppose any concessions to the Moslems. Mr Mollet has told the assembly: “Algeria definitely cannot be a national Moslem State.”