BLUM FAILS

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 96, 18 January 1938, Page 9

BLUM FAILS

Effort To Form French Cabinet TASK ABANDONED Political Crisis Remains Unsolved By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright. (Received January 17, 7.40 p.m.) Paris. January 17. Seven months after the fall of his first Popular Front Government, M. Leon Blum, leader of the Socialist Parly, agreed to attempt to form a Cabinet, trying to find a formula for restoring social peace and public confidence; also to check the flight of capital and save the franc, with a Ministry of all talents, excluding only reactionaries. However, it was later announced he lias had to abandon his task.

An earlier message stated that M. Bonnet had relinquished his attempt to form a Ministry and President Lebrun had asked M. Sarraut to form a Popular Front Government.

The French Government resigned as a result of the resignation of the Socialist Ministers from the Cabinet. M. Bonnet, Minister of Finance in the Chautemps Cabinet and also a member of earlier Administrations, eased the tension by accepting in principle the President’s invitation to form a Government. However, it was generally agreed in political circles that he was faced with a herculean task and that there was every possibility that he would not succeed. ARMS DUMP FOUND Cagoulard Arrests Now Total 50 Paris, January 16. Police found in an apartment near the Saint Lazare railway station a stock of ammunition and equipment sufficient for 500 men, 250 leather coats of the Cftgoulard uniform, 22 cases of hand grenades, 53 guns, including 18 German Mausers, and 20,000 cartridges. Seven more Cagoulards were arrested at Clermont Ferrand, bringing the total to 50.