REFORM IN FRANCE

Evening Post, Volume CXVIII, Issue 109, 5 November 1934, Page 9

REFORM IN FRANCE

PREMIER'S PROPOSALS OPPOSITION BY RADICALS TEST TOTE.TO BE TAKEN Vniittl, ■ Press Association—By Electric Tele- ' .... graph—Copyright. , . .. PARIS,, November 3. . A Government crisis has been: tern-; porarily .averted. A majority of members of. Cabinet today accepted 'the Prime Minister's, M. Doumergue, proposals for constitutional .reform,' but the Radicals reserved action on She question of dissolution of the Chamber, regarding .which the Prime. Minister, M. Doumergue proposes that it can be pronounced by the' President only, with the consent of ,the Senate .. during the Government's ' first year. Thereafter the President can dissolve it without reference, to tho Senate.' ■' •-:.' '■■'"'■■..■ '.. ".,"..■■. '■'.:.' ■'." The Radicals, are apparently determined to oppose the proposal. M. Doumergue is equally unyielding,: but has decided to. test the position in. Parliament on November 6, when, realising that the passage of the Budget is impossible by. the end of the year if he embarks on a constitutional debate, he intends to demand three months' credits involving a vote of confidence with fhe implication that confidence is tantamount to approval of the. whole policy, including reforms. If the vote of confidence is passed :M. Doumergue will, submit a Bill convoking the' National Assembly at Versailles, to. consider the Reform Bill ; and will afterwards tackle the. ; Budget in December. . The critical debate on credits is ;ex : peeted on November 9. M. Donmergue's victory-depends -on a Radical split, which is possible. ■•.<;.' •The. Radicals' disagreement, with. ,M. Doumergue caused an , all-round ; , fall in stocks. "L'lntransigeant" declares: "Frenchmen, are losing, confidence in everyone and everything. It is a: state of mind preceding revolution." M. Doumergue, broadcasting, ; declared that he would not hesitate ; xo seek a dissolution and .appeal to tha country if necessary tot obtain constitutional reform,, which was most urgent as the present Governmental : instability was largely the cause of the; financial, economic, and political crises. He denied aiming at a dictatorship, adding: "I know only one aspirant to a dictatorship and that's the Common front of Socialists and Communists. V