FRENCH CABINET

Evening Post, Volume CXIX, Issue 127, 31 May 1935, Page 9

FRENCH CABINET

DRAMATIC SITUATION

M. FLANDIN COLLAPSES

RADICAL-SOCIALIST VOTE

Unlt.d Press Association—By IClcctrlc Telß'

graph—Copyright. (Received May 31, 1 p.m.)

PARIS, May 30. M. Flandin, the Premier, dauntlessly faced the Chamber of Deputies though one of his first duties was the announcement of the resignation of the Finance Minister, M. Germain-Martin. "I provisionally accepted this, and have assumed the Ministry myself," declared M. Flandin. 9 The debate opened with a more hopeful note owing to the staunchness of the Radicals who refused by 36 votes to 21 to condemn M. Flandin unheard. STAGGERING FIGURES. M. Barety, rapporteur for the finance committee, announced that France's economic activity was stationary or weakening. With a budgetary deficit of £280,000,000, the Treasury had only £204,000,000 available for-1935. M. Reynaud, ex-Minister of Finance, evoked cheers when he urged the formation of a Ministry of all the Parties as the sole hope of smashing speculation.

The Neo-Socialist and Socialist speakers opposed the Government.

Cheers echoed through the Chamber as M. Flandin ascended the tribune. He castigated the speculators, and declared that speculation would never beat the franc as long as Frenchmen • did not run away from their own currency. He added that if the Chamber declares approval of devaluation he would give way, but if, on the contrary, he was to defend the,franc, he must have powers to create the psychological shock necessary to .enable the recovery of con--fidence. M. Flandin spoke, for 70. minutes. DRAMA INTENSIFIED. The Chamber adjourned in order to allow the groups to consider the situation. An all-night sitting is expected. The dramatic quality of the situation was intensified when M. Flandin, who appeared in the Chamber with an arm in splints and a doctor in attendance, collapsed and was taken home. Meanwhile the Radical-Socialists met and sealed the fate of the Government by deciding to vote against it, though aware that if the Chamber did not grant the Flandin Cabinet plenary powers it would have to grant them to its successor. The only hope now is tbat the hostile vote may not be recorded in the Chamber hi the same proportion. ,