FRENCH POLITICAL CRISIS

Evening Star, Issue 25770, 17 April 1946, Page 8

FRENCH POLITICAL CRISIS

CONSTITUENT ASSEMBLY VOTE POSSIBLE REVOLT BY RIGHTISTS LONDON, April 15. The French' Constituent Assembly, in the first major test, decided by 28 votes to support an unrestricted singleHouse Legislature and provoked a party crisis, says the Paris correspondent of the Associated Press. The vote was taken on an amendment to the uroposed Constitution seeking the '■stablishment of a second Chamber of Representatives from France and the French Umpire. The second Chamber would have had powers equal to those of the new Chamber of Deputies President Gouin is facprl with a possible Rightist revolt, which would mean Lhe adoption of the new national nliarter by only a small majority. He nonferred withthe leaders of the three parties and told the Foreign Secretary, M. Bidault, and other Popular Republican Movement leaders that the party must support the new Constitution or leave the Cabinet. If the Popular Republican Movement decides to leave the Government, President Gouin. is reported to be ready to take the Foreign Affairs portofolio himself and replace other Popular Republican Movement members, of the Cabinet with Socialists and^Communists.