NEW FRENCH MINISTRY

Greymouth Evening Star, 10 February 1934, Page 7

NEW FRENCH MINISTRY

FAMOUS SOLDIER INVITED M. HERRIOT ACCEPTS [BY CABLE —PRESS ASSN. —COPYRIGHT.] (Recd. February 10, 10.30 a.m.) PARIS, February 9. Marshal Petain informed M. Doumergue that he is ignorant of the first thing about politics, and not interested in them. If he were appointed Minister for War, he would run it as a soldier, and look after the army. M. Herriot has resigned the Presidency of the Radical Socialists, and has accepted a portfolio in the Cabinet, which M. Doumergue expected to complete this afternoon. LATER. M. Doumergue to'-day, saw leaders of all parties, also Generals and financiers. M. Blum informed him that the Socialists were not supporting the new Government, but it is believed the only other, opposition will be the Communists and a few dissident Radicals. ...

M. Doumergue saw the leader of the Confederation, of Labour, and appealed for cancellation of the order for Monday’s general strike. The Socialist newspaper ‘Populaire,’ while opposing the Government, advises the ...utmpst orderliness- during the strike.

The Premier is taking his time. Many Moderates would be, frightened by the least, sign of a . dissolution, fearing it wauldmean a very lengthy holiday from Parliament. M. Poincare congratulated M. Doumergue as “the only man equal tojthe task.” M. Doumergue, midst the Cabinetmaking, is also exerting his strongest personal influence to appease the more Radical elements. NEW PREMIER ACCLAIMED. LONDON, February 9. “Vive Doumergue!” heads a leading article in “The Times,” which records the new Premier’s brisk, but wary, approach to the task of giving France a stable Government. It says: M. Doumergue is a type which his compatriots love to see in high places. He is gay, spirited, dignified, of firm judgment, commonsense, and unassuming shrewdness. He never allows his personal bias to override consideration of State. He is now probably undertaking the hardest part of his career. M. Doumergue’s views will receive much greater attention than the Due De Guise’s pathetic, and rather ridiculous, appeal on behalf of the Monarchist principle. Confidence seems to be felt that a Government of National Safety will soon be in existence. ■HOSPITAL DECLINES CHEQUE. PARIS, February 9. :The President of the police hospital, which Madame Chiappe (wfie of the ex-Prefect of Paris) founded, has returned a cheque for £625, which the Government sent in gratitude for the hospital’s, treatment of the injured police. The President accompanied the cheque with a letter, stating: “The mourning of Paris is too deep and poignant to enable us to accept a present connected with the painful happenings.” . .’ M. Marchand, the Chief of the Metropolitan Police, who was injured, is worse. Complications are feared. As a sequel to the riots, three Communists were sentenced to eight days’ imprisonment for smashing shop windows. Two rioters, guilty of striking other demonstrators, were sentenced respectively to three months and a fortnight, the latter being a first offender. Four others, two of whom are Russians, got terms of from a day to a fortnight for carrying stedl bars and other prohibited weapons. ANTI-STRIKE PREPARATIONS (Rec. February 10, 9 a.m.) LONDON, February 9. The Chronicle’s Paris correspondent says: The Government has already begun preparations against Monday’s general strike. One hundred and fifty naval ratings have been detailed for duty at the Paris electric power station. Steps are being taken to maintain the gas and water supplies. BRITAIN’S TRADE ULTIMATUM [BRITISH OFFICIAL WIRELESS.] RUGBY, February 9. As announced by Mr. Runciman in the Commons on January 29, the Government has informed the French Government that unless the quotas for United Kingdom goods are fully restored they will be compelled to take retaliatory action by imposing additional duties on a range of French products. As the quotas have not been fully restored an order has now been made under Section 12 of the Import Duties Act, imposing a duty of twenty per cent, advalorem over and above the existing duties ppon certain classes of goods produced or manufactured in France with effect , from February 13. ” ... The order has been framed with a view to effecting a reduction of imports into the United Kingdom from France, as near as may be equivalent to the reduction in the United Kingdom exports to France, resulting from the differential quota restrictions which are still maintained. The classes of goods covered by the order include articles of apparel of all kinds, complete or incomplete, and shaped materials for making into apparel, boots, : shoes etc, feathers, articles of flowers and fruit, and articles incorporating them for skins, goods manufactured wholly or partly of furskin, and goods made wholly or partly of silk.