FIRST ROUND WON

Greymouth Evening Star, 21 September 1946, Page 5

FIRST ROUND WON

DRAFT OF NEW FRENCH CONSTITUTION DE GAULLIST UNION SPLIT? (Rec. 10.15 a.m.) 1 LONDON, Sept. 20. M. Bidault won the first round of his struggle with General de Gaulle over the draft constitution by the narrowest possible margin, says the Associated Press Paris correspondent. The Assembly’s Constitution Commission voted 21-21 on the constitution’s plan for federal union, giving the colonies increased freedom and autonomy. The measure was approved under the procedural rules. M. Bidault warned the commission that the vote on the draft would be interpreted as a vote of confidence in the Government. Reuter’s Paris correspondent says several leading members of the newly-formed de Gaullist Union aie expected to resign as a result of a party split following Genera de Gaulle’s condemnation ol the draft constitution. The union’s Nationa Council, at a stormy meeting, rejected by 56 votes to eight, a motion that the union should not decide its attitude to the constitution until the final draft was published, and adopted a motion condemning the draft and promising the union to conduct an energetic campaign ioi “no” votes at the coming referendum.