French Defence Activity

Manawatu Times, Volume 64, Issue 112, 15 May 1939, Page 7

French Defence Activity

QUICKENING OF KE-AEMAMENT United Press Association.—By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright. PARIS, May 32. As evidence of France’s quickoning re armament, the Prime Minister, M. Daladier, in tho Chamber of Deputies, said 6000 factories were employed on national defence projects, compared with between 2500 and 2800 last year. M. Reynaud, Minister of Finance, announced that complete financial stability had boen achieved. All the Government Departments were now national defence departments, the chief of which is the Ministry of Finance. VOTE OF CONFIDENCE “ONLY CHANCE OF PEACE” PARIS, May 12. The Chamber of Deputies passed a vote of confidence in the Daladier Government by 375 votes to 230. If the vote had been solely on foreign affairs policy it would have been unanimous. A divergence of views occurred on finance and the decree laws. The Socialists, at a private meeting, were split, 48 voting against and 42 for M.' Daladier. During the debate the Socialist leader, M. Blum, made reference to a change in Franco-British foreign policy and said: “Every movo that is capable of persuading the dictators of the democracies’ determination is a move of peace, the only chance of which consists in the totalitarian States understanding the sincerity of tho French and British determination that further acts of aggression will no be tolerated. ’ ’ M. Daladier denied that French policy had been changed since Munich. France’s voice had been heard, and others had assumed common obligations with France. Liberty could not be saved without painful and tenacious effort.