Angry Scenes In French Chamber

Northern Advocate, 8 June 1936, Page 5

Angry Scenes In French Chamber

Prime Minister Walks Out Of House

First Sitting Of New Legislature Suspended Wnited Press Association.—By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.! (Received 10 a.m.) PARIS, June 6. A N scenes, in the course of which the sitting of the Chamber of Deputies was suspended, and the Prime Minister, M. Blum, walked out, characterised the first meeting - of the new House; A member of the Rights, M. Vallat,. referred to M. Chiappe, formerly Chief of Police, now a Deputy. M. Chiappe jumped up, and was greeted with Communist shouts of: “Chiappe to the gallows!” and the Rights’ counter-shout of: “Moscow, Moscow!” The uproar caused by the. banging of desks was so great that M. Herriot, the new President of the Chamber, suspended the sitting. When the members re-assembled, M. Vallat, said: “This is a historic occa-.. sion, as France now, for the first time is governed by a Jew.” This caused renewed uproar, and M. Blum walked out. Friends followed him, however, and induced him to return. M. Herriot demanded that M. Vallat withdraw his statement, M. Vallat refused. M. Blum asked permission to make a statement, but M. Herriot replied that* he could m anage the business himself. M. Vallat said that M. Blum had always acknowledged his religion, at which the Prime Minister nodded.

M. Herriot again demanded that M. Vallat change the subject. M. Vallat, however, continued: “I ask how a peasant, nation can be ruled by an Israeliite, who destroys the soil with Jewish secretaries?” M. Herriot retorted: “I do not know Jews; Protestants or Catholics—only Frenchmen—in the Chamber.” Devaluation Urged. He added that if M. Vallat continued he would be expelled. M. Reyhaud, an advocate of devaluation, emphasised Britain’s success in fighting the economic crisis by introducing a regime for increasing the workers’ purchasing power. He urged M. Blum to devaluate, thus ensuring an international monetary alignment, without which his programme would lead to an inflation catastrophe in which the workers would be the first victims. M. Blum* In reply to this and other interpolations, definitely declared, against devaluation. He ■ said he would try, by creating large credits, to obtain the same result devaluation had achieved elsewhere. The Prime Minister announced that he would not ask the police of the army to eject the workers who were- staying in factories, which, nevertheless, was -illegal. Yet the owners had not asked the Government to use force.

Moreover, the previous Government t had not intervented in the strikes of 1934, which precluded the present Government from using force. He proposed to set up special committees to examine each dispute between masters and worker^. M. Blum promised; a debate on foreign affairs before the meeting of the League at the end of the month. He concluded, amid cheers from the Lefts, by appealing for support in the Government’s task of restoring the confidence of French workers in a, peaceful Europe. Reforms Announced. M. Blum went on to announce a far-reaching programme of reforms, j He said: “The Government’s programme already has been endorsed by a majority of electors and the sole problem is to convert it into fact. “The Government will table a number of Bills in rapid succession, confirming the 40-hour week, collective contracts, paid holidays and nationalisation of the arms industry. “Other Bills will provide for Public Works, the reform of the Bank of France, the extension of the schoolleaving age, and the revalorisation of agricultural products. Directly these measures have been passed the Government will submit a second series of Bills aiming at a national unemployment fund, agricultural accidents insurance' the regulation of agricultural debts and old age pensions. Finally, it will draft a system for the simplification of international policy, which will be directed to the reduction of armaments and the organisation of collective security.” M. Blum’s Aim. M. Blum said he would ask for new resources only from acquired wealth. He would aim at the suppression of fraud, and, above all, at the recovery of general economic activity, and the reabsorption of the unemployed to increase the consumable revenue and furnish well being and security to all who created, by their .work, true wealth. .

• “We shall govern as Republicans.” said M. Blum, “animating all the administration’s public services with the Republican spirit.” This is interpreted as meaning the removal of Fascists from the civil service. “We shall defend democratic institutions” continued ]VI. Blum, “and suppress all corruption.” Referring to foreign policy, the Rfime Minister said: “The country unanimously wants a peace w ic is indivisable and world wide mvolv g France’s adherence to international eontracts, with collective secu 1 ’ halting of the European aim£ > race, ensuring international understanding through put>h Ci y

to arms programmes, and a progressive reduction and control of arms. The Chamber passed a motion of confidence in M. Blum by 384 votes to 210.