Ramadier's Close Call

Northern Advocate, 6 September 1947, Page 7

Ramadier's Close Call

(Rec. 11.45 a.m.) PARIS. Sept. 5. The Inner Cabinet is discussing whether the Government should resign because of the narrow margin of the confidence vote.

The Cabinet met while Parisian workers massed for demonstrations. The vote of confidence was on a proposal for a subsidy amounting to £93,750,000 sterling for the nationalised coal industry. The Prime Minister (M. Ramadier) said the Government needed the confidence vote in order to have the necessary authority to deal with the difficult months ahead.

An economic crisis, due to shortages, faced the country. M. Ramadier made concessions to Socialist rebels when he said that certain reinforced controls would be necessary. He protested to the Communists against strikes which were “spontaneous only in principle.” Peasants, when they sold wheat at double the official price, were doing something as serious as setting fire to their own farms. M. Ramadier added that it might be necessary to recall Parliament for emergency legislation before the end of the two and a half months’ vacation. TOKEN STRIKE In the confidence vote the Socialists and Popular Republicans voted solidly for M. Ramadier, the Radicals and Independent Conservatives, who were also represented in the Coalition Cabinet, were divided, some supporting Ramadier, some abstaining, and other voting against the Government. Communists voted against Ramadier, the extreme Right Wing party of Republican Liberty voted against or abstained.

Factories, shops, offices and administrative services decided to hold a token strike from 4 p.m. local time in preparation for two mass protest meetings by the French TUC and the Christian Labour Federation against the recent reduction of the bread ration.