Ramadier Declines To Form Cabinet

Northern Advocate, 30 August 1948, Page 5

Ramadier Declines To Form Cabinet

LONDON, Sun. (10 a.m.). —M. Ramadier has refused President Auriol’s invitation to form a Government, says Reuters Paris correspondent.

M. Auriol has asked M. Schuman to accept the task,

Paris newspapers almost unanimously predicted that M. Ramadier would not be able to muster the necessary 309 Assembly votes.

The British United Press corresponent quoted M. Ramadier -.upon leaving M. Auriol, as saying: “France is in very grave danger. “We must have courage to demand sacrifice from every Frenchman equally, if we are to find economic and political stability. “We need strong action, and a Government with complete authority and a steady majority behind it. “I will consult the Parliamentary groups, and if I find good-will and the desire to accept a combined effort I will be willing to try. - ’ The correspondent says political observers interpret M. Ramadier’s reference to combined effort as meaning a Communist-Socialist coalition. The British United Press Paris correspondent says the Radical-Socialists announced that they would support M. Ramadier in forming a new Cabinet. . M. Ramadier, in an attempt to get support, had day-long consultations with leading politicians, including jVL Leon Blum, M. Rene Mayer and M. Andre Marie.

what was necessary to compensate for the rise in price of agricultural products and certain other items. “Thus I chose the only possible way of saving France. “Monetary reform will now be delayed, but the time is bound to come when a new spirit of economy initiative will save France by ensuring economic independence.” • SOCIALISTS’ REASON Socialists said they brought about the crisis “to avoid encouraging the workers to strike action, which would have been fatally exploited by the Communists for political ends.” The Socialists also found M. Reynaud’s proposal to raise wages 10 per cent insufficient to cover the cost of living, which has risen 16 per cent.

A section of the French Press has bitterly accused the Socialists for “going back on their word after promising to support M. Reynaud’s plan.” The Communist Party has called for a “democratic union.”

This is regarded as an appeal for a Government of Communists and Socialists, but the Socialists are unlikely to agree.

•Any new Government, M. Ramadier said, must be assured of lasting at least until June 30, 1949.

. General de Gaulle is remaining in the background, probably for tactical reasons, as any strong intervention by him now might drive the parties into another weak compromise Government.

It is considered, meanwhile, that General de Gaulle is awaiting new elections, which will follow the present crisis if it becomes necessary to dissolve the National Assembly.

MAIN CAUSES The London Times, in an editorial, says the tendency of non-Communist and Catholic trade unions to collaborate with Communist unions was one of the main causes of the Socialists’ decision to bring down both M. Schumann’s and M. Marie’s Governments.

They were clearly glad to seize upon the breathing space offered by postponement of the elections to rid them- - selves of a Government which was causing them acute embarrassment.' The mounting wave of labour unrest threatened to reduce their already somewhat slender hold on workingclass opinion. Each of the French parties is, in itself, convinced of the need for higher production, lower spending, and administrative reform.

What none, or only few of them, appears willing to do, however, is to join the others in helping to fulfil this need. OTHER POSSIBILITIES Other possibilities to succeed M. Marie are M. Pierre Mendes-France (Radical) M. Robert Schuman (MRP) It is agreed however, that it would be very difficult for any of these candidates to get the necessary majority. Political speculation centres on M. Mendes-France as the most likely candidate.

He is an advocate of currency reform as the only road to France’s economic salvation. It is considered that he is one of the new leaders able to strike .a balance between Right-Wing liberalism 'and Socialist demands for stgte controls.

M. Auriol is anxious to form a new Government with the utmost urgency, not only because of the need for France’s voice in the international negotiations regarding Germany, but also because France’s home problems require the aui-ckest possible solution:

MOST SEVERE TEST

Observers believe that with the fall of the 10th Government since the liberation, France faces her most severe post-war political test. Speculation has arisen about the possibility of the Legislature. being dissolved and new elections held which is just what General de Gaulle has been seeking for months. The proposed reforms over which the Cabinet split included an upwa'rd revision of food prices and cuts in the civil service.

M. Marie, in a statement, said he resigned because certain differences within the Cabinet “could not be eliminated, although agreement had been reached at an earlier phase of the discussions.” It is understood the Government fell because M. Reynaud could not accept a new high level of wages which the M.R.P. and especially the Socialist Ministers demanded. “ONLY POSSIBLE WAY”

M. Reynaud, in an interview after the Government’s fall, said any raising of France’s wage level would endanger the French export drive. “If exports are not increased France will not be able next year to import cptton, wool, leather, rubber and everything else indispensable to her industries,” he said.

“I had this in mind constantly when I refused to increase wages beyond