M. POINCARE’S SPEECH.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18760, 13 January 1923, Page 9

M. POINCARE’S SPEECH.

UPROAR IN CHAMBER. CONFIDENCE VOTE CARRIED. PARIS, January 11. (Received Jan. 12, at 8.5 p.m.) M. Poincare received an ovation in the Chamber of Deputies. He said : “Franco is standing up in defence of her rights. A series cf defaults authorises the Allies or any Ally to act. We are compelling respect for France and for the Versailles Treaty. "We are able to carry out the sanctions alone, but our Belgian friends wish to remain on our side.” Referring to Mr Bonar Law’s proposalto submit the reparation differences to international arbitration, he replied that no matter how powerful or honourable were the international financiers, he had no desire to have them arbitrate on differences between France and England.^ M. Poincare, in concluding, said ; “England’s absence will render productive guarantees less productive,, but it is better to get a little than nothing at all. Who has been fooled—England or ourselves? ’ In concluding bis speech M. Poincare demanded a vote of confidence. M. Blum (Socialist) protested against France’s action, as fraught with terrible consequences. This provoked angry expostulations, and members became so heated that the chairman was obliged to suspend the sitting. Upon resumption M. Erlich (anti-Bol-shevist) protested avainst French Communists speakino: in Essen. He suggested that they were in the Reichstag’s pay. M. Couturier threw a handful of coppers into M. Erlich’s face, and called him the Communists’ Judas. Uproar was renewed, resulting in a further suspension. When calm was restored a vote of confidence was passed in M. Poincare by 478 to 86—A. and NZ. Cable. PARIS. January 12. (Received Jan. 12, at B*so p.m.) M. Poincare said that under Mr Bonar Law’s scheme France risked finding that she would only receive eleven milliards of gold marks for reparations, whereas she had already advanced 100 milliards on this account. Moreover, the British programme. with extraordinary imprudence, favoured the rapid re-estahlishment of the German industrial and commercial hegemony, with practically no internal foreign debt, and with reparations reduced to 20 milliards. Germany, in 15 to 20 years. woiilb he able to extinguish her debt and leave France to carry the burden of her ruins, and Britain of her unemployment. The British programme proposed to establish the supemaev of Germany over the whole of Europe. M. Poincare made a hitter attack on Mr Lloyd George, whom he accused of trying to bring about war in the Near East. —A. and N.Z. Cable.