CALM IN FRANCE

Taranaki Daily News, 10 February 1934, Page 7

CALM IN FRANCE

DOUMERGUE ACCLAIMED HIS TRIUMPHAL PROCESSION CABINET MAKING BEGINS QUEERS REPLACE RIOTING REASONS BEHIND CRISIS By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright Rec. 7 p.m. Paris, Feb. 8. Though everything in. the city is now normal, troops are in readiness for further trouble. Where Tuesday and Wednesday there were mobs of rioters, today crowds lined the streets and cheered M. Doumergue’s triumphal journey to the Elysee. Later thousands gathered and cheered outside • the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in which M. Doumergue was forming his Cabinet. He at first consulted M. Daladier, and later MM. Herriott, Tardieu, Laval and Barthou. This is the seventh time in 18 months that France has been without a Government.

Trouble is expected on Monday, when Socialists and Syndicalists will attend at the Bastille an important anti-Fascist meeting. This coincides with the general strike.

The newspaper Action Francaise publishes an appeal dated “Exile, January 7,” from the Bourbon pretender, the Due de Guise, asking Frenchmen of all parties, conditions and origins to rally to the monarchial principle, which alone, he says, can assure peace, order and justice.

When a Press representative exclaimed to M. Doumergue, “You are awaited as a saviour,” the Prime Minister designate quietly asked him not to exaggerate, adding, “I have never performed miracles. I distrust them. Nor am I a fetish, but I shall do my best.” NATIONAL DEFENCE. The Intransigeant, commenting on M. Doumergue’s task, declares that France has had enough of politicians who have entirely failed. The paper suggests the grouping of the army, navy and air force as a national defence under a Ministry headed by M. Petain, who previously galvanised the army into activity. “We want men who will not continue the humiliating policy of placing France in the tow of other countries, but will straightforwardly face Hitler, MacDonald and others,” the paper states. “The Ministry of the Interior must uncompromisingly strike direct at the magistrates and police. We do not want a dictatorship, but honest secretaries of State. We want six patriots who will do their utmost, and if Parliament fails after that dissolution will be necessary." The London Times, discussing the situation in France, says: “The manifestation of popular discontent was political, but underlying the disgust at corruption and fraud was a deeper cause of the crisis—namely, economic hardships. Trade and business alike are relatively stagnant. There is no organised relief such as is helping Britain through the period of hardship. With France this, with the Stavisky revelations, inevitably raised tempers to a point of explosion. The scandals must be cleaned up, economic distresses remedied, and order maintained.” The Times mentions that French goods exports last year fell by over 1,000,000 francs. M. Doumergue allows nothing to disturb his equanimity. When he had concluded consultations with leading politicians at 8.30 p.m. he said: “I am going to bed. We will continue the Cabinetmaking to-morrow.” M. CAILLAUX CONSULTED. M. Caillaux was the first person with whom M. Doumergue had a conference on the subject of finance, M. Caillaux being regarded as a financial wizard. Later M. Doumergue addressed a deputation of war veterans. He emphasised the urgency of passing the Budget, and added that until the Budget was adopted the Government could not consider other urgent reforms necessary in adapting Republican institutions to the needs of the moment. Meanwhile the streets are quiet, with only a few negligible encounters between the police and Communists. As a sequel to the riots three Communists were to-day sentenced to eight days’ imprisonment for smashing shop windows. Two rioters found guilty of striking other demonstrators were sentenced respectively to three months and a fortnight’s imprisonment, the latter being a first .offender. Four others, two of whom were Russians, were sentenced to a day and to a fortnight’s imprisonment respectively for carrying steel bars and other prohibited, weapons. The president of the police hospital which Madame Chiappe founded returned a cheque for £625 which the Government sent in gratitude for the treatment of wounded police, accompanied by a letter: “The mourning of is too deep and poignant to enable us to accept a present connected with such painful happenings.” General I larchand, chief of the metropolitan police, who suffered injury in the riots, is worse and complications are feared.

“Vive Doumergue!” heads a leader- in which the London Times records the Prime Minister’s brisk but wary approach to the task of giving France stable Government. “M. Doumergue is the type compatriots love to see in high places,” the paper says. “He is gay-spirited and dignified, of firm judgment, commonsense and unassuming shrewdness. He never allows personal bias to override considerations of State. He is now undertaking probably the hardest part of his career. M. Doumergue’s views will receive much greater attention than the Due de Guise’s pathetic and rather ridiculous appeal on behalf of the Monarchist principle. Confidence seems to be felt that a Government of national safety will soon be in existence.”