DRASTIC DECREES

Waikato Times, Volume 124, Issue 20786, 22 April 1939, Page 8

DRASTIC DECREES

PROCLAIMED IN FRANCE MINISTER'S APPEAL

UNITY NEVER MORE NEEDED (United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright, (Received April 22, 3.15 p.m.) PARIS, April 21 After a long Cabinet meeting, at ■which new decrees were approved affecting every branch of trance's economic life, M. Paul Reynard, .Minister of Finance, made a broadcast appeal to the nation Tor sacrilices. He claimed that France was now united. The more she was threatened the greater she grew, and her strength bad never been so necessary to herself and the world as now. What could England do if France disappeared? What could even great America do? Nobody now belied that the isolation I of France in Europe could assure her independence and the integrity of her empire. It only remained to restore the balance of power in Europe. Great victories had been won in the past 14 months in the heart of Europe solely by the output of their adversaries’ war factories. They had even seen whole countries descend silently into the tomb of history. France, like her ally Britain, had decided on a great effort which represented a trial of strength between the totalitarian regime and France’s regime of liberty. Longer Working Week M. Reynaud added that the Government had decided to increase the working week to 45 hours. Workers would not suffer, because overtime would be paid for the extra hours. If the people stood together peace would be saved. He claimed that France's financial position was strong. France to-day had one of the sanest currencies in Europe. He referred to the immense reserves of the Bank of France and announced that the gold reserves of the stabilisation fund were so large that it had been decided to transfer £23,000,000 from the fund to the Bank of France. Industrial production had increased since November by 12 per cent. The State would take 5 to 80 and even 100 per cent profits of the war Industries according to a scale drawn up. The decrees include measures for the suppression of propaganda carried on by means of funds from abroad, feeding the population in wartime, a cut in the wheat subsidy, income tax changes, a t per cent sales tax, and a reduction of public works schemes. Experts estimate the decrees will bring France's extraordinary armaments expenditure in eight months to £439,000,000.