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4 corrections, most recently by JudyClayden - Show corrections

NEW FRENCH CABINET DECISION TO RETAIN OFFICE. DEPUTIES' CONFIDENCE VOTE. RIGHT-WING GROUPS HOSTILE. Assured of the loyal collaboration of all Ministers in the Cabinet he formed last Thursday, the new French Prime Minister (M. Rey- naud) decided on Friday night to remain in office. This decision was announced after a Cabinet meeting called to consider the situation arising from a Chamber of Deputies vote earlier in the day on a motion of confidence in the new Government. The motion was carried by 268 votes to 156, but 111 deputies— only one less than the Government's majority — did not vote. During the debate that preceded the vote Right-wing groups, furlous at the inclusion of Socialists in the Ministry, announced that they would oppose M. Reynaud, who was criticised also by Radical Soialists. A declaration of the new Government's policy, presented to both Chamber and Senate, emphasised the "total" nature of the war, spoke of the Soviet's "treachery" and expressed confidence in the ultimate success of the Allies. M. Reynaud, replying to criticism, de- clared that the rhythm of the French people was too slow.

PARIS, March 24. — After an acrimoni- ous debate in the Chamber of Deputies on Friday, a motion of confidence in the new Reynaud Government was carried by 268 votes to 156; but 111 deputies ab- stained from voting. M. Reynaud im- mediately called a meeting of the Cabinet to decide whether it should continue in office, and France was again plunged into political uncertainty similar to that which accompanied the fall of the Daladier Government last Wednesday. Late on Friday night, however, a communique was issued stating that all Ministers had assured M. Reynaud of their loyal .collaboration, as a result of which M. Reynaud had decided that in the present grave situation it was the Cabinet's duty to remain at its post. M. Daladier, it will be recalled, resigned after the Chamber of Deputies had car- ried a motion of confidence in his Gov- ernment by 239 votes to one, with 300 deputies abstaining. M. Reynaud, a mem- ber of the Democratic Alliance, who had been Finance Minister in the Daladier Government, was called on to form a new Cabinet, which was announced on Thursday afternoon. Besides being Prime Minister, M. Reynaud has taken the Foreign Affairs portfolio, while M. Dala- dier remains in the Cabinet as War Minister. The new Cabinet, which in- cludes three Socialist Ministers, is on a broader political basis than its predeces- sor, which was very largely Radical Socialist. The new Inner War Cabinet met yester- day for the first time. Those present were M. Reynaud, M. Daladier, M. Chan- temps (Vice-Premier), M. Campinchi (Minister for Navy), M. Eynac (Min- ister for Air), M. Mandel (Minister for Colonies), M. Lamoureux (Minister for Finance), M. Monnet (Minister for Block- ade), M. Dautry (Minister for Arma- ments), General Gamelin (chief of the Allied land forces) and Vice-Admiral Darlan (Admiral of the Fleet). Ministerial Declaration. After the first flush of enthusiasm for the new Government, discontent became discernible on Friday afternoon, when the Chamber of Deputies met in an excited mood. Right-wing deputies were furious over the inclusion of Socialists in the Cabinet. The new Government's policy was, ex- pounded in a Ministerial declaration read in the Chamber and in the Senate. The keynote was: — "To arouse, muster and direct France's strength, to fight and win and crush treason from wherever it comes." The declaration continued: "France is engaged in total warfare against a powerful, organised and deter- mined enemy, which is transforming all human activities into means of warfare. This enemy, helped by the Soviet's treachery, is carrying the struggle into every sphere and co-ordinating all blows with a kind of genius for destruction, the grandiose and hateful aspects of which we cannot fail to recognise. Because of the nature of this total warfare, every- thing is at stake. To win is to save all; to succumb is to lose all. With your sup- port we will accomplish the task. If a further stimulant is needed, we have only to measure the resources of our country and empire and look at our admirable ally."   M. Reynaud, who read this declaration in the Chamber of Deputies, was ap- plauded when he sat down. Deputies of the Centre and Left, however, did not conceal their impatience with those of the Right; who vigorously applauded the reference to Soviet treachery, but other wise remained cold and unmoved. Groups in Opposition. M. Louis Marin, leader of the prin- cipal Conservative group, who controls 60 votes, and M. Flandin, leader of the Re- publican Alliance (Centre) announced their groups would oppose M. Rey-   naud because the Government did not "represent national adhesion." Among several outspoken deputies was M. Galimand (Radical-Socialist), who said: "France was waiting for a War Cabinet, but has been offered a dose of medicine instead. M. Daladier fell as a result of the revenge of the Socialists, whose errors he corrected." Other mem- bers of M. Daladier's group attacked M. Reynaud for the vagueness of the state- ment and unwieldiness of his Cabinet. Replying, M. Reynald said: "The rhythm of our people is too slow. We must reveal France to herself. The Gov- ernment will fill the role of animator if

M. FLANDIN

the Chamber permits. The nation's security formerly depended on the army. Now it depends on the entire people. We will not repeat the mistakes of the last war. M. Daladier has proved his ability to be economical in human lives. Our sole principle in foreign policy is to give friendship for friendship and enmity for enmity. We want the workers to under- stand that we are fighting Communism not because it is an extreme Leftist doc- trine, but because we are fighting trea- son. Liberty represents France's most precious heritage. We are in Britain's camp of freedom and desire other nations to adhere to the Franco-British bloc, which does not obliterate our sense of Latin solidarity. Our foreign policy tends to create a new Europe of free peoples. We want to win the war with the least delay and obtain the only possible lasting peace." Chamber Adjourns. After the vote on the motion of con- fidence had been taken, the Chamber adjourned. Commenting on the developments, the newspaper "L'Ordre" says: "In France there is a continual outcry for a man, but the dominant idea when one is found     serms to be to discourage him. If M. Reynaud had found the same good will in the Right as he did in the Left, his task would have been easier. We must identify the Socialists closely with the national cause, thus refuting the impu- dent Nazi accusation that Britain and

France are plutocratic nations which en- slave their proletariats." The Conserva- tive paper "L'Epoque" declares that "Those who oppose the inclusion of Social- ists do not understand that the Govern- ment must obtain the support of the working class," while the Radical-Social- ist organ, "L'Ouevre," criticises those who abstain in parliamentary votes, demand- ing that they either support M. Reynaud, giving him a chance to work out his policy, or openly vote against him.

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