Evening star., 1923-02-18
HEAWFRENCHTAX
BREWS HOT FIGHT.
Sharp Discussion Promised
When Chamber Takes Up
Budget Tuesday.
BY ANDRE TARDIEU,
Former French High Commissioner to
the United States.
BY Cable Dispatch to The Star.

inc luAtcu Stdtcbs
By Cable Dispatch to The Star.
PARIS. February 17.-Taxation
promises to precipitate a sharp dis
cussion. the effect of which cannot be
forecast, when the chamber begins
consideration Of the budget next
Tuesday.
There Is a deficit Of four billion
! francs This represents the interest on
Internal loans and expenditures for
pensions and reconstruction. 1t is
rendered necessary by Germany's fall
ure to pay.
The senate finance committee has
demanded that the budget be bal
anced by taxes. This means a bitter
conflict, inasmuch as no parliment
ever has voted SO many taxes as this.
Our budget. less than five billions In
1913 is now, in 1923, more than twen-
ty-four billions. Our taxes now total
twenty billions and will be more than
twenty-three If the new taxes are
voted. This parliament alone has voted
over nine and a half billions of new
leyieS.
Dedicated to Americans.
We dedicate these figures to those
American who think France is not
taxed. A five hundred per cent In
crease of this sort shows that we, the
conQuering nation, have received
nothing from Germany. 1t Is with our
own resources that we are recon-
structing our country ana are paying
our military pensions.
cannot conceal, nevertheless, that
the majority of the deputies are rest
less over the heavy taxation. not only
because they must seek re-election
thirteen months from now, out TOT
three years they have been promising
that Germany would be forced 10
pay The new taxes mean puoilc
confession of the utter sterillty or tne
policies of the last three years anu
the unanswerable condemnation OF
the government.
Patience Held Vital
1t will include condemnation or the
chamber, which has tirelessly ac-
cordad confidence to these govern
ments. The disappointment and un-
easiness just described is Increased
by the fact that this financial crlsis
comedies with the Ruhr occupancy
Every body agrees that patience
above all things else, is necessary in
this struggle with German obstinacy.
but, nevertheless, many hoped. with
out EXPIRE ssly saying 1t, that by some
mi racle the coal Of the Ruhr Woulo
be converted into gold. Those VINO,
like myself. saw the grave difhcultles
and the unlikelihood of any financial
benefit, were coldly received when
we pointed out what to expect. Now
there is disagreable awakening
everywhere. and the result Will be
evident in the coming debate.
Moderates In Majority.
Deputies in every land are men,
after all. The French deputies in the
majority are moderates and are in
l. -nfD ntxr
ard unpopular tax law the govern
ment will not stand back Of them and
defend them from their political ad-
versaries in the coming election when
they are charged with voting too
heavy taxes Hence on the eve Of
this debate there is much uneasiness,
and however great may be the pres
ent chambers fiscal coura ge-and 1t
was shown in 1920--there is no doubt
the discussion opens under the worst
auspices.
Plans MisunderstOod.
You may be surprised that, with all
Of the existing international compli-
cations, l am writing on the budget.
But l do so Intentionally and for two
reasons. For the last four years in
ternal economic conditions, and espe-
cially the budget policy, has been the
main influence on the foreign policies
tual knowledge of each others inter-
nal and budgetary affairs is terribly
insufficient.
Consequently we often misunder-
stand each others plans. Our foreign
policies are nodded from our internal
developments as much as anything
else. Moreover, both east and west
the situation remains unchanged. No
body can say what is going to hap
pen. We will wait and see with that
calm and patience required.
In the present unstable condition
of Europe any prophecy is sure to be
| wrong. Bonar Laws speech was only
confession Of Great Britain's hesi-
fancy about the future. Moreover,
our English friends are scarcely en-
titled to lecture us about isolated ac-
ton now, fnasmuch as 1t was their
very refusal to practice that solidarity
| which treaties prescribe that has
driven US to our present course of
action. Every crime carries it's own
punishment.
(COpyripht 1909