Evening star., 1932-12-23
FRANCE LAUNCHES
DEBT DISCUSSIONS
WITH u. S. ENVOY
PauI-Boncour Makes Per-
sonaI Visit to Edge at
Embassy in Paris.
ROOSEVELT REGRETS
HOOVER'S STATEMENT
Denies Refusal to Cooperate, De-
claring He Submitted Definite
Offer to President.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
PARIS, December 23.-Premier Paul
Boncour suddenly and dramatically
virtually launched debt negotiations
with America today by personally
Edge at the embassy.
He asked that Mr. Edge take the
matter up with Washington SO that
France may help in reaching solu-
ton of the debts question.
Mr.. Edge had let it be known to M.
Paul -Boncour that he would be pleased
If the premier could receive him so
that he Edge, might convey his re-
spects to the new premier and foreign
minister
The foreign office sent no reply to
this request during the day.
Confer for Half Hour.
Suddenly and without giving any
notice beforehand M. Paul-Boncour,
accompanied by Pierre de Fouquieres,
director of protocol, arrived at the en-
bassy chancellory in the Rue Challlot
and asked to see Mr.. Edge.
For half an hour M. Paul-Boncour
and Mr. Edge thrashed out the entire
debt problem.
Information from American sources
indicates that M. Paul-Boncour frankly
expressed a desire to receive any as
sistance possible from the embassy and
the Washington Government which
would enable him to take up the debt
question with the Chamber of Deputies
and enable the government and the
chamber to reach a solution of the
question as soon as possible.
It is stated there was no mincing of
words throughout the conference, which
was characterized throughout by the
finest spirit Of goodwill on both sides,
and that the conversations did great
deal to clear the atmosphere
Refraias From Prediction.
Apparently M. Paul-Boncour refrained
from making any prediction as to when
the chamber might alter its attitude
concerning postponement OF the Decem-
Der interest payment
However, it was understood he did
intimate to Mr.. Edge his fervent hope
that Mr.. Edge would take the matter
up with the Washington Government,
so that negotiations might be continued
uninterrupted.
Without a battle or even a skirmish,
Paul-Boncour obtained a substantial
majority in the Chamber of Deputies.
As far as was ascertainable, however,
few, if any. deputies knew of the Hoo
ver-Roosevelt correspondence made pub
Iic yesterday, before they voted.
The good impression made by M. Paul
Boncour in the Chamber was echoed
in the press generally today, but it was
tLa act -Nar1
Henry Cheron, the new minister OF
finance, produces his financial "medi-
cine" in January, for which Socialist
support was considered doubtful.
The newspaper LIE Journal summed
up the situation thus: m. Paul-Bon-
cour wished to form a comprehensive
union of the forces of the Left. He
succeeded-for the present, at least"
The Hoover-Roosevelt correspondence
was given certain prominence in the
morning papers. but there were no COM
ments published.
The life of the Paul -Boncour govern
ment was prolonged by vote of 365 to
215, cast last night after six hours de-
bate on the prem;er's program.
Premier Paul-Bancour's position was
still precarious because loss of Socialist
support at any time would easily wipe
out his ma ajority. Socialists have 13l
votes in the Left bloc of 376 Deputies
which backed up M. Herriot until he
demanded the debt payment.
Younger Envoy Sought.
A movement was under way today to
have the new cabinet replace Ambas-
sador Claudel at Washington by a
younger man with a knowledge of
changing conditions in the United
States. Powerful influences were work.
ing to have M. Claudel, now 81 years
old and Ambassador since early in 1927,
removed by the time President-elect
Roosevelt takes office
Count Charles de Chambrun, Ambas-
sador to Turkey. has been mentioned
The count was born in Washington,
eerved at the embassy there during his
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