Evening star., 1938-03-15
MILITARY CHIEFS
CALLED BY BLUM
Premier Seeks to Expedite
Production of Fighting
Materials.
By the Associated Press.

oS IHe ASSOCIATED PTeSS.
PARIS, March l5.-Premier Leon
Blum, beset by war fears and internal
political-financial tension, called mill
tary officials into conference today to
expedite production of fighting squip-
ment
National Defense Minister Edouard
Daladier. Navy Minister Cesar Cam
pinchi and Air Minister Guy La
Chambre were summoned for a tech
nical discussion with workers groups
of the best method of strengthening
France to meet the danger of war.
The conference was one of many
the Premier had with French officials
and foreign diplomats, including talks
with the ENJOYS of Russia, Frances
ally in the East, and of the hard
pressed Spanish government.
Franc Takes Slump.
Financial troubles became more
acute as the franc slid to 1886 to
the dollar, lowest point since the
franc was stabilized by the Poincare
government in 1928.
Premium Blum conferred with Bank
of France and treasury officials. but
authorities said there was no "ex-
traordinary significance" to these
talks. in spite of the francs slide.
Later Premier Blum discussed the
general situation with Communists
Deputies Jacques Duclos and Marcel
Clifton, then summoned Minister of
Foreign Affairs Joseph Paul -Boncour.
1t was reported in Chamber of Dep
uties corridors that parties of the
Right which are not participating in
the new government of Premier Blum,
were being sounded out again on the
initiative of President Albert Lebrun
as to the formation of national union
government if Premier Blup's regime
Is short lived.
Premier Blum was trying for support
of all parties, but political sources
thought there was little likelihood of
success. Deputies were of the opinion
that Premier Blum would win ma
jority in his first appearance in the
Chamber, but run into serious trouble
thereafter.
Seeks to Speed Production.
The premier was urging labor and
capital in war industries to abandon
their rivalries to speed up arms pro-
duction to meet the threat of expanded
pan-Germanism in Central Europe.
In grave council with officers of
the General Confederation of Labor
last night, Premier Blum told the
leaders of 100000 workers that Ger
many's fusion with Austria made ac-
celeration of the French armament
program imperative. He asked their
cooperation.
A second labor conference was
called for today, and leading indus
trialists were invited for q meeting
Immediately afterward to study "prac-
tical measures" to increase supplies of
armaments and war materials.
These steps were on the heels of as
surances given by Premier Blum and
his foreign minister. Joseph Paul
Boncour, to the Czechoslovakian Minis
ter, Stefan Osusky, that France stood
ready to make good on her promise
of military action should Nazis at
tempt to include the Czecho democ-
racy in Greater Germany"
Premier Blum told the labor leaders
the government would ask Parliament
to give urgent passage to supplement
tary appropriations for expansion of
the armament program.
He withheld details of the program,
but the independent national defense
fund already was expected to borrow
3,200,000,000 francs $4,000, ,000) for
1898,